AUTUMN ARTISTS' RETREAT
2025-10-27 15:00 - 2025-10-31 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
This retreat is open to artists at all levels, including beginners. Photographers, sculptors, and writers are also welcome to come and experience the colors and beauty of the high desert in the setting of the monastery. Escape the stress of daily life while deepening a spiritual vision in your art. (A materials list will be provided.)

Presenter: GREGORY MICHAEL HERNANDEZ 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 a waiting list.

EDITH STEIN: Her Journey from Darkness into Light *CANCELLED*
2025-11-07 15:00 - 2025-11-09 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Join us as we reflect on the life and times of Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a brilliant philosopher and poet, a mystic and searcher of the truth, and a Jew — a daughter of Israel. Her encounter with the cross in the life of a Christian friend sparked an inner transformation that led to her baptism into the Catholic faith. Her reading of the life of Teresa of Avila brought her to the door of the Cologne Carmel, where she began her contemplative journey as a Carmelite nun. Her Jewish identity and her Catholic faith collided with the oppressive Nazi regime and led to her martyrdom at Auschwitz.

Presenter: FR. JOSEPH BRENNAN OSB 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.

*WE WILL RESCHEDULE THE RETREAT FOR AUGUST 2026.* Look out for the retreat once the calendar 2026 is published.

ÁNGELES Y DEMONIOS
2025-11-08 09:30 - 15:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Los ángeles son seres reales y espirituales que existen como mensajeros y siervos de Dios. Este retiro proporcionará una visión general de la angelología, mientras analiza los escritos y las enseñanzas de Santo Tomás de Aquino, la Tradición de la Iglesia y las Escrituras para “dar cuerpo” a estos misteriosos seres de intelecto puro. Utilizando el formato de pregunta/respuesta del libro del Dr. Peter Kreeft “Ángeles (y demonios) – ¿Qué sabemos realmente sobre ellos?”, intentaremos responder muchas preguntas sobre el tema, que van desde “¿Conocen los ángeles nuestros pensamientos secretos?” a “¿Por qué un buen ángel elegiría convertirse en demonio?” Este es un tema importante en nuestra creencia cristiana ya que la existencia de los ángeles es un dogma de la fe católica.

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.

PRIESTS' RETREAT: "Speak Lord, your Servants are Listening"
2025-11-10 15:00 - 2025-11-14 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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.
*(Priest ONLY Retreat)

Presenter: FR. JOSEPH BRENNAN, OSB 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.

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

EXPLORING TEILHARD’S HUMAN PHENOMENON
2025-11-17 15:00 - 2025-11-21 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s book The Human Phenomenon developed many fundamental scientific concepts of his evolutionary thinking. They provided the foundational ideas for his integration of evolution with Christian theology and spirituality. This retreat will explore connections between Teilhard’s evolutionary scientific ideas and his spirituality and theology.

Presenter: FR. 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.

BENEDICTINE MYSTICS AND CONTEMPLATIVES (Zoom Option)
2025-11-21 15:00 - 2025-11-23 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
The Benedictine monastic tradition offers a rich spectrum of Christian mystics and contemplative authors. In this workshop the meanings of “mysticism” and “contemplation” will be explored through the lives and writings of Benedictine saints including: Pope Gregory the Great, Abbot Suger of Cluny, Hildegard of Bingen and Gertrude the Great, among others. Readings from monastic sources will be provided and participants will be encouraged to experience for themselves the contemplative rhythm of monastic prayer by sharing in the liturgy of the hours with the monastic community.

Presenter: FR. LUKE DYSINGER, OSB, 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.

Day of Rest and Renewal at the Abbey
2025-11-22 09:00 - 16:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Visit St. Andrew’s Abbey for a day of Rest and Renewal. Enjoy a talk on the history of the Abbey, a tour led by a monk, and a scripture study workshop by John D’Isacco. There are plenty of grounds to explore at the Abbey to take in the beauty and peace of its landscape in the Fall season. The itinerary includes Mass with the monks, followed by lunch, and, if you choose, you can remain to join in for Vespers (and the desert sunset).

Presenter: JOHN D’ISACCO, Obl., OSB, has taught scripture at his parish, American Martyrs, for 28 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.

SCHEDULE

9:00 am – Continental Breakfast
9:30-11:00 – History of the Abbey Talk and Tour
Noon – Mass
1:00 pm – Lunch
2:00-3:30 – Workshop: Sunday Scripture Readings in Context
4:00 – Depart
5:30 – Vesper (Evening Prayer/Sunset – optional)

*Call the office at 661.944.2178 or email us at retreats@valyermo.com for any further questions or clarification.

THANKSGIVING AT VALYERMO - SOLD OUT
2025-11-26 15:00 - 2025-11-28 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
This non-directed retreat provides time to reflect on all God has given us and to enjoy the festive Thanksgiving celebration with the monastic community.

