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 Spring 2013 – Page 7 of 7
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On December 9, 2012, John and Barbara Schubert (front row, center) were honored by the Chicago-Detroit Province as Founders of the Province. Held at the Schuberts’ home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the celebration included family as well as Jesuit and diocesan friends, including (front row) Fr. John Libens, Fr. Howard Gray, Fr. Provincial Timothy Kesicki, (back row) Fr. Bernard McAniff,
Rev. Donald Cozzens (Diocese of Cleveland), Fr. Robert Niehoff, Fr. Jack Dister, Fr. William Bichl, and Fr. Martin Connell.
Ordinary Miracles
By Susie Murphy
In places near and far, I’ve seen Christ’s presence in the life-changing work of the Jesuits. I have experienced it as close to home as Cleveland and as far away as Nairobi, Kenya, and Kathmandu, Nepal.
The Jesuit charism has touched my life in innumerable ways. When I was very small, my family belonged to Gesu Parish, a Jesuit church in a Cleveland suburb. I sought the intellectual challenge of a Jesuit education at Marquette University in Milwaukee, and I have grown spiritually at the Jesuit Retreat House here in Cleveland.
“I have been shown how Jesuits in their compassion
and giftedness are lovingly making a
difference for their brothers and sisters all over
the world,” says Susie Murphy. At an event in
Cleveland in 2012, Susie spends time with Fr.
Cap Miller, SJ, known for establishing schools in
Kathmandu, Nepal, for the last 53 years.
When Fr. Joe Daoust, SJ, the former Detroit provincial, led a group to Eastern Africa, I was fortunate enough to be included on that trip. I always tell people that, incidentally, we saw lots of animals, but we experienced so very much more of Africa than that. Our visit included the offices of the Jesuit Refugee Service; a prosthetics camp; the Jesuit Provincial house in Nairobi; Dollycraft, a place where women were learning crafts to support their families, and a novitiate in Arusha. I was struck by something very powerful at this last site, young men raised to hate each other because they were from different tribes were now living and learning together to be Jesuits. It was very moving.
Sometime after that, when I was planning a trip to Nepal and Tibet, I contacted the Jesuits in Kathmandu, and asked if I might learn more about their social service efforts there. They graciously welcomed me, taking me to an elementary school, drug treatment program, home for mentally and physically compromised people, and a homeless shelter. Once again, I was shown how Jesuits in their compassion and giftedness were lovingly making a difference for their brothers and sisters.
It is a relatively new ministry, closer to home, that has most stolen my heart: St. Martin de Porres High School, a member of the Cristo Rey Network of schools. Connected to the Jesuits and the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, this school is not only changing urban Cleveland one student at a time, but it is very clearly changing the lives of those of us who work there.
Things that happen regularly at the school are nothing short of miraculous. For example, just a few days after the principal told me we needed SAT prep for the students, I was visiting someone in the hospital, and I met a priest who said he’d like to tutor our kids for exactly that. There was the time I was in line at a funeral and someone introduced me to the stranger in front of me who, when she discovered I was associated with the school, said that her hospital would like our kids to come on Saturdays to experience a medical environment, so they might feel more confident about going into that field.
When people whom I’ve known for years or whom I’ve just met find out that I am connected to St. Martin de Porres, they often ask to visit, offer a job for the students, volunteer to tutor, or ask how they can make a financial gift. With so much need out there, it usually takes beating the bushes to get people interested in a particular cause in which you are invested, but at St. Martin, if people hear the story, they want to be involved.
It has been an incredible privilege and a remarkable experience to be a part of the Jesuit work both here and afar. I’ve been most blessed!
Partners Spring 2013 – Page 2 of 7
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Deepen Your Lenten Reflection with JesuitPrayer.org
With the Lenten season upon us, we invite you to deepen your practice and reflection with www.Jesuitprayer.org, our new prayer site, eNewsletter, and App. Since Ash Wednesday, JesuitPrayer.org has featured daily thought-provoking reflections from nine contributing Jesuit and lay authors. Visit the site or use the App to submit intentions and prayer requests. We invite you to rate the App and share JesuitPrayer.org with friends and family. Be assured that the Jesuits are praying for you during this Lenten season.
Jesuit Frs. Peter Etzel, Ed Witt, and Dave Matzko, Celebrate Canonization of First Native American Saint in Rome
In October, Frs. Etzel, Witt, and Matzko of the Kino Jesuit Community in South Dakota traveled to Rome for the canonization of St. Kateri Tekawitha, the first Native American saint. All three Jesuits have served Native American ministries for many years in parishes, retreat centers, and schools including the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservations in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Father Patrick Kelly, SJ, Explores Catholics and Sports in New Book
In his new book, Catholic Perspectives on Sports: From Medieval to Modern Times, Fr. Patrick Kelly, SJ, gives readers a provocative look at how Catholics have engaged in play and sports through the ages, and how this engagement has been related to theological and spiritual sensibilities. Father Kelly recounts how the humanists and early Jesuits played an important role in introducing games and sports as part of the school day in the Western world. Available at www.paulistpress.com.
Steve Specht, St. Xavier High School Football Coach, Receives Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award
On February 1, St. Xavier High School football coach Steve Specht was honored with the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award. Created in 2010 to honor exemplary coaches who display integrity, achievement, and leadership, the winner receives $10,000 and another
$15,000 for his football program. “People need to realize what great things he is doing,” explained Greg Scruggs, a 2008 St. Xavier graduate who nominated Coach Specht. “I think because St. X is a private school it overshadows the fact that young men still need positive role models, and that’s what Coach Specht is, a role model.”
Kohima Region Jesuit, Anand Pereira, Earns PhD from Creighton University
Anand Pereira, SJ, from the Kohima Region of northeast India, successfully defended his dissertation and received his PhD from Creighton University. Father Pereira recently returned to the Kohima Region to manage the self-help groups that foster the “co-operative” style of economics to improve living conditions and educational opportunities. He will work to support economic initiatives between northeast India and Jesuit Partners in the US.
Partners Spring 2013 – Page 1 of 7
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Brother Joseph Hoover, SJ, interacts with locals in Guwahati, Assam, during his recently completed sixweek immersion trip to the Kohima region of northeast India.
A Flourishing Partnership
Dear Friends,
Anyone talking about organizational change these days focuses on two words, strategic planning. Strategists are abuzz about the tactics and vision that will propel an institution forward. Change without strategic planning is like driving without directions—you’re on the road, but you don’t know where you’re going.
Saint Ignatius Loyola is considered by many to have been on the forefront of organizational change; however, he has never really worn the moniker of strategic planner. If anything, his vision is more one of strategic flexibility. In asking a Jesuit to go wherever in the world the need was the greatest at a moment’s notice, our founder emerged as one of the more change-ready religious leaders of his time. He neither planned nor imagined the network of institutions and missions that characterize today’s Society, but he set the course that enabled so many new works to come into existence. And while most of those first institutions are not operating today, new schools and missions open each year in response to the needs of God’s people.
Welcome to the “new” Partners magazine—the first joint publication of the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces. Current and new readers are invited to learn about the Jesuits and Jesuit ministries in our shared 12-state region. This publication is a work in progress, an effort to combine our two magazines into one. It reflects the continuing efforts of our two Jesuit Provinces to work together towards the creation of a new Province in 2017.
We wish to be at the frontiers in evangelization of God’s people for the good of the Church.
The name Partners reflects the essential relationship that we Jesuits have with you, our companions and collaborators. From the Society’s beginning, we have been privileged to have partners who strengthen our mission. The stories and images contained in this publication reflect our vital relationship with you.
