Dear Friends of La Casa:
We write today to tell you of the tremendous progress we have made since the devastating mud and debris slide of January 9, which wreaked utter havoc on our small town and our beloved property just three months ago. In the days following the slide, the damage and loss seemed almost overwhelming – nine buildings

We’re pleased to report that we made it through the most recent storm unscathed – our newly widened section of the San Ysidro Creek did not overflow its banks. This was the third and most threatening storm to arrive since the devastating mud and debris flow of January 9. Each of those storms prompted a mandatory evacuation but this

When disaster strikes, you find out who your friends are.  For La Casa and others affected by the mud and debris slide, one very good friend has been TechEase.
TechEase generously offered free data recovery for those fortunate enough to find their computers buried under the mudslide and debris flow of January 9, 2018.
We lost our entire administrative building, where

 
In the days following the January 9 mud and debris slide, supporters of La Casa de Maria and its Center for Spiritual Renewal reached out in large numbers, expressing their deep concern for a beloved institution. Almost immediately, volunteers offered to sponsor fundraisers, the first of which was held Sunday, February 25 at Trinity Episcopal Church on State Street

Every day someone asks, “What’s going on at La Casa?” which is often followed up by a series of additional questions. We thought that this might a good time to answer some of the most common questions asked.
What’s going on at our beloved La Casa – do you have any updates?
It’s been seven weeks since the January

The day before a powerful and deadly mud and debris slide poured down from the Santa Ynez Mountains into Montecito, 88-year old Sister Pauline Krismanich was sitting at her office desk, doing her work. This comes as no surprise anyone who knows Pauline. Though the local authorities had put La Casa de Maria, Pauline’s employer and home of 48 years, on

On Saturday, February 3, approximately fifty members of the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade showed up at La Casa de Maria with shovels and buckets and pitched in to remove hundreds of pounds of mud from our property’s historic chapel.
“This was an encouraging and uplifting scene,” said Steve Jacobsen, La Casa’s director. The chapel is just one of the buildings

Dear Friends and Supporters of La Casa:
We are writing to update you on the most recent developments at La Casa de Maria since the devastating mudslide of January 9.
On Saturday, January 28, the local authorities lifted the evacuation order for our section of Montecito. While we have been allowed back on the property, there are no utilities. We

To our community of friends and supporters,
We are grateful that so many have reached out to learn how La Casa de Maria Retreat and Conference Center (LCDM), which was directly in the path of Tuesday’s powerful mudslide, is faring. Most important, all guests had been evacuated prior to the slide and we have confirmed that all members of our