From the President

To the Iona Community,

One of the enduring strengths of an Iona education is the core curriculum through which our students engage with the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. This tradition is central to the evolution of Western thought and civilization. From Augustine, Boethius, and Thomas Aquinas to Teresa of Avila, Thomas Merton, and Charles Taylor, Catholic thinkers have provided the intellectual infrastructure upon which our Western world and modern identities are shaped.

While there are core tenets that hold this tradition together, it has evolved along multiple pathways, propelled by dialogues and critiques, both internal and external, that advance understanding in each successive generation. By studying this tradition, Iona students clarify the values and virtues that lead to a good life and satisfy the innate desire to know, which Aristotle pointed out is central to being human.

As rich as our intellectual tradition is, by itself, it is incomplete. The entire tradition is built upon the core tenets of the Gospels, which provide an enduring example of how to live the best life. While the life of the mind is essential to satisfying our innate desire to know, the Gospels demonstrate a willingness to help others, to lift those who are in need, and to understand with humility that those who are marginalized by society should not be marginalized by us.

At Iona, we are fortunate to inherit the example of the Christian Brothers, whose founder, Blessed Edmund Rice, understood the power of integrating the two pillars of the Catholic tradition. He used education as the tool to lift children out of poverty. By educating the poor and marginalized, he was changing the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their families and communities. He saw education as a source of freedom; freedom from poverty and discrimination, and freedom to pursue informed, intentional lives that align with who they most want to be.

This legacy and work are central to all we do at Iona. We strive to give our students the skills and experiences that blend the two pillars of the Catholic tradition—the life of the mind and the life of service—just as Blessed Edmund and the Brothers who followed him have done.

In this edition of the alumni magazine, you will see the charism of the Brothers expressed in full force through our students, who are contributing to the common good around the world. I hope you find their work as inspiring as I do.

Sincerely,
Seamus Carey, Ph.D.
President, Iona University