Inside JVC

Applications and Interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:35:00 +0000

It's deadline day for the international program and the first round of the domestic program. As you wrap up your online packets, you may want to look ahead at the next step, the interview process.

Visit http://www.jesuitvolunteers.org/interviewing for resources to help you prepare.

Think Twice

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:09:00 +0000

by Heather Moline (Nicaragua '10)

Happy Holidays. To the Christians, Merry Christmas. I hope you find peace and comfort with people who love you, no matter the space between you. And I hope you find a few moments to welcome those who don´t have those people.

I found myself walking home from the bus in a drizzle and passed an open sewer. One of many that I´ve passed multiple times. Twenty feet long, ten feet wide, and thirty feet deep, there is room enough that a large car, let alone a small human, could easily plunge into it. Which has almost happened to me during rainy season, when torrential downpours turn streets into rivers you can´t see your feet through.

It´s hard to describe the choking odor of gathered garbage, but I´ve encountered it plenty of times in Nicaragua, and this was one of those times. Thousands of styrofoam plates, chip bags, straws, chicken bones, and soiled toilet paper floated threateningly to sea. Very slowly, like they were enjoying themselves with sneers on their greasy faces.

Managua is a big city that thrives on consumption, but it isn´t like major US cities, which hide the scars of wasteful living behind investment. That is, the reason we can afford to live the way we do, with televisions, and cars (I will never forget the embarassing moment when I told my best friend here that my family owns three cars), and plastic, and microwaves, is that we have money to not suffer the effects of them.

The majority of Nicaraguans can´t afford to do that. And since, through JVC, I´m trying to live more in tune with the majority of Nicaraguans, heck, the majority of humanity, I stood my ground outside that sewer and let it choke me for a minute.

I thought twice. I recalled that the past three days I had purchased a delicious kalala or piña or tiste fresco (Nica fruit and drinks) in a plastic bag with a plastic straw. Three bags and three straws in three days. How much will I contribute to that plastic river in a week? In a year? How much do people who live like me contribute in a year? I shuddered at the thought. But was glad for it, the second thought.

December is the craziest month for JVs in Nicaragua. The second-years leave with tears and gratitude, newbies arrive with energy and anxiety, families fly in with dumbstruck faces and suitcases packed with cookies, peanut butter, and new underwear, and I go to stay with the JVs in Belize for a week. I left the JV house today after a delicious banana-oatmeal smoothie, flying through my to-do list of people to visit, dishes to bake, emails to send, questions to ask.

Then I passed a young man rummaging through a trash river on its way to another sewer, looking for something to sell to a recycling stand so he could buy a meal. I doubt he´ll get dinner. Slow down, H, I told myself, and think twice.

That´s what I hope to do this Christmas.

Help us meet a Christmas challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:06:00 +0000

JVC needs you this Christmas!

We've been presented with a generous challenge. If we can raise $250,000 by January 31, a anonymous donor will contribute an extra $50,000 to JVC. That's $300,000 to support JVC, Jesuit Volunteers, and their work for peace and justice around the world.

You know the impact of JVC. If you're an FJV, you know the transformative experience of giving of your whole self. If you're a friend or family member, you've heard inspiring stories and seen the change in your JV. If you've hired a JV at your placement site, you know their dedication.

Help us continue to do great work. By becoming a donor, you are doing your part to ensure that JVC can continue to provide opportunities for women and men to be transformed as they work for justice in the U.S. and around the world.

Every gift brings us closer to the goal. Visit www.jesuitvolunteers.org/christmaschallenge to make your contribution today.

JVC on the Today Show?

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:31:00 +0000

Many folks show up with signs, but not everyone gets camera time during outdoor segments of the Today Show. The Bridgeport Jesuit Volunteers were just that lucky when they visited on Black Friday.

Their sign promoted JVC to a national audience. Did you see them?

Thanks, ladies, for sharing the love!

