Explore every episode of the podcast The Cloister - A podcast from Monastic Retreats
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advent 2025 - Coming to Zion Shouting for Joy | 13 Dec 2025 | 00:36:45 | |
In the third part of our Advent series, Henry O'Shea OSB presents his talk: 'Coming to Zion Shouting for Joy.' | |||
| Advent 2025 - A Chance for Renewal | 06 Dec 2025 | 00:36:05 | |
In the second talk of our Advent series, Jarek Kurek OSB speaks on 'Advent of Christ: A Chance for Renewal.' | |||
| Pentecost | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:23:20 | |
Fr Bede from Ampleforth Abbey reflects on Pentecost. Are you almost ready to be inspired by the Holy Spirit to begin to renew the face of your local acre of the world?..& can “she” rely on you? The further resources mentioned can be accessed here. | |||
| Monastic Internship | 16 May 2025 | 00:18:33 | |
In today's episode we hear from James, who at the time of recording this had just completed a monastic internship at Worth Abbey. Discover what life was like living with a community of Benedictine monks. For More information on Monastic Internships visit | |||
| Chris Whittington - The Abbot, the Monk and the Book | 27 Apr 2025 | 00:37:27 | |
Learning to Be Compassionate: A Story of Healing and Acceptance (followed by 20 mins of silent meditation) | |||
| Lent 2025 - A Subversive Triumph | 13 Apr 2025 | 00:40:27 | |
Prepare for Holy Week with the final talk of our Lent series, 'A Subversive Triumph' by Luke Macnamara OSB. | |||
| Lent 2025 - Salvation's Unusual Contours | 06 Apr 2025 | 00:46:12 | |
Anne Lanigan, a PhD student at Saint Patrick's Pontifical University in Maynooth, presents a talk on 'Salvation's Unusual Contours: Jesus and the Criminals.' | |||
| Lent 2025 - The Lost Sons | 30 Mar 2025 | 00:46:42 | |
Br Pádraig McIntyre OSB from Glenstal Abbey presents a talk - "The Lost Sons" - as part of our Lent series. | |||
| Lent 2025 - Poetry of Lent | 23 Mar 2025 | 00:44:50 | |
Mark Patrick Hederman OSB delivers the third talk in our Lent series. | |||
| Lent 2025 - Transfiguration | 16 Mar 2025 | 00:39:13 | |
Fr Brendan Coffey OSB delivers the second talk in our Lent series: 'Transfiguration.' | |||
| Lent 2025 - Prayer in Testing Times | 09 Mar 2025 | 00:44:02 | |
Fr Luke Macnamara OSB presents the first of our Lenten talks "Prayer in Testing Times (Luke 4:1-11) This was first released in 2022. | |||
| Let your hand be ready to help me | 16 Feb 2025 | 00:18:36 | |
In today's episode Fr Gabriel from Ampleforth Abbey, reflects on Psalm 118:173 in this talk entitled 'let your hand be ready to help me'. | |||
| Advent 2025 - The Promise of Advent | 29 Nov 2025 | 00:51:36 | |
Luke Macnamara OSB begins our Advent series with his talk 'The Promise of Advent.' | |||
| Do you want to be healed? | 02 Feb 2025 | 00:13:35 | |
Abbot Robert from Ampleforth Abbey explores one of the most profound questions in the Gospel of John: "Do you want to be healed?" (John 5:6) What does this question mean for us today? How do we respond to the invitation of healing, both physically and spiritually? Abbot Robert offers deep insights into Jesus’ compassionate challenge to our hearts and lives, inviting us to reflect on our own desires for transformation and wholeness. Tune in to this thought-provoking conversation and dive deeper into what it means to truly embrace healing in Christ. | |||
| Anguish and Distress in the Christian Journey | 19 Jan 2025 | 00:15:55 | |
Starting from Psalm 118 verse 143 ‘Though anguish and distress have found me, your commands are my delight’, this home retreat will consider briefly the experience of Elijah, Jeremiah, the suffering servant, Job, Jonah, Tobit, the author of Psalm 87 and then focus particularly on the experience of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. | |||
| What is your heart looking for? | 05 Jan 2025 | 00:13:29 | |
Everyone has hopes and dreams and these sometimes come to fulfilment sometimes not. Jesus said the mouth speaks of what fills the heart, so what fills your heart as we start 2025? How sound is your heart? What is it really looking for, something or someone? We will explore some of this together in this Home Retreat provided by our friends at Ampleforth Abbey. | |||
