River Current ... FROM THE DIRECTOR S DESK FATHER JOHN GRIESBACH A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE! (TWO, IN FACT!) STAF F. The.

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1 The River Current Volume 8, Issue 1... FROM THE DIRECTOR S DESK FATHER JOHN GRIESBACH STAF F BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF FRESNO Bishop Armando X. Ochoa, D.D. RETREAT DIRECTOR Rev. Msgr. John Griesbach ASSOCIATE RETREAT DIRECTOR Sr. Danielle Witt, SSND CHAPLAIN Father Rod Craig YOUTH MINISTRY DIRECTOR Cristal Juarez BUSINESS MANAGER Mike Hand RESOURCE AND MARKETING DIRECTOR Darlene Mayfield RESERVATIONS STAR Barbara Lahmann STYCC Kacey Fansett ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Roxanne McWilliams FOOD SERVICES Yesko StandFree HOUSEKEEPING/GROUNDS Gabriel Maldonado ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Tom Avila Martin Burnham Bob Clement Fr. Rod Craig Msgr. John Griesbach Mike Hand Rosa Maria Henry Msgr. John Coelho-Harquindeguy Ann Kinkor Barbara Lahmann Darlene Mayfield Sr. Danielle Witt, SSND A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE! (TWO, IN FACT!) As the Diocese of Fresno celebrates its fifty year anniversary on December 15, 2017, we recall how the Franciscans passed on to our diocese a pearl of great price in 2003 that since then has actually morphed into two! St. Anthony Retreat Center and Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center continue to enjoy the blessings of God and the generous support of the people of the Fresno Diocese, as well as many good friends and benefactors throughout Central California and beyond! Thank you for helping keep our two diocesan centers of spirituality alive and vital! As you can see from our fall and winter calendar of events, we are busy. Even so, we will work hard to find a time for your parish retreat or for your church or organization s event, or for your own personal retreat, because we exist to serve you, and we are at our best when our two facilities are filled with guests, both on weekends and during the weekdays too. We are also anxious to hear about the kind of retreats you would like us to offer. You told us that marriage enrichment retreats would be helpful and so, along with our Engaged Encounters for couples planning to marry, and our Retrouvaille Retreats that throw a lifeline to couples in distress, we will be offering a marriage enrichment retreat for married couples of all ages, but especially for young couples in the first five years of marriage. Details about this retreat will be forthcoming, but check out page 2 of this newsletter and save the date! We are also actively seeking to upgrade our facilities and make improvements that will make your next visit more comfortable, make us more efficient, and significantly reduce our annual budget expenses. This year we will be installing LED lighting throughout both facilities to substantially reduce our power bills. Then, once we know our new level of energy use, we are going to go solar in order to produce in-house all the electricity our two facilities will need to operate. And each spring, with the help of so many friends and benefactors, we actively raise funds for scholarships to our adult and youth centers so that people with financial hardships can still come on retreat. If you could benefit from financial help, please don t hesitate to ask us. And every fall we host a fundraiser for non-profit organizations to support them in their work and ministry. It s a way for this pearl of great price to help others develop into pearls of great price themselves! Thank you for your generous and ongoing support as we look forward to the next fifty years and to new and dynamic ways for our two retreat centers to touch the lives of generations to come! Fr. John Griesbach MEET OUR MAINTENANCE AND GROUND CREW.. Have you ever wondered how the grounds at St Anthony and the Santa Teresita Youth Center stay so beautiful? There are four reasons: Gabriel, Arturo, Daniel and Rudy! Gabriel Maldonado, our maintenance supervisor, has been with us 9 years. Gabriel is the proud father of 3 children, all boys. Gabriel will tell you that what he most likes about his job is not just the challenges it brings, but having a very strong and dedicated support staff. Gabriel has brought many skills with him from construction, plumbing, electrical and everything in between. He truly is a JACK OF ALL TRADES. Arturo Chavez has been with the St Anthony s Maintenance Crew for 14 years. A father of four children, 3 girls, and 1 boy, Arturo truly loves the outdoors throughout all four seasons, Continued on page 2

