St. Xavier Church.Our ministries energetically continue

their traditions of service. We remain ever grateful for your support before, during, and after this realignment process. With you, we train our Jesuits, support our international ministries, care for infirm members, and start new ministries as needs arise. Thank you.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Timothy P. Kesicki, SJProvincial

Dear Friends, This time of year is filled with energy—

from graduates of our schools moving to the next level of their education or into the “real world,” to the ordination of our Jesuits after 10 or more years of formation.

It’s also an energetic time for the Society of Jesus in the United States. Our ongoing reconfiguration from 10 provinces to 5 ensures that Jesuits, lay colleagues, and our works serve the Church and world “for the greater glory of God.” As of January 1, 2011, the Chicago and Detroit Provinces are canonically united. With your prayers and support, our 346 Jesuits and 35 ministries in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois are going strong. Now we are working toward unification with the Wisconsin Province.

Throughout the Province, Good News abounds. For example, we’re assigning more Jesuits to Detroit ministries, where

Gesu Parish, Ss. Peter and Paul, and Man-resa Jesuit Retreat House serve people’s spiritual and material needs; Loyola High School and University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy recently re-ceived national accolades from NFL Films and Time magazine respectively; and Uni-versity of Detroit Mercy enters a new era of excellence in higher education with its first lay president, Dr. Antoine Garibaldi.

In the Cleveland area, John Carroll University and St. Ignatius High School celebrated their 125th anniversaries while Jesuit Retreat House and Gesu Parish

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E C H I C A G O - D E T R O I T P R O V I N C E S U M M E R 2 0 11

To celebrate John Carroll University’s 125th anniversary, Fr. Timothy Kesicki, SJ (class of 1984), delivered the keynote com-mencement address for 659 seniors and 302 graduate students who received degrees. Fr. Kesicki (left) was awarded an honorary degree by JCU’s president, Fr. Robert Niehoff, SJ (middle), and board member, Mr. Michael Hardy (class of 1969).

From the Provincial

We remain ever grateful for your support before, during, and after this realignment process.

To view a video of Fr. Kesicki’s John Carroll University talk, visit our website at www.jesuits-chgdet.org and click the red web icon as shown here.

continue 108 and 85 years respectively of sacramental service. In nearby Cuyahoga Falls, Walsh Jesuit High School approaches the half-century mark with its new presi-dent, Karl Ertle. In Toledo, St. John’s Jesuit High School & Academy builds on its 113-year-old foundation by adding a sixth grade class to its middle school.

The Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford, Ohio, recently hosted the Chicago-Detroit Province and Wisconsin Province Con-gregations to elect delegates for the 70th Congregation of Procurators to be held next July in Nairobi. Afterward, Xavier University (XU) and St. Xavier Church hosted the ordination celebrations for both provinces. Several of our Jesuits have been assigned to serve in Cincinnati—teaching at XU and St. Xavier High School, and as-sisting at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish and

Chicago Jesuit Academy

Class of 2011:

These students entered

Chicago Jesuit Academy

at an average of one to

two grade levels behind

in reading and math.

As eighth graders, these

students tested at an

average of a mid-11th-

grade level in reading

and math and earned

$3,343,572.00 in

scholarship funds and

financial aid for their four

years of high school.

Great Success for Chicago’s First Nativity-Model SchoolChicago Jesuit Academy, the only Jesuit Nativity-model school in Chicago, is proud to announce that five years after opening, all the members of the first two graduating classes—2009 and 2010—have earned admission to college preparatory high schools, including Loyola Academy and Saint Ignatius College Prep. The school uses small classes, extended academic days, and a longer school year to prepare students for success in college-prep high schools, colleges, and positions of community leadership. n

New Bi-Province Novitiate The 14 first- and second-year Jesuit novices of the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces have a new home: St. Alberto Hurtado House Novitiate Community in St. Paul, Minnesota. Last December, Archbishop John Nienstedt of the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese, presided over the dedication cer-emony. The novices are formed by Frs. Christopher Manahan, Thomas Pipp, and Charles Rodrigues. n

Two Ohio Schools Celebrate 125th AnniversariesJohn Carroll University in University Heights and Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland celebrate 125 years of education and service. The two schools joined together on April 20, 2011, to recognize this important milestone with a day of service. n

