A Day of Travel

After the Parliament: The Work Continues...

Well I am finally connecting with all of you after the Parliament of the World

s Religions. the Parliament was wonderful and I will catch up. However, this week I need to stay involved with local events. Tonight I attended a vigil for all of the lives lost and inured in Lebanon, Paris, the skies of Egypt, Nigeria, Turkey and Mali. Tomorrow I attend a vigil for Syrian refugees and then Sunday I attend a Mass for all of the mentioned groups. There is much work to be done locally, with the ambassadors and globally. So, the blog/vlog will continue.

A Franciscan Weekend in the Fort

With only 11 days until the 2015 Parliament of the World's Religions it seems appropriate that I am immersed in a Franciscan weekend. In the year leading up to the Parliament I have attended mosques, Gurdwaras, Buddhist Temples, Hindu shrines, and Christian churches. I have participated in interfaith celebrations as well as interfaith vigils marking tragedies. I have presented, planned, and hosted events. So it seems right that with less than two weeks before the Parliament I go back to my roots. I attended a conference on Pope Francis' theology and ecology based on the example of Francis of Assisi. I participated in a Transitus service. I went to a mass marking the Feast of Saint Francis and finally I went to a reception celebrating 125 years of service by the Sisters of Saint Francis of perpetual Adoration. I look forward to celebrating the diversity of faith at the parliament and I will do that grounded in my Catholic-Franciscan tradition. I am ready for Salt lake city and the 2015 Parliament of the World's Religions.  

A Franciscan Weekend in the Fort

With only 11 days until the 2015 parliament of the World's Religions it seems appropriate that I end a year of preparation immersed in Franciscan events. in preparing for the parliament and in working to get the word out I have attended events in Sikh, Buddhist, Muslim and Christian Houses of Worship. I have attended interfaith celebrations and interfaith vigils marking tragedies. it seemed very appropriate that this weekend I attend a conference on the faith and ecology of a pope influenced by the example of St. Francis. I also attend a Transitus service, a Mass  in observation of the Feast of St. Francis and a reception. I feel fortified in my Catholic-Franciscan values as I prepare to go to Salt lake City to meet and celebrate fait with others from so many traditions. It is almost time!

Student Franciscan Pilgrimage: Day Five

Today the students leave Rome and begin an intense focus on the lives and impact of Francis and Clare. They begin, not in Assisi but in Greccio. Greccio is a mountain hermitage outside the village of Greccio in Tuscany. In this little town, in 1223, Francis recreated a living Nativity scene. Francis was a concrete thinker. This concrete thinking appears to function as his launch into activity. In this case it was a way for Francis to demonstrate to others the humility of the creator joining His creations by becoming a helpless infant to a poor family. His demonstration must have been effective because 800 years later living nativity scenes are still popular!


The Christmas Crib of Greccio

The pilgrims will spend time in this mountain hermitage. They will spend time in the places Francis visited and prayed at. They will see displays of crèches made today by the village people of Greccio. The crèches are not of Bethlehem 2000 years ago but of the world today. They demonstrate that Jesus is with us now.

The pilgrims will celebrate Eucharist at Greccio. This is appropriate since Francis was able to get the pope’s permission to have Eucharist celebrated on that Dec. 24th 800 years ago.

The Rieti Valley has a number of Franciscan hermitages. The valley was not always a valley. The ancient Romans came across a large lake. They drained the lake to make a staging area for the Imperial Army. I cannot even comprehend how that is possible. The pilgrims will have a traditional Italian Christian lunch at La Foresta. They will then take a bus ride south to Assisi.

When they arrive in Assisi they will walk past most of the important sites they will get to know over the coming days. They will get their room assignments at Casa Papa Giovani, their pensione. They will then have their first of many meals at Casa Papa’s. They will learn to look forward to the food and the prayers that are song.


Assisi

After dinner they will have a brief orientation and then they will join the city in welcoming in the New Year. They will go to the piazza commune, the town center. This piazza, with its fountain,. Roman Temple, cobblestone and city walls will prove to be the anchor of many of their excursions in the coming days. After the celebrations they will join the New Year in the chapel with Adoration and Praise.

