IVC Member Profile: Sr. Mary Helen Beirne, SSJ
By Deacon Tom Baker Sr. Mary Helen Beirne, SSJ, came to IVC with a deep background in education as a teacher and administrator. She served in diocesan leadership roles in Trenton and Baltimore, as a school principal, and as a trainer of teachers for Philadelphia’s Independence Mission Schools. Yet when she approached IVC about volunteering, […]
Coming Full Circle: From Prep Student to IVC Service Corps Member
By Deacon Tom Baker For many IVC volunteers, their placement with a nonprofit organization is a chance to explore a completely new environment. Armand Della Porta, however, ended up back somewhere very familiar: his own alma mater, the Jesuit-run St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia, where as an IVC volunteer he works one to two […]
A Garden of Welcome: IVC and St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center
In its first year of partnership with IVC San Diego, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center in El Cajon has already become a place of meaningful connection and impact. IVC Member Marianne Zundel serves as the Garden Volunteer, helping to create a welcoming and accessible environment for the individuals served there. St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center (SMSC) is […]
Finding Kinship at the Margins: Serving at Father Joe’s Villages
Now in her second year with IVC San Diego, Patty Graham serves in the Chaplaincy Program at Father Joe’s Villages, under the direction of Deacon John Roberts. Father Joe’s Villages is the largest provider of homeless services in the region. Through Patty’s ministry of presence and accompaniment, she reflects on the relationships and insights that […]
A Pilgrimage of Encounter: A Visit to Homeboy Industries & Dolores Mission
On a trip to Los Angeles in early January, IVC San Diego members had the opportunity to step into the vision of cherished belonging – not through reading or reflection alone, but through encounter. A group of 17 participants traveled by bus from San Diego to Los Angeles for a day-long pilgrimage to Homeboy Industries […]
Cherished Belonging in Practice: Jim Chodzko and Kairos House
Fr. Greg Boyle reminds us that kinship is not about fixing problems, but about standing with one another in love. That vision comes alive each week at Kairos House in San Diego, where IVC San Diego Corps Member Jim Chodzko accompanies men who are rebuilding their lives after incarceration. Through listening, presence, and encouragement, Jim’s […]
Meet IVC NE Pennsylvania’s Eric Joseph Esoda – A Calling, a Connection, and a Renewed Purpose
When I found myself with more time and energy to give back to my community, I wasn’t sure where to start. The number of volunteer opportunities in my area was overwhelming – and every organization in need seemed equally noble. But my searches and inquiries kept yielding one organization that approached service in a way […]
Spotlight on IVC Omaha Corps Member Kathy Bigelow
Cassel she was familiar only with the work of the JVC, coming from New Orleans where she had experienced the service of numerous volunteers. When I arrived at New Cassel, Kathy was already here, serving, so I was introduced to the wonderful person she is right away. In NOLA, JVC kids came to us for […]
IVC Virtual Partner: Pope Francis Center
Through IVC’s Virtual Program, Jim Whitney has found a way to use his teaching experience to serve the increasingly vulnerable brothers and sisters in our country’s communities. “I prayed for guidance and felt confident that the Holy Spirit was pointing me to Pope Francis Center. I feel I’m doing precisely the sort of work Jesus […]
IVC Omaha Member Profile: Spotlight on Nancy Miller at Refugee Women Rising
Solidarity is built into every aspect of the work done at Refugee Women Rising (RWR) but it is not without challenge. RWR’s programs flex to accommodate women born in 25 different countries speaking 30 different languages. “Our work is welcoming, relational and as unique as our collaborators,” as stated in Refugee Women Rising’s Impact Report […]