A common theme throughout the retreat center is a quote by St. Francis "Where there is rest and mediation their is neither anxiety or restlessness." This so perfectly captures the spirit of the center! There is a beautiful Franciscan Hospitality that makes this a perfect place for unplugging, resting and viewing beautiful nature. All are welcome at this center. I was here for a week and it was the perfect amount of the time to view the walking trails on the property, the two Stations of the Cross trails, and spend an evening at the fire pit. There are hidden gems Throughout the whole property though. I highly recommended this center! I enjoyed the stillness and beauty all around me. read more

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Ooh, my 30th review. How apropos that it's about Mount St. Francis (Decades, Rosary...ah, I guess you've gotta be Catholic to get it). Mount St. Francis is primarily a retreat centre, more along the lines of emotional, mental and spiritual health. Run by the Franciscan friars, the Mount is open to all walks of faith. People can attend the themed weekend retreats, the midweek twilight retreats or book an individual silent retreat. Since the sisters have moved out, their former quarters have been transformed into St. Elizabeth Place, a conference centre for schools, corporations and volunteer groups to hold meetings or team-building sessions. There's a little chapel on-site and 500 acres of land to walk. Two sets of the Stations of the Cross are outside if you feel inclined to walk up the big hill or down the other side towards the creek. I've been on three silent retreats there. During a weekend retreat, the directors give talks on various topics pertaining to the main theme of the year. 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the Mount. This year's retreat theme is "Renewal". The rooms are spartan. A single bed, desk, lamp and a sink in the room. There are several washrooms located in each hallway. Honestly, when you're going to "get away from it all", "get some perspective" or "do some soul searching", you don't need anything else. Spiritual directors are available to help you or to simply listen. Simply make an appointment by signing up on the sign-up sheet by their office door. The food is sublime. Perhaps that's because one starts to notice all sorts of things during a silent retreat, however, I've talked to several other people who agree about the food. There's a little library, large windows to look out of while viewing the mountains and a little store to buy books, meditation CDs, crosses, photo cards and more. They also have the Friar Paul Surette Hermitage, which is a rustic cabin. That's not for the faint of heart. If you want to completely retreat from the world for a few days and be a hermit, you can book the hermitage for your retreat experience. Cost-wise, the Mount operates on a "free will offering" policy. They tell you what their costs are to run a retreat and then you can decide what you are able to give at that time. If you are financially strapped, don't let that keep you from going. All are welcome. Call or email them to book a time to just walk the grounds, which is just what I did this past week. My companion and I walked the Stations of the Cross that were up the hill. He talked me into walking ALL the way up the hill. We traipsed through the snow and admired the greenery, the peace and the quiet. Then we walked down again to load up on hot chocolate inside before walking towards the creek. If you're looking for peace and quiet, whether it's for a few hours or a week, this is a treasure to have so close by. read more

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