Jesu-what? Why does it matter that Canisius is a Jesuit university?

By Dr. Jonathan Lawrence, Contributing Writer

I sometimes ask my students whether the fact that Canisius is a Jesuit university was a factor in their decision to attend here. Many of them give me confused looks – either because they didn’t even know Canisius was Jesuit or because they can’t understand why this would have anything to do with their choice of a university, or maybe even both. At the same time, I hear from many graduates that even though the Jesuit connections did not influence their choice to come to Canisius, they learned to value those connections and grew from the experience.

Many American universities were founded by religious groups – some still emphasize that history while others have deemphasized those connections – maybe keeping a few symbols in their university logo or in the names of a few buildings. I went to Haverford College, which was founded by the Quakers. Even though there are very few people on campus who are Quaker anymore, the Quaker values of nonviolence and dialogue still influence campus life and many campus decisions are made by consensus, not simply a majority vote. During my time there, I came to value this tradition and it continues to influence how I try to live my life. There are actually some interesting ideas shared between the Jesuits and the Quakers, but that’s a topic for another week.

I am an ordained Protestant minister, but I have always felt welcomed and included here at Canisius even though I am not Catholic. I have learned a lot from the Jesuit tradition at Canisius, and value the ways that it influences how we teach and how we live and work as a community. I hope to make this column a regular feature exploring various aspects of the Jesuits and our experiences at Canisius. I plan to include conversations and guest columns from members of the Campus Ministry staff and others on campus.

Stay tuned for more of the Cura Personalis Corner.