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

ADVENT RETREAT
2025-11-28 15:00 - 2025-11-30 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
On this first weekend of Advent, we will offer a potpourri of monastic insights, enabling participants to experience the Advent season as a time rooted in scripture, history, art, music, and liturgy.

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

RETIRO DE ADVIENTO: “Una Morada Interior para el Señor”
2025-11-29 09:00 - 15:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Este retiro de un día nos invita a hacer silencio, escuchar al Señor y mirar dentro del corazón. Descubramos nuevamente nuestro llamado a preparar en nosotros una morada interior donde Dios habite, mientras caminamos con esperanza hacia la comunión eterna con Él.

Presentadores:
HNO. IGNACIO OSB, es un monje en votos temporales de la abadía de San Andrés. Experimenta a Dios a través de la oración, el trabajo y el ritmo de la vida monástica. Formo parte de la comunidad en julio del 2023.

ANTONIO DÍAZ cuenta con una Maestría en Divinidad del Seminario de San Juan en Camarillo. Durante varios años, su labor pastoral y profesional se ha centrado en acompañar a quienes atraviesan el duelo y a aquellos que se acercan al final de la vida.

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

THE WAY OF BEAUTY - CANCELLED
2025-12-08 15:00 - 2025-12-12 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Another way to say Christ in all His glory is to say Christ in all His beauty. An experience of Christ through beauty awakens faith or fortifies it to a deeper surety. God allows us to see breathtaking beauty in nature. David Clayton proposes that “the aims for the supernatural transformation of the person are so that he can in turn transfigure the whole culture through the divine beauty of his daily actions. There is no human activity, no matter how mundane, that cannot be enhanced by this formation in beauty.” While the manifestations of the Holy Spirit are rarely praised beyond “the work was inspired,” the work of some has been done by saints or beatified persons, such as Fra Angelico or Antoni Gaudi. Creativity driven by the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in people results in many forms of beauty that bring others to a sense of Christ’s beauty. These can range from August Kekule’s benzene ring formation [chemistry], to the glorious movement of Pete Sampras’ tennis serve [biomechanics] and on to draw from sacred music, including Valyermo’s Fr. Angelus Echeverry’s compositions “Suscipe me” and “Flos Carmeli” and more. This retreat will enliven our experience of beauty in many of its manifestations and expressions.

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.

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

One Flesh: "I Get to Love You", A Weekend of Renewal for Christian Marriages
2025-12-12 15:00 - 2025-12-14 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Marriage is beautiful, but it is also a spiritual battleground. Every couple discovers, at some point, that loving one another the way Christ calls us to love can feel harder than expected. This retreat offers couples a chance to step away from the noise, reconnect with God, and rediscover each other within the peace of the desert.
Throughout the weekend, you and your spouse will explore what it truly means to be One Flesh:

Embrace God’s design as man and woman
Heal what has quietly wounded your unity
Rediscover intimacy, purpose, and the grace to say, “I get to love you”

Whether you’ve been married six months or sixty years, this retreat will meet you exactly where you are. Couples who are thriving will be strengthened. Couples who feel distant or discouraged will find hope. And those who simply want to grow will leave with renewed purpose and grace.
What To Expect

A welcoming, peaceful Benedictine environment (desert, monastic, prayer)
Honest, relatable talks rooted in Scripture, real-life experience, and the complementarity of man and woman
Time for reflection, prayer, silence, and conversation as a couple
Opportunities for healing and renewed connection
Practical tools to help you love one another with greater freedom and joy
A special surprise on the last day

This is not a conference, a counseling session, or a series of lectures.
It is a spiritual experience designed to help you: see clearly, love deeply, forgive freely, and live your Christian mission as one.

Presenters: DEACON CHARLIE & JESS ECHEVERRY
JESS ECHEVERRY is a Catholic speaker, writer, Catholic Social Teaching and family advocate whose work centers on healing, dignity, and hope. Through her ministries and her nonprofit leadership, she shares her powerful testimony from trauma, poverty, and loss to restoration in Christ and accompanies individuals and families toward deeper wholeness. Jessica speaks nationally on homelessness, motherhood, marriage, forgiveness, and the transforming mercy of God, inviting others to discover the freedom that comes from a life fully surrendered to Him. (www.mommaletics.com)
DEACON CHARLIE ECHEVERRY is an ordained deacon of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, a media executive, and founder of the creative agency Black//Brown. Through preaching, writing, consulting, and digital evangelization, he helps individuals and organizations bring the Gospel into the heart of culture. His work emphasizes authentic masculinity, mission, and the joyful witness of Catholic family life. He is passionate about strengthening marriages, forming leaders, and drawing people back to the person of Jesus Christ. (www.deaconcharlie.com)
Together, Jessica and Deacon Charlie speak and minister as a couple, offering a candid, authentic and hope-filled witness of God’s healing power in sacramental marriage. Drawing from lived experience, pastoral ministry, and years of walking with couples, they help spouses rediscover true identity, unity, intimacy, and the grace of becoming one flesh in Christ.

