The Abbey has a rich history filled with generous hospitality, deep personal & spiritual journey, awareness & preservation of the native environment.
The Abbey Program offers individuals and groups the opportunity to be involved.
The Program includes a range of creative events, retreats, workshops, conservation activities and pilgrimages.
Feel free to sign up using the button below to be notified by email of new events.
We look forward to welcoming you at The Abbey.
Weekly Eucharist
11.00am every Wednesday at The Abbey Chapel. Everyone is welcome. (Please note that there are no services at The Abbey during January. We start again on February 5th 2025.)
Monthly Celtic Music Sessions
2nd Thursday of each month (7.00pm – 10.00pm). Come join us for an evening of music. Bring an instrument or just come and enjoy the evening. We’re in the Chapel.
For further information and bookings call 03 5156 6580 or info@theabbey.org.au
2025 PROGRAM
APRIL
10th Hush Quiet Day – Canaan and East Gippsland: Occupied Lands.
Facilitator: Michael Fox
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by April 1st.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXEVR or phone us at the Abbey on (03) 5156 6580
10th – Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
18th Stations of the Cross. Meet at The Abbey carpark at 2.50pm for a 3.00pm start.
A time of quiet reflection as prayers are said at each of the fourteen crosses placed around the perimeter of The Abbey. Please note that this is an outside event and requires a level of physical mobility.
MAY
8th Hush Quiet Day – C.S. Lewis: The Figure of Aslan in the Narnia Chronicles.
Facilitator: Revd Jeff Berger
Jeff Berger is an ordained Anglican priest and a retired consulting psychologist, with over forty-five years’ experience in ministry, counselling, and psychological practice. Within the Anglican Church, Jeff has served in a number of parishes and positions over the period of his ordained ministry. He currently serves as honorary associate priest in the parish of St. Peter’s by the Lake Paynesville, in the Diocese of Gippsland and as Abbey Priest to the Abbey Chapel of St Barnabas, on Raymond Island. In psychology, Jeff is a recently retired full member of the Australian Psychological Society and had a large private practice in Gisborne Victoria, as well as working in educational and corporate roles. In his spiritual and prayer life, Jeff has focused on developing spiritual qualities for himself and encouraging them in others. He has conducted and been involved in a large number of spiritual workshops, retreats, studies and quiet days.
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by April 25th.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXEVR or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
8th Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
JUNE
12th Hush Quiet Day – Pilgrimage
Facilitator: Cath Connelly
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by May 25th.
Bookings: TryBooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGDN or phone us at the Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
12th Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
20th – 22nd Moss! Weekend retreat.
Facilitator: Kelly Skelton
Join us for a retreat that invites you to reconnect with the present moment. Together we will explore mindfulness practices and guided creative exercises designed to ground you and bring your wandering thoughts back to the here and now.
If you enjoy journaling, collage, crochet, embroidery, or any craft that resonates with these practices, this retreat is the perfect space to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of moss and the beauty of mindfulness.
Through gentle practices, reflective creativity, and meaningful conversations, you’ll uncover the wisdom that lies within your own calm. Embrace this opportunity to cultivate inner peace and gain clarity, all while surrounded by the wonder and exploration of moss!
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $495
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $345pp
Non-Residential full weekend including all meals and program – $230
Friday 5.00pm – Sunday after lunch. Please RSVP by June 7th.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGEA or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580
JULY
6th Harp Concert – Emily Sanzaro.
Emily is an innovative harpist, vocalist, violinist and electronic loop artist based in Launceston, Tasmania. She is passionate about performance and the harp lends itself to this with its dramatic appearance and captivating sound. Emily has a unique and engaging performance style which is far from traditional.
2.00pm in the Chapel. Tickets $30.
10th Hush Quiet Day – Three Celtic Saints: Cuthbert, Columba & Aidan.
Facilitator: June Treadwell
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by July 1st.
Bookings: TryBooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGEE or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
10th Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
11th – 13th Coming of Age: Stepping Boldly into Elderhood. Weekend retreat for Women.