In a recent conversation with senior Jesuits, one was overheard saying, “I sometimes forget what we’re calling the province now, but I know that it’s still the Society of Jesus.” The wisdom of our elders reflects this most fundamental truth. Some of our Jesuits entered the Society before there even was a Chicago, Detroit, or Wisconsin Province; they’ve lived long enough to see their province split, re-unite, or merge. In the end, the size and the name of this new province matters only in as much as it helps us to do the work of the Church. With your support, we can meet this challenge and serve the generations to come.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Who are the Jesuits of the Kohima Region?
Fr. Paul Coelho, SJ, offers insight about the universal experience of being a Jesuit and much more.
The Jesuits of the Kohima Region in Northeast India work in the rural, mountainous area situated in the Himalayan hills and valleys between Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Tibet. They serve a population that is primarily indigenous and their work includes: the establishment of parishes, the operation of 10 high schools, 13 middle schools, 26 primary schools (over 13,000 students), one undergraduate college, a teacher training center and numerous vocational and agricultural training programs. Social action projects include economic self-help cooperatives, women’s micro-finance groups; initiatives to support human and cultural rights, religious/ethnic tolerance initiatives and dialogues, ecological preservation, legal advocacy, and support for health care.
A Union of Hearts and Minds
The Midwest Jesuits and the Jesuits of the Kohima Region each work directly with indigenous communities. This common bond helps to unite us in an apostolic partnership known as “twinning.” Twinning encourages solidarity and mutual sharing to help Jesuits and their colleagues advance their respective mission to accompany those on the frontiers and promote the faith that seeks justice.
Rain does not deter the work of the boarding school
children at St. Mary’s in Maweit, Meghalaya. The
summer monsoon can produce much of the 120
inches of annual rainfall. Due to distances and
difficult roads, many children need to live at school
and only go home at breaks.
Kohima: Partners in Care
By John Sealey The Wisconsin Province Jesuits have cooperated with the Kohima Region since 2002. The Jesuits of the ethnically and geographically diverse Kohima region have worked tirelessly and faced the challenges posed by rural, mountainous terrain, a 50% literacy rate, and 240 distinct languages. As the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces prepare to unite, together they continue to dedicate their efforts to making a difference in the lives of those in northeast India.
Two Portuguese Jesuits, Frs. Cacella and Cabaral, passed briefly through northeast India in 1626 en route to Tibet… (read more)
Modern conveniences are a luxury in a region where only 30% of households have safe drinking water and electricity.
Lessons Learned
By Paddy Gilger, SJ The most embarrassing moment of my time in India actually happened before I even set foot on Indian soil; it happened on the plane. I was travelling with another Jesuit—my classmate, the prophetic and eloquent and inevitably plaid-shirt-wearing Br. Joe Hoover, SJ—and we had discovered that we had, through some fortunate accident, been given first-class tickets for the last of our long series of flights. This flight would land us in the city of Guwahati, Assam… (read more)
During the summer of 2009, four Wisconsin Province Jesuits discovered trust, sorrow and joy in Northeast India
A Summer in Northeast India
In an effort to deepen the “twinning” relationship between the Wisconsin Province and the Kohima Region, scholastics, pictured left, Stephen Wolfe, SJ, R.J. Fichtinger, SJ, Luke Hansen, SJ, and Joseph Simmons, SJ lived and worked in Northeast India in the summer of 2009. Fichtinger, Simmons and Wolfe served in Jesuit parishes and schools in the rural villages of Maweit, Chidimit, and Dawagre, respectively; Hansen interned with the Jesuit-sponsored Legal Cell for Human Rights in Guwahati. Their immersion experience concluded with a 10-day tour of Nagaland, home to several Jesuit institutions near India’s eastern border with Myanmar. (read more via the Wisconsin Jesuits)
Photos: The Kohima Region
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Partners Winter 2012 – Page 2
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Jayme Stayer, SJ, was ordained to the transitional diaconate on October 6, 2012, along with six other Jesuit scholastics. The service took place at Saint Ignatius Loyola Church at Boston College and was presided over by His Eminence Sean P. Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap.
Jayme Stayer, SJ, Celebrates Diaconate Ordination
By Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ
Provincial Assistant for Formation
for the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces
The road to priesthood is indeed a long one for Jesuits. Most men spend 10–13 years in studies and ministry in preparation for Jesuit priesthood. For Jayme Stayer, ordination to priesthood is only a little more than six months away. Following an academic career specializing in the writings of T. S. Eliot, Jayme entered the Jesuit novitiate in Detroit in 2003, pursued philosophy and theology studies at Loyola University Chicago, taught English literature at John Carroll University, and is presently pursuing a master’s degree in divinity at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry.
This past October 6, Jayme and six other Jesuit scholastics were ordained to the transitional diaconate, an eight-month period in which a Jesuit serves as a deacon in the church in preparation for his ordination to priesthood. The transitional deacon assists the priest presider at the altar and also has the responsibility of preaching homilies at Eucharistic and para-liturgical celebrations. He also is able to perform certain sacraments, such as baptisms and witnessing marriage vows.
Jayme’s ordination to the transitional diaconate was presided over by His Eminence Sean P. Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap, at Saint Ignatius Loyola Church on the campus of Boston College. We rejoice that Jayme has generously answered the call to ministry, and we continue to pray for him as he heads into the “homestretch” towards his ordination to priesthood in June 2013.
  Fr. Richard M. Mackowski, SJ We give thanks for Fr. Mackowski who has gone home to GodFr. Richard M. Mackowski, SJ “What Fr. Mackowski indicated he treasured dearly was his role as a director of tours of biblical lands. Beginning while he was a doctoral student in Jerusalem, and continuing during vacation periods during his long stay in Rome, Fr. Mackowski led over 325 tours of biblical locations. His secret was not only the meticulous care with which he planned each trip, but also his efforts to make each stop along the way meaningful and explain scriptural texts referring to each stop on the tours. It was hard work because he did not take a tour group to a site he had not previously researched and visited himself.” To view Fr. Mackowski’s full obituary, sign a guestbook, and/or make a gift, please click here or visit our website at www.jesuits-chgdet.org |
Partners Winter 2012 – Page 6
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Building a Relationship on Trust
John Tierney attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy as well as the University of Detroit Mercy. He served as the chairman of Chrysler Financial while also working as the chairman of the development committee for the Detroit Province.
There are men committed to faith and the promotion of justice, highly educated individuals who are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, and devoted to finding God in all things. I’m talking about the Jesuits, of course. They share these characteristics and many others that offer ample reason to support the Society of Jesus in general, and the Chicago-Detroit Province in particular.
This assertion stems in part from my vast experience with the Jesuits. I am fortunate to have had a quality education at The University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy where I learned from many intelligent people, a lot of whom were Jesuits. It was there that I learned how to learn, and that’s not something I have ever taken for granted.
Moreover, Jesuits are leaders in education beyond the United States. In places like Eastern Africa, they support native vocations by running and/or providing staff for pre-secondary and secondary schools. They are one of the reasons Catholicism is growing so fast in that region.
None of this would be possible without the work of the provincial offices which train new Jesuits, house and care for elderly Jesuits, support retreat houses, and engage in varied pastoral ministries. As such, they are also a crucial support system to our educational institutions.
Yet there’s one other reason for supporting the Jesuits I would like to share. It’s not always the first thing that comes to mind, but it’s something that’s vital when I consider making a charitable gift: the Jesuits are practical. They’re careful spenders with a solid record of accomplishments to show for their use of donors’ funds. When they say they are raising money for a particular area, that’s where the money goes, and they follow through to achieve the goals they set.
