Island Retreats

Other retreats

The following retreats are also available as mid-week breaks. Dates will be arranged with individual guests, subject to room availability. Cost is 3 nights for the price of 2 Bed and Breakfast. Evening meal at an additional cost.

• Franciscan Experience
  In this retreat we will study some of the writings of St. Francis and St. Clare while experiencing the beauty of the natural environment in which the Cathedral and College is set. There will be guided meditations, island walks and liturgical events with music, poetry and art.
• Poetry Reading and Writing
  We will spend time looking at a variety of poetry styles, including Hopkins, Elliot, R.S. Thomas and Gaelic writings. From these sources and others, participants will be encouraged to find their own poetic potential. We will use our poetry in informal meditation, outside in the grounds if the weather is suitable.
• Meditation walks around the Island
  In these breaks, guests will be led on guided walks around the island and the grounds, pausing at selected points for short meditations. They will be encouraged to develop their own meditation and prayer styles through personal counselling, if desired.
• Learning about Prayer
  In this retreat, participants will be guided through some of the writings of the saints on prayer, including Teresa, John of the Cross, St. Catherine of Siena and Thomas Merton. Retreatants will be encouraged to experience different forms of prayer both corporately and individually. Silence will play an important part in this break.
• Flowers and Birds of Cumbrae
  This mid-week break is designed for those who like fresh air and walking. There will be guided walks each day, followed by lectures and discussions in the evening about the natural history of the island.
• Liturgical Dance
  Liturgical dance is a form of worship which many people find helpful in their spiritual journey. It can also aid people in relaxation and relief of stress. In this retreat we will be using the Cathedral to develop both individual and corporate liturgical dances to devotional music. Beginners and those who have already experience in this field are invited to join us.
• Historic Cumbrae
  Anyone interested in the history of the island will enjoy being part of this group. We will be studying archive material, viewing various sites and looking at the particular place of the Cathedral and College in the history of Cumbrae.
• Exploring the Architecture of the Cathedral in the light of the Oxford Movement
  This retreat will be centred round the buildings that comprise the College and Cathedral. We will be studying various architectural features and looking at their role in the Anglo-Catholic Revival of the 1800s. Particularly we will focus on how Butterfield interpreted various aspects of Anglo-Catholic worship and included them in his building of this sacred place.
• Three-day Study of St. John's Gospel
  In this retreat we will be looking at the Greek text of various passages of John’s Gospel after a brief introductory session in which the Gospel will be put in its historical context. There will be a particular emphasis on our interpretation of the text for contemporary theologians and students.
• The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers
  In a relaxed atmosphere we will be discovering the wisdom of the Desert Fathers by considering their sayings and exploring their meaning for people today. We shall discuss their relevance for ordinary people and for post-modern Christianity.
• Exploring Celtic Prayer
  This retreat is designed for those who wish to experience Celtic prayer in the context of the Cathedral and the island. While we shall be studying some of the early texts, it is hoped that participants will find themselves enabled to write and pray in a Celtic style.

If you wish to book for any of these, please contact us on 01475 530353.