New retreat center in Washington, D.C., ‘inspired’ by St. John Paul II

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The feast of Our Lady of Częstochowa made for a fitting day for the blessing and dedication of a new retreat center affiliated with the St. John Paul II National Shrine.

Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore celebrated a Mass Aug. 26 at the shrine before a procession to the property next door where the St. John Paul II Retreat House celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting and tours of the newly renovated center.

The John Paul II Shrine, a pastoral initiative of the Knights of Columbus, purchased the Washington Retreat House in October 2025 from the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement. Renovations on the retreat house began in January 2026, and the property received a new certificate of occupancy this summer.

In his homily, the archbishop, supreme chaplain of the Knights, recalled that in 2010, he and other leaders of the KofC celebrated Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa at Jasna Góra, Poland, where the famous icon of the “Black Madonna” is housed. The delegation was marking the recent institution of the Knights in the country. Jasna Góra means “bright mountain,” and is a draw for pilgrims from around the world because of the shrine there to Mary.

Pope John Paul II had a great devotion to the Blessed Mother, especially under the title Our Lady of Częstochowa. His papal motto “Totus Tuus” (“Totally Yours”) reflected his dedication to her.

Archbishop Lori noted that Karol Wojtyła visited the shrine at Jasna Gora as a young man, as a priest, later as a young bishop and cardinal, and eventually as pope. “Through the years, as his titles were elevated, his dedication to Our Lady of Częstochowa was deepened,” the archbishop said. 

From Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico to Our Lady of Częstochowa in Poland “and many points in between, the Knights of Columbus is wrapped in the mantle of Mary’s loving protection. How fitting, then, that we gather on this feast day,” the archbishop said.

He noted that at the shrine and retreat center, visitors are making a spiritual pilgrimage to Częstochowa, as the site is on a “bright and shiny hill” like Jasna Góra. “Taken together, the shrine and the retreat house are a sacred place where we can entrust ourselves to Mary’s intercession. … For in belonging to Mary, we also belong to Christ,” Archbishop Lori said.

The Mass included hymns in Polish as well as Latin and English.

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly spoke at the ribbon cutting and noted that Bogdan Klich, chargé d’affaires of Poland in the United States, was present at the event. “Minister Klich, your presence here reminds us all that St. John Paul II belongs both to his beloved Poland and to the whole world. So, thank you for being with us,” honoring “Our Lady of Częstochowa, queen of Poland,” he said.

Kelly said the retreat house will be a place for people to deepen their faith, in the heart of the nation’s capital, but set apart. Along with the shrine, the retreat house sits on four wooded acres near the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Catholic University of America and the headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

“It’s far enough away from the hustle and bustle to provide a sense of serenity. Our hope is that it will be filled with men and women seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. by encountering him through the teachings and through the intercession of St. John Paul II,” he said.

He said the Knights, as stewards of the shrine “are committed to bringing John Paul’s extraordinary legacy of evangelization and leadership to a new generation of American Catholics. St. John Paul II had a profound impact on the Knights of Columbus, reinforcing for us the mission of our founder, Blessed Michael McGivney.”

Stephen P. White, executive director of the shrine, said before the ribbon cutting, “We gather today not simply to open a building, but to consecrate a mission. This retreat house exists for one purpose, to bring souls closer to Christ.

“The shrine next door is a wonderful place to meet St. John Paul II, a place for pilgrims to learn about his remarkable life and to seek his intercession. With the addition of this retreat house, the work of the shrine takes on a new dimension. This is a place where pilgrims can come away from the noise of the world to find silence, prayer, and the presence of God,” White said.

An icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa was displayed during the Mass, next to a large painting of Christ as the Divine Mercy, another connection to Poland through St. Faustina Kowalska, whose visions of Jesus’ heart of mercy at the convent in Płock were captured by an artist at her direction. The Black Madonna icon of was carried in the procession to the retreat house, where it was hung in the small St. Joseph Oratory chapel.

The retreat house can accommodate 40 guests in private rooms with every two rooms sharing a bathroom. The conference hall can accommodate as many as 115 people, depending on configuration.

A dining area – named “Wujek’s Dining Hall” for the nickname Father Karol Wojtyła’s students called him, meaning “uncle” – can seat up to 140 people. It does not have a full kitchen but has refrigeration and warming facilities; the center recommends that groups utilize a catering service for meals.

The center expects to host its own quarterly spiritual retreats, and Catholic organizations can reserve the facilities for retreats, meetings or conferences. The center anticipates designating one week each quarter for individual retreatants. 

Speaking to members of the media before the Mass, White emphasized that the center is not a hotel and is intended to be used by groups, but that occasions for individual accommodations like a guest house may be available.

The current setup allows two different groups to rent a separate floor with 20 rooms, or a group can take both floors. Ann Robertson, associate director of marketing and communications for the shrine, said there are other wings that could be developed in phases, including the possibility of family-friendly rooms.

The center also includes a library, named for Pope John Paul’s mother Emilia, and a small dining room suitable for board meetings.

For more information on the St. John Paul II Retreat House, visit https://retreat.jp2shrine.org/.

Gunty can be reached at editor@catholicreview.org

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