devotion - Jesuits

JESUITS OF THE CALIFORNIA PROVINCE FALL 2008
DEVOTION
OUR LADY OF TALPA INSPIRES DEVOTEES
PLUNGING INTO REALITY IN LOS ANGELES
BECOMING STEWARDS OF GOD’S GARDEN
SMILES: VISIBLE SIGNS OF GOD’S LOVE
Lord Christ, help us to see what it is
that joins us together, not what separates us. For when we see only what it is
that makes us different, we too often become aware of what is wrong with others.
We see only their faults and weaknesses, interpreting their actions as flowing
from malice or hatred rather than fear. Even when confronted with evil, Lord,
you forgave and sacrificed yourself rather than sought revenge.
Teach us to do the same by the power of your Spirit.
—William Breault, S.J., Califor nia Province
JESUITS OF THE CALIFORNIA PROVINCE fall 2008
8
California Province
Centennial Initiatives
As the California Province prepares to celebrate its
centennial in 2009, it is embarking on two timely
initiatives: the Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra
and the Kino Border Initiative.
12
A child rests his head in the migrant aid station operated by
the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Sonora. For more, see
“California Province Centennial Initiatives,” page 8.
IN EVERY ISSUE
2From ThE PROVINCIAL
Doing it all for Christ
by John P. McGarry, S.J.
3PROVINCE NEWS
New St. Mary Church opens in
Utah, two Jesuits ordained as
priests, Jesuit creates bilingual
catechism for Hispanics
Our Lady of Talpa
Inspires Devotion
A Jesuit-driven ministry in
Arizona connects with Hispanics
and offers Catholics a lesson in
enculturated faith.
16
Plunging into Reality
Loyola High School students learn about poverty
by living among the homeless in Los Angeles.
7GOOD STEWARD
Meet Jim D’Amico
by Dick Bushnell
22ON POINT
Becoming Stewards of God’s Garden
by Paul Totah
24MEDITATIONS
Smiles: Visible Signs of God’s Love
by Randy Roche, S.J.
ON THE COVER: Father John Auther, S.J., celebrates the Eucharist in a backyard as part of an
evening devotion to Our Lady of Talpa. For more, see page 12. PHOTO BY DON STEVENSON
MISSION fall 2008 1
Doing it all for Christ
T
mission
editor
Richards E. Bushnell
EDITORIAL contributors
Kim Cavnar
Dan Peterson, S.J.
Paul Totah
Randy Roche, S.J.
Susan Wampler
DESIGN
Zehno Cross Media Communications
Advancement Office
William F. Masterson
Provincial Assistant for Advancement
Elizabeth L. Winer
Associate Director of Annual Giving
Richards E. Bushnell
Associate Director of Communications
John P. Mossi, S.J.
Associate Director for Benefactor Relations
Chelsea Boyer
Advancement Assistant
Mission is published three times a year
by the Jesuits of the California Province
P.O. Box 68 Los Gatos, CA, 95031-0068
Phone: (408) 884-1630
E-mail: [email protected]
www.jesuitscalifornia.org
©2008 California Province of the
Society of Jesus. All rights reserved.
The comments and opinions expressed
in Mission magazine are those of the authors
and editors and do not necessarily reflect
official positions of the California Province of
the Society of Jesus.
his is an important time for the
Society of Jesus. At the level of the
universal, international Society we
are beginning the implementation of the
decrees of our 35th General Congregation
(GC 35) under the leadership of our Superior General Very Rev. Adolfo Nicolás, S.J.
(To read the decrees, use the link below.)
In the United States of America Assistancy, the conference of U.S. provinces, we
have completed a Strategic Discernment
Process which has resulted in strategic
decisions and commitments by Jesuit
Provincials for future service to the Church
in the U.S. Having received approval
from Superior General Nicolás, we begin
implementation between now and 2021 in
the areas of leadership formation, vocation
promotion, reconfiguration of provinces
(consolidating from 10 to 5), and more. All
of this is aimed at deepening and sharpening our vocation to serve with renewed
vigor and zeal the least and the all in the
Church and in our world through vibrant
apostolic partnerships. (To read about the
Strategic Apostolic Direction of the U.S.
Jesuit Assistancy, use the link below.)
Here in the California Province, we are
preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our province and its service to the
Church. Since 1909, the California Province
has engaged in educational, pastoral, social,
spiritual, and international ministries. Next
year, we will mark the California Province
Centennial through a variety of events
and activities, including a special visitation
of Superior General Adolfo Nicolás to
the California Province from January 30February 7, 2009 and a Convocation in
August 2009 at Santa Clara University
where our 400 Jesuits and hundreds of our
apostolic partners in ministry will gather.
What have we done for Christ? What are
we doing for Christ? What ought we to do
for Christ? Those questions from the heart
of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius
Loyola, the Society’s founder, will frame
the Province’s Centennial Convocation as
well as the implementation of the Society’s
GC 35 decrees and the decisions and
commitments of the Assistancy Strategic
Discernment.
In his address to the delegates of the
35th General Congregation in Rome on
February 21, Pope Benedict XVI affirmed
and challenged the Society of Jesus when
he told us “the Church needs you, counts
on you, and continues to turn to you with
confidence.” To meet the Holy Father’s
affirmation and challenge, the Society
relies on collaboration which, as always, is
the heart of our mission as Jesuits. Therefore, we count on you—our apostolic
partners, benefactors, and friends—to
work alongside us and to allow us the
privilege of working alongside you.
As the Province’s 100th anniversary
approaches and during our Centennial
year, our Advancement Office will be leading a major effort to raise funds in support
of the challenges ahead. We cannot meet
our goals for faithful service to the Church
through new or existing ministries without
your help. I thank you, in advance, for
your ongoing generous support of the
California Province of the Society of Jesus.
This is an exciting time for the Society
of Jesus, a time for renewing our ministries
and our partnerships—and it is all for the
greater glory of God and His Son Jesus
Christ. Let us continue to serve together,
to assist one another, to pray for and with
each other, and to reveal the God who is the
source of strength within each one of us.
Gratefully in the Lord,
Rev. John P. McGarry, S.J.
Provincial
To read the decrees of General Congregation 35, go to www.sjweb.info/35/index.cfm
To read the Strategic Apostolic Direction of the U.S. Jesuit Assistancy, go to
www.jesuit.org/AboutJesuitConference/AssistancyStrategicDiscernment/downloads/415.aspx
2 MISSION fall 2008
New St. Mary Church opens
its doors in Utah
A
TOP: Sturdy stonework frames the entry to new
St. Mary Church. RIGHT: Clerestory windows
bathe the baptismal font and altar in soft light.
ABOVE: Father Martin I. Rock, S.J., pastor.
graceful new St. Mary Church was dedicated on June 9
to serve a growing Jesuit parish in West Haven, Utah.
