The Cloisters community is not only strong – it’s far-reaching! Just ask Melissa and John Joerger and staff member Holly Ortmeier, who experienced this firsthand over the past year.
Their story began in Indianapolis at 2024 National Eucharistic Congress. That event included thousands of attendees and three of them – Holly, John, and Melissa – just happened to connect.
“I was working as an exhibitor, promoting the Cloisters Ignatian Prayer app and The Cloisters on the Platte. Melissa and John, from Kansas, stopped by our booth and shared their connection to the Cloisters as annual retreatants. At conferences, we meet so many people – some who are just learning about the Cloisters and others who are very familiar because they’ve made a retreat with us. It was wonderful to meet Melissa and John and hear how much they value their annual Cloisters retreats,” shared Holly.
What started as a chance encounter came full circle a year later. In August 2025, John and his two sons checked-in for their Cloisters retreat, where Holly happened to be working in the gift shop.
“Right away I remembered his face,” said Holly.
This time, Holly not only reconnected with John but also had the joy of meeting his sons, Benjamin and Gabriel – both students at the same college where Holly’s own son had just started as a freshman.
“It was such a fun surprise to see John again and meet his sons,” shared Holly, “Connecting with people who love the Cloisters as much as I do is inspiring. I have been so blessed by the Cloisters community and love meeting others who feel the same way.”
It’s true what they say – it is a small world, and stories like this remind us that, within our small world, the Cloisters community creates powerful and lasting connections.