 The Retreat House at St. Benedict’s Monastery
'All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” ~ Rule of St. Benedict' 
RETREAT Information
Guestmaster 1012 Monastery Road – Snowmass CO 81654 Telephone: 970-927-1162 e-mail: retreat@rof.net ____________________________________________
We are pleased to share the beauty, silence and solitude of our valley. We seek to provide an atmosphere and surroundings helpful in strengthening and deepening your spiritual life. The retreat facilities were designed and built to foster the spirit and practice of silence, solitude, meditation, and prayer. Our Retreat House ministry is intended to share these values and practices with our guests. Our emphasis is on serving guests, who have these values at the core of their retreat experience. We strive to provide a “welcoming” spirit to all who come. We do not, however, provide "directed" retreats. You may make an appointment with a Monk for a short "conference".
FACILLITIES The Main Retreat House is comprised of: 
- Four guest apartments, 
 GROUP INFORMATION The Retreat House accommodates private retreat groups on a once-per-year basis. Individuals are also welcome to schedule private retreats during times of “Group Retreats”. Please be aware that there may also be a silent or “Group Retreat” in progress in the Main Retreat House. Entry into and use of the Main House is limited to those who are part of their “Group’s” retreat. Others are asked to limit their entry to the Main Building only to use the telephones or to visit the Guestmaster’s office. When there is not a “Group Retreat” in session in the Main House, all guests are welcome to use the Main House, library and prayer hall at any time. Individual guests are also welcome to use the Guests’ Meditation Room in the guest wing of the monastery. (Please See GROUP Retreat Information on this site)
 - Group Retreat’s kitchen & dining room  - Mt Sopris Over Retreat House  Inside Prayer Hall-Beams in Copula 
- All of the “rooms”/ hermitages are set up for double occupancy, with twin beds. - Each room and hermitage has a private bath and fully equipped kitchen with stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator/freezer, toaster, and coffeemaker. - Individual retreat guests prepare their own meals. (We are not staffed to provide individual’s meals in the Retreat House. Groups provide for their meals.) - Each kitchen is fully equipped with all necessary cookware and dinnerware for meal preparation and service. - Units are stocked with regular and decaf coffee and a few basic spices. Generic hand soap is provided as well as dish washing detergent. - All other food is brought here by the individual guest. (Most shop at a local grocery on the way to the retreat house, while others bring food from home.) - Bed linens and towels for two people are provided in each room and hermitage. & 
Wooden Archway "Gate" (Monastery is "framed" in Arch) Three bedroom Gate House (one twin bed/per room) RESERVATIONS - Reservations for space in the Retreat House can be made up to 11 months in advance of the time you wish to come. (Except for June, July & August, these dates come available after the middle of April ) - All available "open time" is published on our website, under Available Dates- Individual Retreats. - To reserve a room, you may call the Guestmaster at (970) 927-1162 or email: retreat@rof.net or use the Web Form on this site. - In order to provide the maximum opportunity for people to enjoy this environment, guests are asked to make only one reservation per year. Guests may generally stay a maximum, of ten, and a minimum of two nights. Open dates for individual retreats can be found on this website. See "Available Dates- Individual Retreats". All accommodations are on a "first come" basis. Space can not be held without a formal "reservation", including registration information & confirmation.
Items to note: The most accessible EMERGENCY CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: (970) 927-1377 (Located in the Main Retreat House Kitchen, near the back door) This number has an answering machine, not monitored by the staff. If people need to contact you on an Indvidual retreat, please check this phone for your messages. To help foster the atmosphere of contemplation and prayer the following items are not readily available: - Phones* (no phones in any rooms/heritages) (There are two public phones in the Main Retreat House, near the main entrance. Long distance calls require a "telephone credit card/calling card") - Cell phone reception is not dependable (The closest "reliable" cell phone area is on Capitol Creek Road, as you enter the Monastery grounds.) - Internet* (Only "dial-up" connection, via modem & either your or our account, is available.) - Wireless access* - Guests requiring Internet access may use our public computer (dial-up internet access) in the main Retreat House. Hermitages do not have phone lines in the hermitages or rooms. (Two phone lines are available near the entrance in the Main Retreat House.) There is no wireless service in the Retreat House. There are no fax machines available for guest use.
*The office equipment in the Guestmaster’s office is not available for guest use at any time. - Laundry facilities - unavailable on the Monastery grounds. - Pets are NOT permitted in the facilities or on the Retreat House grounds. (The Retreat complex is located in a "game migration corridor".)
