Loyola’s Mission Week celebration to explore faith that does justice
Loyola University Maryland will host Mission Week, a series of events and activities celebrating the University’s Jesuit and Maryland heritage, from March 17-23, 2024.
“Our Jesuit mission calls us to be at the service of faith and the promotion of justice. Loyola University Maryland will engage in a variety of mission integration opportunities as we consider how our Catholic identity and Ignatian charism animate our University,” said Milton Javier Bravo, Ph.D., vice president for mission and identity. “Each day of Mission Week we invite the community to join us in exploring our charism as we look to build a hope-filled future.”
Spotlight Events
Mission Week 2024 will include Masses, programs, lectures, and other events that offer an opportunity for the community to engage with Loyola’s mission. Some of the offerings this year have been designed to give the community opportunities to consider the topic of slavery and reflect, learn, and share.
Among the events are:
- A Laudato Sí’ Mass: This Mass will be presided by the Rev. Timothy Brown, S.J., assistant to the president for mission integration, in Alumni Memorial Chapel on Sunday, March 17, at 5 p.m.
- Advocacy Week: Each day of Mission Week participants can join the Center for Community, Service, and Justice (CCSJ) and Campus Ministry, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on the Quad, to explore actions to advocate for change. Different justice topics will be highlighted throughout the week. Follow @loyolaccsj and @loyolacampusmin for more details.
- Here I Am: Written and performed by Mélisande Short-Colomb, Here I Am shares Short-Colomb’s experience as a descendant of the men, women, and children who were sold in the 1838 GU 272 sale. Tickets can be reserved online for the Tuesday, March 19, 7:30 pm, or Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m., performances in McManus Theatre.
- Ramadan Event: The community is invited to take part in Iftar, the meal eaten at sunset to break the day-long fast during Ramadan. The “Harmony in Fasting: A Community Iftar Experience” event will feature a conversation on the significance of fasting by Sheikh Saad Baig, resident scholar at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, on Wednesday, March 20, 6:30-8 p.m., in the Center for Intercultural Engagement.
- Bunting Lecture: Lecture by acclaimed journalist, author, and New York University professor Rachel Swarns on "The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church" will take place on Thursday, March 21, at 6 p.m., in McGuire Hall West.
- York Road Community Day: The week will close with a York Road Community Day on Saturday, March 23, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at 5104 York Road. Participants can sign up online.
Maryland Day Festivities
Mission Week culminates with Maryland Day, when the University honors staff and administrators who have achieved key milestones. Loyola will mark Maryland Day on Friday, March 22, with several events, including a Maryland Day Mass in Alumni Memorial Chapel that day at 12:10 p.m.
A panel discussion about the Ignatian response to brokenness and injustice will take place during the Maryland Day Convocation, from 2–3:30 p.m. in McGuire Hall. The panel will be moderated by Milton Javier Bravo, Ph.D., vice president for mission and identity.
The panelists are:
- Danny Esposito, ’22, sustainability coordinator
- Rev. Gabriel Mmassi, S.J., endowed Jesuit faculty chair
- Jason A. Parcover, Ph.D., assistant vice president of student well being
- Catherine Savell, teaching professor of French
All events are free and open to the public. See the full event schedule on the University’s Mission Week website.