Bishop John C. Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City,
who presided at the dedication rite, told the congregants: “This
is a day of rejoicing. We have come together to dedicate this
church by offering within it the sacrifice of Christ.”
Bishop Wester concelebrated the dedication Mass with
Father Martin I. Rock, S.J., pastor of St. Mary Parish; Father
Leo P. Prengaman, S.J., associate pastor; and Father Gerald H.
Robinson, S.J, who represented the California Provincial. Deacon
Steve Neveraski of St. Mary Parish lit the altar candles as the
house lights were turned on, symbolically bringing forth the light
of Christ.
Deacon Jack Clark of St. Mary Parish expressed thanks to
the faith community “for their firm commitment to achieve this
dream to have a new church strategically located in the heart of
the community.” The parish serves 1,400 households, according
to Fr. Rock.
“St. Mary Church is a house that was built on faith, love, and
resources by a community of Christ,” said Dave Freston, chairman of the parish building committee. “I think anyone who looks
at this church can see that we thought hard constantly to wisely
spend every dollar our parishioners ever gave us,” he added.
Begun as the Santa Maria
Mission in May 1947, St. Mary
Parish dedicated its first church in
1957. After eight years of planning
and fundraising, the parish moved
to the new structure, six miles
from the old site, in late April.
The church complex includes the
Martin I. Rock Education Center.
Named for Fr. Rock, who has
served as pastor since 1992,
the center has eight classrooms
where children who attend public
schools can receive religious
education in Confraternity of
Christian Doctrine (CCD) classes.
For more information about
St. Mary Parish, including a
Mass schedule, go to
www.utbiz.com/stmarys/
MISSION fall 2008 3
ORDINATIONS
Two Jesuits ordained
to priesthood
I
n early June, Father Frank C. Buckley,
S.J., and Father Sean T. Dempsey, S.J.,
were ordained to the priesthood in
Sacred Heart Chapel at Loyola Marymount
University in Los Angeles. Most Reverend
Gabino Zavala, Auxiliary Bishop of Los
Angeles, was the presider.
Orleans on April 3, 1960. After graduating from
Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose,
he majored in psychology at the University of
California, Berkeley. He entered the Society
on August 23, 1998. In postgraduate studies,
he earned a Master’s in Social Work (M.S.W.)
from Loyola University Chicago and an M.Div.
from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.
During his regency at Bellarmine College
Prep, he worked in the counseling department
and taught yoga to freshmen and seniors. Fr.
Buckley will be living at the Jesuit Community
at St. Agnes in San Francisco while working
at the Ozanam Recovery Center of St. Vincent
de Paul Society as he finishes licensing for his
M.S.W.
Father Sean T. Dempsey, S.J., was born in
Shirley, N.Y., on March 26, 1973. He earned
a B.A. in English from the University of Notre
Dame in 1995. He entered the Society of Jesus
on August 23, 1998. In postgraduate studies, he
Father Robert Dolan, S.J.
Father Frank C. Buckley, S.J., was born in New
received a M.A. in American Studies from Saint
Louis University in 2003 and an M.Div. from
the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley in
2008. During his regency at Loyola Marymount
University, he taught American cultures and
served as direct service coordinator at the
Center for Service and Action. After a pastoral
year at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Phoenix,
Fr. Dempsey plans to pursue further studies.
From left: Father Chi Ngo, S.J., Provincial Assistant
for Formation and Vocations; Father Frank Buckley, S.J.;
Most Rev. Gabino Zavala, Auxiliary Bishop of
Los Angeles; Father Sean Dempsey, S.J.; and
Father Provincial John McGarry, S.J.
IN REMEMBRANCE
Father J. Philip Conneally, S.J., 94 August 8,
2008 at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. Born in
Los Angeles on May 9, 1914, he graduated
from Loyola High School (LHS) in 1931, and
he entered the Jesuits at Los Gatos. He taught
at Bellarmine College Preparatory (1938-41)
and was ordained to the priesthood in 1944.
He spent over 50 years at LHS as teacher,
librarian, and pastoral minister. He was a
veritable archive of Los Angeles history.
June 14, 2008
at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos. Born
into a much-traveled, multilingual diplomatic
family in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, on
January 30, 1926, he grew up in Colombia.
Father Gerald J. Phelan, S.J., 82
4 MISSION fall 2008
After service in World War II and graduation from Loyola Marymount University, he
entered the Jesuits in 1950. After theological studies in Germany, he was ordained
a priest in 1962 and served for many years
on the staff of the Vatican’s Secretariat
for Non-Believers in Rome. Returning to
California, he served as campus minister at
Santa Clara University and in Spanish- and
Portuguese-speaking parishes in Santa Ana
and Santa Clara, where he used his linguistic abilities to great advantage.
July
18, 2008 at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center,
Los Gatos. Born in San Francisco on
Father Edward V. Stackpoole, S.J., 82
September 21, 1925. After graduation from St.
Ignatius College Preparatory, he entered the
Jesuits in February 1943. He taught English at
Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose,
and studied theology in Enghien, Belgium,
where he was ordained a priest in 1956. He
did graduate studies in English at Oxford University. In 1961, he began a long association
with the University of San Francisco, serving
as both teacher and administrator. He retired
as Professor Emeritus in 2000 and continued
in the classroom as a lecturer in USF’s Fromm
Institute, a continuing education program for
senior citizens.
create an effective
The cornerstone of your legacy to your family
and community is your estate plan.
Proactive estate planning can help you:
• Maximize your goals as the estate owner
• Pass along the greatest amount of your
estate to intended beneficiaries
• Minimize the amount of taxes and avoid
probate court involvement
• Help prevent family dissension at a
stressful time
• Gain the satisfaction of knowing that
your gift will live on in Jesuit works
• Become an honored member of the
Legacy Circle of the California Province
of the Society of Jesus
Our free estate planning kit can help
you create an effective estate plan,
organize your documents, and provide
the directions others will need to fulfill
your wishes. While it is not a substitute
for legal advice, our kit can help you
transfer assets to beneficiaries while
minimizing taxes and legal fees.
If you would like to order your free estate
planning kit or have any questions, please
contact William Masterson, Provincial
Assistant for Advancement, at (408) 8841630 or e-mail [email protected]
The California Province of the Society of Jesus
is a qualified charitable organization under
section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031-0068
408-884-1630, www.jesuitscalifornia.org
Happy Birthday, St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, S.J.
D
uring 2008,
the National Jesuit
Brothers Committee
is celebrating
the 475th birthday of St.
Alphonsus Rodriguez, S.J.
Born on July 25, 1533, in
Segovia, Spain, Alphonsus
was the son of a successful
wool and cloth merchant
whose household provided
hospitality to Blessed Peter
Faber, one of St. Ignatius’
first companions, when that
Jesuit came to Segovia to
preach.
According to Joseph N.
