Justice on the Mainstage

Sr. Patricia is a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and served on the Provincial Leadership Team for her community. She was trained by Crossroads in anti-racism and serves as the national co-chair on her community’s anti-racism team. She was the full-time president of the National Black Sisters’ Conference from 1996-2001 and gave a keynote address at the 2017 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice.

Dr. Maria J. Stephan is a senior advisor at the U.S. Institute of Peace and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, where she focuses on civil resistance, nonviolent movements and their relevance to conflict transformation and democratic development. She was a keynote speaker at the 2017 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice.

Fr. Bryan N. Massingale is a professor of Theological and Social Ethics at Fordham University. Fr. Massingale strives to be a scholar-activist through serving faith-based groups advancing justice in society. He is a noted authority on issues of social and racial justice, and gave a keynote address at the 2017 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice.

Sr. Norma Pimentel, M.J., a sister with the Missionaries of Jesus, is the executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. She oversees the charitable arm of the Diocese of Brownsville. She gave a keynote address at the 2016 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice.

Lisa Sharon Harper spoke at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice on Sunday, November 13, 2016. At the time, she served as Chief Church Engagement Officer at Sojourners. In that role Lisa managed Christian networks and developed coalitions focused on racial justice, environmental justice, foreign policy, and evangelical public witness.

Fr. Gregory J. Boyle, S.J., is the founder and executive director of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, Calif., the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. He spoke at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice on November 12, 2016.

Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., one of the world's leading advocates against capital punishment, gave the keynote address at the 2015 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, which had the theme “Bridges.”

Rudy López is the Executive Director of Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ), a national nonprofit organization that advances the rights of working people by unifying diverse faith communities into action through shared principles, such as justice, dignity and respect. He gave a keynote address at the 2015 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, which had the theme “Bridges.”

Maureen H. O’Connell, Ph.D., is a professor of Chrisitan Ethics at LaSalle University. Since 2022, she has also served as the Director of Synod and Higher Education at Discerning Deacons. She gave a keynote address at the 2015 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, which had the theme “Bridges.”

Michael E. Lee, PhD is a theology professor at Fordham University with affiliation in Fordham’s Latin American and Latino Studies Institute. He gave a keynote address at the 2014 Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice, which had the theme “Uprooting Injustice. Sowing Truth. Witnessing Transformation.”