By Canadian Jesuits International The Jesuits in Haiti are accompanying vulnerable families affected by the August 2021 earthquake with the construction of housing in the south of Haiti. Below is an interim report on the work accomplished so far. Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) is supporting this work, thanks to the generosity of Canadians. Despite the …
By José Sanchez and Fannie Dionne Beneath the soaring dome of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Toronto, a group has been quietly pioneering a path of compassion and understanding for over a decade. Drawing inspiration from the time-tested teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, their mission incorporates many of the values of Ignatian accompaniment. …
Jesuits and LGBTQ+ Catholics: Bringing the colors of marginalized people to the Church Read More »
In the Jesuit Province of Canada, our mission is to embrace the Ignatian approach to spiritual accompaniment as a model for all kinds of ministry. Guided by the principles outlined in Pilgrims Together, our province’s apostolic planning document, in this article we reflect on the role of accompaniment in our efforts towards reconciliation with Indigenous …
The Catholic Church recently issued a statement formally repudiating concepts that fail to recognize the inherent human rights of Indigenous peoples, including the legal and political “doctrine of discovery.” Like other Indigenous Catholic leaders, Sr. Priscilla Solomon, an Ojibway member of the Anishinabek Nation and a Sister of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie, expressed …
By Fannie Dionne The call to religious life is not the only vocation to which one can aspire. For Norbert Piché, director of the Jesuit Refugee Service – Canada, his vocation is to accompany, and be accompanied by, persons who are refugees. His story is one of great trust in God and of working to …
Christ, Compassion and Accompaniment: The Vocation of Norbert Piché Read More »
Par Clara Atallah It is hard to imagine the trials that the Lebanese people have endured in recent years. In 2019, a political crisis and a wave of insurrections paralyzed the land of the cedars. The country had already been hit hard by a devastating economic crisis and a sharp devaluation of the Lebanese pound, …
Lebanese Jesuits tend the invisible wounds of the Lebanese people Read More »
By MegAnne Liebsch Growing up on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Rosella Kinoshameg didn’t understand the Catholic Masses she attended each Sunday. This was pre-Vatican II, and the priest still faced away from the congregation, reciting the Mass in Latin. All readings and hymns were transcribed in English, not her native Ojibwe. Except for a few Ojibwe …
“We have a voice” : Repairing the relationships with Indigenous peoples Read More »
By Erik Oland, SJ It has been a while since I wrote a piece for Companions about the experience of one of my formal visitations. That is, the Provincial spends much of his time on the road visiting regions of the province and meeting with Jesuits and partners in order to gauge the pulse of …
Hope Amidst Chaos: A Reflection on the Jesuits’ Enduring Impact in Haiti Read More »
The crisis in Haiti affects individuals, communities, and the entire Haitian people. In the first article of this series, the Superior of the Jesuits in Haiti explained how the crisis also affects his confreres and Ignatian works. In this article, Father Ambroise Gabriel, SJ, coordinator of the social sector in Haiti, describes how the situation …
By Elise Gower To walk with Jesus is to walk with women, to witness the exclusion, violence, and other injustices they suffer, but it is also to recognise their leadership in promoting full inclusion as well as dignity for all. The following highlights the prophetic efforts of four women who collaborate with the Jesuits of …