St. Mary & St. Moses Retreat House

Rules & Guidelines

1. Purpose & Welcome:

St. Mary & St. Moses Abbey is first and foremost a monastery for men living the monastic life. It is also a place of redemption and retreat for pious visitors. All are welcome to visit, but overnight stays and daytime visits require advance online registration and explicit written approval from the Retreat House. By entering the holy grounds, you agree to observe all the following rules.

2. Retreat House Eligibility & Key Rules:

The Abbey offers two distinct retreat houses for overnight retreats, each catering to specific types of retreats:

→ St. Moses Retreat House (For Males):

• Exclusively for individual male retreatants.
• Families consisting only of male members (fathers and sons).
• Single priests who are not accompanied by any female family members.

→ St. Mary Retreat House (For Females & Mixed Families):

• Female individuals attending as part of a pre-registered group.
• Families with both male and female members.
• Priests who are accompanied by female family members.

Female Overnight Retreat Requirements / Enforcement Policy:

Priest Accountability: The sponsoring priest for any group MUST personally know EACH member of the group attending. He will be held accountable for their conduct throughout the retreat.

Single Females in Groups: A single female cannot join a visiting group unless the sponsoring priest personally knows her and accepts full responsibility for her actions.

Registration Requirement: To avoid denial of a single female’s application, the accompanying priest’s name must be listed in the “family list” on the application. Additionally, the priest must send a text or email to the Abbey on the same day of registration to confirm his attendance. For families, all accompanying members, their ages, and relationships must be clearly listed.

Confidentiality: The Retreat House maintains strict confidentiality regarding all group, family, and individual information (dates, names, contacts, church).

Official Advice: His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef advises single females seeking a solitary retreat to consider St. Demiana Convent in Dawsonville, Georgia, which accommodates single female visitors alone.

3. Detailed Registration & Reservation Policies:

The Registration Process:

• Complete the Correct Online Form: All overnight retreatants must use the official online registration form.
• First-Time or Group Registrants: After submission, the system automatically emails the father of confession/sponsoring priest for approval. Only after his approval do we review dates.
• Wait for Confirmation: Do NOT make any travel arrangements or announce the retreat to your group until you receive the official approval (confirmation for reservation) email from the Retreat House.

All retreat reservations and questions about availability must be handled only through the official retreat house channels. The fathers, brothers, and monastery members do not manage retreat bookings and should not be contacted for reservations or retreat availability. Contacting monastery members about reservations can cause confusion, scheduling conflicts, and cancellations. For accuracy and clarity, use official channels only.

Online Reservation System Policy:

“First to Register, First to Reserve”: Our highest priority is fairness. During busy seasons, spots fill the instant dates become available. We operate strictly on this basis with no exceptions to prevent favoritism.

Online Calendar Reservation System:

• The online calendar does not block dates even when fully booked. This allows everyone to register and be added to a waiting list.
• The online calendar does not show real-time availability. Availability changes frequently and spots may fill quickly, so listed openings are not guaranteed.
• You may still submit an online registration. Once received, we will confirm availability for your preferred dates. For the most up-to-date status, please contact us by text or email.

The maximum stay for any overnight retreat is two weeks. If a stay longer than two weeks is requested, the retreatant’s father of confession must obtain written permission from His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef by email (bishop@suscopts.org) prior to the visit.

The calendar opens 4 days from the current date (to allow room preparation). For urgent visits (<4 days), register for any date and note your real dates in the comments.

The calendar limits bookings to 50 weeks in advance to prevent technical issues, misuse, and ensure fair access and equal opportunity for all.

Waiting List: If your requested dates are fully booked or your group size exceeds capacity, your application will be placed on a waiting list in the order of application number. You will be contacted accordingly if and when a cancellation becomes available. While on the waiting list, we encourage you to contact the retreat house for the most up-to-date availability near your requested dates.

Prohibited Booking Practices:

• Do not register for extended periods without the intention of staying for the full duration. We are unable to hold unused dates while other visitors on the waiting list may benefit from them.
• Significant reductions to a group’s headcount or retreat dates after registration are not permitted. Groups must provide the most accurate expected number and duration to allow proper accommodation of all visitors.
• If your desired dates do not appear on the online calendar due to the 50-week advance availability limit, please do not register for earlier dates with the intention of requesting a change. This bypasses the first-come, first-served system and cannot be accommodated. Please wait until your desired dates become available online before registering.
• Reserved spots may not be transferred or switched between visitors. All availability is managed strictly through the waiting list to ensure fairness and equal treatment for all visitors.

Group Registration Note: If a sponsoring priest will not attend, and the group has fewer than 10 members or 6 families, we recommend each individual/family register separately as an “Individual Male” or “Family” retreat, noting in the comments their wish to room together as part of the same group.

4. Retreat Confirmation & Travel Information

After receiving a retreat approval confirmation email, all visitors must submit their travel information to complete their reservation.

Visitors must confirm their retreat dates, headcount, and travel details when contacted by the retreat house via text:

• Individuals & families: 5–10 days before arrival
• Groups: 1 month before arrival

Failure to respond promptly to retreat house texts or emails—even after submitting the confirmation form—may result in cancellation, as many visitors are on the waiting list and available spots are in high demand.

In the event of a change to your retreat dates, please contact the retreat house by text or email before making any travel arrangements, to confirm availability for the new dates.

5. Transportation:

Rides Service: The Abbey provides rides only from/to Corpus Christi Airport or the Corpus Christi Greyhound Bus Station (602 N Staples St). Rides are for groups of 7 or fewer. Groups of 8+ must arrange their own transportation.

