Ignatian Advocacy
Ignatian Advocacy
Justice and Ecology
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Our Work
The Office of Justice and Ecology brings the voice of Jesuit leadership to governments, international bodies, non-governmental organizations and corporations, advocating in solidarity with marginalized communities. We put compassion into action through policy analysis grounded in the Catholic social tradition, working to build and engage our regional, national and global networks.
Featured Resource
Laudato Si' in Action
Laudato Si’ challenges the global church to embark on a journey of renewal — a journey that heals our fractured relationships with Creator, Creation and each other. We’ve created this resource to help the Ignatian family put begin this journey with the tools of Ignatian spirituality.
Our Mission
The Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology advocates, networks and educates for social and environmental justice, placing the voices of marginalized communities at the center of our work.
Faith
Our work is rooted in the Catholic social tradition and Ignatian spirituality.
Collaboration
We work for the common good with Jesuit ministries and other Catholic, faith-based and secular organizations.
Social Analysis
Our advocacy draws on the research of Jesuit institutes and other partners.
Partners & Resources
Staff
Ted Penton, S.J.
Secretary of the Office of Justice and Ecology
Ted Penton, S.J.
Secretary of the Office of Justice and Ecology
Ted Penton, S.J., is the Secretary of the Office of Justice and Ecology at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, Penton earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Ottawa and a master’s degree at Penn State in philosophy. Eager to step out of the classroom and work more directly with people on the margins of society, he first met the Jesuits via the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC).
Through JVC, Penton volunteered for the Farmworker Unit of Legal Aid of North Carolina in 2000-01, leading outreach to migrant workers across the state to educate them about their rights. Inspired by this work to study law, he went on to complete a J.D. at Harvard Law School.
Following a brief career with the Human Rights Law Section of the Department of Justice in Ottawa, Penton entered the Society of Jesus in Canada in 2009. After completing his first two years of theology studies, he worked for three years for the Ignatian Spirituality Project, a network of volunteers who offer retreats across the United States and Canada for men and women experiencing homelessness and in recovery from addiction. Penton recently finished his theology studies (M.Div., S.T.B., S.T.M.) at Regis College in Toronto and was ordained a priest in 2019.
MegAnne Liebsch
Communications Manager
MegAnne Liebsch
Communications Manager
MegAnne Liebsch is the communications manager for the Office of Justice and Ecology of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. She coordinates with OJE policy advisors to develop stories and resources that promote deeper engagement with issues of social and environmental injustice.
Liebsch holds an MA in Media and International Conflict from University College Dublin and a BA from La Salle University. She is based in Washington, DC.
Travis Russell, SJ
Criminal Justice Policy Advisor
Travis Russell, SJ
Criminal Justice Policy Advisor
Fr. Travis Russell, SJ is the criminal justice policy advisor for the Jesuit Conference Office of Justice and Ecology. He has worked with Jesuit refugee Service in Malawi, taught at Verbum Dei High School and served as an assistant at L’Arche Seattle.
