Father Locatelli Speech

Emily Hauze

The focus of Father Paul Locatelli’s speech surrounded the promotion of service and justice in a today’s globalizing world. Father Locatelli, the president at Santa Clara University, stressed the importance of helping others who are underprivileged in society. He spoke about promoting justice in regards to poverty, disease, global warming and even the conservation of rain forests and believes that the power of Jesuit education will contribute to the improvement of these problems. He also introduced the idea that with developing technology, everything is connected and it affects everyone all over the world.

I found Father Locatelli’s insight very powerful because it relates to everyone. A person’s commitment to justice can make a major impact in today’s constantly changing society. Action-oriented service affects both the giver and the receiver in a positive way, which are ideas stated by Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach in his address as well as in Father Locatelli’s. According to Father Locatelli’s speech, students, especially ones attending Jesuit institutions like Loyola College and Santa Clara University, should experience reality situations first hand to better grasp the impact of service in the world. He stressed the idea that living in a just world will improve the treatment of those less fortunate. Jesuit education emphasizes experience and being able to feel a change internally and externally. Father Locatelli underlined the influence of technology and service. It seems that the rapid growth for technology in society today may increase the gap between those more fortunate and those less fortunate. This is why it is crucial to work to bridge this hole by promoting justice and service through experience and action.

I believe there is a strong connection between the points made during this speech with my service I participate in outside of class. My service at Gateway School, a hearing and speech agency for children, has taught me that there is no better way to learn and to achieve a goal then through experience. Although technology may create distance between people, I observe technology used in the classrooms, such as hearing aids and FM transmitters, and notice how this sense of technology eliminates barriers and makes tasks easier for the kids who struggle. I have witnessed first hand how much of a difference the use of technology makes for children to hear, speak and learn.

Technology is a very powerful tool and I believe its effect can be seen in a positive and negative way. Access to technology, which many poorer people and countries do not have, creates barriers. The increasing availability we have regarding technology puts us at an advantage. After seeing and realizing the progress technology can make at Gateway, it is amazing to imagine how technology can be used to promote a good that benefits those who do not access to it. The combination of a Jesuit education and service will not only pave the way toward a more just world but will empower the spread of justice everywhere.