Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center Celebrates 75th Year of Spiritual Renewal
Story by Shelley Wolf
In 1951, Holy Family Monastery and Retreat House opened its doors in West Hartford, on a hill with a lighted cross, as is the Passionist tradition. On Feb. 2 of that year, the retreat center welcomed 95 men from St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford for the first weekend retreat, striving to grow their spirituality and connect them more deeply to God.
What is now known as Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with a slate of activities that will be open to the general public.
“We’re so proud of all that we’ve achieved and all that we’ve become over the years,” says Father David Cinquegrani, a Passionist priest and the leader since 1999, “and we’re beyond thrilled to be celebrating this milestone anniversary.”
“We’re proud of our history as a place of peace and an instrument of spiritual growth and transformation for so many people,” he says, “and we hope to continue on that path for many years to come.”
Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center’s roots go back far longer than 75 years – to 1720. It was then, in Italy, that St. Paul of the Cross founded the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (Passionists) with the goal of teaching people how to pray and meditate on Christ’s Passion.
The Order arrived in the United States in the 1800s, and in 1945, Bishop Henry J. O’Brien of Hartford invited the Passionists to establish a monastery and retreat house for Catholic men in Connecticut.
Under the leadership of Father Joseph Leo Flynn, a Passionist priest, the Passionists purchased 69 acres of farmland in West Hartford, and in 1951 the monastery and retreat house opened for men. In 1986, it added retreat programs for women, and in the 1990s added youth programs and programs for those in recovery.
Today, Holy Family is the largest parish-based Catholic retreat center in the United States, offering a wide variety of retreats and programs. According to Luke Giroux, director of administrative operations, between 4,000 and 5,000 people visit for retreats and other programs each year.
To celebrate its anniversary, Holy Family has a number of activities planned for 2026. So far, two special anniversary events have been scheduled.
A Summer Concert will be held July 8 at 7 p.m. at the outdoor pavilion. “A collection of talented vocalists and musicians from Holy Family’s music ministry will be performing a mix of Broadway numbers and jazz hits,” Giroux says. All are welcome to this free event. No registration is required.
On Sept. 13, an Anniversary Celebration is set for 3 p.m., beginning with an outdoor Mass and a reception immediately following. The event will offer music, food and an array of speakers. It is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
“Holy Family welcomes all who seek to deepen their relationship with God and with one another,” Giroux says. “We encourage all seekers to come be at peace on our 48 acres, to enjoy the labyrinth, to walk the outdoor stations, and to discern their relationship with God as we take steps into the next 75 years.”
For updates on these and other anniversary events, visit holyfamilyretreat.org/calendar-of-events.