Cenacle Retreat Center

What Cenacle Retreat Center does

The North American Province of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Cenacle, Inc., operating publicly as the Cenacle Sisters (Cenacle Retreat Center), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious congregation incorporated in Illinois (EIN: 36-2739137) and headquartered at 3800 W. Peterson Avenue, Chicago, where it is housed within the Felician Convent. Founded in 1826 as the Congregation of Our Lady of the Retreat in the Cenacle, the Province conducts Catholic contemplative spirituality ministry for individuals, parishes and religious organizations: in-person and online retreats and workshops (including Centering Prayer, Lenten retreats, Advent reflections, and series such as 'In Our Right Minds'), one-on-one spiritual direction on roughly four-week appointment cycles, individual directed retreats, request-a-presenter faith formation programming, published spiritual works, and a free self-guided online vocation retreat for women discerning religious life. Its oldest commercial product line is the Cenacle Prayer Card Ministry, founded in 1928, through which enrollees purchase personalized prayer cards for occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy, First Communion and Christmas.

Technology use is limited and largely outsourced. The organization runs a WordPress/Brightbeam-CDN content site (cenaclesisters.org) with a News & Reflections blog and e-newsletter signup, sells prayer cards through a third-party storefront operated by Deluxe Corporation (cenaclesisters.deluxebrand.com), and relies on Devco Foil & Stamping for card printing and mailing. Spiritual direction is delivered by video conference as well as in person, and Masses and feast-day events are live-streamed. No proprietary software, API, mobile app, AI/ML capability, or patent estate is disclosed.

Revenue is donation-led rather than product-led. The Province issues annual and bicentennial appeal letters (for example, the 'Hope is Our Call' 2025 Annual Appeal) and runs a Donate path on its site; spiritual direction and Centering Prayer are offered free of charge with voluntary, non-tax-deductible offerings accepted; the vocation retreat and prayer request ministry are free; and prayer card purchases are the only priced transaction. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and event-driven, combining the tri-annual 'The Flame' e-newsletter, organic social presence on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, website content, and recurring physical and streamed events such as First Fridays at the National Shrine of St. Francis Xavier Cabrini. Notably, the Province has divested its physical retreat houses and shifted to a 'pilgrimage' model, distributing ministry between Chicago-area partner venues and global online delivery.

Name

Cenacle Retreat Center

Legal name

North American Province of the Congregation of Our Lady of the Cenacle, Inc.

Website

https://cenaclesisters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1826

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cenacle Retreat Center is the North American Province of the Cenacle Sisters, a Chicago-based Catholic congregation founded in 1826 that offers retreats, spiritual direction, prayer card ministry and vocation programs to individuals, parishes and religious organizations, funded mainly by donations and voluntary offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spiritual Retreat and Faith Formation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAC

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Spiritual retreat programs
• Spiritual direction services
• Catholic faith formation
• Prayer card ministry
• Vocation discernment retreat

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization (EIN: 36-2739137), the Cenacle Sisters rely on donations from supporters who believe in their mission of spiritual renewal and transformation. They conduct annual appeals and bicentennial appeals.
2. Prayer Card Sales: Sale of prayer cards (Mass cards, prayer enrollments) through their e-commerce platform hosted by Deluxe Corporation. Cards feature original artwork by Cenacle Sisters and support the Sisters' spiritual ministries including retreats, spiritual direction, and adult faith formation.
3. Spiritual Direction Offerings: Spiritual direction services are provided with voluntary offerings from participants. While the Cenacle does not charge a specific fee, offerings are gratefully accepted to support ongoing ministry. Offerings constitute a good/service and are not tax deductible.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cenacle Retreat Center provides Catholic spiritual formation through retreats and programs (in-person and online, such as Centering Prayer, Lenten Retreats, Divine Feminine series and First Fridays), one-on-one spiritual direction, individual directed retreats, and a Self-Guided Online Vocation Retreat. It also operates the Prayer Card Ministry (founded 1928), selling and mailing personalized prayer cards for occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy and First Communion, while enrolling recipients in ongoing prayer and a monthly Mass offered by the Sisters. The organization relies on donations and the sale of prayer cards to support its 200-year-old ministry of spiritual renewal, accompaniment and faith formation across North America and globally.

Product overview

Cenacle Retreat Center operates as a spiritual ministry offering a unified portfolio of programs centered on prayer, retreats, and spiritual guidance. The core offerings include in-person and online retreats/workshops, individual spiritual direction, directed retreats, and the Prayer Card Ministry (a nearly 100-year-old prayer enrollment service). Additional offerings include the Self-Guided Vocation Retreat, First Fridays at the Shrine, and the tri-annual The Flame newsletter. The Cenacle Sisters serve as facilitators across all programs, emphasizing contemplative presence and spiritual accompaniment for people of all faiths.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cenacle Prayer Card Ministry: A prayer card ministry founded in 1928 offering personalized prayer cards for various occasions including mass enrollments.

