12th Annual Oblates & Friends of the Camaldolese Retreat & Assembly

Join felllow Camaldolese Benedictine oblates, monks and like-minded friends for this contemplative gathering exploring the theme, "Listen: Does Not Wisdom Call?", an interweaving of scripture and the Rule of St. Benedict against the backdrop of the beautiful Villa Maria del Mar retreathouse, overlooking the beach in Santa Cruz, CA.

Our weekend together will include: All Meals; Praying The Hours, Daily Mass, Collatio, Observing Grand Silence; Personal time to walk the beach, read, rest, to connect with others and spend time in nature; Morning and Afternoon Keynote Addresses and Breakout Groups; Friday evening Musical Offering; Saturday Oblate Community Developments and Reception and more.

Our Keynote speaker, Mary Stommes, is Oblate Director at Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, MN. The founding editor of Give Us This Day, she retired from publishing in 2023 and continues to write and speak about the things that give her great joy: scripture, story, and the Rule of Benedict.

Please note: This is a tentative event schedule and is subject to change. All times noted are Pacific.The final schedule will be posted here when finalized and sent to registered participants via email.

12th Annual Oblates & Friends of the Camaldolese

Retreat & Assembly, “Listen: Does not Wisdom call?”,

in person at

Villa Maria Del Mar, Santa Cruz, CA

and online via Zoom

Sept 6-8, 2024

Tentative Event Schedule:

Friday, September 6th

4:00pm Arrival & In Person Registration (Foyer)

5:00pm Rooms Available

6:00pm Dinner & Announcements (Dining Room)

6:45pm Zoom Log-in begins for Musical Offering

7:00pm Welcome & Musical Offering by Gitanjali (Seaview Room & Livestream)

8:15pm Compline (Seaview Room & Livestream)

Grand Silence is observed until Saturday morning Lauds

Saturday, September 7th

6:00 am Tai Chi Chih (Outdoors with Mary Pat)

6:45 am Meditation w/Elbina (Chapel)

7:00am Zoom Log-in begins for Lauds

7:20 am Lauds (Seaview Room & Livestream)

8:00 am Breakfast & Announcements (Dining Room)

8:45am Zoom Log-in begins for Morning Keynote

9:00am Morning Keynote with Mary Stomes (Seaview Room & Livestream)

10:30am BREAK/Personal time

11:00am Zoom log-in begins for Mass

11:15 am Mass: (Seaview Room & Livestream)

12:30 pm Lunch (Dining Room)

1:30pm Personal time

2:45pm Zoom log in begins for Afternoon Keynote and Breakout Groups

3:00pm Afternoon Keynote and breakout groups (Seaview Room & Livestream)

5:00pm BREAK

5:15 Zoom log-in begins for Vespers

5:30pm Vespers (Seaview room & Livestream)

6:00pm Dinner and Announcements (Dining Room)

6:45pm Zoom Log-in begins for Oblate Community Developments

7:00pm Oblate Community Developments (Seaview Room & Livestream)

8:00pm Wine/Dessert Reception (Dining Hall)

Grand Silence is observed from departure from the Reception until Sunday Morning Prayer

Sunday, September 8th

6:00 am Tai Chi Chih (Outdoors with Mary Pat)

6:45 am Meditation w/Elbina (Chapel)

6:45am Zoom Log-in begins for Collatio

7:00 am Collatio (Seaview Room & Zoom Collatio)

8:00 am Breakfast

9:30 am Checkout (Foyer)

10:00 am Personal Time

11:00am Zoom log-in begins for Mass

11:15 am Mass & Closing (Seaview Room & Livestream)

12:30 pm Lunch

2:00 pm Departure -Safe travels!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Villa Maria Del Mar, 21918 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, United States