Joining a limited number of schools to offer a Master of Arts in Human Rights, The Catholic University of America is the only one to have bolstered such a program with the teachings of the Catholic faith. The interdisciplinary degree will fall under the School of Arts and Sciences, but incorporate coursework from the schools of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies, Law and Canon Law as well. The program is being offered through Catholic’s Institute for Human Ecology, an academic institute aimed at “increasing scientific understanding of the economic, cultural, and social conditions vital for human flourishing.” To inaugurate the new program, expert in human rights, Robert George has been invited to lecture on the subject. This degree program will offer a strong “Catholic voice” in the field of human rights, says William Saunders, director of the new master’s program. The advent of such a program is timely, as 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To learn more about the new Master of Arts in Human Rights program, click here. To inquire about admission to the program contact Sykeem Lewis, Graduate Admissions Coordinator for the School of Arts and Sciences at lewissy@cua.edu or by phone at 202-319-5253.
Spring has almost sprung! With the first day of spring and the celebration of Easter just around the corner, the time for renewal and revival is upon us. As the academic year comes to a close, it’s also a great time to take stock of all the peace and justice initiatives your campus has participated in over the course of the year. But just because the year will soon end, those efforts don’t need to stop. Catholic colleges and universities across the nation are finding interesting ways to maintain momentum and keep their work moving forward.
In Iowa, St. Ambrose University is committed to fostering interest in service and justice on campus. One of its ministries is Ambrose Women for Social Justice, which seeks to identify and assess the ways that injustice affects women and men and devise interdisciplinary solutions that are responsive and sensitive to both genders. The female-led student group was created in recognition of women’s need to be more involved in issues that touch their lives. For 14 years, the group has hosted the Women for Social Justice Conference, an annual lecture series to highlight important social and economic justice issues affecting women and girls. Katy A. Strzepek, director of women and gender studies at St. Ambrose, said much of the conference’s success lies in its Catholic identity by showing how students “can enact Catholic Social Teaching, most particularly by standing in solidarity and asking what they can do to help.” She advised students to remember that “no one is voiceless and to go to the uncomfortable places … to foster fruitful and honest dialogue.”
Last year, the conference focused on how gender affects globalization and what students can do to advocate for better policies. Keynote speaker Catherine Tactaquin, co-founder and executive director of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, discussed the effects of migration by describing how immigrant and refugee women are often forced to leave their families and work abroad to be able to send wages to their families back home.
Saint Louis University is another Catholic institution that values continual engagement with the world and advocating for global change. Students at the Jesuit university attended the 20thIgnatian Family Teach-In for Justice gathering in November, to learn, reflect, pray, network, and advocate for solidarity and social justice issues. Members of the Jesuit body around the country meet annually to be supported by a like-minded community linked by faith and justice. The gathering also gives them an opportunity each year to honor their Jesuit companions who were martyred in El Salvador in 1989. Last fall, the conference focused on pushing students out of their comfort zones to heed the call that Pope Francis described as the “fire, the fervor in action, awakening those who have become dormant.” Students were encouraged to return to campus with a newfound passion to make a difference in the world and not to accept the status quo. They were urged to participate in the next Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill in February by sharing what they had learned with their elected officials and asking for more just policies. To watch speakers and plenaries from the conference, visit the Ignatian Solidarity Network. And be sure to mark your calendars for the 2018 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, which will be held November 3-5, in Washington, DC.
Students attend 2018 Young Leaders Initiative Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, DC.
SAnother annual occurrence that helps Catholic colleges keep their fervor going is the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering -Young Leaders Initiative in Washington, DC. In February, students from 24 Catholic colleges and universities attended the gathering, with the theme, “Building Community: A Call to the Common Good,” which stressed the significance of acting in solidarity with our marginalized brothers and sisters at home and abroad.
The four-day youth conference was an “opportunity for U.S. leaders in Catholic social action to network, advocate for social justice, and form emerging leaders in service to the Church and society,” according to the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, which organized the event. Topics ranged from how climate change is affecting those in the Amazon, to the history of racism in the Catholic Church and how to combat it today.
