Society of the Divine Word
Southern Province

Providing Spirituality and ecumenical meeting space on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

• Retreats (private, directed guided, preached)
• Counseling (Private, couple, family, etc.)
• Workshops
• Group rental of the facility for a day, a week, or longer

                           BACKGROUND

St. Augustine's was founded by Divine Word Missionaries in Greenville, Mississippi in 1920 and moved to Bay St. Louis in 1923.  It was the first Catholic Seminary in the United States opened for the education of Black men for the Catholic priesthood. In the 1960's almost all African Amercian priests in the United States had been trained at St. Augustine's.  Today, More than two thirds of all African American bishops in the USA are graduates of  St. Augustine's Seminary.  The Divine Word Missionaries are a multi-cultural congregation whose      
                                                                  members minister in more than 60 countries

GENEROUS DONORS

In 2002, M/M John and Joan Mascaro gave the sizable donation that made the dream of the present retreat center a reality.  The old retreat center was torn down and the present structure of the new buildings emerged in its place.  The Mascaros made their donation through their friend, William J. Kelley, SVD, the retreat director at the time, who died even as the building were being constructed.  The new center was named in his memory.  The facility was built as a major thrust towards retreat ministry in the Gulf Coast area.  The new Retreat Center was officially opened on March 25, 2003.  The Mascaro's are pictured here at the dedication of the Retreat Center in 2003.  Mr. John Mascaro passed away in 2005.  


 

510 N. Second Street~Bay St. Louis, MS 39520

228-467-2032
email:  svdretreatcenter@bellsouth.net or MESM48@yahoo.com