cese it will serve, although applicants from anywhere can come for communal or private retreats. With its view of the Forest, it is a most attractive place on a sunny day and indeed at all times. The house has been entirely reconstructed to make it ideal for visitors. "Our aim—" says Mother Teresa, "is apostolic work: we shall have weekend courses for boys preparing for the priesthood, for youth leaders and we place the accent on youth above all. During the weeks we can fit in organised retreats and private retreatants and indeed we welcome them." The bedrooms are mainly single rooms: 18 guests can be accommodated or 25 if rooms are shared. The dining-room is bright and airy and there is an excellent lounge. The Sisters run the house with a little outside help. Both men and women arc taken and the terms at present are a guinea a day, but may shortly go up slightly. Those experienced in making retreats say that the situation of the retreat house is important and Walsingham House overlooking Epping Forest is ideal for its purpose.
A great number of women, especially mothers of children, do not find it easy to get away for a couple of nights: although it can sometimes be done with the help of grannie or a trustworthy friend.
But, the Guest-Mistress of the Cenacle tells me that there are day retreats to which mothers can bring their children, even babies in arms, if they cannot he left. She can tell readers about these, Convent of the Cenacle, 33 West Heath Road, Hampstead, N.W.3 I4AMpstead 1257. She tells me too that certain Houses run Cana Days,— that is retreats for the whole family together, father, mother and children.
The Convent of Marie Reparatrice in Wimbledon is building its own retreat house opposite, and this should be ready by the end of the year. Sister Thomas More tells me that they are running Days of Recollection to which housewives and others— come when children are at school during the day.
The charge for the day and luncheon and tea is 7/6d and about 25 to 30 people or even more, attend. Visitors can be taken for private retreats now in the Convent itself—while the new House is being built. (119 The Ridgeway, Wimbledon, S.W.19: WIMbledon 1088.)
The Franciscan Monastery at Goodings, near Newbury, must be a most attractive place: with all due respect I would stress that the Sisters are "with it". Sister Christine Bernard tells me that lately their policy has been directed towards younger people and that, from Faster to November they arc also a Youth Hostel. But they take guests for private retreats and have lately had more younger women of about 35 and under. They had one guest who. aged 30. had travelled widely---who came to make a private retreat and "I am not sure she was a Catholic" explains Sister Christine Bernard. Another, a woman of 33, came for a private retreat lately, —she is a landworkcr in the West Country.
Goodings has its own extensive grounds, farm and garden in which the Sisters work: there is a swimming pool in the visitors' garden and at least one Sister plays the guitar! The terms for the Hostel and Youth Centre are 4 guineas a week: and at a recent Young People's Conference from midday Saturday to Sunday evening, the
charge was 25/with the nice touch of 17/6 for non-earners.
Mrs. T., who periodically makes a private retreat to find peace from a busy life goes to a Retreat House in Devon, where she finds tranquility and comfort in the Guesthouse run nearby the Benedictine Monastery at Buckfast. A warm clean room, plenty of hot water and good food and gentle and wise people to talk to, if she wishes to talk, services she can attend or not without remark and as she says: "All this is highly infectious, the balance of mind and the pattern of work and prayer of the people who live here."
Allington Castle near Maidstone is famous for its retreats and Father Malachy Lynch has told me that they can take up to about 30 or 35 men and women since the Carmelite Order took possession of the Castle and recreated it to this purpose in 1951. It is administered from the Friars of Aylcsford, which is about two miles up river. There are some single and some double rooms; the guesthouse is run by a lay community under a warden. Organised study week-ends and retreats take place all the year round and many people also come to make private retreats or simply to spend a time of rest and quiet. Mass is daily said in the Chapel: there is a well-stocked library and reading room and the surrounding gardens and countryside is very beautiful. Charges are 27/6 a day and 9 guineas a week.
Finally. there is only space briefly to mention Southwell House in Hampstead, run by the Jesuit Fathers as a retreat house for men. Here they say that an annual retreat does for the soul what the annual holiday does for the body! But all the same, the body is well taken care of: there are private rooms for some 40 visitors, a large garden and Brother Atkinson, the cook, is an expert and he and the whole community take great pains to make visitors comfortable. Week-end retreats start on Saturday and end the next day, after supper. The usual charge for this is 24/-. Men are encouraged to come individually and spend a few days at any time and a surprising number do this.
JOAN WOOLLCOMBE