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Laudato Si’ Responsibility | Conservation | Sustainability

FALL 2016 | NUMBER 50ConversationsOn Jesuit Higher Education

FALL 2016NUMBER 50Members of the National Seminar on Jesuit Higher Education

Heidi BarkerRegis University

Mark G. Bosco, S.J.Loyola University Chicago

Patrick J. Howell, S.J.Seattle University

Timothy P. Kesicki, S.J.President, Jesuit Conferenceex officio

James McCartinFordham University

Molly PepperGonzaga University

Jennifer RinellaRockhurst University

Stephen C. Rowntree, S.J.Holy Name of Jesus Church, New Orleans

Julie RubioSt. Louis University

Edward W. Schmidt, S.J.America Magazine

Michael SerazioBoston College

Michael Sheeran, S.J.President, AJCUex officio

Jessica WrobleskiWheeling Jesuit University

Patrick J. Howell, S.J., chairStephen C. Rowntree, S.J., sec.Edward W. Schmidt, S.J., editor

Conversations is published by theNational Seminar on Jesuit HigherEducation, which is jointly sponsoredby the Jesuit Conference Board andthe Board of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The opinions stated herein are thoseof the authors and not necessarilythose of the JC or the AJCU.

Comments and inquiries may beaddressed to the editor of Conversations Edward W. Schmidt, S.J.America Magazine106 W. 56th StreetNew York, NY 10019phone: 212-581-4640e-mail: [email protected]

For information about subscriptions to Conversations:Stephen C. Rowntree, S.J.Secretary to the National Seminaron Jesuit Higher EducationHoly Name of Jesus Parish, New Orleans1575 Calhoun Street New Orleans, LA 70118Phone: 504 865 2781e-mail: [email protected]

Conversations back issues are available online at http://conversationsmagazine.orgDesign and layout by Pauline Heaney.Printed by Peacock Communications,Lincoln Park, N.J.

LAUDATO SI’, CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME

FEATURES2 On Care for Our Common Home, Elizabeth Groppe7 Natura Revelata, Catherine Kleier10 Uniquely Suited to Tackle the Environmental Crisis, Nancy Tuchman14 Connecting Streams across Campus, Jo Yarrington, Lori Jones, and Pat Poli18 Between a Rock and a Coal Mine, Jessica Wrobleski21 Shame and the Signs of Hope, Mike Murphy23 Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, Daniel R. DiLeo25 Hopkins and Francis on the State of the World, Paul Mariani30 River of Recyclables, Mary Ellen Wade

36 A Theologian Looks at “Laudato Si’”An Interview with Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J, by James P. McCartin

46 How Loyola Undergraduates Welcomed Undocumented Students, Flavio Bravo and Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz

BOOK REVIEWS48 The Age of Sustainable Development, by Jeffrey Sachs49 American Jesuits and the World, by John T. McGreevy51 Democracy, Culture, Catholicism, by Michael Schuck and John Crowley-Buck, eds.

40 AN HISTORICAL MOMENT: Spring Hill College, by Gentry Holbert52 TEACHING TO MISSION: Bringing Mission to the Classroom, by Molly Pepper

STUDENT VOICES 8, 17, 27, 28, 32, 47ALUMNI VIEW 29, 33

Front Cover: Photograph of the Northern Lights over Grotfjord near Tromso, Norway. See page 42.

© Dr. William Gutsch.

34Viriditas: Finding God in All Things

ConversationsOn Jesuit Higher Education

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FROM THE EDITOR

Caring for Our Common Home – We’re Doing Well

The work of our schools is a worthy tribute to the insightsand challenges of Pope Francis in his encyclical “LaudatoSi’: On Care for Our Common Home,” which has cast carefor the environment as a spiritual mandate and a justiceissue. Sharing the stories we offer here is a fitting way tocelebrate the first anniversary of its publication. Back in the 1960s, a Jesuit friend and I were in gradu-ate school at Georgetown. Marty was studying biology; Iwas working in linguistics. One day Marty said that hethought he would concentrate on ecology. Ecology – theword was new to me. My linguistic interest quickly gotengaged. Eco had to do with the home, as economy had todo with running a household. And ecumenical had to dowith the whole inhabited world, where people live, wherethey build their homes. That’s a stretch, but it is where theword comes from. Other coinages followed, like ecosystem

and eco-friendly. Ecology was a recently emerging study, not the sameas environmentalism but closely associated with it. Thefirst Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. Marty explainedthat ecology concerned not just this animal or that, thisplant family or another. Ecology looks at how livingthings relate to each other, how plants and animals affecteach other, one sheltering another, one eating another,two species whose survival depends on each other. When humans enter the picture, they don’t alwaysmaintain the balance that nature builds. With a drive toacquire more than they need, to store up now to allowleisure later, they often upset that balance. But didn’t Godtell us to have dominion over all the other living crea-tures? It’s right there in the first chapter of the Bible. ButGod called us not to dominion, which leads to exploita-tion, but rather to stewardship. God charged us to watchover creation, to protect it, to use it wisely. Our 28 Jesuit colleges and universities make signifi-cant contributions to the movement to protect the earththat has evolved in recent decades. The stories in thesepages witness an amazing variety of approaches to envi-ronmental questions, all designed to get something done.University communities seem not to need much encour-agement to face the causes and the effects of environmen-tal damage – destruction of the land, extinction of species,global warming. Students take the need for granted and

want to do something they see as vitally important. Fac-ulty and administrators constantly look for new ways tobuild a new project, eliminate waste, save energy. Wepresent these stories in longer pieces, in reflections or re-ports from students and alumni, and in art. A lot of peo-ple are making a great difference. This issue of Conversations also includes two newshort features. One is “Where We Come From,” a shorthistory of one of the 28 schools. We will work our waythrough all 28, but with two issues a year that will takesome time. We also have a teacher’s reflections in “Teach-ing the Mission”; our first column in this series is by Conversations seminar member Molly Pepper of Gonzaga.A letter in this issue from Pat Howell, the chair of the Conversations seminar, explains other innovations. A great part of the enjoyment of being part of Conver-

sations is welcoming new members to the seminar. Thisseason we welcome Clint Springer, a professor of biologyat St. Joseph’s University. A native of West Virginia, Clinthas a strong interest in Appalachia and knows Catholicsocial teaching on the exploitation of that region. He hasdone specialized research on climate change. That enjoyment comes at the cost of saying farewell.This year we say farewell to Jim McCartin, theology pro-fessor and director of the Fordham Center on Religionand Culture, who has faithfully finished his three yearson the seminar. We will miss Jim’s insights and goodhumor; fortunately he works not far away and I am sureI’ll run into Jim from time to time. Higher education has many issues to deal with, assuccessive numbers of Conversations show. A special sec-tion in The New York Times on June 23 studied a range ofthese issues, highlighting a lead article by Frank Bruni,“Student, or Customer?” Other issues included freespeech, food and costs, sexual assault, and diversity. Thenext Conversations will address some of these issues as“Difficult Conversations.” For now, we focus on how ourschools are addressing the need to care for our commonhome. We can always do more, of course, but that is noreason not to recognize the immense good that we do.

Edward W. Schmidt, S.J., editor

2 CONVERSATIONS ON JESUIT HIGHER EDUCATION

The springs of Solsonès pressup from under the range ofCatalonia’s Busa mountains.Seasonally, their flow is sostrong that they generatemagnificent waterfalls thatcascade over rocks cloaked inemerald green moss, moisten-ing the air with their mist.These are the headwaters ofthe Cardoner River that cutsits path through the Spanishvillage of Manresa on its wayto join its waters to those ofthe Llobregat.

Ignatius of Loyola spentalmost a year in Manresa in1522. He entered the villageon foot after relinquishing hisnobleman’s garments andwarrior sword in a night-longvigil before the BlackMadonna at the BenedictineMonastery at Montserrat. Itwas in Manresa that he spentlong hours of prayer andpenance in a cave, openinghimself to a wisdom thatwould guide the remainder ofhis remarkable life and inspirethe composition of the Spiri-tual Exercises. One day, as hewas walking to a church amile’s distance from Manresaalong a road that followed theCardoner, he sat upon theground and faced the swiftlyflowing water.

“While he was seatedthere,” Ignatius recounted,telling the story of his own pil-grimage to a fellow Jesuit as ifhe were narrating the life of adifferent person, “the eyes ofhis understanding began to be

opened; though he did not seeany vision, he understood andknew many things, both spiri-tual things and matters offaith and learning, and thiswas with so great an enlight-enment that everythingseemed new to him. It was as ifhe were a new man with a newintellect.” The Social Justiceand Ecology Secretariat of theSociety of Jesus’ 2011 specialreport on ecology, Healing a

Broken World, relates Ignatius’experience at the Cardoner tohis theological conviction thatthe love of the triune God per-meates all of creation and thatwe are to “find God in allthings” (No. 49).

In 1965, centuries after Ig-natius’ transformative experi-ence, studies of the Cardonerfound no trace of the lifeforms common in healthyriver waters. Test samples re-vealed only organisms whosepresence is indicative of highlevels of water pollution. Thecontamination of the river, ex-plains Josep Lluís Iriberri, S.J.,a professor at Barcelona’s Uni-versitat Ramon Llull, origi-nates in the region’s salt andpotassium mines and the dis-charges of the cities throughwhich the river passes. Acrossthe globe today, the rivers thatare the aqueous arteries andveins of the planet are suffer-ing not only from industrialand agricultural pollution butalso from drought, deluge,and the diversion of their wa-ters for human purposes.

On Carefor OurCommonHome

A Conversation

among Creatures

By Elizabeth Groppe

3

And today, the first Jesuit pope in the history of theCatholic Church has issued the first expressly ecologi-cal encyclical, “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our CommonHome.” Like Pope John XXIII’s “Pacem in Terris,”which was promulgated in the midst of the Cold War,Pope Francis’ historic letter is addressed not only toRoman Catholics but to all women and men of goodwill. Unique among papal encyclicals, it gives expres-sion not only to human voices but also to Brother Sun,Sister Water, and all creatures of the cosmos. In conti-nuity with the teaching of Pope John Paul II and PopeBenedict XVI as well as regional episcopal conferencesfrom across the globe, the encyclical invites us to anecological conversion. It begins with words of praise(“Laudato Si’, mi’ Signore”) and is composed of six care-

fully crafted chapters. Chapter One is entitled “WhatIs Happening to Our Common Home” and opens theencyclical with a summary of the travail of creation(Rom 8:22).

Broken Boundaries and Relationships

A domestic household maintains its health in partthrough the establishment of boundaries and limits. Afinancial budget sets a limit on expenditures onmonthly rent or mortgage with the intention of reserv-ing funds for food, clothing, medicine, and other neces-sities. A fence around a back yard sets the boundaries ofa protected play area for children. Limits on the social

Left: The Spiritual Journey of St. Ignatius Loyola: Image 2 of 5: “Ignatius composing Spiritual Exercises at Manresa, overlooking RiverCardoner.” Dora Niklov Bittau. Copyright Seattle University. Above: River Cardoner today, photo courtesy of the Jesuit Curia in Rome.


A Major Jesuit

Meeting

Beginning on October 2, Jesuit rep-resentatives from all over the worldwill meet in Rome for General Con-gregation 36. Their major agendaitem will be to accept the resignationof Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, the SuperiorGeneral, and then to elect his succes-sor. Father Nicolás officially convokedthis meeting on Dec. 8, 2014. A general congregation is rarein the Society of Jesus. If the supe-rior general dies in office, one mustbe convoked to elect his successor.If the superior general wants to re-tire, the congregation must give itsapproval. After the election of a new gen-eral, the delegates consider “mattersof greater moment” in the life of theorder. A committee will have met tocompose a document describing

the state of the Society of Jesustoday. Other groups will proposetopics for consideration. Throughout its history, theorder has considered education tobe a crucial ministry, and theschools have drawn attention fromgeneral congregations. They would

be more concerned with global is-sues rather than with specifics. Andthey would generally support thegreat work being done in so manyacademic settings.

More information is available atwww.jesuits.org.

Fr. Adolfo Nicolás, the SuperiorGeneral of the Jesuits, wrote a letterin April introducing a new documentprepared by a group of economistsand theologians from all over theworld; overseeing the work wereMichael Garanzini, S.J., and Patxi Ál-varez, S.J., the Jesuit secretaries forhigher education and for social jus-tice and ecology respectively. The document reflects theclose connection between ecologi-cal concerns and other issues ofeconomic and social justice. Thepurpose is meant to spur discus-

sion, research, and advocacy. It ismeant not only for Jesuits but alsofor individual colleagues in min-istry, concerned groups, and institu-tions as a whole. Father Nicolás’s letter invites Je-suit institutions to develop amethodology to work on the docu-ment with a special focus on localsituations, bringing intellectual andspiritual light to these concerns. Heurges all to examine closely the per-sonal, communal, and institutionalresponses we are capable of and toavoid the temptation to believe that

this is beyond us, that we are in-significant players, “too small orweak to make a difference.” As this issue of Conversationsshows, colleges and universities arecapable of finding solutions to prob-lems that beset our world; workingtogether we can do much more. The full text of the document isavailable athttp://www.sjweb.info/sjs/PJ/index.cfm?PubTextId=15696 . Or a searchusing the terms “promotio iustitiae121” will also access the document.

An Invitation to Make a Difference

ITEMS FROM ROME

The view of the dome of St. Peter’s from the Jesuit Curia's roof.

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activities of adolescents are instituted by parentswith the intention of supporting youth in gradu-ally developing a mature freedom.

The boundaries of our familial householdsexist within a vast web of planetary relationshipsto which we denizens of industrial western civi-lization have been largely unattentive. We havetaken for granted the weather patterns of the last10,000 years that have been so hospitable to the de-velopment of settled agricultural civilizations, thestability of the polar ice caps, the shorelines of theoceans, the fertility of the soil, and the fecundity ofthe seas. These dimensions of our biosphere, how-ever, are contingent not only on the creative provi-dence of God, but also on the complex interplay ofa multiplicity of biogeochemical relationships.

A helpful synthesis of the scientific researchthat shapes the context of “Laudato Si’” can befound in the publications of an international teamof 18 scientists who have collaborated to identifyand monitor the life systems that have made theEarth’s biosphere so hospitable to our species. Inthe article “Planetary Boundaries: A Safe Operat-ing Space for Humanity” published in the journalScience in 2009 and then updated in 2015, Will Stef-fen and colleagues explain that our activity ispressing against or transgressing the limits to aplanet hospitable to our species in nine ways: (1)destabilization of the climate; (2) loss of biodiver-sity and biospheric integrity; (3) depletion ofstratospheric ozone; (4) acidification of the ocean;(5) disruption of the phosphorus and nitrogen cy-cles; (6) deforestation and other forms of land sys-tem degradation; (7) freshwater depletion; (8) therelease into the atmosphere of aerosals, i.e. micro-scopic particles such as soot that affect the climateand living organisms; and (9) the introduction intothe biosphere of novel entities, including organicpollutants, radioactive materials, nanomaterials,and micro-plastics.

Just as overspending a household’s financialbudget or failing to limit the activity of a toddlercan lead to homelessness or harm, so too overstep-ping or ignoring the boundaries of the systems thathave made the Earth habitable for Homo sapiens

will have adverse consequences. According to theauthors of “Planetary Boundaries,” humanity hasalready overstepped four of the nine boundaries ofthe life systems that make the planet a place thathumans can call home.

Exclamations of Wonder

In the Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius meditates on hisown sinfulness and voices “exclamations of wonder,with intense feeling, as I reflect on the whole rangeof created beings … the heavens, the sun, the moon,the stars and the elements, the fruits, the birds, thefishes, and the animals … how ever have they letme live and kept me alive!” The earth’s flora andfauna have long endured our ecological transgres-sions. Today, however, we are pushing them acrosstheir limits of resilience. With power equivalent tothat of an asteroid crashing into the earth’s surface,humanity is precipitating the sixth mass extinctionof species in Earth’s history, and climate change isdriving earth systems into a state fundamentallydifferent than that which our own species has en-joyed in all of our 200,000 years of existence.

