Our kitchen provides vegetarian meals for all retreatants. This helps us keep meal preparation simple and consistent, especially since most retreats are short in duration.
We take care to ensure that our meals are hearty, nourishing, and satisfying. Menus regularly include protein-rich foods such as cheese, nuts, eggs, spinach, and beans so that guests feel well-fed throughout their stay. Many retreatants share that they are pleasantly surprised by how filling and enjoyable the meals are—even without meat.
As a house of prayer for the Archdiocese, and with only two full-time staff members, we keep our meal service simple so that our primary focus remains on prayerful hospitality and retreat ministry. Offering vegetarian meals allows us to serve guests well while staying faithful to that mission.
We hope this will not be an obstacle to your retreat. Most groups find that the vegetarian plan works very well for the short time they are with us and often becomes a meaningful part of the retreat experience—encouraging simplicity, mindfulness, and freedom from daily decision-making.
Breakfast – 7 to 9 a.m.: Guests are welcomed at the informal communal breakfast which includes homemade granola, cereal, instant oatmeal, toast, hard boiled eggs, peanut butter and jelly, fruit, juice and milk.
Lunch – Noon: A vegetarian communal home-cooked main meal is provided on all days except Monday and Thursday in which simple food is provided to be eaten in solitude.
Communal breakfast and the midday meals are a good time of fellowship.
Supper – 4 – 8 p.m.: Guests are provided with a thermos of homemade soup and other food (bread, crackers, cheese, fruit, yogurt, peanut butter, and fresh vegetables) to take to their dwelling to eat in solitude.
Special Diets: If you have any special dietary needs, please inform us at least a week in advance. This allows us to accommodate your requirements and plan meals accordingly. We cater to gluten-free and dairy-free diets, as well as a minimum of specific food allergies per person. If your dietary needs are complex, we recommend planning to bring your own food.
There is no extra charge for meals; they are included as part of one’s donation. Guests are also welcome to bring their own food to prepare in their dwelling or take any of the meals packed to eat in solitude if they prefer.
The food in the main kitchen white guest refrigerator across from the sink may be eaten at any time. Guests are asked to store their personal food items in their dwelling’s refrigerator or labeled in the guest wing’s kitchenette refrigerator in the main building.
The cabins have a refrigerator, electric stove/oven (no microwave), sink, toaster, and coffee maker. Courtyard Guest Rooms have a refrigerator, two-burner stove, sink, toaster oven, and coffee maker.
Group Meal Information:
Group meals are provided by Christ’s Peace as indicated above, with the following exceptions: Groups may choose to have their supper soup meal served in the dining room with salad and bread. Groups that book retreats on Mondays or Thursdays will be served three meals in the dining room. Groups are not permitted to use the Main Kitchen for storing food or for preparing or cooking meals.
Here is our menu showing foods that are available to supplement breakfast and dinner meals:
Meal-Menu-Post-COVID-1