Dear Creighton Community,
It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news that Eileen Burke-Sullivan, STD, the longtime leader of Creighton University’s Mission and Ministry division prior to her retirement in 2022, died Saturday surrounded by loved ones at the Josie Harper Hospice Center. I would like to share my thoughts on her remarkable life and contributions to Creighton.
Coming from a devout and large family, Dr. Burke-Sullivan was the fifth of 10 children. Deeply moved by Ignatian spirituality, her inquisitive and inspired life profoundly influenced those at Creighton and beyond.
She first joined Creighton in 1984 to teach graduate-level theology courses while earning a master’s degree in Christian spirituality. She did not become a full-time faculty member in the Department of Theology until 2003, with the years between spent as a pastoral minister in parishes and dioceses across Massachusetts, Wyoming, Texas, and Nebraska.
As an associate professor of theology, Dr. Burke-Sullivan led the Master of Arts in Ministry Program, served as director of the Christian Spirituality Programs, and was named the inaugural Barbara Reardon Heaney Chair in Pastoral Liturgical Theology in 2011. During this time she also co-authored The Ignatian Tradition (2009) with her brother the Rev. Kevin Burke, SJ, and The Church in the Modern World: Gaudium et Spes Then and Now (2014), with her Creighton colleagues Michael Lawler, PhD, and Todd Salzman, PhD.
Dr. Burke-Sullivan was named vice provost of Mission and Ministry in 2014 and served in this key role, which was later transitioned to a vice-presidential position, until her retirement in 2022. Her tenure was marked by a commitment to cura apostolica (care for the organization) as well as cura personalis (care for the whole person), which are hallmarks of Jesuit leadership.
At Creighton, she chaired the University’s first and second Mission Priority Examens, which engaged our campus in reflection of our mission and discernment of how we can continue to strengthen our commitment to the ideals of Jesuit higher education, and helped Creighton launch Mission Week in 2019 with the Rev. Greg Boyle, SJ, of Homeboy Industries, serving as the keynote speaker. His return to campus this fall showcased the enduring legacy of this treasured tradition.
Dr. Burke-Sullivan also worked closely with the wider Catholic community in Omaha and elsewhere. She led a four-year effort to support the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, which included speaking events, research, funding, and educational materials for local parishes. Additionally, she created a nationally recognized Certificate in Ignatian Tradition program alongside our friends at Regis University in Denver.
Beyond her professional roles, Dr. Burke-Sullivan was a trained singer who lent her voice to numerous events at St. John’s Church, an active Christian Life Community member, and contributor to Creighton’s Online Ministries.
Finally, on a personal level, Dr. Burke-Sullivan was a trusted advisor and cherished friend to me and many others. Her guidance, generosity, and commitment to our shared mission touched the lives of students, colleagues, and friends and will continue to inspire us all.
My heart goes out to her sisters, Maureen and Anne, as well as her brothers Kevin, Tom, and Brian. I hope that they take comfort that she is now with her husband, Michael; parents Joseph and Mary Josephine; and her brothers Dan, Jim, Larry, and Michael.
As we grieve alongside her family and loved ones, we also celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy she leaves behind. I invite our Creighton community to attend a vigil in her honor held at 7 p.m. CT, Friday, Dec. 6, at St. John’s Church and a Mass of Christian Burial, also at St. John’s, on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. CT. Both the vigil and Mass will be live streamed.
May we come together and, as Eileen would do, find solace in God’s embrace and in the bonds of companionship.
