Broom Tree Retreat, Conference Center offers close place for retreats for people of diocese

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
Feb. 22, 2007

IRENE, S.D. - The Broom Tree Retreat and Conference Center in Irene, S.D. near Yankton is a relatively new facility in the area that offers retreats and provides a facility for others to hold retreats.

The retreat center opened in December of 2004. Father James Mason is the director of the Broom Tree Retreat and Conference Center.

The retreat center is located on 160 acres of rolling hills near Lake Marindahl. There are outdoor Stations of the Cross on the grounds. Within the center there are 50 lodging rooms with private bath, seven meeting rooms, a Retreatant's Adoration Chapel and an exercise room.

Father Kevin Richter, pastor at St. Joseph Church in Le Mars, has attended a retreat there and loves it that people from the diocese have access to such a facility.

"It has just been opened in the last couple of years," said Father Richter. "It is owned and operated by the Diocese of Sioux Falls. It is all brand new."

The retreat center offers silent weekend retreats for men and women throughout the year.

According to the Broom Tree Web site, "A Broom Tree Silent Retreat begins on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. with registration and concludes at 5 p.m. on Sunday evening. The daily schedule contains four or five general conferences, each approximately a half hour in length. These conferences are based on the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius. Each conference is followed by a free period in which to reflect and pray on the given scripture presented and to apply them to one's own life."

Each day the attendees have the opportunity to participate in the Eucharist, the rosary, Sacrament of Reconciliation and Benediction.

Father Richter noted that he has attended a few retreats at the center - one for the deacon candidates for the Diocese of Sioux City and their wives and one was a gathering of regional priest spiritual directors.

"It is one of the closest retreat centers where retreats are offered to us in the area," said the priest. "I think more people are looking for opportunities to get away in a retreat-type setting that is a focused weekend that helps them in their spiritual growth. There is a perfect opportunity right there."

Jan Klein and Mary Ann Ruether, parishioners at St. Joseph Parish in Le Mars, have each attended at least one silent retreat at the Broom Tree Center.

"Basically you were meant to keep your focus on the Lord Jesus," said Klein. "I think because of the silence, there was a very intense experience of the presence of God. Being able to pull a lot of things together through reading the Scriptures we were given and through the beautiful talks made it a meaningful experience."

She added that the weekend was pretty much totally silent. If she passed a person in the hallway, she could greet them with a smile or a nod.

"It was so beautiful," said Klein. "I craved the silence. I am a very busy person, so the silence appealed to me. I treasured it. I think for some people that may get real long, but for me I couldn't get enough of the silence."

Klein mentioned she plans to go back again.

Ruether pointed out that she has attended two of the silent retreats and plans to attend again this coming fall. She had attended silent retreats in high school.

"I liked the silence," said Ruether. "When this retreat house was built and they advertised this, I really wanted to do it. It was a wonderful experience."

She would encourage people to go on a retreat at Broom Tree because "it is a gift you can give yourself that frees you from the worldly business that goes on everyday. It is a time that you can be totally present to God and God can be totally present to you. In the silence you can really listen and here what it is he is telling you."

For more information, visit the Broom Tree Web site at www.findthedivine.com/retreatcenter/broomtree/home.html.

"It is well worth it," said Father Richter. "People would find it extremely beneficial in their spiritual life to have that kind of a retreat weekend."