From humble beginnings more than 100 years ago, the California Province of the Society of Jesus has served the people of God by providing Catholic education, Ignatian spirituality, and social services to the poor and marginalized. To continue its legacy of spirituality and service, the Province has launched its first-ever comprehensive fundraising drive the $27 million Generations Capital Campaign to care for senior Jesuits and provide for the education and training of future generations of Jesuit priests. WHY A CAMPAIGN? By Jim Muyo It s just about 5:15 a.m, the time when Fr. Leo Hombach, S.J., wakes up to start another day at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, Calif. No alarm clock, no cell phone buzzing to wake him. Fr. Hombach s internal system lets him know that it s time for his daily routine to begin. With a schedule that offers a more relaxed pace than when he served as a professor of biology at Santa Clara University from 1966-78, retreat director and superior at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Los Altos from 1978-86, superior of the Sacred Heart Community from 1995-98, or minister and treasurer at the Jesuit Novitiate in Culver City from 1999-2004, Fr. Hombach, a Jesuit for nearly 66 years, greets every day with quiet time for reflection. I ll lie in bed and usually pray, said Fr. Hombach, 84. It s a very nice, quiet time and all of my barriers are down toward listening, and I can hear the Lord. Fr. Hombach is quick to add that he doesn t actually hear a voice. It s just that there are little moments that let me know that God is talking and it s sort of like, I know you re willing to listen to me now. For those that know Fr. Hombach, it s hard to recall seeing him without his trademark smile. His enthusiastic greetings are both engaging and contagious. He s a visible figure at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. His daily routine after his morning prayer and classical music usually includes breakfast at 7:30 and then a return to his room for email correspondence, something made difficult these days because of arthritis in both hands. Not that I was ever a very good typist, Fr. Hombach says with a chuckle, but typing is really a chore because my hands hurt. He holds up his left hand and then his right and demonstrates how much he can close and open each hand. The range of motion in each is diminished. This is as wide open as I can make it, he says as he opens his right hand. It hurts, and it hurts in the wrist, and a bit in my ankles, too.
Following his daily correspondence, Fr. Hombach heads to the recreation room at 9:30 to read the daily paper. At 10, it s time to meet with several of his brother Jesuits who gather for daily conversation in the fourth floor view room. This is followed by a return to his room before the daily 11:30 Mass in the Sacred Heart Chapel. Like his fellow Jesuits, Fr. Hombach takes his turn saying the Mass for the Jesuit Community. He s usually scheduled for four Masses a month. Following Mass, Fr. Hombach retreats to his room during the lunch hour for a quick nap. He stopped eating lunch when some health issues cropped up a few years ago. He was fainting frequently which led doctors to implant a pacemaker. The nap is followed by a walk in or around the Sacred Heart Center or checking out a car from the house vehicle pool to make a run to Dollar Tree for some simple items or maybe a movie matinee. At 4 p.m., Fr. Hombach will start his evening prayer from his breviary, the prayer book of the Church, reflect on his day, and then meet up with his fellow Jesuits again at 5 p.m., for social hour and then dinner. As he has settled into a slower pace of life, Fr. Hombach has also taken on a new role, that of advocate for the Province s Generations Capital Campaign. He s been included in the campaign video for the Sacred Heart Center, is one of the Jesuits featured in the campaign s signature photo of young and senior Jesuits, and has been a participant at Campaign planning meetings. Our campaign represents a very real need for us as we continue our mission of education, Ignatian spirituality, service to the poor, and prayer, Fr. Hombach said. I m happy to do my part to help move our campaign forward. If I can motivate someone to support our effort to renovate our building, expand our infirmary and novitiate, and build our Formation endowment, I m happy to do so. Needless to say, I believe in the cause, Fr. Hombach said with his trademark smile and glint in his eye. In announcing its $27 million campaign, the California Province outlined three specific needs: Upgrades and infirmary expansion at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center to create a safe environment and improve the quality of life and care for elderly and infirm Jesuits who have devoted their lives in service to people of the Church. Expansion and renovation of The Jesuit Novitiate of the Three Companions to meet the needs of the growing number of men entering the Society of Jesus. Enhanced endowment to provide for the religious training and education of the next generation of Jesuit priests and brothers so that they can take their place in ministry, responding to the needs of future generations of people hungry for the Word of God. Already, the campaign has struck a positive chord with benefactors. As