Jesuits are widely known for their colleges and universities, as well as high schools. And that’s no surprise. Education is a cornerstone of the Society of Jesus, and has been since the late 1540s, when Jesuit schools began spreading through Europe.
Our works, though, extend well beyond education and include inner city services for the poor and marginalized, migrant assistance programs at the U.S.-Mexico border, Native Alaska missions in Bethel, Alaska, work with Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest, retreat houses and spirituality centers, and parishes. Jesuits — together with our lay collaborators — are called to these and many other ministries.
Fr. Peter Pabst, SJ, of Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School, meets with students to get caught up on their academic pursuits under the watchful eye of an image of St. Ignatius. Inspirational quotes and messages of encouragement are present throughout the Cristo Rey campus.
“Thus as this world changes, so does the context of our mission; and new frontiers beckon that we must be willing to embrace,” the Jesuits declared at their 2008 General Congregation.
The followers of St. Ignatius Loyola are also exploring the frontiers of mission and ministry.
Our works, though, extend well beyond education and include inner city services for the poor and marginalized, migrant assistance programs at the U.S.-Mexico border, Native Alaska missions in Bethel, Alaska, work with Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest, retreat houses and spirituality centers, and parishes. Jesuits — together with our lay collaborators — are called to these and many other ministries.
In his message to the 35th General Congregation of Jesuits in 2008 (known simply as “GC 35”), Pope Benedict XVI declared: “The Church needs you, counts on you, and continues to turn to you with confidence, particularly to reach the geographical and spiritual places where others do not reach or find it difficult to reach.”
the Jesuits declared at their 2008 General Congregation. This spirit is finding expression, for example, in the recent phenomenon of Jesuit middle schools in hard-pressed urban neighborhoods of the United States. Other examples include interreligious dialogue in countries torn by religious violence, and the struggle for environmental justice.
Jesuits serve where needs are greatest — from underserved neighborhoods in East Los Angeles to developing schools in Micronesia. They and their many collaborators are involved in myriad international works through such flagship organizations as the Jesuit Refugee Service.
Jesuits and their partners are ministering to people in the hard-to-reach places of the heart. They are doing so as military chaplains, helping soldiers find meaning far from home; as prison chaplains, accompanying those behind bars in a journey of reconciliation; as hospital chaplains, praying for healing together with patients and families; and in many other pastoral settings.