To the graduating class of 2013 at U.S. Jesuit Universities and Colleges, this video is for you! Here are some special Ignatian messages from notable SJ’s, including Fr. Mike Kennedy of Jesuit Restorative Justice Initiative, Provincial Fr. Tim Kesicki of the Chicago-Detroit Jesuit Province, and Provincial Michael Weiler of the California Jesuit Province.

Congrats to you all, and hope you all go set the world on fire!

Provincials are leaders in the Society of Jesus, an order of priests and brothers founded in 1540, responsible for colleges, middle schools and high schools as well as parishes and ministries that practice a faith that promotes justice. The provincials’ letters to Congress and the president urge that any proposed immigration reform include a path to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants as well as a legal employment structure protecting both migrants and U.S. workers, expedited family reunification and an end to policies that exacerbate family separation.  The letters to Congress and the Obama Administration follow a similar appeal made by the provincials in 2011.

The letter is the most recent action by the Jesuits supporting immigration reform. Earlier this year, the Jesuit Conference, the Kino Border Initiative and Jesuit Refugee Service/USA released a new study, “Documented Failures: The Consequences of Immigration Policy on the U.S.-Mexico Border,” highlighting excessive use of force, particularly dangerous deportation practices and abuse of migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Jesuit Father Sean Carroll, executive director of the Kino Border Initiative, testified at a congressional hearing on the report in April.

The provincials’ letter may be accessed at the links below:
Letter to the President
Letter to Members of the Senate
Letter to Members of Congress

Sister Prejean began her prison ministry in 1981 when she dedicated her life to the poor of New Orleans. Since then, she has been committed to educating citizens about the death penalty and counseling individual death row prisoners. She has accompanied six men to their deaths. In 1994, Sr. Prejean turned her experiences into the book titled, Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty, which was later developed into a major motion picture starring Susan Sarandon as Sr. Prejean and Sean Penn as a death row inmate. The movie received four Oscar nominations.

To read the full press release announcement and watch a video of Sr. Helen’s acceptance speech, click here.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., May 10, 2013)—The Society of Jesus in the United States announces that Father Timothy P. Kesicki, S.J., has been named the next president of the Jesuit Conference. Fr. Kesicki, who was appointed by Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus, will assume his new position August 1, 2014. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Jesuit Conference is the liaison office that coordinates the national work of the Society of Jesus, the largest order of priests and brothers in the Roman Catholic Church.

Father Kesicki, currently serving as the provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus, says, “This assignment comes at a very exciting time for the Church and the Society of Jesus here in the U.S. and around the world. Clearly, the election of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope in history, has highlighted the Jesuit vocation. Going back to St. Ignatius himself, we Jesuits have always put ourselves in service of the Church to minister where the needs are the greatest. I look forward to helping the Society continue its mission with a renewed zeal, strategic use of our resources, and commitment to serving in Christ’s name here and around the world.”

To read the entire press release in pdf form, (click here)

Randy Kurtz

On April 24, 2013, the Cristo Rey Network’s Board announced the appointment of Randy Kurtz as the organization’s new President and CEO. Randy brings more than three decades of experience to his new role. Cristo Rey’s school model is unconventional and his unconventional background has given him a unique set of leadership skills and grounded him in a strong commitment to drive the mission.

For further details, read the full press release.

Visit the Cristo Rey Network website.

Fr. Jorge Eduardo Serrano-Ordoñez, SJ meets with Nancy Kolar at the Province offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

(April 2013) “Sharing Best Practices”

The Jesuits work in more than 130 countries throughout the world, in a variety of spiritual, social and educational apostolates, always present on the frontiers of faith and culture.

In some places, their development offices have well-established systems and processes for raising funds and building community outreach. In others, the work is just beginning. And this is where Fr. Jorge Eduardo Serrano-Ordoñez, SJ, is hoping to bridge the gap – as assistant treasurer for development resources of the Society of Jesus.

Before taking this position in 2010, this native Colombian, who joined the Jesuits in 1969, and was ordained in 1983, worked as director of the peace campaign, “Todos somos hermanos” (We are all brothers and sisters), pastor for several parishes, director of Colombia’s Jesuit Refugee Service, and more.

One of the most important things he’s learned over the course of those years – and which he now preaches as well as practices – is that “people want to be invited to be part of the mission of the Society of Jesus.”

He explains, “When I was doing parish work and asked people to help simply because I knew I needed money to get the work done, a friend was blunt with me. He said, ‘Jorge, you are so selfish. You know my family and I have received so much from associating with the Jesuits in our lives. Why do you not give me the gift of asking me to be useful to the Jesuits?’ It gave me a whole new way of looking at fundraising.”

“I always thought I was begging people for money to do ‘my’ work, so I could be the provider – when they were waiting for me to invite them to be companions in God’s work,” Fr. Serrano-Ordoñez adds.

And that is how he sees his current job: to help other Jesuits recognize this mindset and employ it for the benefit of causes and donors alike.

Toward this end, Fr. Serrano-Ordoñez leads the Society’s “Flagship Project” working with Provinces to understand community outreach and fundraising. The original five provinces were Indonesia, Madhya Pradesh (India), Malta, Eastern Africa, and the Philippines. Then these provinces will in turn educate and work with other provinces that have less established fundraising programs. Starting in 2013, they are Lithuania, East Timor, Cuba, Amazon, and Zimbabwe.

“It is important that every province start to look for companions locally,” says Fr. Serrano-Ordoñez. “It is not enough to just seek support from the United States and Europe. We are very thankful for those gifts of course. However, we should not deny any local community the opportunity to say, ‘This is my church; I am helping to build it.’”

