Photo by Moussa Faddoul of Fotoreflection
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By Henk van Meijel, SJ
This year, Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering celebrates 75 years of animating retreats. We plan to celebrate this milestone on Sunday, September 15, with a huge BBQ and entertainment for young and old alike. No RSVP is needed. All we request is that everyone brings their own lawn chair.
Founded on a historic estate, Manresa has long been a place of healing and renewal. Today, we work to embody the spirit of “Pilgrims Together.” By offering Annotation 18 retreats, Manresa meets each person where they are on their spiritual journey, reflecting our mission to walk with those seeking a deeper connection with God. The 12-Step programs for individuals battling addictions demonstrate our commitment to accompanying the marginalized and providing communal support. Additionally, retreats for students and various groups highlight our dedication to inviting everyone to transformative experiences in a serene natural setting. Through living our apostolic mission, Manresa continues to guide individuals toward a fulfilling relationship with God.
“But the spiritual retreat was great. That’s why I continued to make this an annual must for myself.” – A retreatant
A Rich History of Healing and Renewal
The history of Manresa began in 1912 when a Toronto newspaper reported that Lord and Lady Hyde, their two small children, and Lady Hyde’s brother, Lord Somers, had moved into a new house on their estate called Clarendon Wood. This estate, located on a 100-acre farm at the top of Liverpool Road in Pickering, became the foundation of what Manresa is today.
Purchased in 1911, the Hyde family moved into an existing stone house on the property while building the Clarendon Wood estate. Today, this estate is the Manor building on the Manresa property, housing our offices, kitchen, dining rooms, and ten bedrooms for private retreatants.
At the outbreak of WWI, the whole family moved back to England, and Lord Hyde became the 6th Earl of Clarendon. Later, he became Governor General of South Africa and Lord Chamberlain to the Royal Household.
In 1922, the Clarendon Wood estate was sold to Victor Ross, VP of Imperial Oil. In 1948, after Ross’s death, the property was sold to the Jesuits with the assistance of the Laymen’s Retreat Association of the Toronto Archdiocese.
The Birth of Manresa Retreats
The first laymen’s retreat in Toronto was held on Labour Day Weekend of 1925 at St. Augustine’s Seminary. Senator Frank O’Connor organized it, and thirteen men signed up. Jesuit Fathers John M. Filion and Joseph Fallon were the directors.
Other retreats followed during holiday periods at St. Augustine’s, Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland, and the Jesuit formation house at 403 Wellington Street West, Toronto. In 1940, one wing at 403 Wellington was converted to hold retreats during the winter months.
By 1945, the number of retreatants was growing, and the Laymen’s Retreat Association, under Fr. James Fleming, S.J., decided the time had come to establish a more permanent centre. They purchased a spacious home at Erindale, which became the first Manresa Retreat House, accommodating 18 retreatants.
Expansion and Growth
As the retreat apostolate grew, the Erindale location became unsuitable for major expansion. With the assistance of influential friends, the Jesuits purchased the Clarendon Wood estate in Pickering. Though it was located on 100 acres of low-quality farmland, it was ideal for retreats—secluded and peaceful.
A retreatant recalled, “You had to share rooms. The beds were no good. The rooms were cold. The food was served in big bowls. The last person at the table usually walked away hungry. There was no kitchen where you could have coffee or tea throughout the day or night. But the spiritual retreat was great. That’s why I continued to make this an annual must for myself.”
As the need for retreats grew, Manresa began offering retreats for various groups.
Gradually, the retreat centre expanded with the building of Fleming Hall and other additions, including a conference room in the mid-1970s and the St. Ignatius chapel in 1995, replacing the structurally unsafe old chapel built around 1950.
Serving Diverse Communities
As the need for retreats grew, Manresa began offering retreats for various groups starting in 1958 with Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) and in 1965 for women. Most retreats were geared to particular groups like parishes, the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Women’s League, lawyers, doctors, police officers, the unemployed, youth groups, and cultural groups.
Last year, Manresa organized fourteen 12-Step retreats, most of which were for those in A.A. We also have 12-Step retreats for persons with eating disorders, Al-Anon, and sex addictions (SAA). Additionally, we presented nineteen preached retreats in the Ignatian tradition, plus two 5-day silent retreats. We also gave eight one-day preached retreats.
Manresa welcomes many Christian groups who use our facility for their own retreats, including high schools, ecumenical groups, and more. Manresa is home to the Manresa Charismatic prayer group and provides meeting spaces for regular A.A. and S.A.A. meetings. We also welcome many people for personal private retreats, often including spiritual direction. Every year, we welcome many seminarians for an eight-day pre-ordination retreat, striving to complement the Archdiocese of Toronto in their mission.
Looking to the Future
As we look to the future, the work of Manresa continues to thrive. Our history continues to evolve as we find ever more ways to help with the spiritual life of the women and men who come to Manresa to “Come Away and Rest Awhile.”
