Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center welcomed hundreds of pilgrims once again on Good Friday, marking not only a sacred day of remembrance but a powerful moment of new life after the devastation of the Eaton Fire.
“The fire could not destroy the peacefulness and the physical enrichment that this place can provide,” said Rev. Dr. Febin Barose, CP, CEO and Director of the Retreat Center. “And I’m seeing a 20 to 30% higher rate of people attending, which is amazing. You’d expect less people to come with all this going on but no, this is just the opposite and that’s a miracle for me.” [From San Gabriel Valley Tribune]
Fresh from hosting a vibrant young adult retreat that filled the grounds with energy and prayer, the Retreat Center stood as a sign of resilience and grace. As visitors gathered to walk the Stations of the Cross, the day carried a deeper meaning: a community rising, restored and journeying together through the Passion toward the promise of resurrection.
Set against the quiet beauty of the San Gabriel foothills, Mater Dolorosa once again became a place of deep prayer, reflection and encounter. Pilgrims moved along the outdoor stations, retracing the journey of Christ’s Passion, pausing at each step to pray, reflect and enter more deeply into the mystery of the Cross. This devotion, rooted in the Church’s long tradition, invites the faithful to spiritually accompany Jesus from condemnation to burial.
For over a century, Mater Dolorosa has welcomed pilgrims seeking renewal and closeness to God, and Good Friday remains one of its most profound moments of the year—a time when the Passion is not only remembered, but prayerfully lived.
In silence, in prayer, and in hope, the journey of the Cross continues.