“Doomsday predictions,” Pope Francis writesin “Laudato Si’,” “can no longer be met with ironyor disdain” (No. 161). The science that informs theencyclical supports this dire prognosis. Yet thework of the church is not simply to reiterate thescience but to “protect mankind from self-destruc-tion” (No. 79). To this end, the encyclical’s secondchapter, “The Gospel of Creation,” offers a speciesthat has transgressed planetary limits withPromethean presumption a vision of the Earth asthe work of a Creator who loves and cares forevery single creature. “The best way to restore menand women to their rightful place, putting an endto their claim to absolute dominion over the earth,is to speak once more of the figure of a Father whocreates and who alone owns the world” (No. 75).This is a loving God who grants creatures theirown autonomy and yet simultaneously remainspresent to us, such that cosmic history is a dramaof the interplay of divine grace and creaturely free-dom. Francis invites us to see creation “with the


gaze of Jesus” as a realm of laws and equilibriumsthat must be respected, a world that manifests di-vine wisdom and inspires awe and praise.

“The Human Roots of the Ecological Crisis,”the encyclical’s third chapter, identifies the heartof the crisis as our pursuit of an ideal of progressthat is lacking an ultimate purpose, direction, ormeaning. Francis appreciates the tremendous con-tribution of modern science and technology to theimprovement of the quality of human life. Ourtechnological power, however, has grown at apace that has exceeded our growth in wisdom andresponsibility. In this context, technoscience hasoften become a one-dimensional instrument ofcontrol serving a narrow understanding of self-in-terest. In the void of meaning that results, those ofus who are privileged fill the emptiness of ourlives with consumer goods and digital virtual real-ity, while the impoverished struggle to surviveamidst the wastelands and rubble of a globalizedindustrial economy.

Chapter Four’s reflections on “Integral Ecol-ogy” highlight humanity’s unique place in God’screation but emphasize that humanity is a part ofnature, not its master. The natural and socialspheres are inseparable, and ecological degrada-tion and social disintegration have a commonroot. Francis invites us to commit ourselves to thecommon good of the human family and all crea-tures, to realize our interconnectedness, to over-come the inequities of our world, and to “feel thedesertification of the soil almost as a physical ail-ment, and the extinction of a species as a painfuldisfigurement” (No. 89). Chapter Five, “Lines ofApproach and Action,” calls for local initiatives,the articulation of global norms and strengtheningof international institutions, and the practice of ahealthy politics and true statecraft characterizedby nobility, generosity, and courage. A final chap-ter on “Ecological Education and Spirituality” in-vites us to the contemplation of beauty, thepractices of care and tenderness, the cultivation ofecological habits and virtues, and the joyful cele-bration of life in sublime communion with the tri-une God and all creatures. “God of love, show usour place in this world as channels of your lovefor all the creatures of this earth … Praise be toyou!” (No. 246)

A New Conversation

“Laudato Si’” invites Jesuit universities to an ur-gent and potentially transformative conversation.Pope Francis traces the roots of our social and eco-logical crisis to a cultural void of ultimate purposethat has left us to manage our common home witha one-dimensional technoscience. This techno-science is incapable on its own of setting us on anew course. Surely, we need more than ever theknowledge that science generates and new formsof technology that can support new forms ofhuman civilization. But technoscience alone can-not produce a noble and courageous political cul-ture. On its own, it cannot overcome the reductiveepistemologies of modernity and the fragmenta-tion of the disciplines of the academy. It cannotgenerate the ecological economics that Francis en-visions nor serve the same ends as theology andspirituality. The surge in our technological powerenabled by modern science, Francis laments, hasnot been accompanied by a growth in wisdom,culture, and ethics.

The Jesuit university is a place of conversationwhere the integration of science, economics,ethics, philosophy, history, anthropology, art, liter-ature, music, and theology that Francis envisionsmight actually occur. Within a community en-gaged in such a collaborative search for wisdom,we can potentially become, like Ignatius on thebanks of the Cardoner, new men and women with“a new intellect.” The exercise of this Ignatian in-tellect is inseparable from action on behalf of thesuffering members of the human family and allcreatures in our common home, for, the Exercisesinstruct us, “Love ought to find expression indeeds more than in words.” These deeds includethe work of those who installed purification sta-tions along the course of the Cardoner River in1985. Now, Professor Iriberri testifies, one whostands on the old bridge in Manresa beholdsducks and other birds feeding in their waters, asign of a healthy river ecosystem. Laudato Si’, mi

Signore, per sor’Acqua, la quale è multo utile et humile

et pretiosa et casta.

Elizabeth T. Groppe is an associate professor of theology

at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.

7

The observation and study of nature can be a useful path-way for engaging spirituality and understanding habits ofthe scholarly mind. These habits of attention to nature mir-ror the critical thinking skills so fundamental to the liberalarts. In “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis asks us to privilege theEarth the way we privilege the poor. Developing a relation-ship with nature will help us all live out the pope’s call. Therevelation that nature provides can give our lives meaningand help us to live more deeply in our own habitats.

In an America article in 2000 entitled, “How to BeCatholic in a Jesuit Context,” Howard Gray, S.J., asked, “Isthere an ecumenical process that is both deeply religiousbut genuinely acceptable to those of other beliefs or no for-mally religious belief?” Then he outlines a Jesuit approachthat first involves focus and then attention, reverence, anddevotion. Finding spiritual union implies that we must lookinward, but I propose that an outward focus on nature canalso bring spiritual revelation. Natura Revelata, or nature re-vealed, can be the ecumenical process to bring us to union.

This process of focus, attention, reverence, and devo-tion is very much the pathway the liberal arts exalt withinthe disciplines. Teaching this process not only helps stu-dents in Jesuit universities to embrace union but may alsohelp to model an approach to the life of the mind that wewish to inspire in our students. The Latin verb revelaremeans: to unveil, uncover, lay bare; disclose, reveal. Al-though the word revel may not be the same root, the addedmeaning of revel, or celebration, is equally appropriate toNatura Revelata. Thinking about nature in this way, we canalso see a similarity to the process that all scholars engageon their path to truths in their disciplines.

In science, observations elucidate nature’s patterns. Inorder to observe at all, though, one must focus, which is thefirst part of Father Gray’s suggestion. Focusing our attentionrequires discipline, but like anything that requires work, thereis usually a payoff. With focus and observation comes therecognition of a pattern. Such a recognition is a “eureka mo-ment,” or a revelation. For scientists, this movement towards

Natura RevelataThe importance

of nature in the

Jesuit University

Reflections on

Environmental Biology,

the Liberal Arts, and Laudato Si’

By Catherine Kleier


the eureka moment may be a slow, plodding march, but usu-ally that slog is followed by a frenzied flow of thought and un-derstanding. I find nature a useful pathway for my studentsbecause it requires so little background knowledge. It’s a goodthing too that nature can be approachable without formalknowledge, because few people know anything about thenatural history of where they live. Modern science views natu-ral history as archaic and many universities don’t even teachnatural history any more.

To illustrate my point about the paucity of natural historyknowledge, consider if you can answer the following: Whatphase is the moon in tonight? What constellations are visiblein tonight’s night sky? Name five native birds that are residentyear round. Name five native non-tree plants in your home.Name five insects native to your home.

Natural history in our immediate physical place is the gate-way to Natura Revelata. Understanding and observing localplants and animals can lead to the formation of patterns in themind, which can be revelations and eureka moments, not just inscience but also in faith and in emotional and physical aspects oflife. Nature is no less a wonder for the nonbeliever as for the be-liever, and the moments and discernments nature provides are

available to everyone. To study nature, to understand nature oranything in the world, one can rely upon intuition, and one canalso focus one’s attention to make observation.

Sometimes students will ask me how I knew what Iwanted to study. If we are introspective enough, we will un-derstand that we didn’t actually choose. More often, the sub-ject matter chooses us. Like the eureka moment, there is aslow advance in observation, then some research, reading, ex-perimentation, until there is some understanding. Possibly,even answers are revealed, and this is thrilling. Before we haverealized it, we are in love. Like falling in love with a person, thisis not the sort of thing that happens overnight, but if youstudy anything with enough perseverance, it reveals its mys-tery, and you begin to revel in your love. Nature provides aneasy gateway to observation and study because it is tangibleand all around us.

I believe the study and love of nature has not been ex-plicit in the Jesuit university. To be sure, “finding God in allthings” certainly echoes an implication of God in nature. Yet,focusing intentionally on nature provides a way of living thatis indicative of “How ought we to live?” Nature forces us tothink outside of ourselves. There is much documentation that

As active members of the Sustain-ability Committee at Regis, we cre-ate programs that implementsustainability practices. This aca-demic year we have worked withour cafeteria vender to decrease theamount of food waste. For a weekduring lunch, committee membersstood at the dish rack and askedpeople to clear their plate into abucket, placed on a scale so they

saw how much waste they con-tributed. By the end of the week theamount of waste decreased from 120to 80 pounds. Our committee also initiatedtwo composting, work-study posi-tions, because having students leadcomposting efforts is the most effec-

tive strategy. Approved by the ad-ministration, student employeeswork with local businesses and BonAppetit (on campus) to compost. Sustainability is also integratedinto our Integrative Core classes. Inone class entitled “Modeling Sus-tainability,” students created the

Composting, Food Waste, and Trust the TapBy Isabella Kaser and Jake Gilchrest Dudley

9

Far left: Maggie Lacy and ErinMecaller in front of SustainabilityCommittee information.Above left: Colleen Lopp adds herfood waste to the scale.Above: Grace Corrigan reviews thefood waste challenge information.

nature soothes our minds and relieves our stress. Emerson andThoreau wrote about a returning to nature to gain access tothe human spirit. Nature, though, is not apart from us. Natureis intrinsically part of the human being. To observe this naturethough and celebrate it as God’s creation or simply as a path-way to the life of the mind is Natura Revelata.

What might Natura Revelata look like in our liberal artscourses? If we look at any discipline, surely we are creativeenough to see how nature, particularly one’s immediate place-based natural history, can relate to everything. Many writershave touched upon the link between natural history and cul-tural history, providing a connection to the fields of history,politics, and sociology. Studies also reflect that nature relievesstress and provides feelings of happiness, which can be con-nected to psychology and economics, which has recentlybeen engaged in happiness studies. Nature provides manyways of viewing mathematics: fibonacci series and the con-structual law of nature are but two examples. Certainly, art isinfluenced by local habitat, and music might be as well,though this is less defined. Nature writing and nature poetryform the genre of ecocriticism, and philosophical writingsabout our relationship with and our responsibility to nature

are abundant. Thus, no matter our disciplinary silo, could wenot involve our students in the stories of plants and animalson some small level to instill Natura Revelata?

I believe that we could coax place-based, local, natureknowledge into our courses, and that by doing so, strengthenour university identity as an institution rooted to this placeand branching up to a global level. This message of creating arelationship with nature as a connection to God and a connec-tion to humanity forms an antidote to what Pope Francis calls“the rapidification of life” and our “throwaway culture.” Place-based, local, nature knowledge will inspire Natura Revelataand help our students fortify their relationship with God orsimply fortify their relationship with the world and add mean-ing to their lives.

Catherine Kleier, an associate professor, is chair of the department of biology at Regis University, Denver.

Photograph of a raindrop, page 7, by Chris Kalinko, Seattle University.

“Trust the Tap” project to increase thenumber of water bottles reused oncampus by having refill stations in-stalled around campus. The committee also educated theRegis community about conservation,food justice, E-waste, and other aspectsof sustainability during “Earth Week.”

The highly passionate committee haseffectively motivated the student bodyand Regis community towards sustain-able living and consumption.

Isabella Kaser and Jake Gilchrest Dudleyare both members of the class of 2016,Regis University.


Students feel a sense of urgency about theglobal environmental crisis. They are awareof our planet’s peril and the great void inworldwide environmental governance.Human use of land and water is drivingspecies to extinction at rates unprecedentedin Earth’s history. Our global climate ischaotic, and the accelerated pace of warmingis expected to make parts of the planet unliv-able by 2100. These are the most pressing so-cial issues of the 21st century because theythreaten the security of land, food, water,and air, the very sustenance of human life.Students are concerned, engaged, and in-

formed; and they want to be agents ofchange. They are looking for leadership.Spurred by student desires and Pope Fran-cis’ call for care of our common home, Jesuitinstitutions of higher education are uniquelypoised and called to deliver.

The challenge with educating youngpeople about environmental degradation isthat the more they learn, the more they sensehow bleak the outlook is for their future. Bal-ancing exposure to the complexity of theproblems with a believable optimism forpositive change requires a careful and com-passionate teacher. This is where Jesuit uni-versities play an important role: we canintegrate hope through faith, spirituality, anda call to action that is a hallmark of our insti-tutional missions. In educating undergradu-ates, the experiences that make the greatestimpact are those which integrate studentknowledge across disciplines (environmentalsciences, economics, politics, internationalaffairs, philosophy, and theology) with thegoal of motivating changes in behavior andpolicy. Sound familiar? It’s an approach theJesuits have used for 470 years, and it works.

In his encyclical “Laudato Si’,” PopeFrancis calls for humans to be “integral ecol-ogists.” What does this mean? He is asking

Jesuit Colleges and Universities

Uniquely Suited to Tackle the

Environmental CrisisBy Nancy Tuchman

11

each of us to think of how our bodies are integrallyconnected to nature – literally composed of elementsfrom nature – and how our behaviors are directlylinked with nature – either facilitating or destroyingthe very natural elements we require for life. If we in-tegrate care for creation into our behaviors, we will notonly experience a positive feedback to our own health,but also to that of the marginalized. This interrelated-ness is what the millennials understand. Everything isconnected. Every action, decision, and purchase wemake has a ripple effect both upstream in the supplychain and downstream in the waste stream.

As a case study, the leadership at Loyola UniversityChicago (LUC) has made an commitment to developinga culture of integral ecology over the past 14 years, ex-pressed in three concrete ways: (1) Core Curriculum –by converting the core science course into an environ-mental science course, all students graduating fromLUC have a fundamental literacy of environmentalchallenges; (2) A New Institute – building an interdisci-

plinary Institute of Environmental Sustainability whichoffers six BA/BS degrees and two minors; it has at-tracted 260 student majors in three years; and (3) Cam-pus Infrastructure – the campus environmentalfootprint has been reduced by approximately 50 percentthrough energy efficient construction, heating/coolingplant upgrades, storm water capture systems, greenroofs, and a “Climate Action Plan,” which pledges tomake the campus carbon neutral by 2025.

Loyola Chicago’s commitment to these efforts hasearned it the ranking of fourth greenest university inthe country by the Sierra Magazine. What’s more, thecommitment to environmental sustainability is identi-fied in surveys by 65 percent of all incoming freshmenas being an important or very important reason theychose to come to LUC – an indicator of the value mil-lennials place on environmental conscientiousness.

The application of Ignatian pedagogy is particu-larly relevant in bringing hope and agency to studentsin times of insecurity and conflict. LUC’s Searle

The Searle Biodiesel Program focuses on production, research, and outreach efforts centered on utilizing waste productsto create energy. The products are designed to utilize university and lab waste to make usable products with the longterm goal of establishing a Zero Waste Process.


Biodiesel Lab is an example thatemploys the Ignatian approach byinviting students to work in inter-disciplinary teams to develop so-lutions to environmental problemson campus. The best innovationscoming out of a given semester arefurther developed in subsequentsemesters and ultimately scaledup as permanent sustainabilityfeatures on campus. In this exam-ple, our students use the wastevegetable oil from cafeteria deepfat fryers and convert it intobiodiesel which replaces petro-leum diesel in our campus shuttlebuses. It’s a waste-to-energy inno-

vation that has measurable reduc-tions in greenhouse gas emissions,waste, and fossil fuel use.

