An
Auspicious Visit
The Superior General of the Society of Jesus, The Very Reverend
Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., visited the California Province
earlier this month, observing the 100th Anniversary of the
Province, which we celebrate through 2009.
 Please
visit www.calprov.org for
an overview of the Province and its apostolates in the course
of this century of service. Join us in praying that the Spirit
continue to sustain us, Jesuits and lay partners in ministry
alike, in caring for God’s people.
Row One: Fr. Gerry Hudson, S.J., Fr. Tom Carroll, S.J., Fr
Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., Fr. Bob Fabing, S.J. Row
Two: Fr. Bernie Bush, S.J., Fr. Joe Fice, S.J., Fr. Kevin
Ballard,S.J., Bro. Tom Koller, S.J., Fr. George Schultze,
S.J.
Fr. General’s visit included five days at the Retreat Center,
enjoying the traditional El Retiro hospitality. His days here
were spent in meetings with the Provincials of the U.S. and
of English-speaking Canada, along with our U.S. Assistancy
leadership, stationed in Washington, D.C. It was a grace to
share the wise homilies, gentle humor, and genial companionship
of Fr. Nicolás, whose years of international ministry,
mainly in Asia, continue to bear rich fruit for the Church.
Journey
to Jerusalem
 We know that Lent is approaching each year when the bishops
of the San Francisco Province arrive at the Retreat Center
for their eight-day retreat, which concludes at mid-day on
Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras. We’re grateful for this annual
opportunity to support the bishops in their challenging ministry
of leadership through our own ministry of the Spiritual Exercises.
The Gospels tell us of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem,
a journey He knew would lead to his suffering and death. Each
Lent, we take advantage of the opportunity to place our journeys
with His. We recognize, as Jesus did, that fidelity to our
prophetic role as disciples will necessarily lead us into
conflict with those whose comfort and values are threatened
by the Gospel message.
A
Season for Hope
We embark on this communal, liturgical journey to Jerusalem with the divine assurance echoing in our hearts: "Fear not!" Also
in our hearts, though, is much concern about the challenges
of our times, financial and political, ecological and moral,
religious and spiritual. We journey, by God’s grace,
in hope.
Do consider including a sojourn at the Retreat Center in your
Lenten journey. It's not too late to join us for the Ash
Wednesday Day of Prayer, for one of our Lenten
retreats, or for
the Paschal
Triduum retreat. In any case, we
journey together.
Donate
ONLINE to The Jesuit Reteat Center of Los Altos,
and please remember the Jesuit Retreat Center in your
will or estate planning. |
