San Damiano Retreat

  • What We Offer
    • Retreats
    • Personal Retreats
    • Spiritual Direction
    • Refuge & Hermitage
    • Gift Shop
    • Conference Facility Rental
      • Conference Rooms
      • Reservation Request
    • Special Events
    • Camp Fire Relief
  • Retreats
    • Retreats Overview
    • Events & Retreats Calendar
    • Events & Retreats by List
    • Personal Retreats
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Things to do in the Area
  • About
    • About Us
    • The Facility
      • Gift Shop
      • Grounds, Garden & Labyrinth
      • Dining at San Damiano
      • Conference Rooms
      • Outdoor Activities
    • Staff
    • News
    • Gallery/Video
    • Visitor Reflections
    • Newsletter
    • Brochure
  • Support San Damiano
    • Fundraising & Donations
    • Volunteers: Part of our Family
    • Fountain Restoration
  • Our Franciscan Identity
    • Franciscan Values
    • Franciscan Retreat Centers
    • Franciscan Sites of Interest
    • Join the Franciscans
    • San Damiano Crucifix
    • Franciscan Prayers
    • Pope Francis
  • Contact
  • For Employees
loading...

Grounds, Garden & Labyrinth

Come explore the grounds at San Damiano, pray and meditate surrounded by textures, colors, scents and tastes of God’s creation!  The beauty and productivity of our grounds is made possible with the help of many volunteers.  Please consider being a garden volunteer.

 

Download Trail Maps

Deer Path and Hillside Trail
A beautiful 3/4 mile walk through the woods

Windmill Walk
A wide 2/3 mile loop that circles the retreat

San Damiano Canticle Garden & Labyrinth

Be sure to visit the organic garden in the meadow by the lower pond named “The Canticle Garden” in Honor of St. Francis’ poem, “The Canticle of the Creatures.”  This prayer, full of joy and praise, was paradoxically written at a time of great physical suffering.  We invite you to bring both your joys and sorrows to the garden and to walk its labyrnth.

This little plot of land reflects our commitment to Franciscan values and deepens awareness of the environment through organic and sustainable agriculture practices.

The Labyrinth

The labyrinth, located within the Canticle Garden, is a walking meditation path of prayer. Walking the labyrinth reduces stress, quiets the mind, and opens the heart.  There are also chairs for those who want to linger while enjoying God’s creation.

Canticle Garden 4

The Canticle Stations

Located near  the southeast end of the retreat house, sits a beautiful pathway leading through the Stations of the Cross.

Station Cross

Common questions asked about the garden:

How did the garden come about?
The concept for the garden was initiated by JPIC (Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation) which is the Franciscan office promoting issues regarding social justice. It was designed by friar and is a work in progress following earth-friendly agricultural practices.

What does a vegetable garden have to do with peace and justice?
Organic gardening enhances our sense of the sacredness of the land. It encourages grassroots participation in natural resource protection. The act of growing our own food is empowering to the poor and humbling to the affluent, enabling the bridging of social and cultural gaps.

What environmentally friendly garden practices do you use?
We make compost from our kitchen waste and garden clippings suitable for composting. The mixture of clippings, peelings, coffee grounds, eggshells, leaves etc., make a nutrient rich soil mixture for future planting.

We recycle cardboard, newspaper and shredded wood chips to create weed barriers for walking paths. We grow flowers and plants that attract songbirds and beneficial insects to discourage pests and encourage environmental diversity.

Support San Damiano

When you support San Damiano, you help us provide this peaceful environment of natural beauty that … read more...

Spiritual Direction

In the midst of a busy life, many people find it difficult to notice God’s presence in their daily … read more...

Copyright © 2021 · San Damiano Retreat