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Jesuit Journeys
Spring/Summer 2001
For Jesuits, Retirement Can Be a Myth
By Fr. Dick McGarrity, SJ
President, The Jesuit Partnership
One day several rather mature Jesuits were sitting around pondering the future of the Society of Jesus, the Church and our individual selves. A question arose about what our lives would be like at age 65 or 70 after retiring from our apostolic assignments. Visions of travel, time for golf, and more leisure reading time kept emerging in our daydreams. Fr. Dick McCaslin, SJ, whom you may know from his time as director of our retreat house in Oshkosh, WI, was one of the group.
He glibly dashed our dreams by stating that the retirement party for Jesuits is usually held either in the Gesu Church in Milwaukee or St. John's Church in Omaha. It took a few moments to realize that he was talking about our funerals. In other words, Jesuits retire only at death, when God calls us to our eternal reward. Until then we are expected to advance the Kingdom through whatever mental energy and physical strength we are allotted.
In a recent letter to all the members of the Society, Fr. General Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, SJ asked each of us to commemorate in a special way the life of his predecessor, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, on the 10th anniversary of his death. Fr. Arrupe is regarded by many Jesuits and non-Jesuits alike as a modern day saint. His accomplishments during 50 years of missionary service included 18 years as superior general of the Society of Jesus. Even more impressive was Fr. Kolvenbach's reference to the last ten years of Fr. Arrupe's life when he suffered the effects of a debilitating stroke and could no longer continue in office. Fr. Kolvenbach said Fr. Arrupe's vision of the future continued "…during his long period of illness when, along with so many Jesuit companions, he continued to pray and suffer for the Church and the Society."
Quite naturally, a good number of the elder Jesuits of the Wisconsin Province find themselves in a similar situation. No longer capable of arduous apostolic assignments, they do not retire. Instead they are missioned, as was Fr. Arrupe, to pray and offer their suffering and frustrations for the good of the Society and the Church.
At the same time, many elder Jesuits do continue in active apostolic assignments, in spite of advanced years. Their dedication and commitment are an inspiration to the younger men. One example is Fr. Harry Eglsaer, SJ, our minister of scholastics when I studied Philosophy at the Fusz Memorial in St. Louis. Today he cheerfully and enthusiastically works as a full-time Chaplain at the Bergen Mercy Medical Center in Omaha at the age of 84.
Fr. Cletus Healy, SJ, also 84, is director of the Catholic Books and Gifts store on Greenfield Avenue in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Then there is Fr. Dick McGloin, SJ, 87, who continues to teach Latin and Greek at Creighton University and lives in a residence hall as a chaplain.
At Marquette University, Fr. Bob Lambeck, SJ remains an active member of the Theology department at the age of 84. Fr. Bob North, SJ recently joined the St. Camillus Community in Milwaukee following 40 years of active service teaching theology at the Biblicum in Rome and at other places. He continues his scholarly work at 85 using the library at Marquette University. There are many others in their 80's and even a few in their 90's like Fr. Bob Frommelt, SJ who works every day at the Jesuit Partnership office.
I could name so many but am limited by space.
It is good to keep in mind that for all of us, elder and younger Jesuits, and all members of the Church, prayer is an important, even essential, part of our Christian lives. We are to pray always inspired by the example by Jesus Himself, that we will be faithful to our vocations. We are to pray in the Spirit of love and gratitude for our own good and that of the whole Church.
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