Re-dedication of Plaque to Honor Donation of Stations of the Cross
 Now that spring is making the early azaleas and rhodies start to bloom, we were able to welcome Gordon and Dodie King to Loyola Jesuit Center for the re-dedication of the plaque that honors their donation of the Stations of the Cross– originally on the grounds of Sheridan – that circle the LJC grounds.
The Kings donated the funds to install the Stations in honor of their daughter, Sandra Suzanne King, who died of leukemia in 1961 at the age of 6. Thieves had stolen the bronze plaque earlier in the year, so Wayne Gsell and Steve Welters of LJC devised a way to frustrate would-be robbers. In 1979, Fr. Gordon Moreland, at a men’s retreat at Loyola, spoke of his desire for funds to place the Stations here. Gordon King came up immediately to volunteer. We are grateful for that day and for the chance to renew our friendship with them as we blessed the new installation
Novena of Grace: A Great Lenten Tradition of the Northwest
 St. Francis Xavier in Missoula, Montana
March 4 - 12, presented by Fr. Gene Delmore, SJ
St. Ignatius Chapel at SU & St. Joseph's in Seattle
March 3 - 11, presented by Erin Swezey, Katie Pinard, Michael Ramos, and Fr. Mike Bayard, SJ
St. Joseph in Yakima, WA
March 4 - 12, presented by Fr. Greg Vance, SJ
St. Ignatius in Portland, OR
March 4 - 12
St. Rita in Tacoma, WA
March 4 - 12, presented by Fr. Craig Hightower, SJ
St. Aloysius in Spokane, WA
March 6 - 14, presented by Fr. Denis Donoghue SJ & Dr. Kent Hoffman
Holy Spirit Center, Anchorage, AK
March 4 - 12
GC 35 Continues to Meet in Rome
 On February 21st the delegates of the General Congregation were received by Pope Benedict XVI.
Here is a brief excerpt of the words offered by Fr. Nicolas (new Superior General) to the Holy Father:
"We are grateful to Your Holiness to have been once more encouraged to follow our Ignatian tradition of service right where the Gospel and the Church suffer the greatest challenges, a service which at times also lends itself to the risk of disturbing a peaceful lifestyle, reputation and security. For us it is a cause of great consolation to note that Your Holiness is more than aware of the dangers that such a commitment exposes to us."
And also:
"What inspires and impels us is the Gospel and the Spirit of Christ: if the Lord Jesus was not at the centre of our life we would have no sense of our apostolic activity, we would have no reason for our existence. It is from the Lord Jesus we learn to be near to the poor and suffering, to those who are excluded in this world."
click here for sjweb.info GC35 page
La Pastorela St Joseph
On two cold wet nights in late December the Catholic Church of St. Joseph, Yakima, was the site of La Pastorela St. Joseph, a fully bilingual Christmas play produced by the Hispanic and Anglo communities in this agricultural heart of Washington State.
Created in collaboration with artists from Deus X Machina Theater Company, the performances were the final part of a six month project of listening to community members adapting the traditional Christmas story into an evening of song, dance, and local resonance. There were angels, of course, new comers to Yakima looking for apple pickers instead of shepherds. English and Spanish speaking devils roamed the stage fighting with each other and trying to tempt the apple pickers from finding the baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph appeared with the baby and the devils were defeated once again. Everyone, human and supernatural, shared hot chocolate and pastries.
The audience was filled with a mix of Hispanics and Anglos who understood different parts of the same script, laughing louder at the jokes in their languages but following the whole story together.
 Approximately 85 community members were interviewed as part of the adaptation of the Christmas story, ending up with 22 cast members, 5 musicians, 12 dancers, and 14 technical support team members including stage management and translators. Lots of involvement on stage, and back stage even before the seats filled with community members.
Deus X Machina (DXM), a community based theater company under the artistic directorship of Jesuit Fr. Jack Bentz, produces theater is various parts of Washington State. La Pastorela St. Joseph 2007 is the first project of a five year residency for DXM in the culturally diverse Yakima Valley. The theater companyt is committed to producing La Pastorela two more times; as it continues to involve more and more of the community in all aspects of the production. But La Pastorela is just an introduction to the Yakima Valley. DXM is planning an ambitious cycle of plays exploring the sometimes uneasy relationships between Anglos, Hispanics and Native Americans living together in this Valley.
In a cycle of plays called Red, White and Brown 10,000 years of Immigration in the Yakima Valley, DXM hopes to produce four plays in four different sites. Focusing on the Anglo, Hispanic and Native American communities, DXM will commission the writing and  production of a play with each of the three groups. And then DXM will create a fourth play with participants and audience from the three communities resulting in a show designed to bridge the three communities.
Each of the four plays will take place in a different part of the Valley and involve new parts of the three communities. New plays, new communities, new artists, and new experiences for everyone. It's rich, complex, and long term just like communities of people found in this part of America.
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