CategoriesTell Your Story, 100th Anniversary by

Sacred Encounter

By Meredith Skowronski

Mother deer and fawn

My father-in-law, Jerry, loved deer.  He would paint them, build them out of clay, carefully molding and coloring them to perfection. When he died suddenly of a massive stroke in 2020, followed closely by the death of my mother-in-law, Joann, in early 2021, deer became a spiritual and mystical creature for our family. Whenever we saw deer, we knew that “Grandma and Grandpa” were close, watching over us, smiling down on us from Heaven.

My husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer two weeks before his mother died. He started weekly treatments that March. Without fail, almost every morning before he would leave for what would be an excruciating round of chemotherapy, we would be visited by deer in our driveway. Grandma and Grandpa–always close.

This past summer, I attended my first individually directed retreat at Manresa. During my time listening to the Spirit in silence, I was led to write letters to my husband and my son, sharing with them how much I value and love them, and expressing my gratitude for the space they gave me to attend the retreat. I found a quiet, contemplative spot by a small stream, surrounded by woods, and began to write to my son.

As I was writing, I noticed movement across the river from me. When I looked up, there were two deer — a mother and a baby. They walked across the path toward me, stopped just on the other side of the stream where I was sitting, perhaps twenty feet away, and gazed at me for the longest time. A mother and a baby, just as I (a mother) was writing a letter to our son (my baby!). The deer stayed for quite some time, watching me, studying me, and simply being present with me. I spoke to them, said hello, and thanked them for visiting. I told them they were beautiful and said a prayer, thanking God (and Grandma and Grandpa) for stopping by to see me. It was a beautiful and unexpected God-wink.

Throughout my five-day retreat, God gifted me with several of these moments, and I am thankful that I had the space, openness, and attentiveness to receive them. They were life-changing for me and reminded me of how deeply beloved I am, how connected I am to God in all things, and how God is always present to me.

For more information on Manresa’s 100th Anniversary, visit manresa-sj.org/100Years.

CategoriesUncategorized by

Manresa celebrates 100th Anniversary

Outdoor Mass on Manresa Grounds September 28 to Launch Observances

Bloomfield Hills, MI – September 1, 2025 – Manresa Jesuit Retreat House held its first retreat on the weekend of September 23-26, 1926. This year on September 28, Manresa begins a year-long celebration called “Sacred Encounters: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” to mark 100 years of helping men and women grow spiritually through prayer, reflection, guidance and teaching according to the Ignatian tradition.

The festivities begin with an Outdoor Mass at 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 28, 2025. They continue with a banquet on May 7, 2026, with Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger as keynote speaker, and an Outdoor Mass and Picnic on September 20, 2026. Retreatants and guests are invited to each special event to honor our past, celebrate our present and look ahead to our future.

“For a century, Manresa has been a sanctuary for countless individuals who have found spiritual renewal and deeper connection with God,” said Sr. Linda Sevcik, SM, Executive Director of Manresa since 2021. “The spirituality of Saint Ignatius continues to guide Manresa’s mission, and our house and grounds offer a quiet and safe space where thousands of people each year come to encounter the Sacred and experience the transformative power of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.”

From its beginning as a retreat center for men, Manresa has grown into a spirituality center offering retreats and programs for men, women and youth.

Building on the legacy of the past 100 years and looking forward to the next 100 years of serving those who seek to deepen their faith, Manresa Jesuit Retreat House stands as a sign of God’s presence in our midst.

About Manresa: Manresa Jesuit Retreat House is a Catholic retreat center that helps men and women grow spiritually through prayer, reflection, guidance and teaching according to the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This is accomplished through group retreats, individually directed retreats, the Spiritual Exercises in Daily Life, days of prayer and recollection, and various programs including Scripture study and formation in Ignatian spirituality. For more information about Manresa’s 100th Anniversary celebration, visit manresa-sj.org/100Years.

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Manresa Jesuit Retreat House

1390 Quarton Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48304-3554

www.manresa-sj.org

CategoriesBanquet by

Spirit of Manresa Banquet 2025

Special Event

Spirit of Manresa Banquet 2025

The annual Spirit of Manresa Banquet was held on Thursday, May 1 at THE MINT at Michigan First Conference Center. We are grateful for everyone who helped make this year’s fundraising event an enormous success! More than 260 people showed up to affirm their love and generous support of Manresa’s Mission and Ministry. We are so thankful for your generosity.

After a lively social hour, Marie Osborne, WJR’s senior news analyst and Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening, welcomed guests to the dining room where a delicious dinner was served by an outstanding staff and followed by dedicated giving.

Afterwards, Br. Jim Boynton, SJ, president, University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, introduced his good friend and keynote speaker, the V. Rev. Karl Kiser, SJ, Provincial, USA Midwest Province, who gave an inspiring message titled “Hope Does Not Disappoint.”

It was a fabulous celebration of God’s faithfulness to Manresa.

Click here for more banquet photos.