JESUITS OF THE CALIFORNIA PROVINCE spring caring

JESUITS OF THE CALIFORNIA PROVINCE spring 2010 caring SENIOR JESUITS: CARE AND PRAYER HIGH SCHOOLS WITH HIGHER AIMS AMAZING GRACE AT ALCATRAZ REMEMBERING THE MARTYRS OF EL SALVADOR

Dear Lord, Teach me to grow old graciously. You know I am still available. I am now ready and completely able to fulfill this mission of prayer to which you have called me. My lifestyle has changed, become slower, and much simpler, less complicated and more prayerful. Now I have the time and the tranquility to rekindle my love for you, to renew my willingness to serve God s people in the church, but in a different way, and to increase my devotion to Mother Mary, Queen of the Society of Jesus. Based on Prayer of an Aging Jesuit by G. Perico, S.J. (1973), offered by the Sacred Heart Jesuit Community

JESUITS OF THE CALIFORNIA PROVINCE spring 2010 6 A Holy caring place for senior Jesuits At Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, residents seek a balance of wellness and holiness. Fathers Francis Buckley, S.J., and Leo Hombach, S.J., share their reflections on life in the California Province s senior Jesuit community. The late Fr. Dare Morgan, S.J. (1923-2010), held Amy, a Shih Tzu, during Pups & Poetry session at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, as dog owner Diana Murphy (left) and Cheryl Holsman, recreational coordinator at SHJC, looked on. IN EVERY ISSUE 2 From ThE PROVINCIAL My Job is to Care by John P. McGarry, S.J. 3 PROVINCE NEWS Listen to senior Jesuit voices on podcasts; meet Joe Naylor, the new Vice President for Advancement and Communications 19 Jesuit PRofile Meet Father William Maring, S.J. 14 eight high schools with higher aims Eight high schools associated with the California Province recently participated in the Jesuit-lay Sponsorship Review Process to ensure their Catholic/Jesuit identity and Ignatian values. 18 amazing grace at alcatraz When a Jesuit and a bank robber become friends, anything is possible. Father Bernard Bush, S.J., recounts his friendship with Larry Trumblay. 22 ON POINT Rising Diversity: Making Choices by Allan Deck, S.J. 24 MEDITATIONS The El Salvador Martyrs: Crosses to Liberate the Poor by Michael Engh, S.J. ON THE COVER: Father John Privett, S.J., gives Communion to senior Jesuits in the chapel of Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. For more about the painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, see page 9. Photo by Peter Lemieux

mission EDITORIAL BOARD John P. McGarry, S.J., Provincial John P. Mossi, S.J., Executive Editor Richards E. Bushnell, Editor Kathy Cain, Zehno Cross Media Communications Gail Tyson, Consultant EDITORIAL contributors Bernard Bush, S.J. Allan Deck, S.J. Michael Engh, S.J. Peter Lemieux Dan Peterson, S.J. Robert Stephan, S.J. DESIGN Zehno Cross Media Communications Advancement Office Joseph B. Naylor Vice President for Advancement and Communications John P. Mossi, S.J. Manager Richards E. Bushnell Associate Director of Communications William C. Farrington, S.J. Advancement Associate Julie Han Jesuit Mass Cards Administrator Grace Melendrez Gifts Steward Mission is published three times a year by the Jesuits of the California Province P.O. Box 68 Los Gatos, CA, 95031-0068 Phone: (408) 884-1630 E-mail: advancement@calprov.org www.jesuitscalifornia.org 2010 California Province of the Society of Jesus. All rights reserved. The comments and opinions expressed in Mission magazine are those of the authors and editors and do not necessarily reflect official positions of the California Province of the Society of Jesus. My job is to care While the Provincial has many things to do in leading the Province, these five key areas are the major focus of my ministry: Care of people: Cura personalis means that the heart of my service and leadership is to care for the nearly 400 Jesuits of the California Province, especially by listening and receiving the annual account of conscience of each Jesuit so as to support them in living a healthy religious life and the mission they have been given to do. Cura personalis also includes care for the Ignatian apostolic partners with whom Jesuits serve in all of our ministries. Care for Jesuit community life: The dynamics and structures of Jesuit community life also need careful attention in order to support our members and our ministries, with particular attention to our personal and communal prayer and celebration of the Eucharist. Care of apostolic works: Cura apostolica of the sponsored, cosponsored, and endorsed works of the California Province, including 12 parishes (7 with elementary schools), 3 universities, 8 secondary schools, 2 pre-secondary schools, 3 retreat/spirituality centers, 5 social ministries, 7 national ministries and services, 3 international twinning relationships, and other works of the Church in which members of the Province are involved. (For a complete list of our apostolic works, please see our website, www.jesuitscalifornia.org) Care for continued development of apostolic vision and goals in the context of partnership, the Decrees of General Congregation 35, and the Strategic Discernment Process of the Jesuits of the United States. Care for ongoing leadership, vocation development, and management of the Province. My job as Provincial is to care. Yet cura personalis is an act of giving and receiving. As Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., former Superior General of the Society of Jesus, said in a 2007 address on Ignatian spirituality: Cura personalis is simply help, from person to person, so that God and a human being may really meet. This help for others is our California Province trademark. When, after years of exercising cura personalis for others, a Jesuit needs time to rest in retirement and prayer, or attend to health-care needs, the Province continues to provide cura personalis for him. Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, once the site of our Novitiate, remains a place of great importance in the life of our Province: It is the site where we care for our older men and those who are infirm. We honor these great Jesuits, and our cura personalis of them, in this issue of Mission. As we pray for these Jesuits who have given their lives in service, please know that the Jesuits of Sacred Heart Jesuit Center have a special mission and ministry of prayer for you, our benefactors and friends, and for the whole Society of Jesus and the Church. Cura personalis is an act of giving and receiving. Gratefully in the Lord, Rev. John P. McGarry, S.J. Provincial 2 MISSION spring 2010

