Maria Retreat Center

About this place

Mariapolis Center is a retreat and education center registered with the Diocese of Suwon in Uiwang and built for the formation of members of the Work of Mary, or Focolare Movement. The Diocese of Suwon describes it as a basement-one, three-story education and lodging facility with halls of different sizes and accommodation for group retreats and formation. Its essential identity is therefore not that of an ordinary parish church, but of a center dedicated to Focolare spirituality and formation.

The Focolare Movement is a Catholic movement officially known as the Work of Mary and seeks to live a spirituality of unity. Diocese of Suwon materials connect its particular purpose with Jesus’ prayer “that they may all be one” and emphasize putting the Word of Life into practice and sharing life in community. Mariapolis Center can thus be understood as a place for learning this spirituality and experiencing it together through formation and encounter.

The center's physical arrangement corresponds to this purpose. The diocesan description of halls of different sizes together with lodging shows that the facility is intended for community-based formation, retreats, and interaction rather than primarily for individual visits to a parish church. Since “Mariapolis” in the Focolare context is connected with communal encounters in which participants experience a life of unity together, the center has particular significance as a formation space that gathers people to learn relationships and Christian life in community.