About Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center · Atlanta, Georgia
Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center is a 20-acre silent retreat ministry set in a secluded forest along the Chattahoochee River in north Atlanta, Georgia, operated by the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus. For more than 50 years it has welcomed people of all faiths — Catholic, other Christian, and other religions — to encounter God through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, in guided weekend retreats, week-long directed retreats, days of reflection, and one-on-one spiritual direction. The center runs a chapel where Catholic Mass is celebrated on Fridays and during retreats, hosts retreatants in a 50-room retreat house, and reaches beyond its grounds through Hispanic retreats, teen and young adult programs, and the national Ignatian Spirituality Project for homeless men and women.
- Established
- 1961
- Patron
- St. Ignatius of Loyola
- Rector
- Maria G. Cressler, MTS (Executive Director); spiritual ministry under Fr. Jim Fleming, SJ (Director of Mission Outreach) and Fr. Bill Noe, SJ (Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
Why belong here
Ignatius House is a place to step away from routine and encounter God in silence, on 20 wooded acres along the Chattahoochee. Whether you come for a half-day Day of Reflection, a themed weekend retreat, a week-long silent directed retreat, or simply the weekly Friday Mass in St. Ignatius Chapel, the ministry offers Catholic Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation during retreats, and personal spiritual direction grounded in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. People of all faiths are welcomed, and financial assistance is available so cost is never a barrier to a retreat.
Mass times at Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sacrament of Reconciliation offered optionally during guided retreats
Mission & History
Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center provides a sacred place of peace and quiet and offers the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola to facilitate an encounter with God that leads to a willing and loving service of the least of our brothers and sisters (Matthew 25:31–46). The ministry was created in 1957 when Suzanne Spalding Schroder donated her home and 20 acres on the Chattahoochee to the Society of Jesus; the retreat house opened January 12, 1961.
- 1957 – Suzanne Spalding Schroder donates her home and 20 acres to the Jesuits
- Oct. 11, 1959 – Groundbreaking on a 50-room retreat house with Bishop Hyland
- Dec. 18, 1960 – Outdoor Mass dedicates the completed retreat house
- Jan. 12, 1961 – First retreat: 37 women, dedicated to Suzanne Spalding Schroder
- 1988 – J. Robert Fitzgerald Resource Building dedicated
- April 2, 2002 – Bob Fitzgerald becomes first professional director; $1.5M capital campaign
- 2007 – Ignatian Spirituality Project retreats for the homeless begin
- Modern St. Ignatius Chapel dedicated by Archbishop Wilton Gregory
- September 2009 – Maria Cressler becomes first female executive director
- March 13, 2020 – COVID-19 closure; modified reopening June 2020
Leadership & People
Ignatius House is led by Executive Director Maria G. Cressler, MTS, the first woman to hold that role (since September 2009), with a Jesuit pastoral team from the USA East Province and lay staff in development, finance, communications, guest services, facilities, housekeeping, and culinary.
- Maria G. Cressler, MTS — Executive Director
- Rev. James J. Fleming, SJ — Spiritual Director & Director of Mission Outreach (joined Aug. 3, 2022)
- Rev. Bill Noe, SJ — Retreat Director & Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry
- Sarah Otto, M.Div. — Director of Mission; Retreat Director
- Andy Otto, M.A. — Retreat Director (also at St. Thomas More, Decatur)
- Kay Satterfield, M.A. — Spiritual Direction Formation Coordinator
- Laura Garrison — Director of Finance & Operations
- Megan Denton — Director of Development
- Darija Pichanick — Director of Marketing and Communications
- Calisha Smith — Executive Chef; Malik Albert — Executive Sous Chef
- Board of Trustees (named on site)
Retreats at Ignatius House
Most retreats are held in sacred silence to foster deeper listening to God. Weekend retreats begin with a communal dinner followed by an introduction, then move into silence for the duration of the stay. Retreat directors offer short 30-minute 'invitations to prayer' and are available for one-on-one spiritual direction. Catholic Mass is celebrated once during weekend retreats and daily during week-long retreats; the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered optionally during guided retreats.