Tylenda, S.J., author of
Jesuit Saints & Martyrs, “On
January 6, 1571 Alphonsus
entered the Jesuit novitiate
and after six months was
instructed to go to the Jesuit college of Montesíon in Palma on the
island of Majorca off the coast of Spain to complete his novitiate
training. Alphonsus…was to remain there for the next forty-six years
of his life.”
As the college’s doorkeeper, he tried to see Christ in each of the guests
who came to the door. “In his memoirs Alphonsus informs us that…on
his way to the door he would repeatedly say, ‘I’m coming, Lord.’ ”
Alphonsus was always appreciated for his kindness and holiness,
but only after his death did his memoirs and spiritual notes reveal the
quality and depth of his prayer life. The humble brother had been
favored by God with remarkable mystical graces, ecstasies, and visions.
Brother Alphonsus died on October 31, 1617, with “the name of his
Savior on his lips,” notes Tylenda. He was canonized by Pope Leo XIII
in 1888. St. Alphonsus Rodriguez is the patron saint of Jesuit brothers.
Currently, about 26 Jesuit brothers are members of the California Province.
Gebhard Fröhlich, S.J.
Estate plan
Prayer attributed to Alphonsus Rodriguez
Lord, let me know you, let me know myself.
Lord, you do your will and not mine.
I’m just coming, Lord.
—from Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits
MISSION fall 2008 5
CaliForNia JeSuit CreateS BiliNGual CateChiSM For hiSpaNiCS
F
ather Bill Ameche, S.J., a California Province Jesuit, combined
his cartooning and writing skills to create a Spanish catechism
that was used in many parts of Mexico.
Later, while he was working at Dolores Mission in
East Los Angeles, he made a bilingual Spanish/
English edition of that same catechism. Now
he has enhanced that bilingual edition and
it is being used to teach Hispanics in the
Diocese of Charlotte, N.C.
Written in Spanish and English,
Catecismo en Comunidad
(Catechism in Community)
combines an illustrated workbook for Hispanic children
to use with help from
their parents whose first
language is Spanish,
along with a companion
guide for catechists. The workbook is
suitable for coloring by youngsters.
More than 500,000 Hispanics now reside in North Carolina
alone and they represent over 50 percent of the Catholics in
the dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh, explains
Fr. Ameche. “There are not enough priests who know Spanish
and the Hispanic culture to address the situation.”
In response, the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus
launched the Institute on Migration, Culture and Ministry
(I.M.C.M.) whose aim is to assist Hispanics in the region.
Baltimore-based Father William C. Rickle, S.J., is the coordinator of the I.M.C.M. When California Provincial John P. McGarry,
S.J., missioned Fr. Ameche to work with the Maryland
Province, he was asked by Fr. Rickle to collaborate with the
Diocese of Charlotte.
Fr. Ameche helps pastors there to understand Hispanics and
deal with their particular needs. “My main job is to detect and
train Hispanic leaders for the different ministries,” he says.
“I work with Antonio García, a young married Hispanic man,
who is the coordinator in this Vicariate. We definitely work as
a team.”
www.JeSuitSCaliForNia.orG
Province News and more information .
6 MISSION fall 2008
“I have worked at training catechists in different parishes.
The catechists, who use the bilingual catechism, go out to
trailer parks to work with the children and their parents. They
are extraordinary missionaries!”
Within a year of implementing Fr. Ameche’s books, more
than half of the parishes in the Asheville Vicariate now use this
catechism. “These books are very simple and modest, but
they work,” says Fr. Ameche.
For information on obtaining the children’s catechism
workbook ($3.50 each) and the catechist’s guide ($3),
contact Fr. ameche at [email protected]
Meet Jim D’Amico
F
or Jim D’Amico, doing good things for others isn’t
just a warm, fuzzy concept but an ongoing life practice
that has touched the lives of people across California’s
Santa Clara Valley and beyond.
Leonard went on
Jim says the seeds of caring for others were planted by his
to attend Stanford
father, Leonard, who tried to live the Golden Rule, and by the
University, Jonathan to
Jesuits at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose who set an
Penn State. Neither
example for their students by being “men for others.”
son chose to continue
Jim’s father and mother, Catherine, were second-generation
in the tire business.
Italian immigrants from Sicily. They moved from the East Coast
So in January 1993
to the Santa Clara Valley as young children. Eventually, the
Jim sold the busiD’Amicos first child, Kathy, was born, followed by Jim in 1941.
ness but retained
His parents decided that he would attend Bellarmine. “I acits portfolio of real
complished more in the three years I was at Bellarmine than I
estate. He continues
did before or subsequently,” says Jim. “I remember a lot of my
to lease the properJesuit instructors as very balanced men.” Perhaps the most
Marlene and Jim D’Amico
ties to automotive
valuable lesson he gleaned is that school “is not simply
firms. Jonathan, who returned to college to earn an M.B.A.
about learning math and languages, it’s learning about
at Santa Clara University, manages the family’s portfolio.
how to be a good person and live a ‘balanced’ life,”
“Jesuits
Leonard went on to earn a Ph.D. at the University of
he says. “The Jesuits did a great job of awakenWashington and is a research biologist in Seattle.
ing us to social responsibility.”
have woven a
With one career under his belt, Jim soon
After graduating from a public high school,
thread
through
my
life
found a whole new avocation. In 1999Jim served in the U.S. Marine Corps Re2000, he received a phone call from
serve during the early 1960s work& my family’s life which binds
Murphy Sabatino, Sr., a long-time friend.
ing at air delivery at bases including
us ethically, morally,
He wanted Jim’s help to fulfill the dream
Camp Pendleton and Okinawa. When
of the late Father Matteo Sheedy, then pastor
he returned home, Jim decided to join his
and spiritually.”
of Sacred Heart Parish in San Jose, to reopen the
father’s business: Tire Service Company in
school at Sacred Heart. Sabatino told him, “I not only
downtown San Jose. “I made a career of it,” he
want your checkbook, I want you to become involved in
says. “I learned every job, including buying, selling,
the formation of the school,” recalls Jim.
marketing, merchandising, manufacturing (retreading),
Ultimately, Jim became a board member of Sacred Heart
and physically changing tires.”
Nativity School (SHNS) which opened its doors in August 2001 to
Then in 1963, Jim met Marlene and “my life changed
serve at-risk boys. SHNS is co-sponsored by Sacred Heart Parish,
forever,” he says. They married in November and were blessed
the Diocese of San Jose, and the California Province of the Sociwith two sons: Leonard in 1969, Jonathan in 1970. Both boys
ety of Jesus. In 2006, Our Lady of Grace Nativity School for Girls
went on to attend Bellarmine. “It was through my observation of
opened with its first class of 6th graders. Both middle schools
their experience at Bellarmine” that “it became clear to me that
serve mainly low-income Hispanic youths.
my job of helping other people wasn’t finished.” In particular, Jim
Today, Jim serves on the boards of directors and members of
credits Father Bill Muller, S.J., then a teacher and rector of the
the SHNS. Additionally, he serves on the Advancement LeaderJesuit community at Bellarmine, for imparting and reinforcing a
ship Council of the California Province and is a member of its
strong work ethic and moral compass in his two sons. “Fr. Muller
Loyola Council of benefactors. Jim says: “Jesuits have woven a
has remained a strong thread through our family,” says Jim,
thread through my life and my family’s life which binds us ethiadding that the priest was recently asked to baptize Jonathan’s
cally, morally, and spiritually.”—Dick Bushnell
second son, Michael Joseph D’Amico.