Link to New Vlog

Well, this blog is moving way too slow. It was a nice introduction, for me, to blogging. Now it is time to continue the journey but with a clean slate. So, "alongthepaths" will now be my active/current blog. I will not close this one and from time to time refer back to it.The new blog will focus more on video and will be more of a vlog and a traditional blog.

My Front Yard Community

Well, as I mentioned with the last post, this is a time of catch up! So what do I have first? To start with, just some video of my animal friends who visit our front yard daily. This was last summer. We had made a decision to get rid of the grass. Our yard is all grasses and flowers. Oh, and bird feeders, squirrel feeders and bird baths. Francis would approve! Front Yard Feeding I am especially fond of the Morning Doves and the Woodpeckers. We also get visits from Blue Jays, Cardinals, and finches. We are beginning to develop an impressive little library on birds! A Busy Front Yard I love our squirrels. However, my favorite visitor is this sneaky little chipmunk. If we are in the house he is brave and will eat with the squirrels and birds. However, if we are anywhere near the yard he does the best disappearing act I have ever seen. Chipmunk in My Front Yard Well, now it is winter. Our guests are less spectacular but the one’s who have stayed our loyal. I like our little community.

USF Graduation 2011

Well I have fallen far behind in my blogging. First I had to make sure I blogged the unique events of the summer. That included attending the International Christian Alliance on Prostitution global conference in May. In June I attended Collegium in Massachusetts. In July I attended a four day conference at St. Bonaventure University in Western New York. All of these needed to be covered. What I did not post was our graduation in the beginning of May. This was a unique event for me. Instead of participating in the graduation as a faculty member I sat in the bleachers with Cathi. I was the proud father of a daughter graduating with highest honors. I got to watch the pageantry from above. I got to watch the procession; the President and Provost, the Bishop and faculty formally greet the graduating students. I got to watch my graduate and under graduate students and especially my daughter move from being students to being graduates. I have a lot of catching up to do. That includes summer day tripos, fall festivals, community service days. However, first I need to finally post my daughter’s graduation. Very late but for those involved in the day it is still fun to watch . Preparing for USF Commencement 2011 I liked watching the faculty forum executive officers prepare for the Commencement. I served three years on the executive committee and I shared their excitement. Best of all, I shared their excitement and pride without any of the related anxieties. It is good to be an observer! USF Graduation 2011: The Stage is Set I remember carrying the mace. It was made by our Dean of the School of the Arts, Rick Cartwright. It feels medieval, academic and connects the students and the day with the history of the academy. USF Graduation 2011: It Begins It was only a couple of years ago that we started the tradition of faculty crating an honor corridor for the students. It feels so good to see all of their smiling faces. b USF Graduation 2011: Oh My,T here’s Amy Carrigan-Smith! b I felt excited not just recognizing students, it was good to see collegues, friends making the day a Rite of Passage. USF Graduation 2011: the Students Enter Finally, the students entered the hall, it had begun. USF Graduation 2011: The Stage Once the stage was occupied the students began to fill the hall. What was moments ago a huge echoing hall becomes full and the robes, the music, and the proud parents. All serve to set a tone of the celebration. USF Graduation 2011: The Hall Fills I have to say, I was not at all neutral or stoic when I say my graduate students! USF Graduation 2011: Some of My Graduate Students Finally we sighted Kerri and she looked so happy. She should be, she worked so hard for four straight years. USF Graduation 2011: My Baby! USF Graduation 2011: So Happy! USF Graduation 2011: Such a Big Screen! USF Graduation 2011: Dr. Daniel Introducing the Bishop USF Graduation 2011: The Bishop Ah, more graduate students! USF Graduation 2011: Shannon, Katie, Janelle and Jesse Finally, the moment Cathi and I had been waiting for! USF Graduation 2011: Kerri Gets Her Diploma The last official act and then…the march into adulthood. USF Graduation 2011: The Turning of the Tassels It was a great day. Afterward we joined Jared’s family and went out for dinner. All and all it was a day that lived up to its expectations. It was a day that marked a turning point in so many lives. It was a beautiful Commencement in Fort Wayne. USF Graduation 2011: It Is Done For our family it was the culmination of a wonderful journey at the University of Saint Francis. Kerri had written for the school paper. She had presented a poster at the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities 2010 Symposium held at USF. She had won numerous literary awards. She had an A-, her one none A! She graduated with highest honors and was recognized as an Outstanding Student in Psychology. She was also a pilgrim to Assisi and Rome. Finally, to top it all off, she met her fiancée at uSF. Yep, it had been a great four years. Kerri’s USF Journey

AFCU-SBU Liberal Arts Conference 2011: Spaces and Places

There was so much to learn while we were at St. Bonaventure University for the AFCU conference. However, there was also so much to see. This was a big campus, a beautiful setting and it was oh so Franciscan!

