Mission and Ministry
The Division of Mission and Ministry is charged with clearly articulating and broadly communicating Santa Clara University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission and character. In the diverse and dynamic region of Silicon Valley, this entails developing new strategies to meet the evolving needs of the campus, church, and local community, while strengthening Santa Clara University’s position as a nationally recognized Jesuit, Catholic university.
The Division of Mission and Ministry is comprised of Campus Ministry, the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, and the Mission Church. Building on a strong campus commitment to the University’s Jesuit, Catholic mission, the Division oversees the development and implementation of initiatives to engage students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, alumni, and benefactors in deeper education and ongoing formation, helping these groups to make the mission their own and apply it concretely to their work and life. The Division will collaborate closely with the new vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and other Cabinet members to accomplish shared goals that allow Santa Clara University to live more authentically its Jesuit, Catholic mission.
Engaging SCU's Mission

Mass of the Holy Spirit
On September 27, 2023, SCU celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit. JST's Dean Orobator, SJ, delivered the homily and closed with the blessing: "May the gentle breath of God's spirit fill the sails of our winds. May the spirit of God add gas to the fire of our aspirations and keep us always hungry for more." Watch the recorded livestream of the mass of the Holy Spirit, and pray with us, as we journey together in spirit and hope.

Inspired by the Pope's encyclical Laudato Si': On Care For Our Common Home, the Center for Sustainability and Division of Mission and Ministry are embarking on the expansive planning process to set SCU's goals and strategies for building a more humane, just, and sustainable world through 2030.

Last Spring, the Ignatian Center co-hosted a workshop for ministers, staff, and administrators in Catholic parishes and diocese led by Julie Hanlon Rubio (JST) and Paul J. Schutz (SCU), which presented new research on factors contributing to clergy sexual abuse and assess their implications for Catholic institutions.

As an Ignatian Fellow, Afton Burrell '21 spent the winter quarter of her senior year working with A Step Ahead Foundation. The experience was so fulfilling that she stayed on with the non-profit organization and upon graduation was offered her current position as Marketing Communications Manager.