"In 1983, responding to her own prayer and attention to the needs surrounding her and belief in the necessity of action, Retsy cut her responsibilities at Stuart to half-time so as to establish and coordinate the Martin House Learning Center at Martin House, an inner city ministry of the Diocese of Trenton. Her work at Martin House became full time in 1984. There, she developed learning programs for all ages and abilities: English as a Second Language, high school equivalency diplomas, individual and small group tutoring and a preschool. She oversaw the recruitment and training of staff and volunteers, succeeded at significant fundraising and securing substantial donations in kind, and built a strong mutual link between the Martin House Community and its neighborhood and the entire Stuart school community-students, faculty and staff and parents."
"Retsy's prayer, love of the Beatitudes, Gandhi, and Dorothy Day and her increasing involvement with peace and justice organizations and issues led her to yet another ministry as a jail chaplain. From the early 1990's until two weeks before her death in 1999, she served as Associate Chaplain at the Somerset County Jail and the Bordentown Juvenile Medium Security Facility." (From her obituary)
Retsy also led reflection groups which brought together Stuart parents and and people who lived and worked in Trenton. (from Grace Butler)
Martin House
Ministry still exists
