As part of the Ignatian Colleagues Program, a leadership opportunity for lay administrators and faculty at Jesuit institutions, I read the Rev. Bryan Massingale’s Racial Justice and the Catholic Church. Father Massingale writes that if Catholics see systems or processes that are unfair to certain populations, God calls us to change them to be more equitable. To do anything less is a sin.
After reading it, I felt God calling me to use my position as the president of Marquette University to make a difference in Milwaukee. However, the problems facing our inner city around issues seemed too big and overwhelming. I did not know where to start.
This all changed in November 2017, when I attended a campus event on the epidemic of trauma. A panel of experts spoke about how our most pressing societal challenges, including health disparities, segregation, violence and crime, were rooted in generational trauma. Research has shown that when children experience abuse and neglect, it changes the development of their brains and their reactions to different situations. As an engineer, I was amazed by the science behind this.
To read the full article written by Michael R. Lovell, click HERE
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