Manresa Matters Manresa Jesuit Retreat House 1390 Quarton Road • Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304-3554 Spring / Summer 2017
248.644.4933
www.manresa-sj.org
To help men and women grow spiritually through prayer, reflection, guidance and teaching according to the Ignatian tradition
Be still and know that I am God . . .
From the Editor
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Manresa Staff Fr. Leo Cachat, SJ Fr. Francis Daly, SJ
Executive Director
Ann Dillon Fr. Peter Fennessy, SJ Fr. Steve Hurd, SJ Thomas Hurley
Controller
Steve Raymond
Associate Director
Anne Smith Ruth Ann Stevens Rita Tinetti
Business Manager
Development Director
Board of Directors Fr. Timothy Babcock Robert Babinski Joseph Basta John Bernia, Jr. Fr. Fran Daly, SJ Fr. Peter Fennessy, SJ Mary Gresens Isaac Hanna Fr. Si Hendry, SJ James Hicks Patti Koval Peter Kreher Keller McGaffey Frank Migliazzo Fr. Ted Munz, SJ David Nona
Chair
hat a joy it was working with the publications team and other talented contributors to bring you this issue about experiencing God in the silence! Perhaps the greatest blessing was the privilege of interviewing Fr. Henry Chamberlain prior to his passing earlier this year (see page 9). Every spring/summer issue spotlights one of our Jesuits, and he had been selected for this issue. Little did we know at the time that the profile would become a memorial for Fr. Henry instead. The cover photo was taken in 2015, shortly after the completion of The Labyrinth at Manresa. Walking a labyrinth is one of many ways to pray in silence. (Pamphlets about this are available in our lobby and also accessible via our website: click here for a downloadable brochure.) One of my favorite methods of prayer is lectio divina, which allows God to speak uniquely to us through reading, meditating, praying with and contemplating Scripture. (Click here for a brochure about lectio divina.) The opportunity to pray lectio with a group is available for everyone immediately following the 8:00 AM Mass on the first Monday of every month, as well as five Mondays during Lent, and for women twice a month from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. (Click here for Women to Women dates.)
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The four movements of lectio divina, which include reflective silence, can be applied to other spiritual reading as well; and so I invite you to read the articles in this issue slowly and prayerfully, pausing to savor a word, phrase or image that speaks to your heart. Our hope is that you will be touched by something you read and inspired to experience the silence at Manresa for yourself. Other opportunities include Christian Meditation in the main chapel after Tuesday morning Mass (see pages 6-7), making an individual retreat (page 8), enjoying the grounds (pages 14-15) and attending one of our conference retreats (see schedules on pages 18-19). There’s so much more to share inside . . . May you find God within,
P.S. Click here to go to the four gold-edged pages that recognize the many of you who help support Manresa’s Mission. God bless you all! Another way to join our e-mail list!
Vice-Chair
Brian O’Keefe Sergio Pagés Gerald Seizert Fr. Gary Wright, SJ
Manresa Matters is published biannually by Manresa Jesuit Retreat House, 1390 Quarton Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304. For more information phone 248.644.4933 or email office@manresa-sj.org. Page 2
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Publications Team (left to right): George Seroka, Fr. Peter Fennessy, Grace Seroka, Steve Raymond, Paul Seibold, Hugh Buchanan and Anne Smith.
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From Our Executive Director
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Francis J. Daly, SJ
s I walk the grounds of Manresa, God calls to me through the freshness of new life and the beauty of the coming spring. God is always trying to break into our space, but I think we have so many distractions in the midst of our busyness that we do not feel or see God’s abiding presence.
With the theme of “Silence” for this issue of Manresa Matters, I was reminded of a poem I once saw written by “A Concord Pastor” in his blog. I want to share part of it with you:
Slow me down, Lord: when I can’t stop the merry-go-round on my own, slow me down . . . When my ears and mind, my thoughts and heart are filled with noise, slow me down, Lord, and show me a path to a quiet place . . . Bring me to a quiet place where I can hear my own breathing and your Spirit breathing within me: a place I might hear just what I need to hear . . .
The Grace of Silence The following is read aloud at the beginning of every conference retreat.
While you are at Manresa Jesuit Retreat House, we ask you to keep silence so that you can hear God’s voice speaking the words your soul longs to hear. These days are God’s gift to you, a graced time for you to spend with the Lord alone. We ask you to contribute the gift of your silence to the atmosphere of our house so that your fellow retreatants can also hear what God wishes to say to each of them. If you are not used to being silent on a retreat, we are confident that you will find it restful and refreshing— even if sometimes difficult!
Help me savor the silence and find some peace of mind and heart in the quiet, in my soul . . . *
Even though silence is good for our mental and spiritual health, how often do we experience a silent moment or a time for quiet reflection? Men and women who come to Manresa for a conference retreat or a day of reflection often comment that they most appreciated the silence and the solitude. In their quiet space, they were able to place their anxieties and concerns in God’s hands and listen to His words of peace and encouragement. Silence in itself is not the goal of a retreat, but silence helps us to listen and pay attention to what God is trying to tell us. In some of the following articles, you will be introduced to the value of silence and different practices of silent prayer and reflection. Manresa Jesuit Retreat House offers you an excellent opportunity to slow down, appreciate the new life of spring, and encounter the love and peace of our merciful God. Please keep Manresa retreatants and staff in your prayers.
While silence in your retreat at Manresa involves not talking to each other, it is more than that. It means quieting yourself both on the outside and the inside so that you can be totally present, so that God can reveal Himself to you now in these days of retreat. Silence helps us let go of the preoccupations of the past and the anxieties about the future so that we can discover our deepest desires—it is in these deepest desires that God speaks to our souls and opens up new possibilities for our lives. If you need to speak to another retreatant, please be aware of that person’s need for silence and only speak briefly to that person outside the building or in a place inside that will not disturb other retreatants. Thank you very much for contributing to the prayerful silence of our retreat house.
* 10/22/13 entry from http://concordpastor.blogspot.com/ Page 3
The Role of Listening as a Spiritual Companion
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Mike Timm completed the Internship in Spirituality program at Manresa in 2006. He is happily married (i.e., a good listener) for 33 years to Barb, and the proud father (i.e., sometimes still learning to listen) of four grown children. He listens as a spiritual companion with others, and as a mentor and leader in IT project management. He also enjoys listening while camping, traveling and sharing meals with friends.
s I’ve journeyed, especially these past 15 years— highlighted by a good friend teaching me to listen to God’s loving message for me through Scripture (at a Manresa retreat)—I’ve come to appreciate a few key learnings: • • • •
the gift of awareness (self-awareness, intellect, feelings, hurts, God’s gifts, God’s love)
the gift of freedom (from disordered attachment) the gift of discernment
the gift of choice and will
And all of these I gained more through the gift of being listened to, as well as through listening to that small, still voice within (1 Kings 19:1-18).
I’ve also been privileged to spend a great deal of time with a fantastic and very gifted group of listeners at Manresa, who have helped me become a better listener. In short, they have modeled for me and mutually shared how listening as a spiritual companion helps others: • • •
learn to pray—how to relate to God (talk AND listen), how to experience God
learn to know, deep in their heart, how God has revealed Godself to them, how deeply God loves them get in touch with their gifts, their pains, their deepest desires—and ultimately how God is calling
One other dimension of listening as a spiritual companion is to hear the deeper meaning of what’s being shared by being attentive to the gentle movement of the Holy Spirit. From this holy listening, we might discern a question to help go deeper, or simply rephrase to help a directee hear and affirm what he or she is unable otherwise to hear. This holy listening and the art of asking good questions Page 4
also require a freedom (mentioned above) that comes from our own listening and being listened to.
“God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ~ Epictetus To paraphrase Teresa of Avila, “Christ has no ears but ours.” The role of listening as a spiritual companion means we grow in relationship with God through learning to listen as well as helping those we walk with. May God bless us all—listeners and seekers—each of us.
~ by Mike Timm
Silence Silence is much more than the absence of noise, even if physically quiet—we still have our minds making loud sounds. Silence is a gift of grace. Holy silence we can actually “hear.” In the grace of silence we know the presence of God. We can’t make it happen by ourselves. It is a gift. It is presence, peace, and calls for active passivity. This active passivity is not easy. We must wait for our minds to clear and empty ourselves in order to receive. There can be a restlessness in the waiting. It takes great patience not to give up and walk away. For me it is always like going through a dark tunnel during which I often pace, recognizing it is coming. The gift is then immersion into the silence. It is a silence that we savor. If we remain within the silence, we are moved into Solitude and experience our Oneness with God. Our only response is praise and gratitude which all happens silently in the solitude. (The author of this poem, who has a long history with Manresa, has asked to remain anonymous.)
The Prayer of Silence
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here are many ways of praying, four main types probably: with words, ideas, images and silence. They are also the ways a disciple traditionally absorbs the spirit of the master: through conversation, pondering the master’s teachings, watching how the master lives, and simply looking at him and resting in his presence.
