Jesuit Catholic Mission at Gonzaga: The Long View

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Jesuit Catholic Mission at Gonzaga The Long View

• Old Traditions, New Directions

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Prospects for the Gonzaga Mission

• The Gonzaga Mission Statement
• http//www.gonzaga.edu/About/Mission/Mission-State
  ment/
• A profusion of terms open to interpretation

3
Student Publications in the Context of the
Gonzaga Mission

• The Mission Statement
• Gonzaga University belongs to a long and
  distinguished tradition of humanistic, Catholic,
  and Jesuit education. We, the trustees and
  regents, faculty, administration and staff of
  Gonzaga, are committed to preserving and
  developing that tradition and communicating it to
  our students and alumni. 
• As humanistic, we recognize the essential role of
  human creativity, intelligence, and initiative in
  the construction of society and culture.
• As Catholic, we affirm the heritage which has
  developed through two thousand years of Christian
  living, theological reflection, and authentic
  interpretation.
• As Jesuit, we are inspired by the vision of
  Christ at work in the world, transforming it by
  His love, and calling men and women to work with
  Him in loving service of the human community. 
• All these elements of our tradition come together
  within the sphere of free intellectual inquiry
  characteristic of a university. At Gonzaga, this
  inquiry is primarily focused on Western culture,
  within which our tradition has developed.

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Catholic

• Ex Corde Ecclesiae (John Paul II, 1990)
• http//www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apo
  st_constitutions/documents/hf_jp-ii_apc_15081990_e
  x-corde-ecclesiae_en.html
• Address to Catholic Educators (Benedict XVI,
  2008)
• http//www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/spe
  eches/2008/april/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080417
  _cath-univ-washington_en.html

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Jesuit

• Men and Women for Others (Fr. Aruppe)
• http//www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/men
  -for-others.html
• The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Social
  Justice
• http//www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/jus
  tice.html

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Ratio Studiorum, 1599

• Ratio Studiorum, 1599
•  
• It is the principal ministry of the Society of
  Jesus to educate youth in every branch of
  knowledge that is in keeping with its Institute.
  The aim of our educational program is to lead men
  to the knowledge and love of our Creator and
  Redeemer.

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The Constitutions of the Society, 1558

• The end of the Society and of its studies is
  to aid our fellowmen to the knowledge and love of
  God and to the salvation of their souls

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Humanistic
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Decrees of the 35th General Congregation

• http//onlineministries.creighton.edu/Collaborativ
  eMinistry/GC35/

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Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

•  
• Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve
  God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.
  All other things on the face of the earth are
  created for man to help him fulfill the end for
  which he is created.

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A Way of proceeding?

• Clear statements defining such terms as
  Ignatian, Jesuit, Catholic, etc.
• Discussions with faculty on Church and Jesuit
  documents?
• Lay faculty formation?
• Spiritual Exercises for faculty?