As the project grew, a by-product from the biodiesel reac-tion, glycerin, began toaccumulate in 55 gallon drums inthe lab. The students were deter-mined not to send these barrels tothe landfill. So they worked witha chemistry professor to make thewaste glycerin into soap. TodayLoyola BioSoap has been refinedthrough multiple chemistry trials(and lots of lavender essential oilsto overcome the lingering Frenchfry odor) and is now sold to

LUC’s housekeeping contractorand distributed in restroom hand-soap dispensers across campus.The approach empowers studentsby engaging them to be agents ofchange within a definable com-munity (campus) and to con-tribute measurably to thereduction of campus inputs andwaste outputs.

It is both hopeful and excitingto see the creative environmentalsustainability programs that Je-suit colleges, universities, andhigh schools across the countryare increasingly facilitating. Wecan be most effective at this com-

mon goal if we share ideas andwork together. Father GeneralAdolfo Nicolás, S.J., challenges usto leverage the capacity of theworld’s largest higher educationnetwork (nearly 175 Jesuit collegesand universities worldwide) tomore effectively address environ-mental and justice issues.

In response to this challenge,one highly collaborative interna-tional project led by LUC is the In-ternational Jesuit Ecology Projectwhich has produced Healing Earth.

Healing Earth is a free, online text-book in environmental science forcollege freshmen and high schoolseniors that integrates ethical

analysis, spiritualreflection, and acall to action. Theoverall goal ofHealing Earth is tohelp all of us be-come integral ecol-ogists, people whodare to imagine ahealed Earth andare willing to puttheir hands, hearts,and minds to thetask. Healing Earth

was publiclylaunched in January 2016, afterthree years of collaborationsamong 160 Jesuit contributorsfrom 20 countries. The textbook isalready being used by 26 profes-sors/teachers in 10 countries. Over40 more faculty from five addi-tional countries are preparing touse Healing Earth in the upcomingsemester, and we invite everyoneinterested to join the Healing Earth

team of users and builders. This isan exciting example of how, whenwe combine our efforts, Jesuit in-stitutions around the world areready to create something that hasenormous reach and potential im-pact (estimated 1,500 studentsworldwide in 2016 alone).

As an ecologist and a mother, Ifind hope in the young people.They want to be change agents inthe world they are inheriting, andthey are looking for adult leader-ship – someone to not only givethem the knowledge and skills

they need to develop into leadersthemselves, but also be models offaithful stewardship of our fragileEarth. Jesuit institutions aroundthe world have those adult lead-ers. With the riches of our institu-tions, the integrity of our commonmission, and the time-honoredsuccess of our pedagogy, we couldbe a powerful collaborative forceto lead the youth, by example, intoa hopeful future.

Nancy C. Tuchman is the Founding

Director of the Institute of Environ-

mental Sustainability at Loyola Uni-

versity Chicago. [email protected]

(On Healing Earth seewww.healingearth.ijep.net. Seealso “The Jesuit Difference in Inter-national Education: Two ProjectsThat Teach a Lot,” by Michael J.Schuck of Loyola UniversityChicago in Conversations on Jesuit

Higher Education #49, Spring 2016.)

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Loyola’s University Chicago’sInstitute of Environmental Sustainability (IES) is engagedin advancing skills and knowl-edge in sustainable agricultureand developing local food sys-tems through the Urban Agri-culture Program. They manageseveral edible productionspaces on Loyola’s Lakeshorecampus including WinthropGarden, Mertz Terrace Garden,Quinlan Rooftop Garden, andthe Greenhouse Lab featuringtwo aquaponics systems. In2014, 1,700 lbs of producewas harvested, with the help of14 student employees and 300total student volunteers.


As universities focus on the myr-iad of ways in which to serve theirstudents and create fruitful learn-ing environments, it’s no surprisethat job readiness and morestreamlined educational programshave become a selling point. By con-trast, universities have the opportu-nity to take something that mayseem quite singular or unconnectedto the everyday learning experienceand weave this focus throughout acampus’s curriculum – connecting atopic with global impact through in-terdisciplinary learning. Fairfield University is commit-ted to a learning environment forour students in which they experi-ence interdisciplinary opportuni-ties that value cura personalis. Toaid this vision, the universitysought an opportunity to integratelearning more actively through acomprehensive focus. The intentwas to center the curiosities of bothfaculty and students through theexploration of particular ideas re-lated to multicultural understand-ing, professional responsibility, andartistic engagement.

For the last two academicyears, Fairfield has been commit-ted to the theme “Water.” The thirduniversity theme over the past sixyears, “Water” was selected be-cause of its impact both globallyand on our everyday existence – as

an element, a force to be movedand shaped, bought and sold,feared for its power, revered for itsabsolute necessity for life,lamented for its changing composi-tion, and explored in its entirety tobetter understand the need forglobal stewardship. For Jo Yarrington, professor ofstudio art, the notion of water is acentral component of her creativeaccomplishments: it is a metaphor,

a referencing of the deep and un-ruly terrain between psychologicalspaces and physical places. PatPoli, associate professor of account-ing, was drawn because sheteaches a course about NGO opera-tions in which many of the cases

and readings in-volve water: itsscarcity, the need forclean water, and thestruggles of the poorto obtain water. AndLori Jones, directorof programmingand audience devel-opment for Fair-field’s main theater

venue, wanted to contribute to aproject that served the university’smission and dedication to socialjustice and encouraged cam-puswide engagement. Together, this group formedthe executive committee oversee-ing the water theme and workedwith interdisciplinary partners toestablish initiatives across a varietyof fronts on campus: films, lectures,art exhibitions, activist projects,

ConnectingStreams acrossCampusBy Jo Yarrington, Lori Jones, and Pat Poli

15

water-themed courses, field trips,and community conversations.Provost Lynn Babington gener-ously supported the effort bycharging vice presidents and deansto devote various working budgetsto the theme. Some of these pro-grams have included: • A curricular sequence of classes

was offered to students partici-pating in the theme by takingwater-related courses and at-tending events and lectures.An interdisciplinary researchseminar was also offered eachspring where participating stu-dents worked with a mentor intheir field of study to guide theresearch and with Jo Yarring-

ton, who incorporated theirstudy of water.

• The “Water Wall,” located inthe heart of campus, was cov-ered with chalkboard paint sothat all members of the univer-sity community could postwater ruminations, facts, andquestions.

• Aluminum water bottles weregiven to the incoming class of2019 at orientation – challengingstudents to use them as a sign ofsolidarity and commitment toenvironmentally sustainablepractices throughout their fouryears at Fairfield.

• Core English classes assignedfirst-year students to read and

write essays reflective of water.In the service of eloquentia per-

fecta, first-year students furtherexplored the theme from theperspectives of responsible lit-erary, intellectual, and civic en-gagement by hosting thewater-themed “National Dayon Writing,” showing they canmake a contribution to thelearning community at Fairfieldfrom day one.

• Finally, illustrating a variety ofapproaches to the theme, an in-terdisciplinary water film serieswas structured so that each filmexplored a different aspect ofwater with an introduction bytwo Fairfield faculty members

Senior, Art and Communications major, Abigail Abrams, for the ID 395 Water Theme Seminar. Water Research Project: Keystone Pipe Line. Water color and India Ink on Rives BFK paper. Installation in the Experimental Space Gallery.


from different disciplines pre-ceding the film and a guidedQ&A afterward.

How was all this accom-plished, especially in a small uni-versity with a multitude ofdifferent interests and priorities?Of importance is the university’svision to provide an integratedliberal arts program for students.The theme’s activities deliver anexample of this interdisciplinary

learning both to the universityand broader communities in thetown of Fairfield. From the beginning, it was de-termined that the success of thetheme would require staff support,adjunct consultants, student repre-sentation, faculty commitment,and coordination with theprovost’s office, vice presidents,and deans. In addition, four stu-

dent leadership positions were de-veloped to spearhead the “Water”focus to build stronger student en-gagement in the university theme.The steering committee exhibited apassion and commitment to thesuccess of “Water” and made ex-cellent recommendations that en-abled the more focused planningby the executive committee. Re-peated and ongoing publicity alsoplayed a key role in establishing

larger audiences with remindersshared by print and digital re-sources to promote specific“Water” programs and series. Of course, there are chal-lenges. In particular, the univer-sity is a robust and active campuswith living and learning commu-nities and residential collegeswith curricular requirements,multiple film series, and many

other events happening daily.However, by breaking down as-sumed institutional silos andopening lines of communicationacross campus, we were able tobetter coordinate and partnerwith other events – offering stu-dents a diverse range of learningexperiences and faculty the op-portunity to engage outside oftheir programs. Many individual,unsolicited testimonies from stu-dents and faculty spoke to thepower and benefit of providing auniversitywide focus. There is no denying water’simpact on all of us on a globalscale and yet it is so easily takenfor granted. The impact of focus-ing on a universitywide themeencouraged students, faculty,staff, and the broader Fairfieldcommunity to reflect on their per-sonal experiences, studies, andappreciation for this incredible re-source. We hope Fairfield Univer-sity’s theme creates a “ripple”effect that pushes out and encour-ages a yearning to learn more andmake a difference – whetherthrough a student’s research, afaculty member’s commitment tohelping students understand theirimpact on a vital source of lifeand commerce, or through a com-munity member dedicating timeto help keep our water clean.

The overview was written collabora-

tively by Jo Yarrington, theme facilita-

tor and professor of studio art in the

department of visual and performing

arts; Lori Jones, director of program-

ming and audience development at the

Quick Center for the Arts; and Pat

Poli, associate professor of accounting

in the Dolan School of Business.

Two separate installations in the Experiment Space gallery, studio art program, Loyola Hall, Fairfield University. Top view: student work in a water focused course exhibition, Exposing Water, Digital Photography. Bottom view: Fair Weather: TheWetland Project with artist Mary Mattingly.

17

I became involved in the Fairfield University“Water” theme as a sophomore, during the first se-mester it was offered. I was initially intrigued by theidea of a project involving a topic in which I was al-ready very much invested.

At the time, my understanding and appreciationof water was ecological and biological. I was inter-ested in the environmental aspect of water, and Iwanted to be involved in the two-year water journey.What I was not aware of, however, was the opportu-nities it would present to me and how it wouldchange my way of thinking in the process.

As a biology major, I was very familiar with the bi-ological importance of water; without it, there wouldbe no life. What amazed me, though, was how the ini-tiative taught me to explore new ways to think about,and to appreciate, water.

Water is not only biologically important – itshapes lives and cultures. Water makes art; water in-spires art. Water feeds the masses and cleanses us.Water causes war and conflict. I learned to see waterin things that are not inherently “watery” but are a re-sult of water nonetheless.

The theme, through an array of lectures, paneldiscussions, art demonstrations, and film screenings,allowed me to widen my understanding of water and,ultimately, the world around me. The “Water” themealso allowed me to watch my peers and professorsshare their impressions and understanding of water,further exposing me to new ways of thinking outsidemy strictly biological mindset. It also provided the op-portunity to pursue independent research in the fieldin which I am most passionate.

In my final semester at Fairfield University, withthe support of my professors and through the “Inter-

disciplinary Water Research Seminar” course, I con-ducted an experiment investigating the effects of nat-urally occurring bacteria in fermented food uponexposure to Vibrio strains. The experiment and re-search I conducted made me better understand theseverity of water-borne epidemics such as cholera inpoverty stricken nations. It also made me think moredeeply about how simple water sanitation is underap-preciated in wealthy nations such as our own.

This initiative has shaped me into a more knowl-edgeable, mindful individual, one who is aware of is-sues regarding water in my own country but alsoissues on a global scale. This whole-person growththat I have experienced truly encompasses the Jesuitvalue of cura personalis that is central to the FairfieldUniversity mission. As a graduate of the class of 2016,my education and experiences at Fairfield University,and especially my involvement in the “Water” theme,have made me confident in my ability to enter theprofessional world having developed a global aware-ness and an environmental consciousness.

Samantha Porter, class of 2016, majored in biology at Fairfield University.

Fairfield’s WaterTheme: a Student’sExperience

By Samantha Porter

Olivia Fox and Samantha Porter, right, present their Water Research Projects at the Student Research Symposium 2016.


The concept of integral ecologyis undeniably central to PopeFrancis’ encyclical “LaudatoSi’,” but an important corollaryto this is the interdependence ofthe principles of solidarity andsubsidiarity – in popular termswe might say, “think globally,act locally.” Throughout the let-ter, Francis repeatedly stateshow “It cannot be emphasizedenough how everything is inter-connected,” (No. 138) not onlyin the sense that environmentaland social issues are deeply in-terwoven, but also in terms ofthe complex connections be-tween local and global concerns. To take but one example,the effects of surface mining onlocal ecosystems and communi-ties are obvious as mountain-tops are blasted away, streamsare buried or poisoned, and

property values and measuresof health and well-being de-crease. Yet the impact of fossilfuels extends well beyond theregions that produce them, bothin the form of carbon emissionsand in the political and eco-nomic power of the industry.Though the technological, eco-nomic, and political factors thatgive rise to such practices oftenoriginate far from the placeswhich feel their impact most di-rectly, addressing these broaderdynamics also requires thinkingabout local and regional solu-tions. “There are no uniformrecipes,” Francis writes, “be-cause each country or regionhas its own problems and limi-tations” (No. 180). The region of Appalachiacertainly has its fair share of“problems and limitations.” In-

Between a Rock and a Coal Mine

The Challenge of “Laudato Si’”in Appalachia

By Jessica Wrobleski

19

deed, the problemsand limitations ofthis region are ar-guably unique withinthe developed world.Sometimes describedas an “energy sacri-fice zone,” the wealthof the land and thepoverty of the peopleof the region have been closely in-tertwined since the introduction ofindustry following the Civil War. In“Laudato Si’,” Francis offers oneparagraph which is particularly di-rect in its challenge to the industrieswhich have dominated the Ap-palachian region for much of its his-tory. He writes, “We know thattechnology based on the use ofhighly polluting fossil fuels – espe-cially coal, but also oil and, to alesser degree, gas – needs to be pro-gressively replaced without delay”(No. 165). Francis recognizes thatthis energy transition will not beeasy or immediate, but he is alsoaware that much of the challenge

lies in summoning thepolitical will to makethe necessary changes– no small task in anarea where the fossilfuel industry main-tains a force in theimaginations of manypeople, even thoughemployment in the in-

dustry has been in steady declinefor decades. So while a move away from fos-sil fuel industries may be both in-evitable and in the interest of thepeople of Appalachia, the church asan institution can find itself caughtbetween the proverbial rock and acoal mine (or natural gas well), ascan be seen in public statements on“Laudato Si’” by Bishop MichaelBransfield of West Virginia (dioceseof Wheeling-Charleston). In an in-terview with West Virginia PublicRadio earlier this year, BishopBransfield emphasized the idea thatmoving away from fossil fuels “isnot economically feasible in West

The Strong Voice ofAppalachia’s Bishops

The Catholic Committee of Appalachia is a grassroots organiza-tion of lay and clergy who havebeen committed to the promotionof social and environmental justicein the region since 1970. In theearly 1970s, CCA held listening ses-sions with residents of Appalachiaand was instrumental in draftingthe 1975 pastoral letter “This LandIs Home to Me,” which was eventu-ally signed bythe bishops ofthe region andwhich has influ-enced numer-ous movementsand ministriesin Appalachiaand beyond. Twenty years later, thebishops issued a second statement,“At Home in the Web of Life,” offer-ing a vision of sustainable commu-nities – in many ways, an earlyarticulation of an integral ecology.In 2015, CCA marked the 40th an-niversary of the original letter bypublishing “The Telling Takes UsHome,” a “people’s pastoral” that revisits andreaffirmstheir commit-ment to lis-tening to thevoices of theregion andrespondingto the signs of the times – andplaces – in which they live.Far left: Mountaintop removal coal mine operation, Kayford Mountain, West Virginia.

