Holy
Cross
Monastery

Individual Retreats at Holy Cross Monastery
Holy Cross Home Scheduled Retreats Directions Community Meditations

Many people come to our guest houses for retreats of many types.

Some come seeking spiritual growth, others seeking stillness from the pace of daily life.

Reservations may be made by e-mail, phone, or letter. Please note that deposits may be required to secure your place. Deposits may be made using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or personal check. Deposits are not refundable.

For further information please contact the Guesthouse Office.

The Guesthouse office is open Tuesday - Saturday from 9:30 AM until Noon; and from 1:30 PM until 4:30 PM.

Phone
845-384-6660 x3002

guesthouse@hcmnet.org

Guesthouse
Holy Cross Monastery
PO Box 99
West Park NY 12493

 
The Hudson in Summer
The Hudson River in Summer
Reading, writing, prayer, meditation, worship, nature walks, all can be part of a retreat. Some spend part, or all of their retreat here in silence. Others find great meaning in conversation with other guests or members of the community.

We suggest a donation of $70 per weeknight and $150 per weekend for guests ($160 after January 1).

Some frequently asked questions:

Do I have to be a Christian to come to Holy Cross? No. Everyone is welcome. But we do ask that you treat our religious tradition with respect.

Can I attend the worship services of the Monastic Community? Yes. All our worship services are open to the public. Guests are welcome to attend any and all services, but are not required to attend any. We do find most retreats are enhanced by attending at least some services.

I'm not Episcopalian, can I still receive Eucharist? Yes. Our table is open to all baptized Christians.

When are the Guest Houses open? Our houses are usually open from Tuesday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. On Tuesday supper is the only meal served in our refectory. On Wednesday through Saturday three meals are served each day. On Sunday breakfast and dinner are served (but no supper). The houses and grounds are usually closed from Sunday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon.

What are the guest rooms like? The guest houses were built to house monks and so the guest rooms are monk's cells. Rooms contain a bed, dresser, desk and lamp. Bathrooms are located on each floor. The facilities are modest but comfortable.

Are you handicapped accessible? Well, we're getting there. Our ground floor is fully accessible from end to end with level access from the parking area and two accessible restrooms. We have a small elevator in our main building, but it is not wheelchair accessible. We do not yet have accessible bathing facilities. An accessible elevator and bathing facilites are in the planning stage.

Will I have a chance to meet members of the Monastic Community? Yes. Meals are taken together and much of the activity of the community takes place in the public areas. The brothers live in the Monastic Enclosure which is not open to the public.

Is there a "vow of silence?" No, though there is a lot of folk lore about vows of silence. We do observe periods of silence every day - especially from 9 PM until 8:45 AM. We ask that guests participate in this silence as well.

What should I bring and what should I leave home? Simplicity can be very helpful for spiritual growth, so don't bring much. Simple, comfortable clothes are fine, you don't need to dress up. A book or two might be good, but we have a library available to guests as well as our book shop. A laptop computer can be useful, but we recommend that you think very carefully about whether a computer will improve or diminish your retreat. Radios and CD players are OK, but must be kept quiet or used with headphones - they should not be audible outside the cell.

Several Mid-Hudson Valley attractions are within a short drive from the Monastery. With good planning, it is possible to make morning or afternoon excursions between offices and meals.

The Guesthouse Library has a wide selection of books you can borrow while staying at the Monastery. We feature both fiction and non-fiction with an emphasis on religion and spirituality.

You can access an on-line catalog of what's on our shelves. Use the "back" command of your browser to return to this site.

Should you like to volunteer work in the Monastery's libraries, ask for the librarians.

© 2003 Holy Cross Monastery
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