The University
of Waterloo in Ontario has approved the St. Jerome University’s nomination of
Dr. Maurice SCHROEDER, to receive
an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. The degree was conferred during the Faculty
of Arts convocation on June 14, 2012. St. Jerome’s is one of the founding
universities of the University of Waterloo.
Its president is Fr. David PERRIN, an Oblate
Dr. Schroeder is
a priest and the Oblate superior of the Delegation of Peru. The degree is to
honor him for his work at the Centro de
Salud Santa Clotilde, as explained in this announcement of the conferral:
The Centro de
Salud Santa Clotilde is a mission hospital in the Amazon Basin of northeastern Peru.
The hospital has 30 beds, an outpatient clinic, a pharmacy and public health
programs. Since 1986, it has been run by two medical doctors who are also Roman
Catholic priests. Father Maurice Schroeder is one of them. Under the active
leadership of Maurice Schroeder, the hospital has served more than 20,000
indigenous people who have little or no access to healthcare. The hospital
serves an area of 100 villages along the Napo River where the people are very
poor. The hospital’s annual operating budget is approximately $180, 000 US
funded one-third by the Peruvian government, two-thirds from the church and
private donors. In winter of 2008, Father Maurice Schroeder was asked to become
Superior of the Peruvian delegation, to which he has brought his wealth of
experience and talent.
Dr. Schroeder
exemplifies the commitment to global citizenship of St. Jerome’s University and
the University’s Centre for Responsible Citizenship (Beyond Borders).
Quantifying Dr. Schroeder’s connection (number of students affected, potential
for continuing relationship) to the Beyond Borders program is difficult. As
noted in the supporting letter from the Director of the Beyond Borders program
which accompanied the original submission, Dr. Schroeder was instrumental in
establishing partnerships in Peru, something that is expected to continue and,
perhaps, be expanded. Even without the Beyond Borders connection, Dr.
Schroeder’s significant and long-standing humanitarian aid efforts make him an
ideal candidate. His work in bringing in temporary doctors to provide medical
care in very difficult circumstances, make him a wonderful role model and
mentor not only to SJU and UW students, but to other Canadian doctors and to
society in general. Dr. Schroeder is a shining example of good global
citizenship and a model of leadership that we are proud to recognize.(www.omilacombe.ca)