Products and services

• Retreats and Programs Spiritual retreats and workshops including Centering Prayer, Lenten Retreat, Divine Feminine series, and First Fridays at the Shrine, offered both online and in-person for spiritual seekers seeking growth in their relationship with God.
• Prayer Card Ministry Crusade of Prayer (mass cards and prayer enrollment), offering personalized prayer cards for occasions such as anniversary, birthday, sympathy, thinking of you, and First Communion; cards are printed and mailed via partner printers and recipients are enrolled in the Sisters' ongoing prayers and a monthly Mass.
• Spiritual Direction One-on-one sessions with qualified spiritual directors for individual seekers to reflect on their relationship with God, life experiences, and spiritual journey, offered via video conferencing or in-person at the Province.
• Individual Directed Retreats Extended individual retreat experiences with qualified spiritual directors for individuals seeking deeper relationship with God, exploration of new prayer methods, discernment of the Spirit's call, and spiritual companionship.
• Self-Guided Online Vocation Retreat Free online, self-guided 8-day retreat for women discerning religious life as a Cenacle Sister, constructed by Sr. Rose Hoover, r.c., for those unsure of their vocational calling.
• Cenacle Publications Published books by Cenacle Sisters covering topics such as spirituality, meditation, Lectio Divina, and vocational discernment, distributed through the Cenacle's ministry offerings.
• Prayer Request Ministry Free prayer request service where the Cenacle Sisters and the broader Cenacle Family pray for personal intentions submitted through the cenaclesisters.org website.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Deluxe CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationDeluxe Corporation created the ordering website (cenaclesisters.deluxebrand.com) and facilitates the enrollee/enroller information being sent to the Sisters. This e-commerce platform enables the Prayer Card Ministry's online sales and order management.
• Devco Foil & Stamping CompanycoreOthersDevco Foil & Stamping Company prints individual prayer cards with original artwork by Cenacle Sisters, including gold foil enhancements and watercolors. Cards are produced and mailed to recipients.
• National Shrine of St. Francis Xavier CabrinicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cenacle Sisters partner with the Shrine to host First Fridays programming. The Shrine sponsors First Fridays featuring Cenacle Sisters and provides the venue at 2520 N Lakeview Ave, Chicago.
• Leadership Conference for Women Religious (LCWR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cenacle Sisters NAP are members of LCWR. They participate in LCWR initiatives including statements on social justice issues (Venezuela, nonviolence) and access LCWR resources and retreats.
• Felician SisterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cenacle Sisters NAP Province is located within the Felician Convent in Chicago at 3800 W. Peterson Ave. They co-host events like the Mini-Encuentro with AHLMA at this location.
• Sisters of St. Joseph of PhiladelphiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cenacle Sisters joined with Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia and other congregations to sign an open letter advocating for compassion, mercy, and Catholic Social Teaching values.
• Sisters of Mercy of the AmericasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenacle Sisters partnered in signing the open letter 'A Vision for the Future — Full of Hope' advocating for Catholic Social Teaching principles alongside other women religious congregations.
• Various Catholic Religious CongregationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative advocacy with over 60 communities including Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of St. Francis, Medical Mission Sisters, Grey Nuns, and others for shared social justice initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Felician Sisters of North America: Catholic women's religious congregation that hosts the Cenacle NAP at the Felician Convent and partners on programming. Operates as a comparable faith-based nonprofit with hospitality, education, and spiritual ministry arms across North America.
• Sisters of Mercy of the Americas: Identified collaborator on Cenacle-led advocacy letters; a peer Catholic women's religious congregation of similar scale with multi-state ministries, spiritual formation, and retreat programming.
• Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia: Partner on joint Catholic Social Teaching advocacy, structurally similar to the Cenacle as a Catholic women's congregation with formation, retreat, and direct-service ministries.
• Medical Mission Sisters: Identified co-signatory on Cenacle open letters; another women's religious congregation whose mission-driven nonprofit structure, formation work, and donor-funded model are directly comparable.
• Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart: Catholic women's religious congregation named alongside Cenacle in collaborative advocacy. Comparable in congregational size, spiritual ministry focus, and nonprofit funding model.
• Loyola House of Retreats: Jesuit-led Ignatian retreat house offering directed retreats, Spiritual Exercises, and spiritual direction — directly comparable core offering to Cenacle's directed retreats and Ignatian specialization, on a non-congregational operating model.
• Ignatian Spirituality Center (Denver): Center offering Ignatian-directed retreats, spiritual direction, and formation programs on a free/voluntary-offering basis — directly comparable to the Cenacle's Spiritual Exercises programming and similar community-funded model.

Broad incumbents

• Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer): Established Catholic prayer and spirituality organization with a global network and digital distribution — analogous to Cenacle's prayer-card and online-program offering but operating at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Emerging players

• Hallow: Catholic prayer and meditation app serving millions of users with guided prayers, Ignatian content, and spiritual direction — an emerging digital-native competitor to Cenacle's online retreat and prayer programming on the same Ignatian spiritual content.
• Discerning Hearts: Online Catholic media ministry offering retreats, spiritual direction, and Ignatian formation content via podcasts and virtual programming — emerging digital equivalent to Cenacle's online retreats and directed spiritual direction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cenaclesisters
• Facebookfacebook.com/cenaclesisters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cenacle-retreat-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/chicagocenacle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cenacle Retreat Center