description:
p*g r wo SKYSCRAPER Troubles Fade; Retreat Enlightens We learned in kindergarten that life on earth is a time of trial; that only in eternity will we find true happiness. But even to day we wont admit it to ourselves. . Probably every one of us has a worry, a problem of some sort which too often we let discourage us; which we mask with 'a happy-go-lucky attitude or a sophisti cated air. Our troubles may stem from a number of causes unhappiness at home, illness in the family, social shortcomings, over work, fear of failure, dating problems or lack of same. These may seem trivial, insignificant, to some people, but they can seem insurmountable to those who must live with them. We long for peace of mind and soul, for security, but keep running away from them by evading our problems instead of try ing to adjust to them or to solve them. It's time for us to grow up and to real ize that we cannot have everything we wan* that we would not find happiness anywav with most of the things we dream about. We can do considerable growing up, emo tionally, during retreat. We can, first of all, resolve to use the. three days intelli gently, honestly, in seeking the cause of our troubles, in thinking temperately and intelligently about our worries, and our goals, and in concentrated discussion of them with Almighty God, through prayer. We should right now stop hoping that the retreat master will be entertain ing, or inspiring. He is a secondary instru ment in the making of a good retreat. If we enter retreat with the right motive an intelligent, generous readjustment of our lives the retreat master's instructions ' and suggestions will inevitably be of some help to us. The important thing is for us to con centrate on knowing God, on seeking to learn His Will, on bringing our lives into conformity with His plan for us as Catho lic women. The important thing is for us to come out of retreat resolved to live less self-centered, more Christ-centered lives. MUNDELEIN COLLEGE Chicago, 40, Illinoil Under the Direction of THE SISTERS OF CHARITY, B.VJ4. Not This ... This.' Entered as Second Class Matter Nov. 30, 1932, at the Post Office of Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879, 1.75 the year. Published semi-monthly from October to May inclusive by the students of Mundelein College, 6363 Sheridan Road, Chicago 40. Vol. XX Jan. 23, 1950 No. 6 All-Catholic Honon Ail-American Honors Telephone AM bassador 2-8100 Co-Editors-in-Chief Joan Merrick, Patricia O'Mara Student's Eye Views Juanita Gilmore, Leona Adams What Goes On Nancy Kelly, Peggy Butler Skyline Patricia Howe, Rosemary Simec, Mary Kay Wagemann, Mar jorie Coughlin, Sheilya Neary Skyscrapings Marguerite Kerger, Dorothy Campbell, Louise Milazzo, Maribeth Carey, Mary Kay Gill, Joan Kares, Judy Lang henry Books Rita Bresnehan, Mary Ellen Ward Pictures Peggy Barrett News Editors Jeanne Anderson, Barbara Bidwell, Evelyn Donahoe, Barbara Heintz, Jane Kenealy, Mary Jane Lamb. Sports Mary Kay Hartigan, Margaret Reidy Artist Joan Blakeslee Reporters Mary Ellyn Bondi, Joan Holland, Beth Mc Garry, Patricia Mc- Hugh, Mary McNally, Adele Mack, Jane Roach, Mary Burke, Christelle Hughes, Barbara Shaughnessy, Dolores Scheres, Betty Shoemaker, Grace Trauscht, Marion Whelan, Gina Moran, Paula Long. iiT3iinii i flwnffiffiEfc -Cfjfc 1 4** TrtrSBf V) radio pnoonAm IWnftaM / r . V Another year another retreat three days of pious platitudes and nerve wrack ing silence. Mass in the morning before one is half awake . . . struggling over a meaningless Missa Recitata ... no time to draw your breath before the first con ference. After all these years of listen ing to retreat masters, I defy that man to tell me anything new. The first conference seemed intermina ble forgot to get some spiritual reading from the library lucky thing I remem bered to bring a crossword puzzle for the between-conference siege. Half hour before next conference . . . puzzle finished . . . where to go, what to do? All of these long faces buried in books or looking prayerful in Chapel don't seem companionable. If I hurry, I can manage a cup of coffee and a little socia bility at Lee's. Back breathless and a little late prob ably didn't miss much. Father is SO longwinded . . . never noticed how uncom fortable these chairs are . . . the only thing to look forward to is lunch. No point in keeping silence during lunch . . . might result in a case of indigestion. Af ternoon conferences . . . happy daydreams . . . pleasantly drowsy ... 40 winks . . . Benediction and home. How is retreat? Honestly Mother, I'm not getting a thing out of it. They get more tedious every year it was so dull, I couldn't even listen. About Face Forward March/ Retreat in military life, often misunder stood by others, is im perative in the mind of the commanding gener al, who realizes the val ue of rehabilitating strength and supplies by immediate withdraw al from the place of at tack. Retreat in the spirit ual sense parallels the military manuever. It does not involve running away from the enemy. It involves merely entering a period of re ligious retirement in order to recoup forces. Another year of war between virtue and sin calls for renewed defense against temp tation. St. Paul recognizes the value of spiritual fortification in these words: I can do all things in Him Who strengthens me. It is in Retreat that the line of strategy is prepared. With that strategy before him, the spiritual soldier, refreshed in body and soul, goes into battle with a bet ter chance of winning. Daily Retreat Schedule 9:30 a.m. Mass in the auditorium 10 a.m. Conference 11:30 a.m. Conference 1:15 p.m. Conference 2:15 p.m. Conference Benediction of the most Blessed Sacra ment will close each days program. Retreat . . . three days of spiritual con templation. Can I do it? Can I detach myself sufficiently from the insignificant things that have become so much a part of my usual day? I realize I would be foolish not to, but will I? With God's grace and concentrated effort on my part, I will. First morning and Mass. Off to a beau tiful start . . . this is going to be the best retreat I've ever made . . . Oh, but this floor It's so hard on the knees I won't think about it.. That's a darling hat Sue is wearing . . . Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam. With the first lecture over, it's really beginning to seem retreat-ish. Some of the girls will be at Lee's, I imagine. We could talk about the retreat. Some people say that helps. And then I'll come back and listen to the next conference with renewed vigor. No, even I am not that gullible. There was much pithy thought in that last conference. Father is so right. How can I apply his suggestions to my daily living? Ah, there's a fat lounge chair all by itself. It's good to relax and just think. I must consider the ultimate more often. The retreat master talked about the val ue of meditation. I'm no Teresa of Avila, but this is a good time to begin, and the Chapel seems a likely place. My daily vis its between classes are usually of the bob bing variety. I'll stay and really try to think of things spiritual. Conferences, spiritual reading, medita tion . . . the day slips by in a surprisingly speedy fashion. How's Retreat? Well, Mother, I didn't do as well as I could have. It's a struggle, but I'm convinced it's worth one. Excuse me, though, there's something 1 want to read. Believe it or not, it's St. Thomas. Background Can Be Your Own Creation As in everything else, there is a tech nique to acquiring spiritual well-being, One rule is to know yourself, and another is to place God directly in the center of your life. Both can be achieved through meditation and time. Create a perfect background for medi tation by creating in your mind a spot to J which you can retreat from the buzz of life. It can be a spot as lovely as your imagination can make it. Here you can bring yourself and your thoughts, and, when you feet at home there after a few meditations, you can ask God to your haven, ask the Blessed Virgin, ask your favorite saint. , A hideaway on the Riviera isn't neces sary to get away and think. Build your own hideaway in meditation. Sivh- Modern life seems to thrive on noise. We love the blare of the juke box and the distracting din of slapstick movie come dies. Perhaps we seek noise as a medium of escape from ourselves and the nagging dictates of our consciences. We do not like to be quiet, because the footsteps of the Hound of Heaven, which can be heard in silence, cannot be heard in the hubbub of excitement. Retreat is a time set aside especially to talk to God, Whose Voice is like a whisper often lost in the tumult of meaningless chatter. Sil ence is necessary, since noise drowns God's voice and stupefies the conscience. A quiet environment is conducive to ser ious reflection, for in moments of silence men begin to seek God. To secure a quiet environment, one does not have to run and bury one. head in the sand. Silence is dependent not on where we are, but on what we are thinking. Thinking of and talking to God leads to a two-fold reward. We not only have a better understanding of Him, but we be come better acquainted with ourselves. Retreat Recipe Today there is a rash of books on How to Do It. Everything is offered from how to read a newspaper to how to stop I worrying and start living. Within the next few lines, and not in a lengthy book, are provided six points on How to Lis ten to a Retreat Conference. 1. At the prayer before and after the conference, make the intention for grace to give your half of the cooperation neces sary. The retreat master will give his. 2. Adapt yourself quickly to his meth od of delivery, so that you see the high lights when he hits them. 3. Before the conference begins take a minute to interest yourself in the sub ject. The conference then will be a de velopment of your thoughts on it, rather than an attempt to drag you into the thought current. 4. Stay awake. This point will take care of itself if the retreatant will take care of her regular night's sleep. 5. Jot down phrases you'd like think about later. You'll be eating lui in silence, you know. lo 6. Apply the points to your own life. Use the ones that indicate your failings in beginning construction of the New You. Spiritual Readings Rescue Wanderers To concentrate wholly on God is a ne cessary requisite for a successful retreat But it is sometimes difficult to keep our minds on spiritual things for long periods of time. It is when they begin to wander that the thoughts of the saints and other spiritual writers come to our rescue. Among the many excellent books that may be read during retreat are A Woman i Wrapped in Silence, by Father John Lynch; Saints Are Not Sad, by Frank Sheed; Father Gerald Vann's Divine Pity; and Three Mystics, excerpts from the works of St. John of the Cross, St. Tere sa of Avila, and El Greco. For those interested in reading of a more contemplative nature, The Imitation ofj Christ; Father James Keller's Three N utes a Day; Seeds of Contemplation, bj Thomas Merton; or Of His Fulness, bj J Gerald Vann, O.P. are excellent material Those who are further advanced in the spiritual life will appreciate themedi-j tative quality of St. John of the Cross') Dark Night of the Soul, or of Interior Cas-j tie, by St. Teresa of Avila. Do not overlook the tremendous possr-j bilities of the New Testament or of 11 Life of Christ by Goodier. Fouard, or Willam.
title:
1950-01-23 (2)
publisher:
Women and Leadership Archives http://www.luc.edu/wla
creator:
Mundelein College
description:
Student newspaper for Mundelein College
subject:
Newspapers
subject:
Religious communities--Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
subject:
Students
subject:
Universities and colleges
subject:
Women's education
relation:
Mundelein College Records
type:
Text
language:
English
rights:
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coverage:
Chicago, Illinois
coverage:
Mundelein College