Above: A slurry pond; coal dust holding waste of coal mining. Photos by Creighton University student Ayet Nguyen. Courtesy of The Clifford M. Lewis, SJ Appalachian Institute.Top: http://www.wju.edu/ai/research/research.html#p=1


Virginia,” and in other state-ments the diocese has stressedthat the pope’s criticism of fossilfuel industries must be held to-gether with his concern for theworkers. “The Holy Father isnot trying to run West Virgini-ans out of work,” said BryanMinor, a spokesman for the dio-cese. In another interview, thebishop focused on the need forassistance with economic transi-tions in areas that have beenheavily dependent on a singleindustry like coal. Yet such challenges have notprevented either the church asan institution or the people ofGod at the grassroots from tak-ing up Francis’ call to action in “Laudato Si’.” Forone example, the Clifford Lewis, S.J., AppalachianInstitute at Wheeling Jesuit University was foundedin 2002 with a threefold mission of research, service,and advocacy within the region. Elizabeth Collins,who currently serves as the institute’s director, isgrateful for the pope’s message in “Laudato Si’,”which has brought weight and credibility to many ofthe institute’s longstanding programs and concerns.Like those who represent the diocese, however,Collins is aware of the challenges of transitioningaway from fossil fuels – not only economically butalso culturally – within Appalachia. She explainsthat with coal, there is a growing consensus that the

industry’s days are num-bered, but the pros and consof fracking remain widelyand hotly contested. Collinsdiscusses the need for goingbeyond the usual suspectsand having hard conversa-tions about what is ultimatelyin the best interest of the re-gion. Although here, too,there are often challenges ofreconciling mission with fi-nancial need, providing aforum for having such con-versations is one way thatWheeling Jesuit Universitylives out its call to the serviceof faith and the promotion ofjustice in the region.

Elizabeth Nawrocki, a senior theology major,has worked closely with the institute since shetransferred to WJU in 2013 by leading immersiontrips, participating in community gardening proj-ects, and helping to develop programs and events.Like Collins, Nawrocki also identified the work ofthe Appalachian Institute as bringing together thecampus and the broader community for conversa-tion and collaboration. “WJU is not a city on a hillbut a city in the hills,” she says, “and our location inAppalachia is not coincidental to our mission.” As Pope Francis has written near the end of“Laudato Si’,” “Social problems must be addressedby community networks and not simply by the sumof individual good deeds . . . The ecological conver-sion needed to bring about lasting change is also acommunity conversion” (No. 219). Certainly, muchmore could be said about the challenges of commu-nity conversion and promoting an integral ecologyin a region where economics and environment areoften seen as competing values. But ultimately,looking at “Laudato Si’” in Appalachia reveals thatFrancis’ vision of integral ecology requires not onlyrecognizing the relationship between social and eco-logical concerns but also respecting the particularchallenges and integrity of local places.

Jessica Wrobleski is an assistant professor of theology and

religious studies at Wheeling Jesuit University; she also

serves on the Jesuit Identity Team.

Above: Community garden project. Below: Mountaintop mining. Photos courtesy of The Clifford M. Lewis, S.J.Appalachian Institute.

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In the concluding lines of “In California: Morning,Evening, Late January” from 1989, the poet (andpractitioner of Ignatian spirituality) Denise Levertovholds together an unexpected unity of opposites:“Who can utter/the praise of such generosity/or theshame?” That one can express gratitude to God forthe generous gift of creation while at the same timeexpressing proper shame for treating the gift sopoorly is to stand on the crux of a paradox, the kindof which fires the theological imagination.

Levertov’s collective mea culpa of authenticshame, written in the face of the growing ecologicalcrisis, not only illuminates the urgency of herpointed, discriminating diction, but also encour-ages, implicitly and profoundly, the “faith that doesjustice” that resides at the heart of Ignatian spiritu-ality. St. Ignatius’s own discernments about thecomplexities of generosity and culpability – aboutgratitude and sin – are likewise bundled in paradox;and his insights about how acts of conscience firstflow from and are ever ordered to “gratitude for thegift” is a distillation of the dynamic relationship be-tween contemplation and action, a paradoxical ori-entation of the pilgrim person in the world. It is theturn to God – the grace of interior conversion – thatinforms and precedes any “faith that does justice”and serves as lasting strength for the journey.

Pope Francis appropriates this powerful dy-namic and employs it as the cornerstone of“Laudato Si’.” In both the formal structure andrhetorical arc of his landmark encyclical, the docu-ment reads like a sustained, corporate examen, anexercise in Ignatian spirituality doubling as a papalencyclical. In this sense – and in an expansive way –

“Laudato Si’” is a call to radical conversion throughthe sacramental lens of an integral ecology. In call-ing to mind the figure of St. Francis of Assisi, asPope Francis writes late in the letter, “We come torealize that a healthy relationship with creation isone dimension of overall personal conversion,which entails the recognition of our errors, sins,faults and failures, and leads to heartfelt repentanceand desire to change.” Personal conversion emergesas key in “Laudato Si’” – not the Pelagian, by-our-own-boot-straps kind of conversion that so many ofus in the West mistake for authentic change of heartbut the kind that knocks you off your donkey. Lestwe make the error of reducing Ignatian spiritualityto some esoteric personal growth seminar, we mustremember that St. Ignatius was, in his core, a mysticwho encountered the living God first in the contextof crisis. His prayer then became on-going eventthat re-ordered everything and the lens throughwhich all subsequent experience was filtered.

As St. Ignatius also modeled, the Christian ex-perience of prayer is no private, disincarnate trans-mission from Planet God. It is preciselyincarnational and holistic, an integral experiencewhich, in turn, becomes the sustaining message of“Laudato Si’.” The “gaze of Jesus,” as Pope Francissuggests early in the text, initiates an all-encompass-ing relationship. “The Lord was able to invite othersto be attentive to the beauty that there is in theworld,” Francis meditates, “because he himself wasin constant touch with nature.” Such a gaze drawsus nearer to Jesus, so much so that we “put onChrist” and begin to see the world through a trans-formed vision, one that retrieves unity and “invites

Shame and the Signs of Hope

Encyclical as ExamenBy Mike Murphy


us to develop a spirituality of that global solidaritywhich flows from the mystery of the Trinity.” AsPope Francis further ponders, Jesus “was far re-moved from philosophies which despised the body,matter and the things of the world,” for such “un-healthy dualisms left a mark on certain Christianthinkers in the course of history and disfigured theGospel.”

In this way, the Ignatian vision outlined in“Laudato Si’” transcends the often narrow and in-dividualist boundaries of contemporary Christianspirituality (not to mention consumerist/material-ist economic systems), in order to include a rela-tionship with all created things. “Our hearts areauthentically open to universal communion” PopeFrancis declares, excluding “nothing and no one”because “everything is related, and we human be-ings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonder-ful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God hasfor each of his creatures.” It is holistic integration –not gnostic division – that best characterizes PopeFrancis’ eco-theological concern; it is a vision that isboth religiously incarnational and morally commu-nitarian – so much so that it stretches out to includethe entire community of the cosmos.

Speaking in such demanding slogans as “afaith that does justice,” then, is less possible andless credible without the fruits of prayer to under-gird and sustain it. I think this is why Pope Francis’document and his papacy are having a profoundeffect on audiences who would otherwise discountor ignore him. For many in the modern environ-mental movement, conscious as they are of the sci-entific veracity and political urgency of climatechange, the task has been to create the psychologi-cal and sociological conditions needed for radicalbehavioral change. Still, for anybody who has everbeen to a climate conference, the mood is alwaysunderstandably dark and dour. Something is miss-ing. For Pope Francis, it is right relationship that ismissing – a collective spiritual amnesia that im-pedes the movement of justice in the world and“has much to do with an ethical and cultural de-

cline which has accompanied the deterioration ofthe environment.” The modern environmentalcommunity speaks in terms of problem-solving andhuman potential; Pope Francis speaks in terms oftheological mystery and human virtue. The integralecology he proposes replies to the darkness of per-sonal shame and human complicity in climatechange; but it also recovers the internal order andenduring harmony of all of these approaches, re-casting and renewing them in terms of gratitudeand praise.

In this way, shame can be a powerful sign ofhope. Honest acknowledgement of legitimateshame about our part in anthropogenic climatechange, about what Levertov called “globicidal in-sanity,” is a first-fruit of an alert examination ofconscience. Alert consciences pray for mercy; alertconsciences are moved to proper action andrestorative justice. The final word here, then, mustbe mercy – the need for which, as Pope Francis hasso eloquently shown, is perhaps greater today thanever before. To show mercy to the earth and to thedisproportionate number of the poor affected byecological crisis is to amplify the dynamic relation-ship between mercy and justice. To commit to thecomplicated political action needed is to atone injustice, as a human family, for abusing the mar-velous gift so freely given to us all. An integral eco-logical vision, focused as it is on prayer andcontemplation, becomes a most exemplary “faiththat does justice.”

So then, we join with Pope Francis when heprays: “Triune Lord, wondrous community of infi-nite love/ Awaken our praise and thankfulness/forevery being that you have made./ Give us the graceto feel profoundly joined/to everything that is.” Andwe commit ourselves to the acts of justice and mercythat our prayer will engender and sustain.

Dr. Michael Murphy is the director of the Catholic

Studies program at Loyola University Chicago.

In the spring of 2008, I was a junior sociology major atCornell discerning a vocation to the Jesuits. This processplaced my lifelong Catholic faith on the forefront of mymind more than ever before, and, while I ultimately feltcalled to marriage and family life, it prepared me to recog-nize climate change as a moral issue for Catholics.

One day in development sociology, my professorpointed out that the poor are disproportionately harmedby climate change despite historically contributing least tothe problem. At that moment, I began to see that climatechange is as much about justice and human flourishing asit is non-human creation.

In general, ecological degradation most harms the poor,vulnerable, and marginalized. This is because these persons

and communities lack the economic, political, and social capi-tal needed to address the structural causes, immediate ef-fects, and future threats of ecological deprivation. Inparticular, the most severe geophysical and humanitarianconsequences of climate change (for example, drought,flooding, food and water stresses, population displacement)are being – and will continue to be – acutely experienced bythe poor, vulnerable, and marginalized in the United Statesand around the world.

My professor’s reference to the disproportionate cli-mate-related suffering of the poor and vulnerable certainlycaught my attention. What he pointed out next, however,set the trajectory of my life and career path: the poor andvulnerable are least responsible for causing the climate

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CRY OF THE EARTH, CRY OF THE POOR

“Laudato Si’” and Jesuit Higher Education

By Daniel R. DiLeo


change from which they suffer most. For example, accord-ing to the World Resources Institute and World Bank, theworld’s five wealthiest countries in 2007, as measured bytotal GDP, were responsible for more than half of all histori-cal global carbon emissions since 1870. At that time, theU.S. alone was responsible for 28.8 percent of historicalglobal carbon emissions.

Given the obvious ethical dimensions of climatechange, and with a heightened awareness of my Catholicfaith, I began to wonder if the Catholic Church had saidanything about climate change. I started doing researchand quickly discovered the church by that time, 2008, hadrepeatedly identified climate change as a moral issue (forexample, Pope John Paul II’s 1990 and 1999 World Day ofPeace messages; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’2001 Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudenceand the Common Good). Excited by these teachings, I beganworking on climate change from a Catholic perspective andhave never looked back.

St. Francis, Pope Francis, and “Laudato Si’”

Shortly after he was elected bishop of Rome, Pope Francisexplained that he chose his papal name to honor St. Francisof Assisi and his concurrent concern for the poor, peace,and creation. In view of the pope’s namesake, it is unsur-prising that “Laudato Si’” integrates care for creation withcare for the poor within the context of climate change. Indoing so, “Laudato Si’” gives the most authoritative and suc-cinct Catholic account to date of the dynamics I recognizedat Cornell.

First, Francis recognizes that environmental degrada-tion disproportionately harms the poor. He quotes the Boli-vian Bishops’ Conference, which observes that “botheveryday experience and scientific research show that thegravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suf-fered by the poorest” (No. 48).

In particular, Francis observes that climate changeharms the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized persons andcommunities more than all others (No. 25). Additionally, thepope points out that much global “warming is caused byhuge consumption on the part of rich countries” (No. 51).As such, Francis says that rich nations owe an ecologicaldebt to poor nations (No. 51).

In order to redress the injustices of ecological debt, Fran-cis highlights the importance of the common good, solidarity,the preferential option for the poor, and the universal destina-tion of goods (No. 158, 93). Moreover, the pope insists that

“there are differentiated responsibilities” between rich andpoor nations regarding climate change (No. 52).

Specifically, he says, developed nations should “signifi-cantly limit their consumption of non-renewable energyand by assist poorer countries to support policies and pro-grams of sustainable development” (No. 52). Concomitantly,Francis says poor countries must address international dispar-ities and corruption (No. 172). Additionally, he says poor na-tions must employ “less polluting forms of energyproduction” with the help of rich nations (No. 172).

In order to adequately address ecological degradationand climate change, Francis calls for integrated socioeco-nomic responses (No.139). This is because “we are faced notwith two separate crises, one environmental and the othersocial, but rather with one complex crisis which is simulta-neously social and environmental (No. 139). In particular,we must “hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of thepoor” (No. 49, emphasis in original).

Jesuit Higher Education

“Laudato Si’” challenges all people of faith and goodwill tobetter care for creation and the poor. In response, Jesuitcolleges and universities might respond in several ways tothe call of the first Jesuit pope.

Catholic theological ethics distinguishes between charityand justice. The former focuses on local action while the latterseeks systemic change in society. The U.S. Conference ofCatholic Bishops refers to these complementary dynamics asThe Two Feet of Love in Action and insists that adequate re-sponses to socioeconomic and environmental challenges re-quire both modes of social engagement.

Animated by a spirit of charity, Jesuit colleges and uni-versities could affirm the importance of Francis’ “integralecology” through programs like the Interdisciplinary Minor inEnvironmental Ethics at Marquette University. Additionally,

Catholic Relief Services’ I am Climate Change campaignhttp://www.iamclimatechange.org/

25

Hopkins and Francis onthe State of the World:A Poet’s Reflection

By Paul Mariani

It was a Jesuit priest, Gerard Man-ley Hopkins, who wrote some ofthe great Franciscan poems of alltime, so that he and Pope Francis, aJesuit who took the name of Fran-cis, share that link in common. Itfollows, then, that Francis shouldbegin “Laudato Si’,” his letter tothe world, fittingly delivered onPentecost Sunday 2015, by quotingfrom St. Francis’ “Canticle of theCreatures”:

Praise be to you, my Lord,through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us,and who produces various fruitwith colored flowers and herbs.

And so he begins his encyclical,“On Care for Our CommonHome,” with Francis, reminding usthat “our common home is like asister with whom we share our lifeand a beautiful mother who opensher arms to embrace us.” And so,in the name of the church, in thename of our shared humanity, PopeFrancis reminds us that the veryearth “cries out to us because of theharm we have inflicted on her byour irresponsible use and abuse ofthe goods with which God has en-dowed her.”

Hopkins, who loved God’s cre-ation much as St. Francis did, weptover what humans were doing to

the English and Welsh countrysideand – by extension – to the entireworld. Forgive them, Father, forthey know not what they do. Youhave showered them with love.You have given them this beautifulworld, both on the cosmic as wellas on the microcosmic level, if theyonly had ears to hear its music andthe eyes to see what is there beforethem, if they would only take thetime to look.

But look at what? Hopkins’spoems tell us what is there beforeus, just as Fr. Francis did and PopeFrancis has been doing. “Look atthe stars!,” Hopkins urges us in“The Starlight Night,”

Look, look up at the skies!O look at all the fire-folk sitting inthe air!The bright boroughs, the circle-citadels there!Down in dim woods the diamonddelves! the elves’-eyes!The grey lawns cold where gold,where quickgold lies!Wind-beat whitebeam! airyabeles set on a flare!Flake-doves sent floating forth ata farmyard scare!

This is Van Gogh’s “StarryNight” in a language rinsed and re-freshed, words with a sense of deepwonder and awe behind them. Do

institutions might devote resources toplaces like the Center for Sustainability at St.Louis University and encourage faculty toproduce scholarship that leads to action likeHealing the Earth, a free textbook on ecologypublished by the International Jesuit Ecol-ogy Project at Loyola University Chicago (seestory, p.10) Finally, schools might sign andpursue plans with in accord with the Ameri-can College & University Presidents ClimateCommitment. As of April 2016, 12 Jesuitschools had already done so.

