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Our Mission
The Joseph and Mary Retreat House is a center for spiritual renewal serving Bishops, Priests and Deacons, and all who might come to this center to strengthen their relationship with God through prayer, scholarship and reflection. The Joseph and Mary Retreat House was originally founded to serve the Priests of the Archdiocese of Chicago, today the retreat house extends its service to all people of the Archdiocese of Chicago who would like to come for time of prayer, interior reflection and renewal. The Retreat House extends its hospitality to priests, deacons and lay people who serve the church from the outside the Archdiocese of Chicago, especially those from the Province of Illinois and those from Region VII. The Retreat House strives to serve all who are seeking to nurture their faith by coming to this center for spiritual renewal.
Our Philosophy
Our main objective is to eliminate all distractions from each and every guest to allow the Lord to work in a multitude of ways. We want the rooms to be clean when you arrive, the meals to be hot and delicious, and your meeting room to meet your specific needs. Our staff has a heart for your ministry and the importance of each guest having private time with the Lord.
Our staff does the very best to provide a place where people will always hear the Word of God, in an atmosphere where physical, emotional, and spiritual refreshment and renewal may occur.
Our History
The Joseph and Mary Retreat House was originally build as a retreat center for the Priests of Chicago and Joliet. A 40-acre site was chosen on the grounds of the Mundelein Seminary and Fr. John M. McCarthy was selected to oversee the construction. The corner stone was laid on December 8th, 1950. Originally there were 36 rooms and suites for the Archbishop, the Director, Retreat Master, and the Jesuit confessor. Our chapel includes a beautiful marble altar dedicated to the ascending Christ and 8 stained glass windows. The first retreat was held in December 1951 and ran from September through June starting on Monday and ending Friday. In 1955, 15 rooms were added to expand for increased demand. Today, we continue to evolve with the growing demand for our retreats.
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