An architecture of belonging

It’s a delightfully cool summer morning at Cedars of Peace where a cluster of eight retreat cabins nestle in the woods on the Loretto Motherhouse grounds. Ignoring the “Silence please” sign, an eastern towhee’s distinct “drink-your-tea” song soars above the background chorus of a wood thrush, field sparrow and indigo bunting. So many species belong here.

As I walk down the road past the cabins, a spiderweb catches my eye. “Everything is connected,” it seems to whisper, calling me to come closer and notice what the trees look like through its web. “Thank you for the reminder,” I whisper back.

I’m grateful this morning for a glimpse of the life and beauty that draws people to Cedars of Peace and keeps them coming back. In 2025, the cabins were occupied 91% of the time, reflecting the value so many of us place on time spent in a safe, beautiful and restful environment.

But not everyone can benefit from this immersion into nature’s beauty and wisdom. Steps up into the cabins, tiny bathrooms and tight spaces make our retreat cabins inaccessible to many. We aim to change that through the construction of a new accessible cabin.

We are raising money to build the cabin we have named Belonging, a space where those who frequently experience barriers to access will feel they belong. As with our other Cedars of Peace cabins, materials from the Motherhouse grounds will be used in its construction. Cherry trees uprooted in a storm will be milled into posts and beams. Old siding from the tobacco barn will become trim. Pine flooring from the convent porch will be transformed into wainscoting for the walls. And stones holding sea life fossils from 350 million years ago will become a backsplash.

The plans include barrier-free access, a universal design kitchen and bathroom, two bedrooms to ensure adequate space for a companion, sufficiently wide sweeps for power chair users and accommodations for service dogs, among other provisions. I’m grateful for the planning input of several key people, who themselves will benefit from an accessible space, and excited by an initiative to invite graduate occupational therapy students to contribute through capstone projects.

We see accessibility as a first step, an open door inviting all who come here to know the truth that they are valued for who they are and belong exactly as they are. Are you, too, excited about our new project?

We invite you to partner with us in expanding access and deepening welcome. Gifts of every size help turn this vision of ensuring that individuals with physical or sensory barriers can fully experience the peace of retreat.

For further information about the cabin, please visit the Belonging Cabin webpage. 

You may make a donation by visiting this link.

Read all the articles in the fall 2026 issue of Loretto Magazine.