St. Joseph Retreat Center
Milton, Massachusetts
Milton, Massachusetts
Jesus: knowing him, changes us.
A House with Traditions
The mission of St. Joseph Retreat House is to accompany the human person through spiritual direction and the Spiritual Exercises to encounter the person of Jesus Christ and allow him to transform and conform one’s heart, mind and soul according to His will.
Retreats
The Thirty Days
An opportunity for making the Spiritual Exercises is provided for those who wish to make an extended, month-long, silent retreat. A spiritual director guides the retreatant through the full course of the Thirty Days as outlined by St. Ignatius.
The requirements for the Thirty Days is that the person has made an Eight Day directed, silent retreat and is in ongoing spiritual direction. We also ask for a letter of recommendation from the person’s spiritual director and from the vocation/formation director if the person is a seminarian and/or belongs to a religious community and is in temporary vows.
Eight-Day Directed Retreat
The Eight-Day directed retreat includes all the essential elements of the Thirty Days. This retreat, open to laity, religious leaders and priests, is Ignatian in style and includes silence, contemplation and daily spiritual direction. There are opportunities for daily Mass, and a spiritual director is available from the staff. An Eight-Day retreat begins the afternoon of the first day and ends after lunch on the eighth day.
Five-Day Directed Retreat
The Five-Day Directed Retreat includes all the essential elements of the Thirty Days. This retreat, open to laity, religious and priests, is Ignatian in style and includes silence, contemplation and spiritual direction.
There are opportunities for daily Mass, and a spiritual director is available from the staff. A Five-Day retreat begins the afternoon of the first day and ends after lunch on the fifth day.
Directed Retreat Weekend
The Retreat House offers particular weekends of the year for those seeking a three-day, silent, directed retreat. The weekend is specifically tailored to the needs of the individual given what they are seeking, the desires of their heart and where the Lord is leading the person.
During the weekend, there are opportunities for Mass and meeting with a spiritual director each day. Weekends begin with dinner on Friday evening and conclude with lunch on Sunday.
Desert Days
At times, each person needs time away from the busyness and hectic pace of life even if it is only for a day. Jesus himself spent time in the desert in prayer with his Father. Desert Days are quiet days of reflection for pilgrims looking to spend quiet time with the Lord and reflect upon their life and their relationship with God.
Day of Reflection
Theme-based presentations are the focus of the Days of Recollection. They include multiple conferences, group discussion, celebration of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and time for private prayer. Groups are welcome to bring their own facilitator or they can request an Oblate priest to direct their day.
A Place to Seek Answers
Over 800 people—priests, laymen and women, religious sisters and brothers and seminarians—annually attend St. Joseph Retreat House to seek peace and answers to the restlessness of their hearts. There are few retreat houses in the States dedicated to giving the Spiritual Exercises. The interest is high and the need today is great.