Thank you for your support of the Company of Grace!

What a night!

On Thursday, March 9th, ISP kicked off its 25th Anniversary celebration at our annual Company of Grace event. Fr. James Martin, SJ emceed a dynamic program featuring special guests and storytellers Lisa Sharon Harper, Mary Karr, and ISP alumni leaders.

Over 500 households joined us as we experienced together the transformative power of sharing our sacred stories. Thank you for being part of our community!

If you registered for the Company of Grace, we’ll be sending out the re-play of the show via email.

Help us change lives!

ISP has a goal to provide opportunities of hope and transformation to 4,500 individuals recovering from homelessness and addiction this year.  At the Company of Grace event, we announced a matching gift — the ISP Board of Directors pledged to match all gifts up to $25,000.  Thank you to ALL of those who gave to help us meet this match!

Company of Grace Award

 The Company of Grace is named after the first lay companions of St. Ignatius of Loyola who dedicated themselves to serving the spiritual and material needs of the poor. In 2013, ISP created the Company of Grace event and an accompanying award, which has honored over 2 dozen individuals across our network. With the award, ISP recognizes committed champions of our ministry, building a modern Company of Grace.

Each year, ISP honors 1-2 community members who have been outstanding champions of ISP. Honorees have demonstrated an active and sustained dedication to our mission and ministry, and share an unequivocal commitment to inclusivity, companionship, and the possibility of recovery.

Company of Grace 2023 Honoree

This year, we are thrilled to honor an exceptional champion of ISP: George Cooper.

George Cooper grew up in Cambridge, MA and has spent most of his life in Dorchester and Cambridge. George married his childhood sweetheart in 1972 which led to the birth of his two boys, one of the highlights of his life. George has always had a strong sense of faith, the teachings of Jesus, and has alway tried to be kind to the “underdog”.

George first met ISP Boston in 2014, when he started attending regular spiritual reflection sessions — or Spiritual Tune-Ups, as they are known in Boston — at Our Lady of Victories church. He went on his first ISP overnight retreat in October 2014, and has been an integral part of the ISP Boston team ever since.  George quickly grew into a leadership role; he has served as a facilitator on over 10 weekends and has facilitated hundreds of Spiritual Tune-Ups person or on zoom. He has provided hundreds of individuals with the opportunity to reflect and connect, and continues to invite others into the ISP family.

Jay Burke, ISP Boston team member, shared that “George lives ISP in the circle and throughout his life. George lives his faith with enthusiasm and joy no matter where he may be…on the street with people experiencing homelessness, in a suburban church with people experiencing material abundance and fnancial affluence, in a Spiritual Tune-up or ISP retreat, in a group, one on one, or alone. His faith in God and his belief in ISP are unshakeable.  George lives the charism of ISP more fully than I have seen anywhere.”

Joe Carfagna, another ISP Boston team member, recalled a simple incident of George’s generosity of spirit. “I have seen him on many occasions helping new and other fellow ISP members. One incident that comes to mind happened while we were on a retreat together. One of the other men had a death in the family. George had just met him but that didn’t matter to George. He helped him to get to New York to join his family and celebrate the life of his relative. I have witnessed George’s acts of kindness and fellowship countless times.”

Congratulations, George!  We’re looking forward to celebrating you on March 9th!

Sponsorship Opportunities

Thank you to our 2023 Company of Grace sponsors!

Torchlight Sponsors

Ignatius House Jesuit Community (Chicago, IL)

Floodlight Sponsors

Spotlight Sponsors

*special 25th anniversary level!

Pat and Peggy Burke
Ronnie and Gwen Briggs
Todd Chermak
Betty Collins
Marlene DeLeon and Tom Lucci
Ignatian Volunteer Corps
Paul Just
Karen Kane
Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati
John Tatum
USA East Province of the Society of Jesus
USA Central and Southern Province of the Society of Jesus
USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus

Candlelight Sponsors