Men’s Advent Retreat: a new day retreat for men to quiet the noise and reconnect with faith
Part of Mary MacKillop Spirituality Ministry’s new suite of programs
Mary MacKillop Spirituality Ministry (MMSM) is launching a suite of new spirituality programs across its Centres this spring, designed to meet people where life actually finds them. Now open for bookings is Men’s Advent Retreat, a one-day retreat at the Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Baulkham Hills, on Saturday 21 November 2026.
When life doesn’t slow down
Life doesn’t pause to let you catch up. Career pressure, family demands, financial worries and a restlessness that’s hard to name can pile up quickly. For many men, these pressures are carried quietly, and over time faith can end up buried beneath them. Loneliness, too, is something many men feel but rarely talk about.
Men’s Advent Retreat begins from a simple invitation found in Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” The day is for men who have been wondering why life feels harder to navigate than it used to, how to carry their responsibilities without losing themselves in them, where faith fits into it all, or what God might be asking of them next. It offers a chance to step out of the noise, get honest about what’s really going on, and do that in the company of other men asking the same questions.
A day of honest reflection and practical faith
Through straight-talking input, honest reflection, small group conversation (with no pressure to share), and practical spirituality and prayer, participants will step back from the demands of daily life and make room for what matters. The focus is on tools that are simple, practical and can be carried into everyday life long after the day ends.
Those who attend come away with:
- A faith reconnected to their purpose and direction
- Practical, repeatable tools and spiritual exercises for prayer and reflection
- Healthier ways to work through restlessness and loneliness
- A stronger connection with other men facing similar challenges
- A renewed sense of clarity for the decisions and season ahead
Your facilitator
Nehme Khattar leads the day, bringing extensive experience across healthcare, aged care and education, with a focus on mission, formation and wellbeing. He is currently Head of Mission at Catholic Healthcare and previously served as Director of Wellbeing. Nehme holds a Bachelor of Theology, a Master of Spiritual Direction and Teaching, and a Bachelor of Commerce, and was formerly a Deacon of the Maronite Church. A father, sports lover and community-builder at heart, Nehme brings both lived experience and deep formation to every session he leads.
Part of something bigger
Men’s Advent Retreat sits within MMSM’s new suite of programs, developed in response to National Church Life Survey research and shaped to welcome people who may not have seen themselves in a retreat before. The suite spans reflection days on change and transition, discernment of gifts and purpose, the spirituality of walking pilgrimage, twilight sessions for young adults, and multi-day retreats on healing and letting go, across MMSM Centres in Adelaide, Baulkham Hills, the Central Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Safety Bay and Williamstown.
The details
- When: Saturday 21 November 2026, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Where: Mary MacKillop Spirituality Centre, Baulkham Hills
- Cost: $198 incl. GST (morning tea and lunch provided)
- What to bring: Comfortable clothing, walking shoes, an open mind and a willingness to pause
- Perfect for: Men wanting to step back from the noise of daily life, reconnect with their faith, and find practical tools for prayer, reflection and resilience alongside other men
Bookings are open now at mmsm.org.au/retreats/mens-retreat.