2014 Fall Newsletter full story

Volume 9, Issue 2
Fall 2014
10 years:
Sowing the seeds of
God’s Grace
- Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri
Reservoir
“Become a reservoir so as
to become a channel.”
LANTERI CENTER FOR IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY
Dear Friends of the Lanteri Center,
Gratitude to God for 10 Fruitful Years
We have been richly blessed throughout our
first 10 years of existence here at the Lanteri
Center with the grace of God poured out in
the ministry of spiritual direction, retreats
and the education of prayer partners. The
Center began in October, 2004 with the vision of Fr. Ernest Sherstone, OMV and Fr.
Daniel Barron, OMV and quickly grew to
serve the Archdiocese of Denver. We have
been gifted with many lay collaborators in
our project, most of whom have graduated
from our own training programs. Our spiritual direction training programs are the most
in-depth and comprehensive in the country.
The testimonials in this newsletter are evidence of the quality of spiritual guidance
given at the Lanteri Center.
New Artwork Celebrates
Sower and Harvest
As we celebrate the fall harvest and Thanksgiving, we welcome two new paintings to
the waiting room at the Lanteri Center. The
first is Millet’s 1850 piece “The
Sower” (see picture above) showing a peasant man striding through a plot of freshly
tilled soil as he sows his crops. The sun
shines in the top half of the painting just
over the horizon to show that the peasant
has risen at the crack of dawn in order to
accomplish the day’s work that lies ahead.
The painting reminds us of God the sower of
the seeds, of His abundant grace in our life
and the possibility of our heart being the
rich soil that receives and nurtures His life.
The mission of the Lanteri Center has been
to help people to recognize and welcome the
Lord in the good soil of prayer and in the
whole of their lives, and thus grow in the
Spirit.
The second painting is Van Gogh’s 1888
piece “Red Vineyard” depicting a company
of toiling harvesters bathed in the resplendent light of a sunset. The harvesters,
wholly absorbed in their labor, unknowingly
participate in a symphony of throbbing color.
The painting reminds us of the Lord of the harvest of the fruit of grace in our lives. It also
speaks of our being privileged to share as colaborers in the work of the Lord’s harvest. So
much of our work here at the Lanteri Center is to
help people realize the abundant harvest of
God’s grace in their lives. As co-laborers with
the Lord in His harvest, we are bathed in the
light of His grace and rejoice at God’s action in
the lives of all we serve here.
Future Endeavors
While maintaining the good works that have
characterized the Lanteri Center for the first 10
years, we are expanding our outreach to impact
the Church in Denver and throughout the United
States. We have begun offering parish retreats
on Ignatian prayer and discernment throughout
the Denver archdiocese and across the country.
The retreats are not only inspirational, but instructional. They offer tools to help people learn
prayer and discernment and persevere in their
practice. We are also expanding our training
programs. Our satellite programs continue to
expand to places such as Washington D.C. and
Boston. Here in Denver, we recently started a
residential program to welcome persons seeking
training as spiritual directors from around the
country. As more and more directors are trained,
the Lord multiplies our ministry and feeds the
spiritually hungry.
Gratitude for Your Support
Everything we do here at the Lanteri Center is
made possible by your generosity. There is no
fee for our ministry. We rely on donations from
our seekers of spiritual direction, which fall far
short of our operating costs. Your donations are
a sign of God’s providential care and His desire
to continue His work of drawing persons to Himself. We give thanks to God
for you and keep you in our
prayers daily, asking that the
Lord reward you for your generosity. May you reap a bountiful harvest of grace in the
Lord!
Happy Thanksgiving,
JUST ASK SPARKY...
Dear Sparky, You are the one staff member at the Lanteri Center who has been there the longest. You were
there on Oct. 4, 2004, when the doors opened and you still meet people there today. I’m curious: in your
10 years there, have you seen any miracles?
Signed, Felicity from Happyland, OK
Dear Felicity,
Since Fr. Dan’s sister brought me here, I have truly enjoyed a “dog’s life.” It was the perfect calling for me since I love people and like to reassure them of the Master’s love. Being able to do that
makes me most grateful and seems miraculous. (That, and catching the occasional squirrel.)
I have also seen some truly amazing things here since that glorious feast of St. Francis (my favorite saint) when the Lanteri Center opened. And those amazing things all have to do with people.
