Issue # 16022016 February 16, 2016

Website | Events Calendar | View Homilies | Parish the Thought Archive

Click on video above to see interview with Fr. Bob Hamm, SJ

Fr. Steve Spahn, SJ

Mes Chers Amis,

(Unlike our good pastor, I do not speak the tongue of Mother Rome - but proudly that of her eldest daughter!)

It is a pleasure to write to you today in this space.

Having been at St. Ignatius for a year and a half now, I'm still awestruck when I enter our beautiful church. I love to sit and pray in the balcony - typically after the children's Liturgy of the Word at the 10:30 Sunday Mass. As the incense wafts heavenward and the little ones fidget, I gaze upon the Body of Christ - assembled around me and tenderly held on the altar.

Sometimes I imagine those who came before us. Those who built this church; those who called it home in times of plenty and decay; those who tenderly restored it and those who climb its steps even today in the same search for light and nourishment at the Lord's gracious Table. What a great cloud of witnesses!

Inevitably I think also of the Jesuits who've been missioned here over the last 160 years. A few I've had the pleasure to know, but so, so many more are obscure links in a chain -blurry gray figures in faded photos and names in necrologies. Assuredly they were a diverse crowd. I imagine imperious pastors, tender-hearted shepherds and anxious young vicars among them. It is a great grace to stand in their line.

In this week's E-zine we pay a simple video tribute to Fr. Bob Hamm, S.J. who is transitioning to a new phase in his own Jesuit journey. His time with us is far from over - but the moment seems fitting to acknowledge this merciful giant who teaches us all what a gift it is to be simple.

By your side, In His service,

We must be about our Father's business....

With the cold blast of the past few days, our Loaves & Fishes Ministry was out at it as they always are on the weekends, This weekend they caught some attention. And yes...we are proud of this team!

Video: WBAL on the Cold Weather and St. Ignatius Outreach

"Immigration Weekend"

will be our celebration on February 20 and 21

Pope Francis is on a six-day trip to Mexico where he is symbolically tracing the path of migrants and bringing comfort to a population besieged by drug wars and official corruption. In solidarity with his efforts towards migrants and immigrants, St. Ignatius Catholic Community will be holding an Immigration Weekend on February 20 and 21. We have a great number of immigrants in our own Parish, and wanted to honor them and their journeys and experiences. Special petitions will be offered on behalf of immigrants and the current immigration difficulties in our country.

Fr. David Brooks, SJ will concelebrate the 10:30 Mass. He is a Jesuit who has worked for 30 years as an immigration attorney and currently works with the Catholic Charities Esperanza Center on Broadway with Immigration Legal Services. Fr. Brooks' principal focus is unaccompanied children who have fled the violence in Central America to join parents or relatives in the US. Accompanying him at the 10:30 Mass will be one of the children who has now been able to become a legal resident and a student who has benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (so-called Dream Act). Fr. Brooks and the young man will make a presentation after the Mass in Ignatian Hall. After the 6:00 Mass, Father will be joined in his presentation by Giuliana Valencia-Banks, the office manager at Immigration Legal Services. Please come and learn about the difficulties facing immigrants on their journeys and in their lives in the US.

Also occurring at each Mass will the opportunity for parishioners to sign the Ignatian Solidarity Network's sign-on letter to Congress (click here).

We hope you will all come join in the Immigration Weekend as we lift our voices to God, and to our governmental leaders regarding immigration reform.

By the way - if you want to view videos of the Popes stop-offs while in Mexico, you can access them by clicking here.

Valentine's Day "Redux"

With Valentine's Day two days behind us, I didn't have a chance to bring this to you in time. As a matter of fact, I just read it today (Monday the 15th). I found it at The Jesuit Post, and it was such a good read, I had to share it, even though the chocolates are gone and the flowers are losing their first blush. Enjoy, A Love Story: Love Beyond the Grave

A Love Story: "Love Beyond the Grave"

Gravestone of David Pannill | Photo by author.