of June 24, more than $19.3 million has been raised. We are turning to our friends to help ensure our future ministry, to help us provide for the care needed for senior and infirm Jesuits, and to send many more generations of Jesuits into the classrooms, pulpits, and confessionals of the Church, said California Provincial Fr. Michael F. Weiler, S.J. As the Generations Capital Campaign enters its public phase, the California Province is appealing to the vast audience of men and women who have attended Jesuit schools, been touched by the Jesuit charism, and who seek to perpetuate the legacy of Jesuit priests and brothers who have impacted the lives of generations of their families. There are many of us out there who have benefitted from the rigor and values instilled in us through Jesuit education and service to others, said Joe Naylor, California Province provincial assistant for advancement and a graduate of Jesuit-run Rockhurst University in Kansas City. We ve been touched by the dedication of Jesuits who have not only taught us but been with us as mentors and guides as our life s journeys have unfolded. I m hopeful that as Jesuits now reach out for support for these important initiatives, people will be there to answer the call. The annual expense for men living at the Center is approximately $68,000 per year, per man or approximately $5.1 million per year. Looking Forward: Fr. Leo Hombach, S.J., a former professor and administrator throughout the California Province, now calls the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center home. MISSION SUMMER 2014 11
WHY A CAMPAIGN? Sacred Heart Jesuit Center Originally established in 1888 as the site of the novitiate for the California Province in Los Gatos, Calif., the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center was modified and expanded in 1914 and 1927. Infrastructure upgrades are needed to meet present-day safety codes and the demands of modern medical care so that the Jesuits living there, many of whom are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, may live in simple comfort and safety as they continue their ministry by praying for the Society of Jesus, its benefactors and their intentions, the Church, and for a world of peace and justice. Serving today as both a residence and a 17-bed infirmary for the Province, the Center houses more than 75 Jesuits. Here, they continue their ministry of prayer, and for those Jesuits who require it, receive medical and personal care due to illness or hospice care as they meet end-of-life challenges. In addition, Jesuits may spend weeks or months at Sacred Heart to recuperate after illness or injury or receive post-operative physical rehabilitation before returning to work in their apostolates or missions. The cost of care and living expenses at Sacred Heart total approximately $68,000 per year per man, or $5.1 million annually. In many respects, I believe that the most important ministry that we undertake in the Province occurs right here at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center and that is the ministry of prayer, said Fr. Weiler. Jesuits never retire, but when because of age or physical condition they are unable to be in active ministry at one of our schools, parishes or retreat centers, they come here and devote Sacred Heart Jesuit Center has been in continuous use since 1888. themselves to the ministry of daily prayer in which they pray for all of us. It s a responsibility and ministry that they take very seriously. An actuarial study has shown that the number of ill and elderly Jesuits will reach an all-time high in the coming years. In addition to California Province Jesuits, requests from other Jesuit provinces for care of their ill and senior men will keep the demand on the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center high for years to come. Projections indicate that in just a few years as many as 100 Jesuits will need to reside at Sacred Heart. Planned improvements to the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center include: A new heating and air conditioning system, allowing the men to control the temperature of their own rooms. Currently, there is no air conditioning in the building, exposing the Jesuits to uncomfortably warm temperatures in their rooms, particularly those on the upper floors. Electrical upgrades to allow Jesuits to simultaneously run their computers, televisions, and in some cases, electric blankets, without the risk of tripping circuit breakers which disrupt the daily life of the men and those in adjoining rooms. A raised floor in the Sacred Heart Chapel to allow men who utilize wheelchairs and walkers full access to the space, including the altar, so that they can say Mass for their brother Jesuits and guests at the daily Mass celebrated at the Center. A new ADA-compliant elevator, replacing the one installed in 1969. New energy efficient infirmary windows, solar panels, and an upgraded central phone system. New fire detection and alarm systems up to current code, ensuring a safe living environment. New transportation vans to take Jesuits to special events and doctor appointments. For Fr. Charles Tilley, S.J., facilities director of the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, the physical improvements only underlie the significance of the building and its importance in the lives of senior or infirm Jesuits. It s really not about the building, Fr. Tilley said. It s really about the Jesuits. It s about them and being able to help them continue their ministry of prayer for the Church and for the Society of Jesus. Food for Thought: The dining room at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center has served meals to Jesuits for decades. Once serving nearly 200 men when the novitiate was in Los Gatos, the room now serves the approximately 75 senior and infirm Jesuits in residence. 12 MISSION SUMMER 2014