Listening to senior Jesuit voices Ijoined the Jesuits because I wanted to do God s will, and I have no regrets, I have just enjoyed this life. God has let me know that his plans for me are the ones he wanted to work out. Those comments by Father Frank J. Buckley, S.J., age 81, echo sentiments expressed repeatedly by senior Jesuits residing at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center (SHJC) in Los Gatos. Whether told by former high-school teachers, retreat directors, college presidents, or medical doctors, the stories these Jesuits tell reflect lives and ministries that are part of a larger plan. Last summer, I was privileged to interview 20 Jesuits residing at SHJC. The audio recordings I made are part of a project to collect the oral histories of California Jesuits, following the example of the New England Province. The goal is to preserve and share the rich experiences of Jesuits whose lives span events such as the Great Depression, World War II, and the Second Vatican Council. Their personal histories also give voice to the day-to-day reality of lived faith. They are stories of schools and sports, wars and protests, suffering and hope. Above all, they are stories of commitment to something greater than themselves. In listening to them, I felt nourished and strengthened. While the Jesuits I interviewed did not avoid sharing memories of difficulties and struggle, overall I got a sense of joy and gratitude in sharing lives dedicated to the service of God. As Father Robert L. McDevitt, S.J., age 83, said at the end of our interview: It s been a great ride. Listening to our senior Jesuits has been a great ride for me, too. Robert Stephan, S.J. To listen to audio recordings of Fathers Buckley and McDevitt, visit the Podcast Album on our website: www.jesuitscalifornia.org California Province welcomes Joseph Naylor to lead Advancement Office In mid-november, Joseph B. Naylor joined the California Province of the Society of Jesus as the new Vice President for Advancement and Communications, based in the Advancement Office in Los Gatos, California. Joe comes to the Province from Southern California after a successful 22-year career in fundraising for nonprofit organizations there, including the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Foundation in Burbank, Los Angeles Orthopedic Hospital Foundation, and YMCA branches in metropolitan Los Angeles, Montebello, and Torrance-South Bay. A native of St. Louis, Joe is a 1986 graduate of Rockhurst University, a Jesuit college in Kansas City, Missouri, where he earned his B.A. in Psychology and English. Since 2006, Joe has been recognized as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (C.F.R.E.). In announcing Joe s appointment, Father Provincial John P. McGarry, S.J., said, I am confident that Joe has the vision and the ability to lead the Province s advancement and fundraising initiatives for the future. During Joe s first week on his new job, he was interviewed by Mission magazine. PETER LEMIEUX Mission: Welcome to the California Province. You ve known Jesuits from the Missouri and California Provinces for many years. Can you tell us about your association with our Ignatian family? Joe Naylor: I feel blessed to be a part of the Ignatian family. My first experience with the Jesuits was receiving an outstanding education at Rockhurst University. During that time my spiritual director, Father Nick Rashford, S.J., encouraged me to volunteer for a summer in Central America. Through that experience, I learned about the Jesuits strong commitment to foreign missions. The following summer, I was asked by Fr. Paul Sheridan, S.J., founder of Boys Hope, to volunteer at Camp Owakonze in Canada where I learned about the Jesuits outreach to troubled youth there. When I moved to Los Angeles, I continued my relationship with the Ignatian family by taking theology classes at Loyola Marymount University and enlisting as my spiritual director Wilkie W.K. Au, Professor of Theological Studies. Dr. Au helped me in the practice of quieting my mind so I could listen to my heart. It was through this discernment process that I felt called to leave Southern California, which had been my home for 22 years, and come to Los Gatos. I put my trust in the Lord and took the plunge. I am excited about the opportunity to meet the dedicated Jesuits, lay volunteers, and benefactors of the California Province who make an impact on so many lives every day. Mission: You ve devoted much of your life to working for charitable causes. What do you find most fulfilling about your work? Joe Naylor: I enjoy meeting with volunteers and donors who have a strong connection and bond with a nonprofit institution. Continued on page 4. MISSION spring 2010 3

It is a joy to hear their stories of how an institution helped shape their lives, possibly by teaching them a skill, providing an education, or enhancing the health and well-being of their family or a loved one. I am in awe of these individuals who search for ways in which they can give back. I enjoy being a facilitator to assist them in finding the right program or project that pulls on their heartstrings, so they are able to make an impact and leave a legacy. Mission: While you were attending Rockhurst University, you did volunteer work in Belize and Honduras. What did you learn from those experiences abroad? Joe Naylor: I learned how Jesuits truly respond to the call to service. While I was in the mountains of Honduras, I met the late Father Frank Hogan, S.J., who had been ministering to the people there since the late 1940s. He was a man of tremendous faith who lived the Gospel every day. I also had the chance to meet amazing members of the Jesuit International Volunteer Corps who were giving their time to make a change in the lives of others. Mission: You recently made a pilgrimage to Spain, walking 100 miles on El Camino de Santiago de Compostela (the Way of St. James). How did that experience touch you? Joe Naylor: It was a life-changing experience. It was a chance in a lifetime to journey the same path that Chaucer, St. Francis of Assisi, Dante, and countless pilgrims have travelled over the centuries. On El Camino you carry only what you truly need, otherwise your backpack becomes too heavy and you are so burdened that you can not progress any further. I found this to be analogous to my life. I was ready for a change and needed to make my life simpler so that I could adeptly move to where God was calling me. Mission: If our readers are interested in making a bequest or endowment to support the California Province, how would you advise them to proceed? Joe Naylor: The Jesuits are able to accomplish their works through the generosity of our benefactors. The annual gifts and bequests that our benefactors entrust to us will allow the Jesuits to meet the changing needs of our community. We are grateful to donors who wish to create a Legacy Gift so that it can continue helping Jesuits make an impact. The Province s Legacy Circle recognizes benefactors who include the California Province in their estate plans. Our website (www.jesuitscalifornia.org) has a Support Our Mission select with information on how to make an annual gift, establish an endowment, or include the Province in a bequest. Our qualified staff will work with you, your family, attorney, and accountant to ensure that your intentions are honored and your gift is maximized by saving on estate taxes. I encourage you to contact the Advancement Office to see which giving program is best for you. Mission: Thanks, Joe. To contact Joe Naylor, call (408) 884-1635 or e-mail jnaylor@calprov.org IN REMEMBR ANCE Father A. Francis Frugoli, S.J., 95 December 28, 2009, at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, Los Gatos. Born in San Francisco in 1914, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1932 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1945. He was an administrator at Santa Clara University, taught at Bellarmine College Preparatory and Loyola High School, and counseled freshmen at St. Ignatius College Preparatory before embarking on a ministry as a shipboard chaplain. Serving at sea for up to 9 months a year, he ministered to passengers and crews on more than 460 cruises over a 30-year period. Father James E. Latham, S.J., 80 September 23, 2009, in Paris, France. A native San Franciscan, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1947 at Los Gatos, California, and was ordained to the priesthood in France in 1960. He did graduate study in theology at the Institut Catholique in Paris and taught at the University of San Francisco and Loyola Marymount University before returning to Paris, where he served as chaplain at the Sorbonne and as long-time professor of philosophy at the American University of Paris. Father Thomas F. McCormick, S.J., 72 January 1, 2010, in San Francisco. Born in Oakland in 1937, he entered the Society of Jesus in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1967. He received a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Texas and taught at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He served as Vice-Provincial for Formation of the California Province, Rector of the Jesuit community at the University of San Francisco, and Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, a Jesuit parish in Santa Barbara, where he directed the regional diaconate formation program for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Father John B. Palm, S.J., 95 September 8, 2009, at Los Gatos. Born in 1914 in Baltimore, Md., he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese there in 1941. In 1944, he entered the California Province to become a missionary in China. In 1948, he arrived in Shanghai and did pastoral work there until his 1953 when he was relocated to Taiwan. He served at Sacred Heart Church in Hsinchu until his retirement to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in 2004. During several summers, he assisted parishes in Northern California with fundraising efforts for the missions. 4 MISSION spring 2010

