About - Montserrat - Boston College

About

What is Montserrat?

Overview

Montserrat is an office in the Division of Mission and Ministry that supports students at the highest level of financial need on campus.

Mission

Our听mission is to provide students with听access and听support to all areas of student life not incorporated in a financial aid package.听We strive to guide students in fulfilling the Jesuit initiative holistically.

Our History

Our initiative began in 2008 through the combined efforts of students, faculty, and administrators to provide free entrance to a limited number of social events on campus. As the program expanded, Montserrat began offering free tickets to many more campus events such as sporting events, dances, concerts, movie premiers, cultural events, and theater productions. Additionally, Montserrat has assisted students with funding for EMT courses, retreats, service programs, independent studies, and research.听The Montserrat Office continues to grow and work to build a more just and welcoming community for students of all economic backgrounds at Boston College. We currently serve just over 2,000 Montserrat students, which constitutes roughly 20 percent of the undergraduate student body.

Why the name Montserrat?

Our name and mission arose from the history of St. Ignatius who, after sustaining an injury听 in battle, ventured on a pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montserrat in Spain. Laying down his arms, St. Ignatius spent the night confessing before the statue of Our Lady of Montserrat (shown on left), which had been darkened by years of soot from candlelight. It was after this night of confession that St. Ignatius set out to Manresa where he would develop his Spiritual Exercises and found the Jesuit order.