Petition Seeks to Save Saint Mary by-the-Sea Retreat House

CAPE MAY POINT – A group, calling themselves “Save our Cape,” started a petition to save Saint Mary by-the-Sea, a retreat house in Cape May Point, owned by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, in Philadelphia.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph Feb. 5 announced the retreat house’s permanent closure due to Covid pandemic restrictions (https://bit.ly/3lhQPfA). 
According to the retreat house’s website, bedroom furniture, curtains, lamps, pots and pans, and multiple other items, including memorialized rocking chairs, were “available for the taking” for several days in May.
A ritual of thanks and blessings is scheduled Sept. 18, with a Sept. 19 rain date. It is unclear, as of July 28, whether the event will be open to the public, as it is still being planned. Further details are expected to be available on the retreat house’s website (https://bit.ly/303ltht).
The petition (https://bit.ly/3j3dZDH), which had over 2,800 signatures July 30, asks signers to “consider saving our favorite building for the promise of a future that can feel and remember the past.”
“Riddled with history, life, and a foundation strong enough to withstand the future, we believe she deserves the right to stand for as long as her structure will allow,” the petition reads. 
“We have organized alternatives, advocated, and raised a substantial offer with the hope of saving the history of the building, but we need your help to stress the importance of the structure to the community and to the future generations,” the petition continues.
“As children, standing out at the cove with our families to watch the sunset, we were constantly awestruck and curious by the cherry red roofs of Saint Mary by-the-Sea. She’s been a part of Cape May long before any of us were and deserves to stay just as much as we do. 
“By saving Saint Mary by-the-Sea, we can keep generations of visitors curious about our history. While both are breathtaking, to see her in person is an entirely different experience than to see her in pictures.”
Efforts to reach the petition organizers were unsuccessful.
Cecilia Rupell, director of communications and public relations, Sisters of Saint Joseph, said, “The Sisters of Saint Joseph understand and appreciate our neighbors’ love for Saint Mary by-the-Sea. As with many families who part with their beloved home, the congregation made the difficult and heartbreaking decision after much prayer and discernment. Discussions and next steps regarding Saint Mary by-the-Sea continue.”
The property has not yet been sold and no agreement is pending, according to Rupell.
“Since purchasing the property in 1909, thousands have been part of her holy history as they encountered God in this sacred place and have been a prayerful presence to the Cape May Point community,” she added.
According to the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s Feb. 5 release, in October 2016, the congregation announced that Saint Mary by-the-Sea, at 101 Lehigh Avenue, would function as a retreat house through at least 2021. However, the Covid pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 retreat programmingat the retreat house, bringing the ministry to a close.
“The heartbreaking and difficult decision to close the facility was the result of comprehensive planning that clearly identified the need for the divestment of this property,” the nuns stated, in the release.
“Given its beachfront location and our congregational commitment to care for Earth, our desire is to return this land to nature rather than use it for further development. We will make plans to ritualize the closing and celebrate the sacredness of our retreat house,” they continued.
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.