Welcome to the Carmel on the Hill Archdiocesan Retreat Center...

After months of major renovation and upgrades, the Carmel Retreat Center is now open! The facility is ready to accomodate retreatants and those who come to use the retreat center for meetings or other functions. The vision of transforming the fomer home of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns into a fully functional retreat center was overseen by Monsignor James L.G. Benavente under the direction and trust of Archbishop of Anthony Sablan Apuron.

Carmel is uniquely designated by the archdiocese to serve as a sacred place and space to host spiritual retreats and gatherings for all Catholic parishes and organizations in Guam. Today, Carmel is being facilitated by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, whose major responsibility is to create an environment suitable for proper prayer and reflection. In the coming months, the Sisters will be working to implement programs and activities at the Retreat Center for all to participate.

A Brief Look at Carmel on the Hill

The Discalced Carmelite Nuns is a religious organization in the Catholic Church who have vowed to dedicate their lives in the contemplative way of St. Therese of Avila. They were traditionally founded in Palestine in the hills of Carmel as a cloistered community with almost no access to the everyday occurrences of society. The lives of the nuns were dedicated to strict prayer and solitude, offering themselves to the prayerful needs of the Church. The nuns left the confines of the monastery only under special circumstances or for medical needs.

The local community of Carmelite Nuns first arrived on Guam in the mid-1960s at the invitation of the late Bishop Apollinaris Baumgartner, OFM Cap. The first nuns originated from Malaysia and initiated their humble beginnings in Tai, Mangilao before moving to the hills of Malojloj, adjacent to the San Isidro Catholic Church. From there, the nuns expanded their monastery progressively with the help and support of the local community. As part of their contemplative lifestyle, the nuns worked hard to plant various produce and raise chickens to produce eggs in order to support and sustain their community. The nuns also made altar bread and communion host for the different parishes. A ministry they continue today.

In December 2006, the Discalced Carmelite Nuns made an historic decision to move the entire community to a more central location. The Carmelite community formally turned over the former monastery to the Archdiocese of Agaña. As a result of the acquisition, the archdiocese seized the unique opportunity to transform the once cloistered home for the Carmelites into an enriching and sacred retreat center.

In the last two years, an immeasurable amount of time, talent and resources poured into the renovation process to creat the spiritual place now known as Carmel on the Hill, the official Retreat Center of the Archdiocese of Agaña.

Retreat and Event Schedule

Note: The Retreat Center may be utilized by more than one group at  a given time depending on space requirements and the number of participants. Please contact the Retreat Center for reservation details.