The Prep community gathered in the gym on March 20 for an Arrupe Keynote panel that led us on a metaphorical pilgrimage with the US prison system to learn more about the lived realities of individuals who have been incarcerated or accused.
For more than 20 years, this annual Prep tradition, named for Pedro Arrupe, S.J., the late superior general of the Jesuits, who charged the religious order with its modern mission of forming “men and women for and with others,” explores a different topic related to social justice.
The Arrupe series provides multiple opportunities for our community to engage more deeply with the year’s topic, and we were pleased to welcome four distinguished guests to our campus this week:
- Ms. Govindanandini Devi Dasi, Hindu Brahman
- Imam Mohamed El Filali, prison and hospital chaplain
- Pastor Pamela Jones, D.Min, Founder and CEO of Communities In Cooperation, Inc. (CIC)
- Mr. Julio Marenco, JD, New Jersey Assemblyman
After a prayer from Director of Campus Ministry Dr. Susan Woolever, Andrew Norris, ’24, shared some history on Pedro Arrupe to shed light on why the series bears his name.
“He would come to define the Jesuit mission, saying that ‘Our faith in Jesus Christ and our mission to proclaim the Gospel demand of us a commitment to promote justice and enter into solidarity with the voiceless and the powerless,” he said.
“This year’s Arrupe theme strives to raise awareness about different justice concerns and even strategize about how to become involved. Our Arrupe theme for this year is pilgrimage in and with the U.S. prison system,” Norris continued. “We’ve been working with 20 reflective upperclassmen to create a week of reflections and activities to help guide our Prep community on an introductory journey into the U.S. prison system and how we can achieve justice within it.”
Francis Garrett, ’24 then introduced the day’s panelists, led in discussion by Lucas Hernandez, ’25 and Nicolai Mendoza, ’24. Each panelist detailed the various ways they have worked in the prison system, offered insights about those stories, and shared how our Prep own community could “strive to uphold the integrity of each person.”
Arrupe programming continues next week with a dress-down fundraiser benefiting Communities In Cooperation, Inc. (CIC), which serves women impacted by the justice system in New Jersey. Students are invited to wear black and purple, colors representing gang prevention and gun control and anti-violence.
We thank our guests and the Arrupe Committee for organizing this week’s discussion.
Throughout its long history, the Pedro Arrupe, S.J., Lecture Series has hosted, among others, noted peace activist Dan Berrigan, S.J.; death penalty activist Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ; Greg Boyle, S.J., of the successful anti-gang initiative Homeboy Industries; Sean Carroll, S.J. of the Kino Border Initiative; Mr. Jim Keady of Team Sweat; Dr. Michael Kimmel, sociologist and author of Guyland; Sr. Peggy O’Neill, S.C., director of Centro Arte para La Paz in El Salvador; Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, of the Harvard Kennedy School; and Fr. Daniel Corrou, S.J. who worked with Jesuit Refugee Services in the Middle East.