“Words cannot describe the amazing weekend,” a young man commented after enjoying an extended weekend in late June at the Jesuit summer vacation house on the Chain O’Lakes near Waupaca, Wisconsin. He was one of 22 young men from Omaha’s Creighton Prep, Milwaukee’s Marquette University High School, and the Twin Cities’ Cristo Rey High School who participated in the annual Summer Splash event, sponsored by the Jesuit Vocation Office.
The Summer Splash is an opportunity for young men to learn more about the Jesuits and Ignatian spirituality. It is a time for faith, fun and friendship, and the participants seemed to relish the opportunity to reflect, relax, and think, interspersed with a lot of time and fun and games on the lakes.
In addition to the staff at Loyola Villa, several Jesuits came from the Midwest to help host the event. “Meeting new Jesuits and talking with them was great,” one student said. “I really enjoyed hearing their stories,” said another. “They are generous and flexible, holy and good men…educated and enlightening.” “These are some of the greatest guys I’ve met,” noted another, and “they’re incredible in their honesty and friendliness.”
“It was more enjoyable than could ever have imagined; so perfect, so fun, and so deep” said one young man. Another commented, “It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever done, — I hope to come back. And oh yeah, the dinners and burgers prepared by Brother Al were amazing, scrumptrilescent.”