I’ve been happy to support specific ministries and projects, but I also recognize that it’s difficult to raise funds directly for much of what the province does. I have come to appreciate that the provincial knows better than I what is most needed by his province. It’s for this reason that I typically select “Greatest Apostolic Need” or “Unrestricted” when sending my contributions to the Jesuits.
When I was in high school and college, I paid for all of my educational expenses: tuition, books, etc. Initially, this made me feel as if I’d paid my own way. As I got older, however, I realized that tuition is but a part of what is involved in an education—and that I’d actually been given a great deal. That’s ultimately why I think that, regardless of the way our contributions are used, every single gift to the Jesuits is part of an ongoing relationship, an opportunity to share actively in the Society’s apostolic efforts.
Honoring the Chicago-Detroit Province Founders
On October 21, 2012, John and Rosemary Croghan (front row, center) were honored at a mass and reception at Cristo Rey
Jesuit High School by many of their Jesuit friends, including (front row) Fr. Timothy Howe, Fr. Charles Niehaus,
Fr. John Foley, Fr. Provincial Timothy Kesicki, Fr. Walter Deye, Fr. Theodore Munz,
(back row) Fr. Patrick McGrath, Fr. Sean O’Sullivan, Fr. Bradley Schaeffer, Fr. James Gartland,
Fr. Jack O’Callaghan, and Fr. Brian Paulson.
Earlier this year, Father General Adolfo Nicolás named John and Rosemary Croghan and John and Barbara Schubert “Founders of the Chicago-Detroit Province.” In Part IV of the Constitutions [309], St. Ignatius observes, “It is highly proper for us to do something on our part in return for the devotion and generosity shown toward the Society by those whom the Divine Goodness employs as his ministers to found and endow its colleges.” Father General explained: “As a sign of appreciation and thanks, each Jesuit in the Chicago-Detroit Province will offer three Masses for them now and at the time of their deaths.”
Rosemary and John Croghan have been extremely generous to many of the works of the Province and the worldwide Society. Their leadership contribution to some of these works is worth even more than the most generous financial contributions they have made. Particularly worthy of mention is Rosemary’s service on the original Cristo Rey High School’s board. The Croghans are also very active in their parish and the Archdiocese of Chicago. Both Rosemary and John are very humble people who feel honored to have been able to play a role as companions of the Society.
The Jesuit work that is closest to Barbara and John Schubert’s hearts is in Eastern Africa. After traveling overseas with Fr. Joe Daoust, SJ, Barbara and John were compelled to give the Detroit Province a large gift for scholarships at Loyola High School in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In addition, they used their own resources to travel to Eastern Africa for the winter-spring semester in 2005 and 2006 to tutor the children at Loyola High School. Barbara and John lived in community and worked closely with Jesuit Volunteer Corps. They often express that they feel they have received so much more than they have given. John and Barbara will be honored on Sunday, December 9, 2012, at their home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. (Photos to come in the spring issue.)
Partners Winter 2012 – Page 4
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The Jesuits Are…
Doctors • Teachers • Journalists • Chaplains • Authors • Scientists • Missionaries…
“What is it that God intends for me?”
It is not unusual for a young man to ask himself, “What is it that God intends for me?”
A Jesuit has the unique ability to surrender himself to God’s will and to answer his true calling, in prayerful discernment,
Fr. James Prehn, SJ
The sky—or better yet the heavens—are the limit.
If you believe that your call might be to The Greater Glory of God, we offer a program that can help you more fully explore your journey.
If you’d like more information on how to join the Jesuits, please contact: Fr. James Prehn, SJ,
Vocations Director 773-975-6363 | vocations@jesuits-chgdet.org
.
Partners Winter 2012 – Page 5
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Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence
Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School
In 1965, students from the very first graduating class donned letterman’s jackets with their graduating year on the front.
On September 4, 1962, Fr. William Schmidt, SJ, realized his dream of starting what was, and still is, the only Jesuit school in Indiana. On that day, 168 freshman boys walked into a brand new building on Route 100, just north of Indianapolis, and became a part of history. On that day, the first students, faculty, and staff members began laying the foundation and creating the traditions that would define Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School.
For the past 50 years, Brebeuf Jesuit has created men and women for others by fostering the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development of its students and providing the tools to become societal leaders who do all things for the Greater Glory of God. Brebeuf’s extraordinary faculty and staff have gone above and beyond to set their students up for success.
There have been myriad changes to Brebeuf since 1962 such as becoming coeducational with the addition of 153 young women in 1976 and the construction of new facilities including a new Jesuit residence in the 1990s. The latest change to Brebeuf is welcoming its 11th President, Fr. Jack Dennis, SJ, who began his service in July 2012.
Father Dennis has already outlined his plans to maintain Brebeuf’s strong identity as a Jesuit school while still being able to communicate that students and families of
all backgrounds are not only welcomed, but embraced. And in light of the school’s 50th anniversary, Fr. Dennis has his own visions for its future. “Our focus is on maintaining our competitive edge in academics, arts, and athletics, and to continue to evolve as a school community,” he explains. “We will also continue to serve the larger Indy community; seek healthy, enriching ways to utilize new technology; and continue to discover who God is and how we relate to and develop a stronger relationship with him.”
Mike Higginbotham is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, IN. A graduate of Purdue University, he has been serving Brebeuf since December 2011
Partners Winter 2012 – Page 3
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Jesuit Father Walter Ciszek: A Life in Service
A year after joining the Jesuits in 1928, Fr. Walter Ciszek, SJ, was asked by Pope Pius XI to travel to Rome to prepare to work in Russia. When war broke out in 1939, Fr. Ciszek entered Russia illegally and was arrested. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in a Siberian prison camp. He made a triumphant return to the US in 1963, after 24 years of captivity.
Father Walter Ciszek answered the call by going to the Soviet Union. Today, Jesuits are working around the globe on the frontiers—from building schools in Malawi to aiding migrants at a small border town between the United States and Mexico. That’s the spirit of the Society; that’s the spirit of service.
To commemorate his inspirational life, the Society of Jesus chose to highlight Fr. Walter Ciszek and the theme “Life in Service” for November’s National Jesuit Vocation Month.
A quarter century after his death, Fr. Ciszek’s life is still inspiring those considering a Jesuit vocation, and soon even more people may learn of his legacy. This past March, the Vatican gave its formal approval for the canonization process for Fr. Ciszek to begin.
In his memoir describing his years in Russia, He Leadeth Me, Fr. Ciszek wrote, “My aim in entering Russia was the same from beginning to end: to help find God and attain eternal life.”
By devoting his life to serving God and his people, Fr. Ciszek succeeded in both goals.
The Chicago-Detroit Province has collaborated nationally to promote the life and vocation of Fr. Walter Ciszek throughout the month of November. For more information, visit www.jesuit.org/ciszek.
Upon returning to the US in 1963, Fr. Walter Ciszek (center) was greeted by numerous family and friends at a welcome home gathering.
Partners Winter 2012 – Page 1
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Where in the World Is Fr. Kesicki? See answers below
The Worldwide Society
Dear Friends,
Whenever I return to the US from international travel, US Border Patrol always ask, “What do you do?” and I respond, “Catholic Priest.” Then they thumb through my passport and after seeing my many visas and stamps, ask, “Why do you take all of these trips?” In their view, priests are in parishes on Sundays, not traveling to multiple countries. When I begin to explain the role of a Jesuit provincial and the worldwide mission of the Society of Jesus, they then stamp my I-94 re-entry form and say, “Welcome home.”
