Washington Jesuit and St. Ignatius Loyola Academies Unite in Inaugural Ignatian Interfaith Family Retreat

Washington Jesuit Academy and St. Ignatius Loyola Academy jointly sponsored a retreat in September for families of the two Academies. Modeled on the Family Retreat Program sponsored by Province, the retreat was planned and staffed by members of the schools’ faculties. Fr. Rich McCouch of Georgetown Prep, along with Kathleen Looney, a veteran staff member of the Family Retreat Program, guided the Retreat. The weekend was an introduction to Ignatian reflection and the power of reflection to strengthen their families. For all of the families, it was a first time retreat. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from both the families and the 17 volunteers from the lay community who staffed the retreat. In the words of one mother, “The Retreat provided me with moments to listen to my son.  At home it’s, ‘come eat your dinner, do your homework, take out the trash, etc, etc.’  This past weekend I was able to listen to him, observe him and bond with not just him, but his peers as well.” Another mother said, “The retreat was a wonderful experience. It was good spending time with my family in a peaceful environment. The skits and workshops were a good way to discuss issues relevant to the family. Meeting and spending time with other parents from WJA has truly formed a family bond.”

Although it wasn’t one of the intended goals of the weekend, the volunteers were also very moved by the experience. One volunteer spoke for all in saying, “The weekend was a classic case of receiving much more than we gave.”

The Retreat was the first joint venture between the two schools. It is hoped that it will become an annual event and will lead to further shared ventures between the two Academies who have so much in common.