Catharine S. Steffens

Director of Global Perspectives

Jesuit Schools Network of North America

As Director of Global Perspectives for the Jesuit Schools Network of North America my role is to advance formation and resources that develop a global perspective in our students and our school communities that lead to an encounter with Christ. This encounter inspires us to action for justice and reconciliation, locally and globally, with God, with others and with the earth.

Our people are the myriad of JSN educators and school leaders going above and beyond every day in the areas of ecological justice, curriculum, belonging, interculturality, the right to education, local and global encounters, service, accompaniment, and respect for human dignity. Our Ignatian educators bring a global perspective to the day-to-day learning and activities in the schools, a glocal dimension that acts locally with global impact. They provide our students guided experiences and encounters where the students can develop their abilities and see how their faith leads to action in response to the challenges of our time.

Our path into this work is through the spirit of networking, collaboration, and discernment (G.C. 36). We cannot walk this path to real action, to real change alone and fortunately we don’t have to! We reach out and connect with our partners to move this transformative work forward. JRS-USA is a significant partner in this process with expertise, experience, resources, and a desire to collaborate with our schools and students.  We collaborate with partners like JRS-USA to support JSN global programming such as JSN’s Ignatian Global Scholars, looking to them for the tangible experiences, authentic stories, and expertise. The JRS/USA Educator Resources is one way that JRS-USA accompanies our educators and students as they step onto the path of advocacy with tangible resources, stories and ways of proceeding.