FJVs support death row inmates

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:02:00 +0000

When we say FJVs are "ruined for life," this is what we're talking about.

In October, FJV Britani Hollis (JVCNW: Tacoma) posted information about a project that she's involved with to the FJV Listserv about the Death Row Support Project, which helps match penpals for people on death row around the country.

When I received my first letter from the person I was matched with, the letter he had sent requesting a pen pal, it was dated over a year ago. Wondering what the delay had been, I called the organization and found out that for every five death row inmates that requests a pen pal, there is one request "from the outside," so I told the woman who I spoke with on the phone that I would do what I could to recruit some more pen pals.

Earlier this week, the people from the project sent out an e-mail update to their supporters saying that FJVs responded with overwhelming force.

In early October this year, one of our newest penpals, Britani, performed the simple act of posting an email on a listserv. One sentence in her email clearly stated one of the main purposes of DRSP: "Capital punishment is a huge justice issue, and while being a pen pal does not address an inhumane policy, it does offer some human relationship to someone who may feel really cut off."

Brittani’s email was the most effective publicity DRSP has had in a long time, and generated for us over 100 requests from people wanting to write to someone on death row. Thank you, Britani! As of this writing, we are still processing these requests; thank you for your patience if you have not yet received a pen pal request from someone on death row.

Similarly, FJV Susie Roling (Chicago '03) is active Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, which coordinates a penpal program just for Missouri.

Are you involved in a social justice project and need the energy and enthusiasm of FJVs? Share resources via:

FJV Listserv (for Former Jesuit Volunteers only)

Facebook

Linked In

Advent in Two Minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Another video from the folks at Busted Halo, this time on Advent, which starts Sunday.

Are you ready for the Roman Missal?

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:10:00 +0000

The new Roman Missal will start to be used at mass starting on Sunday, with the start of Advent. Fr. John Baldovin, SJ, created a video to help understand the coming changes.

If you'd like to explore more, Loyola Press has compiled a list or resources, including articles, webinars, and materials for children.

Advent Meditations with the JesuitCollaborative

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:13:00 +0000

If you're living in or visiting New England or the Mid-Atlantic in December, you should check out the upcoming Advent meditations with the Jesuit Collaborative.

The following events are held 6-8 pm. Space is limited. RSVP at 617-424-0266 or collaborative@jesuitcollaborative.org.

Tuesday, December 6
Loyola Blakefield with Bob Wassmann
500 Chestnut Ave
Burk Hall
Towson, MD

Thursday, December 8
Old St. Joseph's Church with Springs Steele
321 Willings Alley
Philadelphia, PA

Tuesday, December 13
Xavier High School with Jack Raslowsky
30 West 16th St, 2nd Fl
New York, NY

Wednesday, December 14
Holy Cross College with Marybeth Kearns-Barrett
St. Joseph Chapel (lower level)
One College St
Worcester, MA

Thursday, December 15
Br. James McDavitt, S.J., Center with Tony Compagnone
85 School St
Watertown, MA

JV meets White House Officials

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:46:00 +0000

During the Ignatian Family Teach-In last weekend, JV Kelly Miguens organized a group to meet with White House officials to discuss social justice issues surrounding immigration, like the Dream Act. Here's what the White House blog had to say about it:

Students gathered to hear from Felicia Escobar, Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Domestic Policy Council and Alexia Kelley, Deputy Director and Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Recently, we hosted a meeting with nineteen students from the University of Detroit Mercy, University of Michigan- Ann Arbor and Jesuit volunteers who traveled to Washington DC for the 14th annual Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ) events sponsored by the Ignatian Solidarity Network at Georgetown University. This annual gathering brought together over 1,000 students, teachers, parish members and faith-based and community leaders.

At our meeting, we met Kelly Miguens, a University Minister and Jesuit Volunteer at the University of Detroit Mercy and the lead organizer for the group. She helped facilitate our discussion with the students and offered some context on some of their current initiatives. The students and JVC volunteers engaged in a lively conversation with Alexia Kelley, Deputy Director and Senior Advisor at the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships about the work of the White House Office and its satellite centers across the federal government. Felicia Escobar, Senior Advisor for Immigration Policy at the Domestic Policy Council also spoke to the group about the work of her office on immigration policy issues.

