We embrace and celebrate the richness of the Catholic faith and heritage of USF. At the same time, we welcome and encourage people of all faiths, as well as those with no religious traditions, to join with us in creating an inclusive learning community that is reflective and authentic in its search for meaning and truth.
In the Jesuit Catholic tradition, we challenge women and men to be contemplatives in action who:
• Engage in experiences that challenge their perceptions
• Reflect with thoughtful attention to the influence and meaning of these experiences
• Allow their discernment to shape and transform our purpose in the world
• Actively develop relationships of compassion, justice, and advocacy
"This short film was a Fall 2012 collaborative effort on the parts of USF undergraduate students Lucas Waldron, Lauryn Gregorio, Evan Vaughan and USF Resident Minister Emily Czarnik-Neimeyer. The film team is incredibly grateful for the time and energy of the Sisters who participated in the project.
Around the globe, “women for others” have been working for the rights of others, and we call these women religious Sisters. These women have committed to lives of service, simplicity, and faith and spent countless hours working in the areas of education, domestic violence, women’s rights, faith development, and homelessness. Sister Helen Prejean and Mother Teresa are two well-known Sisters to be named, women who have shaken the comfort levels and understandings of what it means to live simply and radically for others.
The voices of Sisters must be heard and highlighted, and the USF community is fortunate to have many direct connections with a number of local Orders of Sisters. In turn, three students and one Resident Minister from the University of San Francisco came together to highlight and support the work of religious Sisters living in the Bay Area of California, resulting in the short film, “Love in Action.” In the words of Mother Teresa, “Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action.” Each Sister in the film lives a life of “love in action” through local and global justice ministries, moving beyond a number of margins."
-Emily Czarnik-Neimeyer, Social Justice Resident Minister 2012-2013
