The Vocation of the Teacher in the Ignatian Tradition

Schedule for the Paris Conference

Discussion Guide to accompany DVDs

CONFERENCE BACKGROUND

“And so he left for Paris, alone and on foot, and he arrived in Paris for the month of February more or less.” With characteristic simplicity in his “personal writings,” Saint Ignatius of Loyola records the beginnings of a journey, early in the sixteenth century, to the city where he would meet two companions, Saint Francis Xavier and Blessed Peter Favre. The three would form a bond of historical dimension. Theirs was a convergence of spirit, of intellect, and of heart. Their coming together would change the lives of multitudes.

As happens in such simple beginnings, they could not have guessed the import of their coming together. The significance of events like theirs grows over time.

And so, on the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the death of Ignatius in 1556, came another pilgrimage. On the 11th of June, 2006, from across the Atlantic, one-hundred-twenty-three faculty, administrators and staff from the Jesuit universities in the United States convened in Paris to celebrate and to consider the implications of that simple meeting long ago. For persons so intricately involved in the mission fostered by these “first companions,” it was appropriate to return to the place of beginnings.

The Vocation of the Teacher in the Ignatian Tradition was first nourished in the summer of 2004 and the winter of 2005 at John Carroll University. A steering committee was assembled consisting of representatives from various Jesuit universities: Boston College, Georgetown, Marquette, Santa Clara and John Carroll. Inspiration, talent and unselfish energy gravitated to the blossoming idea. We soon had a place in Paris at which to convene, foundations eager to help in funding, persons to prepare leaflets for morning prayer and Eucharist, a person to staff the conference, musicians.

And, of course, from the rich tradition that began 478 years ago, we had scholars. From Boston College, we invited Father Michael Himes to serve as convener and moderator. Father Himes selected the image of a string of pearls as a controlling metaphor for the wisdom inherent in the conference. With inimitable wit and delicacy, he fashioned an approach to the connecting power of our outstanding presenters: Parker Palmer, John O’Malley, S.J., Jane McAuliffe, Howard Gray, S.J., June Ellis, and Jesús Escobar.

All agree that this was a significant and moving event. From beginning to end, it became a working conference where people brought focus and concentration to common themes. There was in the speakers and their presentations an arc of inclusion expansive enough to embrace all participants. The presentation of Parker Palmer, himself a Quaker, might have seemed distant from the Jesuit legacy, but in fact it folded naturally into the Jesuit tradition.

Through the use of DVDs, the organizers of The Vocation of the Teacher in the Ignatian Tradition extend to those who did not attend the conference a taste of the enthusiasm enjoyed by all who were there. The speakers, their talks, the questions and answers, and something of the ambiance of the event are all included. The discs are adaptable to creative use in First Year Seminars, academic courses, for alumni presentations, for Boards of Directors, for new faculty/staff orientations. Suggestions for discussion are provided, and these may be altered and adapted for specific use. Perhaps like the original journey centuries ago, through these DVDs the significance of this pilgrimage can grow with the passage of time.

Conference participants at the reception following the event

Conference participants

Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities – Charles L. Currie SJ, Kathleen Snyder

Boston College – Michael Cassidy, Audrey A. Friedman, Erik Goldschmidt, Rev. Michael J. Himes, Richard Keeley, Gilda Morelli, Joseph M. O’Keefe SJ, Dawn Overstreet, David Quigley, Mary Walsh

Canisius College – Rita A. Capezzi, Patricia A. Coward, Michael J. Forest, Christopher R. Lee, Paula M. McNutt

College of the Holy Cross – Jeffrey D. Bloechl, Rosemary P. Carbine, Maurice A. Geracht

Fairfield University – John F. Baldovin SJ, Jesús Escobar, Donald Gibson, Paul Lakeland, Mary Frances Malone, Laurence Miners, Jim Mayzik SJ, Elizabeth Petrino, Norm Solomon, Casey Timmeny, Mark Scalese SJ, Jeffrey P. von Arx SJ

Fordham University – Nancy A. Busch-Rossnagel, Vincent J. Duminuco SJ, Anne M. Mannion, Russell G. Pearce, Patrick J. Ryan SJ, John Tognino, Amy J. Uelmen

Georgetown University – John J. DeGioia, Kevin Doak, Jane McAuliffe, Dennis McAuliffe, Joseph McCartin, Vincent Miller, Anthony Moore, Karen Stohr

Gonzaga University – Cynthia Fitzgerald, Stephen Freedman, Michael Herzog, Patrick McCormick, Anthony Osborne

Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley – Lisa Fullam, Francis X. McAloon SJ

John Carroll University – Mary E. Beadle, Doris Donnelly, Margaret Finucane, Howard J. Gray SJ, David M. La Guardia, Lisa Mencini, Robert L. Niehoff SJ, Helen Rombalski, Patrick Rombalski, Dianna Taylor

Le Moyne College – Donald Maldari SJ, Monica Sylvia

Loyola College in Maryland – Richard Blum, Juniper Ellis, Elliot King, Sharon Nell

Loyola Marymount – Wilkie Au, Robert Caro SJ, Cheryl T. Grills, Paul A. Harris, Robert B. Lawton SJ, Abbie Robinson-Armstrong, Ernest Rose

Loyola New Orleans – Mary Algero, Maria Calzada, Alice Clark, Walter Harris, Kendra Reed, Peter Rogers SJ

Marquette University – Janet W. Krejci, Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, Stephanie J. Russell, David G. Schultenover SJ, Madeline M. Wake

Regis University – Steven D. Berkshire, Mark J. Bruhn, Patricia A. Ladewig, Thomas E. Reynolds

St. Joseph’s University – Phyllis Anastasio, Paul F. Aspan, Terrence Furin, Peter Norberg

St. Peter’s College – William G. Evans

Santa Clara University – Chris Boscia, Luis F. Calero SJ, Diane Jonte-Pace, Mark A. Ravizza SJ, Kieran Sullivan

University of San Francisco – Margaret M. Higgins

University of Scranton – Hal Baillie, Patricia Harrington, Rick Klonoski, Janice Voltzow

Weston Jesuit School of Theology – John W. O’Malley SJ, Thomas D. Stegman SJ

Wheeling Jesuit – Debra B. Hull, Letha B. Zook

Xavier University – Ed Cueva, Chris Dacey, John Fairfield, Roger A. Fortin, Alison Russell, Janice B. Walker

Special Guests

Bernard Gillibert SJ
Provincial, French Province – Society of Jesus – François-Xavier Dumortier SJ
Centre Sèvres – Michel Fédou SJ
Staff Assistants – Milos Lichner SJ

Edward J. Peck and Paul Lauritzen did not attend the conference but were members of the planning group at John Carroll University