Retreat Offers 21 Men Time to Discern God's Call

OMAHA- A group of 21 candidates from the Wisconsin Province who are considering life as a Jesuit priest or Brother participated in the annual vocations Come and See Discernment Retreat at the Sheehan Archdiocesan Retreat Center.

Held Dec. 17-21, the retreat was attended by mostly college students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, however, several candidates were also working in post-college jobs.

"All were quality men whom I felt privileged to assist during this time of personal exploration and reflection," says Fr. Warren Sazama, SJ province vocations director.

During the first part of the retreat, candidates heard vocation stories from Jesuits and participated in discussions about the vows and Jesuit formation. This included a question and answer period during which honest questions received honest answers. Then they made a silent, individually directed discernment retreat in which each candidate had their own personal Jesuit retreat guide to meet with. There was also daily Mass and morning and evening prayer services, a Reconciliation Service, and two evenings of faith sharing all of which were very powerful.

"This retreat is an important part of the discernment process," Fr. Sazama says."I was able to meet with all 21 candidates individually and was very moved by how powerfully God was working in each of their lives and their vocational discernment processes. You could feel God's presence clearly at work in them on this retreat."