Since 1956, Guest House has offered hope and healing for men and women religious suffering from addiction.
A curated collection of materials, videos, and other resources that promote understanding of addiction and related behavioral health needs.
A curated collection of materials, videos, and other resources that promote understanding of addiction and related behavioral health needs.
Workshops, retreats, and special events provide our clients and the larger religious community an avenue for learning, fellowship, and ongoing support for those in recovery.
Guest House is always there. We stay connected through prayer, retreats, and other resources.
Meet your personal financial goals while making difference for our future.
Vehicle donations are tax-deductible.
Contact us at 800-626-6910 to learn more.
Honor the life or memory of a relative or friend.
Since 1956 for men and 1994 for women, Guest House has been providing a unique Catholic faith-filled, community atmosphere for clergy and men and women religious who are suffering from addiction, regardless of their ability to pay.
We rely on the generosity of individuals, organizations, corporations, and foundations to carry out our ministry of providing the best opportunity for quality recovery and overall health and wellness.
These philanthropic efforts make it possible for Guest House to provide comprehensive addiction treatment and continuing care, develop education on topics related to addiction, and engage in addiction research to continue the excellent work of our mission.
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“We place our roses into the earth for this time of nourishment, so that they will be held beneath the frozen ground where they will be prepared for what is to come. While they might otherwise survive, it is beneath the frozen tundra that makes them thrive”
Bridget Bearss, RSCJ
In the hush of winter, the clergy and religious at Guest House continue to work on their journey of recovery. Much like the roses, they get ready for what is next. While here, they regain the hope, patience, and strength that will allow them to return to serving the People of God. It is in their recovery they thrive and will bring the rays of God’s love to everyone they minister to once they leave Guest House. That is the miracle of recovery.
During this fallow time between the frost and the thaw, we count on your generosity to nurture the seeds Guest House sows – the seeds that grow into our clients’ ministry and shape the future of the Church. The clergy and religious appreciate your care and support and hold you in their daily prayers.
In 1987 I was treated for alcoholism at Guest House in Rochester, Minnesota. For this life-changing experience, I am deeply grateful. Following my treatment, I was comforted in knowing Guest House would always be there if I needed help. I even carried around in my pocket a Guest House coin—it somehow offered me a sense of security.
When I learned in 2014 that Guest House was closing the Rochester location, I was surprised—and then I was sad. It was the kind of sadness you feel when your parents sell the house where you grew up. I realized I was feeling fear. I worried, “What if I need Guest House again?” The place I knew would no longer be there for me. My Guest House was not an option. Would I have to go to Lake Orion—a new place? What would it be like? Would my new therapist be as good as my therapist in Rochester? I didn’t want to go someplace I didn’t know.
Home Again
The time did come when I needed Guest House again. In 2018 I had to go to Lake Orion, Michigan, the place where Guest House originated. Though I was reluctant, I found a lot of interesting things when I arrived. The chapel was similar to the one I knew in Rochester, but it was bigger and brighter. It reminded me of my Guest House and offered me a moment of reflection. I discovered that there are abundant opportunities in Lake Orion. Some things were the same, like how the men got there and the feelings they had when they arrived. This felt very familiar.
It’s About the People
I was welcomed in Lake Orion like I had been in Rochester. I was treated with the dignity of priesthood and with warmth and compassion. It was then that I realized it’s not about the place; it’s about the spirit of the place. No matter the location, it is Guest House–the Guest House I know and love.
While I will likely never say that I am thankful I began to drink again or that I am an alcoholic, I am thankful for the opportunity to go to Lake Orion and gain the insight and renewal I needed. I know for sure that I am grateful that God and Guest House were there for me when I did drink again. I know it costs a lot to run Guest House, I support it financially and have made them a beneficiary of my IRA. This Easter, as we celebrate Our Lord’s resurrection, I invite you to be as generous as you can so Guest House will continue to be there for my brothers and sisters in ministry.
God bless you!