If you’ve ever wanted to put your knowledge of Ignatian traditions to the test, Ignatian Week, an annual celebration of the University’s rich Jesuit heritage, will allow you to do just that.
From Feb. 3 to Feb. 11, members of the Fordham community are invited to participate in a series of educational, recreational, and arts activities at the Rose Hill, Lincoln Center, and Westchester campuses. The festivities aim to bring students and staff together with Fordham Jesuits while honoring the legacy of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatian Week also aims to highlight the Jesuit values that have guided the University since its founding.
“Ignatian Week helps our community look at how we can apply the fruits of our Ignatian traditions in our life—both at Fordham and beyond,” said Erin Hoffman, associate director of campus ministry and director of Ignatian Initiatives. “It’s a chance to look at how we can connect what we do at Fordham, either as students or staff, to the greater world in which we live.”
The celebration is sponsored by the Division of Mission Integration and Planning and Campus Ministry in collaboration with several University partners. Ignatian Week is primarily driven by students this year, said Hoffman.
“Our committee wanted to create something that would be constructive and move toward healing and inclusivity instead of topics that can cause division,” she said.
Ignatian Week kicks off on Feb. 3 at Rose Hill’s Squash Courts with a dodgeball battle between Jesuits and students. This year, students will screen short films about what living for others means to them in the inaugural event, “#GetReel: Living for Others Student Film Festival,” which will be held on Feb. 9.
Participants will also come together for an escape the room challenge focused on Ignatian principles on Feb. 6 and Feb. 11. In addition to a Jesuit storytelling event including three generations of Jesuits, the week will feature a Q&A session with James Martin, S.J., contributing editor of America magazine. The talk, which centers on how to listen like a Jesuit to engage in constructive conversations, will be moderated by a Fordham student.
Hoffman hopes the festivities will help students and staff become more acclimated with the University’s values and mission.
“A Fordham education is not just in service of yourself but in service of the greater community and the greater world,” she said. “How we’re using the work that we do at the University and elsewhere is important.”
Click here to view a full list of Ignatian Week events.
