The Benedictine University Mission (2024)

Mission

Benedictine University is an inclusive academic community dedicated to teaching and learning, scholarship and service, truth and justice, as inspired by the Catholic intellectual tradition, the social teaching of the Church, and the principles of wisdom in the Rule of St. Benedict.

Vision

Benedictine University aspires to be a thought leader in Catholic higher education. We seek to provide a transformative and integrative educational experience grounded in Benedictine values, helping students shape lives of meaning and purpose as engaged citizens who care for the Earth, welcome people of diverse faiths and cultures, and promote the common good.

Commitment

Benedictine University’s mission and vision reflect its Catholic and Benedictine identity, providing continuity with the past and a direction for the future.

In 1887 the monks of St. Procopius Abbey founded Benedictine University. They have been active sponsors of the institution throughout its history, first as St. Procopius College, later as Illinois Benedictine College, and today as Benedictine University. The monks base their lives on the Rule of St. Benedict, written in the sixth century. They share the Benedictine charism with all who embrace the University’s Catholic and Benedictine mission.

• love of Christ and neighbor;
• prayer: a life marked by liturgy, lectio and mindfulness;
• stability: commitment to the daily life of this place, its heritage and tradition;
• conversatio: the way of formation and transformation;
• obedience: a commitment to listening and consequent action;
• discipline: a way toward learning and freedom;
• humility: knowledge of self in relation to God, others and creation;
• stewardship: responsible use of creation, culture and the arts;
• hospitality: openness to the other; and
• community: call to serve the common good.

Inspired by these hallmarks, and convinced of the harmony of faith and reason, Benedictine University cultivates virtues of intellect and character, encouraging people to study, listen, and engage the ideas of a variety of persons, cultures, and disciplines, while imparting ”the love of learning and the desire for God” to guide a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.

As a Catholic University, we are guided by the academic ideals presented in the Apostolic Constitution on Catholic Universities Ex corde Ecclesiae, including:

• a Christian inspiration not only of individuals but of the university community as such;
• a continuing reflection in light of the Catholic faith upon the growing treasury of human knowledge, to which we seek to contribute by our own research;
• fidelity to the Christian message as it comes to us through the Church; and
• an institutional commitment to the service of the people of God and of the human family in their pilgrimage to the transcendent goal which gives meaning to life.

The University’s curriculum, policies and activities draw on the wisdom of the Church regarding ways to build a just society and live lives of holiness in the modern world. To that end, the University engages key themes of modern Catholic Social Teaching identified by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:

• life and dignity of the human person;
• call to family, community, and participation;
• rights and responsibilities;
• option for the poor and vulnerable;
• the dignity of work and the rights of workers;
• solidarity; and
• care for God's creation.

As a member of the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities, Benedictine University is committed to academic and professional excellence. We strive to promote the common good and to assist individuals to lead lives of balance, generosity, and integrity. We reflect upon Gospel values as interpreted by the Rule of St. Benedict and therefore take seriously:

• the primacy of God and the things of God;
• reverent listening for the varied ways in which God is revealed;
• the formation of community built on respect for individual persons who are each regarded as Christ himself;
• the development of a profound awareness of the meaning of one's existence; and
• the exercise of good stewardship.

MOTTO

Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus – That in all things God may be glorified.