Br. James Gaffney

James Gaffney was eighteen years old when he made his commitment to become a Christian Brother — barely out of boyhood, but certain. The Brothers he had known at Saint Mel High School on Chicago's west side had done something rare: they had shown him what a life fully given to others could look like.

What moved him most was how those Brothers reached out to students — particularly to those who were struggling, or financially needy, or on the edge of being expelled from school. He saw men who were "greatly interested in and supportive of each student." They were grounded and rooted, he would say, and also good disciplinarians — almost like father figures. That combination of firmness and genuine care pointed him toward a calling he could commit to wholeheartedly.

After entering the Brothers, Br. James came to Lewis University in 1970 as a young theology professor and campus minister. By 1975 he was serving as Provincial — overseeing all Christian Brothers high schools in the Midwest, managing formation programs, assigning leadership to key institutions. He held that position for eleven years. After a brief return to teaching theology, he became President of Lewis University in 1988 following the sudden death of Br. David Delahanty.

What followed was the longest presidential tenure in the history of any Lasallian institution in the United States: 28 years. Under his leadership, Lewis grew from a struggling regional college into one of the leading Catholic universities in the Midwest, with more than 7,000 students, expanded facilities, and a robust athletic and academic profile. A student center on the Lewis campus now bears his name.

For Br. James, the KabarA Challenge represents "an encouraging recognition of the meaningfulness and impact of the Brothers' commitment to faith-filled and zealous educational service."