Our Guesthouse offers more than hospitality.
Our Guesthouse aims to offer spaces of silence, beauty, and simple comfort to guests, for an hour, a day, or for a longer visit. It’s located on Memorial Drive, just off Harvard Square, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and face on the Charles River and its flanking parklands designed by Frederick Law Olmstead.
Compared to the cacophony of the world, silence keeps catching us off guard—inviting wonder about being so loved by God.
Thank you for your interest in visiting us here at the Society of Saint John the Evangelist. There are many ways for you to join us as we pray our lives, including stopping by the chapel at our monastery in Cambridge for some blessed stillness and silence, or participating in one our daily worship services. For those looking for a little more, and for an even more immersive experience, we offer silent retreats at our monastery in Cambridge. So take a look at the list below, and we hope to see you soon!
Retreat and Program Offerings
For help with filling out the online reservation request form, please see our Commonly Asked Questions.
Our silent retreats offer an immersive experience of monastic hospitality. You are invited to join the Brothers for daily worship, meals, and the gift of extended silence. Choose from:
Self-Guided Retreats
Come for 3–5 days and design your own retreat. Spiritual direction is available upon request. These retreats are ideal for those who want unstructured time for rest, prayer, and reflection.
Program Retreats
Join a guided retreat led by the Brothers or guest facilitators. These retreats include teaching, group reflection, and spiritual practices around a specific theme (e.g., Lenten retreat, 12-Step spirituality, contemplative prayer).
Retreat and Program Calendar
Please note: The Guesthouse is only open on the dates listed below. We do not offer retreats outside of these dates.
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June 2026 |
Request a Reservation →
Can’t get away for multiple days? Our Day Programs offer a taste of monastic life in a single day.
Quiet Days
Spend a full day (9 AM – 4 PM) in silence at the monastery. Join the Brothers for midday prayer and the Eucharist, and enjoy a simple lunch. Bring your own materials for reading and reflection, or simply rest in the silence.
Workshops
Occasional Saturday workshops on topics like embodied prayer, Lectio Divina, or the spirituality of pilgrimage. These are interactive, teaching-focused events (usually 2–4 hours).
[View Upcoming Day Programs →]
Can’t make it to Cambridge? Join us virtually for teaching, prayer, and community.
Live-Streamed Services
Join us daily for Morning Prayer, Eucharist, and Evening Prayer via our live stream.
Online Retreats and Courses
Periodically, we offer guided online retreats and teaching series. Check our calendar for upcoming offerings.
[Explore Online Offerings →]
The Gift of Silence
One of the most defining aspects of our monastic hospitality is the silence that permeates our life. We don’t take a vow of silence, but we believe that silence is the greatest gift we have to offer those who come on retreat.
In a culture saturated with noise—literal and figurative—how can we possibly hear God? The monastic tradition bears witness to the quietness of God’s voice. As the prophet Elijah discovered, God speaks not in earthquake, wind, or fire, but in “sheer silence.” It’s sometimes put this way: “God’s first language is silence. Everything else is a poor translation.”
When you come on retreat, we invite you into this silence—not as a burden, but as a gift. What might you hear?
Practical Information
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What to bring
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Accessibility
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Contact the Guesthouse Manager
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