Vianney Renewal Center

In 1988, the Servants of the Paraclete opened Vianney Renewal Center in Dittmer, Missouri, a rural setting 30 miles from metropolitan St. Louis.  This Center is a faith-directed supportive community for priests and brothers who are desirous of living their priesthood and/or religious life in its essential components of prayer, fraternity, and continuing personal/spiritual growth, even though they may not be able to engage in active ministry for personal, health-related, psychological, social or canonical reasons.  VRC is under the direction of the Servants of the Paraclete, a male religious community dedicated to serving priests and religious brothers through residential programs designed for renewal and support.

Residents of VRC have typically undergone an intensive renewal or treatment program for priests and brothers, and are following recommendations from such programs.  Some residents participate in AA or other 12 step meetings held in-house or outside the house.  Spiritual direction, individual counseling sessions, and weekly conferences are provided by qualified staff.   A small number of the residents need to be and are registered according to the Megan Law.  A system of external supervision is provided according to the situation of each individual.

The facility currently has 17 residents, some of whom will be returning to their dioceses or provinces of origin, others will remain as more or less permanent members of the Vianney Renewal Community.  As such they are part of the general mission of the Servants of the Paraclete to pray and work, according to each ones graces and abilities, for renewal and sanctification of priesthood and religious life.

Daily activities, in addition to prayer and Eucharist, consist in service to the Vianney Community through various forms of caring for the house and grounds, reading, writing, giving conferences to fellow residents and those on shorter term retreat, and various forms of physical exercise.

To date the community has provided edification to the surrounding area, albeit neighbors are courteously requested to respect the contemplative nature of VRC and the need of the resident population to have a certain degree of privacy.  The neighbors understand the nature of VRC and respect its privacy.

Rev. Peter Lechner, s.P., Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

RESERVATIONS and INFORMATION
please write or call:

Director

Vianney Renewal Center

PO Box 130

Dittmer, MO 63023-1041

PHONE: (636) 274-5226

FAX: (636) 274-1430