Christians learn Christ through talking to the Lord as a friend talks to a friend, through pondering the Scriptures and through contemplatively visualizing the events of the Gospel. And if we persist in these forms of prayer long enough, our prayer will become more simple—with ever fewer words, ideas and images—until we enter the fourth way of loving and attentive silence before the Lord. It has been called the prayer of silence, or of simple regard, or of presence or of acquired contemplation.
14th-century work, The Cloud of Unknowing. Centering Prayer differs from Christian Meditation in that it seeks quiet by letting go rather than by concentrating and focusing. The prayer word is not just a constantly repeated mantra, but it is chosen to best support one’s intention to be in the Lord’s presence and open to His divine action, and one uses it only when needed to keep one in quiet before God or to call one back.
Baby in Red Chair, c. 1810-1830, unidentified artist possibly Pennsylvania, 22 × 15 inches, oil on canvas. Courtesy of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center, Colonial Williamsburg, VA.
Some teachers would lead us more quickly to this prayer. In 1974 the Benedictine John Main began teaching Christian Meditation drawing on the early Christian spiritual practice described by John Cassian (c. 360 – 435 AD) and the Eastern meditation he had learned in Kuala Lumpur. After Main’s death Laurence Freeman, his fellow Benedictine, who has led several retreats at Manresa, became the chief proponent of this prayer. It consists basically in repeating a mantra (a word or sound to aid concentration and keep the mind from wandering) and otherwise sitting silently in God’s presence.
But before Cassian and the desert fathers, The Cloud of Unknowing, and other forms of mantra prayer people knew how to be silent before the Lord. They listened to the Scriptures that told them: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10), “For God alone my soul waits in silence” (Ps. 62:5) and “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Hab. 2:20).
St. John Vianney, the Curé d’Ars, once noticed a farmer who would come into church and sit for hours before the Blessed Sacrament. The saint asked him what he said during that time. The man replied, “Nothing, I just look at Him and He looks at me.”
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“The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.” ~ Habakkuk 2:20
Such prayer has been compared to a mother silently gazing at her sleeping infant with love, or a person beside an unconscious friend in the hospital. I like the story of the young Native American who went to visit his uncle. He told him, “I’ve come to visit you.” The uncle motioned him to a chair and they sat there in silence for an hour until finally the uncle said, “Thank you for visiting with me.” Most of us think we have to fill up the time with words, but being there is enough.
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In the mid-1970s also, three Trappist monks of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts—William Meninger, Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating—proposed Centering Prayer, especially for young people who were drawn to Transcendental Meditation and other strictly Eastern practices. They also traced their form of prayer to Cassian and the desert fathers, as well as to an anonymous
Baby in Red Chair is for me the image of a Christian soul in such prayer—quiet, peaceful, loved, protected, full of unreflecting joy.
~ by Peter Fennessy, SJ Page 5
My Tuesday Mornings
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ass has ended. The last candle on the altar is extinguished. The overhead lights are turned off. Conversations fade as the doors in the back of the chapel are gently closed. I ready my mind, heart and soul by taking slow, deep breaths. I settle back into my chair and still my body to listen. Then, a single, resonating chime signals. Silence. My time in prayer begins. The red candle’s flickering flame— the heart of Jesus beating.
The bronze tabernacle— a link to churches and cathedrals in my past. The detail and design of the stained glass window, AMDG— home.
I make myself vulnerable and know these next 30 minutes can be powerful and intense. Or uneventful. It just depends. Kathy Mills has been making retreats and practicing Christian Meditation at Manresa for the past five years. She first heard of Manresa as a child from her father, who was a regular retreatant.
What do I experience? Comfort. Understanding. Trust. Peace.
What do I bring? Me. My most honest, real self on any given Tuesday.
Five years ago when newly retired, I sought direction. What’s next? How will I know? Two years later, my husband, John, was diagnosed with stage four cancer. I sought acceptance and grace. I thanked God for this “heads up” in our lives. Over the next 17 months, I so looked forward to those Tuesdays. Some days it was hard to ready myself, to take deep breaths and settle into my chair. I could hardly wait to bare my soul, my emotions, my fears . . . All the time, that red candle was flickering. The heart of Jesus was still beating, but now it was beating with mine. Then, John’s heart stopped. AMDG. Two and a half years have gone by. My life is completely different. I still feel a little “suspended in air,” but Tuesday mornings remain the same. The Manresa chapel. The Silence. The red candle still flickering—the heart of Jesus still beating. Inviting me. Waiting for me to join Him. I just have to make myself vulnerable, available. Thirty minutes of heaven, here in Manresa’s chapel. Such a gift. No one is turned away.
~ by Kathy Mills
Christian Meditation
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hristian Meditation, also known as Contemplative Prayer or Prayer of the Heart, is a discipline in which one sits still and in silence, with eyes closed, repeats a mantra and invites the Holy Spirit to come into one’s heart.
I’ve been practicing this discipline for over 22 years, and it has turned my life around. It not only healed my “big black hole” that 20 years of therapy couldn’t fill, but by meditating twice a day, morning and evening, from 20 to 30 minutes, my mind is clearer, my heart is more compassionate and I am at peace. I learn to live in the present moment, let go of my ego, let go of judging and controlling, and accept the day with its challenges and blessings. I become more of a human “being” instead of a human “doing.” The mantra I use is “Maranatha,” which means “Come, Lord” in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Together with my husband, Albert, I lead two meditation groups on Tuesdays, 7:00–8:00 PM and Wednesdays, 10:00–11:00 AM in the small conference room at St. Regis’ rectory. John Shriver leads one at
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Holy Name on Thursdays, 7:00–8:00 PM. Cecilia Yee leads a group at Manresa’s La Storta on Wednesdays, 7:00–8:30 PM, as does Phyllis Trif at St. Hugo’s library on Mondays, 10:00–11:15 AM. Praying with a group helps to foster this discipline and bonds the meditators in a community of love.
Elizabeth King learned Contemplative Prayer over 22 years ago and still continues this practice with her husband.
In addition to the spiritual and mental benefits received, meditation also has physical benefits and is known to lower blood pressure and improve general health. Christian Meditation is practiced in more than 140 countries, and our website is: www.wccm.org. For more information, call John Shriver (248.540.0213), Cecilia Yee (248.855.5471), Phyllis Trif (248.879.9719) or me (248.935.8881). ~ by Elizabeth King
Why the Silence?
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feature of Manresa’s adult retreats, whether they be group or individually directed, is SILENCE. To grasp the importance Manresa places on silence, perhaps a confusion about “retreat” needs to be clarified first. “Retreat” has a number of meanings besides the obvious military one. It can be a refuge. It can be a time of solitude, of being alone. For corporations, companies, hospitals, schools and colleges, it is a time for staff to get away from their home base to an outside facility, where they can concentrate on particular issues free from the disturbances of ordinary routine. In such a setting talking, discussing and conversing are absolutely necessary to achieve their goal. While Manresa does offer its facilities to such groups from time to time, primarily it is a place for those seeking a deeper relationship with God. Ignatius of Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises makes clear that the progress made in the Exercises will be greater the more the retreatant withdraws from all friends and acquaintances and from all worldly cares. The progress one makes in deepening a relationship with God usually depends on giving undivided space to be alone with the ALONE.
A form of such solitude is intentionally refraining from speaking to others without need so as to attend to “raising the mind and heart to God.” Of course, we all experience our own inner chatter, the so-called “monkey mind,” when we settle down to be silent in prayer. We want to listen to the deeper voice of God, but often all we hear is our own thoughts, worries, preoccupations. Thus, if we are serious, we learn ways to quieten ourselves, or at least to become more aware of what we are saying to ourselves, in the hope that we might occasionally notice that God is also present, sometimes even speaking to us, but most especially just being with us, holding us in being.
Manresa’s chapel remains open for prayer every Tuesday following the 8:00 AM Mass for anyone wishing to pray in silence.
Thus we need to enter into the deeper silence, a silence of the heart, where words drop away. It is important to remember that in whatever prayer form we use, when we experience something more than ourselves, we stop whatever we have been busy with, we become silent and savor what IS.
If we want to pray, we must learn to be still, to quieten ourselves. In fact, this very quietness, this silent stillness frequently becomes prayer when God manifests the Divine by responding in stillness. In and through this silence, this stillness, you will attain things that money cannot buy, things like wisdom and serenity and joy and God. ~ by Fr. Leo Cachat, SJ
Fr. Anthony de Mello, SJ in his book One Minute Wisdom offers this: Formulations
“What is it you seek?” asked the Master of a scholar who came to him for guidance. “Life,” was the reply. Said the Master, “If you are to live, words must die.”
When asked later what he meant, he said, “You are lost and forlorn because you dwell in a world of words. You feed on words, you are satisfied with words when what you need is substance. A menu will not satisfy your hunger. A formula will not slake your thirst.” Page 7
Remembering Fr. Henry Editor’s note: The following comment was submitted in response to the survey question, “What was most memorable about your retreat experience?” Although written in January 2015, it was clearly meant to be shared at a time such as this.
