Sierra Madre retreat center partially reopens after close call with Eaton Fire
Thanks to an improbable cleanup operation, Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center in Sierra Madre is set to partially reopen to visitors this weekend, just one month after nearly being destroyed by the Eaton Fire.
“In our minds, we needed to have the ministry back as quickly as possible,” Mater Dolorosa’s director, Father Febin Barose, C.P. told Angelus.
While the retreat center’s employee apartments, hermitage, and garage all burned in the Eaton Fire, the retreat center’s main building was spared.
Since then, Barone’s staff has moved quickly, launching an informal fundraising campaign, having the building professionally cleaned, and replacing furniture items such as mattresses. The site has also been tested for hazardous materials.