Help share our legacy of learning Since the first Jesuit schools opened during the 1850s, tens of thousands of students, perhaps including you, have graduated from one of the eight high schools associated with the California Province of the Society of Jesus. Over the past century, hundreds of Jesuits have devoted their lives to providing students with a high-quality education and instilling Ignatian values. The same devotion is evident today in our classrooms as new generations of Jesuits and lay educators serve nearly 7,500 students. Not all of our students are blessed with sufficient financial resources, yet the California Province seeks to share its educational legacy with as many young men and women as possible. To fulfill this goal, we instituted the Provincial Educational Scholarship Fund. For the 2009-2010 academic year, a total of $200,000 in scholarship funds were awarded to deserving students at each high and middle school based on their financial need. In this issue of Mission, you will see and hear from some inspiring student recipients. To ensure that the Provincial Educational Scholarship Fund can continue to help students like these in the future, we depend on your generosity. If you or your children graduated from one of our schools or you care deeply about educating children to be men and women for others consider making a gift today. Walk with us into a New Century of Service: 2010 and Beyond To Give: P.O. Box 68 Los Gatos, CA 95031-9900 Phone: 408-884-1630 Visit our website at www.jesuitscalifornia.org Send your gift for the Provincial Educational Scholarship Fund to the California Province Advancement Office, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031; or use the easy and secure Online Donation Form on our website: www.jesuitscalifornia.org

On his 80th birthday, Br. Norbert Biz Korte, S.J., reflects on his pictorial vignette with recreational aide Joyful Mathieson (left) and nurse s aide Weini Nguse, C.N.A., in Regis Infirmary. 6 MISSION Spring 2010

A holy caring place for senior Jesuits At Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, residents seek a balance of wellness and holiness by Dick Bushnell photography by Peter Lemieux Although it is said that Jesuits never actually retire, at some point in their lives the members of the California Province are assigned to the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California. Here, nearly 75 senior Jesuits, averaging 80 years of age, receive the personal care and community support they need as they pursue a vital new mission: praying for the Church, the Society of Jesus, and our benefactors. The center occupies a site that has been in continuous use since 1888 when the Sacred Heart Novitiate opened. In 1973, after extensive renovation, the Novitiate officially became Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, which damaged the center, repairs were made and further remodeling led to the opening of the 17-bed Regis Infirmary. On these pages, we present images of day-to-day life at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center and the profiles of two Jesuits who inspire us. We do so in the hope that readers may find it in their hearts to consider making a gift to help us sustain the high quality of care for our senior Jesuits. MISSION spring 2010 7

care Quality care, individual needs Deciding when a Jesuit is assigned to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center is a process of discernment involving that Jesuit, his local superior, the Provincial Assistant for Health Care, and the Provincial through his regular cura personalis of individuals (see From the Provincial, page 2). Being missioned to SHJC is not simply about one s age or aging, but more about a person s health and level of need for care, explains Father Provincial John P. McGarry, S.J. It is our experience that often a Jesuit s health improves after transitioning to SHJC due to the quality of care we provide in skilled nursing, assisted living, pastoral care, and recreational services. The center is dedicated to providing quality care for elderly and infirm Jesuits, according to each man s particular needs at one of four levels: independent living, assisted living, infirmary, and hospice care. Jesuits who participate in the independent living program generally need fewer services and medications. Those in assisted living may suffer from a chronic condition, such as diabetes, and need access to nurses on duty and to see a physician on a regular basis. The assisted care program also serves Jesuits who come to SHJC periodically to recuperate following surgery. Those with the greatest physical needs are placed in Regis Infirmary where they receive nursing care on a 24/7 basis, appropriate medications and treatments, and a weekly visit with a physician. The hospice care program is dedicated to Jesuits who are dying and may require medications and pain-control therapy from off-site providers. During hospice, each Jesuit and a member of the SHJC recreational staff engage in a dialog to compose vignettes of memorable photos and short statements that celebrate the Jesuit s life. The framed vignette is displayed in the Jesuit s room. In 2007, members of the independent and assisted living programs and infirmary patients collaborated in writing a mission statement for Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. Those Jesuits words eloquently express the priorities of the senior Jesuit community: Sacred Heart Jesuit Center serves the members of the Society of Jesus by encouraging the highest quality of spiritual, physical, psychological and creative life. Members are encouraged to continue whatever apostolic work they feel they can and to the extent that the opportunity exists. Lacking that opportunity, members remain apostles through their suffering and the prayers they offer to God for the works of the Society of Jesus and the Church. Teamwork Striving for balance, teamwork In providing the best possible care, the center s staff addresses each man s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs to achieve wellness and wholeness, according to Mary Eden, Provincial Assistant for Health Care. Above: The late Fr. George Dennis, S.J. (1923-2010), consulted with nutritionist Patricia Peasley, R.D., in Regis Infirmary. Top right: Fr. Robert Taheny, S.J., reads a poem during Pups & Poetry session as Oscar, a yellow Labrador, and dog owner Diana Murphy listen. 8 MISSION Spring 2010

