ignatiansolidarity.net

The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) is a national social justice education and advocacy organization inspired by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Its mission is to "network, educate, and form advocates for social justice animated by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the witness of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador and their companions." So the short answer to how Ignatian spirituality shapes ISN's work is this: the spirituality is not a decorative layer on top of activism—it is the animating force behind who ISN forms, how it educates, and what it advocates for. This matters most if you are connected to a Jesuit university, high school, or parish, or to another Catholic or social justice partner looking for formation and advocacy resources.

The two spiritual anchors behind ISN's mission

ISN's own mission statement names two distinct sources of inspiration, and they work together:

• The spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola — the discernment tradition that asks people to notice where they are being moved, and to act on that movement in service of others.
• The witness of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador and their companions — the six Jesuits, their housekeeper, and her daughter killed at the Universidad Centroamericana in 1989, along with the broader community of witnesses. Their deaths turned an abstract commitment to justice into a concrete, costly example.

The pairing is deliberate. Ignatian spirituality supplies the method of reflection and discernment; the martyrs supply the proof that this reflection leads somewhere demanding.

From spirituality to education and advocacy

ISN describes itself as working in three connected modes: network, educate, and form. Ignatian spirituality shapes each one:

The practical takeaway: if you come to ISN expecting a single-issue campaign, you will find something broader—a formation process aimed at changing how people see and act.

What this looks like in specific programs

ISN's site highlights several initiatives that show the spirituality-to-action translation:

• Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice — an annual gathering that brings the Ignatian family together for education, reflection, and advocacy. It is the clearest example of the network-educate-form model operating at scale.
• Rise Up — a formation and advocacy initiative aimed at mobilizing people around justice concerns.
• Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance — a concrete expression of justice commitments in institutional purchasing decisions, connecting economic choices to ethical ones.

Each of these takes an Ignatian premise—that faith is expressed in action and that discernment should lead to commitment—and gives it a programmatic home.

Who this is for, and how to engage

ISN states that it works primarily with Jesuit universities, high schools, and parishes, as well as other Catholic and social justice partners. If you belong to one of those institutions, the most direct entry points are:

1. Join the mailing list — the site's primary call to action, useful for staying current on news, stories, and program announcements.
2. Explore the Teach-In — if you are a student, educator, or campus minister, this is the flagship entry point into ISN's formation work.
3. Look at the advocacy and purchasing initiatives — if your institution wants to align its operations with its stated justice commitments.
4. Donate — the site lists donation as a way to support the mission directly.

One practical note: the site's visible calls to action are "Join Mailing List" and "Donate." Pricing details for programs are not specified on the page evidence available, so if cost matters for your participation, check directly with ISN rather than assuming a program is free.

The bottom line

Ignatian spirituality shapes ISN by supplying both its method (discernment, reflection, formation) and its motivation (the witness of the Salvadoran martyrs). The result is an organization that treats social justice advocacy as a form of spiritual formation rather than a separate political activity. If you are part of a Jesuit school, parish, or university—or a partner organization—ISN offers structured ways to turn that tradition into education, networking, and action.

The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) offers four clear ways to engage: join its mailing list, donate, take part in its programs and events (such as the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice and Rise Up), and follow its News and Voices coverage for updates and advocacy opportunities. These options suit different levels of commitment — from staying informed by email to attending national gatherings or giving financially. ISN describes itself as a national social justice education and advocacy organization inspired by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, working primarily with Jesuit universities, high schools, and parishes, as well as other Catholic and social justice partners.

Join the Mailing List

The simplest entry point is the "Join Mailing List" option featured on the site. Subscribing keeps you connected to ISN's news, stories, and advocacy updates without any ongoing commitment.

• What you get: regular communication on ISN's work and ways to act.
• Best for: readers who want to stay informed before deciding on deeper involvement.
• Note: the site lists "subscribe" as a pricing-related signal, but no cost is stated in the available information, so treat the mailing list as a contact channel rather than assuming any terms.

Donate to Support the Work

ISN's mission — to "network, educate, and form advocates for social justice" — is supported in part through donations. A "Donate" option appears alongside the mailing list sign-up.

• Best for: those who want to sustain ISN's education and advocacy work financially.
• What to check: the site does not publish specific giving levels or payment details in the available information, so review the donation page directly for current options.

Take Part in Programs and Events

ISN's involvement opportunities extend beyond email and giving. Its site highlights several named initiatives:

• Best for: students, faculty, parish members, and advocates who want hands-on participation.
• How to start: visit the relevant section of the site for each initiative to see current dates, audiences, and registration details, since these change over time.

Follow News and Voices

The "News and Voices" section is where ISN shares updates and perspectives. Following it is useful if you want to track advocacy opportunities as they arise rather than commit to a program upfront.

• Best for: staying current on social justice issues in the Ignatian network.
• Pairs well with: the mailing list, which can surface new content and actions directly.

Choosing the Right Level of Involvement

• Just exploring? Join the mailing list and read News and Voices.
• Ready to participate? Look into the Teach-In, Rise Up, or the Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance.
• Want to sustain the mission? Donate.

