<p>In 1958, the Camaldolese motherhouse in Italy established New Camaldoli Hermitage here in Big Sur, California and since then nearly 160,000 retreatants and a half million visitors have shared our contemplative spirituality. For many, New Camaldoli has become a spiritual oasis in their life journey, a place they return to for spiritual nourishment.<br /><br />New Camaldoli Hermitage, a monastic institution within the Roman Catholic Church, exists to give witness to the truth that God is the ultimate meaning and purpose of life and lives within each person. Through contemplative living and prayer, an access to the inner journey, the monks of New Camaldoli discover and incarnate this truth and support oblates, retreatants, and guests in their life spiritual journey through the ministry of hospitality.<br /><br />Today in our society, in our culture, and in our world people desire meaning and purpose.  Many people are looking everywhere for the answer, the fulfillment to their desire for meaning and purpose, without looking inside themselves. And yet, deep within each one of us is the meaning, the energy, and the purpose.<br /><br />The monks of New Camaldoli Hermitage live a contemplative life of prayer and practice which gives witness to the meaning, the energy, and the purpose that lives within each person.  In monastic language, the monks would say that this meaning, this energy, this purpose is, “God who lives within each person”.<br /><br />New Camaldoli Hermitage holds a gift for our society and our world. The monks realize that the life they live not only develops their own spiritual, contemplative search and desire but also provides a witness, a spirit that touches the seeking of many others and thus becomes an energy of compassion that flows into our broken world.<br /><br />The guest/retreatant facilities at New Camaldoli can be reserved six months in advance and offer a rich, inner experience that our guests discover during their time here at the Hermitage.<br /><br />We invite you to come and spend a day or two with us. See for yourself how our community can serve you on your own inner journey. Whether your visit is for an overnight, for a few hours, or just a few minutes, we invite you to listen to and experience the silence of this place and the silence of your heart.<br /><br />There are fewer and fewer opportunities for silence and reflective solitude in modern life.  We believe that our ministry, though quiet, is necessary and of great value to the spiritual development of our retreatants and visitors.<br /><br />We invite those exploring a monastic vocation to prayerfully consider our way of life and those who share our commitment to contemplative spirituality to support our efforts to maintain this place of sanctuary and solitude.</p>