World Youth Day/Magis, Madrid 2011 World Youth Day (WYD) is a weeklong Catholic gathering of youth and young adults held every 2–3 years in different cities around the globe. Magis is the Ignatian program of events for pilgrims from Jesuit institutions that precedes WYD. This year, WYD is August 16–21. Fr. Phil Hurley, SJ, youth and young adult director for the US office of the Apostleship of Prayer, will sponsor Magis August 5–15 with the Jesuits of Spain and their collaborators. n

Jesuit Fr. Terry Charlton Visits US Fr. Terry Charlton, SJ, founder and chaplain of St. Aloysius Gonzaga High School in Nairobi, Kenya, (pictured at far right with fellow Jesuit administrators and teachers), will be visiting friends and family in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, New York, and Washington, DC, from June 23 to September 21. He looks forward to meeting with many of you to share his gratitude for the success of the St. Al’s students (AIDS affected youth from the Kibera slum) and the recent completion of the new school build-ing. St. Al’s is the world’s first high school for AIDS Orphans. If you wish to meet with Fr. Terry or help plan an event to further the school’s mission, please contact Jeff Smart at the province office at jsmart@jesuits-chgdet.org, or 800-922-5327. n

N E W S

2

By the Numbers

Chicago-Detroit Province

130 number of miles one

Ignatian Volunteer member drives round-trip to serve

others

10,062 students enrolled in our

secondary schools

461 baptisms performed in our

parishes in 2010

18,500 people participated in

our retreat and spiritual programs

107 candidates actively

discerning a Jesuit vocation

90 number of years we’ve

been engaged in the Patna Province in India

58 Jesuits in formation

N E W S

Fr. General Adolfo Nicolás has appointed Fr. Michael Garanzini, SJ, secretary for higher education for the Jesuit Curia in Rome, effec-tive September 1, 2011. Among other duties, Fr. Garanzini will be responsible for creating and maintaining networks of research and promoting Jesuit identity among Jesuit higher education institutions throughout the world. He will remain in his current position as president of Loyola University Chicago.

Fr. James Stoeger, SJ, has been appointed the next president of the Jesuit Secondary Education Association (JSEA) in the US effective August 1, 2011. Fr. Stoeger most recently held the position of vice president of the JSEA.Fr. David Godleski, SJ, who most recently served as chaplain of university ministry at Loyola University Chicago, has joined the Jesuit Conference in the US as the delegate for formation and Jesuit life. Fr. James Prehn, SJ, provincial assistant

for secondary and pre-secondary education of the Chicago-Detroit Province, will add to his role by serving in the same capacity for the Wisconsin Province in fall 2011. Mr. Matthew Couture has been hired to as-sist Fr. Prehn and will be instrumental in en-suring the Ignatian identity of the educational apostolates. Matt most recently was director

of campus ministry at Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, and begins his new work on August 15.

Dr. Antoine M. Garibaldi, was named the new president of University of Detroit Mercy and took office on July 1, 2011. He had served as president of Gannon University, a Catholic diocesan school in Erie, Pennsylvania, since 2001. Fr. Tom Regan, SJ, previously the provincial of the New England Province, has been appointed the academic director of the First Studies program at Loyola University Chicago. After 14 months of service in Haiti, Br. Jim Boynton, SJ, has

returned to the US and will serve as assistant vocations promoter based out of the Univer-sity of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. Fr. Paul Macke, SJ, has been appointed executive director of Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, Illinois. Currently the Jesuit Conference assistant for pastoral ministry, Fr. Macke will begin his role at Bellarmine on November 21, 2011. Until then, Fr. Robert Flack, SJ, will serve as interim administrator, in addition to his work at the Chicago-Detroit Province office. Fr. Flack succeeds Fr. Mark Andrews, SJ, retreat director for eight years, who will now be superior at Loyola University’s Arrupe House Community. Br. Denis Weber, SJ, has been assigned to Ss. Peter and Paul Jesuit Church and Warming Center in Detroit, Michigan. Previously, he was pastoral minister and liturgist at Gesu Parish in Cleveland, Ohio.

