Carmelite Retreat Program

Below you will find a list of all of our Carmelite Retreats for 2024. Click on any one to learn more about it and to register. Alternatively, you can click here to go straight to the registration page for all retreats.

PRESENTER:  Fr Bernard Hancock, OCD

With St. Teresa as our guide and taking a journey into the Gospels, we will see how God is always inviting us into life with Him.

WHEN: March 2, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Priory, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO lunch)

Today, I must come to your house

PRESENTER:  Fr. Gerard Moran, OCD

The presentation of Jesus in the Temple foreshadows his Passion. The last of the “Christmas feasts” prepares us for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

WHEN: February 3, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt. Carmel Priory, 247 St. Andrews Road Varroville, NSW 2566

COST: $30 (Please BYO lunch)

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord:

A Preparation for Easter?



PRESENTER:  Taize Retreat

Our world seems to move at an ever-accelerating pace with increased suffering and challenges and amidst this, we may feel pain, overwhelm, and fear for ourselves and others. Please join us for a weekend of prayer, connection and community, as we enter more fully into the embrace of God, who alone gives our hearts rest and peace.

WHEN: March 22 - 24, 2024 • 6pm (Fri) - 12:30 pm (Sunday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $330

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)

Peace in Difficult Times

(Retreat in the style of Taize)


PRESENTER:  Fr. Paul Maunder, OCDS

Teresa’s moral and psychological difficulties will be explored, together with her determined practice of a method of interior prayer taught by the Franciscan Spiritual Writer, Francisco Osuna.

WHEN: April 19 - 21, 2024 • 6pm (Fri) - 12:30 pm (Sunday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $330

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)

St. Teresa’s Way of Perfection

PRESENTER:  Matthew Delasay, OCDS

St. John of the Cross composed Sayings of Light and Love as counsels for following Jesus Christ. In these counsels we find sayings of discretion to guide us, of light for the path, and of love in the spiritual journey.

WHEN: April 6, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Priory, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO lunch)

Sayings of Light and Love



On Contemplative Prayer, guided especially by St. John of the Cross

PRESENTER:  Tony Nott, OCDS

St John of the Cross: selected highlights of his teachings; and particular consideration of his guidance in contemplative prayer.

WHEN: May 4, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO lunch)


PRESENTER:  Fr. Paul Maunder, OCD

An exploration of the way of prayer taught by our Lord Jesus Christ by word and example in the Holy Gospels.

WHEN: June 1, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Priory, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO lunch)

Come to Me

PRESENTER:  Fr. Paul Maunder, OCD & Cristina Leontini, translator of Life and thoughts of Mariam Baouardy, ‘the little nothing’

Illiterate, child-like, naive, poor, a ‘the little nothing’, this Teresian Carmelite nun founded the Carmel of the Holy Child Jesus in Bethlehem. She bore the wounds of the “Ecce Homo” in her body and offered her sufferings in loving union with her Lord for mercy upon sinners. Fr Paul and Cristina Leotini will present her life and comment on her way of the cross in the context of today’s sufferings, especially in the Holy Land.

WHEN: May 10 - 12, 2024 • 6pm (Fri) - 12:30 pm (Sunday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Priory, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $330

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)

St. Mariam of Jesus Crucified (1846-1878)




PRESENTER:  Fr. Gerard Moran, OCD

During these days of quiet, we will ask Therese to open to us the richness of God’s Word and to guide us into the recesses of prayer.

WHEN: July 26 - 28, 2024 • 6pm (Fri) - 12:30 pm (Sunday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $330

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)

Savouring the Scriptures with St. Therese of Lisieux

PRESENTER:  John Charadia and Artist Tutors

“Flesh and spirit, concealment and revelation, time and eternity, divine glory and vulnerability: these contradictions are all wrapped in the holy gift of Christmas.” Verna Holyhead. Participants will explore artistic ways of expressing personal connections with the spirituality of Advent and Christmas. (Especially designed for participants to engage with the annual Christmas Story Art Exhibition and Competition)

WHEN: June 28 - 30, 2024 • 6pm (Fri) - 12:30 pm (Sunday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Priory, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $360

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)

The Light of Hope and Peace

PRESENTER:  Marcelle Droulers, OCDS

What happens when the initial gloss of discovering St. Teresa fades? This day, we reflect on the long haul, the hard slog and the years of dryness that can make a soul wonder whatever happened to the way of perfection and how we might find our way back onto to that happy road once again.