I don’t expect that everyone understands the global dimension of a Jesuit’s vocation and the relationship that Jesuits in Chicago or Detroit have with Jesuits in Nairobi or Lima. But I do know that many of you have friends and family who serve the church in faraway places. I also know that the international vocation of Jesuits has been helped tremendously by you, our devoted companions.
This December, I will travel to Eastern Africa and visit their provincial to renew our shared ministerial commitments. In the upcoming year, I will make my first visit to Beijing to visit one of our scholastics who now serves the growing Jesuit mission. This past summer I took my first steps in one of my ancestral homelands, Poland, at the invitation of the Jesuit provincial in Krakow. For the past 75 years, Polish Jesuits have served in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and they wanted to strengthen this historic relationship between our provinces. During these trips I continue to remember Saint Ignatius Loyola’s desire that we Jesuits go out into the world filled with zeal for the Gospel.
Sometimes though, I don’t have to travel to engage the broader world. Each year I host a number of foreign provincials who send their men to work and study in the Chicago-Detroit Province. We are blessed by these international relationships and I know that together we can grow the worldwide mission of the Society of Jesus in the years to come.
Thanks, especially during this season of gratitude and giving, for your support of the Society. You and your loved ones are in our prayers.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Provincial
Where in the World Is Fr. Kesicki?
(Top, L-R)
1. Peru mission luncheon with Fr. Miguel Cruzado, SJ, Provincial of Peru (left) and Fr. James Gartland, SJ; 2. Celebrating 109 years of Jesuit service at John H. Stroger Hospital with Cardinal Francis George, OMI, and Jesuits Eugene Nevins, Joel Medina, and Robert Finn; 3. Mass of celebration at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago
(Bottom, L-R)
4. Bihar, India, with Br. James Boynton, SJ; 5. Receiving an honorary degree by John Carroll University’s president, Fr. Robert Niehoff, SJ (middle), and board member, Mr. Michael Hardy (class of 1969); 6. Summer pilgrimage to the Holy Land with fellow US provincials
Partners Winter 2012 – Index
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Partners Winter 2012 Read the Winter 2012 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. |
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T H E W O R L D W I D E S O C I E T Y
A Letter from the Provincial, Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Whenever I return to the US from international travel, US Border Patrol always ask, “What do you do?” and I respond, “Catholic Priest.” Then they thumb through my passport and after seeing my many visas and stamps, ask, “Why do you take all of these trips?” (view story)
N E W S
In the news: In this issue, by the numbers, we’re focused on ministries, what it takes to create them and form Jesuits to run them; Jayme Stayer, SJ, just celebrated Diaconate Ordination, and ordination to priesthood is only a little more than six months away; we celebrate the life of Fr. Richard Mackowski, SJ. (view stories)
V O C A T I O N S
Jesuit Father Walter Ciszek: A Life in Service Fr. Ciszek served 24 years in Russia, much of it in captivity in Siberian labor camps and Soviet prisons. See an inspiring video and read about this extraordinary man. (view story)
A job is not necessarily a vocation, but it may help you find yours. Before they were Jesuits, Charles Rodrigues, SJ, Kent Beausoleil, SJ, J. Timothy Hipskind, SJ and Michael Class, SJ had some interesting jobs. (view story)
M I N I S T R I E S
Mike Higginbotham writes from Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, the only Jesuit school in Indiana, as it celebrates 50 years and welcomes its 11th President, Fr. Jack Dennis, SJ; Decades of Dedication are reflected in the many ministries brought to life in the last 135 years through the generous benefactors of the Chicago-Detroit Province (view story)
I N P A R T N E R S H I P
In explaining why he supports Jesuit ministries, John Tierney, explains that, “…[T]he Jesuits are practical. They’re careful spenders with a solid record of accomplishments to show for their use of donors’ funds”. (view story)
And, earlier this year, Father General Adolfo Nicolás named John and Rosemary Croghan and John and Barbara Schubert “Founders of the Chicago-Detroit Province.” This honor reflects the generous spirit and selfless support that they have offered to Jesuit ministries. (view story)
J E S U I T F R I E N D S
Jesuit-Educated Alumni and Friends Connect Modeled after the Loyola Club of Cleveland, alumni from Jesuits schools have formed a group to gather fellow alumni and friends in the Chicagoland area for food, fellowship, and inspiration. The November 8, 2012 kickoff event featured Patrick Fitzgerald—former US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and graduate of Regis High School in New York—sold out with 350 attendees, and had a waiting list. “No matter where they’re from, Jesuit alumni and those who love the Jesuits are eager to stay connected and to be fed spiritually,” explains steering committee member Stephen Fatum, who graduated from Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. “As we grow, we will continue to host three luncheons like this per year.” Luncheons are held at the Union League Club of Chicago. Membership is free. To learn more, please e-mail us: jesuitclubchicago@gmail.com or call 773-975-6891
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.
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
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Putting Faith into Action
By Amy Korpi
Pat Greulich, longtime Jesuit supporter, celebrates the graduation of her granddaughter, Jenny, from Bowling Green State University.
The special affinity Patricia Greulich feels for the Society of Jesus began early in life. To start, there was a Jesuit in the family—an uncle who sadly passed away in an accident before his ordination, and before Pat was born. But the Jesuit connection was not broken by that tragedy. “I have clear memories of our large family being closely tied to the Jesuits,” she recalls. “In addition, my father graduated from Xavier University, so there was a natural connection that way as well.”
Pat went on to earn an MA in education from Xavier, and her late husband, Bill, also was a Xavier alumnus. Yet the Jesuit presence in her life is something more, something she describes as “being home,” and a large part of that is due to the sense of community she feels at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish of Cincinnati.
“I’ve been aware of the Jesuit presence throughout my life,” she says. “As we moved 13 times during our working years, it served a grounding role. But it’s been so nice to come back to Bellarmine Chapel. Now, when I’m in Florida during the winter, even though I take part in the life of a parish with a Jesuit influence, I still miss Bellarmine.”
Pat feels strongly about her parish for many reasons, one in particular being the leadership of its pastor, Fr. Richard Bollman, SJ, who, along with others at Bellarmine, was “a great consolation” when Pat’s husband was ill. But Fr. Bollman is just one of several Jesuits “who have been a positive force in our faith community,” she says.
And that kind of community draws people with common interests—for example, the desire to help others. “Much of our outreach is to neighbors who are less fortunate,” explains Pat, who serves as one of the parish’s St. Vincent De Paul volunteers, visiting people in need each Saturday to offer physical and spiritual support. The group’s aim is to combine spirituality with charitable works, and “help alleviate some of the isolation the people we visit might feel from the greater Cincinnati community.”
Such faith in action has extended to a desire to share financial gifts as well. Pat has supported both the general mission of the Jesuits as well as particular ministries—just one of which is the St. Aloysius Gonzaga School in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. “That mission is certainly close to my heart,” Pat says. “A child who loses a parent from AIDS is disadvantaged in so many ways, including education, let alone education in the faith. As a retired elementary school teacher, I know firsthand how important that can be.”
Put it all together, and when Pat had an opportunity to contribute to a charitable organization, the Jesuits were a clear choice. After considering options with her financial advisor, she purchased a Charitable Gift Annuity a few years ago. “This mode of giving was a good choice for me, especially in these uncertain financial times,” Pat explains. “It’s a convenient way to benefit many people, because the Jesuits cover so many bases locally and internationally.”
Lest it seem like Pat’s connection to the Jesuits be over-weighted toward the practical, it’s anything but. Her faith development has been enhanced by Ignatian spirituality as well. “The Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford is an amazing resource,” she says. “Many contemplative, meditative retreats there have made a difference in my prayer life. No doubt about it. They have been a way to refocus, and re-center my faith.”
