“Where there is rest (inner peace) & meditation, there is neither anxiety nor restlessness.” – St. Francis of Assisi

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Spiritual Centre of Peace, Healing and Prayer

Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre is nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where are all welcome in the name of Christ. The Franciscan Friars of Canada, inspired by the vision and example of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, have served here since 1949.

We offer silent retreats and spiritual direction. We also serve those in the 12 Step Program through weekend and evening Serenity retreats. We listen to 5th steps. We host groups and individuals seeking a place of quiet and stillness in an often hectic world. We can accommodate up to 48 people (45 rooms/48 beds). We have one large and one small meeting room, a library and chapel. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions. There are approximately 500 acres to explore.

Our retreats are organized through a group of dedicated volunteer Captains that oversee the registration. Please see our retreats page for more information.

We have strong ties with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary; other Christian Churches, schools and organizations; as well as others not affiliated with any particular faith but who are in accord with our mission of peace, healing and prayer. We value the many loyal friends and benefactors that have supported us in our ministry for over 70 years.

Directions to the Mount St. Francis retreat centre

Location

Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 430 Cochrane, Alberta T4C 1A6

Phone: 403-932-2012

Geographical Location
41160 Retreat Road, accessed from Highway 1A on the east of Cochrane (at the top of the Big Hill). Turn north at the traffic lights on to Range Road 40 across from Gleneagles. Follow the signs for the Retreat Centre.

Mount St. Francis retreat centre map

Mission

Mount St. Francis is a retreat centre set apart in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where all are welcomed in the name of Christ. The Franciscan Friars, inspired by the vision and example of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi, in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary and many other loyal supporters, have served in this spiritual centre of peace, healing, and prayer since its foundation in 1949.

Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre is a sponsored ministry of the Franciscan Friars of Canada. For more information, see www.franciscanfriars.ca

Directions to the Mount St. Francis retreat centre

Upcoming Events

Outside Booking

July 29, 2025 - August 2, 2025Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre

Preached Retreat: 6 Day Retreat

August 18, 2025 - August 24, 2025Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre
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Mount St. Francis is in partnership with Bike Cochrane as trail stewards. www.bikecochrane.com

Land Acknowledgement

As we continue to work toward greater truth and reconciliation, we acknowledge that we work, reside, pray, learn and play within Treaty 7 territory, traditional lands of the Stoney Nakoda peoples of the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Wesley Bands, the Tsuut’ina, the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) peoples of Siksika, Piikani and Kainai Band. We also respectfully acknowledge that we are on the homelands of the Métis Nation within Region III. In the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi we acknowledge our interconnectedness with all of creation and we give thanks for all it provides for us.

Reflections from the Mount

I have enjoyed quiet time at Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre – it is a good place to reflect and pray. The hospitality is warm, gracious, and welcoming and it is lovely to have a place near the city to retreat to. I highly recommend it.

The Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre has become my spiritual home. It is a place of remarkable beauty, of quiet contemplation, and of spiritual depth, filled with warm human beings who are always available to provide advice, friendship or even alone time. I’ve had the pleasure to be there for talks, for quiet retreats, and even for major events such as One Rock where the place was bustling with youthful activity. Whatever the event, whatever the season, Mount St. Francis is perfect in every way: from its faith-filled library and remarkable chapel to the sprawling grounds and mountain views. Even the food was wonderful. As I wrote in my Carillon column about one silent retreat I attended: “I’m not sure if it was the silence, or the mood of reflection generally, or some other factor entirely, but when I took that first bite the flavours came instantly alive.” The magical ingredient at Mount St. Francis is the Spirit—you can feel it everywhere.

Note to the Retreat Team:

Thank you for just being here and all the loving, caring and sharing that you give to all of us.

The Mount fosters a safe and exceptional place for people in 12 Step recovery programs. This is where many of us come to explore and find the way to learn to live a spiritual life. We come to learn to live life on its own terms and get to develop a relationship with God through a non-judgemental, all inclusive never exclusive, team of spiritual guides.