Oh the Places you Go...

Yesterday some of us were on our day in city where we had the opportunity to be immersed in Australian culture, where you can stop on Collins Street, similar to Michigan Avenue, be able to find as many tacky Australian soveniers as you can possible imagine with kangeroos and koalas on them OR go and visit the art museum and St. Patrick's Cathedral. We opted for choice three.

As part of our experiment with Finding God in Art and Service we have the opportunity to experience some art at the NGV ( National Gallery of Victoria) where we saw some famous Australian paintings, and learned just a a little about Aboriginal art. One of the famous paintings we saw was called Shearing Rams and is represantative of a large part of Australian Culture.

Also in our adventures we had the opportunity to see St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne. It was a beautiful cathedral and there is a program going in on that is called Days in the Diocese and many pilgrims from others countries were there at the Cathedral. It was wonderful to be surrounded by so many pilgrims, I can only imagine what World Youth Day will be like. There is even part of the Cathedral that is called Pilgrim's Path.

One never knows where your adventures will lead but as long as God is guiding your footsteps it should turn out alright.

Lori

Discernment Day

Discernment: Day of Prayer and Reflection

On June 21, 2008, a group of about 15 young adults met on the campus of Loyola University to pray and reflect. Led by Dr. John Neafsey, we had an opportunity to prayerfully examine the intimate relationship between personal calling and social conscience in our lives.

Throughout the day Dr. Neafsey offered us ideas to think about. We were sent off to the quiet to prayerfully reflect on the concepts and returned to share in group. The lakefront provided me, and many of the others gathered, the perfect opportunity to come to the quiet and reflect on the rich experiences of Christ in our life. To look at the 'coincidences' that St. Ignatius explains, that move our life forward. To judge whether these internal movements come from Christ's action. A discernment of spirits.

It was difficult for me to put aside a Saturday on my calendar to concentrate on prayer. I often find the time for many other things and think that I can just pray later. I have my entire life to do that. I am glad I put aside this Saturday for prayer. It opened my eyes to reflect daily on the whispers of the Spirit. Do you find time to come to the quiet and listen to the Holy Spirit coming from within? Try it and you will be glad you did!

Peace,
Lou S.

Greetings from Melbourne!

G'day mates! After a VERY long flight complete and lack of sleep, we are now into our third "full" day in Melbourne and have begun our Magis experiment. There are 20 of us from Ireland, India, Croatia, Italy, Korea and Chicago. Today, half of us went to Sacred Heart Mission to serve lunch to the guests and spend time in the elderly hostel. Being on the lunch crew, it was quite amusing to hear people say "you've got a funny accent, where are you from?" The Mission is quite amazing in all the programs it offers and the gourmet 3 course meal it serves to a few hundred people every day.

After lunch, we joined in with some of the visitors for their art group. Some people got into it right away, others (including yours truly), found it a little tougher to get started. After a few failed attempts with pastels and crayons, I discovered that if you use watercolor paints, you can erase things you don't like just by adding more water! The mission now has the artwork of a few errant Americans hanging on its walls.

Tonight we'll take part in the Magis reflection component and have Mass and the chance to see how God was present with us during our activities throughout the day. Tomorrow we get up and start again!

-Lauren G

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go...

We're almost ready! After months of planning, logistics and prayer, tomorrow is the day that Lori, Lexy, Briana, Melissa and I leave for the Magis'08 program in Melbourne, Australia. Assuming we don't go stir-crazy on our 18 hour plane ride, we are meeting up with Chrissy, who is already in Australia, to take part in an Ignatian "Experiment," or experience, called Finding God in Art and Service. At our site, we will be serving at the Sacred Heart Mission and spending time exploring the art and tradition of Melbourne with two other groups from India and Ireland (yay for fun accents!).

After our week in Melbourne, we'll head to Sydney to spend the weekend with over 1,000 other young adults who did experiments throughout Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines reflecting on our our experiences of having "a faith that does justice."

At the end of our time with the Magis'08 program, we'll be joined by Jessica, Ana, Amina, Zulma, Mike (of bustedhalo.com fame), and a few hundred thousand of our other closest friends to take part in World Youth Day. Check back over the next three weeks for more posts from the Land Down Under!

