Spiritual Direction
& Retreats

In the 1980s Abbot Jerome Theisen asked Father Donald Tauscher to establish the Spiritual Life Program at Saint John’s Abbey. Today the program continues under the leadership of Brother Augustine Oh, OSB. The Spiritual Life Program’s services are intended to help individuals in their relationship with God. Since the establishment of the program, numerous persons have come to Saint John’s for individual and group retreats, days of prayer and reflection, and spiritual direction. Personnel from the Spiritual Life office have also been available to lead parish missions and retreats for various communities all around.   

Spiritual Direction

Spiritual direction is the process of sharing your faith story — your life experience in relation to God, others and yourself, with a trained spiritual director. Spiritual Direction is not psychotherapy or counseling. The goal is to hear the voice of God in your everyday life. Spiritual direction offers a place to explore prayer practices, meditation, spiritual experiences and tools for discerning the will of God. Spiritual Direction can be arranged for both the short and long term. That is, there may be just one or two meetings, or meetings approximately monthly for an indefinite period of time. Spiritual direction sessions usually last about an hour and a decision to continue the relationship between the directee and director is based on their mutual discernment.

Retreats

Any individual can arrange a personal retreat at the Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse of one day or up to two weeks, depending on room availability. Persons desiring to participate in the organized days of reflection and group retreats will find the dates of them, along with links for registration, at the Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse homepage under “Retreats” at abbeyguesthouse.org. Like other guests, all retreatants have the opportunity to pray and participate in Mass with the monks of Saint John’s Abbey.