Vocation, service and beer were some of the topics discussed at Happy Hour with the Jesuits last Friday evening. Almost twenty students crowded around a makeshift long table at Bruno’s Bar to listen to six Jesuits humorously tell their stories of how and why they chose to become Jesuits.

This event, facilitated by religious studies senior Jonathan McGee, capped off Loyola Week. Many students had expressed an interest in getting to know the Loyola community’s Jesuits better.

“We wanted to get the priests and the students together outside of the classroom and in an environment where both would be comfortable and able to relate to each other on the same level. A bar setting seemed like the natural solution,” said McGee.

Humor, good spirits, and comfortable conversation prevailed as each of the priests stood up to tell their stories – with most good-naturedly poking fun at their decision to become priests.

“I went to a Jesuit parish, a Jesuit high school, and a Jesuit college. I was brainwashed,” the Rev. Peter Bernardi, S.J., said.

The Rev. Si Hendry, S.J., brought laughs from the students when he joked that he came “because someone said there was free beer.

But beyond the laughter, the Revs. Steven Rowntree, S.J., Marvin Kitten, S.J., Ted Arroyo, S.J., Paul Deutsch, S.J., Bernardi and Hendry agreed that coming to that point of final commitment was a journey colored with uncertainties and deep introspection.

Hendry said he thought every year about becoming a Jesuit. Every year he decided not to. After one semester of graduate work at Michigan State University, he was unhappy and decided to take a walk onto the middle of a frozen river. It was there that he asked himself two questions: “What matters to me and what do I need to be happy?” Hendry decided to become a priest while walking on water.

Kitten turned down a lucrative career to become a Jesuit. His potential boss told him he was crazy. Twenty-seven years later, Kitten ran across the same would-be boss who said, “Kitten, you still haven’t come to your senses. But I’ve been watching you tonight. You’re obviously a very happy person. I’m so glad you never came to your senses.”

Arroyo, a former student of Kitten’s said, “It’s just been incredible the life I’ve had since [joining the Jesuits].” For Hendry, the Jesuit men are “the closest friends anyone could possibly have.”

Happy Hour brought students and priests into informal, comfortable contact with one another where they could relate to one another as people.

“I think this is a good tradition,” said Hendry.