LMU faculty and staff are invited to submit proposals for the AJCU gathering “Faith, Justice and Reconciliation Assembly: Creation of a Hope-Filled Future” that will take place at Loyola University Chicago July 16-19, 2024. Submissions can engage a variety of faith, justice, and reconciliation work. Proposals should be submitted by Nov. 1, 2023; notifications about decisions will be sent by Jan. 15.
The AJCU also created six commissions, teams of faculty and staff across the AJCU network who have been working together since spring 2023 on major issues of faith, justice, and reconciliation affecting AJCU institutions. Each commission will present their work at the conference with time for participant engagement and dialogue.
Members of the commissions from LMU include: John Sebastian, vice president of Mission and Ministry (Ignatian pedagogy); Emelyn dela Peña, vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, (justice, reconciliation, and the legacy of slavery in Jesuit institutions); Douglas Christie, professor of theological studies, and Nicole Bouvier-Brown, professor of chemistry and biochemistry (Laudato Sí and advancing an agenda for our common home; Jennifer Abe, professor of psychological science; Lauren Anbe, executive assistant to the provost; and Terri Manigone, dean of students and VP of student affairs (student spiritual growth and mental health).
“Recent General Congregations of the Society of Jesus have called on Jesuits and their lay collaborators to pursue reconciliation with God, one another, and the earth itself,” said Sebastian. “The AJCU Faith, Justice, and Reconciliation Assembly is an opportunity for those of us who teach and work at Jesuit institutions to leverage the resources of our national network to imagine new paths forward in addressing some of the most pressing issues facing not only the higher education sector but society as a whole, including racism, hyper-incarceration, environmental degradation, threats to democracy, and the increasing demand for mental health services.”
The AJCU hopes this Chicago gathering will be a space of learning, reflection, and discernment.
