Meritage Collection of hotels offers Clergy Hospitality Program

The Meritage Collection of hotels, owned and operated by Catholic businessman and philanthropist Tim Busch’s Pacific Hospitality Group (PHG), is offering a Clergy Hospitality Program for priests in good standing with the Catholic Church.

When they stay at select locations, priests receive free accommodations and a 20% discount on food purchases (excluding alcohol) in exchange for saying Mass each day while staying at the property. Each site has all the materials needed for Mass; priests only need to bring an alb. Priests must limit their stays to twice a year to allow as many priests as possible to benefit from the program. Priests are requested to stay through Sunday so that guests can have access to Sunday Mass on-site.

Busch explained that the inspiration for the Clergy Hospitality Program was twofold. First, he said, “We recognized the need to give Catholic priests a place to rest and recharge—a kind of short sabbatical that acknowledges the demands and stress of their daily ministry.”

Additionally, he continued, the program offers resort guests “the opportunity to attend daily Mass without leaving the hotel, especially for those who desire to keep their spiritual routine while traveling.”

By building chapels into PHG properties and offering complimentary stays to priests who celebrate Mass, he noted, “We’re creating a space where it makes it easier for people to live a fully integrated Catholic lifestyle even when on vacation or traveling. It’s a simple but powerful way to serve both clergy and laity—and to make Christ more accessible in the rhythm of life.”

Three locations

Priests may book at one of three locations: The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa, California, the Ko’a Kea Hotel & Resort in Poipu, Hawaii, and Hotel Viata in Austin, Texas. Highlights of the Napa property include world-class dining, a 36-acre site with a nine-acre vineyard and views of the Napa Valley, two pools, six bowling lanes and a fitness center, and spacious rooms with private patios/balconies. Nearby the resort are a variety of wineries and wine-tasting opportunities, public markets, golfing, hot-air balloon rides, and scenic hiking areas.

The Kauai property offers direct access to Poipu Beach as well as an oceanfront pool, dining at the site’s premier restaurant, Red Salt, and a variety of activities themed to the islands: lei-making, ukulele classes, and hula performances. The Hotel Viata is a boutique hotel in Westlake Hills with a spa, saltwater pool, and views of the Texas Hill Country, with a variety of spacious rooms and suites. Bring your dog or cat. Nearby attractions include listening to live music on South Congress Avenue, watching the Mexican free-tailed bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge, kayaking and canoeing at Zilker Metropolitan Park, and much more.

A priest may bring a priest-friend with him to participate in the program and share a single or double room. They may alternate the day they celebrate the Mass on the property or both celebrate a Mass at different times of the day.

Busch said, “This is a great opportunity for priests to get together for fraternity while continuing to bring the sacraments to these hotels.”

Recharge and renew for ministry

Fr. Michael Duffy participated in the Clergy Hospitality Program and said it gave him “a much-needed place to step away, recharge, and renew my strength for ministry. I am deeply grateful for this gift that has benefited both me and my ministry.”

Fr. Doug MacDonald remarked, “This was a blessed experience indeed. Priests will be refreshed in the Lord, in hospitality, and in the beauty of the Napa vineyards. I am most appreciative of the kindness of Tim and Steph Busch for making this possible. Thank you to all the staff for your abundant service.”

Busch observed that priests “give so much of themselves” in service to the Church through the sacraments, spiritual guidance, and the day-to-day care of their parish communities. Therefore, “giving them a peaceful and beautiful place to rest is a way for us to help them in their vocation and support their spiritual renewal. When priests are given the chance to rest, pray, and reflect on their vocation, they return renewed, spiritually strengthened, and more deeply rooted in their priesthood. At a time when we’re losing priests (especially young priests) at alarming rates, providing them with space for renewal and retreat is a commitment to the long-term health of our Church.”

Fruits of the hospitality program

One of the many fruits of the program has been the formation of personal relationships between guests and the priests staying on the property. Guests have shared how meaningful it was to befriend a priest during their stay—conversations over coffee or a simple encounter in the chapel after Mass often led to “unexpected moments of grace,” Busch said.

He continued, “I’ve witnessed people enter the hotel chapels in times of grief or uncertainty, seeking comfort, prayer, or simply the presence of a priest. These are moments you can’t plan, but they reveal the power of making the sacraments and spiritual care more accessible to people wherever they are, even when on vacation. This program is becoming a source of healing, friendship, and evangelization for both guests and priests alike.”

Having chapels on PHG properties in itself has had a positive effect on the resorts themselves, as “guests walk in and immediately feel the presence of something sacred. They have told us they wandered in just to sit, but ended up staying to pray or even attend a Mass.”

He continued, “As Catholics, the Eucharist is the center of our lives, and through this initiative, we’re helping make the sacraments more accessible, even while people are away from home. God is clearly using this effort to reach hearts—from faithful Catholics to those who’ve drifted from the Church but feel something awakened when they see faith quietly integrated into everyday spaces, in this case, hotels.”

Busch hopes to offer daily Mass at all three PHG hotel locations—seven days a week—so that every guest has access to the sacraments no matter when they’re traveling. He concluded, “We want these chapels to be places where the Eucharist is truly at the heart of each property … and if you’re a guest visiting one of our destinations, we hope you’ll join us for Mass onsite!”

Priests wishing additional information can visit www.clergyhospitality.org.