And that takes Pat’s story full circle— with faith feeding positive action and back again. Sounds like a Jesuit thing.
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Father Raymond Guiao, SJ, provincial assistant for formation for the Chicago-Detroit Province, has begun serving in the same capacity for the Wisconsin Province as of summer 2012.
After completing the First Studies Program at Fordham University, Andij Hlabse, SJ, is now a regent teaching at Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago.
Hung Nguyen, SJ, has completed the First Studies Program at Loyola University Chicago and has begun his regency as a teacher at Saint Ignatius College Prep.
Former Chicago-Detroit Provincial, Fr. Edward Schmidt, SJ, concluded his time as associate editor of America magazine in New York City and has begun his new position as an editor at the Institute of Jesuit Sources in St. Louis.
Father Robert Thesing, SJ, who most recently served as superior for the First Studies Program at Loyola University Chicago, joins the staff at both the Claver Jesuit Ministry and the Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford, Ohio.
The Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin provincials have appointed Fr. Robert Wild, SJ, special assistant for advancement for both provinces. He brings to the role a wide range of prior experience as provincial of the Chicago Province; president of Weston Jesuit School of Theology; and, most recently, president of Marquette University. “I’m honored to help the provinces work together to serve our 12-state region, which includes 6 universities, 19 high schools, 12 parishes and missions, 8 retreat ministries, and many works that serve those in need,” says Fr. Wild.
The Following men have been Missioned to Serve at Colombiere: Fr. Rey Garcia, SJ, Fr. Gene Hattie, SJ, Fr. John Murphy, SJ and Fr. Phil Rule. Fr. Gene Phillips, SJ was Missioned to Serve at St. Camillus
We give thanks for the following Jesuits who have gone home to God: Fr. Walter L. Farrell, SJ; Fr. Francis X. Budovic, SJ.
For a complete list of recent obituaries, please visit our obituaries pages.
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JesuitPrayer.org Stirs Hearts and Minds Since its launch on July 1, JesuitPrayer.org—our new prayer site, daily eNewsletter, and App—has received strong support from people across the country. One loyal prayer partner says, “I just wanted to let you know what a grace and blessing this site has been in my life. I am so grateful to all of the Jesuit sites which draw me into deeper awareness of God’s working each day, each moment of our lives. Thank God for St. Ignatius and those who are called to follow in his path—it means everything to me.” To date, more than 15,000 people have visited the site and hundreds more have signed up for our eNewsletter to get their daily dose of scripture, Ignatian reflection, and prayer—all of which is complemented by videos, links, and other resources. The site and App also allow people to print prayer cards and submit prayer requests that are responded to by our Jesuit Prayer Team. Help us spread the Word and join us today!
Jesuits Say Goodbye to a Legend Fr. Walter Farrell, SJ
Father Walter Farrell, SJ, died this July at the age of 96. Walt towered over others not just physically, but as a human, wise, and gentle spirit. For decades, I and so many others depended on him for spiritual direction and guidance. He was always available, at a moment’s notice, to leave what he was doing and give his full and compassionate attention to whatever my latest travail or elation was.
And then, with both frankness and tenderness, he would put the world back into perspective, the perspective of what life is really about. Not just Jesuits, but so many others found him an encouraging source of enlightenment even through the birth pangs of the new millennium. The winds of globalization or polarization might buffet our cultures or our Church. But Walt would urge us to continue finding God in the present with hope for the future. Rooted in the deep springs of Ignatian spirituality, he calmly and clearly nourished us in its abundant waters. Even in the last weeks of his life, he was still handing it on to the newest generation of Jesuits.
Christ the King Jesuit College Prep Celebrates Success of First Graduating Class
On June 9, 2012, Christ the King Jesuit College Prep (CTK) celebrated its first graduation ceremony since opening its doors in August 2008. On this momentous day four years in the making, 50 students surrounded by family, teachers, and faculty walked across the stage to receive their diplomas from the school’s president, Fr. Chris Devron, SJ. Eighty-four colleges offered more than 150 acceptances to CTK students this year, including Xavier University and Marquette University. “I’m very glad that I came to CTK,” explains Michael, class of 2012. “Deep down inside, my classmates and I are very grateful to be at a school where we can get work experience and a great education at the same time.” Located on the West Side of Chicago in the Austin neighborhood, CTK strives to educate the area’s underserved teenagers and their families.
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Achieving Quantity with Quality
Dear Friends,
A popular word around Jesuit institutions is headcount. Parishes use the October count as a measure of how many people are in the pews. Our schools look at the size of the freshman class to gauge their next four years, and around Labor Day, Jesuit communities frequently ask, “How many new novices are there?”
During a summer pilgrimage to the Holy Land with his fellow US provincials, Fr. Kesicki celebrated mass on the Mount of the Beatitudes along the Sea of Galilee.
I was blessed to accept 10 new men to our novitiate this fall. They will join the 5 new Wisconsin Province novices to make a class of 15. In August, 8 newly vowed scholastics and a newly vowed brother moved from the novitiate to first studies. They, like me, were very happy to see an even larger class moving in.
While there is wisdom to the adage “quality not quantity,” there is nothing wrong with working for both. Certainly the demand for Jesuits is as great today as it has ever been, and nothing re-energizes a religious order as much as the zeal and energy of new members.
Saint Ignatius Loyola never set targets or goals for bringing men into the Society. He trusted that his first companions would inspire others to serve the Lord in this vocation. I doubt that our founder could ever have imagined how much the Society would grow, or in how many countries and cultures we would serve, but I know he would say that our mission was far from being accomplished.The mission of those first Jesuits to care for souls still depends on new vocations. We need these 15 novices as much as Saint Ignatius needed his first companions.
Entering the Jesuit novitiate is not like applying to graduate school or interviewing for a job. Assessing one’s suitability for a lifetime commitment to vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience cannot be done through a form or a transcript. It requires an in-depth period of discernment over a significant period of time. As part of the process, each candidate to the novitiate is asked to write his autobiography. This narrative helps those who take part in the vocation discernment process to see the ways in which the Lord has worked throughout their life. I love reading these autobiographies because I see in them the unique contribution that each novice will bring to the Society. We may be one of the largest religious orders in the Church today, but no two of us are alike. We often illustrate this with the line, “if you’ve met one Jesuit you’ve met one Jesuit!”
I look forward to seeing how these new novices will blossom over the course of time, and I know that many, many people will take part in their formation. We continue to depend on your prayers and support for these and all Jesuits. Your commitment to our mission is essential for our growth and ministry. I have great hope for the Society and its future.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Provincial
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Stephen Fatum and longtime friend Fr. Edwin Daly, SJ, enjoy a visit with Steve’s twin sons, Michael (left) and John (right) in Wilmette, Illinois. Fr. Daly’s friendship has been a source of inspiration for the Fatum’s gifts to the Jesuits over the years
Filling our buckets with gratitude
By Stephen Fatum
In today’s world, there are so many great organizations doing important work that it is difficult to decide which causes to support.
One strategy that has worked for us comes from the world of investments. It’s diversification. My wife and I identify “buckets” for our gifts. Just as we allocate funds by investment classification, we allocate gifts by charitable objectives. Categories might include: geography (international and domestic charities), needs (such as spiritual, artistic, educational and humanitarian causes), loyalty (alma mater, church and schools), gratitude (recognition of family members or close friends), or personal interests (music, research areas, or hobbies).
