June 17, 2021 — Here are the latest updates from Jesuits across the United States and Canada.
Final Vows
Fr. Jean-Maxéne Joazile, SJ, Fr. Achange Siméus, SJ, and Fr. Stanley Charles, SJ, professed final vows in the Society of Jesus on May 29 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Fr. Paul Rourke, SJ, also made his final vows recently in Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola at Fairfield University. Final vows are the last step in Jesuit training, and Jesuits must be approved by the Curia in Rome before they can make these vows.
Ordinations
“Come spread rumors of new life!” These six words sum up vocation for Fr. Garrett Gundlach, SJ, who was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, alongside seven other Jesuits in Milwaukee. In total, the Society of Jesus will celebrate the ordination of 25 new priests this summer. Learn more about them here.
Matthew Cortese, SJ, and Juan Ruiz, SJ, were ordained to the diaconate at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Toronto on May 29 by Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, SJ.
The Spiritual Work of Racial Justice
How can our spirituality bring us deeper into the work for racial justice? This question is a central underpinning of Patrick Saint-Jean, SJ’s, new book, “The Spiritual Work of Racial Justice: A Month of Meditations with Ignatius of Loyola.” As a Black man and Haitian immigrant living in the U.S., Saint-Jean draws on his experiences and his faith, guiding readers to see racial justice through the lens of Ignatian spirituality.
“Legislation may make the healing of our fractured racial-ethnic relations possible, but only love can heal us,” writes author M. Shawn Copeland. “Jesuit Patrick Saint-Jean offers us a way to heal our battered souls and bereaved hearts.”
Jesuit Conference Wins Eight Catholic Press Awards
The Jesuit Conference’s Office of Communications and Vocation Promotion has won eight 2021 Catholic Press Awards, including honors for the AMDG podcast and various video, written and social media content. Presented by the Catholic Media Association, these awards honor publishers and communications professionals that inform and promote the mission of the Church.
Echoing the Ignatian proverb to “find God in all things,” our award-winning content spans a host of topics and includes: “God in Five Things: Architecture,” its faith and politics resources, and its website design for BeAJesuit.org. Check out all the winning content here.