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Sacred Ground Capital Campaign
The 2015 Wellington Catholic School Board's annual Bishop's Dinner, attended by Bishop Douglas Crosby, donated $15,000 to the campaign. We are deeply appreciative of this community support.
The Jesuit Province of English-Canada will be donating to support the Old-Growth Forest project to offset carbon emissions associated with air flights of administrators & staff. The Campaign received the first donation in February.
Look for our new legacy-giving brochure in our March Lent donation appeal or contact us to request a copy.
For more information, please contact the Campaign Assistant 519 824 1250 ext 257 or
send an email.
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FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOP
We will be hosting, in partnership with the Toronto Jesuit office,
a free estate planning workshop on
Thursday, March 31 from
1:30-3pm
in the Loyola House lounge.
Miller Thomson's expert, Rosanne Rocchi, is the presenter
Please RSVP to development@ignatiusguelph.ca
or call 519 824 1250 ext 258
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UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES & EVENTS
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Ignatius Farm - New and Well-loved Opportunities for 2016!
Be a neighbourhood farm host!
Your workplace, home, school, or gathering place could be a new CSA pick-up location for fresh-picked organic vegetables from the wonderful Ignatius soils. For 15 shares, a 16th share is donated to the host for their use or distribution within the community.
Contact Heather to find out how you and your community can have a closer connection with Ignatius Farm.
Be a farm working share partner!
Curious about Ignatius Farm activities? Review the
farm brochure ,
get in touch and/or come visit...
be part of your organic neighbourhood farm this spring!
Easter Brunch at Loyola House
Sunday, March 27
Be sure to book a spot for this year's Easter Brunch! There will be a smorgasbord of breakfast and lunch favourites that is sure to delight your palate! Tickets are $25 ea, Seniors & Children under 12 yrs - $16 ea, with children under 6 years free.
Reserved seating - 10 am or 12 noon
. To reserve call 519 824 1250 ext 221 or email administration@ignatiusguelph.ca. Cash, VISA or Mastercard.
A Taste of Italy 2016
2015's Taste of Italy was such a popular event, we've planned for another series of Wednesday evening dinners for 2016! The dates are April 20, June 15, and September 28. A tasty gift! Tickets are $60 ea or $150 for all three dinners. You can purchase by email or by calling 519 824 1250 ext 221.
Spring is coming ... come for a hike!
It's been ten years since the launch of the Old-Growth Forest Project and last year two new trails were named: James (Jim) Profit Trail and The Creation Trail. IJC's Development Assistant, Vanessa Hyland, volunteers as a hike leader with the Guelph Hiking Trail Club. She will lead five hikes throughout the spring on these two new trails. Each hike is a moderate speed walk on a cleared trail through mixed forests of white pine, hemlock, cherry, ash and maple and cedar groves. You'll also have an opportunity to learn about the restoration work plans and workshops to be offered this year.
Meeting place: Community mail boxes on Cross Creek Blvd., Guelph/Eramosa, located between house #51 and house #55.Starting times vary due to the change in time for sunset through the spring season.
Dates: Wed. March 30, 6:15 pm, Creation Trail, 1 hr., 2.5 km
Wed. April 20, 6:30 pm, James Profit Trail, 1.5 hrs., 6 km
Fri. April 22, Earth Day, 7 pm, Creation Trail, 1 hr., 2.5 km
Wed. May 18, 6:30 pm, Creation Trail, 1 hr., 2.5 km
Wed. June 8, 6:30 pm, James Profit Trail, 1.5 hrs., 6 km
Contemplative Art Retreat - June 3-11
Mystery of Consciousness & Care of the Earth
Fr. Roger Yaworski, SJ along with Virginia Varley, csj and Grace Sauve, csj will facilitate the
Contemplative Art Retreat
at the summer home of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, at Invermara in Orillia, Ontario.
See the brochure for more information
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Jesuit Volunteers Canada
Now Accepting Applications for the 2016/2017 Program
Jesuit Volunteers Canada (JVC) engages young adults in a year or two of service to live out the values of Christian spirituality, social and eco justice, community, and simple living. Current placement opportunities include community development and outreach, food justice, education, and work with those who experience urban poverty. Jesuit Volunteers Canada is accepting applications for September 2016. Possible communities and work placements are in northern Ontario, Toronto and Regina. The application deadline is March 30.
