Billiart Center for Social Justice

Trinity Washington University

The Purpose of the Center:

The Center will explore contemporary local, national and international social justice issues. It is

named for St. Julie Billiart, Founder of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Drawing on

Trinity’s identity, as a Catholic college for women founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de

Namur in Washington D.C., the Center will develop curricular and co-curricular initiatives for

the Trinity community.

Summary of Programs from 2013

The Billiart Center for Social Justice has presented a variety of programs over the course of the

last two and one-half years and plans several offerings for the Spring, 2016 semester. (See

Attached program announcements by semester.) All programs are open to all students, faculty,

administrators and staff of Trinity Washington University.

Robust programming and quality speakers have enriched the intellectual co-curricular offerings

of the University. All programs have been well-received, with attendance ranging from 20-200,

with most between 50-100, representing all parts of the University community.

The Center has utilized the local and global networks of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur,

including the SND who runs the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur NGO at the United Nations

and the SND who serves as the executive director of Notre Dame Mission

Volunteers/Americorps. The life and death of Sr. Dorothy Stang SND was presented in a

theatrical reading. The Center has also presented SNDs who work on issues of human

trafficking and of torture.

The Center has availed itself of the Catholic and other faith-based justice and peace networks in

the Washington, DC area, including speakers from NETWORK, the Initiative on Catholic Social

Thought and Public Life at Georgetown, Pax Christi USA, and Pax Christi International. Spring

semester programming will include the CEO of the Catholic Hospital Association.

The Center has invited a United States Congressman who is an expert on issues of hunger, an

author who is an expert on the European Holocaust, and has presented lectures by three of

Trinity’s distinguished professors drawing on their publications and professional expertise.

Spring, 2016 semester will include a lecture by an expert on African justice and peace issues.

The Center has also responded to the need for interfaith understanding by presenting a rabbi and

an imam, and next semester, a Catholic priest who is an expert on interfaith dialogue.

The center has also sponsored brown bag discussions of films, and on-going inter-disciplinary

discussion with faculty and students of Pope Francis’ encyclical, ‘ Laudato Si.’

Soup with the Sisters is held twice a semester and includes a simple lunch and an SND speaker

on topics related to the history and contemporary reality of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur

and Trinity.

BILLIART CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

SPRING, 2016

Tuesday, February 9-- 10:30-11:45—Social Hall

Sr. Carol Keehan D.C.-Chief Executive of the Catholic Health Association

(CHA)—Sr. Carol and the CHA were instrumental in supporting the

passage of Obamacare.

“The Challenge of Health Care in the U.S.”

Wednesday, February 24-- 12:00-1:15 – O’Connor

Brown bag lunch

Film on Race. Discussion conducted by Professor Roberta Goldberg.

Wednesday, March 9 – 12:00 – 1:15 – Sisters’ Dining Room

Soup with the Sisters – In Celebration of National Catholic Sister Week

Wednesday, March 30—10:30-11:45 – Social Hall

Fr. Jim Gardiner—Franciscan Monastery, Washington, DC.

“The Need for Ecumenical and Interfaith Dialogue”

Thursday, April 7—1:30-2:45 – Social Hall

Fr. Aniede O.P.—Executive Director, Africa Faith and Justice Network

“Justice and Peace on the African Continent”

Thursday, April 14 – 12:00 – 1:15 - Sisters’ Dining Room

Soup with the Sisters – Risk-taking

BROWN BAG LUNCH DISCUSSIONS – O’CONNOR

INTERDISCIPLINARY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ‘LAUDATO SI’ (THE

ENCYCLICAL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT)

(All Thursdays from 12:00-1:15)

January 28

February 18

March 10

March 31

Wednesday

September 16, 2015 10:30am-11:45am

Topic: "The Visit of Pope Francis to the U.S.: An Interdisciplinary View"

Sr. Mary Johnson SND & Sr. Camilla Burns SND Location: Social Hall

Monday

October 26, 2015 10:30am- 11:45am

Topic: "We Are All Here: Remembering the

Holocaust in Eastern Europe"

Ellen Cassedy, Author, 'We are Here: Memories of the

Lithuanian Holocaust'

Location: Social Hall

Monday

October 5, 2015 12:00pm-1:lSpm

Soup with the Sisters

Location: SND Dining Room, Main Hall

Tuesday

November 10, 2015 12:00pm- 1:15pm

Soup with the Sisters

Location: SND Dining Room, Main Hall

Tuesday

October 13, 2015 1 :30pm -2:45pm

Topic: "Islam Today"

Imam Yahya Hendi, Muslim Chaplain,

Georgetown University

Location: Social Hall

Thursday

November 12, 2015 12:00pm -1:15pm

Topic: "Election 2016: The

Year Ahead"

Trinity Distinguished

Professor Barbara Kennelly

Location: Social Hall

THE BILLIART CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE TRINITY WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

2015 SPRING EVENTS Wed., J.an ... 28.�� ..... 1�30 .. :-.. 2:.45.pm .... , ... sun., Feb. gth 2:00pm .......................................................... Wed., Feb. 11th 12:00-A Jewish Perspective on Social "Rooted in Love: The Life and Death j 1:lSpm Justice Story of Sister Dorothy Stang"

Rabbi Sonya Starr, Columbia Jewish Congregation Sister Nancy Murray O.P.

1 Soup with the Sisters

Location: Rose Parlor j Location: O'Connor Auditorium Location: SND Dining Room

Thurs., Feb. 19th 3:00 -4:15pm Update on "The School of the Americas" Sister Patricia Chappell SND, Exec . Dir. of Pax Christi USA

Location: Rose Parlor

Thurs., Mar. 19th 1:30- 2:45pm The Sex Trade and the Safe House in Boston

Sister Peggy Cummins SND

Location: Social Hall

Thurs., Mar. 25th 12:00-1:lSpm

Soup with the Sisters

Location: SND Dining Room

THE BILLIART CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE TRINITY WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

2014 SPRING EVENTS Thurs. Jan., 30th - 12:00-1:00m ....................................... Thurs., Feb. 5th -12:00-........... , .. Tues., Feb. 11th -10:30- 11:45am Sr. Katherine Corr, SND , Exec. Dir. Notre Dame 1:15 p.m John Carr, Director, Initiative on Mission Volunteers I Americorps. Soup with the Sisters Catholic Social Thought and Public Lunch with students, faculty, administrators, & Location: SND Dining Life, Georgetown University. "The staff in Dining Room

. ,, Room Pope and Poverty; How Francis 1:30pm- 2:45pm- Presentation: A year of Ch II h E d All f . . a enges t e conomy an o adventure as a M1ss1on Volunteer"

Location: Rose Parlor j Us". Location: Social Hall ................................................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................

Wed., Mar. 12th -10:30 -11:4Sam I Tues., Mar. 25th -12:00-1:00 pm Wed., Apr. 2nd -12:00-

Sr. Denise Curry, SND, Torture "The Dream is Now" 1:15pm

Abolition and Survivors' Support Film and discussion on Soup with the Sisters Coalition. Immigration Location: SND Dining "Truth Seekers" Brown Bag for students, faculty Room Location: Social Hall and staff

Location: O'Connor