David A. Grenardo (St. Thomas-MN), Marianist Law Schools: Demonstrating the Courage to be Catholic, 60 J. Cath. Leg. Stud. 1 (2022):
Only two Marianist law schools exist in the United States. Both University of Dayton School of Law (UDSL) and St. Mary’s University School of Law (St. Mary’s Law School) proudly embrace their Catholic and Marianist traditions in promoting their schools. For instance, St. Mary’s Law School, the only Catholic law school in Texas, openly advertises its commitment to welcome and serve “students of all faiths and uphold the Marianist tradition of hospitality, openness and the family spirit.” Similarly, UDSL’s online published materials state unequivocally: “In the Catholic, Marianist spirit, many of our students participate in pro bono activities and community service efforts.” Both law schools advance a Marianist mission that seeks to produce law graduates who make the world more just and serve the common good.
The origin of the Marianists and the lives of the Marianist founders provide valuable lessons to the law school communities and shape the characteristics that define a Marianist legal education. …
This Article concludes that the Marianist law schools educate their students in a manner consistent with the Marianist tradition and Catholic faith, and other religiously-affiliated law schools can use their efforts as a guide for their own education models. Namely, religiously-affiliated law schools should identify the characteristics that describe their legal education and determine whether they are living out those characteristics. Also, they can share their faith and traditions with students of all faith backgrounds in an inclusive, respectful, and thoughtful way. Finally, religiously-affiliated law schools can encourage their students, while also providing opportunities to do so, to adapt to changing times, seek justice and peace, and use their gifts and talents to serve the common good.
Conclusion
In recent years, I typically share with my classes the secret of life, which is love. Serving others, treating others with dignity and respect, appreciating the differences and gifts in others, and showing care and concern for the environment and well-being of the human race are all forms of showing love. At the heart of Marianist and Catholic education is love. “The Marianist tradition values all people — regardless of religious belief or faith tradition [and it strives to love God, neighbor, and self.] [This means] we are expected to respect others and ourselves because all of us are gifted with a common human dignity.”
At its best, a Marianist legal education involves a faith-filled commitment to service and a feeling of family amongst its participants where people of different faith beliefs are respected and loved. Rather than obscure or downplay their religious affiliation and traditions, Marianist law schools demonstrate each day the courage to be Catholic.
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