Online: select your retreat from the Retreats
Offered page. Then select the blue Register online button. Upon completion, you’ll receive a confirmation of your retreat enrollment by email.
Mail/Fax: download the appropriate
form, then print and
fill it out. Either mail or fax it to JRC. You’ll
receive a confirmation of your retreat enrollment by mail.
Phone: call The Jesuit Retreat Center during business
hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
to 5 p.m. You’ll receive a confirmation of your retreat
enrollment by mail.
When is the retreat balance due?
As your deposit is paid upon registration, the retreat balance
can be paid at any time prior to, or upon arrival to the retreat.
Cash, checks or credit cards are welcome. (MasterCard, VISA, or
Discover)
Our retreats typically include presentations (offering material
for and guidance in prayer), time for silent reflection and meditation,
opportunity for a personal conference with one of our Jesuit or
lay spiritual directors, and communal prayer (Masses, a Service
of Reconciliation with opportunity for sacramental Confession,
and more.)
Some retreats, usually those indicated as non-silent, may include
interactive presentations or occasions for focused conversation
among groups of retreatants.
Depending on the topic of the retreat and format of the retreat
(e.g., whether silent or non-silent), the retreat activities
may vary.
Adults of all faiths and walks of life are invited to encounter
God and to grow in relationship with Christ here at the Retreat
Center. Our mission is to offer the Spiritual Exercises
of St. Ignatius Loyola to all, so all our retreats incorporate
the wisdom of the Exercises and invite the retreatant
to share in the Gospel spirituality of the Exercises.
Many of our retreatants represent religious traditions other than
Catholic, and many who are not Christian have found a welcome
opportunity for spiritual renewal here.
Should you have further questions, kindly contact
us , phone
650-948-4491.
What are the rooms like?
Each retreatant is assigned a private room en suite.
You will find our bedrooms simple yet comfortable, ready to welcome
you, with blankets, fresh sheets and towels, a writing table with
chair, a small closet, and a Bible. Each room has a shower;
no room has a bathtub. (Retreatants may ask to share a room.)
Although not air-conditioned, most rooms are equipped with a ceiling
fan.
All room assignments are planned prior to your arrival. If you
have a special need or preference for your accommodations, please
advise us when you register.
Freshly prepared, seasonally appropriate and generously ample
meals are created under the skillful guidance of our Executive
Chef, trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America
and in Germany. The meals are served buffet-style in our dining
room, which offers a panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay and
the Santa Clara Valley.
If you require a special diet, please inform us when you register.
We try to meet our retreatants’ needs and expectations.
Are snacks available?
Coffee, tea, ice water and juice, fruit and other snacks (often
fresh-baked cookies or scones) are available in the main Dining
Room from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Bottled water, sodas and snacks are available 24/7 from vending
machines on the courtyard exterior of the O’Mara Conference
Room.
What are the grounds like?
The Jesuit Retreat Center is situated on 38 wooded acres secluded
in the serene, picturesque hills above Los Altos. The Retreat
Center's peaceful setting enhances prayer, reflection and inner
healing. Colorful scented gardens, the calming Adobe Creek, and
tree-lined trails with spectacular views provide solitude for
resting or walking.
The outdoor Stations of the Cross, Rosary Walk, and other shrines
provide an opportunity to pray and to meditate close to nature.
Rossi Chapel, Mary’s Room and the Montserrat Chapel afford
quiet spaces for contemplation. See
photos
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What is the smoking policy?
Because of high fire danger and for the health, comfort and
safety of our guests, smoking is restricted to the covered walk
in the central courtyard, adjacent to Loyola Hall. Smoking of
cigars is not allowed.
What cell phone etiquette is the norm?
To maintain the tranquil retreat atmosphere that fosters interior
silence and awareness, we restrict the use of cell phones to the
main dining room when that space is not in use. We ask that other
Retreat Center spaces, indoor or outdoor, be respected as a “cell
phone free” zone and that cell phones be kept off.
What should I wear?
Casual clothing is appropriate. Since the weather can be varied
here, even in the course of a single day, we recommend that you
bring a few layers so that you can be comfortable even if the
days are quite warm and the evenings quite cool. You may bring
comfortable shoes so that you can enjoy walking our trails. Winter
rains can sometimes be generous, so check the forecast!
What should I bring?
