Partners Magazine is published three times a year for family, friends, benefactors, and Jesuits of the Chicago and Detroit Provinces of the Society of Jesus. To request a free subscription to Partners, please visit the Request Publications page. Immediately below you’ll find the current issue of Partners. You can also view back issues in the Partners web archive, further down this page.
Partners Fall 2011 – Page 7 of 7
'We think that many laypeople, whatever their careers, can find opportunities to serve as companions in the endeavors of the Society,' say John and Barbara Schubert. 'Jesuits work in such a great range of activities, they welcome lay associates so warmly and, of course, the needs of this broken world are so profound.'
Click here for Partners Fall 2011 Index
A Faith That Does Justice
By Amy Korpi
Barbara and John Schubert, both educators, began their commitment to the Midwest Jesuits nearly 20 years ago. Barbara, who holds three degrees from John Carroll, serves on the university’s board of directors, and has served on the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope as well as the national board of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps. John serves on the board of the Ignatian Solidarity Network (which brings together college and high school students to be inspired and trained for social justice work), tutors at Cleveland’s Saint Martin de Porres High School, and has just completed service as a trustee of the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California. In addition, both Barbara and John served on the Detroit Province Development Committee for the Freedom to Serve Campaign, which raised $15.5 million. And both have traveled to teach in the Jesuits’ Eastern Africa Province. Here, they reflect on their commitment to the Jesuits and their rewarding experiences of service.
Q: There are many good causes in the world—what inspired your commitment to the Jesuits?
JOHN: Unlike many laypeople who become involved in the work of the Society, I was never taught by Jesuits. I didn’t even know a Jesuit more than casually until I was in my sixties. But then I made up for lost time. My source of inspiration was Fr. Joe Daoust, SJ, former Detroit provincial and current counselor to the Society’s Father General. After we worked with him on the campaign to endow the Colombiere retirement facility, we joined brief trips that he led in 1996 and 2000 to observe Jesuit apostolates in Eastern Africa. When we visited Loyola High School in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, we were given the chance, as retired high school English teachers, to teach a few classes. From this experience came the idea of returning to work with small groups of incoming students whose previous schooling had left them unprepared for high school classes conducted in English. We were able to do this during the winter-spring semester of both 2005 and 2006. We worked closely with a series of young Jesuit Volunteer Corp members and gained a profound respect for them. We paid a brief visit to Loyola just last summer with our teenage granddaughter, Emma. After going through a day of classes and hanging out with the current volunteers, she came to share our enthusiasm for the school, its students, and the American volunteers.
Q: What else have you gained in your service experience?
BARBARA: We have received so much more than we have given. To start, when tutoring at Loyola, we learned to live in community, and all that comes with that—like the need to share everything and to do without choices. We also gained much from the spirit of the people in our midst. The students are terrific; they want to learn and are willing, almost always, to put forth the effort to do so. The Jesuits we met and lived among never hesitated to reach out to the students, neighbors, parents and anyone passing through who needed their help. Their T-shirts as well as those worn by every campus worker said, “Men and Women for Others” and they live this motto to the fullest. The Jesuits we worked with absolutely never said “no” to a request for help. These role models live very simple lives, much like their neighbors.
Q: What makes the ministries you have chosen so special to you?
BARBARA: There are so many good ways to volunteer, but I had never felt called to one particular way until my first few minutes in that classroom at Loyola. It seemed like a third of the class was sinking, unable to really comprehend what was going on. People have asked why I didn’t choose to tutor in our local schools. I really do not have a good answer – except that I felt a serious need that I thought I could help fill in Tanzania. Also, when away from home there is no pull to do family/friend/work-related things. John and I lived in a very small room, we had no phone and limited email, and electricity was mainly on just in the evenings. So we were fully immersed in the experience.
Q: What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about the Jesuits?
BARBARA: I came away from my experiences in Eastern Africa with tremendous respect for the Jesuits and the Jesuit volunteers. John and I saw firsthand how involved the Jesuits are with the people they are serving. When they saw a group of young people who had dropped out of school and were basically illiterate, classes were begun at the local parish to help them attain basic skills. Street children needed food, so the Jesuits began a program to feed and educate these youngsters. Vitamins begged for were distributed. And they never quit giving—look at the average age of the working Jesuit! Retirement is out of the question as long as they can avoid it. And that’s why helping them in whatever way we can is important and necessary.
Q: Why is it so important for laypeople to support the Jesuits?
JOHN: Looking back on my involvements, I see a common theme: “faith doing justice.” For me, the principle mode of service, growing out of my career, is teaching. But I think that many laypeople, whatever their careers, can find opportunities to serve as companions in the endeavors of the Society. Jesuits work in such a great range of activities, they welcome lay associates so warmly and, of course, the needs of this broken world are so profound.
BARBARA: Not everyone can go to Eastern Africa, but there are many other opportunities to serve in Jesuit ministries. The Jesuits will use your donation and/or your time with love and care.
The total cost of Formation for a Jesuit is $385,000. Thank you for your partnership in serving the people of God.
Partners Fall 2011 – Page 5 of 7
Click here for Partners Fall 2011 Index
How did you ever decide
to become a Jesuit?
By Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ
It’s an honest question: “How did you ever decide to become a Jesuit? And it has been posed to many a Jesuit—often in an unguarded moment—by a sincere friend, student, parishioner, or retreatant. My own answer goes something like this: I don’t think I decided on life in the Society of Jesus so much as I responded to God’s call to this way of being.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Geez, another Jesuit caught up in the semantics of a simple question!” Maybe you’re right, but I do think that there is an important distinction here between “deciding to become a Jesuit” and “answering God’s call to become a Jesuit.”
And I think deep down, for all of us, whether we’re a religious, or married, or single, or a priest, or a brother, or a sister, our true vocation in life is far more about heeding God’s call than it is about deciding between options.
I see this every day in my work as Formation Director of the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus. I work with over 50 intelligent, talented, generous, and dedicated men who each and every day hear and answer God’s call to become ever more the Jesuit that God calls them to be.
The men who apply and enter religious life as Jesuits are largely men who have many options in life. They bring to the Jesuits multiple academic degrees and years of professional experience in everything from art and music to management and finance, from engineering and medicine to education and social work. And with all of their admirable talents and high achievements, their desire to live God’s call is something these men re-visit each and every day.
And each day, Jesuits in formation re-commit themselves to become ever more the apostle God calls them to be, sent on mission to “help souls,” as St. Ignatius puts it, not for their own self-gain or by their own self-directed pursuits, but for the good of others and for the glory of God (continued below).
Open publication - Free publishing
But, as you may know, becoming a Jesuit (i.e., Jesuit formation) takes a very long time (see shaded box above).
Why so long a formation? Why so many steps? Why so many years? These are all questions I used to ask myself when I was going through Jesuit formation! Maybe I can best answer that by saying that Jesuit formation is about a way of being in the world, a way of being that takes a lifetime to realize and to live out. It may help to consider that becoming a Jesuit is more properly referred to as “Jesuit formation” as opposed to “Jesuit training.” Sure, we Jesuits receive lots of training in critical thinking, leadership skills, and pastoral practice. But, becoming a Jesuit is a much bigger project than acquiring important skills, which is training. Becoming a Jesuit is about being formed, over the course of one’s lifetime. With time and testing, the Jesuit is formed to be utterly available to serve the mission of the Society of Jesus, wherever the need is greatest, and however the glory of God may be advanced.
In the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius that are at the heart of Jesuit formation and spirituality, one of the last contemplations is what’s known as the contemplatio, or “The Contemplation to Attain the Love of God.” When a Jesuit prays the contemplatio, he considers all that God has given him and done for him. Moved by his realization of the depth of God’s own love for him, the Jesuit surrenders everything to God:
All that I have and call my own, Lord,
You have given to me. And now I give it all back to you.
Do with it all what you will.
Yet, give me only your love and your grace,
And with these, I will be rich enough.
Such is an act of the heart—a response to God’s initiative of love—way more than it is an exercise of the mind.
It’s true that we all make important decisions in life. But, Jesuit formation is first and foremost a response by generous and capable men to be formed into the Sons of Ignatius that God calls them to be.
I count it as among the richest blessing in my life to be missioned to accompany the men in my charge through the many years of their Jesuit formation. Every day, I witness in them the lived-out truth spoken in the New Testament: “Love consists in this: Not that we have loved God, but that God has first loved us” (1 John 4:10).
Such is the Jesuit’s calling. And such is at the heart of our Jesuit formation.
It’s an honest question: “How did you ever decide to become a Jesuit? And it has been posed to many a Jesuit—often in an unguarded moment—by a sincere friend, student, parishioner, or retreatant. My own answer goes something like this: I don’t think I decided on life in the Society of Jesus so much as I responded to God’s call to this way of being.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Geez, another Jesuit caught up in the semantics of a simple question!” Maybe you’re right, but I do think that there is an important distinction here between “deciding to become a Jesuit” and “answering God’s call to become a Jesuit.”
And I think deep down, for all of us, whether we’re a religious, or married, or single, or a priest, or a brother, or a sister, our true vocation in life is far more about heeding God’s call than it is about deciding between options.