Facilitator: Janet Munro
Now, perhaps more than ever, our world is in need of wise counsel. Traditionally, it was to the elders of a community that people would turn to as they struggled to navigate the big questions of life. These days they are more likely to turn to Google or ChatGPT and older adults are left wondering what their purpose is. For women especially this stage of life is fraught with frustration and anxiety as we near the end of careers, children leave home, and elderly parents need care and pass away. We become more confident in our own skin but less visible to the world around us. We have lots of wisdom, but we need skills to build the platform to share it.
Elderhood is not the inevitable consequence of ageing; it is a communal function for which we must plan and prepare.
This retreat is a threshold moment, a time for individual and collective reflection, for story and ritual. Together we will consider the opportunities and challenges for elders in today’s world. You will uncover the unique gifts you bring to this critical life stage. You will develop a renewed vision and purpose for your own life and the communities you engage with. You will leave ready to boldly be the wise elders our world so desperately needs.
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $495
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $345pp
Non-Residential full weekend including all meals and program – $230
Friday 5.00pm – Sunday after lunch. Please RSVP by July 1st.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGET or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
AUGUST
8th – 10th Circle Dancing Retreat – Weekend retreat.
Facilitator: Robyn Sussems
Dancing in a circle is an ancient tradition common to many cultures for marking special occasions, strengthening community and encouraging togetherness. Circle Dance includes traditional dances of many countries as well as modern choreographies set to classical and contemporary music. In Circle dance we are stepping into ancient patterns of rhythm and movement. When we dance a traditional dance, we are temporarily tuning into a culture’s history and expression. During this Retreat we will experience the joy of the dance, both physically and spiritually. There will be opportunities for reflection, meditation and time in nature in the surrounds of The Abbey. No previous dance experience is necessary and we will approach this weekend with a spirit of adventure. This retreat was very popular in 2023. We look forward to welcoming Robyn back to the Abbey.
Comfortable footwear is essential.
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $495
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $345pp
Non-Residential full weekend including all meals and program – $230
Friday 5.00pm – Sunday after lunch. Please RSVP by July 1st.
Bookings: TryBooking: https://www.trybooking.com/CXGFA or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
14th Hush Quiet Day – Maximillian Kolbe: Saint, Reformer, Influencer or Disrupter?
Facilitator: Fr Dennis Webster
Kolbe, whose martyrdom is commemorated on this day in 1941, offered his ‘white halo’ for that of a ‘red halo’ to save the life of a Jewish family man. The guards of Auschwitz accepted the swap, and Kolbe was taken away to be first denied food and water, living in cramped conditions and then executed. However, there is more to Kolbe than just that sincere and loving act. As the founder of the Militia Immaculata, he sometimes challenged Church authority and skilfully engaged the community through the emerging radio media.
This Hush Day will explore Kolbe as “a paradigmatic saint for modernity—not because he escaped its crises, but because he confronted them with faith, creativity, and courage” by challenging the Church to embrace its prophetic identity, using ancient truths to confront modern injustices.
This text examines some of Kolbe’s writings and the discourse surrounding his canonisation while also providing a brief historical overview of the longstanding understanding of the dogma “Immaculate Mary” through the centuries leading to Pius IX’s 1854 declaration that Mary was born without sin (in the papal bullIneffabilis Deus, 1854). In the context of the ecumenical pilgrimage with Rome, this continues to present challenges towards restoration.
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by August 1st.
Bookings: TryBooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGFF or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
14th Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
17th Harp Concert – Ben Creighton Griffiths
Ben Creighton Griffiths is a touring Jazz and Classical musician based in South Wales, UK. He made his International debut at the 2004 1er Concours International de Harpe in Nantes, France where, aged 7, he came second in the Under 18 division. In 2006 he won the Under 13 Division of the Wales International Harp Festival before going on to win the 2008 Junior Lily Laskine competition in Paris, winning a concert harp in the process. Other competitions include runner up in the 2009 Texaco Young Musician of Wales, second place in the Elias Parish Alvars Competition 2008, and multiple 1st prizes throughout age categories at the Urdd Eisteddfod of Wales.
