The Guest House
Visiting the Abbey
Visitors are always welcome in the monastic chapel for quiet prayer and meditation and to participate with the monks in their prayer. They are also welcome in the Guesthouse reception area where there is a small gift shop that sells our fruit cakes along with jellies, books, and other religious articles. It is also possible to arrange to have Masses offered at the Abbey for your intentions.
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There is no public transportation direct to the Abbey. Air travelers should book to Springfield-Branson (Missouri) Regional Airport. Bus travelers should arrive in Springfield, MO. Let the Abbey know the details of your arrival and departure. For those coming by car, see the map. There is no Wi-Fi available and cell phone signals are weak to non existent.
Retreats
People are increasingly feeling the need to get away from the noise and confusion of today's society - often for the purpose of seeking spiritual renewal. For precisely this reason Assumption Abbey has designated one wing of our monastery complex as a Guest House, where savoring the simplicity of mountain solitude, an individual can make a personal retreat. The Rule of St. Benedict, which we follow, instructs us to treat each guest as if he or she were Christ - and this we endeavor to do. You need only call to make a reservation for as short a time as a day, or as long as a week.
We welcome men and women, Catholic and non-Catholic, who wish to make a retreat for up to one week in the guest wing of our monastery. Meals are prepared by the monks, and retreatants are welcome to join the monks for daily Mass and the Divine Office. We do not usually schedule organized retreats but rather leave each individual to structure their own time. Groups are welcome and they can organize their own schedule. Participation in the prayer of the Community in the monastery chapel can provide a basic framework. The many acres of monastic solitude provide ample space for quiet walks and reflection. There is a small library available with video conferences.
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We offer three basic types of retreats:
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Personal: Personal retreats may be "interactive"- with meals eaten in fellowship with other retreatants and spiritual renewal found in quiet conversation; or "silent"- with meals eaten in a silent dining area and spiritual renewal found in a more solitary experience. Our retreat booklet, A Time Apart: Making a Personal Retreat at Assumption Abbey, is available as a guide for retreatants, with following the monastic schedule and practices an option.
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Group: A small group may reserve the guest wing for a spiritual retreat. Individual rooms in the guest wing can accommodate up to a group of nine.
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Family: Parents with young children may stay at our Family Guest House (about a mile from the monastery) and share in our prayerful life.
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Our Guest House has nine private rooms, which can also be reserved to accommodate a small group retreat. Each room is furnished with a bed, desk, chair, bureau, sink, and toilet/shower (shared with the adjoining room). The heat and cooling are controlled by a thermostat in each room. Two meals a day are prepared by the monks, breakfast is self served. One may eat either in a silent dining space or enjoy the fellowship of eating with other guests. If a family with young children wishes to make a retreat and share in our prayerful life, they may reserve our Family Guest House - located about a mile from the monastery.
There is a suggested donation of $45 per night that is appreciated and helps defray the Monastery's cost.
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Contact: Guest House Reservations
(417) 683-5110 or by e-mail guesthouse@assumptionabbey.org .
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