Saint Andrew's Abbey

Monastic Contemplative Practices (Zoom Option)
2025-01-10 15:00 - 2025-01-12 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
In the early monastic tradition, the term “contemplation” referred to the perception of God in both the glorious complexity of creation and silent rest without words or images. In this workshop, the monastic practices of lectio divina and psalmody will provide a link between these two poles of contemplation. Readings from early monastic sources will be provided, and participants will be encouraged to share the liturgy of the hours with the monastic community.

Presenter: FR. LUKE DYSINGER MD, DPhil, has been a monk of Saint Andrew’s Abbey since 1980. He studied medicine at the University of Southern California and theology at the University of Oxford. He is professor of moral theology and church history at Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California and has published books and articles in the fields of bioethics, early Christian spirituality and patristics.

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

MID-WINTER DANCE WORKSHOP: Stepping Into the Wells of Life
2025-01-17 15:00 - 2025-01-20 10:00
Refresh and renew yourselves through the depths of our human experience with uplifting sacred music, word, and dance. Val and Frank Jansen will join us & provide musical support for the workshop.

Presenter: JOHN WEST, Obl.OSB is an oblate of Saint Andrew’s Abbey and the founder of the Valyermo Dancers. A gifted dancer, choreographer, liturgist, and writer, he has been conducting workshops at St. Andrew’s Abbey and Holy Spirit Retreat Center, as well as at international and national collegiate and university levels. His professional associations include serving on the board of the Sacred Dance Guild and as a member of the prestigious North American Academy of Liturgy.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

HERRAMIENTAS PARA EL CRECIMIENTO ESPIRITUAL
2025-02-01 09:30 - 15:30
En este retiro, veremos la antigua tradición monástica de la Lectio Divina como herramienta principal para el crecimiento en la vida espiritual, especialmente en lo que respecta a la oración contemplativa. También, estudiaremos algunas de las “herramientas de las buenas obras” del Capítulo 4 de la Regla de San Benito, además de contemplar algunas virtudes clave que nos ayudarán a crecer más profundamente en el amor y la voluntad de Dios.

Presentador: P. ANGELUS ECHEVERRY, OSB, es monje de Valyermo desde 2011. Tiene una Maestría en Composición de Música Clásica y actualmente es Organista y Maestro de Coro. Tiene un profundo amor por lo que llama “Las cuatro ‘Emes’ de mi vida”: la Música, la vida Mística, el Santo Misterio que llamamos Trinidad y María, la Santísima Virgen, Madre de Dios. Para escuchar al Música de P. Angelus, visite: www.angelusecheverry.com.

*Si el evento figura como agotado, llámenos al 661-944-2178 para consultar la disponibilidad en tiempo real y una lista de espera.

EXPERIENCING GOD’S LOVE
2025-02-08 09:00 - 16:00
God is love, but really, experiencing God’s love is sometimes difficult. Once mankind lived in perfect community with God, we were designed for this. His love and provision were real and tangible. But our fallen nature and ongoing rebellion has caused us to doubt God’s love for us. We struggle to accept His mercy, yet our soul desires it.
Intentionally offered near the over-sentimentalized season of Valentine’s Day, this retreat offers you the unique opportunity to explore the reality of God’s love for you. Based on Saint Bernard’s “Four Degrees of Love,” short reflections and quiet activities will provide the framework for exploring the soul’s journey back to a restored relationship with God.

Presenter: LISA MARION Obl., OSB, is an oblate of Valyermo and Spiritual Director in Orange County. An energetic leader, she has over 25 years of pastoral experience ministering to people of all ages and stages of life. Leading numerous events both locally and nationally, she conveys her awareness of God and his love with a subtle yet honest sense of humor. Having experienced many seasons of trial and suffering, Lisa is well equipped to journey with others through their own trials and seasons of struggle. Her attunement to the Holy Spirit makes her uniquely gifted for this ministry. For more information about Lisa and her ministry visit: www.dailypax.com – subscribe to join her growing community of those seeking peace and spiritual growth.

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

LENTEN SILENT RETREAT
2025-03-04 15:00 - 2025-03-07 10:00
During these days of silence at the monastery, the whole Church begins the sacred season of Lent. Short reflections will be offered daily, emphasizing the traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The desert silence and the monastery’s liturgies will provide an atmosphere conducive to deep reflection. This is a wonderful opportunity to make our Lenten pilgrimage more fruitful this year.