-Lauren G

Looking through a Lens of Appreciation

It goes without saying that Charis Ministries offers many life-changing opportunities for young adults in the Chicagoland area in a given year. But this was clearly evident to me at the Charis Ministries Recognition Dinner held in downtown Chicago last Sunday night. While there, I heard about all the incredible projects that have happened over the course of the last twelve months, and even more importantly, the incredible people who made these programs come to life.

It struck me how many young adults had been impacted by Ignatian spirituality by the people in the room that night. Thanks to their efforts, I wondered just how many hearts were turned, how many lives were changed, and how many people felt the presence of God all around them. We may never know, but it took my breath away just knowing I was sharing a room with so many people who said "Here I am, Lord. Send me!"














To cap it off, we heard from Fr. Pat McGrath, SJ, on what makes the Ignatian spirituality that Charis spreads so special. He explained that it allows us to look at the world through the lens of appreciation, which was quite appropriate as we shared our own appreciation for the men and women who have made such a difference in this ministry effort. On a personal note, I thought it was moving that we were able to truly appreciate our friend and colleague Jenene Francis, who has done so much to propel Charis on a national stage. Using this very same Ignatian approach, I can truly thank God for the gift of Jenene over the past five years.

The Recognition Dinner was a perfect way to wrap up one year and look ahead, with the lens of appreciation already in hand, to the months and years that lie ahead.

-Paul J.
(Diocese of Joliet)

What's in your heart?

Last evening on the feast day of St. Boniface, around 35 young adults from around the Chicagoland area gathered at St. Teresa of Avila parish in Lincoln Park to celebrate Mass. As a closing to the 2007-08 Charis Ministries activities, young adults who attended other Charis events throughout the year came together to re-connect and share in a closing event before the flurry of summertime activities begins. With a focus on the theme "What's in your heart?", Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ (the director of Charis Ministries) invited us to reflect on the past year’s Living Ignatian Speaker Series, reminded us of the movement through St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, and encouraged us to focus on the spiritual heart that centers us.

A handful of years ago Charis Ministries first partnered with St. Teresa of Avila parish to co-host an evening vespers service for young adults. Eric Styles, SJ, who is currently a Jesuit scholastic at Loyola University, spearheaded the effort in hopes of offering young adults a different form of prayer by introducing a segment of the liturgy of hours. Over the past few years St. Teresa’s and Charis has continued to co-sponsor a variety of evenings of prayer including vespers, peace and justice speakers, and Masses for young people in their 20s and 30s. In 2007-08, as part of the Living Ignatian Speaker Series, young adults again had the opportunity to celebrate Mass together at St. Teresa’s. These evenings of worship provide an opportunity for young adults connected to Charis to celebrate the Eucharist, and share in informal conversation and fellowship in the Parish Center following the Mass.

Thanks to all who participated in the 2007-08 Living Ignatian Speaker Series, and we hope that you can join us on September 11, 2008 for our kickoff Mass for the next Living Ignatian programming year.

Enjoy the summer!
-Leigh H.

For the Least 2008

A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of spending the weekend with 47 other young adults who are passionate about issues of peace and justice and how that impacts each of our lives. We had the time to pray and reflect on our own and heard about others’ experiences of living out the Gospel call to service.

Theresa shared the difference between a college service trip to Mexico and viewing the situation as a kind of "science experiment" to the experience she has now of simply being in solidarity the students she teaches. Luke told us a story about JFK and the Cuban missile crisis that influenced him in his commitment to non-violence.

Anita compared her year of service in South America and wanting to "help" people, to spending three years in Africa learning about hospitality, generosity and other virtues from the people there. David took us with him as he shared 3 stories of what he learned from people he met on his pilgrimage to 365 churches in 365 days to nearly 40 countries on 5 continents.

Keynote speaker Nick Lund-Molfese pointed out potential hurdles that those working for a more just world may encounter but gave us time to reflect on how we can overcome them in our own lives and works.

To see some pics from the weekend, go to the Charis Ministries Facebook page. If you were on the retreat, feel free to post some of your own thoughts here.

Be sure to save the date for next year’s retreat: May 1-3, 2009.
~Lauren G