
OCDS Peace of Christ Community Retreat 2024
Silence is the way to foster holiness. Our experience of silence can be positive or negative. It can mean peace, calm, joy… or it can mean loneliness or even traumatic.
The Peace of Christ Community meets every first Sunday (Community Meeting Day) and the third Tuesday (Bethany Day) of the month. Enquirers are generally invited to our informal Bethany Day gatherings in order to meet and mingle. When greater interest is ignited, after a period of about six months, they are then invited to join in the Sunday Community Meeting. The map below shows where we regularly meet.
We typically meet at the Carmelite Monastery in Halswell, Christchurch. New visitors are welcome but please contact us first by using the form below. Click on the map below for directions.
It is our commitment to develop communion with other communities especially across New Zealand and within Asia Pacific.
Each year we organise a silent retreat with a Carmelite theme which is open to the other OCDS Communities and to the wider Dioceses as a way of sharing our Carmel charism.

Looking for a retreat away from the stresses of our world?
Our highly desirable and fruitful annual silent retreat in Christchurch is back from 14-16 November 2025. The theme is “The Gift of Carmel”, and led by Fr Justin Lee from the Community of St John.
We’d love for you to join us, and it’s open to non-OCDS members. Join our secular carmelites as you take time away to listen to God’s voice.
For more details, to enquire or register, please refer below:
Secular Carmelite Silent Retreat 2025
14-16 November 2025
Rochester and Rutherford Hall
77 Ilam Road, Christchurch.
Retreat Director: Fr Justin Lee CSJ
For more information, contact Megan at
benedictus@windowslive.com
027 410 6940
Draw us after you O Virgin Mary, and we shall follow in your footsteps.
OCDS Peace of Christ Community Retreat 2025

Read our retreat reflections by clicking on the image above.

Read our retreat reflections by clicking on the image above.

Silence is the way to foster holiness. Our experience of silence can be positive or negative. It can mean peace, calm, joy… or it can mean loneliness or even traumatic.

We have fond memories of the First Promise ceremony – Fr Michael-Thérèse offered a moving Mass & homily for our lovely ladies, Ann-Marie, Catherine & Therese

Welcome The newly professed Sr Lauren of the Cross made her First Profession (Promises) at the Christchurch Carmelite Monastery on 15th October 2024. It has
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