Catholic Mission and Identity: The Case of Gonzaga

Michael Lieberman Carey, Ph.D.Associate Professor

Department of Organizational LeadershipSchool of Professional Studies

Gonzaga University

GONZAGA’S MISSION STATEMENT:three dynamics

As Catholic, we affirm the heritage which has developed through two thousand years of Christian living, theological reflection, and authentic interpretation.

As Jesuit, we are inspired by the vision of Christ at work in the world, transforming it by His love, and calling men and women to work with Him in loving service of the human community.

As humanistic, we recognize the essential role of human creativity, intelligence, and initiative in the construction of society and culture.

GONZAGA’S MISSION STATEMENT:three key issues

Partnership and Diversity Curriculum Development/Pedagogy Faculty Hiring and Evaluation

Catholic Humanistic

Jesuit

Gonzaga

OVERVIEW OF EACH TRADITION:goal, method, issue

Goal: each tradition has a purpose which drives its decisions and actions

Method: each tradition has a particular approach to accomplishing its goal

Issue: each tradition has an inherent question that can’t be answered from within the tradition

Humanistic

GoalVirtuous Action

Humanistic

Goal MethodVirtuous Action

Study of Humanities

Humanistic

Goal Method

Issue

Virtuous Action

Study of Humanities

Faith and Reason

Catholic

GoalUniversal

Mind

Catholic

Goal MethodUniversal

MindTheology and

Inter-discipline

Catholic

Goal Method

Issue

Universal Mind

Theology and Inter-discipline

Mandate and Freedom

Jesuit

GoalDiscerning

Heart

Jesuit

Goal MethodDiscerning

HeartMagis

Jesuit

Goal Method

Issue

Discerning Heart

Magis

Lay-Jesuit Collaboration

Catholic Humanistic

Jesuit

Gonzaga

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION: from the general to the particular

One approach to the three traditions of the Mission is to view them as encompassing increasingly more narrow fields.

HUMANISTIC

CATHOLIC

JESUIT

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION: from the general to the particular

However, this implies that one tradition is more “on-target” than the other two.

HUMANISTIC

CATHOLIC

JESUIT

Score=100

50

30

10

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION:developmental perspective

Another approach to the three traditions of the Mission is to view them each as building upon and expanding the others.

HUMANISTIC CATHOLIC JESUIT

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION:developmental perspective

However, this also presumes that one tradition is more “advanced” than the other two.

HUMANISTIC

CATHOLIC

JESUIT

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION:separate but equal

Another approach to the three traditions of the Mission is to view them each as three separate but equal aspects of the Gonzaga experience.

Catholic Humanistic

Jesuit

Gonzaga

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION:separate but equal

However, those with power decide which of the traditions will be “more equal” than the other two.

Humanistic

Jesuit

Gonzaga

Catholic

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION:an integrative model

Rather than pitting one against the other, the three traditions may be understood as in dialogue with each other, producing a unique Gonzaga Mission.

GONZAGA MISSION

TRADITIONS AND THE MISSION:an integrative model

That only is true enlargement of the mind which is the power of viewing many things at once as one whole, of referring them severally to their true place in the universal system, of understanding their respective values, and determining their mutual dependence. . . . Possessed of this real illumination, the mind never views any part of the extended subject-matter of Knowledge without recollecting that it is but a part, or without the associations which spring from this recollection. It makes everything in some sort lead to everything else; it would communicate the image of the whole to every separate portion, till that whole becomes in imagination like a spirit, every where pervading and penetrating its component parts, and giving them one definite meaning. (John Henry Newman. The Idea of a University. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1982, page 103.)

IMPLICATIONS:partnership and diversity

• Humanistic tradition must be understood to the same degree as are the Catholic/Jesuit traditions.

• Power structures must be transformed to support dialogue among the traditions.

• Non-Catholic, non-Western, and non-Jesuit traditions must be brought into the dialogue.

IMPLICATIONS:curriculum development/pedagogy

• The strengths of each tradition must be incorporated into the goals of the curriculum.

• The biases of each tradition must be identified and overcome by the use of inclusive teaching strategies.

• Emphasis must be given to inter-disciplinary courses, team teaching, service learning, and collaborative research.

IMPLICATIONS:hiring and evaluation

• Hiring of new faculty must be based on both their standing within one tradition and their commitment to dialogue among the traditions.

• Faculty promotion and tenure granting criteria must include activities which give evidence of the above.

• The University administration must provide resources (e.g., structured conversations, release time) for faculty to engage in the above.

RECOMMENDATIONS:support, emphasize, change

• Provide support (i.e., time, money, environment) for inter-disciplinary courses, team teaching,

service learning, collaborative research and inter-tradition dialogue.

• Increase the emphasis of the Mission in the Faculty Handbook regarding hiring, re-appointment,

tenure, and promotion decisions.

• Change the membership of the Board of Members to include non-Jesuits; open the position of

President to non-Jesuits; orientate the Board of Trustees to Mission dialogue.

SUMMARY:dialogue, dialogue, and more dialogue

• The Gonzaga Mission is made up of three separate traditions—humanistic, Catholic and Jesuit—which are different yet complimentary.

• If the three traditions remain separate, each tradition will deteriorate, and the Gonzaga

Mission will suffer.

• If the three traditions dialogically engage the others, each tradition will develop and the

Gonzaga Mission will flourish.