Jon Cortina
Encyclopedia
Jon de Cortina Garaigorta, S.J. (Bilbao
, Spain
, December 8, 1934 – Guatemala City
, December 12, 2005) was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest
, engineer
, and activist founder of Pro-Búsqueda, an organization dedicated to searching for the missing children of the Salvadoran civil war. He was a professor
of seismic engineering at the Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas" (UCA), the Jesuit university in El Salvador
, and was one of the few Jesuit survivors of the November 1989 massacre of the six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter. Cortina's human rights work revolved around refugee
s returning to their villages during the Salvadoran Civil War and subsequently the search for orphaned and adopted children as a result of that war.
He was born in Spain but his family fled to France
as refugees from the Spanish Civil War
.
, in Omaha
, Nebraska
, the Cortina Community is grounded in the foundational pillars of community, service, faith, and justice.
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, December 8, 1934 – Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, December 12, 2005) was a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, and activist founder of Pro-Búsqueda, an organization dedicated to searching for the missing children of the Salvadoran civil war. He was a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of seismic engineering at the Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas" (UCA), the Jesuit university in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, and was one of the few Jesuit survivors of the November 1989 massacre of the six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter. Cortina's human rights work revolved around refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s returning to their villages during the Salvadoran Civil War and subsequently the search for orphaned and adopted children as a result of that war.
He was born in Spain but his family fled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as refugees from the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
The Cortina Community
The Cortina Community is an intentional sophomore living-learning community named after Jon Cortina. Located on the campus of Creighton UniversityCreighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
, in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, the Cortina Community is grounded in the foundational pillars of community, service, faith, and justice.
External links
Obituary in The Independent- http://www.probusqueda.org/index.php Pro-Búsqueda web page
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/correspondent/992119.stm BBC report citing Fr. Cortina
- http://www.creighton.edu/studentservices/departmentofresidencelife/livinglearning/cortinacommunity/ Creighton's Cortina Community.