MISSION fall 2008
7
California Province Centennial Initiatives:
R e s p o n d i n g t o t h e C a l l o f C h R i s t, 10 0 y e a R s a n d B e yo n d
D
uring 2009, the California Province will celebrate the 100th anniver
anniversary of its inception as a separate provincial entity of the Society of
Jesus. Born out of the Turin Province in 1909, the California Province
soon developed a distinct American identity and mission geared toward the
needs of people living in the far western United States. To mark its centennial,
the Province is embarking on two major initiatives: upgrading group facilities
at Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra to better serve retreatants; and launching the new Kino Border Initiative on the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales,
Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora.
In this special report, you will learn about the initiatives and why we
believe they are worthy of your financial support and possibly your personal
participation as a guest or visitor in the near future. These initiatives repre-sent the California Province’s response to the call of Jesus Christ as our
Jesuits, lay partners in ministry, and benefactors enter a new century of
serving God and His people.
applegate
Applega te
resort (sh
own here
ea rly 1950 s
in the
) w as purc
hased b y th
Californ ia
e
Pro vin ce in
1955 .
auburn
Rocklin
Citrus heights
Photography by Anne Hamersky
sacramento
New lodging quarters and renovated chapel (inset) accommodate guests at the Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra.
8 MISSION fall 2008
JesUit RetReat CenteR of the sieRRa
The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to
them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest awhile.” Mark 6:31
Jesuits have long been known for hosting retreats. St. Ignatius
Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, is the patron saint of retreats.
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius have provided countless
retreatants the opportunity to encounter God in a highly personal way that for many has been a life-transforming experience.
The mission of the Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra is to
bring spirituality to life by offering individuals and organizations
a special place to reflect, pray, learn, and relax in a beautiful
and tranquil setting. The center is especially devoted to serving
the spiritual needs of people of modest means who might not
otherwise be able to go on retreat. Families with children are
welcome here. Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra provides lodging,
meals, and meeting places in which guests can conduct their own
programs, unlike other facilities which offer organized retreats.
Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra is located next to the village
of Applegate near the North Fork of the American River, about
40 miles northeast of Sacramento. Nestled in California’s historic
Gold Country, the area provides a natural environment for rest,
reflection, and spiritual renewal. Situated in a pine and oak
forest in the Sierra foothills, the site is readily accessible from
Interstate Highway 80 via Boole Road.
Formerly known as Our Lady of the Oaks Villa, the property
had served as a resort for San Francisco Bay Area vacationers
since the 1890s. In 1955, the California Province purchased the
property of more than 300 acres to serve as a vacation site for
Jesuit priests, brothers, and scholastics. By 1967, a chapel, dining
room, lodge and recreation space, and a swimming pool had
been added to the site. Since then, Jesuit Retreat Center of the
Sierra has served as an affordable, family-friendly retreat center
for Jesuit and primarily Catholic-affiliated groups.
The center is rustic, yet comfortable. In 2007, extensive remodeling of the chapel and dining room was completed. The 1890s
lodge building was demolished and replaced by a new meeting
and conference center. With these improvements, the Jesuit Retreat
Center of the Sierra can better accommodate the Province’s Jesuit
ministries and Catholic groups in California’s Central Valley.
From September through May each year, the Jesuit Retreat
Center of the Sierra hosts retreats for the University of San
Francisco, Catholic high schools in Sacramento, parishes and
groups from the Diocese of Sacramento, as well as Protestant
churches and civic groups when space is available. During the
summer, the Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra hosts the annual
conference of PICO and a summer camp for Sacred Heart
Nativity School and Our Lady of Grace Nativity School from
San Jose. During part of the month of August, the Jesuit Retreat
Center of the Sierra is reserved for the use of Jesuits.
Using the CenteR. The center can accommodate up to
120 guests for day-use only and 72 overnight guests. Overnight
meetings require a minimum of 22 guests. A cafeteria
with a full kitchen
provides breakfast,
lunch, and dinner.
Most bedrooms
sleep two and
all have shared
bathrooms. For larger
groups, additional
lodging is available
in the nearby city of
Auburn.
For information
on reserving space at
Jesuit Retreat Center
of the Sierra, contact
rt parents at
Ron Weingart, resident
Students esco
the Sierra
manager: call (530)
at Center of
re
et
R
it
su
Je
Our Lady of
878-2776 or e-mail
er camp for
during summ
Girls.
[email protected] or
School for
Grace Nativity
write to Applegate Villa,
P.O. Box 128, Applegate,
CA 95703.
FUNDING NEEDS: The Jesuit Retreat Center of the Sierra serves a wide range of religious and
non-profit groups as well as individuals, many of modest means. As a result, the limited income from
operations must be supplemented through fundraising. Substantial financial support is needed to defray
the cost of operations and ongoing maintenance of retreat facilities and to provide scholarship funds for
low-to-moderate income groups.
For more information, contact the California Province Advancement Office at (408) 884-1635 or
e-mail [email protected]
MISSION fall 2008
9
Kino Border Initiative
If a stranger lives with you in your land, do
not molest him. You must count him among
your own countrymen and love him as yourself—for you were once strangers yourself in
Egypt. Leviticus 19:32-34
Three centuries ago, there was no border separating Nogales,
Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Spain still owned the land
and the Pima Indians were the sole inhabitants of this rugged and
untamed desert area. In the late 17th century, the Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino, S.J., made his way from Mexico to the
Nogales area, which he called the Pimeria Alta. From his arrival in
1687 until his death in 1711, the beloved “Padre on Horseback”
rode thousands of miles over the harsh desert terrain of southern
Arizona and northern Sonora, where he established more than
20 missions including the famous San Xavier del Bac, while
promoting peace among the native tribes.
After the Gadsden Purchase in the 1850s reshaped the boundaries between the United States and Mexico, Nogales was divided.
Nogales, Ariz., became a town in 1883, while its Mexican counterpart grew at a faster rate and became a city in 1907. Today, the
twin cities known as “Ambos Nogales” share many cultural and
commercial links as well as being a major portal of migration.
In March 2008, the California Province announced plans to
launch the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), a binational effort to
provide innovative social, pastoral, and educational ministries to
migrants and the communities most affected by them on both
sides of the United States-Mexico border. The KBI is based in
Nogales, Ariz., and Nogales, Sonora—twin cities which are the
region’s major ports of trade, entry, and deportation.