I see this every day in my work as Formation Director of the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus. I work with over 50 intelligent, talented, generous, and dedicated men who each and every day hear and answer God’s call to become ever more the Jesuit that God calls them to be.
The men who apply and enter religious life as Jesuits are largely men who have many options in life. They bring to the Jesuits multiple academic degrees and years of professional experience in everything from art and music to management and finance, from engineering and medicine to education and social work. And with all of their admirable talents and high achievements, their desire to live God’s call is something these men re-visit each and every day.
And each day, Jesuits in formation re-commit themselves to become ever more the apostle God calls them to be, sent on mission to “help souls,” as St. Ignatius puts it, not for their own self-gain or by their own self-directed pursuits, but for the good of others and for the glory of God (continued below).
But, as you may know, becoming a Jesuit (i.e., Jesuit formation) takes a very long time (see shaded box above).
Why so long a formation? Why so many steps? Why so many years? These are all questions I used to ask myself when I was going through Jesuit formation! Maybe I can best answer that by saying that Jesuit formation is about a way of being in the world, a way of being that takes a lifetime to realize and to live out. It may help to consider that becoming a Jesuit is more properly referred to as “Jesuit formation” as opposed to “Jesuit training.” Sure, we Jesuits receive lots of training in critical thinking, leadership skills, and pastoral practice. But, becoming a Jesuit is a much bigger project than acquiring important skills, which is training. Becoming a Jesuit is about being formed, over the course of one’s lifetime. With time and testing, the Jesuit is formed to be utterly available to serve the mission of the Society of Jesus, wherever the need is greatest, and however the glory of God may be advanced.
In the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius that are at the heart of Jesuit formation and spirituality, one of the last contemplations is what’s known as the contemplatio, or “The Contemplation to Attain the Love of God.” When a Jesuit prays the contemplatio, he considers all that God has given him and done for him. Moved by his realization of the depth of God’s own love for him, the Jesuit surrenders everything to God:
All that I have and call my own, Lord,
You have given to me. And now I give it all back to you.
Do with it all what you will.
Yet, give me only your love and your grace,
And with these, I will be rich enough.
Such is an act of the heart—a response to God’s initiative of love—way more than it is an exercise of the mind.
It’s true that we all make important decisions in life. But, Jesuit formation is first and foremost a response by generous and capable men to be formed into the Sons of Ignatius that God calls them to be.
I count it as among the richest blessing in my life to be missioned to accompany the men in my charge through the many years of their Jesuit formation. Every day, I witness in them the lived-out truth spoken in the New Testament: “Love consists in this: Not that we have loved God, but that God has first loved us” (1 John 4:10).
Such is the Jesuit’s calling. And such is at the heart of our Jesuit formation.
Partners Fall 2011 – Page 6 of 7
Click here for Partners Fall 2011 Index
Get to Know the Jesuits Who Took First Vows This Year
A Jesuit professes first vows after two years in the novitiate and before entering first studies.
Kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, the man promises to become poor, chaste, and obedient with God’s help.
Each novice then receives a crucifix—a symbol of his dedication to following Christ on the way of the cross—
which will remain with him throughout his life.
On August 13, 2011, six Jesuits from the Chicago-Detroit Province professed first vows at St. Thomas More Catholic Community, the Jesuit parish of the Twin Cities in Minnesota (pictured above): Gregory Ostdiek, Kevin Embach, Kyle Shinseki, Matthew Lieser, Trevor Beach, and Joshua Peters. Read on to learn more about them and why they love being Jesuits.
“During my time in the Navy, I realized that my vocation really was to be a priest. So I started looking around and discovered that the Jesuits were the best fit for me. . . . There are a lot of good guys in the Society. . . . There’s a lot of study, but it’s fun learning and training yourself to help other people.” — Gregory Ostdiek, Beavercreek, OH
Greg has a BA in English and a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton, and an MA in English and an MS in mechanical engineering from Penn State. He served in the navy for 14 years, including several tours in the Middle East. Greg taught physics at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School & Academy before joining the Society.
“I entered the Society at age 49, making me the oldest novice in the US. . . . Since I entered, my (much younger) brothers have been great and my vocation has been confirmed time and again. Medicine is my profession, and Jesuit priesthood is my vocation.”— Kevin Embach, Grosse Pointe Shores, MI
Kevin earned a BS from Notre Dame and an MD from the University of Virginia. He also earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Kevin worked as an assistant professor of medicine at Wayne State University in Detroit, and he’s practiced and taught internal medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe.
“Once I made the decision to join the Jesuits, I had a lot of fears coming in. But in the novitiate I learned to trust in God. I also learned what a blessing it is to live in community and be supported. . . . I’ve been able to find a tremendous amount of joy and happiness these last two years, and I look forward to what God has in store for me.”— Kyle Shinseki, Honolulu, HI
After earning a BA in planning from MIT, Kyle completed an MA in urban planning from UCLA and an MBA from Northwestern. He worked as an assistant brand manager at Procter & Gamble and as the development director at the National Council of La Raza, a nonprofit organization focused on reducing poverty and discrimination for Hispanic Americans. Kyle also participated in community service at St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati.
“I had a bit of a call when I was about 12 years old, and didn’t know what to make of it. . . . I put it out of my mind through high school and college, . . . then after a few years of working in business and lots of discernment, I joined the Jesuits. God is very patient. You can run, but he’ll follow you. Even if you run fast, he’ll be there, wherever you end up.”— Matthew Lieser, Lakewood, OHA graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Matt has a BA in international affairs with a concentration in business and a minor in Spanish. He spent two years with the Peace Corps in Guatemala teaching business and English. He worked for Chiquita International as an analyst, and he was a volunteer coordinator for the Habitat for Humanity.
“After doing a three-day silent retreat at Boston College, I . . . researched Ignatius and the Jesuits and decided to contact the Jesuit vocations office. But once that fervor died down, I found myself a little more afraid and stepped back. A little more than a year later I was in my room late at night . . . and I thought, ‘when did I feel most myself?’ And it was on that retreat, with God. . . I wrote the vocation director that night, and five days later I was on my way to the novitiate. There I found that same feeling from the retreat. That deepening in my soul, knowing who I am, excitement for the future that continues today.”— Trevor Beach, Grand Rapids, MI
Trevor is a graduate of St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, where he studied theology and Spanish and did some graduate work in theology. He also was involved with Ministry Formation Leaders (SALT) for three years and spent a semester in Chile volunteering with the Jesuit-based En Todo Amar y Servir in Valparaiso.
“Taking the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the Society of Jesus is my “Yes.” . . . I’m excited to be in First Studies, moving on to the next stage of Jesuit formation because it is my chance to deepen my relationship with Jesus and to let that sweet Holy Spirit order my steps. I already feel that First Studies are allowing me to see the profound way that God has been moving and acting in this world since the beginning of time. . . .”— Joshua Peters, Detroit, MI
Joshua graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School & Academy and earned a BA in American Studies from the University of Dayton. He worked in campus ministry at his high school alma mater and in retreat ministry at the Jesuit Spiritual Center in Milford, Ohio.
Partners Fall 2011 – Page 4 of 7
Once a candidate joins the Jesuits, he spends two years as a novice. In the summer of 2009, Ryan Masterson and his novice classmates spent six weeks on an immersion trip to Lima, Peru. (Front row) Robert Carlton, Matt Lieser, Trevor Beach, and Jeff Dorr; (second row) James Sand (standing), Gavin Kiesling (kneeling), Jeff Sullivan, Ryan Masterson, and Kyle Shinseki; (third row) Novice Master Bill Verbryke, Steve Calme, Nate Romano, John Roselle, and Greg Ostdiek; (Back row) Joe Fleischman, Bryan Norton, Joshua Peters, Matt Spotts, and Kevin Embach.
Click here for Partners Fall 2011 Index
Six Weeks a Jesuit
By Ryan Masterson, SJ
My Jesuit formation has shown me the hand of God ever at work in and through all that I am. The growing pains felt by a soul when it responds to Christ’s invitation—on his time, not ours—can be especially profound, but they always lead to growth.
After two years of relative isolation in the novitiate, I felt like I was being thrown back into the “real world” when I began first studies at Loyola University Chicago in 2010. The initial excitement of newly minted vows quickly gave way to busyness. It was almost a year before I felt that I had fully arrived at my new assignment. While we are missioned to study, we are called to practice the delicate art of balance in daily life. Within this balancing act, I’ve become aware of ways my formation has become a part of who I am.
This past summer I was asked to be part of the Six-Weeks-a-Jesuit program at Loyola University Chicago. This program is an immersive experience for men contemplating a vocation to the Society of Jesus. They live for six weeks in a Jesuit community and work in one of the local ministries. In addition to simply living in community, the men are asked to invest themselves by taking on a house job and engaging the other members. A fellow scholastic, Vinny Marchionni, and I were asked to help model community for and be a resource to the men in discernment. Vinny and I were both surprised at how much our own formation informed the advice that we offered and approaches we took with the men during the course of the program. We both were honored to serve as directors for the men on a silent retreat at Bellarmine Retreat House in Barrington, Illinois. In comparing notes, Vinny and I realized how much we relied on our own experience of the Spiritual Exercises and several years of almost weekly spiritual direction. Each of us felt a sense of peace and reaffirmation of our own call to life in the Society.
