Interview with Fr. Joseph Christie S.J.
Father Joseph Christie S.J., Secretary for Higher Education of the Society of Jesus and Chair of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU), visited USJ from March 17 to 24, 2023.
USJ: It is an honor to have you with us, especially since you celebrated the Saint Joseph feast with us. What are the reasons behind your visit to our University?
Father Christie: Thank you for having me. I am happy to spend a few days with you, particularly to participate in the celebrations of the Feast of Saint Joseph, the Patron of the University.
It is my first visit to Saint Joseph University. The main purpose of my visit is to learn about the University, its tradition and history, and its strengths, especially the unique and significant role it plays in Lebanon and in the Middle East. Secondly, to show my support to the Rector and others working in the University which has been going through a series of challenges in the recent past – dreadful blast at the port, the COVID pandemic, and now the terrible financial crisis, which has severely affected all of you in the University and pushed many people in the country into abject poverty.
USJ: Congratulations on being appointed Secretary for Higher Education of the Society of Jesus! What do you hope to achieve in your new role?
Father Christie: Thank you for your wishes! I am truly honored to have been appointed the Secretary for Higher Education of the Society of Jesus. As for what I hope to achieve in my new role, it’s not about my personal achievements, but rather about what I can do to help our institutions.
I believe that we need to focus on a few key tasks, such as helping our institutions to develop a strong Jesuit and Catholic identity. Another goal is to foster greater collaboration, networking, and solidarity among the Jesuit higher education institutions in the world.
We have an important challenge to integrate into the ministry of higher education the four Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus, namely, (1) showing the way to God through the spiritual exercises and discernment, (2) walking with the excluded in a mission of reconciliation and justice, (3) journeying with youth in the creation of a hope-filled future and (4) caring for our common home.
I’m excited about the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, and I look forward to working together with my colleagues to help our institutions realize the Jesuit vision for higher education.
USJ: Why do Jesuits have universities? Why was Saint Ignatius reluctant about starting schools and universities?
Father Christie: Saint Ignatius, when he founded the Society in 1540, he wanted the Society to be a missionary order and education was nowhere in his mind, even though the first companions were all highly educated. Saint Ignatius and the first companions placed themselves at the disposal of the Pope to go anywhere. He would have thought that the education ministry would not allow them to be mobile and available for any ministry.
Only in 1548, he decided after a long discernment to start a school at Messina, Sicily to comply with the request from the citizens of Messina to educate their children. In 1552, he started the first higher education institution – Roman College (it later became the Gregorian University). These decisions changed the whole character of the Society; transformed the Society into the first teaching order within the Catholic Church, with education turning out to be the primary ministry of the order by 1560.
There were many reasons why Ignatius started these educational institutions. Fr. Juan Alfonso de Polanco, Executive Secretary to Saint Ignatius, communicated to the Jesuits, 15 reasons why Jesuits should be in education, under three categories – benefits for the Society, for the students, and the locality.
Saint Ignatius believed that the education of children would help in the transformation of the world. He focused on the integral formation of students – intellectual development, spiritual and emotional growth, and especially character formation. He expected the students to go out and transform the world in accordance with Christian values and doctrine. Saint Ignatius also had a special consideration for the education of the poor. He even established a separate school for the poor, which was free.
USJ: You said that he needed “to transform the world.” What did Ignatius want to change in the world back then?
Father Christie: During the time of the Reformation, the Church faced a credibility crisis, not only within its community but also in the wider world. One of the main issues was the lack of education, which resulted in a shortage of leaders who could bring positive change to the world. It was crucial to instill important values in students so that they could make a significant impact on society.
With the character formation that the students received in Jesuit schools, Saint Ignatius expected them to be a leaven in the world to transform all those they came in contact with. He also thought that the youth when they grew up would hold higher positions in society like pastors, civil officials, and administrators of justice, and will have influence on society.
USJ: What makes Jesuit education different? Why does the world need it?
Father Christie: For us, education is a ministry, participating in the work of God to further the Kingdom of God. We aim to form students who can make a positive impact in the world. Our primary focus is on serving our students, not on making money or seeking glory for ourselves. We strive to create a learning environment that instills competence, compassion, and conscience in our students. Competence in terms of academic excellence, compassion for those in need, and a conscientious approach to ethical responsibilities and the consequences of our actions in society. Our mission is to form individuals who are committed to these three principles: compassion, competence, and conscience.
USJ: It is often said that Jesuit education is only accessible to the elite of society, how do you respond to that?
Father Christie: Yes, there has always been criticism even in the 16th century. We cannot generalize it. It is a challenge to offer quality programs and excellent facilities as expected by the students and at the same time make education more affordable.
I should appreciate the efforts made by various Presidents to make higher education more affordable. For example, your Rector, Fr. Salim Daccache, has taken a policy that no one should be deprived of education because of financial difficulty and he has been giving a substantial amount of assistance during this financial crisis.
Although the cost of education is high, there are many institutions around the world, which focus mainly on the education of the poor and disadvantaged. Most of our institutions provide scholarships and other forms of financial assistance. There is now a conscious effort to recruit and assist students from marginalized communities. Apart from the Universities, there are also initiatives like the Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) which offers online courses and bachelor’s degrees to refugees, migrants, and people in conflict zones like Afghanistan. This is an important step taken towards making education accessible to all, especially to those on the frontiers.
USJ: How do you view the impact of diverse students from various cultural, traditional, and religious backgrounds studying at Jesuit universities on the Catholic and Jesuit identity of these universities, compared to previous centuries when Catholic societies were more predominant?
