A fresh new look for a historical chapel in Edina

Part of St. Joseph Retreat Center near St. Joseph Church

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The chapel in the St. Joseph Retreat Center in Edina looks bright and fresh, following a renovation that was completed in time for Easter.

The original hardwood floor was uncovered and restored, and the walls were painted white, along with other touches.

“While it no longer has the distinctive ‘knotty pine’ look from the ’60s, it does echo the timeless look of our St. Joseph Church,” observed Father Colin Franklin, pastor of St. Joseph parish, St. John parish in Memphis and the St. Rose of Lima mission in Novinger and chaplain of the Kirksville Newman Center.

Fr. Franklin offered the livestreamed Masses of the Easter Triduum and the first few weeks of Easter in the chapel, while public Masses and other parish gatherings were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The chapel, where daily Masses continue to be offered, is on the main floor the 1902-vintage former St. Joseph Convent, two doors down from the church.

Occupied for over 70 years by Sisters of Loretto who taught at the former St. Joseph School, and later by School Sisters of Notre Dame who staffed a regional catechetical center in Edina, it stands on the site of St. Joseph parish’s original church and rectory.

The parish in 2004 substantially upgraded the building, converting it into a retreat center.

High ceilings, art-glass windows, an ornate staircase and other touches provide links to the past, while a state-of-the-art conference room provides an oasis of soft colors and soft carpeting.

The center serves as a functional, affordable northern-Missouri venue for such renewal experiences as Cursillo, Teens Encounter Christ, and Awakenings, as well as parish-based retreats for adults and young people.

For information about the St. Joseph Retreat Center, contact Cheryl Hayes at (660) 397-2580 or haymom54@hotmail.com.

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