A Retreat is an opportunity to reflect on one's everyday occupations, family life and relationships with God and others in light of the basic truths of the Catholic faith. A silent atmosphere of personal prayer and recollection is maintained during the retreat. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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St Josemaría Escrivá described days on retreat as "times of recollection in order to know God, to know yourself and thus to make progress." He also wrote of "a necessary time for discovering where and how you should change your life."

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How a Retreat is conducted

Retreats at Hazelwood House are residential and they are for either men or women. The retreats begin with a buffet dinner at 7.30pm on the first day and end at 3.30pm on the final day, usually starting on Thursday and finishing on Sunday. 

 

Each day of the retreat includes opportunities to attend Holy Mass, meditations and talks on living one’s faith in daily life, Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and praying the holy rosary. The priest conducting the retreat is available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Participants may also talk over their own situation with the priest or organiser to obtain advice which is appropriate to their specific circumstances. 

 

Hazelwood House has a chapel, a dining room, sitting rooms, a study and a library, a large garden and 18 individual en-suite rooms. Each attendee has a private room and bathroom. Three meals a day are provided in a family style environment and special medically prescribed dietary needs can be accommodated.

 

Please see the About Your Stay page for details regarding the accommodation.

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Retreats are preached by priests of the Prelature of Opus Dei. Opus Dei aims to help people of all walks of life to strive for holiness and to evangelise in a natural manner wherever they are, especially through their daily work.

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Meditations and talks cover the following themes:

The meaning of our life

God's designs for humanity

Our life in the light of God's Revelation
God and individual freedom
Jesus Christ, true God and true man
The passion of Christ and the mystery of Redemption

Eternal life
Family and Christian life
The vocations to marriage and celibacy
Ordinary work and holiness
Prayer and the sacraments in the life of the Christian   
The apostolate of the Christian
Our Lady, model of sanctity