For more information visit www.jesuitvolunteers.ca or call
519-820-8204. JVC is part of a 50-year movement dedicated to equipping and inspiring young adults. Help us spread the news about this terrific program!
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Winter on the Land at Ignatius Jesuit Centre: Updates, the Old-Growth Forest, and Lichens
By Staṡ Shulist, Land Manager
Winter on the land at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre is typically
as busy as any other season. We juggle snow removal, firewood production, special projects, reviewing the work of the past year, and planning for the next. With the late arrival of winter and what little snow we've received thus far, we've been granted a few weeks of relative calm.
Presently, Jaye, our Grounds Assistant, and I are tackling the task of creating a colour-coded trail marker system for the main trail network that will match up with our trail map, enhancing our trail system that much more (this was done for the Ignatius Old-Growth Forest trails this summer). Hopefully all the markers will be out for the first spring hikers in April. Speaking of trails, the Nordic ski trails are open at Ignatius but it has been a tough winter for cross-country skiers with the lack of snow. Here's hoping for a snowy March!
The Ignatius Old-Growth Forest is fairly quiet this winter. Our Old-Growth Forest Steward, Martin, finished up his contract at the end of November. His contract was renewed for 2016 and has returned March 1. Even though short-handed for a few months, the project never hibernates. Work continues on grant applications and reviews, as well as some interesting research that is happening on the study of lichens at Ignatius.
Most people don't think of lichens as interesting, nor do they
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Physcia stellaris - Star Rosette Lichens found at Ignatius Jesuit Centre Photo taken by Troy McMullin, used with permission
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pay much attention to them. However, lichens, like most of the tiny organisms found in nature, play extremely important roles in maintaining the health of an ecosystem and adding to biodiversity. Lichens in particular, are important indicator species for air quality. As University of Guelph researcher and lichenologist, Troy McMullin said to me, "Lichens are like the canaries in a coal mine." This metaphor is quite fitting, as lichens are highly sensitive to slight fluctuations in air quality, as was the case when canaries were used to give advanced warning of dangerous gases in coal mines.
Of why he was interested in researching lichens at Ignatius, Troy said:
"I was inspired to do research at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre because of the Old-Growth Forest Project and the essential habitat that these forests provide. Old-growth forests are rare and in decline in southern Ontario, which means organisms that rely on these unique ecosystems have limited places to live. To understand the conservation value of such forests the species that inhabit them need to be documented. I am assessing what lichens are on the property because they are a particularly sensitive group of organisms that are well known for their specific habitat requirements, and many species are only known to colonize old-growth forests. Knowing what species are present at Ignatius provides a snapshot of the current state of the forests, but it also provides a baseline so that changes, such as new species colonization, can be determined as the forests develop over the next 500 years."
Thanks to funding provided by the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph from London, we were able to hire Troy to complete baseline lichen research that will be used as an important tool for monitoring the Ignatius Old-Growth Forest in the future. And what a great coincidence that Sister Nancy Wales of the Sisters of St. Joseph has a keen interest in lichens, having experienced their importance while ministering in Yellowknife for 22 years!
And on a final lichen note, congratulations to ecologist and Jesuit priest Fr. John McCarthy, SJ on his discovery of a new species of lichen in his home province of Newfoundland, aptly named Acarospora maccarthyi (Latin spelling rules dictate the extra 'a'). Fr. John is a long-time friend of the Guelph Jesuit community. It just so happens that he and our lichen researcher Troy McMullin know each other well and have worked together in the past.
Read more about Fr. John's discovery in the Catholic Register.
igNATION, A Jesuit Blog Eric Jensen, SJ, a spiritual director here at Loyola House, recently wrote a posting, "What Happened to Jesus in the Wilderness" for the igNATION, a Jesuit Blog. Read it here.
From the Loyola House Kitchen Susan will be adding another post to the Loyola House kitchen blog soon. Be sure to check it out!
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LOYOLA HOUSE RETREATS & PROGRAMS
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Upcoming Retreats - Each retreat name is linked to our website for more information
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