Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center

Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center is a Catholic retreat house in Citrus Heights, run by the Passionists of Holy Cross Province. The mission is stated simply: to support the personal reflection and spiritual growth of everyone who comes, according to their own needs, by holding a safe, welcoming, and prayerful environment and offering ministries of inspiration, education, and guidance. The Passionists bought the land from the Cross family estate in 1946 and moved into a small house on the property in November 1949, on the feast of Christ the King. The main retreat building opened on May 7, 1950, built to hold thirty retreatants with a chapel, dining room, library, and two offices. It has grown in stages since: eighteen rooms added in 1957 out of relocated military barracks from Mather Air Base, then the Holy Cross Building in 1987 with forty more rooms, three small conference rooms, and the large Quinn Room assembly space. The approach is part of the experience. A private drive lined with tall oleanders opens onto a white statue of St. Paul of the Cross, and guests frequently describe the arrival as stepping onto holy ground. The grounds hold a Memorial Garden dedicated to St. Paul of the Cross, the Garden of the Lord's Passion laid out as an outdoor Way of the Cross, a grotto for Our Lady of the Passion ringed by large redwoods, a shrine to Our Lady of Fatima, a labyrinth, a landscaped courtyard with a fountain and benches, and a number of smaller spots set aside for quiet prayer. Program offerings: Preached weekend and midweek retreats. Led by the Retreat Team, mixing scheduled conferences, communal prayer and Eucharist, and open personal time. Reconciliation is available, as is time with one of the retreat leaders. There are stretches of silence and stretches of conversation. The frame is individual work done in the company of others. Twelve Step retreats. Some of the first retreats in California for men and women in Alcoholics Anonymous were held here, and the center still runs a regular Twelve Step series plus weekly AA meetings. Newcomers and long timers alike are invited. Directed retreats and days of recollection. Plus seasonal offerings: Advent and Lent days of prayer, an Ash Wednesday day of prayer, one day bereavement retreats, a Triduum retreat, and a New Year's Eve retreat. Married couples and engaged retreats, and eastern spirituality retreats. Hosted groups. Parishes, Catholic schools, dioceses, deacon and priest retreats, universities, youth organizations, and other Christian churches bring their own programs to the facility. Roughly 3,000 people attend the center's own programs each year, with another 4,000 or so coming through as hosted groups. Two related ministries operate from the site: an Institute for Counseling and Spiritual Direction, and the Spiritual Life Institute, founded to offer spiritual education and build ecumenical connections. The Community of Passionist Partners brings lay men and women, married and single, into the work alongside the religious community. What to expect This is a Catholic house rooted in the Passionist charism of preaching the Passion of Jesus, so it suits someone seeking that tradition better than someone looking for a purely secular stay, though other Christian groups regularly use the facility and the ecumenical door is genuinely open. Rooms are single occupancy with private bathrooms, air conditioned and heated, each with a writing desk and lounge chair, most looking out on old growth oak and redwood. Two suites add a sitting area and kitchenette. Meals come from a full kitchen with two chefs and a corps of volunteers. Wi-Fi is generally limited to common areas rather than guest rooms. The center notes that it aims to offer retreats regardless of ability to pay, supported by volunteers and benefactors. Practical details Location: 6520 Van Maren Lane, Citrus Heights, CA 95621 Phone: 916.725.4720 Email: christtheking@passionist.org Tradition: Roman Catholic, Passionist (C.P.), Diocese of Sacramento Founded: retreat building completed May 1950, community on site since 1946 Lodging: 67 single rooms with private baths, including two suites Meeting space: four conference rooms, groups from 10 to 110, AV and Wi-Fi available Dining: maximum occupancy 120 Office hours: weekdays, generally 9am to 5pm, closed weekends Website: christthekingretreatcenter.org