Br. Chris Derby, SJ, (far right) with executive directors Shevaun Low (Gonzaga Eastern Point Retreat House), Maria Cressler (Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center), Carlos Aedo (Office of Ignatian Spirituality), William Hobbs (Loyola Jesuit Center), and Bibi Hidalgo (Loyola on the Potomac).
As the USA East Province continues to look toward the future, two priorities in our Apostolic Plan are especially relevant to our spirituality ministries: Strengthening Ignatian Spiritual Formation for Mission and Reimagining Our Apostolic and Institutional Commitments. These priorities call for new ways of working together to sustain our Ignatian charism and ensure that retreat ministries continue to thrive, making good use of the Jesuits available to serve across the province’s many apostolates.
For Br. Chris Derby, SJ, provincial assistant for spirituality ministries, the path forward includes building a network of Jesuits serving in other apostolates who can contribute their unique strengths and experience to UEA’s four retreat centers: Gonzaga Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester, Massachusetts; Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, New Jersey; Loyola on the Potomac in Faulkner, Maryland; and Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Together with the Office of Ignatian Spirituality (OIS), these ministries serve as important resources for people who seek Ignatian spirituality and formation.
Rather than relying exclusively on Jesuits assigned directly to a retreat center, this network approach draws on the interests and availability of Jesuits serving locally in schools, parishes, universities, and other ministries. Some may be available to direct retreats regularly, while others can offer occasional assistance with preached or guided retreats, days of prayer, Masses, confessions, or spiritual direction.
“We developed this idea of a curated cohort of Jesuits,” Br. Derby explains, “describing an approach to match the needs of each retreat center with Jesuits from local communities who are available to assist.” The goal is to establish meaningful relationships between Jesuits and retreat centers, whether the commitment involves a weekend each month or a few retreats throughout the year.
This model is already taking shape in different ways. Fr. Tom Gavin, SJ, for example, supports Loyola on the Potomac while living and serving at the Gonzaga Jesuit Community in Washington, DC. During guided Ignatian weekend retreats, he joins Fr. Jim Conroy, SJ, at the retreat center to celebrate Mass, hear confessions, and provide individual consultations. As Br. Derby analogizes, “Tom has been like a utility infielder at Loyola on the Potomac. He lightens the burden for Jim and the lay retreat leaders.” Similarly, Fr. Tom Scirghi, SJ, who has stepped down from full-time teaching but still lives at Spellman Hall in the Bronx, now provides retreat ministry once or twice a month at the Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, as one of more than 20 Jesuits who serve annually at Loyola.
“We are so blessed to have Jesuits like Tom Scirghi and Kirk Reynolds missioned to Loyola Jesuit Center,” says Bill Hobbs, executive director. “The two of them, along with a whole cohort of Jesuits from around the province support the ongoing work and ministry of the retreat center. Jesuits from Boston, from New York City and North Jersey, and from Philadelphia come to the center to offer their wisdom and experience in directing retreats and offering preached retreats and days of prayer. We are truly grateful to these men and to the province for making them available to minister at Loyola.”
Fr. John Pignone, SJ, at Loyola on the Potomac. Click image for video.
Younger Jesuits are also eager to contribute to this model. Fr. John Pignone, SJ, who was ordained in June and whose principal assignment is at Holy Trinity Church in Washington, also helps at Loyola on the Potomac. His experience as a veteran and with the Southern Maryland Task Force offer opportunities to contribute to retreats for veterans and other spirituality programs.
As more Jesuits receive formation in spirituality ministry, the network can connect them with the needs of retreat centers across the province. This network of Jesuits will help preserve a retreat center’s unique Jesuit identity, even without a formally assigned Jesuit on staff.
Equally important is the established network among the executive directors of our four retreat centers and OIS. Meeting monthly by videoconference and gathering annually in person, the directors have developed a community through which they exchange best practices and address common challenges. Their ongoing collaboration helps ensure that the centers are not operating in isolation, but are drawing on shared knowledge, resources, and relationships to strengthen their individual ministries and their collective mission.
As the province reimagines its apostolic commitments, the future of its retreat centers depends increasingly on this spirit of collaboration. By connecting Jesuits across apostolates and strengthening our network of spirituality ministry leaders, we can continue to offer transformative encounters for retreatants.
