Judy Fontenot Lavergne, Manager of Student Services at the Loyola Institute for Ministry, received the Staff Senate Outstanding Service to Students Award in 2025. Judy was recognized for her comprehensive support of both undergraduate and graduate students, expertly guiding them through every stage of their academic journey—from initial application and onboarding through course registration and graduation.
The title might sound like the opening line of a joke, but Sister Mary Martha Moss's reflection "So a Nun walks into a Bar..." tells a profound story of sisterhood, formation, and unexpected connections. Recently published on the Vocation Stories page of the Daughters of St. Paul website, her personal account chronicles her transformative experience with the Loyola Institute for Ministry's Flourishing Sisterhood: Nourishing Communities in the Gulf South project.
LIM alumnus and adjunct faculty member Dr. Ansel Augustine, D.Min., has garnered national media attention for his expertise on African American Catholic heritage and social justice. Augustine was recently featured in prominent interviews with The Wall Street Journal and National Geographic, offering scholarly insights into the intersection of faith, culture, and history.
Liberation Theology Through Poetry: Dr. Castillo Explores Ernesto Cardenal's Vision of God's Kingdom
Dr. Francisco Castillo delivered a compelling presentation on "Celebración e interrogación del Reino de Dios in the Poetic and Prophetic Imagination of Ernesto Cardenal" at the Annual Colloquium of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States, held June 8-11 in Portland, Oregon.
Sister Morenikeji "Francisca" Faseemo, U.S. Mission Superior of the Sisters of St. Michael the Archangel in the Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston, recently published an insightful reflection in the Texas Catholic Herald titled "Program Helps Gulf Coast Women Religious Flourish." Read it here on page 9.
Claire Gallagher, Associate Director of the Loyola Institute for Ministry's Flourishing Sisterhood Project, has been recognized with the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Award by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The honor was presented during the Leadership Celebration held at St.
Kayla August, M.P.S., a distinguished alumna of Loyola Institute for Ministry, has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious 2025 Doctoral Fellowship from The Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE). Kayla is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Theology and Education with a specialization in preaching at Boston College's School of Theology and Ministry.
Claire Gallagher, M.A., was recognized with the Outstanding Staff Member Award at the College of Nursing and Health Honors Convocation on May 9, 2025. Dean Michelle Collins, Ph.D., presented the award. Claire serves as Associate Project Director for the Flourishing Sisterhood project, an initiative for Catholic sisters in the Gulf Coast region that is funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.
Mona Villarubia, MRE, has transformed profound personal tragedy into a beacon of hope with her newly published memoir, "Surviving a Loss: The Devastation of Suicide." Written as a tribute to her son who died by suicide several years ago, the book offers intimate reflections on navigating the complex journey of grief and healing.
Loyola Institute of Ministry celebrates alumna Lindy Brasher, M.R.E., recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Staff Award at the Magis Leadership Awards Ceremony held April 24 in Nunemaker Auditorium.
This prestigious recognition honors a non-teaching staff member who has gone above and beyond their responsibilities in service to Loyola's students, programs, and facilities.