Welcoming Priests

Attending to the well being of priests has always been a special concern of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate – a tradition bequeathed to us by our Founder, St. Eugene DeMazenod. At the time he was inspired to found the Oblates (early 1800’s), French society and the French Church were in great turmoil. Priests are always caught in the cross-hairs of social upheavals – because of their singular role as designated intermediaries on the human scene. St. Eugene charged his Oblates with being solicitous of these consecrated men’s welfare.

Social upheaval is certainly a mark of our own times and, once again, priests are subject to great stress. The newly renovated Immaculata offers itself as a welcoming haven for area priests (singly or in groupings) – a place of relaxation and spiritual renewal for them.

Already, several confraternities of priests (typically 8 – 10 men) called “Emmaus Groups” periodically come together here at Immaculata, away from their responsibilities, for a couple of days of relaxation and spiritual sharing among themselves – most often these gatherings take place at the beginning of the week when they can more easily step out of their parish settings for a bit. Immaculata welcomes these groups of priests – we provide them with private accommodations in the Retreat House and, in response to their needs, we have created more familial gathering spaces within the facility. We are planning to do more such adaptations in the near future – for example, a more intimate dining room for such smaller groupings.

For more information on our “priest friendly” environment and outreach, visit our Website