People have been retreating to the Wicklow Mountain region south of Dublin for hundreds of years. It is a place of splendid isolation and sublime beauty. The Glendalough valley encourages both inner and outer exploration. This was where I came to contemplate my third threshold.

» Read about Patricia’s stay with us

Miriam McGrath (right) of the Wicklow Hospice Foundation receives a cheque for a thousand Euro on behalf of the Foundation from Sister Margaret Prendergast of the Glendalough Hermitage Centre. The money was raised by hosting a Variety concert in the Brockagh Centre in Laragh

Warmest Christmas greetings from all at Glendalough Hermitage Centre.

During these days we are thinking of all our families, friends and guests who are here at present and who have been with us during this, and previous years. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

In response to requests the Hermitage Centre remains open during Christmas.

It is a privilege to be able to welcome and accommodate people who wish to ‘get off the wheel’, leave a rushed and busy life and come away to a quiet place to rest and ‘be with’ the Mystery of Christmas in a personal and meaningful way.

What’s it all about?

Christmas is a time of simple human beauty, a time when a baby is born in an isolated stable. Since the time of St. Francis this event is depicted in churches all over the world, and is relived in school pageants everywhere, as it was here in Glendalough last week. The children of St. Kevin’s School gave us a glimpse of its simple wonder. As they became accustomed to their angels’ wings, shepherds’ headdresses and golden crowns they retold and relived the story and sang their hearts out around a ‘real live’ Baby Jesus. As we watched, amid smiles and tears the ‘loving kindness of God our Saviour was revealed (Titus3:4).

Christmas is a tender human event, full of poignancy and familiar simplicity as we observe a young mother nursing a child.

But Christmas is a time of Divine Majesty, Mystery and Might. The Eternal Word Who existed forever, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, in the stillness of the night ‘leapt down’ and came among us. It was God who was laid in a manger. The Divine became human and in doing this penetrated every level of material and living being in the vast universe. Divine energy and life throbs through all creation.

God wishes to suffuse, penetrate and transform every level of our human lives and our human consciousness. Christmas is an invitation to us to awaken to this. The Divine is already within us, a gentle, waiting and respectful presence. But we are not fully aware of this the gift. If you but knew the gift of God…………………

Eckhart, a medieval monk laments

‘What good is it to me?

If this eternal birth of the Divine Son

Takes place unceasingly, but does not take place within myself?

His believed that ‘the fullness of time’ happens ‘when the Son of God is begotten is us’.

Tagore, a Hindu poet was extremely aware of this divine presence within and all around us.

‘Have you not heard His silent steps?

He comes, comes, ever comes.

Every moment and every age, every day and every night He comes, comes, ever comes’

As we celebrate Christmas, we pray that we may all awaken to the breath and width, the height and depth of this great Mystery, the gift which is offered to us all. The little Child will lead us to the truth of who we really are.

Today may you know that the Lord will come, and in His coming recognise your own glory.

We are very happy to launch our new website at this time of Pentecost. It is a time of transformation, of overcoming anxiety, fear and doubt, a time of bursting forth of Divine Energy which fills the universe with peace, possibility and new life.

We view our website as a sharing and an invitation. We want to share our Hermitage Centre with those who are seeking a place of welcome, rest and peace. We hope that those who wish to’ step off the treadmill’ for a while can come to a place of silence and tranquillity that can uplift and inspire .

At Pentecost, the apostles gathered in the Upper Room had lost direction and hope, and were frightened and sad. For them life seemed meaningless and all their efforts had come to naught. ’The doors were locked’ as our psychological ‘doors’ can sometimes be shut against further pressures, pain and disillusionment.

But ‘Jesus came and stood among them’. As they gathered to take stock and reflect, to leave their busy schedules and take time to ‘draw their breath’, Jesus came and stood among them and said ‘Peace be with you’.

‘The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord.’

We here in the Hermitage Centre are very aware of what happens when people take time to come home to themselves. It gives us great joy to ‘hold a space’ so that those who wish can come and rest in a place of great natural and Celtic beauty. Many are enabled, in their own unique way to ‘unlock the doors’ of their hearts and experience peace within their own inner being.

We pray that this website may speak to those who are pilgrims, to those who are seeking, who are hungry for meaning, who are weary and long for a deeper relationship with their God.

To all of you, we say ‘Welcome’.