By supporting the Jesuits, we can fill several “buckets” at the same time. For example, we have supported Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and the Chicago Jesuit Academy in Chicago, which help to meet educational, spiritual, and humanitarian needs locally. We also support the work of our longtime friends Frs. Edwin Daly, SJ, in India, and Kevin Flaherty, SJ, in Peru, which helps to meet spiritual and humanitarian needs internationally. In addition, we give funds that support the training of seminarians, which can be particularly satisfying because we know each seminarian has the potential to touch deeply the lives of many people over the course of a lifetime.
But there’s more. When we support Jesuit initiatives, we feel like we are participating in important ministries that make a difference. We have tremendous confidence that any work undertaken by the Jesuits will be not only high quality, but also rooted in Ignatian spirituality, which for us means the return on the contribution will be even more fulfilling.
When we make gifts, we often do so in honor of specific Jesuits. This allows us to express our gratitude in a personal way for how they have inspired and
In 1959, Fr. Edwin Daly, SJ, celebrates his priestly ordination in India.
While people often like to separate the worlds of intellect and faith, the Jesuits demonstrate how they can be integrated. For example, they encourage their students and others to seek answers that do not show blind faith, but rather thoughtful reasoning based on personal experience and a quest for knowledge. In this manner, the Jesuits have encouraged us to “pursue the truth with love.”
Our Jesuit mentors and friends live by the motto, “contemplatives in action.” They use their talents to make a difference in the lives of others, day in and day out, in whatever work they discern God is calling them to do. By being men for, with, and among others, our Jesuit friends inspire us to do the same—in our family, with our friends, in our work, and in our community.
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Fr. James Prehn, SJ Meet the New Q: What first made you consider joining the Jesuits?
A: I was inspired to join the Jesuits by a mixture of ideas and people. I was very attracted to the entrepreneurial sense of the Society as shown through its history. Also, the idea of being able to do a number of different things in my professional life; there was never one thing that Jesuits do that I felt I wanted to do forever. I was impressed by Jesuits that I had met throughout my life, their intellectual curiosity, intellectual confidence, and how different each Jesuit was.
Q: What do you find most challenging about being a Jesuit? Q: What are you most looking forward to as vocations director? Q: What advice can you give to someone considering joining the Jesuits? ( Interview continues below )
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From a Childhood Vocation to a Life
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Meet the New Vocations Director (continued) Fr. Prehn Q: How would you describe community life? Q: What parts of formation best brought out your talents? A: Regency, regency is a critical part of formation because it’s where a scholastic really learns to take responsibility for the society, apostolate, community, himself, and his own vocation. Q: What parts of formation did you find most challenging? Q: What are some lessons you learned in schools, as a teacher and administrator? Q: What do you find most appealing about the Society today? Q: What do you hope to bring to this position? Q: What are the challenges facing vocations today? |
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Father Lothar Nurnberger, SJ, joined the Jesuits in 1932 at the age of 22. At 102, he is the oldest Jesuit in the United States.
A Vocation for
the Whole Family
Father Lothar L. Nurnberger, SJ, was born in 1910. He grew up in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood where he attended the local public grade school. His father was an accomplished musician, one of the original members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Religion was not an influence in the Nurnberger house insofar as Lothar’s mother was a fallen-away Catholic and his father was a Freemason.
When Lothar found out his best friend would be attending nearby Jesuit-run Loyola Academy (now in Wilmette, Illinois), he talked his parents into allowing him to attend also. He recalls being taken aback when a priest at Loyola asked him his religious affiliation. He thought it important that he be “something” so he replied, “My name is Nurnberger so I must be Lutheran.” Lothar explains, “The time I spent at Loyola Academy not only brought me to Catholicism, but also the rest of my family. My mother returned to the Church after a long separation and even my father converted to Catholicism through the good efforts of Fr. Ignatius Kircher, SJ. Through Loyola Academy, my family was given a great gift.”
Father Kircher, SJ, Lothar’s former Latin, English, and Math teacher during his freshman year at the Academy, and Fr. Samuel Knox Wilson, SJ, a history teacher at Loyola University Chicago, were great influences on the future Jesuit.
Father Nurnberger was ordained in 1944when this photo was taken.
“While I had been baptized as an infant, ” Lothar explains, “I did not receive my First Holy Communion until I was 14 years old. In 1924, on my birthday, Fr. Kircher gave me my First Holy Communion. I was confirmed three years later at my parish, St. Jerome’s, with the much younger children from the parish grade school.”
.The Jesuits at Loyola Academy and Loyola University Chicago had such a strong impact on this young man that he decided to become one of them. He entered the Society of Jesus at the age of 22 after graduating from Loyola University and spending a year with the Mars Candy Company as a salesman. He says, “During my year at Mars I came to realize that I belonged in the Jesuits.
Father Wilson became my patron in the Society. My mother and father were satisfied with my decision because they felt it would help me behave better.” When asked if there were any surprises about the novitiate, Fr. Nurnberger responded, “There were no girls!”
As the oldest living Jesuit in the US, Fr. Nurnberger has high hopes for the future of the Society. He passed along these words of wisdom to all the men recently ordained and those entering the Society this year, “Life is a gift from God. As Jesuits, we are responsible for building a culture of life.”.
Formation for the Greater Glory of God
Fr. Guiao
By Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ
On June 9, Fr. Bill Blazek, SJ, was ordained at the age of 47 after journeying down the long road of Jesuit formation. In the past, Jesuits were ordained to the priesthood in their late 20s and early 30s. Nowadays, men enter the novitiate later in life, after their undergraduate (and sometimes graduate) studies, or even after years in their professional careers.
After an honorable career in the military and in the medical profession, Fr. Blazek entered the Jesuits in his mid-30s and spent eleven years in Jesuit formation that included rigorous study and demanding apostolic work. For him—and for all Jesuits regardless of age—our formation has a single aim: to render a Jesuit available and able to serve the Church through the worldwide mission of the Society of Jesus.
Formation prepares each Jesuit to serve where the needs are greatest—not for his own glory, but for the greater honor and glory of God. Jesuits are missioned by their provincial superiors to serve on many different fronts, from pastoral ministry in a parish or retreat house, to education in one of our many high schools or universities, to direct ministry among the poor and marginalized, to international missionary work. In each case, we are called and formed to serve the People of God and to make a positive impact in the world.
The generosity of the many benefactors of the Chicago-Detroit Province makes it possible for men who have discerned a Jesuit vocation to be formed as true apostles of Jesus Christ, ready to be sent wherever they might be most needed. Let us pray for Fr. Bill Blazek and for the eleven other Jesuits in the US who were ordained this past June. They may come to priesthood a bit older than Jesuit scholastics did a generation or more ago, but they do come to priesthood formed in the same rich tradition of Jesuit formation that St. Ignatius Loyola himself prescribed for the members of his Company 500 years ago. Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam! — Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ, is the provincial assistant for formation for the Chicago-Detroit Province.
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Celebrating Ordination 2012
Jesuit Frs. William Blazek and Paul Lickteig were ordained priests in the Society of Jesus on Saturday, June 9, 2012,
at a mass at St. Thomas More Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. (From left) Fr. Raymond Guiao, provincial assistant
for formation for the Chicago-Detroit Province; Fr. Timothy Kesicki, provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province;
newly ordained Fr. William Blazek; Archbishop John Neinstadt, DD; newly ordained Fr. Paul Lickteig;
Fr. Tom Lawler, provincial of the Wisconsin Province; and Fr. John Paul, provincial assistant for formation for the Wisconsin Province.
