Loyola University New Orleans Secures Lilly Endowment Support to Expand National Church Leadership Efforts
NEW ORLEANS — Loyola University New Orleans has received support through a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to expand its leadership in the Catholic Education Network to Enact and Resource Synodality (CENTERS), a national collaboration focused on strengthening leadership, dialogue, and shared decision-making in the Catholic Church.
The grant, awarded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, supports Loyola’s ongoing work through the Loyola Institute for Ministry (LIM) and enhances the university’s contributions to this multi-institution effort.
CENTERS brings together 15 Catholic colleges and universities committed to advancing the Church’s synodal vision, emphasizing active listening, collaboration, and discernment. The initiative builds on the global synodal journey launched by Pope Francis in 2021 and seeks to better prepare pastoral leaders to meet the needs of a changing Church.
“At Loyola Institute for Ministry, we have long been committed to forming pastoral leaders who foster meaningful dialogue and shared discernment in their communities,” said Dr. Tracey Lamont, director of the Loyola Institute for Ministry. “This support allows us to deepen that work and expand opportunities for formation, collaboration, and impact both locally and nationally.”
Through CENTERS, Loyola will continue to engage in national and regional initiatives, including leadership formation programs, retreats and trainings, academic collaboration, and the Adsumus Fellowship, a cohort-based ministry leadership program. The grant will also support local capacity-building efforts, enabling Loyola to further strengthen its programs and outreach in service to the Church.
CENTERS is led by Loyola University Chicago and governed collaboratively by participating institutions, including Loyola University New Orleans, Catholic Theological Union, Gonzaga University, Loyola Marymount University, Mexican American Catholic College, Xavier University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Saint John’s University, Saint Joseph’s University, Santa Clara University, Southeast Pastoral Institute, University of Dayton, University of Dallas, University of San Francisco, and Villanova University.
Additional opportunities for engagement, including national gatherings and expanded programming, will be announced as the initiative develops.
About Loyola University New Orleans
Founded in 1912, Loyola University New Orleans is a Jesuit, Catholic university located in the heart of New Orleans. Rooted in the Ignatian tradition of educating the whole person, Loyola is committed to academic excellence, critical inquiry, and the formation of leaders who work for justice and the common good. Loyola offers a broad range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across disciplines including the arts, sciences, business, law, and ministry. Through its academic programs and institutes, including the Loyola Institute for Ministry, the university plays a vital role in forming pastoral leaders for the Church. Grounded in the Ignatian tradition, Loyola emphasizes discernment, accompaniment, and engagement with the complex realities of today’s world. With more than a century of impact, Loyola’s global network of over 50,000 alumni serves communities around the world.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. A principal aim of its religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States by supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen pastoral and lay leadership. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of religion and highlight the roles that faith communities play in society.