Grand Coteau Retreats: A Place of Healing and Nourishment

A Q&A with Fr. J. Patrick Hough, SJ, director of Grand Coteau Retreats: A Jesuit Mission Since 1837

On Aug. 15, 2024, the Jesuit Retreat And Spirituality Centers In Grand Coteau, Louisiana, were united to create a new, high-capacity retreat facility named Grand Coteau Retreats: A Jesuit Mission Since 1837. The new retreat center will use the spectacular grounds and buildings housing both Our Lady of the Oaks Retreat House and St. Charles College, formerly home to the Jesuit Spirituality Center, the province novitiate and an infirmary. The goal of the new retreat center is to bring people closer to Jesus Christ, using the spiritual gifts of St. Ignatius Loyola.

Father J. Patrick Hough, SJ, director of Grand Coteau Retreats, agreed to an interview to update our readers – especially the many who love this special place – about what to expect.

How did you choose the name Grand Coteau Retreats: A Jesuit Mission Since 1837?

First, we wanted to make sure that we honored our Cajun location and that we highlight this beautiful place. And we wanted to have a name that was geographical as a sort of evangelizing tool, because we also want to be able to draw people in. And, of course, this has been a Jesuit mission in one form or another since 1837. We’ve been here a long time. Now we’re preparing for the next 200 years.

The Jesuits have operated two retreat houses in Grand Coteau for years. What is different now?

Where we are now is the result of eight months of discerning God’s invitation to us. It honors who and what we are as Jesuits: We give the Spiritual Exercises. We also considered the needs of the Church right now. And we imagined what this place might be like in the future.

We have repurposed some rooms and space. The Jesuit community has moved for now into what had been the Infirmary, and we renovated the former community space for people on silent retreats. It includes private chapels, dining rooms, a breakout room and a lounge.

We’ve received generous donations specifically for Our Lady of the Oaks, which will allow us to make it the most beautiful place! It’s a more intimate space for up to 50 people.

Some of the changes seem small but are important: Blackout curtains, because sometimes people really need sleep on retreat. New queen-sized beds in most rooms, so couples can stay together. The food is both healthy and delicious.

How do the changes impact who you serve?

We want to welcome parishes, dioceses, high schools and other organizations who offer any kind of retreats: ACTS retreats, preached retreats for men or women and silent retreats.

We recently hosted more than 100 seminarians for the Spiritual Exercises as a silent retreat. And bishops from all over the country came to experience Jesuit spirituality. That’s something totally new that we’re offering the wider church in America.

We are looking at ways to support organizations that help to strengthen marriages. People want a place where couples can be comfortable together and have the space to breathe and be. We hope to have 15-20 retreats a year for married couples to strengthen their marriages.

High schools are sending their students for senior retreats and faculty for days of reflection. And we’re working on creating retreats for adults and high school students focused on care for our common home. You can really experience the beauty of creation here.

I’m excited by a couple of new partnerships, with the Franciscans of the Renewal to offer more Hispanic retreats and with a group called Life-giving Wounds to hold healing retreats for the adult children of divorced parents.

What can we look forward to in the future?

One big commitment is that we plan to have as many preached retreats for women as men.

We plan to institute the St. Peter Faber School of Spiritual Direction, dedicated to Ignatius’ greatest disciple of the retreat. It will offer a three-year program of two weeks each summer for people to learn to become spiritual directors. We hope the graduates will eventually choose to learn how to direct people on eight-day retreats as well.

What challenges are you facing?

Well, change is hard, even if we’re moving forward. We are working out the kinks of how to have a silent retreat when there’s an ACTS retreat of 75 people going on at the same time.

The biggest challenge is to get the word out about this wonderful facility, beautiful campus and amazing staff.

Do you have a message for donors and the people who love retreats at Grand Coteau?

I am very grateful to the donors who support the Society and our work. We have a couple of special donors in the local area who supported the mission in substantial ways this year. One offered a gift so that the Jesuits can move into what used to be called Kostka Hall. It will be renamed Borromeo Hall, giving us our own private building on the campus and freeing up all of St. Charles College for retreats. Another has furnished the renovations of all the bedrooms in the building.

I want people to know that I believe God wants this mission to thrive. We’re all working really hard here, but it’s a massive enterprise to get the number of people we need to come through the door. This is a place of special grace, and I am trusting that God is going to do this work.

Watch the announcement from Fr. Hough of the new vision guiding Grand Coteau Retreats here:

The Grand Coteau Retreats logo includes the following elements:

• A “big hill” – the translation of “grand coteau” – created from the sunburst that is a longtime component of the Jesuit seal.
• A cross, because every Jesuit retreat is based in the cross.
• The nails from the Jesuit seal, because every retreat has an element of the passion.
• The color green because it is a symbol of new life and the Resurrection and a reference to the vernal beauty of the campus.

For more information or to schedule your retreat, visit www.GCRetreats.org.