The CSJ Center for Reconciliation and Justice serves faculty, staff, alumni and students, offering a forum for dialogue, a place of education, and a resource for reflective action. Through a diverse array of offerings, the CSJ Center aims to be a presence for the needs of the LMU community in terms of the pursuit of LMU's mission to encourage "the service of faith and the promotion of justice" at LMU and beyond.
"CSJ" refers to "Congregation of St. Joseph" and is the set of initials used by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange for identification. The Sisters of St. Joseph trace their history back to 17th Century France when a Jesuit named Jean Pierre Médaille, SJ, assisted a group of women involved in ministry with the poor. He helped them to organize an order of religious women who, rather than remaining safely cloistered in a convent, would venture out into the community, seeking out "the dear neighbors," and ministering to their needs. The congregation managed to survive the turbulence of the French Revolution and eventually expanded, not only throughout France, but throughout the world.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange were founded in 1912, and their ministries include healthcare, education, retreat ministry, spiritual direction, and pastoral ministry. They have been part of the LMU Community since the merger of Loyola University and Marymount College and, since that time, around one third of the Sisters have participated in the LMU community as administrators, staff, faculty and/or students/ alums. They have worked in various offices, academic departments, Campus Ministry, and most recently the Center for Ignatian Spirituality. The CSJ Center, which opened in 2012, gives tangible witness to the presence and tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange at Loyola Marymount University and in a wounded world in need of compassion and healing.
To learn more about the events, resources, and opportunities available through the CSJ Center for Reconciliation and Justice, visit academics.lmu.edu/csjcenter.