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Has anyone stayed at the Benedictine Monastary for the Silent Retreat?

mark connolly

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
sept 2016 CF
sept 2017 Lourdes to SJPDP via Piemonte
SJPDP to SDC via CF
2019 CF (God willing)
According to John Brierley's guide book, San Salvador del Monte Irago Monastary offers a two day silent retreat. Has any one taken it? Know anything about it? Please advise............

A couple of things to consider:

According to this forum, about eight years ago, an angry mob ran the monks out of town. According to the guide book, they seem to be back in business. Which begs the question: Did another angry mob run the monks back into town?

I sent off an email to John Brierley as well, since he may know a little bit more.
 
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The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
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Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Speaking in general of silent retreats: You will be warmly welcomed, shown to a room which is sparely furnished but has all the essentials, advised of the meal schedule and the times of the Daily Office. Meals are taken in silence. The Daily Office - that is, the round of church services - is open to you (you would be sitting with the congregation, not with the monks). There may be a morning Mass included. Depending on the site, there may be spiritual direction offered; this would be an opportunity to talk with a monk who regularly offers counsel. Apart from the Daily Office and any spiritual direction sessions, however, the time will be spent in silence. This can be very refreshing, especially given that the Camino Frances is so full of pilgrims.
 
For more on the monastery in Rabanal del Camino see their website.

http://en.monteirago.org/camino/rabanal--a-spiritual-centre-on-the-camino-de-santiago

For more re active monasteries, convents and chapter houses on the CF which host pilgrims see this Forum resource.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/monasteries-convents-and-chapter-houses.37129/

Happy research and Buen camino!

It would do me a world of good to be silent and keep my opinions to myself for a couple of days :p Seriously, this sounds wonderful but I went to the monastery site and can't tell if women are allowed. Does anyone know?
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
It would do me a world of good to be silent and keep my opinions to myself for a couple of days :p Seriously, this sounds wonderful but I went to the monastery site and can't tell if women are allowed. Does anyone know?

Monte Irago is gender neutral ;-) Buen Camino, SY
 
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According to John Brierley's guide book, San Salvador del Monte Irago Monastary offers a two day silent retreat. Has any one taken it? Know anything about it? Please advise............

A couple of things to consider:

According to this forum, about eight years ago, an angry mob ran the monks out of town. According to the guide book, they seem to be back in business. Which begs the question: Did another angry mob run the monks back into town?

I sent off an email to John Brierley as well, since he may know a little bit more.

Just to be clear - the monks were neither run out of town nor run back in again. Years ago there was some very shortlived difficulties in the relationship between the Order from outside Spain and the local community. Thankfully any misunderstandings were resolved and everyone has lived happily together ever since.
 
The incident certainly explains why while the monastery is gorgeously restored the church was in a sad state when I was in Rabanal in 2012. So sad that things cannot get sorted so that this beautiful little church can be brought back to its former glory.
 
The incident certainly explains why while the monastery is gorgeously restored the church was in a sad state when I was in Rabanal in 2012. So sad that things cannot get sorted so that this beautiful little church can be brought back to its former glory.
Why and how does it explain it?

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.
 
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