To foster a balanced life-style, the center integrates support in six related aspects of senior Jesuit living: health/nutrition, physical exercise, recreation, social and intellectual activities, and spirituality, says Mary. Accomplishing these goals requires a coordinated team approach by 25 licensed nurses, a medical director, two psychiatrists, a dental hygienist, a podiatrist, a registered dietitian, four experienced cooks, three recreational staff members, two drivers, therapists, and other service providers as well as the Jesuits themselves. For example, Jesuits often present lectures to fellow residents on various academic, cultural, and religious topics, and Father Silvano P. Votto, S.J., conducts a weekly Bible Conference. Regular recreational activities include arts and crafts projects, gardening, musical performances, and Pups & Poetry, a program in which Jesuits enjoy a visit with a pair of adorable dogs while the men read selections from their favorite poets. Painting of the Sacred Heart prayer Mission centered on prayer As part of their mission of praying for the Church, the Society of Jesus, and its benefactors, the Jesuits at SHJC receive monthly prayer requests from Fr. McGarry. These include the prayer requests and intentions of benefactors. He may also request that Jesuits pray for specific intentions, such as for members of the Province who are struggling or suffering in any way, for the unemployed, and for the monthly intentions of the Holy Father. Because Jesuit life is centered on the Eucharist, seniors attend Mass daily in the Sacred Heart Community Chapel or the chapel in Regis Infirmary. The painting of the Sacred Heart of Jesus above the main altar of the chapel was installed in 1915 as a gesture of gratitude by exiled Mexican Jesuits to the California Province Jesuit community for offering them refuge at Sacred Heart Novitiate when they fled religious persecution in Mexico. From fall 1914 until summer 1915, a group of Mexican novices, juniors (Jesuit collegians), and their teachers lived in an original farmhouse and winery building on the property in Los Gatos, California. The exiles included the future martyr Miguel Pro, S.J. (top row, second from left), who was named a Blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1988. They were relocated to Spain to continue their studies in exile. The painting by Gonzalo Carrasco, S.J. (1859-1936), a noted Mexican Jesuit artist, was installed in the newly completed chapel in 1915. Also exiled by persecution, Fr. Carrasco established a studio in New York, where he continued his painting and ministered to the Spanishspeaking people there. Brother Dan Peterson, S.J. Above: Presenting the consecrated elements, Father John Privett, S.J., presides at morning Mass in the community chapel at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. MISSION spring 2010 9

10 MISSION spring 2010 Fr. A. Francis Frugoli, S.J., died at the age of 95 on December 28, 2009, shortly after this photo was taken.

SUPPORT Costly care requires generous support The Province s commitment to high quality care for its senior Jesuits is a costly undertaking. The total annual budget for retirement and health care of senior men in the Province, including our comprehensive services at SHJC, is close to $6 million, says Fr. McGarry. The cost of care for each resident is $5,700 per month on average. However, the Province receives no state or federal compensation for the nursing care provided at SHJC, and with 25 licensed nurses on staff that cost alone is substantial. Also in recent years, demand for care has risen as the Jesuit population grows older and more men are assigned to the center. By late 2009, SHJC had reached maximum capacity with no more rooms available in its assisted living program and infirmary, according to Mary Eden. Fr. McGarry appeals to the many friends of the Jesuits who have been positively impacted and influenced by the ministry of one or more of our senior Jesuits who live at SHJC. I hope that you will assist us in providing for the care of these good men who have given their lives in service to countless people through parishes, retreat centers, schools, universities, and other apostolates. We do our best to provide quality care and services, Fr. McGarry adds. In order for the Province to maintain our endowment at a level that will provide income to cover expenses in perpetuity, we need your generous support. On their part, the Jesuits at SHJC will go on fulfilling their mission of prayer and living out their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience for the rest of their lives. To GIVE Please send your gift to support the care of elderly and infirm Jesuits to the California Province Advancement Office, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031. Or use the Online Giving Form on the Province s website: www.jesuitscalifornia.org Top: The late Fr. George Dennis, S.J., got a ride to a dental appointment from staff driver Mike Coffaro. Middle: Fr. Theodore Taheny, S.J., points out a relative in an old family portrait as he and fellow Jesuits recalled Christmasses past with recreational assistant Karen Ferguson and Fr. Richard Blinn, S.J. Bottom: Senior Jesuits use elastic bands to stretch their leg muscles during morning fitness class. From left to right: Fathers Ralph Drendel, S.J., Anton Renna, S.J., Robert Taheny, S.J., and Richard Blinn, S.J. MISSION spring 2010 11

Sacred Heart Jesuit Center residents speak out I enjoy being with these guys. Many are old classmates of mine. I realize that many of them are failing the same thing is happening to me. I can t see anymore, but I can sure talk. Father Francis Buckley, S.J. Four years ago, Father Francis J. Buckley, S.J., 81, relocated to the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center after 45 years of teaching theology at the University of San Francisco. After a series of eye operations failed to improve his sight, Fr. Buckley explains, I had to resign from teaching because I couldn t see anymore. Shortly after he moved to SHJC, he received an e-mail from a fellow Jesuit who told him: They need you in Los Gatos. You re going to make a big difference. At that point, Fr. Buckley says he thought God has something else in store for me here. Indeed, Fr. Buckley, who uses a wheelchair to get around, has a kind word for everyone in his path, whether he can see them clearly or not. From nurses to cooks, he compliments SHJC staff members on the job they re doing. At age 81, I m non-threatening to people; I can listen to them and help them. Since Fr. Buckley arrived at SHJC, he has gathered a new flock of folks who come to him for spiritual direction or to hear their confessions. To help to bring people closer to God that s why I m a priest. It s a joyous experience. Of his fellow members of the Sacred Heart Jesuit Community, Fr. Buckley says, I enjoy being with these guys. Many are old classmates of mine. I realize that many of them are failing the same thing is happening to me. I can t see anymore, but I can sure talk. On the quality of care at SHJC, Fr. Buckley says, I think we have the best nursing care in the state of California. The nurses take a personal interest in the patients they really care about them. As for the future, Fr. Buckley says he as no worries. I abandon to Divine Providence whatever God has in mind for me. I pray every day that God s will be done for each of the 6 billion people on the face of the Earth. 12 MISSION Spring spring 2010

We have a salvific environment: it brings health and it brings salvation. It s a vocation to come here; the Lord is calling us here. We exercise our ministry which is very specific praying for the Church and the Society of Jesus. Father Leo Hombach, S.J. Six years ago, Father Leo J. Hombach, S.J., 79, retired to the SHJC. Although he had been actively engaged in various ministries, including teaching biology at Santa Clara University, throughout his career, Fr. Holmbach says he looked forward to retirement because in my previous time here at SHJC I was the Superior and we were remodeling the place. Still, he hasn t completely retired, but continues doing the job he has done for past 14 years: serving as the editor of Vineyard, the in-house newsletter for California Province Jesuits. As the former Superior and now a resident of the SHJC, Fr. Hombach says he has seen a quantum shift in the quality of life within the community. We created a place for the retired, the sick, and the dying that recognized the gradations of care each man needs. We have a salvific environment: it brings health and it brings salvation. It s a vocation to come here; the Lord is calling us here. We exercise our ministry which is very specific praying for the Church and the Society of Jesus. Asked to characterize the Sacred Heart Jesuit Community, Fr. Hombach replied, They are very, very good people, and they re very open to the problems that come with aging of sickness and of dying. Of his spiritual life, Fr. Hombach says, Pretty much the whole day is involved in periods of checking in with the Lord Here I am, Lord. It s not a formal thing. It s part of my experience of God. We have an Examen [of Conscience]. Usually, I ll spend some time reflecting on what I did during the day, celebrating the experiences I have. Sometimes I don t feel good, and I try to celebrate that, too. MISSION spring 2010 13