Gravestone of Frances Pannill | Photo by author

by Colten Biro, SJ

It's Valentine's Day! Bring on the chocolates, balloons, cards, wildly romantic gestures, and sappy romantic comedies (that we all pretend to hate, but secretly love). This time of year has us all lamenting or celebrating relationships statuses, pondering what-ifs, and holding those we love even closer.

I've spent a lot of time recently thinking about love-there is something about all the holiday candy and hearts which will do that to a person. As I've been thinking, I keep falling back to Frances and David Pannill.

They are not famous. I have never met them. I do not know their entire story. But, I've seen their graves side by side. The dates inscribed say that they both passed away in 1823, but as I think about what I need to hear about love today I think of them. Read More

Worship with Offerings, Liturgy, and Prayer for Others

POOR BOX

Each weekend St. Ignatius specifies a Poor Box collection for a needful cause. This week's support goes to the Esperanza Center which assists Immigrant men,

women and children.

Click here for more info.

MASS MUSIC

Attached is the listing for the music selections at next Sunday's10:30 Mass.

View music listing

INTERNATIONAL

CHRISTIAN CONCERN

Weekly updates on Christian persecution around the globe. Keep a prayerful watch on what is happening with your brothers and sisters!

This Week's Prayer Needs

Lenten Retreat in Daily Life Registration

March 13-19: Watch and Pray Retreat - When we think of making a retreat, we typically think of going somewhere quiet or at least escaping for a bit from our ordinary world. While such retreats can indeed be restorative, they are by no means the only way to grow in prayer and relationship with God. St. Ignatius always envisioned sharing his spirituality and the treasures of the Spiritual Exercises in ordinary people's ordinary lives! As a way of honoring Lent's call to conversion and prayer, consider making this retreat in daily life. The retreat opens and closes with a common gathering in the Chapel of Grace. Participants pray daily with assigned Scriptural texts and meet daily with a spiritual director to review their prayer.

Opening: Sunday March 13, 12-1:30 pm, Chapel of Grace
Closing: Saturday March 19, 10-11:30 am, Chapel of Grace
Details: Contact Fr. Steve Spahn, SJ at stevespahn@st-ignatius.net
To submit application, and let us know your times and availability to meet with a spiritual director, click here.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, February 16, 6:45 PM

Women of the New Testament - The Women of the New Testament group, which meets on the third Tuesday of the month, is currently discussing Reading the Women of the Bible: A New Interpretation of Their Stories by Tikva Grymer-Kensky. More Info.

Wednesday, February 17 - 6 PM

Wednesday "Evenings of Reflection" During Lent - Lent is here! We have wonderful times planned at St. Ignatius with three weekly Wednesday Lenten Masses at 6 PM followed by a simple supper in Ignatian Hall and a brief teaching to provide spiritual nurture in the Ignatian tradition. More info.

Saturday, February 20 - 11 AM

Young Family Ministry "Walters Art Gallery" Play Date/Drop In Activity - On Saturday, February 20th, the Young Family Ministry will hold a play date / drop-in activity at the Walters Art Museum at 11 AM. More info.

Tuesday, February 23 - 7 PM

Embracing God's Gifts - You are invited to join members of our gay and lesbian community in the Parish Offices at 110 E. Madison Street at 7:00 PM on the 4th Tuesday of each month. This group is open to anyone interested in fostering support, maintaining communications, and encouraging social activities among diverse members of our parish. More info.

Wednesday, February 24 - 6 PM

Wednesday "Evenings of Reflection" During Lent - Lent is here! We have wonderful times planned at St. Ignatius with three weekly WednesdayLenten Masses at 6 PM followed by a simple supper in Ignatian Hall and a brief teaching to provide spiritual nurture in the Ignatian tradition. More info.

February 26 - 28

Rachel's Vineyard Retreat: Healing the Wounds of Abortion - Project Rachel Baltimore reaches out to all women and men hurting emotionally and spiritually after involvement with abortion. This ministry helps heal your wounded relationships with yourself, your child and God. Extending God's compassion, unconditional love, and forgiveness, Project Rachel Baltimore offers hope and peace. More info. If you would like to pray for the retreatants or volunteer for this event, click here.