Fr. William Blazek, SJ Fr. William Blazek, SJ Parents: Bill and Carol (Voss) Blazek Assignment: Pastoral/Sacramental work at Church of the Gesu Cleveland, Ohio Father William Blazek, SJ , 47, was born and baptized at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where his father served as a Physician in the US Army. His mother, Carol, served as a teacher in the Christian Education Program of the parish. He first met the Jesuits in 1982 at Marquette University when he joined the ROTC program. After completing his Bachelor’s Degree and commissioning in the Army, Bill served 5 years in the 101st Airborne Division as an Infantry Officer. After the Army, he studied medicine at Rush Medical College and graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1998. During medical studies, Fr. Blazek encountered the Jesuits once again at a small parish near the Chicago Taylor Street Community, where Fr. Jack Lane, SJ, celebrated daily mass. He entered the Society of Jesus immediately following medical residency and professed first vows in 2003.“As I crossed the major threshold in Jesuit formation, one of the chief emotions in my heart was that of joy: joy mingled with a deep sense of gratitude for God’s goodness to me and for the love of so many people who have helped me along the way to ordination. It is certain that I could not have made the transition from medicine to the novitiate without the support of family, friends, and generous benefactors.” — Fr. William Blazek, SJ |
Fr. Paul Lickteig, SJ Fr. Paul Lickteig, SJ Parents: Tom and Jeanne Lickteig Assignment: Summer immersion in priestly ministry at St. Eugene Parish and St. Monica Parish in Milwaukee (June through August), then continuation of STL degree at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California Father Paul Lickteig, SJ, 37, is a native of Bloomington, Minnesota. A product of Catholic education since the age of three, Fr. Lickteig followed his four older brothers through grade school and high school, where he discovered an abiding love of theology and art. During formation, he taught scripture, sacraments, and spirituality to students at Creighton Preparatory School and also worked with incarcerated men at San Quentin Prison. One of Fr. Lickteig’s great joys is the realization that Christ truly can be found in all things. “I feel like I have just entered into the fullness of God’s call to me. The past eleven years of formation have been spent in prayer, joy, struggle, education, and work. I have learned how to be cared for by the people of God and have been pushed to grow in ways that I never quite thought I would be. I am humbled to have found companionship here. During this time, I have been shaped by the kindness and hard work of my formators: men and women, religious and laypeople, those who worked as advisors, spiritual directors, and confidants. My own family, too, has been a never-ending source of grace and support. It is their love and their model of faith that gave me the blueprint for growing in the Spirit.” —Fr. Paul Lickteig, SJ |
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After three years of service in Dodoma, Tanzania, Fr. Martin Connell, SJ, has returned to the United States for a sabbatical and new assignment starting January 2013. During his time in Dodoma, Fr. Connell helped open and operate the Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre and its St. Peter Claver High School (SPCHS), which currently serves 140 boys and girls in their first year of secondary school. As a boarding school, SPCHS puts girls on equal footing with boys academically.
Fr. John Ferone, SJ, will join the staff of St. Mary’s Church in Oxford, Ohio, to serve as the Director of Catholic Campus Ministry for students attending Miami University. Prior to joining the staff at the university, Fr. Ferone served as superior for the Faber House Jesuit Community for nine years before taking a sabbatical year.
Fr. Kevin Flaherty, SJ, has been appointed to serve as the superior of the Jesuits in First Studies at Loyola University Chicago, effective August 2012. Father Flaherty spent the last 25 years serving the Peru Province where he worked in formation with young Jesuits, promoted vocations, taught theology courses, and directed retreats.
Fr. Joel Medina, SJ, ordained last summer, has served as a chaplain at Stroger Hospital in Chicago and part-time in pastoral ministry at St. Procopius Parish. He will continue his role as a full-time chaplain at Loyola University Medical Center beginning July 2012.
Fr. Charles Niehaus, SJ, who most recently served as pastor at St. Paul’s Parish in Lexington, Kentucky, has been named the new associate pastor at St. Procopius Parish in Chicago, beginning in fall 2012.
Fr. James Riley, SJ, assistant for special projects at the Chicago-Detroit Province Office, will begin his new assignment as assistant to the president of St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland in August 2012.
Assignments: Glen Chun Minister SICP Jesuit Community to Minister at Loyola University Chicago; Lee Colombino Special Studies to Teacher at Loyola Academy; Jack Crocker Spiritual Ministries to Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House; Jim Dixon Sabbatical to Superior of Woodlawn Jesuit Community; Steve Hurd to Manresa Jesuit Retreat House; John Libens Administration at St. Ignatius High School (Cleveland) Assistant to CDT and WIS Provincial Assistant for Secondary and Pre-Secondary Education; Ross Pribyl Teacher at SICP to Teacher at Loyola Academy.
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Ignatian Solidarity Network Nominated for People’s Choice at the Human Rights Awards
The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) was nominated for the People’s Choice Award at the 10th Annual Human Rights Awards Gala. Since their inception in 2004, the ISN has animated bold action for social justice and solidarity among individuals and institutions across the country on issues including immigration reform, human rights in Latin America, and environmental justice. Global Exchange’s Human Rights Awards are grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognize the contributions of individuals and organizations that defend human rights in their own countries and around the world.
“Hearts on Fire” Retreats Inspire Young Adults Across the Country
In collaboration with the Apostleship of Prayer, a group of young Jesuits will again offer summer retreats in multiple cities across the United States. The “Hearts on Fire” retreat program is based on the tenets of Ignatian Spirituality and introduces practical ways of connecting faith with daily life. “Saint Ignatius and the Holy Spirit inspired you well. Each talk tugged at my heart. It was wonderful to ‘fall in love with Jesus’ all over again. Thank you!” said Patty, a retreat participant from Iowa City. This day-and-a-half renewal experience is open to young adults aged 18-39. For more information and to find out if “Hearts on Fire” is coming to a city near you, visit the Apostleship of Prayer website at www.apostleshipofprayer.org.
St. Procopius Holy Trinity Parish and Brookfield Zoo Create Meditative Garden Pilsen residents young and old come together to plant the Trinity Garden on a lot once marked by garbage and vandalism. Now, parishioners and residents can relax and connect with nature in this meditative space.
In Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, an area with the least amount of green space in the city, St. Procopius Holy Trinity Parish and Brookfield Zoo 
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Jesuits Never Retire
Dear Friends,
“The bees are back!” These were the first words I heard after celebrating the Easter Vigil with the Jesuit community at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan. A member of the community was commenting on the new translation of the Exsultet, which I had just chanted at the Vigil. He was beaming because he heard in this proclamation an image from his past: in this case the bees that help produce the Paschal Candle which we light during the Easter Season. Older Jesuits are full of such memories and stories; they are a vital link to the traditions and customs of our faith across the decades.
In the early 1950s, Fr. William Hagerty, SJ (standing with biretta), along with Jesuit scholastics in surplice, lay the cornerstone of a Jesuit house of formation.
It is worth noting that Jesuits never fully retire. While duties and responsibilities may change, all Jesuits receive a mission from their provincial, even at the very end of their lives. Jesuit documents inform us that elderly and infirm members have a special mission to pray for the Church and Society. In addition, we learn that these Jesuits are to strive to unite their personal suffering and limitations to the worldwide salvific ministry of the Church and Society. What a blessing it is to have such faithful servants of Christ who exemplify the rich beauty of religious life!