Eight high schools with higher aims The California Province s Sponsorship Review Process Ensures Quality Catholic Education with True Ignatian Character by Father Edwin B. Harris, S.J., Provincial Assistant for Secondary and Pre-secondary Education photo by Pedro Cafasso 14 MISSION spring 2010

The Jesuit ministry of secondary education is deeply rooted in the history of the California Province, going back to the days when our high schools were part of colleges located in Santa Clara, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. As the high schools evolved and established themselves as independent academic institutions, it was important to maintain and strengthen their Catholic and Jesuit identity and mission in the service of the Church. Currently, the nine secondary and pre-secondary schools operating within the California Province serve almost 7,500 students. They are blessed with rich cultural, ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious diversity among faculty and staff members, reflecting the characteristics of California and Arizona where the schools are located. The graduates of these schools live locally and in many other states and countries around the world. Many of them serve in ways which contribute to building a better world for generations to come. All of these schools recently concluded their participation in the first round of Project Sponsorship, a program to validate the Jesuit nature and identity of each of these schools. This process was developed in response to questions and concerns which are being discussed at the national, international, and provincial levels of the Society of Jesus. Continued on page 17 Josué Before attending Loyola High School, I had feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction with the way my life was going. After tutoring underprivileged children for the first time and seeing the elation on their faces, it became clear to me what I was called to do. Loyola provided infinite opportunities to serve the community. Whether I was in New Orleans during an immersion trip or in downtown Los Angeles serving the homeless, I knew what God wanted me to do. Josué de Paz, junior, Loyola High School MISSION spring 2010 15

Ignatian students with character Eddie Henry JOSEF Xavier College Preparatory High School has given me a new way to look at life and a different outlook on my future. Xavier has been very generous to me, from giving financial aid to being a second home for me. Eddie Rodriguez, senior, Xavier College Preparatory High School I saw God s influence in our immersion trip to New Orleans last summer. Where I saw God the most was in the persevering force of the people of New Orleans, as the inner light that keeps them striving to rebuild their hometown when so many would just abandon it. Henry Stroud, senior, Jesuit High School In my religious studies class, we reviewed a passage from the Gospel of Luke about the need to share our gifts and the joy we feel when we help others. That s just how I felt working with disabled children and adults last summer at the Janet Pomeroy Center in San Francisco. Josef Rivera, sophomore, St. Ignatius College Preparatory ANA Cristo Rey High School Sacramento s Work-Study Program is a rewarding experience. This year, I am working at Bustos Media, learning the business side of the industry. I am lucky to have this job as I hope to major in communication. Ana Carmona, senior, Cristo Rey High School Sacramento 16 MISSION spring 2010 ALEX Bellarmine has molded me into the person I wish to stay like for the rest of my life. Rather than being a follower, Bellarmine has forced me to become a man with the voice for the voiceless. Alex Cagwin, 2009 graduate, Bellarmine College Preparatory $ 200,000 in scholarship funds were provided in 2009 by the Province

In 2005-06, participants from each of the schools formulated a Sponsorship Review Process, which included a self-study by each school, visits to each campus by a committee of faculty and administrators from academic institutions, and a report delivered to the Provincial and to the leadership of each school. The process culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Province and the individual school, reaffirming the Jesuit and Ignatian character of the school and its relationship to the Province. The first round of these visits took place between Spring 2007 and Spring 2009, and all the agreements were signed by Fall 2009. The visits and subsequent reports are helpful to the schools because they highlight their strengths in the areas of Jesuit mission, Ignatian formation of the various groups within the school, and how these two factors affect the educational work in the school with the students who are served in that community. The sponsorship experience can confirm the school s direction for the future and propose considerations for future growth. The written agreements highlight the responsibilities of the school and the Province to preserve the Catholic, Jesuit, and Ignatian character of the school. Commenting on the recently concluded Sponsorship Renewal Process, Father Provincial John P. McGarry, S.J., said, I had the opportunity to participate in a signing ceremony at each school, usually in the context of the celebration of the Eucharist, during which we gave thanks to God for the gift of the mission of Jesuit education. I had the opportunity to participate in a signing ceremony at each school, usually in the context of the celebration of the Eucharist, during which we gave thanks to God for the gift of the mission of Jesuit education. Father Provincial John P. McGarry, S.J. The California Province promotes the Jesuit mission and identity of each school in several ways. In September, the Province hosts the Ignatian Orientation Program for new faculty and staff members, which gives them an introduction to the life of St. Ignatius and shows how the work of Jesuit education flows from the charism of St. Ignatius as developed in the Jesuit Order over 460 years. In January, experienced faculty and staff members participate in the Colloquium for the Ministry of Teaching which is designed to refresh their understanding of the Jesuit mission and identity of the schools and renew their commitment to this vital ministry of the Catholic Church. Various programs from the national Jesuit Secondary Educational Association (JSEA) provide periodic opportunities for professional renewal in the Jesuit mission. In addition, every year the California Province provides scholarship funds to each of the schools for individual students based on their financial need. In 2009 alone, the Province provided a total of $200,000 in scholarship funds, including $20,000 to each high school, making it possible for deserving students to receive a quality Catholic education. Editor s note: For an overview of the pre-secondary program at Sacred Heart Nativity Schools in San Jose, see the Spring 2009 issue of Mission magazine, page 8. To Give Benefactors are encouraged to contribute to the Provincial Educational Scholarship Fund by making a gift directly to the California Province Advancement Office, P.O. Box 68, Los Gatos, CA 95031 or visit www.jesuitscalifornia.org MISSION spring 2010 17

