Out of an abundance of caution, this event has been postponed. Stay tuned for the rescheduled date in the late spring.
A New Path to Reconciliation: the Jesuits and Slaveholding
Speaker: Fr. Timothy Kesicki, SJ
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Detroit Athletic Club Pavilion
Jesuits have been at the forefront of Catholic Education in the United States since we first reached the Chesapeake Bay in 1633. We have labored not only to teach, but to form young women and men to become moral leaders. We are very grateful for our American heritage, yet we know that its earliest foundation was built on enslaved labor, including the sale of human life.. In 2016 we began to meet the living Descendants of this tragic history and they have invited us to partner with them in a mission of truth, reconciliation, and justice. Fr. Kesicki will share the vision of this partnership and the hope it offers for our nation and our Church.
Speaker Bio: Father Timothy P. Kesicki, SJ, works with the Descendants Truth and Reconciliation Foundation, a new partnership between Descendants of Jesuit slaveholding and the Society of Jesus in the United States. He just completed his tenure as president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States in September 2021. Prior to leading the Jesuit Conference, Fr. Kesicki served from 2008 through 2014 as the Provincial of the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus.
Fr. Kesicki has ministered and taught in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and worked with Jesuit Refugee Service in Adjumani, Uganda following his ordination. In Detroit, Fr. Kesicki taught at both University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Loyola High School, and served as a weekend assistant at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower. Fr. Kesicki served as president of Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland from 2000 – 2008.
Program Details
11:30 a.m. – Doors Open (check in and registration)
12:00 p.m. – Lunch Begins
12:15 p.m. – Program Begins
Recent Events
On Tuesday, May 11, Coach John Beilein spoke on “The Impact My Jesuit Education Has Had On My Life As a Leader and Coach” before a sold out crowd at the Detroit Athletic Club. If you missed his presentation, you can watch the video below.
Past Events
For a description of past JFAN Detroit events, click here.
About JFAN Detroit
The Jesuit Friends and Alumni Network (JFAN) of Detroit serves as a networking and fellowship organization for those with connection to the Jesuits. The Jesuit Friends and Alumni of Detroit gathers for food, fellowship, and inspiration.
Facebook: facebook.com/jfandetroit
Tom Szczepanski– Chair
Email: Tom.Sz.Det@gmail.com
Phone: 734-276-5850
Frank Brady, Chair WUJA Congress
Email fjbradyjr@gmail.com
Phone: 313-909-4381
Gary Wright, SJ – Jesuit Liaison
Email: wrightgr@udmercy.edu
Phone: 313-993-1680