About 500 people participated, with more than 100 college and university students in attendance. The students expressed gratitude for having the opportunity to be empowered to bring change back to their campuses. Senior theology student at CUA Julia VanConas observed, “Having the opportunity to listen and discuss issues with my peers on topics ranging from immigration to environmental justice, gave me space to develop a greater desire to advocate and bring what I learned back to campus.” Catholic colleges and universities are continuously discovering ways to reinvigorate their campus communities with fresh peace and justice initiatives because it spurs action. Students are investing time in conferences that emphasize peer-to-peer collaboration, keeping abreast of topical issues, and obtaining the necessary tools and resources for advocacy so that they return to campus ready to share the knowledge and make a difference. As the academic year comes to an end and spring begins, this rebirth period offers an opportunity for fruitful examination of what you can do on your campus to revive those around you and advance the work of peace and justice for everyone.
As we enter the Advent season, we are reminded of our continual call to direct our hearts and minds to the coming of Jesus Christ. As we do so, we reflect on his eternal sacrifice and his life on earth. Christ came to us a “light to the nations” and was a true example of how to give yourself to those in need. As Catholics we are called to do the same, for “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 21:1-2).
For Catholic colleges and universities, partnering with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) offers the opportunity to lead by example and follow Christ’s example to be a light in the world. CRS uses the message of Jesus to defend the dignity of all human life through charity, justice, and living out Catholic Social Teaching. CRS offers these university and college partnerships as a way of “joining in solidarity with the global poor through education, prayer, and action.” Campuses have the opportunity to partner with CRS in three ways: through CRS Student Ambassadors, CRS faculty learning commons, and as a CRS Global Campus.
Villanova University is using their partnership with CRS through the Student Ambassadors program to advance its mission of awareness and solidarity for those in need. According to CRS, student ambassadors “are trained by CRS to mobilize their peers and bring to life the mission of solidarity, [which then] allows for chapters to connect and build across the nation.” At Villanova, student ambassadors are bringing awareness to their peers of modern-day slavery. In honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Day, student ambassadors set up a table in a popular campus building in order to engage as many students as possible. Ambassadors gave students blue duct-taped ribbons to wear throughout the week in order to spark questions and discussion among peers.
The table also provided pamphlets with information on quick ways to help human trafficking victims. These tips ranged from how to identify possible victims to how to become a conscientious and informed consumer. Human Trafficking Awareness Day concluded with a screening of the documentary “Indifference is Not an Option.” According to CRS, the film “chronicles the lives of three escaped slaves spanning three countries and calls people to fight and stop hiding behind the excuse of ignorance.” The screening ended with the audience signing 80 advocacy letters. “These letters urged senators and representatives to pass the Supply Chain Transparency Act, which would help combat forced labor by forcing companies to reveal steps in their supply chain,” noted CRS.
The Catholic University of America partnered with Catholic Relief Services to host CRS Iraq director Hani El Mahdi. From left to right: Hani El Mahdi; CRS Student Ambassador Mary Lastowka; CUA associate professor Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love; and CRS University Outreach representative Mary Beth Iduh.
Professors at The Catholic University of America are using resources provided by CRS Faculty Learning Commons to put a human face on issues learned in the classroom. CRS explains how faculty learning commons “provides opportunities for faculty members and other academic leaders to enrich student learning experiences by tapping into CRS’s expertise in global development and humanitarian response through the world.”
Professor Maryann Cusimano Love leverages CUA’s partnership with CRS in her politics courses by using the CRS faculty learning commons materials as required readings that deal with issues such as war and peace, refugees, global poverty, climate change, human trafficking, fair trade, and moral responsibilities to global challenges. Students then have a chance to answer written questions, she explains, and use the materials as an “example of how a general topic discussed in class manifests in a specific circumstance.” She also invites students to use CRS materials for projects and gives them the “opportunity to partner with CRS to bring in a speaker to campus or engage with CRS programming.” Love recalled how one student group chose to look at the issues faced by Iraqi refugees and invited Hani El Mahdi, director of CRS Iraq, to speak at CUA.
Dante Orlandini, senior politics major at CUA, recalls that “through the implementation of studies, documentation, and techniques, Dr. Love effectively incorporated Catholic Relief Services’ mission into our Global Issues course at Catholic, which provided me with valuable lessons.” Dr. Love explains that by partnering with CRS, “students are taken out of their comfort zone and grapple with the real world consequences of global trends, and reflect on whether and how they are contributing to global problems or to global solutions.”
