Welcome to the website of Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center. Here we hope you will discover and begin to explore this sacred place in Citrus Heights, California. Since 1950 the Passionists and Christ the King Team have sponsored retreats, days of prayer and other spiritual programs to enable all those who are seeking a deeper relationship with God to experience His presence in the peace, beauty and wonder in this remarkable place.
Christ the King’s history includes an 1852 initiative, undertaken by Passionist Fr. Peter Magagnotto, CP in nearby Virginia City, Nevada, during the Gold Rush era. Unfortunately, a lasting presence in Northern California had to wait until the following century.
That same year, back east in Pittsburgh, another Passionist foundation was just getting started. At the request of Bishop Michael O’Connor, four Passionists arrived in Pittsburgh: Fathers Anthony Calandri, Albinus Magno, Stanislaus Parczyk, and Brother Lawrence DiGiacomo. Despite early hardships, the fledgling community grew as men joined the order and new foundations were established. As Passionists expanded throughout the East Coast and Midwestern states, Archbishop Cantwell of Los Angeles requested that they expand west and establish a presence in southern California. It was 1923 when the Passionists founded a monastery and retreat center in Sierra Madre, a small town near Pasadena, California. Numerous retreats given to laity, priests and religious gained the Passionist community a strong reputation up and down the Pacific Coast.
Another expansion was undertaken in 1987. The Holy Cross Building was constructed with forty retreatant rooms, three small conference rooms and a beautiful large assembly room. The enlarged facilities have allowed for the natural expansion of retreat programs.
Each year, approximately 3000 men and women attend the 31 weekend retreats, midweek retreats and days of recollection. Programs such as married couples retreats, engaged retreats, 12step retreats, weekly AA meetings, directed retreats, eastern spirituality retreats, Triduum and New Year’s Eve retreats, have added to the variety of spiritual growth opportunities offered at Christ the King Retreat Center.
