Mission

The main mission, the essential work of the Foyers of Charity is to participate in the new evangelisation through the preaching of the fundamental retreat. They offer 6 day retreats, in silence, during which the participants are welcomed as if they are part of the family and receive teachings that summarise the fundamentals of the Catholic faith.

Why go on a retreat?

Do you need to come away, have time for yourself and rest for a while? This is the invitation Christ gave to His disciples and which He gives you today.

• Are you searching for meaning in your life, happiness, interior peace?
• Do you have decisions to make, key life questions to be answered?
• Do you know God has a wonderful plan for your life?
• Do you want to discover and grow in the Catholic faith and learn how to pray?

A retreat offers a life-giving opportunity of time for oneself, a gift of stepping out of our busy lives, away from noise and distractions to listen to the Spirit of God, – Who is Love. 

The Fundamental Retreat

In the Foyer the retreat is lived in an atmosphere of deep silence, the silence growing each day as the week and retreat unfolds. “Silence does not give God, but God gives Himself in silence” ( Marthe Robin). Marthe would always have said the teaching given is doctrinally and spiritually authentic but that the absolute treasure of the retreat is the silence. In our experience of the retreats for the past 15 years we have found this to be true, the silence deepens each day as the retreat unfolds. The length of the retreat and the silence favour a true interior growth and a deeper personal experience of Jesus to which retreatants constantly bear witness. The Lord revealed to Marthe “I will pour out a multitude of graces in these places, the same wonders as in the early days of my Church shall take place there, and even greater ones”.

The retreat is lived as a family. The participants are welcomed as if part of the Foyer family. The members will do whatever they can to make you feel at home. They offer their prayer and work each day for the retreatants. From the moment a person has booked a retreat and when they leave after the retreat they are carried in prayer by the Foyer members.

The retreat is preached by the Father of the Foyer, Fr. Kilian Byrne. It presents a synthesis of the Catholic faith, through Scripture, the Teachings and the Liturgy of the Church. It answers everyday questions, to help you grow in your personal prayer and Christian life, to go to the heart of the faith by listening to the Word of God and experiencing His Love. Each day there are talks, private and community prayer (including the Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration) and Mass. 

Thematic Retreat

The fundamental retreat is the essential work of the Foyers of Charity but also throughout the year other retreats can be preached. Each year Fr. Kilian preached a thematic retreat ( i.e a different theme ). This retreat is for those who have already attended a fundamental retreat. This year the theme is: “The Secret of Mary for Today!”

The Foyer of Charity is in Dunmore East but it is too small to offer the retreats at this location. So the Foyer retreats are preached in different retreat houses throughout Ireland. The following are the retreats for 2024:

Theme of the fundamentals retreats: “If you but knew the gift of God…”

List of all Foyer of Charity Retreats

For various reasons this year there is only one silent retreat scheduled as follows:

All bookings for the retreat should be made through the Foyer of Charity rather than the individual retreat house.

Other Foyer Events

Events take place intermittently between retreats. It is necessary to contact Helen, 086 1678027, to confirm if it is taking place prior to travelling.

• Daily Mass, Rosary, Adoration
• Vigils of all night Eucharistic Adoration
• Monthly Five First Saturdays devotion
• Saturday afternoons of prayer/adoration