Pastoral Staff (Spiritual Directors)
The Jesuit Retreat Center's resident Pastoral Staff (spiritual directors) lead the majority of retreats throughout the year. Coming from a variety of backgrounds, the Pastoral Staff all share a commitment to retreat ministry in the Ignatian tradition. Here, they share their personal perspectives on the distinguishing characteristics and significance of retreats at The Jesuit Retreat Center. If you would like to learn more about a particular pastoral staff member, please click on his name.
Fr. Kevin Ballard, S.J., Spiritual Director
Email | Bio
"Are retreats a school of prayer, a path to spiritual growth, the means of finding God's will for us, a procedure for making good decisions in God's grace, or way to get to know Jesus more?
The answer is Yes. All of the above, and more, can and does happen when we take the time. Come and see for yourself what blessings are in store for you."
Fr.
Bernie Bush, S.J., Spiritual Director
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"Spiritual retreats are important — perhaps now more than ever."
Fr.
Joseph Fice, S.J.,
Spiritual Director
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"Come to The Jesuit Retreat Center, an oasis of refreshment in our hectic world, a haven of peace and quiet and beauty, an opportunity for personal reflection, a place to encounter your Creator and Lord, a place of healing. You'll be happy you came."
Fr.
James Flynn, S.J., Spiritual Director
Email |Bio
Bro. Tom Koller, S.J, Minister
of the Jesuit Community and Assistant to the Executive Director
Email | Bio
"The Retreat Center provides the silence to invite you into prayer and reflection as you ponder your own particular vocation."
Dr. Tom Powers, Executive Director
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St. Ignatius wrote, "We will more quickly tire of receiving God’s gifts than God in giving them."
Ms. Leelamma Sebastian, Spiritual Director
Email | Bio
A retreat is an invitation to come and experience the love of the Lord. In the peaceful and serene setting of the JRC, the heart journeys into a deeper relationship with the Lord.
Fr. Joseph Specht, S.J., Spiritual Director
Bio
Fr. Duc Vu, S.J, Spiritual Director
Email | Bio
"A retreat is a journey home where one finds both oneself and God."
The recent visit of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus to California
included a stay here at the Jesuit Retreat Center. The Very Reverend
Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., began his time in the California Province
with a tour of many of our ministries, giving him an opportunity to
meet many of the constituents and colleagues, lay and Jesuit, of each
of the ministries. All who encountered him were delighted by his thoughtful
and challenging homilies, his engaging and quick humor, and his joyful
ease in meeting and connecting with so many people.
Fr. General then
met here, for five days, with the leadership of the United States Assistancy,
including the Provincials of each of our ten Provinces. (The Provincial
of the English-speaking Canadian Province also joined the group.) We
were happy to have the opportunity to pray with Fr. Nicolás in
the liturgy of the Eucharist each day and to share with him, and with
all this community of visitors, the peaceful and contemplative setting
of El Retiro.