Dear Friends,

Fall has arrived again, beautifully, and I am filled with images of the annual turning, which parallels our spiritual life: beautiful colors in nature, even as leaves are letting go; warm days with cool evenings; a sense of completeness in many things, and beginnings in others.

In August in St. Paul, Minn., four Jesuits—Noah Bock, Christian Goedel, Wilson Lombard and Robert Van Dyke—pronounced first vows (page 8) at Saint Thomas More Catholic Community and have moved on to their first studies as Jesuits. Also in August, eight men entered the novitiate in St. Paul to begin new lives as Jesuits (page 6). Please keep these men in your prayers.

Speaking of studies, we check in with Bellarmine House in St. Louis and Ciszek Hall in New York (page 12) to find out what our men currently in first studies did during their summer.

In a touching personal essay, Br. Bobby Nichols, SJ, explains what a Jesuit brother does, and why he chose the vocation (page 10). It is a welcome reminder that the Society of Jesus has always needed both priests and brothers.

Some of our running-focused Jesuit school alumni have risen to the top administrative ranks of some the country’s biggest marathons and other races (page 14). As race season kicks into high gear, we take a look at what they do to organize these events.

In his 40 years of working with the needy in Nicaragua, Fr. Joseph Mulligan, SJ, has experienced a handful of days that encapsulate all that he does. One such day occurred this past spring (page 16), and he outlines it for us.

Father Matt Ippel, SJ, details his years of experience working for Jesuit Refugee Service in Maban, South Sudan (page 18), and closer to home, Gesu Housing—founded by Br. Mike Wilmot, SJ, in 2002—continues to build affordable homes (page 20) for working-poor families in Omaha, Neb.

Finally, Fr. Endashaw Debrework, SJ, a native of Ethiopia now working in advancement for the Midwest Province in Chicago, shares his vocation story (page 22).

In these pages, we move from novices and vows to brothers and priests, classrooms and camps, to houses and finish lines. We do not walk alone in these stories, and I thank you for walking with us. May this season of falling leaves also be one of steady gratitude and an appreciation for all that God has blessed us with.