On July 31, the Church will celebrate the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a rather “big deal” for those whose lives have been shaped by Jesuits and their apostolic works, including, of course, White House Retreat. While its influence may often be subtle and even unnoticed, Jesuit (Ignatian) spirituality permeates the way in which our priests preach and teach, and the way in which our retreatants are invited to express themselves in prayer, in faith, and in service.
Wanting deeply to please God, Ignatius strove to make his entire life a huge thank-you back to God. He did so by becoming a freer, more loving person, not fixated on his own perspective and desires, but sincerely committed to what he perceived to be God’s desires and hopes for humankind. Pleasing God by living according to God’s plans is what motivated Ignatius. And this is what allowed him to accept so many unexpected, and probably also undesired, twists and turns in his life.
If Jesuit spirituality as a concept can sound a bit mysterious, there is nothing abstract about the actual Jesuits who have served White House Retreat over the course of its 103-year history. Some have been bigger than life; some rather easily forgotten. Each has had weaknesses as well as strengths. At their best, all were propelled in ministry by the same holy desires that propelled the life of Ignatius of Loyola. Key to their Jesuit vocation have been two hallmarks held in tension: a deep dedication to the work to which each has been assigned, combined with an ongoing availability, even at a moment’s notice, to take up a new assignment if that be the decision of the Jesuit provincial.
In your kindness, please pray for Jesuits, that we may be faithful to the vocation we have been given. And please pray that God will continue to call men to the Society of Jesus as priests and brothers, eager to serve God’s people in the manner of St. Ignatius. A.M.D.G.
Fr. Frank Reale, SJ
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