In conjunction with such local activities,Jesuit colleges and universities can also pur-sue ecological justice through faithful citi-zenship-based support for policies toaddress climate change. This step was takenby College of the Holy Cross, Fordham Uni-versity, Le Moyne College, Loyola Universityof Maryland, and University of San Franciscoin April 2016 when they signed onto an am-icus curiae brief submitted to the U.S. Courtof Appeals for the District of Columbia offer-ing faith-based support for the Environmen-tal Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan.Furthermore, schools might supportCatholic Relief Services’ climate change pol-icy work by founding CRS Ambassadorchapters like those at Boston College, Col-lege of the Holy Cross, Fairfield University,Loyola University Maryland, and Universityof Scranton.

Conclusion

The world is charged with the grandeur ofGod, and “Laudato Si’” has the potential toinspire people of faith and goodwill tobetter conserve the grandeur of our com-mon home. As resourced institutions ofhigher education rooted in Catholic mis-sion, Jesuit colleges and universities havea particular opportunity – and responsibil-ity – to share and act on the first encyclicalon ecology from the first Jesuit pope.

Daniel R. DiLeo is a Ph.D. candidate in theological ethics at Boston College andProject Manager of the Catholic ClimateCovenant.


you hear it? Can you see it? Get up from your chairand go out behind your house on a clear dark night,where you can actually see the stars, and let theirimmensity and beauty surround you, he tells us. It’sall free and there for the taking, he urges us on withnine exclamations in seven lines.

And the stars: stars as fire-folk, as bright bor-oughs, as circle-citadels. Or – in a reversal – diamonddelves, elves’ eyes, quicksilver gold: stars like thewhite underside of poplars shining in the night sky.All that energy and life, like a flock of spooked dovessuddenly lifting from the earth. And behind thosemillions of stars, behind those untold millions of goldpieces, is something even greater: the Creator of it all,the Father and “Christ and his mother and all his hal-lows.” A taste of heaven there for the asking.

“The world is charged with the grandeur ofGod,” Hopkins wrote that same month. Charged,that is, with an electric energy coursing through it,instressed upon us, revealing a beauty and majestythat would “flame out, like shining from shook foil,”lightning-quick in its dazzle. Or it would dawn onus slowly, gathering “to a greatness, like the ooze ofoil/ Crushed,” that rich yellowgreen oil from olivescrushed in a press, their translucency reflecting theworld about them in each tiny drop, because “Therelives the dearest freshness deep down things.” Andbecause, in spite of what we have done to our world,the Holy Spirit, like a mother dove brooding over itsyoung, cares about us, shining out like the dawneach day, a phoenix rising again, “with warm breastand with ah! bright wings.”

The beautiful serene snow blankets the entrance to Gonzaga University. Photo by Matt Weigand.

27

Why are we here, the poet asks? To burrow lice-like into some giant wheel of cheese, surroundingourselves with the fat of the world until death takesus? Or are we here to recognize what we have beengiven – air, water, light, nourishment, knowledge,friendship, art – and thus give praise back to ourCreator. “Glory be to God for dappled things,”Hopkins sang, for the kaleidoscopic variety andfreshness in all things,

For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow; For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim; Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings...

For if the world is charged with the grandeur ofGod, then we are charged with acknowledging thatgrandeur, since we are the only creatures con-sciously aware of that beauty and so of praising theCreator of Brother Sun and Sister Moon. For whereelse, Hopkins tells us as he witnesses the terrible ef-fects of strip mining which leaves huge brow-likeslags to scar the earth for generations after. Howelse can the earth cry out in its hurt? What other“eye, tongue, or heart else, where/ Else, but in dearand dogged man?” Man, so dear to his Creator, andyet so “selfbent” on himself “that he would strip“our rich round world bare,” without a care forthose who come after. Earth with those monstrousslagheaps for eyebrows, not unlike that massivemethane leak in California’s Aliso Canyon. Methanein the air we breathe, lead in the water we drink,waste everywhere. The poor, the poor everywhere,without work, their dignity stripped from them,“Undenizened, beyond bound/ Of earth’s glory,earth’s ease,” he wrote late in his too-short life. Theunemployed no longer a viable part of the common-wealth, and no one to share that care. This, hewarned us, was to weigh those about us down witha hangdog dullness, a dullness which would morphto despair and then rage, turning those hangdogs toman wolves, whose packs would infest the age.

Paul Mariani is University Professor in the department

of English at Boston College. His is the author of seven

books of poetry and multiple biographies, including Ger-ard Manley Hopkins: A Life (2008) and, most recently,

The Whole Harmonium: The Life of Wallace Stevens(2016). He is also author of a memoir, Thirty Days: OnRetreat with the Exercises of St. Ignatius (2002).

Earth Day Pledges

Remember Earth Day?

Yeah me either but at one point we all pledged to takecare of the earth around us, to do our darndest to pick uptrash and plant more trees. Yet I went to the top of amountain, imagine it won’t you? The rolling hills, trees,birds, and critters letting us so graciously enter theirhomes as we trample through to the top. We come to apoint where you see the top, excited you climb the ridgeand what do you find?

No mountains. Only rubbish.

A coal mine sits just behind that mountain, the beeps andexplosions periodically interrupt your thoughts as youlook around at no mountains, no the beasts that used toreside here have long since been conquered by humans.

Layer by layer.

Rock by rock they disassembled the mountains. Remem-ber those earth day promises when they showed us allthat stuff our parent’s screwed up? WE screwed up now. Isat on this mountain and looked at what was left of itsbrothers and sisters, a little mound there and a little rock here.

Nothing worth seeing.

A STUDENT’S POETRY

Haikus:

I have a dream, oneWhere my kids see the mountainsMajestic, beautiful

Hiking all day, allNight. Top of mountain, no topNo nature, where did it-

Flying high in theSkies. Humans should know beauty Like a bird; freedom

Megan Trainor is a junior at Rockhurst University working towards adegree in English with minor in journalism. She hopes one day totravel and explore the world either alleviating some of the burdensothers face or shedding light on them through her writing.


The student-run SustainabilityCommittee has continuously ad-vocated for the promotion of en-vironmental justice. We recognizethat environmental degradationand exploitation of resources af-fects those most impoverishedfirst and foremost and that ourinstitution cannot continue to dis-regard the need for sustainablepractices. A year ago, we kickedoff an inaugural “Local UrbanMarket,” which featured locallysourced, responsibly made prod-

ucts that were free for students.Throughout the year the commit-tee took on other projects suchas educating the student bodyabout recycling on our campusand at local dining establish-ments. We worked to pass a res-olution to ban Styrofoam oncampus. These projects pavedthe way for the committee’s de-velopment of the “Canisius Col-lege Sustainability Policy Brief,”which successfully urged the ad-ministration to incorporate sus-

tainability into the college’sstrategic plan, a moral imperativeat a Jesuit institution. Consequently, we are devel-oping a community garden, abike-share program, and theusage of reusable cups. We’vehad a highly successful year tolaunch our efforts. We look for-ward to more.

Clayton M. Shanahan, Canisius

College, Class of 2018.

Volunteers from Canisius College at the Massachusetts Avenue Project, an organization that promotes community and sustainability on the West Side of Buffalo, NY.

STUDENT VOICES

Promoting Environmental Justice and Sustainability By Clayton M. Shanahan

29

Even while I was finishing my de-gree at Rockhurst, I started teach-ing in public schools part time. Itaught general science, the funda-mentals of how the world works. Ifelt the magic in the constructionof the periodic table of elements.Helping high school freshmen pre-pare for the wave of technologicalinnovation coming their way was achallenge, but a noble one, I felt.

After a decade, I left publicschool with a passionate desire toeducate about our environment innew ways. I felt that the biggestlegacy we leave is the influence we have on thebody of ideas the culture holds. When public at-tention turned to waste reduction and recycling,grant funding became available to take programsto schools.

I wrote the first grant to bring composting pro-grams to the Kansas City area in 1991. I soon in-

corporated the guitar music I’dlearned in a band from my Rock-hurst days and The Eco-Trouba-dour Road Show was born. Thejob entailed a delicious mix ofwriting songs and grants,recording studios and school as-sembly performances. I waspleasantly obliged to attend thebest conferences on the envi-ronment and to network withothers in my field nationwide.The topics I taught included re-cycling, composting, householdhazardous waste, and water

quality. Songs that accompanied programs be-came a unique series of CD’s. I produced posters,card games, and other materials to accompany theprograms. Concert performances at environmentalfestivals followed. I was an edu-tainer! Teachingour connection to the natural world has been athrill. Countless times I’ve led children in singingsimple anthems that affirm our need to “take goodcare of our little blue ball.” Every time I givethanks that I’ve chosen this path of service.

Stan Slaughter is a graduate of Rockhurst College

(now University), class of 1969. He has been an en-

tertainer, producing music that celebrates the

earth and its beauty and bounty. (For more infor-

mation, see his website with blog posts, videos,

and more: http://www.compost-

education.com/aboutstan )

I Became an Edu-TainerBy Stan Slaughter

ALUMNI VIEW


Baltimore activist artist, BridgetParlato created the “River of Recy-clables” at Loyola Maryland lastspring. It is a project designed toinvolve and inspire the communityon the topic of sustainability to be-come stronger stewards of our en-vironment. The owner of“Baltimore Trash Talk,” Bridgetmakes public works using foundtrash while raising awarenessabout recycling and the need for abottle bill. After months of collabo-rative planning between the artist,associate professor of studio artsJanet Maher, and Taylor Casalena,an employee with sustainabilityinitiatives, Loyola students, faculty,staff, and administrators collectedover 3,500 plastic bottles and canswith which Bridget could createthe “River.”

Students from studioarts and Sustainability,Messina students, andmembers of the studentEnvironmental ActionClub (EAC) assisted.Throughout the day, Brid-get engaged in discus-sions with participatingclasses and others visitingthe “River,” explainingher motivations behind

the project and encouraging furtherefforts toward sustainable practicesat Loyola. Taylor and EAC studentsassisted with conversations aboutLoyola’s current initiatives and re-cycling resources. Janet led stu-dents and staff in an additional artproject using caps from the col-lected bottles for the “River.” Thesepieces will be displayed on Loy-ola’s campus with informationabout the “River” and its purpose –

River of RecyclablesBy Mary Ellen Wade

31

Left: Section of artist Bridget Parlato's "River of Recyclables" created in col-laboration with the Loyola University Maryland community on the Quad. Far left: Studio Arts Two-Dimensional Design class responsible for kick-ing off the day--unloading and opening the collected bags, saving bot-tle caps, counting the collection and installing the "river." Above: Overview of the installation hub on March 15, Loyola UniversityMaryland Quad.Right Throughout the day a bottle cap project kept students engagedat the river as the day progressed.

Photos by Fr. Timothy Brown, Dan Schalpbach, and Janet Maher.

helping extend the messageand intention of this eventbeyond just the day on thequad. The day concludedwith a gathering and reflec-tion about the event beforetotal de-installation and finalrecycling. A further meetingwith Bridget, Janet, and Tay-lor and interested faculty andstaff will generate requests toLoyola’s administration foradditional efforts toward sus-tainable practices at Loyola.

Mary Ellen Wade is associate

director of the Messina

Living-Learning Community

Program at Loyola University

of Maryland.

(These links provide furtherinformation: Student SarahWolford’s (Class of 2019)video about the River:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G8YgERTDt0 ;Drone footage of the“River” by Rafael Castillo(Class of 2016) in Dr. RussellCook’s Communicationcourse:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgmX8iKwhvc ;Loyola’s sustainability web-site that provides updateson sustainability projects atLoyola: http://www.loy-ola.edu/department/sus-tainability )


A woman in a long white robekneels into the marble baptismalfont and gasps as the priest poursthe apparently cold water of pu-rification over her head. Drenchedand now beaming, she stands andthe priest gestures toward her, an-nouncing, “Our newest neophyte!”The congregation erupts in ap-plause at this new member of thechurch. I look down at my Easter Vigilprogram and read, “Neophyte: from theGreek word meaning ‘new plant.’”

Catholicism is filled with earth-bound symbolism. We sprinkle holywater, burn incense, and become “newplants.” Our liturgies demand that wehonor the sanctity of the land. However,there are moments when the truth ofenvironmental degradation surfaces. InJanuary, we read, horrified, about leadpoisoning and unconcerned govern-ment officials in Flint, Michigan. Water,the symbol of purification and new life,had become a carrier of poison and acause for fear. Particularly for manywhite, upper-middle class people likemyself, the effects of toxic waste dis-posal and contaminated drinking waterhave been disengaged from our dailylives. But for many communities pre-dominately of color, like Flint, the effectsof environmental exploitation havebeen entering their own backyards andbodies for years. However, the crisis inFlint is neither an isolated case nor anew phenomenon; it is a manifestationof environmental racism that has beensystematically instituted for years butonly recently come to the attention ofour nation.

Therefore we must ask, “In whatways are our personal and institutionalchoices furthering this system of ex-ploitation?” Particularly as communitiescommitted to seeking justice and as par-ticipants in a tradition that is rooted in

earth-bound symbolism, Jesuit universi-ties must find ways to integrate climatejustice into college life. Doing so, how-ever, requires conscious, practical steps.First, we must create dialogue with stu-dents and faculty members about envi-ronmental injustice. As we sprinkle holywater at school liturgies, we must alsogive homilies about the systemic mis-treatment of this sacred symbol. In pre-dominantly white churches and schools,we must acknowledge that environmen-tal degradation disproportionately af-fects communities of color and thatmany white people have rarely felt theacute impacts of environmental harm.Creating dialogue in liturgies, classes,and faculty meetings can help replacesimplistic narratives with a deeper un-derstanding of the climate injustice.

Second, we must make practicalcommitments both individually and in-stitutionally. Some significant steps in-clude decreasing meat consumptionand air travel. Perhaps we can reclaimthe tradition of abstaining from meat(including fish) on Fridays – not only as aform of fasting, but as an act of resist-ance to factory farming and a way of de-creasing greenhouse gas emissions.Students can also urge their universitiesto stop serving beef at institution-spon-sored events and to recruit local speak-ers, rather than ones that need to fly infrom across the county or world. Climatejustice requires both individual and sys-temic commitments.

Finally, we can spend aday turning compost orplanting seeds – visit anurban farm or plant a schoolgarden. Climate justice ne-cessitates a radical shift inour understanding of rela-tionships. It demands up-rooting ideologies that tellus we are isolated from the

effects of our actions. Through formingrelationships with the land we live onand with people who most feel the ef-fects of environmental degradation, wecan begin to understand firsthand whyenvironmental justice matters.

Sitting in the darkness of my apart-ment on Olive Street, I imagine the Mis-souri limestone crags, prairie grasses,and old woodlands that once thrivedwhere highways, department stores,and college campuses now stand. I thinkof acidifying oceans and contaminatedgroundwater – or of little water at all. Mymind goes to Flint, the Gulf of Mexico,and California – to East St. Louis and thenorth side. A half-second later, I remem-ber impending exams and senior cap-stone projects, post-grad decisions andgoodbyes. My desire to live sustainablywrestles with the urgency of collegecommitments. Is it possible to integratecollege life and climate justice? Choosing to engage with climate justicein a college setting requires deliberatelifestyle shifts. Injustices like the crisis inFlint can nudge us to open our eyes, butthese stories are neither new nor iso-lated. Time and again, we have opportu-nities to choose how we will respond.

Theresa Martin, St. Louis University class of2016, is a double major in theology and in-ternational studies with an environmentalscience minor.

STUDENT VOICES

Holy WaterReflections from a College Senior

By Theresa Martin

33

I can trace my career – my life’swork – to a single, epic momentof laziness in college. Today I runDIGDEEP, a human rights organi-zation working to empower com-munities without access to cleanwater. But in 2009 I was still a stu-dent at Loyola UniversityChicago, taking a capstonecourse in human rights for a de-gree in political science.

