Retreat with us and be spiritually renewed
Spiritual Retreats at Minsteracres
Situated in the land of the northern saints in beautiful countryside on the borders of Northumberland and County Durham, our Passionist retreat centre is ideally placed to support you on your journey of faith.
2023/2024 Programme
We offer a varied programme of day, weekend and week-long events throughout the year. Please see the programme details below.
Individual Retreats
We offer individual retreats and are happy to provide guidance, or you can have space to yourself for reflection. Please use the enquiry form below.
Our 2024 Programme
Welcome to our Retreat Programme for 2024 where you will find details of various residential and day retreats we have on offer in the coming months.
Welcoming guests of all faiths and none, this Passionist retreat centre is set in 110 acres of gardens, park and woodland and is situated in beautiful countryside on the border of Northumberland and County Durham
Founded in Italy in 1720 by St Paul of the Cross, the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ “The Passionists” have a special ministry to promote the Memory of the Passion of Jesus by both word and deed for the Passion of Jesus is truly the greatest story of God’s love for humanity and His creation.
In 2024, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first Passionists at Minsteracres. So, our retreat theme for 2024 is “The Saving and Transforming power of the Cross” in which we will explore what The Passion of Jesus means for each of us as Christians today because it is through the story of the Cross that Jesus touches us and brings us His salvation.
We hope that this programme will be able to offer ways in which we can all connect with the consoling power of the Passion of Jesus as we journey together in exploration of what St Paul of the Cross describes as both a sea of sorrows and an ocean of love.
Minsteracres’ mission
Minsteracres Retreat Centre provides a space where people feel welcome, can be themselves and are enabled to find healing and wholeness in their relationship with God, with themselves, with others and with creation. During all of our retreats we will be invited to consider new ways of attending to and living out the Gospel. We look forward to welcoming you!
It costs approximately £1,500 per day to run Minsteracres Retreat Centre. The suggested offerings indicated help us to cover our costs, but no one should feel excluded for financial reasons and concessions are available.
We look forward to welcoming you.
The suggested offerings indicated for each event help us to cover our costs. However, no one should feel excluded for financial reasons and concessions are available through our Bursary programme.
Calendar for 2024
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive calendar displaying all of our retreats. Each listing is clickable, allowing you to explore detailed information about the retreat you’re interested in. This includes specific features, schedules, and available amenities. Additionally, you can conveniently book your chosen retreat online directly from this calendar. We’ve designed it to be user-friendly and informative, ensuring you have all the necessary details at your fingertips to make an informed decision.
Autumn
October 2024
Enjoy a walk of seven to ten miles through the beautiful countryside around Minsteracres, with time for prayer, reflection and sharing the beauty of creation. You will need suitable footwear, warm, weatherproof clothing and a packed lunch.
An opportunity to join us on this poignant retreat day, for people who have experienced bereavement, grief, loss or significant change, giving them an opportunity to share a safe space, to be heard, to share with others who have had similar experiences and finding courage, hope and consolation.
November 2024
An opportunity to step aside, listen to God in scripture and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the countryside. Lunch, tea and coffee are provided.
A retreat exploring Passionist spirituality. We will begin by ‘Entering the desert’ a gentle introduction to the weekend giving people time to find space and try to leave behind them their cares, worries and problems. This will be followed by sessions on Passionist Spirituality...
vOur Advent Retreat, will help us discern the idea of waiting on the Lord. As we begin to prepare for the feast of Christmas, we challenge ourselves to use this time to reflect on our spiritual readiness for the gift of Christmas.
Disclaimer: Please note that for each of our retreats to take place we need a minimum number of attendees to make them viable. The running of all retreats is subject to achieving this minimum. We endeavour to do everything we can that is within our control to ensure that retreats run, but when we are unable to achieve these numbers, we may have to cancel. We will of course give notice in such circumstances
Have you ever wondered what it is like to go on retreat?
Retreat Questions
A retreat is exactly what it sounds like — the chance to step aside from life for a while, to rest and just ‘be’ in a welcoming, peaceful and inspiring place like Minsteracres.
Retreats are for ordinary people at any time in their lives. There are no expectations on anyone going on retreat and you don’t need to be a churchgoer – we welcome people who share our values.
Do you:
- Wish for some quiet time to reflect on things that matter most to you?
- Need some time away from work or family?
- Want to deepen your spiritual life?
- Want to simply pray?
- Want to develop a particular interest? …then a retreat might be just for you.
Retreats offer the opportunity to:
- Find space
- Reflect
- Pray and worship in peaceful and comfortable surroundings
We offer a wide variety of retreats including retreats:
- For the beginner
- With a theme such as Holy Week, Pentecost, Advent,
- Structured with a programme
- For individuals or groups who wish to deepen their faith
- Free form where you can do your own thing
Thanks to the presence of the resident community there is always a warm welcome and a real sense of being a guest in their home. The community is the guardian of the Passionist ethos of Minsteracres, which is expressed through a life of prayer, presence and hospitality.
- We offer a warm welcome to all
- We have beautiful Grade II buildings set in an 110 acre estate of gardens and woodland
- We have a wide range of meeting rooms from small (up to 10 people) to large (up to 90 people)
- We have a library, various prayer spaces and an art room that are available to use
- We offer overnight accommodation—from simple rooms with shared facilities to a few en suite rooms
- We provide tasty, home-cooked food and can accommodate special dietary needs with advanced warning
- We cater for those with disabilities
Yes, we welcome people who wish to spend some time alone.
Yes, we offer the opportunity to talk to someone in complete confidence. We can also provide individually guided retreats where someone is assigned to listen and guide you whilst on retreat.
A retreat varies in length but is usually anything from two to seven days. We also offer one-day retreats such as quiet days and walking retreats throughout the year.
Yes. It costs over £1,000 per day to keep Minsteracres Retreat Centre running. We do not have another principal source of income and so we charge our visitors a competitive rate to cover our costs (but not to profit) that include:
- Maintaining the Grade II buildings and 110 acre estate
- Providing food and accommodation for all our visitors
- Paying for staff and retreat leaders