PERSPECTIVES

Suzanne Mulligan

PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE

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The Institute for Social Concerns is a home for justice research and education for scholars at any stage of their academic career, from undergraduate students to seasoned professors.

Jenifer Solano Becerra is a junior at Notre Dame, majoring in neuroscience and behavior with a minor in chemistry. Amandhi Mathews is a Ph.D. candidate in the Cody Smith Laboratory, studying neurodevelopment. Suzanne Mulligan joined the Institute last fall as professor of the practice and co-director of the Catholic social tradition minor. Jay Brandenberger ‘78 will retire this December after 36 years as professor of the practice and, most recently, director for assessment and engaged scholarship and director of academic community engagement at the Institute. Each reflects on how the Institute has played a crucial role in their scholarship and pursuit of justice and the common good.

The Institute for Social Concerns is where Catholic social teaching (CST) meets the most urgent signs of the times.

It sometimes feels as though our world is fragmenting. Protests are growing both within the United States and globally, signaling a deep discontent among millions about the state of political leadership, ecological destruction, and the immeasurable suffering endured by the people of Gaza and elsewhere as a result of conflict. We are in an age of uncertainty, leaving many people feeling adrift and helpless.

Amidst the messiness of our fragile world, amidst the chaos and the suffering, the Church offers a hopeful vision for humanity. CST is the body of teaching that captures the Church’s long commitment to justice in the world and reiterates her firm commitment to stand with the most vulnerable and marginalized.

Grounded in a rich theological anthropology, CST articulates belief in the inalienable rights of all humans, no matter their color, religion, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or economic status. Human dignity, a foundational ethical and theological belief in Catholic tradition, is a radically equalizing concept. Dignity is not something that belongs to the few or to those we like; it is inherent in all persons and must be consistently, firmly, and passionately defended.

This conviction in the dignity of every human implies a deep commitment to the common good, to the building of more just societies in which all persons are recognized and respected. But this conviction also involves sacrifice and compromise, and it depends on our willingness to dialogue with those whom we dislike. It requires the ability to discern ways forward in contexts of plurality and limited resources. It requires sophisticated, intersectional thinking in an effort to navigate the complex, competing realities of our day. And as political discourse becomes increasingly polarized, we realize that the skills needed to engage in meaningful public debate are more crucial than ever. This is the hard, uneven labor of justice—neither easy nor convenient. And it demands a willingness to undertake the costs of solidarity.

The call to justice in the world has always been an integral, foundational part of the Christian message. CST provides the intellectual apparatus to better understand this call and navigate its challenges. It gives us the theological framework that enables us, the people of God, to do Christ’s work and further his kingdom in ways that are consistent with the gospel. Through our commitment to the CST, we participate in, and further enrich, the living Christian tradition of which we are custodians. By contributing to these ends through its programs, outreach initiatives, and community-based projects, as well as through innovative scholarship, conferences, and public lecture series, the Institute plays a vital role on campus.

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