“By making a concrete and visible commitment to the KBI, the
Society of Jesus is making a public and prophetic commitment to
stand—with one foot on each side of the border—in a context
of suffering, misunderstanding, humility, and hope,” noted Father
Provincial John P. McGarry, S.J. “Through the KBI, the Province
seeks to serve the Church by creating opportunities for pastoral
formation, providing faith-based social analysis, and advocating
for the protection of human rights and the common good.”
The initiative is a partnership with Jesuit Refugee Service/USA
(JRS/USA), the Mexican Province of the Society of Jesus, and the
Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist (Misioneras de la Eucaristía)
in close collaboration with the bishops and pastoral leaders of
the Diocese of Tucson, Ariz., and the Archdiocese of Hermosillo,
Sonora.
Prior to the KBI’s formal launch in January 2009, the Province
will prepare to open a Jesuit residential community in Nogales,
Ariz., which will include Jesuits from the California Province,
10 MISSION fall 2008
Photography by Father Robert G. Dolan, S.J.
JRS/USA, and potentially from the Mexican Province. Father Sean
O. Carroll, S.J., will serve as Executive Director of the Kino Border
Initiative, and Father Peter G. Neeley, S.J., will serve as Associate
Director for Formation and Education.
In Nogales, Sonora, the KBI will be responsible for staffing
El Comedor, a diocesan-sponsored care center where migrants
deported from the U.S. can receive a meal and counsel, and Casa
de la Mujer Deportada Caminante, a short-term shelter for vulnerable women, some with children, who have been deported. The
KBI has contracted with the Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist to
administer these facilities located near the port of deportation.
On the U.S. side of the border, socio-pastoral outreach will
consist primarily of coordinating volunteer and service opportunities for local parishioners to get involved in providing care for
deported migrants. Beginning in summer 2009, the KBI plans to
host groups of students, faculty, and parishioners for short-term
immersion experiences at sites where they can learn about the
realities of migration and the border in light of Catholic social
teaching and Ignatian spirituality.
Marana
tucson
vail
Benson
sahuarita
United States
Hun gr y
youn g s
ter sop
w ith br
s up st
ead ser
ew
ved a t m
ig
r
a
n t aid s
in Nog a
ta tion
les, S o
n ora.
nogales
Mexico
Sister Maria Engracia Robles of the
Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist
(M. de la E.) stirs up supper.
During the course of their outreach, the KBI staff and volunteers will engage in research and analysis of the demographics of
migration, the consequences of economic and legislative policy at
the border, and violations of human rights.
“I have felt deeply blessed to participate in the discernment
regarding the development of the Kino Border Initiative,” said Fr.
Carroll. “I remember hearing and singing a song with the refrain
‘Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me.’ May the Spirit continue
to fall fresh on us, and on all the participants in the Kino Border
Initiative, as this new ministry begins to take root and to grow in
Ambos Nogales.”
S ister Jac
obin a Aqu
ila r, M. de
helps a m
la E.,
igra n t slic
e on ion s fo
a commun
r
al meal.
Fr. McGarry added, “I invite the lay partners of the California
Province to pray for the success of our efforts to launch this
important new ministry that seeks to cultivate ‘solidarity with the
least and with all’.”
FUNDING NEEDS: Substantial financial support is needed to establish a Jesuit residential
community at Nogales, Ariz., to support the migrant care center and women’s shelter operated
by the Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist, and to facilitate immersion programs for visiting
Catholic groups.
For more information on how to give, contact the Kino Border Initiative by e-mail at
[email protected] or call the California Province Advancement Office at (408) 884-1635.
MISSION fall 2008
11
Our Lady of Talpa
Photography by Don Stevenson
As a summer rainstorm sweeps over Phoenix, members of the Evangelizadores carry on with a procession in honor of Our Lady of Talpa.
12 MISSION fall 2008
a inspires devotion
A Jesuit-driven ministry thrives in
Arizona Adorned in a gilded gown, she cradles the
infant Jesus in her arms. From the crescent moon at her
feet to the gold crown gracing her head, she stands only 20
inches high. Some call her La Chaparrita, The Little Short
One. Her formal name is Our Lady of the Rosary, Beloved
Patroness of Talpa de Allende. Despite her diminutive size,
she is a powerful presence who inspires deep devotion
among Catholics in west-central Mexico and everywhere her
devotees have relocated. b y K i m C a v n a r
MISSION fall 2008 13
Father John Auther, S.J, celebrates the Mass of the Assumption of Mary at a Phoenix home where worshippers huddle under a carport.
Far right: A megaphone held by Fr. Auther helps carry Miguel Ortega’s voice as he reads from the missal on a stormy night.
“I’ll do anything for Our Lady of
Talpa!” exclaims Father John P. Auther, S.J. His passion
is apparent as he recalls his long-time devotion to Mary, the
Mother of God. When John was 18 years old and working and
living at an orphanage for a year in Mexico, he visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe which left him deeply moved
as the devotion of the people was like none he’d ever seen.
Years later, after he became a Jesuit priest, John was assigned
to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in San Diego. While Our
Lady of Guadalupe is mater et mater (the mother of mothers)
and is loved by many throughout the world, there are regional
manifestations of the Blessed Mother throughout Mexico. John
began to explore the possibility of acquiring a statue of the
Virgin from Mexico. Friends who were aware of John’s interest
advised him to meet a visiting priest who would be bringing
an exact replica of the statue from Mexico. When the priest arrived, John acquired the statue for his use in ministry.
In Talpa de Allende, Jalisco, a basilica was built in 1782
in honor of Our Lady of Talpa. For centuries, devout Catholics from Jalisco and Nayarit have made pilgrimages here to
14 MISSION fall 2008
show their devotion to Our Lady whose statue reposes in
the basilica. According to the legend, the statue, which was
originally made of cornhusks, was eaten up by insects and so
badly deteriorated that the village priest decided to bury it. As
an Indian woman was reaching for the statue to place it in the
ground, the statue was miraculously renovated. To this day in
Talpa de Allende, devotees celebrate the renovation of Our
Lady of Talpa (September 19), her “birthday” (October 7), and
her crowning (May 10-12).
Shortly after he acquired the statue, John was assigned to
serve as associate pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Phoenix, Ariz. He grew up in Phoenix and his family still resides
there; St. Francis Xavier is his original home parish. Over the
years, the parish had also grown to serve more Hispanic members. More recently, it has become the base for the Evangelizadores, a tightly knit faith community trained by a Hispanic
deacon to reach out to fellow Hispanics and assist with sacramental preparation. When John arrived at St. Francis Xavier, he
met with the Evangelizadores and realized their great leadership potential. And almost before John knew it, the Evangelizadores adopted Our Lady of Talpa as their own.
s she makes her way around metropolitan
Phoenix and outlying rural areas, Our Lady of
Talpa is clearly connecting with the Hispanics and
offering Catholics a lesson in enculturated faith.