Assigned to Serve at Colombiere

Br. John J. Petrus, SJ December 27, 1931, to August 29, 2010 Cleveland, Ohio

Br. Petrus was “a simple and humble man in the fullest sense of the word. He was truly a friend in the Lord. John fit in and was at home wherever he lived in the Jesuit communities.” — Fr. Carl Bonk, SJ

Br. Herman F. Elsaesser, SJOctober 15, 1919, to September 24, 2010 Grand Blanc, Michigan

“Sixty years later some of us still gather to reminisce about our fortunate experiences at Ignatius. Almost always the inspiration, dedica-tion, leadership, and understanding of Herman Elsaesser is recalled.” — former student

Fr. Joseph F. Downey, SJOctober 16, 1916, to October 20, 2010 Clarkston, Michigan

“Whether as college students, retreatants, or readers, Joe always happily challenged people to do more and learn more.” — Fr. James Riley, SJ

Fr. Robert J. Hagee, SJJune 2, 1928, to January 9, 2011 Clarkston, Michigan

Fr. Hagee shall remain in our hearts eternally. I am glad to have been taught by him at Saint Xavier Jaipur. —Amit Jain

Fr. John “Jack” Beckman, SJFebruary 25, 1921, to March 11, 2011 Cincinnati, Ohio

“Father Beckman changed my life when I met him 48 years ago. I have so many wonderful memories both religious and fun times. He loved his vocation and his family and friends. I will miss seeing his warm smile.” —longtime friend

We give thanks for the following Jesuits who have

gone home to God.

3

Fr. Raymond Baumhart, SJFr. James Chambers, SJBr. Anthony Kreutzjans, SJ Fr. James Lewis, SJ

I N M E M O R I A M

For a full listing of Jesuit assignments, please visit www.jesuits-chgdet.org and click the red web icon as shown here.

To view full obituaries, sign a guestbook, and/or make a gift, please visit our website at www.jesuits-chgdet.org and click the red web icon as shown here.

Jesuits in AfricaThis most recent Jesuit educational endeavor builds on a solid foundation. The Jesuits first traveled to Africa in the 16th century under the direction of the Society’s founder, St. Ignatius Loyola. In 1976, Jesuits arrived in Dodoma—one of the five poorest regions of Tanzania. There they established a parish and eventually opened Saint Ignatius Primary School. In 1986, Jesuits working in Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda were joined under one superior and called the Eastern Africa Province of the Society of Jesus. The new province immediately began opening schools, beginning with the highly successful Loyola High School in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania’s largest city, about 250 miles east of Dodoma).

two-year college to train elementary school teachers.

Unlike many African nations, Tanzania promotes peace as an absolute value and avoids ethnic conflict, which Fr. Connell credits to Julius Nyerere, the nation’s first president after independence from colonial rule in 1964. “Nyerere was adamant that education must work for the common

good, foster cooperation, and promote self-reliance,” explains Fr. Connell. “My reading of the Secondary Education De-velopment Plan (SEDP) of the Tanzanian government makes it clear how important our Educational Centre is. The country’s successful implementation of its plan for primary schools has created an upward demand for access to secondary educa-tion, which will play an important role in improving Tanzania’s economic and social development.”

“I envision St. Peter Claver High School taking up the government’s mandates with a ‘Jesuit twist,’” says Fr. Connell. “For ex-ample, the SEDP calls for a curriculum that addresses the development of analytical skills. There is a great desire in Tanzania to move from reliance on rote memorization and on ‘chalk and talk’ to a more inquiry-based curriculum. Alumni of Jesuit schools often note that their education gave them a chance to develop critical thinking skills, so our pedagogy and philosophy of teaching

and learning dovetails perfectly with the country’s new focus. To help build a cur-riculum based on inquiry is exciting, and I thank God every day for the privilege of working here.”

A native of Toledo, Ohio, Fr. Connell brings considerable training and experience to his mission: he’s served as an adminis-trator at St. Ignatius High School in Cleve-land and the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, and has a Ph.D. in teaching and learning. While teaching at the School of Education at Loyola Mary-mount University, Los Angeles, Fr. Connell was asked by his superiors if he’d be will-ing to leave his post to open a new high school in Tanzania. “Absolutely,” he im-mediately answered. “My educational and work background,” he explains, “coupled with my desire to follow St. Ignatius’s principles of a universal Society and the virtue of availability to go where the needs are greatest have led me to this place and time.”

