FAQ (Frequently asked questions)

What is the content of the lectures ?

The 6-day retreat helps you to explore and understand the fundamentals of the Catholic faith so that you can discover and learn about how it all fits together to make a coherent whole. They shed light on all the major questions of life that every person asks himself.

For example :

  • Who is God?

  • Why does evil exist?

  • Is Jesus Christ truly risen?

  • Are all religions equal?

  • What happens when we die?

  • Is it possible to forgive everything?

  • What is the purpose of the Church?

  • Does God intervene in my life?

  • Can we change the world?

  • etc.

From the Word of God and the main texts proposed by the Church, each preacher has his own personal approach to breathe life into these foundations of the faith and focuses more attention on certain areas that are specific to him. This diversity is reflected in the titles given to each retreat.

Will I be able to stay in silence for the entire retreat ?

Silence is an important part of the retreat but it is not experienced as a form of self-confinement.

It prevails throughout the household, including during the meal times which are accompanied by music. You will be supported in this experience.

The retreat preacher always offers an opportunity to meet with him personally as well as with the community members, who are trained in spiritual guidance.

Participating in the liturgy through songs and prayers will also help you engage in the retreat and the inner silence. This allows God to become the key focus of our inner conversations.

“Silence does not give God, but God gives himself in silence”.

Marthe Robin

Can you leave before the end ?

Can you leave before the end ?

The retreat is structured over a 6-day period, including 5 full days in silence.

The entire retreat makes a whole, like a journey with milestones allowing space for God’s surprises, from the very beginning to the very end of the week.

That’s why we recommend that you make arrangements to stay for the entire retreat.

I have a special diet, I am a person with reduced mobility: can I come?

I have a special diet, I am a person with reduced mobility : can I come?

If you have a diet, please let us know by phone or letter before your arrival, when you register for the retreat.

In most of the Foyers de Charité, there is wheelchair access for people with reduced mobility. If you have difficulty getting around, please inform the foyer you are planning to visit before your arrival so that the right accommodation can be arranged for you.

If you require some special assistance during your stay, do not hesitate to contact the foyer so that we can see how to welcome you in the best conditions possible.

If I come, how much will it cost me ?

The treasure of the spiritual retreat is the encounter with Jesus: this has no price but there is a cost associated with running the household…

The Foyers de Charité are open to all those who wish to come to experience a spiritual retreat together as a family, regardless of your financial means.

We do not have a daily rate. However, during the retreat, you will be given information on the running of the household.

You will be invited to contribute to the expenses of the stay, without obligation and in conscience.

Everyone is free to pay an amount to cover the expenses, or less or more than this amount, according to your means. If you are temporarily in a difficult situation, payments may also be deferred.

The running of the foyer relies on the work of the members of the community devoted to welcoming the participants and on the free participation of the latter.

When coming to the Foyer, everyone is called to participate voluntarily in the life of the household: help with the washing-up, cleaning your room, etc.

The running costs of the household cover the accommodation, meals, maintenance, heating, lighting and activities organised.

In 2016, these running costs came to between €45 and €50 for an adult per day, about half that for one child, and between €25 and €30 for a student.

NB: The financial contribution for the stay is not recognised as gift aid for tax purposes. Hence, no tax relief may be claimed.

Children: Do you welcome them? What ages?

We can provide child care for children at certain retreats.

They are welcomed subject to the availability of places and their age.

The best is to contact us to find out the practical details.

I have already been on a retreat or a session. What makes a retreat in a Foyer de Charité different ?

You will be received at the Foyer by a community of men and women who will do everything they can to make you feel at home”. They are dedicated to praying for you and accompanying you while respecting your personal journey.

The times of prayer and teaching provide the elements you need to be regenerated, to meet or be approached by Christ where you are at the moment, to experience the unconditional love of God for every man and be renewed by the Spirit.

Will there be any free time ?

The retreat is organised according to a coherent plan. It forms a whole and helps the person to make progress. Each person is invited to engage in this process.

The days are broken down into times of prayer, teaching, meals and free time so that the person can really rest and experience genuine regeneration. After each teaching, you have time to pray, meditate, go for a walk, etc. The beautiful places where the Foyers de Charité are located allow the body to rest and the soul to breathe.

Who participates in these retreats ?

Whatever your age, your journey, your expectations, your questions… whether you are single, married, widowed, divorced, remarried, priest, religious or consecrated: there is a spiritual retreat for you.

Isn’t it reserved for specialists ? Do you have to be baptised ? I don’t go to mass on Sunday, I never went to Sunday school, can I come ?

Whether you are beginning a spiritual search, whether you are a baptised believer or not, or you are rooted in Christian life, the retreat can be the answer to your deepest desire. The times of teaching and prayer are accessible to everyone.

The lectures cover the major questions of life, faith and how they resonate with people today. It is through these lectures that the gospel can shed its light on new convictions and guiding principles that take into account every aspect of the human person. This light comes to each person, whatever their current situation.Whether you are beginning a spiritual search.