“I was amazed when I was informed that I would receive this honor,” said Fr. Daley, who a historical theologian specializing in the early history of Christianity. “It’s a privilege and an honor for the Society.”

Fr. Daley and the other winner, Remi Brague, a French professor of the philosophy of European religions at Ludwig- Maximilian University in Munich, will receive their prize from Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Oct. 20.

Italian Cardinal Camillo Ruini, who heads the scholarly committee that selects the winners, called Fr. Daley “a great historian of patristic theology.” Cardinal Ruini also said Fr. Daley “has published an impressive — and I mean incredible — number of scientific articles on patristic theology, but also studies on the life and spirituality of the Society of Jesus, as well as on theological and ecumenical themes of current interest.”

Fr. Daley called his vocation a “wonderful blessing” and is grateful that he has been able to combine his priestly ministry with his academic interests and teaching career. Fr. Daley traced his interest in the early church fathers to a research paper during his freshman year at Fordham University in New York. It’s important to study the roots of the church to help us to understand today’s church, according to Fr. Daley.

Fr. Daley is the author and editor of numerous articles, books and publications, including “The Hope of the Early Church,” “On The Dormition of Mary: Early Patristic Homilies,” and “Gregory of Nazianzus.” He is also a consulting editor of the English edition of the magazine Communio, which then Cardinal Ratzinger co-founded in 2003.

In addition to teaching and writing, Fr. Daley serves as the executive secretary of the Catholic-Orthodox Consultation for North America.

Learn more about this year’s Ratzinger Prize at Catholic News Service, and listen to a podcast at the New York Province website to find out more about Fr. Daley’s research, current projects and life in the Society.

“The Society rejoices that the church canonizes a new saint from among us, proposes him as a model to all the faithful, and invites them to seek his intercession,” writes Jesuit Father General Adolfo Nicolás in a letter to all Jesuits published in America magazine.

Fr. Berthieu, martyred in Madagascar in 1896, was a diocesan priest for nine years before deciding to enter the Society of Jesus at age 35. A highly successful missionary, he was appointed to the Madagascar mission where he nearly tripled the number of mission stations on the island’s northern end.

While accompanying refugees who were attempting to escape a violent rebellion, Fr. Berthieu was attacked and brought to the attackers’ village, where their chief lived. Fr. Berthieu refused to accept the chief’s offer to become a counselor to his tribe. The chief promised to spare Fr. Berthieu’s life if he would renounce his faith, but Fr. Berthieu replied that he would rather die than abandon his religion. Fr. Berthieu was then attacked and killed by several men with clubs, and his body was dumped into a river.

Reflecting on the new Jesuit saint, Father General Nicolás, writes:  “May the Holy Spirit help us put into practice the choices of Jacques Berthieu: his passion for a challenging mission that led him to another country, another language, and another culture; his personal attachment to the Lord expressed in prayer; his pastoral zeal, which was simultaneously a fraternal love of the faithful entrusted to his care, and a commitment to lead them higher on the Christian way; and finally, a life lived as gift, a choice lived out every day until the death which definitively configured him to Christ.”

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in Ossernenon (now Auriesville) in upstate New York. Her father was a Mohawk chief, and her Catholic mother was a member of the Algonquin nation. At age 4, she survived a smallpox epidemic that killed most of her village and her family, and she suffered from poor eyesight and health for the remainder of her life due to the illness.

Blessed Kateri, deeply moved by the preaching of the Jesuits who traveled among the villages, was baptized by the Jesuits at age 20. She then dedicated her life to prayer, penance, caring for the sick and infirm and adoration of the Eucharist. In 1677, she began a 200-mile trek to a Jesuit mission in Canada where she could more openly practice her faith. Her health continued to deteriorate, and she died on April 17, 1680, at age 24.

Blessed Kateri also has a special connection to the Jesuits’ Fordham University in New York. While it was not the official miracle that paved the way to her sainthood, she is attributed with saving the life of Fordham football player John Szymanski over 80 years ago. When Szymanski suffered a severe head injury during a 1931 Fordham football game, his surgeon announced there was no hope for his recovery, and Szymanski received last rites. But Fordham students began praying a novena and asked God to heal their classmate through the intercession of Blessed Kateri. Szymanski made a full recovery.

