Pope Benedict XVI's Visit
As part of his visit to the United States this past week, Pope Benedict XVI addressed presidents of Catholic colleges and universities and diocesan directors of education at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. last Thursday. I was very consoled and encouraged by his talk and wish to share it with you. There is much in this short address that can be useful for reflection and prayer, and probably a few things that will raise questions.
The Pope stated that Catholic educational institutions are integral to the Church's mission to spread the Good News. He explicitly thanked all who labor in the work of Catholic education—and their predecessors—for their dedication and generosity. He urged members of Catholic religious orders (such as the Sisters of Mercy and the Jesuits) not to abandon their schools, especially those in poorer areas. I heard in this an endorsement of the decision two decades ago to join two institutions that were then struggling financially to form one strong institution, the University of Detroit Mercy, in order to ensure the future of vibrant Catholic higher education in the city of Detroit.
In my time as president I have sought to strengthen UDM's Catholic identity by, for example, creating an Office of Mission and Identity and hiring a full-time Director of Catholic Studies, to supplement the work done with students by University Ministry. Catholic identity is difficult to define precisely in concrete terms. Pope Benedict affirmed that "Catholic identity is not dependent upon statistics" (such as "the number of Catholic students"). "Neither can it be equated simply with orthodoxy of course content. It demands and inspires much more: namely that each and every aspect of your learning communities reverberates within the ecclesial life of faith."
As I hear it, the Pope is saying that there is no single litmus test for UDM or any school to be fully Catholic—no single proclamation or decision that could come from the President's office, for example. On the other hand, the Pope places a huge challenge in front of us that will never be fully realized. We are all responsible for our mission: "A UDM education seeks to integrate the intellectual, spiritual, ethical, and social development of students." In light of Pope Benedict's address, I would add that we need to seek the integration of our own intellectual, spiritual, ethical, and social development as well— and that of the whole University. At the same time, Pope Benedict's emphasis that Catholic identity is not a matter of statistics supports UDM's commitment to provide, following the example of Jesus, a welcoming and inclusive environment with open arms to people of all faith traditions and no faith tradition.
As we come to the end of another academic year, I thank you for all you do every day to build up the University of Detroit Mercy as an institution of Catholic higher education and a learning community of which we can all be proud.
Gerard L. Stockhausen, S.J., Ph.D.
President
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