Each night after dinner we had a social at the Thomas Merton Center. It was a great way to unwind, to plan implementation and to get to know new people.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: A Social at the Thomas Merton Center

We ate in the Hickey Dining Hall. This was considered the regular, nothing special hall. Well, I was impressed with it!


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The Dining Hall

I walked over to the Reilly Center. I wanted to visit the sports complex again. I would love to see a basket ball game here. The excitement, the noise, it must be wonderful.

AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Reilly Center II


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Reilly Center

While on campus the Franciscan Institute had a sale on their publications. While the Institute is hosed in the library their inventory was kept at a place known as “the Crypt.” I suspect our gas mileage was lower driving home because we all bought so many books.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Campus by the Crypt



AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Outside of the Crypt

Our conference was initially headquartered at the R. Jones Trustee Room in Doyle Hall. Next to it was the chapel. The chapel reflected a time when each priest said Mass and so there were individual altars. The mosaics were colorful and wonderful to just gaze at. Unfortunately I could nevfr get in to video with the lights on. Even dimmed it is a beautiful space for worship.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: SBU Chapel

That was our July trip. The challenge now is to apply what we learned to our own discipline. The challenge is for the various schools that make up the AFCU to support one another. It was a great conference and I hope there is a follow up. We can do this.

AFCU-SBU Liberal Arts Conference: An Early Morning Walk to the Cemetery

We listened, we studied, we learned. We also laughed, ate, drank and made new friends. And I walked. One of my walks along the river was a quiet moment of looking, seeing, and appreciating a simple creature.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Life Beside the River

On our last morning I got up early and walked to the cemetery. Along the road were blossoms that were quietly waiting to be appreciated.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Blossoms on the Side of the Road

When I finally got to the cemetery it was almost too dark to see the Grotto. I could se it but I could not film it proprerly. This is just a hint of how stunning it was.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The Cemetery Grotto

The cemetery had tombstones from the 1800s. It connected you to the land and the people. This was another dimension of community we often forget. Best of all, no vampires!


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: A Walk in the Morning to the Cemetery

On my walk back to the campus there were more plants awaiting my attention. The campus we beginning to wake up, that was good, I was ready for some coffee.



AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Walking Along the Road

AFCU-SBU Liberal Arts Conference 2011: Rare Books Collection

By the third day of the conference we are all attending breakout sessions. That took us to another part of the campus. It also helped us individualize our training. We were learning a lot. In the morning I attended a talk by Sister Carney the president of SBU. I went to her talk because I was interested in Clare. I also went because Margaret had been one of our guides on our pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome. It was good to see her again.

Still, as interesting as the talks were the campus kept calling us to her. After lunch we had one of our most interesting tours. We got to see the Rare Books Collection. The library is a beautiful, formal library. There are stacks, alcoves to read in and pillars at the entryway. The Rare Books Collection is in a separate but connected building that is climate controlled.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Father Joe and the Library

The following is a collection of video clips from the tour. Two things are clear, it is an impressive collection and I am not a movie maker! I should edit and remove some of these clips however, the tour was important to many of the members. I have no idea which clip best illustrates what the participant wanted to see or remember. So for better or worse here are all of them!

When we began the tour we did not know we were entering a separate building. The books on display would have been enough to keep many of us happy. However, that was just the beginning.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Entering the Rare Book Collection

The books were from different centuries and even different collections. When a college with a Franciscan book collection had to close it ‘s doors it would send its collection to SBU. They knew the books would be cared for and valued. The result is one of the largest collections in the United States and a center of scholarly research whose reach is worldwide.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Rare Book Collection and Still More Books

The climate control, the security precautions and the restoration programs all reflected just how important and special this collection was.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Rare Book Collection Climate Control


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The Stacks of the Rare Books Collection


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Rare Books and Dr. Spath

Dr. Spath provided a casual and yet useful tour. It was clear he was a man who was happy with his job. Joseph Campbell would have described Dr. Spath as a man who followed his bliss.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Rare Book Collection Tour

I think we all left the tour wondering if we would ever have occasion to use the resources the collection had to offer. I suspect we were trying to find a way to integrate and apply the treasures of this collection to our own disciplines.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Rare Book Collection

So, that was our tour. It was wonderful and yet it was just a pause in the conference. It was time to go back and learn more.