Blessed Peter Calungsod, or Pedro, as he is known, was a lay Catholic from Cebu, Philippines. He accompanied Jesuit missionaries to Guam as a catechist and was martyred there in 1672. As a young boy, Calungsod studied in the Jesuit town of Loboc in Bohol. He was chosen at age 14 to accompany the Jesuits in their mission to the Marianas Islands. At 17 he and Blessed Jesuit Father Diego Luis de San Vitores were martyred in Guam for their missionary work.

For more on these new saints, visit the following: EWTN News, Fordham Magazine, Manila Bulletin and Catholic News Service. The New York Province Jesuits also have several podcasts about Blessed Kateri on their website, including one with Jesuit Father Peter Schineller, province archivist, on the canonization process and the meaning of her life for us today.

In his article titled “Mr. and Mrs. Jesus Christ?”, Fr. Martin wrote that it is more likely that Jesus was celibate since the papyrus is said to date from the fourth century — roughly 350 years after Jesus’ life and death.

Fr. Martin said there are several reasons Jesus might have remained unmarried: “Jesus, who knew the fate of other prophets, may have intuited that his public life would prove dangerous and end violently, a burden for a wife. He may have foreseen the difficulty of caring for a family while being an itinerant preacher. Or perhaps he was trying to demonstrate a kind of single-hearted commitment to God.”

Fr. Martin wrote that even if evidence of a married Jesus is found from an earlier date, he won’t stop believing in Jesus or abandon his vow of chastity.

It wouldn’t upset me if it turned out that Jesus was married. His life, death and, most important, resurrection would still be valid. Nor would I abandon my life of chastity, which is the way I’ve found to love many people freely and deeply. If I make it to heaven and Jesus introduces me to his wife, I’ll be happy for him (and her). But then I’ll track down Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who wrote so soon after the time of Jesus, and ask them why they left out something so important.

Read Fr. Martin’s full op-ed at The New York Times website. For a lighthearted take on the topic, check out The Jesuit Post’s suggestions for the best wedding gifts for “Mr. & Mrs. Jesus Christ.”

Fr. O’Malley says that one of the council’s legacies is that it gave the church “a new role as reconciler in a world torn apart by hatred and threats of violence.”

Reconciliation was one of the great themes running through the council, according to Fr. O’Malley. “The document of the liturgy, for instance, promoted a reconciliation of the church with non-Western cultures by inviting symbols and rituals from those cultures into the liturgy itself. The church thus distanced itself from the Western ‘cultural imperialism’ that affected even Catholic missionaries,” he says.

“Related to that reconciliation but perhaps even more pertinent for today’s world, was the reconciliation with Jews and Muslims, as expressed in the document Nostra Aetate. This meant putting behind us a tradition of belittling and denigrating those faiths, a tradition that had contributed to the horror of the Holocaust,” says Fr. O’Malley. “Pope John Paul II set a marvelous example by his many meetings with Jewish groups, as it is well known. Less well known, but in today’s tense international situation even more important, were his many meetings with Muslims.”

Fr. O’Malley says that Vatican II has already passed from experience and memory to history. Future generations, he says, “will experience what the council did not as a change but as ‘the way things are’ and maybe assume that is the way things have always been.”

In his op-ed piece, Fr. O’Malley concludes: “The post-Vatican II church was not a different church. But if you take the long view, it seems to me incontestable that the turn was big, even if failures in implementation have made it less big in certain areas than the council intended.”

Read the full interview with Fr. O’Malley at the Vatican Insider website and read his op-ed at The New York Times website.

Jesuit Father Thomas J. Massaro is currently Professor of Moral Theology at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry.

“We are delighted that Fr. Massaro will be leading the Jesuit School of Theology as a premier national and international center of graduate theological teaching, research, and ministerial formation,” said Santa Clara University Provost Dennis Jacobs. “As a teacher, scholar and Jesuit priest, Fr. Massaro brings great passion and a commitment to excellence in all that he does.”

Fr. Massaro’s teaching interests include Catholic social ethics, theories of economic justice, sociology of religion and the history of Christian political thought. His scholarly pursuits also flow from his deep commitment to hands-on social activism, particularly in labor justice and the promotion of peace.