When the men discerning a Jesuit vocation expressed a desire for clarity about the “right time” to make a decision whether to join or not, we were able to help them to be free by encouraging them to rely on their faith in Christ and respond to his quiet, patient invitation through continued discernment and trustful listening.
The men who participated in the Six- Weeks-a-Jesuit program are representative of men contemplating the Society today. They are of various ages and backgrounds, personalities and interests. But what they share in common is a desire to live their faith in service to God’s people. Some have deep connections to Jesuits and Jesuit institutions, while others have read about the Society and our spirituality in books, magazines, and online.
I’m grateful to have had the chance to accompany these men in their discernment. And I pray that they, and all who are discerning big choices in life, know that God walks with us and invites us to come and see . . . on his schedule, not ours.
Partners Fall 2011 – Page 3 of 7
Click here for Partners Fall 2011 Index
Mr. David K. McNulty has been named provincial assistant for advancement for the Chicago-Detroit Province. Dave comes to the staff from Loyola Academy, where he served for 10 years, first as Chief Financial Officer and then as principal. Prior to joining Loyola Academy, he owned and operated his own business for five years and spent 25 years in commercial banking. Dave, as well as many generations of the McNulty family, is Jesuit-educated.
Mr. John Sealey, provincial assistant for international ministries in Wisconsin for 10 years, will add to his role by serving in the same capacity for the Chicago-Detroit Province. John previously worked as a program director with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Washington, D.C. for six years during which time he also taught at a Jesuit high school in Belize. He is a graduate of Creighton Prep in Omaha.
Fr. James Ackerman, SJ, will join the staff of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago after serving at Gesu Parish in University Heights, Ohio.
Fr. Patrick Casey, SJ, has returned to theUS after 37 years of work with the PeruProvince and will be a pastoral minister to the St. Procopius Parish congregation in Chicago.
Fr. James Collins, SJ, previously the associate pastor of St. Procopius Parish in Chicago, has been assigned campus ministerat John Carroll University.
Br. Ralph Cordero, SJ, has completed his studies and is now teaching at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio. Fr. David De Marco, SJ, has completed tertianship and is now providing medical services to the Holy Rosary Mission in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
Fr. Mark George, SJ, formerly the pastor at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Detroit, Michigan, has been assigned to serve as sacramental minister at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Fr. Robert Scullin, SJ, will add to his current role as pastor of Gesu Parish in Detroit, Michigan, by serving as administrator for Ss. Peter and Paul Parish also in Detroit.
Anita Butler is retiring after 33 years as health coordinator for the Chicago-Detroit Province. The Jesuits are very grateful to Anita for her dedicated service over the years.
Fr. Mark Andrews, SJ; Fr. Michael Christiana, SJ; Mr. Michael Singhurse, SJ; Fr. Tom Acker, SJ; Fr. Glen Chun, SJ; Br. Michael OGrady, SJ; Fr. James Schulz, SJ, and Fr. Paul Mankowski, SJ have new assignments with the Chicago-Detroit Jesuits as if Fall, 2011. ( read more )
The following men have been assigned to Serve at Colombiere:
Fr. Daniel Flaherty, SJ
Fr. Louis Lipps, SJ
Fr. Edward Mattimoe, SJ
Fr. Harold Sommer, SJWe give thanks for the following Jesuits who have gone home to God: Br. Joseph Shubitowski, SJ; Fr. James Hasse, SJ; Fr. Thomas Tobin, SJ and Fr. Cornelius (Neil) Curtin, SJ. For a complete list of recent obituaries, please visit our obituaries pages.
Partners Fall 2011 – Page 2 of 7
Click here for Partners Fall 2011 Index
During a 2007 women’s retreat in Baltimore, retreat participants as well as former ISP staff member Katie Sullivan (second from right) do an exercise that describes where they are in their journey today.
Ignatian Spirituality Project Receives $1 Million Gift to Help Homeless Christ the King Jesuit College Prep Featured in Tavis Smiley Documentary Charis Ministries Launches New Retreats with the Military “Holy Cows for Marty!” St. X Football Program and Fan Base Nationally Recognized
Bill Koloseike and his “Bill Kay” Auto Group have given a gift of $1 million to the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP), a Jesuit ministry that works to end homelessness by providing retreats to women and men who are homeless and in recovery. “Since its founding in 1998 by Fr. Bill Creed, SJ, ISP has grown to 19 cities and offered nearly 100 retreats throughout the US in this past year alone,” explains executive director Tom Drexler. Koloseike, who made the gift in memory of his late wife, Shirley, hopes that others will be inspired to support ISP.
Christ the King (CTK) and the Cristo Rey Network were recently featured by radio and television host Tavis Smiley as “the ray of hope” in America’s education crisis. CTK senior Emmanuel, classmate Stanley, and Rob Birdsell, President of the Cristo Rey Network, discussed the hope and opportunities CTK and Jesuit education provide. In the Midwest alone, the Jesuits run 20 secondary and pre-secondary schools that serve more than 10,000 students and their families. Like CTK, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago, Loyola High School in Detroit, and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in the Twin Cities serve communities where the need for high quality education is greatest. More “traditional” Jesuit schools not only support and help make possible Cristo Rey- and Nativity-model schools, but also directly serve students in the greatest need through scholarships and specially designed tutoring programs.
Since 2000, Charis Ministries has brought the gifts of Ignatian Spirituality to young adults through retreats, leadership development, and formation activities. On October 15, Charis, in collaboration with the Archdiocese for Military Services, launched its new outreach to members of the military with a retreat for those stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base in California. “We are honored to take on the mission of helping some of the 300,000 young adult Catholics in the Armed Forces deepen their Catholic faith—a faith which can sustain them and give them hope,” explains Pam Coster, Charis Executive Director.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural fundraiser, “Big Bucks for Books,” the family of Fr. Martin Connell, SJ, ran “Holy Cows for Marty!” to help Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre in Dodoma. Fr. Connell’s family and friends gathered this summer to raise money for animals used to teach students to be self-sufficient and provide them with a basic foundation in agriculture. To date, they’ve collected $10,000 and the generosity continues.
St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, has won the Kirk Herbstreit National Kickoff Classic 2011 award for the best high school fans in America. St. X’s head football coach, Steve Specht (class of 1986), has been named head coach for Team USA by USA Football, the sport’s national governing body.
Partners Fall 2011 – Page 1 of 7
Click here for Partners Fall 2011 Index
Formation: Idealism Into Action
Dear Friends,
Fr. Timothy Kesicki, SJ, celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit at Saint Martin de Porres High School, a member of the Cristo Rey Network serving Cleveland. In his homily, Fr. Kesicki implored the students to invite the Spirit of Hope to accompany them on their journey through the 2011–2012 school year.
I professed my final vows as a Jesuit 22 years after entering the novitiate. A group of students attended the final vows Mass and wanted to know if I was “finally a Jesuit.” After my explanation of Jesuit formation they said, “Why does it take so long?” Most descriptions of Jesuit training usually end with that question, why does it take so long to form a Jesuit?
While many things have changed since our founding in the 16th century, the structure of Jesuit formation remains very much the same. I can remember my first days in the novitiate thinking that my decade-long formation had no visible end in sight. Now that I look back I can see the prudence and wisdom of taking this preparatory time of work and study. We currently have 54 men in formation spread out across the various stages.
As they progress in religious life they will come to know that while the goal of any Jesuit is final profession in the Society, the end which they seek is the very mission of the Jesuit Order: the progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine, the defense and propagation of the faith, and the spiritual consolation of Christ’s faithful. To this day we strive to prepare men who will fulfill this founding mission which Saint Ignatius Loyola offered to the Church.
This issue of Partners contains moving reflections from our younger men as they manifest their experience of Jesuit formation. It bears remembering that while the primary work of formation is to train Jesuits, these younger men play a pivotal role in the ongoing development of older Jesuits. Formation does not happen in a vacuum. Young Jesuits live, study, and work alongside formed Jesuits. We depend on the insights and the challenges of the younger men to inspire and reinvigorate the entire Order. Just as parents learn from their children and teachers learn from their students, Jesuits learn a great deal from these men in formation.
I can remember bursting forth from the novitiate filled with zeal and enthusiasm after first professing vows. As I spouted off some of my ideas in the First Studies Program an older Jesuit commented, “Sounds like you’re putting whipped cream on mud pie.” Like all institutions, we sometimes need to temper human idealism. And we couldn’t form our Jesuits or carry out our work without your help. As we approach the season of Advent, please know that we, the Jesuits, pray for you with grateful hearts.
And we ask you to pray for us.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Provincial
Click here for a full listing of our ministries with links to each website.
Partners Fall 2011 – Index
| Partners Fall 2011 Read the Fall 2011 issue of Partners with enhanced multimedia content! Click on the image (left) to read an interactive PDF of Partners in your browser, or view the web version by choosing stories from the index below. |
F R O M T H E P R O V I N C I A L
A Letter from the Provincial Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Idealism is what ultimately draws a man to enter the Jesuit Order; Fr. Kesicki reflects on his own formation, and offers grateful prayers for you, and for your support. (view story).
