La Casa de Maria, to quote from its Web site, “offers to religious, education, community service & enrichment groups a variety of overnight accommodations, meeting rooms, delicious cuisine and a rich natural environment in which to hold a retreat, workshop, or conference. … We are available to serve groups for residential, overnight stays or day use visits. Our overnight accommodations are diverse, and we will work with you to find the residential arrangements that are most suited to your needs and budget.”
The Immaculate Heart Center for Spiritual Renewal sits at the center of La Casa de Maria. Built of stone carved out of rocks from the creek bed, it was the original residence of John de Blois Wack, who sold it to the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart in 1943, to serve as a novitiate for the next thirty years. In 1974, after the novitiate relocated to Los Angeles, the Immaculate Heart Community repurposed its “mother house” as the Immaculate Heart Center for Spiritual Renewal. It invited small groups, couples and especially individuals to reserve a few days in this home-like facility when they needed a time of quiet, meditation, and renewal. I recall my daily trek along a mountain road to La Casa for a yoga class and remember a serene and blessed time of intense spiritual communion in that inspiring landscape.
Sadako Peace Garden
Located on the grounds of the Casa de Maria in Montecito, at 800 El Bosque Rd., the Sadako Peace Garden memorializes Sadako Sasaki, a young survivor of Hiroshima who died from leukemia at age 12. In Japan it is said that if one folds 1000 paper cranes, one’s wishes will come true. Before her death Sadako began folding cranes to attain her goal to get well and achieve world peace. In the garden, constructed with the help of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, cranes symbolizing peace have been carved into boulders as well as strung as colorful paper ornaments from the trees.
Visit La Casa de Maria's Website