June 26, 2025 — Here’s the latest news from the Jesuits in Canada and the United States.
Standing with Migrants
Fr. Scott Santarosa, SJ, was one of about a dozen religious leaders from the San Diego area, including Bishop-designate Michael Pham of San Diego, who visited a federal immigration court at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in San Diego on June 20, 2025, to show support and pray with immigrants and refugees facing deportation hearings on World Refugee Day.
Fr. Santarosa, pastor of San Diego’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, said the purpose of the visitation was “more than anything just to provide some sense of presence. People are longing for people of faith to walk with vulnerable migrants. Our goal is not trying to prevent arrests — but we can witness it.”
The idea for the court visit started during a diocese-wide call to plan events for World Refugee Day, in addition to each church holding a Mass to pray for migrants and refugees, Fr. Santarosa said.
He said he hopes that visiting the court helps migrant communities — both more recent arrivals and those without legal status to be in the country who have lived in the San Diego area for decades.
“They’re feeling like people just want them to disappear,” Fr, Santarosa said, adding that a woman told him, in Spanish: “Father, we feel as if we were hunted, as if we were animals.”
Read more from the AP and National Catholic Reporter.
Nineteen Jesuits Ordained to the Priesthood
This June, 19 Jesuits of the United States and Canada were ordained to the priesthood at seven different Masses. Later this summer, three more Jesuits will be ordained in Haiti. Get to know all 22 of our ordinands at jesuits.org/ordination.
On June 6, 2025, Fr. Peter Berger, SJ, was ordained at his home parish, St. Paul Cathedral, in Yakima, Washington, by the Most Reverend Joseph J. Tyson, Bishop of Yakima.
Fr. Marc-André Veselovsky, SJ, was ordained on June 7, 2025, at Notre Dame Cathedral in Ottawa by Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ.
On June 14, 2025, 15 U.S. Jesuits were ordained at four different Masses around the country.
In New York City, five Jesuits were ordained at St. Ignatius Church by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York: Fr. Kieran Halloran, SJ, Fr. Douglas Jones, SJ, Fr. Joseph Lorenz, SJ, Fr. Jonathan Pennacchia, SJ, and Fr. Melvin Rayappa, SJ.
Fr. William Manaker, SJ, and Fr. Orlando Portalatin, SJ, were ordained priests on June 14, by Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, at Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans.
In his homily, Bishop Flores reflected on the Gospel of Luke in which Jesus appointed and sent out 72 faithful shepherds to prepare a path for him. “The intention of the Lord always was and continues to be to share the anointing which he received from the fullness of the Holy Spirit,” he said.
In this “hospitality of the heart,” Bishop Flores said to the ordinands: “Offer the peace that invites a response of that peace. The announcement that you make is your presence where you go; it is the peace you offer. We must be a sign.”
Seven Jesuits, including six from the U.S., were ordained that day at St. Ita Church in Chicago by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich: Jesuits Frs. Matthew Ippel; David Inczauskis, Jack McLinden, Natnael Antonio, James Kennedy, James McGivney and Christopher Williams.
The Most Reverend José Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles, ordained three Jesuits at American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach, California, on June 14: Fr. Dominic Chai, SJ, Fr. Ulises Covarrubias, SJ, and Fr. Fernando Saldivar Jr., SJ.
“You are now part of the great club of Jesuit witnesses who have come before you, who have preached the Gospel literally to the ends of the Earth,” Archbishop Gomez told the three ordinands. “Jesus is your mission and your mission is love.”
One June 26, 2025, Fr. Dickson Tiwelfil, SJ, was ordained in Yap, Micronesia, where he was born and raised.
Meet our newest priests: jesuits.org/ordination.
Jesuit Meets Pope Leo
Fr. Patrick Kelly, SJ, who taught at the University of Detroit Mercy through fall 2024, then in Rome last semester, met briefly with Pope Leo on Saturday June 14, 2025, at the Jubilee of Sport in Rome.