“I am very eager to start my work as dean of Jesuit School of Theology,” said Fr. Massaro. “The extraordinary reputation of the school as a leader in theological education is well deserved. For decades, it has been preparing men and women for learned ministry in a distinctive way, one that is culturally aware and intellectually rigorous. What a privilege it is to help prepare Catholic lay and religious leaders for tomorrow’s church.”

The Jesuit School of Theology (JST) of Santa Clara University, located in Berkeley, Calif., is a preeminent international center for the culturally contextualized study of theology. Its mission is to inspire and prepare men and women to become leaders in the Church, academy and society, serving others through a faith that does justice. Rooted in Ignatian Spirituality, JST educates and trains Jesuits, religious, ordained and lay students from across the United States and from 40 other countries for lives dedicated to ministry and scholarship.

Fr. Massaro is the author or editor of five books, including American Catholic Social Teaching (Liturgical Press, 2002); Catholic Perspectives on Peace and War, (Rowman and Littlefield, 2003); U.S. Welfare Policy: A Catholic Response (Georgetown University Press, 2007) and Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action, Second Classroom Edition (Rowman and Littlefield, 2012).

A regular columnist for America magazine and sought-after public intellectual, Fr. Massaro lectures frequently on the moral evaluation of public policies regarding domestic and international issues such as foreign policy, anti-poverty efforts and globalization.

Mosaic by Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik

Jesuit Brother William Rehg has been named the new dean for Saint Louis University College of Philosophy and Letters, a program for young Jesuits studying philosophy and theology during their first years of study after the novitiate.

The dean of the College of Philosophy and Letters has the authority to adapt curriculum to meet each individual’s needs, which is important because Jesuits have a broad range of academic experience.  Some men enter the Society of Jesus with a college degree, perhaps even an advanced degree; a few come right out of high school.

Br. Rehg brings a vast amount of experience to the position. After graduating with a bachelor of science from Wright State University, Br. Rehg came to SLU to earn his master’s and licentiate in philosophy. He then went on to earn his master’s of divinity from Weston School of Theology and his doctorate in philosophy from Northwestern University.

With more than 20 years of experience teaching at SLU, as well as Rockhurst and Northwestern, Br. Rehg has also served as a visiting scholar or professor at Georgetown, Berkeley, Jesuit School of Theology, Loyola and Goethe-University in Frankfurt, Germany.

He has also been granted a variety of awards and has a lengthy publishing record. Rehg is a past president of Philosophers in Jesuit Education as well as Jesuit Philosophical Association and serves on the Board of Directors for Theological Studies.

Br. Rehg is looking forward to the opportunity of leading the College of Philosophy and Letters, “I would like to express my gratitude to Fr. Michael Barber for his tremendous service as dean of Philosophy and Letters.  And I hope that I can continue in that spirit of service.”

[Missouri Jesuits]

Born in Pennsylvania to Polish immigrants in 1904, Jesuit Father Walter Ciszek’s life as a priest was anything but ordinary. And now this remarkable Jesuit is one step closer to canonization as the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints has agreed to review and examine his life.

Originally assigned to Poland in the late 1930s, Father Ciszek fled to Russia when the Soviet Army invaded Eastern Poland during World War II. Hoping to serve exiles as a priest in disguise, Father Ciszek entered the Soviet Union under an assumed name.

In 1941, Father Ciszek was arrested by the Soviet Secret Police, who claimed he was a Vatican spy. He spent 23 years as a prisoner in the Soviet Union, including 15 years of hard labor in Siberia and five years of solitary confinement. According to Jesuit Father James Martin, Father Ciszek performed many ministries, even under the harshest of circumstances: “During the time, he secretly served as priest to his fellow prisoners, risking his life to offer counseling, hear confessions, and–most perilously—celebrating Mass.”

Father Ciszek himself described the brutal conditions, “We said Mass in drafty storage shacks, or huddled in mud and slush in the corner of a building site foundation of an underground. . . . Yet in these primitive conditions, the Mass brought you closer to God than anyone might conceivably imagine.”

By 1947, both Father Ciszek’s family and the Society of Jesus presumed he was dead; the Society even sent out a death notice. Eight long years later – in 1955 – Father Ciszek was finally allowed to write his first letter to his family, although his joyful reunion would have wait until 1963 when Father was finally returned to the United States after a complicated diplomatic prisoner exchange.

