Justice For All
In a world that nearly every day brings reports of incomprehensible acts of injustice against one another, the concept of “justice for all” takes on an urgency that we may not have experienced for some time. A hallmark of our American democracy, “justice for all” has been part of our Catholic tradition for centuries. For us, justice is not only a characteristic of civil society but a fundamental strength or virtue that identifies the person committed to seeking the good.

In our tradition, justice towards our fellow human beings means that we are willing to respect the rights of each person, and to establish in our human relationships those things that promote equity with regard to one another and the common good of society (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1807). This is not the work of the indifferent. Rather, it demands our constant attention to the way we think about ourselves and some of the critical problems of our world—in times of peace surely, but in times of war perhaps even more so.

Every day our military is faced with difficult issues of justice towards those who would do us harm; the people of Iraq will soon face profound decisions about justice towards those who were responsible for a generation of suffering and unthinkable genocide; and innocent civilians have become the prey of those who have no respect for real justice.

There are no simple answers in our increasingly complex world. As an institution of higher learning, with Catholic and American traditions to assist us, it is critical that we help our students understand what it takes to be just themselves and to exercise justice in a 21st century democracy that is part of a world community.

On campus, we have begun to look closely at issues surrounding democracy and justice and the ways in which we educate students for good citizenship. In fact, we have launched several new initiatives to support this goal.

One of these efforts is called Learning Liberty. The campus-wide initiative is paving the way for bold new academic and student life programs aimed at preparing Saint Anselm students for a lifetime of citizenship. It is already helping to shape our planning for the future of the college.

The Consortium on Justice and Society at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics has begun to promote new opportunities for faculty-led research relating to justice, civic responsibility, and social well-being. And, finally, a new Forensic Studies certificate highlights the interdisciplinary approach to a professional field that at one time was more narrowly defined as criminal justice.

As our cover story illustrates, so many of our faculty and alumni have committed themselves to the advancement of justice in our society, from homeland security to the investigation of Social Security fraud to innovations in the prevention and control of crime.

These are the women and men we depend upon for our freedom and democracy. Let us remember their work gratefully to the Lord in our prayers.

Rev. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B.
President