University Ministry for Social Justice

Rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Catholic Social Teaching, and the Jesuit tradition, Social Justice Ministry at Loyola University New Orleans fosters faith, community, service, and advocacy in pursuit of right relationship with God, one another, and all of creation.

As a Jesuit institution, Loyola approaches this work through prayer, reflection, discernment, and action. Seeking to find God in all things, we walk with those on the margins, accompany young people, and care for our common home. Social justice invites us to stand in solidarity with others and work together for a more just and compassionate world.

Loyola University Community Action Program (LUCAP)

Open to all students and guided by the University Minister for Social Justice, LUCAP invites the Loyola community to engage in service, reflection, advocacy, and relationship-building to address local needs. LUCAP encourages participants to connect faith with action, deepen their understanding of social issues, and contribute to positive change.

Support LUCAP

Help sustain student leadership, service opportunities, community partnerships, and justice initiatives by making a gift to LUCAP. Your support enables students to put faith into action through meaningful engagement with our local communities.

   Click here to make a gift to LUCAP

To learn more or to get involved, contact Lindy Brasher, University Minister for Social Justice, at lmbrashe@loyno.edu.

Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ)

2026 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice | Washington, D.C. | November 14-16, 2026

At Loyola University New Orleans, participation in the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice is an opportunity for students to engage the broader Jesuit mission beyond campus while building community with others committed to justice, solidarity, and hope. Students are encouraged to connect reflection with action by learning practical advocacy skills and participating in conversations that inspire meaningful social transformation.

To learn more, contact Lindy Brasher, University Minister for Social Justice, at lmbrashe@loyno.edu.

Ignacio Volunteers (Iggy Vols)

The Ignacio Volunteers Program offers students the opportunity to encounter the world through service, solidarity, reflection, and community. More than a service trip, an immersion experience is an invitation to transformation. Through shared living, community partnerships, prayer, reflection, and education, students are challenged to examine the realities of injustice, listen deeply to others' experiences, and discern how they are being called to respond in faith and action.

Support Iggy Vols

Every gift helps make immersion experiences accessible to more students. Donations support participant scholarships, formation programming, travel costs, community partnerships, and other resources that allow students to engage fully in experiences of service, solidarity, reflection, and accompaniment.

   Click here to make a gift to support Ignacio Volunteers.

To learn more, contact Lindy Brasher, University Minister for Social Justice, at lmbrashe@loyno.edu.

Fall 2026 Civil Rights Immersion 

December 12-18, 2026

The Fall 2026 Ignacio Volunteers (Iggy Vols) Civil Rights Immersion invites participants to explore how the pursuit of human dignity extends beyond voting rights and legal equality to include access to clean air, clean water, safe communities, and a healthy environment. Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, the program examines the ongoing legacy of the Civil Rights Movement through the interconnected lenses of racial justice, environmental justice, and care for creation.

Through visits to the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, participants will engage the history of slavery, racial terror, segregation, and mass incarceration, while reflecting on how systems of inequality continue to shape communities today. In Atlanta, participants will study the life and teachings of Howard Thurman and explore how his spiritual vision influenced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. Through readings from Jesus and the Disinherited and engagement with King's vision of the Beloved Community, participants will examine the moral and spiritual foundations of justice, nonviolence, and human dignity.

The immersion will also explore how the struggle for justice continues through the environmental justice movement. Through the study of Louisiana's Cancer Alley, participants will examine how historically marginalized communities often bear a disproportionate share of environmental and health burdens. By engaging community voices and local advocates, participants will consider how environmental racism represents a contemporary civil rights issue and an ongoing challenge to the common good.

Participants must be undergraduate students in good standing with the University, willing and able to travel, and committed to attending weekly formation meetings throughout the semester.

To learn more, contact Lindy Brasher, University Minister for Social Justice, at lmbrashe@loyno.edu.

Imago Encounter

Orange Beach, Alabama | February 11-14, 202

The Imago Encounter invites LGBTQIA+ students, friends, and companions on the journey to gather in prayer, reflection, dialogue, and community within the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Grounded in Ignatian spirituality and the Jesuit practice of finding God in all things, the Imago Encounter fosters meaningful conversation, attentive listening, and shared reflection. Through storytelling, prayer, and dialogue, participants are invited to encounter one another more deeply, recognize the dignity of every person, and discover God's presence in their own stories and in the stories of others.

To learn more, contact Lindy Brasher, University Minister for Social Justice, at lmbrashe@loyno.edu.

Living Radical Hospitality: Cultivating Justice Through Ora et Labora

Subiaco Abbey, Subiaco, Arkansas | March 25-28, 2027

Students are invited to participate in a transformative Triduum experience at Subiaco Abbey in Subiaco, Arkansas, where the Benedictine tradition of prayer, work, and community offers a unique lens for exploring faith and justice. Grounded in the Benedictine commitment to welcoming all as Christ, participants will encounter the rhythms of monastic life through shared prayer, reflection, dialogue, and engagement with the Subiaco monastic community. 

The experience extends beyond the monastery through visits to Buffalo National River and Mount Magazine, where participants will engage the beauty and wonder of the natural world. These encounters with creation provide opportunities for contemplation and reflection on our relationship with the earth, inviting participants to consider how care for creation is deeply connected to the pursuit of justice and the common good.

To learn more, contact Lindy Brasher, University Minister for Social Justice, at lmbrashe@loyno.edu.

If you are a graduate student seeking to get involved, contact Lindy Brasher, University Minister for Social Justice, at lmbrashe@loyno.edu.

Jesuit Volunteer Corps: A Year of Service. A Lifetime of Impact.

The Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) is a national service program that places volunteers in communities across the United States to work alongside organizations addressing some of society's most pressing challenges. Rooted in the Jesuit tradition, JVC invites participants to commit to a year of service focused on social justice, community, spirituality, and simple living.

Through placements in education, healthcare, housing, advocacy, environmental stewardship, and other mission-driven fields, Jesuit Volunteers accompany marginalized communities while developing leadership skills, professional experience, and a deeper understanding of service.

Learn More: Visit the official Jesuit Volunteer Corps website to explore service opportunities, placement locations, and application information.

In need of additional resources? to learn more about Iggy's Cupboard, Peter Claver Fund, and Swipe Out Hunger.