Welcome
to San Alfonso Retreat House
Celebrating 100 years of retreat ministry in 2025!

Creating a Vision for the Future

As San Alfonso looks to the future, we have begun a visioning process to consider how the Retreat House can remain faithful to its founding mission and Redemptorist charism while responding to current realities and emerging needs. An important part of that process is listening, and we would like to hear from you.

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8M8VJ65

For those who prefer to respond using hardcopy, click here for a printable PDF version of the survey. Please mail your completed copy to:

Jonah Steele

KEB

3200 Robbins Road

Springfield, IL 62704

Technical difficulties: Please email Jonah Steele at [email protected].
Please respond by November 7, 2026. 

Thank you for your time, your insight, and your continued support.

Our next Day of Prayer on November 2!

Announcing

An Evening of Sacred Music and Scripture

Celebrating The Season of Light

a special Advent benefit concert on

December 13 with Fr. Anthony!

Click here for more info!

Fr. John McGowan, C.Ss.R. 1936 - 2026

It's with a heavy heart that we announce that Fr. John McGowan, C.Ss.R. passed peacefully into eternal life on Friday, September 18th at the St. John Neumann Residence in Timonium, Maryland with his Redemptorist brothers gathered in prayer around him. 

Fr. John ministered here at San Alfonso for close to 30 years. We cannot even begin to imagine how many lives he touched, how many souls were nourished by his prayer and preaching, how many times he brought joy and laughter to those in his presence. Just the sound of his warm, loud, and cheerful greeting instantly made you feel welcomed and at home.

What an extraordinary gift he has been to our Redemptorist community, our staff, and so many retreatants who walked through the doors of this retreat house.

We thank God for Fr. John's presence and ministry in his almost 70 years as a Redemptorist. He surely has received a loud, warm, and cheerful welcome into eternal life!

To view the video of the funeral Mass, click here.

We're ever grateful for all those who helped make our 100th Anniversary Gala on November 15th a fitting honor as we celebrate a century of service at San Alfonso.  Your generosity will help continue the great ministry here on this holy ground for years to come.  To see our commemorative ad journal, click here.

Ad Multos Annos!