“It is no surprise to those who know the Jesuits that the Society believes in the transformative power of education—as a link between learning and a better future for students,” says Fr. Connell. “But educa-tion also empowers individuals to improve the lives of their fellow citizens. Here in Tanzania, we believe it will not only help improve our students’ and their commu-nity’s quality of life, but that it will support a more informed democracy, and help Tanzanians diminish the poverty that many face every day.” n

In a region where only one-fourth of school-age children have an opportunity

to attend secondary school, where there is a 70,000-to-1 ratio of health care worker to patient, where the life expectancy is 45 years, people dream of a better life.

“We’re making this dream a reality in Dodoma, Tanzania,” says Fr. Martin Con-nell, SJ, provincial assistant for education of the Eastern Africa Province who serves as headmaster of the new Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre (OLQP) and its St. Peter Claver High School (SPCHS).

“The mission of our school, which opened in January 2011, is to assist young men and women to develop their talents, intellectual and otherwise, in order to serve others to the greater glory of God,” Fr. Connell explains. Facing many chal-lenges, at-risk children will be able to live and study alongside children of diplomats and government leaders at a school with goals for a farm, bakery, and more to make the educational project financially self-sufficient. The school also plans to serve as a medical dispensary for the children and surrounding community.

At present, SPCHS serves 140 boys and girls, and includes a four-story dormitory with two wings that can house 640 students each. As a boarding school, it puts girls on equal footing with boys; otherwise, the girls would be expected to perform domestic duties upon returning home each day. Plans for OLQP also include a two-year, post-secondary vocation college and a

4

Transforming Lives through Education in Dodoma, TanzaniaBy Amy Korpi

It is no surprise to those who know the Jesuits that the Society believes in the transformative power of education...

I N T E R N AT I O N A L M I N I S T R I E S

Fr. Martin Connell, SJ, surveys the land in Dodoma, Tanzania, where the Jesuits are building Our Lady Queen of Peace Educational Centre and its St. Peter Claver High School.

Please visit our website at www.jesuits-chgdet.org to view video and read more about Fr. Connell’s work, and to read a blog by Fr. Martin Schreiber, SJ, who is leading a pilgrimage to Dodoma, Tanzania. Click the red web icon as shown here.

Jesuits Prepare for Lives of Service By Fr. Raymond Guiao, SJ

Fr. Joel Medina, SJ

I worked as a registered nurse for over 20 years, and it provided me with many

clinical opportunities to be of service to people. However, I had a desire for more from life, and concomitantly I felt called by God to discern a vocation to the Society of Jesus. During a weeklong Ignatian discern-ment retreat, I sought answers from God on his will for me. On my last morning at Loyola House, I went to pray in the chapel. Later in prayer, I felt as if I was surrounded by God and his initial message was that I

was to focus on him alone. And in time, he quickly brushed aside my concerns about joining the Jesuits. It seemed clear to me then that I was to apply for admission to the Society.

I stand in awe at how God has led me in my life, and as a Jesuit while in forma-tion. One of my favorite scripture passages is the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke; Jesus comes to them on the road and accompanies them. Our Lord meets us where we are and he invites us to tell him what is on our mind. I wish to accompany my brothers and sisters in the

joys and sorrows of life, and wherever they are in their faith life. As a Jesuit priest, I wish to encourage people on

their faith journeys. I will invite my broth-ers and sisters to listen to him and rest in him. I do believe that our Lord provides us with the graces to return to him. I have been called to be a priest—to shepherd the people of God. n

This past Lent I had the opportunity to connect with many of you, our faithful

and generous friends and benefactors, at the Province’s masses and days of reflec-tion. I was particularly grateful to get to know so many of you and to see how genuinely you love and care for the Jesuits. Many of you shared wonderful stories of the Jesuits who taught and counseled you in the formative years of high school and college. Others asked about our Jesuits cur-rently in formation. I’m delighted to share with you some of the exciting ways our Jesuits are preparing to serve the church and society as priests and brothers.