N E W S
In the news in this issue: The Ignatian Spirituality Project Receives $1 Million Gift to Help Homeless; Christ the King Jesuit College Prep is Featured in Tavis Smiley Documentary: Charis Ministries Launches New Retreats with the Military; The Family of Fr. Marty Connell, SJ, Raises $10,000+ for Africa; St. X Football Program and Fan Base are Nationally Recognized. (view stories)
Also in the news are the following Jesuits and lay partners: Mr. David K. McNulty, Mr. John Sealey, Fr. James Ackerman, SJ, Fr. Patrick Casey, SJ, Fr. James Collins, SJ, Fr. James Collins, SJ, Br. Ralph Cordero, SJ, Fr. David De Marco, SJ, Fr. Mark George, SJ, Fr. Robert Scullin, SJ, Anita Butler, Fr. Daniel Flaherty, SJ, Fr. Louis Lipps, SJ, Fr. Edward Mattimoe, SJ, and Fr. Harold Sommer, SJ. (view stories)
I N T E R N A T I O N A L M I N I S T R I E S
Fr. Provincial Timothy Kesicki, SJ, says, “I extend my gratitude to all those who have helped raise more than $80,000 to date for the Jesuit-sponsored famine relief efforts in Eastern Africa.”
Mr. John Sealey, provincial assistant for international ministries in Wisconsin for 10 years, will add to his role by serving in the same capacity for the Chicago-Detroit Province. (read more).
V O C A T I O N S
This past summer Ryan Masterson, SJ, was asked to be part of the Six-Weeks-a-Jesuit program at Loyola University Chicago. Ryan writes that the program is an immersive experience for men contemplating a vocation to the Society of Jesus, and talks about why he is pursuing an MBA. (read more).
F O R M A T I O N
It’s an honest question: “How did you ever decide to become a Jesuit?”. Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ, Provincial Assistant for Formation for the Chicago-Detroit Province, writes of his own formation, and explains the stages that he—and every Jesuit— goes through. (view story)
Six Jesuits from the Chicago-Detroit Province professed first vows on August 13, 2011. Gregory Ostdiek, Kevin Embach, Kyle Shinseki, Matthew Lieser, Trevor Beach, and Joshua Peters discuss why they love being Jesuits. (view story)
I N P A R T N E R S H I P
“Jesuits work in such a great range of activities, they welcome lay associates so warmly and, of course, the needs of this broken world are so profound.” John and Barbara Schubert share their story of service alongside the Jesuits and talk about A Faith That Does Justice (view story)
W I T H G R A T I T U D E
The Jesuits and our partners in ministry are energized by gratitude, a lively faith, and the desire to make our world a better place for all. Together, we are making a difference. We are grateful to all of our partners who share their time, talents and generous gifts. (To view our Honor Roll of benefactors, please click here)
Would you like to put your Faith into Action? Here are some ways you can act:
LEARN
Visit our website for stories, podcasts, videos and more! Contact us to request special promotions such as books, CDs, and DVDs.
GET NEWS
Stay informed about the Jesuits, their work, and its impact. Join our email list to receive periodic electronic communications, and bookmark our homepage.
SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS
Promote an awareness of our works and share “Good News” about the positive impact the Society of Jesus is making.
MAKE A GIFT
Support Jesuit ministries, the education and formation of Jesuits, and the care of elder Jesuits.
GET INVOLVED
Share your time and expertise through service work, and enrich your faith life with Ignatian spirituality.
PRAY
Please keep the Jesuits, their companions in ministry, and their works in your prayers. Be assured that the Jesuits keep you in their prayers and are forever grateful for your support.
For more information or to request special offerings, please contact Eileen Meehan at (800) 922-5327, or by email at emeehan@jesuits-chgdet.org. Or, feel free to contact our Advancement Staff
Partners Summer 2011 Is Now Online!
The online version of Partners features enhanced content, videos, photos, links, and the chance for you to share your comments. Catch up on news and the many ways the Jesuits and you, our partners, are making a difference in the world! (read more) Also, Fr. Terry Charlton, SJ, (photo) co-founder of St. Aloysius Gonzaga High School in Nairobi, Kenya, the world’s first high school for AIDS orphans, visits the US to Raise Awareness (read more)
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 7 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
The Great Commission
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age- MATTHEW 28:19–20
Brian Nitkiewicz has been the financial controller of the Detroit Province for more than 25 years and now serves as the assistant treasurer/controller for the combined Chicago- Detroit Province. He and his wife, Vicky, live in Detroit and have nine children.
by Brian Nitkiewicz
Whenever I hear the words of the Great Commission to “make disciples of all nations,” I get a bit uncomfortable and wonder how well I am personally responding to Christ’s call. Yes, I understand, as the good Dominican sisters taught me in grade school, that Jesus was addressing the Apostles and doesn’t expect us to travel the world like St. Paul. But I don’t have to go very far to recognize the need for sharing the Good News.
My primary vocation is to be a husband and father dedicated to raising a faith-filled family. With nine children, my wife, Vicky and I have had our work cut out for us. But we’ve been aided in countless ways by our relationship with the Jesuits. After being educated by the Dominican sisters and Basilian fathers, I eventually found my way to the Jesuits and have served as an accountant in the provincial office since my first child was born 25 years ago.
The Jesuit mottos of ad maiorem Dei gloriam (AMDG—for the greater glory of God), being “men and women for others,” and proclaiming “a faith that does justice” seem a bit distant from the daily grind of ledgers, debits, and credits. But my work has been immensely satisfying because I get to see firsthand the incredible generosity of our benefactors and the profound impact of the Jesuits who, with their lay colleagues, build the Kingdom of God all over the world. Talk about return on investment!
In my partnership with the Jesuits, effective stewardship is always our focus. At the province office we work not only with Jesuit schools, but also with our parishes, retreat houses, social justice programs, international ministries, and new apostolates. With generous gifts from benefactors, we have established endowments that help support the formation of Jesuits and provide them with the health care they need later in life. Not surprisingly, these costs continue to outpace inflation and investment earnings, so financial support is always a necessity. Allocations, benchmarks, and percentage returns are important, but most important is the mission these funds support. I give thanks each and every day for our benefactors who make the Jesuit mission possible.
This year as I consider the Great Commission, I am thankful not only to be able to provide support for the Jesuit mission, but also to share the joy of accounting for it!
Ignatian Volunteer Corps Chicago Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Top Row: Warren Grienenberger, John Zimnie, Mike Schrauth, Jim Sweany, Dick Sibbernsen, Pat McCourt Fourth Row: Don Gimbel, Dave Kelly, Jim Heffernan, John Meade, Jorge Caicedo, Rich Pozdol, John Maliff Third Row: Dick Shea, Bill Koloseike, Mike Monnelley, Paul Krug, Dick Johnston, Peter Goschy, Ken Murphy, John Beaty Second row: Fr. Bill Creed, SJ, Mary Frances Jablonskis, Pat Ahern, Mary Amelse, Marta Sayeed, Sharon Gogola, Eileen Graziano, Nikki Conway, Camille Devaney, George Sullivan Front row: Jean Shea, Mary Mahowald, Vicky Risacher, Kim Rak, Domenica Moroney, Norma Campagna, Jackie FitzgeraldMissing from photo: Marlea Edinger, Kevin Keane, John Montgomery, Liz Skrodzki
Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) member, Jean Shea, travels 65 miles each way to volunteer her services at an inner-city Chicago Public School. Jean has been an active member of the Chicago chapter since its creation in September 2001. What started with 12 volunteers has now grown to nearly 40 women and men who are dedicated to serving the needs of the poor and deepening their Christian faith through Ignatian spirituality and reflection.
IVC members engage in service at least two days a week at various sites around the city from September through June. Their work includes providing assistance in shelters, tutoring those with developmental disabilities, and working with refugee and immigrant services. They also meet monthly as a group to reflect on their experiences, engage in social analysis and theological reflection on the social issues they confront at their placement sites. In September 2011, IVC’s Chicago chapter celebrates its 10th anniversary of service to those in the greatest need. Four long-time volunteers share their reflections on their experiences and how IVC has enriched their lives.
Dick Johnston 9-year volunteer
“I heard about IVC through my parish bulletin and knew it was what I was looking for. I knew when I retired that I wanted volunteering to be a bigger part of my life. The spirituality component is the glue that binds it all together. The experience has opened my eyes to the lives and challenges for the material poor and marginalized in our society. It also allows me to regularly be with other IVC members——a wonderful group of people.”
Marta Sayeed, 5-year volunteer
“Years ago, I made a to-do list for retirement. In it, I decided I wanted to do something about my spiritual life. I read about IVC in a parish bulletin and attended an orientation meeting. I began by teaching English as a second language for four years before beginning work at Stroger Hospital. IVC supports seniors by keeping them involved, engaged, and alert by using the skills which they have learned throughout their lives. I have learned to live a life in the spirit of gratitude which makes every event in my life so much more significant and enjoyable. I also have learned to put these principles into action, not only in my life, but in the places in which I have the opportunity to work.”