It may sound strange, but my most memorable experience was my confession to Father Chamberlain. Please don’t misunderstand. There was not one aspect of the retreat I didn’t enjoy. However, I have been a Catholic for only seven months. I was baptized, confirmed and received First Communion on June 1, 2014, after completing a nine-month RCIA program . . . In my late teens and early twenties, I had been a member Fr. Henry Chamberlain of a fundamentalist, evangelical at the 2014 Leadership Baptist church. From about 1983 Banquet. to 2013, I was totally nonreligious. I would describe myself as a product of the “[Pope] Francis effect.” Many of the rituals of the Catholic Church have proven to be quite alien to my life experiences. Nothing, however, has shown itself to be more so than the the Rite of Reconciliation. The prospect of voluntarily confessing my wrongdoings is discomfiting.
Prior to this, I had made four confessions in six months, all to the same person—my parish priest. Even though he has been very kind, I wondered whether his kindness was typical or atypical. Plus, I haven’t completely mastered the ritual, so I carry a “cheat sheet” telling me when I speak and when the priest speaks, and what each of us says. Even then, my confessions tend to be a little “bumpy” as I fumble my way through. I didn’t bring my cheat sheet to Manresa and I was afraid that Father Chamberlain might be a little irritated at my fumbling. I also tend to be intimidated by paternal authority figures (a vestige of childhood) and never confess face-to-face. None of that mattered to Father Chamberlain. He was not the least bit irritated, but was in fact extraordinarily patient and kind as I bumbled my way through my confession. It probably wasn’t a very memorable experience to him, but it was very memorable and meaningful to me. He concretely demonstrated why it is called the Rite of Reconciliation. It is a sacramental rite through which a sinner is reconciled back to God through the intervention of the priest. Father Chamberlain reminded me of what Pope Francis has said: “God never gets tired of forgiving us.” ~ by Thomas Berryman
Savoring My Private Retreat Editor’s note: While interviewed last November (see next page), Fr. Henry said that he particularly enjoyed guiding individual retreatants. The following feedback was received in July 2016 after a retreatant’s first-time experience at Manresa.
birds tweeting and cackling, the stream cascading over rocks and tree trunks, squirrels and chipmunks scampering up trees and an occasional deer cracking through the underbrush in the woods.
How did your experience at Manresa change you? I slowed down and relaxed. I trusted in God and learned His will for me while slowly walking the labyrinth. I took time to listen to Him. I developed patience.
What attracted you to Manresa? The idea of a silent retreat, eight days long. After being on family leave for almost two years to care for my elderly mom, I knew I needed a “time out” from my hectic life, time to stop and listen to God, to seek His will, to take a deep breath before returning to the REAL WORLD! I found all that and more in the silence of Manresa.
How would you describe your experience? What was most memorable? As one day turned into two and two into three, the silence developed depth—a personality of its own. Outside in the sanctuary of nature, I listened to the Page 8
Experience the solitude and beauty of Manresa during a private retreat. This summer’s opportunities are: June 12-21, July 17-26 and August 9-18. To register, click here for the online registration form or call 248.644.4933 Ext. 10.
Any other comments you care to make? I am thankful for this unique opportunity. I had never been on a silent retreat or an individually directed retreat before. I didn’t know what to expect. I just knew I needed it and God was calling me to it!
~ by Denise Mullane-Platzer
In Memory of Fr. Henry Chamberlain, SJ
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ittle did he know the adventures in store for him when he entered the seminary at age 18. Eighty-six years young at the time of this interview, Fr. Henry had traveled over a million miles in the friendly skies during his 69 years as a Jesuit. And it happened simply because he did what he was asked to do . . . Born to Henry Sr. and Mary Josephine on the north side of Chicago on April 14, 1930, Henry was the oldest of four children. His brother John and sister Catharine both married and had a total of seven children. His brother Frank, seven years younger, became a Jesuit priest and has been missioned to a town in the Peruvian Andes. Henry Sr. was dean of the Commerce School at Loyola University in Chicago, and Henry Jr. attended Loyola Academy, graduating in 1948. Henry felt called to the priesthood and entered the Jesuit seminary at Milford, Ohio later that year. His decision was solidified and he took his first vows two years later at the end of this opening phase of Jesuit training.
The second phase, also for two years and at Milford (then a division of Xavier University, Cincinnati), marked the start of undergraduate study stressing languages and philosophy. That led to his AB degree in 1953 at another division of Loyola University in West Baden Springs, Indiana, and then to a graduate degree in philosophy. Besides subjects such as Latin, Greek and French, he chose math as an elective and found that he enjoyed it very much. “Like most of my classmates, I was qualified to teach English, Latin or history. But Detroit needed an algebra teacher in the fall of 1955. So, for the third phase of Jesuit formation, I was sent to teach at U of D High School for three years—the first phase outside a seminary.” He then returned to West Baden for the next phase, theology. He was ordained on June 11, 1961 and received a graduate degree in theology in 1962. At the request of his Chicago provincial superior, Fr. Henry next pursued an MBA at the University of Michigan. Afterward he apprenticed at the finance office in the Chicago Province and then served as treasurer at St. Ignatius High School, Chicago, until he was called to Seattle University. “I was asked to hold the fort until they found a replacement for their financial VP, who chose to resign just before Labor Day, a peak period for a financial office at a university.” After Seattle, Fr. Henry went to the Missouri Province office in St. Louis and was a “frequent commuter” to that province’s missions in Belize, Honduras and Wyoming. But two years later (1978), he was called back to Detroit to replace the province treasurer, who had died at his desk one morning. That assignment stretched into 14 years
until his next adventure, as Fr. Henry related:
“Then, in 1992, my provincial received a letter from Rome saying that they would like me to be the financial liaison for all the Jesuit Fr. Henry was interviewed at provinces that sent their Colombiere last November for a financial reports in English “Spotlight” feature article. He or French. That included gave his approval on all of the not only the US, but all the facts in this article before his Commonwealth countries, passing on January 12, 2017. France and Belgium, most May he rest in eternal peace. of Africa, India, Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and China. Every year I was required to travel to several provinces within those areas. “I must admit I enjoyed the travel but it could be difficult. You just don’t know what’s going to happen, especially when a plane makes a stop that wasn’t anticipated and you’re in a place where you never expected to be. Once I was bumped off a flight from Nairobi, Kenya to Khartoum, Sudan and put on another flight through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. After arriving in Khartoum, I was able to get a plane for the last 600 miles to Wau in southern Sudan, where I had to visit another Jesuit school. “On a different occasion, I was on a train in India. A cow wandered onto the tracks, and the train had to stop until the cow moved.”
After his 15-year assignment in Rome, Fr. Henry had a sabbatical at Oxford and lived at Campion Hall at the University. He was then sent to another Jesuit retreat house at Milford (2008-2009) before joining Manresa’s staff in the fall of 2010. He spent a quarter of his time here reviewing Jesuit financial records in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Toledo, Chicago and Detroit. But most of his time at Manresa was ministerial: retreats, healing services, confessions, etc. He most enjoyed giving individual retreats where “you can see growth in the retreatant over those five to eight days.”
Hearing the focus of this issue, Fr. Henry reflected: Silence is a much misunderstood term. People think that it’s just “not talking.” Yes, it’s that. But if it stops there, your mind is still free to roam anywhere, and then it’s not silence. Silence is really being open to whatever graces God may send during that period, and you need a certain amount of quiet and reflectiveness to pick it up, maybe argue a bit with God, and then reach a decision. ~ by Paul Seibold and Anne Smith Page 9
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year-long schedule of festivities marking Manresa’s 90th anniversary concluded in outstanding fashion at the 13th annual Gala in September 2016. Many thanks to our sponsors, donors, guests and volunteers who made it such a memorable evening. An especially warm thanks to: • • •
Bob & Gladys Walsh Super Steel Treating Co. Lourdes Senior Community
As we look forward to the next 90 years and our 14th event, it is time to shake up the evening and unveil something new! Anticipating that, we are moving our Sprit of Manresa event to the spring of next year: May 5, 2018.
While the details are still under wraps, I have some highlights to share about the next Spirit of Manresa event: • It will be totally reimagined! • It will be beautiful! • It will be memorable and fun! ~ by Sally Janecek
SAVE THE DATE: SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2018 Please plan to join us!
Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and corporations. For information contact Rita Tinetti at rtinetti@manresa-sj.org or 248.644.4933 Ext. *815. Proceeds will benefit Manresa Jesuit Retreat House. Manresa is a 501(c)3 organization. Contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETS ITS MATCH A Message from Manresa’s Board Chair Dear Manresa Family, In November, I announced on behalf of Manresa’s Board a matching gift opportunity to encourage a big response for our year-end appeal. This appeal is crucial in filling the gap between what is donated at retreats and Manresa’s bottom line. I am pleased to report that the challenge was successfully met and we reached our $12,000 goal.
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I thank each and every one of you who generously responded to our request. Because of you, Manresa can Peter Kreher, Board Chair continue to be a place where retreatants come to encounter the living God. May God bless you for your generosity,
“Adoptee” Says Thanks
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any years ago a friend from high school called and invited me to go to Manresa for a retreat with him. I had no idea what to expect and went with eager anticipation of what the weekend had in store for me.
