Connecting with Chile and Bolivia

Bishop Subercaseaux of Osorno welcomes the first Maryland Jesuits to arrive in Chile. This year marks the 50th year of the Maryland Province's service to the Chilean Province.

More than 70 years have passed since Gustave Weigel, SJ, arrived in Chile. Several years after he arrived in 1937 as a member of the Maryland-New York Province of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Weigel became dean of the School of Theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. He soon proposed that the Chile Province send some scholastics to the United States to study theology.

In 1959, six Maryland Jesuits answered the call from Bishop Francisco Vales Subercaseaux of Osorno, to staff a school, Colegio San Mateo. In the past 50 years, some 50 Jesuits have gone to Chile to serve the people in Osorno, in Santiago and in Arica. This fall marks the Golden Anniversary of the arrival of the "First Fathers." The relationship between the two provinces of Maryland and Chile has flourished during those years.

Just as the Maryland Province formalized the relationship between the Chilean Province and the Maryland Province with a twinning agreement, the Maryland Province has also established a formal twinning agreement with the Bolivia Province on the other side of the Andes.

To celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the Maryland-Chile connection, the Maryland Jesuits who have served in Chile are featured in Ignatian Imprints' summer 2009 edition. Several have sent photos and personal observations about their days there. Read more.

John Henry, SJ: Earthquake country
Don Ward, SJ: Belonging to a family
Fran Gillespie, SJ: Lessons from children
Tom Gavin, SJ: 'My sons' in the orphanage
Jerry Fitzpatrick SJ: Many roles, many chances to grow
Nicholas Rashford, SJ: Part of a vital group
Henry Haske, SJ: 'You have touched half of the people's lives.'
William Sudzina, SJ: Photos from the early days
Rick Malloy, SJ: Warm welcome on a cold night

Visit the links below to learn more about the twinning agreements and about the growing relationship between the Maryland Province and those of Chile and Bolivia.

Chile

History of the Twinning Agreement

United in Mission as servants of Christ in the world

Historia del Acuerdo de Hermanamiento

Unidos en misión, como servidores de Cristo en el mundo

Maryland Jesuits in Chile

Jesuitas Chilenos que han estudiado en USA

Letter from John Henry, SJ

Bolivia

Strategic Plan 2006 (pdf) espanol

United in Mission as servants of Christ in the world