Rev. Wil1iam J. Byron, S.J.
Doctor of Laws

Candidate Presented By Maria Teresa Gaston
Director of the Creighton Center for Service and Justice

The Reverend William J. Byron, S.J. has fully employed his gifts by providing extraordinary leadership to Catholic higher education, battling social injustice, and inspiring legions of students, peers and parishioners.

As a young Army paratrooper, William Byron's spirited talents were evident. Following his Army service and before entering the Society of Jesus, he studied at St. Joseph's University. In 1961, he was ordained a priest. He holds degrees in economics, theology and philosophy.

Father Byron's leadership includes service as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University of New Orleans; president of the University of Scranton; president of The Catholic University of America; distinguished professor of the practice of ethics at Georgetown University as well as rector of that community; and pastor of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. Father Byron founded Bread for the World, a Christian movement seeking to end world hunger. Today, he is research professor at Sellinger School of Business, Loyola College in Maryland, and authors a syndicated bi-week1y column for Catholic News Service.

A prolific writer, his books include Toward Stewardship, Quadrangle Considerations, Take your Diploma and Run!, Fiuding Work without Losing Heart, and Answers from Within: Spiritual Guidelines for Managing Setbacks in Work and Life. His popular recent work, Jesuit Saturdays: Sharing the Ignatian Spirit with Lay Colleagues and Friends, is a must read for Jesuits and those in lay ministry.

Father Byron has received 25 honorary degrees among many other recognitions that include the Theodore M. Hesburgh Award from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, and the Academic Leadership Award from the Council of Independent Colleges.

For exceptional contributions as scholar, educator, pastor, author and administrator, and for furthering the understanding, promotion and progress of social ethics and justice, it is with great pride and gratitude that Creighton University confers upon the Reverend William J. Byron, of the Society of Jesus, the degree Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, this fourteenth day of May, two ­thousand and five.