Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House Welcomes Two New Priests as Retreat Interest Grows
By Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House Staff
Recently, two Jesuits were added to the staff at Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House in Sedalia. Father Aric Serrano, S.J., and Father Ron Gonzales, S.J., both arrived in Northern Colorado about the same time and immediately started leading retreats centered on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola.
“Especially today, when there is so much confusion, so much noise and so much distraction, many younger adults seem to be turning to places such as ours to find a deeper purpose and meaning to their lives”, Father Gonzales noted.
He arrived in Colorado after serving for four years as pastor at Parroquia San Ignacio in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and previously served at Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House near Dallas, Texas.
"At my parish in Puerto Rico, very now and then, a young twenty-something would wander aimlessly in the church, circling by the adoration chapel, looking lost and uncertain where to go," Father Gonzales recalled. "I would invite them to chat, asking them to sit down and share what brought them there."
This is how grace works in the lives of all people, he explained. God continues to draw them closer to himself, going to where they have felt God’s love before. Sometimes a friend notices desolation in a co-worker, friend or family member and recommends them to a priest, spiritual director or a retreat house. That's where Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House comes in.
Father Serrano's journey brings him back to Northern Colorado after spending time teaching at Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora from 2017 to 2020. He was ordained in 2023 and recently served at the Jesuit parish in Punta Gorda, Belize, mainly in Maya villages.
"It's a beautiful culture, with generous people and many challenges. The challenges include poverty, rough roads and communication issues. Many do not speak English, only their native language. I imagine many Jesuit missionaries had a similar experience," Father Serrano shared of his ministry in Belize. "Despite these challenges, I loved celebrating Mass, working with catechists and anointing the sick. I learned how to say the Mass in Q’eqchi’."
Since his return to Colorado in early September, Father Serrano has been reconnecting with former students and friends around Denver.
Father Gonzales and Father Serrano join Father Warren Broussard, S.J., and Father Joe Laramie, S.J., in Sedalia. With the arrival of the two new bilingual priests, Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House now has bilingual directors who can reach out to and invite the Hispanic community in the Denver area.
Following COVID, many retreat houses nationwide struggled with restrictions and declining numbers. Since then, Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House has dealt with challenges and misconceptions — “Are you still open?” “I thought that place was just for religious priests.”
But, in a stressful and divided world, many retreat centers are experiencing a renewal of interest and attendance as more people seek peace, grace and meaning. Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House offers guided weekend retreats led by Jesuits, as well as individually directed five-day and seven-day retreats, and they welcome groups from various parishes and schools.
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus invited his disciples to join him in prayer and reflection (Mark 6:31). Since 1959, Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat House has served the Church in Colorado as a place of retreat rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius.
Many, led by God's grace to Sacred Heart for the first time, are surprised to find that such a beautiful place exists so close to them and that they never knew it. They find plenty of space to sit and pray, reflect and journal in the peaceful silence of Sacred Heart's beautiful property. When their retreat is over, they leave feeling refreshed and renewed as they return to their lives, taking with them whatever graces the Lord wants to give.
As the number of retreatants continues to grow, the Jesuits on staff travel to many Colorado parishes to invite parishioners to come for a retreat. Sacred Heart sits on 250 acres just south of C-470 with 50 private bedrooms, a conference room, a chapel and fresh meals prepared daily.
For more information, visit SacredHeartRetreat.org or call (303) 688-4198 ext.122.