schools & locations 1 Bellarmine College Preparatory Location: San Jose, California Founded: 1851 (as part of Santa Clara College) California Province association: Sponsored Sponsor: California Province of the Society of Jesus (CPSJ) Student enrollment: 1,390 School website: www.bcp.org 2 Brophy College Preparatory Location: Phoenix, Arizona Founded: 1928 California Province association: Sponsored Sponsor: CPSJ Student enrollment: 1,250 School website: www.brophyprep.org 3 4 Cristo Rey High School Sacramento Location: Sacramento, California Founded: 2006 California Province association: Cosponsored Cosponsors: CPSJ, Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur National model: Cristo Rey Network Student enrollment: 281 Student body note: Coed School website: www.cristoreysacramento.org Jesuit High School Location: Sacramento, California Founded: 1963 California Province association: Sponsored Sponsor: CPSJ Student enrollment: 1,070 School website: www.jhssac.org Loyola High School 5 7 6 Location: Los Angeles, California Founded: 1865 (as St. Vincent s College) California Province association: Sponsored Sponsor: CPSJ Student enrollment: 1,228 School website: www.loyolahs.edu St. Ignatius College Preparatory Location: San Francisco, California Founded: 1855 California Province association: Sponsored Sponsor: CPSJ Student enrollment: 1,424 Student body note: Coed School website: www.siprep.org 8 Verbum Dei High School Location: Los Angeles, California Founded: 1962 California Province association: Cosponsored Cosponsors: CPSJ, Archdiocese of Los Angeles National model: Cristo Rey Network Student enrollment: 281 School website: www.verbumdei.us Xavier College Preparatory High School Location: Palm Desert, California Founded: 2006 California Province association: Endorsed Student enrollment: 340 Student body note: Coed School website: www.xavierprep.org 18 MISSION spring 2010

Jesuit Profile Meet Father William J. Maring, S.J. PETER LEMIEUX On his 96th birthday, Father William J. Maring, S.J., was asked if he had retired at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California. I haven t retired yet, he replied. You just can t sit around. Indeed, on his birthday, this nonagenarian born before World War I in San Francisco had gone out to attend Mass with a friend, continuing his cultivation of a potential benefactor. Not only is Fr. Maring the oldest Jesuit in the California Province, but he still carries out his duties as Promoter of Province Arca. Arca is a Jesuit term for fund, and the California Province maintains a group of arcas set aside for specific purposes: for men in formation, for apostolic works including missionaries, for the care of elderly and infirm Jesuits, for the maintenance or purchase of community houses where Jesuits live, and for the greatest need at a particular time. The arcas are sustained in large part by donations from benefactors past, present, and future. Fr. Maring s life spans most of the history of the California Province which itself was established only four years before he was born on November 9, 1913, to Edward and Minnie Maring. He attended Catholic schools in San Francisco and studied for one year at the University of San Francisco before entering the Society of Jesus at the Sacred Heart Novitiate in 1932. After two years in the novitiate, he entered the juniorate, then under the auspices of Santa Clara University. After his regency at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, where he taught Latin and math, he studied theology at Alma College in Los Gatos. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1945. In 1947, his life took a turn in a different direction. Although he had planned to study for a doctorate in mathematics at Georgetown University, he was called to Los Gatos to help run the Novitiate Winery. Then in 1948 he was assigned I m the oldest Jesuit in the California Province now. We have to have courage. We have to have conviction and not be afraid to face the future. temporarily to be Province Treasurer and 30 years later they fired me, he jokes. More recently, Fr. Maring played a starring role in the California Province Centennial film, Responding to the Call of Christ: 100 Years and Beyond. In a memorable scene, Fr. Maring walks briskly in front of the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center, and as the camera follows him, he says, I m the oldest Jesuit in the California Province now. We have to have courage. We have to have conviction and not be afraid to face the future. Reflecting on that scene months later, Fr. Maring explains, I spoke from my heart. Maybe that s what God wanted to be said. Yet he knows how easy it is to give up. To keep plugging away that takes courage, he says. While Fr. Maring is clearly unafraid of the future, he is actively engaged in the present and takes a pragmatic approach. Referring to the Province s Kino Border Initiative, a social-outreach ministry located astride the U.S.-Mexico border at Nogales, Arizona, he acknowledges that immigration is a big problem. There are hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens in this country. He quickly adds, We can t just throw them out, yet what can we do? How can we solve that problem? As for his fundraising efforts, Fr. Maring encourages benefactors to keep the big picture in mind. We are educating Jesuits so that they can run our schools and ministries, working with the poor all across the board. If you don t have the funds to educate Jesuits, then you can t maintain the Jesuit schools and ministries that you have. Fr. Maring also thinks the Province s benefactors ought to know more about what his fellow Jesuit community members do at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center. In addition to taking care of old priests and brothers, he says, it s a source of Jesuit power. We pray for the benefit of the Church and the Society and for the people who support Jesuit enterprises. Dick Bushnell MISSION spring 2010 19

Amazing grace at Alcatraz When a Jesuit and a bank robber become friends, anything is possible. by Father Bernard J. Bush, S.J. It is part of the formation of Jesuits to spend some time in an apostolate before Theology Studies and Ordination to the Priesthood. In 1957, I was assigned to teach at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco. At that time, Fr. Jim Tupy, S.J., who was on the faculty of St. Ignatius, also served as chaplain at the U.S. Penitentiary on Alcatraz Island. Fr. Tupy went out to The Rock every Sunday to say Mass for the prisoners. I was very curious about the prison and asked Fr. Tupy if it would be possible for me to accompany him so I could see what it was like. He got permission from the warden, Paul Madigan, for me to go with him to visit while he did his ministry. After the Mass, I went into the yard where the men were having recreation period. Some were playing cards, while others were playing handball, lifting weights, or walking around. I began introducing myself and talking to them. One man in particular, who was sunning himself against the wall, looked very tough. I did not want to startle him, so I called out from a few feet away. He opened his eyes and looked at me. I advanced, shook his hand, and introduced myself. He told me his name was Trumblay. When I asked how long he was in for, he said 35 years. I asked him what he had done. They say I held up some banks, he replied. [Trumblay had been sentenced to prison in 1953 for a $53,000 holdup of National Bank and Trust in South Bend, Indiana, in which a teller was wounded by a shotgun blast.] Fr. Bernard Bush, S.J., celebrates his Ordination Mass, as Larry Trumblay (far right) brings the chalice to the altar. 20 MISSION SPRING 2010

