St Andrew’s Abbey

Just visited this weekend. What a beautiful, peaceful retreat from the world’s chaos. Met some churches members to walk the Stations of the Cross which evoked stirring revelations for me. Stopped by the book store before we left and found just what I was looking for.

Hospitality is #1 with all concerned. Retreat house is spartan & more than adequate. Food excellent. Monks are so friendly & welcoming. Always want to come back for silence & seeing God in monks faces.

I have been going here for over 20 years with our Confirmation students and we love the food, facilities, visiting with the monks, participating in morning lauds, the monks sharing their faith journey with us, and the monks being there to celebrate mass and reconciliation for us. Rita is also part of the institution and she does a great job of scheduling and planning for any custom requirements. The stations of the cross in the hills is inspiring, the stroll up to the cemetery is enlightening and the dedicated Chapel for the youth center is gorgeous.

Monday, October 5, 2015
Saint Andrews Priory
661−944−2178
31 001 North Valyermo Road
P.O. Box 40
Valyermo, California 93 563
Dear Saint Andrews:
It’s been almost three decades since I first learned about your Priory and then visited and met Abbot Francis.
I returned several times, once for the unforgettable awesome festival.
I often tell others about your blessed priory, retreats, workshops, bookshop, ceramic store, and encourage them to visit.
My experiences there have been highlights in my life.
One of my first contacts after a violent assault a decade ago was to reach out to Abbot Francis and share with him a coma metaphysical experience where I believe I heard my mother’s voice saying one word: Names. Before this trauma, I had a very long prayer list. It certainly has grown since then.
I walk to daily mass; you — one — all in my prayers.
Thank You for yours, being there, your blessed service.
God Bless.
Respectfully, MJG
Posted Unilocal

I tried to call and get some guidance on staying over a weekend and got attitude from the booker on the phone. This isn’t the hospitable attitude I would expect from a Benedictine abbey. It left me very disappointed.

Just an amazing place. Tranquil. Perfect for meditation. Serenity. Peace. Lovely way to spend the day with a friend or loved one or simply on your own. Also amazing retreats throughout b the year we’ll worth your time. Cute gift shop. Monks make you feel welcomed.

I’ve been coming here since 1985. The peace you encounter here is absolute, if you let it in. The rooms are simple but have everything needed, 2 beds, a desk, usually a rocking chair, A/​C and heating (depending on the season), a private bathroom, and a small porch with varying views.
The rooms are concrete block construction, so you can hear everything including the water running in the neighboring rooms, but retreatants are asked to limit water use after 9:30 pm. And Grand Silence begins with night prayer (usually about 8:30 pm), so anyone who wants to talk after that can go to the Guest lounge to chat. There is usually coffee and tea, as well as hot and cold water available in the lounge any time of day or night.
The meals are fresh, healthy, and generally food is plentiful. (If you go during Lent — before Easter — meals are more moderate, as it is a time of fasting and prayer.) Make sure you make a reservation for meals or overnight stays, so that they can adequately prepare.
There are five prayer times each day, which are optional for guests, starting with Vigils early in the morning, Lauds before breakfast, (Grand Silence ends after breakfast), Mass before Lunch, Vespers before Dinner, and Compline at night.
The surroundings are beautiful: The desert comes alive here. There is the cemetery atop the hill, where you can see for miles; the lake by the Ranch House, with ducks, turtles, dragonflies and koi; and Fr. Eleutherius’s (rest his soul) Garden with flower patches and a grove of quaking aspen with seats and benches to rest upon.
Down the road is both the Youth Center with its magnificent chapel and the Arts and Crafts center where they make and sell their world famous pottery. For a quick day trip, or for gifts and reading material, you can’t beat the Welcome Center with its quiet fountain in the foreground.
I enjoy spending as much time here as possible.

Spent the weekend here on a retreat.
Let me start off first by saying this place is beautiful. Who knew the desert could be the layout for such an awesome place.
The monks who run the place are super nice. Shout out to father Carlos, he’s a true inspiration. The monks take care of the place really well. Check out the gift shop, the ceramic stuff is made here.
Also, the food is really good. I really appreciated the warm hospitality and hope to return.

