About Locus Benedictus Retreat Center · Greenwood, Mississippi
Locus Benedictus — Latin for "A Place of Blessing" — is a 67-acre Roman Catholic retreat area in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, located on Levee Road in Greenwood, Mississippi. Within the Diocese of Jackson, the center centers its work on inner healing, the preaching of the Gospel, and service to "the stranger, the poor, and the immigrant," while gathering people of faith for prayer, learning, and evangelization. Its campus includes the Chapel of Mercy (site of daily weekday Mass), the Mary, Mother of the Delta outdoor shrine, and grounds for support groups, retreats, and spiritual direction. It is governed as an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization incorporated in 2015 under the presidency of Magdalene Abraham.
- Established
- 2015
- Patron
- Mary, Mother of the Delta (Shrine patroness)
- Rector
- Seeking a Catholic priest in residence to celebrate daily Mass on site (as of January 2026).
- Diocese
- Diocese of Jackson
Why belong here
Locus Benedictus offers something distinctive in the Mississippi Delta: a 67-acre wooded refuge specifically dedicated to inner healing, prayer, and Gospel-centered retreat. Every weekday morning the Chapel of Mercy fills with worshippers for 9:00 a.m. Mass, and the campus hosts free support groups for caregivers and those facing life's struggles, the Divine Mercy Novena, Stations of the Cross, and group retreats. The Mary, Mother of the Delta Shrine, dedicated by Bishop Joseph Kopacz in 2016, makes the grounds a year-round place of silence and prayer — open to couples, youth, religious, the stranger, the poor, and the immigrant.
Mass times at Locus Benedictus Retreat Center
Weekly Mass schedule
About Locus Benedictus
Locus Benedictus — "A Place of Blessing" — is a 67-acre retreat area in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, inside the Diocese of Jackson. Its broad mission is based on the directives of Jesus Christ to bring healing hope, to preach the Gospel to all people, to train others to assist with the sacred task, and to serve the needs of brothers and sisters — especially the stranger, the poor, and the immigrant. The center also gathers persons of faith for prayer and learning, and works to be a source of inspiration and evangelization across the Delta. Today the work continues to focus on the ministry of inner healing.
- Independent 501(c)(3) charity (tax-exempt since November 2015)
- EIN 47-2293145
- Located at 1407 Levee Road, Greenwood, MS 38930
- Phone: 662-299-1232
Chapel of Mercy
The Chapel of Mercy is the liturgical heart of the campus. It is available for prayer meetings, religious services, reflection time for individuals and groups, and for all God's people to worship together. Daily Mass is celebrated each weekday at 9:00 a.m. in the chapel.
- Daily weekday Mass at 9:00 AM (Monday–Friday)
- Site of the Divine Mercy Novena
- Site of the Stations of the Cross
- Available for prayer meetings and group worship
Mary, Mother of the Delta Shrine
Mary, Mother of the Delta Shrine is an outdoor place for reflection and solace. Its serene setting allows visitors to experience silence and peace. The shrine's legacy walkway includes memorial and honorarium bricks bearing the names of those honored and of donors remembered in prayer daily. The Most Reverend Joseph Kopacz, Bishop of the Diocese of Jackson, dedicated the shrine on September 7, 2016.
- Dedicated September 7, 2016 by Bishop Joseph Kopacz
- Legacy walkway of memorial and honorarium bricks
- Names of donors and honorees prayed for daily
- Outdoor setting for silence and reflection
Support Groups
Locus Benedictus hosts free, scripture-based and pastoral support groups at the Spirituality Center on Levee Road. Participation is at no cost; inquiries are taken at 662-299-1232.
- Renewal for Caregivers — Thursdays at 10 a.m. (scripture-based group for current and former caregivers, no cost)
- Life Struggles Support Group — Thursdays at 6 p.m. (open to anyone wanting support through life's struggles, no cost)
- Location: Locus Benedictus Spirituality Center, 1407 Levee Road, Greenwood, MS
Programs, Retreats & Inner Healing
Following its founding mission, Locus Benedictus offers a spacious, peaceful setting for individuals and groups to come for spiritual direction, retreats, and programs — including camps designed for the healing of the whole person, and for training, planning, praying, and serving in religious, spiritual, educational, and health-care programs. The center supports group retreats and special events hosted by parishes and apostolates across the region.
- Inner-healing ministry as current focus
- Group retreats and event hosting
- Spiritual direction for individuals and groups
- Healing-of-the-whole-person retreats and camps
The Living Faith Society
The Living Faith Society was created to provide friends of Locus Benedictus an easy way to support all the programmatic and ministry activities of the center on a monthly basis. Members are invited to join in the mission by becoming recurring donors, helping bring hope to the Mississippi Delta.
- Monthly recurring giving program
- Supports programmatic and ministry activities
The Sacred Nexus
The Sacred Nexus is a book by Locus Benedictus board member and local psychologist Dr. Michael Whelan. Through his generosity and love for the ministry of Locus Benedictus, he has committed all proceeds from book sales to support the work of the ministry.
- Author: Dr. Michael Whelan (Ph.D.)
- All proceeds benefit Locus Benedictus ministry
Priest in Residence
Because daily Mass and pastoral care on the Levee Road campus depend on resident clergy, the center has advertised for a Catholic priest to reside on site and celebrate Mass. The position offers residence and utilities and is described as a fitting fit for a retired clergy who enjoys a quiet setting and the freedom to pursue hobbies and interests of his choosing.
- Position: Priest in Residence
- Residence and utilities provided
- Inquiries: Magdalene Abraham, 662-299-1232