Travel Confirmation: All visitors must submit their travel information using the form provided in the confirmation email and send a text with screenshots of their travel itinerary 5–10 days before arrival.

Group Transportation: Only the designated group coordinator may submit travel information for group members who need transportation to or from Corpus Christi Airport or the Corpus Christi Greyhound Bus Station. This policy helps prevent confusion and ensures clear, coordinated communication.

6. Room Accommodations & Logistics:

Upon arrival at the Abbey gate, please use the call box to announce your arrival. You will be directed to a designated waiting area, where you will meet the father responsible for the retreat house. Kindly wait there until he welcomes you and escorts you to your assigned room.

Room Sharing: Due to limited space, lay retreatants may share a room with up to 3 others (4 total). Visiting priests may share a room with 1 other priest (2 total).

Bedding (Bring Your Own – Optional): Guests may bring their own sheets and pillowcases if they prefer not to use the retreat house bedding.

St. Mary Family Building: Rooms include 1 queen bed and 2 twin beds

St. Moses Males Building: Rooms include 4 twin-size beds

Check-in/out: Check-in starts at 3:00 PM on arrival day. Check-out is EXACTLY at 11:00 AM on departure day. Late check-out disrupts our cleaning schedule.

Cleaning Responsibility: You are responsible for leaving your room and facilities in the same or better condition. This includes:

• Thoroughly cleaning the bathroom area.
• Removing all trash.
• Cleaning and properly disposing of all recyclables (cans, glass, plastic bottles, newsprint).

7. Daytime Visits Rules:

Hours: The Abbey is open for daytime visitors from 4:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Only registered overnight retreatants may remain past 10:00 PM.

Registration Required: ALL daytime visitors (individuals, families, groups) must register online using the “Daytime Visit” form.

Female Daytime Visitors:

Female Daytime Visitors are allowed to visit for ONE day only per visit, departing by 10:00 PM.

Any female wishing to visit for 2 or more consecutive days (while staying elsewhere overnight) must be accompanied during the whole visit by:

• A Priest (who is her sponsor).
• Her father.
• Her husband.
• Her brother (only if 18 years or older).
• Her son (only if 18 years or older).
• Her son-in-law.

8. Conduct During Your Retreat:

Schedule & Services: All visitors are expected to attend scheduled church services, meals, and designated work and rest periods in accordance with the Retreat Center’s official schedule.

Quiet, Solitude, and Curfew:

• Respect the quiet and solitude of the Abbey at all times. Loud talking and laughing are inappropriate.
• To preserve a prayerful environment, all visitors must be in their rooms by 10:00 PM for adequate rest before Midnight Praises.
• Quiet hours begin at 10:00 PM. Noise or loud conversations in rooms or outside room areas are not permitted.

Modest Dress: This is a sacred place. Dress modestly. No shorts, mini-skirts, sleeveless blouses, tight, or transparent clothing.

Church Conduct:

• Gendered Seating: Men stand on the left side, women on the right side.
• Head Covering: All women must cover their heads with a veil upon entering the chapel.
• Silence & Stillness: All cell phones must be turned off. Please avoid unnecessary movement during services.

Holy Communion Guidelines:

• For Coptic Orthodox Christians: You must prepare with confession, obtain absolution from your confessor, and abstain from food from midnight (or for nine hours if the time to communion is shorter).
• Only Oriental Orthodox Christians in full communion with the Coptic Orthodox Church may partake.
• Married couples partaking must be married in the Orthodox Church.

9. General Abbey Rules:

• Supervision: Children must be under adult supervision at all times and may not roam freely. Any violation of this rule will result in strict consequences.
• No Smoking/No Alcohol/No Drugs: Strictly forbidden everywhere on Abbey grounds. The facility is smoke-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free. Those struggling with addiction should consider the Triumphant Christian Retreat center in Florida.
• No WiFi: No internet WiFi is available on the grounds to aid your disconnection and reflection.
• Telephones: Do not use cellphones during service hours.

Photography:

• Photography is permitted only of the buildings and grounds, and inside the church outside of service times only.
• Photography is not permitted: Of monks or other guests without their explicit permission.
• Photography is never permitted During Church Services: Unless you have received a specific blessing from the Abbot or monk in charge.

Boundaries: Do not visit non-public (monastic) areas of the grounds.

Pets: Animals/pets are not allowed on the Abbey premises.

10. Safety, Groups & Liability:

Your Responsibility: Safety is the highest priority. Retreatants are responsible for their own insurance and, by registering, waive all rights of action against the Abbey. A certificate of insurance is required for organized church groups upon arrival.

Location Warning: The Abbey is on a lake. All retreatants must exercise extreme caution near the water and around neighbors.

All church groups must be accompanied by adult chaperones of the same sex as the retreatants, including a designated Retreat Coordinator. A minimum ratio of one adult chaperone for every eight retreatants is required. Chaperones must remain in the building assigned to their group and are responsible for supervision and maintaining discipline.

Retreat Termination & Fines: The Abbey reserves the right to terminate a stay and impose fines for:

• Damaging, defacing, or removing Abbey property.
• Failing to comply with rules and guidelines.
• Disturbing other people or unoccupied buildings.
• Bringing cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs onto the property.

11. Contact Information:

For questions, availability, or clarifications:

Email: stmarystmosesretreathouse@gmail.com
Text Only: 361-236-7589

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. By observing these guidelines, you help maintain the holy atmosphere of the monastery and ensure a blessed retreat for yourself and others. May your time here be peaceful and fruitful.