12 Jun St Ignatius Medal 2026
On May 5, the Gregorian University Foundation was honored to gather with friends, supporters, alumni, and members of the Jesuit community at the Colony Club in New York City for a memorable evening celebrating two extraordinary recipients of the St. Ignatius Medal: William Whelan and Fr. Michael Hilbert, SJ.
Rooted in the spirit of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the St. Ignatius Medal recognizes religious and lay leaders whose lives embody a deep commitment to faith, service, and the formation of others. In receiving this distinction, Bill and Fr. Hilbert join an esteemed group of past honorees that includes Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV.
Bill Whelan, former Board President of the Gregorian University Foundation and current Trustee, has demonstrated extraordinary generosity and leadership in support of the Pontifical Gregorian University and its mission to educate future leaders of the global Church. Fr. Michael Hilbert, SJ, Trustee Emeritus of the Foundation and former professor of canon law at the Gregorian, has dedicated his vocation to teaching, ministry, and service across decades of faithful Jesuit leadership. Through their unique gifts and vocations, both men have helped strengthen the mission of the Gregorian and advance the work of educating men and women who will serve the Church throughout the world.
When accepting this honor, Fr. Hilbert said of his time at the Gregorian, “Thirty-five years is a long time. I’ve watched blackboards turn into whiteboards, and whiteboards turn into digital screens. But amidst all those changes, the core of what we do at the Greg has remained remarkably constant. A classroom is a sacred space. If I’ve learned anything in these thirty-five years, it’s that teaching is not the ‘filling of a pail,’ as Yeats famously didn’t quite say, but the ‘lighting of a fire.’”
Bill Whelan similarly reflected on his seven Colloquium trips to the Gregorian he attended with his wife Susan, “During these Rome trips, we have met so many students from all over the world with extraordinary backgrounds who come to Rome, often at great personal sacrifice, to enrich their faith and to benefit from a world-class education. We have been humbled to hear their stories and have been inspired by their plans and dreams. These are new generations of modern day disciples, women and men, who return to their communities, to parishes, dioceses, schools, and other ministries, equipped with gifts of knowledge and leadership and a deep Jesuit sense of mission to be women and men for others.”
Founded by St. Ignatius in 1551, the Pontifical Gregorian University remains at the heart of Jesuit higher education and the formation of leaders for the universal Church. The lives and service of Bill and Fr. Hilbert reflect that same Ignatian spirit: a commitment to using one’s gifts in service to others and helping form future generations of leaders.
We are especially grateful to the many guests who joined us to celebrate these two remarkable men and to share in an evening marked by friendship, gratitude, and the joy of Jesuit community. Our guests’ presence made this a joyful celebration.
The event was enriched by many individuals who generously shared their talents. Special thanks to Fordham Prep’s Finn Evans, Class of 2026, for his moving rendition of the National Anthem, Xavier High School JROTC for providing the Color Guard, and members of the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola choir, whose uplifting musical tribute offered a fitting and joyful conclusion to the evening.