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Founded in 1959, Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Dallas TX has been continuously administered by the New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus. The non-profit corporation has a Board of Members consisting of three Jesuits from the New Orleans Province. The Board of Members appoints the Board of Trustees, currently twelve lay people and consecrated religious. The Trustees cooperate with the Director of Montserrat to shape policies and practices according to the Mission Statement. Trustees also help manage business and financial affairs. They are currently engaged in finishing the new St Edmund Campion Hall and getting the Jesuit Spirituality Center established.
Since 1959, during a half-century of change in the Church and the world, Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House has maintained its charter as a place of silent prayer . From the beginning, Montserrat has set out to find and enable lay people eager to continue their own spiritual formation and to help others in their spiritual life. The silent weekends have kept bringing in experienced retreatants and many new ones with them. Through the years, over 90,000 persons have walked and learned and prayed and found their way to God at Montserrat. Growth, of course, means change, and there has been plenty during the past fifty years.
Only men came at first, then, quickly, women as well. Only Catholics came at first; then, after Vatican II, other Christians. Only the weekend retreat at first; now, groups come for days of prayer and individuals come for quiet. Only the Ignatian Exercises at first; now, in addition, many other exercises as Ignatian spirituality inspires other formats. Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House, however, keeps its core competency: passing on to the local Church, particularly to the laity, the spirituality for the home and marketplace that comes from the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius Loyola.
OUR MISSION is to bring Christ's message for transforming individuals and society by assisting the local churches of the region through Spiritual Exercises and faith development offered in a variety of forms that are culturally and ecumenically sensitive and inviting.
AT MONTSERRAT:
• We promote conference retreats of various kinds and formats, especially the silent weekend retreat; in English and in Spanish; inculcating the faith that does justice; and available to all.
• We make the facilities and services available to the local churches for use by groups of Catholics and those of other faiths.
FROM MONTSERRAT:
• We work with the dioceses and parishes by reaching out to provide spiritual formation based on Ignatian spirituality, especially of Hispanics, for service and leadership in Church and society.
:
• We work with the dioceses and parishes by reaching out to provide spiritual formation based on Ignatian spirituality, especially of Hispanics, for service and leadership in Church and society.
Arkansas Men's Retreat- In the Lenten season of 1995 three men from Sacred Heart - George Mahowald, Bill Maher & Bob Brandt - went to Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House and joined an existing group for a retreat. Within a couple of years the group grew to a dozen or more and they had their own retreat dates. The number attending cycled due to Spring Break and travel for Easter. The lowest number available was in the Spring of 2004. It was Fr Joe Tetlow's first year at Montserrat, and he decided to hold a retreat for just three men - Bill Murphy, Ken O'Daniel & Bob Brandt. It was held in the Priest's Chapel in their quarters. Fathers Wiltz, Tetlow & Boudreaux have all visited the Village at various times for retreats at Sacred Heart of Jesus.
St. Ignatius of Loyola Prayer:
For the love of God our Lord, please press on, leaving behind you all the obstacles.
His wish is that you should live joyfully.
All your talking and thinking should be occupied with Him.
So, for the love of Our Lord, let's make a great effort in Him seeing that we owe Him so much.
We are more likely to reach our limit in receiving His gifts than He will be in giving them!