Banneux Priory - Brothers of Saint John
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In Banneux, Belgium, at a site of Marian apparitions, the Brothers of Saint John welcome you to Regina Pacis Priory!
An ideal place, for families, groups, and solo retreatants, for an accompanied spiritual retreat.
Retreats organized by the community
In Banneux, not far from Liège, from January to March 1933, the Virgin of the Poor (this is how she presented herself) appeared eight times to an 11-year-old child, Mariette, to lead her to a spring representing the Heart of Jesus, and to announce that she had come to "relieve suffering." At the same time, Hitler was taking power in the neighboring country.
From then on, pilgrims flocked to the site, healings and conversions occurred, and the sanctuary became an oasis "for all nations", as the Virgin desired.
In 80 words and through simple gestures, Mary encourages us to "pray much" and to believe, initiating for pilgrims, the poor, a small path of grace.
Just a few meters from the apparition chapel and the spring, the priory and the Regina Pacis guest house of the Brothers of Saint John have been welcoming pilgrims for about thirty years in an atmosphere of prayer and fraternity.
Seven Brothers of Saint John, including one Flemish brother and one African brother, welcome pilgrims from all over Belgium.
The Brothers live here a religious life founded on mental prayer, silent prayer, the divine office, and study, through fraternal life and service to various missions.
Around them, oblates (lay people affiliated with a religious community) and friends, won over by the Banneux message of the Virgin, help them spread the sanctuary and its message.
The Saint John Community, founded in 1975, is called to live wherever the Holy Spirit sends it, throughout the world. The brothers, affectionately called the "little grays," serve the Church by leading a life of authentic fraternal charity for their mission. Particularly devoted to the Virgin Mary, it was quite natural for them to establish themselves in Banneux to spread her love.
What to expect during your stay
Making a spiritual retreat in Banneux, Belgium
Each quarter, a silent and preached retreat (organized) is offered by the brothers, with the possibility of spiritual guidance.
The divine offices, Eucharistic adoration, meals in monastic style, and the life of the sanctuary provide these retreats with an environment conducive to experiencing a time of renewal.
The guest house also offers individuals (alone or with family) or groups (parishes, schools, communities, associations, etc.) a peaceful setting, a park, and facilities enabling a fruitful spiritual retreat.
The main richness being the proximity and spiritual strength of the sanctuary as well as the religious life setting of the Brothers.
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On-site hospitality at Regina Pacis Priory
As you will have understood, you are very free regarding the retreat format you wish to experience! While not required, you are invited to join the community's daily prayer times: Mass, divine offices, mental prayer, or adoration.
The guest house includes:
- 3 buildings: Nazareth, Bethany, Cana.
- 60 beds distributed in 27 rooms (single or double, including 2 dormitories of 4 and 10 beds),
- 5 rooms between 20 and 100 seats,
- 3 chapels between 20 and 150 seats,
- a catering service and a refectory with 48 seats (a 100-seat refectory can be arranged), all meeting accessibility standards.
- Two rooms are equipped with sound systems and one with a video projector.
- One of the buildings (18 beds, kitchen, 2 rooms, and a chapel) allows certain groups to come independently.
Meals are taken in silence (with reading or music) with the brothers. Breakfasts are taken separately.
If you don't know what to bring for your retreat, feel free to consult our article: What to bring for a spiritual retreat?
Geography and activities
The hamlet of Banneux-Notre-Dame is in the countryside, bordered by a forest of conifers and deciduous trees, magnificent in autumn, and fields where horses frolic.
The main road provides quick access from the highway between Liège, the main nearby city, and Bastogne, or farther on, Namur and Luxembourg.
Many walks are well marked, but the sanctuary site itself, with its twelve chapels, paths, and oratories, offers an ideal setting for meditation and prayer, often with an umbrella.
The sanctuary offers several ways to experience the message of Our Lady who came here. A beautiful apparition chapel allows you to pray the rosary or meditate in Mary's presence.
A Prayer Path, that of the Virgin of the Poor, to be experienced in 45 minutes before "dipping your hands in the water" from the spring, a meaningful gesture for all pilgrims, before drinking this water.
During the season, from May 1st to October 15th, the Eucharistic blessing of the sick is another powerful moment. Off-season, it is replaced by a Marian vigil. You also have the option to join a long Stations of the Cross regularly followed by pilgrims.
Practical information
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