Trauma-informed care is the gold standard for doctors, social workers, and service organizations. Gus Zuehlke, director of faith formation at St. Bavo Catholic Church in Mishawaka, thinks it is also essential for spiritual care. To that end, he’s developed the JONAH Retreat (Jesus Overcomes Numbness, Anger, and Hatred), which he facilitated on Saturday, November 2. Ten people of varying ages and life situations participated this time around; St. Bavo sponsored a similar retreat last spring. Within a short period of time in late 2019, three different individuals who have experienced trauma in their lives approached Zuehlke. They hadn’t suffered the same kind of trauma, and all remained committed to the Church, but they begged for a retreat to begin processing their pain. That got Zuehlke thinking about how the Gospel can powerfully address human woundedness. He was given the acronym JONAH, fully aware of the two ways Jesus utilizes the story of Jonah, both to commend the repentance of the pagan Ninevites and as a metaphor for His own death and resurrection. A few days later, Zuehlke was in church awaiting the funeral of the mother of St. Bavo’s longtime parish secretary. Two parishioners with whom he had worked with on Christ Renews His Parish retreats sat down beside him. When he mentioned his developing idea, they gladly agreed to help with the new retreat. By the beginning of Lent, parishioners and friends had signed up for the first JONAH retreat. Then COVID-19 shut everything down – a much longer time in the belly of the whale than anyone anticipated. It wasn’t until the spring of 2024 that Zuehlke and St. Bavo tried again. Unlike many retreats that encourage participants to share their stories and get to know and support one another in small groups, the JONAH retreat focuses on each individual’s relationship with the Lord and the Church. Nor is it a healing service or a counseling session, although participants are encouraged to consult Catholic Charities counselors at a later time. During the JONAH retreat, personal testimonies are given by people from three different states in life: a single person, a married couple, and a priest. All share how abundant grace has enabled them to work through their various traumas, with emphasis on God’s grace rather than the suffering. No quick fix or conversion is offered. Coming to terms with trauma takes time. Throughout the course of the day, participants are invited to spend time alone journaling or utilizing whatever form of prayer they find most helpful, including a powerful time of silent adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. At other times, they are free to pray in comfortable chairs by electric candles in the parish center or in the church, where other parishioners are interceding for the retreat. Toward the end of the retreat, there is an opportunity for sacramental confession for those so inclined. The 12-hour retreat (from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) also includes two meals, many snacks, and the regular parish vigil Mass so participants don’t have to worry about meeting their Sunday obligation. November’s retreat format was tweaked slightly from the spring retreat, which ran from Saturday morning through Sunday at noon, but the presenters remained the same. Zuehlke has high praise for Holy Cross Father Peter Pacini, pastor of St. Bavo, who “took my outline and made it sing,” Zuehlke said. Father Pacini is an experienced retreat master, who facilitated a retreat program on the California/Mexico border for five years and then reformed and strengthened the Christ Renews His Parish program at St. Adalbert and St. Casimir parishes in South Bend while he served as pastor there. The individual presenter was Anne Jones, whose ministry, Face to Face Fine Art Commemorative Expressions, was born out of her own grief. After losing three close relatives in 60 days, she began creating and donating portraits to people whose loved ones had died unexpectedly. Zuehlke points out that the JONAH retreat is quiet but not silent. Conversation unfolds naturally at meals, and participants are free to seek out presenters or even to chat with those who serve the meals, Michael Langenbrunner and Karen Zuehlke. The retreat has been meaningful to a variety of people. One young person made both 2024 retreats with the hope of building a community with people in similar situations. An older couple made progress in working through illness and aging issues, gaining strength and hope to continue their journey. Another young Catholic was able to map the testimonies onto the Seven Sorrowful Mysteries, a devotion significant to him. One participant said: “I learned to have compassion in a new way. I haven’t suffered in the way some of these others have. My heart was expanded.” Zuehlke told Today’s Catholic he is grateful that the Church cares enough not simply to emphasize radical conversion but to journey with people as they work through the very real traumas in their lives with deepening insight. “It’s opened a road of hope for me, too,” he said. The post JONAH Retreat Helps Participants Find Grace in Trauma appeared first on Today's Catholic.