Today, we joyfully celebrate the 61st anniversary of the Loyola Retreat House—a sacred space of silence, reflection, and renewal in the heart of Angono, Rizal.
On this day in 1964, the Loyola Retreat House (LRH) was established. On July 19 of the same year, His Eminence Rufino J. Cardinal Santos, D.D., Archbishop of Manila, inaugurated and blessed the retreat house. Located on top of Nieves Hills with vistas of Laguna de Bay and the surrounding hills, the building complex, designed by Architect Felipe M. Mendoza, occupied a land area of 7 hectares, donated by Don Mariano J. Santos.
After 1986, the Philippine Jesuits partnered with other religious institutes for the management of LRH: Hijas de Jesus from 1986–2006, and Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross from 2007 to 2022. Since its establishment, LRH has been a center for spiritual formation and renewal for decades.
On August 15, 2022, the retreat house began to renovate its facilities and was rededicated in October 2023. The project was led by Father Jose V.C. Quilongquilong, SJ, and Father René B. Javellana, SJ.
Funding for the renovations was made possible through the generosity of the LH Foundation Inc. and the Liu Family in honor of the Founder, Dame Norma H. Liu.
Other generous benefactors and friends of the Philippine Jesuit Aid Association, Inc. also contributed toward the improvement of facilities and the renovation of other parts of the property.
How fitting that this milestone falls within the same month as the Ignatian Month, when we honor the life, legacy, and spirituality of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. With grateful hearts, we look back on six decades of grace and look forward to continuing our mission of serving as a home for rest, prayer, and encounter with God.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!
