New retreat aims to help veterans with post-traumatic stress

As she followed the journey of a military serviceman from her Downers Grove Catholic Church, Mary Amore knew something had to be done.

Every week Amore, executive director of Mayslake Ministries in Lombard, joined her fellow parishioners in praying for the man while he served in Iraq. He was on duty during the fall of Baghdad and, eventually, he returned home to a hero's welcome.

But soon, she said, everyone in the parish forgot about him.

"He would come to Mass week after week and he became this shell of a man," Amore said. "He withdrew, he and his wife eventually divorced, and I realized that just because he is home doesn't mean he is healed. There was nowhere for him to share his story without being judged."

That is why Amore and her staff at Mayslake Ministries will launch a retreat this fall to help military veterans cope with post-traumatic spiritual stress. The free event will be open to all men and women from the Chicago area who have served in the military and it is set for Nov. 6-8 at the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House in Mundelein.

The program will be led by Sister Linda McClenahan, a Vietnam War combat veteran who joined a Dominican order of Catholic nuns after coming home. McClenahan, who Amore describes as a "feisty dynamo," already counsels veterans on a one-on-one basis.

Amore said it was McClenahan who told her sharing war stories is the first step toward healing - and that post-traumatic stress can take up to 10 years to develop.

"Sister Linda explained that if you come home to your wife, she starts asking you what happened out there. Then she looks at you like 'Oh my God' and the soldier withdraws because they don't want to be seen as immoral," Amore said. "Some soldiers often will wrestle with the simple concept of how to sleep without a gun under their pillow."

The new program adds to a host of retreats, parish missions and individual spiritual guidance offered by Mayslake Ministries throughout the Chicago Archdiocese, as well as those in Joliet and Rockford. The veterans retreat will accommodate up to 15 people, to keep the setting small and personal, and will be offered again next spring.

If demand for the new program is strong, Amore said there is a chance to expand. And because the program is free, donors are welcome to sponsor a veteran or donate to the retreat.

Amore said Mayslake Ministries has hit roadblocks in securing grants or funding from many military groups because they are often associated with the government, which cannot fund religious organizations.

"I've called all over and everyone is just thrilled to death that we're doing this, so I know we're filling a need," Amore said. "But their hands are tied to help us."

For details on the retreat, to register or to donate, call (630) 268-9000 or visit mayslakeministries.org.