Sometimes our hearts desire more than a job.

Br. Justin DeChance, S.J. - In 1933 I was born in Los Angeles, CA, attended the Minor Seminary and the American School in Chicago, and entered the Society on August 10, 1953. My ministry has included Food Service Director and Sacristan at the Jesuit Retreat House in Los Altos, CA from 1957 to 1959. In 1960 I earned a certificate in Supervision and Management in Nutrition and Food Service from Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, OH, and a diploma as a meat cutter from the National School of Meat Cutting, Toledo, OH. I was Food Service Manager at Sacred Heart Novitiate in Los Gatos, CA from 1960 to 1966. Food Service Manager at the Jesuit Retreat House in Los Altos from 1966 to 1971, Pastoral Minister at St. Clara’s Parish in Santa Clara, CA from 1971 to 1972, Guest Master and Sacristan for the Community at the University of San Francisco, CA from 1972 to 1974, Bookstore Manager, Audio-Visual Coordinator and Attendance Clerk at Loyola High School of Los Angeles from 1974 to 1979, Assistant Administrator and Consultant to the Rector at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, CA from 1979 to 1985. At present, I am the Minister/General Manager of the Sacramento Jesuit Community at Jesuit High School in Sacramento, CA. Since 1984 I have been active in the National Jesuit Brothers’ Conference and was the Vice Chairman from 1992 to 1994 and Chairman from 1994 to 1997. As St. Rene Goupil, Jesuit Brother said, “God has always given me a great desire to serve Him”. It is my honor to be called a Jesuit Brother!

Br Guy Consolmagno S.J. was born in Detroit, Michigan, earned undergraduate and masters’ degrees in Earth and Planetary Sciences from MIT (in 1974 and 1975), and a Ph. D. in Planetary Science from the University of Arizona in 1978. He worked as a post-doctoral fellow and lecturer at Harvard University’s Department of Astronomy, and MIT’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences; served in the US Peace Corps (Kenya); and was a Physics professor at Lafayette College, before entering the Jesuits as a brother in 1989.

As an astronomercurates the Vatican Observatory's collection of meteorites - rocks fallen to Earth from outer space. Studying the origin and evolution of the solar system to learn how the Creator accomplished His creation, Guy embodies the Jesuit Tradition of "finding God in all things."   See his bio here.

Br. Pete Zagone, S.J. is from the NOR Province. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and grew up in Houston, TX where he attended public schools. He later received his Bachelors in Business Administration from Texas A&M University and worked in Houston for 6 years in Human Resource Management prior to entering the Society of Jesus in 2002.
Bro. Pete is currently finishing up his 4th year of regency at Sacred Heart Church in El Paso, TX. He is House Minister for his community, was Director of the parish’s Social Ministries for 3 years, and is now working in the parish’s Finance Office assisting the bookkeeper. He continues to teach Confirmation classes, helps with building and facility maintenance and purchasing, and volunteers as an Electrical Journeyman and construction apprentice with Habitat for Humanity on his days off.

Br. Pat Douglas, S.J. currently works on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. Prior to entering the Jesuits, Br. Pat worked as a social worker with youth on probation and in gangs. On the Reservation he works in collaboration with the Juvenile Detention Center, Methamphetamine Rehab and Adult Jail to meet with the residents to offer mentoring and spiritual support.

In his own words hear Br. Pat Douglas, SJ of the Wisconsin province talk about bringing his faith life to work and that there are no magical answers to a Jesuit vocation.  Watch Pat's video here.

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