May 31 – June 1, 2023
In his video message at the Pontifical Lateran University on October 15, 2020, Pope Francis challenged universities – particularly Catholic universities – to renew their commitment to social justice, especially during this time when the pandemic has made evident the many inequities not only in our health care system but in the entire ecosystem of human communities. To gauge what Catholic institutions are doing in this area and to find ways to build upon one another’s work, the Académie Cor Iesu was invited to moderate an online conference sponsored by Seton Hall University (New Jersey).
“Strategies for Reinvigorating Social Justice Programming at Catholic Colleges and Universities” took place virtually online. The two-day conference brought together scholars and activists from several Catholic colleges and universities in the United States who engage with their local communities and work in areas related to social justice. Among the institutions of higher education represented were the College of Saint Elizabeth (New Jersey), Fairfield University (Connecticut), Fordham University (New York), Georgetown University (Washington DC), Providence College (Rhode Island), and Saint John’s University (New York). The goal of the conference was not only to generate discussion about what institutions are currently doing to meet the deepest needs of their local communities, but also to consider the ways institutions can engage cooperatively to advance this work.
Kicking off the conference was the keynote speaker, Gerald Byer of Villanova University (Pennsylvania), author of Just Universities: Catholic Social Teaching Confronts Corporatized Higher Education. Robert White, Director of the Académie Cor Iesu, gave the other keynote on the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Participants gave presentations throughout the other sessions, sharing their work, the challenges they face, and their ideas for ways to move forward together to reinvigorate social justice both on and off their campuses.
“The two-day, online conference about Reinvigorating Social Justice Programming at Catholic Colleges and Universities was an engaging and thought-provoking experience, thanks in no small part to the contributions of Dr. Robert White, founding director of the Académie Cor Iesu. As both the moderator of the conference and a presenter speaking about Catholic Social Teaching and social justice from a contemporary and historical perspective, Dr. White's knowledge and experience were critical to the success of the conference." - Mary Balkun, Professor of English at Seton Hall University (New Jersey)
“This conference forced me to confront the realities of my workplace and my position in the higher education ecosystem. It was a pleasure sharing my perspectives, learning from others, and discussing ideas for future collaboration. I highly recommend this conference to anyone involved in Catholic higher education and I would gladly participate again.” – Joseph Pastino, Fund Development and Research Consultant, Adjunct Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs at Saint Elizabeth University (New Jersey)
“I am grateful that I had the opportunity to participate in the Reinvigorating Social Justice Conference. The conference brought together professionals from a variety of disciplines united by the common goal of advancing social justice. The guest speakers posed important questions about Catholic Social Teaching, the corporatization of Catholic higher education, and the steps we can all take to make our respective institutions more equitable for everyone.” – Andrea Canuel, Associate Director for Community-Engaged Learning in the Center for Social Impact at Fairfield University (Connecticut)