Among the many topics discussed in the meeting, the passage of the DREAM Act dominated the dialogue. The DREAM Act is a common-sense legislation drafted by both Republicans and Democrats that would give students who grew up in the United States a chance to contribute to our country’s well-being by serving in the U.S. armed forces or pursuing a higher education. It’s beneficial for our economy, our security, and our nation. Earlier this year, top Administration officials testified before Congress, and emphasized the need for the Dream Act.

Students shared their tireless efforts and determination to make their voices heard about immigration reform. Our collective discussion produced some fresh ideas on ways we can reform our immigration system. The energy and compassion of tomorrow’s leaders which beamed from these students were inspiring and assured us that our country will remain stronger with guaranteed justice for all.

JVC t-shirts and hoodies in time for Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000

They're back by popular demand!

Good Joe has relaunched pre-sales* of JVC's t-shirt. Just for Christmas, there's a new hoodie, too.

Order by Sunday, November 20 and use the code ShopforJVC at check-out for free shipping. With the code, Good Joe will donate an additional $3 per shirt to JVC. This code is good for the many shirts available at Good Joe's site, not just JVC's, so browse the inventory.

Proceeds from the JVC shirt and hoodie sales benefit JVC.

Pre-sales end on Friday, November 25, so don't delay!

* In an effort to conserve resources, Good Joe only prints shirts in batches. After this initial pre-sale period ends, you will have to request an individual reprint and wait for enough other requests to add up in order to qualify for a new batch printing. It could take days or months, depending on the interest level. The only way to guarantee timely availability is to buy during this pre-order period. JVC is unlikely to conduct another coordinated pre-sale for this particular shirt.

Remembering Dorothy Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:35:00 +0000

"Whenever I groan within myself and think how hard it is to keep writing about love in these times of tension and strife which may, at any moment, become for us all a time of terror, I think to myself: What else is the world interested in? What else do we all want, each one of us, except to love and be loved, in our families, in our work, in all our relationships? God is Love. Love casts out fear. Even the most ardent revolutionist, seeking to change the world, to overturn the tables of the money changers, is trying to make a world where it is easier for people to love, to stand in that relationship to each other…There can never be enough of it."

November 8 is Dorothy Day's birthday. She helped to found the Catholic Worker movement and was instrumental in the modern social justice movement. She's been labeled as a pacifist, social activist, editor, decentralist, and anarchist. For her efforts, the FBI kept a file on her for years. Now, the Archdiocese of New York opened the cause for her beatification and canonization to sainthood.

As we remember her this day, here's a radio interview from 1965, archived at UC Santa Barbara, where she details some of her beliefs and convictions and how they fit into World War II and the civil rights movement of the era.

All Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:23:00 +0000

In November, we spend time reflecting on gratitude and thanksgiving. This also includes honoring those who have come before us.

Starting with All Saints Day and Dia de los Muertos on November 1, we continue this theme of remembering the dead into the month.

November 5 is the feast of All Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus.

To mark the day, you can read biographies of some of those we'll honor on this day via IgnatianSpirituality.com.

Or, find a litany of Jesuit saints from the Jesuits in English Canada.

Here's an exerpt. After each line, the response is "pray for us."

St. Ignatius Loyola, Founder of Society of Jesus
St. Francis Xavier, patron of missions
Bl. Peter Favre
St. Stanislaus Kostka, novice
Bl. Ignatius Azevedo and Companions, Brazilian martyrs
St. Francis Borgia, Superior General
St. Edmund Campion, martyr in England
Bl. Rudolph Aquaviva and Companions, martyrs in India
St. Aloysius Gonzaga, scholastic, victim of plague
Bl. James Sales and William Saltemouche, martyrs in France
St. Robert Southwell and Comp., martyrs in England
St. Peter Canisius, doctor of the Church
Bl. Joseph Anchieta, priest in Brazil
Sts. Paul Miki, John de Goto, James Kisai, martyrs in Japan

Read the full litany.