Presenters: Monks of Valyermo

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

RETIRO DE CUARESMA
2025-03-09 09:00 - 15:30
La Cuaresma es el tiempo litúrgico de conversión, que la Iglesia marca para prepararnos a la gran fiesta de la Pascua. Es tiempo para arrepentirnos de nuestros pecados y de cambiar algo dentro nosotros para ser mejores y poder vivir más cerca de Cristo. En la Cuaresma, Cristo nos invita a cambiar de vida. La Iglesia nos invita a vivir la Cuaresma como un camino hacia Jesucristo, escuchando la Palabra de Dios, orando, compartiendo con el prójimo y haciendo obras buenas. Nos invita a vivir una serie de actitudes cristianas que nos ayudan a parecernos más a Jesucristo. Durante este mini retiro examinaremos nuestras vidas a través del Misterio Pascual.

Presentador: CARLOS OBANDO Obl., OSB, nació en Costa Rica y vive en Los Estados Unidos desde 1966. Está casado, tiene tres hijos y tres nietos. En el año 2009 obtuvo una maestría de la Universidad de Loyola Marymount, Los Ángeles, en Teología Pastoral, es instructor en la Escuela de la Renovación Carismática en la Diócesis de Orange. Ha sido Director Espiritual por más de 25 años. Trabaja con la comunidad hispana desde 1979 en los condados de Los Ángeles y Orange en la formación de líderes y dando retiros a jóvenes, adultos y matrimonios. Actualmente coordina los Ejercicios Espirituales para los Aspirantes y sus Esposas a través de la Oficina del Diaconado, en la Arquidiócesis de Los Ángeles.

*Si el evento figura como agotado, llámenos al 661-944-2178 para consultar la disponibilidad en tiempo real y una lista de espera.

Serenity Retreat: Cultivating Rhythms of Wholistic Wellness
2025-03-17 15:00 - 2025-03-19 10:00
Serenity is a universal need, though often elusive in our fast-paced, tension-filled lives. While the world’s demands create stress and chaos, serenity offers a path toward peace, grounding us in a state of calm that nurtures our deepest sense of well-being. Far more than the absence of conflict, serenity is a practice that leads us toward wholeness, balancing the body, mind, and spirit in a way that sustains health and harmony. Through contemplative practices such as guided meditation, silence & solitude, creative activities, and reflective storytelling, this retreat will provide the space and tools needed to develop personal rhythms of wholistic wellness. Together, we will explore how serenity, when nurtured, can become a source of strength that transforms our inner lives and how we engage with the world. Ultimately, Serenity invites us to find peace in our imperfect lives, rest in God’s presence, and cultivate wholeness in a broken and troubled world.

Presenter: SUSAN YIM with an MA in Educational Administration from Concordia University, has spent over 20 years consulting in educational, religious, and business sectors and a combined 34 years in lay and full-time ministry. A certified Gallup Strengths Coach, Mental Health Coach, Wholistic Wellness Coach, Life Coach, and Spiritual Director, she integrates her expertise with a personal journey of healing from an autoimmune disorder. This along with the Covid-19 crisis inspired her to found YIM (pronounced “why I am”) Wholistic Wellness, through which she offers one-on-one and group coaching, consulting and retreat facilitation. Having fallen in love with St. Andrew’s Abbey and its monks, where she found rest and healing through facilitated and personal retreats, it is fitting that she now facilitates this retreat here.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE READINGS WORKSHOP
2025-04-12 09:00 - 16:00
This weekend is Palm Sunday. The Gospel account is that of Luke.
Luke’s narration of the Passion of Christ is a rich source for our study. In our first session we’ll examine the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus. During the second session we’ll discuss His Resurrection and the Emmaus Road account, culminating in the most exciting experience the disciples had of the Eucharist.
John will share his insights in an enlightening PowerPoint presentation.
This retreat will afford you deeper insights into Luke’s story of the Passion. Bring your Bible and be prepared for a fascinating dialogue about Jesus, the Messiah/Christ.

Presenter: JOHN D’ISACCO, Obl., OSB, has taught scripture at his parish, American Martyrs, for 27 years. He spent 11 years at the Pontifical College Josephinum and did post-graduate work at Loyola University. John has extensive knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures.

