Magis Moment: July 2022
A Message from the Vice President of University Advancement
Loyola had a notable June 2022, marked by two men from very different backgrounds but both well known to New Orleanians. I spent most of my childhood in the 1970s and 80s in metro New Orleans, and it feels like I’ve heard the names of Joe Canizaro and Norman C. Francis my entire life. Now their names will be important parts of Loyola campus life.
Last month, with his historic $5 million gift to establish the Canizaro Center for Catholic Studies, Mr. Canizaro helped ensure that Loyola students will have new and stronger opportunities to explore their faith and the riches of the Catholic tradition. Fr. Nathan O’Halloran, S.J. is already hard at work putting Mr. Canizaro’s funding to use in new people and programs, including a new opportunity for Loyola students in Rome.
Also in June, after months of reflection and discussion involving a special committee of alumni and Loyola’s leadership team, Loyola’s Board of Trustees voted to rename our largest residence hall as the Blanche and Norman C. Francis Family Hall. Now, the family name of Loyola’s first Black graduate and a champion of Catholic higher education, civil rights, and the state of Louisiana will be a living part of our campus. I was honored to be at the lunch with Dr. Francis and his family when Fr. Justin Daffron, S.J., Dean Madeleine Landrieu, and General Counsel Sharonda Williams shared the news with them.
Loyola is a place that brings together people from varying backgrounds and with different life experiences and perspectives, all in service to others and to our Jesuit mission. Proud of his Italian American heritage, Mr. Canizaro grew up in Mississippi and came to New Orleans, building great success in real estate development, banking, finance, and even sports (as the owner of the New Orleans Breakers football team in the 1980s). Dr. Francis grew up in southwest Louisiana and came to New Orleans for an education that led to his emergence as a key Black leader in higher education and in the struggle against racial injustice. His 47-year tenure as president of Xavier University is legendary.
In having the privilege of meeting with Mr. Canizaro and Dr. Francis over the past several weeks, I was struck most with what they share: a deep commitment to their Catholic faith, to Loyola’s mission, and to the well-being of New Orleans and the surrounding communities. It is fitting that the names of Mr. Canizaro and Dr. Francis will live permanently at Loyola now, and I am grateful to be part of the work of sharing their stories with current and future Loyola students.
AMDG,
Chris Wiseman '88
