Mount St Joseph

Mount St Joseph is a house for stepping back. It invites you to leave the pace of modern life for a day of prayerful meditation, or for a longer period of reflection, in a setting of quiet and solitude. It is run by the Centre for Ignatian Spirituality, the Jesuit centre in Malta, and stands among gardens and fields on the edge of Mosta.

We list it among the meditation centres in Malta. The house welcomes individuals on retreat as well as parish groups, schools and organisations looking for a calm venue for a meeting.

The Ignatian approach

Ignatian spirituality draws on the experience of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, and offers a way of looking for God in everyday life. The centre's mission is to share that tradition through a yearly programme of events, mostly held at Mount St Joseph, as well as the spiritual exercises in daily life on request, prayer experiences in parishes, spiritual accompaniment, help with personal and shared discernment and training for people who want to become spiritual guides or give Ignatian retreats.

The house is directed by Fr Cecil Azzopardi sj, with Jonathan Cassar Torregiani as manager and Martha Fitz as secretary.

Chapels, halls and rooms

There are two chapels: the Annunciation Chapel on the first floor, bright with natural light and seating up to 100 people, and the small Trinity Chapel on the ground floor, which holds 25. A cosy prayer room on the second floor is set aside for individual prayer.

For gatherings, Arrupe Hall is the largest, with space for 180 people, video projection, audio and air conditioning. St Ignatius Hall seats 150, Brother Alphonse Hall seats 40 and has roof access, and Fr Reno Hall in the basement is a multi-purpose space. The conference rooms have audio-visual equipment and wifi, and a terrace overlooks the gardens. Smaller rooms suit group meetings and one-to-one counselling.

A large recreation room offers tea and coffee, a television and DVD player and several lounge areas, and it can double as a meeting space or a children's play area. The spacious foyer is used for welcoming guests, for coffee breaks and, with the two upper landings, for quiet reading. Gardens surround the whole house, which gives retreatants space to walk and think between sessions.

Food, rooms and practicalities

The house can accommodate up to 78 people in en-suite rooms, most of them twin-bedded, with specially equipped rooms for wheelchair users. There are two dining rooms, one bright and one smaller for silent retreats, and meals are freshly prepared, with dietary needs catered for if you tell the reception when booking. Breakfast is at 8:00, lunch at 13:00 and supper at 19:00 unless agreed otherwise.

Free parking, camping facilities and a baby changing area are provided. Tap water in the rooms is chlorinated and not for drinking, so bottled water is sold from a machine at reception. The main doors close after 22:30, so tell the reception if you will arrive later. A taxi from the airport costs about €20, and local buses also run from the terminal. Payments are made in euros, and overseas guests are asked to send a deposit for longer stays.

Nearby and next steps

Mosta is close to Mdina, and our Mdina guide covers the old capital, while the Valletta guide and things to do in Malta suggest days out. Families can look at the Adventure Hub children's activities page, and book lovers can try the Agenda Bookshop. If you need somewhere to stay outside the house, our guide to where to stay in Malta and the Malta holidays overview help, and before you fly see our guides to flights to Malta and the Malta weather guide.

To ask about a retreat, a hall booking or room rates, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the house.