House of St. Benedict Meditation

History & origins

The roots of St. Benedict House of Meditation are closely connected with the Benedictine community that settled in Oryun-dong in the late 1960s. Historical accounts of the order state that a Korean monastic community began here in 1967, with the particular aim of exploring forms of Benedictine life rooted more deeply in the Korean context.

The construction of the retreat facility itself is documented in 1969. A 1972 Catholic Times report states that the Benedictines built a retreat house at Oryun-dong in October 1969 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their arrival in Korea. Set beside wooded hills and the reservoir, it was used as a place where Catholics in the Busan area could withdraw from the city for retreat.

Although the initial plan for a distinct monastic community changed during organizational restructuring in the early 1970s, the retreat function continued. In 1990 the Catholic Times described the site as an early retreat center for the Busan and Gyeongnam region. It has continued to combine the prayer and work of the monks with spiritual guidance for retreatants.

Today both the Catholic Church directory in Korea and the Bishops' Conference retreat guide clearly list “St. Benedict House of Meditation” as a retreat and prayer house of the Diocese of Busan under the responsibility of Waegwan Abbey. The most important thread in its history is the way a place that began alongside an early monastic community became established over decades as a center of retreat ministry.