2 NEWS PROGRAMS RETREATS SIX DAY SILENT DIRECTED RETREAT AT PLAY IN CREATION: THE SPIRITUALITY OF THOMAS MERTON with Fr. Steve Coffey, O.S.B.Cam - January 6-12, 2018 This silent directed retreat will focus on the period of Thomas Merton s life when he encountered Sophia, Holy Wisdom, in the depths of his heart. This, in turn formed the backdrop of his remarkable poem Hagia Sophia. We will explore what Merton wanted to share in this profound work as well as in related works from this fruitful time in his life as he discovers Wisdom at play in creation. Fr. Steve is a Camaldolese Benedictine Monk from the Monastery of the Risen Christ in San Luis Obispo and is a frequent retreat leader here at St. Anthony Retreat. This retreat is for people of all walks of life clergy, religious and lay people who long for a deep, personal experience of God s love and presence, and who feel drawn to an extended conversation with the Lord. The daily schedule is arranged to give you maximum unencumbered time for prayer, along with daily Eucharist and several optional communal activities. There will also be a basic instruction for personal prayer for those who wish and each participant will have a personal spiritual director with whom you will meet each day. For more information please call St. Anthony Retreat at (559) Scholarship money available upon request. HARNESSING THE SUN TO PROVIDE MORE MINISTRY St Anthony Retreat Center and Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center are constantly looking for new ways to reach more people, and to provide a suitable meeting place for large and small groups, and individuals for a day, a weekend or longer. In each of the past two years, our two retreat centers have served more than 18,000 adults and youth, and this is reflected in our annual combined budget of $2,000,000. Because a portion of this budget is subsidized by the Diocese of Fresno, we are constantly looking for ways to maintain our top quality services while reducing our overall costs. Our retreat center staff has done a tremendous job in streamlining operations, but with the rising cost of labor, utilities and supplies, it is imperative for the success of this ministry to find additional ways to reduce the cost of our operation. One area in which we hope to make major savings is in the cost of utilities, which averages about $115,000 annually. In order to reduce our energy costs, through our membership in the Christian Camp and Conference Association, our retreat centers have negotiated a 15% reduction in the cost of propane. We are also in the process of converting all our interior and exterior lighting to LED lighting. This will reduce our energy costs an estimated 25%. Then, once we know the reduced amount of electricity required to operate our two facilities, we will build a solar field array to produce enough electricity to neutralize that portion of our energy costs. The estimated cost to convert to LED lighting is $46,000. The estimated cost of the solar field array is in the neighborhood of $500,000. Thanks to a major donor, Manuel Maciel, and to a number of other generous contributors, we already have received more than $600,000 toward the LED and solar array projects; enough to provide us with instant savings in our utility costs, and to help us grow our ministry! For additional information about additional ways to help us reduce our expenses, don t hesitate to call (559) or mike@stanthonyretreat.org. Mike Hand, Business Manager/Director of Operations Continued from page 1 and this is his favorite part of working here with us. Arturo truly appreciates the flexibility the job brings with it, and he loves the challenges of maintaining this truly historical building. Daniel Cruz is the third member of our maintenance crew and is the proud father of 4 children, 1 boy and 3 girls. Daniel s positive attitude and ready smile contributes greatly to the morale of our entire staff. Working in beautiful surroundings motivates Daniel to give 100% to his tasks. He notes, The leadership here truly appreciates all our hard work and that makes our jobs that much more enjoyable. Six months into his job, Daniels wants to grow in his job, It s a great place to work, and I always feel safe. The newest edition to the team is Rudy Salazar, father to 1 daughter. Rudy is the youngest of this foursome and his energy and enthusiasm is contagious. Rudy s primary area of responsibility is the Youth Center, but Rudy says The crew can cover each other at anytime, anywhere on the property. There is always something to do and every day is different. The one common thread these gentleman all have is that Family Comes First. They all commute from down the hill, and some days you will see them driving up with one another. They care for one another, and they care for our two retreat centers, so the next time you visit and stroll the grounds and visit the gardens, you will better understand why they are so beautiful! 2

3 ... MORE NEWS THE SHACK Nov. 3-5, 2017 Since the release of the movie there has been renewed interest in the book by William Paul young. This retreat will explore our images of God and the spiritual wisdom that this book and movie offer for deepening our own relationship with God. The retreat begins with dinner on Friday and ends with lunch on Sunday. $190 (shared occupancy) $230 (private room) Advent Retreat - December 9-10, 2017 MARY: OUR MOTHER, OUR SISTER, OUR MODEL OF FAITH Mary s faith is so often regarded as far beyond anything that we could aspire to in our own faith journey. And yet, she was just a normal girl of her time. This retreat will help us to relate to Mary in a more intimate and personal way. As we ponder the person of Mary she, in turn will help us to open ourselves to the Word who desires to live in us. The retreat begins with breakfast on Saturday and ends with lunch on Sunday. $125 (shared room) Women s Retreat - January 27th, 2018 THE GRACE OF YES with Lisa Hendey How do we prayerfully give God our best yes and to live as generous spirits in the world around us? Looking to the example of Mary and her yes,we will focus on generosity in our faith life, our relationships, our work, during times of challenge and on how sometimes a prayerful no can be our best yes to God and our loved ones. 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. $55 Ash Wednesday Day of Reflection - February 14th, 2018 A LOVE LIKE NO OTHER We will focus this day on the last words of Jesus as a testament of his love for us. The day begins with a continental breakfast and ends with Mass and the distribution of ashes. 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. $35 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS RETREAT February 16-18, 2018 This retreat will focus on Gospel values that mark the lives of intentional disciples of Jesus, and how these Gospel values enrich our civic lives, enhance our public discourse, and inspire us to place ourselves at the service of one another in specific and life-giving ways. For every five members of a specific council or assembly that attend, a sixth member attends at no charge! The retreat begins with dinner on Fri. and ends with lunch on Sunday. $190 (shared room) $230 (private room) Save the Date! April 7-9, 2018 Marriage Enrichment Retreat! 3