AFCU-SBU Liberal Arts Conference 2011: A Small Town Church

Many members of our group would get up early and drive into town to attend St. Bonaventure Church for morning Mass. The town was tiny, the church simple and yet, it was such a nice setting for worship. The people were friendly and inviting. The priest was a Franciscan who was always happy to see other members of the Franciscan family.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Outside of St. Bonaventure Church

The inside of the church was deceptive (in a good way!) The outside appeared simple. The inside of the church was beautiful. It was easy to see why so any people made the trek each morning for Mass. Sure it was a sign of devotion but it was also reflective of people who appreciated how special their church was.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: St. Bonaventure Church

I only attended Mass once in the Morning. Others in our group went daily. They knew how to start the day off right!

AFCU-SBU Liberal Arts Conference: A Walk in the Fog

I normally get up very early on trips. This allows me to get in some exploring before we get to work. I was less driven at SBU to get up so early. I had been here before. Still, I did want to walk along the river early in the morning.

Six years ago I was walking along the river when I encountered a young “moose” standing in the river drinking. When it saw me is casually galloped away, lifting it’s heavy hoofs and splashing in the water that was spotted my sun light that peeked between the tree tops. The animal did not have antlers or I cold have know immediately if it was a moose or a caribou. It did have a hump and a shovel mouth and it was large and ‘lunky” looking. So I called it a moose. I was teased for what seemed for ever since there are no moose in this area. However, when I called Natural Resources they told me it was a cross between a European Red Deer and an Asian Deer that is raided in the area. They are smaller than moose and bigger than caribou. They are also the only animal that has the shovel mouth when young. So I walked hoping to see another miracle in the morning.

I was not disappointed. What I found was a fog so thick I could only see a few feet ahead of me. I had also never seen a fog disappear so quickly. By the time I was ready for breakfast there was no indication that the campus had been hidden in fog. It was a time of quiet and solitude and I loved it.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: A Morning Walk in the Fog

After slowly and carefully making my way to the river path I watched the fog lift. The path was revealed and I felt like I was on my way to Middle Earth. It was a nice way to begin a day.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: A Morning Walk by the River

As I walked along the river on my way to breakfast my eye caught a spider web glimmering in the morning light. Upon closer inspection I discovered a whole world of beauty and architecture. It was not a moose but it was wonderful. Morning walks are almost always magical if you allow yourself to see!


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The Web of Life

AFCU-SBU Liberal Education Conference 2011: The Quick Art Center

Our conference was serious. We were being called upon to be innovators of higher education and at the same time to be guardians of a precious treasure, our Franciscan Intellectual Tradition. We were presented with models of education, research history. Still, during breaks thee was time to be explorers!

I wanted our group to make sure they spent time in the Quick Art Center. The last time I was here the curator had been a fellow pilgrim with me at Assisi. She gave us a great tour. I wanted our group to see how wonderful SBU’s art collection was. However, in fact our group did not need any prodding from me. They were all natural explorers.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Quick Art Center Entry

The Art Center had some special collections. My undergrad degree was in Political Science/Asian Affairs so I was very happy to see the exhibit on Chinese art.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Chinese Collection

I also liked the African Art Exhibit. There was a lot to be seen from a vast continent and yet it was not a large room. The use of space allowed for ‘traveling” through space and time.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The Quick Art Center African Collection

The Permanent Collection was far more formal and far more European/Western. I liked it but I am not an artist or art historian. I was drawn to the other exhibits.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Quick Art Center Permanent Collection

The first floor was simply an excellent way to be introduced to the building. It was a magi door. Outside was hustle and bustle, the race for knowledge and a degree. Once you cross the threshold you entered a quiet place that stimulated the senses and demanded your attention. I loved this space.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The Regina A. Quick Art Center 1st Floor