ISN's stated focus is working with Jesuit universities, high schools, and parishes plus other Catholic and social justice partners, so if you are connected to one of those communities, its programs are likely to be a natural fit.

The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) is a national social justice education and advocacy organization inspired by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Based at ignatiansolidarity.net, it works primarily with Jesuit universities, high schools, and parishes, as well as other Catholic and social justice partners. Its stated mission is to "network, educate, and form advocates for social justice animated by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the witness of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador and their companions."

What ISN does

ISN describes its work through three verbs in its mission statement:

• Network — connecting Jesuit institutions, parishes, and partner organizations around shared social justice concerns.
• Educate — providing formation and learning opportunities on social justice issues grounded in Ignatian spirituality.
• Form advocates — helping people move from awareness to action on justice issues.

The organization frames all of this as animated by two sources: the Spiritual Exercises and spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, and the witness of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador (the six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter killed in 1989) and their companions.

Who it serves

ISN's primary audiences, according to its own description, are:

Programs and initiatives

The site's navigation and headings point to several named efforts:

• Rise Up — a recurring ISN initiative (the heading appears alongside its main program areas).
• Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice — an annual gathering that is one of ISN's best-known events, bringing together students and advocates from Jesuit institutions.
• Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance — a program area focused on ethical purchasing consistent with Catholic social teaching.

The site also maintains a News and Stories (also labeled News and Voices) section, which publishes updates and reflections connected to its mission.

How to engage

The homepage offers two direct calls to action:

• Join mailing list — for ongoing news, reflections, and action alerts.
• Donate — to support ISN's work.

If you are a student, educator, or parish member at a Jesuit institution, the Teach-In and Rise Up are the most likely entry points. If you are an organization, the Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance and partner networking may be more relevant.

What ISN is not

ISN is not a Jesuit university, high school, or parish itself — it is a network and advocacy organization that works with those institutions. It is also not a general Catholic charity; its focus is specifically social justice education and advocacy, rooted in Ignatian spirituality and the Salvadoran martyr legacy.

For current program dates, registration details, and any costs, check ignatiansolidarity.net directly, since those specifics change by event and season.

The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) runs a mix of formation, advocacy, and ethical-purchasing programs aimed at Jesuit universities, high schools, parishes, and other Catholic and social justice partners. Its stated mission is to "network, educate, and form advocates for social justice animated by the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola and the witness of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador and their companions." If you are looking for a way to plug in, the main entry points are the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, the Rise Up advocacy and formation work, and the Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance.

How ISN describes its own work

ISN presents itself as a national social justice education and advocacy organization. Its audience is primarily Jesuit institutions — universities, high schools, and parishes — along with other Catholic and social justice partners. That framing matters when you evaluate the programs below: most of them are designed to be run through or with an institution, not as standalone individual memberships.

The site's own navigation groups its activity under headings including "Our Mission," "News and Voices," "Rise Up," "Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice," and "Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance." Those headings are the clearest map of what ISN actually offers.

Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice

This is the flagship gathering listed on the site. It functions as a convening event that brings the Ignatian family together around social justice — combining education, reflection rooted in Ignatian spirituality, and advocacy.

Who it fits: Students, campus ministers, parish groups, and educators at Jesuit institutions who want a shared formation and advocacy experience rather than a self-paced online resource.

What to check before committing: Because it is an event, the practical questions are dates, location, registration cost, and whether your school or parish sends a group. The site does not publish those details in the material available here, so confirm them on the Teach-In page before planning travel or budgeting.

Rise Up

"Rise Up" appears as a distinct heading in ISN's navigation, positioning it as an ongoing advocacy or formation initiative rather than a one-time event. The name suggests a call to action — the kind of program that asks participants to move from learning into public witness or organizing.

How to approach it: Treat Rise Up as the ongoing-engagement track and the Teach-In as the concentrated event. If you want sustained involvement between gatherings, this is the section to explore first. Specific campaign goals, timelines, and participation steps are not detailed in the available site evidence, so read the Rise Up pages directly for current calls to action.

Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance

This is a collaborative initiative, signaled by "Alliance" in its name. It sits at the intersection of faith and consumer or institutional behavior — the idea being that what Catholic institutions buy can reflect Catholic social teaching.

Who it fits: Procurement staff, administrators, and campus or parish committees that influence purchasing decisions, rather than individual advocates looking for a petition or a reading list.

What to verify: Which institutions are participating, what product categories are covered, and what commitments the alliance asks for. These operational details are not in the available evidence, so go to the alliance's own pages.

Choosing among them

Getting started

The site's primary calls to action are Join Mailing List and Donate. The mailing list is the lowest-commitment way to hear about program dates and new initiatives; the site uses "subscribe" language, and no pricing or login requirements are stated in the available material, so confirm any terms when you sign up.

A practical sequence: join the mailing list, then read the Teach-In, Rise Up, and Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance pages to see which matches your role — student, educator, parish member, or institutional decision-maker. If you are part of a Jesuit university, high school, or parish, ask your campus ministry or social justice office whether they already send a group or participate in the alliance; going through an existing institutional connection is usually faster than starting from scratch.