At the beginning of the retreat, Father spoke about the importance of silence. He explained it was in this silence that we are able to hear God speak to our hearts. I remember thinking, “Yeah, right.” I could not remember a time when God had tried to talk to me. I now realize that though God spoke to my heart all the time, I never heard because I never listened. While on the retreat, I experienced several of what I now call “Manresa Moments.” It seemed that no matter what I picked up and read, even if it was only a paragraph or so, it was exactly what Father talked about in the next session. It didn’t take too many of those “shots” for me to realize that it was God’s way of speaking to me. How powerful it is when you listen!
I could not remember a time when God had tried to talk to me. I now realize that though God spoke to my heart all the time, I never heard because I never listened.
Manresa has become a very special place to me. I suffer from bipolar disorder, and there are times when the scale tilts too much for me. When this happens, I know I need to take time to refocus, to revisit Manresa. I have made 36 retreats now and I look forward to each one even more than the last. As a Manresa retreat Pat Irmen, Manresa captain captain, I am often asked about the cost to attend when I am making calls and recruiting people for retreats. It is a question that I love answering. Often, the first thing the invitee says is, “Whoa, that is more than I can afford!” I explain the amount is a donation and the Jesuits would rather have you come and not pay than not come at all. I am proud to pass on to them that there is a group of people who “adopt” retreatants who can’t afford to pay their way. It is with great gratitude and pride that I offer my thanks to all those generous people. ~ by Pat Irmen
YOUR GIFTS AT WORK
The world is a beautiful but broken place. We need each other to make a meaningful difference. Every act of generosity matters. Imagine this world a better place because your gift made a positive impact on one life, like Pat’s. Thank you for the profound difference your contribution makes in the lives of those who come to Manresa. The graph on the left below represents gifts received in fiscal year 2015-2016 vs. the budgeted goal. The graph on the right indicates the percentage of retreatants you have helped as identified by retreat type. GOAL vs. ACTUAL
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JESUIT GARDEN UPDATE
Donor Interest Grows with the Jesuit Garden
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anresa has another reason to watch eagerly for spring this year. Thanks to the many generous supporters who purchased memorial bricks and plaques, we will be installing our planned Jesuit Garden this spring. Sterling Weber, senior landscape designer from English Gardens who is assisting us with this project, estimates that installation could be in April. Their crew will begin by re-grading the area and installing the bricks around the Tuomey Fountain. The brickwork should take about a week and the landscaping another few days. The plantings have been chosen specifically to achieve our goal for a space that feels private: a quiet place for prayer and remembering loved ones. “The fact there are deer and rabbits in the area and a big maple tree filtering
the light drove the plant selection,” Sterling explained. “The maple tree was the biggest factor to work around. Not only does it affect light conditions, it also affects soil moisture. The plants selected for around the base of the tree—lady’s mantle and coral bells, for instance—were picked with that in mind.” As well as choosing plants less appetizing to the wildlife!
Arborvitae on the south side will give a sense of enclosure year round. Viburnum, while they will lose their leaves in fall, will still provide a nice sense of privacy, being densely branched, and they will provide good structure and interest for the winter months.
There is still time to purchase a brick at the introductory cost of $300 or a plaque for the Wall of Remembrance. You may use the form below to place your order. ~ by Rita Tinetti
Return this form to the attention of Rita Tinetti 1390 Quarton Rd Bloomfield Hills MI 48304 or rtinetti@manresa-sj.org 248.644.4933 Ext. *815 Name_____________________________________________________Email_______________________ Phone__________________________Address_______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
______4X8 Brick First 100 bricks sold at $300 thereafter $500 ______4X6
Wall of Remembrance Plaque $1,000
______6X6
Wall of Remembrance Plaque $2,500
______12X12 Wall of Remembrance Plaque $10,000 Plaques are custom designed. Sizes may be approximate. Bricks include up to three lines of copy with up to 16 characters/ spaces per line. We will contact you in the spring about the specific engraving. Page 12
Those who have remembered Manresa in their will or trust are invited to join the St. Ignatius Legacy Society. Among other benefits, members will be listed on a special plaque in the garden. Please indicate if you are, or wish to become, a member.
El Regreso de Charis
Charis Comeback
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ack in 2014, Fathers Greg Hyde, SJ, Manresa’s then executive director, and Tom Florek, SJ, mentor to El Rincón Ignaciano, invited some Hispanic leaders to assess the Charis methodology for young adult retreats and eventually offer them to the community. Faced with substantial numbers of young adults leaving the Catholic Church, Charis was founded in 2000 by the then Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus to reach out to men and women in their 20s and 30s. Incorporating the unique gift of Ignatian spirituality, Charis partners with Catholic facilities nationwide to help young adults see this grace, or “charis,” in the midst of transitions in careers and relationships, in their struggles and joys.
E
l pasado 2014, los padres Greg Hyde, SJ, el entonces director ejecutivo de Manresa, y Tom Florek, SJ, mentor de El Rincón Ignaciano, invitaron a algunos líderes Hispanos a evaluar la metodología de retiros para jóvenes adultos de Charis y eventualmente ofrecerlos a la comunidad.
Ante el hecho de que una gran cantidad de jóvenes adultos estaban abandonando la Iglesia Católica, Charis fue fundada en el año 2000 por la entonces Provincia de la Sociedad de Jesús de Chicago, para llegar a hombres y mujeres en sus 20s y 30s. Incorporando el don único de la espiritualidad Ignaciana, Charis se asocia con grupos católicos de todo el país, para ayudar a los jóvenes a ver esta gracia, o “charis,” en medio de cambios en sus carreras y relaciones, de sus luchas y alegrías.
A partir de investigaciones y un proceso de discernimiento, After some research and se formó el equipo de asesores discernment, a core team para retiros de jóvenes adultos, y en diciembre del for young adult retreats was The Seekers (Los Buscadores) 2015 Manresa aprobó el formed, and in December proyecto para renovar la sociedad con Charis, así como 2015 Manresa approved the project to renew the para preparar a un equipo de jóvenes para ofrecer estos partnership with Charis and to prepare team leaders to retiros a la comunidad Hispana. offer these retreats to the Hispanic community. Early in 2016 the core team and team leaders began their formation and preparation, which included attending a Charis retreat themselves. The core team consists of Alejandro Barrera, Cecilia Pacheco and Bernardo Pacheco. The team leaders are Ari Gil, Isaura Mendoza, Diego Ramirez , Kari Ramirez and Juanita Sanchez.
Al comienzo del 2016 el equipo de asesores y líderes, iniciaron su preparación y formación, incluyendo la asistencia a un retiro de Charis. El equipo de asesores está integrado por: Alejandro Barrera, Cecilia Pacheco y Bernardo Pacheco. El grupo de líderes lo forman: Ari Gil, Isaura Mendoza, Diego Ramirez, Kari Ramirez y Juanita Sanchez.
On November 19-20, 2016 the first retreat for Hispanic young adults took place at Manresa. Eighteen retreatants, the majority of them in their 20s, participated in the Buscadores (Seekers) retreat. Some of the talks shared during the retreat were “Knowing Ourselves”; “Values, Priorities and Prayer”; “Prayer and Discernment” and “Our Deepest Desires.” Through individual reflection and small-group conversations, the retreat exposed these young adults to fundamental elements in Charis retreats such as silence, prayer and discernment.
En noviembre 19-20, 2016 se llevó a cabo el primer retiro para jóvenes adultos Hispanos en Manresa. Dieciocho jóvenes, la mayoría de ellos en sus 20s, participaron en el retiro de Buscadores. Algunas de las charlas compartidas durante el retiro fueron: “Conociéndose a uno mismo,” “Valores, Prioridades y Oración,” “Oración y Discernimiento” y “Nuestros Deseos más Profundos.” A través de reflexiones individuales y de conversaciones en grupos pequeños, el retiro expuso a estos jóvenes a elementos fundamentales de los retiros de Charis, como son el silencio, la oración y el discernimiento.
This retreat’s success will form the basis for future Charis retreats at Manresa by the Hispanic community.
El éxito de este retiro será la base para futuros retiros de Charis ofrecidos por la comunidad Hispana.
~ by Bernardo Pacheco
~ por Bernardo Pacheco Page 13
Waiting to Hear
I
n C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, one of the strategies that the senior devil, Screwtape, advises to his pupil, Wormwood, to make man fall is to merely create so much noise that man cannot hear his God. While The Screwtape Letters is fictional, the net effect of living in a noisy world can indeed have a deleterious effect on our relationship with God . . . if we let it.
Jesus is our connection to the Father: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ( John 14:6) We cannot reconcile ourselves to the Father alone: it is only through our relationship with Christ that we are brought into harmony with the Father.
Perhaps the most essential element to any healthy relationship is communication, but the overwhelming busyness and clamor in our culture and our lives make that difficult and underscore the need for us to spend time with God in solitude. I love this excerpt from the prophet Isaiah: “By waiting and by calm you shall be saved, in quiet and in trust your strength lies.” (Isaiah 30:15) The above verses speak to me of the importance of “wasting time” with our God in silence, but I find that I first need to listen with my heart; only then can I hear the Truth in His whispers:
“The Resurrected Jesus” at Manresa.