COST - We rely on the generosity of our guests to meet expenses. There is no established “fee” for your time with us. - An “offering” of $60 per night is suggested if used by an individual only(single occupancy), $80 per double occupancy($40/per person.) - Even if you are not able to make an offering, you are still most welcome to come. - A one-time, non-refundable registration donation of $40 for each room is part of the confirmation process. (The registration donation is considered a part of your retreat offering and is not a separate additional "fee".) - You may make a reservation by phone, email or in person. We will send you a confirmation upon receipt of your registration information (Name(s), address, phone & emergency contact person and their phone). - Deposit is by check, money order, or any major credit card. Please call the Guestmaster's Office to use your credit card for donations or deposits.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHECK-IN The rooms are available anytime after 2 PM the day of arrival. Checkout is by 10:00 AM on the day of departure. The registration is completed "online" or by "phone" or U.S. MAIL. Your name will appear on the Guest LIst on the Main Retreat House "inner door" and you will then proceed to your accommodation. (Please bring a flashlight if arriving after dark. They are "spare" flashlights in the vestibule area of the Main Retreat House entrance.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GROUP INFORMATION The Retreat House accommodates private retreat groups on a once-per-year basis. Individuals are also welcome to schedule private retreats during times of “Group Retreats”. Please be aware that there may also be a silent or “Group Retreat” in progress in the Main Retreat House. Entry into and use of the Main House is limited to those who are part of their “Group’s” retreat. Others are asked to limit their entry to the Main Building only to use the telephones or to visit the Guestmaster’s office. When there is not a “Group Retreat” in session in the Main House, all guests are welcome to use the Main House, library and prayer hall at any time. Individual guests are also welcome to use the Guests’ Meditation Room in the guest wing of the monastery. (Please See GROUP Retreat Information on this site) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liturgy with the MONKS All retreatants and day visitors are welcome to attend liturgy with the monks in the Monastery Chapel. 4:30 AM Vigils (every day including Sunday) 7:30 AM Lauds & Mass (On Thursdays, only Lauds) 7:00 PM Vespers (On Thursdays, Vespers & Mass) Sunday Mass is at 8:15 AM all year. There is no public Sunday Vespers. (Some services on Holidays are at different times. Please check with the Guestmaster's Office if you are staying over a major holiday.) You are welcome to participate in both the recited and sung parts of the liturgy. Please listen carefully to the monastic choir before joining in recitation or song, and note the tempo, pace, and volume. Guests are asked to allow the Monks Choir to lead and to sing/recite in a soft voice.
BOOKSTORE The monastery has a bookstore with a wide selection of reading material, cookies from our bakery, various items made in other monasteries, as well as a few commercial vendors. The Bookstore is open all day and operates on the “honor system”. We are normally unable to accept credit cards at the Bookstore from the general public . [Those staying with us may use their credit cards to purchase items by contacting the Guestmaster's Office at the Retreat House.] 
The BOOKSTORE is in the Main Monastery, follow the signs to the "Chapel".
Mt. Sopris- 12,953' Climate
The Retreat House elevation is about 8,000 feet. During the summer months daytime temperatures are normally in the 70s, with afternoon showers always a possibility. Night temperatures can dip into the 40s and 50s. In winter we may have snow, and day temperatures may reach the 30s or 40s, while evening temperatures may dip well below freezing. Sub-zero temperatures are rare, but possible. This is mountainous country, and the monastery is approximately ¾ of a mile from the Retreat House down a moderate sloping road.
Other Information
The Retreat House accommodates private retreat groups and individuals on a once-per-year basis. Individuals are also welcome to schedule private retreats. Please be aware that there may also be a silent or “group retreat” in progress in the Main Retreat House. Entry into and use of the Main House is limited to those who are part of their “Group’s” retreat. Others are asked to limit their entry to the Main Building only to use the telephones or to visit the Guestmaster’s office, during periods of Group Retreats. When there is not a “Group Retreat” in session in the Main House, all guests are welcome to use the Main House, library and prayer hall at any time. Individual guests are also welcome to use the Guests’ Meditation Room in the guest wing of Monastery. Access- Disabled people have access to the Main Retreat House and the Monastery, including the Atrium to the Chapel. Parking, ramp access to the Main House and entrance are designed to help facilitate access. We maintain one barrier free "apartment" in the Main Retreat House that is set up for those who would prefer the more spacious bathroom and fixtures, lower closets & shelves and a more accessible kitchen area. Access to the Monastery is also available. Please contact the Guestmaster's Office to find specific information on those facilities or special accommodations you may require.
 Meditation Room - Monastery Guest Wing
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[For information about Centering Prayer Intensive Retreats, please contact Carol DiMarcello, Contemplative Outreach of Colorado, at coc@sopris.net or (970) 927-9376.]
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