Retreat Center

A Tranquil Place for Prayer and Reflection

The Creighton University Retreat Center is a full-service facility set on 150+ acres of wooded area, about 45 minutes east of Creighton's main campus in Omaha. At the Retreat Center, our mission is to support and foster an active prayer life and a deeper relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. We offer a variety of retreats for groups, as well as guided multiday retreats for individuals. As a department within Creighton University, we serve Creighton students, alumni, faculty and staff—while also welcoming all others seeking a place of rest or retreat.

Phone: 712.778.2466  |  curc@creighton.edu 

Our Location

The Retreat Center is hidden in God's natural setting just outside of Griswold, Iowa, which is located between Des Moines, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska, off Highway 92.

Creighton University Retreat Center 
16493 Contrail Ave. 
Griswold, IA 51535
Phone: 712.778.2466  |  curc@creighton.edu 

The grounds include dirt trails leading to the East Nishnabotna River and back. Guests are welcome to enjoy prayer time in the St. Kateri Chapel and outdoor spaces, including the Stations of the Cross, Mary's Rosary Garden, the Labyrinth and the Last Supper table.

Mass is celebrated in the St. Kateri Chapel. The public is welcome to attend these masses.

  • Monday: No Mass
  • Tuesday: 9 a.m.
  • Wednesday: 5:30 p.m.
  • Thursday: 9 a.m.
  • Friday: 9 or 9:30 a.m.*
  • Saturday: No Mass
  • Sunday: 10 a.m.

*Please call a day ahead to verify exact time due to retreat activity taking place on Fridays.

Welcome! We hope your retreat will be fulfilling. Below is additional information and some points of interest.

General:

  • If you need assistance you can check at the Office; hours are M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. or call 712.778.2466. After those hours, visit with kitchen staff. Cell phone connections can be inconsistent and is best outside of buildings. Limited WIFI available.
  • There is a no pets policy; please care for your animals in advance.
  • There is a no open-flame policy, with the exceptions of the fire pits and under supervision within the Chapel.
  • No smoking in buildings – check for designated spots outside.
  • Mass is offered at 9 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays; and 10 a.m. Sundays in the St. Kateri Chapel.
  • Please respect the silence of those guests on silent retreats; simply nod and smile.
  • All guests are asked to be in cabins/rooms by 11pm each night.
  • Check with the office for your mail needs during your stay.
  • And if needed, please make arrangements for final payment at the Office.
  • A Library is located in the lower level of the Manresa Prayer House.
  • AED devices are located in the Dining Hall south entrance, main level in Manresa & Lodge.

Food and Drinks:

  • When attending meals; Meal times are 8 a.m. – breakfast, noon – lunch, 6 p.m. – supper; unless other arrangements have been made in advance of arrival by your group.
  • Dining hall food served is to be eaten at that meal, please don’t take to rooms or for the road.
  • Visit with kitchen staff if needing limited ice.
  • Bring your own coffee/tea & condiments and water bottles for your rooms.
  • There is a cold pop/water cooler for guests in the basement of the Loyola Dining Hall. $1 each

Gift Shop:

  • The gift shop is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. In addition to unique gifts the gift shop offers toiletries and forgotten supplies.
  • When making purchases in the gift shop on Saturdays or Sundays please use the envelopes provided at the office window for your payment.

Linens, Towels and Laundry:

  • Extra linens and towels are located in each of the cabins near the washers & dryers.
  • Extra linens and towels in Montserrat (motel) are located in the laundry room.
  • If you use the washers and dryers, we do ask for $3 per load. Please follow the directions as posted and pay at the office.
  • Since bedding & towels are provided, before departing please follow the directions posted in your room on what to do with used sheets & towels.

Recreation:

  • An exercise/rec room is available in the basement of the Loyola Dining Hall.
  • Check with the Office staff for Frisbees, volleyballs, basketballs, and footballs for your enjoyment.
  • There are 157 acres of natural trails; we suggest hiking attire/shoes & sprays.
  • Jogging on the gravel road outside of the gate is at your own risk. A left turn at the gate of the Retreat Center leads you to Hwy 92. Beware of dogs & wear reflective clothing.

Thank you for staying at the Creighton University Retreat Center. Print this list to take with you.

When using Google Maps or other mapping applications, enter our address (versus searching by name). You can also refer to the directions in the following PDFs:

Volunteer with the Retreat Center

Trail Tuesdays

Please Join us at the Creighton University Retreat Center
Trail Tuesdays 9 a.m. - Noon

Register at least one week in advance of the day you wish to volunteer.

One of the goals for the Creighton University Retreat Center is to create a new trail that could make it easier to get down to the river and back; and that process has begun. In an effort to have continual work, we are reaching out to ask for volunteers on Tuesday mornings. This effort began in July 2024, and we want to continue to share the invitation to help.  

Some volunteers may be working on the older trails; by clearing sticks or trimming over-grown branches. Or helping with signage replacement or installing new ones. One may help to clean/clear the prayer spaces, including the Prayer Labyrinth, around the Gazebo and other spots along the trails.  

Lunch will be provided after morning shift.  If you would like to work in the afternoon, we can accommodate that as well.  Please sign up for one or all of the Tuesdays. Creighton University employees can use their volunteer days! 

If you have a group that would like to volunteer for a day, please contact us directly and we can work with you on a date. Call us at 712.778.2466 or email curc@creighton.edu.

On behalf of all the retreat center staff and guests, we appreciate the volunteers who help and support the retreat center. 
 

The Creighton University Retreat Center stands on two legs: that of the O'Donnell Center in North Omaha and that of the Wakonda House of Prayer in Griswold. The Center continues the spiritual tradition forged at the O'Donnell Center within the more spacious facilities in the woods at Wakonda.

The Rev. Lavern Wingert, (1927-1999), a parish priest of the Des Moines Diocese, purchased Camp Wakonda in 1978 from the Boy Scouts of America to establish what he envisioned as a spiritual hospital for those who needed inner healing. Although the property came with the original scout lodge, which was built in 1948, and the caretaker's residence, Fr. Wingert built the log-sided buildings over a period of 10 years, to house an ever-expanding program.

In 1994, Fr. Wingert decided the Center was too large for him to handle in his declining years and was interested in having Creighton University purchase the property—assured that Creighton would continue to operate it as a retreat center. Fr. Wingert sold 150 acres to Creighton, while retaining 57 acres for himself on the far western quarter of the property (it has now passed into private hands). Since the purchase, Creighton has modernized and remodeled most of the buildings.

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