What Do We Do?
Outreach and Education
Education & Capacity-building
The Jesuit Conference’s Secretariat for Social and International Ministry (JSIM) seeks to raise awareness and facilitate dialogue and action on social justice issues throughout the Ignatian family in several ways. Through Jesuit Advocates, the office provides updates on policy developments and alerts individuals to important times to exercise their civic voice with Congress. Through a reflection series on Iraq and In All Things, the Jesuit Journal of the Social Apostolate, we seek to raise awareness and facilitate reflection on social justice issues of concern to the Society. (see www.inallthings.org.) Finally, JSIM offers advocacy trainings for groups to build their skills in advocating in “solidarity with the least and with all.”
Liaison
JSIM works closely with Provincial Assistants for Social and International Ministry on all of these initiatives through the Jesuit Commission on Social and International Ministries (JCSIM). With these Provincial Assistants, we also liaise with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, the Ignatian Solidarity Network, the Jesuit Refugee Service, and other institutions in the Ignatian family.
Outreach to Social Ministries
JSIM seeks to outreach to and accompany social ministries throughout the Society of Jesus in the United States. Some examples of this include JSIM’s outreach with pro-life ministries, native american ministries, inner-city ministries, hispanic ministries, youth ministries and peace and justice ministries.
Social Research and Analysis
In order to “read the signs of the times” to facilitate the Society’s apostolic decision-making and action in the United States, JSIM coordinates mechanisms for dialogue among and between social ministers, scholars in Jesuit institutions, and others in the social sector on issues of interest to the Society. These efforts seek to understand more profoundly the impact of Jesuit works on individuals and communities they serve.
Legislative and Corporate Advocacy
- Domestic Poverty: affordable housing, minimum wage, and Gulf Coast recovery
- War and Violence: Plan Colombia, Iraq, and Anti-Torture
- Africa: war and peace, and HIV/AIDS
- Migration: Immigration Reform and collaboration with Jesuit Refugee Service
Through the National Jesuit Committee on Investment Responsibility(NJCIR), JSIM also engages in corporate advocacy to promote human rights and water sustainability through dialouges with corporations, shareholder resolutions, and proxy voting.