Litany for the great cloud of witnesses

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:37:00 +0000

On her blog, Rose Marie Berger, an associate editor at Sojourners magazine, created a litany for All Saints Day. She said:

Many of the names listed here will not be familiar to the congregation. We invite you to use the month of November to tell the stories of those who are part of our Great Cloud of Witnesses (Hebrews 12:1), including remembering those who have died who personally have influenced us.

All Saints Day: A Litany of the Great Cloud of Witnesses
by Rose Marie Berger

We call to mind the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us in faith…

Our parents of earth and life, Adam and Eve…Pray for us.
Mothers Sarah and Hagar, and Father Abraham…Pray for us.
Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel…Pray for us.
Puah and Shiprah…Pray for us.
Miriam, Moses, and Aaron…Pray for us.
Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz…Pray for us.
Daughters of Jeptha…Pray for us.
Daughters of Lot…Pray for us.
Dinah and Tamar…Pray for us.
Bathsheba, Uriah, and David…Pray for us.
Women of Midian…Pray for us.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea and all Hebrew prophets…Pray for us.
Judith, Deborah, and Jael…Pray for us.

The Forerunner, John the Baptist…Pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God…Pray for us.
Joseph, Elizabeth and Zachariah…Pray for us.
Mary of Magdala and Peter…Pray for us.
Andrew and James…Pray for us.
Mathew, Mark, and Luke…Pray for us.
John the Beloved Disciple…Pray for us.
Paul and Barnabas…Pray for us.
Anna, Dorcas, and Lydia…Pray for us.
Priscilla and Phoebe…Pray for us.
John the Revelator…Pray for us.
Stephen, the first martyr…Pray for us.
Perpetua and Felicity…Pray for us.

Amma Sarra, Amma Syncletica, Amma Theodora…Pray for us.
Abba Poemen, Abba Anthony, Abba Macarius…Pray for us.
Mary of Egypt and Elizabeth the Wonderworker…Pray for us.
Matrona of Perge and Theodora of Thessalonike…Pray for us.
Basil, Athanasius, Gregory, and John…Pray for us.
Gregory, Ambrose, Augustine, and Jerome…Pray for us.
Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Sienna, and Thérèse of Lisieux…Pray for us.
Isadore and Maria…Pray for us.
Benedict and Scholastica…Pray for us.
Cosmas and Damian…Pray for us.
Dominic and Diego, Clare and Francis…Pray for us.
John Calvin and John Knox…Pray for us.
Martin Luther and Menno Simons…Pray for us.
John and Charles Wesley and Sarah Gwynne…Pray for us.
All you holy men and women, saints of God…Pray for us.

Read the whole litany on her blog.

Is there anyone that you would add to her list?

US ranks 27th in a social justice comparison

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:44:00 +0000

by Kateleigh Hewins (Boston '11), a Jesuit Volunteer with the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence

In a recent social justice comparison, the United States ranks 27th out the 31 countries counted as members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. When ranked among other developed countries in the international arena, we fall far short in terms of poverty prevention, access to education, labor market inclusion (as defined by factors such as the unemployment rate and the employment rate of vulnerable populations including low-skilled workers and immigrants), social cohesion and nondiscrimination (including income inequality), health, and intergenerational justice (which interestingly includes CO2 emissions). Only Greece, Chile, Mexico, and Turkey are ranked lower than the U.S. in this comparison by the Bertelsmann Foundation.

As a good student of political science, part of me wants to study the methodology of these findings—researching the political leanings of this source, analyzing the integrity of these surveys, questioning the validity of the equation they used. I want to examine the institutional structures and political evolution in these other OECD member countries such as Iceland, Norway, Denmark (the top three) and even Canada (9th) that make them so much more effective at “guaranteeing each individual genuinely equal opportunities for self-realization through the targeted investment in the development of individual ‘capabilities.’” And I am sure that somewhere people are doing just that.