New Infirmary Rooms (Rooms 1-6) and Nurses Station by Eaton Hall Architecture New Infirmary Rooms, Nurses Station, Laboratory, and Activity Room Like the general population, Jesuits are living longer. With advanced age, senior Jesuits often have medical conditions that require care in an infirmary setting. To accommodate anticipated needs brought about by the relocation of men from other provinces and extended lives of men of the California Province, the Province plans to convert existing underutilized library and archives space at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center into 14 infirmary rooms, a new nurses station, a laboratory, an activity room, and a memory unit for residents with dimentia, allowing more men to remain at their home while they receive quality compassionate care in a familiar comfortable setting. This is a return to home for many of the Jesuits, said Arnie Shafer, California Province provincial assistant for healthcare. They started out here as novices and their transition back here is like coming home. We want to be able to provide them care in a familiar comfortable environment, and with the increasing number of men that we anticipate we will need to care for, I would rather not have to send them someplace else for skilled care or assisted living care. Their coming home would be the best option for them. The current 17-bed infirmary offers hospital-style rooms and a number of services for the care of men residing there. In addition to a physician on-call 24 hours a day, the infirmary includes around-the-clock nursing care, physical and occupational therapy, a registered dietician, speech and language pathologists as needed, rotating clinics for dermatology and podiatry, and assorted lab works. A Caring Hand: CNA Leticia Delao offers assistance to Fr. Carroll Keating, S.J., in the Regis Infirmary dining room. (Fr. Keating entered into God s peace on June 13.) MISSION SUMMER 2014 13
WHY A CAMPAIGN? What s in a Name? Just how did the California Province come up with the name of its first capital campaign Generations? We wanted something that conveyed the legacy of Jesuits and the impact they have had on people, said Joe Naylor, provincial assistant for advancement and communications. Jesuits have been a part of people s lives literally for generations, so as we thought more about that, Generations was a name that carried a lot of weight and favor with our campaign communications committee where it quickly emerged as the name of choice. Guest Lodging and Multi-Purpose Room A nother important aspect of the Generations Capital Campaign is the creation of dedicated space for families and close friends who wish to come to Los Gatos for meaningful visits with Jesuits. The planned conversion of a small part of the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center for guest lodging with kitchen and gathering space will give families of Jesuits a place to stay during visits, especially families that come a great distance, and allow for more personal family visits. In addition, a new multipurpose room will provide the Province with much-needed meeting space to facilitate Province activities and gatherings of its various boards and committees that oversee ministries. The Generations name has several connotations: Jesuits have impacted the lives of families as teachers, often having taught fathers and sons and mothers and daughters, often at the same high school or university Jesuits have also celebrated weddings, baptisms, and even funerals, for generations of families As one of the campaign s goals is to enhance endowment support for the Province s Formation program (the training and education of future Jesuit priests and brothers), it is future generations of Jesuits and the people they will serve who will benefit from the support of benefactors. Sacred Heart Jesuit Center is not simply a health facility but it is also our home where we share our final days in prayer with our Jesuit brothers on behalf of the people of God. Fr. Leo Hombach, S.J. Guest Residence & Multipurpose Room by Eaton Hall Architecture 14 MISSION SUMMER 2014
