Just a few short miles inside the beltway lies a secret hideaway, a place where the noise from street traffic is absorbed by trees, grass and flowers to become a peaceful silence.
The Dominican Retreat, located just off Old Dominion Drive in McLean, is located on 12 acres of grassy lawn and has provided a place for quiet contemplation since its establishment in 1961 as a retreat house .
The Dominican order has been around for over 800 years, said Sister Janie Keenoy, O.P., one of the nuns at the Retreat.
The McLean Retreat is part of the tradition of St. Catherine de Ricci as it was founded by Lucy Eaton Smith in Glenn Falls, N.Y., in 1882, said Sister Agnes Gott, O.P.
“Lucy Eaton Smith gave special support to women in a day and age when that wasn’t available,” Sister Keenoy said. “After Vatican II, we were allowed to open to men as well.”
Sunday, May 22, marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of this particular order of Dominicans, and, to celebrate, Bishop Paul S. Loverde of the Arlington Diocese will offer a commemoration mass at 4 p.m.
“There will also be a presentation by our president, Sister Carolyn Krebs, O.P., before the mass,” Sister Gott said. “We’ll have a little reception with refreshments too.”
The retreat was established initially to give women a place to go for spiritual healing and renewal, she said. “This property was purchased in 1961 with the land and the little house on the hill. The dormitory was built in 1975 and can accommodate 41 people, either on group retreats or for individual, private stays.”
“The Dominican order is rooted in the Catholic tradition, but the retreat is open to people of all faiths,” said Gail Battista, an event planner at the Retreat. “In today’s world where things are continuously changing, it’s important for people to have a place to take a break and slow down, to find some silence in their lives.”
THE RETREAT OFFERS a variety of day, evening or weekend-long programs, ranging from those in Alcoholics Anonymous or other rehabilitation programs to discussions of various prayer methods to understanding the aging process, she said. There are programs for caregivers of elderly family members and also for health care givers twice a year to provide some support and respite for those who seldom receive a break from their labors of love.
“A person needs to slow down to get back in touch with yourself and get back into reality,” Battista said. “We try to design programs to get people back on track to their own spirituality.”
“We schedule quiet time and prayer time, but everything is optional,” Sister Gott said. “People can do whatever they’d like. There’s a great spirit that develops during the weekend. There’s a bonding that comes through in the course of a weekend in quiet, and people will often comment on that.”
In fact, a book left in the Retreat’s library for visitors to write in holds one such remark: “This weekend has helped me remember that I am a human being, not a frantic human doing,” one visitor wrote.
“So many people will say that when they turn up the driveway, the stress starts to melt away and they start to feel at peace,” Sister Keenoy said.
With only a simple, small, white sign on Old Dominion to disclose their location, those who live and work there said many people do not know the Retreat exists at all.
“We’re not flashy, but we don’t want to be,” said James W. Bailey, director of development at the Retreat. “Each new generation that comes along needs to find out about us. We have to figure out how to do that.”
“It’s an awesome experience to come here,” Battista said. “The way it puts you in touch with your inner self and your spirituality, regardless of your particular faith or no faith … we’re better able to deal with the challenges of daily life and better equipped to go out and look into the larger issues in our world” after some quiet personal time, surrounded by nature and solitude, she said.
Having time disconnected from the outside world, free of cell phones and computers, can be a surprisingly pleasant experience, Bailey said. During a retreat for men in January, the threat of a heavy snow had him running for his laptop or a news update on how bad of a storm was expected.
“Sister Agnes said not to worry, if it snowed, it snowed, we weren’t going anywhere,” he said. “I’m a news junkie. I wasn’t sure I could do that, but the quiet and the calmness just absorbs you. I found myself not needing a radio or television to find out what was going on.”
THOSE WHO ATTEND weekend or overnight retreats are welcomed and shown to their simple rooms, featuring a bed, night table, desk and sink, Bailey said.
In the morning, a simple, gentle bell is sounded to wake up the participants, Sister Keenoy said. “There’s a morning prayer service, usually led by a sister or a Dominican associate, and then a silent breakfast before some individual time.”
People are often nervous about eating meals in silence, but so much communication is done nonverbally it’s an easy adjustment, she said.
“Once they experience it, people find they really appreciate the silence more.”
During the afternoon, the retreat leader or some nuns are available for one-on-one discussion and prayer, Sister Gott said. “There’s usually another discussion on the theme of the weekend before dinner, and after dinner there’s an opportunity for confession or prayer. During the winter months we’ll have a fire in the fireplace in the library. People like to sit and talk there in the evening.”
The transformation of someone participating in a retreat, in the course of just two days time, can be remarkable, she said. “Sometimes people actually look physically different from when they arrived,” she said. “We tell them it’s an inside-out job.”
Individuals who wish to escape the hectic pace of life can come for private retreats, which can be centered around a particular spiritual or personal need, Battista said. “If you need to take a break by yourself, you can come for a day or a couple of days or a week, however long you need,” she said.
The Dominican Retreat, at 7103 Old Dominion Drive, also offers shorter day or evening programs, like one planned for May 25 for people who are separated or going through a divorce. An event on May 18, called a Marian day in honor of The Virgin Mary, focused on the spirituality of Pope John Paul II and his path of looking to her and her teachings to better understand the life of Jesus. Donations are suggested for participating in a retreat and vary based on the length and type of retreat. More information is available at www.domincanretreat.org.