Frequent recollections are a well-established means of deepening the spiritual life. A recollection - a sort of mini-retreat - provides an opportunity to renew your relationship with God, to review your life over the past month, and to make firm resolutions for the coming month.

For many centuries, monthly recollections were a common Catholic practice in priestly and religious life. Opus Dei, which is devoted to assisting lay people answer their call to holiness, has adapted the tradition of monthly recollections to the needs of men and women living and working in the world.

Recollections are approximately 2 hours in length and include a talk on Christian life, prayer led by a priest, benediction, and opportunity for confessions.

MONDAY - Harkaway Evening Recollections 2024
WEDNESDAY - Heathgrove Morning Recollections 2024
WEDNESDAY St Mary’s Evening Recollections 2024
THURSDAY - Harkaway Morning Recollections 2024
THURSDAY Melton Evening Recollections 2024 (Under Review)

A silent retreat is a special time to break from the usual activities of life, a time to reflect and to ask oneself: How is life going? Where is my life heading? Where is God in all this? It is a time to assess the present and to apply resolutions in a practical way to one's daily life.

Weekend retreats offer daily Mass, time for personal prayer and talks on central themes related to living a Christian life within the specific circumstances of daily life. There are also opportunities for confession and personal spiritual direction.

The spiritual and doctrinal activities conducted by Heathgrove Study Centre are entrusted to Opus Dei, a personal Prelature of the Catholic Church.

Bookings for Retreats should be made via womensactivities.org

Costs for 2024 are:

Single room - three days retreat $390
Single room - two days retreat $330
Shared room - $340
Student Rate - $170

Do I know my Catholic Faith so that it shapes my thinking and my doing? This series of talks will help us keep alive our desire to encounter Him, and to make it a reality in our own life while at the same time increasing the depth of understanding our faith. The talks will cover the Catechism of the Catholic Church divided into the following sections: The Creed, The Sacraments, The Commandments and Life of Prayer.

Doctrine classes are held at Heathgrove Study Centre in Hawthorn East and Harkaway Hills College in Narre Warren North.

Heathgrove Study Centre
Classes held monthly on a Wednesday evening at 6.45 pm. For dates and topics here. To register, contact Monique on 03 9882 2022 or email womensactivities@heathgrove.org.au

Harkaway Hills College
Classes held weekly (during the school term) on Friday afternoons at 2 pm. For dates and to register, please contact Trang Nguyen on mtrang268@gmail.com.

Online Doctrine Classes
Nina Ovalle runs monthly classes online on Zoom. If you would like to receive more information about these, please contact Nina on ximena.au@gmail.com. Class content and dates here.

A number of mothers’ groups are held in private homes once a month or once a term.

Time for Mums is a series of workshops for parents and their friends about relevant parenting topics and character development which is normally held during the youth clubs at Heathgrove. The activity is held on specific Saturdays of each month from 3.30-5.30pm. For more information and dates about coming sessions, please contact info@heathgrove.org.au

SHE (Simply Home Essentials) is a simplified home management course which aims to reinforce the importance of homemaking as an occupation & career. It is designed to address core challenges of busy mothers/wives through a series of classes/demonstrations and hands-on workshops. For SHE dates and course structure, please contact Maria Materia on mariamateria2@gmail.com.

Christian virtues is a series of talks exploring Christian virtues and how to apply them in daily life - to provide guidance to live a truly Christian life. Two groups are currently running: Eastern Suburbs- Topics and dates here. For more information please contact Alisha on alisha@awarefertility.com. Melbourne Southeast- Topics and dates here. For more information please call Jill on 0432 670 028.

Heathgrove works in conjunction with Family Enrichment Australia to provide periodic seminars on parenting and topics particularly relevant to raising children. These activities help parents deepen their insight into their work as the primary educators of their children. Course topics cover parenting skills, strategies for building a healthy and nurturing home environment and character building for parents and their children.