So many times I hear people describe how they came close to someone famous: “I was from here to there from So-and-So.” I find it curious that we embrace such moments with excitement while often ignoring the opportunity we have to commune with the Creator of those celebrities. And ironically, our God is even closer—just a prayer away—because He is waiting to save!
“While from behind a voice shall sound in your ears: ’This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:21)
In praying humbly to our Savior Jesus, we open our hearts to “hear” His love. Let us find stillness in our lives for Him today. ~ photo and article by George Seroka As a member of the publications team, George Seroka’s photographs often grace the pages of this newsletter. This is his first solo contribution of a written article. (See George’s picture with the team on page 2.)
Scout Projects Continue to Enhance Manresa’s Grounds
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n calendar year 2016, Manresa continued to accommodate local Eagle Scout candidates who wish to “plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community” in fulfillment of Eagle Scout requirements. The 2016 projects focused on the north end of the grounds, where the terrain, while scenic, is less developed. The three projects were:
(1) Dennis Fassett (kneeling, center) with project team.
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(1) On April 30, stabilizing the nature trail at its west end by strengthening the trail embankment, filling and leveling new mulch on the trail surface and constructing two lengths of wooden fence at the trail entrance. Project leader was Dennis Fassett of Troop 1037, affiliated with St. Hugo of the Hills church in Bloomfield Hills. Dennis, son of Dennis P. and Marily Fassett, is 18 and a senior at Brother Rice High School. (continued on next page)
(2) Casper Padilla on site with fellow Cubs Brian Cleveland (l) and Dmitri Krick (r).
God’s Movement in Silence
H
aven’t we all had moments when we stepped outdoors, into God’s cathedral, and it took our breath away? Moments of standing in awe, not moving, hardly breathing, when we were seeing or hearing something extraordinary? These are moments of God inviting us into His work!
One warm August evening I was driving home on a rural Minnesota highway to visit Mom and Dad. I glanced across the vast field on my right and became mesmerized by what I saw: a galaxy of fireflies! There was a continual movement of light across the horizon silhouetted by rows of corn. God’s light dancing at dusk!
The waters gently rippled, the tree branches swayed in symphony, a breeze danced across my face, a bird swooped for food and shapes of homes stood out. Color and movement gave a new depth to the silence. Life emerged!
This photo by staff member Jenny Chapman was captured on Manresa’s grounds while on her way into work one early morning.
At twilight early one morning, in utter silence, I watched light break open the darkness of the night. So gentle, quietly opening up the sky and announcing to all life that a new day was coming.
Scout Projects - continued (2) In September-October, rebuilding a viewing platform facing north near Station V by clearing old structure to ground level, laying gravel foundation, fabricating frame and attaching deck. Project leader was Casper Padilla of Troop 1634, affiliated with the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica in Royal Oak. Casper, son of James J. and Nathalie Padilla, is 17 and a senior at University of Detroit High School.
One July evening at Manresa, while I was coping with the silence of my first retreat, I encountered a buck near the edge of the woods. Stock-still, with only ten feet between us, we watched for each other’s movement. Finally, the buck called it! He kicked up his hind legs, lifted his white tail, looked back and snorted three times, then bounded to his woodsy home. Oh my—I laughed!
God, You are so good! Constantly delighting us— breaking into our silence with movement, light and surprise. You are always with us in Your creation as its energetic stillness exposes us to life, Your masterpiece! ~ by Grace Seroka Grace Seroka completed the Internship in Ignatian Spirituality program. She leads Christian Yoga and outdoor reflections at Manresa and is a member of the publications team. (Also see Grace’s picture with the team on page 2.)
(3) On November 5, clearing excess growth from the east end of the nature trail by trimming branches and vines, cutting and removing saplings, and cleaning up debris, to include stacking the cut saplings on a slope adjacent to the trail head. Project leader was Carlos Pagés, also of Troop 1037, affiliated with St. Hugo of the Hills church. Carlos, son of Sergio and Jackie Pagés, is 17 and a senior at University of Detroit High School.
~ photos and article by Paul Seibold
(3) Granddad Freddy Sosa, M.D., Carlos and Dad Sergio Pagés.
Paul Seibold is Manresa’s staff photographer, a regular contributor to this newsletter and a member of the publications team. (See Paul’s picture with the team on page 2.) Page 15
Paws for Prayer
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eet Panterita. She’s our domestic shorthair cat with sleek black fur from whiskers to tail. Panterita is reclusive, but I’ve found my daily interaction with her, as brief as it might be, provides an effective model for entering into prayer.
Patricia Seibold with her prayer companion, Panterita. This is Pat’s third contribution to Manresa Matters. She is a long-time volunteer and community member.
Our encounter always begins at some distance. In silence I view this single creature, God’s blueprint of feline perfection. Observing the natural “catness” of Panterita makes me aware of my own fallen human nature.
We greet one another with a triple meow, initiated either by me or by her. (Having taught music to young children for decades, I can imitate a pretty good “meow”!) It’s a
call and response, the signal for her to jump on my lap for some one-on-one connection. The decision to join me is always up to her. How many times have I heard God calling me to connect with Him in prayer? How many times have I failed to respond?
Panterita and I then settle into a comfortable chair. She nuzzles me and purrs while I stroke her and softly chant an endearing phrase or simply repeat her name. I am reminded that repeating a word or phrase is a recognized way to relax the body and clear the mind for encountering God.
Then both Panterita and I commune in the fullness of one another’s presence. Both of us remain still and silent. Our wordless dialogue can last a few moments or several minutes. Satisfied, Panterita ends the session with a powerful leap from my lap, reminding me that God’s grace is sufficient for me until our next communion in prayer. Feline spirituality was not lost on English writer Christopher Smart (1722–1771), who extolled his cat in the poem, “For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry”: “For he purrs in thankfulness when God tells him he’s a good Cat.”
~ by Patricia Seibold
Editor’s note: Christopher Smart’s poem can be read at
http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/poems/for-i-will-consider-my-cat-jeoffry/
The Value of Silence
I
attended my first silent retreat in June 2001. I was encouraged to attend by my then pastor, who had completed Manresa’s Ignatian Spirituality program.
I knew little about silent retreats, but as a busy mom of two young children at the time, I was taken with the idea of three days to myself to read, write and reflect. I attended the retreat with three other women who are all “talkers.” We chattered the entire 30-minute drive to Manresa. We wondered how we would ever manage our time without saying a word, and we acknowledged our anxieties about what we might experience spiritually as a result of 40-some hours of silence. My doubts and fears were quickly dispelled as I leaned into the peaceful surroundings, the quiet of my womblike cell and the warmth of the Holy Spirit’s presence.
Psalm 139 was my focus in meditation that weekend. I read it over and over again, looking for meaning. I meditated on it, waiting in the silence to hear God’s voice. The psalmist’s words became my prayer. As I walked the grounds, I began to realize the value of the silence. It allowed me to drop the masks I tend to hide behind. It left me bare and unencumbered by the Page 16
usual self-focused trappings that support me. It opened me to receive what God had in mind to give me.
The result was a kind of love fest with the God Who “knit me together in my mother’s womb.”1 I was reminded that though He “examines my heart and knows everything about me,”2 He still loves me. He affirmed His unwavering devotion to all His children, who “cannot escape from His Spirit, nor get away from His presence.”3 God knew what I needed, and the silence was the conduit through which He met my need.
When the time came for us to leave, I was torn. Though I wanted to return to my family, I was hesitant to leave the cocoon of love that had been spun in the silence. (1) Ps 139:13; (2) Ps 139:1; (3) Ps 139:7
~ by JoAnn Amicangelo
JoAnn Amicangelo is a freelance writer and church communications specialist who continues to seek God in the silence. She blogs at joannamicangelo.wordpress.com and lives in Dearborn, MI with her two daughters.
Silent Meals? Ami wrote this journal entry during her first silent retreat last fall. At her spiritual director’s urging, she submitted it for publication with the hope that her reflection might help others overcome their concern about eating in silence.
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ave you ever shared a meal with others you know at the same table and refrained from uttering a word or two, or simply not even looked at them? This is not exactly the norm we would expect in daily life.
I attended a silent retreat at Manresa, without perhaps completely understanding that “silent” means silence at all times, including meals. I must admit that it was uncomfortable in the beginning. During the first silent meal, a breakfast, I actually choked in an attempt to refrain from talking, by hurriedly swallowing the food and drink I kept putting into my mouth. Well, that was scary! It got better, though, and mealtime was alright. It was only on the third day, during supper, when I started truly appreciating and reaping the benefits of a silent meal. It dawned on me that when the body is infirmed, you can’t feed it with just any kind of food. Likewise, when the spirit is broken or burdened, you can’t feed the spirit with just any kind of food or in just any kind of way. Somehow the body and spirit must be in harmony. The silence during a meal, complemented with soft background music or spiritual readings, brings the body and spirit in synchrony with each other. The atmosphere allows both body and spirit to move in the same constructive rhythm creating a peaceful wholeness within.
