JRH Newsletter
Spring 2008

From the Director:

Presence not Absence

On April 14^th I decided to meander to the edge of Marquette University’s campus to survey the latest progress on the mammoth reconstruction of the 43/94 highway interchange.  While gawking at the cranes and 200‘ concrete girders, a lamp post accosted me.  April 21^st the doctor removed the last of my six stitches.  The epistle on the feast of the Ascension has remained with me: “While (the disciples) were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.  They said ‘Men (and women), why are you standing here looking at the sky?’” 

During the season of Easter I found the daily scripture readings on the risen Christ in John’s gospel very consoling.  As the season continued, I realized that the risen Christ was leading us to discover and appreciate that his death and resurrection enabled him to bless us with a new intimacy with God.  Jesus’ going to the Father enabled him to share his Spirit.  His absence made a radically new presence possible.  Shortly before he died, Jesus said: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. (Jn.15:9)  The mutual love the Father and Son have for each other is the Holy Spirit.    Jesus’ departure left us thirsting for his presence.  He fulfilled his promise not to leave us orphans by sharing with us his life, the Holy Spirit.

Easter season ends not with Jesus’ absence but with a new presence, His Spirit.  The responsorial for the Office of Readings on April 28^th reminds us that God responds to our thirst for God’s loving, abiding presence.

“I will pour out water upon the thirsty land and streams upon the dry ground.  --- I will pour out my spirit upon your offspring and they shall grow like willows by flowing waters, alleluia. The water I (Jesus) give will become in you a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (Isaiah 44:3, 4; John 4:14)

Springtime is permeated with transitions.  Ducks bob briefly in front of JRH on their way north.  Warm sunny days are often interrupted by thunderstorms, followed by the sun and even greener grass.  JRH is in transition also.  Since late January some retreats have declined in attendance.  Other retreats suddenly blossomed with 29 or 14 newcomers.  Like everyone else we are impacted by the recession and are adapting.  In midst of these transitions we remain aware that the Holy Spirit abides and labors in the lives and hearts of the retreatants and staff.  In the midst of uncertainty we are entering the spring and approaching summer with hope and joy.

May the Spirit of the risen Christ continue to renew your hearts. 

In the Spirit of Jesus, 

Fr. John Schwantes, S.J.

Director

 SPRING and SUMMER HAPPENINGS

FR. JOHN
Fr. John and Sr. Kerry have been working with Sharon Grace (Marquette University) over the past few months to create a new logo for the retreat house. After sharing a variety of her designs and receiving feedback from Fr. John, Sr. Kerry, Sue Philipp and members of the Advisory Board, Sharon made a trip to the retreat center to get a more personal feel for which design would best identify the retreat house. We are grateful to her for her willingness in sharing her time and talent to create this logo. Fr. John directed the April 3-6 retreat, is setting up the schedule for next year and giving spiritual direction, in addition to the many other duties he has.

FR. BOB
On Feb 28-Mar 2 he directed the retreat at JRH and used his new song And God Said It Was Good with a slide show video for the first time. On March 5 he received a copy of Final Cut Pro software as a gift. He used it to polish the slide show video for use in October for the Ignatian Associates conference on the New Cosmology. Mar 24-28 he did a retreat for the School Sisters of St. Francis at the Motherhouse on 27th Street in Milwaukee. Then on Apr 21-23 Fr. Bob directed the women’s mid-week retreat at JRH and May 1-4 he and Sr. Kerry Larkin directed the men's AA retreat for the first time.

FR. GENE
Fr. Gene Donahue had a full schedule from January to late April.  Father gave the January 24-27 women’s retreat and the men’s April 10-13 retreat. He filled in for Fr. Dick McCaslin at St. Camillus for the Holy Week retreat for the retired Jesuits.  (Fr. Dick is back in Omaha and dealing with low energy.)  From April 24-27 he was giving a women’s retreat in Buffalo, MN.

SR. KERRY
Since her arrival last August, Sr. Kerry has been getting more actively involved with the day to day operations of the retreat house. Fr. John has asked her to be responsible for the following areas: working with Jeff Martin on the operations of the kitchen, working with Sharon Clark on the newsletter, and overseeing the webpage once it is up and operational at the retreat house.  Sister has enjoyed the opportunity of meeting so many wonderful retreatants over the past nine months during the preached retreats, even though she still has a hard time keeping all the names straight! She is looking forward to another new experience with the six directed retreats that will take place this summer starting at the end of May. Sr. Kerry and Fr. Bob directed the first men’s 12-step retreat in May and Sister will be doing the women’s 12-step retreat in August.

THANK YOU

Over the past few months the employees and even some of their family members have been working very hard to make sure the retreat house was in tip top shape for our retreatants, especially in the month of April when we had three retreats back to back. We appreciate their dedication and care for the retreatants, the retreat house and the grounds.  Thank you all.

Jesuit Retreat House Ice Cream Social
Saturday, July 19, 2008 1:00 PM—3:00 PM

To get better acquainted with the people in our surrounding communities and have an opportunity to visit with some of our good friends, we are holding an ice cream social this summer. Please bring your family and friends to see JRH in the beautiful summer time.
We will be giving tours and have a drawing for free retreats!  Ice cream and soda will be served during this event. We hope to see you! (The Ice Cream Social event will be in place of the picnic.)

Please email or call us if you will come:
800-962-7330 toll free in WI or 920-231-9060.
Email: office@jesuitretreathouse.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

LOST RING
In December of 2007 the housekeepers found a ladies’ ring. It looks to be a rather expensive ring. We have been keeping it in the safe in case someone called to claim it. No one has. Please call to identify it if you think it is yours.

NEW BIKES and NEW CART
A retreatant sent a gift to purchase new bikes.  Five new coaster bikes arrived in time for the April 3-6 retreat, our one weekend of spring so far. The bikes are now thoroughly broken in.  Retreatants can now venture a greater distance from the shores of Lake Winnebago. We also received a gift of a new cart. It gives some of our retreatants the mobility they need to be able to come on a retreat. Many thanks.

WEB PAGE
As we continue to market ourselves more effectively, we will be moving the website to JRH. Fr. John would like to thank Natalie and Sam Koblenski for developing, setting up and running the web page for the retreat house. As we move into this new endeavor we will continue to draw on their expertise and skills to make sure the web page is being used to its best potential. Web page address: www.jesuitretreathouse.org.

EMAIL
Many of you were having problems communicating with us by email during April. Our email provider experienced a virus. Let us know if you are experiencing problems in reaching us via the internet.

COFFEE CHANGE
As a response to a social injustice issue, we are now using Fare Trade organic regular coffee at the retreat house. It not only tastes better but, more importantly, our brothers and sisters receive a more just wage for their labor as growers.

Time To Remember

A number of long time retreatants have died this year. Please remember them in your prayers. If we have missed anyone or you have an update for us please let us know.

January: Bernard Waldkirch, Bernard Utic, Sr. Patricia Rocap, BVM, Perry Schappe and Leo Schmelzer.  February: Jim Rickels, George Mueller, Frank LaRosa, Kathy Koehler, long time coordinator for group #018, and Ken Wenzel. March: Judy Kropf and Bill Polley.

After celebrating his birthday in May, Fr. John couldn’t decide which set of wheels would work best!

 Photos by: Fr. Gene Donahue, SJ and Susan Philipp