Spiritual Directors

Frank Schwirtz first came to Christ in the Wilderness as a retreatant in 1983. He was trying to decide whether or not to take over his family's Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealership in Elizabeth. He eventually decided not to take over the business, and today he considers his first retreat a pivotal turning point in his life. In the ensuing years, he retreated at Christ in the Wilderness many times and began volunteering. When Sister Lorraine Mark grew older and became unable to take care of the physical upkeep of the retreat center, Lorraine's mother, Eileen Mark, hired him as groundskeeper. He began working part time in 1988, and in 1999 he began full-time employment at the center. Meantime, he also completed his theology degree from Loyola University in New Orleans Extension through Loras College. After Sr. Lorraine suffered a stroke in 2000, Frank served as interim director of Christ in the Wilderness for two years. He now serves as operation manager and is available as spiritual director.

Frank Schwirtz		Julia Bathon, OSF
Operation Manager & Spiritual Director		Christ in the Wilderness Director & Spiritual Director
Frank Schwirtz first came to Christ in the Wilderness as a retreatant in 1983. He was trying to decide whether or not to take over his family's Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealership in Elizabeth. He eventually decided not to take over the business, and today he considers his first retreat a pivotal turning point in his life. In the ensuing years, he retreated at Christ in the Wilderness many times and began volunteering. When Sister Lorraine Mark grew older and became unable to take care of the physical upkeep of the retreat center, Lorraine's mother, Eileen Mark, hired him as groundskeeper. He began working part time in 1988, and in 1999 he began full-time employment at the center. Meantime, he also completed his theology degree from Loyola University in New Orleans Extension through Loras College. After Sr. Lorraine suffered a stroke in 2000, Frank served as interim director of Christ in the Wilderness for two years. He now serves as operation manager and is available as spiritual director.		Sister Julia Bathon enjoys Christ in the Wilderness because of the "sense of solitude and nature." She was raised on a farm near Pinckneyville and she enjoys returning to a rural setting. Julia is a Franciscan nun who completed her M.A. in Christian spirituality and spiritual director certification. She has worked as a teacher with young sisters and served as the administrator of Bird Island, a diocesan retreat center in Minnesota, for four years before coming to Christ in the Wilderness. Julia feels blessed to get this job and loves it. (excerpts from The Gazette by Sara Millhouse)

Archive Board Members
Sr. Lorraine Mark, CSJ	Sr. Lorraine is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph (LaGrange) and the foundress of Christ in the Wilderness. In 1980 she purchased the property for Christ in the Wilderness and along with some volunteers, raised money to fund construction of the hermitages. The establishment of Christ in the Wilderness was the fulfillment of Sr. Lorraine's dream.
Gary Auerbach	Gary is an attorney who practices corporate and business law in Chicago and has been CITW's attorney since its inception. Gary has also served as an officer and director of CITW and assisted Sister Lorraine in acquiring the CITW property in Stockton as well as numerous other legal and business issues over the years.
Martha Bartholomew	Martha is a retreat guide and spiritual companion from her home, Siloam Retreat, House of Prayer near Dundee, Illinois. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, poet and Associate Member of the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation. She has been published in numerous periodicals and owns to being a weaver of fibers as well as words. She is a long time retreatant at Christ in the Wilderness. Martha is currently a member of the Mission and Development Committee for CITW.
Barbara Bernhard
Kathy Carroll	As a graduate of Nazareth Academy in La Grange, Illinois, Kathy was privileged to have Sr. Lorraine as her high school English teacher. Kathy became reacquainted with Sr. Lorraine at her 25th high school reunion, and has been a retreatant at Christ in the Wilderness ever since.
Richard Hudzik	Richard is an ordained deacon for the Archdiocese of Chicago. His deaconate service was at St. Maria Goretti Parish in Schiller Park, Illinois. His service focuses on adult education and liturgy. Richard is an attorney, husband, father of three, and grandfather. He is presently the director at Mundelein Retreat Center.
Michael Marro	Michael Marro helped Sr. Lorraine in 1980 with the design of Christ in the Wilderness. He is a graduate of Notre Dame and has been an architect for the last forty years. Michael lives in Brookfield, Illinois, with his wife, and enjoys his seven grandchildren. He loves to retreat at CITW.
Jean Noble	Jean is the mother of five adult children and the grandmother of ten. She served on the original Development Board and on the Board of Directors for Christ in the Wilderness. She is presently retired and continues to be an active member of the Christ in the Wilderness Finance Committee.
Becky Potter	Becky is an elementary school teacher, story teller, Stephen Minister, wife, and mother of two grown children who lives in the Joliet, Illinois area. At Christ in the Wilderness she experiences the silence and peace that draws her home to God and herself. From this solitude, she is equipped to live in the busy-ness of the world yet remain grounded in stillness.
Sr. Evelyn Sommers, CSJ	Evie is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph (La Grange) and a long time friend and retreatant of Christ in the Wilderness. She is currently an active member of the Mission and Development Committee.
Chet Turcza	Chet and his wife have retreated at Christ in the Wilderness several times. They understand and feel the need each year to seek solitude and the truth one finds within. Chet is a financial advisor to individuals and small businesses and has been a faithful advisor to CITW.
Marion Tuttle
Lori Wilbert	Lori is a Lutheran Deaconess and has served as a prison chaplain for the Lutheran Church for the past 22 years. Lori relishes quiet times to recharge and re-think in the midst of busy days. Christ in the Wilderness offers this and more. CITW is a place to become reacquainted with God's voice and truths unfolding within.
Joanne Vallero, CSJ	Joanne is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph (LaGrange) and currently ministers as Pastoral Associate in St. Dennis Parish in Lockport, Illinois. Her connection with Christ in the Wilderness goes back to it foundation days. She walked the land that would be home to this center for solitude before any of the hermitages were in place and made a retreat there the first summer retreatants were accepted. In fact, she helped to lay the original flagstone walk that wound its way from Mariglen to the main house during a HOT August week. She has returned again and again -- sometimes twice annually -- to this place that has become holy ground, sacred space. It is the place Joanne chose, without a second thought, for her thirty day retreat several years ago. It is Joanne's strong desire to assure the continuation of Christ in the Wilderness as a center of solitude and reflection. Future generations of retreatants, seeking to be spiritually nourished, will find at Christ in the Wilderness at atmosphere of "coming home", where the sacred community of all creation and the One we call Holy can be readily experienced.