Event Analysis

More Than A Dinner: A Way of Life
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic group that uses education as a cornerstone of their mission. I have had the pleasure of attending Jesuit institutions for the past five years and I have known many amazing friends who were Jesuits and aided and shared in my endeavors as a young adult. The Dinner with the Jesuits was an excellent opportunity for me to meet the Jesuits of Loyola College and further my understanding of the Jesuit teachings that are discussed in Peter-Ham Kolvenbach, S.J.’s The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice in American Jesuit Higher Education.
My high school days were filled with Jesuits of all different kinds, and I had developed relationships with many great people that were in the Jesuit residence at St. Ignatius in Cleveland, Ohio; however, I was still timid to meet the Jesuits of Loyola. They were more than welcoming. The Jesuits are well known for educating young men and women into intellectually competent and caring people. Talking to the Jesuits of Loyola College, it is more than apparent that the Jesuits embody their mission and are great role models for the students and faculty of Loyola. However, at the same time as they embody the Jesuit mission, they are in no way intimidating to the less than religious student in search of a free meal. The dinner was one of completely casual conversation.
Once I began to speak with the Jesuits, young and old, I was able to easily relate to them in many ways. We talked about the bells, the chimes, modern-day music, and the weather. Some of the Jesuits were acquainted with my high school teachers and administrators and it made me feel very comfortable that they knew people from my previous home. I hope that the Jesuits at Loyola College are people that I can soon associate with my new home here in Baltimore.
The aspects of service and faith in the Society of Jesus that are emphasized in Kolvenbach’s writings were topics that were touched upon during my conversations, but topics that I reflect on more and more as I write this paper. During the dinner, we watched a video of Jesuits out in the world, many of which I have met or know, but this made me think of my own faith and my own values. I have not been doing the service and practicing the faith that I did during my high school years. I miss the feeling that I had after helping people, and I realize that the Jesuits here are active in service and the students are more than willing to serve. Especially in this Year of the City, I need to reach out and serve with the Jesuit theology in mind. The Jesuits live to serve. They serve the students and the community. St. Ignatius wishes that they be “roving missionaries” to the world, and I only pray that I can strive towards any form of mission work during my time at Loyola College.
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic group that serves people everyday, and charity is a cornerstone of their mission. I feel cheated to be using a simple, free dinner as an event worthy of reflection, but I now realize what I am called to do. The Jesuit way of life is not something I must embody, but acknowledge and consider. A way of life that involves learning, sharing, teaching, and caring. While this jargon is self-motivating, I know that actions speak louder than words. The Year of the City means that I need to go out and make charity and education a cornerstone of my life.