- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Holy Redeemer Center
One review for Holy Redeemer Center
1 review in English
-
Review from Kevin D.
Oakland, CA
5/11/2007 8 photos
Retreat Center sitting on 26-acre property.....steep wooded hillside, expansive field, creekside. Reportedly the largest tract of undeveloped land in Oakland. Noted as a complete ecosystem unto itself due to the creek and natural food supply for animals and birds. Home to a number of deer, foxes, hawks and other wildlife once native to all of Oakland.
Mission-style buildings built in 1926 by prominent California architects William Mooser & Sons whose works span three generations. (Check out the photos posted on this review upper right)
Opened in 1925 in a small building with 11 or so seminary students for the Redemptorists (Catholic). The present buildings were built in 1926 and blessed in January 1927 by SF Archbishop Hanna...who took a ferry across the bay and then motor car down Foothill Boulevard to get there. (This was pre-Oakland Diocese, Pre-Bay Bridge, Pre-interstate 580).
Served as minor seminary until 1966. Re-opened in 1974 by Redemptorist Fr. Dick Schiblin as Center for Catholic Charismatic Renewal and, Ctr for Peace and Justice and, later, Sanctuary for refugees fleeing El Salvador and Guatemela during the civil wars in those nations.
Change of focus in 1991 as lay operated, interfaith center for retreat. A favorite spot of author Fr. Henri Nouwen (d.1996). Bethany House of Hospitality (for homeless persons with AIDS dir by Michael Harank). Visitors/speakers included Rosemary Radford Reuther, Megan McKenna, other spiritual luminaries. Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity operated summer programs for East Oakland children. Patrons included McDonald's owner Joan Kroc, Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers Neighborhood) and a plethora of local foundations and sponsors.
Former home of Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, Kairos Outside, 12-step programs.
New large capacity assembly hall re-furbished from ground up in 2000, (designed by Kirk Petersen & Assoc-Oakland). Re-blessed by Oakland Bishop John Cummins.
Holy Redeemer was closed abruptly in 2003 when the Redemptorists (Denver Province) were unable to provide clerical staffing for their many ministry sites and began to disengage from the SF Bay Area after a long history of service.
The historic buildings were slated for demolition until the city of Oakland was alerted to the historical nature of the buildings by no less than Clint Eastwood's former vice-mayor, Eleanor Laiola (Carmel-by-the-Sea). Former employees also presented documentation showing the circa 1999/2000 structural earthquake retrofit/upgrades - designed by Degenkolb Engineers (San Francisco). The CIty of Oakland blocked demolition and is in process of assigning historic landmark status to the property. Historical value derived from its place in Oakland history as well as it being one of the few remaining examples of Mooser & Sons architecture.
Worshippers, friends, neighbors and architects grieved the plan to convert the property to townhouses......skeptics have noted that plans to sell the land failed miserably in the late 60s and that perhaps Providence once again has other plans .......stay tuned to your Higher Power........
Yours Truly was director of said establishment from 1996 - 2002.
