What is a Men’s Emmaus Weekend Retreat?
An Emmaus Men’s Retreat is a spiritual retreat for men. It is organized and given by laymen who are your peers in the community and who face the same challenges—and successes—that you do on a daily basis. The weekend begins on Friday evening and ends on Sunday afternoon; its purpose is to give you the opportunity to ponder and reflect upon your life and your individual relationship with Jesus Christ.

The men who attend Emmaus are ordinary men who come from all walks of life and all faith backgrounds.

Do I have to be Catholic?
No, you do not need to be Catholic to take part, although the retreat originated as a Catholic retreat. Over the past several years many Christians—Catholics and non-Catholics alike—even non-church goers, have attended the retreat. It has proven to be a rewarding spiritual experience and in fact life-changing for many.

Will I have to do anything?
You will not be forced to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable the entire weekend. If you choose, you can just sit back and listen.

Will anyone try to convert me?
No, you will simply hear men sharing stories of personal experience. And while some reference a very strong faith in God, no one is preaching or will attempt to convince or convert you to any particular way of religious thinking. For the most part, all you need to do is listen with an open mind and an open heart.

How much does it cost?
The all-inclusive cost for the weekend is $125 per attendee. This includes a private room and all meals (including snacks) Friday evening through Sunday lunch. Accommodations will be made if you require special dietary needs or have any health-related issues. Space is limited.

Cost is never an obstacle to attendance. If you are experiencing financial hardship at this time, arrangements can be made for deferred payments, or even none at all. Emmaus is a non-profit organization. The entire cost of the weekend goes to pay for the room, meals, and items you receive.

Please get in touch with Dan Kulbieda ([email protected]) or Jake Pauley ([email protected]) with any questions about Emmaus.

Are you looking to deepen your relationship with God and our Faith Community? Based on the Gospel of Luke 24:13-35, the Emmaus Retreat allows men to step away from everyday life and focus on their relationship with God, family, and friends. Hundreds of men from our community have discovered the impact it can have on faith, marriages, parenting, and other aspects of our lives.

The next Emmaus Retreat will be held March 7-9, 2025, at the Spiritan Center in Bethel Park. If you would like more information, please download the pdf below.

Location
Bethel Park Spiritan Center
6230 Brush Run Road
Bethel Park, PA 15102

Directions
From Washington, PA (Route 19N):

1. Right on McMurray Road
2. Right on Clifton Road at Al's Cafe
3. Right on Brush Run Road
4. Right into Spiritan Center

From St. Thomas More Church

1. Left on Oxford Drive
2. Left on Ft. Couch Road
3. Left onto McMurray Road
4. Left onto Clifton Road at Al's Cafe
5. Right on Brush Run Road
6. Right into Spiritan Center

What to bring and wear

1. Bring casual clothing and personal items sufficient for a two-night stay. Dress comfortably. Some go business casual, but most dress as they would at home on a typical Saturday afternoon - jeans or sweats are common attire.
2. You will have a private room.
3. Towels are provided.
4. A public restroom with separate showers is available.

In 1985 a group of men at the St. Louis Catholic Church in Miami, Florida, shared a vision of creating a ministry that would bring others to a closer walk with Jesus Christ. Their focus was on men who were “Sunday Catholics” not living their faith. The goal was to raise their level of spirituality by reintroducing the healing nature of the sacraments to their lives and to help them look inwardly at their faith walk. The belief was that by increasing the faith and fellowship of the men, the spirituality and vibrancy of the St. Louis Parish community would follow.

A few years earlier the women at St. Louis Parish started a retreat called “The Emmaus”. After prayerful review of the Women’s Emmaus Retreat, the group of men recognized it clearly contained all the basic spiritual elements the group was searching for. After much contemplation and discussion, the Women’s Emmaus Retreat was reworked and built upon to bring about a retreat more in tune to the spiritual needs of the men of the parish.

In 1985, with grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit, a team was formed and they went to work evangelizing others to attend the Emmaus weekend. The first Men’s Emmaus was held at the Dominican Retreat House at St. Louis Parish. The fruits of the first retreat were beyond expectations. Men from other parishes attended the weekend and soon afterwards they, with help from the St. Louis Parish men, started an Emmaus retreat at their own churches. The Emmaus ministry quickly spread throughout Florida eventually spreading throughout the United States and many foreign countries notably South America and China in 2011.

Growth of the Emmaus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Emmaus ministry came to Pittsburgh in the same way it has touched other parishes around the world. The retreat weekend was introduced to two men from St. Thomas More Parish (now Resurrection Parish) who were invited by others to attend the Emmaus at St. Louis Parish in Miami. Having experienced the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, they invited other men to attend the retreat in Miami. Groups of two or three men traveled together to attend the Miami Emmaus. Eventually, this growing group of “Emmaus Men” approached the pastor of St. Thomas More Church seeking permission to host an Emmaus retreat in the South Hills.

In August 2006, the first Emmaus team was formed with nine men from Pittsburgh and thirteen men from Miami’s St. Louis Parish. The Pittsburgh and Miami teams met through conference calls once a week for eight weeks. The group from Miami guided the team from Pittsburgh through the original formation. In October 2006, the first Emmaus retreat in the Pittsburgh diocese was held at the Spiritan Center in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

With prayerful guidance and trust in the Holy Spirit, the Emmaus retreat was a success. Since that first retreat, the Emmaus weekend has been attended by men from the Pittsburgh diocese, Greensburg diocese and other dioceses throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York.

As in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, the Emmaus ministry has maintained its mission of an intimate encounter with the Holy Spirit through the sharing and service of Emmaus brothers... spreading the same spiritual light and mission of the first Emmaus retreat at St. Louis Parish in 1985.

"The Emmaus weekend was easily on of the greatest events of my adult life. The guys I met were simply extraordinary men of faith, character, strength, grace, and humor—all whom I now call friends."
~ Ed M. - Emmaus 2015

"At the Emmaus Retreat, I experienced the love and mercy of God in a profound manner. It was the next best thing to meeting Him face-to-face and it was by far the best 48-hour investment I've made in my lifetime!"
~ Rocco A. - Emmaus 2007

"Men's Emmaus has been an essential ingredient in my journey through life; I am amazed at how many men have made such great strides in their life after just one weekend."
~ Andy L. - Emmaus 2009

"I wasn't sure what I was searching for by attending the Emmaus retreat, but what I found was amazing. Within the group I found men who shared the fears and concerns that I had, as well as the same sorts of successes. Most importantly, I found guys willing to support one another in both daily life and in their journey to become better Christians."
~ Russ W. - Emmaus 2014

"Emmaus was the right thing for me a the right time of my life. I met men who were an inspiration to me, and put me on the right track. I now consider these guys to be lifelong friends."
~Chris C. - Emmaus 2014