My professor – a rather bril-liant (if formidable) Romaniandiplomat – assigned each of us asemester-long project: take anyright from the Universal Declara-tion of Human Rights and traceits history. The first assignmentwas a research proposal, and Iwrote mine on the human rightto water.

I didn’t realize at the time thatthe human right to water wasn’tamong those rights mentioned bythe Universal Declaration. (I hadn’tbothered to read it.) Nor did I real-ize that the very concept of a“human right” to water was a sub-ject of considerable debate.

I like to think my Romanianprofessor was channeling magis(what more can we do for God?)when he assigned me a semester-long “deep dive” into the contro-versy surrounding the right towater. He told me to trace theroots of the right in internationallaw and to propose the shapethat such a right might take in thefuture. It was a ton of work. Whatmore, indeed.

I took that research from Loy-ola into grad school, where I com-pleted a master’s in internationallaw. My thesis on the human rightto water was published by Loy-ola’s International Law Review andquickly became required reading

in human rights programs aroundthe world. In 2011 I began my own or-ganization, DIGDEEP. Our goal isto make the human right to waterreal by designing, co-financing,and implementing community-based water projects that putcontrol over water resources backinto the hands of communities. In2011 the idea was both radicaland necessary; more than 70% ofwater projects were failing withinthe first year, because they failedto empower the people benefit-ting from them. Today DIGDEEP operates inSouth Sudan, Uganda andCameroon. In 2013, we becamethe only global water organiza-tion to also work domestically,where 1.7 million Americans stilldon’t have access to a safe sourceof running water at home. Ourwork has been covered by CBS,The New York Times, VICE, andmany others. The journey hasbeen a tough and rewarding one. Starting a global nonprofit inthe middle of an economic down-turn would not have been possiblewithout that Jesuit spirit of adven-ture and openness that calls eachof us into relationship with theother, especially the poor. Wellthat, and one generous professorwho used my own laziness toteach me a valuable lesson.

George McGraw is an alumnus ofLoyola University Chicago and alsohas a master’s in international lawfrom the United Nations Universityfor Peace in Costa Rica. He hasworked extensively in human rightsissues and has published in TheNew York Times, Huffington Post,and elsewhere.

Human Right to WaterBy George McGraw

ALUMNI VIEW

George McGraw, top left, on location with hisDIGDEEP organization.

34

All rights reservedFr. William Hart McNichols. Image reproductions available at FrBillMcNichols-SacredImages.com.

When Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., commis-sioned me to paint his dream ofthese three saints holding up theWorld – Francis of Assisi, Hildegardof Bingen, and Ignatius of Loyola –my question to myself was “How dothey hold up the World?”

The answer you see right here,is a kind of map which might tell uswhere to go, but we have to actu-ally make the journey. The map is aprayer, and the journey, I pray, willgive us continual insights whichwill lead to action, so that with theholy three of Ignatius, Hildegard,Francis and the Holy Child Jesus,we might learn something abouthow the Holy Spirit continues toGreen the World.

A polyptych (a frame with multiple images/icons)For Loyola University Chicago

VIRIDITAS:FINDINGGOD IN ALLTHINGS

35

50 years after Vatican II, 25 yearsafter “Ex Corde Ecclesiae,” Ameri-can Jesuit presidents and Jesuitmajor superiors (in Rome and in theUnited States) think it’s the righttime to ask how the 28 American Je-suit colleges and universities iden-tify ourselves as Jesuit and Catholicin the 21st century. To that end, uni-versity presidents drafted the docu-ment “Some Characteristics ofJesuit Colleges and Universities: ASelf-Evaluation Instrument” to beused as an evaluative tool and havetried it for a couple of years. Provin-cials have approved its use. We are moving here to the regu-lar reaffirmation that the school’smission is a Jesuit mission, that theboard’s priorities are harmoniouswith the educational vision of theJesuit order. Some people call thisan affirmation of “communion.”The deep purpose is the positive re-assertion of vision. So the 28 schools and theprovincial superiors are experi-menting, looking for as simple andnon-burdensome a method as possi-ble for making this occasional reaf-firmation. Here is the overallapproach: • Over the next five years, each of

the 28 schools will use its own

process to review its current Je-suit mission priorities, deciding– in the Jesuit tradition of themagis – what changes to maketo improve mission effective-ness. The school invites a smallcommittee from other Jesuituniversities to visit and offeradvice (which the school is freeto accept or decline) about theproposed priorities.

• The school sends a letter to theJesuit Superior General throughregular Jesuit channels, reaf-firming its intent to carry out itsJesuit Mission with emphasison the priorities it has selected.

• The Jesuit Superior General sendsback a letter reaffirming that theschool is a Jesuit institution.

This sort of procedure will hap-pen once in the next five years andwill be repeated every few years.(How frequently is up for discus-sion.) But, after the first five years,on the basis of knowledge gainedfrom the first round, specifics willbe adjusted by the 28 presidentsand the relevant Jesuit officials inlight of what seems to work best.

Michael J. Sheeran, S.J., is the president

of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and

Universities.

Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the

28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities in

the United States – A Brief Overview

By Michael J. Sheeran, S.J.

The Saints are grounded inthe Blood of Christ, which feedsthe World, as our Mother’s ownblood feeds us in the womb. Ifyou look at nature closely in theearly spring, all green thingsbegin with red (wounds) buds,shoots, and branches. Then theyflower into green and abundantcolors of life. The leaves, vibrantrocks and stones are living ex-amples of how nature praisesthe Creator.

Earth’s atmosphere, usuallya thin line of blue, is, in this ver-sion, green, with the life of theHoly Spirit. Twelve tongues ofthe Spirit’s flames hover roundthe World as in a New Pentecostwhich Pope St. John XXIII andPope St. John Paul II prophesiedfor the 21st Century.

The Holy Spirit is seen justat that moment when Godspeaks the Word from Genesis:“Let there be Light” and life aswe know it began to swirl fromthe void.

The gorgeous frame bymaster woodworker RobertoLavadie of Taos, chants the HolyHoly Holy ... as with Hildegard’sinspired chants, she claims tohave heard immersed in God,the Living Light; Heaven andEarth are full of God’s glory.Christ the Deer, or hart, is at thebottom standing in preciouswater which nourishes all life.

Father McNichols is a priest ofthe Archdiocese of Santa Fe.


So much has been said about Pope

Francis’ “Laudato Si’.” But is there

some aspect of the encyclical that you

think is overlooked or undercovered

in all the attention it has attracted?

The religious value of plants andanimals in their own right hasnot received sufficient attention.I think this is at the root of theencyclical’s spiritual vision andethical challenge. For centuriesCatholic teaching placed hu-mans at the pinnacle of creationwith the God-given right to havedominion over other creatureswho were made for our use. Uti-lizing the classical idea of thegreat chain of being, this teach-ing took the world to be hierar-chically ordered from inanimatematter at the base, then upwardto plants, to animals, to humanbeings at the peak. In the En-lightenment era of the 16th and17th centuries, when Europeannations began to colonize othercontinents, their aggressive en-trepreneurial culture turned es-pecially destructive to thenatural world. The classical view

allowed imperial cultures to in-terpret dominion as dominationwithout ecclesial protest.

In very strong language,“Laudato Si’” criticizes the tradi-tional view as “inadequate” andfrankly “wrong.” Why? Because itpasses on a Promethean vision ofhuman mastery over the world.Today, however, we need to envi-sion a new way of being humanthat will enhance rather than di-minish the life of other creatureswith whom we share a commonhome. Instead of dominating na-ture, we need to see that all crea-tures share life together on thisplanet in “one splendid universalcommunion” - “una stupenda co-

munione universale” (No. 220).

In light of this old paradigm of

human dominion over creation,

what would you say is the most

noteworthy theological contribution

of the encyclical?

In view of the church’s long ac-ceptance of matter-spirit dualismand the paradigm of dominion,Pope Francis recognizes that he

is contributing something new toCatholic teaching by emphasiz-ing the community of creation.“Laudato Si’” states that even if“we Christians have at times in-correctly interpreted the Scrip-tures, nowadays we mustforcefully reject the notion thatour being created in God’simage and given dominion overthe earth justifies absolute domi-nation over other creatures”(No.67). Instead, he writes, “weare called to recognize that otherliving beings have a value oftheir own in God’s eyes” (No.69). He continues, “In our timethe Church does not simply statethat other creatures are com-pletely subordinate to the goodof human beings, as if they hadno worth in themselves and canbe treated as we wish” (No. 69).Rather, “They have an intrinsicvalue independent of their useful-ness” (No. 140). And why? Be-cause God loves them. “Even thefleeting life of the least of beings isthe object of God’s love, and in itsfew seconds of existence, God en-folds it with affection” (No. 77).

A Theologian Looksat “Laudato Si’”

An Interview with Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J.,

by James P. McCartin

Other species, furthermore,are bearers of revelation. Each one“reflects in its own way a ray ofGod’s infinite wisdom and good-ness” (No. 69). Each is a placewhere we can encounter God;since the Spirit of life dwells inthem, they are a “locus of divinepresence,” calling us into relation-ship with God (No. 88). Ulti-mately, we human beings have theresponsibility to care for all otherspecies because “the final purpose

of other creatures is not to befound in us. Rather, all creaturesare moving forward, with us andthrough us, towards a commonpoint of arrival, which is God”(No. 83). “Laudato Si’” carries thecommunity motif all the way tothe eschaton: “At the end we willfind ourselves face to face with theinfinite beauty of God”; “resplen-dently transfigured,” other crea-tures “will share with us inunending plenitude” (No. 243).

If taken seriously by scholars, the

paradigm shift Pope Francis

proposes would have profound

consequences, wouldn’t it?

Absolutely. Shifting the model ofhuman-nature relationship frompyramid to circle, from a human-dominated hierarchy to creationas a community, has radical, far-reaching consequences. “Otherliving beings have a value oftheir own in God’s eyes”:

37

Above left: Cardinal Turkson addresses guests as the keynotespeaker of the “Our Future on a Shared Planet Conference,” atSanta Clara University in November 2015.

Above: Rev. Sally Bingham, Rabbi Allan Berkowitz, Ameena Jandali, Linda Cutts and Cardinal Peter Turkson enter into dialoguearound the ways in which diverse communities can and are mobilizing around issues of climate justice.

Left: Michael E. Engh, S.J., president of Santa Clara University, addresses public policy and the environmental teachings of PopeFrancis at the conference.

Photo credit: Joanne Lee

Santa Clara University Discusses the Planet


philosophers and theologianshave much work to do here, toreconceive anthropology, ethics,and spirituality in this more in-clusive vein.

Critics have accused the pope of

wading into scientific debates that

lie outside his realm of spiritual

authority. What does this kind of

criticism tell us about how people

currently understand the relation-

ship between science and faith?

And what’s your own view on how

the encyclical integrates science?

This criticism reveals a mental-ity that separates faith from rea-son, or religion from science,setting them in watertight com-partments that have little to dowith each other. But the Jew-ish-Christian understanding ofGod as Creator resists such di-vision. If the whole world isGod’s creation, then every-thing under the sun (and be-yond) is matter for theologicalreflection for everything has itsorigin, history, and goal within

the embrace of divine love.This theocentric perspectivecalls for mutually respectfuldialogue between religion andscience, the latter figuring outhow the world works and theformer affirming its deepmeaning as a whole.

The encyclical makes good,intelligent use of current sci-ence. I find especially powerfulits presentation of biological di-versity and the disaster of theextinction of species.

Your 2014 book, Ask the Beasts:Darwin and the God of Love,

has been recognized as a milestone

in bringing Christian theology

into a deep and sustained dialog

with ecology and environmental

science. How have colleagues

speaking from the scientific side of

the dialog responded to your book?

Not too many scientists haveengaged the book, but thosewho have are quite positive, todate. Case in point: one scienceprofessor at the University of

Kansas who reviewed the booksaid he was going to use it in acourse, since students wouldbenefit from its clear account ofDarwin’s theory of evolution aswell as its demonstration thatfar from being opposed to reli-gion, evolutionary theory canspur religion to ethical action.

Do you have a sense of how stu-

dents are reacting to “Laudato Si’”

or to your own writing on ecology

and theology?

Graduate theology studentsseem to be taking to this subjectlike fish to water; ecologicalthemes are working their wayinto a diverse array of papersand dissertations. Undergradu-ate business majors have a hardtime with the economic sectionsof “Laudato Si’,” finding it hardto imagine how a successfulbusiness or the global economycan be run without profit as themain goal. Many other under-graduates resonate with the en-cyclical’s spirituality. Theysimply take for granted thateverything is connected, andenjoy the beauty of the visionas a whole.

Seattle U Winter Catholic Heritage Lecture Photographer: Chris Kalinko. Copyright Seattle University.

39

You will notice that we havelaunched a new era for Conversa-tions.We now have access to fullcolor for all of our pages, and wehave significantly updated the lay-out. We calculate that the last timethis was done was about 15 yearsago. The new look and full colormean that we will be seeking morehigh quality photos for this and fu-ture issues. The Conversations boardis very grateful to Pauline Heaney,valiant layout editor, for providingthis new design which the board hada chance to review and to suggest al-ternatives at our April meeting atRockhurst University. The new printing process, stillwith Peacock Communications, isweb-based so that our printing costsare actually reduced. Seems ironic,but it’s true. The slight down-side is that the trim of themagazine is about 1/4” lessthan it was before. In addition, to the hard-copy changes, we now havea fresh new website up andrunning. Mounting this newsite has been a considerablechallenge since most of uson the board are “low tech.”In addition, we had tochange servers midstreamfrom Adventure Studios toSquare Space, which we be-lieve will be much more userfriendly and allow for fre-quent updates. Currently, I am in dialogue with a Jesuitscholastic doing his

theology studies to see whether hecan regularly monitor and updateour website and keep it fresh. Thewebsite will allow us to “continue theconversation” between issues and topublish certain features, such asYoutube takes, in a timely manner. Thank you for your generoussupport and readership, and we al-ways appreciate hearing about howConversations is being used andwhich articles or issues you havefound most useful for advancing theJesuit Catholic mission at your uni-versity or college. Best wishes and blessings forthis forthcoming academic year.

Patrick Howell, S.J., chairNational Seminar on Jesuit HigherEducation

Beyond ecology, what area of scien-

tific inquiry do you think is most

crucial for theology – and the human-

ities more broadly, for that matter –

to engage in the years ahead?

Genetic research into the brain hastremendous potential to shift themeaning of what it means to be ahuman person with memory, un-derstanding, and will. Every disci-pline in the humanities, theologynot least of all, has a stake in mak-ing meaning of the outcomes ofthis research.

What are you yourself working on right

now? What’s your current project?

Diving deeper into one chapter ofAsk the Beasts, I am currently re-searching the biblical idea of cosmicredemption for a monograph tenta-tively entitled “Creation and theCross.” The hope would be to de-velop further ecological theology’sunderstanding of how the wholenatural world will find its ultimatefuture in God, and “will share withus in unending plenitude.”

Elizabeth Johnson, C.S.J., is Distin-

guished Professor of theology at Ford-

ham University and former president

of both the Catholic Theological Soci-

ety of America and the American

Theological Society. She is the author

or editor of 10 books, including Askthe Beasts: Darwin and the God ofLove (Bloomsbury, 2014).

James P. McCartin is associate profes-

sor of theology at Fordham Univer-

sity, director of the Fordham Center

on Religion and Culture, and a for-

mer member of the National Seminar

on Jesuit Higher Education.

Dear Conversationalists,

www.conversationsmagazine.org


Spring Hill College, Alabama’s oldest institution ofhigher learning, was founded in 1830 by MichaelPortier, Mobile’s first Catholic bishop. Spring Hill isthe first Catholic college in the Southeast, the thirdoldest Jesuit college, and the fifth oldest Catholic col-lege in the United States. In a letter dated February17, 1830, Bishop Portier requests 400 acres of publicland from the city of Mobile to establish an institu-tion that “will be eminently Catholic, yet it will beopen to all denominations and no influence is to beexercised on the minds of the pupils for a change ofreligious principles.”

