Michael Okińczyc-Cruz

Adjunct Associate Professor

Michael Okińczyc-Cruz, DMin, is an adjunct associate professor at the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago and is the Executive Director and a co-founder of the Coalition for Spiritual & Public Leadership (CSPL). CSPL is a coalition of parishes, religious orders, Catholic universities and community organizations committed to addressing social, racial and economic justice issues through grassroots leadership development and community organizing grounded in the Catholic and Christian spiritual and theological traditions. 

Over his 14 years as a faith based community organizer he has worked to address issues related to criminal justice, mental health, corporate bank accountability, immigration reform, refugee rights, public transportation, economic justice and environmental justice on a local, statewide and national level. He has trained thousands of leaders across the country on the methodologies of faith-based community organizing. He is the co-author of Jesus and Justice: Organizing for God's Reign on Earth Then and Now. 

Michael possesses a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master's in Theology from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and a Doctorate of Ministry with a concentration in Latina/o studies from Fordham University.