WHEN: July 6, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Priory, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO lunch)

Rediscovering St. Teresa



PRESENTER:  George (Barry) Morkel, OCDS

Many Saints speak of detachment, mortification, and ascetic practices, which are necessary for our sanctification. Saint John of the Cross also speaks of not taking this to excess, where the focus is on the practice and not on the purpose. In this Retreat, we will explore what we can be doing to find the godly balance.

WHEN: August 3, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Priory, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO lunch)

Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritual Life


How do I pray? Am I doing it the right way?

PRESENTER: Fr. Ransom Rapirap, OCD

Retreat on Prayer: This retreat will try to help us revisit and examine our ways of “Praying” vis-a-vis the teaching of St. Teresa of Jesus and the Carmelite way.

WHEN: August 23 -25 2024 • 6pm (Fri) - 12.30pm (Sunday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $330

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)


The Face of Mercy (Misericordiae Vultus - Pope Francis

PRESENTER: Dr Robert Gascoigne

In 2016, Pope Francis published - The Name of God is Mercy, a conversation with Andrea Tornielli. The year before, he had addressed the letter - Misericordiae Vultus, the ‘face of mercy’ to the whole Church. This retreat will consider some of the key themes from these writings, meditating on the presence and meaning of God’s mercy in our lives.

WHEN: September 7, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO Lunch)


Turning to God

PRESENTER: Fr. Aloysius Rego, OCD

Conversion is at the very heart of the gospel. We will explore the Christian journey from the perspective of conversion.

The Christian life is a life of continual turning to God. Why turn to God? What does this involve? Who is the God we are called to turn towards? How do we enter into the process of turning to God? These questions and more will be explored on this week-long guided retreat.

WHEN: August 25 -30 2024 • 3pm (Sunday) - 9am (Friday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $745

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)


St. Therese’s Poverty of spirit: the Path to Holiness

PRESENTER: Fr. Ferdinand de la Cruz, OCD

Saint Therese of the Child Jesus teaches us that poverty of spirit is the essential path to true holiness. It is in our poverty and weakness that we are most open to God’s grace. When we humble ourselves and acknoledge our need for God, He is able to work great things in us. This day retreat will help us understand how St. Therese used her humanity, littleness, and weakness to reach God and achieve holiness.

WHEN: October 5, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO Lunch)


THIS RETREAT IS NOW FULL

Themes in the Spiritual Life

PRESENTER: Bishop Greg Homeming, OCD

We will spend time reflecting on the basic components of life, relationship and God.

WHEN: October 18 -20 2024 • 3pm (Sunday) - 9am (Friday)

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $330

(Price is inclusive of all meals and accommodation)


PRESENTER: Fr. Ransom Rapirap, OCD

What kind or Heart does Joseph have?

St. Joseph’s characteristic as a human is a personification of God’s heart. As a Father, Husband, and Family man, Joseph with all humility was able to “showcase” the Father’s heart in how he was able to give and live out his life with an accepting heart regardless of the trials and obstacles he encountered along the way.

WHEN: December 7, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO Lunch)

Looking at the Heart of St. Joseph: an Advent Recollection

PRESENTER:  Elizabeth Flynn

With the aid of St. Elizabeth’s magnificent prayer to the Trinity, this retreat day aims to help us be drawn into the depths of the mystery of the One who is “my Three, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I lose myself.”

WHEN: November 2, 2024 • 10am - 4pm

WHERE: Mt Carmel Retreat Centre, 247 St Andrews Road, Varroville, NSW

COST: $30 (Please BYO Lunch)

O my God, Trinity whom I adore