Today, I am not one of them.

As someone who once felt called to work in public policy, I know that I could lobby Washington and take part in a grassroots movement that transforms our spending priorities into a moral document—in which food programs, children’s healthcare, and education receive more than a fraction of a percent of our national budget. I could get a job for the government and try to engender change towards a more just society from within. And I have been privileged to know and work with wonderful, compassionate, dedicated individuals who go to work every day and do just that.

Today, I am not one of them.

Instead, I will do my best to empower and serve my clients. I will try and help them navigate a public housing system that has them waiting for at least two more years despite their homeless and domestic violence survivor priority statuses. I will help them prepare for court hearings where they can get restraining orders so they can go outside and take their kids to school without the paralyzing fear they sometimes have of their abuser. I will be present to them as they tell me about their struggles, like losing custody of a child due to abuse, and as they share their victories and celebrations, like the client who recently was able to get her own apartment and move out of the shelter.

Today, I am not going to change the societal institutions in this country that cause our child poverty rate to be 22.2%, no matter how much I wish I could.

Instead, today I will wake up and do what I can—which is to say that I will love.

The Journey is the Destination

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:21:00 +0000

by Sylvia Costelloe (Milwaukee ’11)

As Jesuit Volunteers we have all embarked on a journey – a journey with our communities, our placements, our support people. But where will this journey lead?

The Journey is the Destination is the title of a song from the movie The Way, Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez’s new movie. The movie follows the spiritual journey of a father whose son dies tragically on a pilgrimage in Spain known as the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, also called the Way of St. James. This idea that the journey is the destination describes the movie’s theme, but also applies to us Jesuit Volunteers, as we begin our year of service.

On September 15, 2011, some of the Milwaukee and Chicago JV had the pleasure of going to see The Way at a screening in Chicago. Mr. Sheen invited us to come, which gave us the opportunity both to meet him and see a truly incredible movie.

Noah Jennings, Brittany Bindon, Sylvia Costelloe, Zach Paciorek, Martin Sheen and Jackie Burke at the premiere of "The Way" in Chicago on September 15, 2011.

After the screening, we talked with him told him about our work as Jesuit Volunteers. He knew about the JVC because he had met JVs while working in a soup kitchen in Los Angeles some years ago. He was delighted to hear about our work and thanked us for our service.

We were very grateful to have the opportunity to see The Way – a movie that truly spoke to us. The story shows how life, in itself, is a journey, and how we often rely on the help of others to keep us going.

During my first few months as a Jesuit Volunteer, I have come to realize just how important our journey is. What matters is not where we end up, but what we do while we are on this journey – the relationships we build, the people we help, the experiences we have. To me, being a Jesuit Volunteer has shown me day after day that the journey truly is our destination.

Reflections upon arrival

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:55:00 +0000

By David Miller (Kansas City '11)

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.

John 1: 14 (The Message)

I still remember that morning vividly. It had been more than eight months since I decided I would apply to the JVC; and finally, after many essays, interviews, faxes, and phone calls, my day of departure had finally arrived. It was 3 a.m. in Philadelphia when I woke up to ready myself for a 6 a.m. flight to Indianapolis. I walked down our familiar staircase and ate breakfast, despite my stomach being filled already with butterflies. I finished packing my things into the car--proud that I managed to reduce my belongings to the contents of three modestly sized bags--and said goodbye to my sister and the dog before I made my way towards the door.

As I walked into the sultry early-morning air, I was stopped by a familiar yet unexpected voice. It was Bilbo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings! As I took a step, he reminded me that “it’s a dangerous business, [David], going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” Of course, he does not specify whether “keeping your feet” is better than being “swept off” on an adventure. Perhaps he also doesn’t know.

