Men of Manresa

Well, here we are, one year removed from my very first blog post.  What a pleasure it has been for me to share my thoughts and reflections with you over this last year.  I look forward to your continued support as I continue seeking the Spirit in my life.

One avenue that I have used to seek the Spirit for the past two years is a three day silent retreat at the Manresa House of Retreats in Convent, LA.  This retreat is a men's retreat centered around the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.  The Jesuit priests who reside here host nearly six thousand men on weekend retreats each year.  The vast beautiful landscape, antebellum buildings, quiet environment, and challenging spiritual direction, allows the participants to look deeply into themselves to find God present to them in ways that are truly transformational.

I am honored to say that my dad has been a regular retreatant for twenty-two consecutive years.  While this was only my second year, I feel I now have a little insight into why my dad loves Manresa so much.  Part of this love comes from the room in which he stays each year: room 321.  Room 321 has a special story that I would like to share with you.

In May of 2000, a man decided to write down his thoughts and reflections about his retreat in a notebook.  Rather than taking the notebook with him upon the conclusion of his retreat, this man decided to leave the notebook along with his reflections on the desk in room 321.  Life moved on as spring turned to summer, summer to fall, fall to winter, and winter turned back to spring.  After a year of new successes, failures, joys, and concerns, this man returned to Manresa seeking spiritual renewal.  As he entered his "little room with a big view" as he called it, he saw that same notebook resting on his desk just as he had left it a year before.  Only this time, instead of his being the only journal entry in the notebook, it was full of the thoughts, reflections, stories, prayers, etc. of the many "men of 321" who graced that room with their presence over the past year.  As he began to read the notebook entries, he experienced great humility from such wonderful displays of spiritual poverty that these "roommates" of his courageously shared with each other.  Overwhelmed with joy and elation that could only come from God, the man realized that just as a notebook is bound by spiral rings, he was now bound by the Spirit to his brothers of room 321.  

While this story may be short and simple, its impact on the lives of the men who are a part of it has continued into the present day.  Over the last thirteen years, this journal, titled In My Room (inspired by the Beach Boys' song of the same name), continues to be a place of community and refuge for the Men of 321 as they continue to share their toils and triumphs with each other.  I am proud of my dad for beginning this wonderful Manresa testament.  And, as a recent occupant of 321, I am blessed to be able to count myself in this special fraternity of faith.

 The little room (321)

The big view

The Haro Men at Manresa

May we be ever-faithful, ever-mindful, and ever-joyful.