Each January, the CSJ community gathers for a few hours of reflection, prayer, and connection at the Stirring the Fire retreat. Despite record-low temperatures, this year’s retreat welcomed more than 140 participants—both in person at the Carondelet Center and online.

The theme, Hope: Light in the Darkness, was chosen months in advance but proved uncannily fitting. As we gathered, federal actions causing chaos and harm in our state weighed heavily on our hearts. Many in the community have been actively supporting immigrant neighbors facing increased targeting and intimidation, while all of us have been praying, singing, and gathering for peace. That collective emotional and spiritual weight deepened as we learned during the retreat of the death of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents. Together, through prayer and shared commitment, we sought—and found—glimmers of light amid the darkness.

Our facilitator, Rachel Barth (St. Joseph Worker Alumna, St. Catherine University Alumna, and staff member at the Center for Victims of Torture), skillfully guided the morning with support from community members including Friend of St. Joseph Ginny McDermott, Sister Jill Underdahl, and Consociates Mary Syfax Noble, Sandy Burton, and Anna McCallum.

A cherished element of recent Stirring the Fire retreats has been storytelling, and this year was no exception. Three community members shared reflections on “Finding Light in the Darkness.” Consociate Diana Lieta spoke of perseverance and community support as she immigrated from Kenya to the United States with her two young daughters. Sister Linda Taylor shared the story of her father, a WWII prisoner of war who returned home carrying deep physical and emotional scars—and a steadfast commitment to the promises he made to himself and his family. Consociate Laurel Gamm reflected on the role of community in bringing light to difficult situations, especially in her journey building her community-based small business, The Beautiful Laundrette. Each story testified to the power of relationships and community to bring light, even through profound hardship.

In small groups, participants reflected on these stories and shared their own experiences of seeing—or being—light in the darkness. Reflections were written on brightly colored flame cutouts and added to a life-size replica of the Le Puy fireplace, which soon glowed with reminders of the many lights among us.

Additional highlights included a specially composed spoken-word poem by local performer Frank Santwali; writing thank-you notes to friends serving immigrant communities at St. Mary’s Health Clinics, Sarah’s…an Oasis for Women, and Learning in Style School; and the sharing of generous promises for the year ahead. We closed with a sung prayer that carried a message for our time: “Hold on, my dear ones, here comes the dawn.”

Deep gratitude to the Planning Team, storytellers, readers, song and table leaders, Carondelet Village staff, and all who participated—both in person and online.

Through our generous promises, may we be and bring light to all who dwell in darkness in the year ahead.