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John Pignone, SJ '97 Returns to Gonzaga for Ignatian Heritage Day
During Gonzaga's Ignatian Heritage Day on Friday, April 23, Religion Teacher Mr. Brendan Hartnett '97 interviewed his former classmate John Pignone, SJ '97, who became the first Gonzaga alumnus to enter the Society of Jesus in 35 years when he took his vows in 2017.
The theme for this year's Ignatian Heritage Day was St. Ignatius' conversion from a soldier to a companion of Christ, a theme that Pignone is uniquely qualified to talk about. After graduating from Gonzaga, Pignone decided to postpone college and enlist in the Marines; he ended up deploying three times in the wake of September 11, 2001.
The theme for this year's Ignatian Heritage Day was St. Ignatius' conversion from a soldier to a companion of Christ, a theme that Pignone is uniquely qualified to talk about. After graduating from Gonzaga, Pignone decided to postpone college and enlist in the Marines; he ended up deploying three times in the wake of September 11, 2001.
Click the play button below to watch the full conversation, which covers a wide range of topics including Pignone's time at Gonzaga, years in the Marines, and journey to eventually enter the Society of Jesus.
Pignone is currently in his third stage of formation, called Regency, and is working as a teacher at Xavier High School in New York.
After watching the interview on Zoom, students had the chance to ask Pignone questions, and then broke out into smaller groups for reflection and discussion. Thank you Mr. Pignone and Mr. Hartnett for such an inspiring and engaging conversation!
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