I was deeply touched by this realization that I can eat quietly and peacefully because I feel whole. I can breathe deeply with each bite, relieving the tension harbored inside as the food enters my body and brings nourishment. I can pause, take time, breathe again and be relaxed because my body and spirit are at work together in a healing way. It is actually a gifted moment to be able to savor food with all its flavors and feel grateful to God for the gift of His bounty.
Silence is the invitation for God to share the meal with us in an intimate way, a healing way, and in our own special way. Needless to say, the rest of my silent meals during the retreat became flavorful prayers shared and enjoyed with God. ~ by Ami Payne
IGNATIANISMS: Consolation and Desolation Listen to Your Heart. That’s the best advice I can give about the impact of consolation and desolation on your desire to be a faithful disciple. There are many insightful books and helpful materials to explain these terms, and I recommend seeking them out. However, we need a comfortable starting point . . . I can’t help but draw a parallel from years of teaching literature, particularly poetry, to high school students. Their resistance to studying poetry was motivated by their fear of getting it wrong. Once after we read a poem by Shelley, I asked a student for her impression. “How does the poem speak to you?” Her response was, “I don’t know.” After a few prompts I eventually asked two questions: “Do you have feelings?” and “Do you read?” She tentatively answered yes to both. I said, in that case, she could allow the poem to speak to her. We started with a word and the feelings it prompted in her. She responded and gained more confidence because she trusted her feelings. Others in the class jumped in, and we were off and running. It was after they experienced that level of comfortable confidence that we could begin to look at the technique, metaphors and symbols the poet employed.
This same dynamic is operative in your desire to experience Jesus in the Gospels. Saint Ignatius experienced consolation and desolation while convalescing from his battle injuries. He became more comfortable and confident in what his heart was telling him as he reflected on the life of Jesus and the lives of the saints. I suggest following his experience. Choose a Gospel and wander through. Pay attention to what naturally draws your heart to embrace peace, joy, refreshment, hope or challenge. Identify what draws you out of yourself, toward Jesus. That is consolation. Embrace it and allow the feelings to positively challenge you. Conversely, what turns you in on yourself or leads to withdrawal, fear or confusion is desolation, leading you away from Jesus. Name that movement and don’t let it deter or have power over you. This is the way Ignatius continued to respond to his desire to become an ever more faithful disciple. It is an invitation to a journey that leads our hearts closer in union with the heart of Jesus. ~ by Bob Ytsen, SJ Fr. Bob leads retreats and days of reflection at Manresa, utilizing his background in Ignatian spirituality and Jesuit history, along with his love of literature and teaching in secondary education. Page 17
PREACHED RETREAT SCHEDULE Choose any gender-specific retreat date that best fits your schedule—these are not restricted to the groups named. To register call 248.644.4933 Ext. 10 or click here for an online registration form.
Conference Retreats for Men DATE Mar 31–Apr 2 Apr 7–9 Apr 13–15 Apr 21–23 Apr 28–30
NAME OF RETREATS & GROUPS
DIRECTORS
WEEKEND RETREAT for MEN: GRAND RAPIDS - METAMORA; ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA; WYANDOTTE DOWNRIVER [Patron: Blessed Francis Page]
Fr. Tim Babcock
PALM SUNDAY MEN’S WEEKEND RETREAT: PALM SUNDAY; TRAVERSE CITY [Patron: St. Gabriel Lallemant]
Fr. Bob Ytsen, SJ
HOLY WEEK MEN’S RETREAT: HOLY WEEK - ST. REGIS - ST. OWEN [Patron: Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin] WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: MOTHER OF GOD; ST. ANDREW BOBOLA MEN; ST. IRENAEUS, ROCHESTER; U OF D HIGH ALUMNI [Patron: St. Andrew Bobola] WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: FRANCES CABRINI K of C; ST. HUGO; ST. PETER CANISIUS MEN [Patron: St. Peter Canisius]
May 5–7
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: BROTHER RICE ALUMNI; DETROIT POLICE & FIRE FIGHTERS; MEN OF MANRESA; MT. PLEASANT; ST. MARY MAGDALEN - ST. CONRAD; GAYLORD; GESU, DETROIT [Patron: Our Lady of the Way]
Aug 4–6
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR AA MEN [Patron: Fr. Jack Schuett, SJ] $40 non-refundable deposit due at registration.
Fr. Steve Hurd, SJ Fr. Peter Fennessy, SJ Fr. Fran Daly, SJ & Sr. Kathie Budesky, IHM Fr. Leo Cachat, SJ Fr. Joe Redican
Aug 25–27
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: LEONARD STUMM; ST. BEDE (Theme: Last Lectures—if this were the last retreat Fr. Peter would ever give, what spiritual insights would he most want to pass on to you?) [Patron: St. Stephen Pongracz, SJ]
Fr. Peter Fennessy, SJ
Sept 8–10
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: McDONALD-McHARDY; ST. MARY OF THE HILLS; SERRA OF OAKLAND COUNTY; SHRINE – REICHENBACH [Patron: Blessed Sebastian Kimura, SJ]
Fr. Bob Ytsen, SJ
Sept 29–Oct 1 Oct 5–8
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: BERRY; FEUERSTEIN; K of C DETROIT ARCHDIOCESE; MAHER; ST. ANTHONY, TEMPERANCE; ST. ELIZABETH, TECUMSEH; ST. LOUISE BEDE (Theme: Last Lectures—if this were the last retreat Fr. Peter would ever give, what spiritual insights would he most want to pass on to you?) [Patron: St. Francis Borgia, SJ] 4-DAY RETREAT FOR MEN: R. WEISENBURGER – SERRA [Patron: St. John Ogilvie, SJ]
Oct 20–22
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: CATHOLIC LAWYERS & PHYSICIANS; FORD TRACTOR; OAKLAND ST. VINCENT DE PAUL; CHARLES TALBOT GROUP [Patron: St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, SJ]
Oct 27–29
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: BODDE – SCHWEIHOFER; ST. CLARE OF MONTEFALCO; OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA; ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, TRAVERSE CITY (GAYLORD DIOCESE) [Patron: St. Stanislaus Kostka, SJ]
Nov 3–5
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: ASCENSION; HOLY NAME, BIRMINGHAM; IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, IRA TOWNSHIP; ST. BONIFACE, OAK HARBOR, OH (TOLEDO DIOCESE); ST. CLEMENT CENTER LINE; SS. PETER AND PAUL JESUIT CHURCH [Patron: St. Rupert Mayer]
Dec 1–3
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN: BAYER - TOLEDO – DEFIANCE [Patron: St. Francis Xavier, SJ]
Fr. Peter Fennessy, SJ Fr. Tim Babcock Fr. Leo Cachat, SJ Sr. Linda Sevcik, SM
Fr. Tim Babcock Fr. Steve Hurd, SJ
Conference Retreats for Both Men and Women DATE May 19–21 June 2–4
NAME OF RETREATS & GROUPS WEEKEND RETREAT FOR THOSE WHO GRIEVE HISPANIC WEEKEND RETREAT (conducted in Spanish) [Theme: Come to the Silence (Ven al Silencio)]
DIRECTORS Sr. Sally Smolen, RSM HISPANIC TEAM
June 23–25
URBAN PARISHES WEEKEND RETREAT FOR MEN & WOMEN
Fr. Bob Scullin, SJ & Team
July 28–30
SILENT WEEKEND RETREAT FOR TRADITIONALLY MARRIED COUPLES [Patron: St. Ignatius of Loyola]
Fr. Sylvester Taube
Sept 22–24
MANRESA WEEKEND HEALING RETREAT [Theme: An Encounter with the Healing Christ] $40 non-refundable deposit due at registration.
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Fr. John Esper & Ms. Debbie Tourville
PREACHED RETREAT SCHEDULE - continued Conference Retreats for Women DATE
NAME OF RETREATS & GROUPS
DIRECTORS
PALM SUNDAY OVERNIGHT RETREAT FOR WOMEN (Theme: Entering Christ’s Passion) Cost: $75 due at registration.
Apr 9–10
Fr. Fran Daly, SJ & Sr. Kathie Budesky, IHM
May 12–14
MOTHER’S DAY RETREAT FOR WOMEN IV [Patron: Mary, Mother of the Society of Jesus]
Sr. Linda Sevcik, SM
May 26–28
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR AA WOMEN I [Patron: Fr. Fred, SJ] $40 non-refundable deposit due at registration.
Fr. Joe Redican
June 8–11
4-DAY RETREAT FOR WOMEN VI (Thursday-Sunday) [Patron: Sr. Mary Ward, IBVM]
Fr. Tim Babcock
Sept 12–14
MIDWEEK RETREAT FOR WOMEN VII [Patron: Blessed Francisco Garate, SJ]
Sept 15–17
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR WOMEN III [Patron: St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ]
Oct 12–15
4-DAY RETREAT FOR WOMEN VIII [Patron: St. Dominic Collins, SJ]
Fr. Bob Ytsen, SJ
Nov 10–12
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR WOMEN IX [Patron: Blessed Miguel Pro]
Fr. Leo Cachat, SJ
Nov 24–26
WEEKEND RETREAT FOR AA WOMEN II [Patron: Edward Dowling] $40 non-refundable deposit due at registration.
