Rooted in the words of Father General Kolvenbach, SJ, each year, a group of faculty and staff participate in a ten-day faith-justice immersion experience to Bolivia. The immersion seeks to further participants' understanding of the Jesuit mission and charism as well as to provide the opportunity for a direct experience to learn and understand the real concerns of the poor. Further, it is hoped the time in Bolivia becomes “the catalyst for solidarity which then gives rise to intellectual inquiry and moral reflection” (Fr. Kolvenbach, SJ, 2000).
Each year the Bolivian Province Jesuits and Fe y Alegría staff members (an educational program founded in Jesuit philosophy serving the poorest of the poor) host and guide the faculty and staff through the various regions of Bolivia. While living simply and in community with one another the group visits various Jesuit missions working with the poor including schools and parishes. Daily, the group gathers together to reflect upon their experience.
Mission and Focus
“We must therefore raise our Jesuit education standard to ‘educate the whole person of solidarity for the real world.' Solidarity is learned through ‘contact' rather than through ‘concepts'….When the heart is touched by direct experience, the mind may be challenged to change. Personal involvement with innocent suffering, with the injustice others suffer, is the catalyst for solidarity which then gives rise to intellectual inquiry and moral reflection” - Father General Peter Hans Kolvenbach, SJ, The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice in American Jesuit Higher Education, 2000).
Faculty and Staff Participants
2003
Peter Clark, SJ Theology
Carmen Croce University Press
Ann Marie Jursca Faith Justice Institute
Mimi Limbach Admissions
Betsy Linehan, RSM Philosophy
Tom McDuffie Education
Amy Myers Mathematics
Eva Recio-Gonzalez Foreign Language
Joan Timby Residence Life
2004
Concha Alborg Foreign Language
Chris Bagley Academic Adv.Athletics
George Bur, SJ Rector Jesuit Communtiy
John Jewell Psychology
Ann Marie Jursca Faith Justice Institute
Linda Lelii Student Life
Guy Lemaitre Foreign Language
Marty Meloche Food Marketing
Cathy Schoffstall IVRP
2005
Frank Bernt Faith Justice Institute
Megan Combs Student Services
Bill Conway College of A&S Deans Office
Kathy Gaval Office of Planning
John Longo Chemistry
Jerry McGlone, SJ Office of Mission
Evelyn Minick Francis A. Drexel Library
Peter Norberg English
Jean Smolen Chemistry
2006
Joe Cifelli Education
Rhonda Cohen Career Dev. Center
Tenaya Darlington English
Heather Hennes Foreign Language
Al Labonis Inrformation Technology
Mary Martinson Drexel Library
Jerry McGlone, SJ Office of Mission
Peter Norberg English
Eileen Sabbatino Education
2007
Marsha Erickson, Francis Drexel Library
Patty Esnouf, Faith-Justice Institute
Jena Fioravanti Burkett, Academic Affairs
Denise Ghisu, Office of Develop. & Alumni Relations
Ann Marie Jursca, Faith-Justice Institute
Shawn Krahmer, Theology
Alfredo Mauri, Management
Dennis McNally, SJ, Fine Arts
Cristian Pardo, Economics
Brent Smith, Marketing
2008
Annemarie Bartlett, Office of Planning
Caroline Coffey, Biology
Valerie Dudley, Office of Institutional Diversity
Kristin Hassey, Residence Life
Dan Joyce, SJ, Office of Mission
Ann Marie Jursca, The Faith-Justice Institute
Shondrika Merritt, Residence Life
John Neiva, Management
Terri O’Doherty, Institute for Catholic Bioethics
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
CLICK HERE FOR AN APPLICATION!
This year's initiative will take place May 14-23, 2008. There will be a panel presentation from the past participants on November 8th at 11:30 am in the Wolfington Center Conference Room and November 9th at 12:00 pm in the Wolfington Center Conference Room. The application deadline will occur on November 15, 2006.
For additional information or questions please contact Ann Marie Jursca at 610-660-1337.
Research Information provided by Francis A. Drexel Library