Celebrating a Lifetime of Achievement and Lasting Contributions: Dr. Mary Jo Iozzio

Roxbury, MA, August 15, 2026 --(PR.com)-- Mary Jo Iozzio, Ph.D., earned her doctorate in Systematic Theology with a focus on Moral Theology (1994), License in Sacred Theology-STL (2019), with a focus on disability from Boston College (2019), an MA in the History of Religions, Fordham University (1984); an MA in Biblical Studies, Providence College (1987); and a BA in History, Pennsylvania State University (1977).

Dr. Mary Jo Iozzio has been at the STM since 2013. She was Professor of Moral Theology at Barry University, Miami Shores, FL (1993-2013), and adjunct instructor at Fordham University, Providence College, and the University of Rhode Island. She was formed by both religious and secular education systems: the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, NY, who ran St. Mary School, and John F. Kennedy P.H.S. in Paterson, NJ. Her personal and professional life have been marked —happily she adds—by the Jesuits, Dominicans, and Benedictines (whose monks welcomed her into their daily life at the Abbaye du Mont Cesar/Abdij Keizersberg, Leuven, Belgium).

She has 3 monographs: Self-Determination and the Moral Act: A Study of the Contributions of Odon Lottin, O.S.B. (Peeters Press, 1995); Disability Ethics/Preferential Justice: A Catholic Perspective (Georgetown University Press, 2023); and Radical Dependence: A Theo-anthropological Ethic in the Key to Disability (Baylor University Press, 2025).

Dr. Iozzio is the Series Editor of Content and Context in Theological Ethics, published by Palgrave Macmillan; past Coordinator and Contributor to the The First (newsletter of the Catholic Theological Ethicists in the World Church); past Co-Editor of the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics; and guest editor of the Journal of Religion, Disability and Health and the Journal of Moral Theology. She also serves on the American Academy of Religion Committee on the Status of People with Disabilities in the Profession.

Dr. Mary Jo Iozzio differentiates herself not only through her academic achievements but also through her social action and dedication to justice beyond academia. She is widely regarded as one of the first scholars to integrate disability studies into Catholic moral theology and is notable for her contributions to the discipline's historical development. Her approach is learnt by a belief in presuming others' goodwill and cultivating a welcoming spirit toward all members of society.

Throughout her career, Dr. Iozzio has been an active member of several professional organizations, including the Catholic Theological Society of America, the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics. These affiliations have provided platforms for collaboration and furthered her advocacy for marginalized communities. Additionally, she has served as a lector and eucharistic minister at her local church and as a Saturday morning volunteer for the Boston Food Bank. She has also advocated social and climate justice at various events and contributes to local park cleanup efforts.

Dr. Iozzio continues to write essays addressing disability justice, including accessibility issues within national parks. In the future, she anticipates returning to research in fundamental moral theology, particularly by exploring theological virtues through the lens of Belgian scholar Odon Lottin. She also intends to continue her efforts to advance inclusion within both academic circles and broader society. For the time being, Mary Jo enjoys life in West Roxbury, Massachusetts with her companion beagle-mix dogs named Melrose and Merksy.