- Guided Retreats (weekend, weekday, overnight) — themed with daily Mass and optional Reconciliation
- Directed Silent Retreats — personal prayer with a spiritual director
- Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola (including the Retreat in Everyday Life)
- Days of Reflection — half-day and single-day silent experiences
- Married-couples retreats (Maria and John Cressler)
- Hispanic retreats (Fr. Bill Noe, SJ)
- Teen and Young Adult retreats
- Ignatian Spirituality Project — retreats for homeless men and women
- Five-Night Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Retreat
Spiritual Direction
Ignatius House offers one-on-one spiritual direction with Jesuit-trained directors, plus a formation program (Tending the Flame) that prepared its first cohort of 11 directors. Sessions are available on retreat and through ongoing ministry.
- Find a Spiritual Director directory on the website
- Virtual Spiritual Direction Inquiry Sessions (open-house evenings)
- Tending the Flame spiritual director formation cohort
Liturgy & Chapel
The centerpiece of liturgical life at Ignatius House is the modern, glass-lined St. Ignatius Chapel, designed by architect James Haverty Smith and entirely funded by a gift from Alex & Betty Smith. A weekly Mass is celebrated in the chapel on Fridays and is open to the public; during retreats, Catholic Mass is celebrated once on weekends and daily on longer retreats, with the Sacrament of Reconciliation offered optionally.
- St. Ignatius Chapel — modern glass-lined chapel
- Weekly Friday Mass, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM (open to the public)
- Mass during retreats (once on weekends, daily on week-long retreats)
- Sacrament of Reconciliation available during guided retreats
- Chapel prayer book available for visitors of all faiths
Facilities, Accommodations & Dining
Retreatants stay in their own cozy rooms with private bathrooms; towels, linens, pillows, and blankets are provided. Three meals are served daily (with coffee, tea, and water available throughout), and the kitchen accommodates vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, and nut-free diets with 14 days' notice. First-floor and handicap-accessible rooms are limited and assigned first-come, first-served.
- Two-story brick Retreat House with 49–50 bedrooms with private baths
- J. Robert Fitzgerald Resource Building — administrative building with meeting space (1988)
- On-site kitchen and dining room (added in the 2002 capital campaign)
- Community fridge for guest food/medication
- Library and bookstore on site
- Secluded forest along the Chattahoochee River — 20 acres
Host an Event / Non-Profit Use
Ignatius House offers its serene spaces to non-profit groups looking for creative inspiration, closed-door dialogue, or reflection. The grounds include meeting rooms in the J. Robert Fitzgerald Resource Building and the larger chapel and retreat facilities.
- Meeting space rental
- Retreat and conference hosting
- Guest speaker request form on website
Visiting & Practical Information
Ignatius House is located at 6700 Riverside Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30328. Drive in and the Retreat House is on the right; a gate code is available by phone (404-255-0503) for late arrivals. First-floor and accessible rooms are limited — guests with mobility needs are asked to contact guest services ahead of time so staff can help with luggage. Cost should not be a barrier: financial assistance is available by contacting [email protected] or calling 404-255-0503.
- Address: 6700 Riverside Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30328
- Phone: (404) 255-0503
- Retreats email: [email protected]
- Guest Services email: [email protected]
- Open to people of all faiths
- Financial assistance available
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Schroder, SJ
Son of founder Suzanne Spalding Schroder; returned to Atlanta after missionary work and grew retreat attendance by recruiting 'retreat captains' who brought friends to weekend retreats.
- Fr. George Wiltz, SJ
Appended the term 'Jesuit Retreat Center' to the Ignatius House name.
- Robert J. 'Bob' FitzgeraldApril 2, 2002
First professional director; oversaw a $1.5M capital campaign to renovate the Schroder House, add a kitchen and dining room, and formalize a Board of Directors with David Fitzgerald as first chairman.
- Maria G. Cressler, MTSSeptember 2009–present
First female executive director; broadened ministries to include Hispanic retreats, teen and young adult retreats, Spring Hill College programs, and an expansion of the Ignatian Spirituality Project.