Ignatian Volunteer Corps

= Mission =

The Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) exists to address the greatest social needs of U.S. cities with the experience and skills of mature adults. Ignatian Volunteers, men and women age 50 and older, donate 600 hours of service a year and are supported and sustained by IVC’s unique spiritual reflection program.

History

In response to both the growing retired and semi-retired community in the U.S. and the desire of mature adults to express their faith in the light of Vatican II, Jim Conroy S.J. and Charlie Costello S.J. launched Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC). IVC began in September 1995 with eleven Ignatian Volunteers in three cities (Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C.). Ignatian Volunteers began by serving children and adults in need and reflecting together on their service experiences. Today, IVC has almost three hundred volunteers working in 14 regions across the country. The organization relies on a network of Regional Directors and Regional Councils, led by an Executive Director and a national Board of Directors. The IVC national office is located in Baltimore, MD.

In 2002, Jim Conroy stepped down from the Executive director position in order to continue his Jesuit mission of service elsewhere. He still maintains contact with IVC and serves on the Board of Directors.

On October 29th, 2004, Charlie Costello passed away from ill health.

The Program

Ignatian Volunteers commit to 600 hours of service (roughly two days a week) in a year. IVC works with partner community organizations addressing a myriad of social ills and working to create a more just world. After being accepted into IVC, an Ignatian Volunteer visits one or more service sites from among those suggested by the Regional Director and discerns the best fit. Ignatian Volunteers receive no material compensation for their work, remain in their own homes and continue to be involved in their family, parish and community activities.

“We had the experience but missed the meaning.” This quote by T.S. Eliot from “The Four Quartets” is frequently referenced within IVC literature. It refers to IVC’s focus on reflection as one is engaged in service. [Ignatian Volunteer Corps, “Your most important work may begin after you retire.” January 2007. Brochure.] In order to encourage Ignatian Volunteers not to “miss the meaning” of their service, IVC offers a strong program of reflection based in the Ignatian tradition. The program includes journaling, one-on-one spiritual conversations, group reflection and sharing, and retreats.

IVC's Roots

IVC accepts and encourages Ignatian volunteers of all Christian faiths. The program itself is rooted in the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. While members of the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, are members of a religious order, IVC is one way among many for lay people to experience Ignatian spirituality. Ignatian spirituality is the practice of taking time to reflect and pray, to imitate Jesus and to discern God’s calling. IVC borrows much from St. Ignatius of Loyola - his compassion; his commitment to people who are poor, marginalized, and abandoned; his desire to serve and bring about reconciliation in the world through love. [ [http://www.companysj.com/gc34/gc34synops.html Documents of General Congregation 34 - A Synopsis ] ] IVC encourages its Volunteers to proceed in such a way of pilgrimage and labor in Christ.

The concepts of mission and reflection surface frequently in the Spiritual Reflection component of IVC. To a follower of Ignatian spirituality, service and reflection reinforce each other and seek to unite the volunteer with a very real notion of charity and, therefore, mission to live as “men and women for others”. Ignatius writes in The Spiritual Exercises, "Consider the address which Christ our Lord makes to all his servants and friends whom He sends on this enterprise, recommending to them to seek to help all, first by attracting them to the highest spiritual poverty, and should it please the Divine Majesty, and should he deign to choose them for it, even to actual poverty." IVC promotes in mature adults the expression of divine love through service of and in the world.

2007 CARA Study

In January 2007, IVC turned to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University in order to better understand the effect of IVC on its former and current Ignatian Volunteers, spouses and spiritual reflectors. The resulting national survey of volunteers found that over 93% felt that their service in IVC had helped them feel that they were spending their retirement in a fulfilling way. [Ignatian Volunteer Corps: Survey of Volunteers, Spouses, and Spiritual Reflectors, CARA Study, January 2007: p. 41] 91% of volunteers felt that the spiritual reflection component of IVC had somewhat or very much helped them to see God in the people they served. [Ignatian Volunteer Corps: Survey of Volunteers, Spouses, and Spiritual Reflectors, CARA Study, January 2007: p. 46] One volunteer said, “The most satisfying [experience] was the looks on the faces of nearly a dozen cook-trainees when I responded to an inquiry by one of them as to why I did this individual resource for them. I answered: “Because I love you.” The silence was absolute for maybe a minute and then they all stood as one and applauded; at least four of us were crying.” [Ignatian Volunteer Corps: Survey of Volunteers, Spouses, and Spiritual Reflectors, CARA Study, January 2007: p. 57]

External links

* [http://www.ivcusa.org Ignatian Volunteer Corps]
* [http://www.jesuit.org Society of Jesus in the U.S.A.]
* [http://www.cnvs.org Catholic Network of Volunteer Services]
* [http://www.mdsj.org The Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus]

References