This week at Seton Hall University, the Core program is focusing on the theme of legacy as students begin a new semester. The discussion connects several significant figures and events to illustrate how legacies continue to influence contemporary thought and action.
The observance of Martin Luther King Day is highlighted with two campus events. The university notes that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to social justice, grounded in faith and Biblical teachings, continues to resonate decades after his assassination in 1968. This message aligns with readings from Plato’s “Crito” in Core II classes, where Socrates’ dialogue about virtue and integrity is discussed. Students are encouraged to reflect on King’s words: “If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.” This quotation is presented as a challenge to consider which truths or ideals are worth living—and dying—for.
The semester’s curriculum also addresses the environmental legacy of Pope Francis through his encyclical “Laudato Si’.” To mark its tenth anniversary, Seton Hall’s Center for Catholic Studies, together with the Core program, has organized “The Laudato Si Hackathon.” Funded by external support, this initiative invites student teams from across disciplines to develop practical solutions addressing aspects of the environmental crisis based on principles found in the encyclical. Teams can present their projects on April 21 or April 22 before a faculty panel; winning groups will receive cash prizes. Registration runs from March 20 through April 8.
Additionally, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, will visit Seton Hall on March 18, 2026. He is scheduled to speak about “Pope Leo and the Legacy of Pope Francis” at an event held in the University Center Main Event Lounge at 3:30 p.m., followed by Mass at Immaculate Conception Chapel at 5 p.m. During his remarks, Cardinal Tobin will share insights into how Pope Francis’ legacy continues under his successor Pope Leo.
A passage from Pope Leo’s apostolic exhortation “Dilexi Te,” completed after inheriting it unfinished from Pope Francis and promulgated on October 4, 2025—the feast day of St. Francis—emphasizes continuity in care for the poor:
“I am happy to make this document my own — adding some reflections — and to issue it at the beginning of my own pontificate, since I share the desire of my beloved predecessor that all Christians come to appreciate the close connection between Christ’s love and his summons to care for the poor. I, too, consider it essential to insist on this path to holiness, for ‘in this call to recognize him in the poor and the suffering, we see revealed the very heart of Christ, his deepest feelings and choices, which every saint seeks to imitate.’”
Seton Hall emphasizes that even during times of change or difficulty, reflecting upon such enduring legacies remains central within its Core program.
