Young becomes director at Emmaus House

January 13, 2025

April Young wants Emmaus House to feel like home.

That’s how she felt when she first encountered the center for spiritual companionship and contemplation years ago when it was in a three-story home in the Sherman Hill neighborhood in Des Moines.

Now, Emmaus House is in Urbandale and, as the new director, Young wants to ensure that both longtime community members and newcomers encounter a warmth and a welcome that makes them feel at home.

She wants that warm feeling not “just in aesthetics. I want to create a spirit of hospitality and invitation. Our vision statement says ‘All will go forth with a sense of belonging’ – belonging to God, to themselves, and that they feel they belong and feel invited here.”

Young, who served as the associate director, became the director of Emmaus House on Dec. 4, when Kevin O’Donnell stepped down. He was with the center for six years, first as co-director, then as director when Father Dan Krettek retired.

Young brings a range of pastoral and institutional experience to her new role. Before joining the leadership at Emmaus House, she served as director of mission integration at CHI Living Communities in Johnston, and as pastoral minister at St. Theresa Parish in Des Moines.

She holds a master’s degree in pastoral care from Fordham University, and a certificate in spiritual direction and retreats from Creighton University.

She invites the public to check out Mass at Emmaus House (Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon), Centering Prayer (Mondays at 5:30 p.m. and Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m.), spiritual direction, retreats, or just come for some quiet respite time.

“My first experience with Emmaus House was for spiritual direction. It wasn’t something said but I just had a sense that everything I said in the room stayed in the room. I felt very comfortable coming in,” she said. She wants that feeling to continue for others.

Emmaus House is in the midst of its 50th anniversary year of serving central Iowa.

“My hope is to deepen the roots here and strengthen relationships so we are poised to continue serving for another 50 years,” she said.

Emmaus House, at 3315 70th St. in Urbandale, is a ministry of the Diocese of Des Moines and is open to all people of all faiths. Get more information at theemmaushouse.org