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Our Mission | History | Board of Directors | JRS USA Staff

Our Mission

In continuity with its quarter century of ministry to and with refugees and forcibly displaced individuals, Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (JRS/USA) affirms its mission to accompany, serve and defend the rights of these vulnerable and often forgotten people. It witnesses to the reality that God is present in human history, even in the most tragic experiences of persons driven from their homes by conflict, natural disaster, economic injustice, or violation of other human rights. JRS/USA is one of ten geographic regions of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), an international Catholic organization sponsored by the Society of Jesus. In coordination with JRS’s International Office in Rome, JRS/USA provides advocacy, financial and human resources for JRS regions throughout the world. In the US it serves as the major refugee outreach arm of US Jesuits and their institutional ministries, facilitating and mobilizing their response to refugee situations both nationally and internationally.

In living out this mission Jesuit Refugee Service/USA affirms its commitment to give help, hope, ear and voice to vulnerable and victimized people on the move by being present to and bearing witness to their plight; by relieving their human suffering and restoring hope; by addressing the root causes of their displacement and improving international response to refugee situations; and by providing human resources and financial assistance.  In addition, JRS/USA will continue to introduce and engage the Ignatian family and others—within and beyond the US—to work together to respond to the needs of refugees worldwide.  Finally, JRS/USA will establish strong partnerships, built on mutual respect and cooperation, with like minded institutions and agencies devoted to the cause of refugees and displaced people.

For slide show on JRS Mission, featuring JRS International Director Fr. Peter Balleis, S.J., click here.