Celebrating the inauguration of the Rev. Kevin Wm. Wildes, S.J., as 16^th president of Loyola University New Orleans, Loyola will host a lecture series beginning in February 2005. The lecture series gives Loyola a chance to bring nationally recognized speakers, selected by Wildes, to the Loyola community. In their lectures, each speaker will examine in depth view points on the subject of humanity/Jesuits/religion, which relates to Father Wildes’ field of study.

Jesuit education has always focused on humanism. This focus is not a surprise since the human is central to the Christian faith when God becomes human. Today, we celebrate many cultures and ways to talk about the human in a world of cultural diversity. The questions of humanism and diversity are the contemporary heart of the Jesuit intellectual enterprise. These speakers represent a cross section of disciplines from the arts to the humanities to law to theology, each looking at the fundamental questions of humanity in their fields.

All lectures will be in Nunemaker Auditorium, on the 3^rd Floor of Monroe Hall. For additional information, please contact the office of public affairs, 861-5888.

April 27, 7 p.m.

“Ignatian Humanism or How to Make a Roux”

Ron Modras, Ph.D.

The distinctive character of Ignatian spirituality, like that of New Orleans cooking, lies in its fearless embrace of diversity. The willingness of Jesuit missionaries to present the Christian message in non-Western garb comes out of the Ignatian celebration

of God at work in all creation and cultures. Modras explains that same ethos needs to

permeate Jesuit education today in a global situation that requires preventing a conflict of civilizations by fostering conversation between them.

Modras is a professor of theological studies at St. Louis University. He has authored seven books and numerous articles on topics such as Jesuit education and interreligious relations. He has lectured at many prestigious universities, including the universities of Oxford, Berlin, and Jerusalem.