AFCU-SBU Liberal Education Conference 2011: The Beginning

St. Bonaventure University in Western New York sponsored an Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities (AFCU) symposium on “Liberal Education and Franciscan Pedagogues” from July 25 to July 28th. The University of Saint Francis Fort Wayne sent an impressive delegation. It has lead by the Dean of the School or Arts and Science, Matt Smith. The team included Earl Kumfer, Trish Bugajski, Connie Collins, Dan Torlone, Sister Anita Holzmer , sister Mary Govert and myself. We were the largest delegation at the conference. I think an objective evaluation would also reveal we were the must fun and the best looking as well!

It was a long drive. Once we got to the university and got our rooms we had a little time to wind down before the opening of the conference. I immediately took a walk along the shore of the Allegheny River. The campus is large, over 500 acres. It is framed by low mountains and the river. Forty five minutes away the school also has a mountain retreat. It is a beautiful setting.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: First Afternoon Along the River


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Walking Along the Allegheny River

Behind the sports complex and across the river , on the side of a hill/mountain is “Merton’s Heart.” This is where Thomas Merton went to meditate when he was at SBU. For a man who was rejected by the Franciscans (to be a friar) and became a Trappist, his influence on the campus is substantial. I always feel happy looking at “Merton’s Heart.”


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: SBU Merton's Heart

With the little bit of time we had we did a little exploring of the campus. I had been to SBU for their AFCU Symposium six years ago. It was like visiting an old friend. I loved the buildings, the open spaces, the library.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The SBU Campus

I always liked spending a little time at the Oratory. It was one of the many ways you knew you were at SBU.


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: The Oratory

Inside the Oratory was a quiet place of meditation. You were cut off from the busy campus. It was a place of meditation


AFCU 2011 Liberal Arts Conference: Inside the Oratory

However, as I stated, it was a brief time to explore. At 4:30 the conference began. The first presentation set the tone, “Liberal Education in the 21st Century: The Challenge and Opportunity.”The talk let us know what would happen to schools that did not meet the challenges of distant learning, a move toward professional school education or government funding that was often gong to for-profit schools. It also highlighted what we as Franciscans had to offer that was of value and different. It was food for thought.

And so went then went, had had some food at Hickey Dinning Hall. Finally we had drinks and conversation at the Merton Ministry Center. It was the beginning of a productive and four weeks.

A Day Trip With My Nephew: a Wee Hoosier Renaissance Faire

After coming home from the International Christian Alliance on Prostitution global conference I had some catching up to do. One of those joyful obligations on my list was to spend some time with my great-great-nephew, Andre. Cathi suggested that the two of us go visit the Renaissance Faire in Huntington Indiana. I do not normally think of such things as guy time but Andre and I both have vivid imaginations so it sounded good.

Now to be sure it was not your usual Renaissance Faire. There were bar maids and pirates, flood control outside the park and carnival food. There were however lords and ladies, minstrel singers, carnival games, jousting and the Queen.

Now to be sure, watching the Queen hold court was exciting by there was something else that kept grabbing my attention and was that Shakira I heard singing?

It was a grand time and a great way to spend time with a seven year old boy.


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire

The Queen was holding court. Kids were being presented to her. I asked Andre if he wanted to meet her but he was a little too shy. After a little too much teasing from me he let me know that she was “fake”! Fake, that was just madness.


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire: The (fake) Queen Holding Court

We both enjoyed the jousting. The suites of armor were so cool and the rules of engagement were taken seriously. We both thought it would be cool to be a knight.


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire: Jousting

We both had different favorite knights. Which one is your favorite?


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire: Jousting

However, the best part of the day was the singing pirates. They got everyone involved, they were fun and funny. I was told their songs were very different in the evening when they sang just for the grown-ups.


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire: Pirates Singing

They involved everyone, the adults hiding in the back, the young children and everyone in between.


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire: A Group Sing

We were all honored with a visit by the Queen. Still, Andre would not allow himself to be presented to the “fake Queen.”


