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Our Jesuit Identity

Enlivened by the spirit of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, our parish is unique among the many distinguished places of Catholic worship in the Archdiocese of Boston. We are blessed by close proximity to a great university steeped in Ignatian tradition; yet we enjoy our own distinct identity as a microcosm of Jesuit ministry—one that is grounded in a desire to collaborate in building the kingdom of God. We are both humbled and energized by the great responsibility that our unique status imposes on us.

Individually and as a parish community, our faith journey is animated by two fundamental Ignatian ideals: to seek God in all things, and to evolve as persons for others. Toward these ends, we are guided by the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius's own prescription for how we might actively transform our view of the world and our lives, and especially how we might grow in our relationship with God. At the heart of the Exercises is the process of discernment—the prayerful attentiveness and prompt responsiveness to God's guidance and counsel—which provides the roadmap for discovering our true direction as people and as parish. Our willing disposition to being guided by the spirit of the Exercises enriches our parish mission and imparts a special flavor to our most cherished activities:

  • Prayer, both individual and communal, that can bring us into greater union with one another and with God, and the opportunity to explore ways to incorporate prayer into our everyday lives.

  • An expressive and participative liturgy that actively employs Ignatian imagination as a means of praising God and drawing us together as Eucharist.

  • Outreach ministries born of the desire to serve others, particularly the poor, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised; and

  • Lifelong educational opportunities that form and reform our faith and which can serve as nourishment for our going spiritual journey.

Through these and other vibrant parish pursuits, we achieve greater intimacy with our good and gracious God, who we recognize is ever at work in our lives—inviting, shepherding, guiding, calling us to discipleship, disposing us for service.​

With our gaze focused ever upward, and stirred by our beloved patron saint's charge—AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM—emblazoned in gold high in our church's beautiful sanctuary, we boldly embrace both our Ignatian heritage and our commitment to strive selflessly "for the greater glory of God."

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