The Ignatian tradition sprang up in the sixteenth century, the fruit of graces bestowed on a Basque nobleman, Ignatius of Loyola. Guided by a passion to find God in all things, Ignatius and his first companions founded the Society of Jesus and inspired many other religious orders and lay movements. Their influence spread across the globe even as they embraced various aspects of the cultures, languages, and institutions they encountered.

This introduction—a mere sampling of the men and women influenced by Ignatius—draws on the stories and writings of nineteen exemplary individuals as well as the corporate voice of the Jesuit order. Here we meet missionaries, scholars, artists, advocates, and martyrs. Contemplatives in action, they follow Christ by serving others. They embody the freedom born of a passionate knowledge of God’s unending, unconditional love; precisely in this, they show us how to live well today.

Eileen Burke-Sullivan, PhD, is a theologian, spiritual director, liturgist, and musician. She currently teaches at Creighton University where she also directs the Master of Arts in Ministry program. A well-known lecturer, she has served as a lay ecclesial minister in both parish and diocesan settings, and as a national and international leader in the Ignatian-inspired Christian Life Community movement.

Kevin F. Burke, SJ, is a theologian, poet, and younger brother of Dr. Burke-Sullivan. He currently serves as the acting president and academic dean of the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. He recently edited Pedro Arrupe: Essential Writings and coedited (with Robert Lassalle-Klein) Love that Produces Hope, a collection of essays on the thought of the Jesuit theologian and martyr, Ignacio Ellacuría.