Our Lady of Talpa is the central figure in a mobile ministry
conducted by John and the Evangelizadores. Safeguarded in a
case, Our Lady travels by car or truck to homes and communities where the people have a devotion and welcome her presence. (In Mexico, the custom of the statue going from home
to home is commonly practiced.) Arrangements are made for
Our Lady to spend the night or even several days on makeshift
altars. During Our Lady’s visit, family and friends assemble
to pray the Rosary and have something to eat together. The
Evangelizadores give a brief talk, pray, and sing songs. Sometimes, they share their testimonies of Our Lady’s intervention
in their lives. After the guests leave, someone from the host
family remains with the statue praying into the night. The statue
visits a different home almost every night from October through
December 12th for special feast days associated with Mary.
Throughout this time, the Evangelizadores encourage couples
to get married in the church and urge families to bring their
children to catechism classes.
As she makes her way around metropolitan Phoenix and
outlying rural areas, Our Lady of Talpa is clearly connecting
with the Hispanics and offering Catholics a lesson in enculturated faith. John thinks that Jesuits and the U.S. Catholic Church
sometime tend to be cerebral, thereby missing “cues of the
spiritual disorientation” among immigrants instead of providing
them with “access to the devotional practices important to them
before they arrived.”
As an environment for immigrants, Phoenix is considered by
some to be one America’s least welcoming major cities due to
its restrictive legislative measures. That lack of welcome is taking place because the voices of newcomers aren’t being heard,
John thinks. So if there’s a forum for immigrants to explain
why they come and the hardships they face, then citizens may
experience a change of heart. In a parish program titled “We
Are Your Immigrant Brothers and Sisters. Let Us Tell You Our
Story,” John invites immigrant parishioners of legal and illegal
status to meet with English-speaking parishioners to share their
stories: about how limited work opportunities in Mexico drive
people north; about families who complied with the legalization process for 10 or more years only to be denied access;
about the difficulty of acquiring medical and vehicle insurance
in the U.S. without a Social Security number. After the program,
the Evangelizadores share crowd-pleasing foods like tostada de
tinga de pollo, a crisp tortilla topped with shredded chicken and
vegetables in a savory sauce.
Recently, John and the Evangelizadores traveled with
Our Lady of Talpa to a local dairy in an isolated area where
immigrants reside in company housing. In a backyard there,
straw was laid down and a makeshift altar assembled as
people gathered to pray the Rosary,
celebrate Mass,
share a meal, and
talk about their
experiences, all in
the company of
Our Lady.
MISSION fall 2008 15
On a hot day in L.A., a bicyclist receives a bottle of water from Urban Plunge participants
Brian Contreras (left), Jesse Brennan, Brent McGarry and Andrew Yassa.
16 MISSION fall 2008
Plunging
into
reality
LOYOLA HiGH SCHOOL STUdenTS LeArn ABOUT
UrBAn POverTY BY LivinG AMOnG THe HOMeLeSS
in THe CiTY Of AnGeLS
BY SUSAn L. WAMPLer
P H O T O S B Y M A n U e L L O PA G A n e L L i
W
hile students go about their daily routines at Loyola
High School (LHS) in the heart of central Los Angeles,
the downtown skyline just to the east serves as a constant reminder of the school’s connection to the city and
its role in the community. Founded in 1865, LHS is the oldest continuously operated educational institution in Southern California. Over the
years, this Jesuit school has grown up along with the city and educated
many of its civic leaders.
Despite the school’s historic connection to Los Angeles, as one
walks across its beautiful, tranquil, and sheltered campus, it is easy to
forget that Skid Row and the city’s largest concentration of homeless
persons are a mere three miles away. To underscore the students’ role
as men for and with others, and to minister to those most in need, LHS
launched the Urban Plunge in May 2004. Now, plunge programs are
scheduled on numerous weekends throughout the year, with student
volunteers spending three or four days and nights living among and
serving the homeless.
“Students understand going into this urban immersion that while they
will engage in direct service with homeless or nearly homeless people,
the major attitude adjustment going on is their own,” says Tom Zeko,
LHS director of community service.
The specific sites vary from plunge to plunge, but the students
engage with the homeless in at least three separate communities: Skid
MISSION fall 2008
17
Row, Hollywood, and Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles. On Skid Row,
the focus is the homeless adult population; in Hollywood, the homeless
youth population; and in Boyle Heights, on the undocumented immigrant
population, adds Tom. Food and lodging for LHS volunteers are provided
through the participating shelters and centers.
During each plunge, 10 to 12 participating students along with two to
three adult leaders, who are drawn from LHS faculty, staff, parents, and
alumni, travel by public transportation or on foot between the sites. The
group members prepare and serve food, visit with the homeless, listen to
their stories and concerns, play with youngsters at a home for battered
women and children, and do chores at the various agencies.
The main reason for being homeless that I heard was making a bad choice
of quitting their jobs or [doing] drugs. The homeless people I met impressed me in
their effort to improve their lives.
—Mauricio Alfonso, senior
“The most challenging part of the plunge is probably getting over
the stereotypes people have of the homeless,” says Kirk Busby, an LHS
senior who recently participated in his second plunge, his first as a
student leader. Kirk says it’s “a little bit disorienting to leave behind all the
comforts at home and meet these people who have endured so much.”
Los Angeles is simultaneously a city of great wealth and
devastating poverty, with the nation’s largest number of
homeless men, women, and children. On any given day,
the city is populated by nearly 70,000 homeless, 10,000 of
whom are under the age of 18. More than 5,000 homeless
are concentrated along Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. When the
homeless throughout Los Angeles County are tallied, the population is
closer to 75,000, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which conducted an official count in 2007.
While the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
reported a 15 percent drop in the number of homeless both in California
and nationwide between 2005 and 2007, homeless advocates fear the
numbers may spike again due to the housing crisis and the overall
economic downturn.
Statistical data for Los Angeles paint a disturbing picture: Some 86
percent of the homeless are U.S. citizens, 76 percent were employed for
some or all of the two years prior to becoming homeless, more than 40
percent are women and children, between one-third and one-half suffer
from mental illness, and more than half engage in substance abuse.
Stark
tale of
two
cities
Brian Contreras (right) draws a smile and a handshake from a client during a lunch
hospitality visit for St. Margaret Mary Parish’s mission outreach team.
18 MISSION fall 2008
MISSION fall 2008 19
ABOVE: Guests share the dinner table with Loyola High School students Pablo Ruiz
(center left) and Jesse Brennan (center right) at St. Vincent DePaul/Cardinal Manning Center.
RIGHT: Students pitch it to clean kitchen counters.
Taking
the
plunge
On a typically sunny Southern California Friday morning,
11 LHS students, led by seniors Jesse Brennan and Kirk
Busby, gather on campus with backpacks and sleeping
bags. They are met by the adult leaders for this particular
Urban Plunge: mathematics teacher Rob Eleuteri, who is overseeing his
second plunge, and Toyia Coulter of the treasurer’s office, who is making
her first plunge.
