Name: The Stones Would Shout: A Palm Sunday Ignatian Weekend Retreat
Start: 2027-03-19
End: 2027-03-21
Location: Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowds cried out “Hosanna,” and when some tried to silence them, he answered that if they were quiet, the very stones would shout. On this retreat we enter Holy Week with that procession. We explore the silences we keep and the ones we need to break, and listen for the praise and lament that rise from our own hearts. We will ask what Jesus weeps over in our world and how life and death are woven together on the road to Easter. Come walk with Jesus into the holiest week of the year.

This is a silent retreat. Guests will be supported in keeping a sacred silence throughout the weekend, including at meals.

About Julia Hernandez M.Div., and Andy Otto, MA

Julia Hernandez, M.Div., has been a member of the pastoral team at Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center since July 2026, serving as Hispanic Ministries Coordinator and Bilingual Retreat Director. A native of Santa Ana, California, Julia holds a B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development from Union Institute and University and a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She brings extensive experience in community advocacy, family support, and spiritual care, including ministry placements in chaplaincy, spiritual wellness, and campus ministry. Rooted in her belief that God is present in our encounters with one another, the wisdom of our ancestors, and the beauty of nature, Julia invites others to discover the Divine in lo cotidiano—the ordinary moments of daily life.

Andy Otto, M.A., serves as Director of Guest Experience at Ignatius House, where he is also a retreat director and spiritual director. Previously, he served as Director of Adult Faith Formation at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, a Jesuit parish in Decatur, Georgia. Originally from Boston, Andy holds a master’s degree in Theology and Ministry from Boston College. He spent nearly three years in Jesuit formation, an experience that deepened his love for Ignatian spirituality. During that time, he taught elementary school students in Syracuse, New York, and Kingston, Jamaica; worked at a palliative care cancer hospital in the Bronx; and served as a chaplain at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Andy is the creator of GodInAllThings.com and author of God Moments: Unexpected Encounters in the Ordinary. He is passionate about helping others discover the wisdom of discernment through the Ignatian tradition.