The community of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate in Toodyay offer retreat center facilities for those who are looking for an affordable and yet suitable place for spiritual rest and reflection. Located in scenic Toodyay with hills and trees as backdrops, the facility is a beautiful place of refuge for the busy people of the suburbs.

Retreat Services

The friars accept the following types of retreats:

• Private or individual retreat
• Group Retreat
• Youth or Adult Retreats
• Directed or non-directed retreats

Features of Retreat Centre

• Three retreat building (20 person maximum now and will be 50 in the future)
• Pleasant accomodations (bedding provided)
• Kitchen provided (bring your own food)
• Meeting hall for conferences, presentations, videos (screen provided)
• A Chapel in each building (with the Blessed Sacrament reserved if requested)
• Daily Mass, Holy Rosary, Divine Office with the friars and Confessions available

Retreat Reservations

For retreat reservation please contact:

Email us

"Gate of Heaven" Catholic Radio

The friars, in collaboration with some members of the Mission of the Immaculate Mediatrix broadcasts once a week Catholic programs either live or recorded to the local radio station known as Radio Fremantle. The show is broadcast in 107.9FM Radio Fremantle, Western Australia every Sunday 7:30pm-9:00pm. The time slot of the radio program used to be dedicated to apologetics on the Catholic Faith by the renowned apologist Mr. Raymond de Souza. The friars took over the time slot to deliver various talks on Our Lady and the Catholic Faith.

There is a potential for expansion in the future depending on the availability of the friars on the one hand and the positive opportunity given them on the other. For the time being, a couple of friars are in full time every week preparing the program in the primetime slot at the radio station. Praised be Jesus and Mary!

Contact Information

If you have any comments and/or suggestions, please contact us:

A Day With Mary (ADWM)

This is an apostolate which originated in England and was propagated by the Franciscans of the Immaculate throughout the world. Being an official apostolate of the Mission of the Immaculate Mediatrix Movement (MIM), this ADWM draws on a monthly basis numerous Catholic faithful who attend the day-filled devotion both Marian and Eucharistic. The day consists in prayers, hymns, liturgy, confession and conferences packed in just one day. There are numerous spiritual blessings that were obtained in these days of Mary especially but not exclusively conversions of people.

Marian Cenacle for Families

Evangelisation begins at home and family, the domestic church. This has been the conviction of the organisers of the "Marian Cenacle." Originally started in the United States in its structure and devotion, the friars in Australia introduced this and was accepted successfully. It simply allows members of the family, who requests for it to pray together the Holy Rosary, family and Marian devotions as well as the consecration of the family to the Immaculate Heart. The presence of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in every home the Marian Cenacle is conducted, allows the family to be aware of the presence of Mary and the need to sanctify them through good works and works of piety. In the United States, families in Marian Cenacle conduct an annual meetings of families to share their faith with one another.

These are only some of the apostolates conducted by the friars in Western Australia. In union with all the other members of the Order in the whole world in the task of evangelization, they appropriate to themselves the inspiring words of St. Maximilian Kolbe:

"Behold our ideal--the Immaculata. To come close to her, to become like her to permit her to reign over our hearts and our whole being, that she live and act through us... this is our ideal.

To influence those who surround us us in order that also the hearts of our neighbors might open, so that she might be the Queen in the hearts of all men wherever they are in the world, without regard for the difference of race, nationality, language, even in the hearts of all who will live until the end of the world-- this is our ideal."

Apostolate for the Youth

The friars have been recently involved in various apostolate with the youth as Men's Conference, spiritual assistance to homeschool groups, participation in various Catholic activities for the youth not only in Western Australia but also in other states especially Sydney.

The annual commemoration of the World Youth Day in Sydney is one of the usual events where the friars participate including promotion of vocations to religious life. Most of these youth activities are conducted by Fr. Joseph McShane, FI who is the vocation director of the Australian communities.

It is also noteworthy to mention the availability of the retreat house of our friary in Toodyay where young people can have their retreats individually or collectively. The place has been the haven of many retreats of young people either conducted by the friars or by some other priests of the diocese.