Resident Ministry

The Resident Ministry program is comprised of lay and religious adults, known as “Resident Ministers,” as well as "Jesuits-in-Residence," who live in the residence halls to help foster a supportive community rooted in the university's Jesuit values.

Contact a Resident Minister or Jesuit-in-Residence any time to schedule an appointment
for spiritual conversation and/or the sacrament of Reconciliation.
 

Resident Ministers

 Mr. Ken Weber
 Associate Director of Ministry
 Biever 346
 kweber@loyno.edu
 504-865-3167
 

Ken has served in ministry for over 15 years, the first three at Spring Hill College (the Jesuit university in Mobile, Alabama), and the rest at Loyola. Ken's academic training is in opera performance, having obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from Boston College and a Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory. His ministry leadership experience began by directing music for Masses in high school (Loyola High School in Los Angeles). He spent several years freelancing as a professional opera singer before continuing his ministry career at Loyola New Orleans. Ken also spent time as the coordinator of vocal studies at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) and as a music teacher at Ursuline Academy. Ken enjoys helping students discover the value of Ignatian spirituality and the joy of living a values-centered life.

Meet and chat with Ken at his weekly "Sweet-n-Greet" in his Biever Hall apartment every Tuesday at 9 p.m.

 

 Ms. Negina Khalili
 Visiting Professor
 Francis Family Hall 315
 nkhalili@loyno.edu

Negina khalili is a visiting professor at Loyola University, and she was Chief Prosecutor for the Attorney General's Office of Afghanistan. She was the first female prosecutor in Ghor province where she grew up. She is a renowned lawyer focused on gender and the elimination of violence against women.  Negina is an EVAW law expert with over 6 years of experience in the field of prosecution, legal affairs and international law practices in Afghanistan. Negina was a law professor at Rana and Fanos University at Kabul Afghanistan. She earned her law degree from the Herat University of Afghanistan and her Master’s degree LLM (Rule of Law and Good Governance ) from Ohio Northern University, United States of America. She  has participated in several legal trainings abroad. Her professional areas of interest include the promotion of women rights; good governance and women; gender equality; elimination of violence against women; women, peace and security; legal affairs and women in leadership in Afghanistan. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her work.

Meet and chat with Negina at one of her Friday dinners. Sign up here.

 

 Ms. Sarah Mernaugh
 Graduate Assistant for Awakening
 Buddig 612
 sbmernau@my.loyno.edu
                      504-865-2141

Sarah Mernaugh graduated from the University of Portland in 2020 with a bachelor of arts degree in Psychology and English.  Following graduation, she joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and spent the last two years in service to Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School in Atlanta, Georgia and St. Katharine Drexel Academy in San Diego, California. She has worked as a bread baker, high school English teacher, and K-8 PE teacher. She is excited to bring her passion for community, retreats, and social justice to Loyola as the Graduate Assistant for the Awakening Retreat and Resident Minister in Buddig Hall. 

Meet and chat with Sarah at her weekly "Sweet-n-Greet" in her Buddig Hall apartment every Wednesday at 7 p.m.

 

 Sr. Mary “Madonna” Baudier
 Resident Minister
 Francis Family Hall 415
 Leave message on apartment door
 

 

Sister Madonna was born and has lived most of her life in New Orleans.  As a junior in high school, she came to Loyola to take summer school class in journalism and then worked on the Maroon each Wednesday evening for the rest of the year.  After high school, she entered the Religious Congregation of the Marianites of Holy Cross (in New Orleans) and has been in various ministries since then.  Later she came back to Loyola as a student in the Loyola Institute for Ministry (LIM) part-time.  After graduating, she became a resident minister and worked with the Awakening retreat, living first in Biever, then Buddig, and now in Carrollton Hall.  

Meet and chat with Sr. Madonna at her weekly "Sweet-n-Greet" in the Francis Family Hall lobby every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

 

Jesuits-in-Residence

 Fr. Justin Daffron, S.J.
 Interim President
 Cabra 116
 jdaffron@loyno.edu
 504-865-3849
 

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Fr. Justin joined the Jesuits in 1995.  He has lived in Shreveport, Mobile, Berkeley, St. Louis & Chicago, and studied abroad in Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Nairobi, and Tijuana, where he also worked in the Casa de Los Pobres with women and children who had gotten stuck at the border.  Of the Loyola community, he says, "We together create better soil. I think it takes each one of us sharing our unique gifts and talents, and that will allow each one of us to shine in a way that we become a better place."  He is always ready for traveling, sailing, cycling, skiing, cooking & yoga.

 

 Fr. Gregg Grovenburg, S.J.
 University Minister
 Buddig 1205
 ghgroven@loyno.edu
 504-865-2328

Fr. Gregg is from Kansas City. He has earned degrees from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, MA, Heythrop College at the University of London, and Boston College. He taught at the high school he attended (Rockhurst) in Kansas City, and also at St. John's College in Belize. He was ordained a priest in 1988.

Gregg has worked in youth ministry/adolescent spirituality, retreat ministry, and campus ministry at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland and Fairfield University, and with the Jesuit International Volunteers. He has also served as director of a retirement facility for Jesuit Priests and Brothers in St. Louis.  He currently works in Sacraments and Faith Formation at Loyola.

 

 Mr. Joshua Hinchie, S.J.
 Adjunct Instructor of Philosophy
 Biever 246
 jdhinchi@loyno.edu
 504-865-2790

Josh is a Jesuit scholastic who teaches philosophy and helps with Loyola's Catholic Studies program. Born and raised in Mid-Missouri, since then he's lived in Tulsa, Paris, Grand Coteau (LA), San Juan, Chicago, and now finally NOLA. He joined the Jesuits after college (University of Tulsa) and apart from his studies has done everything from hospital chaplaincy to teaching ESL. He likes sitting in rocking chairs, taking road trips, reading old books, cooking, and brewing sweet tea.

Stop by and visit with Josh every Sunday at 7 p.m. for "Sweet Tea" in his Biever Hall apartment.