Retreat Schedule

9:00 – Check-in/ Breakfast
10:00-11:30 – Workshop 1
Noon – Mass
1:00 – Lunch
2:00-3:30 – Workshop 2
4:00 – depart

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

SACRED TRIDUUM
2025-04-17 15:00 - 2025-04-20 10:00
The Sacred Triduum is the holiest time of the Church’s liturgical cycle. You are invited to share the monastic experience of this sacred liturgy, beginning on Holy Thursday and concluding on Easter Sunday.
(Since this time is rooted in silence and reflection, we ask that you plan to arrive in sufficient time to be settled in your rooms before 4 p.m.)

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

SPRING ARTISTS' RETREAT
2025-04-28 15:00 - 2025-05-02 10:00
This retreat is open to artists at all levels, including beginners. Photographers, sculptors, and writers are also welcome to experience the colors and beauty of the high desert in the monastery setting. Escape the stress of daily life while deepening a spiritual vision in your art. (A materials list will be provided.)

Presenter: GREGORY MICHAEL HERNÁNDEZ is a landscape-based visual artist living in Pasadena, CA. His paintings, photography and sculptures explore the religious and political dimensions of land use. Growing up in Hesperia, CA, cemented his lifelong connection to the Mojave Desert.See his work at www.gmhstudio.com

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and waiting list.

The Heart of a Father - *CANCELLED*
2025-05-02 14:00 - 2025-05-04 14:30

ST. HILDEGARD OF BINGEN
2025-05-03 09:30 - 15:30
This retreat will provide a general overview of Saint Hildegard’s life. Still, it will focus especially on her music, particularly through studying her viriditas, or ‘greenness’ concept, and its influence on her music. In addition to listening to some of her music, there will be an opportunity to discuss liturgy and chant. Finally, we will form a little Schola and sing through some of St Hildegard’s music and some of Fr Angelus’ music as well. Though this is primarily a music-themed retreat, being a musician or having a singing voice is not required, only an interest in this great Benedictine Saint.

Presenter: FR. ANGELUS ECHEVERRY, OSB, has been a monk of Valyermo since 2011. He has a Master’s degree in Classical Music Composition and is currently an Organist and Choirmaster. He has a deep love for what he calls “The four ‘M’s’ of my life”: Music, the Mystical life, the Holy Mystery that we call the Trinity and Mary, the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God. To listen to the Music of Fr. Angelus, visit: www.angelusecheverry.com

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

PRIESTS' RETREAT: "Speak Lord, your Servants are Listening"
2025-05-05 15:00 - 2025-05-09 10:00
St. Benedict begins the prologue to his rule with the admonition, “Open the ear of your heart”. At this moment in our journey together as Church, we are called more than ever to listen deeply to the Spirit – the quiet whisper of our God speaking within our hearts.
The centerpiece for this retreat will be Listening Together: Meditations on Synodality by Timothy Radcliffe, O.P.

**PRIESTS ONLY RETREAT**

Presenter: FR. JOSEPH BRENNAN has been a monk of Valyermo since 1994 after having served as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for over 20 years. He is a spiritual director at the Cardinal Manning House of Prayer for priests in Los Angeles as well as St. Andrew’s Sub-Prior.

Lectio Divina: The Ancient Art of Praying the Scriptures (Zoom Option)
2025-05-09 15:00 - 2025-05-11 10:00
Lectio divina, the ancient Christian art of praying the scriptures, allows the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God. In other words, through lectio divina, reading sacred scripture becomes the gateway to contemplative prayer. In this workshop, ancient and modern approaches to the practice of lectio divina and its application to contemplative prayer will be studied and practiced.

Presenter: FR. LUKE DYSINGER MD, DPhil, has been a monk of Saint Andrew’s Abbey since 1980. He studied medicine at the University of Southern California and theology at the University of Oxford. He is professor of moral theology and church history at Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California and has published books and articles in the fields of bioethics, early Christian spirituality and patristics.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER WORKSHOP
2025-05-31 09:00 - 16:00
Designed for the beginner and offered during Lent, this Quiet Day will explore the history and purpose of Contemplative prayer practices, how contemplative prayer differs from meditation, what contemplative prayer is and isn’t, and offers the space to actually practice several contemplative prayer modalities. An extrovert by nature, Lisa discovered the value of contemplative practices in her journey to a closer connection with God. Come draw away from the chaos of life and learn tools to help you center your heart and experience the presence of God.

Presenter: LISA MARION Obl. OSB, is an oblate of Valyermo and Spiritual Director in Orange County. An energetic leader, she has over 25 years of pastoral experience ministering to people of all ages and stages of life. Leading numerous events both locally and nationally, she conveys her awareness of God and his love with a subtle yet honest sense of humor. Having experienced many seasons of trial and suffering, Lisa is well equipped to journey with others through their own trials and seasons of struggle. Her attunement to the Holy Spirit makes her uniquely gifted for this ministry. For more information about Lisa and her ministry visit: www.dailypax.com – subscribe to join her growing community of those seeking peace and spiritual growth.

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

PENTECOST RETREAT - Sold Out
2025-06-06 15:00 - 2025-06-08 10:00
This preached retreat is for the oblates of St. Andrew’s Abbey or anyone interested in Benedictine spirituality. The focus is the Rule of St. Benedict and the liturgy of Pentecost.

Presenters: Monks of Valyermo

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

*CANCELADO* EL ALMA DESPUES DE LA MUERTE
2025-06-14 09:30 - 15:30

DISCOVERING C. S. LEWIS’S LIBRARY: The Enchanting and Sacramental Role of Books (Zoom Option)
2025-06-25 15:00 - 2025-06-27 10:00
Imagine standing in C. S. Lewis’s personal library as he tells how books enlarged his vision, captured his imagination, and pointed him to Christ. In this workshop, Lewis’s story and the growth of his library are traced, beginning with his first book and early collecting through his academic and writing career, until his library is dispersed near his death. These accounts, combined with Lewis’s views on reading and literature, invite participants to discover the numinous in books, learn through the eyes of others, and experience the same deep joy of seeing God in all of life.

Presenter: DR. ROGER WHITE is Professor Emeritus at Azusa Pacific University where he taught in the College of Education, Seminary, and Honors College. He was founding curator of the C. S. Lewis and Inklings Collection in the University’s Rare Books Department. Additionally, White served as lead editor for the book, C. S. Lewis and His Circle: Essays and Memoirs from the Oxford C. S. Lewis Society (Oxford University Press, 2015) and is currently completing a book about rediscovering C. S. Lewis’s library.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

WHO AM I? Meeting the Self in the in the Prodigal Son
2025-06-27 15:00 - 2025-06-29 10:00
St. Luke, Rembrandt, and Henri Nouwen are our human guides as we examine and discern the different spiritual states revealed in Holy Scripture’s parable of The Prodigal Son. Art, writing, and personal experience combine to help us realize the broader implications of this narrative and how they apply to our lives. Careful attention to art, close reading of texts, personal reflection, and discussion will form the basis of this retreat.

Presenters: Reese Landi, Obl.OSB & Mary Kauffman, Obl.OSB

REESE LANDI is an Oblate of Valyermo. She is a nurse and an artist. Reese completed her Art of Spiritual Direction through LMU and has enjoyed using art to enhance one’s understanding of scripture. Reese is certified in Art for Healing through Brandman University and has worked with a non-profit to practice art therapy.
MARY KAUFFMAN is an oblate of Valyermo. She has an MA in English and has taught ESL, various levels of English and writing, and literature courses at several colleges in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Now retired, she enjoys sharing her love of reading and writing through participation in different reading and literary groups, particularly those with an emphasis on discovering the transcendent and increasing our Christian awareness through exploration of the written word.

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and waiting list.

ICONOGRAPHY
2025-06-30 15:00 - 2025-07-06 10:00
This intensive icon painting workshop will provide an opportunity to experience the process of icon painting. Participants will learn traditional iconographic techniques, working with egg tempera on gesso and the Byzantine four-color (tetrachrome) palette. This practical instruction will be combined with theoretical instruction in the history of iconography, iconographic composition, and the theology of icons. Each participant will work on an icon and take the completed icon home. No experience is necessary. The instructor will provide all supplies and materials.

Presenter: A native of Ukraine, VICTORIA BRENNAN holds a doctorate in Eastern Ecclesiastical Studies from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. Her areas of specialization include Theology of Icons, Byzantine Art and Architecture, Byzantine Spirituality, and Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts. She has taught courses in theology and art at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine, and St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo where she currently works. In addition to her theological and academic study of Byzantine Sacred Art, Victoria pursues her love of this tradition as an iconographer.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

BENEDICTINE SPIRITUALITY RETREAT: Reflections of the Rule of St. Benedict
2025-07-07 15:00 - 2025-07-11 10:00
St. Andrew’s Abbey monks invite retreatants to reflect deeply on the Rule of St. Benedict.
Individual monks will offer personal reflections and insights on selected passages of the Rule to further enrich our understanding of the Rule of St. Benedict, explore aspects for daily application, and deepen our Christian commitment to live out the Gospel.