Expansion of The Jesuit Novitiate of the Three Companions Located in Culver City, Calif., just 10 miles west of Los Angeles, The Jesuit Novitiate of the Three Companions has served as the novitiate for the California Province of the Society of Jesus since 1992. Built in 1954 as a child care facility, the building serves as the primary location for novices for the first two years of their 10- to 13-year formation program. As the California and Oregon provinces train novices together, the demands on the novitiate will intensify as more men are entering the Society of Jesus. Among the needed improvements at the novitiate are: of novices, referring to the men in the formation program. While there are many ways to go about this, they find that the Jesuits offer them a depth in pursuing this vision and concrete opportunities to which they feel drawn. They want to be part of a common endeavor that is larger than oneself. I am continually amazed by their generosity of spirit, along with their desire to serve others compassionately and to deepen their friendship with Jesus. Currently, we are at capacity with 22 novices and 22 novitiate rooms, Fr. Corder said. We are hopeful that the trend of increasing vocations will continue in the years ahead, especially now with the inspiring witness of Pope Francis. This seems to be the ideal time to add new rooms to our Novitiate, to build a new and larger chapel, and to refurbish our existing buildings so that they will last far into the future. Addition of 10 new residence rooms for men entering the Society of Jesus Creation of a new chapel to replace the existing chapel which is a converted garage Expansion of the adjacent residence buildings to accommodate Formation staff who are critical throughout the training process. The Jesuit Novitiate of the Three Companions is more than just a place where men begin their formal education, study, and training as Jesuits. It is their communal home, a place where they bond, share experiences of their journey while becoming Jesuits, and receive counsel and encouragement from the novice director and others who play important roles in their formation. Today s men are enlivened by the values of community, service, and spirituality, said Fr. Stephen Corder, S.J., director Seeking Suitable Space: The Province hopes to replace the Novitiate chapel, which is a converted garage. the jesuit NOVITIATE of the three companions The Jesuit Novitiate of the Three Companions: Aerial View - Looking NW By Cunningham Group
WHY A CAMPAIGN? Formation Endowment Once a man enters the Society of Jesuits, the California Province assumes all the costs of housing, education, training, and providing them with the spiritual and apostolic experiences to prepare them for a lifetime of religious life and work for the Church and society. The average annual cost for tuition and living expenses for one Jesuit in formation is approximately $50,000-$60,000. Jesuit scholastics undertake their standard formation (philosophy and theology) sometimes as undergraduates in philosophy and other disciplines, and always as graduate students in theology at Boston College, Santa Clara University, Loyola University Chicago, Saint Louis University, and Fordham University. Jesuits might also obtain advanced degrees and doctorates at many institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Notre Dame University, Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of Southern California, among others. The future success of the California Province rests on its ability to train men of integrity and ability. To maintain the stability of this formation process, first envisioned by St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, the Province seeks to strengthen the endowment fund dedicated to formation. The earnings Keeping Up: In his room at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Fr. Leo Hombach, S.J., keeps track of his correspondence daily. Costs for men in the formation process range from approximately $50,000 - $60,000 per year, per man. generated by this dedicated endowment fund underwrite all Jesuit formation in the Province, providing the training, education, and experiences so that future young men can become the teachers, administrators, missionaries, and spiritual directors for future generations. Whatever good work Jesuits have done for the Church and the world has always been done in partnership with others, Fr. Weiler said. This was true from the time of our founder, St. Ignatius, and continues to be true today. We are blessed by the generosity of our benefactors. It s just about 9 p.m. Fr. Hombach, who followed up dinner with a movie or watching some television, is now wrapping up his evening prayer and settling into bed for some more reading before falling asleep, usually by 10. I m thankful for the life I ve lived as a Jesuit and for the home I have here at Sacred Heart, Fr. Hombach said. I m thankful, too, for our benefactors who have made our lives here at Sacred Heart possible. I pray that other Jesuits will be able to call Sacred Heart home when their days in active ministry end. I pray also for those future generations of Jesuits who will take their place in ministry. May God bless them all. I want to express my deepest appreciation to all our benefactors, who, by their generosity, make it possible for us in these, our last years, to reflect and to remember them in our prayers. Without their magnanimous help, we would not still be here to return that favor of their generosity. Moreover, it is their monetary help which makes it possible for younger men to follow in our footsteps to continue the future ministry of the Society of Jesus. TO GIVE To support the Jesuits through the Generations Captial Campaign, please use the enclosed envelope or send your gift to: Jesuits of California Province Advancement Office, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031-0068. You may also donate online at www.generations-campaign.org or call (408) 884-1632.