I said goodbye to my parents at the airport, collected my things, and was on my way. I left home, and was now alone in the dreary aseptic limbo that is an airport. With lots of time to think and nothing to look at, I thought about how easy it is supplant oneself from a place; and, comparatively, how difficult it is to establish oneself elsewhere. All that the former requires is an ounce of determination and a mode of transportation. The latter, on the other hand, requires the difficult, intentional, and continuous work of fidelity and neighborliness.

It is always fascinating to see a new place for the first time. It seems all of the senses are heightened. Wide-eyed and curious we take in as much as we can. All of it--the beautiful, the unique, the humorous, the graceful, the informative, the useful, the bizarre, the mysterious, the ribald, and the offensive--is ours to decipher.

As my community members and I drew closer to our new home, we made many fresh observations. The topography began to flatten, the weather became hotter, and the smell began to change. (Kansas City is in the middle of a city wide sewer renovation, and the evidence is in the air.) The towns became more condensed and more affluent, and then suddenly more condensed and impoverished. Injustice began to reveal its repulsive and intolerable face to us. In a way, we “weren’t in Kansas anymore.” (The KC reflection had to include that reference somewhere!)

Troost, the street we live off of, divides the racial groups and socio-economic classes more violently and more definitively than even the Mason-Dixon. In truth, it was made to do that. Though the times have changed, the wound was has never healed; and Troost remains one of the many racial scars that shames this country. Yet, it is here on the “wrong” side of this social scalpel that we live. Why? Because, it is where Jesus lived.

The partial verse quoted in the epigram, which describes the incarnation, speaks to this. It was shared with me by a professor who was talking about, what he called, incarnational ministry. Meaning, in becoming human, Jesus didn’t dwell among those with power and influence over humanity. Rather, he “moved into the neighborhood,” particularly the poorest neighborhoods, where real, in-the-flesh people lived. He lived a simple life with simple people in neighborhoods.

By living in neighborhoods, he was forced to deal with the social deficiencies that accompany one. In the truest sense of the word, he loved his neighbors. We, in turn, would do well to conduct ourselves likewise; to use the incarnation as a model for our work. We are not gods, and cannot save the world. But we can help a few, and that is a tremendous blessing. All the while we ought to keep in mind that “a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Alas, it has been a month since I left Philadelphia. The air is colder now than when I arrived. The foliage has taken on the colors of an earthen-toned rainbow, and the squirrels in our back yard are hoarding the contents of our compost pile. Autumn is upon us, and it is only now that I feel I have truly arrived in Kansas City; only now do I feel I’ve moved into the neighborhood.

Simply put, it is beginning to feel more like home. I’ve settled into my placement and our community is growing closer to one another each day. Still, in only a year I may be departing this place and arriving in another. Yet for now, this is my home, and this is where I am blessed enough to work for a year, and love for a year. It is in “this thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love grow strong / to love that well which thou must leave ere long.”

Happy Birthday, Jesuits!

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:46:00 +0000

September 27, 1540 is the official date of acceptance of The Society of Jesus as a religious order.

Saint Ignatius Loyola founded the order and originally called it "The Company of Jesus" to indicate its true leader and its soldier spirit. The title was Latinized into "Societas Jesu" in the Bull of Pope Paul III ("Regimini militantis ecclesia") approving its formation.

The term "Jesuit" is of fifteenth-century origin, meaning one who too frequently used or appropriated the name of Jesus. St. Ignatius never used it, as it was a derogatory term during his lifetime. Eventually, the term was accepted as a positive.

To celebrate, here's a fun video on the life of St. Ignatius, as told by a Spanish olive.

Publish your JV stories

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:21:00 +0000

Hey, domestic Former Jesuit Volunteers, do you have reflections from your time as a JV that you'd like to share for a memoir on faith-based service?

Seeds of Service is seeking submissions.