Father Christie: I come from India where Catholics are a minority (1.5% of the population). Christians as a whole make up 2.4%, Muslims about 13%, while almost 80% of the population are Hindus.
We are not fundamentalists in our approach and do not focus solely on Catholics or Christians. We believe in respecting and accepting everyone, regardless of their faith or background, as we are all equal before God. We admit students irrespective of their religious affiliation and we work towards harmony among religions.
Our goal is not to convert people to Catholicism but to convert their hearts and bring about positive change. In a pluralistic world, we need to help students develop an attitude to appreciate and accept other religions, cultures, and traditions. Unfortunately, there is a growing trend of seeing the other as an enemy. Education should help us see others as neighbors and love them, rather than create divisions in the name of religion.
USJ: How can universities today apply and develop the Society of Jesus’ universal apostolic preferences to help and guide young people toward creating a hopeful future, in a time where all hope seems lost?
Father Christie: The future is in the hands of young people who possess a different mindset. We have 180 Jesuit higher education institutions around the world, with more than 750,000 full-time students. We have a great responsibility to shape them and through them to make a significant impact on the future of the world. Even if we could transform 10% of the students in our institutions, I would say, it is a great success.
It is easy to get into despair, observing what is happening in the world – war, hostility, violence, and discrimination of people based on race, color, religion, social classes, ethnicity, nationality, and language. Corrupt and selfish politicians through their bad decisions have ruined countries like Lebanon.
I have great confidence and high hope for the present generation of students. They, belonging to generation-Z and possessing different value systems, are extremely aware of socio, economic and environmental issues; they are more concerned about others. We need to capitalize on these strengths and encourage them to work towards a just and humane society.
USJ: Having worked in different capacities in the Society of Jesus, what are some of the challenges and opportunities that you see in the Jesuit educational mission, and how can these be addressed through collaboration and innovation?
Father Christie: Earlier when you asked me about my plans as the new Secretary for Higher Education, I had mentioned some of the important challenges that we need to address.
From the students’ point of view, we need to prepare them as global citizens, with a global mindset. Rev. Fr. Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus has this to say:” Educating people for world citizenship involves recognizing diversity as a constitutive dimension of a full human life. This means experiencing cultural diversity as an opportunity for the enrichment of human beings. We want to educate human beings who are able to feel that they are members of humanity.” We have a task force consisting of people from all continents working on this issue. I am also concerned about the mental health of our students. They face many challenges in their lives. Stress, financial difficulties, family challenges, and loss of meaning in life are affecting them emotionally and psychologically. As a consequence, some of them go through depression. Jesuit universities, with their focus on holistic formation, need to focus on the mental health of our students.
From the perspective of educators, it is becoming more and more challenging today to provide holistic formation to students – students join the Universities with a different set of values and attitudes, already formed in their school years, very much influenced by the media and peers. Collaboration and networking are key to the future and over the years, we have grown in this area. Surely, there is a greater synergy when we work together. We also learn from one another. I observe a lot of collaboration taking place in addressing important issues such as reconciliation and justice, the promotion of democracy, faith formation in the context of pluralism and secularization, and ecology and environmental justice. There is also greater networking among professional schools like business schools and engineering schools. I sincerely hope that we will grow in this area in the future.
USJ: How do you envision the role of business education in the context of Jesuit education, and what are some of the key values that Jesuit business schools should champion?
Father Christie: As someone who has been involved in business education for the past 25 years, I have often encountered the question of whether Jesuits should be involved in this field. However, I firmly believe that business education presents a great opportunity to instill ethical values and social perspectives in students.
A group of Jesuit business school deans has come out with a white paper, “An Inspirational Paradigm for Jesuit Business Education” to address the growing challenges in the current economic situation. They were especially inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical, “Laudato Si,” and by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. It presents the case for a re-examination of how we prepare the next generation of business leaders to create a more inclusive and just world. A lot of efforts are being made to redesign the curriculum and modify various courses offered at the business school in light of this paradigm.
USJ: What do you think is the most important thing a prospective staffer needs to know or the most important value to have when joining a Jesuit university?
Father Christie: I always looked for people with character and the right value system. They are our collaborators and partners in the mission entrusted to us. I would expect them to have the same set of values that we would like to instill in our students. Secondly, I would look for commitment to our mission. We are here to serve, to form our students as responsible citizens and good human beings.
USJ: What message of hope can you give to Saint Joseph University of Beirut community?
Father Christie: The University is going through a series of problems over the years. Our lives do not end with the cross; there is resurrection after the cross. Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope. Even when things seem bleak and downhill, there is always hope for a better future. I greatly appreciate the resilience and hope that the community has shown during these challenging times. I salute and admire everyone in the University – Rector, Administrators, Faculty, and staff.
USJ: Finally, what advice would you give to young people who are interested in pursuing Jesuit education and leadership, and what qualities do you think are essential for them to become effective leaders in today’s world?
Father Christie: We need young people with a clear vision to bring about a change in society, to create a humane and just world. We need people with conscience and compassion, with love for the poor and the needy, deep concern for our common home, and respect for one another irrespective of their religion, gender, color, race, etc.
The future is in the hand of the young people. I see a bright future when I see our students on our campuses.
Before I conclude, I would like to extend my deep gratitude and appreciation for the hospitality extended to me during my visit, and it is an edifying experience to see the commitment and hope that the faculty and staff continue to show, despite the challenges they face. May God be with you and bless you, your families, and your ministry.