Vincent D. Rougeau, President of the College of the Holy Cross, spoke to about 100 members of the St. John’s University community on March 26 as part of the 2025–26 Vincentian Chair of Social Justice lecture series.
The event highlighted ongoing discussions about law, justice, and Catholic social teaching during times of societal challenges. The lecture series aims to explore themes that connect faith with knowledge and human development.
Rougeau addressed the importance of equal treatment by the state for all individuals regardless of background or circumstances. “It is about membership and participation,” Rougeau said. “You can be a member of a community, but if you do not have any rights, or if your rights can be taken away at a moment, so what?” He further added, “Being a Catholic lawyer or a person who is drawn to Catholic values means that when difficult choices need to be made, dignity is a part of that decision and is not silent.” The discussion also included topics such as migrants’ rights, which Rougeau called the “civil rights issue of our time.”
The Vincentian Chair lecture was held in Belson Moot Court Room in St. John’s School of Law and attracted students from various disciplines as well as faculty and staff from across its Queens campus. According to Rev. Patrick J. Griffin, Executive Director for the Vincentian Center for Church and Society, Rougeau’s research has had meaningful impact on issues related to religious identity in democratic societies.
St. John’s University supports initiatives through its centers focused on multicultural efforts locally and globally according to its official website. The university features campuses in Queens and Manhattan along with international sites in Rome, Paris, and Limerick according to its official website. It offers more than 100 undergraduate majors across six schools as stated by the university, operates as a Catholic institution affiliated with the Vincentian Community according to its official website, and remains dedicated to liberal arts education as reported by St. John’s.
Rev. Brian J. Shanley opened this year’s series with his own lecture titled “Catholic Intellectual Tradition and the University: God, Philosophy, and Catholic Universities.” The final event will take place April 13 with Sister Teresa Maya discussing health equity within Catholic intellectual tradition.
