Mt. Manresa was established on September 11th, 1911. It was the first retreat center in the U.S. for laymen and a beacon in the community for over a century, counseling soldiers from WWI, welcoming women after Vatican II, providing retreats for people in recovery and persons with AIDS. The retreats provided people a reprieve from their busy schedules and responsibilities.
The most important role in the community was on its 90th anniversary, when the towers went down on September 11, 2001. The staff was intricately involved with the support of the first responders from all over the world. Sr. Maureen Skelly, a NYPD chaplain, and Fr. Tom Quinn, and Fr. Jack Ryan counseled the first responders at the Fresh kills Landfill as they sorted through the rubble of the World Trade Center. Mount Manresa housed the people who came to help from all over the world. They also provided support and counseling to the families of the victims. The chapel, the Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the meditation gardens became places people came to for comfort as they tried to make sense of this tragedy. To thank the staff, a cross made out of the metal from the towers was donated to Mt Manresa.
In 2011, Mount Manresa celebrated its 100th anniversary and had hopes of continuing with their mission as a beacon of hope for future retreatants. This goal was soon lost when the church closed its doors in 2012, with the plan of selling their property to a housing developer. The land, chapels, shrines, and other buildings would be lost if this happens. The Save Mount Manresa group is fighting to have the land preserved and turned into a public park. With the island becoming more populated, there is less and less places where people can be in nature and find peace.
The Shrine of the Sacred Heart was built from iron ore transported from Todt Hill. The statue of Jesus was donated and stood there for over 100 years. It was a place of prayer, contemplation and a reprieve from the worries of the outside world.
Men and Women from all walks of life have found sanctuary at Mount Manresa sacred grounds and the Shrine Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1913, this shrine was blessed on the second annual, Lady’s Day, by Father Provincial Anthony Maas, S.J. A World War-I soldier named Joyce Kilmer wrote a famous poem called “Trees” in 1913, after visiting there before he went to battle. Couples meditated at the shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus during their Pre Cana counseling. Addicts found serenity as they contemplated their recovery. People came to cope with their AIDS and HIV diagnosis. Thousands of retreatants each year came from high school to college, as well as alumnus of Fordham, Georgetown and Loyola. First responders and families of 9/11 victims tried to reconcile the tragedies. Neighbors came there as a refuge from the chaos, noise, and pollution from the outside world. It was used by Elissa Montani’s Global Relief Fund as a place of recovery for victims of war, natural disaster and illness. Most recently, Mount Manresa housed over fifty families displaced by Superstorm Sandy. This sacred site including the statues gave witness and provided hope to all who came there.
The original Sacred Heart statue in the Shrine, i.e. the Grotto, was carefully replaced in 2010 by a new Sacred Heart Statue. Based upon information and belief, the original statue dating back to early 1900s of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is being repaired. After Mt. Manresa closed, the Sacred Heart statue and others were removed on July 31, 2013, which happened to be the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. Even after the removal, people still come to pray and meditate. It is important that the Chapel of the Sacred Heart and the Shrine of the Sacred Heart [i.e. the grotto] and the sacred site with all its land be preserved so that the future generations can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the same oak trees Joyce Kilmer wrote about 100 years ago. This open sacred site is conducive to interact with God through nature and quiet whispers of his voice. In fact, other Christian groups, non-traditional groups, believers, non-believers feel and see an intrinsic value of relating to nature a individuals. It is a true Gem.
We are looking for stories from people who have been to the Chapel, Shrine and the sacred grounds about their experiences at Mount Manresa. We are planning on making a documentary with stories of 9/11 and the shrine to honor the role Mount Manresa played in the healing process.