Mike Schrauth, 7-year volunteer
“Initially, I was a bit overwhelmed by the commitment outlined by the directors, but that all changed when I was introduced to the San Miguel Middle School in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. Now, seven years later, I’m witnessing San Miguel students graduate from high school and gain acceptance to college. At San Miguel it’s all about the kids. The other dimension with IVC is the spiritual emphasis. Just being among this group at meetings, retreats and social gatherings has had such a positive influence on my faith, family, and love of God. Sharing the volunteer experience, being united in prayer, growing in faith, caring about each other——that is the Ignatian Volunteer Corps.”
Jean Shea, 10-year volunteer
“IVC was just what I was looking for to ‘enliven’ my retirement. During my 10 years as a member, I have worked at the same Chicago Public School serving as a reading teacher to challenged students. Taking these students from their classrooms and giving each one personalized attention has significantly enhanced their reading ability. IVC has helped the scales drop from my eyes so that not only can I see the cultural and religious complexities, but also appreciate Christ’s love and concern for the poor. It has also given me a faith perspective, and I feel my whole experience is so positive and a blessing to be shared with others.”
Click here to visit the Ignatian Volunteer Corps national website.
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 8 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
Sixty-three Jesuits of the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces celebrated jubilees in 2011.
At this year’s gathering for Province Day and ordination, Fr. Thomas Krettek, provincial of the Wisconsin Province (center, left), and Fr. Timothy Kesicki, provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province (center, right), honored golden jubilarians at a special Mass at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish. Jesuits celebrating 50 years in the priesthood include (front row) Frs. Jerome Treacy, Howard Gray, Henry Chamberlain, John Crocker, (second row) Eugene Merz, Eugene Dutkiewicz, (back row, beginning fourth from left) G. Paul Peterson, Thomas Radloff, and Robert Thul. Those celebrating 50 years in the Society include (back row, second from left) Frs. Richard Tomasek and John Hatcher, who are joined by Fr. Eugene Nevins (60 years in the Society).
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 6 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
From First Vows to Final Vows
Fr. James Prehn, SJ, is Provincial Assistant for Secondary and Pre-Secondary Education for the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces
By Fr. James Prehn, SJ
“Didn’t you do this already?” my younger brother asked when I invited him to attend my profession of final vows in the Society of Jesus. That’s also what he said when he came to my ordination 10 years earlier. For him and many others, first vows, ordinations, and final vows all just run together.On May 22, I attended the final vows of my friend, Karl Kiser, at University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy where he serves as president. With the support of more than 1,000 people in attendance, Karl knelt in front of the Blessed Sacrament and professed in a final and definitive way that he is a Jesuit (see photo above). Mind you, Karl was ordained in 1997 and he first took vows in 1986. So what does it mean that he professed his solemn vows of final incorporation into the Society 27 years after he entered the novitiate?
It is all about promise and potential, and ideally how the Society challenges and tests Jesuits in formation to hone their talents and gifts. Our intellects, imaginations, passions, and convictions are offered in service of the Church and all of God’s people. At final vows, all of it—our very priesthood—is placed at the disposal of God through the Society of Jesus.
When a Jesuit professes first vows after two years in the novitiate, the formula sounds almost ornate, especially compared to the simplicity of final vows. For first vows, the Jesuit novice promises to become poor, chaste, and obedient with God’s help. At final vows, the Jesuit professes who he has become over the past many years, and the Society affirms that what he professes is true.
Fr. Karl Kiser, SJ, professes his final vows before the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Brian Lehane, SJ (right), celebrated the Mass
When I took my first vows I was 23 years old and was capable of taking basic care of myself, but that was about it. By the time I took my final vows, I had completed two masters degrees and a doctorate, taught for a number of years, worked as the principal of a high school, heard thousands of confessions, presided at hundreds of masses, and served as spiritual director for dozens of people. Needless to say, thanks to the Society’s careful nurturing, I brought a lot more to the table at my final profession. I was much more nervous at first vows than I was at the final ones, maybe because it’s easier to say who you are than what you hope you will become.
Listening to Karl profess who he has become was an honor for the Jesuits and lay people in attendance because all of us to varying degrees have had the privilege of watching the events and moments of joy, sorrow, humor, and holiness that have made him into the Jesuit he is. It was a sacred moment that gave me a sense of gratitude for the Society and God’s generosity to it. Final vows might seem redundant or esoteric, and trying to explain them to people is something of an impossible task. They are, however, representative of the culmination of a lot of work and effort for equipping a Jesuit to do great things for the people he is sent to. They represent a profound moment where a man pledges that he will take care of the Society and the Society acknowledges that he can because of who he has become.
To view a gallery of photos from Fr. Kiser’s final vows ceremony, click here.
For more information about the Jesuits, please contact:
Fr. Pat Fairbanks, SJ
Fr. Pat Fairbanks, SJ
Vocations Director
2050 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 773-975-6363
Send email
or visit thinkjesuit.org
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 2 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
Great Success for Chicago’s First Nativity-Model School
Chicago Jesuit Academy, the only Jesuit Nativity-model school in Chicago, is proud to announce that five years after opening, all the members of the first two graduating classes—2009 and 2010—have earned admission to college preparatory high schools, including Loyola Academy and Saint Ignatius College Prep. The school uses small classes, extended academic days, and a longer school year to prepare students for success in college-prep high schools, colleges, and positions of community leadership.
New Bi-Province Novitiate Two Ohio Schools Celebrate 125th Anniversaries
The 14 first- and second-year Jesuit novices of the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces have a new home: St. Alberto Hurtado House Novitiate Community in St. Paul, Minnesota. Last December, Archbishop John Nienstedt of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese, presided over the dedication ceremony. The novices are formed by Frs. Christopher Manahan, Thomas Pipp, and Charles Rodrigues.
John Carroll University in University Heights and Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland celebrate 125 years of education and service. The two schools joined together on April 20, 2011, to recognize this important milestone with a day of service.
World Youth Day/Magis, Madrid 2011
World Youth Day (WYD) is a weeklong Catholic gathering of youth and young adults held every 2–3 years in different cities around the globe. Magis is the Ignatian program of events for pilgrims from Jesuit institutions that precedes WYD. This year, WYD is August 16–21. Fr. Phil Hurley, SJ, youth and young adult director for the US office of the Apostleship of Prayer, will sponsor Magis August 5–15 with the Jesuits of Spain and their collaborators.
Fr. Terry Charlton, SJ, founder and chaplain of St. Aloysius Gonzaga High School in Nairobi, Kenya, (pictured at far right with fellow Jesuit administrators and teachers), will be visiting friends and family in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, New York, and Washington, DC, from June 23 to September 21. He looks forward to meeting with many of you to share his gratitude for the success of the St. Al’s students (AIDS affected youth from the Kibera slum) and the recent completion of the new schoolbuilding. St. Al’s is the world’s first high school for AIDS Orphans. If you wish to meet with Fr. Terry or help plan an event to further the school’s mission, please email Jeff Smart or call the province office at 800-922-5327.
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 1 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, S.J., the Provincial Superior of the newly combined Chicago-Detroit Province, was John Carroll University’s 2011 keynote commencement speaker.
From the Provincial
Dear Friends,
This time of year is filled with energy—from graduates of our schools moving to the next level of their education or into the “real world,” to the ordination of our Jesuits after 10 or more years of formation.
It’s also an energetic time for the Society of Jesus in the United States. Our ongoing reconfiguration from 10 provinces to 5 ensures that Jesuits, lay colleagues, and our works serve the Church and world “for the greater glory of God.” As of January 1, 2011, the Chicago and Detroit Provinces are canonically united.
With your prayers and support, our 346 Jesuits and 35 ministries in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois are going strong. Now we are working toward unification with the Wisconsin Province.
Throughout the Province, Good News abounds. For example, we’re assigning more Jesuits to Detroit ministries, where Gesu Parish, Ss. Peter and Paul, and Manresa Jesuit Retreat House serve people’s spiritual and material needs; Loyola High School and University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy recently received national accolades from NFL Films and Time magazine respectively; and University of Detroit Mercy enters a new era of excellence in higher education with its first lay president, Dr. Antoine Garibaldi.
In the Cleveland area, John Carroll University and St. Ignatius High School celebrated their 125th anniversaries while Jesuit Retreat House and Gesu Parish continue 108 and 85 years respectively of sacramental service. In nearby Cuyahoga Falls, Walsh Jesuit High School approaches the half-century mark with its new president, Karl Ertle. In Toledo, St. John’s Jesuit High School & Academy builds on its 113-year-old foundation by adding a sixth grade class to its middle school.
The Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford, Ohio, recently hosted the Chicago-Detroit Province and Wisconsin Province Congregations to elect delegates for the 70th Congregation of Procurators to be held next July in Nairobi. Afterward, Xavier University (XU) and St. Xavier Church hosted the ordination celebrations for both provinces. Several of our Jesuits have been assigned to serve in Cincinnati—teaching at XU and St. Xavier High School, and assisting at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish and St. Xavier Church.
Our ministries energetically continue their traditions of service. We remain ever grateful for your support before, during, and after this realignment process. With you, we train our Jesuits, support our international ministries, care for infirm members, and start new ministries as needs arise. Thank you.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Provincial
Click here for a full listing of our ministries with links to each website.
