Retreats and Courses 2026
At the Loreto Spirituality Centre, we offer a diverse range of retreats and courses to meet different needs. Please use the links below or scroll to find out more information.
Most of our retreats begin with supper at 6 pm on the first day and finish after breakfast on the last day. Late arrivals can only be made by prior arrangement when booking. Weekend retreats finish after lunch unless otherwise stated. All of our accommodation is en-suite. Our retreats are fully catered. We can cater to a wide range of dietary needs. Please let us know your requirements upon booking.
- If you are gluten-free, we ask that you bring your own gluten-free hosts for Holy Communion.
- When booking, please let us know about any other requirements that would make your stay more comfortable. However, please note that we are not able to provide personal care. If your needs require personal assistance, please come accompanied by someone who can provide this for you.
- Please be aware that some of our rooms are not accessible by lift, only by stairlift. Please let us know if the stairs are difficult for you.
- If you are a group wishing to book with us, please click here for more information.
- Our suggested offering prices can be found by clicking here or following the link at the top of the page.
Preached Retreats
1st – 8th June
Suggested Offering: £620
Encountering the Disturbing Freshness of Jesus
Led by Fr. Eamonn Mulcahy CSSp
29th June – 6th July
Suggested Offering: £620
Walking with Jesus
Led by Fr. Roderick Strange
Individually Guided Retreats
All Individually Guided Retreats (IGR) begin with supper at 6 pm on the day of arrival. 6 and 8-day retreats end with breakfast on the last day. 4-day midweek retreats end with lunch on Friday.
Please note: Occasionally, it becomes necessary to make changes to the directors for our IGRs. If you have requested a director who is then unable to direct you on your chosen retreat, we will notify you as soon as possible.
We do our best to ensure that daily Mass is available during every IGR.
January
19th – 30th
Reduced rate of £77 per night (any number of days from 3 to 8).
Ewa Bem CJ & Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
Fr. Lister Tonge will be celebrating Mass for part of this time.
26th – 30th January
Listening to Your Life: Individually Guided Retreat with Workshops.
Fr. Lister Tonge & Loreto Centre Team
Suggested Offering: £380
Using the insights of St Ignatius Loyola, we shall explore ways of giving our attention to how God speaks to us in the ever-emerging circumstances of our own daily life.
In this silent retreat, there will be a simple teaching session each morning offering suggestions for reflection and prayer during the day. There will also be a daily opportunity to reflect with an experienced ‘companion’ to help you ‘note what you are noticing’. The unfolding experience of each day will be all the ‘previous experience’ you need. Come as you are.
February
16th – 20th
Suggested Offering: £370
3-Day Individually Guided Retreat
Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
April
20th – 29th
Suggested Offering: £370 – £783
Individually Guided Retreat (any number of days from 3 to 8)
Anne Farren CJ and Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
Fr. Paul Nicholson SJ will celebrate Mass only
June
22nd – 29th
Suggested Offering: £609
6-Day Individually Guided Retreat
Fr. Paul Daly & Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
July
15th – 22nd
Suggested Offering: £609
6-Day Individually Guided Retreat
Fr. Brian O’Leary SJ & Una Coogan CJ
27th July – 5th August
Suggested Offering: £783
8-Day Individually Guided Retreat
Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ, Marion Bettenworth CJ & Fr. John Rafferty
August
25th – 1st September
Suggested Offering: £370 – £609
Any number of days from 3 to 6.
Ewa Bem CJ
Fr. Michael Winstanley SDB will celebrate Mass only
September
21st – 30th
Suggested Offering: £783
8-Day Individually Guided Retreat
Chris Goodman CJ & Fr. Paul Daly
October
12th – 16th
Suggested Offering: £370
3-Day Individually Guided Retreat
Ewa Bem CJ
November
3rd – 10th
Suggested Offering: £370 – £609
Any number of days from 3 to 6
Fr. John Rafferty & Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
December
11th – 18th
Suggested Offering: £370 – £609
Any number of days from 3 to 6
Ewa Bem CJ
Individually Guided Retreats may be possible online at any time of the year. These may take the format of a silent retreat, or else a retreat in daily life. For more information, please contact the Centre.
30 Day Spiritual Exercises
Full Spiritual Exercises
(30 Day Retreat or can be made in daily life).
By private arrangement.
Ongoing Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is available on a long-term basis.
We are currently offering direction virtually, either by Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime. Please use the contact form at the bottom of the page to request further information.
Holy Week
1st – 5th April
Led by: Michael Barnes SJ and The Loreto Centre Team
Suggested Offering: £370
Holy Week at Loreto Centre – an opportunity to celebrate the Holy Week liturgies in the context of a prayerful retreat. The preparation of the liturgies will be the main focus for the day. There will be daily morning prayer, with suggestions for personal reflection and plenty of quiet time for those who wish.
Living Theology Summer School
10th – 13th July
Living Theology: A Summer School in Christian Faith
Suggested Offering:
Residential: £280 (3 nights)
Non-residential: £35 per day
A Summer School in Christian Faith. Living Theology has been organised by Jesuits and their associates in venues across the country for over 50 years. The courses continue to provide opportunities for Christians of all denominations to deepen their understanding of the Christian faith and develop their personal reflection on Christian living and belief. No prior theological knowledge is required, just an open mind and willingness to engage.
More information to follow.
Scripture Course
13th – 15th November
‘Behold, I am Coming Soon.’ (Revelation 22:10). Reading the book of Revelation at the end of the liturgical year.
Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
Suggested Offering: £190
In this course, we will study and explore the book of Revelation, focusing on its purpose, structure, use of imagery and Christology. We will discuss the nature of apocalyptic writing and its critique of empire, the difficulties that arise from the book’s graphic violence and its contribution to liberation theology today.
Themed Retreats
All themed retreats begin with supper at 6 pm on the day of arrival, and end with lunch on Sunday unless otherwise stated.
February
‘Wholly God’s’
Praying with Mary Ward.
Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
13th – 15th February
Suggested Offering: £190
Mary Ward’s desire and commitment to be ‘Wholly God’s gave her the strength to hope and trust and to ‘be confident in God and more than ever grateful for his unseen goodness’.
This retreat will offer the space to reflect on God’s fidelity to us and on our response.
Growing in Ecological Holiness: Hearing God’s call to inner transformation and ecological conversation
MaryAnne Francalanza FCJ & Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
27th February – 1st March
Suggested Offering: £190
Hear the call to grow in Ecological Holiness.
Listen to the insights of Scripture about living in God’s creation.
Explore Christian wisdom, ancient and new, as it teaches us how we are to live.
Read the Book of Creation (especially the chapters around Loreto Spirituality Centre).
Pray and be open to a true ecological conversion that integrates work, prayer and action.
March
‘Wrapped in Silence’
Drawing on the Life and Work of the Carmelite, Sr Marie-Aimeé de Jésus
Ioan Ap Dewi OCDS & Ewa Bem CJ
6th – 8th March
Suggested Offering: £190
Jesus withdrew to silent places to be alone with God, and through the centuries, Christians have been attracted to silence as part of their spiritual journeys. The retreat will explore facets of silence based on The Twelve Degrees of Silence, written by a French Carmelite, Sr Marie-Aimée de Jésus (1839-1874).
‘Who Do You Say That I Am?’
Reflecting on Responses by Poets to Jesus’ Question and on Related Scripture.
Eoin Garrett
9th – 13th March
Suggested Offering: £380
A contemplative journey through poetry and related scripture, responding to the question put by Jesus to his disciples.
Poems are drawn from those compiled by John F Deane for a special issue of the Poetry Ireland Review, and from Deane’s own poetic response to the question. Poets include Seamus Heaney, Wendy Cope, Wendell Berry and John F Deane.
Eoin is a spiritual director and a guest retreat director at Manresa Jesuit Centre of Spirituality, Dublin. He has an MA in Applied Spirituality and is an accredited Supervisor (Spiritual Direction).
May
The ‘I’ in Retirement
Identity and Change in the Second Half of Life
Dominique D’Arcy & Jan Berry
8th – 11th May
Suggested Offering: £280
Through prayer, reflection, creative expression, as well as shared stories (biblical and personal), this retreat offers time to reflect on the choices we make as we navigate retirement and beyond, how our sense of identity may change, and where we find God.
Jan is a feminist theologian and published author. A retired minister of the United Reformed Church, she also worked in theological education at the Luther King Centre (Manchester), leads retreats and offers spiritual accompaniment.
Dominique is an ecumenical Catholic. As a member of an Ignatian community in France, she guided retreats and gave spiritual accompaniment. Later, as a Career Adviser, she helped mature business students achieve their professional goals. Managing change also inspired her study of people’s search for God’s presence in their transition to retirement.
Lift Up Your Voice!
Making the most of your Singing Voice in Prayer and Praise
Geraldine Cassidy
15th – 17th May
Suggested Offering: £190
This weekend will explore ways in which we can sing prayerfully, through songs and chants of celebration, praise, stillness and sharing. The repertoire will be accessible, and all voices at whatever level of expertise are welcome.
Geraldine is a former student of Loreto Crumlin, Dublin. She sang for many years in opera in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. She now teaches classical voice at Leeds Conservatoire of Music and Drama, enjoying passing on the passion!
September
‘And God saw that it was Good’ A Creative Retreat
Barbara Martin & Ewa Bem CJ
11th – 13th September
A creative retreat, celebrating God’s own creativity within us, around us and through us. We will use whatever creative means lie open before us to help us to notice God’s presence and action in our lives. We will draw on music, words and colour to help us to pray, and if you like photography, bring your camera or mobile phone!
October
‘Pick up your Mat and Walk!’ (John 5:8)
Praying with Gospel Stories of Healing
Josette Zammit-Mangion CJ
16th – 18th October
Suggested Offering: £190
The healing miracles of Jesus encourage us to have faith and trust in the God who heals and saves and invites us continually to new life. In this silent retreat, we will study and pray with stories of healing in the New Testament, placing ourselves in the hands of God who breaks through our boundaries to bring wholeness and peace.
Please note that this retreat finishes at 2 pm on Sunday.
November
Space to Grieve
Ewa Bem CJ and the Loreto Centre Team
13th – 15th November
Suggested Offering: £190
A weekend for those who are grieving for someone who has died. There will be opportunities to share our stories, reflect and pray together, and plenty of space for yourselves. Individual accompaniment will be available.
Please ensure that at least six months have elapsed since the death of your loved one before coming on this retreat.
Ewa is an CJ sister working in retreats and spiritual direction at Loreto Centre. She has a particular interest in bereavement support.
Please note this retreat finishes at 3 pm on Sunday.
Advent Retreats
Advent Weekend Retreat
27th – 29th November
Gemma Simmonds CJ
More details to follow.
Advent Triduum
7th – 11th December
Fr Chris Thomas
More details to follow.
If you would like any further information about our retreats or would like to make a booking please use the form to get in touch with us.
Make sure you press the submit button at the bottom of the form to send your message. Also please check that your email address is correct or we may not be able to contact you.