I am not a Jesuit. But by the nature of my work, I bump into quite a few. I get to meet these men at various stages of their years-long formation: some at the very beginning as novices, some while immersed in philosophical or theological studies, some while doing hands-on ministry work as regents, and others still after years of serving as priests or brothers. Some Jesuits I meet at the very end of their lives, and even then, they continue to grow in their relationship with and understanding of God, neighbor and creation.
Jesuits — like each of us — are called to constant, growing awareness of God at work in our lives and in our world. We are always being formed.
Regardless of when or where I encounter these Jesuits — from the halls of academia to the backroads of Belize, from global gatherings of young people in Europe to migrant shelters just across the U.S. border — there is a word that necessarily captures the heart of the Jesuit vocation: accompaniment.
St. Ignatius of Loyola concerned himself with walking alongside others on their way to God. Ignatius wanted to help folks recognize the Spirit already at work in their lives and that the same Spirit was very much concerned with each person’s realization of their fullest potential. Individual choices and institutionalized systems can hinder that potential. But St. Ignatius believed that through discernment and a desire to love and serve in all things, we might help one another grow into the people God dreams we will be.
We walk together on a shared pilgrimage. We learn from one another. We encounter Christ already at work in each of our stories.
In the videos below, we learn how a couple of newly ordained Jesuits started a ministry of accompaniment on the U.S.-Mexico border, and how that ministry has grown in the years since. But ultimately, we glimpse again the heart of the Jesuit vocation.
Read more about my pilgrimage to Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries here. And keep up with the Jesuits ministry on the border by subscribing to their podcast.
