Ignatian Leadership Program and Footsteps of Ignatius Pilgrimage
The Ignatian Leadership Program
The Ignatian Leadership Program meets monthly to prepare participants for the capstone of the Footsteps of Ignatius Pilgrimage. The Pilgrimage will bring participants to Spain and Italy visiting the important sites in the life of St. Ignatius Loyola and early Jesuits. Sacred sites include Loyola Castle (family home, birthplace, and location of St. Ignatius’ conversion), the cave of Manresa, Montserrat, Vatican City, Church of the Gesu, and Gregorian University. The Footsteps of Ignatius Pilgrimage takes place annually in late May or early June.
About the Pilgrimage
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ draws from a rich heritage that goes back to 16th century Spain when a visionary young man, Ignatius of Loyola, responded to God’s call. A select group of university faculty and staff will travel together to Spain and Rome in the footsteps of St. Ignatius and the early Jesuits. We will visit places that shaped Saint Ignatius’ life and spirituality and gain an appreciation for the historical and cultural context that gave birth to the Society of Jesus. In places of great historical and religious significance – such as Loyola, Xavier, Montserrat, Manresa, Barcelona and Rome – we will have a chance to learn about Ignatius and gain an appreciation for our role as members of the Ignatian family and as those who preserve his heritage in our own day and time. Our program combines guided visits, liturgies in moving historical sites, and cultural and culinary activities in the breathtaking Spanish countryside and the fascinating urban center of Rome. Throughout the program, we will have an opportunity to discuss how St. Ignatius’ work and life shape the mission and identity of our institution and how this heritage continues to be relevant in our own day and implemented in the work we do.Want to Apply?
Faculty and staff considering an application for the 2026-2027 Ignatian Leadership Program are invited to consider the following:
1. How do you understand your work as part of the University's Ignatian tradition and mission?
2. Have you engaged in other mission-related programming or activities in your time at The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ? Please describe those experiences. (Examples can include service to your local community outside of the university.)
3. How do you anticipate this experience to enrich and animate your work at The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ? Please feel free to draw from other experiences you listed above to answer this question.
This program is open to all our diverse faculty and staff. Our preparation meetings will be devoted to conversation about the Ignatian tradition and the spirit of Jesuit higher education. Our time abroad will include stops in places of significance in the spiritual life of St. Ignatius, and our itinerary features daily mass and discussions on how to bring that spiritual understanding back to The University. Those considering an application should be prepared to participate actively in group conversations and (while on pilgrimage) exercise mindful presence in religious settings, as appropriate to one's own identity.