The Order of Saint Luke has never held a retreat at the Mercy Center in St. Louis. It is our custom to have May Council wherever we have October retreat, but we aren’t able to do that this year.
I volunteered to be the guinea pig and spend a week there on personal renewal. Since I went as a personal retreat during a time when there were no large groups (only a few other people on individual retreats), things were a bit different than how they will be when we are there together in October.
But, for our siblings who do not like surprises or who need to know details in advance, I’m writing this quick guide to the retreat house with my suggestions.
My first suggestion is to not rent a car.
Take a Taxi or ride-share from the airport.
In my week there, I only left the center a few times — one trip to the pharmacy to get some medicine and another trip to get some ice cream.
We will have a few people with cars for pilgrimage, but most people will not need to have a car.
Mercy Center is in a lovely part of St. Louis. If I use the word “lovely” a lot, that’s because it is the word that kept coming to mind.
The center is between Manchester (Old Route 66, yes that one) and Clayton Road on North Geyer Road. Geyer is a residential road that winds up to the retreat house.
The entrance is clearly marked.
Turn in, keep right at the intersections, and follow the clear signage to the main house.
If you bring a car, the parking is several hundred meters from the entrance.
Park in the visitor parking to the right of the main house.
There is a large statue of St. Joseph out in front of the main entrance.
After you unload your car, please promptly move your vehicle to the proper parking lot.
At the main entrance, press the button and the front desk will answer and let you in.
Check-in will be right inside.
Once you are checked-in, you will be given directions to your room.
There is a door code which unlocks the main door and the doors to the courtyard.
I found the staff to be wonderfully helpful. Everyone was kind, supportive and quick to help.
The room I was in (a single, with a private bath) was spacious, had a lay-z-boy chair (very helpful as I recovered from sinus surgery) in addition to a comfortable queen sized bed.
The campus has many lounges with televisions and books. In my time I never saw a TV turned on. In glee, I sent a photo of one of the bookshelves filled with 20th century feminist theologians to some friends which included a title published by OSL Publications.
The staff offices are in the main hallway on the first floor. You will pass through the office areas on the way to your room if your room is on the first floor. At first this was disconcerting, but all the staff seemed to assume that I was on silent retreat unless I spoke to them first. I warned the staff that Lukans have a hard time being quiet and they assured me that they frequently have talkative groups. The silence of the week I was there was the exception rather than the norm.
Sessions
Our main meeting room will be the auditorium, which is behind the chapel.
Wifi was adequate everywhere I tested (admittedly not very often, I was mostly fasting from digital devices during the day except during our liturgies and leadership calls). The public wifi doesn’t require a password, but is unencrypted. This isn’t really a problem anymore no matter what VPN providers tell you. Talk to me if you have concerns.
There will be coffee and snacks available in the lobby outside the auditorium.
There is a vending station for sodas to the right of this photo for those who need their daily diet Coke.
Worship will be in the lovely (did I use the word again?) chapel.
There is an adoration/contemplation chapel on the second floor, overlooking the main chapel. I prayed vespers and compline in there several times.
How to get to the refectory
Meals are on the basement level.
From the foyer/rotunda outside the chapel, take the stairs or elevator down one level.
The door to the left in this picture is the chapel, with the adoration chapel up the stairs and the refectory below.
The elevator is to the left of this photo, opposite the stairs.
I found the inside signage to be a little confusing at times, but it might have been me not paying enough attention, or the recovery from sinus surgery. After the first day I was navigating the building just fine. I doubt it will be an issue with a liturgy of Lukans (yes, I’m coining a collective term for us, this is far better than my first few suggestions) leading the way. When in doubt, just ask one of the very helpful staff members.
As you come off the elevator, do a U-Turn; or if you come down the stairs, proceed down the hallway (obscured by the pillar in this photo).
Go into the light…
If you go to the hallway on the left in this photo, you will come to the right place, but you have to wind around.
Stay down the hallway that has the large windows into the courtyard.
There is a gift-shop to the right of where this photo was taken and several meeting rooms around this area.
Yes, it is a very long hallway.
On the right of this hallway is the courtyard.
On the left is a lounge area with multiple seating groups. There are soda vending stations in this lounge.
There is also a room with relics and historical displays about the Sisters of Mercy. I encourage everyone to spend some time and learn about the charism of this order and their work.
Pick up a tray, a plate, a napkin, and cutlery.
Service is buffet style (with additional options on the counter and in the refrigerator on the far side).
A soup station with bowls and soup spoons is to the right of this photo.
They were very conscientious of my dietary restrictions (allergies to wheat, sesame and peanut). Meals peculiar to me were clearly labeled with my name (probably since so few of us were present, I expect “gluten free” or other such generic labeling when we are gathered). When you register, please make sure to fill in the restrictions section of the form so the prior general can pass this information on.
The beverage station is open all hours, with coffee, decaf, hot water for tea, and (when I was there on private retreat) some juice selections.
Single-serve ice cream was also always available. I don’t know if this was just because there were only a few people there this week, or if this is always the case.
The lounges all have refrigerators and sinks. They also have microwaves, tea kettles, and coffee pots. I brought my own tea, because I do that. I did bring a kettle, but I left it in the car when I saw that so many were easily accessible. While stoves are present in the lounges, they do not allow guests to cook. I had an ice-pack for my face (sinus surgery) that I kept in the freezer in the lounge closest to my room. I left my tea and teapot in the lounge the entire week and it was undisturbed.
There is ample seating. Some tables might be marked for “quiet” or reserved for groups, but I don’t expect that to be the case while we are there.
It was nice to have the option of a silent table, or to sit at a non-quiet table and let people know I was open to conversation. Can you imagine trying to have a “silent” table with Lukans? Such a thing would be contrary to our charism!
You can dine outside in the courtyard if weather permits.
Other things…
There is an exercise room, if you need to do penance for some reason.
The exercise room is down a winding hallway that was mildly creepy at night.
The Grounds
The grounds are just lovely.
I wished I had brought a picnic blanket with me. Do bring bug spray, although that might not be an issue in October, depending on the weather.
There is a labyrinth and lots of places to stroll. The path to the labyrinth is not paved and might not be suitable for those with walkers. The outdoors stations of the cross is paved.
I saw deer while I wandered through the grounds. There were many lightning bugs (fireflys) in the evenings, which made me very happy. I heard toads and frogs in the creek, as well as many songbirds and finches.
