For the last few years, the Jesuit Alumni Group in Vancouver has celebrated the Feast of St Ignatius on July 31, 2015. Notwithstanding the BC Day long weekend, the church has always been full. We were very happy to be back at St Mark’s church. This time, Fr Richard Soo SJ our spiritual director concelebrated with Fr Robert Allore SJ the parish priest of St Mark’s.
Just like last year, at the end of mass, several groups spoke. Our Jesuit Alumni Group as usual, undemocratically handed out assignments. So there I was. Again.
Let me share three stories with you about what we do in the JAG and who are the JAG.
Story 1 Just make sure you bring snacks
A year and a half ago, we met our new spiritual adviser, Fr Richard Soo SJ for the first time.
He had just taken over from Fr Elton Fernandez SJ. At the conclusion of the evening, I sought him out to find out what his thoughts were of the JAG. Knowing what I know of the JAG, I expected the worse.
Instead, he told me he was very happy to have met us. I suspected that we was being diplomatic.
I was of course surprised when he said all Fr Elton told him was that it was very important to bring snacks. I tried to elicit more information, but all I got was the famous Fr Richard shrug.
Years from now, I imagine Fr Richard endorsing the JAG to another priest. He will probably say the same thing about bringing snacks and he might add:I have spoiled them somewhat. I also serve them nothing less than the Pu Erh Tsa.
And always have a box of tissue.”
Monthly, we meet at Fr Richard’s parish the Eastern Catholic Church in Richmond from 9 am to noon. And for those who find three hours is not enough, we usually head out to lunch, like Bubble World. Which by the way has become THE place to be seen for Jesuits. Just ask Fr RIchard Soo, Fr Charlie Pottie (who runs JAG Alberta) and Father Provincial Peter Bisson.
We share stories. At first blush, one wonders, three hours of story telling? You see that is where the Pu Erh Tsa comes in. Fr Richard’s Pu Erh tea is steeped in special Jesuit inspired waters that makes it easier for us to share our consolations and desolations – directional terms that describe things that we do, feel or think that lead us to or away from God.
Story 2 Why we cry
Storytelling is all about articulation, which can be challenging. It has allowed us to appropriate words to express what is in our minds and hearts. Sometimes, the articulation has gotten very intense. Like on January 17, 2015, when we began sharing our stories as we discerned the mystery of suffering. Tears flowed for the first time from a number of us. This prompted Fr Richard to make a dash for a box of Kleenex. Fr Richard reminded us that the reason it is called a mystery, is because it has no answer.
Little did we know that something would manifest itself beautifully at around the same time. Halfway around the world, a 12 year old child Glyzelle Palomar, asked our Pope who was visiting the Philippines: “Why do children suffer?” He called it the “question without an answer.” When she began to cry, he took her into his arms and said: “Only when we are able to cry are we able to come close to responding to your question.”
At the JAG, we cry. Often.
The tissue helps us dab our tears away, allowing us to see as Pope Francis likes to say: “Certain realties in life we only see through eyes that are cleansed through our tears.”Hence the box of tissue paper.
Story 3 Why we pray
Storytelling has allowed us to bear witness and share the many wonders of His love. We heard the story of the power of prayer from the visiting scholar Rev Sylvester Tan, (who taught a course across this church at Corpus Christi College). How his mother, long before he was born, decided that she would one day visit this priest in a leper colony in Madagascar, Africa.
For over 30 years, his mother and the priest continued to correspond until his death.Without knowing Sylvester, the priest decided to start praying for Sylvester around 2000, right when he rather suddenly (and somewhat inexplicably) had his conversion.
His mother never made it to Madagascar. But many years later, on December 2005, Sylvester made the trip.
Only to arrive a day late, for the priest had just died. Sylvester went to pay his respects anyway. As he stood at the back of the funeral, it there that he learned that the priest had been praying for Sylvester (and specifically for his vocation). All these years.
There are a lot more stories of course, some are found in our blog: jagvancouver.wordpress.com.
If you want to hear more stories or if you want to share your stories, join us.
My 20000 words.
JAG blogs can sometimes be read in Chinese, and French at: jagvancouver.wordpress.com
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