St. Joseph Retreat Center

What St. Joseph Retreat Center does

St. Joseph Retreat Center is a non-profit Catholic retreat ministry operating on a 100-acre campus in Wheeling, West Virginia, under the auspices of the Congregation of St. Joseph. The center delivers structured spiritual programming for individuals and groups, with its core services being one-on-one spiritual direction (offered in-person or virtually at a $30-$40 suggested donation) and silent directed retreats of six or eight days with daily meetings between retreatants and spiritual directors. Supporting offerings include one-day programs, on-going programs such as the Neighbor Knitters and Crocheters gathering and the monthly 20/20 Vision Series ($12 per session or $15 per month), and specialized workshops including the Wounded Healer program for healthcare practitioners. Programs are facilitated by credentialed spiritual directors with advanced degrees from Fordham, Loyola Chicago, Creighton, and the Haden Institute, with specializations in dream work, trauma therapy, grief counseling, and Jungian psychotherapy.

The underlying technology footprint is minimal: the center operates a WordPress website, processes donations through PayPal, and uses Zoom and phone for virtual spiritual direction and directed retreats introduced during and retained after the COVID-19 pandemic. There are no proprietary technology platforms, mobile applications, or AI systems disclosed; service delivery is fundamentally human-mediated. The business and revenue model combines suggested donations, modest per-event fees ($12-$35), retreat fees scaled to length of stay, a $100 deposit model for special pilgrimages, and unrestricted PayPal donations, all wrapped within a non-profit religious ministry structure that receives implicit subsidy and brand support from the parent Congregation of St. Joseph. Marketing relies on organic Facebook posts, email newsletter sign-ups via the director's CSJ email, the CSJ Mission Network referral ecosystem, and word-of-mouth within the Wheeling and broader Catholic spirituality community.

Customer segmentation is hybrid: the largest segment is individuals across faith traditions seeking prayer, reflection, and spiritual companionship (including those navigating grief and life transitions), with a distinct secondary vertical in healthcare practitioners served through burnout- and compassion-fatigue-focused programs, and a niche tertiary segment around dream work and Jungian spiritual accompaniment. Geographically, on-site programs draw a regional audience, while virtual spiritual direction extends reach globally. The center's go-to-market is a blend of community-led (CSJ congregation network), event-driven (scheduled multi-day retreats and topical workshops), and direct-to-consumer (individuals scheduling spiritual direction or registering for programs).

Name

St. Joseph Retreat Center

Legal name

St. Joseph Retreat Center

Website

https://stjosephretreatcenter.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Joseph Retreat Center is a non-profit Catholic retreat ministry in Wheeling, WV offering silent directed retreats, one-on-one spiritual direction, and topical programs for individuals and healthcare practitioners, delivered on a 100-acre historic property and via virtual channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spiritual Retreat Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Christian Pilgrimage & Holy Land Tour Operators (THAKAHAB)

Keywords

• Spiritual retreat center
• Silent directed retreats
• Spiritual direction
• Contemplative programs
• Dream work ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheeling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retreat Fees: Fees for individual directed retreats (6 or 8 day retreats) with costs adapted based on number of days. Retreat directors are arranged upon request.
2. Spiritual Direction Sessions: Virtual spiritual direction sessions offered at $30-$40 suggested donation per session. Provides opportunity for reflection in faith and prayer.
3. Program and Event Fees: Various programs including the 20/20 Vision Series ($12/session or $15/month), one-day programs, and special events like 'On Faith and AI' ($35).
4. Donations: PayPal donation option available for supporters. The center is a non-profit ministry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

St. Joseph Retreat Center is a ministry of the Congregation of St. Joseph that hosts silent directed retreats (typically 6–8 days), one-day programs, and on-going spiritual formation programs for individual retreatants. It also provides individual spiritual direction sessions, both in-person at its Wheeling, WV property and virtually, as well as spiritual companioning and dream work led by CSJ-affiliated directors.

Product overview

St. Joseph Retreat Center offers a portfolio of spiritual enrichment services centered around its physical retreat facility and virtual program delivery. Core offerings include Spiritual Direction (one-on-one guidance sessions with trained directors) and Directed Retreats (silent individual retreats of 6-8 days with daily spiritual direction). Supporting programs include One-Day Programs (single-session workshops and events), On-Going Programs (recurring gatherings and support groups), and Virtual/Distance Retreat variants that extend accessibility beyond the physical location. Programs are facilitated by trained spiritual directors and retreat leaders, with options ranging from in-person onsite experiences to remote sessions via video conferencing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Silent Directed Retreats

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Well Spirituality CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister spirituality center within the Congregation of St. Joseph Mission Network. Promotes community fostering unity with the Divine, others, and creation. Collaborates on programming including the 'From The Well' section of event listings.
• Catholic Climate CovenantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Catholic climate organization with 19 partners. Through links on the SJRC resources page, provides creation care resources and environmental spirituality programming aligned with the center's commitment to caring for creation.
• Haden InstituteminorOthersEcumenical training program in the Jungian Mystical Christian tradition. Several retreat directors (John Spiesman, Kathleen Durkin, Helen Skormisley) received formation training through this institute for spiritual direction and dream leadership.
• Congregation of St. JosephcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent religious congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. St. Joseph Retreat Center is a ministry of the Congregation of St. Joseph, Wheeling Center. The center extends the congregation's mission of loving unity through its programs and peaceful environment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Miraval Resorts: A luxury wellness resort offering mindfulness, meditation, and spiritual wellness retreats. Comparable as a destination wellness retreat property, though operating at a higher price point and broader scale.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: A large-scale wellness retreat center offering yoga, meditation, and holistic health programs. Comparable as a residential retreat center with wellness/spiritual programming, though much larger in scale and secular in orientation.

Direct peers

• Mercy Center: A Catholic retreat center in Colorado offering directed silent retreats, spiritual direction, and contemplative programs. Comparable in its ministry-driven model, faith-based retreat programming, and reliance on donations for sustainability.
• Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House: A Jesuit-directed retreat house offering silent preached and directed retreats in a residential setting. Comparable in its structured multi-day silent retreat format, Catholic spiritual direction offerings, and ministry-driven operating model.
• Loyola Retreat House: A Catholic retreat center offering directed and preached retreats, spiritual direction, and contemplative programming. Comparable as a faith-based residential retreat operation with similar target audience and program structure.
• The Well Spirituality Center: A sister spirituality center within the Congregation of St. Joseph Mission Network that offers similar spiritual direction, retreats, and faith-based programming. Directly comparable as a CSJ-affiliated ministry operating under the same parent organization with overlapping service offerings.
• Cranaleith Spiritual Center: A Catholic spirituality center offering retreats, spiritual direction, and holistic wellness programs in a residential setting. Comparable in its retreat-focused model, spiritual direction services, and faith-based wellness orientation.
• Holy Cross Retreat: A Catholic retreat ministry offering silent directed retreats, spiritual direction, and group programs. Comparable in its faith-based retreat model, volunteer spiritual director network, and donation-supported revenue model.

Emerging players

• Shambhala Mountain Center: A contemplative retreat center offering meditation programs and spiritual teachings on a large Colorado property. Comparable in its retreat center model with meditation/mindfulness focus, though operating with a Buddhist rather than Catholic orientation.
• Ignatian Spirituality Project: A Jesuit-inspired organization offering retreats for people affected by homelessness and addiction. Comparable in its Catholic Ignatian retreat tradition and directed retreat model, though focused on a specific underserved population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Saint-Joseph-Retreat-Center-523556294345689
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saint-joseph-retreat-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 St. Joseph Retreat Center