The Milwaukee Ramos Community was the first Ignatian Associates Community and it began in Milwaukee in 1992. The Community is named after Elba and Celina Ramos, the housekeeper and her daughter who were martyred with six Jesuits in the massacre at the Jesuit University of Central America in Sal Salvador on November 16, 1989.
Today, the Ignatian Associates Ramos Community thrives through regular gatherings usually held in the Gesu Parish Center, where they plan and organize opportunities for faith-sharing, liturgy, service, and socializing. The ministries of members of the Ramos Community encompass a variety of ways of serving. These include
- participation in their Parishes: Haiti Twinning parish committees at Gesu, choir and various liturgical ministries, member of Parish councils
- volunteering with a range of organizations, such as the Marquette Center for Peacemaking, Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, and serving on local non-profit organization boards, such as NAMI, Capuchin Community Services
Other’s ministries involve
- visiting retired Jesuits
- participation in immigration reform activities
- involvement with the Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) — which provides retreats for homeless people
The Ramos Community periodically offers Days of Reflection and/or presentations on Ignatian Spirituality or related topic which are open to the public.
Joining the Ignatian Associates begins with a 2-year Formation; a cohort usually begins every other Fall. The 1st year of the Formation period includes a 19th Annotation Retreat Experience of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius – a deeply prayerful experience with a spiritual director/guide as well as developing faith-sharing skills and learning about the Spiritual Exercises with a Formation Team composed of promised members of the IA Community. The 2nd year includes a variety of experiences intended to provide an understanding of our community life, information about St. Ignatius and The Jesuits, our IA history, and prayerful exploration of our Promises: Simplicity of Life, Apostolic Availability, and Fidelity to the Gospel and Associate and Jesuit Companions.
To contact a leader of the Ramos Community, please send a message via: ramos@ignatianassociates.org, with a subject line: Milwaukee Ramos inquiry.