Arrupe International is one of Boston College鈥檚 hallmark faith, peace and justice programs. The program鈥攏amed for the late Jesuit Pedro Arrupe, S.J.鈥攃reates a culture of encounter, inviting students to a faith that seeks global justice.
Contact
Please contact us for more information on the application process:
arrupe.program@bc.edu
(617) 552-0855
The Arrupe International Encounters Retreat Experience
The encounters invite students to learn about the complex realities of the countries we visit by hearing the stories of those who host us in their own words.
Through developing a sense of compassion and responsibility for聽 the Catholic Social Teaching themes of racial justice, sustainability, human rights, call to community, migration, and faith, peace, & justice,聽 and by providing space to reflect on one鈥檚 experiences, the Arrupe program allows participants to translate their learning into action. We do this in the spirit of Fr. Arrupe, who pioneered the combination of service, faith, and justice, and believed that such personal experiences were key to catalyzing structural changes in the world that could work to alleviate oppression, violence, and other realities facing those in need.
What We Do
Invite students to a year-long commitment including weekly community building and education, ongoing faith formation, and a 7-10 day international encounter over winter break.
Foster a sense of compassion and solidarity for the Catholic Social Teaching themes of racial justice, sustainability, human rights, call to community, migration, and faith, peace, & justice.聽
Learn about the social, political, and religious realities of longstanding partner communities we visit by learning from those with first-hand experience.
Reflect on our experiences so that we may translate learning into action.
How to join
Arrupe is a year-long faith formation program inspired by the Jesuit, Catholic tradition of a faith that seeks global justice. Participants meet weekly in small groups throughout the fall semester, leading up to a 7-10 day international encounter trip over winter break. In the spring semester, groups continue to meet until spring break to reflect on what they鈥檝e learned and translate learning into action.
Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are now closed. If you鈥檙e interested in applying in a future year, please fill out our interest form. Applications for 2026-2027 will open in Spring 2026.
In 2025-2026, locations include:
- South Africa
- The Dominican Republic
- Philippines
FAQ
Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are now closed. Applications for 2026-2027 will open in Spring 2026. If you fill out the interest form linked above, we will send you the application directly when it opens in Spring 2026. Interested adult mentors please contact:聽arrupe.program@bc.edu.
No. We鈥檙e looking for a mix of students who share different experiences and backgrounds.
We do hope, though, that all selected students share a similar willingness to commit to the same foundational values. Arrupe participants should accept responsibility for helping create the immersion program experience; conduct self maturely, with integrity and respect at all times; be willing to work through conflicts with others; be committed to enhancing the relationship with the countries we visit, and be committed to processing and sharing the experience with the 集美麻豆community after returning from the trip.
Applicants also need to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, both literally (i.e. you may be sleeping in beds less comfortable than what you鈥檙e accustomed to) and figuratively (i.e. talking about issues of power and privilege could be outside your typical 鈥渃omfort zone鈥�).
Arrupe is open to people of all backgrounds. One does not have to be Catholic or Christian to participate. In fact, diversity in faith perspectives and then authentically and respectfully sharing that with others can significantly enhance each participant鈥檚 learning and formation.
That said, applicants need to know that these experiences are faith-based and that the framework used is influenced by BC鈥檚 Jesuit Catholic tradition, and that Catholic liturgies are a part of the experience. Regardless of one鈥檚 faith, participants are expected to explore and share their own faith and life journey, in all of its joys and struggles and questions, and within a small community context. Prayer, reflection, and conversation are integral to the experience within Arrupe, and everyone is expected to participate and contribute, and to do so with honesty, vulnerability, appropriateness, and respect.
Ideally, each participant will have learned how to become 鈥渢he best version鈥� of him/herself by delving deeper into his/her own faith and tradition.
While an understanding of other languages is certainly useful on any of the trips where English is not the primary language, it is not necessary. For trips to countries that do not have English as the primary language, an interpreter is provided by our In-Country Partner Organization, and this person accompanies the delegation throughout the trip, facilitating communication between the English-speaking parties and those who speak the predominant language of the host community.
Trips will take place from January 2-10, 2026 - give or take a day or two. Each group has between 14-16 people including 10-12 participants, 2 Student Leaders, and 2 Mentors that are 集美麻豆faculty/staff.
Trips to South Africa and the Philippines will require students to return to Boston on January 1 in order to travel on January 2, 2026.
We do everything in our power to ensure that the trips are as safe and healthy as possible. We endeavor to work with organizations in each country鈥攐ur 鈥淚n-Country Partner Organizations鈥濃�攖hat are well-established, well-respected, and that have well-connected networks in-country. That said, we are traveling outside of the United States and there is always a risk involved with such travel. All potential appli