This included a provision to board and in-struct one orphan for every “half section” of landgiven; some of the first students were from theMobile Orphan Asylum. In the 1930s Spring Hillbecame one of the first Jesuit colleges in the UnitedStates to request permission from Rome to admitwomen as students full time. That request was de-nied several times but became reality in 1932. In itstradition of educational excellence to persons of allfaiths and backgrounds, the college has remainedtrue to its mission to form students to become re-sponsible leaders in service to others.

Spring Hill College and the Civil War

Spring Hill College remained open throughout theCivil War. In 1861, Fr. Francis Gautrelet, S.J., visitedConfederate president Jefferson Davis and askedthat recruitment of lay faculty and students bestopped. Many students were too young to enlistand enrollment increased in 1864 with familieshoping to keep their sons out of military service.Union solders camped on the college grounds, butthe college was not harmed. In the tough economictimes following the Civil War, students from Cuba,Central America, and Mexico replaced southernboys. In 1866 and 1867, Spring Hill had moreCuban students than Alabamans.

AN HISTORICAL MOMENT

Spring Hill College

Jesuit Educational Excellence Since 1830

By Gentry Holbert

Above: Stan Galle Field “The Pit” – Stan Galle Field is the oldestcontinuous collegiate baseball field in the United States. Intercollegiate baseball started in 1889, though Spring Hill had unofficial baseball clubs in the mid 1800s.

Inset: In 1924 Babe Ruth visited Stan Galle Field to demonstrate his mighty swing in an exhibition game.

Racial Integration

Spring Hill presidents Patrick Donnelly, S.J., and An-drew Smith, S.J., brought landmark changes to the col-lege after World War II. Both viewed racial segregationas an ethical and moral dilemma. “So far I hear only si-lence. Let Spring Hill College break that silence! Letthe College that was the first institution of higherlearning to raise the torch of education in Alabamaalso light and lead the way to full democracy in Ala-bama and the Southland.” So wrote Fr. William PatrickDonnelly, S.J., in World Citizenship and the Unfinished

Business of Democracy, 1948.In 1954, Father Smith presided over the enrollment

of nine African-American students. For 10 years SpringHill was the first and only integrated college in theDeep South.

Spring Hill College was the first desegregated col-lege in Alabama and one of the first in the Deep South.Sociology professor Albert Foley, S.J., aggressively op-

posed the Ku Klux Klanin Mobile, using stu-dents to infiltrate Klanmeetings and record li-cense plate numbers. In1957 Klan members setup a kerosene-soakedcross in front of a cam-pus dormitory, but stu-dents chased theKlansmen out beforethey could light it.

Father Foley andMartin Luther King met several times between 1955and 1963 to discuss the civil rights movement, some-times disagreeing on tactic. Recorded conversationsbetween them from May 4, 1963, were discovered inthe school’s archives, and transcriptions were madepublic. In April 1963, Doctor King cited Spring HillCollege for its leadership in the civil rights movementin his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”: “I commend the

Catholic leaders of this state for inte-grating Spring Hill College severalyears ago.”

In 1956, Ms. Fannie Motley be-came the first African American grad-uate of the college. She was one ofonly two Mobile area students tograduate with honors that year.

Gentry Holbert is the Director of Library

& Instructional Resource Services, Burke

Memorial Library, Spring Hill College.

Avenue of The Oaks – This year marks the 166th anniversary of the Avenue of the Oaks that RogerStewart, a Scottish cotton merchant, planted in1850 leading to his Greek revival home known asStewartfield. The college purchased the houseand property in 1903 from Stewart’s oldestdaughter Annie Stewart Field. For more than 65years, the avenue has been the traditional site forthe college’s commencement ceremonies, andthousands of graduates have processed under thegiant oaks flanked by azaleas.

Then and Now


Adventures under the

Northern Lights

43

Few phenomena in nature are as beautiful, intriguing and mesmer-izing as the northern lights. As a professor at Saint Peter’s University,a member of its Sustainability Council, and an astronomer and pho-tographer, I have long been fascinated with this phenomenon. In re-cent years, I have traveled with colleagues and led small groups tophotograph and study the lights from the pristine location of theNorwegian Arctic.

The triggering mechanism for the aurora is the sun. While itmay look like the same quiescent yellow ball in the sky each day,the sun actually can be an “active” or even violent place pepperedon occasion with regions where sudden brightenings called flarescan occur. In turn, some of these flares can sometimes lead toeruptions of enormous numbers of charged particles out intospace at speeds of over one million miles per hour. Such “coronalmass ejections” as well as huge voids in the sun’s atmosphereknown as “coronal holes” enhance a flow of particles called thesolar wind that rapidly spreads out across the solar system and, attimes, targets the earth. Indeed, in its journeys about the sun, theearth may be thought of as swimming in the outer atmosphere ofthe sun.

When such an enhancedstream of solar particles ar-rives at our planet a solar-ge-omagnetic storm occurs, asthey buffet the invisible forcefield that engulfs the earthknown as our magnetic field.The magnetic field, in turn,can channel these particlesfrom the sun (mostly elec-trons) at enormous speeds asthey spiral downward and ul-timately crash into the upperlevels of our atmospherecausing it to light up in thedazzling, dancing colors ofthe northern and southernlights. Indeed, the mechanism

Left: Aurora Borealis as seen over Grotfjord near Tromso, NorwayBelow: The radar dish is part of the EISCAT research facility forstudying the ionosphere outside of Tromso.All images are copyright © Dr. William Gutsch.

By William Gutsch


that causes our atmosphere to light up is thesame as that which causes so called “neonsigns” to glow brilliantly in bars and store win-dows at night. The oxygen and nitrogen in ouratmosphere light up in vivid shades of green,red and other colors which can take on a vari-ety of shapes including ribbons and curtainsthat seem to curl and flap like huge draperiesin a breeze. Such auroral curtains can stretchfrom 50 miles to as much as 300 miles aboveour heads.

My particular interest in the aurora is thestudy of the correlation between minute-by-minute changes in the earth’s local magneticfield, as the onslaught of particles from a solarstorm buffet it, and the visible manifestations

Above: Arctic DayLeft: The Northern Lights over Grotfjord near Tromso, NorwayAll images are copyright © Dr. William Gutsch.

45

Saint Peter’s University’s solar panels, and co-generation plant.

Going Green at Saint Peter’s Universityof the amazing resulting light showswe see. Advances in cameras over thelast few years now permit us to recordimages of the aurora over the entiresky in near real time as well as moredetailed images with exposures of aslittle as a few seconds.

We do this work around Tromso,Norway, not only because aurorasoccur there almost every night butalso because the University of Tromsomaintains a geophysical observatorynearby. Data from instruments knownas magnetometers provide insightinto what the earth’s magnetic field isdoing from minute to minute whileour cameras provide the high resolu-tion visual data. Images from earth-or-biting satellites give us additional,wider views from above. And, on a re-cent trip, in a cooperative effort, astro-nauts on board the InternationalSpace Station kindly shared imagesthat they took of the aurora duringflights over northern Europe while wephotographed it from the ground.

In February, a few of us brave themid-winter Arctic cold to test newequipment during the long Arcticnights. But in the fall, we typically willtake a small group of photography en-thusiasts with us to experience thethrill of gazing upward and beingbathed in the glow of the northernlights. If you are interested in comingalong on possible future trips, pleasecontact me [email protected].

Dr. William Gutsch is Distinguished Professor of the College of Arts & Sciences at Saint Peter’s University.


Undergraduate students at Loyola UniversityChicago voted in the spring of last year to pay an ad-ditional $2.50 in student fees each semester to estab-lish the Magis scholarship fund for undocumentedstudents. With this vote, Loyola students made history– this was the first student-led, student-supported ini-tiative of its kind. The campaign for the Magis scholar-ship not only made it possible for select students toattend a university that would otherwise be unafford-able, it also transformed the conversation about immi-gration on Loyola’s campus, in our Chicagocommunities, and beyond.

Each year, some 65,000 undocumented youthgraduate from U.S. high schools. Of these, only five toten percent go on to college. Undocumented studentsface a series of extra hurdles to higher education, in-cluding ineligibility for FAFSA, exclusion from work-study and other employment opportunities, concernsabout post-graduation job opportunities, and, often,feelings of hopelessness and social isolation.

At Loyola, our aims were manifold. First, wewanted to ease the financial burden by providing finan-cial assistance to undocumented students who are ineli-gible for federal financial aid and most privatescholarships. Second, we sought to foment a university-wide conversation about migration, human rights, andeducation that would unify the university communityaround the Magis initiative. In particular, we were in-spired by Jesuit teachings on equity in access to educa-tion, the legacy of student leadership on social justiceissues on college campuses, and the historic steps takenby Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine in 2013, whichbecame the first medical school in the country to wel-come undocumented students openly. Third, we hopedthat bringing together the university community in sup-

port of the Magis would create a campus environmentthat was not only accessible but also openly welcomingto undocumented students.

The reaction to this historic vote was immediateand widespread. Regional and national news outletsinterviewed members of the Student Government andthe Latin American Student Organization about thecampaign. As the news spread, student groups at col-lege campuses nationwide contacted us about how toimplement similar programs at their own schools.Two months after the student vote, Loyola was con-tacted by Don Graham, former owner of the Washing-

ton Post and cofounder of TheDream.US, the largestprovider of scholarships for undocumented studentsin the country. Inspired by the work of Loyola stu-dents, Mr. Graham pledged a donation of $50,000 tomatch the student contribution. The Loyola adminis-tration also pledged five full scholarships for undocu-mented students and created a scholarship account forundocumented students to which members of thepublic can contribute.

Just as importantly, the Magis campaign catalyzedconversations across our campus about whether andhow to welcome the undocumented students in ourmidst. This conversation is ongoing and fraught withcontroversy, and for that reason it is especially timelyand important.

Flavio Bravo graduated from Loyola University Chicago in

May of 2016 with a B.A. in philosophy of social justice and

political science. He attended the Jesuit high school Brophy

College Preparatory in Phoenix.

Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz, assistant professor of anthropology

at Loyola, works with undocumented people and their

family members in the Chicago area.

How Loyola Undergraduates Welcomed Undocumented Students

By Flavio Bravo and Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz

47

On the morning of March22, 2014, a colossal land-slide destroyed 49 housesand other buildings andburied a stretch of highwaynear Oso, Washington. Italso claimed 43 lives. Morethan two years later, thescientific community is stillattempting to explain themechanisms behind thetragedy. Over the past fewmonths, I have investigatedsome of the hydro-geomor-phic processes of the NorthFork Stillaguamish River. Inother words, I am trying tounderstand how the courseof the river has changedover time. My work comprises researching photoarchives – as far back as 1930 – for aerial images of theriver and transforming them into quantitative datausing Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. Thegoal is to deepen the scientific community’s under-standing of the Stillaguamish River and to shed lighton the factors that led to the Oso landslide. It is important that aspiring researchers like mecontinue to explore and understand the challengesfacing a world threatened by climate change. Eachsmall study builds on the others to shape a biggerpicture. The clearer that pictures becomes, the bet-ter prepared we are to prevent future disaster likethe Oso landslide.

(For further information see:http://old.seattletimes.com/flatpages/local/oso-mudslide-coverage.html andhttp://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/one-year-later-the-oso-landslide-in-washington/ )

Eric Kennedy, Seattle University 2016, graduated in

June with a dual degree in environmental science

and business economics.

©2008 Walter Siegmundhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stillaguamish_River_39160.JPG

STUDENT VOICES

Researching the Stillaguamish River in the wake of disasterBy Eric Kennedy


Jeffrey Sachs is no stranger to largeproblems or grand, sweeping claims.His latest work, endorsed by noneother than the U.N. Secretary General,seeks to explain the “central conceptfor our age,” sustainable development.The “age of economic growth” beganin 1750; up until then, the entirehuman race lived at the subsistencelevel, and inequality did not exist.Thomas Malthus predicted imminentcatastrophe: exponential growth inpopulation could not keep up with lin-ear growth in agricultural production.Malthus failed, however, to anticipatethe Industrial Revolution, by whichtechnological advances boosted indus-trial output and increased agriculturalproduction. But they came at a costthat still resonates today: large-scalemigration, environmental degradation,and rising inequality.

Sachs’s work reflects recenttrends in economics: this year’s Nobellaureate, Angus Deaton, pioneeredthe use of empirical field research toaddress questions in development.The first few chapters trace the his-tory of economic development whilesubsequent chapters summarize thelatest research on particular issues:geography, education, health, agricul-ture, poverty, social inclusion, cities,and climate change. Both The Great

Escape (Deaton) and Poor Economics

(Banaerjee and Duflo) treat a compa-

rable range of topics, though Sachsalone deals with environmental is-sues. The work brings together mate-rial from an online course; theabundance of color pictures and lackof footnotes give it the feel of lecturenotes whose enthusiastic tone aims toinspire the reader to change the worldby the end of the semester.

Sachs proposes an “analytic andnormative framework” to addresssustainable development. On the ana-lytic side, since World War II, a suc-cession of models has aimed toexplain the remarkable disparity be-tween growth rates and outcomes in avariety of countries. Initially, themodels looked for a key external (ex-

ogenous) factor of production thatcould be added to an economy.Whether from a developed country oran NGO, development aid of this sortmeant infrastructure improvements.The limits of this sort of capital infu-sion soon emerged; factories sat idlewithout raw materials, schools lan-guished without students, and roadsled to nowhere. In response, recentwork has acknowledged the necessityof human capital, such as educationand women’s rights, and social capi-tal, like functioning legal and finan-cial institutions that people trust.Sachs uses complexity theory to ana-lyze four interconnected systems:global economy, Earth systems, socialinteractions, and governance.

Sachs’s breadth of experience andcommand of examples past and pres-ent leaps out from every page. Manyof the chapters end with specific pol-icy prescriptions; in fact, the book’sfinal chapter describes a set of Sus-tainable Development Goals that par-allel the Millennium DevelopmentGoals. The Millennium DevelopmentVillages in Africa provide a concreteexample of the sort of multiprongedintervention that he proposes: ten vil-lages in ten different sub-SaharanAfrican countries in which Sachs andhis team implemented programs toaddress all eight MDG at once overthe course of ten years.

The glowing account of the MDVdoes not mention the tremendouscontroversy that they have raisedamong Sachs’s academic peers, whocontend that basic errors in his experi-mental design have invalidated hisevidence for the effectiveness of theinterventions. As in clinical trials inmedicine, the increasing use of ran-domized controlled trials in develop-ment economics necessarily involves

BOOK REVIEWS

The Age of Sustainable

Development, by Jeffrey Sachs

NEW YORK: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2015 543 PAGES

Reviewed by Stephen Pitts, S.J.

49

ethical questions. On the one hand,can researchers withhold treatmentfor a disease like malaria from onevillage but not from an adjacent vil-lage in order to establish a controlgroup? On the other hand, can re-searchers compensate participants,like those in education interventionswho would otherwise not send theirdaughters to school?

The ethical questions that devel-opment entails certainly should notdissuade Sachs from pursuing hiswork. Still, it is surprising that in his500-page book he devotes merelyseven pages to ethics, a cursory sur-vey of six different rationales for theimportance of “social inclusion,”into which he subsumes most of En-lightenment political philosophy.The section ends with the laudableremark that “we therefore need tohave more discussions, more publicawareness, and more debates aboutthese underlying ethical choices, be-cause the goals of sustainable devel-opment depend on the ethicalpositions we adopt.” Unfortunately,the book does not deliver on itsclaim to offer a “normative frame-work.” It neither engages colleagueslike Deaton who differ on the finerpoints of aid nor those who questionthe existence of any obligation of therich toward the poor at all. Paul VIremarked: “technical expertise isnecessary, but it must be accompa-nied by concrete signs of love.” Thetechnocrat Sachs could learn fromhis words.

