XU’s Jesuit and Catholic Identity
Homily for Mission and Ministry Week
10th September 2012

Allow me to begin with a story which Fr Danny Huang shared in his talk at the First International Colloquium on Jesuit Secondary Education last July 2012.Fr Danny narrated:

“A few years ago, I had the privilege of meeting some secret Jesuits in an Asian country, which, due to the politically sensitive situation there, shall remain unnamed. It was an amazing experience. These Jesuits were all relatively young, in their ‘40’s. They were known to be diocesan priests, and all held key leadership positions in their diocese. No one in the diocese knew they were Jesuits except their bishop. We had to meet in a nondescript restaurant some distance away from the city where they worked, for their security – and mine, too, I suppose.

“Several things struck me about this handful of truly admirable men. First was the fact that, although they could not publicly identify themselves as Jesuits, there was clearly something deeply Jesuit about them, and Jesuit at its best. They were among the most respected priests in their diocese, known for their dedication and excellence in ministry and preaching. They were known to be spiritual men who lived simple lives and could be trusted with both the formation of priests and diocesan finances. During a time of crisis, it was one of these hidden Jesuits who helped the bishop arrive at a principled stance vis-à-vis the authorities, and rallied the Catholic community to remain strong in the face of threats.
 
“Secondly, I found myself wondering why these men chose to remain Jesuits where there were no evident advantages to being members of the Society.  On the contrary, they had put themselves at risk in choosing to identify themselves, however secretly, as Jesuits.  When, during the course of our dinner, I inquired about their reasons, they offered no complex calculation of benefits versus costs.  To a man, it all came down to simply feeling called by God.
 
“Third, when I asked them what the Society of Jesus could do to help them, their answer was very simple. They wanted two things: more formation and more opportunities to experience community life.
 
“I wanted to begin these reflections with the memory of these men, these brothers of ours, who, at this very moment, without drama or fanfare, unknown to the world, are, in fact, living heroic Jesuit lives. I think they remind us that Jesuit identity is not primarily about public labels, but about a spirit, a way of living and serving in commitment, freedom and courage. It is not an external “brand,” but a depth of response to an interior call from God. They challenge me to assess how deeply I value my Jesuit identity, whether I regard it as something worth guarding even without prestige or honor, or, worse, in the face of danger. These men remind too me that this identity needs continued deepening in formation and continued support in community. Finally, these men help me gratefully remember that the spirit of Ignatius lives on today, even amidst very difficult circumstances, and that it is a spirit that makes a difference for the good in this world.”

My dear sisters and brothers, Mission and Ministry week at Xavier University is about celebrating our Jesuit and Catholic identity.  Fr Danny’s beautiful story and profound reflections remind us that Jesuit and Catholic identity are not primarily about public labels, but about a spirit, a way of living and serving in commitment, freedom and courage.  These are not external brands, but a depth of response to an interior call from God.It is an identity that we need to value and regard as worth guarding even without prestige or honor.  Our Jesuit and Catholic identity is primarily about a spirit that should make a difference for good in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, and beyond.  Importantly, this identity needs continued deepening in formation and continued support in community.

Simply put, the work of our Mission and Ministry cluster is to deepen the Ignatian spirit in our university community and to sustain our Jesuit and Catholic identity. The cluster works hard at specifying this identity, promoting it, creating and conducting formation programs and supporting the community in the growth of its Ignatianidentity.

In the ongoing debates about the RH Bill, there has been much discussion about what constitutes a Catholic University and how a Catholic University should function in the public arena.  Our Mission and Ministry week is an emphatic affirmation that Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan is a Catholic University.

According to Blessed John Paul II, a Catholic University is born from the heart of the Church, ex cordeecclesiae.Nata-wo ang unibersidad gikan sa kasing kasing sa Simbahan.  As a Catholic University, Xavier U has “a relationship to the Church that is essential to its institutional identity … One consequence of its essential relationship to the Church is that the institutional fidelity of the University to the Christian message includes a recognition of and adherence to the teaching authority of the Church in faith and morals.” (JPII, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, No. 27)  In matters of faith and morals, Xavier U as a Jesuit and Catholic university, stands with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus.  Together with our leaders in the Catholic Church, XU says ‘no’ to the passage of House Bill 4244 (The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Bill).  Following the lead of the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, XU says ‘yes’ to Natural Family Planning.

As a Catholic University, Xavier U will engage the issues of health, food security, environment, governance and peace in the ways that Pope John Paul II indicated in his speech before Catholic Universities in the United States (Address at The Catholic University of America, October 7, 1979):

“A Catholic university or college must make a specific contribution to the Church and to society through high-quality scientific research, in-depth study of problems, and a just sense of history, together with the concern to show the full meaning of the human person regenerated in Christ, thus favoring the complete development of the person. Furthermore, the Catholic university or college must train young men and women of outstanding knowledge who, having made a personal synthesis of faith and culture, are both capable and willing to assume tasks in the service of the community and of society in general, and to bear witness to their faith before the world. And finally, to be what it ought to be, a Catholic college or university must set up, among its faculty and students, a real community which bears witness to a living and operative Christianity, a community where sincere commitment to scientific research and study goes together with a deep commitment to authentic Christian living.”

My good friends, it is the responsibility of faculty and students of a Catholic university to grapple seriously with important social issues and to engage them with heartfelt compassion and vigorous intellectual effort.  The Catholic tradition has always taught that reason and faith are not enemies but allies in the service of God’s truth.

In the same speech, Pope John Paul II emphasized the importance of academic freedom:  “As one who for long years have been a university professor, I will never tire of insisting on the eminent role of the university, which is to instruct but also to be a place of scientific research. In both these fields, its activity is deeply related to the deepest and noblest aspiration of the human person: the desire to come to the knowledge of truth. No university can rightfully deserve the esteem of the world of higher learning unless it applies the highest standards of scientific research, constantly updating the methods and working instruments, and unless it excels in seriousness, and therefore in freedom of investigation.”

My prayer is that the Catholic University such as Xavier U, under the pastoral guidance of our bishops be allowed to provide a stable venue for the ongoing discussion of and evaluation of contentious positions, even when these may come from the CBCP – so long as no infallible doctrines demanding the obedience of faith are concerned.

For the long term benefit of the Church, I sincerely believe space must be created in a Catholic University for persons who intelligently take varied positions, even when these may be different from those articulated in non-infallible CBCP positions, that can be discussed, evaluated and criticized in the academic sphere, respecting institutional autonomy, academic freedom and safeguarding personal and communal rights.

I pray that this space by guaranteed from the heart of the Church – ex corde ecclesiae.  In a world of deception and superficiality, may XU as a Catholic University be space for truth; in a world of name-calling and insults, may the Ateneo as a Jesuit University be space for charity.