A place for peace, contemplation and discovery
Retreats
A refuge in the Black Forest
Come and simply be
Whether you’re seeking a retreat for yourself or a group, there is spiritual sanctuary here for you among the pine trees. When you drive onto Benet Lane, you enter the home of the Benedictine Sisters. The sisters will welcome you, just as you are right now. There is no need for you to get your heart and mind all bright and shiny before arriving. Just come. When you’re here, meet and interact with the sisters as much or little as you desire.
Accommodations are simple but cozy in the two retreat houses. In the forest, you will find serene walking trails and multifaith prayer sites. Birds, wildflowers, deer and the wind gently moving the tops of the trees will greet you as you step outside. The monastery is also home to bobcats, coyotes, wild turkeys, and black bears though these forest friends are quite shy and give visitors a wide berth.
Read on to learn more about the accommodations, FAQ, and fees, and to see a photo gallery of both retreat houses. But if you’re ready to take the next step, click on one of the buttons below. We look forward to hearing from you!
Enjoy solitude or time spent with others
Personal and group retreats
Plan your own retreat
Rest in a retreat house nestled in the pine forest. Walk the trails. Linger at prayer sites. Meet with a spiritual director if you choose.
- Self-guided or guided (three day or five day guided retreats)
- Single or double occupancy
- Common areas: living and dining rooms and kitchen
Plan your own group retreat
Tend to your relationships with family, friends, or your co-workers. Strengthen your social network while resting, learning, walking and listening to the sounds of the forest together.
- Single or double occupancy
- Common areas: living and dining rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms
- Meeting space available
Attend a group retreat hosted by Benet Hill
Sister Jan Ginzkey, OSB leads these retreats offering rest, renewal, and opportunities to experience labyrinth meditation, forest bathing, and sacred culturally modified trees.
- Single or double occupancy
- Common areas: living and dining rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms
A perfect welcome
Benet Hill was recommended to Rivka by a spiritual mentor as a place where she would find openness and community. She was initially skeptical that nuns would accept her, a young spiritual seeker who doesn’t follow any specific religious doctrine.
"I was so very pleasantly surprised to find that I was perfectly welcomed exactly as I am, to use my time there however I might choose, and invited to seek God however I might seek him."
Sister Therese, my spiritual director, exemplified the same warm openness. She was there only to support and guide me. She even asked me, 'Rivka, who is your God?'
Never have I been asked that question by someone in the religious realm, and certainly not by a nun! Her clear belief in God as a loving, infinite, and vast being rather than a picky, finite, and specific one touched me so deeply."
Accommodations
Abrahaven
Pinehaven
FAQs
Common Questions
The monastery is located at 7,300′. The altitude could affect persons with pulmonary and cardiac conditions. Please check with your physician prior to completing retreat arrangements.
Layers are key for dressing comfortably. In the summer, the temperatures may reach the high 80s during the day but cool down to high 50s in the evening. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the summer. Wind, rain, and snowstorms may occur during fall, winter, and spring (sometimes all in the same day!)
It is about a 7-10 minute walk from the retreat houses to the monastery. You are welcome to drive to the monastery building and park there if you prefer.
Breakfast is continental style and available from 7:30am – 9am. The noon meal is our main meal of the day and is served at 12:15pm cafeteria style. The evening meal is served at 5:30pm – 6:30pm and is lighter fare (for example, soup, sandwiches, salads, and fruit). Retreatants are welcome to join the sisters at the round tables or to dine solo or with their own group. Food options include vegetarian choices, and if you let us know at least one week ahead, we can accommodate gluten-friendly requests, too. Other meal modifications are not available.
Yes, WIFI is available throughout the monastery building and in the retreat houses. Passwords are in the retreat home welcome book; simply ask for passwords if needed at the monastery.
Cell phone coverage can be hit or miss. Enabling “Wifi calling” on your phone can improve your phone calls.
Generally no. Our retreat ministry is popular so it’s likely that you will share the common areas (e.g. living and dining rooms and kitchen) while here. We ask that retreatants respect the needs of others for a quiet atmosphere in the retreat house.
Click here to inquire about date availability. We will generally respond to your inquiry in 1-2 business days.
Mass is generally available on Sundays at 10:15am and on Wednesdays at 12:00pm. Retreatants are welcome to attend worship as well as community prayer with the sisters. Click here to see the weekly prayer schedule.
A guided retreat means that you meet with a Benedictine spiritual director from the monastery while here on retreat. You may meet with your guide for one or more sessions. This option might be right for you if you are discerning a change, seeking a purpose, or just need someone to listen with the ear of their heart.
Click here to complete your retreat request. We will respond generally in 1 or 2 business days with additional information and information on making your nonrefundable deposit.
Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate service animals or pets in the retreat houses.
Retreat fees
You have choices when planning your retreat here at Benet Hill:
- Provide your own meals or enjoy some or all of your meals in the monastery dining room
- Meet with a Benedictine spiritual director
- Enjoy a Healing Energy session
Ready to take the next step?
Contact information
Plan your retreat today
At Benet Hill Monastery, the sisters offer bespoke Benedictine hospitality for each retreatant, depending on your needs. If you desire solitude and time in nature, it's here. If you wish to learn about the Benedictine way of life, you'll be welcomed into the community as the sisters pray and share meals together. The sisters will welcome you into their home as the Christ, as Benedictines have been doing for more than 1,500 years.