Prince of Peace Abbey — Attraction in Oceanside

A beautiful and perfect place for prayer, reflection, meditation, and contemplation. Everytime I go, I leave feeling more peaceful and more happy. The church is beautiful inside, especially the chapel. The prayer trails are amazing. Last time I walked the prayer trail containing the "Way of the Cross". I prayed all the stations with my friend, and the setting and atmosphere allowed us to really meditate on the stations of the cross. The views are spectacular. The prayer trails serve as a perfect place to enjoy, take in, and appreciate wilderness. The gift shop has an impressive collection of books, art, gifts, accessories, etc. The library is also of a good size and has many books to utilize for prayer and study. The grounds also serves as a center for retreats and spiritual activities and events, so if you're considering having some type of activity or event, I highly suggest the Prince of...

I spent a weekend retreat at the abbey this March, 2013. It has been some time since I went to a retreat at any Catholic facility, probably 50 years. The monks were very approachable, helpful, and had the face of someone in close contact with their savior. There is a great opportunity to join in worship and prayer with them in their church. They took care that I was able to find my place and sing the Psalms with them each day. Their life is dedicated to knowing their savior and it reflects in their souls. Such a welcome relief from this world. The rooms are quiet and very clean. The food is served well and on time. You can walk on the top of their mesa in quietness and reflection looking at the California coastal chaparral. This gave me a chance to retreat with my savior and...

I visited the Prince of Peace Abbey for a personal day retreat of prayer. I was greeted by their Monk Andrew, who kindly welcomed me. I'm of the Protestant affiliation and he assured me they welcome visitors of different denominations/religions. I wanted to make sure I was respectful of their Abbey. I enjoyed using their Prayer Walk path for my own time of prayer. It's an endearing little walk that winds to a little gazebo, where you can see the hills on one side and a glimpse of the ocean on the other. The grounds were beautifully laid out. Inside their sanctuary, the open spacing is warmly decorated and inviting for reflection. I didn't attend any of their services, so I'm unable to speak to them. Overall, a beautiful place to visit for a...