Tobar Mhuire Reopens After Major £1.5 Million Improvement

THE Passionist Congregation yesterday formally re-opened its Retreat and Conference Centre at Tobar Mhuire, Crossgar, Co Down as a centre for spiritual renewal and human development, after a £1.5 Million restoration.

Fr John Friel CP, Superior at Tobar Mhuire said: “We would like people of faith and no faith who are in search of meaning, to come and use the centre. We have a solid commitment to working with groups who, either through life choices or circumstances have traditionally felt excluded from the church, and see Christianity as something of a cold house or irrelevant.”

(L-R) Canon Sean Rogan, Father John Friel C.P, Bishop Donal McKeown and Father Pat Duffy C.P. (Provincial Superior) celebrating the relaunch of Tobar Mhuire Retreat and Conference Centre following a significant renovation.

Fr John added that the Passionist Community at Crossgar were also very keen to work with other members of the clergy of all denominations.

He said: “Rising secularism, and within the Catholic faith, the impacts of the abuse scandals has affected morale amongst the clergy, we, as Passionists, feel that too. We’d like to ensure Tobar Mhuire plays it full part in spiritual renewal.”

Tobar Mhuire, can now accommodate up to 30 for residential retreats in the beautifully restored manor house which sits in 60 tranquil acres, much of which is woodland.

There is also a suite of counselling rooms: the Passionists run a service inspired by their founder Paul Daneo which combines psychotherapy with their own vocation to help transform the lives of people in despair, and Tobar Mhuire will help them to further this work in a rural setting. 

Tobar Mhuire – which means Mary’s Well in Irish and is named after the old well on the site is also intended as a centre to further interest in and understanding of Celtic Spirituality, an ancient tradition which draws its on the beauties of the natural world and the old tradition of providing a warm welcome for visitors.

Cheryl Rice volunteer at the Passionist community Tobar Mhuire, Paige Cargioli  volunteer at the Passionist community Tobar Mhuire, pictured along with Father Ephren Blake C.P, John Carson and  Anne Hanna.

As well as the Retreat Centre, Tobar Mhuire also has extensively fitted out conference facilities which are available for hire for businesses and other organisations. 

Full details of the Spring Summer retreat programmes at Tobar Mhuire are available via www.tobarmhuirecrossgar.com

The Passionist Order was founded by  Paul Daneo, St Paul of the Cross, in 1727. It is a global order of  Catholic priests, nuns, sisters and laity who proclaim God’s love for the world through the Passion of Jesus Christ and who see in the world the “contemporary suffering” of Christ in the lives of the downtrodden and rejected.

The community was first named by St Paul "The Poor of Jesus". This was to indicate that their lives were to be based on evangelical poverty. St Paul wanted members of the community to live their lives like apostles and to foster and develop a deep spirit of prayer, penance, and solitude and witness to God’s love.

There are more than 2,000 Passionists in 59 countries throughout the world. In Ireland the first community was founded at Mount Argus near Dublin in 1856. Tobar Mhuire was acquired by the Order in 1950 and was originally a seminary before being converted into a Retreat Centre.

Passionists wear the characteristic black rough wool tunic on which is inscribed "Jesu XPI Passio," meaning “Passion of Jesus Christ.” Members are not permitted to own property and the congregation relies on the work its members do, together with donations for its income. 

The Tobar Mhuire Passionsist Monastery was first set up in 1950 on the Crossgar estate formally owned by a family and later used by the American forces during the Second World War. Noe it has moved on from being just a place of retreat to providing multi-functions in the journey to spiritual and psychological renewal.