Later, as I was leaving the prison, the warden asked me how I liked my visit. I told him that I really enjoyed meeting the men and talking with them. Then I mentioned that I had met a man named Trumblay who seemed very tough and hostile. The warden told me that I was wasting my time with him as he caused more trouble than any five other inmates. He then showed me a list of Trumlay s infractions since he had been there. He had not earned any good time for all of his years there and had spent considerable time in the The Hole. That was the first of many visits to Alcatraz. On my next visit, I saw Trumblay walking by with a couple of other men. Hello, Trumblay, I said. Do you remember me? he asked. Sure, I never forget my friends, I replied. No one ever called me that before, he said. Well, why not? We had a good talk the last time I was here, I told him. Over the next four years, I went to Alcatraz about once every month or two. Each time I went, Larry Trumblay and I would make a point to talk with each other. We became very close friends. We began to fantasize that he would attend my ordination in San Francisco which would be coming up in a few years. Since he had about 25 years left of his sentence that seemed completely impossible, but it was fun to talk about how I would help him escape, come to my ordination, then get him back before they missed him. He told me that while he would not be there, he would give me something to remember him and the boys by. Looking back at that experience, I believe that God did the impossible by allowing Larry to escape from Alcatraz so that my best friend could be at my ordination. Fr. Bernard Bush, S.J. I went to study theology in 1962 and they closed Alcatraz the next year. Larry went to the federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, where through his good behavior he got all of his good time back. His sentence was reduced by the court through a technicality and he was released from prison on parole on May 19, 1965. We got permission from the Attorney General of the United States for him to come to California. So on June 4, 1965, Larry was at my ordination. He gave me something that day to remember him and the boys by. It was an alb, which he had designed and crocheted in his cell at Alcatraz. I wore it for my ordination and first Mass. It was a very joyous time for Larry and me because our wildest, most improbable dream had come true. Larry returned to his home in Chicago, but a few weeks later on June 26, he was killed in an auto accident. He was 37 years old. Looking back at that experience, I believe that God did the impossible by allowing Larry to escape from Alcatraz so that my best friend could be at my ordination. Then God took him right to heaven. It is the passion and resurrection of Christ in our time. I have felt Larry s closeness many, many times. Editor s note: Father Bernard Bush, S.J., is a retreat director at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos. The late Father Jim Tupy, S.J., was chaplain at Alcatraz federal prison from 1958 until it closed in 1963. MISSION SPRING 2010 21

Rising Diversity: Making Choices The ever-growing cultural options being placed before us present us with baffling pathways. by Allan Figueroa Deck, S.J., Executive Director, Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Journalist John Allen believes there are two overarching trends in worldwide Catholicism today. The first is the dramatic shift in the Church s composition from being European-centered to now being centered in the developing world of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This shift is true as well for worldwide religious orders like the Jesuits. The second is the corresponding search for Catholic identity and unity, or communion, in the face of so much diversity. These two trends coexist with a great deal of tension today. In the wake of globalization nobody no institutions, nations, cultures, churches, or religions can remain unaffected by the encounter with the other. These encounters advance in the form of migration: there are more than 20 million migrants and refugees in our world. In addition, market forces are creating a new balance of power, one that is polycentric. Once-sleeping giants like China and India are on the move. While global economics drive the use of English as a lingua franca and the Internet, digital communications, and travel unite people instantly in a baffling variety of ways, there is plenty of push-back in the form of rising nationalisms and sectarianisms that partially explain today s terrorism. In our own country, the current anti-immigrant environment incited by advocacy journalists like Lou Dobbs is an example of this push-back. Robert Putnam, a leading commentator on U.S. society, reminds us that most people react to diversity what is different with fear and suspicion. The trauma of 9/11 did not help! It created in the minds and hearts of many a context of fear, a fear that poisons political discourse and throws cold water on efforts to dialogue with others. In a much-commented talk he gave a few years ago titled E Pluribus Unum, Putnam reported that what he calls social capital is in decline in the U.S. because of diversity. The presence of many different cultural groups in so many places throughout the country has created a hunkering down reaction on the part of many. They respond to diversity like turtles they retreat into their shells. As a result, people are less rather than more willing to listen to the other and much less willing to collaborate in the resolution of common needs. This stressful situation is nothing new to the Catholic Church. While in its sinfulness the Church does not always live up to its deepest and most authentic identity, nor act consistently with its own message about catholicity (its nature as a communion or unity within diversity), the Church keeps coming back to its identity which is communion. Communion is reached not only through adhering to the message received from the Lord but by putting it into action. Pope Benedict XVI uses the word performative. Tools like the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Magisterium (contemporary teachings of the Holy Father and the bishops and other doctrinal resources) enhance the Church s search for a doctrinal and moral backbone. But these resources are never enough because truth has to be put into action. Truth for a Christian is incarnate, that is, it becomes flesh it is embodied. That s why Catholic identity is linked to action on behalf of justice, the option for the poor, and the pursuit of the common good. Symbolically and actually this is what happens in the Church s highest form of prayer which is the Eucharist. Christ s loving sacrifice and presence, agape, become reality in the body made up of the faithful who embody Christ for others in marriage, the family, friendship, in the workplace or school, in the boardroom, in business, on the sports field and sometimes (in a just war) even the battlefield. 22 MISSION SPRING 2010