3.00pm in the Chapel. Tickets $30.00
30th Abbey Feast
Our annual fundraiser and get-together. Always a day of great fun. More details to come, but mark this day into your diary.
12.00pm start.
Bookings: TryBooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGFL or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
SEPTEMBER
11th Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
18th Hush Quiet Day – Journey from the Centre
Facilitator: Cath Connelly
The centre of Country; the centre of being. Holding these two in tension, we listen for deep wisdom.
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by September 1st.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGFQ or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
OCTOBER
4th Blessing of the Pets
St Francis, lover of animals, would be thrilled to think that we are hosting an afternoon to honour our animal companions. On the weekend of his Feast Day we are inviting you to bring your pets for an afternoon of animal fun, culminating in a pet blessing by Revd. Jeff Berger, the Abbey Chaplain. There will be competitions for the fluffiest, the cutest, the oldest, the wisest and the most unusual pet. Bring your rabbits, dogs, rats, goats, donkeys, cats, guinea pigs…
Please note that the sensitive environment of the Abbey requires all animals to be restrained at all times.
2.00pm – 3.30pm. Afternoon refreshments provided for humans! FREE. Please RSVP by September 21.
9th Hush Quiet Day –Triangle of Rhetoric: Ethos, Pathos & Logos
Facilitator: Kevin Broughton
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by October 1st.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGFX or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
9th Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
10th – 12th Women’s Storytelling Weekend Retreat
Facilitator: Lee Palumbo
I am passionate about women’s storytelling gatherings, and the transformation I have seen not only for those who share their stories, but for those who hear them. Storytelling is part if our ancient traditions and our everyday. Stories help us to understand ourselves and each other, and the human experience. Stories can bring healing and transformation when aired in a safe and supportive environment. Whether your story is light or dark, painful or playful, hilarious or profoundly moving, we want to hear it. This may be your first time, but no experience is needed, after all, it is your story, true and from the heart. The art of listening in a supportive environment is vital to storytelling and we will be here to do just that, to hold space for one another.
Join us for this weekend of connection, storytelling, reflection and good food, in the beautiful natural environment at The Abbey. There will be an open invitation for you to tell your story in ten minutes based on a theme, the three main themes, one per session, this spring weekend will be; Change, Water and Faith.
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $495
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $345pp
Non-Residential full weekend including all meals and program – $230
Friday 5.00pm – Sunday after lunch. Please RSVP by November 25th.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGGK or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
17th & 18th Diocesan Retreat: Grace and the Holy Spirit.
Facilitator: Revd Kate Campbell
Grace represents God’s compassion and love for us even when we fall short, and the Holy Spirit is a constant presence. How might the Holy Spirit be active participants in our lives if we were to take Jesus’ words seriously? How might we allow more grace into our lives and our world? How would it be if we slowed down and paid closer attention to one of God’s greatest gifts to us?
Kate is a contemplative at heart and have occasionally been asked how that fits with her calling to the Permanent Diaconate. Her reply is always that ‘if I don’t have the reflective, quiet times, I don’t have the energy to fulfill my diaconal ministry. Being still and quiet and listening in both community and alone can create a space for very powerful prayer and insights, something I value sharing with others.’ Taking time out, to come away, to rest in silence and quiet, even for a short time, can deeply enhance our spiritual life. Kate values sharing contemplative experiences with others. Creative textiles, especially through embroidery, is something that draws Kate to prayer to connect deeply with God. Paying attention when walking in the environment, hearing birdsong in the early morning to greet the day, moving and dancing freely with a small group, meditating with others, all give life in their own way.
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $210
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $160pp
Non-Residential including all meals and program – $90
Please RSVP by October 5th.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGYF or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
26th – 31st Meditation & Mindfulness in the Christian Tradition. Mid-week retreat.
