From Bridget Hugh-Jones
Sir, — In the article about concern for the future of Anglican retreat houses (Features, 13 February), the community at Mirfield is quoted as saying that “all retreat houses do lose money unless they double up as conference centres.”
I would like to point out that, on the contrary, many of the smaller retreat houses are in fact facing an unprecedented increase in bookings, and one of the principal reasons is this secularisation of the larger houses as they double up as conference centres, inevitably altering the prayerful atmosphere and interrupting — if not destroying — the silence.
The necessity of maintaining a balanced budget means that the larger retreat houses are on the horns of an unenviable dilemma. Many of those who come on retreat are on a spiritual quest for something that the churches are not providing, which visitors can sometimes begin to find in the silence, peace, and uncritical atmosphere of a retreat.
All retreat houses are a precious resource, and have been rightly described as “the Church’s spiritual powerhouses”. Anything that threatens or endangers the search for stillness must surely be detrimental to our collective spiritual future; but there is no clear solution to the dilemma.
BRIDGET HUGH-JONES
The Thatched Cottage
Penberth, St Buryan
Penzance, Cornwall TR19 6HJ