Presenters: Monks of Valyermo

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

ANGELS AND DEMONS
2025-07-12 09:30 - 15:30
Angels are real, spiritual beings who exist as messengers and servants of God. This retreat will provide a general overview of angelology while looking at the writings and teachings of St Thomas Aquinas, Church Tradition, and the Scriptures to “flesh out” these mysterious beings of pure intellect. Utilizing the question/answer format from Dr. Peter Kreeft’s book “Angels (and Demons) – What do we really know about them?”, we will attempt to answer many questions on the matter ranging from “Do angels know our secret thoughts?” to “Why would a good angel choose to become a devil?” This is an important subject in our Christian belief as the existence of angels is a dogma of the Catholic faith.

Presenter: Fr. ANGELUS ECHEVERRY, OSB, has been a monk of Valyermo since 2011. He has a Master’s degree in Classical Music Composition and is currently an Organist and Choirmaster. He has a deep love for what he calls “The four ‘M’s’ of my life”: Music, the Mystical life, the Holy Mystery that we call the Trinity and Mary, the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God. To listen to the Music of Fr. Angelus, visit: www.angelusecheverry.com

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

ST. CLARE OS ASSISI: A HEART FULL OF LOVE
2025-07-18 15:00 - 2025-07-20 10:00
To enter into a relationship with Clare of Assisi for this weekend retreat is to go forward securely, joyfully, and swiftly, carried by the momentum of a woman burning with love. Clare, a pilgrim of the interior adventure, always re-directs us on the path of prudent happiness. What a paradox: the cloister of San Damiano – a restricted space – opens to infinite love. The loving kenosis of Christ captivates her and incites her to a Passover, brisk as a dance step, into full communion. This love that fills Clare with life springs forth like a fountain in her heart.

Presenter: STEPHEN COFFEY, OSB Cam is an ordained monk of the Camaldolese community of California. He is engaged in extensive retreat ministry as well as spiritual direction for priests, religious, and laity. He formerly served on the staff of Shalom Prayer Center.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

Gonzaga Alumni Retreat July '25
2025-07-23 15:00 - 2025-07-27 10:00
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CINEMA DIVINA RETREAT: Communicating Hope with Gentleness
2025-08-08 15:00 - 2025-08-10 10:00
Cinema Divina combines film with the form of Lectio Divina. It is a time of prayer, reflection, and conversation to dive deeper into the story and recognize our call. This unique experience takes the participants on a journey through film as we reflect together on our common human experience and the ability to live a virtuous life. The films we will be viewing and discussing are:
Sight ( 2023)
Audrey’s Children (2025)
Arthur the King (2024)

Presenter: SISTER JENNIFER TECLA HYATT, FSP is a member of the Daughters of St Paul, a religious community dedicated to evangelization with the media. She has a BA in Theology and is a Master Catechist in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Currently the Manager of Pauline Books and Media in Miami, Florida, she also is an associate of the Pauline Center for Media Studies. Over the past ten years, she has facilitated various film and Scripture activities for both children and adults, as well as given presentations on media literacy and integrating culture, faith, and media. She is a proud member of the elite Catholic Speakers Organization, CatholicSpeakers.com.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

UNDERSTANDING MIRACLES
2025-08-09 09:30 - 15:30
This retreat aims to provide a proper understanding and approach to miracles from the Catholic perspective by separating the authentic from the counterfeit, according to the Scriptures and the Magisterium. We will use the book “A Catholic Guide to Miracles” by Adam Blai to explore specific miracles and provide examples of their demonic counterfeits. If you have ever wondered about miraculous things like eucharistic miracles, levitation, stigmata, and faith healers, this retreat is for you.

Presenter: FR. ANGELUS ECHEVERRY, OSB, has been a monk of Valyermo since 2011. He has a Master’s degree in Classical Music Composition and is currently an Organist and Choirmaster. He has a deep love for what he calls “The four ‘M’s’ of my life”: Music, the Mystical life, the Holy Mystery that we call the Trinity and Mary, the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God. To listen to the Music of Fr. Angelus, visit: www.angelusecheverry.com

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

CELTIC SPIRITUALITY: A Journey into Sacred Living
2025-08-15 15:00 - 2025-08-17 10:00
That early Irish Christian spirituality and practice is often misunderstood and misappropriated does not negate the fact that it has much to teach us today. This retreat will look at five main areas of Celtic spirituality: pilgrimage, spiritual companionship, “thin places,” penance and monasticism in order to situate them in their historical setting with an eye towards adapting them for our own personal spirituality.

