Jesuit Journeys
Fall 2007

Provincial Letter

Not bad!

“Ignatius’ spirituality offers us the opportunity to learn how to be busy people, giving ourselves away in lives of service to others, while at the same time growing in intimacy with God.” This edition of Jesuit Journeys confirms Andy’s and Maureen’s insight. The engagement of young and old, men and women, non-Jesuits and Jesuits with Ignatian spirituality has set them on the path of being contemplatives, while at the same time being in action. Their stories express the reality of Finding God in All Things and of Service to Others.

Cassie Clemente reflects on her experience as a Jesuit Volunteer. After giving herself to the values of spirituality, community, social justice, and a simple lifestyle during a year of service in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, she gives eloquent testimony to what she discovered in working with her students at Holy Wisdom school. “I am amazed at what wonderful young people they already are.” Amazement and wonder, those are graces that Ignatius often encourages the person making the Spiritual Exercises to pray for. Having had the opportunity to meet the JV’s in Milwaukee, what she says of her students also applies to her and her JC community.

“That’s amazing actually, an incredible accomplishment… it is extraordinary.” Again amazement, yet this time it is amazement at the seven students of Red Cloud Indian School who earned Gates Millennium Scholarships this year. Tammi Buffalohead-McGill in reflecting on her experience of reading their application essays says that she has been moved by their work. “When you read these essays, you know them and can see the future through these kids. You can see where they were hit with blow after blow and not only have gotten back up, but they have a genuine desire to do something positive.” The scholars themselves, in their personal reflections, give powerful witness to the values of community service and leadership that are qualifications for the scholarship. They value relationships and look forward to returning to the reservation to make a change on the reservation so, as Cheryl Cedar Face says, “that the people may live.”

“I was amazed at how ‘young’ they could seem… they are still so full of life and joy, and it gives me a lot of hope for myself that I, too, might spend 60 years in the Society and still be in love with it as I was when I entered…. I think that I will forever carry with me a little awe of the things those men have done.” So does Jacob Boddicker convey the inspiration that he found working with the men in the St. Camillus Jesuit Community. More amazement, sprinkled with a little awe, yet this time it comes out of an experience of working with men long shaped by Ignatian spirituality.

This spirituality works.

In our Lord, Fr. Thomas Krettek, SJ Provincial