| Advent - The 'call room' for Christmas | 16 Dec 2024 | 00:41:14 | |
Simon Sleeman OSB concludes a series of three talks from Advent 2023 with 'Advent: the 'Call Room' for Christmas.' Thank you to the monks of Glenstal Abbey for these wonderful reflections. | |||
| Advent - Prepare the way for the Lord | 09 Dec 2024 | 00:36:53 | |
In the second of three talks from Advent 2023, John O'Callaghan OSB from Glenstal Abbey urges us to "Prepare the Way for the Lord!" | |||
| Advent - Stay Awake, Stay Alive! | 01 Dec 2024 | 00:42:00 | |
In the first of three talks by the monks of Glenstal Abbey (taken from Advent 2023), Columba McCann OSB speaks on the theme of 'Stay Awake, Stay Alive!' | |||
| Pilgrimage - An introduction to our Advent Devotional | 24 Nov 2024 | 00:11:24 | |
Today I am joined by Graham Stevens author of our 2024 Advent devotional. We discuss the spiritual practice of pilgrimage alongside explaining a little more about our devotional which is available now. | |||
| An Interview with Paul Hammond | 10 Nov 2024 | 00:10:46 | |
In today's episode I share an interview I recently did with Paul Hammond from UCB radio. In this episode we discuss the benefits of going on a retreat as well as talking about how Monastic Retreats came to be. I pray it is a blessing to you. | |||
| The Enneagram | 27 Oct 2024 | 00:28:15 | |
In today’s episode I am joined by Dave Ward to discuss the enneagram. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - Praying the Psalms | 13 Oct 2024 | 00:06:39 | |
Our podcast series on prayer concludes with this reflection by Father Martin on praying with the Psalms. | |||
| Christ the King | 18 Nov 2025 | 00:20:20 | |
Each year, the Church ends the annual liturgical cycle with the Solemnity of Christ the King. In this Home Retreat, Fr Oswald reflects on the history and significance of this great feast. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - Lectio Divina | 29 Sep 2024 | 00:06:03 | |
Br Jarek speaks in this podcast about the importance and centrality of Lectio Divina - 'Divine Reading' - in the monastic life. | |||
| National Retreat Week 2024 - Kemi Bamgbose | 26 Sep 2024 | 00:05:57 | |
Explore finding renewal through prayer in everyday life and on retreat through this personal reflection from Kemi Bamgbose. Kemi is the Project Lead for global, ecumenical prayer movement Thy Kingdom Come and is also a writer & journalist with a passion for retreats. | |||
| National Retreat Week 2024 - Dr Roger Bretherton | 25 Sep 2024 | 00:05:15 | |
Today’s reflection explores how to find replenishment in God, living in a way that brings health to body, mind and spirit. Dr Roger Bretherton is Programme Director for the Professional Diploma in Positive Health in the Centre for Positive Health Sciences at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He conducts extensive training, consultancy and research on character strengths- the beautiful qualities of character like wisdom, humility and gratitude- that lead to human flourishing. | |||
| National Retreat Week 2024 - Danny Curtin | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:05:41 | |
This week is national retreat week and we are sharing some of their wonderful resources here on our podcast. | |||
| National Retreat Week 2024 - Muyiwa Olarewaju | 23 Sep 2024 | 00:04:58 | |
A reflection on renewal from Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE for National Retreat Week - renew:all. | |||
| National Retreat Week 2024 - John Bell | 22 Sep 2024 | 00:07:16 | |
National Retreat Week - renew:all runs from the 21-28 Sept and is new initiative for individuals, churches and groups to promote contemplation, prayer and retreat in a variety of Christian traditions. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - Liturgy and Devotions | 15 Sep 2024 | 00:08:35 | |
Father Henry talks in this podcast about the link between communal and private prayer, highlighting devotions such as the Rosary, Stations of the Cross and Eucharistic Adoration. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - Liturgical Prayer | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:06:23 | |
