On March 28, Sister Joyce Diltz, Director of the Bethany Retreat House in East Chicago, announced that the program will be closing on June 30 of this year.
The Bethany Retreat House has provided a place a solitude, meditation, and prayer for those in need for the past 25 years. It is a program of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ and has been funded for several years by the Foundations of East Chicago (FEC).
Sister Joyce recognizes that the Bethany Retreat House means a lot to those who have visited over the years. For this reason, she has organized several events to take place before the official closing.
The April newsletter announced that there will be an open house planned for Sunday, June 11 from 1 pm to 4 pm. This will allow anyone to walk the halls of the Bethany Retreat House one more time. There will be refreshments served and attendees will be given the opportunity to reminisce in the meditation garden.
The Bethany Retreat House is also holding a clearance sale at the bookstore. The bookstore holds special meaning to those who retreated at Bethany because it allowed them to take home something that would aid them in the continuation of their spiritual search after the retreat had ended. The bookstore clearance sale began on April 25 and will go through the closing of the store on June 24. Most items have been reduced to 50% off the original ticket price.
Finally, Sister Joyce will be collecting stories, memories and experiences of those who have been a part of Bethany Retreat House to be published in the final quarterly newsletter. This newsletter will serve as a memorial for the loss of the physical house, although the mission will live on through the continuation of ministry. These submissions should be sent to bethanyrh@sbcglobal.net and be marked “for the newsletter”.
To learn more about the closing of the Bethany Retreat House and all that the house has done for the community, visit www.FoundationsEC.org.
