“My main mission is at Montserrat Retreat House, but I go once a week to celebrate the Thursday morning mass, at 8 am, in Jesuit Dallas.” –Fr. Ruiz
How much do you know about the Jesuit priests involved in our community? If I were to answer that question myself, the response would be sparse. I’d assume that most of our student body would have a similar response, therefore, the Roundup has been working on interviewing the various Jesuits involved with Jesuit Dallas. I recently had the opportunity to ask Father Pepe Ruiz, a Jesuit currently stationed at the Monserrat Retreat Center.
“I do! I am a magician. Practicing and performing magic has always been a part of my life. I love that it can transform any moment into a memorable experience. I also play the acoustic, nylon-stringed, Spanish guitar. However, both of those have a performing element after the practice time is over, which I enjoy tremendously. A hobby I have just for myself is film. I enjoy watching a good movie.” –FR. Ruiz
Interview with Fr. Ruiz
How long have you been working at the retreat center?
I arrived here in mid-June. You could say that I’m a Freshman Retreat Director :). Before this I was working for the Province, out of Denver, for the Office of Ignatian Spirituality, training Spiritual Directors and Ministry Leaders, and I also had a second job as a Vocation Promoter, also for the province.
What does your story of joining the priesthood look like?
I guess it all started with a retreat that kickstarted my spiritual life and my relationship with God. I realized that my faith was different from the faith of my parents, and I was discovering what that meant, and looking for answers to the questions I had. The journey led to learning how to meditate and that journey led to bringing questions up in prayer about my vocation. I had met many priests in my life, but Jesuits always seemed to have very profound topics in their homilies. I was realizing that I absolutely loved Ignatian Spirituality. I’m originally from Ciudad Juarez, the border with El Paso, TX. The only Jesuits I knew were from El Paso. One of them in particular, Fr. Richard Thomas, SJ had been my dad’s Spiritual Director, and he became my Spiritual Director as I discerned my vocation, using the tools of discernment from Ignatian Spirituality. That led me to join this province. A vocation within my vocation has been the work of Ignatian Spirituality. So, I love being able to guide people in their relationship with God at Montserrat Retreat House.
Do you have any advice for young men seeking to grow in their faith?
Yes, at some point in your life seek out to do the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. You can begin with a weekend silent retreat. The full experience is a 30-day silent retreat, but that might be too much. There are many modalities, but you can get a taste with a weekend silent retreat. You could only do that at Montserrat, and in most Jesuit Retreat houses, after you’re 18 years old. There’s nothing in this world I could recommend more than doing the Spiritual Exercises.
Do you have a favorite piece of scripture you’d like to share?
Here’s one I like:
Psalms 94:18-19
When I thought, “My foot slips,” Your steadfast love, O LORD, helped me up. When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul.”
Are there any other things you’d like to share with Jesuit students?
One of my Jesuit teachers and later spiritual directors introduced me to this quote by a philosopher called John Macurray that I love”: “The maxim of Illusory religion runs: Fear not; trust in God and he will see that none of the things you fear will happen to you”; that of real religion, on the contrary, is “Fear not; the things that you are afraid of are quite likely to happen to you, but they are nothing to be afraid of.”
I love it because I think a lot of people have been taught a little bit of false religion. They think that religion is about making miracles happen. Instead, God wants to be with us and share in our struggles, sometimes cry with us. If we allow Him to do so, that is.
Stay tuned to the Roundup for more Profiles on Jesuit priests!
