By Anastasia Pinto
The Lay Centre opened its doors to a group of graduate students and faculty from Loyola University Chicago’s Institute of Pastoral Studies (IPS) on June 6, 2025. The session, titled “Crossing Borders with Disponibilità,“ was centered on the work of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS).
The afternoon of dialogue, encounter, and reflection was introduced by Dr. Filipe Domingues, director of The Lay Centre who warmly welcomed all participants, including students led by Dr. Michael Canaris, a Lay Centre alumnus and Associate Professor of Ecclesiology at Loyola University Chicago.
The JRS team included Rev. David Holdcroft, SJ (Head of Economic Inclusion), Arnout Mertens (International Director of Programmes & Innovation), and Madelaine Kuns (International Director of Communications and Fundraising).
Founded in 1980 by Fr. Pedro Arrupe SJ, then Superior General of the Society of Jesus, JRS began as a response to the plight of Vietnamese refugees following the war. Since then, JRS has grown into a global mission active in over 50 countries, dedicated to accompanying, serving, and advocating on behalf of refugees and forcibly displaced people.
The JRS team introduced participants to the scope and depth of their work, which is grounded in core values such as dignity, solidarity, participation, compassion, hospitality, hope, and justice. At its core, JRS is committed to walking alongside those at the margins—offering not only material assistance but also the hope of a dignified future.
Throughout the event, presentations highlighted both the current refugee landscape and the innovative responses being implemented by JRS worldwide. In a world marked by displacement and disconnection, this meeting was a reminder that accompaniment and disponibilità—a spirit of generous availability—can indeed cross borders and build bridges.
