New Orleans – Four Jesuits of the USA Central and Southern (UCS) Province will be ordained to the priesthood at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, 2023, in New Orleans. The Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans, will preside at the sacred liturgy of ordination at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. …
Four Jesuits of the Province Will be Ordained Priests Read More »
By Rachel Moccia A symphony of voices and footsteps echoed in the hallowed halls of the Martyrs’ Shrine, as over 12,000 souls with diverse beliefs journeyed together in pilgrimage. Among them, a young Tamil Canadian, Raj Vijayakumar, would find himself ensnared in a divine dance of accompaniment that would ultimately lead him to the Jesuits. …
From “no” to “yes”: The story of Raj Vijayakumar Read More »
By Ignatius Plato Deacon Bill McCormick, SJ, strives to recognize every bit of God’s hand in his ongoing formation journey. As he will tell you, even the most ordinary things have left an impact during his formation; he still learns from his experiences every day. “During college, formative experiences in and outside the classroom made …
By Ignatius Plato There are times when God calls us to offer the simple gift of our presence, to be there for people as they deal with hardship. Deacon Aric Serrano, SJ, has felt this call to be present for others throughout his Jesuit formation, and continues to live that call as he prepares for …
Being There for Others: Deacon Aric Serrano, SJ, and His Ministry of Presence Read More »
By Colleen Hogan Many congregations are oriented by Ignatian spirituality, and Ignatian formation typically involves significant classroom time. Dan Leckman, a Jesuit brother, and Sonal Castelino, a Xaviere Missionaries of Christ Jesus sister, can attest to that. But reflective of Ignatius of Loyola’s conviction that God can be found in all things, Ignatian formation also …
By Therese Fink Meyerhoff Tucker Redding, SJ, is a storyteller. His formation experience – like all Jesuits’ – has been tailored to his skills and interests, in addition to the needs of the province. It includes a master’s degree in communications and a regency that saw him splitting time between a classroom and the office …
Tucker Redding, SJ, Ministers through Storytelling Read More »
By Ignatius Plato Father Michael Wegenka, SJ, understands firsthand the importance of a spiritual companion. He received the guidance and support he needed while discerning his own vocation to religious life; now he wants to provide the same kind of support for men considering life in the Society of Jesus. He began his new ministry …
Father Michael Wegenka, SJ, Continues a Legacy of Discernment and Surprises Read More »
By Fr. Jonathon Polce, SJ “Eleven years?! Why does it take so long?” This question I have been asked, and even wondered myself, in my 11-year journey to Jesuit priesthood which culminated this past summer when I was ordained along with three other Jesuits from my novitiate class. Yes, 11 years of training, which is the normal amount …
Humbled and Ready: How my Formation Experience Prepared Me for Priestly Ministry Read More »
By William Manaker, SJ I arrived in Belize for a month-long immersion experience in the Mayan villages of the Toledo District with only minimal background information. I would be working with several brother Jesuits to facilitate retreats for village catechists. We’d be collaborating with a committee of indigenous Mayan leaders. Mayans in Belize speak two …
Sept. 9, 2022 – The USA Central and Southern Province of the Society of Jesus welcomed five new novices on Aug. 20, 2022. These five men with diverse backgrounds entered the Novitiate of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Grand Coteau, La., to begin the first stage of Jesuit formation. Over the next two years, they will …