Dear Jesuits and Partners in Ministry,

The 32nd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus provided a focus for Jesuit apostolic vision that has very much become the fabric of our way of proceeding in Jesuit life and ministry over the last 30 years. In the documents of that Congregation, the Society of Jesus articulated a bold mission, a commitment to faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ that is intimately linked to our baptismal call in the Church to put our faith into loving action toward others. 

The way to faith and the way to justice are inseparable ways.  It is up this undivided road, this steep road, that the pilgrim Church must travel and toil. Faith and Justice are undivided in the gospel, which teaches that faith makes its power felt through love.  They cannot therefore be divided in our purpose, our action, our life.  (GC 32, Doc. 2, no.8)

Recognizing that there are many ways to live this gospel imperative, I write this letter to invite you to an annual opportunity that brings the call to faith and justice together.  In Columbus, Georgia, November 18 to 20, 2005, we will once again commemorate the lives of the six Jesuits and their two lay women co-workers who were assassinated on November 16, 1989, in El Salvador. 

The highlight of this commemoration is the Ignatian Family Teach-In on Friday and Saturday in conjunction with the effort to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), formerly known as the School of the Americas (SOA) in Fort Benning, Georgia.  There are many views about the nature and direction of WHINSEC, and respectful discussion and dialogue about this are important. 

The annual focus of the weekend is a call to close a program that has trained soldiers responsible for the murders of thousands of people in El Salvador and other countries, including our beloved Jesuits and their co-workers at the University of Central America.  It is also an invitation to re-examine our Gospel values and become more aware of how we make their presence felt in the world.

The Ignatian Family Teach-In brings together students, faculty, and staff from Jesuit universities, high schools, and parishes throughout the United States.  Emphasizing the commitment of Jesuit education to a faith that does justice, the teach-in is an opportunity to reflect and pray together, and celebrate our common commitment to this faith.

I look forward to personally welcoming groups and individuals from the California Province, especially at the liturgy on Saturday evening, at which I have been invited by the Ignatian Solidarity Network to preside and preach.  The vigil at the gates of Fort Benning will take place on Sunday morning.  Additional information about the weekend activities can be found at www.ignatiansolidarity.net and www.soaw.org.

The gospel of Jesus Christ, the Church in which we profess our faith, and the Society of Jesus remind us that faith and justice are inseparable and that, ultimately, faith and justice must show themselves in love.  People may choose to participate in the Ignatian Family Teach-In and the activities of WHINSEC/SOA Watch for many reasons, but we, as members of the Jesuit-Ignatian Family, must participate in a spirit of love, a love that manifests itself in deeds and not just words. 

As we continue to walk the Way of Jesus together, let us walk this steep road in solidarity as companions who believe in the promise of the Gospel, that its promise of faith, justice and peace will be fulfilled for all people, near to home and far away.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. John P. McGarry, S.J.
Provincial