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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2009 /  St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center celebrates 50 years

by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published November 27, 2009

Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic Window clings decorate the St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center for its 50th anniversary, celebrated this year.

Detroit - A time to learn about God, a time to learn about being a leader, or time to learn about being yourself - St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center has been offering all that for 50 years in its current building.

The center kicked off the building's 50th anniversary year last month with a dinner - "It was just so great to have that many people here at one time," said Joyce Hansen, the center's director of youth and young adult ministry and chairperson for the center's 50th anniversary - and will continue until next October.

The retreat center, on the far west side of Detroit, has seen changes over the past 10 years with several renovations. It now has a lobby and reception area, more offices have been added, and the 95 retreatant rooms have been repainted and re-carpeted. Improvements have also been made to the dining room, and the main conference room can be split down the middle to create two separate spaces. The library and an assembly room can make for four separate conference spaces.

Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic Regina High School seniors participate in a unity web, throwing yarn from person to person to show they are all connected, as part of an overnight retreat at the St. Paul center.

There's a separate room dedicated to the Prayer League, which raises funds through donations by sending greeting cards for various occasions out to people, or offering Mass for them. Also, the courtyard was recently refigured, and a fountain added. As part of the renovation, the center now boasts a wall to honor the donors, made up of a tiled mosaic.

The chapel was also improved, with its first new carpet since 1960 and new lights for the icons that line the walls. The crucifix hanging in the chapel is typical of all Passionist centers: Jesus with His eyes open, gazing toward heaven, which honors the order's charism to keep alive the memory of the passion of Jesus Christ.

The center sits on 22 acres of land, of trees and paths and even a 12-station adventure course, which includes a climbing wall and a trust fall, for team-building sessions. A large but friendly German shepherd, George, also roams the grounds as the de facto mascot. The former Passionist monastery is next door, although it was sold several years ago to the Romanian Orthodox Church.

The center hosts a variety of retreats, from overnight on the weekend to during the week day; last year, 12,000 people visited the center for various retreats. Fr. Jim Thoman, CP, directs the retreat center.

People of all ages and backgrounds use the retreat center, from high school students to Alcoholics Anonymous to cultural and ethnic groups and even specific professions. "We're always looking for other people and other groups to use the center," Hansen said. "We are open to all. We're always looking for ways to utilize the retreat center to benefit others."

The center even added "Retreat and Conference Center" to its name last year to let people know outside groups could still come in and feel comfortable there. Retreats can range from a single person wanting time to pray alone, or a directed retreat of a high school class learning about leadership or prayer.

Regardless of why they're there, Hansen said she wants people to find a sense of calm and peace at the center. "That's what we like people to find here," she said. "We like to be here for whatever they need."

Hansen said although the retreat center needs donations and contributions to stay open, it's not about making money. For a weekend retreat, for example, a client gets and envelope and told how much the weekend cost, and they pay what they can - whether it's less than the total, the actual cost, or even a bit more.

But they want to be able to offer a retreat no matter a person or group's financial situation, she explained, especially as Michigan is hard hit by the economy: "So many people are out of work," she said. "They know they can come here, always, no matter what.

"We get paid in more ways that we can say," she said.

Lorraine McFee is one long-time retreatant, visiting the center for the past 36 years. Even her father-in-law made regular retreats for 16 years until his death. She usually attends with the rosary society at Our Lady of the Angels Parish, Taylor, but she has gone on retreat on her own, too. "I just love that place," she said. "It's like my second home."

McFee said she has many fond memories there, including of her spiritual director, Fr. Damian Cragen, who died in a car accident in 1982. She said although some might argue they don't have the time or money to spend on a retreat, "We all deserve a break," she said. And if others visit the center with openness, they'll be able to receive the word and then go out and spread it: "You can't give to others what you don't possess yourself," she said.

The next event will be in May, a gathering of all the volunteers of St. Paul, who work in the library, the offices, answer the phone, help with housekeeping, and do other tasks. Then, next Oct. 17, a Sunday, will be the culminating event, which will be open to anyone who's ever come to the center as a retreatant. That celebration will be at St. Thomas a Beckett Parish, Canton, which has a large worship area.