Missouri Province Jesuits Wants To Open More Schools

Jesuits speculate on changes to local mission

It is too early to know what if any changes may be wrought in the Jesuit mission in the St. Louis Archdiocese as a result of the directions set by the General Congregation. However, congregation participants Fathers Timothy M. McMahon and Douglas Marcouiller in a recent interview suggested that because much of the Jesuits’ ministry here is teaching, any changes would likely occur in that arena.

Father McMahon said that as provincial, “rather than see a change, what I see is the General Congregation reaffirming and enhancing the mission in a way we’ve been doing for the past several years.”

The Jesuits reaffirmed their commitment to work in service of a faith that promotes justice, be in dialogue with people of other faiths, attempt to evangelize the culture, show a preferential option for the poor and grow in respect for Creation and the sense of fragility of the environment,

Father Marcouiller said. The General Congregation “has given us an impetus to continue to expand that kind of education in our works, which is education in the faith,” Father McMahon said. More schools serving the underprivileged be a part of “the wave of the future for us in the Missouri Province,” he said. He can envision the Society one day expanding its current education sites in St. Louis, such as opening a high school to serve immigrants, refugees and the poor in the archdiocese and building upon the success at Loyola Academy, which serves at-risk young men sixth through eighth grade in St. Louis City.

These types of schools “reach out to other people we have not been able to reach, or as the pope says, who other people can’t reach,” Father McMahon said. He also can see ongoing support continue for the Jesuits’ traditional high schools and universities “so people can be formed who are leaders for our Church.”

The Jesuits of the Missouri Province “have opened two new high schools and a middle school in the last 10 years serving people who are not traditionally served in our works. None of those could have happened without lay Catholics and alumni who do this because of what they learned at Jesuit high schools and universities of being men and women for others.” Said Father McMahon,

“What was clear to us at the congregation is the mission hasn’t changed; we’ve defined that well in (previous congregations) where we are working in service of faith in the promotion of justice, evangelizing our culture. But what has changed in many ways is the context. The forces of globalization throughout the world changed the context in which we do that mission. And so even here in St. Louis we may not think we’re affected by that, but we are.”

By Jean M. Schildz

Link to the St. Louis Review (here)