On Tuesday, March 17, Fordham University students visited the Jesuits living in Murray-Weigel Hall as part of a program co-sponsored by Campus Ministry and Pedro Arrupe Volunteers (PAV).

During the program, student volunteers and the residents learned the lyrics to the song “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” during their discussions about the history of the Jesuits and the lives of the residents of Murray-Weigel Hall. The event also held a group prayer with a rendition of “Ave Maria” played on the violin. However, the bulk of the event focused on students meeting and conversing with the residents of Murray-Weigel Hall.

“These are discussion-based conversations, typically about a spiritual theme, but we also make it social,” said Robert Parmach, Ph.D., director of Ignatian initiatives. “At times, we’ll make it topical given the holiday that’s approaching.”

The Murray-Weigel Hall is a retirement home on Rose Hill outside the gates of Finlay Hall, where elderly Jesuits live, according to Parmach.

“There are a number of Jesuits residing there, some of whom need medical care, some of whom are now no longer working full-time, in status of positions, but are there for a variety of reasons, reasons after their full-time ministry has been done already,” Parmach said.

According to Parmach, the hall mostly hosts residents from the Jesuits’ U.S.A. East Province. Nearly 60 retired Jesuit residents live in Murray-Weigel Hall through Archcare, a senior care organization which operates under the Archdiocese of New York.

Parmach reiterated the connection of these events to Fordham’s Jesuit mission as well as the ultimate goal of social justice.

“Pedro Arrupe was a former superior general of the Jesuits in the sixties, and his work really centered on healthcare advocacy, but also social justice and reflection,” Parmach said. “A lot of these programs that PAV runs are ones that really get students to engage in spiritual matters, but also to make sure that they have developed a sense of critical reflection, dialogue and prayer.”

While this specific event emphasized Fordham’s Jesuit tradition, Director of Service, PAV and Spirituality Carol Gibney, noted the importance of including other faiths in Campus Ministry events.

“We are a Catholic university, Jesuit university, but we are also multi-faith these days,” Gibney said.

Parmach also commented on including students outside of PAV in the event.

“There was a significant crew there from Pedro Arrupe,” Parmach said. “But there were also some other students, some of whom were in my class, some of whom are just simply undergraduate students, who had heard about it and wanted to come.”

Madison Mobley, GSB ’26, said that she attended the event through Smart Women Securities, which she said promotes PAV events.

“I thought it was a really fun event. I think it’s great to connect with these retired priests, and I think isolation can be a big issue for the elderly,” Mobley said. “It was very fun and high-spirited, and I spent a lot of time smiling.”

Gibney and Parmach both reiterated the connection between these events and Fordham’s Jesuit mission to the goal of social justice.

“Pedro Arrupe was a former superior general of the Jesuits in the sixties, and his work really centered on healthcare advocacy, but also social justice and reflection,” Parmach said. “A lot of these programs that PAV runs are ones that really get students to engage in spiritual matters, but also to make sure that they have developed a sense of critical reflection, dialogue and prayer.”

Parmach also commented on the variety of events that are sponsored by both PAV and Campus Ministry.

“These things at times could be service-oriented, at times they could be more discussion-based and they deal with a variety of different opportunities,” Parmach said. “It could be with youth, it could be with the elderly, it could be a park cleanup, [or] it could be with NYCHA Housing.”

Gibney summarized PAV’s overall mission by focusing on the volunteer events with local communities.

“Our faith calls us to do things of that nature, whether it’s in our own family or whatever communities we’re in,” said Gibney .

Parmach touched on the previous topical events that were had at Murray-Weigel Hall.

“There are opportunities for students, faculty, staff and the Jesuits to meet one another,” said Parmach, “[and] to have some on-the-ground conversations about things that matter.”