Questions of a Non-Jesuit at Loyola

In this week’s Loyola Phoenix, there was an article describing the administration’s goal of extending student use of Rambler Bucks to local Rogers Park restaurants. Finally! I thought. Loyola’s administration is actually listening to the wants of actual students, not simply the skewed results of thousands of surveys or catering to the “needs” of student athletes who can’t even sell out a free game (sorry Rambler Basketball, sad but true). However, the article went on to say that Rambler Bucks couldn’t be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, or birth control products. “We need to keep in mind that we are a Jesuit University,” said vice president for Student Development Robert Kelly.

And there it was again: Jesuit University. I have heard this phrase tossed around in nearly every context at this school: complaining about party atmosphere, applauding academics, justifying social justice core, and explaining student body make up. It appears that being a Jesuit University defines Loyola more than I realized.

So it got me thinking: what exactly is a “Jesuit university”? And further, what exactly is a “Jesuit”? Having gone to public school my entire life and having seminary educated Lutheran parents, Catholicism to me is a murky clouded subject, swirled in myths of kneeling, first communions, and plaid skirts. However, I had chosen to come to a Catholic university on the pretense their values didn’t extend much further than the academic rigor. Plus, “the Jesuits are the most liberal of Catholics,” someone had once told me. Cool. I’m liberal. We’ll all get along right?

Or perhaps not. Now that I actually attend Loyola, I have noticed that liberal for Catholics is a lot different than liberal for the rest of the world. While Loyola has a prominent LGBT community it is apparent from the lack of options for birth control (even to the extent of condoms), extreme policies on alcohol/drug use, and bothersome guest policies, going to a Catholic university is quite the switch in ideological viewpoints.

But where does this difference come from? In attempting to explain the “Jesuits are liberal” myth, I decided to do a little research on the background of this branch of Catholicism. It was founded by Ignatious Loyola and a couple of fellow priest friends on the basis of working to create a higher academic standard for the clergy and strict following of religious text (seeing as it is rigorously studied). When I typed in “Jesuit ideals” to Google to see if I could get to know a little bit more about their political ideas interestingly, nearly all the hits were Jesuit universities advertizing their adherence to their ideals with little explanation of what this actually means aside from broad descriptions such as ‘Contemplation in Action’ and ‘Faith and Justice’. However, after clicking around, I began to understand that the Jesuits seem to highly value academic excellence, social justice, and creating a well rounded person. Nothing really seemed to speak of alcohol, tobacco, and birth control as a part of this definition.

In terms of purchase of alcohol and tobacco, I understand and agree with where Loyola is coming from. I don’t think Loyola has to provide students yet another venue in which to entertain their vices, and on the meal plan to boot. However, I don’t think this can be explained simply through the excuse of we’re-Jesuits-so-we-don’t-drink/smoke. Alcohol and tobacco use is a problem that transcends religious society: Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics, everyone has a body, and everyone’s body has the same reaction to smoking numerous chemicals mixed in tar and drinking substances that kill brain cells. We can’t use the excuse of “being Catholic” to put ourselves up on some self righteous pedestal, when this is a scientific, not ideological debate. Also it is important to point out, Market 820, Loyola’s Water Tower Campus grocery store, does in fact already sell alcohol. Though you must use cash to purchase alcohol, this is a store created to service Loyola students’ needs. The option of using Rambler Bucks is taken away, but the convenience of the location places alcohol at nearly the same accessibility level.

As for birth control, nearly all the girls I know are on some form, mostly the Pill, whether they are sexually active or not. For many, it is a medical prescription in order to regulate menstrual periods. You would think Loyola, constant lauders of their successful pre-med program, would recognize this medical need and provide for students who need this medication. In addition, Loyola’s Fine Arts Annex shares walls with the Caris* Pregnancy Clinic and Planned Parenthood. If students really want birth control/condoms it’s not as though they have to walk far. However, these are resources for the residents of the neighborhood as well. Should Loyola really be taking away from the residents of Roger’s Park just because of their own archaic thought-processes?

I’m not writing this opinion because I think the Jesuits are bad people nor have a bad philosophy. On the contrary, I actually think the themes of academic excellence, social justice, and creating a well rounded individual are something I would like my institution to help me strive toward. However, it sometimes seems that Loyola hides behind this idea of “Jesuit ideals” in order to excuse some of their personal political beliefs, and then outright ignores their fundamental values of academics and social justice in lieu of fancy buildings and reconstruction of athletic facilities. If Loyola found a way back to its Jesuit roots, I think I could truly say the institution is “leading people to lead extraordinary lives”. But for now, I see Loyola as a school trying to be something it fundamentally cannot be, while covering up its pitfalls with religion.

*(Before you make the inevitable joke, Karis/Caris/Charis is the Greek word meaning ‘grace’ and no I am not affiliated with the institution despite our shared name)

WHAT DO YOU THINK?!
Loyola people, I'm counting on you to give me some feedback on this post. How do you feel about Loyola's position as a Jesuit University? How do you feel about going to a Catholic school? Heck, how do you feel about Loyola adding on local Rogers Park restaurants to Rambler Bucks? Just let me know, LEAVE A COMMENT :D