Ignite Missionary Program
The Jesuit Spiritual Center, a Catholic retreat center, in Milford, Ohio seeks college graduates interested in pursuing ministry as part of the Ignite Missionary Program. This is a 1 – 2 year paid program working as a member of the Youth Ministry team. Missionaries live in an intentional faith community on the grounds of the Center in the renovated historic Rock House and receive health care, meals, and a personal stipend. They will develop skills in retreat ministry including planning, preparing, and facilitating youth retreats, leading small and large group activities. Missionaries will also have the opportunity to make the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises, receive spiritual formation, attend professional conferences, receive private music lessons, and gain non-profit leadership and business experience.
Please contact Daniel Poat, Director of the Ignite Missionary Program at 513.965.6988 or dpoat@jesuitspiritualcenter.com for more information.
During the Ignite Missionary Program, participants live in the historic Rock House on the grounds of the Jesuit Spiritual Center. Built in the late 1800s, the house was bought by the Jesuits in 1927 and used to host retreat groups, including young men from Xavier College in Cincinnati. Since that time, it has also been home to Jesuit novices, priests, and lay ministers. The house was recently renovated in 2017 to prepare for the next generation of guests.
Each missionary has their own private room, and use of the various common spaces on the first and third floors, which included a large dining room, living room, library, solarium, and kitchen.
The third floor contains various study rooms, an office space, and a music rehearsal room.
In addition to housing, missionaries receive a community food stipend to cover all meals, a personal monthly stipend, and health insurance.
Ignite Missionaries commit to living together in an intentional faith-based community, which provides opportunities not only for social engagement, but also faith formation and discernment. Each will make several personal and team retreats throughout the year, and have opportunities to receive spiritual direction. Missionaries decide together how to approach the contributions and challenges of community life, finding appropriate schedules for regular community meetings and gatherings for prayer.
Whether working as a Youth Minister, Campus Minister, Religious Educator, Service Coordinator, or other ministry profession, understanding Music Ministry and being able to incorporate it into your work is a valuable skill. Each Missionary learns to play an instrument, and receives regular lessons and instruction on how to grow their own musical ability. Music is utilized in a variety of settings, from high energy Praise & Worship events, to Adoration and Mass.
Beyond instruments and singing, interns also learn skills working with multi-media tools. From setting up a professional sound system to building powerful presentations, a variety of different opportunities are available to develop technical skills.
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola provide a foundation for the retreat model used by the JSC Youth Ministry team. Ignite Missionaries learn to facilitate a variety of interactive experiential learning exercises with groups of students ranging in size from 10 to 600. Activities include games, prayer services, icebreakers, trust exercises, presentations, and skits.
Developing skills in small and large group facilitation is a key benefit of the program. Our goal is for each intern to leave the program equipped with the knowledge and skills to be successful in a variety of ministry professions.
Throughout their year, missionaries help facilitate approximately 75 retreats for over 6,000 students. Our ministry partners include more than 30 grade schools, high schools, and parishes across the mid-west. Missionaries have an opportunity to meet and work alongside ministers, religious educators, and clergy from across the country, as well as our local community.
The team also travels to various professional development events and conferences each year.
Past trips have included the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM), the National Catholic Educators Association Conference (NCEA), and the SEEK Conference (presented by FOCUS). These trips are included as part of the Ignite Missionary Program.
Cincinnati is also home to a number of different young adult service and ministry programs, including NET Ministries, Vincentian Volunteers, FOCUS, Regnum Christi Missionary Corps, Mercy Volunteer Corps, VIA Missionaries, and more. Throughout the year there are many opportunities to gather together for prayer and fellowship.