Rebuilding Schoenstatt Retreat Center after Hurricane Harvey

The Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary sing a song of gratitude to the donors, volunteers and supporters who assisted with the Schoenstatt Center's recovery from Hurricane Harvey during a celebration event held last month. The event included a Holy Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic
 

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“God is a God of Life. When God allows things to break and collapse, when he allows
 destruction and death, He wants to create new life. So the seed must first die,
it must be destroyed, then it will bring  forth much fruit.” 

– Father Joseph Kentenich, Founder of the Schoenstatt Movement

When Hurricane Harvey roared through the Gulf Coast of Texas on August 25, 2017, the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary knew their retreat center, located in Lamar, just north of Rockport, would suffer damage. But nobody imagined the damage would have been catastrophic. 

The former provincial house at Schoenstatt Retreat Center, the largest structure on the property, is still completely uninhabitable, with repairs only being done to the roof. 

“From the outside, it appears to not have much damage, but the inside is completely damaged; from the walls, ceilings, cabinets, flooring, AC system, kitchen equipment, to the doors and windows,” said Sister M. Lorena Segura, ISSM. “We also had six smaller buildings or structures that were completely destroyed and had to be demolished.”

Almost 16 months after surviving one of the costliest natural disasters in American history, the Schoenstatt Retreat Center is now open part-time, limited to hosting daylong religious retreats until all repairs are completed.

“We had damage to all of our buildings, some worse than others,” said Sister Segura. “Almost everything was destroyed. We could only keep 10 bedrooms and the section of the kitchen and dining room that had just been remodeled four years prior and therefore held through the storm.”

Last month, the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary held an open house event to thank supporters and invite them to view the progress being made at the retreat center. A Holy Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrated by Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrating was followed by a procession and blessing of a new tree and memorial plaque, dedicated to all of the volunteers who assisted the Schoenstatt Sisters with repairs to the retreat center.

The procession was then led to the shrine and continued to the House Schoenstatt for a blessing of the sister’s wing. The day of events culminated in a festive dinner at the House Schoenstatt.

During Bishop Mulvey’s homily, he asked attendees to reflect upon what is most important in their lives. 

“Some of you lost things in this storm, maybe your home or precious memories. Many things happen, not only in hurricanes, but also in the hurricanes of life. These things happen for a purpose. God doesn’t make them happen, but he allows them to happen. If we can see that with wisdom, or see what others do not see, we can see not just destruction, but God’s plan at work,” he said.

“Although the main retreat house is still under construction, guests can still visit other parts of the center,” Sister Segura said.

“The shrine is open 365 days a year and the gift shop is open Tuesday to Sunday. All are welcome, especially to strengthen their confidence in the presence of the Blessed Mother, our Mother Three Times Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt and to have quiet time of prayer,” she said.

Tina Durand, a parishioner from Corpus Christi Cathedral, said she felt blessed to have experienced the event firsthand.

“Attending this Holy Mass and reopening of the retreat center destroyed by Hurricane Harvey was important to me,” she said. “It was an honor to pay tribute to all those individuals who gave of themselves to help the sisters get the center repaired. People from so many different cities are following the true meaning of humble service. We cannot thank them enough and hold them to be examples to follow.”

Sister Segura said the Schoenstatt Sisters were amazed at the outpouring of support. 

“We experienced the reality that God is so close to us through the support of so many people, hundreds of them, that came to help, not only from Texas but way beyond. We can only thank God for his love and care and we ask him to continue guiding and helping those that are still recovering,” she said. “May God reward you with his blessing and protection.”

The Schoenstatt Retreat Center is still in need of assistance (both monetary and in-kind) as they continue to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey.

“Given the magnitude of the damage, financial contributions are always welcome, especially because in addition to the restoration costs, we have lost the income from our retreat center for over a year now. The majority of the remaining repairs have to be completed through our contractors, but as we move back into our houses we would be grateful for continued help from volunteers,” Sister Segura said.

For information about volunteering for the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary in Lamar or making a monetary donation, visit www.schoenstatt-texas.org or email [email protected].