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6 GET CONNECTED... AMBASSADOR SPOTLIGHT Irene Mosqueda is a parishioner of Good Shepherd Catholic Parish in Visalia. Both she and her husband of 40 years Michael shared a lot of good times in the parish actively involved in ministries together. Michael passed away suddenly on May 21, They have five children, 13 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Irene finds times to volunteer in the parish in a variety of ministries including being an active Dominican for the St. Hyacinth chapter, working with both adults and children in the religious education program, being a member of the Catholic Women s Guild, Altar & Rosary Society, and Catholic Daughters, and is also active in the Hospitality ministry and Evangelization Retreats. Along with this she attends Bible study in her parish. Irene finds that especially during this time of grieving, it a blessing to be able to have her faith as she feels that God is truly giving her peace of mind and strength to continue to serve. WE RE ROLLING! After a four month delay due to heavy winter rains, construction of the St. Junipero Serra Chapel finally got underway in May of The mission style chapel, which will seat 200 people, is scheduled to be completed in December, and will coincide with our Diocesan Fiftieth Anniversary. Meanwhile in Italy, work continues on the bronze statue of St. Junipero Serra that will grace the entry to the chapel. The chapel is the gift of Bob and Mary Hohne to Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center (WOW!) and will provide a privileged place of encounter with God for generations of young people to come. Cement crew lays the foundation and subfloor for the chapel. Contractor Jeff Blagg practices the fine art of cutting the chapel pad while saving the trees! Chapel walls take shape as foam block cement forms are fitted together like giant, steel reinforced Lego blocks. The first glimpse of the actual footprint of Junipero Serra Chapel. Installing underground electrical and plumbing lines for the new chapel. 6 This 5 foot clay model of St. Junipero Serra, holding a missionary cross in one hand and the mission chapel at Santa Teresita in his other hand, is currently being cast in bronze at a foundry in Italy. Italian artisans use a small clay model of Junipero Serra to create a five foot clay model of the saint. This model will be used to create a plaster mold into which molten metal will be poured to create an exact bronze replica.

7 St. Anthony Retreat Schedule SEPTEMBER 2017 September 8-10 Engaged Encounter: September 13 Aging In Community Contact: (559) September 18 Senior Movie And Lunch ($5.00 Per Person) For Reservations OCTOBER 2017 October Women In Recovery (Sister B ) Retreat Contact (559) NOVEMBER 2017 November 3-5 Star Retreat ( The Shack ) November 3-5 Engaged Encounter November Rachel s Vineyard Contact: (559) November 13 Senior Movie And Lunch ($5.00 Per Person) For Reservations November 16 Festival Of Trees ($25.00 Per Person) DECEMBER 2017 December 8-10 Holy Cross Ministries Healing Retreat Contact: Christie (559) December 9-10 Advent Retreat - Mary,Our Mother, Our Sister, Model of Faith December 11 Senior Movie And Lunch ($5.00 Per Person) For Reservations JANUARY 2018 January 6-12 Silent Retreat For Reservations January Engaged Encounter FEBRUARY 2018 February 4 Super Bowl Sunday!!!! February 14 Ash Wednesday A Love Like No Other February Knights of Columbus Retreat February Engaged Encounter January 27 Women s Retreat The Grace of Yes MARCH 2018 March 6-8 Seniors Retreat (Silver Foxes) For Reservations APRIL 2018 April 6-8 Marriage Enrichment Retreat April Engaged Encounter Santa Teresita Youth Conference Center Schedule St. Anthony Retreat 2016 Schedule SEPTEMBER 2017 September 1-4 Parish Retreat September 9-10 Fresno Diocesan Leadership Workshops September 16 Santa Teresita YCC Women s Wellness Conference September Parish Retreat September 29-October 1 Parish Retreat OCTOBER 2017 October 7-8 Santa Teresita YCC SKYE Retreat October Parish Retreat October Parish Retreat October Private Retreat NOVEMBER 2017 November 4-5 Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat November Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat November Parish Retreat DECEMBER 2017 December 1-3 Parish Retreat JANUARY 2018 January 6-7 Parish Retreat January Parish Retreat January Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat January Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat FEBRUARY 2018 February 1-4 Parish Retreat February 9-11 Parish Retreat February Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat February Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat MARCH 2018 March 3-4 Parish Retreat March 9-11 Parish Retreat March Parish Retreat March Parish Retreat APRIL 2018 April 7-8 April April Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat Santa Teresita YCC Confirmation Retreat Parish Retreat 7