American Jesuits International

08/24/2026

This week, Asunción Taboada shared a new reflection from her time in Caraballeda, Venezuela which she visited after the earthquakes that struck the region in June.

In it, she describes watching a man quietly cleaning a rug inside a building the earthquake left standing but broken: a small gesture, and the starting point for a bigger question about what humanitarian work is really for.

"Humanitarian action," she writes, "is 'the set of interventions aimed at saving lives, alleviating suffering, and protecting the dignity of people affected by crises.'" She wrote this traveling alongside the Xavier Network's response teams in Venezuela.

If you haven't had the chance yet, we encourage you to read Asunción's full reflection here: https://americanjesuitsinternational.org/venezuela-emergency-accompanying-without-replacing-responding-without-imposing/

On July 9, I was in Caraballeda, one of the areas most affected by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela a month and a half ago, accompanying the response of the Xavier Network and our local partner organizations. The devastation was still evident and difficult to explain to someone who has not live...

08/21/2026

Survival is not enough.

That's the heart of this month's "A Word From Our Staff" letter — our monthly series where a member of the American Jesuits International team shares what's been on their mind. This time, it's Jenn Hollinger, our Development Manager, writing about World Humanitarian Day and her own years of experience working amid humanitarian crises.

"People should be empowered to come through a crisis with their dignity intact," she writes. "The most lasting solutions belong to the communities themselves...They are the ones who lead."

Read Jenn's full reflection here: https://americanjesuitsinternational.org/a-word-from-our-staff-august-2026/

I spent much of my career working on development projects in some of the world’s most complex operating environments, often in the middle of humanitarian crises. One thing that crystalized for me is that the most lasting solutions belong to the communities themselves. The mothers who know exactly ...

08/19/2026

How do we ensure people don't just survive a crisis, but are also accompanied so their dignity and humanity remain intact?

That's the question we're reflecting on this World Humanitarian Day — a day to celebrate and advocate for the people who respond to disaster, conflict, and displacement around the world.

"In Venezuela, as in every place the Society of Jesus works before, during, and after disaster strikes, that accompaniment depends on committed partners already on the ground, and on the resources to sustain them well past the point when the story stops making news."

That's the measure we're working toward — not just responding to emergencies, but staying present long after they fade from the headlines.

Read more about our work and how we're honoring World Humanitarian Day here: https://americanjesuitsinternational.org/world-humanitarian-day-2026/

08/14/2026

Five years after the earthquake that shook southern Haiti, the emergency is over. The work of rebuilding, together, isn't.

Fr. Robenson Siquitte, S.J., a Jesuit from Haiti, reflects on why real solidarity means staying present long after the cameras leave — and why rebuilding has to happen with communities, not for them.

"It is not enough to rebuild for people; we must rebuild with them."

Read the full reflection here: https://americanjesuitsinternational.org/beyond-the-emergency-accompanying-people-to-preserve-dignity/

Five years ago, on August 14, 2021, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southern Haiti. I remember the images, the uncertainty, and the painful realization that, once again, Haiti was facing a tragedy that would have consequences long after the ground stopped shaking. We cannot look back on that earth...

08/05/2026

Last week Fr. Taroh Amédé, S.J. published a new reflecion on the Feast of St. Ignatius, founder of the Society of Jesus. In it he shared about his Jesuit vocation and how Ignatian values continue to inspire transformative education, works of justice, and a commitment to service worldwide.

If you haven't had the chance to do so already, we encourage you to read this reflection here:

My first personal encounter with St. Ignatius of Loyola, the man whose feast we celebrate today, came in 2008 when I was applying to join the Society of Jesus. As part of the discernment process, young men aspiring to become Jesuits are invited to live a period of candidacy. The exact length of this...

07/31/2026

The legacy of St. Ignatius of Loyola is not confined to history—it is lived every day.

Today, Jesuits and their lay collaborators continue to accompany communities facing poverty, displacement, conflict, and natural disasters around the world. In Venezuela, following the devastating earthquakes in June, Jesuits like Fr. Txuo Rodríguez Villarroel, S.J., General Director of Unidos en la Misión , have remained alongside their communities. Inspired by ignatian values, schools became shelters, parishes became distribution centers, and neighbors came together to bring hope where it was needed most.

On this Feast of St. Ignatius, we celebrate the women and men who continue his mission through lives of service, solidarity, and justice.

Happy Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola!

07/31/2026

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, whose remarkable journey from soldier to saint continues to inspire millions around the world.

Following his conversion, St. Ignatius dedicated his life to seeking God in all things and serving others with generosity, courage, and compassion. His Spiritual Exercises and the Society of Jesus have shaped nearly five centuries of faith in action, calling people to walk alongside those on the margins and work for a more just world.

As we celebrate his feast day, we give thanks for his enduring witness and the countless lives transformed by the mission he began.

Happy Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola!

07/24/2026

One month after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, the cameras have moved on—but the emergency has not ended.

More than 4,490 people have lost their lives, 6.7 million people have been affected, and thousands of families continue to rebuild what was lost. Within Fe y Alegría Venezuela alone, 25 educational centers sustained significant damage, disrupting the education of more than 15,000 students.

As Fr. Jesús "Txuo" Rodríguez Villarroel, S.J., reminds us:
"The emergency is not over; it has entered a new phase."

Today, the work is rebuilding schools, restoring livelihoods, and accompanying families as they recover with dignity and hope.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed, donated, and shared this emergency with others. Your generosity is helping our Jesuit partners continue walking alongside the people of Venezuela—until every student returns to a safe classroom, every family can rebuild, and every community receives the support it needs.

📖 Read our latest update and reflection from Fr. Txuo, S.J. here:

One month after the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela, the immediate crisis may have faded from international headlines, but for thousands of families, the long-term process of recovery is just beginning. Earlier this week, we reached out to Fr. Jesús “Txuo” Rodríguez Villarroel, S...

07/21/2026

Join the Jesuit family for a Global Prayer Vigil for Venezuela on Friday, July 24 at 9 a.m. ET.

The vigil will be held in Spanish, with simultaneous translations into English and French. The prayer service will include the participation of the provincial of Venezuela, together with representatives from Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría, Jesuit Refugee Service and other Jesuit works involved in the emergency response, as well as testimonies, prayers, Scripture and music.

17 Friday, July 24
9 a.m. ET.
vigilia.feyalegria.org

07/09/2026

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans are still facing uncertainty and profound loss in the aftermath of the twin earthquakes on June 24. In the areas impacted, our Jesuit partners are providing immediate aid, accompanying families and communities, and beginning to plan for long-term recovery.

Next week we will have the opportunity to hear from three of our partners who are helping to accompany and implement this response.

- Asunción Taboada Lanza, Emergency Coordinator of the Xavier Network.
- Fr. Edgar Magallanes, S.J., Country Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Venezuela.
- Juan Andrés Carderera, Fe y Alegría Venezuela, Finance and Communications Team.

Asunción, Fr. Edgar, and Juan Andrés will provide us with a live update on the current situation in Venezuela, how Jesuit organizations are responding to the crisis, and what the long-term recovery efforts will look like. Please join us for this important event, co-sponsored by American Jesuits International and Canadian Jesuits International.

Register here: https://bit.ly/JesuitVenezuelaResponse