We are looking to publish a collective memoir of volunteers from faith-based service programs at the turn of the century. This project began with a poignant conversation about the value and impact of service programs here in the United States. We love, respect and value those volunteers who commit themselves to international service and have been excited to read stories of those volunteers’ experiences. When it comes to domestic service, however, it seems that few firsthand accounts of service here in the United States have been published. Our own rewarding experiences in a faith based service program prompted us to want to have a print space for sharing these stories.

Don't wait. Their deadline is Friday, October 14.

Learn more at the Seeds of Service site.

Jesuit Volunteer Corps accepts Centennial Medal from Catholic Charities USA

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Fr. Larry Snyder presents the Centennial Medal to Kevin O'Brien and Joseph Walker. Photo by A.J. Cabrera.

The Jesuit Volunteer Corps received a Centennial Medal from Catholic Charities USA during its annual all-staff meeting on Saturday, September 10, 2011.

CCUSA is presenting 100 individuals or organizations with Centennial Medals to recognize their contributions to the reduction of poverty in the United States and their commitment to the principles by which Catholic Charities USA conducts its work.

“Through your ministry throughout the world, those who need loving, compassionate care are embraced every day by your dedicated and competent volunteers,” said Fr. Larry Snyder, president of CCUSA. “Your pillars of spirituality, community, simple living and a commitment to social justice, guide Jesuit Volunteers as 21st-century witnesses to the Gospel mandate of charity and service. Our hope is that the Centennial Medal will be a tribute of our regard for who you are as a ministry of our faith and a sign of the hope you bring to so many who seek a kind word or a helping hand.”

Kevin O’Brien, president of JVC, and Joseph Walker, president of JVC’s board of directors, accepted the award at Chapel of Grace at St. Ignatius Church.

“Catholic Charities has led the way for faith-based service in the U.S. for more than 100 years,” said O’Brien. “Our organizations are guided by the same faith and share a common mission to work for justice in the world. In fact, many of our Jesuit Volunteers are working at Catholic Charities organizations across the country. It’s such an honor to be recognized with this award.”

Catholic Charities USA is a 100-year-old social services organization committed to reducing poverty in America. For almost 300 years, Catholic Charities agencies across the globe have worked to reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from health care and job training to food and housing. In 2010, Catholic Charities USA celebrated its centennial anniversary.

Based in four core values—social justice, simple living, community, and spirituality—Jesuit Volunteer Corps offers women and men an opportunity to work full-time for justice and peace. Jesuit Volunteers are called to the mission of serving the poor directly, working for structural change in the United States, and accompanying people in developing countries. For decades, Jesuit Volunteer Corps has worked in collaboration with Jesuits, whose spirituality the volunteers incorporate in their work, community, and prayer life. More than 250 grassroots organizations across the world count on Jesuit Volunteers to provide essential services. During their one to two years of service, volunteers integrate Christian faith by working and living among the poor and marginalized examining the causes of social injustice. JVC offers volunteers an experience that will open their minds and hearts to live always conscious of the poor and committed to the Church’s mission of promoting justice in the service of faith. Learn more at www.jesuitvolunteers.org or www.facebook.com/jesuitvolunteers.

Danger of a Single Story

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:44:00 +0000

Today on Chicago Magazine's website, author Alex Kotlowitz learns a valuable lesson about harboring preconceived notions about people we meet. He first connected with a woman named Dede when she was addicted to crack on the streets of Chicago and he thought she would surely succumb to her lifestyle. After 15 years, he ran into her and saw that she turned her life around, married with a daughter and optimistic for the future.

I think of this story often, as a celebration—and as a cautionary tale, against what the Nigerian-born novelist Chimamanda Adichie calls “the danger of a single story”: the danger of thinking that people have a single narrative, that, for instance, if you're growing up poor on Chicago's West Side, your narrative will be the same as the person next door. Or that because you're poor we think we know your story—or in the case of Dede, because you're poor and a drug addict we think we know the shape of your narrative. As Adichie warns, ”Show people one way over and over again...and that's what they become.”

