Early Invitation to Manresa — Arrival at My First Retreat in 1994 — History of the Retreat Centre — Meeting Manresa’s Director — Ignatian Weekend Retreat Schedule and General Description — Mr. Pasek at Manresa — Transmission of the Daily TV Mass from St. Ignatius Chapel at Manresa
After arriving in Canada in 1982, within just a few months I found a job in the heart of Toronto’s financial district at a brokerage house. I continued working for that employer on a part-time and occasionally full-time basis for the next six or seven years. It was there that I met Mr. Tadeusz Pasek, a pioneer and instructor of yoga. Long before becoming interested in yoga, he had graduated from the Poznań University of Economics and Business, earning a Master’s degree in Economics. Consequently, he found employment with this investment firm in Toronto. We would often visit nearby St. Michael’s Cathedral or simply take strolls along Toronto’s main thoroughfare, Yonge Street, which traditionally divides the city into eastern and western sections.
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| Commemorating 50 years of Manresa in 1999 |
It was Mr. Pasek who first mentioned retreats at the Manresa Jesuit Centre in the city of Pickering, bordering Toronto to the east, and encouraged me to attend. Although I was interested in participating, at that time I had so many other important things on my mind—attending university, working, and, most importantly, making ends meet 😁—that I never gave it serious consideration. Besides, I did not own a car, which would have made getting to Manresa rather challenging.
More than ten years later, in 1994, my situation had changed significantly. I had just completed my master’s degree, was running a thriving business, and the previous year I had purchased my second car in Canada—a brand-new 1993 Toyota Corolla. It seemed like the perfect time to finally experience a retreat at Manresa, especially since Mr. Pasek had mentioned it several times recently.
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| Część broszury o rekolekcjach w Manresie w roku 2015-2016 |
I called Manresa and spoke with a secretary, who briefly outlined the various retreats offered there. Some were for men, some for women, and others for both men and women. At that time, I had no idea how they differed, and they all sounded more or less the same to me. She mentioned that an "Al-Anon" retreat would soon be taking place, and I immediately expressed my desire to attend. My sudden enthusiasm must have puzzled her.
— Do you know what Al-Anon is? — she asked.
I had absolutely no idea.
— It is a retreat for friends, spouses, and family members affected by someone else’s drinking.
Well, it was certainly NOT for me! There were also retreats for Alcoholics Anonymous participants and various Twelve-Step retreats, but that was not what I needed. She then explained that I would most likely be interested in attending a traditional Ignatian Silent Retreat for men. One was scheduled to begin the very next day—the upcoming weekend, at the end of October/beginning of November 1994—and I promptly signed up.
Even though the retreat was not scheduled to begin until around 8:00 p.m. on Friday, I arrived several hours early. It proved to be an excellent decision, as it gave me an opportunity to familiarize myself with the property and discover materials describing the history of Manresa.
*****
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| George Herbert Hyde Villiers (Lord Hyde), 6th Earl of Clarendon |
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| Lord Somers — Arthur Somers-Cocks, 6. baron Somers |
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| Satellite view of Manresa |
Currently, Manresa (43°51'17.7"N 79°05'58.0"W / 43.854917, -79.099444) occupies twenty-one acres of picturesque property at the northern end of Liverpool Road in Pickering, Ontario. There are walking trails in the adjoining conservation lands, as well as Duffins Creek, where salmon make their annual journey upstream to spawn.
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| Entrance to Manresa, at the very north end of Liverpool Road, as well as Fleming Hall, where retreatants stay |
Located nearby are the La Storta Jesuit Community and the René Goupil House retirement residence, where elderly and infirm Jesuits were cared for. During retreats, it was often possible to meet some of the residents strolling around the Manresa grounds. Many were prominent Jesuits who had made significant contributions in numerous fields, both in Canada and abroad. After long and productive lives, they came to Pickering to enjoy their well-deserved retirement.
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| Rene Goupil House, Jesuit Retirement Center |
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| Fleming Hall (on the left) and the new Chapel (on the right). The catalpa tree has been there for many decades! |
During my first visit to Manresa, the old chapel was still standing, although construction of the new chapel had already begun. In 1995, the new modern chapel was completed and the old one demolished. Since then, many necessary renovations and improvements have been carried out.
The buildings, however, are quite old and have rather poor acoustics, which has necessitated certain restrictions, especially during nighttime hours. To be honest, this has never bothered me. I do not go to Manresa expecting to spend two nights in a luxury hotel, and I have always slept quite well there. After all, I go there for a religious retreat conducted in silence and can certainly tolerate such minor inconveniences.
*****
Since I had signed up for the retreat on such short notice, I was told that although accommodation would be available for me, I would have to wait until around 9:00 p.m. to be assigned a room, as the retreat was almost full (about 60 men). After spending some time strolling around the property, I returned to the main building and met a gentleman sitting at a table covered with envelopes and other papers. He was waiting for retreatants to arrive so that he could assign rooms and distribute retreat schedules and other materials.
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| Fleming Hall, Common Area near the entrance |
He explained that I would most likely be accommodated in Fleming Hall, where the other retreatants were staying. However, if the worst came to the worst, I would be lodged in the Manor House—the former residence of Lord Hyde—which housed the offices, kitchen, and dining room, and where some Jesuits lived either permanently or while visiting Manresa.
— And who are you? — I asked him.
— I am Fr. John O'Brien, Director of Manresa — he replied.
Father John Egli O’Brien, S.J. (1924–2015) was a very kind and charming man who served as Director of Manresa not once, but twice. He returned as Acting Director in 2005 and subsequently became full Director once again—at the age of 81! At the beginning of each retreat, he enthusiastically welcomed all retreatants and briefly explained the unique character of this special place.
