NCR at the Ignatian Family Teach In for Justice

If the news day is a bit slow for you, fear not. This weekend, NCR will be at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, DC. The ITFJ is an annual meeting of Jesuit institutions (mostly colleges and universities) from across the country, gathering to discuss issues of justice, and to become more informed about the issues of our time. Held annually on the anniversary of the Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador, the event brings together over 1,000 people (mostly students) from all parts of the country, inspired by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the mission of the Society of Jesus. Previously, the Teach-In coincided with the annual School of the Americas Protest at Fort Benning, Georgia. However, in 2010, the decision was made to shift the event to our nation's capitol, where students would have the opportunity to engage in direct legislative advocacy.

This weekend, keynote speakers include Sister Simone Campbell (See Tom Fox's recent profile here: http://ncronline.org/news/women-religious/lobbyist-sister-finds-celebrity-after-democratic-convention), Fr. Fred Kammer, S.J., Former Lost Boy Gabriel Bol Deng,  and Merlys Mosquera Chamat, regional director of Jesuit Refugee Services in Latin America and the Caribbean. All in all, it should be a very exciting and educational weekend.

Stay tuned all weekend for news and updates.

To see NCR coverage of the Teach-In from past years, visit the links below.

Cole Stangler's coverage from 2010: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/ignatian-family-teach-justice ; http://ncronline.org/news/peace-justice/1200-jesuit-students-converge-nations-capital

A reflection on last year's conference by Young Voices' Jocelyn Sideco, check out: http://ncronline.org/blogs/longing-new-unbroken-church

And Josh McElwee's overview of the 2010 shift from Georgia to DC: http://ncronline.org/news/annual-soa-teach-moving-dc