April 1, 2026
The 2025–26 Vincentian Chair of Social Justice lecture series continued March 26 when Vincent D. Rougeau, J.D., President, College of the Holy Cross, addressed about 100 members of the St. John’s University community on the subject of “The Virtue of Justice in a Time of Turmoil.”
President Rougeau, an attorney and expert in Catholic social teaching, reminded the audience that in challenging times, the pursuit of true justice requires the state to treat all individuals equally, regardless of race, education level, economic circumstances, or other societal divisions.
“It is about membership and participation,” President 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?”
President Rougeau is the first Black and the first layperson to lead Holy Cross, located in Worcester, MA. He previously served as Dean of Boston College Law School and was the inaugural director of the Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America. The Vincentian Chair lecture, held in the Belson Moot Court Room in the School of Law, attracted undergraduate, graduate, and law students, as well as faculty, administration, and staff from across the Queens, NY, campus.
President Rougeau’s research on religious identity in increasingly mobile democratic societies has made a meaningful difference in the world, according to the Rev. Patrick J. Griffin, C.M. ’13HON, Executive Director, Vincentian Center for Church and Society. His hourlong lecture and question-and-answer session followed an engaging lunch discussion with St. John’s law students and members of Law School faculty and administration.
Nathan Cao, a second-year law student, asked President Rougeau about the relationship between Vincentian values and the responsibilities shared by lawyers. Of particular interest to Nathan was the lawmaker debate on the rights of migrants, which President Rougeau called the “civil rights issue of our time.”
“We need to make sure that we focus on the dignity of all people,” said President Rougeau, who quoted the late Pope Francis’ summation of the Church’s position that migrants must be “welcomed, protected, promoted, and integrated.”
“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,” President Rougeau added.
Now in its 11th year, the Vincentian Chair of Social Justice lecture series explores a theme selected with help from the St. John’s community. National and international scholars then contribute to the theme’s exploration.
The 2025–26 theme—“Catholic Intellectual Tradition and the University”—is rooted in the origins and expression of human development, incorporating an understanding of faith as a path to knowledge.
The 2025–26 series focuses on issues of interest to each of St. John’s six schools and colleges. Earlier lectures explored “The Soul of Catholic Education,” “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition in an Era of Artificial Intelligence,” and “Business, Economic Life, and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.”
The Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President of St. John’s, opened the lecture series on September 10 with a lecture, “Catholic Intellectual Tradition and the University: God, Philosophy, and Catholic Universities.” The series concludes April 13 with “Health Equity and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition” delivered by Sister Teresa Maya C.C.V.I., Ph.D., Senior Director, Theology and Sponsorship, Catholic Health Association of the United States.
Watch a video of the lecture.