First and foremost, Fr. Ernie, omv, who visited Denver while he was still Director of the Ignatian
Center in Montreal, Canada. He was struck by the Spirit and felt drawn to establish a spiritual direction
center here. Thank God he heard that call and generously said yes. He is a kindly sage, and brought a lifetime of experience and
expertise as a humble leader. A true student of St. Ignatius, he had the ability to meet everyone where they were at and bring
out their best.
Second, Fr. Dan Barron, omv, who agreed to help Fr. Ernie get the Lanteri Center going. He brought the gifts of counsel, vision, IT and teaching, drawing many excellent people to the Center, as well as connecting the Center with other organizations across the country, such as the Institute for Priestly Formation. With Fr. Ernie, he also helped lay the foundation for the Center to be more ecumenically minded and wide-open to anyone who wished to come. All anyone needed was a serious desire for
Christ.
Next, came Al Starkey, a married layman, who had abandoned a lucrative corporate career to become a spiritual director. He brought years of experience working in developing programs on a national and international level, as well as a keen
understanding of the field of psychology. He was pivotal in helping develop our formation programs.
Soon after opening, the Lord sent us generous benefactors who helped keep us afloat and made our ramshackle building much more beautiful and welcoming. One generous donor in particular supplied us with all the furniture, rugs and new
paint jobs needed (plus a special basket for me to doze in!). We were given a building to use, and now, thanks to our donors, it is
in even better shape than before.
Who can forget Ruthie Rogers, our first secretary and bookkeeper who did all the administrative work, so our priests
and staff could concentrate on the spiritual? Ruthie’s work in getting everything up and running was invaluable. Now, her work
is continued by Lou Ann Doran, who not only keeps everything running smoothly and organized, she also has become the loving
face and welcoming spirit of the Center as she greets everyone at the door.
Fr. Greg Cleveland, omv, came in to replace Fr. Dan when he was transferred to Boston. Fr. Greg also has the gifts of
teaching, preaching, writing and encouragement, plus the ability to reach out in friendship and draw other people in. You can
find him on the basketball court, golf course, ski slopes as well as behind the desk or pulpit, hard at work. He is a man of all
trades and talents. The Center is now being guided by his good hands.
Next came the ladies, first Bonnie Vanni, who brought her gifts of healing prayer and a wise, listening heart. Then Lee
McDowell, who spent decades forming disciples of the Lord, helping them grow spiritually, as well as years of experience working
as a counselor, bringing all these talents to her work as a spiritual director and teacher. And then Kay Davis, who brought her 20
years experience living a monastic life in the desert.
Finally, I remember all the countless people who have come and contributed through mailings, parties, missionings, the
launching of new programs. supervision and so much more. Not to mention our amazing students. All these people have contributed to help the Center thrive and grow. (You can see some of their testimonials here on these pages.)
In sum, dear Felicity, I would have to say that every person who came through our doors the past 10 years has been a
miracle. And for that, I bark with joy to the Lord!
In light of all this perhaps you might consider: who are the miracles in your life?
Keep ruffin’ on!
-Signed, Sparky
THREE-DAY SILENT
RETREAT
MARCH 27-29, 2015
At the Abbey of St. Walburga
near Virginia Dale, CO
This retreat is a great introduction to the value
of silence in your prayer and life in general.
You will also meet daily with a spiritual director. Cost: $160.
Armchair Retreat 2015
Begins: Feb. 15, 2015
Concludes: March 29, 2015
Take this opportunity to learn to pray with the
Word of God and have an experience of
spiritual direction!
You need only commit yourself to praying with God`s Word for
30 minutes each day for 6 weeks and meet with your personal
spiritual director once a week. The retreat begins with a group
meeting on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015 and concludes on
March 29th, Passion Sunday. Cost: $20.
Lanteri Center Testimonials
Eleven years ago, Susan and I were living in a Carmelite monastery in western Ireland. We were prayerfully and hopefully searching for a meaningful way to contemplatively while actively live lives that we sensed God was calling us to live. Enter, Fr. Ernie Sherstone, following a call to open a spirituality center in Denver, who took me in like a lost child. Under his egalitarian leadership and
tutelage, he, Fr. Dan Barron and I proceeded to develop programs and approaches to offering spiritual direction and forming spiritual directors that is the Lanteri Center, today. I felt graced then and I feel graced now for the gift Fr. Ernie and the Lanteri Center
have been in my life.
