More Than a Retreat Center.
An apostolate dedicated to forming
Catholics for lifelong discipleship.
St. Brendan Center exists because the need has always been there.
Catholics across the Gulf Coast want to go deeper in their faith, understand their Scripture, encounter God in silence, and return to their parishes equipped to bring others with them.
The center exists to serve every one of them.
Why we exist
The Catholic faith has always been lived in the ordinary rhythms of life - in the Sunday Mass, in the sacraments, in prayer, and in the life of the parish. Yet amid the demands of modern life, many Catholics rarely have the opportunity to step away, enter into silence, and devote uninterrupted time to deepening their relationship with Christ.
St. Brendan Center was founded on a simple conviction: when people are given the space to pray, reflect, and encounter God through Scripture, the sacraments, and sacred silence, hearts are renewed and lives are changed. Not because the center creates grace, but because it removes distractions and makes room for what God has always desired to do.
That is why this center exists. Not simply to host events or provide a beautiful setting, but to serve the mission of the Church by creating a place where Catholics can step away from the noise of everyday life, encounter Christ more deeply, and return home strengthened to live their vocation.
How we got here
St. Brendan Center has been serving the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee from its original property on Beulah Road in Pensacola since 2024. Parishes, Catholic schools, ministry groups, and individuals have been coming to Beulah Road for retreats, formation days, and personal prayer.
In 2026 the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee acquired Coldwater Gardens in Milton, Florida. Four Hundred acres of secluded natural property designed from the ground up as a formative Catholic retreat experience. The acquisition was not a departure from the original mission. It was the fullest expression of it. A property that could finally match the vision the center has always been building toward.
Both properties remain open, and both carry the same mission. Beulah Road continues to serve the diocese as it always has. St. Brendan's at Coldwater adds a new chapter. The center is not starting over. It is growing into what it was always meant to become.
Grounded in Salvation History
We present the message of salvation history, rooting each person’s individual story in the deep narrative of the scriptures.
Enflame a love of God
We help people to re-discover God’s love
for them.
Encourage the reception
of the sacraments
Retreats featuring confession and Mass.
Share the Church’s vision
Following Saint Paul VI and St. John Paul II, we lead people through encoutner and formation to understand their role as disciples.
Form Catholics in a rich spirituality
We open the richess of the spiritual life to move people beyond saying prayers into a life of prayer.
Rooted in the diocese
St. Brendan Center operates under the authority and support of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee. The acquisition of Coldwater Gardens was a diocesan initiative, a long-term commitment to creating a place dedicated to prayer, formation, and the renewal of Catholic life. This is not a private venture. It is a ministry of the local Church, established to serve the faithful for generations to come.
Bishop William Wack, CSC, has supported the mission of St. Brendan Center from its beginning. As he has said:
"Our diocese is always looking to provide new opportunities for people to encounter God. The St. Brendan Center at Coldwater will be a completely unique location in the Panhandle combining the natural beauty of our area with the beauty of Catholicism."
The center exists to serve every parish in the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee while welcoming Catholics from throughout the Gulf Coast, including the Archdiocese of Mobile, the Diocese of Biloxi, and the Diocese of Savannah. Wherever people are seeking a deeper life with Christ, St. Brendan Center exists to offer a place of prayer, silence, formation, and encounter.
Our Executive Director
Luke Arredondo, PhD is the founding Executive Director of the St. Brendan Center for Evangelization and Spirituality. Luke earned his PhD in Religious Ethics at Florida State University and a M.A. in Theological Studies at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, LA.
Prior to serving at St. Brendan, Luke was the Director of Faith Formation for the St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization in the Diocese of Tyler, TX.
Luke lives with his wife, Elena, and their five children in Pensacola. They are devotees of St. John Paul II, St. Therese, St. Faustina, soon-to-be Blessed Fulton Sheen, and (sometimes unfortunately) the New Orleans Saints.
Help build something the Gulf Coast has never had.
Founding donors are helping bring St. Brendan's at Coldwater to life. Every gift helps build the future chapel, create dedicated confessional rooms, and establish a place of prayer and renewal for generations to come.
Impact lines:
$50 funds meals for a priest's weekend retreat.
$300 sponsors a family retreat weekend.
$1,000 helps build the chapel that makes Mass on-site possible.
$5,000 names you as a founding Steward of Silence with permanent recognition on the property.