Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam: SLU's Jesuit History
In this inaugural episode of '1818: A Saint Louis Alumni Podcast,' co-hosts Tony Minor and Meg Connolly delve into SLU's more than 200-year history with the Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits. The episode leads off with Meg speaking with alumnus Father Roc O'Connor musician and member of the beloved St. Louis Jesuits, known worldwide for Catholic liturgical songs like 'Be Not Afraid,' 'Here I Am Lord,' and 'City of God,' followed by a round table discussion with alumni Father David Suwalsky, SLU's vice president for mission and identity, and David Miros, director of the Jesuit Archives and Research Center. After exploring Jesuit contributions to SLU and St. Louis - touching on notable figures, pivotal moments like the cholera epidemic, and the ongoing preservation of Jesuit history - Tony concludes the episode by exploring a key alumni benefit.
Want to learn more? Check out SLU's Mission Matters podcast, or hear more from the St. Louis Jesuits. You can also explore SLU's digital archives, which include "Woodstock Letters," a publication of the Society of Jesus from 1872 until 1969, originally intended for Jesuit readers only. Plus, stay tuned for future episodes of "1818: A Saint Louis University Alumni Podcast," which delve into other moments in Jesuit history, including the historic Heithaus Homily and infamous 1949 St. Louis exorcism.
Creators and Guests
Host
Meg Connolly
Meg Connolly (A&S ‘90, GRAD ‘92) is a two-time Saint Louis University graduate who has been a member of the alumni and development teams for over 30 years. Her favorite Billiken memories include SLU’s 200th celebration under the Gateway Arch, men’s basketball and women’s soccer NCAA tournament pregames, and getting married in the St. Francis Xavier College Church. Connolly is fortunate to have engaged with so many wonderful graduates and friends of the University from across the country — alumni who literally change the world in ways only Billikens can. She is thrilled to share more SLU conversations and stories through the 1818 podcast.
Host
Tony Minor
Tony Minor (A&S ‘03) is a longtime leader in alumni and donor engagement at Saint Louis University, where he currently serves as an assistant vice president. During his 20-plus years in higher ed advancement, he’s led teams across alumni engagement, annual giving, stewardship, marketing and events — all with the goal of building stronger connections between SLU and its community of graduates and supporters. Minor got his start in the Office of the President and has grown his career entirely at SLU. He’s a proud Billiken, holding degrees in English and communications, and is passionate about ensuring SLU’s alumni feel connected.
Guest
David J. Suwalsky, S.J., PhD.
Fr. David Suwalsky, SJ is the Vice President for Mission and Identity at Saint Louis University and serves as the Chief Mission Officer of Saint Louis University. He provides executive-level leadership for fostering and promoting SLU's Catholic, Jesuit Identity. He works to ensure that the mission and core values – as well as the principles and traditions of Catholic, Jesuit higher education – are fully integrated into the university. Fr. Suwalsky holds graduate degrees in history, divinity and theology from Saint Louis University, Boston College and Harvard University. He also earned a doctorate in American Studies from Saint Louis University. His research interests include the American religious experience; antebellum U.S. history; slaveholding and racial segregation in the United States.
Guest
David P. Miros, Ph.D.
David P. Miros, Ph.D., serves as the Director of the Jesuit Archives & Research Center (JARC) in St. Louis, Missouri (USA). JARC houses the collective memory of seventeen current and past administrative provinces of the Society of Jesus in the United States. It also houses the records of the governing body of the Society of Jesus in the United States. David has been in this role since 2006. David Miros received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Classical Humanities from Saint Louis University in 1997 and a doctorate in Historical Theology from Saint Louis University in 2005. His area of concentration is the nineteenth-century historical and theological enterprise of the Society of Jesus in the United States. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in United States Catholic History, Ignatian Spirituality, and Jesuit History.
Producer
Megan Favignano Mansouri
Megan Favignano-Mansouri is the digital content specialist for Saint Louis University's development communications team. Her passion is storytelling and uplifting the voices of the community. Megan is an award-winning storyteller with a decade of experience working in journalism, public relations, and marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with certificates in Environmental Journalism and Leadership from Webster University. In her free time, Megan enjoys watercolor, family game nights, walks with her two dogs and exploring St. Louis with her husband.
Guest
Roc O'Connor, S.J.
Roc O’Connor, SJ has served at the Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, Illinois, leading and staffing weekend retreats for women and men since fall, 2021. Besides composing liturgical music as a founding member of the St. Louis Jesuits (since 1974), he has served in parishes across the country following ordination 46 years ago and taught sacramental and liturgical theology at Creighton University for 13 years. Roc has written two books, In the Midst of Our Storms (2015) and I Want to See (2017) and is currently working on a liturgical spirituality tentatively titled, Mass Divisions: Inner Landscapes of Wounded Worshipers. Fun fact: Roc conducts the children’s choir at St. Mary Catholic Community, Buffalo Grove, for the weekly grade school Mass.
