Men and women over 50 can work for a more just society with the Ignatian Lay Volunteer Corps, which recently expanded its services to the Twin Cities (St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minn.) area.
A program designed to meet the needs of the materially poor, the corps offers men and women over 50 the opportunity to serve those who are poor, to work for a more just society and to grow deeper in Christian faith by reflecting and praying in the Ignatian tradition.
The group began in 1995 under the direction of Jesuit Fathers Jim Conroy and Charlie Costello. It continues to grow in number throughout the nation. Similar groups exist along the East Coast, in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Barbara Castellano, ILVC program director, said the group’s goal is simple —“match up retirees with social service agencies and other volunteer situations that could use their wisdom and experience in service to the poor and help these retirees grow deeper in their faith.”
Corps volunteers grow deeper in their faith by committing to two full days of service per week at a local non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of the materially poor and marginalized people. In addition to volunteering, volunteers participate in both one-on-one spiritual reflection and a monthly group reflection session led by Jesuit Father Dick Rice.
“Volunteers would have the opportunity to relate their volunteering to their relationship to God, to their spirituality,” said Father Rice. “If growing spiritually is acting justly, loving tenderly and walking humbly, this would help people in their justice commitment, in exploring the tenderness of their own hearts in being with the people that they’re serving, and remembering that they’re always servants of God.”
Volunteers currently are active in programs such as Project for Pride in Living and Catholic Charities. New projects are always in the workings — and several are cuurrently being investigated — and the ILVC is eager to make new connections.
For further information in becoming an ILVC volunteer or project site, call Andréa Kish-Bailey, ILVC regional director at 763-862-3792.
This article originally appeared in The Catholic Spirit, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis, and is reprinted with permission.
