Desert Solitude Retreats

Merciful Heart is a simple place of hermitage where priests are welcome to come and be alone with the Lord in the context of a desert solitude retreat. Here, priests have the freedom to set their own schedule for each day, finding the contemplative rhythm that works best for them. Free from the distractions of the world, priests enjoy the ample time and space for deepening their communion with Jesus through prayer, Scripture study and other spiritual reading, hiking, and contemplative leisure in the silence of solitude.

Priests whose hearts have been awakened to the depths of the Father’s love for them through previous experiences of individually directed retreats will find in a desert solitude retreat the opportunity to move into even deeper communion with the Blessed Trinity. The strong degree of contemplative space offered here puts us in touch with the lives of the ancient desert fathers – giving us at least a small taste of the adventure and challenge of being truly alone with God in the solitude of the desert.

Depending on his schedule, our resident diocesan hermit may be available to accompany the retreatant in some limited way with a little bit of spiritual direction or confession.

Although we are not currently offering individually directed retreats with daily spiritual direction, such retreats are a privileged means of growing in one’s relationship with the Lord. Priests who would like to make a fully directed retreat here at Merciful Heart Hermitage are encouraged to find an outside spiritual director who might be able to offer direction via telephone or other virtual means (please note that we have excellent cell phone coverage on the property but Wi-Fi is not available).

Suggested Offerings

Although we do not charge a fee, Merciful Heart Hermitage relies on the generosity of retreatants for its continued operation and gratefully welcomes freewill offerings. Please also consider including the Hermitage as part of your annual tithing.

Many parishes/assignments will reimburse priests for their annual retreat, and we would be happy to provide an invoice that would reflect a reasonable amount according to the policy of one’s diocese or parish. For those who wish to partake of our meal option (see Accommodations) we do ask for an offering of $10/meal to cover the cost of the food.

Donations may be made by personal check, payable to “Diocese of Phoenix / Merciful Heart,” and may be left in one’s hermitage upon departure or may be sent to the mailing address on our Contact Page. Donations may also be made online via credit card.