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire: The Queen Visits the Concert

Oh, and there was just one more thing that made this Renaissance Faire unique, Hoosier Belly Dancers. I liked them because they were so comfortable and clearly having so much fun. I liked them because they were enjoying the dance and the music and not trying to just be provocative. I liked them because they brought a little something extra to the stage! Cathi noticed that I was filming Belly Dancers but focusing the camera on their faces. Andre just knew we had a geat day together.


Day Trip: Huntington's Renaissance Faire (Hoosier Belly Dancers)

Collegium 2011: Day Nine

While others were partying and saying goodbye I slept! I awoke at 3 AM and got ready for my van ride to Boston. At 4 AM I left the College of Holy Cross. From Boston I flew to Atlanta. From Atlanta I flew to Fort Wayne. There was an hour delay. The first time I went to Collegium I arrived at 3 AM. The second time it took two days to fly from Minneapolis to Fort Wayne. A one hour delay was almost the same as being on time!

The final day was a day of goodbyes, at the school and at the airports. However, everyone understood it was also a day of hellos. I was looking forward to seeing Cathi. I looked forward to a normal routine. I also looked forward to the next Collegium.

The challenge now is for Collegium Fellows to take what they learned and apply it to their classrooms, their courses and ultimately their institutions. I look forward to hearing how that progress.

Collegium 2011: Day Eight

Well, the final day of Collegium 2011 had arrived. However, that did not mean it was a day of doing nothing. We were busy! We had our second Discipline Group. I co-lead the group with Monica. She was great. The group focused on how they would apply their new knowledge to their respective schools.

Our Small Group then focused on preparing to go home. Again we focused on what the members would take home. Our group had quickly formed its own identity, there was a strong sense of “us.” While it was clear we would miss one another it was time for people to get back to their lives. Some of the members would be traveling and they were excited about that. Others would simply enjoy the remainder of summer. Either way it was time to begin our good byes.

We had our last Prayer/Spirituality group. During that time we had our sending forth ceremony. Looking at the faces of my Small Group members as I lit their candles it was hard not to chock up. They were a wonderful group of folks. Watching all of the other groups having their goodbyes and being blessed by all he participants it was clear that everyone knew they were in the best group ever. That is a perfect way to end Collegium. .

After worship we all got ready for our final social. The social was in the science building. The food was wonderful, the music set the tone and it was just a great way to begin an entire evening of saying goodbye.


Collegium 2011: the Final Social

One of the best parts of the social was simply to watch people interact with one another. It was amazing to think these folks did not know one another a week before and now they were reluctantly saying farewell to new but good friends.


Collegium 2011: Friends, Food, Drink and Jazz

After the social we had our Farewell Banquet. We began the week dining in a huge ballroom/ We ended in a more intimate space. It was a good choice. We were all closer, we all had things to say and things to hear. The food was great, the final statements moving but most of all it was the company that we savored.


Collegium 2011: The Farewell Banquet

After the banquet many participants went over to the Williams social room. There people drank, ate and talked until 3 A.M. It was a great ending to a great week and a great Collegium.

Collegium 2011: The Mentors

I was blessed to work with such a talented and committed group of fellow mentors. Some I had worked with before, two were first-timers. All were great.

Sr. Eva Hooker is an institution at Collegium. She has been there since the beginning and it shows. She is the writer-in-residence at Saint Mary’s College. She has a tool box full of techniques and ideas to engage her group members. She is mellow, supportive, fun and so, so creative.

John Neary is a professor of English at St. Norbert College. He often gives his story or testimony at Collegium. He is published. He served on Collegium’s board. However I know John as a runner and as a person who is all about helping Collegium Fellows get the most out of their Collegium experience. He is a soft spoken man who is worth listening to. He is clearly one of the gems of Collegium.

Karen Eifer teaches in he Education Department at the University of Portland. She also tells her story during Collegium This is an important activity that makes the Collgium experience come to life. Karen is a team player. She is creative, full of life and her energy is contagious.

I had the privilege of working with Eva, john and Karen in the past. They were also mentors during my fellowship year.

My roommate was “Sandy’ or William Karstens. He is an Associate Professor of Physics at Saint Michel’s College in Vermont. He is also a Collegium Board member. Sandy contributed to the music part of our worship every single day. He was at e ach social hour. I found his counselor to be valuable. The stereotype might be that physicists are aloof and not emotionally expressive, that would not fit Sandy. I felt blessed to have Sandy as a roommate.
Matt Schmalz is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the College of Holy Cross. He gave his story this year and everyone talked about how powerful it was. I had never met Matt before. He was flexile, creative and he brought a wealth of inter-faith knowledge to Collegium. I hope to get to know him better in the coming years.

