Brusque – Santa Catarina – Brasil
The Father Dehon House was founded on August 2, 1982, as a place for the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for meetings and retreats. Thousands of people have visited this House for recollection and spiritual renewal.
Throughout its history, this House of Spirituality has contributed to the religious, spiritual, and social formation of our Church. The first director was Father Alírio Pedrini, a well-known Dehonian writer and communicator. After that, the directors were Fathers Francisco Sehnem, Nivaldo Alves de Souza (twice), Lucas Scheid, Alberto Huber, Claudionor José Schmitt (twice) and currently Anísio José Schwirkowski.
In 2001, due to the growth of SCJ vocations and the need for more space, it ceased to serve as a retreat house and became a philosophy seminary of the Congregation, receiving 47 seminarians that year. This need lasted 15 years and again the house returned to its initial project.
Many Movements like Cursillo de Cristandad, Brothers’ Movement, Emmaus Movement and others make use of the premises for their annual retreats.
The Father Dehon House also offers specific retreats for priests, religious, and parish pastors, an exclusive retreat for women and another for men, couples, young people and lay people in general. Always with themes relevant to the signs of the times and the calls of the Church.
The dependencies of the House offer a place of tranquility and good accommodations. There are 55 rooms with a maximum capacity of 130 people. A large auditorium, a beautiful chapel, and a garden that invites prayer. In contact with nature, one can pray in an external Via Crucis and two planks of wood for walking. The greenery and flowers always invite the birds to sing around the House, with the company of nature that reflects the beauty of the Creator.
