Reflections on Educating for Faith-Justice: Celebrating 40 Years

On Thursday, Feb. 15, the Faith-Justice Institute will celebrate 40 years since its founding in the 1967-68 academic year. The event includes a social tea, followed by the release of a video featuring faculty, alumni, administrators, community partners and students, speaking on the impact of the institute’s mission. The celebration will be held at 3 p.m. in the Faith-Justice Institute, Suite 221, Post Learning Commons.

The institute serves the University as a center of social analysis and critical thought centering on faith and justice issues. Throughout its 40 years, the Faith-Justice Institute has promoted the serious consideration of problems and solutions from its programs, including service-learning courses and faculty-stuff immersion experiences in Bolivia.

“Fr. Ed Brady, S.J., founding director of the the Faith-Justice Institute, lived a personal and professional commitment to creating a more just world that treats every individual with the dignity they deserve,” says Anne Marie Jursca Keffer, M.S.W., director of institute. “To this day, his prophetic vision has been carried out by humble leaders, and dedicated faculty, staff and community members. Formed in this vision, our alumni lead throughout the public and private sector, and embody Ignatian values in their personal and professional lives.”

The institute has three major programs: a faith-justice studies minor, service-learning courses and the William Joseph and Madeline Eberle Klein Fund, which was established to support events such as lectures, courses and programs to encourage greater inclusivity within the Catholic Church. The institute also partners with Fe y Alegria: Bolivia, an international education and social development movement centered in Latin America, and the Corrymeela, a peace and reconciliation community in Northern Ireland. These initiatives seek to critically analyze the sources of and reasons for injustice and to actively fashion more just communities at local, national and international levels.