“Ultimately, it is my goal to help empower more and more of our provinces to engage laypeople worldwide to support the Society and its work,” Fr. Serrano-Ordoñez explains, “not only through monetary contributions, but also to help us do our jobs better, as advisors, evangelists, energizers, and fellow workers.”

(Read More) about the specific results of the Flagship Project in an informative pdf.

Mary and John Madden

(April 2013) It started with football.

John Madden (not to be confused with the former NFL coach of that name) received a football scholarship to Marquette University.

That scholarship enabled him to study at a place where he was “deeply impressed by the work of the Jesuits. I had a wonderful experience and made great friends at Marquette.”

The Jesuit impact on John’s life did not end there, however. The reality is far from it.

“My wife Mary and I have been so fortunate to have Jesuits in our lives as friends, mentors, and spiritual directors,” he says. “For example, in 1958 we started a retreat group going to Bellarmine Hall – the Jesuit Retreat Center in Barrington, Illinois. More than 50 yearly experiences of following the Spiritual Exercises have added great depth to our spiritual life and considerably strengthened our faith.”

“After all these years, Ignatian values have become part of the fabric of who we are, of how we think and feel,” he adds.

John’s gratitude has led to a life of giving back. His numerous contributions include service as a Bellarmine Retreat Center board member and Marquette University trustee.

“There are so many ways the Jesuits impact and enrich our lives through their work in high schools, universities, hospitals, retreat centers, and missions with Native Americans and in foreign lands, that it is hard not to want to help in some way,” he explains.

“The Jesuit motto of ‘Women and Men for Others’ is powerful,” John continues. “If those of us who have been exposed to it have heard the message loud and clear, it means we have to reach out and make this world a more hospitable place for those who are disadvantaged. Supporting the Society of Jesus fosters an ever-growing number of committed people who will continue to strive to make the world a better, more just place for all.”

John is quick to say that supporting the Society is not a relationship with one-sided benefits.

“Volunteering in Jesuit ministries exposes you to the true spirit these men exhibit to promote Ignatian spirituality and Ignatian values in their schools and in their dealings with people on a daily basis,” he says. “Being involved in decision-making roles, I’ve observed how they bring Ignatian principles forward when making tough choices. That rubs off on all of us who are working with them.”

John’s enthusiasm for the Jesuits is difficult to contain.

“They are very skilled at so many roles and adapt to various assignments so well – from university president one year to serving in a foreign mission the next,” he explains. “And, in spite of all their education, they are easy to know and make wonderful lifelong friends. Some of our dear Jesuit friends like Fr. John Dillon are now at the Colombiere retirement center in Michigan, and we stay in touch with them and visit them when we can.”

After all, “Once they got ya, it’s hard to get away!”

Paco poses with Dan O’Brien, Director of Advancement for the Wisconsin Province.

(April 2013) Fe y Alegría.

Faith and joy. That is how more than 80,000 students have an opportunity to view their education in 72 primary and secondary schools associated with the Society of Jesus in Peru. “Good news like this continues to come out of this country, even amid great poverty,” says Francisco Ibañez, who recently visited both province offices of the Midwest Jesuits in Chicago and Milwaukee.

“There is a network of educational institutes connected to the Society of Jesus in my country,” explains Francisco, also known as Paco, who is a member of the Development and Procurement Office (DPO) for the Peru Province, based in Lima. “This network includes two universities, four high schools and the Fe y Alegría of Peru schools.” (Fe y Alegría is a popular educational movement which, per its website, seeks to form Peruvians who are “democratic citizens with Christian values, academic expertise and trade skills that meet the emerging economic and material realities of Peru.”)

Paco adds, “The DPO collaborates with the Society in Peru in the search for financial, human (volunteers) and material resources, as well as by offering various services. The office plays an important role in that it contributes to the development of the mission of the Jesuits by seeking to improve, help administer and sustain the Society’s apostolic works and endeavors in Peru which, in addition to education, include social justice and pastoral work.”

Already twinned with the Chicago-Detroit Province, the Peru Province is in the process of developing a similar relationship with the Wisconsin Province as well. Twinning involves an agreement of mutual support – including the exchange of ideas, personnel and educational resources, and occasional financial assistance.

In the spirit of collaboration and solidarity with the Peru Province, the Wisconsin Province hosted Paco in June, and advancement office staff discussed awareness-building and fundraising ideas and strategies. His visit here was preceded by English language study at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“Our provinces share similar goals, but in different contexts,” Paco says of his conversations in the States. “For example, we all want to make people’s lives better through education, social justice and spiritual development. However, 35 percent of the 29 million people in Peru live in poverty (most are indigenous people), and more than 3 million children are laborers. For reasons like these, many of our projects have as a priority to improve economic circumstances.”

Paco Ibanez (left) visted the Wisconsin Province to share fundraising ideas and strategies with the Advancement office. He is pictured above on a visit to St. Patrick’s parish with students and Fr. Jose Moreno, SJ (right).

In support of such projects, Paco’s position includes researching and maintaining foundation grants. He and Province leaders are also hoping to build the donor base locally in Peru – with a natural area for potential growth among alumni of Jesuit schools.

“Historically in Peru, there are great economic divisions, so the idea of raising money is very complicated,” Paco explains. “A culture of solidarity with the poor is not strong. We hope to change this way of thinking, to develop more of a philanthropist mindset among those who can help people who are less fortunate than they are.”

“With growing vocations, strong projects and continuing collaboration with our partners,” he adds, “we have great hope for the future.”

Learn more about the Peru Province at Jesuits.pe.