I absolutely love this place. I’ve been here for several personal retreats, my longest being 4 nights/​5 days. I’ve brought friends here, family here, and I always recommend it.
The retreat site is lovely; who woulda thought that the high desert could be so beautiful? The area is very quiet and serene. The rooms are nice and cool, 2 beds per room with private bath. The rooms I’ve stayed in all had AC and a little patio. Meals are served in a beautiful room with a huge mural that illustrates the fall and redemption of man (this might have changed). Food is delicious! I’d probably gain weight if I stayed here too long!
Love the ceramics and angels/​saints accents in the cement placed throughout the retreat site (if you walk about a mile further out, you can visit the ceramics shop and purchase saints/​angels if you’d like!). I know this isn’t the right word, but the whole place has that sorta dry/​adobe/​cool brick stone feel to it. Makes sense cuz it’s in the desert.
The huge pond in the middle of the retreat center is beautiful and restful. There used to be a resident duck, but last time I went, I was told he passed away.: (They have other ducks now. But that resident duck was the best; he used to follow people around, and more than once he would just sit right next to me as I journaled and stick his beak under his wing and just snooze. :”) Now they have two shepherd mixes that roam around freely; love the dogs. (:
My other favorite place is across the parking lot, walking away from the rooms, you’ll get to this area with thin trees that grow really high. I’ve spent many a hour with a chair and my ipod, listening to music and just resting and meditating there.
I’ve also done this: laid out in that huge green pasture (they used to have sheep!) at night to see if I can catch any shooting stars. Definitely saw a few.
If you practice catholicism, they have many different services throughout the day, as well as mass and eucharist.
I’m a Christian, and a lot of healing happened for me during my times here. This place is near and dear to my heart.
If you’re looking for quiet and rest, this plays is for you. They also provide spiritual direction; just call and ask.
Please consider making a donation if you’re there just for a day/​taking any meals.
Hope your time is restful!

Just wanted to say a tremendous thankyou to the abby for being so gracious in allowing our cast to do our photo shoot. The grounds, as always, were beautiful and majestic and provided a perfect backdrop. For those looking for a peaceful retreat to visit, or attend mass, this is the spot! The sign as you enter posts «no hunting allowed except for peace»

I am sorry to only give this two stars, but my experience was not like the others. I read the other Unilocal reviews for Saint Andrews Abbey and believed that it was going to be a really nice retreat. This was not the case. Though the grounds are spacious and peaceful, there were parts of the facilities that were not very well maintained. There was mold on the bottom of the chapel holy water bowl, and little dead flies hanging in webs on the chapel porch ceiling. There were sounds coming through the paper thin walls at night that kept me up, and ants crawling in the rooms and bathroom. This was considered a silent retreat, but it was by no means silent. Everyone was talking to each other (not that this is a bad thing in general) but it did not leave the quiet time you want with God on a retreat. I called the reatreat house after I left to explain why I had such a negative experience, but the office assistant lady asked me if I had «negative childhood experiences» that might have determined why I was feeling this way about the retreat.

This place is really a jewel. The grounds, the monks, the congregants, everything is wonderful. My Mother is Catholic so I originally kind of went in honor of her, but there was such a strong Christ Presence I keep going back for my own sake. My spirit feels a little more healed every time I attend. There is a service everyday at noon that includes Communion. There are retreats offered, which I haven’t tried yet, but I may at some point. The Stillness, Reverence and Presence at this place is something I haven’t encountered in too many places, and I consider it a true blessing.

House of Retreat
Since 1955
Abbey’s House is nestled in the northern foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, in the Mojave Desert.
Twenty years later, on a late Sunday morning, a surprise-​me decision brought me back. I was packed ready for an overnight stay without knowing room availability due to inability of getting through the phone lines when I called.
After 80 miles driving up northeast, I was late for Sunday Mass only to stand for a few moments of silence under cool shady trees outside the charming chapel. -

A heavy desert storm happened the night before which had disabled the phone lines and internet connection. No wonder! That had caused my unaware new guests weren’t accepted on Sundays due to lack of room cleaning crew.
However I had the pleasure of joining monks and about a dozen of guests for lunch in an high ceiling lounge, where many big dark heavily used wooden dining tables and chairs were — this gave me a feel of being in monastery.
The lunch was of fresh healthy food.
It started with a bowl of hearty chicken minestrone vegetable soup served by humble welcoming monks. The buffet table offered fresh garden salad, choices of dressings, fresh salsa, chunks of cut watermelons, thin sliced church grown apples — these were the best apples I ever tasted — variety of cheese, cold cuts and breads, veggie lasagna, fruit jam filled pastries, sweets. Coffee, tea and plenty of fresh drinking water were available.
Strolling in the serene, peaceful compound among nature of trees, feeling the desert breeze, breathing fresh air … was simply a blessing. Watching ducks, koi, and small turtles swimming in the pond … was joyful.
This is the place for me to reflect, to meditate and to appreciate. I definitely will be back soon.
Note:
For overnight stay including meals, please call for fees.
A 24-​hour reservation for lunch is required for group — donation is suggested.