Monica Sylvia was one of two first time mentors. She is an Associate Professor at Le Moyne College. She teaches developmental psychology. Initially she was anxious but quickly found her footing. I am sure her clinical skills as a group facilitator kicked right in. She was always doing something. If she was not focusing on her mentor responsibilities she was helping Joyce or attending to a group member.
Finally there was Nancy Billias who is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Saint Joseph College in Connecticut. Nancy also studied religious studies and was a Fulbright Scholar. She is a licensed psychotherapist and brings a whole palette of skills and experiences to her groups.

Monica and Nancy might have been the new kids on the block but they were major contributors to a great Collegium. So that was the group I worked with. We had a working breakfast meeting every day. We brainstormed together. We supported one another. While our focus was on our own Small Groups we also found time to enjoy each others company. I t was a really good group of mentors.

Collegium 2011: What Made My Group So Special?

I made the claim all mentors should make, that their Small Group was the best. I hope all the other mentors feel that, I also know my group was special.
Jonathan was this very bright Ph.D. candidate in history from Fordham University.He was bright, funny and caring. Life is not fair, he was also tall, in shape, handsome and had great glasses. Still, while he could have been arrogant he was humble and a team player. He was also incredibly easy to like.

Skylar was a Political Science doctoral candidate from the University of California Santa Barbara. He was a serious pianist in high school and he skied competitively. He had an incredible ability to appreciate multiple sides of an argument without being immobilized by the divergent arguments. Our Small Group was successful in convincing Skylar to play a small concert for Collegium prior to worship. The video I have is of Skylar practicing for his concert. His concert was wonderful, his practice is just getting use to the piano.


Collegium 2011: Skylar Practicing for Concert

Ricardo brought a sociologists appreciation of group processes to our Small Group. He had also lived in Central America and had an appreciation for the need for social justice. He also was able to apply our lecture on Catholic Social Justice to his school. Plus he lived in New York which just made me jealous. I suppose there were moments when he was not smiling but I never witnessed those times.

Cara was the enthusiastic English professor. She was also a self-identified secular Jew. It was great to see Catholic Intellectuals Identity though her eyes. She savored everything Collegium had to offer and like Ricardo she could not stop smiling.

Mark was our resident physic and the scientific method was a corner stone of how he made sense of the universe. He was also a self-described “Protestant Atheist.” Mark questioned our readings, the lectures, the movies. He questioned things enthusiastically. He also respected others and he was just fun to be around. One of the strengths of our group was due to the honest challenging that Mark provided.


Collegium 2011: Skylar Practicing for Concert II

Judith was this wonderful art historian. Now I have a bias, I have never met an art historian who is not brilliant, after working with Judith I can state that is still true. Judith savored life and was able to put ideas and reading into an historical context. She was also deeply moved by the sufferings of others. She made sure our intellectual explorations did not ignore the impact teachings have on real people. She also had a contagious smile.

Ray was our theologian. I was at first threatened by that when I read the bios. I suspect I feared looking under-qualified to lead the group next to someone with his qualifications. Boy that was a waste of time! Ray had to be the easiest person to get along with I had met. He was caring, funny and practical. He made theology and our readings come alive. He was able to describe how our readings were lived in his classes. Ray is the kind of guy I would like to spend time with talking about theology over a couple of beers.


Collegium 2011: Skylar Practicing in the Fog

Sonalini was our multi-talented professor. She taught women’s studies and political science. She was a Hindu teaching at a Catholic university. I loved how open she was to the entire experience. She was able to find areas of commonality. She was able to better understand where her students and colleagues were coming from. I appreciated how seriously she took the assignments of the Small Group. Best of all she was simply good company. She is now a fellow Hoosier and Judith is a neighbor in Dayton Ohio. I hope I get to see both of them in the future.

That was my group. It was a group of very diverse people. It was a supportive group, a happy group and a group that took advantage of all hat Collegium had to offer. Yeah, I had the best group!