Partners Summer 2011 – Index
| Read the summer issue of Partners with enhanced multimedia content! Click on the image (left) to read an interactive PDF of Partners in your browser, or view the web version by choosing stories from the index below. |
F R O M T H E P R O V I N C I A L
A Letter from the Provincial Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
The combining of the Chicago and Detroit Provinces is an exciting time for the Society, and there is Good News to share. (view story)
N E W S
In the news in this issue: Great Success for Chicago’s First Nativity-Model School; A New Bi-Province Novitiate; Two Ohio Schools Celebrate 125th Anniversaries; World Youth Day/Magis, Madrid 2011; Jesuit Fr. Terry Charlton Visits US; and more. (view stories)
Also in the news are the following Jesuits and lay partners: Fr. Michael Garanzini, SJ, Fr. James Stoeger, SJ, Fr. David Godleski, SJ, Fr. James Prehn, SJ, Mr. Matthew Couture, Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi, Fr. Tom Regan, SJ, Br. Jim Boynton, SJ, Fr. Paul Macke, SJ, Fr. Robert Flack, SJ, Fr. Mark Andrews, SJ, Br. Denis Weber, SJ (view stories)
I N T E R N A T I O N A L M I N I S T R I E S
Fr. Martin Connell, SJ, headmaster of the new Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre (OLQP) and its St. Peter Claver High School (SPCHS) is Transforming Lives through Education in Dodoma, Tanzania (view story)
F O R M A T I O N
Thanks to the prayers and generous support of the faithful, Jesuits are preparing to serve the church and society as priests and brothers (view story)
O R D I N A T I O N 2 0 1 1
After twenty years of ministering to the sick as a nurse, Joel Medina was called by God to a vocation with the Society of Jesus. He was ordained on June 11, 2011, at at St. Xavier Church in Cincinnati (view story)
V O C A T I O N S
What does it mean to profess solemn vows of final incorporation– or Final Vows– into the Society of Jesus? Why does it take so long? What is a priest saying when he professes his vows, and what is the Society saying to him? (view story)
I N P A R T N E R S H I P
Our lay partners are called to serve, and to share the Good News. Chicago-Detroit Province financial controller Brian Nitkiewicz writes about his calling, and Ignatian Volunteer Corps Chicago celebrates 10 years of service. (view story)
J U B I L A R I A N S
Sixty-three Jesuits of the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces celebrated jubilees in 2011. (view story)
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 3 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
N E W S
Fr. General Adolfo Nicolás has appointed Fr. Michael Garanzini, SJ, secretary for higher education for the Jesuit Curia in Rome, effective September 1, 2011. Among other duties, Fr. Garanzini will be responsible for creating and maintaining networks of research and promoting Jesuit identity among Jesuit higher education institutions throughout the world. He will remain in his current position as president of Loyola University Chicago.
Fr. James Stoeger, SJ, has been appointed the next president of the Jesuit Secondary Education Association (JSEA) in the US effective August 1, 2011. Fr. Stoeger most recently held the position of vice president of the JSEA.
Fr. David Godleski, SJ, who most recently served as chaplain of university ministry at Loyola University Chicago, has joined the Jesuit Conference in the US as the delegate for formation and Jesuit life.
Fr. James Prehn, SJ, provincial assistant for secondary and pre-secondary education of the Chicago-Detroit Province, will add to his role by serving in the same capacity for the Wisconsin Province in fall 2011.
Mr. Matthew Couture has been hired to assist Fr. Prehn and will be instrumental in ensuring the Ignatian identity of the educational apostolates. Matt most recently was director of campus ministry at Saint Ignatius College Prep.
Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi, was named the new president of University of Detroit Mercy and took office on July 1, 2011. He had served as president of Gannon University, a Catholic diocesan school in Erie, Pennsylvania, since 2001.
Fr. Tom Regan, SJ, previously the provincial of the New England Province, has been appointed the academic director of the First Studies program at Loyola University Chicago. After 14 months of service in Haiti, Br. Jim Boynton, SJ, has returned to the US and will serve as assistant vocations promoter based out of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy.
After 14 months of service in Haiti, Br. Jim Boynton, SJ, has returned to the US and will serve as assistant vocations promoter based out of the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy.
Fr. Paul Macke, SJ, has been appointed executive director of Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, Illinois. Currently the Jesuit Conference assistant for pastoral ministry, Fr. Macke will begin his role at Bellarmine on November 21, 2011. Until then, Fr. Robert Flack, SJ, will serve as interim administrator, in addition to his work at the Chicago-Detroit Province office. Fr. Flack succeeds Fr. Mark Andrews, SJ, retreat director for eight years, who will now be superior at Loyola University’s Arrupe House Community.
Br. Denis Weber, SJ, has been assigned to Ss. Peter and Paul Jesuit Church and Warming Center in Detroit, Michigan. Previously, he was pastoral minister and liturgist at Gesu Parish in Cleveland,
Click here to see additional assignments announced in the Summer of 2011 in the Chicago-Detroit Province.
ASSIGNED TO SERVE AT COLOMBIERE
The following Jesuits have been assigned to serve at Colombiere Center, Clarkston, MI
Fr. Raymond Baumhart, SJ
Fr. James Chambers, SJ
Br. Anthony Kreutzjans, SJ
Fr. James Lewis, SJ
The obituaries of Jesuits listed in this issue of Partners are available online: Br. John J. Petrus, SJ; Br. Herman F. Elsaesser, SJ; Fr. Joseph F. Downey, SJ; Fr. Robert J. Hagee, SJ; Fr. John “Jack” Beckman, SJ. To view more obituaries please visit our 2011 Obituaries page.
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 5 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
Jesuits Prepare for Lives of Service
By Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ
This past Lent I had the opportunity to connect with many of you, our faithful and generous friends and benefactors, at the Province’s masses and days of reflection. I was particularly grateful to get to know so many of you and to see how genuinely you love and care for the Jesuits. Many of you shared wonderful stories of the Jesuits who taught and counseled you in the formative years of high school and college. Others asked about our Jesuits currently in formation. I’m delighted to share with you some of the exciting ways our Jesuits are preparing to serve the church and society as priests and brothers.
Jesuit scholastic Hung Nguyen is about halfway through his year studying at the Beijing Center. An aspiring Jesuit missionary, Hung is getting a good taste of what Jesuit life and ministry in China is really like. Another Jesuit scholastic who hopes to serve in the Far East is Christian Wagner. Having completed his First Studies at Fordham University, Christian will be heading to Taiwan to participate in the three-year International Regency Program beginning this August.
The summer months find many of the 58 men in formation away from the Chicago-Detroit Province. Joe Koczera and Jacob Martin are studying German and French in Austria and France; Ryan Duns and Matt Spotts are learning Latin, while Ralph Cordero and Rob Carlton are teaching English as a second language to Polish Jesuit scholastics in Krakow. Bill Blazek is interning as a Catholic military chaplain, and Andrij Hlabse is studying liturgical music. Still others are doing coursework toward advanced degrees, gaining experience directing retreats, learning how to teach, leading immersion trips to the developing world, and chaperoning high school and university students to World Youth Day/Magis in Madrid in August. And that’s just what they’re up to this summer!
The Jesuits in formation always amaze me in their varied passions and pursuits—from classics and history to sacred music and medicine, from the poetry of T.S. Eliot to the world of business and management. You name it, they’re pursuing it. But not for themselves. These Jesuits share a desire to use their God-given talents to serve the mission of the Society of Jesus. One clear example: you may know that this June, Joel Medina was ordained to the priesthood, after 10 years of formation. Like Fr. Richard Ross, who was ordained last June, Joel was a registered nurse before he came to the Jesuits. While Richard currently teaches clinical nursing at Boston College’s Connell School of Nursing, Joel has been missioned to serve in the Stroger Chaplaincy Program in Chicago’s Cook County, bringing together his extensive experience in healthcare with his new-found love of pastoral ministry to the sick.
None of this would be possible without your constant and generous support, without your genuine love and care for the Society of Jesus. Because of you, the Chicago-Detroit men in formation can realize their true vocations as Jesuits—their call to serve where the need is greatest. For therein lies not their own glory, but the greater glory of God.
The Jesuits in formation and I offer you our continued prayers of thanks and extend best wishes for a happy and safe summer! And please pray for us, wherever we may be these summer months!
Fr. Joel Medina, SJ
“It was fitting that my mom (Maria Amada Gomez on left) should help vest me as a priest (along with Fr. David De Marco, SJ) since she had dressed me in my baptismal gown when I was welcomed into the Church,” says Fr. Medina. “My mom’s faith is very strong; she encourages my family to pray always.”
I worked as a registered nurse for over 20 years, and it provided me with many clinical opportunities to be of service to people. However, I had a desire for more from life, and concomitantly I felt called by God to discern a vocation to the Society of Jesus. During a weeklong Ignatian discern¬ment retreat, I sought answers from God on his will for me. On my last morning at Loyola House, I went to pray in the chapel. Later in prayer, I felt as if I was surrounded by God and his initial message was that I was to focus on him alone. And in time, he quickly brushed aside my concerns about joining the Jesuits. It seemed clear to me then that I was to apply for admission to the Society.
I stand in awe at how God has led me in my life, and as a Jesuit while in formation. One of my favorite scripture passages is the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke; Jesus comes to them on the road and accompanies them. Our Lord meets us where we are and he invites us to tell him what is on our mind. I wish to accompany my brothers and sisters in the joys and sorrows of life, and wherever they are in their faith life.
