Jesuit Collaborative

Hunger for the gifts of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius extends across the full spectrum of our society, but there are certain segments in which the need is particularly acute including young adults and the Hispanic/Latino community.

The Jesuit Collaborative has received a generous grant of $112,500 to continue fostering leadership among young adults through the Contemplative Leaders In Action (CLIA) Program, develop leadership training in Ignatian Spirituality among Hispanics/Latinos, and help make the Spiritual Exercises more accessible to both of these critical populations.  

“This is an enormous sign of confidence in The Jesuit Collaborative and our mission of promoting the Exercises, training men and women in the ministry, and building community”, said Jim Conroy, S.J., TJC’s Executive Director.  “It is most consoling to be able to say with confidence that our collaboration is bearing abundant fruit.”  

CLIA is a two-year formation program for men and women in their twenties and thirties, which draws from the Spiritual Exercises and is designed to nurture faith-centered leaders so that they can impact society and culture.  The grant will help enable the program to expand to Washington, DC and Syracuse this summer while continuing in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.   In addition to supporting program growth, the grant will help build a sustainable model of operations and develop ongoing formation and support for CLIA alumni, e.g., inviting alumni to work with new cohorts of participants and Jesuit ministries, and offering retreats, spiritual direction, and opportunities to meet.

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Hispanics/Latinos comprise more than 35 percent of the Catholics in the U.S.  They have contributed 71 percent of the growth of the Catholic Church in the United States since 1960, and more than 50 percent of all Catholics in the United States under age 25 are of Hispanic/Latino descent.

TJC has contributed significant resources toward Ignatian Hispanic ministry to date and is well-positioned to build on its work, which includes the Spanish-language track of the Conference on Ignatian Spirituality at Fordham University last year and a number of regional workshops.  The grant will provide start-up funding for staff and program development that leverages existing resources and fosters ministerial leadership within the Hispanic community.  

The initial focus will be on assessing the spiritual needs of the community, identifying existing resources and effective programs, and building relationships and networks within the community.  Initial goals are to determine a sustainable structure for ongoing ministry and to develop training for Hispanic men and women as directors of the Spiritual Exercises.   

TJC’s programs directed toward young adults and the Hispanic/Latino community are intended to form faith-centered leaders who have attained the freedom to grow in intimacy with God and respond to His call to serve.  In reflecting on this generous grant, Jim Conroy, S.J., said, “This generous support will enable us to reach vital and often under-served populations within the Church.   By fostering the growth of Ignatian Spirituality, we’ll see individuals who are more prayerful and self-aware, know how to use the tools of Ignatian Spirituality such as the Examen, and have the ability to make mindful, informed personal and professional decisions using the discernment techniques of the Spiritual Exercises.”