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WESTCOAST COMPANIONS
A WEBSITE FOR FORMER JESUITS AND THEIR FAMILIES
About thirty years ago Robert Holstein, a former Jesuit seminarian who had gone on to a successful career as an attorney, began organizing reunions with classmates from the Jesuit provinces in California and Oregon. With the cooperation of Father Paul Belcher, then the California provincial, efforts were made to contact as many former Jesuits as possible for a yearly reunion. This was the beginning of the Companions, as we came to call ourselves following the example of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the order. For many years until the pandemic we got together early each February at the Villa Maria retreat house in Santa Cruz on a bluff overlooking the ocean. It was a time to enjoy each other’s company, talk about our individual spiritual journeys, and also see how we might continue something of an Ignatian apostolate.
At a meeting in Rome Father Kolvenbach, then the head of the Jesuit order, gave Bob his blessing for our work, suggesting that in a way we were still Jesuits regardless of our present careers or even our religious orientation.
Soon enough we also incorporated our group as a non-profit organization in order to pass on tax-exempt donations to various causes both here and overseas. Also, we began to listen to the wives who wanted to be with us at our gatherings and so now we include women among our roster of Companions and members of our board.
Almost from the beginning we began to use email listservs as a way of exchanging views throughout the year. Since the pandemic we also have Zoom meetings twice a week for anyone interested. There are no dues and no other formalities for membership. Our only restriction as a non-profit group is that we take no official positions on political issues.
Presently we have Companions throughout the world, not just from the two westcoast provinces that have now merged to be Jesuits West. Our membership includes present and former Jesuits as well as individuals with a close connection (family or otherwise) to the Jesuit world. There will be a form further on in the site for you to let us know who you are. This site is still under construction
At a meeting in Rome Father Kolvenbach, then the head of the Jesuit order, gave Bob his blessing for our work, suggesting that in a way we were still Jesuits regardless of our present careers or even our religious orientation.
Soon enough we also incorporated our group as a non-profit organization in order to pass on tax-exempt donations to various causes both here and overseas. Also, we began to listen to the wives who wanted to be with us at our gatherings and so now we include women among our roster of Companions and members of our board.
Almost from the beginning we began to use email listservs as a way of exchanging views throughout the year. Since the pandemic we also have Zoom meetings twice a week for anyone interested. There are no dues and no other formalities for membership. Our only restriction as a non-profit group is that we take no official positions on political issues.
Presently we have Companions throughout the world, not just from the two westcoast provinces that have now merged to be Jesuits West. Our membership includes present and former Jesuits as well as individuals with a close connection (family or otherwise) to the Jesuit world. There will be a form further on in the site for you to let us know who you are. This site is still under construction