The History of Our Lady of Florida
Even the geographical and cultural roots of Our Lady of Florida are unusual. The Spanish conquistadors traveled a road in this area as they headed north and west. The Celestial Railway that connected Lake Worth with Lake Loxahatchee, Jupiter terminated only 100 feet away.
At the beginnings of Our Lady of Florida in 1961-62, an attempt was made to discover if the Spanish explorer, Ferdinand DeSoto had passed along this way en route to what is now North Carolina. History tells us that he piously named some of his campsites after various titles in the Litany of Our Lady. The quest to find out if he had named a camp in this area was not successful. Eventually, the foundation was named Our Lady of Florida and its titular feast became the Immaculate Heart of Mary (at that time on August 22).
The land was a section of a large piece of territory (including what is now North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and parts of Lake Park) owned by Sir Harry Oakes, the Canadian gold entrepreneur. Later it was purchased from Oakes’ widow by the late John D. McArthur, the local insurance businessman, who developed much of the area. He told his people in 1959 to sell the property to the Passionists. The Passionists cleared the property, adding seven more acres by dredging, and shortly after put up the sea wall.
Dedicated in June, 1962 as a Passionist Monastery and Retreat House, Our Lady of Florida was closed in 1989 as the Passionists tried to cope with dwindling personnel and funds. On February 23, 1992 in cooperation with the Diocese of Palm Beach, Our Lady of Florida re-opened. It marked the beginning of a new phase of the then 30-year-old foundation: the first cooperative venture between the Passionists and a diocese in retreat house ministry. Under this new arrangement, the Passionists still own the property and will operate it as a Spiritual Center in collaboration with the Diocese of Palm Beach.
At one time, Passionist Retreat Houses in the U.S. served over 50,000 retreatants each year. Like the other Passionist Spiritual Centers in the country, Our Lady of Florida has had a great variety of spiritual exercises in its 50 plus years of service.
There are private retreats and group retreats for men and women of various parishes, for married couples and different singles groups, for Third Orders and Secular Institutes, for Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists and other ecumenical groups, for Brothers and Sisters of many religious orders, for Marriage Encounters and Cursillos, as well as a series of Institutes, specialized programs, conferences, seminars, meetings and days of prayer.
Over the years, Our Lady of Florida has hosted a large number of clergy retreats, while being at the same time a favorite renewal and refreshment spot for many priests on private retreat. At various times the following dioceses have held spiritual exercises for their clergy at Our Lady of Florida: Palm Beach, Miami, Orlando, St. Petersburg/Tampa, etc. The first Protestant clergy retreat in the southeast U.S. was held here and it has become a favorite of the U.S. Armed Forces Chaplains. It is also a frequent oasis of spiritual renewal for many American bishops.
Between 2004 and 2012 the Passionist Order has re-invested the proceeds of the sale of a small parcel of their property which was sold in 2004. To date, the Passionists have reinvested over $12 million of those proceeds to complete the re-construction of the facilities. This will insure that Our Lady of Florida will continue its presence in serving the community for another fifty years!!