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

Image from John August Swanson.

THE SOUL AFTER DEATH
2025-12-13 09:30 - 15:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
This retreat will examine what happens to us after we die, using the Scriptures and Tradition. We will use the book “The Soul After Death” by Fr Seraphim Rose as a springboard. There will be some discussion on the phenomenon of near-Death Experiences, including true Christian experiences of heaven during these, particularly in relation to the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.

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.

CHRISTMAS AT VALYERMO
2025-12-23 15:00 - 2025-12-26 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
On the Solemnity of Christmas, we first contemplate the mystery of the Word becoming Flesh. The liturgical celebration at the Abbey starts with First Vespers on Christmas Eve and ends with Night Prayer on Christmas Day.

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

NEW YEAR RETREAT: “Benedictine Chant as Contemplative Prayer" (ZOOM Option Available)
2025-12-30 15:00 - 2026-01-02 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
The principal sources of contemplative prayer in the early Church were the Scriptures and the sacred liturgy, where the Scriptures are transformed into poetry and song. In this workshop, we will seek to rediscover in the Benedictine liturgical tradition of music and prayer our capacity to delight in and reverence the mystery of the God of Love. Latin chants from from early monastic sources as well as modern Benedictine antiphons, will be shared, and participants will be encouraged to share the liturgy of the hours with the monastic community.

Presenter: FR. LUKE DYSINGER, OSB; D.Phil.; M.D., 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
2026-01-16 15:00 - 2026-01-19 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Let us join together and help one another remove the junk from our lives that blocks the flow of the Living Water. Let us fill ourselves with good prayer, good community, and the blessings of creativity. Come refresh and renew one another from the well of our blessed human experiences with uplifting sacred music, word, and dance. Bring comfortable clothes for both “work” and formal prayer. The retreat will be facilitated by John West Obl.OSB; Val and Frank Jansen will provide musical support.

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 the Sacred Dance Guild as a Board Member and Approved Sacred Dance Facilitator; he is also 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 a waiting list.

Retiro de Cuaresma - *CANCELADO*
2026-02-08 09:00 - 15:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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 aparece como agotado, llámenos al 661-944-2178 para consultar la disponibilidad en tiempo real y apuntarse a la lista de espera.

*Registration Closed* Gonzaga Alumni Retreat February '26
2026-02-11 15:00 - 2026-02-15 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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Lenten Silent Retreat
2026-02-17 15:00 - 2026-02-20 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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 a waiting list.

Poverty of Spirit
2026-02-28 09:00 - 15:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Using the German Catholic priest and theologian Johann Metz’s book Poverty of Spirit, this retreat will look into the
meaning and significance of ‘poverty of spirit.’ We will examine the importance of the themes of Incarnation, the
various shapes of poverty, and especially what it means to become human as the essence of true spiritual poverty.
God wants us to be rich, but this spiritual wealth only comes through poverty of spirit!

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.

WHO AM I? Meeting the Self in the in the Prodigal Son
2026-03-16 15:00 - 2026-03-19 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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: 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.

Sacred Triduum *SOLD OUT*
2026-04-02 15:00 - 2026-04-05 13:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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.
(Painting by John August Swanson)

Gonzaga Alumni Servant Leadership April '26: Seeking Heartful Bodyful Wisdom (Registration Closed)
2026-04-08 15:00 - 2026-04-12 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States

Pureza de corazón a través de los Corazones de Jesús y María
2026-04-11 09:00 - 15:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Este retiro explorará qué es la pureza de corazón y cómo podemos esforzarnos por alcanzarla de manera más
perfecta, contemplándola a través de la perspectiva de los Corazones de Jesús y María. Reflexionaremos sobre la
vida, las palabras y el ejemplo de nuestro Señor y de la Virgen María en su búsqueda inquebrantable de la voluntad
de Dios, tal como se presenta en las Escrituras, a través de las devociones al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y al
Inmaculado Corazón de María, así como desde algunas perspectivas monásticas sobre el tema.

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.

Spring Artists Retreat - SOLD OUT
2026-04-27 03:00 - 2026-05-01 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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.
Presenter: GREGORY MICHAEL HERNANDEZ 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 a waiting list.

Called and Empowered: Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts
2026-05-02 09:00 - 16:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 2003 tells us that “Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to Christians by the Holy Spirit to be powerful channels of God’s love and redeeming presence in the world. Whether extraordinary or ordinary, charisms are to be used in charity or service to build up the church.”
In this one-day retreat, participants will learn what the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit are and how they differ from spiritual gifts. All Christians have been given one or more spiritual gifts or charisms (e.g., hospitality, encouragement, or giving). Using a spiritual gifts inventory, retreatants will be guided in discerning and exercising their spiritual gifts.

