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Jesuit Headlines: US Jesuits Minister in Beirut, Jesuit Professor Shares Five Decades of Wisdom and More

October 21, 2024 — Here’s the latest news from the Jesuits in Canada and the United States.

U.S. Jesuits Ministering in Lebanon

Michael Petro, SJ, has helped Sudanese people displaced from the war find a home in St. Joseph’s Jesuit Church.

Two U.S. Jesuits, Fr. Dan Corrou, SJ, and Michael Petro, SJ, are serving in Beirut, Lebanon, amid the current escalation of violence in the country.

Fr. Corrou, regional director of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Middle East and North Africa, explains that JRS has shifted its focus from education and livelihoods to critical life-saving support. The JRS office and St Joseph’s Jesuit Church have been turned into a shelter, providing refuge for 60 people.

While those staying at the church originally come from countries including Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Bangladesh, they also found themselves in the middle of this war, escaping places such as Saida, Tyre, Nabatieh and the south Beirut area of Dahiyeh. Many of them have been waiting for UN refugee resettlement to other countries for years, Petro, a project director for JRS, told the Irish Times.

Learn more from JRS/USA.

Jesuit Professor Shares His Insights

Fr. Harvey Egan, SJ, professor emeritus at Boston College (BC) and its longest currently serving Jesuit, recently shared insights from his 49 years as a member of the faculty. Fr. Egan, who joined BC’s theology department in 1975, teaches systematic and mystical theology, a subject on which he has written more than a dozen books.

Fr. Harvey Egan, SJ (Credit: Caitlin Cunningham, Boston College)

“You never know when life will change directions” is his first insight. “The turning point in my life came in college, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Three of us used to go to Sunday Mass and I’d do some prayer, but I wasn’t pious by any means. Then one day, the girl next door said to me, ‘Are you going to be a lukewarm Catholic all of your life?’ It took me aback.”

Read the rest of Fr. Egan’s insights.

Two Jesuits Receive Degrees from the Institute for Black Catholic Studies

This summer, Fr. Joshua Peters, SJ, and the newly ordained Fr. Patrick Hyland, SJ, received Master of Theology degrees from the Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS) at Xavier University of Louisiana. The IBCS’s mission is the formation of African American Catholics and others for ministry in Black communities and the church at large.

Fr. Patrick Hyland, SJ (left), and Fr. Joshua Peters, SJ (right), with one of their professors, Dr. Ernest L. Gibson III, who delivered the keynote speech at their graduation

“I was attracted to the Institute for Black Catholic Studies as a way to deepen my faith and commitment to the universal Church, which is far more diverse, talented and hopeful than any single parish or diocese can possibly hope to represent,” says Fr. Hyland, who was ordained in June and serves as special assistant to the president at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland. “Jesuits are called to the frontiers, and one serious frontier in the Church today is the long history of African American Catholics.”

Fr. Peters serves as director of mission and identity at Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory in Chicago. He was ordained in 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, an experience that has led him to take nothing for granted. “I credit my family as well as the Black Catholic communities in Detroit, Cincinnati, Dayton, Oakland, Chicago and New Orleans for helping me answer God’s call,” he says.

Jesuits Ordained to Diaconate

Seven U.S. Jesuits were recently ordained to the diaconate at two different Masses. On September 14, five U.S. Jesuits, along with three other Jesuits, were be ordained to the diaconate at St. Ignatius Church at Boston College: Dominic Chai, SJ, Kieran Halloran, SJ, Douglas Jones, SJ, William Manaker, SJ, and Thomas O’Donnell, SJ.

Eight Jesuits were ordained to the diaconate on September 14 at St. Ignatius Church in Boston.

October 12, Shane Liesegang, SJ, and Dickson Tiwelfil, SJ, along with nine other Jesuits, were ordained deacons at the Church of the Gesú at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.

Eleven Jesuit were ordained to the diaconate on October 12 at the Church of the Gesú in the Philippines.

Jesuits Celebrate First Mass in Renovated Sacred Space at Jesuit High Portland

On September 6, Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon, celebrated its first Mass in the newly renovated Smith Gym/Halton Family Sacred Space. Thirteen Jesuits joined the school community for the occasion.

Thirteen Jesuits joined Jesuit High School Portland for the first Mass in its renovated space.

“It was an important day for Jesuit High after all the investment in the renovation of that space, which is where every Friday morning at 9 a.m. we have Mass for the wider school community,” said Fr. Jack Krouse, SJ, a teacher and chaplain at Jesuit High. “It’s an optional Mass — the students can choose silent study hall instead — but it’s a sign of hope to see nearly 1,000 choose to be there each week.”

Welcoming New Novices

The Society of Jesus in the United States, Canada and Haiti welcomed 28 new Jesuit novices this August at novitiates in California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York and Haiti. Meet the new novices.

Appointments & Awards

Fr. James Miracky, SJ, was named vice president for mission integration and ministry at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, New Jersey. Fr. Miracky previously served as parochial vicar at St Francis Xavier Parish in New York City.

Fr. John Baldovin, SJ, a professor of historical and liturgical history at Boston College’s Clough School of Theology and Ministry, was honored with 2024 Frederick R. McManus Award in recognition of his significant contributions to furthering liturgical renewal in the United States. The award is given by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions and was presented to Fr. Baldovin at the organization’s annual meeting in October in Pittsburgh.

Fr. John Baldovin, SJ (center), received the 2024 Frederick R. McManus Award.

Fr. Dominic Totaro, SJ, received the Development of CLC Award from the National Assembly of Christian Life Community. Fr. Totaro has been associated with Sodality/CLC for 75 years. He started as a student at Gonzaga College High School and continued during his 27 years at Scranton Prep.

Fr. Dominic Totaro, SJ, with his CLC Award

Final Vows

Fr. Dennis Baker, SJ, president at Loyola Blakefield High School in Baltimore, professed final vows in the Society at the school’s Mass of the Holy Spirit on September 13. Fr. Joseph O’Keefe, SJ, provincial of Jesuits East, presided with many fellow Jesuits by his side, as well as Archbishop William E. Lori.

Fr. Dennis Baker, SJ, professes final vows in the Society.

Fr. Thomas Flowers, SJ, assistant professor of Ignatian formation at Saint Louis University, professed final vows in the chapel at the Bellarmine House of Studies in St. Louis on September 20. Fr. Ron Mercier, SJ, delegate for formation for the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, received his vows in place of Father General Arturo Sosa, SJ.

Fr. Thomas Flowers, SJ, professes final vows in the Society.

Jesuit Jubilarians

Jesuit jubilarians at Fordham University Church

The USA Jesuits East Province recently held Jubilee Masses at Fordham University Church in the Bronx, New York, and at Boston College High School. Both Masses were well attended with many family, friends and fellow Jesuits.

Jesuit jubilarians at Boston College High School

 

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