Religious Traditions

Fordham University had its beginnings more than 160 years ago, when Archbishop John Hughes founded St. John the Baptist College at Rose Hill, and it has benefited over the years from the services of hundreds of members of the  Society of Jesus, a religious order of men, many of whom have devoted their lives to higher education.

Fordham has found that its Catholic and  Jesuit origins and traditions continue to provide valuable marks of distinctiveness and a source of strength. As a consequence, these traditions, religious ideas, perspectives and values hold an important place in the University. Students of all faiths and of no faith are given encouragement and opportunity to join in seminars and discussions of religious issues and to participate in religious observances. University staff members are ready to assist students in the quest for their own religious commitment. These opportunities are not imposed on anyone; their use depends on the interest, good will and initiative of the students.

A loving and respectful openness to people of all faiths is an integral part of Fordham’s character. The very nature of religious belief requires free, uncohersed consent, just as the nature of a university requires a respect for evidence, investigation, reason, and enlightened assent.

In July 2002, Marymount College in Tarrytown, N.Y., consolidated with Fordham University, creating a new model of a Catholic women's college—one that enjoys the academic and administrative resources of a major university while retaining the character of a small, largely residential, liberal arts college. This union is built upon a long relationship between the two institutions. The new college, known as Marymount College of Fordham University, is Fordham's fifth undergraduate college.

Marymount College was founded in 1907 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (R.S.H.M.), an international teaching congregation. It is the first of a network of Marymount colleges and schools throughout the country.

Marymount's founder, Mother Marie Joseph Butler, set out to create a place of learning where women could grow, where they could receive an education that would prepare them for positions of leadership and influence in the world. Remaining true to its mission and liberal arts tradition, Marymount challenges all students to open their minds and prepare for a lifetime of further learning.