As an African Jesuit arriving in the United States of America for the first time, I wondered whether my academic life at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry (CSTM) would also offer me the opportunity to experience community life and build friendships with people with whom I could joyfully meet and share experiences. During orientation week, all new students were introduced to the various groups at CSTM. I was particularly drawn to the Ubuntu Fellowship, which serves the CSTM community by engaging its Black members and welcoming those who seek community with them.
Rooted in the Zulu language of South Africa, Ubuntu expresses a way of life grounded in the belief that “a person is a person through other persons” (“I am because we are”). Inspired by this ideal, the fellowship welcomed us as full members and introduced us to its wide range of activities. Last year, we participated in intellectual events, including the Martin Luther King Breakfast and the Global Theology Roundtable: Pope Leo in Africa; spiritual events, such as prayer services and Mass during Black History Month; and social events, including the final vows of Aloysious and Baraka, the diaconate ordination of Max Muenke, the priestly ordination of Grégoire Kaboré, and farewell gatherings for members who graduated. We also enjoyed recreational activities, including movie nights and karaoke, alongside our regular meetings and the Black History Month celebrations, which we prepared with great care.
Through the Ubuntu Fellowship, I found a family with whom I could share my joys and challenges, get to know others more deeply, and deepen my understanding of Black history and heritage. Through Ubuntu, I built a network of friendships in which we journey together at CSTM in a spirit of synodality, seeking wisdom and learning to love one another in accordance with the Lord’s commandment.
My experience has taught me how important it is to join such groups. They can alleviate the dryness and isolation of academic life, which often brings challenges and uncertainties, especially when one must immerse oneself in an entirely new culture. In this regard, attending Ubuntu Fellowship meetings and events is certainly not a waste of time. Rather, it provides a space in which we experience firsthand that individualism and isolation are harmful ills of our time that we must combat with the medicine of Ubuntu: “I am because we are.”
Therefore, to students considering applying to CSTM who wonder whether they might feel lost in the school’s culture or in the city of Boston, I offer this reassurance: you will not be disappointed. The Ubuntu Fellowship, along with the many other groups at CSTM, will be delighted to welcome you. More than that, the entire CSTM community will do its best to help you feel at home. Students, faculty, and staff will gladly accompany you on your theological journey, helping you develop your full potential for the service of the Church and humanity. Do you still have doubts? If so, I would paraphrase Jesus’ response to the two disciples of John who followed him and asked where he was staying. He simply replied, “Come and see” (John 1:39).