The Jesuit-affiliated Ignatian Volunteer Corps Minneapolis/St. Paul is 20 members strong, and continues to thrive! Since 2002 we have offered an opportunity for retired men and women to work for a more just society while growing in their faith through praying in the Ignatian tradition.
Our volunteers, all retired or semi-retired from their careers, have such broad backgrounds. A former university professor set up and manages the library system at the new Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. A volunteer who has degrees in pharmacy and business management teaches and mentors teens at an alternative high school. A former attorney, who manages the office of Customized Options, led the founders of this non-profit for autistic adults through the corridors of the state capital seeking funding to expand. There are nineteen other IVC volunteers who come with their experience, wisdom and faith supporting service sites in these difficult financial times across the Cities.
Long term partners include AMICUS, CommonBond, Catholic Charities, Hospitality House, Customized Options, Little Brothers: Friends of the Elderly, MN Internship Center-Sabathani, Union Gospel Mission, Cristo Rey Jesuit H.S. and East Side Neighborhood Services.
The Twin Cities IVC community gathers monthly at St. Frances Cabrini Church on the third Friday of the month to pray, reflect and share service experiences during the previous weeks – as well as discuss a book they are reading on social justice or spirituality themes. Three of the meetings are actually full Days of Reflection where the IVC members comes together for Eucharist, and to offer each other a pause to personally contemplate the impact of their volunteering and God’s presence with them.
IVC Volunteers participate regularly in spiritual reflection, an integral part of the IVC experience. The members meet with a spiritual reflector to talk about the meaning of their work with the poor, beyond the service experience itself…and how it is contributes to growing their faith.
Ignatian Volunteers are incredibly generous with their time and talents. Yet our volunteers say over and over again that they receive back so much more than they give. 85% of our volunteers renew their commitment to the IVC program and come back to the program year after year.
We invite you to join us!
