Summer is also traditionally the time when all members of our community make their private annual retreat. The Church asks all religious to take at least one week each year to make a personal retreat, and what a gift this time always is! Our current practice allows for all members to make personal private retreats at various retreat houses around the country. Many of us choose to make 8-day Ignatian retreats, and we have been blessed to travel to many different beautiful retreat centers over the years. The summer can feel like a rotating door, with two out this week, this one out that week, etc. Each person finds a location and arrangement that suits his or her preference and current spiritual need, typically somewhere a little more nature-dense than the inner-city of Chicago. This annual retreat is always a privileged and blessed opportunity to pull away from the tasks of daily life and focus exclusively on spending time with the Lord and getting a jump start on however He is currently calling us to greater conversion and growth!
The summer schedule always offers a little more flexibility for members of our community to take advantage of various formation opportunities. In May, two of our sisters attended a formators’ workshop hosted by the CMSWR. Additionally, two of our sisters started three-summer programs to be trained in the skill of spiritual direction, requiring a two-week intensive each June or July.
Finally, summer is also a time when there is also a bit more flexibility to travel. Many important family gatherings that the Franciscans join in on as is possible. This year, Br. Matt spent a week with his parents and siblings in South Carolina for his yearly extended home visit, two other sisters traveled to be with family for the Baptism of their new nieces/nephews (and godchildren), and another joined her family for a big celebration of her parent’s golden wedding anniversary in Wisconsin and Mackinac Island! Other travel opportunities this summer included Sr. Jaime traveling to Kansas to speak at a large young adult event, Sr. Alicia traveling to be a keynote speaker at the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s Eucharistic Congress, and Bishop Bob traveling to Lisbon for World Youth Day. We are so grateful for these incredible opportunities that summer affords!
