Discover St. Edmund’s Retreat on Enders Island, which offers retreats, renewal, and worship on the beautiful Connecticut coast.
After years of visiting holy sites and retreat centers around the world, I’ve discovered that the ones I love best are often near the sea. Being a landlocked Iowan, it’s always a thrill for me to see the waves and smell the salt air. And to be on an island is an added delight, surrounded by water and sky.
So it’s no wonder that I was entranced by St. Edmund’s Retreat on Enders Island, a jewel-like sanctuary off the coast of Mystic, Connecticut. I came to take part in a workshop through the island’s Sacred Art Institute. The iconography workshop was marvelous, but I was equally enchanted by the island itself.
(Read more about my iconography painting experience.)
With its lovely chapel, blooming gardens, and many places to savor views of the sea, Enders Island is a landscape steeped in prayers. It’s a place that invites you to lay down your cares and simply be present. Even the seagulls here seem to have mastered the art of contemplation.
A Place Apart
Reached by a short causeway that connects it to the mainland, Enders Island was originally the home of Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Alys Enders, who in the early-twentieth century built an Arts and Crafts-style estate with formal gardens. In 1954 Alys Enders donated the island to members of the Society of Saint Edmund, who established a retreat center here by adapting the existing buildings and constructing new ones.
The Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption was consecrated in 2002. Its walls incorporate stones from Marian shrines and Catholic sites around the world as well as local fieldstone. In keeping with the retreat center’s celebration of sacred art, it’s filled with exquisite stained glass, icons, and sculptures.
I was especially taken by its Stations of the Cross, which are illuminated miniatures done in a medieval style. Painted by Jed Gibbons, each incorporates elements from the flora and fauna of Enders Island.
The church also has a relic from the island’s patron, the twelfth-century Saint Edmund of Canterbury. A brilliant scholar who taught mathematics at Oxford, he turned to theology after a dream urged him to study the mysteries of the Trinity instead of geometry. As a priest, he was known for his compassion and courage, giving away his income to help the poor and even confronting King Henry III to plead for peace. Named Archbishop of Canterbury in 1234, Edmund died on pilgrimage in France six years later. The Society of Saint Edmund continues his legacy of service to the poor and devotion to God.
Outside the church, paths lead to gardens that include a renowned dahlia collection. The plantings began with Alys Enders (who also created the stone archways and fountains around the main house). More than 300 varieties bloom here, making this one of the largest dahlia collections in New England.
The eleven-acre island also includes a Rosary Walk that traces the shoreline, an outdoor Way of the Cross, and a small seaside shrine where you watch the sunrise over the water. Throughout the property are benches and chairs perfectly placed for contemplation.
A Haven for Healing and Creativity
St. Edmund’s Retreat offers a variety of programs designed to help guests connect with God. In addition to traditional retreats, both solo and guided, the island has a recovery ministry that offers hope and healing for people who struggle with addictions, trauma, or abuse.
The island also tends the soul through art. Its Sacred Art Institute invites participants into the rich traditions of sacred creativity—chanting, stained glass, calligraphy, and more—guided by masters of their craft. Classes meet in the restored Sacred Art Studio, whose stained glass and stonework are reminders that the space once served as the island’s chapel for nearly half a century.
Each workshop is part prayer, part history lesson, and part hands-on creation. With small classes and attentive instructors, the experience welcomes both novices and seasoned artists, ending with a finished piece that students can take home.
On my visit to Enders Island, I took a five-day workshop on Essentials of Iconography. Under the guidance of iconographer Marek Czarnecki, our group of eight students learned centuries-old techniques that connect brush, pigment, and prayer. Using egg tempera that we mixed ourselves, we painted an icon modeled after a fourteenth-century Byzantine icon of St. Michael the Archangel.
At every stage, Marek demonstrated the technique and also talked about the centuries of theology and tradition behind each brushstroke. I was fascinated by how the image was built in layers, with each one trying to give a sense for the light emanating from the saint’s face.
Thanks to Marek’s guidance—and rescue brushstrokes—my icon turned out far better than I could have hoped.
Stones, Sea, and Serenity
Even if you don’t come for a formal retreat or workshop, Enders Island is worth a visit simply to experience the beauty of the place. You can walk the grounds, visit the chapel, or sit quietly by the sea wall while your thoughts untangle themselves.
If you visit, I think you’ll find, as I did, that the island hums with a quiet sort of holiness. Pilgrims, artists, and road-trippers drift in and out; most leave with the tumult in their heads and hearts calmed.
Enders Island may be small, but like all sacred places, it feels spacious in all the ways that matter.
If You Go
St. Edmund’s Retreat on Enders Island is connected to Masons Island via a causeway. When you approach the Gatehouse to Mason’s Island, you’ll see a sign “Private Roads – No Trespassing” as you come upon the guard booth. If there is someone in the guard booth, stop and inform them that you are traveling to Enders Island. If the booth is unmanned, please proceed ahead slowly, following the signs to Enders Island.
During the day, visitors are welcome to walk the island as well as attend Mass, which is held seven days a week at 9:00 am. The island also has many online resources, including a livestream of its Sunday Mass and a Christian meditation service on Wednesday evenings.
Overnight accommodations are in St Michael’s Hall, which has comfortable rooms with shared bathrooms, a gift shop, and meeting rooms.
Lori Erickson is one of America’s top travel writers specializing in spiritual journeys. She’s the author of books that include Holy Rover, Near the Exit, The Soul of the Family Tree, and Every Step Is Home. Her website Spiritual Travels features holy sites around the world.
Share This!