Saturday, February 27

Young Adults Charis Retreat - If you are in your twenties or thirties, you're invited to the next Young Adult Charis Retreat on Saturday, February 27th! The retreat will be similar in format to our fall one-day retreat, and this time will be focused on the theme of Seeking. More info.

Sunday, February 28 - 3:00 PM

Charm City Baroque Concert: "The Garden of the Violin" - Charm City Baroque presents an exciting program devoted to the great violinist-composers of the 17th century. Starting in northern Italy with Frescobaldi and his peers, we then travel north of the Alps to sample the violin wizardry of Walther, Schmelzer, and Biber - with a Lenten theme! More Info.

Sunday, March 6 - Noon

Interfaith Power & Light - an organization that supports faith communities in responding to climate change, will present a free Home Energy Workshop in partnership with Retrofit Baltimore at St. Ignatius on Sunday, March 6, at Noon in the Chapel of Grace. Click here for more info.

Monday, March 7 - 4:30PM

Maryland March for Life - Disappointed that the blizzard kept you from the National March for Life this year? Join us in Annapolis for the 38th Annual Maryland Marc for Life. A full afternoon of activities, singers, speakers, and events is planned. Click here for more info.

Save the Date - but register now!

Weekend Retreat at Loyola on the Potomac

April 22 - 24

Join our parishioners for the April 22-24 weekend retreat at Loyola on the Potomac, Faulkner, MD, for "The Way." Based on the methodology and content of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, this retreat is conducted in an atmosphere of prayerful silence and includes generous amounts of time for prayer, personal reflection and the cultivation of a deep relationship with God. More Info.

In the Media

Faster, Higher, Stronger -

The complicated life of Jesse Owens

RACE Trailer (Jesse Owens MOVIE - 2015 )

by

John Anderson

February 22, 2016 Issue

There is no way to ignore the "movie-ness" of Race (view trailer), the director Stephen Hopkins's triumphal portrait of the track-and-field wunderkind (so to speak) Jesse Owens, who took four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, crushed Hitler's dreams of a publicity coup and in many ways prepped America for the civil-rights struggle to come. Owens was black, and his success meant that a black man had become an undeniable American hero. (He was even well liked in Germany.) It is a great story.

And as a movie, it might have been made in 1936, save for the black protagonist at its center. "I believed you were meant for great things," Jesse's careworn mother (Michelle Lonsdale Smith) tells her son, having sewn him a new jacket to wear as he leaves for Ohio State and the track career that would make his name a household word. Read More

Sojourners Magazine

In Mexico, Pope Francis Will Deliver Messages for Both Sides of the Border - Pope Francis' nearly weeklong tour of Mexico will see the pontiff raise key themes of his papacy as well as issues related to tense national politics in Mexico and even the U.S. presidential race. Read More

Reconciliation Ground: Ministry in Public Schools - Cheryl stands in a modest but clean kitchen beside a long plastic table lined with mixing bowls, cereal, raisins, pretzels, and M&Ms. In front of her, a room full of bright faces eye the candy and snacks greedily, their fingers twitching to get started. Read More

How Scalia's Death Affects Key Cases Before the Supreme Court This Year - The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a major setback for the conservative legal movement, as will become clear in the months ahead. Read More

America Magazine

Vatican Dispatch: "We Are One" -

Since his election as bishop of Rome, Pope Francis has sought to engage in acts of ecumenism rather than in interminable discussions about ecumenical questions. His decision to go to Lund, Sweden, on Oct. 31, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation is but the most recent example. Read More

Jesuits USA Northeast Province

The Pope Video:
Care for Creation

- "

That we may take good care of creation-a gift freely given-cultivating and protecting it for future generations."

Care for Creation is Pope Francis' prayer intention for February 2016. "Believers and unbelievers agree that the earth is our common heritage, the fruits of which should benefit everyone," he says at the beginning of the video.