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The Ignatian Weekend Retreat begins on Friday at 8:30 p.m. and concludes with the closing lunch on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Since it is a silent retreat, all retreatants are expected to refrain from talking throughout most of the weekend. According to numerous testimonials—including my own—the silence is the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of the retreat. For many people, it is an entirely new, inspiring, and refreshing experience.
However, conversation is permitted on Friday evening before the 8:30 p.m. orientation/input session and again during the closing lunch on Sunday—providing a perfect opportunity to renew old acquaintances, catch up with friends, and make new ones.
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| Crucifix in the Chapel |
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| The St. Ignatius Chapel. The daily TV mass is recorded in this chapel. Almost all input sessions are held in the chapel. It is open 24 hours a day. |
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| A small library and a reading room on the first floor of Fleming Hall |
Everyone may take advantage of a 30-minute one-on-one consultation with a staff member (usually a priest). Altogether, five delicious buffet-style meals are served during the weekend at the Manor House, just a one-minute walk from both the chapel and the residence where retreatants stay. There is also a small store offering books and religious items for sale.
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| Main entrance to Fleming Hall. There are names of all donors to Manresa on the wall on the right (including mine) |
Retreatants may participate in as much or as little of the daily program at Manresa as they feel appropriate—there is NEVER any compulsion whatsoever to take part in ANY activity.
Once, I mentioned the retreat to a friend of mine, a lifelong atheist, who immediately assumed that during the retreat "I was indoctrinated all the time, incessantly asked for money, and simply brainwashed." Well, he must have watched too many television evangelists and read too much about pseudo-religious cults!
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| The other part part of the Chapel |
In reality, some non-Catholics also participate in these retreats, and we are usually unaware of who they are unless they choose to tell us at the end of the retreat—typically during the so-called "Closing the Circle" final input session, when all participants are invited to briefly share their thoughts and feelings about the retreat and related topics.
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| Station of the Cross |
Moreover, everyone has plenty of private time to pray, read (there is a small library), meditate, stroll around the Manresa grounds, or undertake one—or all—of the three outdoor walking meditations: the Way of the Cross, Rosary Lane, and the Labyrinth.
If you are lucky, you might even spot a deer or a beautiful fox—I have!
There are retreats for men, for women, and for both men and women. The suggested donation—yes, merely a donation—for a weekend retreat is approximately $280 (in 2026), which, in my opinion, is very reasonable. In 1949, the average donation was just $10.42 per person.
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| The Rosary Lane |
In addition to Ignatian retreats, Manresa offers Twelve-Step programs for members of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), Al-Anon, and other addiction-recovery groups. These retreats are ecumenical, with many non-Catholics in attendance. Manresa also offers individually directed retreats lasting 30 days, 8 days, 5 days, or 3 days.
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| The Chapel during COVID. All of us kept distance and of course, we wore masks. |
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Manresa, like all similar institutions, was closed for several months and no retreats were offered. Fortunately, it eventually became possible for Manresa to resume retreat programming during the pandemic, and I attended two retreats in 2020, in October and November, as well as one in 2021.
Like many retreatants, I found those pandemic-era retreats particularly meaningful, as they offered a rare opportunity for silence, reflection, and spiritual renewal during an exceptionally difficult period.
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| The Labyrinth |
Of course, I offered to take Mr. Pasek with me to Manresa, and he accepted my invitation on three occasions—in 1998, 2001, and 2002. Even though he had hearing difficulties and was therefore unable to fully follow the input sessions, he nevertheless enjoyed each visit to Manresa immensely.
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| Dedication from Mr. Pasek: "To Jacek, in gratitude for Manresa. Prof. 2nd Lt. Tadeusz Pasek. September 29, 2002." [In the 1990s thousands of soldiers from the Armia Krajowa (Home Army, or AK) were promoted to lieutenants and other officer ranks. Mr. Pasek was one of them.] |
He was especially impressed by the newly built labyrinth, which he walked many times. In fact, the labyrinth is one of my favourite activities as well, as it allows me to combine spiritual reflection with physical exercise.
For many people, attending an Ignatian retreat is the beginning of a lifelong spiritual journey. This was certainly the case for me.
***
For many years, the Daily TV Mass has reached between 100,000 and 125,000 people each day through television, YouTube, digital platforms, and The Mass + Hope Catholic Network on Tugo TV. Although the Mass was normally broadcast from the Loretto Abbey Chapel in Toronto, it was occasionally celebrated at and televised from the Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering.
In May 2026, I learned that the Daily TV Mass had relocated to Manresa for what is expected to be at least the next two years. The National Catholic Broadcasting Council was able to take advantage of Manresa's recently installed technical control room, which had already been used during earlier temporary broadcasts, allowing for a smooth transition. Additional upgrades to Ignatius Chapel included a new wooden backdrop and platform, along with improved lighting designed to create the same warm, television-friendly atmosphere while preserving a look similar to that of the Loretto Abbey Chapel.
(Based on "Daily TV Mass on the Move Again – Relocates to Manresa Due to Loretto Abbey Renovations" by Luke Mandato, published in The Catholic Register on May 20, 2026.)
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PART TWO — COMING SOON!
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In the next episode:
• The Jesuits I met in Manresa.
• The dwindling number of retreat participants and the uncertain future of Manresa.
• It's a small world: Pier Giorgio Frassati, Fr. Thomas Rosica, Fr. Zygmunt Zimowski and Father Karl Rahner, S.J.
*****
More from the author
This entry is part of a broader collection of personal research and historical documentation across multiple blogs:
👉 Travel and nature archive/blog/: https://ontario-nature.blogspot.com/
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