Fr. Bob Ytsen, SJ
Fr. Fran Daly, SJ & Sr. Kathie Budesky, IHM Fr. Tim Shepard, SJ
Conference Retreats for Religious DATE June 11–17
NAME OF RETREATS & GROUPS
DIRECTORS
SISTERS’ SIX-DAY RETREAT (Sunday-Saturday) [Patron: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque]
Fr. Fran Daly, SJ & Sr. Kathie Budesky, IHM
RETREATANT AWARDS (August - December 2016) Manresa Pin
Manresa Crest
(presented on the 15 Retreat)
(presented on the 25th Retreat)
th
Vera Beauford
Fred Conley
Pat Jamoua
Thomas Brell
Brenda Fava
Paul Kohser
Virginia Bueche
Roger Greger
Mary A. Schroeder
Mary Brooks
Martha Lucas
Eugene Canestraro
Garry J. Schoenherr
Kathleen Chadwick
Lou Scieszka
Daryl Rollins
BORN INTO THE RESURRECTION (August - December 2016) Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [Mt. 25:34] Name
Retreat Group
#
Name
Retreat Group
#
Babetta Becker
Manresa Ladies IV
11
Steve Minnick
Men’s Retreat
2
Danate Cimini
Men’s Retreat
5
Richard H. Schweihofer Bodde-Schweihofer
59
Edward Donoghue
Alhambra
36
Joseph Studer
50
John R. Hayes
John Lau
33
Leonard Stumm
Manresa depends upon conference retreat leaders and families of retreatants to notify us in the event of death. We remember all deceased retreatants on the last Friday of each month at the 8:00 AM Mass. Page 19
Manresa Jesuit Retreat House 1390 Quarton Road Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304-3554 248.644.4933
www.manresa-sj.org
Please continue turning to read the special pages that recognize our donors . . .
Meow! - page 16
Well Used page 9
Keeping Manresa Beautiful - pages 14-15
Reflection page 6
Fawning Over Nature page 15
Worth Imitating - page 5
Young Adults Return page 13
IN APPRECIATION OF OUR DONORS We at Manresa are continually humbled and honored by the outpouring of support for our Mission by so many. Regardless of whether it’s for a capital project (like our Jesuit Garden) or to defray the cost for a fellow retreatant (see Pat Irmen’s story on page 11 of the current issue of Manresa Matters), someone always steps up and makes it happen. We are forever grateful for each and every gift. Please keep our benefactors in your prayers and join us in thanking those who give of their treasure to preserve our “Spiritual Oasis.” This list represents donors giving contributions of over $100 received in 2016 for the McGrail, Annual and Capital Funds and Adopt-aRetreatant program. Because of space constraints we are not able to list everyone, although we hold each donor gratefully in our hearts.
A-B Louie Abbo Patrick Adamcik Joan Akl Mary Aley Jerry Alig Ghassan Allo Mary Andrecovich Virginia Antakli Joseph & Sandra Aoun Alivia Kassab Arabo Auday & Alivia Arabo Carolyn Arafat Lorraine Armstrong John & Margaret Arthurs Rev. Timothy Babcock Basil Bacall Albert Bajjoka Hughes Bakewell Arthur & Kimberly Baranowski Michael & Sue Barczak Thomas Bargone Joseph Basta Eric Bauer William & Margaret Beauregard William & Mary Bechtel Marianne Bellanca Rick Benedict
Larry Berch Jim Berlucchi James Berry John Berry Richard Berry Robert Berry Thomas & Marie Bewick James Bezaire Basim Binno Michael Bliss Martha Bober Ronnie & Heather Boji Eliya Boji Robert & Kathy Bolya Sheila Book Colleen Booth Joseph Borst C. Jack & Joann Brinkman Michael & Peng Brooks Gordon & Marilyn Brown Nadine Brown William Brown Charles & Margaret Brunhofer Hugh & Mary Ellen Buchanan Bill & Denise Bull Franklin Bush Brian & Renea Butler
C-E C. M. Profit Group LLC Mary Cafferty Mary Campbell Frank Cancro Anne Carey Michael Carter John Casey Ross & Jenny Chapman George Charnley Carolyn Chau Dave & Erin Chekal Adam & Sue Cheslin Carol Chisholm Rodney & Patricia Chryst Linda Ciaccia-Ghith Donald Clayton Thomas & Joan Cliff William & Mary Cohan James Coker Martha Condit Steven Condit Eric Conn Arnold Connors
John Conway Marie Corbin Joseph & Anne Cornillie Robert Cosgrove Kevin & Mary Counihan Kenneth & Maureen Courtney Raymond & Jane Cracchiolo Barbara Crisp Francis Cronin Ellen Crowley Peggy Cummins Douglas & Geneva Cunningham Veronica Cusick Douglas Czinder Patricia G. Dahlin Kelly Dalloo Kevin & Linda Daly Dennis Darin Judith Darin Lorraine Davidson Chip & Mary Jo Dawson Barbara Day Marjorie Decapite
C - E (continued) Eliezer & Myrna DeLeon Gerald Dendinger Timothy & Susan DeNeen Gregory Denlea Matthew & Linda Derby Kathleen DeSchryver Elizabeth Devereaux Gino & Luciana DiClemente Thomas & Mary Dierich Joseph & Julia Dierker Dalia Dimock Tim Dimock Sharon B. Dixon Dan Farchone Louis & Linda Farinola Ferenc Fehervari Daniel & Virginia Finkiewicz Jacalyn Foot Joseph Frederick Robert Frederick R. Patrick & Lucy French Kathleen Fulgenzi James Fuller Diana Gac Alfred & Diane Gade Richard & Julie Ganfield Joyce Gardner William & Carol Geary Kathleen Geissler Timothy Gelletly Imad George William Glaab Donald & Nancy Glubzinski John & Theresa Godwin Henry Goitz Phyllis Gorski
Helen Domingo Dennis Drenikowski Phillip & Dorothy Dubensky Lucia Dubois Ann Duke Clark Durant Durnell Construction, Inc Tony Dworack Michael & Patricia Edwards Steve Eick George & Marilyn Elworth Elias & Amelia Escobedo
F-I Patrick Grady Mary Judith Gregart Mary Gresens Gerald Greve Tom Guarente Richard & Debbie Haller Schuyler & Nora Hamill Isaac & Balsaam Hanna William Harahan Nelson Hartrich John & Marilyn Hasley Gerald & Diana Hawkins Felix Heitz Myrtle E. & William G. Hess Charitable Trust James & Jacqueline Hicks William Hill Paul Hindelang Thomas Hughes Robert & Kristin Huntsman Kenny & Adora Ibrahim Daniel Irudayaraj
J-L Eugene & Patricia Jacoby Sally Janecek James Jennings Gary Johnson Jennifer Johnson Julie Jones George Jurkowich James Kane Michelle Kane Neran Karmo Burt Kassab Kenneth Kaucheck John Kello
Peter & Maryanne Kelly Jeff Kendall Robert & Lee Kendell Kenneth Kerscher Pamela Kestner Ray Kettel David & Laurie Keyser David & Rita Kieras Elizabeth King Charles Kipp Patricia Klecha Connie Kleinstiver Anne Klima
DONORS (continued) J - L (continued) Lori Kneisler Thomas Knuth Victor & Carolyn Kochajda Francis Kohler Edward Kolodziej Patti Koval Majid Koza Zouhair & Sahira Koza Michael & Joanne Krampe Jack Krasula Jeffrey Krause Peter & Julie Kreher Sharon Krill Ed & Margaret Kronk John Kruse John Kullen Stanley & Marcia Kwasiborski
Joan LaPointe Carole Laramie Bruce Larva Francis Leblond Alan & Toni Lecz James Lefere Daniel Lenahan David Lengyel David & Marguerite Lentz Robert Lessnau Harry Lindback Karl Litle Ginny Little Margaret Lonz Martha Lucas
M-O Michael Madison Michael Magoulick Michael & Cindy Maiberger James Majercik Donald Maladecki Catherine Malerich Chad Manna Martin Manna Manresa AA Faiz Mansour Daniel Marcin
Arlene Marcy Maroun Maroun Eric Marshall Leonard & Cynthia Matusko Elizabeth Maxwell Alda Marie McCook Ronald McCormick Mavine McCoy Alonzo McDonald Keller & Debra McGaffey Robert McGrail
M - O (continued) Jack & Kathleen McInerney Kathleen Mcintosh Joseph Mckay Mary Mclaughlin James McNulty Robert & Christine Meehan Harry & Anne Meeth Charles Menard Anthony & Patricia Merlo Salim Metti John Meulendyk Patricia Michalski Frank & Gail Migliazzo Elaine Miller Louise Tuller Miller Trust Robert Miller Karen Millikin Kathleen Mills Tony Minish Thomas & Catherine Mitchell Scot & Amy Moceri Molinello Family Foundation William & Marie Molnar Paul Molnar Mary K. Moloney Susan Mooney-Smith J. Moore Luke & Carol Moran Carl Morganti Marlene Morlock
