Sheeran, Michael J., S.J.

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epublications@Marquette

Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 49 Jesuit Higher Education in a GlobalContext Article 47September 2016Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 JesuitColleges and Universities in the United States: ABrief OverviewMichael J. Sheeran S.J.Follow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationSheeran, Michael J. S.J. (2016) "Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities in the United States: A BriefOverview," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 49 , Article 47.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol49/iss1/4734All rights reservedFr. William Hart McNichols. Image reproductions available at FrBillMcNichols-SacredImages.com.When Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., commis-sioned me to paint his dream ofthese three saints holding up theWorld – Francis of Assisi, Hildegardof Bingen, and Ignatius of Loyola –my question to myself was “How dothey hold up the World?”The answer you see right here,is a kind of map which might tell uswhere to go, but we have to actu-ally make the journey. The map is aprayer, and the journey, I pray, willgive us continual insights whichwill lead to action, so that with theholy three of Ignatius, Hildegard,Francis and the Holy Child Jesus,we might learn something abouthow the Holy Spirit continues toGreen the World.A polyptych (a frame with multiple images/icons)For Loyola University ChicagoVIRIDITAS:FINDINGGOD IN ALLTHINGS1Sheeran: Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 Jesuit Colleges and UniPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                               3550 years after Vatican II, 25 yearsafter “Ex Corde Ecclesiae,” Ameri-can Jesuit presidents and Jesuitmajor superiors (in Rome and in theUnited States) think it’s the righttime to ask how the 28 American Je-suit colleges and universities iden-tify ourselves as Jesuit and Catholicin the 21st century. To that end, uni-versity presidents drafted the docu-ment “Some Characteristics ofJesuit Colleges and Universities: ASelf-Evaluation Instrument” to beused as an evaluative tool and havetried it for a couple of years. Provin-cials have approved its use.       We are moving here to the regu-lar reaffirmation that the school’smission is a Jesuit mission, that theboard’s priorities are harmoniouswith the educational vision of theJesuit order. Some people call thisan affirmation of “communion.”The deep purpose is the positive re-assertion of vision.       So the 28 schools and theprovincial superiors are experi-menting, looking for as simple andnon-burdensome a method as possi-ble for making this occasional reaf-firmation. Here is the overallapproach:   • Over the next five years, each ofthe 28 schools will use its ownprocess to review its current Je-suit mission priorities, deciding– in the Jesuit tradition of themagis – what changes to maketo improve mission effective-ness. The school invites a smallcommittee from other Jesuituniversities to visit and offeradvice (which the school is freeto accept or decline) about theproposed priorities.   • The school sends a letter to theJesuit Superior General throughregular Jesuit channels, reaf-firming its intent to carry out itsJesuit Mission with emphasison the priorities it has selected.   • The Jesuit Superior General sendsback a letter reaffirming that theschool is a Jesuit institution.       This sort of procedure will hap-pen once in the next five years andwill be repeated every few years.(How frequently is up for discus-sion.) But, after the first five years,on the basis of knowledge gainedfrom the first round, specifics willbe adjusted by the 28 presidentsand the relevant Jesuit officials inlight of what seems to work best.Michael J. Sheeran, S.J., is the presidentof the Association of Jesuit Colleges andUniversities.Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities inthe United States – A Brief Overview By Michael J. Sheeran, S.J. The Saints are grounded inthe Blood of Christ, which feedsthe World, as our Mother’s ownblood feeds us in the womb. Ifyou look at nature closely in theearly spring, all green thingsbegin with red (wounds) buds,shoots, and branches. Then theyflower into green and abundantcolors of life. The leaves, vibrantrocks and stones are living ex-amples of how nature praisesthe Creator.Earth’s atmosphere, usuallya thin line of blue, is, in this ver-sion, green, with the life of theHoly Spirit. Twelve tongues ofthe Spirit’s flames hover roundthe World as in a New Pentecostwhich Pope St. John XXIII andPope St. John Paul II prophesiedfor the 21st Century.The Holy Spirit is seen justat that moment when Godspeaks the Word from Genesis:“Let there be Light” and life aswe know it began to swirl fromthe void.The gorgeous frame bymaster woodworker RobertoLavadie of Taos, chants the HolyHoly Holy ... as with Hildegard’sinspired chants, she claims tohave heard immersed in God,the Living Light; Heaven andEarth are full of God’s glory.Christ the Deer, or hart, is at thebottom standing in preciouswater which nourishes all life. Father McNichols is a priest ofthe Archdiocese of Santa Fe.2Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, Vol. 49, Iss. 1 [2016], Art. 47http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol49/iss1/47

Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities in the United States: A Brief Overview

Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 50 Article 21September 2016Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 JesuitColleges and Universities in the United States: ABrief OverviewMichael J. Sheeran S.J.Follow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationSheeran, Michael J. S.J. (2016) "Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities in the United States: A BriefOverview," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 50 , Article 21.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol50/iss1/2134All rights reservedFr. William Hart McNichols. Image reproductions available at FrBillMcNichols-SacredImages.com.When Fr. Mark Bosco, S.J., commis-sioned me to paint his dream ofthese three saints holding up theWorld – Francis of Assisi, Hildegardof Bingen, and Ignatius of Loyola –my question to myself was “How dothey hold up the World?”The answer you see right here,is a kind of map which might tell uswhere to go, but we have to actu-ally make the journey. The map is aprayer, and the journey, I pray, willgive us continual insights whichwill lead to action, so that with theholy three of Ignatius, Hildegard,Francis and the Holy Child Jesus,we might learn something abouthow the Holy Spirit continues toGreen the World.A polyptych (a frame with multiple images/icons)For Loyola University ChicagoVIRIDITAS:FINDINGGOD IN ALLTHINGS1Sheeran: Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 Jesuit Colleges and UniPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                               3550 years after Vatican II, 25 yearsafter “Ex Corde Ecclesiae,” Ameri-can Jesuit presidents and Jesuitmajor superiors (in Rome and in theUnited States) think it’s the righttime to ask how the 28 American Je-suit colleges and universities iden-tify ourselves as Jesuit and Catholicin the 21st century. To that end, uni-versity presidents drafted the docu-ment “Some Characteristics ofJesuit Colleges and Universities: ASelf-Evaluation Instrument” to beused as an evaluative tool and havetried it for a couple of years. Provin-cials have approved its use.       We are moving here to the regu-lar reaffirmation that the school’smission is a Jesuit mission, that theboard’s priorities are harmoniouswith the educational vision of theJesuit order. Some people call thisan affirmation of “communion.”The deep purpose is the positive re-assertion of vision.       So the 28 schools and theprovincial superiors are experi-menting, looking for as simple andnon-burdensome a method as possi-ble for making this occasional reaf-firmation. Here is the overallapproach:   • Over the next five years, each ofthe 28 schools will use its ownprocess to review its current Je-suit mission priorities, deciding– in the Jesuit tradition of themagis – what changes to maketo improve mission effective-ness. The school invites a smallcommittee from other Jesuituniversities to visit and offeradvice (which the school is freeto accept or decline) about theproposed priorities.   • The school sends a letter to theJesuit Superior General throughregular Jesuit channels, reaf-firming its intent to carry out itsJesuit Mission with emphasison the priorities it has selected.   • The Jesuit Superior General sendsback a letter reaffirming that theschool is a Jesuit institution.       This sort of procedure will hap-pen once in the next five years andwill be repeated every few years.(How frequently is up for discus-sion.) But, after the first five years,on the basis of knowledge gainedfrom the first round, specifics willbe adjusted by the 28 presidentsand the relevant Jesuit officials inlight of what seems to work best.Michael J. Sheeran, S.J., is the presidentof the Association of Jesuit Colleges andUniversities.Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities inthe United States – A Brief Overview By Michael J. Sheeran, S.J. The Saints are grounded inthe Blood of Christ, which feedsthe World, as our Mother’s ownblood feeds us in the womb. Ifyou look at nature closely in theearly spring, all green thingsbegin with red (wounds) buds,shoots, and branches. Then theyflower into green and abundantcolors of life. The leaves, vibrantrocks and stones are living ex-amples of how nature praisesthe Creator.Earth’s atmosphere, usuallya thin line of blue, is, in this ver-sion, green, with the life of theHoly Spirit. Twelve tongues ofthe Spirit’s flames hover roundthe World as in a New Pentecostwhich Pope St. John XXIII andPope St. John Paul II prophesiedfor the 21st Century.The Holy Spirit is seen justat that moment when Godspeaks the Word from Genesis:“Let there be Light” and life aswe know it began to swirl fromthe void.The gorgeous frame bymaster woodworker RobertoLavadie of Taos, chants the HolyHoly Holy ... as with Hildegard’sinspired chants, she claims tohave heard immersed in God,the Living Light; Heaven andEarth are full of God’s glory.Christ the Deer, or hart, is at thebottom standing in preciouswater which nourishes all life. Father McNichols is a priest ofthe Archdiocese of Santa Fe.2Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, Vol. 50, Iss. 1 [2016], Art. 21http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol50/iss1/21

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Reaffirmation of Jesuit Mission by the 28 Jesuit Colleges and Universities in the United States: A Brief Overview

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