This semester, a group of SCS staff are going through the four-part Ignatian Tradition Seminar, a deep exploration of the enduring meaning and significance of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. The four-part series takes place over the span of a semester and invites close reading, group discussion, and discernment about how to make Jesuit mission and values, as they arise from the life of Ignatius and the development of the Jesuit order, a part of one’s work at Georgetown. The seminar examines the history of Ignatius and the founding of the Jesuits, the origins of Jesuit education, contemporary Jesuit commitments to social justice, and the ways that Jesuit universities like Georgetown bring to life their Ignatian identity.
Each Jesuit institution is unique, reflecting the context of its operation. This particular seminar at SCS emphasizes Georgetown’s abiding commitment to multi-faith and inter-religious dialogue. Of particular interest to the SCS participants is the opportunity to consider the relationship between the School’s hallmark incorporation of technology into learning and the heritage of Jesuit history and values. In other words, what can a 500-year-old tradition of humanistic education offer the ongoing development of innovative online and technology-mediated learning like at SCS?
Through all of the seminar’s many conversations,St. Ignatius remains a central character in the narrative. Participants engage with the many personae of the patron saint and what relevance this 16th-century Spanish figure bears today for our work and study at Georgetown. Mission in Motion has previously reflected, as part of the Ignatian Year 500, about the aspects of the Ignatian biography that most align with the culture and characteristics of SCS. There are four ways that St. Ignatius and his story align so closely to the community of learners at SCS. St. Ignatius was: an adult learner, used technology as part of his leadership strategy, developed a model for incorporating contemplation into a busy and active civic life, and served in the military. It is this last attribute, Ignatius as military veteran and wounded warrior, that motivates this week’s reflection in light of the Veterans Day holiday.
Georgetown honors its military-connected students and faculty through dedicated resources and celebrations of the stories of these individuals that focus on their service. The core of the University’s efforts extends from student veterans to military spouses, caregivers, and other military-connected persons. A sizable military-connected population exists at SCS and has access to a comprehensive set of resources provided by Georgetown’s Military and Veterans’ Resource Center.
The whole-person approach to caring for student veterans is evident not just in tangible resources but also in intentional messages and the creation of hospitable spaces for this community. At last year’s SCS commencement, for example, Jason Kander, military veteran and accomplished politician, gave a stirring address that focused on the particular mental health challenges facing military veterans. Kander made the point that self-care is not selfish, an idea that might seem anathema to a community that is so accustomed to putting others’ needs before their own. This emphasis on self-care provides a relevant connection to the military meaning of the Ignatian story.
In their article in the magazine Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education, “Wounded Warriors: Ignatius of Loyola and Veteran Students,” Thu Do and Mary Dluhy make explicit the contemporary relevance of St. Ignatius for modern military veterans:
“Ignatius is recognized as the patron saint of veterans because of his knighthood and military experience. Like Ignatius, veterans, service members, and wounded warriors experience both physical and spiritual sufferings. Leaving the military and returning to the civilian life, veterans often miss the sense of commitment to an important mission, deep fellowship, and intense stimulation on the battlefield.”
Ignatius provides a set of discernment resources and a structure for spiritual development that can help any person grow into the meaning and purpose of their life. The Ignatian biography, which included dramatic shifts in vocational choices—from courtier to soldier to pilgrim and finally to administrator of a global company—reveals that a person’s deeper meaning and purpose can stay the same even as the circumstances of one’s life can change. The important takeaway for veterans and other military connected students is that the entire University community has an important role to play in helping this community reconnect to their sense of mission and purpose after military service is complete.