As a Jesuit priest, I wish to encourage people on their faith journeys. I will invite my brothers and sisters to listen to him and rest in him. I do believe that our Lord provides us with the graces to return to him. I have been called to be a priest—to shepherd the people of God.
Joel Medina, SJ with his mother Maria Amada Gomez
Born: March 4, 1955, in McAllen, Texas
Parents: Juan Medina (d. 1995) and Maria Amada Gomez
Siblings: Iracema Crawford, Clara H. Berkemeier, Marcos Medina,
Patricio Medina, Maria Alicia Medina, Delia Medina, and Margaret Clark
Assignment Following Ordination: Chaplain at Stroger Hospital and
serving part-time at St. Procopius Parish in Chicago, Illinois
Click here for a photo gallery of Fr. Medina’s Ordination
Partners Summer 2011 – Page 4 of 8
Click here for Partners Summer 2011 Index
Transforming Lives through Education in Dodoma, Tanzania
Fr. Martin Connell, SJ, surveys the land in Dodoma, Tanzania, where the Jesuits are building Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre and its St. Peter Claver High School.
By Amy Korpi
In a region where only one-fourth of school-age children have an opportunity to attend secondary school, where there is a 70,000-to-1 ratio of health care worker to patient, where the life expectancy is 45 years, people dream of a better life.
“We’re making this dream a reality in Dodoma, Tanzania,” says Fr. Martin Connell, SJ, provincial assistant for education of the Eastern Africa Province who serves as headmaster of the new Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre (OLQP) and its St. Peter Claver High School (SPCHS).
“The mission of our school, which opened in January 2011, is to assist young men and women to develop their talents, intellectual and otherwise, in order to serve others to the greater glory of God,” Fr. Connell explains. Facing many challenges, at-risk children will be able to live and study alongside children of diplomats and government leaders at a school with goals for a farm, bakery, and more to make the educational project financially self-sufficient. The school also plans to serve as a medical dispensary for the children and surrounding community.
At present, SPCHS serves 140 boys and girls, and includes a four-story dormitory with two wings that can house 640 students each. As a boarding school, it puts girls on equal footing with boys; otherwise, the girls would be expected to perform domestic duties upon returning home each day. Plans for OLQP also include a
In this eight and a half minute video, meet and visit with Fr. Martin Connell, SJ.
two-year, post-secondary vocation college and a two-year college preparing elementary school teachers.
Unlike many African nations, Tanzania promotes peace as “an absolute value and avoids ethnic conflict, which Fr. Connell credits to Julius Nyerere, the nation’s first president after independence from colonial rule in 1964. “Nyerere was adamant that education must work for the common good, foster cooperation, and promote self-reliance,” explains Fr. Connell. “My reading of the Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP) of the Tanzanian government makes it clear how important our Educational Centre is. The country’s successful implementation of its plan for primary schools has created an upward demand for access to secondary education, which will play an important role in improving Tanzania’s economic and social development.”
Jesuits in Africa
“This most recent Jesuit educational endeavor builds on a solid foundation. The Jesuits first traveled to Africa in the 16th century under the direction of the Society’s founder, St. Ignatius Loyola. In 1976, Jesuits arrived in Dodoma—one of the five poorest regions of Tanzania. There they established a parish and eventually opened Saint Ignatius Primary School. In 1986, Jesuits working in Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda were joined under one superior and called the Eastern Africa Province of the Society of Jesus. The new province immediately began opening schools, beginning with the highly successful Loyola High School in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania’s largest city, about 250 miles east of Dodoma).
A native of Toledo, Ohio, Fr. Connell brings considerable experience to his mission: he’s served as an administrator at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland and the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, and has a Ph.D. in teaching and learning. While teaching at the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, Fr. Connell was asked if he’d be willing to leave his post to open a new high school in Tanzania. “Absolutely,” he immediately answered. “My educational and work background,” he explains, “coupled with my desire to follow St. Ignatius’s principles of a universal Society and the virtue of availability to go where the needs are greatest have led me to this place and time.”
“It is no surprise to those who know the Jesuits that the Society believes in the transformative power of education—as a link between learning and a better future for students,” says Fr. Connell. “But education also empowers individuals to improve the lives of their fellow citizens. Here in Tanzania, we believe it will not only help improve our students’ and their community’s quality of life, but that it will support a more informed democracy, and help Tanzanians diminish the poverty that many face every day.”
For a full listing of our international ministries listings, click here.
Partners Summer 2010
F E A T U R E S
Go Forth and Set the World on Fire The six newly ordained priests of the Chicago, Detroit, and Wisconsin Provinces are on a mission to change the world. (view story)
Ite Inflammate Omnia Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ, reflects on ordination 2010. (view story)
A Letter from the Provincial Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
With the new academic year almost upon us, Fr. Kesicki reflects on the many good things that happened this past year. (view story)
Formation in Service of
the Worldwide Church
Fr. James McCann, SJ, reflects on his own formation as he accepts Pope Benedict XVI’s invitation to serve as director of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. (view story)
The Spiritual Exercises for Busy People
“If you can’t spare 30 days for the traditional Spiritual Exercises retreat,” says Kate Hildreth, “the 19th annotation in the midst of daily life is perfect.” (view story)
A Great Harvest: The Fire of St. Francis Xavier
“Xavier’s missionary sacrifice,” writes Fr. Brian Lehane, SJ, “lit the flame of Christian faith for tens of thousands of new Christians in the East, who honor the saint to this day.” (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
In this province news section, learn about the first Lay President of Walsh Jesuit, new Jesuit assignments, and more. (view story)
Jubilarians
Fr. Robert J. Bueter, SJ, reflects on 50 years as a Jesuit as his fellow Jesuits celebrate this and other milestones in the Society. (view story)
In Memoriam
“Sam” Kehres, SJ; Robert Murphy, SJ; Paul Robb, SJ; and William Goudreau, SJ. (view story)
In Gratitude for Partnership (view story)
Vocations
Two passages are excerpted from the pilgrimage journals of first year novices Matthew Lieser, nSJ, and Joshua Peters, nSJ—who traveled for one month with only $35 and a oneway bus ticket. (view story)
Partners Spring 2010
Partners Spring 2010 Cover
F E A T U R E S
Upon This Rock With its new building, Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School continues to serve as a foundation on Chicago’s West Side. (view story)
A Letter from the Provincial Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Fr. Kesicki reflects on the Gospel of St. Matthew, and the rock upon which Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School was built; also upon the unshakeable rock that sustained the people of Haiti during and after the recent earthquake. (view story)
Building a New Foundation:
Recovery Begins in Haiti
In the aftermath of the devastating January 12 earthquake, Br. Jim Boynton, SJ, looks to the future of Jesuit ministry in Haiti. (view story)
Q & A: Hope Through Education
Fr. Jim Prehn, SJ, provincial assistant for secondary education, reflects on the power of Jesuit schools to build a better future. (view story)
Written in Stone
Fr. Brian Lehane, SJ, explores the spiritual significance of the Jesuits’ two most recognizable initials, IHS and AMDG. (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
In this province news section, learn about the new general treasurer for the Society, Triprovince Novitiate news, new board chairs, and more. (view story)
Celebrating the Eternal Life
Frs. Paul H. Besanceney, SJ; Clement C. Metzger, SJ; Stephen A. Meder, SJ; Ernest G. Spittler, SJ; and John W. Witek, SJ. (view story)
In Gratitude for Partnership (view story)
Vocations
Fr. Patrick Fairbanks, SJ, talks about this year’s Triprovince Novice Tour. (view story)
Partners Fall 2009
F E A T U R E S
At Home in the World As provincial of the Chicago and Detroit Provinces, Fr. Timothy Kesicki, SJ, travels extensively and keeps his focus on the mission of the worldwide Society. view story
Lay Partner Profile—John FitzGerald One of the founding members of the Loyola Club in Cleveland, John FitzGerald explains the organization’s mission
and its success in networking alumni from Jesuit universities and high schools. (view story)
The Examen Prayer of St. Ignatius Fr. Brian Lehane, SJ, reflects on the meaning of the Examen Prayer of St. Ignatius and how it fosters an “attitude of gratitude.” (view story)
Vocations—The Many Roads to Becoming a Jesuit Fr. Patrick A. Fairbanks, SJ, shares the stories of three Jesuits who all found unique ways to their vocation. (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
In this province news section learn about Loyola Academy’s centennial celebration, the Papal visit to the Vatican Observatory, a Jesuit author’s selection to Oprah’s Book Club, and more. (view story)
Jesuit Formation
See Jesuits from the Chicago and Detroit Provinces in various stages of formation. (view story)
Ministries to the Poor
Jesuits of the Chicago and Detroit Provinces fight for social Justice through various ministries. (view story)
Honor Roll of Donors
The Chicago Province is deeply grateful to its donors. Jesuit ministries are made possible through your generous help. (view story)
Celebrating the Eternal Life of…
Frs. James J. Donnelly, SJ; William F. King, SJ; John D. Baggarly, SJ; and Anthony J. Grollig, SJ. (view story)
Giving Thanks (view story)
Partners Summer 2009
F E A T U R E S
Ordination 2009 Serving God’s People On June 13, 2009, Martin J. Schreiber, SJ, and Cyril W. Whitaker, SJ, were ordained Jesuit priests at Church of the Gesu in University Heights, Ohio. Learn more about their journey and plans to serve God’s peoplels. (view story)
A Farwell—Reflections on Our Time After six years as the provincial of the Chicago Province, Fr. Edward W. Schmidt, SJ, prepares for his next assignment. Those who have worked closely with Fr. Schmidt share their thoughts and memories on his time as provincials. (view story)
Lay Partner Profile—John Lahey Learn about Chicago architect John Lahey of Solomon Cordwell Buenz—a Chicago-based architecture, planning, and interior design firm. John has served the Jesuit mission both professionally and in personal service for many years. (view story)
Vocations—Jesuit Candidacy Fr. Patrick A. Fairbanks, SJ, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about becoming a Jesuit candidate. (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
The Province News section includes information on new assignments for Jesuits and lay partners around the province as well as other news.
