Leading With Love

The University of San Diego (USD) held its 31st Annual All Faith Service inside the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice Theatre on Feb. 8.

The theme of the latest installment was Leading with Love, a phrase borrowed from the university’s vision statement that reads: Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. 

The event featured presentations from numerous faith traditions including an indigenous prayer by Stanley Rodriguez, EdD; a Jewish prayer by Danielle Botvin; a Hindu mantra and dance presented by Debjani Chakraborty, Neelu Bhardwaj and Narender Kumar; a Buddhist meditation by Venerable Miaozang; a Christian reflection by Sister Maria Dala Paz, OSF; a Muslim prayer by Taha Hassane; and a closing song by Ken Anderson and the USD Gospel Choir. 

“As you likely know, the theme of this years’ service draws upon our newly articulated mission, vision and value statements,” Vice President for Mission Integration Michael Lovette-Colyer said during his welcome statement. “In English, we use the word love in a wide variety of ways. In so doing, we too often obscure its depth and significance, unintentionally trivializing it.”

Lovette-Colyer contrasted the English meaning to the Greek translation, which he explained offered a helpful distinction. 

“At its most profound, the word love is not about preference, affection, friendship or romantic connection — that is, it is not about storge, philia or eros. Instead, the highest form of love is agape, a word best translated as pure and perfect self-gift,” he said. “This kind of love is anything but trivial and more troubling than touchy feely. It is profoundly challenging, calling us to go beyond ourselves and those like us, in order to find substantial, concrete ways of giving our lives away — even and especially when it is difficult, even and especially on behalf of those we find hard to love.”

“This kind of love is how multiple religious traditions understand and refer to God,” he continued. “Embodying this kind of love is possible only when we open ourselves to receive it as a divine gift. Therefore, let us quiet our minds, still our bodies and deepen our breathing so that during this service, we might encounter the ineffable, agapic love of the Divine and thereby be strengthened in our efforts to live and lead with that love at our core.”

The inaugural All-Faith Service was held in The Immaculata on Fri., Jan. 28, 1994. Under the guidance of then-Reverend Msgr. Brent Eagen, vice president for Mission and Ministry, the service was designed to kick off the spring semester similar to how the Mass of the Holy Spirit begins the fall semester.

— Story and photos by Matthew Piechalak