A proper start for Holy Spirit Hall

By ROB HERBST
The Catholic Week
BATTLES WHARF — Mobile Bay’s history dates to a Spanish explorer’s discovery in the 1500s. 
So Holy Spirit Hall, which sits on Mobile Bay, had an appropriate opening July 16-18 — hosting Hombres Por Cristo, a retreat for Hispanic young men led by Archdiocese of Mobile Vocations Director Fr. Victor Ingalls.
Holy Spirit Hall is the new retreat center which sits on the original Camp Cullen property in Battles Wharf. The facility includes 14,700-square feet of indoor space and 6,000-square feet of covered porches which allow retreat visitors a view of Mobile Bay.
That same Mobile Bay is where Holy Spirit Hall gets its name. Spanish explorer Alonso Alvarez de Pineda is credited as the first European explorer to come to Mobile Bay in the 1500s and named it “Bahia del Espiritu Santo” — Bay of the Holy Spirit.
While Hombres por Cristo was the first chapter for Holy Spirit Hall, the property has a long history with the Archdiocese of Mobile, dating to 1876. In 1937, Msgr. Thomas Cullen began the children’s summer camp known as Camp Cullen. It closed in 1973.
The new facility has 176 bunk-style beds to accommodate  80 girls, 80 boys and 16 chaperones. Other highlights include a spacious dining and activity hall, kitchens and baths, showers and restrooms.
Not only was it appropriate that Hombres por Cristo opened Holy Spirit Hall, it was the right setting for a retreat that has quickly grown in popularity.
Around 70 young Hispanic men were registered for this year’s retreat. Roberto Rodriguez, 27, recalled the first retreat a few years back which had 12 retreatants. 
This was Rodriguez’ second Hombres por Cristo. 
“Something about the whole thing, I felt like I wanted to be here,” said Rodriguez, a parishioner at St. Patrick Parish in Robertsdale. 
Rodriguez was joined by other young Hispanic men from St. Patrick Parish, but all corners of the archdiocese were represented at the retreat.
“It’s really neat because there are a handful of people from all over the archdiocese,” Rodriguez said. “And it’s cool seeing how many young kids there are. It’s neat to see there’s such a need for us as young men to search for what God has for us.”