Where is God in my prayer?

Last night at Holy Name Cathedral, Charis concluded the speaker series within the Living Ignatian series. Beth Knobbe spoke about different types of Ignatian prayer and ways we can incorporate them into our own lives. She also lead us through a prayer of our imaginations.

If you missed the talk, check it out on YouTube, or download the podcast on iTunes.













~Lauren G

Sunday Nights

Most people dread Sunday night because it means the weekend is ending. I however have been looking forward to my Sunday nights for the last several weeks. No, it is not the new episodes of Desperate House Wives or the break in the Lenten fast that Sundays provide; I look forward to Sunday nights because I am part of a small faith-sharing group through Charis Ministries held at St. Andrew’s Parish.

Each week I attend the 5:30 Mass at St. Andrew’s, my home parish, and then have a few minutes to reflect on the Mass before joining my group. Our group structure is based on a format provided by Charis Ministries but led by the Holy Sprit. People come to share their struggles, bring new perspective to the group and discuss where they are at on their journey of Faith. When a member shares their struggles it allows the others a chance to pray for that individual and offers insight to one’s own life. While we may not know each other outside the group and are all coming from different backgrounds, it is amazing how closely connected you can feel to others when you have come together in Christ.

I leave the prayer groups pumped up for my coming week and have new thoughts and prayers floating in my head, I love hearing how other people are doing on their journey of faith and having the opportunity to share my own journey.

- Tina F.

Were You There ... ?

Many of us commenced our Lenten journey on Saturday at the Catholic Theological Union during Charis Ministries’ annual Lenten Day of Reflection. Fr. Joseph Brown, SJ, expert theologian specializing in African-American spirituality, history, and culture, guided us through a day of challenging and consoling grace. Paralleling the suffering of Christ to that of slavery in this country, Fr. Brown’s spirited and animated presentations challenged us to answer the Gospel’s call to work for justice in a country and world riddled with discrimination, inequality, and suffering.

The day was centered around powerful live-performances of African American spirituals, ranging from a moving solo of “Motherless Child” to an upbeat version “This Little Light of Mine." Fr. Brown reflected that these spirituals characterize the dignity and faith upheld by the slaves, despite the cruel oppression and abuse to which they were subjected. The music and reflections encouraged us to be moved and humbled by this dignity as we are by the dignity of Christ’s life, suffering, and death.

As Fr. Brown reminded us, Jesus’ persecution and sacrifice resulted from his commitment to overturning the social order and liberating the oppressed. Lent calls us to bear witness to the love and commitment to social justice personified in Jesus’ life, suffering, and death. May this witness move us to recognize our responsibility to follow Christ’s example of liberating the oppressed and marginalized in our world today in the hope of creating the Kingdom of God here on Earth.

Many thanks to Fr. Brown, the awe-inspiring musicians, and our co-hosts Catholics on Call and The Tolton Scholars Program, without whom the day would not have been possible!

-Mary Ellen M.

Advent Day 2008: A Gift, and Opportunity

Advent Day with Sarah and Paul Jarzembowski was truly a (pre-Christmas) gift. While I don’t claim to know much about movies (and as anyone who knows me will attest – my list of ‘movies to see’ far surpasses my list of movies ‘seen’), I do know that I LIKE movies – and Sarah and Paul’s words and insight reminded me why. Movies – like the beloved Christmas movies that the Jarzembowski’s highlighted – really help us to take a step back and get a look at the beauty, the messy-ness, and the complexities of life … as well as the simple truths that still resound in humanity.

Sarah and Paul did such a great job drawing out the themes, ideas, and invitations that these movies had to offer, all while their natural charm and humor helped us all enter into a day of ‘retreat’ from the stresses we put on ourselves this time of year. My favorite part of the day, though, had to have been the final prayer service as the words, themes and images of movies like “A Christmas Carol” and “Charlie Brown’s Christmas” were woven together with words from Scripture which invited us all into an experience of transformation … in the midst of the counter-cultural “waiting in joyful hope” we undertake during Advent and throughout our spiritual lives.

- Keara C.

Warm Fuzzies

While we think Charis Ministries is pretty cool, there are other fantastic ministry groups doing God’s work here in Chicago. On Saturday, Old St. Pat’s Young Adult Ministry hosted a blanket-making service project, led by Keara Coughlin.

Three Charis Ministries staff members were enticed by the promise of hot coffee and a craft project, so Lauren G, Briana C and I set off to Old St. Pat’s. Keara Coughlin greeted us with a big smile and hot coffee, and told us why we were really there. Keara’s colleague, Padre Orozco, works with prisoners and detainees on the Mexican border who are in need of warm blankets as winter closes in. We became our own community as we learned how to make fleece tie blankets, shared scissors and argued over college football. At the same time, Keara made sure we knew why we were there. She related to us Padre Orozco’s firm belief that as Catholics, it is necessary have the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other; we need to be aware of our faith and conscious of the world around us.

All in all, a great way to spend a gray Saturday morning and meet new friends. Old St. Pat’s and Charis Ministries have plenty more service opportunities to come.

Lauren B.

