Success Stories

 Ignatius Jesuit Centre

During the fall, the Foundation for Rural Living was invited on a  tour of the Ignatius Jesuit Centre (IJC) here in Guelph.  Several  of us had never been to the grounds before, nor did we realize what it had to offer.  It opened our eyes to see what is available right under our noses. 

Ignatius Jesuit Centre Farm Store Photo taken by Agnes Wagner, RDO

Nancy Britton , Project Co-ordinator, and Jen Mason, Rural Development Officer, took the time to meet with us and talk about the many programs and services offered on the site, as well as take us for a leisurely walk around the property.  

Jen’s RDO placement was divided between Ignatius Jesuit Centre and the Jane Goodall Institute: Roots & Shoots, also located on the Ignatius grounds.  Recently Jen signed a contract with Roots & Shoots as a Writing Consultant. She will be working with the National Offices in both Canada and the US authoring a series of program guide books.  Through the RDO program, Jen has been provided many opportunities to increase her writing skills discover the grant writing process and learn about the fundraising field.  Over the past several months, she has written and submitted grants under the supervision of Nancy Britton, for a forest conservation project of the Ecology Project of the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice. In addition, Jen attended a meeting with the Environmental Education Committee at IJC to discuss plans for the future.

Farm and Land

The English-Canadian Jesuits have been on this land since January 1913. They bought a farm of 300 acres just north of Guelph and established a "novitiate", or formation centre for Jesuit novices. While the land is no longer home to a novitiate, it is well-known to Jesuits and others around the world.

Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Guelph Today

The Jesuits who remain in Guelph today are living on the property and at Holy Rosary Parish on Emma Street in Guelph. They are involved in a variety of works:

• Loyola House, the internationally-renown retreat house
• Holy Rosary Parish
• the Ecology Project (of the Jesuit Centre for Social Faith and Justice)
  
  

Community Shared Agriculture

The Ignatius Farm CSA (Community Farm Agriculture) practices organic agriculture, and fosters community, while affirming commitment to the land and environment.  A CSA is designed to link consumers with farmers in the growing of organic food.   Each member commits to a share in the farm and pays for it in four installments before the beginning of the growing season, guaranteeing the farmer income for the season.  This type of farm is a creative alternative to keep small rural farms viable, allowing farmers to stay on their land.

Working with Local Youth
Students attending John R. Ross who are interested in considering a future working in forestry or forestry management are participating in a unique test project at Ignatius Jesuit Centre. A collaborative project between the school and the centre exists where students are mentored by a supervisor as they participate in this program which teaches them forestry management training and forestry skills.  In addition, students are provided with hands on opportunities for milling wood.  A wood mill has been set up beside the workshop that takes the raw logs in and produces wood that is suitable for working.   Participants receive tangible skills and are provided with a unique internship. 

Loyola House Retreat Centre

Founded in 1964 as the Guelph Centre of Spirituality, Loyola House is a Jesuit Retreat and Training Centre ~ a welcoming space where women and men are dedicated to nurturing a deeper spirituality in people, leading to inner freedom and loving service. Loyola House is available for meetings, conferences and retreats.

Loyola House is located on 600 acres of beautiful farmland, wetland and woodland and has helped over 60,000 retreatants from around the world in the formation of their interior lives.  Over the years, Loyola house has become well known for its role in the growth of the personally directed retreat.

Orchard Park Office Centre

In the last decades of the twentieth century, there was a decline in the number of Jesuits in Guelph and in most parts of the world. Locally, that meant IgnatiusCollege was no longer in scale with the size of the Jesuit Community in Guelph. The building is now rented out as office space.

Orchard Park Office Centre is located ½ km north of Guelph on Highway 6, situated on the grounds of Ignatius Jesuit Centre…A Place of Peace!  Some of the current tenants include: Canadian Mental Health Association, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Upper Grand Teachers Association, and over 40 other businesses.   

The Ignatius Jesuit Centre is a place of peace, spirituality and relaxation. To find out more, please visit their website at: http://www.ignatiusguelph.ca/