Fr. Michael Agliardo, SJ, is a member of the Society of Jesus, a Catholic religious order more commonly known as “the Jesuits.” Early in his career as a Jesuit, he worked in campus ministry and taught theology at Fordham University in New York. After receiving a doctorate in sociology at the University of California, San Diego, he taught sociology at Boston College and Loyola University Chicago, and he has been a research scholar affiliated with the sociology department at Santa Clara University.

The Jesuits have played an important role in history building bridges between China and the West. During his early years as a Jesuit, Fr. Agliardo was fortunate to have met Chinese and American Jesuits who fostered his appreciation of Chinese culture and the history of the Church in China. He has studied Chinese philosophy and spirituality, taught in China, and traveled throughout the land to better understand the circumstances of the Church and society there.

He is currently a Visiting Associate Professor of the Practice at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame University.