Why do we need the
Heithaus Haven?
Kenneth L. Parker
According to its literal meaning, a “haven” is a safe harbor
for tempest tossed vessels, a quiet place to repair storm-damaged ships and to
prepare for journeys on uncertain seas. A haven is not simply a place of
repose, but a sheltered port to mend broken equipment and to plan for action.
We call this the Heithaus Haven, in honor of Fr. Claude
Heithaus, S.J, because he exemplifies what we understand the Catholic Jesuit
mission of Saint Louis University to be. He was not afraid to speak a truth
that became clear to him: that racism is wrong, contrary to the gospel, and
that the exclusion of African-Americans from this campus was a stain on our
collective conscience that must end. His bold actions in February 1944 called
for change. He issued this call to action in a homily at College Church and
published articles in the University News
and the Catholic Digest. Superiors harshly
disciplined him and critics denounced as offensive his use of media to expose
this wrong. Yet his bold actions, borne out of deep reflection and moral
courage, effected change at this university. That same year the first
African-American students registered for classes at SLU. We became the first historically-white university located in one of the fourteen former slave-holding states to do
this. Other universities took courage from our example and desegregated in the
years that followed.