Openness to the other is a fundamental characteristic of the catholic spirit. The basis for this openness is the conviction that God s Spirit is at work literally everywhere and in everyone. The message of Christ is that there is one God and Father of all and that we are all brothers and sisters. All life must be respected, including that of the unborn and the poor. Is there something one does not understand about the meaning of the word all in the last sentence? But the human race, even devout Christians, often do not accept God s universal love. Today s changing world scene is forcing the issue as people are on the move within their nations and across international borders. Never have human beings and their cultures been more mobile than they are today. The Church looks at the dynamics of cultural change through a much different lens. The word that best expresses the reality of this new age of human interaction is interculturality. At its heart, it is the notion of culture as the way of life, values, and customs, in a word, the identity, of a people. This identity interacts with others by means of symbols, stories, and rituals the vehicles by which the core values of human identity express themselves. People tend to hold on to their culture because it constitutes their comfort zone, the way of living they are used to and take for granted. The challenge of our time revolves around the effective communication of these values and their dynamic execution, transformation, or decline. This happens in the crucible of a people s symbols, stories, and rituals through the give-and-take of life as mediated by work, education, travel, cyberspace, and religion. Cultures are being cramped, stretched, and squeezed. While cultures have always been dynamic realities, they hunker down when they perceive themselves to be threatened. U.S. culture has responded to cultural transformations both positively and negatively. The integration of many immigrant people into our culture is a great human accomplishment, but we have always blown hot and cold about this. We have a hate-love relationship with our immigrant selves, since virtually everyone s roots (except the Native Americans) are found somewhere else. Our history includes ugly, recurring moments of racism and bigotry. Yet our cultural drive toward equality and due process under law has defended the rights and human dignity of minorities. The election of an African-American president in 2008 was a dramatic demonstration of this. The Church looks at the dynamics of cultural change through a much different lens. For the Church, it is not about defending national or modern cultures, no matter how exalted they be. It is about proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. That message encoded in the Sermon on the Mount and more widely in the Scriptures and the Christian tradition has permanently countercultural features. Jesus teaching about the centrality of love of God and neighbor challenges every culture to go far beyond its values and norms because it proposes the counterintuitive notion that life passes through death, that agape or self-sacrificial love and not self-promotion is the highest norm for approaching life. The reality of the world s growing experience with cultural, generational, and gender diversity highlights the need for what sociologist of religion John A. Coleman, S.J., calls cultural discernment. Ignatian spirituality proposes to all people on life s journey the possibility of discovering God s will in their most authentic desires as lived in the context of Christian community fed by the Eucharist. The ever-growing cultural options being placed before us present us all with baffling pathways. Many Americans are blessed with economic mobility and education that allow them to make these choices. We know that many will opt out of life in Christian community and pursue a good life as secular humanists. They will not be antagonistic to their ancestral Catholicism but it won t be a source of light and life any more. This is a fundamental shift in which God and others cease to be the center of one s life and in their place is put a pleasant but innocuous ideal (idol?) of selffulfillment, living for oneself and not for others. While one s culture is perceived as being influenced or under attack by foreign tongues, values, and ways of being in this age of migration, globalization, and diversity, the strongest and most persistent influence is not coming from other national cultures. It is coming from the all-pervasive modern culture that offers material satisfactions and ethical ones in the form of secular humanism. The heartland of this secular culture is the United States and Europe. The Church does not condemn this culture of secularity, but points out that it, like every other cultural influence, has to stand in judgment before the goodness, truth, and beauty revealed in Jesus Christ. In the face of today s mounting diversity, the best stance for committed and alive Catholics is one of critical awareness of their own culture, its strengths and limitations; an openness to other people s cultures; and, more than anything else, a real grounding in the gospel message taught by Christ whom they profess to follow. The Ignatian heritage of prayerful discernment is a particularly relevant tool today as so many choices are being offered to us in the context of diversity. The question is: Do you choose to follow Christ in the world? Editor s note: In 2008, Fr. Allan F. Deck, S.J., became the first Executive Director of the Office for Cultural Diversity in the Church at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops based in Washington, D.C. Previous to that appointment, Fr. Deck, a Jesuit priest of the California Province, served as Executive Director of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality in Orange, Calif. MISSION SPRING 2010 23

The El Salvador Martyrs: Crosses to liberate the poor by Michael Engh, S.J., President of Santa Clara University In front of the Mission Church at Santa Clara University stand eight white crosses. Each bears the name of one of the six Jesuits, their cook, and her daughter murdered at the University of Central America (UCA), El Salvador. I have seen these crosses many times since they were erected in November 1989. They contrast starkly with the bustling groups of students headed to and from class. Only when visiting El Salvador in this past year did I began to understand why the martyrs remain so important to the mission of this university in the Silicon Valley. At Santa Clara we have a historic link to the work of the Jesuits at the UCA. Their slain president, Ignacio Ellacuria, S.J., had delivered the commencement address here in 1982. He challenged Jesuit universities to work in solidarity with those who suffer oppression and poverty. I saw one example how this university has responded when I visited Santa Clara s Casa de la Solidaridad in San Salvador. The Casa directors, Kevin and Trena Yonkers-Talz, work with Father Mark Ravizza, S.J., from Santa Clara s philosophy department, and a dedicated staff of Salvadorans. They assist the 25 to 30 students who study at the Casa each semester. Besides taking classes at the UCA, students work two days per week in neighborhoods and small rural communities. To learn from the people, the Casa s program emphasizes the word: acompañar to accompany. Students accompany by meeting, listening, and working alongside the Salvadoran people amidst their daily realities. I accompanied Trena and Kevin into the homes of the campesinos in hamlets like Tepecoyo and Los Nubes. In San Ramon Abad, Rosa and Lilo welcomed us for a dinner of beans The poor in El Salvador are still being crucified. and heaps of insert thick, homemade Salvadoran tortillas. When the table was cleared, they shared their stories of the violence of the civil war thirty years ago. One-time farmers, they fled their village when caught in the crossfire between government and rebel forces. As they ran with their small children, Rosa carried her baby in her arms. Closing in on them, a soldier tossed a grenade. Not until they had run much further did Rosa discover that a tiny piece of grenade shrapnel had killed her daughter. Rosa asked me, Padre, why did God take my child from me? The people of El Salvador have taught me, touched my heart, and stirred my conscience. I recalled Rosa s query when Father Jon Sobino, S.J., spoke at Santa Clara in November 2009. He offered the keynote address during the university s commemoration of the martyrs of the UCA. Sobrino, who was not home the night when the killers attacked 20 years earlier, spoke in the Mission Church about the eight martyrs. Explaining that the poor in El Salvador are still being crucified, he asked: What have we done to put them on the cross? What are we doing to take them down from the cross? Jon Sobrino speaks and writes so that the light of Truth will reveal how people live and suffer in El Salvador. As God s beloved, the poor possess rights to life and security, health, education, respect, a living wage. As I reflected on Sobrino s witness, I wondered about the death of Rosa s child and about that question, what are we doing to take the poor down from the cross? We might ask, how is the world better because of me and my actions? How is the world sanctified, improved, transformed? What good do I allow God to work through me for the benefit of others? How, indeed, do we alleviate the crucified poor? Paul Woolley 24 MISSION spring 2010

The First Jesuit Pilot Brother George Feltes, S.J. (1898-1993), received his flying license in 1929 in order to become a bush pilot for the far-flung Jesuit mission stations of northern Alaska. The first Jesuit to fly an airplane, he was hailed in the press as the First Flying Missionary. He oversaw the construction of a Bellanca Pacemaker, dubbed The Marquette Missionary, flew it across the U.S. and shipped it to Alaska. The plane was in service only a few months when it crashed at Kotzebue in October 1930, killing the lay pilot, the Jesuit mission superior, and another priest. Br. Feltes returned to the East Coast to pick up a second airplane of the same make, The Alaska Missionary. During this period, he was photographed with Col. Charles Lindbergh at Curtiss Field on Long Island in 1931 (inset photo). Br. Feltes flew the second plane to Jesuit mission stations for a few years before the bishop, deeming flying too dangerous, sold the aircraft. Br. Feltes served another 50 years in Alaska before retiring to Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos.