Thursday, February 7, 2013

“The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice”


Catlin Castan
“The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice”
In Kolvenbach’s text, “The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice”, Kolvenbach asserts the importance of the union of faith and justice,” claiming that it is, “central to the mission of the entire Society” (23). More specifically, Kolvenbach explores the promotion of justice within the educational apostolate. He includes an excerpt from Father Ignacio Ellacuria’s convocational address at Santa Clara University. Father Ellacuria states that it is important, “to be a voice for those who do not possess the academic qualifications to promote and legitimate their rights”(30). This desire of advocacy is particularly relevant in today’s society as a result of immigration. Kolvenbach notes that, “thousands of immigrants arrive from everywhere…,”(31) thus increasing the necessity to intervene. Most immigrants arrive to America unable to speak English, this creates a linguistic barrier that not only prevents them from being able to advocate for themselves, but also prevents them from appearing to possess academic qualifications. Other immigrants leave their native countries and come to America in order to receive an education; these immigrants deserve to be advocated for.
Later Kolvenbach calls attention to a new social divide in society. He writes: “the United States struggles with new social divisions aggravated by “the digital divide”(31). This separation exists, “ between those with access to the world of technology and those left out”(31). Although this is a recent issue, the “digital divide” is affecting class, race, and socio-economic “differences”(31). These effects do not only pose a difference in an individual’s quality of life, but “has its root cause in chronic discrepancies in the quality of education”(31).  In essence, the technological gap that now exists within society must be closed in order to provide justice to education. 

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