Xavier Students and Faculty Join 1,600 Others Nationwide for Ignatian Family Teach-In For Justice

On the weekend of November 15-17, the Ignatian Solidarity Network hosted the Ignatian Family Teach-In For Justice in Washington D.C. Xavier sent 20 students and faculty members to learn, advocate, and pray for current social justice issues affecting the world, and to remember the 25th anniversary of the Jesuit martyrs of El Salvador and other Jesuit martyrs throughout history who have been killed because of their faith. In this effort, Xavier joined over 1,600 students and faculty from other Jesuit high schools and universities throughout the country.

Attendees participated in a number of keynote addresses, discussion panels, and masses throughout the weekend. Each event discussed a specific issue related to social justice, ranging from immigration reform to transnational free trade policies. Attendees engaged in multiple panels to examine these topics in greater detail, and liturgies served to place the weekend’s events within the greater context of overall faith and Ignatian spirituality. Additionally, all attendees were invited to discuss these issues with their local political representatives as a way of encouraging debate and placing a greater focus on social justice on a municipal, state, and federal level. In addition, the attending students and faculty had the opportunity to befriend others from schools throughout the country, bound in solidarity with their devotion to social justice. 

According to Christopher Kerr, Executive Director of the Ignatian Solidarity Network, the purpose of the Teach-In was to "remember the prophetic voices of the martyrs of El Salvador, whose words continue to shape the world today." Director of Campus Ministry Kaija Dewitt also likened the purpose of the Teach-In to what Pedro Arrupe, S.J., the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus, meant when he said that the ultimate purpose of all Jesuit schools should be to form “men and women who cannot even conceive a love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors.” Ms. DeWitt said that by bringing together such a great body to discuss this issue, “this message extended to all participants in the Teach-In and the organizations we represent by having us ask ourselves, 'as bearers of a Jesuit education, what is our purpose, and what are we asked to do as part of our greater mission?'" In part, as the many speakers of the weekend elucidated, the greater mission should include a fervent devotion to service, which is embodied in Xavier’s mission statement, the exploratory and transformative opportunities Xavier offers through Campus Ministry, and all else that passes through the halls of 30 West 16th Street.

Isaiah Blake ’17 attended the Teach-In for the first time this year. For Isaiah, attending the Teach-In was an opportunity to further explore social justice issues that he had considered previously. Isaiah attended discussions regarding racism and taxation and how they affect communities, both small and large, and he found the Teach-In to be well-worth it. He said, “The entire weekend was fantastic. At one point, pressed for time, one of the discussion groups, which consisted of high school and university students, had to break for the day. We all wanted to continue the discussion of the issues, specifically racism in America. And so we elected to meet again in the late evening, spending several hours discussing only some of the issues we had previously breached. We left that evening and the Teach-In with a greater desire to explore social justice issues, and we decided to stay in touch by creating a task force to stay up-to-date on the many topics we discussed. I had a great time, and I look forward to participating in the Teach-In in the next few years and hopefully during college. The experience strengthened my desire to work to combat these problems for the rest of my life.”

We would like to thank the service of all who proudly represented Xavier at the Teach-In. Among them include Director of Campus Ministry Ms. Kaija DeWitt; Director of Ignatian Service Programs Mr. Paul Wendel; Xavier President Mr. Jack Raslowsky; Registrar Ms. Lindsay Willert; Alumni Volunteer Mr. Matthew Hayes; faculty members Mr. Alex Lavy and Mr. Christopher Napolitano; and last but certainly not least, the students who attended the Teach-In, including Charlie Lambert ’15, Frank Clarke ’15, Joe Aguilera ’15, Francesco D’Angelo ’15, and Isaiah Blake ’17, just to name a few. Through their work, we are assured that the words of Jesuit priest Michael C. McCarthy, S.J., as written in a recent New York Times editorial, are not taken for granted. “A strong sense of purpose and commitment to their community will prove more satisfying than any marketable skill or economic satisfaction.” Through them, and through the work of all members of the Xavier community, we attempt to fulfill Xavier's mission every day.