His is a great lesson for all of us.

Read the full story.

Revisiting Ground Zero

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Fr. Jim Martin, SJ, revisits the places in Manhattan where he and his fellow Jesuits ministered to people in the days follow the September 11 attacks.

Love is a warm cookie

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:38:00 +0000

Brittany Fulton (Peru '11) visited the International Program Office in D.C. with Cristina Scuito (Tanzania '11). She baked a heart-shaped cookie for us. It's pretty sweet in more ways than one!

She did a great job getting the four values to look so good in icing.

It's nice to feel so loved. :-)

An Open Letter to Humanity

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:51:00 +0000

By Cara Caponi (Peru '08)

Peace be with you sisters and brothers,

Yanet and Abel eat lunch at the parish soup kitchen every day.

For that is what we are, sisters and brothers. We shall disagree and misunderstand, but shall live with the knowledge that our lives are made richer by the others' existence. When I look in to your face, I need to see my own, regardless of the reflection that usually meets my gaze from the mirror. You are responsible for me and I am responsible for you. Together we shall not fall; together we shall not hunger; together we shall illuminate what is beautiful in this world; together we shall face death and evil and injustice and poverty and all the "-isms" that have polluted our lexicon and through our combined faith, hope, and respect we shall prove once and for all where true power lies.

To join me, you must know me. I have a name; I have a story; I have hopes and dreams and aspirations; I have a family; I have a social context. There are reasons to explain who and how I am. Perhaps you are more closely connected to me than you thought and I to you. Tell me who you are and how that person was shaped.

Collyos, are dancers at a religious festival, Señor de Qoylloriti (Lord of Shining Snow). This photo was taken during the Misa de Bendición (Mass of Blessing). Pilgrims hike for hours to altitudes of more than 14,000 feet above sea level to participate.

Let us be creative. Let us approach the future with humility and trust. Let us hope to the point of naïveté. Let us be firm in our convictions. Let us be quick to forgive and slow to judge. Let us feel the personal responsibility of each child that dies today from malnutrition, of each bomb that is dropped by a drone, of each mother or father who try as they may can't make ends meet, of each person who is forgotten in their old age and left to die alone, of each refugee denied the protection they deserve, of each Alex* who falls asleep and wakes up cold. Let it settle into your bones. Then, take my hand and let's do something about it.

In peace,
Cara

*Alex is a teenage kid who lives on the streets of Andahuaylillas. He sleeps on the front steps of the church in freezing weather with nothing but a few blankets to cover him. He'll come by the parish looking for food but refuses to cooperate with us in trying to find him a more secure and permanent living situation. Allegedly members of his family abused him and that's why he ran away from home. He says that they don't know where he is and he sneaks home only to steal clothing when his clothing smells too bad from his waste.

Scranton JVs in the news

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:09:00 +0000

Photo by Katie Sullivan, Scranton Times Tribune

JVC started a new Jesuit Volunteer community in Scranton this year (as well as Albuquerque and Kansas City). The Scranton Times Tribune featured the JVs in yesterday's paper as they first arrived in town.

A focus on faith, service and a sense of community are what brought five young people from all over the nation together to form a new branch of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Scranton.

JVC is dedicated to aiding underserved populations in the United States and abroad, with volunteers focusing on social justice, living simply, community and spirituality. The new group of volunteers will work with local nonprofits throughout the city for the next year.

FJVs as nSJs

noreply@blogger.com (Jesuit Volunteers) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Seven Former Jesuit Volunteer novices gathered at the Jesuit Novice History Course in Denver in July.

Jeff Sullivan (Milwaukee '03), John Guyol (Montana '09), Ted Penton (Raleigh '00), Garrett Gundlach (Portland, OR '09), Brad Mills (Bolivia '06), Bobby Karle (Belize '07).

Not pictured is James Ferus (West Harlem '07).

Sullivan, Penton, and Ferus will be taking first vows this month and we'll be praying for them.