We are staying on the grounds of St. Xavier – grounds, by the way, bounded with high fences topped with wire and guarded gates. Carole and I are in the Jesuit residence. She is in a guest room, while I occupy a room normally housing one of the Jesuits who is currently absent. The students are in dorms; girl’s dorms and boy’s dorms. We all eat together with the Jesuits. Sometimes holding our own conversation, and at other times the two groups join.
As I was on the last visit, I am struck by how welcoming the Jesuit fathers are. They filled Carol and me in on what they are doing, including the sad news of the death just last week of the retired Bishop who stayed with them. He was 90, they said, and died peacefully in his sleep. But we were enthusiastically welcomed and introduced to a couple of new members of the community. As one who researches community, it’s fascinating to see how this group of men form a community based around their church and their avocation of teaching and research.
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