Blog RSS Feed

“Stained glass in the Nave of the chapel is more than art,” said Father David Huemmer, chaplain at the St. Joseph Retreat & Conference Center.” The images help us to enter into prayer and worship more deeply.”

Throughout the ages, Christians have found it helpful to enhance the prayer experience with images or sacred art. The rosary images in the St. Joseph Chapel stained glass illuminate the mysteries for guests finding Jesus on retreat. 

“The stained-glass windows were imported from France, a country famed for the artistic beauty of this product. Blue and rose are the predominating colors which the artists have skillfully constructed of small diamond-shaped pieces of stained glass. The truly artistic beauty of these is seen only when the sun shines through the glass, giving colors of myriad hues which enhance the loveliness of the chapel.” –excerpted from the Dedication of the Motherhouse souvenir book, 1957

19 guests volunteered at the St. Joseph Retreat & Conference Center on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1, 2023!

Read about the Associates of the Congregation of St. Joseph (CSJ)-- lay men and women who desire to live in union with God, with one another and with all creation. And learn how about the steps to joining.

Honor our patron saint with a day of service!

“Music plays an important role in many people’s lives. It reaches many in a profound way both by its beauty and lyrical message,” said Father Huemmer. “Utilizing the many beautiful Lenten hymns can deepen our experience of the mercy and love of God.”

Come to the Festival of Nativities at the St. Joseph Retreat & Conference Center Sunday, December 18, 2022, between 11 am and 4 pm. Join us in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ by viewing nativity displays set up by parishioners throughout the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. Set up like an Open House, guests are invited to wander through the retreat center to view more than 45 nativity displays.

Check out our suggestions to renew your spirit and celebrate Advent in 2022!

Join us for our 5th anniversary celebration Monday, September 26, 2022. Festivities begin with 9 am Mass in the historic St. Joseph Chapel with Most Reverend Timothy L. Doherty, S.T.L., Ph.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana and Father David Huemmer, chaplain and spiritual director of the St. Joseph Retreat & Conference Center. Following Mass, guests may enjoy cookies and punch. Tours of the facility will be offered until 3 pm.

From the fall of 1908 until the spring of 1922, back to school applied to girls and boys on our campus! The Sisters established St. Joseph Academy for Girls shortly after arriving in Tipton in 1888. The high school Academy moved from Mill Street in Tipton to a wooded area one mile north of town in 1904 to what is now the St. Joseph Retreat & Conference Center. The St. Mary's School for boys opened in 1908.

A personal retreat is meant to be time away in spiritual communion with the Lord. Having a retreat plan in place allows guests to best use the available time for the most rewarding experience.  Recently, two sisters created a five-day silent retreat for themselves and conducted it in our St. John of the Cross cabin. They graciously shared their plan and schedule as a template for others considering a personal retreat. 

During a recent retreat, Fr. David Huemmer, chaplain at the St. Joseph Retreat & Conference Center, began contemplating the practice that many religious orders have of recognizing deceased members of the community. 

Troop 174 Scout Luke Cloran ut to the Saint Joseph Retreat & Conference Center in 2021 to inquire about an Eagle Scout Project.

Invest In Our Planet, Invest In Our Diocese Earth Day Outdoor Spring Cleaning 10 am Mass with Fr. David Huemmer in the St. Joseph Chapel 11 am to 3 pm Outdoor Spring Cleaning

Division Road is closed at US 31 from April 2022 until April 2024. Allow extra travel time and utilize mapping apps when visiting us!