The 2021 Christian Brothers / Jericho House Ecology Retreat, “Ecological Wisdom: A Call to Relational Discernment & Imagination” took place at Jericho House during the week of August 8-14. Due to COVID-19, the participants, though fewer than usual, all agreed that, while the pandemic necessitated restrictions, the retreat was not only a very timely and encouraging event; it was also inspiring, and informative.

The team, Mark Hathaway, Victoria Blanco, and Trevor Scott, SJ from the Jesuit Forum, facilitated both small and large group activities, offered creative and challenging insights, and amplified Pope Francis’ call to integral ecology. Sessions that underscored Indigenous ecological wisdom were very helpful in exposing retreatants to a deeper understanding of the indigenous people’s appreciation of the environment.

The gift of sharing experiences by team and participants alike enabled various perspectives to be heard and appreciated. The schedule, and the retreat’s theme, harmonized with Jericho’s beautiful grounds, allowed for periods of prayer and reflection. The sense of community that was nourished through formal and informal sessions, as well as the growing appreciation of and commitment to the environment culminated in an outdoor Eucharist celebrated beneath Jericho’s towering trees. All departed enriched, nurtured and in expectation of the 2022 ecology retreat.