The Bernardin Center

In his pastoral letter to youth, Cardinal Bernardin wrote, "You're part of the Church here and now, and you have a contribution to make. You've got responsibilities in the Church. But it is up to us, who are leaders in the Church, to make sure that the opportunities are presented to you, that you are invited to take part in the life and ministry of the Church... It's your Church as much as mine. And it's only when you realize that, when you understand that, it's only when you feel that you truly belong to this community of faith, it's only then that you're going to come alive."

The Peacebuilders Initiative is a program of the Bernardin Center for Theology & Ministry at Catholic Theological Union. Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago was the recognized leader of American Catholicism in the years following the Second Vatican Council until his death in November 1996. Established by CTU to build upon the mission and spirituality of the late Cardinal Bernardin, the Bernardin Center keeps his extraordinary legacy alive through a wide array of lectures, conferences, and public forums, and a scholarship program that draws outstanding graduate students from around the world. The signature issues of the Bernardin legacy include: peacemaking and reconciliation, interreligious dialogue, the role of religion in society, the consistent ethic of life, healthcare, and Catholic Common Ground.

Through the Bernardin Center, the Peacebuilders Initiative combines CTU's vast theological resources with the Bernardin Center's mission to teach peacemaking and reconciliation to a generation hungering for the opportunity and training to become leaders in the church and their communities.