Rivendell Retreat Centre — Bowen Island, Canada
Christian contemplative retreat centre on Bowen Island, near Vancouver
The story of Rivendell Retreat Centre begins with an unlikely convergence of generosity. In 2000, Howard and Shirley Bentall, a couple devoted to Christian service, received an inheritance and began discerning how to give it away. Simultaneously, Wolfgang Duntz, a developer on Bowen Island, had acquired Cates Hill and felt called to reserve its topmost parcel for a retreat centre rather than private hands. When the three met in January 2001, Shirley presented Wolfgang with a hand-drawn floor plan of her vision. Builder Dennis Dallas transformed that sketch into reality, and on June 3, 2002, Rivendell's doors opened. The cooperative spirit of the construction workers is evident in the building's craftsmanship.
From its inception, Rivendell was shaped by five core values: Prayer, Silence, Hospitality, Simplicity, and Social Action. A small, intentionally diverse group gathered during construction to envision the centre's ongoing life, establishing principles that would embody accessibility and welcome. The Cottage on Cates Hill was built alongside the Lodge to serve families and individuals in need of respite. The Hermitage, a secondary site dedicated to silence and solitude, took twelve years to acquire and develop; its first guests arrived in 2015. A central Forest House of Prayer provides shared kitchen and gathering spaces, while individual non-serviced cabins nestle in the forest, allowing retreatants to enter the rhythms of nature and their own spiritual journey.
In 2000, Kathi Bentall and Sister Lorraine LaMarre SSA opened the Listening Post in Vancouver's downtown eastside, recognizing a need for a safe haven in that community. By 2020, recognizing the growth and complexity that had emerged, the community undertook a revisioning process to strengthen its operational structure while remaining faithful to its original vision of generosity.
Today, Rivendell operates as a non-profit society hosted by a volunteer Christian community rooted in gospel values. It welcomes individuals and groups on any spiritual path seeking renewal, respite, and growth. The centre is committed to financial accessibility, asking a minimum of $100 per day for food and facilitation, with accommodation costs based on ability to pay. Rivendell acknowledges that its sites are located on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish people; Nex̱wlélex̱wm (Bowen Island) is traditional Squamish territory.
Traditions: Christian contemplative prayer, Ignatian spirituality, Centring prayer, Spiritual direction, Gospel values and social action
Programs: 3-day silent retreats, 9-day silent retreats, Hermitage retreats, Guided silent retreats with themes, Holy Week retreats, Personal retreats at the Lodge, Cottage, and Hermitage, Group retreats, Writers retreats at Penny Lou Cottage