About Us
JOHN A. RYAN INSTITUTEAbout the John A. Ryan Institute
List of John A. Ryan Institute Activites
List of John A. Ryan Institute Activites
A Brief History: In 1992, Robert Kennedy (director) and Michael Naughton (associate director) established at the University of St. Thomas (UST) the Center for Christian Social Thought and Management. With over 50% of students matriculating from UST in business, it was important for the university to examine the larger question of faith and work and in particular the relationship between Catholic social thought and business theory and practice. In 1996, the Center was renamed the John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought and became a part of the Center for Catholic Studies. Msgr. John A. Ryan, a graduate from St. Thomas and its Seminary, was one of the great pioneers in Catholic Social Thought in the first part of the 20th century. His two major texts, A Living Wage (1906) and Distributive Justice (1916) inform the work of the Institute. In 1998, the John A. Ryan Institute broadened its mission by establishing a new program called Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education. That very same year through the generous donation of Fr. Alan W. Moss� estate, the Institute also established the Moss Program in Christian Social Thought and Management.
Purpose: The purpose of the Institute is to integrate Catholic Social Thought into the life and thought of the university. In order to achieve this, the Institute consists of three programs: the Moss Program in Christian Social Thought and Management, the Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education Program, and the Peter Maurin Program.
Programs:
Moss Program on Catholic Social Thought and Management: The purpose of the Moss Program is to address the fragmentation of modern life by seeking ways in which faith can be successfully integrated with management education and practice. Principally the Program focuses on activities in four areas: research, curricular development, faculty development, and community outreach. In its research activities, the Institute aims to develop a greater understanding of the implications of Christian social thought for the practice of management and the organization of work. In its curricular activities, the Institute develops materials to facilitate the integration of Christian social thought and management education. In its faculty development activities, the Institute engages faculty in rich intellectual tradition on which St. Thomas stands. In its outreach activities, the Institute conducts and sponsors lectures and workshops on themes related to faith and work for churches and other organizations and collaborates with local groups of business leaders, both to join with them in exploring issues of mutual interest and to provide opportunities for contact between students and managers with a strong faith commitment.
Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education Program: In a letter to Catholic educators, the US bishops state that "Catholic education and formation which fails to share our social tradition is not truly or completely Catholic. If the Church is to be effective as �salt and light� for the world of the 21st century, we must renew and deepen our commitment to sharing the Catholic social tradition." The Education Program which serves as an outgrowth of Archbishop Roach�s taskforce on Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education provides various opportunities and forums through conferences, workshops, curriculum, web pages, and so forth to creatively integrate Catholic social teaching throughout Catholic education.
The Peter Maurin Program: The Program currently manages the Latino Leadership Scholarship and has in the past hosted speakers and courses within the Catholic Worker tradition.
Relation to the Center for Catholic Studies: The John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought serves as a major component of the University�s Center for Catholic Studies. The Center�s mission is to enhance and revitalize the Catholic character and identity of the University of St Thomas in particular and to contribute to the renewal of the Catholic intellectual tradition worldwide. By promoting the study of the Catholic intellectual tradition in all its aspects - theological, educational, philosophical, social, literary, scientific, historical, and aesthetic - the Center has established itself as a leader among Catholic universities. As a result of this study, the Center also seeks to provide avenues for fruitful dialogue with other religious and philosophical traditions in order to serve the common good of the larger community. The focus of the Institute on issues related to the Catholic social tradition and its diverse expressions makes a specific contribution to this mission.
Dr. Michael J. Naughton Director
Dr. Robert G. Kennedy Founding Director
Dr. William Cavanaugh Latino Leadership Scholarship
Mary Kay O'Rourke Coordinator
