IJC Voice
May 2022
Volume 12, Issue 8
Greetings!

Start the Conversation About Your Legacy Today
 
We are filled with gratitude to God and to you for how we are blessed by your generosity. We have been especially blessed by supporters who have left a bequest as a way to celebrate their life and their values. Your bequests will say a lot about who you are and what you care about. 
 
I know these are decisions that are not taken lightly. You will likely want to discuss them with family or a friend so that they are comfortable with your decisions and will ensure your wishes are honoured. 
 
You may feel uncomfortable having this conversation. Talking about your values and the change you want to see in the world can kick-start the conversation, and even motivate your loved ones.
 
Here are three suggested questions to get you started: 
  • How do you hope our family history and life story will live on after we are gone?
  • How will the causes or charitable work support continue?
  • What kind of message do we want to pass on to our kids and grandkids about helping others?

You can explore more tips from our partners at Will Power to help start the conversation with your loved ones. You can also use the tools and resources on the Will Power website to get started.

Roger Yaworski, Executive Director
Loyola House - Retreats & Ignatian Training
Looking to go on retreat? Check these out:
 
  • Listening to Indigenous Voice 8-Day Retreat - May 18-26
  • Directed Prayer Weekend - June 3-5
  • Bees: Earth Weekend Retreat - June 10-12
  • Finding Your Way: Weekend of Discernment - June 10-12
  • 8-Day Directed Retreats - July 20-28; August 1-9; August 11-19; August 21-29
  • Soil to Soul Retreat - August 11-19

To be calm and quiet by yourself
is not the same as sleeping.
In fact, it means being fully awake
and following with close attention
every move going on inside of you.

~ Henri Nouwen

Ignatius Farm
The farm is absolutely bursting with volunteers and plantings in the greenhouses, fields, and community orchard.


Get all the details and more by reading May's Farm E-News here!

Old-Growth Forest Project
The forest floor in the project lands of the Old-Growth Forest project is teeming with spring ephemeral growth!

Volunteer afternoons have resumed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1-3pm. Why don't you join us! Sign up here!

Get outside and explore a forest near you!
Sharing some other opportunities with you...
Front Desk Volunteers Needed

Are you welcoming, enthusiastic, and want to help out at IJC? We are looking for volunteers to help out at Reception! Help greet our many visitors who come to IJC.

Contact Andrea at officecoordinator@ignatiusguelph.ca. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Poetry
Unexpected Sonnet - by Greg Kennedy

apparently a mountain bluebird blown
off course…of course it could also be cause
of simple celebration without known
antecedents based on natural laws
completely undiscovered as of yet
and yet so stirring that the vortex heard
draws lusty, listing, long-lensed lookers set
on seeing far side yonder Rockies bird
internally displaced like all the rest
of us winged love-seekers at a loss
in recurrent springtime waves of life blessed
beyond wildest expectations because
expectations and hard discovered laws
are the last to go in post-winter thaws.

Picture, courtesy of Matthew Iles

SPRING HEALING - by James Clarke

After the benumbing
         feeling of winter’s long
sleep, March carries
         us on its sturdy shoulders
into spring, blows down
         isolation’s confining walls,
summons the first fresh
         buds of bourgeoning green.
                           
As blossoms rupture and
         rapture the air, nourishing
rain lavishes the tree called
         Life till it grows higher than
the soul can hope, sends
         healing roots deep within 
our hearts, makes us feel
         alive and whole again.