The Office of Ignatian Spirituality is pleased to welcome three new staff members, Paulina Canales to the role of administrative assistant, Fr. Jack Fagan, SJ, to the role of Capellan de las Comunidades Hispanas Ignacianas; and Dave de la Fuente to the role of Associate Director for Ignatian Young Adult Ministries with responsibility for the Contemplative Leaders in Action (CLA) program.

Dave de la Fuente joins the OIS staff with a wealth of Ignatian experience. He completed  spiritual direction training at the Church of St. Francis Xavier in New York City, is a CLA-NYC alum, former coordinator of Charis-NYC, presenter at Jesuit Connections, and is active in OIS's Ignatian Spiritual Direction Initiative. Dave's work includes valuable experience in campus and parish ministries, and in a hospital. Dave recently completed his Ph.D. in theology at Fordham. He and his wife Adrienne live in Harlem.

Dave may be reached at ddelafuente@jesuits.org.

Fr. Jack Fagan, SJ, has been missioned to work part-time with OIS. In his role as chaplain, he will work closely with Zandra Schiemann and Sindy Collazo and Ministerio Hispano Ignaciano in offering retreats and days of prayer and reflection.

 Among his previous ministries, Fr. Jack served at parishes in Dorchester, Holyoke, and Roxbury in MA, in Portland, ME, and Honduras. Most recently, he served as associate pastor of Our Lady of the Presentation-Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Brooklyn, NY.

Fr. Jack may be reached at jfagan@jesuits.org.

Paulina Canales joins the staff as the Administrative Assistant, supporting the work of all of OIS. Paulina holds degrees from the Instituto Superior de Estudios in Mexico, Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, and Universidad Iberamericana. She has extensive teaching experience, including as an instructor of Spanish at Boston College, and is a leader of the Latino Community at St. Ignatius of Loyola parish in Chestnut Hill, MA.

Paulina may be reached at pcanales@jesuits.org.

Please join us in welcoming Paulina, Fr. Jack and Dave!

OIS is also saying goodbye to our friend and colleague, Elise Gower. Elise is moving towards a new journey in her vocation. She is returning to grad school for a Masters in Clinical Social Work for Counseling.  She is drawn to the intersections of mental health and spiritual wellness. We thank Elise for her many contributions to the CLA program. She has been an instrumental part of our work and she will be missed. We are grateful for her many years of service to OIS and wish her the best.