By Petula Brown
As a transplant from the East Coast to study in Ann Arbor, most of my Oakland County experience has been in Southfield, Farmington Hills, and Troy. I never considered the extent of the county’s western edge, until I noticed a “Welcome to Oakland County” sign a few minutes from US-23 heading to Holly, MI. Until then, I associated Holly with the annual Renaissance Festival, an escape to 16th century Europe that abounds with costumes, activities, and vendors. For this trip, the Holly escape is more introspective, in the form of a sanctuary called the Maryville Retreat Center.
The 45-minute trip from Ann Arbor, on mostly US-23 and paved roads, was a comfortable drive. As a center established by the Felician Sisters on over 200 acres, I expected a degree of formality, so I was pleasantly surprised that I could casually enter. Moving from the entrance and through the dining area to reach accommodations, the staff member’s warmth and attentiveness complemented the positive vibes from a fellow retreatant, a repeat visitor who told me she/he planned monthly escapes to Maryville.
Though less than an hour from Ann Arbor, the open landscape and wilderness backdrop reminded me of trips “up north.” Surrounded by nature trails, Lake Elliott hosts gatherings of wild turkeys, ducks, and swans that can be observed from lakefront rooms. In warmer weather, the area provides walking trails that complement the center’s laid-back vibe. The spaciousness also allows Maryville to provide outdoor team-building activities that can be customized to accommodate unique needs.
I appreciated the natural beauty surrounding the center but was also curious to learn what led the Sisters to plant roots in the area in 1945. Originating in Poland, the Felician Sisters of North America began their ministry in Detroit in 1879. By the 1930’s, they moved to Livonia for larger accommodations. Blessed with donated land in what would become Holly, MI, the sisters established camp orphanages. Over the years, the site transitioned to host church camps. As camp options in the region increased, the sisters used the locale for retreats. Recognizing that persons not affiliated with their organization could benefit from experiencing the tranquility of the Center, the sisters decided to welcome the community, evolving into a place available to individuals, families, and groups looking for respite. The site was available for rental, but the sisters also offered programming to help guide spiritual journeys beyond the Catholic faith.
To support such explorations, Maryville provides lodging options that are in equal measure modest and comfortable. At first glance, the building exteriors reminded me of a slightly upscale residential campground. Besides the main Center, all facilities are single story structures. Understated and pastoral, Maryville allows natural beauty to take center stage.
My first-floor single room in the main building was easily accessible with a calming lake view. The spacious walk-in closet, temperature control console, and eco-friendly toiletry amenities illustrated an ability to balance guest preferences with global sensitivity. Lacking a phone, clock, and television, the space reinforced a focus on inner exploration over external distractions. Such minimalism also allows the center to provide financially available retreat experiences to a broad cross section of persons looking for support and guidance. Two lodges situated southeast of the main facility are particularly well suited to families. Maryville schedules fewer programs during the summer so more rental space is available for groups.
Many programs focus on spiritual guidance which manifests in many forms at Maryville. Individuals or couples looking for seclusion beyond single rooms find hermitages an ideal option. Outfitted with microwaves, mini-fridges and casual seating, hermitages are akin to studio apartments. Families, groups, and organizations arranging events can rent meeting facilities and arrange dining services. Persons can also participate in Maryville-organized services and events. Whether participating as individuals or groups, visitors can explore walking trails, arrange lake activities, or reflect on the beach or at the fire pit.
Maryville’s distinctiveness is illustrated by the ways it’s described by retreatants—welcoming, a “whole”listic experience, and mobility friendly. Its spiritual leadership is guided by the belief that “every faith has elements of the truth.” Center staff pride themselves for their “compassionate sensitivity to guests” as an extension of a spiritual foundation—“lay people [that] are called to holiness.” That sentiment manifests in Maryville’s efforts to “try not to say no” in response to guests’ unique needs. With support from the Felician Sisters of North America, the Center maintains effective operations that allow spiritual leadership to focus on their priorities—supporting the community.
The sisters’ commitment to caring and service is being celebrated during the 150th anniversary of their arrival to North America. Their arrival in Polonia, WI in November 1874 was the beginning of a movement that grew to several locations in the U.S. and Canada. Sesquicentennial celebrations began in Polonia November of 2024 and will continue throughout 2025 including a closing mass and reception in Livonia in November 2025. It’s a milestone year where Maryville is not only honoring the past but embracing the future. Though visitors won’t find televisions or phones in their rooms, the center does provide WIFI. The tone of Maryville is decidedly low tech, but administrators recognize it’s an essential amenity for 21st century travel.
Beyond technology, Maryville is meeting a future where visitors have a dichotomy of expectations. To accommodate greater demand from solo retreatants, the center is building two additional hermitages with apartment-like conveniences such as microwaves and fridges. Based on strong interests from organizations looking for rental space, Maryville is renovating an existing structure to become an art center that can serve as a gathering space.
In addition to embracing technology and facility changes, the center is engaging persons and institutions that extend beyond their Catholic foundation. Center Director Nick Osantoski describes himself as a “partner in mission,” bringing hospitality and culinary expertise that supports the sisters’ objectives for Maryville. Center leadership reaches out to chambers of commerce to explore collaboration opportunities with corporate institutions.
Inspired by their spiritual conviction and dynamic energy, I was intrigued to learn the sisters’ vision for Maryville in 2035. Their response spoke volumes about their philosophy. They see a future where the center is a “well known, accessed resource for spiritual renewal for all.” Maryville “will be attracting folks seeking a closer relationship with God, to understand their purpose and how they fit into the world.”
Maryville Retreat Center is located at 18307 Taylor Lake Rd, Holly, MI 48442. To make reservations or for more information call (248) 634-5566 or email info@MaryvilleRetreatCenter.org.
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The birds are exuberant this morning. By the dozens, tufted titmice, rose-breasted grosbeaks, cardinals, gold finches, black capped chickadees, blue jays, mourning doves, and an oriole sing and flit from branch to nearby branch in a riotous clamor just outside the living room windows. One of the delights of spring is the way one can luxuriate in the bookends of the day. Morning unfolds slowly as the light gathers until the sun crests the horizon, and then all at once the day bursts open like a flower. Evening lingers before the day finishes. It is at these times that I especially enjoy watching the birds come and go.