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Loyola’s goal is for visitors to heighten spirituality

Loyola Retreat House still committed to spiritual renewal

By Colette M. Jenkins
Beacon Journal religion writer

Published: October 29, 2011 - 12:28 AM

GREEN: Alexandra Pianalto and Joseph Coughlin entered “the quiet” this week to deepen their spiritual awareness.

“It’s a great escape,” said Joseph, 18. “It’s given me a chance to find myself and develop a closer bond with my classmates and a deeper relationship with God.”

Joseph, Alexandra and members of their senior class at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School spent four days in retreat at Loyola Retreat House, where the sign at the front door reads, “Welcome to the Quiet.” The purpose of the Kairos retreat, designed for high school seniors, was to give participants a sense of connection to God, family and friends and a sense of Christian compassion for others.

Joseph and Alexandra agreed that it was easier to center themselves in prayer because of the serene environment at the retreat house, which is tucked away on a hill off Killian Road, overlooking farmland and lakes.

While it was Joseph’s first visit to the retreat house, it was Alexandra’s second.

“I was here in April, training to be one of the leaders for this retreat,” said Alexandra, 18. “I was a little nervous the first time because I really didn’t know what to expect. What I found was a really comfortable place with beautiful surroundings where you can get away and focus on getting to know yourself.”

The retreat house, formerly known as Loyola of the Lakes Jesuit Retreat House, has transitioned from its sponsorship by the Jesuit order to its new affiliation with the Benedictine order. Although the association has changed, the retreat house’s mission remains the same — to offer a place for people to step away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, center themselves in prayer and leave with a greater sense of peace and a desire to live out their lives with God’s guidance.

Loyola was founded in 1964 by a group of lay Catholic men in the Akron area who wanted to provide a local retreat center. The group secured sponsorship from the Detroit Province of Jesuits and raised money to buy a parcel of farmland overlooking Nimisila Reservoir in southern Summit County.

The retreat house continued its affiliation with the Jesuit order until 2008 amid a restructuring of the order. The Jesuits, who had provided priests and brothers to direct retreats and provide spiritual guidance, said a decline in the number of priests made it impossible for the order to staff the retreat house.

In January, leadership at the retreat house announced its affiliation with the Benedictine Order of St. Andrew Abbey in Cleveland. The affiliation allows Loyola to maintain its Catholic identity and continue to offer its program under the auspices of the Catholic Church.

Abbot Clement Zeleznik, who serves as resident chaplain at Loyola, said the house fits well with the basic elements that guide Benedictine spirituality — prayer, reflective reading and work. The retired monk said the retreat house is a place where people can come to commune with God.

“People need to quiet down and get away from all the noise and hassle to integrate themselves and sense what they’re doing with their lives,” Zeleznik said. “It’s quiet enough here that people can meet the Lord. This is a place for fulfilling the words of Jesus — come away and rest for a while.”

Although the retreat house is sponsored by the Benedictines, a 22-member lay board of trustees manages the facility and volunteer many hours to raise money, help maintain the grounds and encourage people to attend retreats and programs at Loyola.

One of the board members, Dorothy Presnar, came to the facility for a day of reflection, after her husband of 33 years [Frank] was killed in a work-related accident in 1989. Since then, she has been a faithful volunteer.

Presnar started out answering phones and now serves as a greeter and couple retreat facilitator. She has been a member of the board for about 14 years.

“I feel like I’m a fixture here. I believe the Holy Spirit moved me to be here,” Presnar said. “I am here to do whatever I can because the retreat house really helped me when I was going through a rough time. There is nothing like this place. You can feel the peace and love of God as soon as you enter the grounds.”

The retreat house sits on 77 acres of lawn, fields, gardens and wooded pathways. The grounds also include outdoor Stations of the Cross, shrines and prayer paths to encourage prayer, solitude and reflection.

Programs include retreats, days of prayer and reflection and seminars. The facility is also available for Christian groups to rent for meetings, conferences and other gatherings.

“We try to do programming that complements the local [Catholic] parishes but we are ecumenical,” said Becki Haller, who has served as Loyola’s executive director for nearly 25 years. “What we do here is all about helping people develop a deeper relationship with God, helping them pray through identifying the paths that God wants them to take.”

For more information about upcoming programs and donation opportunities, visit www.loyolaretreathouse.com or call 330-896-2315.

Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com

 

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