Our younger Jesuits take a delight in visiting the community at Colombiere. They hear interesting stories about what their current superiors and formators were like in training—it never hurts to see the humble side of a superior—and stories about the province, the Society, and the world of the past. But I suspect that what draws younger Jesuits to this great community is their ability to see in these men all that they hope to become: men devoted to Christ on mission serving the Church. At the end of the day, what matters most to a Jesuit is his relationship to the Lord, not his curriculum vitae. We pray in the Spiritual Exercises for the grace to “reach that end for which we were created.” The Society is blessed by these noble men who live this grace with joy and hope. Their stories inspire all of us for the road ahead. Thank you for your prayers and support for our senior Jesuits and for all of us as we serve “the greater glory of God.”
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Provincial
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A Letter from the Provincial, Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ
Older Jesuits are full of such memories and stories; they are a vital link to the traditions and customs of our faith across the decades. What a blessing it is to have such faithful servants of Christ who exemplify the rich beauty of religious life! Fr. Kesicki reflects on complete service to The Greater Glory of God. (view story)
N E W S
In the news: The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) was nominated for the People’s Choice Award; The “Hearts on Fire” young adult retreat program, a day-and-a-half renewal experience based on Ignatian Spirituality; St. Procopius Holy Trinity Parish and Brookfield Zoo have collaborated to create Trinity Garden, a meditative space open to the public on Sundays. Also, the Chicago-Detroit Province shares some impressive numbers. (view stories).
A S S I G N M E N T S
New appointments of Jesuits and lay leaders include: Fr. Martin Connell, SJ; Fr. John Ferone, SJ; Fr. Kevin Flaherty, SJ; Fr. Joel Medina, SJ; Fr. Charles Niehaus, SJ; Fr. James Riley, SJ; Fr. Walter Farrell, SJ and Fr. Eugene Nevins, SJ. We give thanks for the Jesuits who have gone home to God, including Br. William R. Haas, SJ; Fr. Edward H. Konerman, SJ and Fr. Glenn F. Williams, SJ. (view stories)
O R D I N A T I O N 2 0 1 2
Grace and service for The Greater Glory of God will define the paths of Fr. William Blazek, SJ and Fr. Paul Lickteig, SJ, as they begin their journeys after ordination to Jesuit priesthood in June, 2012. (view stories)
F O R M A T I O N
Father Lothar Nurnberger, SJ, joined the Jesuits in 1932 and today, at 102, is the oldest Jesuit in the United States. He shares his unique calling to the priesthood, and reflects on the gifts that Jesuits share. Also, provincial assistant for fromation Fr. Raymond Guiao reflects upon the meaning of formation. (view stories)
V O C A T I O N S
“That was my first interaction with the Jesuits and from that moment on I was hooked,” says Br. John Buchman, SJ, as he looks back over the past sixty years. Plus, questions and answers with the new Vocations Director, Fr. James Prehn SJ (view stories)
I N P A R T N E R S H I P
“We have tremendous confidence that any work undertaken by the Jesuits will be not only high quality, but also rooted in Ignatian spirituality, which for us means the return on the contribution will be even more fulfilling,” says Stephen Fatum in his reflection on his ongoing support for the Jesuits. (view story)
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Partners Spring 2012 – Page 5 of 6
Click here for Partners Spring 2012 Index
The Jesuit Post:
At the Frontier of Faith and Culture
By Paddy Gilger, SJ, and Eric Sundrup, SJ
Young Jesuits in formation and their more “seasoned” brothers have launched a popular new website/blog about “Jesus, politics, and pop culture.” Two of the founding editors (see photo below) explain what all the buzz is about.
Some of our greatest heroes are Jesuit missionaries such as Matteo Ricci and Francis Xavier. They ventured into new frontiers with a zeal born from the Spiritual Exercises 
and the desire to help souls. The Jesuit Post website is our own modest attempt to emulate our heroes in this digital age. We are diving into the mission territory of the web/social media to reach people, especially young adults in their 20s and 30s, where they are and to spark conversation and community. The Jesuit Post does not “baptize” the culture; rather, it mines, assesses, and reckons with it through an Ignatian lens that tries to see God in all things.
In developing our site, we’ve become increasingly aware of one thing: Jesuit formation works.
While we’ve had our doubts, we know it’s true. Jesuit formation emphasizes that God is active in the world—everywhere, all the time. It also trains us how to see God acting in our world and to talk about it.
Each generation speaks about God in a slightly different language, describes God’s action using slightly different words.
Paddy Gilger, SJ, (standing) and Eric Sundrup, SJ, take a break from working on The Jesuit Post (TJP), a new collaboration among young Jesuits to reach out to their peers through the internet and social media. Paddy, TJP’s editor-in-chief, is a Creighton University graduate, an amateur sociologist, and a professional Milwaukee Brewers fan. Eric, an assistant editor at TJP, is a graduate of Xavier University who recently has split his time between Bolivia, Peru, and the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. They are both studying at the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley.
Having grown up on MTV, Google, Facebook, and meat-wearing pop icons, we speak some of today’s language. We’ve also experienced God in things as “secular” as Bob Dylan, the Superbowl, and iPads.
So, in dreaming up The Jesuit Post, we asked: What if we just come out and name it: God is among us, even in the messiness of the moment. Maybe then we can help our beloved Catholic Church—the same one that taught and healed and fed our hearts and those of our ancestors over millennia—connect and converse with our generation.
Forming Our Virtual Community
When we first began discussing the ideas that would eventually become The Jesuit Post, we were studying philosophy together in Chicago—paying our dues in the long course of Jesuit formation—and our conversations would happen more or less like this: one of us (okay, it was Eric) would make the long walk (okay, it was 3 rooms down the hall) to the other’s room (okay, sometimes it was the snack closet).
And, having possessed from childhood the particular talent of being able to avoid the drudgery of useless philosophical abstraction by proposing creative projects, Eric would often Gatling-gun Paddy with ideas. “What can we do to reach out to our peers?!” he would ask. “What about all those other 24-year-olds who, if you believe the hype, are walking away from the Church into the greedy arms of . . . well, what do they even do on Sunday mornings?”
Thank God we weren’t alone in asking these questions. Somewhere in the Bronx our third co-editor, Jim Keane, was already honing his skills as a writer/editor while earning his M.F.A. at Columbia. And, hidden away in a snowy Syracuse novitiate, was our fourth and final co-editor, Sam Sawyer. Despite our distance, we all felt like the Holy Spirit was nudging us along to turn our conversations into actions. Being restless young Jesuits, we didn’t just want to think about it—we wanted to do something. We just didn’t know what.
It took until 2011 for the Spirit’s idea to come to fruition. And, like most things, it came in the most unexpected ways. One of us (okay, Paddy) is a relentless follower of ESPN writer Bill Simmons. In March of last year, he launched an exciting new website called Grantland to take on sports and pop-culture from a fresh perspective. But what struck us most is that Simmons got his site off the ground simply by asking his talented friends to work with him. “This is it,” Paddy thought at the time, “this is what we ought to do as brothers in the Lord—band together and use the web to help the Church reach our peers in their own language.”
And so we got going. The four of us brainstormed and joked and laughed and prayed and planned. Then we called cool and creative people (and to our superiors) and pitched our ideas. And they said yes. A lot of good people said yes.
We are proud to say that The Jesuit Post is live and reaching more people every day. And we are even prouder to say that working with nearly 30 young Jesuits has been exhilarating, partly because none of us is doing this full time (which is half the fun). We’ve taken our interests, the needs of the Church today, a lot of the Holy Spirit’s prodding, added a dash of direction, and ended up with this website.
God willing, our outreach will grow and three years from now a whole new set of young Jesuits will be running The Jesuit Post. As Paddy has said: “This is about making sure that it’s relevant to what young people are going through, not what we imagine they’re going through.”
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