Visit http://www.manresasj.plannedgiving.org/
M. J. Moroun James & Denise Motschall Donald Mott Denise Mullane-Platzer Glenn Mustion Thomas Myers Pauline Myler James & Colleen Nagle Joseph Najor Chanelle Namou Fred & Betty Navarre Charles & Mary Neff Jesse Nemer Jerome Neyer Barbara Niman Dave & Holly Nona Michael & Linda Norris Gregory Oatis Michael & Suzanne O'Brien Patrick & Joanne O'Brien Phillip O'Brien Richard & Christine O'Connell John O'Gara Suzanne O'Leary Kirk Oliver Kurt Olzmann Joseph & Joann Oram John O'Shea Patrick & Ellen Owens
P-R Robert Paesano Sergio & Jackie PagĂŠs Albert Papcun Dominick Pastore Steven Pellegata Robert & Stacy Penkala Richard Perry Charles Peters Phyllis Peters Look William & Lynne Pfannes Frank Phelan Mike Pigorsh Marc & Marylynn Pomerleau Christine Pompili Carolyn Price John Racciato Frank & Elaine Ramacciato Angelo Ramaci Frederick Raupp
DONORS (continued)
Steven & Susan Raymond Anthony & Suzanne Rea Catherine Reedy Mary Reising Victoria Repen Mark & Nancy Rider Terence Rielly William Ris Paul Robertson Allan Rodrigues Daryl & Rosanne Rollins Jonathan Rose Tony & Ann Ross Renee Rourke Andrzej Rozecki Gasper Ruffino Kenneth Rusiniak Thomas & Marylee Ryan
S-T Joseph Samulowicz Joseph Samyn Francine Sanak Robert & Elly Sattler Frank & Susan Scerbo Therese Scharbach Donald Scheer Howard Scheer Joseph & Karen Schodowski Thomas Scholler Ann Schroeder Robert Scullin Paul & Patricia Seibold
Frank & Barbara Seichter Gerald Seizert Grace Seroka Nicholas & Janice Sharkey Anthony Shonis Joseph Shrader John Sier Sue Sikkema Bradley Simmons Donald Smith Mark & Mary Sobeck Keith & Martha Soltis William Sowle
S - T (continued)
Edward & Amy Sponseller St. Anne Church Blake Stanwick Leo & Susan Steinl Ronald & Joanne Steinmayer Janet Stenger Mary Stephenson James Streacker Dorothy Strzelewicz Michael Stuart Jeremiah & Carole Sugrue Ann Sullivan Lawrence Sych
Clarence & Deanna Tabar Michael & Anne Taglione Michael Tahy Randall Tavierne Edmound & Helen Tepas Helen Thomas William Thomas Robert Thompson Michael & Barb Timm Msgr. Anthony Tocco Lawrence M. Tomczak Deborah Tourville Thomas Trimmer
U-Z Stanley A. Ulman John Ulrich University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy The Jesuit Community University of Detroit Mercy Patricia Urban Joseph Valenti Ralph & Christine Valitutti Roger Veitch John & Chris Visser Ann Vote Thomas & Mary Wakefield Joseph Walsh John & Theresa Wangler Ronald Ward Theresa Weber Marguerite Weibel
Mary Kay Weibel Michael & Paula Weibel James Weller Richard West Nancy White Melvyn Wicks William & Linda Wildern Mark Wilke John & Helga Wise Daniel & Shivaun Wois Barbara Wojtas John Wright Lee Wurm Michael & Jennifer Xenos Jim Yaw Paul & Cecelia Yee Fakhri Yono Thomas & Sandy Youngblood
HONORARY AND MEMORIAL GIFTS Manresa is very grateful whenever you memorialize or honor your loved one with a gift to us. Thank you for your contribution. The following gifts were received in 2016. IN HONOR OF DENISE ANDERSON Nicholas & Janice Sharkey IN MEMORY OF MARY BALLEW Doris Luria Sherry Pianko Michael & Kathy Schultz Peggy Smith Ron & Janet Strote IN MEMORY OF MARION BILYK Tina Bey Robert & Mildred Christie Nita Firestone Selena Jones Walter Kabalka Little Caesars IT Department Colette McIntosh Erica Silvestri Ann Vote Melissa & Drew Winnicker IN MEMORY OF CLIFF BISHOP Sharon Mikesell IN HONOR OF HUGH BUCHANAN Michael & Elaine McIntosh Mary McKeon Carl Morganti University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy IN HONOR OF FR. LEO CACHAT Veronica Cusick Barbara Niman Carolyn Price IN MEMORY OF PORKY CAMPBELL Connie Kleinstiver IN MEMORY OF STEPHEN CAMPBELL Gerald & Diana Hawkins IN MEMORY OF ROBERT CHECK The Bergin-Milan Group Joan Borowiec Gino & Cheryl Centofanti Brian & Allyson Champa John & Esther Johnson Dan & Janice Justice R. A. Kaplan, Inc. John & Virginia Lewandowski Joseph & Rhonda Mahaz Charles Main Nora Martin Michelle McNulty Chuck & Elizabeth Milan Gilda Nicosia Francis & Patricia O’Brien Thomas Post Julio & Carole Puzzuoli Gregory Randazzo Daniel & M. Christine Sawicki Jerry & Mary Sawicki Jay Sawmiller Larry Sharp Michael & Laura Skvarce Michael Stender IN MEMORY OF A. B. CHETTLE Gregory Denlea IN MEMORY OF JERRY COYNE Thomas & Lynn McGann
IN MEMORY OF KENNETH CUMMINS Peggy Cummins IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM DAHLIN Patricia G. Dahlin IN MEMORY OF NED DARIN Judith Darin IN MEMORY OF NORA ANN FRANCIS Edward & Judith Morad IN MEMORY OF CLIFFORD AND SARAH GANFIELD Richard & Julie Ganfield IN MEMORY OF JIM GROMMERSCH Margaret Grommersch IN MEMORY OF JOHN R. HAYES Lewis Baughman Peter Beer Porter & Linda Blakemore John & Mary Lou Burns Don & Phyllis Byerlein John Clawson Christopher & Donna Craft Eric & Virginia Cranbrook Jerry & Emilie Dancik Dexter Field Hockey Richard Durkin Joan Emerick Dave & Jill Everson Bradley & Laura Host Hyunhee & Taekyung Kang-Kim Joel & David Kirsch Paul Lyons Scott Manteuffel George & Dorothy Marudas Peter & Irene Marudas Thomas & Georgia Marudas Thomas Myers Sam Patterson Family John & Michele Politis Dale Prentice Carolyn Price Joyce Raymond Regina Athletic Department Mark & Arlene Rubinstein Michael & Deborah Savoie Don Schima Michael & Mary Schloff Lynn Talbert Paul & Laurie Walters William Weaver IN MEMORY OF JOHN AND HEATHER HENDRICKSON Saralou Hendrickson IN MEMORY OF BERNARD HIGGINS Roberta DeBaldo IN MEMORY OF PARENTS Daniel Irudayaraj IN HONOR OF DONNA KOHN Francine Sanak IN HONOR OF PATTI KOVAL Peter & Julie Kreher William & Kathie Nienstedt IN MEMORY OF JACK LUCIER Patricia Lucier
IN MEMORY OF RON AND DONNA MAKOWSKI Mark & Maria Makowski IN MEMORY OF JEFF MCAULIFFE Michael McAuliffe IN HONOR OF ALDA MARIE MCCOOK Robert Skubic IN MEMORY OF RON MCCORMICK Denise Acierno Nancy Evanson Marcia Klucznik-Gradolph Edward & Celia Lipsky Frank & Gail Migliazzo Michael & Joey Randall James Sarlevs Spartan Machinery, Inc. Jeanette Sui IN MEMORY OF F. JAMES AND MARY L. MEHELAS Thomas Mehelas IN MEMORY OF JOHN MOULTRUP Helen Moultrup IN MEMORY OF FRANCIS X. O’BRIEN Francis & Patricia O’Brien IN MEMORY OF PAUL J. PEMBERTON John & Linda Jacobs IN MEMORY OF JOHN POLLOCK Patricia Pollock IN HONOR OF TONY AND SUZANNE REA Anthony Rea IN MEMORY OF JOE RICE Camalia Mann IN MEMORY OF DANIELLE AND AL ROCCHINI AND FAMILY Charles Peters IN MEMORY OF MARY JANE SIMMONS Bradley Simmons IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH AND LILLIAN STACEY Dennis & Ann Stacey IN MEMORY OF THOMAS TIERNAN Kasco Inc. Michael & Beverly Kloian Terri Koller Frank Matson Patricia Roark Karen Ryan Daniel Sarafian Jack Withrow IN MEMORY OF MARTY AND SANDY TROMBLEY Renee Rourke IN HONOR OF HELEN VARDON Mary Judith Gregart IN HONOR OF JOHN AND THERESA WANGLER FAMILY John & Theresa Wangler IN HONOR OF PATRICIA WARD Jennifer Johnson IN MEMORY OF FRANK WESLEY Robert & Mary Morian IN MEMORY OF CHARLOTTE WHALEN Fred & Betty Navarre
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