You are welcome to bring your favorite Bible (a Bible is provided
in each room), a journal, an alarm clock, a flashlight, personal
toiletries, and any prescription medications you may need. (A
small refrigerator is available just outside the main Dining
Room should you need to chill any medicines.) Downtown
Los Altos is a pleasant half-mile walk away, should you need
to pick up any item you may have forgotten. You are welcome
to bring your own bottled water or buy it from the vending machines
available 24/7.
Is there a bookstore at the Retreat Center?
Yes. You are welcome to reserve a few minutes of your time here
to browse through our well-stocked bookstore. Many of our retreatants
find it a valuable resource, as the books have been selected to
help retreatants to deepen their relationship with Christ and
broaden their lives of discipleship in the world.
We are not a spa center. As such, we do not have a pool, sauna,
or hot tub. We do not offer massage as a part of any of our retreats
or other programs. If you have any questions please feel free
to contact us.
Most of us are aware that we live in noisy and distracting times.
Exterior and interior silence can help us to open our attention
to the whispers of God—and of our own most authentic selves—in
our minds and hearts. We invite our retreatants to enjoy here
and to provide for one another the exterior silence (of word,
gesture, and even glance) that fosters interior silence. On our
"silent retreats," this silent time begins after dinner
the first evening and continues until lunch on the final day.
On our "non-silent retreats," silent times are specified
in the retreat schedule.
Non-Silent Retreat FAQ's
What do you mean by "non-silent retreat?"
"Non-silent retreats" may include some times of silence
set aside for private prayer. In addition to presentations and
liturgies, there may be small group discussion, and there will
be opportunity for talking between presentations and at meals.
Often retreatants find a “non-silent retreat” ideal for a first-time
experience of a retreat.
Individually Directed Retreats FAQ's
How long are individually directed retreats?
Individually directed retreats are ordinarily arranged for as
few as three days and as many as eight.
How do I book an individually directed retreat?
Individually directed retreats are booked through Carmel Smith
at 650-917-4047 or csmith@jrclosaltos.org.
Booking is possible only when we have both space and a director
available, so we recommend booking individually-directed retreats
well in advance.
How often do I meet with my director?
Ordinarily, you meet with your director once a day, for up to
one hour.
What time should I arrive?
We encourage retreatants to arrive when the office is open:
9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Other arrangements
may be made prior to your arrival.
What time should I vacate my room?
In general, we ask that rooms be vacated by 10 a.m. It is sometimes
possible to make other arrangements in advance.
Is there Mass/Eucharist every day?
Mass is available each day for the retreatants who are here.
During most of the year, Mass is celebrated every morning at
7:00 a.m. in Mary’s Room (adjacent to Rossi Chapel) and
Monday-Thursday at 5:15 p.m. in Rossi Chapel. Other weekend
Mass times depend on the schedule of particular retreats.
During summer and at certain other points in the yearly calendar,
that schedule can be interrupted.
Our summer offerings include a 36-day program (a 30-day silent
retreat complemented by four introductory days and two integration
days) and three 8-day retreats. Individual direction is provided
daily for each retreatant. Since these retreats are longer and
more focused, we accept retreatants only through an application
and approval process.
Are there laundry facilities for these longer retreats?
Yes, there are laundry facilities available.Laundry supplies
are provided; donations are welcome.
Please note that the deposit and balance due dates differ from
those of the weekend retreats noted above. Information can be
found on the application forms, available on the links above.
Does recovery refer only to recovery from Alcohol?
The Recovery Retreats we offer are of two types, one oriented
mainly to those in A.A., the other to those in Al-Anon. Even so,
members of other 12-step programs are welcome to share in our
Recovery Retreats.
Are the retreat directors in recovery?
The retreat presenters are in recovery, as are many of the
retreat team members who are available for personal conferences.
Do we need the Big Book or the 12X12 (for A.A.) or
Courage to Change or Paths to Recovery (for Al-Anon)?
The retreat directors present the participants with the materials
necessary for the retreat. You may want to bring foundational
12-Step books for your personal use during the retreat.
Are the meetings open during the retreat?
The meetings are open, but only to the retreatants registered
to the retreat.
I want to go with a number of people from my home
group – can you put us in nearby rooms?
We try to accommodate the room requests of a group. It is easier
to do so if the group members register at about the same time
and well in advance of the retreat. Otherwise, it is not as likely
that we will be able to offer you rooms in close proximity.
