Rev. James Miracky, S.J., Ph.D., became a big proponent of mission integration when he served as assistant provincial for higher education in the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus. The recently appointed vice president for mission integration and ministry at Saint Peter’s University explains what mission integration is and why it’s central to Ignatian identity and to transforming lives.
Jesuit colleges and universities established senior leadership posts to advance mission and identity for some time. Broadly speaking, what is the purpose of the role?
It’s a combination of things. The impetus began in the 1980s and ’90s when it became clearer that there were fewer Jesuit faculty and administration in the community. The old model, ‘Everyone would get Ignatian values by osmosis because students encounter Jesuits on campus,’ was no longer the case. We needed a way to articulate what Jesuit education is about, especially as institutions began serving a more diverse population. We needed to do a better job of articulating the mission and invite students and colleagues to understand it and adopt it, as well as offer opportunities for deepening it. Across the 27 U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities, the role has different titles and slightly different portfolios.
At Saint Peter’s, the title was recently modified to include mission integration. How did the new title come about?
In conversations with President Benitez, I suggested we change the title slightly to vice president for mission integration and ministry. In my previous job as provincial assistant for higher education for the USA East Province, I visited schools annually, focusing on how each institution was living out its Jesuit, Catholic mission. The more I saw and experienced, it became apparent that mission integration across all areas of a university was a very important part of the job. The work of mission integration is really about how students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni and trustees come to understand and deepen their appreciation of what our Jesuit, Catholic identity is, how they participate and how they see themselves contributing, regardless of their faith tradition. Incorporating integration also sends a message that the Saint Peter’s community is a vital part of this project of education and this mission sponsored by the Society of Jesus. Dr. Benitez is very much in agreement that we want to permeate the Jesuit mission throughout the institution, so my charge is to move in that direction.
Are there immediate or short-term priorities you’ve identified?
I’m meeting with Cabinet members, University leaders and administrators to ask, ‘How I can help in your individual pursuit of deepening your appreciation of Jesuit values and traditions?’ and ‘How can I help your team?’ My hope is that we get to do more professional development on a national and local level. I’m hopeful we can continue to have some of our folks participate in the Ignatian Colleagues Program and the Ignatian Leadership Seminar, national programs held over the course of a year, which are resource intensive.
I’m also excited about a localized version of the Ignatian Colleagues Program which is shorter, less resource intensive, with a nearby retreat and immersion experience. The Canisius Colleagues Program and Fairfield Colleagues Program have been very successful. I’m hopeful we can come up with the Saint Peter’s model of the program for next year.
Included in your portfolio is DEIJ — diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. How does that align with permeating the Jesuit mission throughout the institution?
Jesuits have always believed that any aspect of human experience and culture—anything you find in the world—has the potential for an encounter with God. Our approach was always to interact with different cultures and engage in a common project of caring for the human dignity of all persons. It’s a natural fit.
Dr. Jennifer Thorndike-Gonzales has been appointed chief diversity officer and executive director of DEIJ. She’ll also be heading the Center for Inclusive Excellence, which is being funded by a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. I’m hopeful that with the DEIJ work here—and also at the national level—we can find more ways of learning from each other by finding common ground.
You served on the University Board of Trustees the year prior to your appointment. What prompted your interest in this position at Saint Peter’s?
It was largely by choice, but also circumstance. As a trustee, I had an idea of what the future vice president for mission integration and ministry role could (or might) look like at Saint Peter’s. As it happened, the announcement came in April that Fr. Andrew Downing (vice president for mission and ministry) would be moving on, just as the board appointed Dr. Benitez president. I thought, ‘Wow. He’s not going to have someone in this position.’ I sent a message to the Jesuit Superior that I would be open to a conversation and things unfolded from there.
I had also really come to love the place from a distance. The way the University lives its mission exemplifies why Jesuit schools were started in the 19th and 20th centuries—to provide education and opportunity to immigrants and first-generation college goers. Saint Peter’s, for the most part, has kept the first-gen, college gateway that I think is exciting.
Anything else you’re thinking about as you dive into the new role?
One thing that is true of Saint Peter’s: we are not resource rich, which can make it a challenge for us to accomplish what we’re trying to do. It also gives us a spirit and a culture of doing more with less. I’ve been tasked to think about…if we had more resources, what would we do with them? As the University enters its next strategic planning phase, we’ll be working with the Office of Advancement and External Affairs creatively and effectively on mission-specific types of resources. It will be a challenge, but that’s part of my job, too.