Jesuit scholastic Hung Nguyen is about halfway through his year studying at the Beijing Center. An aspiring Jesuit mis-sionary, Hung is getting a good taste of what Jesuit life and ministry in China is really like. Another Jesuit scholastic who hopes to serve in the Far East is Christian Wagner. Having completed his First Stud-ies at Fordham University, Christian will be heading to Taiwan to participate in the three-year International Regency Program beginning this August.

The summer months find many of the 58 men in formation away from the Chicago-

Detroit Province. Joe Koczera and Jacob Martin are studying German and French in Austria and France; Ryan Duns and Matt Spotts are learning Latin, while Ralph Cordero and Rob Carlton are teaching English as a second language to Polish Jesuit scholastics in Krakow. Bill Blazek is interning as a Catholic military chaplain, and Andrij Hlabse is studying liturgical music. Still others are doing coursework to-ward advanced degrees, gaining experience directing retreats, learning how to teach, leading immersion trips to the developing world, and chaperoning high school and university students to World Youth Day/Magis in Madrid in August. And that’s just what they’re up to this summer!

The Jesuits in formation always amaze me in their varied passions and pursuits—from classics and history to sacred music and medicine, from the poetry of T.S. Eliot to the world of business and management. You name it, they’re pursuing it. But not for themselves. These Jesuits share a desire to use their God-given talents to serve the mission of the Society of Jesus. One clear example: you may know that this June, Joel Medina was ordained to the priest-hood, after 10 years of formation. Like Fr.

Richard Ross, who was ordained last June, Joel was a registered nurse before he came to the Jesuits. While Richard currently teaches clinical nursing at Boston College’s Connell School of Nursing, Joel has been missioned to serve in the Stroger Chap-laincy Program in Chicago’s Cook County, bringing together his extensive experience in healthcare with his new-found love of pastoral ministry to the sick.

None of this would be possible with-out your constant and generous support, without your genuine love and care for the Society of Jesus. Because of you, the Chicago-Detroit men in formation can realize their true vocations as Jesuits—their call to serve where the need is greatest. For therein lies not their own glory, but the greater glory of God.

The Jesuits in formation and I offer you our continued prayers of thanks and extend best wishes for a happy and safe summer! And please pray for us, wherever we may be these summer months! nFr. Raymond Guiao, SJ, is Provincial Assistant for Formation for the Chicago-Detroit Province.

5

F O R M AT I O N

“It was fitting that my mom (Maria Amada Gomez on left) should help vest me as a priest (along with Fr. David De Marco, SJ) since she had dressed me in my baptismal gown when I was welcomed into the Church,” says Fr. Medina. “My mom’s faith is very strong; she encourages my family to pray always.”

O R D I N AT I O N 2 0 11

Born: March 4, 1955, in McAllen, TexasParents: Juan Medina (d. 1995) and Maria Amada GomezSiblings: Iracema Crawford, Clara H. Berke-meier, Marcos Medina, Patricio Medina, Maria Alicia Medina, Delia Medina, and Margaret Clark Assignment Following Ordination: Chap-lain at Stroger Hospital and serving part-time at St. Procopius Parish in Chicago, Illinois

Didn’t you do this already?” my younger brother asked

when I invited him to attend my profession of final vows in the Society of Jesus. That’s also what he said when he came to my ordination 10 years earlier. For him and many others, first vows, ordinations, and final vows all just run together.

On May 22, I attended the final vows of my friend, Karl Kiser, at University of De-troit Jesuit High School and Academy where he serves as president. With the support of more than 1,000 people in attendance, Karl knelt in front of the Blessed Sacrament and professed in a final and defini-tive way that he is a Jesuit (see photo above). Mind you, Karl was ordained in 1997 and he first took vows in 1986. So what does it mean that he pro-fessed his solemn vows of final incorporation into the Society 27 years after he entered the novitiate?

It is all about promise and potential, and ideally how the Society challenges and tests Jesuits in formation to hone their talents and gifts. Our in-

tellects, imaginations, passions, and convictions are offered in service of the Church and all of God’s people. At final vows, all of it—our very priesthood—is placed at the disposal of God through the Society of Jesus.

