Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh has purchased the Short Journey Retreat and Conference Center and plans to renovate and re-open the center as a means to enhance and expand opportunities for students, educators, and families to grow in their faith.
Short Journey was built in 1926 and served as a public school for African American students for 44 years before closing its doors in the 1970s. The Diocese of Raleigh purchased the 10-acre property in 1983 where it served serve the needs of youth, young adult and campus ministry programs until the diocese suspended operations at the end of 2016.
Notably, Cardinal Gibbons Principal Jason Curtis looks forward to preserving and celebrating the rich history of the center for future generations. Plans call for renovating the facility in the coming months and hosting school retreats there starting as early as 2019.
In addition to serving the growing needs of the Cardinal Gibbons community, it is the intent that the renovated Short Journey center may also serve the broader diocese in the future as an enhanced destination for spiritual formation opportunities.