About Saint Vincents Retreats

Mission & Vision

Listening Together, Praying Together, Walking Together.

A retreat can be a catalyst for spiritual renewal and for concentrating on God’s purpose for our earthly existence. The monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey have tended to the spiritual needs of Christian men and women for over one hundred fifty years and have been involved in retreat ministry since 1913.

Saint Vincent Archabbey was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer of Germany and is the first Benedictine monastery in North America. The monks of the abbey serve as retreat masters, spiritual directors, confessors, the program director, and retreat program assistants.

Upcoming Retreats at Saint Vincents Retreats

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms icon A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi icon Free Wifi
Spa icon Spa
Sauna icon Sauna
Pool icon Pool
Towels icon Towels
Free Parking icon Free Parking
Kitchen icon Kitchen
Tour Assistance icon Tour Assistance
Hot Tub icon Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea icon Coffee/Tea
Cafe icon Cafe
Restaurant icon Restaurant
Fitness Center icon Fitness Center
Yoga Studio icon Yoga Studio
Housekeeping icon Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent icon Bicycles For Rent

Meals

Menu Types

Getting Here

Location icon Saint Vincents Retreats, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe PA, 15650

Directions

From Pittsburgh, Ohio, and points West: Take the PA turnpike I-76 East to Exit 67 Irwin/North Huntingdon. Take U.S. Route 30 E for 15 miles At the stop light at Saint Vincent Drive, turn left onto Fraser Purchase Road (unmarked) and go ½ mile to the campus entrance sign, turn left onto campus. Stop at the entrance booth for parking information and further directions. From Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and points East: Take the PA Turnpike I-76 West to Exit 91 Donegal Take PA Route 711 North to Ligonier Take U.S. Route 30 West (left turn) for 10.4 miles At the stop light at Saint Vincent Drive, turn right onto Fraser Purchase Road (unmarked) and go ½ mile to the campus entrance sign, turn left onto campus. Stop at the entrance booth for parking information and further directions. From Erie, Buffalo, and points North: Take I-79 South to its junction with I-76 at Exit 28 Cranberry/Perry Highway Take I-76 PA Turnpike to Exit 67 Irwin/North Huntingdon Take U.S. Route 30 East 15 miles At the stop light at Saint Vincent Drive, turn left onto Fraser Purchase Road (unmarked) and go ½ mile to the campus entrance sign, turn left onto campus. Stop at the entrance booth for parking information and further directions. From Baltimore, Washington, and points South: Take I-70 West to its junction with I-76 at Exit 61 Breezewood Take I-76 West to Exit 91 Donegal Take 711 North to Ligonier Take U.S. Route 30 West (left turn) for 10.4 miles At the stop light at Saint Vincent Drive, turn right onto Fraser Purchase Road (unmarked) and go ½ mile to the campus entrance sign, turn left onto campus. Stop at the entrance booth for parking information and further directions. Flying to Saint Vincent: The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, located in Unity Township about ¼ mile east of the campus on U.S. Route 30, accommodates private and corporate aircraft and provides scheduled direct flights to Dallas, Myrtle Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Orlando. The Pittsburgh International Airport is located about 60 miles west of campus. From Pittsburgh International Airport, follow signs for Pittsburgh (I279) and follow directions from points West.

Customer Reviews

4.77 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
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Beautiful Retreat
I had a good retreat at St. Vincent Archabbey. The Mass and Divine Office were beautifully done. The talks were informative. The schedule struck a good balance between structured and unstructured time. The room and bed were comfortable, and the food was good. The grounds and church are very attractive.

5.0
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St. Vincent Archabbey Scheduled Retreat - The Deepest Part: Thomas Merton's Wisdom for Everyday Life (June 5-7, 2026)
This is my second retreat at St. Vincent’s Archabbey, where the first one was also four-day private retreat in September 2024. This recent four-day retreat was a hybrid as a private two-day retreat which preceded the scheduled Merton two-day retreat. This private retreat under Fr. Joe, also provided the opportunity to volunteer for Fr. Fred to help him with garden projects and the cleaning of the greenhouse. This was “Ora et Labora” in action which may also be a worthy emulation of Pope Francis’ “Laudato Si” where potential future St. Vincent’s scheduled retreats may be an attractive theme for work and prayer combination for retreatant gardeners!

Fr. Shawn’s Merton retreat schedule maintained an intricate balance for the retreatants between the five 90-minute insightful Merton lectures by Dr. Patricia Sharbaugh, Divine Liturgy (which provided the spiritual renewal and the opportunity to attend the rarely performed compline!), several scheduled Adorations, and nourishment through the delicious communal meals which allowed the retreatants to reinforce the lectures through meaningful discourse and respectful dialogue.

Dr. Sharbaugh’s lectures and handouts epitomized the complex nature of Merton and his writing, which also included his life’s chronology. Each of her bespoke handouts began with a Merton opening prayer poem, Merton’s quotations including passages from his writings, and ended with a Merton closing prayer. One also included a recommended bibliography of several of Merton’s books as well as excerpt readings as after-class assignments! The final lecture contained a full Question & Answer via note cards by the retreatants the night before which reflected the depth and understanding for Merton and his works.

The Merton Retreat met and exceeded all expectations! Congratulations on this successful retreat program.

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Saint Vincents Retreats
Professor Sharbaugh was a fantastic retreat leader! She provided a comprehensive overview of Thomas Merton's writings on prayer, contemplation, solitude and silence using written excerpts, along with her comments and discussion with retreatants. She provided wonderful insights into Merton's writings and life as a monk.

I have been fortunate to have read quite a few books about Merton and a number of his own books and journals. This retreat is a perfect fit for both individuals more familiar with Merton and those people with minimal contact with his writings.

Ths logistics of the retreat were excellent. About 30-35 people attended, and there was sufficient time to attend the presentation/discussions, go to meals and have free time to reflect on what we learned.

5.0
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Thomas Merton retreat
I had a fantastic experience, from the accomodations, to the food, to the conversation, and the classes. Being immersed in prayer with the monks provided a truly holy moment. Highly recommend.

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Listening during 8 Day Silent Retreat
I knew I wanted the time and space to listen better, and listen to, The Lord; though what that entailed and how were left to Providence. And truly through both my guide and various circumstances and people throughout the retreat, God indeed did speak to my heart on a few occasions -- revealing something of Himself and perhaps more impooertantly, where i needed to focus on myself, my spiritual blindspots as it were came to the fore. Another element perhaps not so obvious -- though taking our meals and greeting one another in silenve, nevertheless, the power in being surrounded by others of deep faith was such a wellspring to draw from. Lastly, for me personally, my guide helped me to re-engage with Scripture through lexio divina -- not a mere devotion or practice, but an encounter with the living Word! Amen!

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