Ignatian Spirituality
Using a letter from 1856, Fr. Schmidt takes a look into the meaning of the Jesuit mission. (view story)
Celebrating the Eternal Life of…
Frs. Robert C. O’Connor, SJ, and J. Richard VandeVelde, SJ. (view story)
Formation
Following their first studies, men in Jesuit formation move on to a period called regency. Learn about the Jesuits of the Chicago and Detroit Provinces who are moving on to this stage of their formation. (view story)
Jubilarians
Jesuits from the Chicago and Detroit Provinces celebrated jubilees with a liturgy during ordination weekend. More than 60 Chicago and Detroit Province Jesuits are observing jubilees this year. (view story)
The Magis Society
The Jesuits extend their prayerful gratitude to over 3,000 friends this past year who were generous partners in the Jesuit mission of service “to the greater glory of God.” (view story)
World’s First High School for AIDS Orphans
Learn about St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya.(view story)
In Gratitude for Partnership (view story)
Partners Spring 2009
Partners Spring 2009 Cover
F E A T U R E S
Chicago Jesuit Academy Celebrates Its First Graduates Catch up with CJA as it sends its first graduating class of 15 students to leading college-prep high schools. (view story)
A Letter from the Provincial Fr. Edward W. Schmidt, SJ, announces the appointment of Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ, as the next provincial of the combined Chicago and Detroit Provinces. (view story)
Lay Partner Profile—Dr. Edward Peck Founding executive director of the Ignatian Colleagues Program, Dr. Peck shares his passion for Ignatian spirituality and forming lay leaders in Jesuit higher education. (view story)
Facing New Frontiers in Faith Fr. Edward W. Schmidt, SJ, draws from the Jesuit tradition to explore what ministering at the frontiers means today. (view story)
Vocations—You Make the Call Using John’s Gospel, Fr. Patrick A. Fairbanks, SJ, reveals how family and friends have the power to assist God in calling others to religious life. (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
The Province News section includes the assignments of new presidents to St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, and Loyola Academy in Wilmette. It also features the assignment of a new pastor at St. Procopius, the assignment of a Biprovince treasurer for Detroit and Chicago, as well as other news. (view story)
Celebrating the Eternal LifeFrs. Ludwig F. Stiller, SJ, and John K. Locke, SJ, who both served for many years in Nepal. (view story)
In Gratitude for Partnership (view story)
Partners Fall 2008
F E A T U R E S
Dreams Become Reality: Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School Opens (Cover Story)
This fall, Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School (CTK) opened in Chicago, the birthplace of the Cristo Rey network of schools that are transforming urban education in America. Experience the excitement of CTK’s first day as the record-setting number of students in the inaugural class of 2012 hit the books and got to work. (view story)
Q&A: Christ the King Jesuit College Prep:
Preparing Students for Success Christ the King Principal Brendan Conroy shares his insights into the qualities that define a Jesuit high school—particularly when less than 10 percent of the student body is Catholic—and the opportunities CTK affords its students. (view story)
Lithuanian and Polish Jesuits in Chicago The histories of the Chicago, Lithuanian, and Polish provinces have been woven together for more than 75 years. Fr. Antanas Saulaitis, SJ, and Fr. Stanislaw Czarnecki, SJ, celebrate the many ways the Society has served Polish and Lithuanian immigrants in the city. (view Polish story) (view Lithuanian story)
The Jesuit Novitiate: A Time for Prayer, Study, Service, and Community Vocations Director Patrick Fairbanks, SJ, provides a valuable glimpse into what life is like for Jesuit novices. Also meet the new novices of the Chicago Province. (view story)
Ignatian Spirituality: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Provincial Edward Schmidt, SJ, and Jesuits in various stages of formation share reflections on their recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land and how their experiences will continue to shape their lives as Jesuits. (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
The Province News section includes new Jesuit assignments, board chairs at St. Ignatius College Prep, St. Xavier High School and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, the opening of Ignatius House Jesuit Community, a Pilgrimage for Jesuit high school faculty and staff, the tenth anniversary of Instituto Cultural de Liderazgo en el Medio Oeste (ICLM), new books from Charis Ministries and Loyola Press, St. Xavier Church Block Party and Fun Run, and a conference for Trustees and Presidents of the Province’s six Jesuit high schools (view story) Also, summaries of the six decrees of General Congregation 35 (view story)
The Chicago Province and Jesuit Educational Ministries welcome the newest Jesuit School, Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School (view story)
In Gratitude for the Partnership (view story)
Jesuit Formation Timeline (view story)
Celebrating the Eternal Life of Br. Brutus Clay, SJ…(view story)
Lay Partner Profile (view story)
Partners Summer 2008
F E A T U R E S
A Glimpse of General Congregation 35 (cover story)
In this photo essay, Fr. Edward Schmidt, SJ, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Society’s 35th General Congregation. From January 7 to March 6, 2008, he and his fellow 224 delegates accepted the resignation of Fr. General Peter-Hans Klovenbach, SJ; elected a new Superior General, Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, SJ; and charted a course for the Jesuits worldwide. (view story)
Q&A: Getting to Know Fr. General Adolfo Nicolás
Fr. Paul Campbell, SJ, the vice president for Mission, Identity, and Online Community Building at Loyola Press in Chicago, offers insights into the newly elected Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Fr. Campbell is a former student and community member of Fr. Nicolás. (view story)
Ordination 2008 Serving God’s People
On Saturday, June 7, Glen Chun, William Murphy, Peter Nguyen, and Charles Rodrigues were ordained Jesuit priests at Holy Family Church in Chicago. Representing the largest ordination class in the Chicago Province since 1991, these four Jesuits represent a diverse range of backgrounds and interests. Learn more about who they are and how they will serve the Church and the Society moving forward. (view story)
Get to Know…
Read detailed profiles of newly ordained Jesuits Glen Chun, William Murphy, Peter Nguyen, and Charles Rodrigues. (view story)
Senior Jesuits Reunite at Colombiere
After decades of service around the world, several Jesuits have reconnected at Colombiere Center in the unique ministry of praying for the Church and Society. (view story)
Ignatian Spirituality: What Does God Expect from Us?
While traveling to Rome in 1547 to ask Pope Paul III where he and his small band could best serve the Church, Ignatius Loyola saw a vision at La Storta that changed his life. Fr. Edward Schmidt, SJ, explores the event for lessons about what it means to serve God and, in so doing, find our true path. (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
The Province News section includes articles on the province congregation, the province’s newest ministry Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School, as well as updates on Ignatian Volunteer Corps, the new Jesuit residence at Loyola University, and the Ignatian Spirituality Project. (view story)
In Gratitude for Partnership (view story)
Celebrating the Eternal Life of… (view story)
Vocations (view story)
Partners Summer 2007
F E A T U R E S
Ordination 2007 Answering God’s Call (Cover Story)
On Saturday June 9, Kent Beausoleil, SJ, and Michael Conley, SJ, were ordained for priestly ministry. Find out how Kent and Mike are answering God’s call as Jesuits devoted to serving God’s people. (view story)
Q&A: The Jesuits of the Chicago Province Open a New Cristo Rey-Model High School
Fr. Chris Devron, SJ, the president of the new Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School, explains what led the Chicago Province to open this Cristo Rey-model high school. Set to open fall 2008, Christ the King will serve the people of Chicago’s West side.
(view story)
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary
Since its founding in 1996, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood has helped thousands of students realize their dreams of a better life. It’s also served as the model for a national network of schools that have changed the face of urban education. Celebrate the people and events that have made Cristo Rey a success. (view story)
Together, We Can Climb Mountains
Using a centuries-old engraving of Jesuit missionaries climbing a mountain, Fr. Edward W. Schmidt, SJ, reflects on the Ignatian understanding of mission and emphasis on partnership in doing God’s work. Also learn about
retreat offerings throughout the province. (view story)
D E P A R T M E N T S
News from the Province
The Province News section includes articles on the province congregation, the province’s newest ministry Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School, as well as updates on Ignatian Volunteer Corps, Charis Ministries, and Ignatian Spirituality Project (view story)
Celebrating the Eternal Life of…(view story)
In Gratitude for the Partnership (view story)
Jesuit International Missions: The latest on St. Aloysius Gonzaga High School in Nairobi, Kenya (view story)
Vocations (view story)
Read
more from the most recent issue of Partners