Love notes that “CUA, with its Washington, DC, location, is blessed to live and work at the intersection of Church and state. CRS works on this same intersection, bringing our values of faith to the global problems of the world.”
As a Catholic Relief Services Global Campus, Marquette University students participate in the Student Ambassador Program in order “to increase student awareness of global poverty and how CRS works to address these issues.”
The final way that campuses partner with CRS is by becoming a global campus. Through this institutional partnership, CRS engages with the campus through all three core constituencies: students, faculty, and administration, with the support of campus ministry and social justice staff. As a global campus, the college or university participates in both the Student Ambassador Program and the Faculty Learning Commons Program and establishes an interdisciplinary CRS advisory group. Sherri Walker, the program coordinator at Marquette’s Center for Peacemaking, explains that “as a global campus, Marquette University contributes to and also learns from CRS’s work in peace building” by using CRS’s work and examples as a way to “help form men and women who can be instruments of peace building and champions of a more equitable world.”
Because Marquette is a CRS Global Campus, its faculty have the opportunity to engage with CRS by using “collaborative methods of teaching, learning, and research that connect Marquette classrooms with CRS’s world-class teaching resources and research that addresses world problems,” Walker adds. For instance, Marquette faculty and administrators participated in the Ghana Faculty Enrichment Program. Walker notes that this program “served as a pilot project aimed at creating a model for partnering with the CRS country program in Ghana, as well as local universities. This partnership was expected to lead to joint research programs and closer collaboration between the in-country program staff, local university professors, and U.S. professors.” During this immersion experience, participants “studied the integral human development framework that CRS uses to design its programming, and the country-specific academic research that leads to development programming decisions.”
Walker explains that as a Catholic institution, Marquette recognizes that “God’s love is not restricted to a select few, but is extended to all.” From this perspective, “students from all faith traditions understands CRS’s engagement with populations where the majority are not Catholic.”
The month of December is the perfect time to learn about how Catholic colleges and universities are seeking to empower others to fight for peace and justice throughout the nation and world. By partnering with CRS in a variety of ways, institutions are given the opportunity to enrich the classroom experience and foster a community willing and ready to serve
Catholic colleges and universities across the nation observed National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, November 15-21, 2016. The week, began by Villanova University in 1975, has since spread to over 700 campuses and communities, becoming the most widely organized hunger and homelessness event of its type nationwide. Here are some examples from Catholic colleges:
Villanova University organized a food drive, a solidarity sleepout, and interfaith vigils on the issue of hunger and homelessness.
At Assumption College, Social Justice Ambassadors assembled “Helping Hands” bags to distribute to individuals on the street, encouraged students in the dining hall to eat what a typical meal would be at a soup kitchen, and also held a solidarity sleepout.
Saint John’s University campus ministry sponsored many events including a poverty simulation, a benefit concert, and a service opportunity as part of the week.
The Catholic University of America hosted a number of events such as a hunger banquet, a way of the cross prayer service focused on migration, and a speaker event with local advocate for those who are homeless.
These Catholic colleges and universities, and many others, are reflecting on the Catholic Social Teaching, the option for the poor and vulnerable, creatively tackling direct engagement and awareness in the issues of hunger and homelessness.
Did your campus observe Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week? Share it with us! Email Lexie Bradley.
Catholic Relief Services debuted a new video highlighting the Faculty Learning Commons program. The CRS Faculty Learning Commons (FLC) is an online learning community and curricular resource that highlights the latest strategies for global relief and development with special emphasis on the application of CRS’ justice lens and opportunities for building global solidarity. This semester’s theme is peacebuilding.
The video features Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love from The Catholic University of America and student Basira Knight sharing their experience with the Faculty Learning Commons in the classroom. It showcases how to utilize these resources to create a globally engaged classroom experience.
Thank you to all who attended the Catholic Social Teaching and Pedagogy Conference on September 30 at The Catholic University of America! Thank you to Dr. Todd Whitmore and Dr. Maria Mazzenga for their enlightening keynotes and to everyone who shared ideas on how to incorporate Catholic Social Teaching into the classroom.
Many resources and tools were shared during the day, which are featured on the conference website. Dr. Jana Bennett from the University of Dayton also shared her experience participating in the conference and collected resources from both the presentations and other participants on the Catholic Moral Theology blog. We hope you will use these resources in your work on college campuses!
If your campus is interested in co-sponsoring a similar event with ACCU, please contact Lexie Bradley at abradley@accunet.org.
Every three years, the Vatican celebrates World Youth Day. This year thousands of young Catholics will join Pope Francis in a pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland for a week-long celebration of what it means to be a young Catholic.
To help those who cannot attend in Krakow celebrate, the Catholic University of America will host Krakow in the Capital, a day-long experience of World Youth Day on July 30, 2016. Co-hosted by the Archdiocese of Washington Young Adult Ministry, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Diocese of Arlington Young Adult Ministry, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, the Dominican House of Studies, and the Catholic Student Center at the University of Maryland, the day will be full of prayer, catechesis, and celebration of Polish history and culture.
The day will conclude with a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Wuerl and a concert featuring Marie Miller. Register here!
How will you celebrate World Youth Day? Let us know!
“Violence against women, inside or outside the home, is never justified. Violence in any form – physical, sexual, psychological, verbal – is sinful; often, it is a crime as well” – U.S. Catholic Bishops, When I Call for Help (2002)
This summer, the National Catholic School of Social Service at The Catholic University of America, along with several partner organizations, has taken up the call to address violence against women in a symposium: “Hope, Help, and Healing: A Catholic Response to Domestic Violence.”
With the goals of increasing awareness of domestic violence in the U.S. and Catholic teachings on domestic violence, as well as encouraging Catholic leaders “to continue the conversation” and “to develop prevention and response strategies,” the symposium will bring together leaders from various Catholic organizations, both at the national and local levels. These organizations include:
The world is experiencing the worst refugee crisis since World War II. Around the world there are over 50 million refugees and displaced individuals, 12 million of whom were forced from their homes by the war in Syria. These circumstances demand our attention and action.
Film screening of Refugee Kids, a documentary that tells the story of refugee children participating in a summer program in New York City. The screening will take place on June 17 at 2:00 p.m. at Catholic University of America Gowan Auditorium. Brief discussion of the film will follow.
Locally resettled refugees will share their stories over food and drinks at Busboys & Poets Brookland on June 20 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
More details on the events are available here. For those who cannot make the events, we hope you will join us in prayer for the world’s refugees on June 20.
Please note that the event has been postponed. An alternative date will be announced shortly.
Catholic Social Teaching is the tradition of thought in which the Church seeks to advance justice in the world by engaging social, cultural, political and economic realities in our day. Thus, CST is both fitting and essential to the mission of Catholic higher education, particularly in the education and formation of its students.
To that end, CST can be a powerful tool in preparing students for the ethical and moral dimensions of professional practice and good citizenship. Many Catholic institutions of higher education strive to incorporate CST across the curriculum. While this can be a challenging responsibility, it can be done in a manner consistent with the educational and accreditation standards of each academic discipline.
The conference will be held on Friday, May 20, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Participants may be able to stay at the Theological College located across the street from CUA.
Call for Proposals
Faculty are invited to submit an outline of a Learning Module that you are currently using or plan to use in one of your courses. Format of the Learning Module is as follows:
Title of the Learning Module
Curriculum Content Area: Indicate the course in which the learning module takes place, and where the course is located in the curricula (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, core course, elective)
Materials: Identify the reading materials students need to review to enhance their learning. Indicate any additional materials that would be useful to the instructor.
Overview and Context (1 paragraph): Provide an overview of the learning module, and the context in which it is expected to be presented (early stages of a peacemaking course or class on Human Rights).
Prerequisites: Indicate any coursework or other prerequisites for this Learning Module.
Lesson Plan/Assignment/Activity (1-2 pages): Provide the learning objectives and detailed instructions for how an instructor will carry out the learning module, including the time-frame for the activity. At least one of the learning objectives should be related to cultivating a deeper understanding of one or more of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Participating faculty will be grouped by academic discipline to share and get feedback on their materials.
Submissions should be sent to Linda Plitt Donaldson, donaldson@cua.edu by April 1, 2016. For more information, please see the ACCU website.
ACCU Peace and Justice 