Institute's Retreat Programmes Thrive and Inspire - New Norcia Benedictine Community

New Norcia Benedictine Community

Visit New Norcia

Visit>

People visit New Norcia for many reasons; for spiritual retreat, to join a tour and see inside the magnificent buildings or sometimes just to walk around the town and enjoy the peace and beautiful scenery.

In this section you will find all the information you need for your visit to New Norcia. Details of places to eat and places to stay, details of the town tours and information about some of our favourite things to do in Australia’s only monastic town.

We recommend your first port of call is the Museum & Art Gallery to speak to one of the staff about the attractions and experiences New Norcia has to offer. The Museum & Art Gallery is also a Visitor Information Centre and is the point from which town tours leave.

Stay at New Norcia

Stay>

There are so many different options for accommodation at New Norcia.

The Guesthouse is perfect for a quiet, retreat like experience - a world away from the rigours of modern life. You can join a Benedictine retreat here or be housed in the Hermitage for a silent retreat. Groups can be accommodated in the Old Convent or the historic boarding school colleges. Smaller groups are also able to book the Hostel, with its comfortable rooms, neo-classical architecture, scenic deck and heritage veranda, as well as St Ildephonsus' Cottage.

Please click on the areas on the right for more information.

Eat & Drink

Eat & Drink>

Hospitality is a tenet of the Rule of St Benedict, the Rule by which the monks of New Norcia live, so wherever you choose to eat in town, our aim is for you to experience warm monastic hospitality.

Education & Research

Education>

From the earliest days of its foundation New Norcia has been focussed on education. The first Abbot, of New Norcia (Rosendo Salvado) established the Aboriginal girls and boys schools and the second Abbot of New Norcia, Fulgentius Torres built and opened the European girls and boys schools, which closed in 1991.

Since the closing of the schools, New Norcia's school buildings and grounds have been utilised by groups undertaking education programmes.

However, New Norcia also has a tradition of research and academia, with its impressive archival records and library collection, and scholars and researchers alike have delighted over the years in the information available in the town's records.

This section also provides information on the archives and library and provides link to forms which will give you access to the records of New Norcia.

Protecting a Unique Heritage

Heritage>

New Norcia is Australia’s only monastic town and has a unique heritage. Founded in 1847 by Spanish Benedictine Monks, the town has had many purposes; a mission, a monastery, a provider of education and now as a place of spiritual retreat.

Delve into the town's unique history, discover the ongoing and completed work necessary for the upkeep and restoration of this special part of Australia.

But it is not only the majestic buildings set amongst the Australian bush that sets New Norcia apart; its history is also encapsulated in the archival records of New Norcia and in the library and museum collections.

In this section we also have information about how you can donate to New Norcia to help the Community restore and maintain this treasure.

What's Happening at New Norcia

What's On>

We hold a diverse array of events throughout the year at New Norcia.

Each year we host a full programme of events including a spiritual retreat programme presented by the Institute for Benedictine Studies, dinners at the New Norcia Hostel and a few other surprises!

Watch this space for all the updated information about "What's on at New Norcia".

News

Thursday, 13th April 2023

Institute's Retreat Programmes Thrive and Inspire

Institute's Retreat Programmes Thrive and Inspire — Participants in the "Letting Go" retreat, April 2023.

New Norcia's Institute for Benedictine Studies 2023 programme of retreats and study weekends continues to generate strong support, with recent and current retreats booked to capacity.

On the weekend of 28-30 April, the retreat and study weekend focused on the lives and writings of female Benedictine mystics from the Middle Ages, including St Hildegard of Bingen, St Gertrude the Great and several other lesser-known figures. These great women showed themselves not only to be sensitively open to the mystical inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but gifted with the ability to express this with courage and wisdom – and often with a degree of freedom from ecclesial, political and theological restraints not enjoyed by their male counterparts. Participants enjoyed opportunities to explore the treasuries of their writings and the fascinating stories of their lives in a monastic atmosphere of prayer and contemplation.

Earlier in April, the ever-popular “Letting Go” retreat, led by Sr Lilian Bong, SJA, offered grateful participants a powerful and touching experience of coming to the liberty and peace of freely “letting go” of burdens, cares, anxieties, fears, attachments and regrets.

For information on other retreats offered by New Norcia and to make bookings, please visit the Institute's Directory of Retreat & Study Weekends for 2023.