Presenter: MARY SCHULTE is an oblate of Valyermo. She has a B.A. in history, with a minor in French, and a J.D. (law degree). She has served as Chairperson of the Ecumenical and Inter-religious Commission for the Diocese of Orange from 1999-2005. She loves proclaiming the word of God and has been a lector in her parish for over 25 years. In addition to her Benedictine spirituality, she participates in a Christian Life Community (CLC) with fellow legal professionals who completed the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. She is co-coordinator of the Orange County oblate group, and one of four oblate mentors for the Orange County area. She loves to write, and four of her articles have been published in the Abbey Chronicle. She is developing a blog called Ordinary Days with Mary, to share her photography, spiritual writings, musings, and her passion for baking.

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

Silent Retreat
2026-05-11 15:00 - 2026-05-14 15:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Do you long for a few days of emotional and spiritual tranquility? Are you looking for a few moments of silence in your life? Do you need to be alone with the Lord through meditation and contemplation? If this is what your heart desires, we invite you to our silent retreat in the small oasis offered by the Benedictine Community of the Abbey of Saint Andrew, located in Valyermo.
Remember that this silent retreat is an opportunity to pause along the way, to take some time to reflect, meditate, and internalize profound truths that cannot be clearly contemplated in the midst of noise and everyday life.

Presenter: Carlos Obando Obl., OSB, was born in Costa Rica and has lived in the United States since 1966. He is married with three children and three grandchildren. In 2009, he earned a Master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, and is an instructor at the School of Charismatic Renewal in the Diocese of Orange. He has been a Spiritual Director for over 25 years. He has worked with the Hispanic community since 1979 in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, training leaders and giving retreats for youth, adults, and married couples. He currently coordinates the Spiritual Exercises for Aspirants and their Wives through the Office of the Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Pentecost Retreat
2026-05-22 15:00 - 2026-05-24 13:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
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 a waiting list.

Called to Create and Illuminate
2026-06-05 15:00 - 2026-06-07 13:30 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
A Call to Catholic artists to use their gifts to bring his light into the world.
This retreat will guide the artist into a reflection of their lives to see where they are on the journey. It will present the strong foundation of the Church’s teachings as well as welcome individuals to encounter Jesus in a deeper way through the sacramental life of the Church. Drawing strength from their relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist, they will be drawn how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in their lives and more to create accordingly. This will allow the Spirit to transform their hearts and their ministries, thus becoming lay missionaries of His light, enkindling their communities.
A retreat that offers spiritual formation for Catholic artists working in the art and entertainment industry.

Film and televesion industry-producers and actors.
Music industry-singers and songwriters.
Podcasters.
Media content creators.
Educators.
Students of the arts.

Presenters: FR. ISAAC KALINA OSB, ST. MICHAEL’S PRAYER GROUP
MUSIC BY TCV’S POETRY DREAMS
ISAAC KALINA has been a monk of Valyermo since 1984. Having completed his theological degree in Rome at Collegio Sant’ Anselmo, he was ordained a priest in 1989. He has served the Abbey as Prior, Sub-prior, Kitchenmaster, Youth Director, Assistant Novicemaster, Vocation Director, and Juniormaster. He is involved in retreats and workshops, bilingual ministry, 12-step recovery, addiction counseling, spiritual direction, and grief coaching.
*If the event is listed as sold out, please call us at 661-944-2178 for real-time availability and a waiting list.

The Way of Beauty
2026-06-22 15:00 - 2026-06-26 10:00 | Saint Andrew’s Abbey, 31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA, 93563, United States
Another way to say Christ in all His glory is to say Christ in all His beauty. An experience of Christ through beauty awakens faith or fortifies it to a deeper surety. God allows us to see breathtaking beauty in nature. David Clayton proposes that “the aims for the supernatural transformation of the person are so that he can, in turn, transfigure the whole culture through the divine beauty of his daily actions. There is no human activity, no matter how mundane, that cannot be enhanced by this formation in beauty.” Creativity driven by the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in people results in many forms of beauty that bring others to a sense of Christ’s beauty. This retreat will enliven our experience of beauty in many of its expressions, including in nature, music, and silence.

Presenter: DR. NANCY WALLIS offers spiritual companionship to individuals and groups, and designs and leads contemplative spiritual retreats. Building on her corporate and academic careers as an organizational leadership scholar, Nancy brings a transformational and loving spirit to the sacred cultivating of richer inner lives. Following the completion of her M.Div. degree at the Claremont School of Theology, she undertook further study in the areas of spiritual direction and contemplative leadership at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.

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