Message from the Director

Dr. Paul V. Murphy

Friends,

A new academic year always brings new opportunities and new challenges. The Institute of Catholic Studies has a good deal of both. I am particularly encouraged by the growth in the number of students who are pursuing the certificate in Catholic Studies here at John Carroll. Approximately twenty three new students enrolled in the program in the last semester. They bring much energy and curiosity to their studies. It is also good to see some new course offerings appear on the list of Catholic Studies courses. Among these are courses in Tudor Literature in the fall and the History of the Society of Jesus in the spring. A total of twenty two Catholic Studies courses will be available to John Carroll students this fall. The work of growing the program is far from complete, however. I am in conversation with a number of faculty members in an effort to increase even more the number of offerings in our curriculum that will allow our students to deepen their knowledge of Catholic thought and experience.

As we enter into a new year there are also some challenges that the Institute will face as a part of the university as a whole. We are deeply indebted to Fr. Howard Gray, S.J., Assistant to the President for Mission and Identity, for all that he has done to enhance the Jesuit and Catholic identity of the university. As of this coming year he steps down from that post while he continues as Rector of the Jesuit Community. His leadership in that role will be missed. In order to ensure that the many events that Fr. Gray has sponsored as well as the opportunities for conversation on this important topic continue, Fr. Robert Niehoff has appointed a committee to oversee these works. The University Committee on Mission and Identity was formed this spring with Dr. Patrick Rombalski, Vice President for Student Affairs, as chair. Fr. Niehoff has asked me to serve on the committee as well. This is a valuable opportunity to continue the process of sewing together the many parts of the university that are engaged in this work. The committee will maintain a commitment to events in which the Ignatian and Catholic character of the institution are sustained and enhanced. These include lunch-hour meetings to discuss spirituality known as “Bagging Ignatius,” meetings with faculty and administration from other Jesuit colleges and universities on Mission and Identity, and an annual event for faculty and staff known as “Ignatian Day” that offers and opportunity to reflect on the implications of Ignatian spirituality and pedagogy for our work here. There is much work to be done in these areas but I am constantly encouraged by the energy I see in my colleagues on campus.

The upcoming Catholic Studies Lecture Series will address a number of topics that are of special interest. Two for this fall are particularly noteworthy. We will start the series with a visit from Rev. Thomas M. Lucas, S.J. of the University of San Francisco. Fr. Lucas is an artist in a variety of media who is currently engaged in a project to install new stained glass in the windows of the cathedral in Shanghai. This has required that he negotiate the complicated currents of politics, religion, and art in contemporary mainland China. Later in the fall we will host Dr. Geoffrey Wainwright of the Duke University School of Divinity. Dr. Wainwright is the Methodist Co-Chair of the International Methodist-Roman Catholic Dialogue. His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has indicated that ecumenical dialogue will be a central effort of his pontificate. Therefore, it seems particularly fitting that we hear from Dr. Wainwright on the current status of these efforts to overcome division among Christians. For information on the spring guest speakers please see the entire schedule of upcoming events on our upcoming events page and our lecture series page. In a departure from earlier years the presentations will take place at 5:30pm in the Conference Room of the D.J. Lombardo Student Center. Please join us for these thought-provoking presentations.

Sincerely,
Dr. Paul V. Murphy