The weekend begins in Clougherty Chapel in Ruppert Hall, the Jesuit
community residence, with the Pilgrim’s Blessing, scripture reading, and
group prayer. Shared group reflections are a vital component of each
plunge and continue throughout the weekend.
20 MISSION fall 2008
The group’s first stop is Good Shepherd Shelter in Hollywood, where
LHS students play with the young residents of the transitional housing
facility for homeless mothers and children seeking refuge from domestic
violence. Next, the group moves on to nearby Blessed Sacrament Parish,
a Jesuit parish that offers showers, fresh clothing, breakfast and lunch
service, and weekly haircuts to the community’s homeless. The students
sort and organize donated clothing so it will be easier to distribute.
In the morning, the LHS contingent sets up and serves breakfast at
Blessed Sacrament, helping with lunch service before traveling south
to Inglewood. There, they visit St. John Chrysostom Catholic Church
and perform some needed yard work. From Inglewood, they move
east to downtown Los Angeles, where they share dinner and engage
in conversation with many of the homeless at the St. Vincent DePaul/
Cardinal Manning Center, a beacon of hope on Skid Row for more than
50 years.
After spending Saturday night at Cardinal Manning Center, they arise
early to serve breakfast to the homeless at Midnight Mission, another
Skid Row shelter. The next stop is Dolores Mission Church, yet another
Jesuit parish in Boyle Heights, where they attend Mass and engage in
reflection and prayer. For their last service mission of the plunge, they
join forces with a group from St. Margaret Mary Parish in Lomita to
distribute sandwiches and water to the homeless living on the streets
and under bridges. The weekend ends with a meal back at LHS and a
final reflection.
Over dinner, one man at Cardinal Manning Center told me his whole life story.
His words touched me. ... The majority of the people we visited are not that different from me.
The experience of the Urban Plunge is an opportunity everyone should take. It gives
you a good understanding of how many social issues there are today.
—Chris Ayers, senior
“Students lives are transformed over the course of the weekend,”
says Rob Eleuteri. “They not only see that there is much more to
homelessness than what they read in the newspaper, but that there is
also something that they can do to help resolve the problem.”
“I was particularly impressed with the boys’ actions, how they
treated the people they met,” adds Toyia Coulter. Like typical teenage
boys, they’re “laughing and joking around. But when it came time to
interact with those in the missions and on the streets, they were very
attentive and very respectful. Thirty or 40 years from now, this experience will still be a part of them. This is a lifelong learning lesson.”
Loyola High School’s Urban Plunge program has also conducted
immersion trips to impoverished areas far beyond Los Angeles, including
New Orleans in 2007 and Appalachia and Puebla, Mexico, during 2008.
For more information on the program, e-mail Tom Zeko, director of
community service: [email protected]
MISSION fall 2008 21
Becoming stewards of
God’s garden
At St. Ignatius College Prep,
an innovative course encourages
students to care for creation
By Paul Totah
M
y colleague Chad Evans and I set the bar high for
students in our Nature/Nexus class at St. Ignatius
College Preparatory (SI) in San Francisco. On the
first day of class, we introduce them to two course
goals: All you need to do, we tell them, is to become saints
and save the world.
For the past eight years, SI has offered Nature/Nexus, a yearlong interdisciplinary program that explores connections in
English and religion discovered through the study and experience of nature. We study nature because we are curious about
it, and that leads both to a creative response, which is manifested in literature and art; to a spiritual response through prayer
and a feeling of connectedness to the divine; and to a practical
response reflected by a desire to heal our broken world.
Graduates from the program have gone on to work for the
U.S. Department of Justice prosecuting environmental scofflaws, and for e-waste recyclers making sure old computers
and TVs don’t end up in landfills. Other students have helped
their university dorms “go green” by creating composting and
recycling programs.
Our students do this work because they know the world
cries out for such saints and heroes. We don’t have much
time — about a decade perhaps—to change the way we live
before the feedback loops and greenhouse gasses produce a
world of floods, epidemics, drought, famine, and economic
collapse.
Our students also do this work because the course encourages them to find God in all things: in the mission blue
butterflies flitting over the Johnny-Jump-Ups on San Bruno
Mountain south of San Francisco; in the sticky monkey flowers blossoming in a revitalized dump at Heron’s Head Park in
San Francisco’s Hunter’s Point district; and in red-legged frogs
thriving in newly-built ponds at Mori Point in Pacifica. Through
direct observation in the field, students come to see that these
precious sparks of life are worth preserving because they are
manifestations of God’s beauty and glory.
22 MISSION fall 2008
The course had its genesis in a backhanded way. While I was
driving to school one day, feeling tired after a weekend spent
correcting a mountain of essays, I tried to imagine the perfect
job for myself. I decided it involved walking along beaches
writing poetry, but I couldn’t find any job listings for my dream
position. Later, I realized the perfect job would involve others: students with whom to share the experience; a priest or
theology teacher to help us celebrate the sacramental life; and
a biologist who could show us how nature inspires us to ask
questions and find answers that further reveal God’s glory.
The biologist turned out to be my friend and classmate
Brian McCaffery (SI 1975), an ornithologist with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service based in Bethel, Alaska, and an ordained
permanent deacon. Brian has helped me to see the science,
poetry, and divinity of the natural world on our many hikes
and camping trips.
We took the idea for Nature/Nexus to Jim McGarry, a gifted
poet and naturalist who chaired the religious studies department at SI at the time. Jim added Nature/Nexus to the course
schedule.
In fall 2000, Brian, Jim, and I escorted the first class to
the beaches west of Pescadero, Calif., and to the mountains
overlooking that coastal town. We asked questions: about why
sea stars only crawl so high on tide pool rocks and why the
tanbark oak is one of the most important trees in a redwood
forest. We wrote poetry about the landscape around us and
the “inscape” of our own spiritual journeys. We reflected on
the myriad forms God’s creation takes, and we started to
understand our dual role as fellow creatures and as stewards of
God’s garden.
Then in 2003, Chad Evans, a religious studies teacher with
roots in Humboldt County, Calif., joined the program. He has
helped it grow into its present form, one that asks students to
consider the origins of our food and water supplies; to see how
much stuff our world consumes and throws away; to recognize
the environmental threats posed by pesticides, greenhouse
gasses, and warfare; to learn that the Catholic Church has long
stressed the theological necessity of caring for creation; and
finally to see themselves as people called to be stewards of the
earth and each other.
We accomplish these goals not by sitting in a classroom, but
by going on a two-hour field trip each week to experience
remnants of the wild world in and around San Francisco.
“I want to make sure that my family and kids get to enjoy a viable, safe, eco-friendly
planet. I don’t know what profession I will be in one day, but I know that I want to
be part of the change.”—Adam Goldberg
to see how many garbage cans were filled with uneaten loaves
of bread,” said senior Justin Ng.
