Jesuit Journeys
Winter 2007

The Jesuit Partnership:
A True Partnership in Praise and Thanks

Fr. Dick McGarrity, SJ
President,The Jesuit Partnership

In the many dealings I have with our donors to the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus through our Jesuit Partnership, by letter or e-mail or personally, I have been impressed by the various motives they have in supporting us. There are, of course, common motives by all of them.

For example, all of our donors have a real affection for Jesuits and the work that they have done or are doing throughout the world to advance the Kingdom of God. A second common and closely related motive is for our donors to show gratitude to God by giving to the Jesuits who they are convinced are advancing God’s work on earth.

There are also a number of specific reasons why a donor wishes to support us as distinguished from other worthy causes. For many, their reasons relate to their educational experience, or that of members of their family at a Jesuit school or college. It is not unusual to hear a donor say that their Jesuit education has changed their whole life or the way they approach life. The same effect has been induced in others from their experience at a Jesuit retreat house or, in some cases, a Jesuit parish. The values they have been taught have served them well as they try to lead their lives for the good of others. Almost always in the above cases individual Jesuits will be mentioned and these donors enjoy recalling them to mind as significant persons who have had a profound impact on their lives.

As a Jesuit it is rather humbling but also rewarding to hear these motives of our donors and the reasons they have for supporting us. What can we do as a response to this generosity?

I can tell you that for me personally I consider it a privilege to be able to express to you the gratitude of all the Jesuits in our Province and other Jesuits we financially support throughout the world. Clearly through your financial contributions you share in the work of the Jesuits and benefit from the graces that flow from them.

You are truly our partners and we promise to remember your intentions in our Masses and prayers. Saint Ignatius himself was insistent that all Jesuits pray for the benefactors because he realized their essential role in allowing the Society he founded to carry out its work.

We are also, of course, pleased to seek out and respond to special requests for prayers that our benefactors make known to us: birthdays, wedding anniversaries, departed loved ones, or for special personal or family needs. At the same time, we ask our benefactors to pray for us. We are all dependent on the graces that God freely bestows on us to learn and to carry out His will and it is right and proper that we ask God for them.

So, the Jesuits and their benefactors do form a true partnership in which we all join together in praising and thanking God.