Fr. Henry B. Haske, SJ

Many years ago, while directing a retreat, I was happily challenged when my retreatant quipped: ‘So you think you can describe the charism of the Society of Jesus in ONE word?’ Loving a challenge I immediately responded: ‘Of course I can, AVAILABILITY.’

Now by availability I don’t mean solely ready to move from one place to another, but more importantly, an openness… openness to challenges and surprises, openness to physical, intellectual and spiritual growth, a disposition to ongoing adaptation, a flexibility.

Reflecting on my life, I like to think that this trait was dominant in my 65 years as a Jesuit. And my very first lesson in availability was a rather dramatic one.

On completing my training, while in Tertianship, the Provincial asked me if I would like to go to Chile because the Maryland Province was taking over a failing diocesan grade and high school. When I responded that I was hoping to teach in a local high school, he assured me that was fine, since they were sending only those who had a desire to go. Imagine my shock when several months later I received a letter instructing me to get a physical and attend a language school that had already begun two weeks before. And I should add that when a Jesuit went overseas on mission, in those days he went for life.

So together with five others, knowing hardly any Spanish and literally nothing about the school, nor the culture, I was off to Osorno in southern Chile. Imagine hopping off the plane on a dreary, rainy day, having no idea where you are and unable to communicate properly. Some friendly strangers greeted us and whisked us off to our new temporary home, which also served as the warehouse for Caritas Chile. After six months of inculturation we opened school in March of 1960 and in May experienced one of the most violent earthquakes in the history of earthquakes. It disrupted the entire country and forced the closing of all schools. This was just the beginning of a delightful adventure in God’s Providence.

In 1970, after handing over the governance of the school to the Chilean Jesuits, I returned to the U.S. to begin a new apostolate. Since I was interested in spirituality and education, the Province sent me to Wernersville to help in the opening of the Spiritual Center which was offering the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius in the newly discovered format, the one-on-one directed retreat. I had hardly arrived when I was assigned to direct a bishop and his secretary in a brief directed retreat, something I had never done before. This was the introduction to an apostolate of meeting and helping hundreds of people…religious & lay, priests & novices…through various formats of the Spiritual Exercises, anywhere from 3 days to 30. It has been a wonderful and mutually enriching experience and has afforded me the opportunity to meet and be inspired by so many dedicated and prayerful people. Along the way I have been a Superior for more than 30 years for all types of communities, socius to the Provincial, assistant to the Novice Master, and Tertian director. I’ve had the good fortune to visit the Ignatian shrines in both Spain and Rome, make a retreat alone on St. Clement’s Island and at the age of 50 go on pilgrimage, during which I walked over a hundred miles, slept on the side of the road, begged for food and could not reveal my identity…a life changing experience.

Not always easy and smooth, these 65 years! But God has been extremely good to me and I’m ready to do it all over again.

Now, in my declining years, as the Senior Priest at Scranton Prep, I enjoy helping out with campus ministry and greeting, everyday, the grandchildren I never had.

God continues to bless me with His Providential care.