Stephen Pitts, S.J., is beginning his

third year of theology studies at the

Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara

University; throughout his Jesuit

training he has had a special interest in

spirituality and spiritual direction.

American Jesuits and the World

How an Embattled Religious Order

Made Modern Catholicism Global, by John T. McGreevy

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2016 315 PAGES

Reviewed by Edward W. Schmidt, S.J.

Jesuit history became a hot schol-arly topic roughly two decades ago.Culture, art, dance, scholarship, sci-ence, and many other specific fieldsreceived scholarly attention andpublication. Major conferences wereheld in 1997 and 2002. The interesthas not abated. Most of this scholarship con-centrated on the Society of Jesus be-fore its suppression by PopeClement XIV in 1773. This was theage of the pioneers, the saints andmartyrs, the missionaries, thefounders. In these centuries aftertheir founding in 1540, the Jesuitsstarted hundreds of schools, wrotegrammars for exotic languages infar-off lands, patronized majorartists and architects. All the whilethey tended to pastoral care of thepeople they served with retreats,sermons, and spiritual writing. Andthey left copious records that mod-ern scholars found fertile groundfor new research. The period right after therestoration of the Society in 1814did not receive so much scholarlyattention. This was a time of tur-moil America and in Europe. Dur-ing the period of suppression, both

the American and the French revo-lutions had taken place. The Ameri-can Revolution didn’t affect thechurch so much; the French Revolu-tion certainly did. As the Jesuitorder grew back in numbers, itfaced far different social and cul-tural realities from those in which ithad thrived. During the middecades of the 19th century, manycountries ejected the Jesuits asagents of a foreign power – thepope, no longer a revered spiritual

figure even in countries with largeCatholic populations. Jesuits from Switzerland, Bel-gium, France, or Italy came to theUnited States as missionaries. Manyof them hoped to work with the na-tive peoples but soon found them-selves working with the Catholicimmigrants who were flooding thecountry. And many ran afoul of thedominant Protestant culture. American Jesuits and the World is acareful study of this world. After athorough look at how Jesuits were re-ceived with suspicion and hostility(chapter one), it tells the stories of fourregions of the country, beginning witha study of one individual and expand-ing its narrative from there. In Maine,Fr. John Bapst, originally from Switzer-land, provoked some local people whoin 1854 captured him and tarred andfeathered him. This chapter studies theissues that provoked this violence andhow Father Bapst survived. It raises is-sues of religion in schools and statefunding for education. Chapter three focuses on Fr. Ferdi-nand Helias, a Belgian Jesuit. FatherHelias was one of many exiled Euro-pean Jesuits who headed to St. Louis,and he taught at St. Louis Universitybefore heading out to the center of thestate for missionary work. He workedhard to maintain his mission, negotiat-ing local hostilities between support-ers of the Union and of theConfederacy during the Civil War.Here too state support for educationwas a big issue. Hostility towards theJesuits was rampant, stirred up bywriters and orators and a German-lan-guage newspaper. In chapter four a young novice ofthe Sacred Heart sisters was close todeath. Her sisters prayed to Bl. JohnBerchmans, a 16th-century Belgian Je-suit who had died very young, andshe was cured; everyone was aston-ished for she had been very close to

death. The Jesuits at nearby St.Charles College provided pastoralcare for these sisters. Religious sisterswere a vital part of Catholic educa-tion in the United States. Devotionsand politics merge in this chapter. Chapter five centers on Fr. Bur-chard Villiger in Philadelphia, an-other Swiss exile, who built the GesuChurch and St. Joseph’s school, whichdeveloped into today’s St. Joseph’sPrep and St. Joseph’s University. Thischapter delves deep into issues of ed-ucation and adaptation to evolvingdemands of schooling in the UnitedStates. It is a fascinating study ofwhat provoked these changes andhow traditions adjusted to new cir-cumstances. It wasn’t easy. The sixth chapter studies U.S. Je-suits becoming missionaries in thePhilippines, where they brought theirU.S. educational ideals. A concludingchapter is an insightful look at onhow all of this history affects who weare today. The author has a masterful con-trol of the sources, from drawers andfiles in archives, from printed journalsand books old and new; the very lastof over a thousand endnotes refer-ences three websites. By centering thechapters on a single person or inci-dent, he weaves a narrative that setsthe context, examines the issues, andhelps the reader to see that whateverproblems and issues we face todayhave been encountered before insome fashion. But the author’s style isvery accessible and engaging; for allits scholarship the text does not getbogged down. This history is wider than just Je-suit history. It includes the social con-texts in which Jesuit schools grew up.It considers how education is fundedand the tensions between public andprivate schools. In the wider contextit touches on issues with immigration,how mainstream Americans recoiled

at the numbers of poor, uneducatedimmigrants – Catholics! – flooding infrom places like Ireland and Italy. Anyparallels today? And the reader cansee how ideals that we make explicittoday such as high quality of instruc-tion and care for the whole person inmind, soul, and body developed froma lot of hard work in very tough cir-cumstances long ago. This book gives a lot of informa-tion but also can set the imaginationloose to see that whatever challengesthe Jesuit schools face today, we canface them as earlier generations didwith our own resources of compe-tence and resolve.

Edward W. Schmidt, S.J., editor of Con-versations, works at America Magazine.


BOOKS RECEIVED

Jesuit Pedagogy, 1540 – 1616: A Reader

Edited by Cristiano Casalini andClaude Pavur, S.J.

Boston: Institute of Jesuit Sources,2016. 346 pages.

This book provides translations ofcrucial Latin documents concern-ing education from the firstdecades of the Society of Jesus.

Traditions of Eloquence: The Jesuits and Modern Rhetorical Studies

Edited by Cinthia Gannett andJohn C. Brereton

New York: Fordham UniversityPress, 2016. 444 pages.

In 25 essays, scholars from acrossthe country address issues of elo-quence, rhetoric, writing, andother fields with historic perspec-tive and contemporary analysis.

Democracy, Culture, Catholicism:Voices from Four Continents comes at acritical juncture in many regards. Itemerged from a project on Catholi-cism and democracy, coinciding withthe Arab Spring. The collection repre-sents a six-year process of dialogueand collaboration among scholars fromfour countries, each of them in a differ-ent region of the world: Lithuania, In-donesia, Peru, and the United States.The collection explores the complex re-lationship between the CatholicChurch and the state in contexts rang-ing from post-Soviet Lithuania to leftistregimes in Latin America. There arecontributions exploring civil discourse,citizenship, and public space in Mus-lim, Christian, and secular cultures.Within a cross-cultural and interreli-gious context, the articles in the collec-tion explore themes of memory,trauma, and restorative justice.

Perhaps what is most strikingabout the book is simply the nature ofthe project. Cross-national collabora-tions are never easy and are oftenfraught with challenges with regard tologistics and language. But this multi-national project involves regions thatare tremendously diverse, with greatdifferences in scholarly traditions, na-tional experiences, and the history ofthe church. The topics and approachesof the 23 chapters emerged from a se-ries of three annual meetings, involv-ing extensive discussion among thescholars from the four regions, as they

explored areas of com-monality and of diver-gence. The collectionrepresents work from14 academic disci-plines and four dif-ferent religions.Working collabora-tively, the editorsand contributorssought to identify the critical issues tobe addressed in light of the seismicchanges taking place globally in regardto political participation and empower-ment, and the role of religion and theCatholic Church in particular. At thesame time, the contributors draw onthe distinctive qualities and aspects ofeach culture – ranging from the narra-tive of the trauma of Sept. 11, 2001, inthe United States to kethoprak theaterin Indonesia.

The questions explored within thiscollection – or suggested as a directionfor further consideration – reflect themultidimensionality of the enterprise.What might be the distinctive role ofthe Catholic Church in matters of pub-lic concern, given the considerable dif-ferences in the kind of space it occupiesin difference cultures? In Latin Amer-ica, the church had a formative role inshaping the colonial legacy of the con-tinent. This was in marked contrastwith the Catholic Church in Lithuania,which was marginalized and sup-pressed under the atheist state of theSoviet Union. And it contrasts again

with the role of the Church in predomi-nantly Muslim Indonesia. What mightCatholic social teachings have to offerthe analysis of class divisions, incar-ceration, and labor in such diversecontexts? How might the Catholic

Church contribute to public dis-course on the envi-ronment and therights of the indige-nous in the Amazon?

Certainly many ofthese questions andthemes are not new. ButDemocracy, Culture,

Catholicism makes it pos-sible to consider themthrough such differentand intersecting frame-works that there is a senseof looking through a kalei-doscope: the book offers usso many different lenses to

look through that each theme in turncomes to take on a vivid set of newpossibilities. In addition, this book sug-gests a methodology that might fruit-fully be employed in other initiativesas well. In convening dialogue amongcollaborators of such diverse back-grounds and interests, the project ofsimply working together to under-stand with clarity the viewpoint of an-other is fully as important to theprocess as the particular chapters thatwere the outcome.

Democracy, Culture, Catholicism isa rich and engaging collection thathas much to offer those who mightwant to explore the role of theCatholic Church in the rapidly chang-ing international landscape of politicsand culture. At the same time, it chal-lenges its readers to consider the limi-tations of their own perspectives, andto seek ways to transcend them.

Joy Gordon is the Ignacio Ellacuría, S.J.,

Professor of Social Ethics at Loyola

University Chicago.

51

Democracy, Culture, Catholicism: Voices

from Four Continents, by MichaelSchuck and John Crowley-Buck, eds.

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2015 360 PAGES

Reviewed by Joy Gordon


TEACHING THE MISSION

What does reflection look like in the classroom? Ofthe five elements of Ignatian pedagogy - context, ex-perience, reflection, action, and evaluation – it has al-ways been reflection that has been most difficult forme to implement. The logistics of doing so in the class-room have been a struggle. In part, this may be be-cause I assumed using reflection in the classroomwould require long papers and subjective grading.

However, I recently discovered a way to imple-ment reflection in all my classes by borrowing an ideafrom an Aspen Institute conference. At Aspen, partici-pants were asked to fill in the typical form regardingthe quality of the presentation. However, they werealso asked to write a “tweet” about the session. Theconference organizers used these tweets to populatethe conference feed on Twitter with interesting in-sights from participants. At the end of each session,the tweet request forced me consider what I would betaking from the session. Normally, I would have beenfiguring out which session I wanted to attend next.

On my return, I started to require students to turnin a “tweet” on an index card at the end of each classperiod about their biggest learning point from theday’s class. These are not posted to Twitter; I call them“tweets” to emphasize to students that they shouldkeep their comments short and only try to cover onemain learning point.

Students find the system a bit awkward at first.Many will try to tell me what they think I want to hear.But, over time, the tweets become more honest. Bymidsemester, students tell me that they look forwardto “tweeting.”

While the main purpose of the cards is to requirestudents to pause at the end of class for a brief mo-ment of reflection on what was important to them inthat class period, the cards have other pedagogicaluses. First, the cards allow me to take attendance with-out using other class time. Second, they provide mewith feedback about what was interesting and com-pelling about the class. They tell me what stuck withstudents and what might need further coverage. Third,the cards allow me to clear up any misconceptions. If astudent writes a tweet that contains misinformation, Iam able to email the student and clear up the misun-derstanding or address it in the next class.

However, the final pedagogical use of the cardswas unexpected and relates back to those five ele-ments of Ignatian pedagogy. While students generallystick to providing information on what they learned, Ioften get additional comments like “just took an ac-counting test and am very tired” or “sorry I did not par-ticipate today – I am worried about my grandfather.”These comments provide me with the context of mystudents’ lives and allow me to engage in cura person-alis – care for the whole person. When I meet one-on-one with a student, I can reference these cards andunderstand the context in which the student is experi-encing my class and the educational experience. Thecards have become a valuable format for bringing theJesuit mission into the classroom.

Molly Pepper is the associate dean of undergraduate programs and associate professor of management in theSchool of Business Administration at Gonzaga University.

This column by seminar member Molly Pepper is the first in a regular series of reflections on teaching.

Bringing mission to the classroom

By Molly Pepper

Most of the articles are commissioned ac-cording to a certain theme for each issue,but we welcome unsolicited manuscripts.Ideally they should explore an idea that willgenerate discussion. Try to avoid articlesthat simply describe a worthy local project.Guidelines.

• Please keep unsolicited submissions to 1000-1200 words. Wemay ask for reductions dependingon the topic.

• Do not include footnotes. Incorpo-rate any needed references into the text.

• The Conversations style sheet is avail-able on request.

• We welcome photographs, fully captioned, preferable of actionrather than posed shots.

• Send the manuscript as a MicrosoftWord attachment to [email protected]

Permission is granted to reprint articles from Conversations for any educa-tional purpose, provided credit is given.

Previous issues of Conversations are available athttp://conversationsmagazine.org

COMING UP Issue #51 (Spring 2017) Difficult Conversations

THE NATIONAL SEMINAR ON JESUIT HIGHER EDUCATIONThe goal of the National Seminar on Jesuit Higher Educationand its publication Conversations is to strengthen the Jesuitidentity of our 28 colleges and universities. First, each issue iswritten to stimulate the campus dialogue – through depart-mental discussions or faculty symposiums – on the pursuit ofvarious ideals. Second, through our various departments –

feature articles, forums, book reviews, and reports – we want tokeep the conversation going to build on the progress we havemade. Our members, representing various institutions and dis-ciplines, visit three colleges and universities a year and listen togroups of faculty and students in order to decide the themesfor each issue.

Members of the Seminar

Writing for Conversations

Heidi Barker is an associate professor in the department of education at Regis University.

Mark G. Bosco, S.J., is the director of theHank Center for Catholic Intellectual Her-itage and joint professor of English andtheology at Loyola University Chicago.

Timothy P. Kesicki, S.J., is President ofthe Jesuit Conference.

Patrick J. Howell, S.J., is chairman of theseminar and distinguished professor inthe Institute for Catholic Thought andCulture at Seattle University.

James McCartin is an associate profes-sor of theology at Fordham Universityand director of the Fordham Center onReligion and Culture.

Molly Pepper associate dean of the undergraduate program and an associate professor of management at Gonzaga University.

Jennifer Rinella is the director of non-profit leadership studies and an associateprofessor at Rockhurst University.

Stephen C. Rowntree, S.J., an associatepastor at the Holy Name of Jesus Church inNew Orleans, is the secretary of the Na-tional Seminar on Jesuit Higher Education.

Julie Rubio is a professor of Christianethics in the department of theology atSt. Louis University.

Edward W. Schmidt, S.J., editor, worksat America Magazine.

Michael Serazio is an assistant professorin the communications department atBoston College.

Michael Sheeran, S.J., is President of theAssociation of Jesuit Colleges and Uni-versities.

Jessica Wrobleski is an assistant professor of theology and religious studies at Wheeling Jesuit University.

Spring Hill College

Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC, 1789

Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, 1818

Spring Hill CollegeMobile, 1830

Xavier UniversityCincinnati, 1831

Fordham UniversityNew York, 1841

College of the Holy CrossWorcester, 1843

Saint Joseph’s UniversityPhiladelphia, 1851

Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, 1851

Loyola University MarylandBaltimore, 1852

University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, 1855

Boston CollegeBoston, 1863

Canisius CollegeBuffalo, 1870

Loyola University ChicagoChicago, 1870

Saint Peter’s UniversityJersey City, 1872

University of Detroit MercyDetroit, 1877

Regis UniversityDenver, 1877

Creighton UniversityOmaha, 1878

Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, 1881

John Carroll UniversityCleveland, 1886

Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, 1887

University of ScrantonScranton, 1888

Seattle UniversitySeattle, 1891

Rockhurst UniversityKansas City, 1910

Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, 1911

Loyola University New OrleansNew Orleans, 1912

Fairfield UniversityFairfield, 1942

Le Moyne CollegeSyracuse, 1946

Wheeling Jesuit UniversityWheeling, 1954

COMING IN SPRING 2017:#51 Difficult Conversations

Flowers in the Reflection Poolat the Chapel of St. Ignatius,Seattle University.Photographer: Chris Kalinko

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