Mary Jo Leddy
Encyclopedia
Mary Jo Leddy, CM
(born 1946) is a Canadian
writer, speaker, theologian
and social activist.
Leddy is widely recognized for her work with refugee
s at Toronto
's Romero House. She began working for the centre as a night manager in 1991, and has been its director since then. After thirty years, as a member of the Roman Catholic Sisters of Our Lady of Sion
, she left that congregation in 1994.
In 1973, she was the founding editor of the Catholic New Times
. She is author of the books "Say to the Darkness We Beg to Differ" (Lester and Orpen Denys, finalist City of Toronto Book Award), Reweaving Religious Life: Beyond the Liberal Model (Twenty Third Publications, 1990), At the Border Called Hope: Where Refugees are Neighbours (HarperCollins, 1997 and finalist for the Trillium Award, Radical Gratitude (Orbis Books, 2002), "Our Friendly Local Terrorist" (Between the Lines 2010) and "The Other Face of God: When the Stranger Calls Us Home" (Orbis 2011).
The recipient of a Ph.D.
in philosophy
from the University of Toronto
with a thesis entitled "The Event of the Holocaust and the Philosophical Reflections of Hannah Arendt", She studied under the direction of Emil Fackenheim
, she is currently a Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto. Board Member PEN Canada and Massey College.
Leddy received the Human Relations Award of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews (1987), the Ontario Citizenship Award (1993), and the Order of Canada
(1996).
She has received several honorary doctorates:
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born 1946) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
writer, speaker, theologian
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and social activist.
Leddy is widely recognized for her work with refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s at Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's Romero House. She began working for the centre as a night manager in 1991, and has been its director since then. After thirty years, as a member of the Roman Catholic Sisters of Our Lady of Sion
Congregation of Notre-Dame de Sion
The Congregation of Notre-Dame de Sion is a Roman Catholic religious order of women founded in France in 1843 by Theodor Ratisbonne, encouraged by his brother Alphonse Ratisbonne, with the purpose of promoting the conversion of Jews to Christianity. The congregation established several educational...
, she left that congregation in 1994.
In 1973, she was the founding editor of the Catholic New Times
Catholic New Times
Catholic New Times was a Canadian Catholic magazine founded in 1976 by social activists Mary Jo Leddy, Fr. Jim Webb SJ, Fr. Tom McKillip, Fr. Bud Smith SFM, Sr. Margaret Ordway IBVM and a collective of twelve people....
. She is author of the books "Say to the Darkness We Beg to Differ" (Lester and Orpen Denys, finalist City of Toronto Book Award), Reweaving Religious Life: Beyond the Liberal Model (Twenty Third Publications, 1990), At the Border Called Hope: Where Refugees are Neighbours (HarperCollins, 1997 and finalist for the Trillium Award, Radical Gratitude (Orbis Books, 2002), "Our Friendly Local Terrorist" (Between the Lines 2010) and "The Other Face of God: When the Stranger Calls Us Home" (Orbis 2011).
The recipient of a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
with a thesis entitled "The Event of the Holocaust and the Philosophical Reflections of Hannah Arendt", She studied under the direction of Emil Fackenheim
Emil Fackenheim
Emil Ludwig Fackenheim, Ph.D. was a noted Jewish philosopher and Reform rabbi.Born in Halle, Germany, he was arrested by the Nazis on the night of November 9, 1938, known as Kristallnacht...
, she is currently a Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto. Board Member PEN Canada and Massey College.
Leddy received the Human Relations Award of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews (1987), the Ontario Citizenship Award (1993), and the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(1996).
She has received several honorary doctorates:
- LL.D - York UniversityYork UniversityYork University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
- D.Litt- Mount Saint Vincent
- LL.D - Windsor
- D.Litt- Waterloo
- DDDD- Computing :* dd , a program that copies and convert files and data* dd, an HTML element for specifying definition data* Dolby Digital, the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories...
- St. Andrew's - D.M. - Catholic Theological Union, Chicago