Desert Solitude Retreat Request Form Logo
  • Desert Solitude Retreat Request Form

    Merciful Heart Hermitage
  • A desert solitude retreat here at Merciful Heart Hermitage provides the opportunity for a deep immersion in contemplative prayer in the form of a 5-to-8-day retreat that can be semi-directed if desired. You will essentially be living as a hermit and sharing in the life of the Hermitage. These retreats are intended to bring about deeper interior conversion and are not simply a time of rest and rejuvenation (except for the interior rest that is a fruit of union with Jesus). The purpose of this form is to help discern if God is calling you to the desert at this time. We encourage you to take time to pray through the below questions. Your responses will be kept confidential. These retreats are for Catholic priests only. 

    Please note that there is a five day minimum for these retreats, as it takes a few days to really slow down and settle into the silence and solitude. The retreat can be extended a few days longer than eight days if desired. The available dates will appear on the second page of this form.    

    For those who have been here before, please note that what you will find below represents a slightly different, refined vision of the mission of Merciful Heart Hermitage. To get a sense of what to expect, imagine something like going to a solitary hermitage on Mount Carmel where a "desert form" of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises is being offered. For such an experience, you would tell your family, friends, parishioners, staff, etc., that you are going away for a while to be alone with God, to be totally with Him and for Him. Your phone will be off, there will be no Internet, you won't be visiting with anyone or speaking with anyone, and your sole occupation will be contemplation, living for a while as if in heaven, leaving the world behind you and forgetting it. You'll be spending several hours in prayer each day, receiving a little bit of spiritual direction to guide your prayer (if desired). Yet this prayer need not be strictly tied to any particular form or structure (such as Ignatian), although certain principles can be helpful and we will have some resources to guide you. Within this solitary context, there is certainly room for "play" -- i.e. contemplative leisure, creativity, enjoying nature, etc., but without the distraction of worldly pursuits or pleasures. It will be a time of greater conversion and deepening intimacy with the Lord.  

    The available retreat dates are listed on the following page and can be viewed after clicking the "Next" button. Your information will not be submitted to us until after you have completed the entire form, so it is possible to view the dates without submitting your request to us.   

  • Thank you in advance for your generosity in helping us carry out the mission of Merciful Heart Hermitage. Donations can also be made via check or online via credit card through our website as described here. Donations may also be made via check or via credit card online through our website as described here.

  • At Merciful Heart Hermitage, you will be entering a space of deep contemplative silence. In order to preserve the contemplative atmosphere, we have the following expectations:

    • no cell phone use (keeping it off or in airplane mode) except in emergencies or cases of true necessity. We will provide you with our Office Manager's cell phone number and email address so that people can reach you in the event of an emergency. Laptops and tablets are best left at home, unless they will be used offline for the purpose of journaling, non-work-related writing, etc.
    • that you do not converse with others who are here except for reasons of charity or necessity (brief introductions are fine but please be mindful that some priests might not want to be disturbed -- assume that those you encounter even outside the chapel might be in prayer and would like to be alone with the Lord.).
    • that you intend to spend a substantial amount of time each day in personal prayer (typically at least 3-4 hours, such as in a traditional Ignatian retreat, although a desert solitude retreat offers greater freedom and a little less structure).
    • that you fundamentally remain at the Hermitage - i.e. do not plan to make excursions into town to visit friends or conduct business during your time of retreat. You are certainly free to explore nearby hiking trails and, of course, to go grocery shopping or run other necessary errands.
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