Fr. Ciszek’s cause will now undergo an examination by nine theologians to determine if he exhibited in his life the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance to a heroic degree. If the theologians agree that his virtue was indeed heroic, the Cause will be passed on to the Bishops and Cardinals, who are members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, for their study. If their judgment is favorable, the results will be sent to the Holy Father for his consideration. If the Holy Father gives his approval, Fr. Ciszek will be declared a Servant of God or “Venerable.”

While the candidate for canonization who is declared venerable has no feast day, the faithful are encouraged to pray for his intercession. If it is proven that a miraculous cure has been granted in response to those prayers, the “Venerable” will be declared “Blessed.” Finally, if an additional miracle through the intercession of the Blessed is verified, the Church will formally declare Father Ciszek a saint.

Materials and documentation bolstering Father Ciszek’s cause include testimony from 45 witnesses, Father Ciszek’s published and unpublished works, and transcription of hundreds of his handwritten documents.

The two-year search for the Stephen Duffy Endowed Chair in the Religious Studies department has finally ended. Jesuit Father Edward Vacek will be assuming the chair in the fall semester.

“We had 40 applicants, and that’s a great turnout because this is a very high-level position, and there are few people qualified enough to take on this role,” said Denis Janz, religious studies professor and chairman of the search committee. ”A person at this level has a great many options, and we’re very lucky to have someone of Fr. Vacek’s caliber. This is a victory for us.”

Vacek will teach systematic theology and give public lectures, as well as involve himself in the Loyola community.

“Systematic theology is organized critical thinking about God and Christian life,” Vacek said in an email. According to Vacek, it evolved naturally from theology as humans tried to account for what practices led them to a closer relationship with God and came to organize their thoughts.

Vacek taught at Boston College from 2008 to 2011 and spent last year working at the Woodstock Theological Center in Washington, D.C.

“I taught for 33 years in a pontifical seminary,” Vacek said. “A big part of my job was to do the research and writing that would help the church’s theology evolve. Furthermore, I have been very interested in issues of social justice, so a fight against racism and sexism deeply ingrained in me. All of that has prepared me well, I think, for making a significant contribution to Loyola.”

Janz said he is pleased to have Vacek in the position, “He is really one of the best in his field, so we’re lucky to have him.”

Vacek said he looks forward to his time at Loyola, ”Loyola very ably serves important needs in the region and in the church. I consider it a real privilege to serve here. I love being a teacher, and I love being a Jesuit and I love being a priest. So here at Loyola I will get to do what I love. I wish everybody would be so fortunate to be able to pursue their deepest commitments.”

[The Maroon]

Before a date is set for the canonization ceremonies, there must be an “ordinary public consistory,” a formal ceremony opened and closed with prayer, during which cardinals present in Rome express their support for the pope’s decision to create new saints.

Pope Benedict recognized the miracles attributed to their intercessions, which paves the way for them to be declared saints. They are:

Blessed Jacques Berthieu, a French Jesuit priest who was martyred in Madagascar in 1896. Berthieu was a diocesan priest for nine years before he decided to enter the Society of Jesus at age 35. He was appointed to the Madagascar mission even before he finished novitiate. He died while he was accompanying refugees who were trying to avoid attacks from another tribe. His attackers stripped him of his cassock and beat him with clubs before forcing him to walk in the cold rain to the village where their chief lived. Berthieu refused to accept that man’s offer of becoming a counselor to his tribe, promising to spare his life if he would renounce his faith. Berthieu replied that he would rather die than abandon his religion. Several men attacked him with clubs; a blow to the head killed him. His attackers then dumped his body into the river from which it was never recovered.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, known as the Lily of the Mohawks, was born to a Christian Algonquin mother and a Mohawk father in 1656 in upstate New York along the Hudson River. She was baptized by a Jesuit missionary in 1676 when she was 20, and she died in Canada four years later. In June 1980, she became the first Native American to be beatified.

Blessed Peter Calungsod, a lay Catholic from Cebu, Philippines, who accompanied Jesuit missionaries to Guam as a catechist and was martyred there in 1672 while he was in his late teens.