When a Jesuit professes first vows after two years in the novitiate, the formula sounds almost ornate, especially com-pared to the simplicity of final vows. For first vows, the Jesuit novice promises to become poor, chaste, and obedient with God’s help. At final vows, the Jesuit professes who he has be-come over the past many years, and the Society affirms that what he professes is true.

When I took my first vows I was 23 years old and was capa-ble of taking basic care of my-self, but that was about it. By the time I took my final vows, I had completed two masters de-grees and a doctorate, taught for a number of years, worked as the principal of a high school, heard thousands of confessions, presided at hundreds of masses, and served as spiritual director for dozens of people. Needless to say, thanks to the Society’s

careful nurturing, I brought a lot more to the table at my final profession. I was much more nervous at first vows than I was at the final ones, maybe because it’s easier to say who you are than what you hope you will become.

Listening to Karl profess who he has become was an honor for the Jesuits and lay people in attendance because all of us to varying degrees have had the privilege of watching the events and moments of joy, sorrow, humor, and holiness that have made him into the Jesuit he is. It was a sacred moment that gave me a sense of gratitude for the Society and God’s generosity to it. Final vows might seem redundant or esoteric, and trying to explain them to people is something of an impossible task. They are, however, representative of the culmination of a lot of work and effort for equipping a Jesuit to do great things for the people he is sent to. They represent a profound moment where a man pledges that he will take care of the Society and the Society ac-knowledges that he can because of who he has become. n

Fr. James Prehn, SJ, is Provincial Assistant for Secondary and Pre-Secondary Education for the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces

This year five Jesuits were called to final vows: Fr. Christopher Devron, Fr. David Godleski, Fr. Benjamin Hawley, Fr. Karl Kiser, and Fr. Sean O’Sullivan. Among the thousands who witnessed them profess their full incorporation into the Society of Jesus were can-didates considering joining the Jesuits. We asked a few of these candidates to reflect on how the Final Vows litur-gies have influenced their own vocation discernment as they ponder First Vows.

“Being present for the vows ceremony helped me to imagine, in a greater way, what it might be like to take similar vows in the near future. As good as it is to talk about these things, it’s also helpful to watch another man, somebody who has made vows before, renew and further these promises. And to do so with a bit of anxiousness in his voice, kneeling before Jesus himself in the Eucharist.” — Bryan

“I have understood a calling or vocation to the priest-hood to be my response to Christ’s call to do His work as a Jesuit, but I am coming to understand that a vocation with the Jesuits is also a call and response in itself. Being a candi-date, entering the novitiate, and journeying through formation are part of my call to the Society, of what I vow—poverty, chastity, obedience—and the work that comes forth from that. Final vows are the response back to me, the Society of Jesus embracing, accepting, and acknowledging my call. A little overwhelming? Yes. Quite powerful? Absolutely. Witnessing the ceremony moved me closer toward a path I want even more to venture upon.”

— Damian

6

V O C AT I O N S

From First Vows to Final VowsBy Fr. James Prehn, SJ

“

Fr. Patrick Fairbanks, SJ Vocations Director

2050 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614

Phone: 773-975-6363

vocations@jesuits-chgdet.org

For more

information

about the Jesuits,

please contact:

Fr. Karl Kiser, SJ, professes his final vows before the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. Brian Lehane, SJ (right), celebrated the Mass.

Top Row: Warren Grienenberger, John Zimnie, Mike Schrauth, Jim Sweany, Dick Sibbernsen, Pat McCourt Fourth Row: Don Gimbel, Dave Kelly, Jim Heffernan, John Meade, Jorge Caicedo, Rich Pozdol, John Maliff Third Row: Dick Shea, Bill Koloseike, Mike Monnelley, Paul Krug, Dick Johnston, Peter Goschy, Ken Murphy, John BeatySecond row: Fr. Bill Creed, SJ, Mary Frances Jablonskis, Pat Ahern, Mary Amelse, Marta Sayeed, Sharon Gogola, Eileen Graziano, Nikki Conway, Camille Devaney, George Sullivan Front row: Jean Shea, Mary Mahowald, Vicky Risacher, Kim Rak, Domenica Moroney, Norma Campagna, Jackie FitzgeraldMissing from photo: Marlea Edinger, Kevin Keane, John Montgomery, Liz Skrodzki

Whenever I hear the words of the Great Commis-

sion to “make disciples of all nations,” I get a bit uncomfort-able and wonder how well I am personally responding to Christ’s call. Yes, I understand, as the good Dominican sisters taught me in grade school, that Jesus was addressing the Apostles and doesn’t expect us to travel the world like St. Paul. But I don’t have to go very far to recognize the need for shar-ing the Good News.

