programming based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and a six-week series of parent faith and theology programs on topics such as St. Ignatius and His Legacy, Different Ways to Pray and Making Moral Decisions. In March 2015, we welcomed Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ, to Loyola to speak to our school community. Widely known for his groundbreaking work in gang prevention in East Los Angeles, Fr. Boyle spoke to our students about the Gospel theme of kinship and the lessons that he learned from his two decades at the helm of Homeboy Industries, a gang-intervention program in Los Angeles County. His powerful message that justice can only be achieved through kinship resonated deeply with our Ramblers and their parents. After the school year ended, 247 juniors—nearly half of our Class of 2016—participated in 26 service trips throughout the U.S. and across international borders. During these trips, which took place in settings that ranged from urban soup kitchens to Appalachian day camps to impoverished villages in Central America, they fulfilled the Ignatian imperative of “helping souls” while learning about social inequities and reflecting on social justice issues. Whenever I have the privilege of visiting our summer service sites, I am always inspired and gratified by the generosity and kindness of our students. If you are a parent reading this, thank you for entrusting us with the faith formation of such amazing Ramblers!
A Night of Solidarity with Chicago’s Homeless: It was the fourth coldest November on record, but the plummeting mercury didn’t stop 65 Ramblers from distributing food and clothing to Uptown’s homeless and camping out in cardboard boxes to experience the plight of homelessness firsthand. After a sleepless night, the chilled and weary campers were encouraged to reflect on the sobering realities of life on the streets and ask themselves: What more can I do to help the world’s hungry and homeless?
Gary A. Marando Vice President of Mission and Ministry
A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 1 4 – 2 0 15
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