Genesee Abbey Retreats

Welcome

We welcome people of all faiths to our retreat houses so that they may come away and rest with the Lord.  It's best to make reservations at least several weeks in advance as space is limited.  Please call and leave a message at 585-299-5092 or email us at jv@abbeymonks.com to make a reservation.  Retreatants have the particular retreat house they are staying exclusively to themselves and those who may be part of their group and are available for a Monday to Friday (weekday retreat) or a Friday to Sunday (weekend retreat) only.  For a religious making a canonical retreat an even longer period may be arranged.  Meals are not provided for retreatants, however each retreat house has a fully-equipped kitchen.

Guestmaster

Fr. John Vianney

585-299-5092

jv@abbeymonks.com

Assistants to Guestmaster

Fr. Gabriel and Joe Flynn

Retreat Offering

A $90 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve Nazareth House 1st or 2nd Floor and is applied towards the suggested donation for the entire retreat.   For Bethany and Bethlehem Houses a non-refundable deposit of $360 is required for a weekend and $720 for a week (M-F).  This deposit is applied towards the suggested donation for the entire retreat.  Student groups receive a discount.

Our retreat houses are solely offered to individuals and groups who are planning on making a retreat at the Abbey and joining in, at least to some degree, the prayer of the monastic community.  They are not offered as overnight accommodations for other purposes (i.e. vacation rental) or for day use.

You can make your retreat donation by credit card in the Abbey Store (open 10am-4pm Tuesday through Saturday), by credit card by clicking on the "Donate" button below, or by leaving cash or a check payable to "Abbey of the Genesee" on the kitchen table before you depart.

Retreatants are welcome to make two retreats in a calendar year, but they must be separated by six months.

You can make your deposit to confirm your reservation after your dates are booked by clicking the button below.  Make sure to enter your name and your email address so that you receive a receipt and your deposit is properly credited.

Liturgy Schedule

You are invited to join in the community prayer in the Abbey Church.  Our schedule is as follows:

3:30am Vigils

6:30am Lauds followed by Mass (On Sundays Lauds are at 6.30am but Mass is at 8am)

8:00am Terce (8:10am on Solemnities, no Terce in Church on Sundays or First Saturdays of the month)

12:00pm Sext (no Sext in Church on First Saturdays of the month)

2:00pm None (no None in Church on Sundays, Solemnities, or First Saturdays of the month)

5:30pm Vespers (followed by 10 minutes of Adoration for vocations)

7:30pm Compline

Informal, yet respectful dress is appropriate for the Church.   

An opportunity for confession is available from 2:30pm to 3:30pm on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the small conference room just inside the entrance to the church.  Retreats are not directed, however if you would like spiritual direction you are welcome to contact Fr. Jerome at 585-468-4075.

Priests are welcome to concelebrate Mass.  We can provide a stole for you and ask that you bring a letter of suitability from your Ordinary along with your own alb.

Bethany House 

Built around 200 years ago, this stunning cobblestone is surrounded by a spacious shaded yard and has just undergone a complete renovation.  The house features a large fully equipped kitchen, dining room, two spacious living rooms, sunroom, and bedroom with full bath on the first floor.  The second floor has four bedrooms with full baths and a total of 12 beds along with a spare bedroom with 2 beds.  The third floor has two bedrooms each with two beds, a kitchenette, and full bathroom.  The street address is 3016 River Road, Piffard, NY 14533.  It is a little less than one mile north of the monastery entrance on the left.  Bethany is only available for groups of 4 or more.

Nazareth House

This retreat house offers a breathtaking view of the Genesee Valley and has been recently renovated.  The first floor unit has a large fully equipped kitchen, dining room, living room, full bath room, and four bedrooms (with 8 beds total).  The second floor unit has a fully equipped kitchen/living room, full bathroom, large bedroom (with 4 beds), and a little nook for reading.  The street address is 3174 River Road, Piffard, NY 14533 and is about a quarter mile north of the monastery entrance on the left.  Entrance to the first floor unit is in the rear of the house (facing the garage) and entrance to the second floor unit is in the front of the house (facing River Road).

Bethlehem House 

Originally housing the first monks who came to Genesee in 1951, Bethlehem is only available to groups of 4 or more.  Bethlehem features a large fully equipped kitchen, dining room, and two living rooms.  The first floor has one bedroom with a full bath, four bedrooms each with a half bath, and very large women's and men's bathrooms with showers, toilets, and sinks.  The second floor has 11 bedrooms and one half bath.  The street address is 3099 River Road, Piffard, NY 14533 and is located about 1/2 mile north of the monastery entrance on the right.  Please note that the chapel attached to the house has been demolished due to structural issues.

Accommodation Guidelines

Check-In and Check-Out

Check-In is ordinarily between 3pm and 5pm on the day of your arrival (Monday or Friday).  You will be given a code to open the lock at your retreat house.  To unlock the door enter the code and then press the "ultraloq" button beneath the keyhole .  To lock the door (from the outside) just press the "ultraloq" button beneath the keyhole (do not enter the code).  To lock from the inside just turn the knob as you would a regular deadbolt.  For those leaving on Friday, check-out time is 9:00am and for those leaving on Sunday you are free to stay into Sunday afternoon.  These check-in and check-out times give our staff sufficient time to prepare for our incoming retreatants.   Please lock the door when departing at the end of your retreat.

Food

There are supermarkets (Wegman's, Walmart, Aldi)  in the town of Geneseo about ten minutes drive away.  There is also a Dollar General about five minutes away north on route 63 which does have a limited but decent selection of groceries.  We provide paper products such as napkins, paper towels, and cleaning supplies (dish washing liquid and cloths).

Hiking

The Greenway Trail is a beautiful hiking trail along the Genesee River.  The trail map can be found here:

Greenway Trail Map 

To reach the trail from your retreat house just follow one of the long driveways (see picture below).  It's about a 15 to 20 minute walk to the trail.