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Boston College Campus Minister Rev. Don MacMillan, S.J. was honored by the Ignatian Solidarity Network with the Robert M. Holstein: Faith that Does Justice Award at an award reception at Boston College.
The Robert M. Holstein Award is a national honor presented to an individual who has demonstrated a significant commitment to leadership for social justice grounded in the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. The award’s namesake, the late Robert (Bob) M. Holstein, was a former California Province Jesuit, labor lawyer, fierce advocate for social justice, and one of the founders of the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice -- the precursor to the Ignatian Solidarity Network.
Throughout his life, Fr. MacMillan, has served as a tremendous witness to the social teachings of Catholic faith through his solidarity with the economically poor and marginalized in the United States and around the world, according to the Ignatian Solidarity Network. Fr. MacMillan has enlightened students’ minds and hearts, providing young people a tangible way to engage their Catholic faith and discover the presence of God in their life and the world around them.
Fr. MacMillan has served as a campus minister at Boston College since 1995. At BC, he coordinates the Urban Immersion Program, a weeklong experience of prayer and service for undergraduates to learn about the lives of those in Boston suffering from poverty and homelessness. He organizes an annual trip to Cuernavaca, Mexico, where BC students have direct experience with Latin American refugees and the poor of Mexico. He is also engaged in the vigils of the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice.
Fr. MacMillan earned two Boston College degrees: a bachelor’s degree in 1966 and a master of divinity degree in 1972. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1960 and was ordained in 1972. Prior to his position at Boston College, he held various roles as a teacher and administrator at three Jesuit high schools, including Boston College High School.
The Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) promotes leadership and advocacy among students, alumni, and other emerging leaders from Jesuit schools, parishes, and ministries by educating its members on social justice issues; by mobilizing a national network to address those issues; and by encouraging a life-long commitment to social justice grounded in the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. ISN is an independent 501c3 non-profit organization. Additional information can be found at ignatiansolidarity.net