Summit on Human Dignity

In service of this mission, the Summit on Human Dignity and Social Justice aims to transform the members of the Bellarmine community to women and men devoted to building God’s kingdom of joy, peace and justice.

The Summit is intended to exercise the head, heart and hands of each member of the Bellarmine community. Intellectually, we seek to assess critically the values propagated by contemporary culture and analyze historical, economic and social trends which lead toward the systematic degradation of human life and human rights. Spiritually, we seek the way of Christ in simplicity, humility and love rather than the way of the world in riches, honor and pride. Pragmatically, we choose solidarity to align ourselves as women and men for and with others, working in direct service to, and as advocates for, those marginalized by society.

2017-2018 Summit Theme:

Understanding Race in the 21st Century

"A Jesuit education should aim to free [its community] to confront honestly the social injustices of racism, sexism and religious intolerance."                       
                                                                ~ What Makes a Jesuit School Jesuit

We are answering the call from Pope Francis and the Jesuits West province to deepen our understanding of ourselves and each other. Our hope in working with your sons is to help them to think critically about the issues and challenges that they encounter in our increasingly complex world.

This year’s summit will focus on the ways in which systemic racism impacts our society. We are committed to being bridge-builders between people of different backgrounds, while living out our mission to form each young man to “seek justice and truth throughout his life.”

“Respect and love ought to be extended also to those who think or act differently than we do in social, political and even religious matters. In fact, the more deeply we come to understand their ways of thinking through such courtesy and love, the more easily will we be able to enter into dialogue with them.”
                                                                                         ~ Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes #28