St. John Paul II National Shrine opens new retreat house in D.C

The St. John Paul II National Shrine in northeast Washington, D.C., officially opened its new retreat house on August 26. The facility, located in the Brookland neighborhood, is housed in the former Washington Retreat House, a building that originally opened in 1932 and was previously operated by the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement.

The retreat house is an initiative of the Knights of Columbus, which also operates the shrine. During a dedication Mass, Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, the supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, offered prayers for the facility. Shrine officials described the space as an “oasis of sacred wilderness,” noting that the concept was inspired by St. John Paul II’s practice of leading retreats in nature during his early priesthood.

The shrine itself was established as the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center and dedicated in 2000. Since 2011, following its purchase and renovation by the Knights of Columbus, the site has featured permanent exhibits on the life of St. John Paul II, the Redemptor Hominis Church, and a chapel containing a first-class relic of the saint.