Presenter: REV. DR. GREG PETERS Obl. OSB is an oblate of Valyermo, an Associate Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology at Biola University, La Mirada, CA, and the Servants of Christ Research Professor of Monastic Studies and Ascetical Theology at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin. As an Anglican priest, he serves as Rector of the Anglican Church of the Epiphany, also in La Mirada. He is the author of Reforming the Monastery: Protestant Theologies of the Religious Life, The Story of Monasticism: Retrieving an Ancient Tradition for Contemporary Spirituality and The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality.

*If the event is listed as sold out please call us at 661-944-2178 for real time availability and waiting list.

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF STORY
2025-08-21 15:00 - 2025-08-24 10:00
Our modern culture places a high value on non-fiction, deeming it to be the “reality” while largely minimizing or dismissing the rich source of meaning that can be found in fiction, myth, and parables. Through a psycho-spiritual lens, we will explore how the human psyche can experience significant growth through deep interaction with certain forms of fiction that reflect symbolic and archetypal realities; through a literary lens, we will explore the many activities that fall under the one term “reading” and their effects on the mind and spirit, emphasizing, in particular, the role of the fiction novel on individuals and culture. Can a return to the primacy of fiction and its revelation of the transcendent return the culture to wholeness?
Presenters: Mary Kauffman, Obl.OSB & Michael Mullard, Obl.OSB; Ph.D.
MARY KAUFFMAN is an oblate of Valyermo. She has an MA in English and has taught ESL, various levels of English and writing, and literature courses at several colleges in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Now retired, she enjoys sharing her love of reading and writing through participation in different reading and literary groups, particularly those with an emphasis on discovering the transcendent and increasing our Christian awareness through exploration of the written word.
MICHAEL MULLARD is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, emphasizing depth psychology. He has been an Oblate of New Camaldoli Hermitage since 2004 and has been hanging out with Benedictines since 1980. He lives in Southern California.

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

HEALING OUR WOUNDS: Forgiveness in the Spiritual Life
2025-08-25 16:00 - 2025-08-29 11:00
We give them, we suffer them, and our bodies hold on to them for years: Wounds. We can imprison ourselves in them and wither emotionally for far too long without the transforming power of forgiveness. Divine Love liberates us from resentment, self-pity, and isolation. The love that forgives opens a path to inner freedom. God reveals such love in Jesus. When we experience authentic forgiveness, we begin to live again in hope and gratitude. When we ponder such experiences, we desire to enter more personally into the mystery of forgiveness toward others, to become reconcilers ourselves. The process of forgiveness requires the full engagement of desire, willingness, and courage. The whole person—body, mind, and soul—must engage in this endeavor. Without forgiveness, our Christian life and our emotional well-being are incomplete. This is essential to becoming our most authentic selves, the person God intends us to be.

Presenter: DR. NANCY WALLIS has enriched her vocational life to include special areas of ministry including spiritual direction, guest preaching, and leading contemplative spiritual retreats. Expanding on her 40-year career focused on developing leaders in organizational settings, including her work as a business executive, consultant, graduate and undergraduate business school professor, and leadership development coach, she brings a transformational and loving spirit to the sacred cultivating of richer inner lives. She completed her Master of Divinity degree at the Claremont School of Theology, and training in individual and group spiritual direction at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE RETREAT’S ITINERARY: Healing our Wounds-Forgiveness in the Spiritual Life Agenda

*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OF THE DESERT FATHERS AND MOTHERS (Zoom Option)
2025-08-29 15:00 - 2025-08-31 10:00
The practical and contemplative wisdom of the Fathers and Mothers of the Desert is part of the spiritual heritage of all Christians. In this workshop, we will focus on their understanding of spiritual progress, particularly the practices and forms of prayer they consider to be the foundation of Christian contemplation. Workshop participants are encouraged to read Sayings of the Desert Fathers, translated by Bendicta Ward and published either by Cistercian Press or Penguin Books.
Presenter: FR. LUKE DYSINGER MD, DPhil, has been a monk of Saint Andrew’s Abbey since 1980. He studied medicine at the University of Southern California and theology at the University of Oxford. He is professor of moral theology and church history at Saint John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California and has published books and articles in the fields of bioethics, early Christian spirituality and patristics.

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