In this episode Fr William talks about how the cycle of prayer in the monastery gives shape and rhythm to our day, to our year, and to our lives. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - Silence | 18 Aug 2024 | 00:07:59 | |
In a noisy and busy world, times for at least some quiet in the day are essential. Br Justin talks here about the importance of silence in our lives. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - Difficulties in Prayer | 04 Aug 2024 | 00:07:44 | |
Praying isn't always easy. In this podcast, Father Columba from Glenstal Abbey continues our series on prayer by sharing about various difficulties we can encounter in prayer and he then offers some advice on how to overcome them. | |||
| Cloud of Witnesses - St Augustine of Hippo | 09 Nov 2025 | 00:16:04 | |
| Teach us to Pray - Continuous Prayer | 22 Jul 2024 | 00:04:21 | |
What does it mean to pray continuously? Abbot Brendan talks about making our lives into a prayerful, frequent and deep connection with God. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - Inherited Instinct | 08 Jul 2024 | 00:05:31 | |
Father Fintan talks in this podcast about our 'inherited instinct' for prayer, recognising how all creation is capable of praising God. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - How to Pray | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:08:54 | |
Today we are continuing our new series entitled ‘teach us to pray’. | |||
| Teach us to Pray - What is Prayer? | 10 Jun 2024 | 00:07:02 | |
Today we are starting a new series here on our podcast entitled ‘teach us to pray’. | |||
| The Jesus Prayer - A Guided Practice | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:18:35 | |
The Jesus Prayer is a simple prayer The tradition of the Jesus Prayer goes back to the “prayer of the mind,” recommended by the ancient monks of the Egyptian desert. It was continued as the “prayer of the heart” in Byzantine Hesychasm, a monastic system that seeks to achieve divine quietness. | |||
| The Rule of Saint Benedict - Stewardship | 27 May 2024 | 00:11:37 | |
This is the final part in our series on ‘The Rule of Saint Benedict’ led by the monks of Glenstal Abbey. | |||
| Seasonal Episode - Pentecost with Fr Oswald | 17 May 2024 | 00:11:38 | |
This liturgical year we are being joined by Fr Oswald from Ampleforth Abbey. In this seasonal extra episode of ‘The Cloister’ he shares some reflections on the season of Pentecost. | |||
| The Rule of Saint Benedict - Care for the Brethren | 13 May 2024 | 00:08:52 | |
This is the penultimate part in our series on ‘The Rule of Saint Benedict’ led by the monks of Glenstal Abbey. | |||
| Spiritual Journaling | 06 May 2024 | 00:16:24 | |
Join us for a conversation on spiritual journalling. | |||
| The Rule of Saint Benedict - Work | 29 Apr 2024 | 00:08:23 | |
This is the eighth part in our series on ‘The Rule of Saint Benedict’ led by the monks of Glenstal Abbey. | |||
| A Cloud of Witnesses - Lanspergius | 26 Oct 2025 | 00:15:16 | |
Fr Cedd discusses a sermon of the sixteenth century German Carthusian monk, Johannes Justus Landsperg, known as Lanspergius. | |||
| The Rule of Saint Benedict - Food and Drink | 15 Apr 2024 | 00:08:09 | |
This is the seventh part in our series on ‘The Rule of Saint Benedict’ led by the monks of Glenstal Abbey. | |||
| The Rule of Saint Benedict - Good Zeal | 01 Apr 2024 | 00:05:19 | |
This is the sixth part in our series on ‘The Rule of Saint Benedict’ led by the monks of Glenstal Abbey. | |||
| Seasonal Episode - Easter with Fr Oswald | 30 Mar 2024 | 00:14:05 | |
This liturgical year we are being joined by Fr Oswald from Ampleforth Abbey. In this seasonal extra episode of ‘The Cloister’ he shares some reflections on the season of Easter. | |||
| The Rule of Saint Benedict - Prayer | 18 Mar 2024 | 00:13:37 | |
This is the fifth part in our series on ‘The Rule of Saint Benedict’ led by the monks of Glenstal Abbey. If you haven’t listened to the previous episodes you may wish to start there although every episode does stand on its own. | |||