OPEN HOUSE — Villa Maria Catholic Life Conference and Retreat Center on Lake Springfield will hold an open house on Wednesday, Dec. 10 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served and visitors are welcome to see what the Villa has to offer people looking for a place to hold retreats, have meetings or host parties and receptions. Following extensive painting and numerous other updates, Villa Maria Catholic Life Conference and Retreat Center will hold an open house with refreshments on Wednesday, Dec. 10 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Villa Maria is located at 1903 E. Lake Shore Drive, on the southeastern shore of Lake Springfield.
Visitors who come before dark will be able to see the evening view of the lake, says Mary Ann Smith, the director of the center.
"We are just putting the finishing touches on Villa Maria before our open house. We're also decorating for the holidays," she says. "We want people to come out and see what we have to offer and to see how beautiful it is out here."
Originally built in 1956 as The Latin School and then renamed the Diocesan Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in 1961, the neoclassical building on 12 acres remained a training center for candidates for the diocesan priesthood until 1986. At that time in was converted to Villa Maria.
Villa Maria has undergone some important remodeling over the past few years, and even more changes in the last several months. In early October students and parents from Springfield's Sacred Heart-Griffin High School painted, cleaned and cleared away brush during the SHG Works weekend. Additional outdoor clean-up a few weeks ago included removing and trimming trees, which has left an abundance of available wood for folks who want to remove it and cut their own firewood, Smith says.
A recent addition of two more sleeping rooms has increased available overnight accommodations. There is room for 50 people, assuming double occupancy. Most of the rooms are furnished with two twin beds and a private bath. "This makes it very nice for a good-sized group to meet," says Smith. "We welcome all faiths."
Catering is now available for retreats, seminars and business meetings. In addition, security personnel are on duty for overnight visitors.
The main building at Villa Maria has a great room with a fireplace, along with a formal dining room and two other multi-purpose rooms. A chapel provides a good atmosphere for Mass or quiet prayer times.
Weekend bookings for the main building are filling quickly. "I'd say the main building is booked a solid 85 percent for weekends in 2009. I'm already booking 2010," Smith says. "Those are basically retreats for youth, engaged couples or directed retreats. But we are starting to get a good response for wedding receptions as well.
"I would encourage people to call right away if they want to book for either a weekend or weekday events," she says. "On the weekdays we usually book for retreats, seminars and conferences."
Wedding receptions can be held either in the main building or in Shively Hall, with the grounds being available for putting up tents or simply enjoying the outdoors. Shively Hall is also a good location for wedding and baby showers. The outdoor area is great for parish picnics or family reunions, Smith says.
For smaller day meetings, Smith also suggests renting Shively Hall, which offers a conference room capable of holding up to 60 people. It features a gas fireplace and limited kitchen facilities as well as small break-out rooms. Like the main building, Shively Hall has its own complete audio-visual system.
All of the facilities are fully handicapped accessible. For people who love to explore the outdoors, a path from the Villa Maria grounds leads into Lincoln Memorial Gardens.
"I am anxious for people to come out here and see what we have to offer," Smith concludes. "There is a lot history out here, but we have made changes, too. It is just very beautiful and peaceful - which is so important."
(For more information on the open house or scheduling an event at Villa Maria, contact Smith at (217) 529-2213 or e-mail her at . )