Fr. Kelly mentioned to the Holy Father he was from Detroit and that he was a Jesuit who teaches and writes about sports. Fr. Kelly said, “Pope Leo asked if I was at the university. When I said yes, he told me that his father’s brother had taught at the University of Detroit Mercy for many years.”
Appointments, Awards & Milestones
Jesuit Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Fr. Francis X. Clooney, SJ, a professor at Harvard Divinity School, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Academy was founded in 1780, and its members includes presidents, scientists, humanities scholars, artists and musicians. The late Fr. John O’Malley, SJ, was the last Jesuit to be elected. Fr. Clooney will be inducted into the Academy at a ceremony in October.
Ethicist Awarded Honorary Degree from Le Moyne College
Fr. James F. Keenan, SJ, was awarded an honorary degree from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, on May 17. Fr. Keenan is an ethicist known for his work on moral theology, social justice and Catholic ethics. In 2003, he founded Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church, a global network of over 1,000 Catholic ethicists that hosts major conferences and publishes its own book series. Fr. Keenan is professor of theological ethics and director of Jesuit Institute at Boston College.
Boston College Names Next VP for Mission and Ministry
Fr. Casey C. Beaumier, SJ, vice president and university secretary at Boston College (BC), has been named the college’s Haub Vice President for University Mission and Ministry. He succeeds Fr. Jack Butler, SJ, who will become the 26th president of BC in the summer of 2026. During his 19 years at Boston College, Fr. Beaumier has been an active presence on campus. In addition to his role as vice president and university secretary, he has been director of the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies and has led Kairos, Manresa and 48 Hour retreats for undergraduates and provided spiritual direction programming for students, faculty and staff.
Loyola High Los Angeles Say Goodbye to Fr. Gregory Goethals, SJ
On June 1, 2025, more than 1,000 people attended Loyola High School of Los Angeles’ first “Godspeed” Mass, as Fr. Gregory Goethals, SJ ’73, stepped down as Loyola’s president after 19 years and Principal Jamal Adams ’90 took up the mantle of leading the school. The community gathered to share their gratitude and wish both men success for the future.
Fr. Goethals was also presented with the first-ever “Hearts on Fire” award for his devotion, service and leadership to Loyola High School and the city of Los Angeles.
Jesuit Recognized for Service to the Bronx
On June 3, Fr. Vinny Marchionni, SJ, received the Community Leadership Award from the NYPD 41st Precinct for “unwavering commitment to the Hunts Point and Longwood communities” in the Bronx, New York. The award is given to community members like clergy, business and nonprofit leaders who foster positive relationships between the neighborhood and police.
Fr. Bruce Morrill, SJ, Delivers inaugural Josef Jungmann Lecture
Fr. Bruce Morrill, SJ, Edward A. Malloy Chair and Distinguished Professor of Theology at Vanderbilt University, delivered the inaugural Josef Jungmann Lecture on June 3 at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. The lecture was established on the 50th anniversary of the eminent Austrian theologian’s death. Fr. Morrill presented “Jungmann’s Legacy to Liturgical Scholarship: The Historical and Theological in Service to the Pastoral.”
Jesuit Delivers Address to Class of 2025 at UVA
Fr. Michael Suarez, SJ, professor of English and director of the Rare Book School at the University of Virginia (UVA), recently delivered the keynote address to the Class of 2025. As he celebrated the academic achievements of the graduates, he focused on the history of UVA as it commemorates its bicentennial year and on education’s role in democracy. Read his remarks.
Final vows
Fr. Paul Robson, SJ, pronounced final vows in the Society of Jesus on May 24, 2025, at the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre in Espanola, Ontario. Fr. Robson is pastor of Holy Cross Mission in Wiikwemkoong, Ontario.
Watch this video about Fr. Robson’s work with First Nations communities:
Fr. Brian Konzman, SJ, pronounced final vows in the Society of Jesus on June 1, 2025, at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City. Fr. Konzman will become the new treasurer of the USA East Province on July 1.
Fr. Ted Penton, SJ, pronounced final vows in the Society of Jesus on June 4, 2025, in Montreal, where he serves as socius of the Jesuits of Canada Province.