19th Annotation

Those of you who have participated in Charis retreats, days of prayers, service trips, etc. probably know that St. Ignatius not only founded the Society of Jesus (commonly known as the Jesuits), but also handed down to us the Spiritual Exercises as a guide for enriching our lives and strengthening our relationships with God. While the Spiritual Exercises are intended to be given in a retreat format over a 30-day silent period, not everyone is able to participate in a retreat of that length. So in his 19th Annotation about the retreat, St. Ignatius wisely said that the retreat could also be given in the context of daily life.

Currently 4 young adults (myself and 3 men who have been active in Charis activities, retreats, and/or spiritual direction) have discerned and committed to a 3-month retreat of the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life which may be extended to a 6-month period. Each of us has committed to praying an hour per day as we follow through the days and weeks of the Exercises as prescribed by St. Ignatius within the context of our own daily lives. Each of us will not make this journey alone, but will have the companionship of a spiritual director with whom we will meet on the weekly basis. Additionally, we will meet as a community of retreatants every other week to discuss, pray, and delve deeper into the Exercises under the guidance of Fr. Bill Creed, S.J.

For each of this will be a deeply personal and individual journey. We will proceed through the retreat and retreat materials at our own paces and within our own levels of comfort. The journey begins for each of us with a reflection on our lives through writing about and reflecting upon the events which define who we are. And so as we write our own autobiographies and enter into the Exercises, I invite you to also reflect upon your lives and the defining events that have made up your journey.

- Leigh H.

Mixin' and Minglin'--St. Ignatius Style

On Sunday night several Catholic organizations joined Charis Ministries in sponsoring a rendezvous in the tradition of St. Ignatius – back when he liked to party. During the Catholic Open House, nearly 80 people gathered to socialize and find out about young adult opportunities in Chicago.

The Ark Café, a hip new restaurant in Wicker Park, graciously hosted the event in their beautiful and homey dining room and coffee bar. Representatives from 13 Chicago organizations shared conversation and refreshments with both long-time Chicagoans and those new to the Chicago Catholic young-adult scene.

It was terrific to see so many people excited about getting involved in the Church in some way – whether through spiritual opportunities, volunteering, social events, or a combination of all three. It’s energizing to see young adults seeking communities where they can fulfill Christ’s discipleship in our world today. According to many, the Open House was a great way to get them in touch with these communities. As our Program Coordinator, Lauren Gaffey, said on Sunday, “This is like Google…but in person!”

Thanks to all those who joined us for the event – we hope to see you at future Charis and other young-adult events in Chicago soon!

And a special thanks to the following sponsors: Old St. Patrick's, Respect Life Office Junior Board, St. Alphonsus, Catholics on Call, Diocese of Joliet Young Adult Ministry, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, and Chicago Catholic Coed Softball League. Representatives of Holy Name Cathedral, ReCiL, St. Nicholas, and the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy were also on hand.

-Mary Ellen M

Drink in the Summer Graces

This summer, I had the privilege of visiting 10 local hot spots to talk about “Friendship in Fast-Paced World” as part of Theology-on-Tap, a 4-week speaker and discussion series aimed at young adults interested in discussing topics related to where they’re at in life.

My presentation was inspired by the students I work with at the Sheil Catholic Center at Northwestern University, my experiences of friendship through Charis Ministries, and my personal life.

I spoke at a number of locations including North Central College (Naperville), St. Sylvester (Chicago), and St. James (Highwood). Some of the main themes that came up were:

• What are the advantages and challenges to electronic communication, especially Facebook? The local college students home for the summer asked, “How do we stay connected with others, and is there a difference between our “Facebook friends” and our “face-to-face” friends?”
• Friendship requires honesty, acceptance, and a sense of humor. During the recent thunderstorm that swept through the city, the young adults of St. Sylvester agreed friends who have seen us at our best and worst, and still like us anyway are the truest of friends.
• The type of friendship Jesus seeks with us is a face-to-face relationship. The community at St. James traveled from near and far to share an abundance of food and drink and generous conversation. W talked about how Jesus feeds our hunger for faith and friendship. Like the multiplication of loaves and fishes, Jesus promises that there will always be enough.

This experience was such a blessing, and I truly appreciate the friends, new and old, who participated in this year’s Theology-on-Tap.

- Beth K.

God, Dating, and Beer...what more could you want to talk about?

Last week, a mere 4 days after returning from Australia, I had the privilege of speaking at four Theology on Tap sites for the Diocese of Joliet. I credit the topic, “Between match.com and the Altar: A Catholic’s Guide to Dating,” with being the draw that brought people out. Never having spoken at a TOT before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but talking to a bar full of 20-and 30-somethings while dodging waitresses bringing fish and chips was a pretty funny experience.

In the talk, and in the conversations that followed, we talked about four themes that, at least in my mind, come up in most serious dating relationships:

1. Discernment—How do I know if this person is the person I should marry?
2. Conscience Formation—How do I make moral decisions, especially regarding sex?
3. Relationships—How do other relationships change when dating someone new? How should my dating relationship grow?
4. Intimacy—Where do I find intimacy and what does that look like?

Thanks to everyone who came out to Quigley’s Irish Pub (Naperville), Pilot Pete’s (Schaumburg), Auld Dubliner Irish Pub (Bolingbrook) and Champp's Americana (Lombard). It was great to spend the evening with you!

-Lauren G.

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.

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)