My cousin Julie recently completed a massive genealogical project tracking my father's family. Seeing obvious family resemblances in formal pictures five generations old and in recent snapshots of many-times-removed cousins made me marvel at the intricacies of human relatedness, all traced to my great-grandfather Anton, who emigrated from Germany 124 years ago.

I'm part of another family too, of course, The Society of Jesus. We number more than 20,000 worldwide and serve as priests and Brothers in 138 countries on 6 continents. We trace our kindred origin to St. Ignatius of Loyola, who emigrated from Spain about 480 years ago.

This edition of Jesuit Journeys has stories of different fathers, priests and laity alike, who are fathers in different ways. Like great grandfather Anton and St. Ignatius, they help remind me that we all have but one Father who has created us to be brothers and sisters of one another.

I think it is important to remember we are all made in the image and likeness of the One who sent His only Son to reveal the destiny in store for us. I pray that the Holy Spirit might remind us who we are and what we are made to become.

God bless you with much comfort and peace.

Your brother in the Lord, James E. Grummer, SJ Provincial