Capital Campaign FAQ Why does the California Province have to undertake a capital campaign? Aren t there fewer priests today than years ago? Why does the Province need to expand the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center? Expansion of the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center is necessary because like the rest of the population, Jesuits are living longer. With more men living into their 80s and 90s, the level of health care they need requires the addition of infirmary rooms to meet the growing demand. With the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center being so old, why not build a new facility? The Province studied building a new facility, but the costs of doing so are much greater than making improvements to the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center to provide a safe and comfortable living environment for residents. Aren t fewer men signing up to be priests? Why does the Province need to expand the Novitiate? Actually, vocations are increasing, in part because of the example of Pope Francis. Also, the California and Oregon provinces are both sending men to The Jesuit Novitiate of the Three Companions in Culver City and the trend for the next several years will have more men entering the Society of Jesus. Do the universities charge the Province tuition for the men in Formation? Yes. The universities charge the Province tuition and the Province must also provide per diem expenses for the men for their living expenses at the Jesuit houses where they live. With more demand than ever on financial aid budgets, universities continue to make their limited financial aid resources available to deserving but disadvantaged students who have the potential of having a significant impact on society at large. The Province does not want to deny those financial aid funds to deserving students. I want to support the fundraising efforts of the Jesuits of the California Province, but how can I be sure that my donation is used only for its intended purpose? The Province deeply appreciates the generosity of its benefactors and works diligently to ensure donations are used for their intended purpose. To achieve this goal, the Province maintains careful records of each gift and its designation. This ensures the Province uses the funds in the manner intended by each donor. Trusts have been established to hold assets that are specifically designated for specific purposes. California Province AT A GLANCE The mission of the Society of Jesus, as a religious order within the Catholic Church, is the service of faith and the promotion of justice in living and proclaiming the Word of God. The California Province fulfills this vision and accomplishes this mission in each of its apostolic sectors and areas of outreach, with four priorities guiding its efforts: Ignatian Formation: to actively encourage and support Jesuits and lay colleagues to engage in ongoing formation that is personal and spiritual, and that addresses the needs of one s apostolic sector and/or ministry Leadership: to actively encourage and support Jesuits and lay colleagues to take on and continue in positions of leadership and responsibility Stewardship: to actively promote responsibility, both personal and communal, for the ongoing development and support of our apostolic works Vocation promotion: to actively promote the Ignatian charism and the Society of Jesus. The California Province supports each of its 40 ministries through direct financial contribution and/or the assignment of some of the 350 Jesuits of the Province to its various ministries. In addition, the Province supports a rigorous Formation program for the next generation of Jesuits and establishes new or maintains existing ministries to serve those who seek justice and dignity for all. Currently, Jesuits of the Province are assigned as follows: Colleges and Universities 81 High Schools 37 Parishes 33 Social Ministries 31 Foreign Missions 20 Retreat Centers 14 Province Administration 11 Men in Formation 52 Retired 71 Total 350 MISSION SUMMER 2014 17