Facilitator: Roland Ashby
Tap into a deep spring of love, joy, peace and compassion at the centre of our being. Jesus called it Living Water, with which we will never thirst. During this week, cultivate a transforming, healing awareness of the Divine presence, and learn how to meditate:
- on Scripture and other sacred texts;
- by using a prayer word or mantra;
- through mindfulness of the breath and body;
- on icons and other art works;
- by using visualization.
This retreat will be largely experiential. It will introduce and draw on the ancient wisdom of several traditions of contemplative prayer, including Lectio Divina, Visio Divina, imaginative contemplation, mantra meditation and centering prayer. No previous experience is necessary.
As learning to be silent is a vital part of cultivating awareness of the Divine presence, both within and around us, the retreat will be largely conducted in silence, although there will be opportunities each day for conversation, both with a spiritual director, and at night, over dinner. Breakfast and lunch will be held in silence.
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $640
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $395pp
Non-Residential including all meals and program – $270
Sunday 5.00pm – Friday after lunch. Please RSVP by October 11th.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGYJ or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
NOVEMBER
8th Diocesan Pilgrimage to The Abbey.
Lots of details to come, but get the date in your diary.
13th Hush Quiet Day
Facilitator: TBC
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by November 1st.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGYM or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
13th Celtic Music Session.
Open to all players of traditional – style music such as Irish, Scottish, English, Australian, Old-Timey, Bluegrass.
6.45pm – 9.45pm in the Chapel. FREE.
17th – 20th Benedict: Living Life in the Daily. Midweek retreat.
Facilitator: John Stewart
A mid-week retreat that will explore the essence of St Benedict’s wisdom, particularly through the lens of Joan Chittister.
John Stewart is the founding Director of The Living Well Centre and now Co-director of the spiritual direction formation program. He holds the ThL (ACT) and M. Min (MCD) which includes a research project on men’s issues in spiritual direction. He has been an Anglican priest since 1973 and has held various positions of ministry over the years including eight years as Warden of the Retreat House Cheltenham where The Living Well Centre ministry has its origins. John is a sought-after retreat leader, offering engaging presentations in his delightful manner. Much of this retreat will be in silence.
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $570
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $395pp
Non-Residential including all meals and program – $270
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGYQ or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
28th Ecumenical Conversation
This annual event, co-hosted by the Anglican and Roman Catholic Diocese in Gippsland, is an ideal preparation for the journey of Advent through to the blessings of Christmas and we hope you will be able to join us on this significant occasion.
Presenters: TBC
9.30am – 4.00pm. Lunch, morning & afternoon tea provided. Cost $30. RSVP by November 15.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGYW or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
DECEMBER
5th – 7th Art from the Heart weekend Retreat
Facilitator: Andrea Do Santos
Residential Single Accommodation including all meals and program – $495
Residential Shared Accommodation including all meals and program – $345pp
Non-Residential full weekend including all meals and program – $230
‘Art from the Heart’ is a weekend retreat for women seeking to explore their creativity through various visual art exercises such as paper collage, oil pastels, water colours and dry pastels. All art exercises offered are suitable for those from any skill range whether artistic novice or expert! The retreat can also be used as a time of relaxation and recreation or as a time to use the art activities as tools into deeper reflection. All materials are supplied over the weekend though participants are encouraged to bring a personal journal to record further musings and realisations from the weekend.
Andrea Do Santos is an artist and writer. She has Bachelor Degrees in the Creative Arts and Community Development. Coming from lived experience with mental health and addiction issues, she has worked as a Peer Worker and encouraged others to use the creative arts in their own healing journeys. She is the mother to a handsome young man and a beautiful princess dog. To find out more about Andrea please refer to her website www.andreadosantos.com
Friday 5.00pm – Sunday after lunch. Please RSVP by November 25th.
Bookings; Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGZF or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
11th Hush Quiet Day
Facilitator: TBC
10.00am – 3.00pm. BYO lunch. $20 donation. Please RSVP by December 1st.
Bookings: Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CXGZJ or phone us at The Abbey on (03) 5156 6580.
For further information and bookings call 03 5156 6580 or info@theabbey.org.au