Spiritual Retreats in Des Moines
Discover Peaceful Opportunities for Rest & Renewal
A retreat at Emmaus House is an opportunity to step away from the noise of daily life and into a sacred space of silence, reflection, and spiritual discovery. Our group and individual retreats are rooted in the Catholic spiritual tradition and designed to be a gentle invitation to deepen your relationship with God.
Whether you’re looking for a quiet afternoon of personal prayer or a guided experience through the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, we are here to support you on your journey. Explore your options and reserve your spot today.
Explore These Retreat Opportunities
Ignatian Directed Retreats
This is a silent group retreat where participants seek solitude for prayer and reflection. Emmaus House staff members can facilitate the retreat, or it can be facilitated by a member of the group itself.
The foundation of this directed retreat is The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a classical spiritual text that contains a variety of prayer experiences. These exercises are meant to foster a conversion of heart and mind so that a person may follow Jesus with greater freedom. This retreat typically extends from three to eight days.
Private Day Retreats
If you desire a space to pray, reflect, journal, and rest, we warmly invite you to Emmaus House for a private retreat. Silent private day retreats offer solitude for individual prayer and reflection. Enjoy our quiet, calm, and contemplative retreat spaces. Come for a few hours, or stay for the entire day. Spiritual direction is available upon request.
Contemplative Retreats
A contemplative retreat invites you to discover the particular way God is inviting you into intimacy, prayer, wholeness, and holiness at this time in your life. These prayer retreats provide a setting of solitude and silence, with suggested readings from Scripture, the writings of the saints, and writings of other teachers of prayer in our rich Christian tradition.
Group Retreats
We encourage parish groups of 6 to 12 members to come for a day, part of a day, or an evening for prayer and reflection. These group retreats can be facilitated by a staff member of Emmaus House, or they can be self-facilitated by a member of the group.
About Our Des Moines Retreat Facility
Our Des Moines Catholic retreat center provides a peaceful environment in the heart of the Des Moines metro. Our facility includes:
Private retreat rooms
Comfortable chairs and couches
Kitchenette with coffee and tea
Prayerful spaces inside and out
Free wifi access throughout
Spiritual direction available for an additional $25 per retreat
Is your group or staff looking for a contemplative space for an upcoming retreat? Please contact us to learn more about renting space at Emmaus House. Our facility does not currently offer overnight accommodations. If you are scheduling a retreat over multiple days, feel free to reach out to us for recommendations if you need a place to stay nearby.
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Private Retreat Payment Form
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