My primary vocation is to be a husband and father dedicated to raising a faith-filled family. With nine children, my wife, Vicky and I have had our work cut out for us. But we’ve been aided in countless ways by our

relationship with the Jesuits. After being educated by the Dominican sisters and Basil-ian fathers, I eventually found my way to the Jesuits and have served as an accountant in the provincial office since my first child was born 25 years ago.

The Jesuit mottos of ad maio-rem Dei gloriam (AMDG—for the greater glory of God), being “men and women for others,” and proclaiming “a faith that does justice” seem a bit distant from the daily grind of led-gers, debits, and credits. But my work has been immensely satisfying because I get to see firsthand the incredible gener-osity of our benefactors and the profound impact of the Jesuits who, with their lay colleagues,

build the Kingdom of God all over the world. Talk about return on investment!

In my partnership with the Jesuits, effective stewardship is always our focus. At the province office we work not only with Jesuit schools, but also with our parishes, retreat houses, social justice programs, international ministries, and new apostolates. With generous gifts from benefactors, we have established endowments that help support the formation of Jesuits and provide them with the health care they need later in life. Not surprisingly, these costs continue to outpace infla-tion and investment earnings, so financial support is always a necessity. Allocations, bench-

marks, and percentage returns are important, but most impor-tant is the mission these funds support. I give thanks each and every day for our benefactors who make the Jesuit mission possible.

This year as I consider the Great Commission, I am thankful not only to be able to provide support for the Jesuit mission, but also to share the joy of accounting for it!

Brian Nitkiewicz has been the financial controller of the Detroit Province for more than 25 years and now serves as the assistant treasurer/controller for the combined Chicago- Detroit Province. He and his wife, Vicky, live in Detroit and have nine children.

The Great Commission by Brian Nitkiewicz

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age

MATTHEW 28:19–20

7

Ignatian Volunteer Corps Chicago Celebrates 10th Anniversary

I N PA R T N E R S H I P

For more information on the good work of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, visit our website at www.jesuits-chgdet.org and click the red web icon as shown here.

Fr. Timothy P. Kesicki, SJPROVINCIAL

Jeremy LangfordDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

John D. (Jack) Paquette, CFRE INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVANCEMENT

Design: Qwurk Communications

Contributing Photographers:Mark BurgessJohn Carroll UniversityThom ForresterBr. John Moriconi, SJ

Find us online at www.jesuits-chgdet.orgCall 800-922-5327 or write to:

The Jesuits 2050 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614

Society of Jesus2050 North Clark StreetChicago, IL 60614

Non Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDPermit No. 73Columbus, WI

For more news or to learn more about the Jesuits, please visit our website at:

www.jesuits-chgdet.org

JubilariansSixty-three Jesuits of the Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces celebrated jubilees in 2011. At this year’s gathering for Province Day and ordination, Fr. Thomas Krettek, provincial of the Wisconsin Province (center, left), and Fr. Timothy Kesicki, provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province (center, right), honored golden jubilarians at a special Mass at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish. Jesuits celebrating 50 years in the priesthood include (front row) Frs. Jerome Treacy, Howard Gray, Henry Chamberlain, John Crocker, (second row) Eugene Merz, Eugene Dutkiewicz, (back row, beginning fourth from left) G. Paul Peterson, Thomas Radloff, and Robert Thul. Those celebrating 50 years in the Society include (back row, second from left) Frs. Richard Tomasek and John Hatcher, who are joined by Fr. Eugene Nevins (60 years in the Society).

Stay Connected with the Jesuits Visit our website,

www.jesuits-chgdet.org or find us on these social media sites:

Facebook.com/jesuits-chicago-detroit Twitter.com/jesuits-chicago-detroit

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For a full list of jubilarians, visit our website at www.jesuits-chgdet.org and click the red web icon as shown here.