In My Opinion: Loyola lacks a thriving Catholic life

In+My+Opinion%3A+Loyola+lacks+a+thriving+Catholic+life

It has been proposed to discontinue the Catholic Studies minor, and reduce funding for the Religious Studies major. Considering their centrality to the mission of having a Jesuit education, it seems unreasonable to cut these programs. How is our university supposed to “find God in all things” if they can’t produce educated, modern theologians?

The reasoning behind cutting these programs is likely because of a lack of student interest and lack of funding for the university at large. However, if Loyola intends to call itself a Catholic university, they need to continue to keep students interested in pursuing Catholic activities and give them a space to question and grow deeper in their faith.

The University states in their explanation of Jesuit values that they “acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus and affirm that God was in Christ reconciling the world to God. Around this central confession of faith we hope to shape our lives. It would be meaningless for Loyola to label itself Catholic and Jesuit were it not to center its self-understanding upon these truths.” And yet, they will disallow students to study Catholicism at a deeper level.

There is no Catholic program for incoming students or a pro-life coalition like there is at Loyola University Maryland. There aren’t 150 Jesuits either teaching or studying here like there are at Boston College.

There is no thriving (and funded) undergraduate theology program like there is at Canisius. Neither is there an on-campus eucharistic adoration like there is at St. Joseph’s University.
Who is following the ideal of ad majorem dei gloriam, emblazoned across our university?

Loyola is an amazing university, and I wouldn’t attend any other school. However, the school is lacking in the most important area, the area which should be the strongest: Catholicsm.