eral Jesuit parishes in the province hold very popular Novenas during these days. In 2015 and 2016 respectively, Mr. Clarke and Theology department chair Kathleen Myers preached the Novena at St. Ignatius, a Jesuit parish in southeast Portland. In March 2013, the campus watched with the rest of the world as Jorge Bergoglio, S.J., a Jesuit Cardinal from Argentina, was elected Pope. On that day, a news team from a local TV station was driving to campus to interview a student who had recorded a perfect score on the ACT when the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel appeared in Rome. The camera operators decided to stay on campus and filmed the reaction of the students in Tom Manning’s Theology class when the first Jesuit Pope stepped onto the balcony in St. Peter’s Square. The reporters interviewed JHS students, who were suddenly in the spotlight because they understood the importance of having a Jesuit as Pope. Sophomores continued with their second semester overnight retreat, but in October 2013, a sophomore evening Labyrinth Retreat was added, providing a popular evening for the class led by juniors, as the sophomores walk five of the different labyrinths owned by Jesuit. These labyrinths, funded through a gift of the Burke Family Foundation, were designed by Art 3 classes under the direction of Gail Fleenor. The fifth labyrinth was added in 2014 by a group of students who called themselves the “Art Angels.”
Juniors, of course, experience the Encounter Retreat. Over the last ten years, new exercises have been added to the weekend experience, because the way high schoolers communicate with one another has radically changed. The weekend is still shrouded in secrecy, and alums often return to assist leading small groups. In its 38th year, the Encounter is still a significant experience of finding God and love. Over the past four years, Jesuit has offered two men’s Encounters, two women’s Encounters, and three coed Encounters. Seniors in September 2016 completed the 21st Jesuit High School Pilgrimage to the oldest Catholic mission in the Northwest, St. Francis Xavier Mission in Toledo, Washington. The 12-mile hike has become a marking point for many seniors as they seek to make the walk a significant moment in their high school career. It may be meeting unknown classmates for the first time, seeking reconciliation in a relationship, or proving to oneself that “I really can walk 12 miles!” The weather has varied with each walk, and three senior classes have found themselves inside the small St. Francis Xavier Hall sleeping on the hardwood floor to avoid the rain. In May, busy seniors can choose to attend a quiet retreat that asks them to stop for 32 hours and reflect on their experiences over the last four years, and what will happen over the next six months. 43