We ask students to carry a garbage bag for 24 hours to record
how much trash they personally contribute to landfills. “I
created a pound of garbage,” said Adam Goldberg. “It’s hard to
believe the impact one person has on the earth.”
We visit local supermarkets where students ask employees
where the meat and produce come
from, but few know the answers
or seem to care. Reflecting on the
sacramental nature of food and the
Last Supper, we ask students to
shop for locally-produced food and
to prepare a meal for their families.
“I learned that eating is a very holy
thing,” said Elisa Fanucchi. “God’s
creation becomes a part of us when
we eat.”
Chad and I, as well as our
students, sometimes find ourselves
overwhelmed as we learn about the
catastrophic decline of salmon in
the Sacramento River and the speed
with which glaciers worldwide
are melting. When we read the final exams, our hope returns.
Here’s what Natalie Perkins wrote on her test: “Everything we
have learned has helped me to change my life in ways I never
even realized possible, helped me see how all life is connected,
and made me see the need to protect our environment. The
values instilled in me will stay with me for the rest of my life
and will aid me in my quest to be a savior for our planet.”
Paul Totah
Chad and I can talk about red-legged frogs in class, but
nothing beats seeing these creatures in a murky pond. On
our first trip there, to help prepare ditches that would supply
water for new frog ponds, local biologist and SI parent Mary
Petrilli explained the intricate relationship among the frogs,
the San Francisco garter snake, and the San Francisco forktail
damselfly — endangered species all. Just as we arrived, a redtailed hawk landed 10 feet away
to study our group. Mother Nature,
it seemed, was lending her hand
to our lesson plan. Such close
encounters gave meaning to their
work as they prepared the ditches
and later planted native juncus
grass around the ponds. They
learned that you cannot care for
that which you do not love; and
you cannot love that which you
do not know. Show them God’s
beauty and wonder, and the rest
will follow.
On another field trip, we go to
Buckeye Canyon on San Bruno
Mountain to visit the site of a
5,000-year-old village occupied by the Ohlone people. Dave
Schooley, who back in the 1970s fought to save the mountain
from development, leads us on this hike. When we arrive at
the site, he sings an Ohlone song, transcribed in the 1700s
by French explorers, about “rabbit, jackrabbit, quail, dancing,
dancing at the edge of the world.” By helping students envision
a land that was, Dave inspires them to see a habitat they might
restore to paradise.
Chad and I also ask our students to do a number of seemingly bizarre projects. When we study consumerism, we have them
dig through the school cafeteria’s garbage cans and recycling
bins after lunch to record what students discard. One day when
the cafeteria served “bread bowls stuffed with chili, it was scary
This fall, Paul Totah began his 24th year as a teacher at St. Ignatius
College Prep. A graduate of SI (1975) and Santa Clara University
(1979), he also edits Genesis V, the school’s alumni magazine. For
more information on the course, go to http://www.siprep.org/faculty/
cevans/NatureNexusHome.htm
Nature/Nexus student shares her thoughts: “The word ‘nexus’ means a series of
connections; it comes from the Latin nex, meaning bound. I am a human, a mammal, in the genus Homo.
Many humans do not see themselves as mammals. They separate themselves from the flora and fauna and,
ultimately, from the earth itself. We are connected so much more than we can imagine!”—Melissa Liotta
MISSION fall 2008 23
Smiles: Visible signs of God’s love
By Randy Roche, S.J.,
Director, Center for Ignatian Spirituality, Loyola Marymount University
“God smiles at us all the time. If we want to, we can smile back.”
24 MISSION fall 2008
our faces when we are relieved, or healed, or become aware
that “all is well?” The smile of God is on our faces, for the sake
of others, and for us too.
How do we picture the face of Jesus, who has accomplished
all he intended by his life, death, and resurrection? Frowning is
out of the question! When we greet
those who are sick, or those who
are in serious difficulties, we do not
smile at their pain, any more than
Jesus smiles at our suffering. All of
us, including Jesus, declare with our
smiles, that we care, and are ready to
respond to whatever another person
experiences.
When we are alone, we still might
have many occasions to smile. Imagine Jesus Christ coming up, and calling
us by name. As we look up, we are
met with a radiant and gracious eyeto-eye smile. If we let ourselves imagine this, our own facial muscles will
probably relax, and we might even
smile in return. Again, we can imagine
encountering someone we know, and
while thinking of that person, allow
a smile to develop on our faces. If
a smile develops, even if it remains
invisible, love is very likely at work
in our hearts. Finally, imagine a smile on our faces as we turn
towards God in prayer. If we smile at God, our prayer must be
some kind of statement of love, even if we also communicate a
request or express another concern.
God smiles at us all the time. If we want to, we can smile
back. And in the smiling, we can be sure that God’s love is
active within us.
ANNE HAMERSKY
S
miles are perhaps our most powerful means of communication. Recently, I looked at a picture of the new Superior
General of the Jesuits, just after he had been chosen to
bear the responsibility of governance for an organization of
some 20,000 men around the world. The smile is radiant and
unaffected, not the strained smile of
a politician or the practiced smile of
someone in entertainment. Whenever
we smile spontaneously, we are very
likely manifesting visibly the joy that
we experience at the hidden presence
of God within us.
Most of the photos we keep are of
people smiling. Some of our deepest desires, for us and for others, are
to experience the conditions that
most readily draw forth smiles from
us. When we smile, our eyes act as
the windows of our souls. We can
indicate respect, care, consideration,
acceptance, and understanding in our
smiles, just as we can manifest the
opposite through frowns. The truth of
our love for others, in all its various
forms and degrees, becomes visible
in our smiles.
We give one another great gifts
with sincere smiles of appreciation.
Of course we can “force” a smile, or smile outwardly while feeling anything but loving. But spontaneous smiles come from our
hearts, where we are most intimately connected with the Spirit
of God. We do not have to think or intend to convey anything
of God to others when we smile, but God is love, and every
least manifestation of love is of God.
Does God smile? Since the consequences of God within us
are often manifested in smiles, even inward smiles that do not
always become visible on our faces, we can imagine that the
invisible God is a God of smiles. What moves the muscles of
To read more essays by Fr. Roche on a variety of spiritual topics, visit
the Spirit and Life website: http://shell.lava.net/newman/index.html
St. Ignatius Church, San Fr ancisco, circa 1912
Six years after the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire destroyed an older church, the
steel superstructure of St. Ignatius Church soars above sand dunes on Fulton Street. Built at a
cost of $477,500, the new church was the fifth one erected by Jesuits since 1855. Soon regarded
as one of San Francisco’s most beautiful landmarks, its twin spires were “a symbol of all that is
best and bravest in city life,” wrote Elsie Robinson. With its spires, dome, and campanile (right
rear), St. Ignatius Church remains a modern landmark on the University of San Francisco campus.
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