—Al W. Starkey
When I first came to a meeting with my spiritual director I had a great longing to know the Lord more deeply, more
dearly. I didn’t know at the time the trials and crosses that would come into my life. However, God knew and gave me a
director to walk with me in the many storms that would come. The Lord knew I needed a stronger prayer life to help me
see Him through the confusions and suffering coming my way. HE knew and led me into the Exercises in Daily
Life. Yes, My Lord knew what it was that I would need, what I lacked; a strong faith in prayer and a deepening relationship with HIM. The Examine Prayer is now a mainstay in my prayer life and it was through learning to pray with scripture
during the many trials that came that the Lord answered my prayers to know Him more deeply. So, it is with gratitude
that I will be finishing the five year program in the spring and I feel God’s love through the eyes of each one I have
grown to love at the Lanteri Center for Ignatius Spirituality.
—Millie Blankenburg
All my life I have been drawn to helping others. As a Catholic Christian and a member of St. Ignatius Loyola
Jesuit Parish I saw the value of Ignatian Spirituality. When I learned of the Lanteri Center of Ignatian Spirituality, and that it was offering programs, I applied. During the years I have been with the Lanteri Center I have
completed the Prayer Partnering Program and I am about to qualify as a Spiritual Director of the Ignatian Exercises. While at the Lanteri Center I have developed a relationship with Christ which has made me feel like a
new person. In the coming years I am confident that my involvement with the Center will continue to enrich
my spiritual and emotional life.
—Mary Leisring
I started Spiritual Direction with Kay Davis in 2009, at which time I went through the Spiritual Exercises for Daily Living. During those eight months I grew in a more personal relationship with Jesus, and Mary. While I felt my spirituality
changing I wasn't really sure that it was making much of an impact on the outside until my husband was asked by someone what he felt about my having gone through the exercises. His reply was, "I want what she has." I then realized that
it was showing in my daily activities. My husband and I are of different faiths, but we now read scripture, and pray together daily—a true blessing that has been given to me.
—Dottie Colbenson
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord...You make me jubilant, Lord, by your deeds.” —Psalm 92
CELEBRATE WITH US
OUR 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
OPEN HOUSE
Nov. 16th, 2014 ~ 2pm– 5pm
We invite you to come to our special open house which we
will host the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 16th 2pm– 5pm.
ADVENT DAY OF
REFLECTION
Dec. 6, 2014
8:45am– 3:15pm
“Encountering and
Meditating on Scripture
Through Sacred Art”
______________________________________________
The Bronco game will be over by then,
so there’re no excuses!
Light refreshments will be served.
Fr. Dan Barron, omv, co-founder of the
Lanteri Center, will offer a reflection.
Meet our staff, students and friends, learn
more about us, and tour the Center.
Given by: Fr. John Paul Klein, omv,
and Millie Blankenburg, MSW
Join us for a day of meditating on the
mystery of the Incarnation and
the Gospel of John.
Coffee, Tea and Snacks will be served.
Bring your own lunch. Cost: $45.
Return Service Requested
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage Paid
Denver, CO
Permit 2048
LANTERI CENTER
FOR IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY
416 22nd Street
Denver, CO 80205
Phone: 303.298.1498
Fax:
866.223.2871
Email: [email protected]
www.lantericenter.org
This is the will of God,
your holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:3
We’re on the web!
Visit us at...
www.lantericenter.org
Join us for a special pilgrimage to celebrate the Lanteri Center’s 10th Anniversary!
In the Footsteps of St. Ignatius Loyola
Travel with Fr. Greg Cleveland , OMV, and staff of the Lanteri Center
April 28 - May 8, 2015
Cost: $3,878.00 (double occupancy)
St. Ignatius Loyola (1491– 1556) is one of the great saints
of our Church. Living in the tumultuous era of the reformation and counter-reformation, he helped renew the
Church with his Spiritual Exercises and founding the
Jesuit Order. Through his spiritual genius western
culture was transformed for the better.
Manressa
On this pilgrimage we will view the places in his home country of Spain that served as the backdrop
for his conversion from soldier into saint. We will begin in Madrid; visit his castle home of Loyola;
Pamplona, the battlefield where he was injured and his life changed forever; Montserrat, the abbey
where he formally gave his life to God; and Manressa, where he grew in holiness and composed his
Spiritual Exercises. We will also take a side trips to Avila to celebrate the 500th anniversary of St.
Teresa of Avila’s birth; Javier, the place of St. Francis Xavier’s birth; and finish in Barcelona with a
visit included to its magnificent new cathedral, La Sagrada Familia (Holy Family Cathedral).
To learn more visit: Religious Travel International, LLC, 600 S. Cherry St., Suite 105, Denver, CO
Phone: 303-563-6261. Fax: 303-563-6261. email: [email protected]

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