Jesuits versus Wal-Mart
The Jesuits in Canada are taking on Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, over plans to build a store near a century-old retreat, the Toronto Star said. This week, the Catholic church's most respected religious order is arguing before the provincial Ontario Municipal Board the retailer's plans for a 135,000-square-foot store adjacent to their retreat is incompatible with the area in the city of Guelph, 75 miles northeast of Toronto. The Ignatius Jesuit Center is a 600-acre rural property with a retreat accommodation that features forests, wetlands and an organic farm.
This is sacred ground -- a sanctuary for people, a sanctuary for wildlife, said Rev. James Profit, the center's director.
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Well I can understand their concern since this retreat center is on some beautiful land. The square and ugly and not aesthetically pleasing Wal-Mart looks almost as bad as some comparable American Catholic churches. Thought I wonder about some of the conferences they have their such as:
In Stillness Moving Through Qigong:
Qigong (pronounced chee-gung) is a powerful system of healing and energy medicine from China. Literally translated, Qigong means “energy work”. The practice integrates gentle movements with breathing techniques, meditation, imagery, sound self-acupressure and self-massage.
Discover how the wisdom and rich traditions of the East can lead to greater respect, understanding and unity of body, mind and spirit. In a relaxed and supportive atmosphere, experience new ways to celebrate life through the practice of Qigong.
Facilitators Barb Billey and Pat St. Louis, csj
The Jesuits have become reliable for the kind of nuttiness you can expect find on their sites. Of course even Fr. Mitch Pacwa S.J. use to teach the enneagram before he wised up about it -so there is always hope.
Known as 
I think the Jesuits are the 'most respected religious order' to the culture (all orthodox Jesuits excluded)...
Can one walk and Qigong at the same time?
I mean, you can hardly blame good Catholics for looking Eastwards. I mean, look at the paucity and scarcity of spirituality we have in the West - Ignatius of Loyola, John of the Cross, St. Francis, Therese of Lisieux... I mean, it's no wonder our people are spiritually starved.
still, claiming that they are the most "respected religious order" does short shrift to so many other religious orders...but I guess just chalk it up to another ignorant journalist :)
Pacwa and Hardon seem to be fine; any other Jesuits (except for the old ones back when), I won't go near or trust any farther than I could throw them. Look what the Jesuits did to Georgetown U (across the Potomac from where I live).
They forced us to hear about Qigong in "ethics" class when I was in my next-to-last year of pharmacy school. It set off the BS detector of just about every student there. The volunteer speaker was angry due to the lack of respect shown, but in hindsight it looks like our response was at least somewhat justified.