MSC Preaching Ministry

Book your 2014 retreat today! Fr. Joseph Jablonski, MSC offers retreats in Spanish and also in English and will work with you to develop and personalize a retreat that fulfill the needs of your parish or group. He is available for parish retreats, spiritual talks or spiritual direction and his focus is on the experience of the compassionate, loving heart of Christ who heals us and then sends us forth to witness to his love.

If you would like Fr. Jablonski to preach a retreat at your parish, please email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call him at (630) 460-1804.

Frequently Asked Questions about Parish Retreats

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What kind of retreats are available?

Fr. Jablonski offers retreats including (but not limited to):

Personal spiritual renewal and healing based on the compassion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Parish Healing (for instance, to assist congregations with parish closings or reorganizations)
Retreats for priests or seminarians

How long is the retreat?

The length of the mission can vary according to the reality of each parish. Most missions consist of four evenings (Monday through Thursday); others consist of three evenings (Monday through Wednesday). Each presentation lasts approximately one hour and includes prayer. If desired by the parish, the same presentation can be done twice in the same day: morning and evening.

If the mission is to be preached in Spanish as well as English, the presentations will be on separate evenings although a combined bi-lingual prayers service is possible for one of the evenings.

The mission experience begins with the missionary preaching at all the weekend Masses and being available to preside at Masses at the discretion of the pastor. If the parish has a school, an all-school mass can be arranged on one of the mornings of the mission.

Please call Fr. Jablonski at (630) 460-1804 to talk about your parish’s or diocese’s needs and he will work with you to develop and personalize a retreat which best meets those needs.

How much does a parish retreat cost?

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart depend on donations to continue their ministry, however, they also recognize that the needs and circumstances of each parish are different. The expected stipend is $300 for each presentation. However, in special circumstances, this amount can be negotiated. Generally, a collection is to be taken each night for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and if the amount collected falls short of the stipend, the parish will guarantee the remainder. (Please talk to Fr. Jablonski for more information if your parish would like him to give the same presentation twice on the same day.)

Other costs include Mass stipends, land travel reimbursement ($.55 per mile) or airfare. Airport pick-up and return are the responsibility of the parish.

What is the suggested outline for a parish mission?

The suggested outline for a parish mission is as follows:

Greeting by pastor or other parish delegate
Opening song and prayer (material provided by preacher)
Preaching
Questions and discussion
Collection
Intercessions
Final blessing and dismissal
Recessional
Hospitality (optional)

At least one month prior to the mission there should be a planning meeting (either in person or by phone or Skype) to do immediate preparations with the appropriate staff.

What about accommodations?

Arranging accommodations for Fr. Jablonski is the responsibility of the parish. He is happy to stay at the parish or with parishioners. A room with a bathroom should be provided.

Meet One of Our Preachers

Fr. Joseph Jablonski, MSC Fr. Joseph Jablonski, M.S.C. was born in Steubenville, Ohio in 1949 and has been a professed member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart since 1970 and a priest since 1976. His pastoral ministry includes 22 years of service in Bogotá, Colombia where he served in parish ministry, school chaplaincies, directed and preached retreats, Religious formation as well as social ministry in prison and to prostitutes in the streets. In the USA he has served in parish ministry, retreat ministry, vocation ministry, and spiritual direction and was the Provincial Superior of the USA province for 6 years.

Fr. Jablonski holds a B.A. degree from St. Francis De Sales University in Center Valley, PA.; a M.Div. degree from C.T.U. in Chicago as well as an M.A. in Spirituality from Creighton, University in Omaha. He has preached numerous retreats in parishes as well as retreats for Religious, priests and laity (in English as well as Spanish) in the USA, Colombia, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and South Africa. For the past six years he has been part of the team the Life’s Healing Journey retreats throughout the USA and abroad.

Fr. Jablonski is available for parish retreats, spiritual talks or spiritual direction. His focus is on the experience of the compassionate, loving heart of Christ who heals us and then sends us forth to witness to his love.