A Conversation with Sister Jean deBlois, CSJ

Catholic Social Teaching and the Challenge of Health Care Reform
A conversation with Sister Jean deBlois, CSJ

Health care reform has been on our national agenda for decades but no real progress has been made. Forty-seven million of our brothers and sisters have no health care insurance and suffer significant negative effects as a result. As we contemplate yet another attempt to "fix" American health care, Catholic social teaching can help us understand why fundamental reform must be achieved.

"Most of us, as ordinary citizens, have heard about the plight of the uninsured but haven't really come to grips with it as people of faith," says Sister Jean deBlois, CSJ. A leader in the field of health care ethics, deBlois is professor of systematic theology and the director of the master's program in health care mission at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.

In this Q&A, deBlois guides us through the issue of health care reform from a Catholic social teaching perspective.

Q. What are the principles of Catholic social teaching that speak to us most about the health care crisis?
A. The four that are most relevant to the issue are:

• Human dignity: Every person is created in the image and likeness of God, and, because of this, is sacred and possesses an inalienable dignity.
• Preferential option for poor and vulnerable persons: The moral test of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.
• Common Good: Persons are social by nature. We achieve fulfillment only in the context of community. We all have a duty to work for the good of the whole community.
• Solidarity: We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers, wherever they may be.

Q. How should these principles guide Catholics in thinking about health care reform?
A. Every person possesses a fundamental right to access at least a basic level of health care. This right is grounded in and required by the dignity of the human person, a dignity conferred by God in the act of creation. Health care is not a commodity to be purchased by those who have the ability to pay for it. Rather, health care, like education, is a public or social good that exists to serve the good of the whole society. Society has an obligation to distribute that good in an equitable manner to all members of the community.

Q. What has resulted from treating health care as a commodity vs. as a public good?
A. The failure of previous health care reform efforts left incremental reform up to the "market," which is driven by the theory of supply and demand, usually resulting in increased competition, higher quality and lower costs. This may apply to cars and houses, but in reality, when we rely on this to manage health care, costs go up and quality goes down. The nature of the doctor/patient relationship has changed as well. The former "covenant" of trust that empowered doctors is now a "contract" between a provider and consumer, laden with "caveat emptor" and "the customer is always right." The outcome has been devastating for physicians and for us, the patients, who rely on them to take good care of us.

Q. How are we called to live out the gospel principle of stewardship regarding health care and the common good?
A. Scripture tells us that when a rich man asks Jesus, "What do I have to do to gain eternal life?" Jesus replies, "Go sell what you have and give to the poor and follow me." The story says the man "went away sad because he had many possessions" - he could not contribute to the common good. (Mark 10: 17-22) We should ask ourselves: "For whom will I sacrifice?" and "What am I willing to forego so that all can have what they need?"

We hear many people, at places like the "town hall" meetings, saying, "I'm not giving up anything for anybody." The reality is this - the "pie" is only sliceable in so many pieces. If we enact health care that covers every one of us adequately, with all of us having access to at least basic health care services, those of us that have a lot may have to give up something. We may not be able to get what we want when we want it or we may have to wait a little bit to get our elective procedures done, but I'm called to give of myself so that others may have what they need.

Q. How do we, as Catholics, navigate the political aspects of health care reform?
A. We need health care reform - how it happens is a political debate. Our Catholic tradition is not about a political debate. It's about these principles - human dignity, preferential option for the poor and vulnerable persons, the common good and solidarity. How that gets inserted in the debate is up to all of us.

We are all coming at this from different perspectives - we all have different needs and we all have different gifts to bring - but the reality is that there are people who are dying because they lack access to basic health care.

Q. How can we make a difference?
A. Maybe it means that we call our legislators and say that tort reform is essential. Maybe it means that we call our senator to say that we need to continue to ensure conscience protection in our legislation. Maybe we write to our congressmen/women and say we don’t want to advance abortion, euthanasia or assisted suicide but we make it clear that we want people to have access to basic care.

But I think what our tradition calls us to most is to stand as "Good Samaritans" for those people who lack access to basic care and to be good stewards of this resource... it belongs to all of us.

Society has an obligation to distribute this good in an equitable manner to all members of the community with a particular attention to the poor. - Pope John XXIII , Pacem in Terris, 1963

• In 2007 non-elderly uninsured Americans numbered 45.7 million
• In 2008 uninsured elderly numbered 600,000
• 8 in 10 uninsured persons come from working families
• 2/3 of uninsured individuals and families are living below the federal poverty level
• $2.5 trillion was spent on health care in the United States in 2008; $3 billion was spent on administrative health care costs alone.

Visit www.csjsl.org for links to information on health care reform policies, faith-based resources and ways to take action.

The Intern Music Video

The interns took it upon themselves to create an amazing music video this semester that shows how much fun we have at the CSC (although, it wouldn't quite be true to say that we break out in song and dance every day). You can see the professionally-made dance video they tried to emulate here. Of course, the interns' version is much better (seriously).

EDIT: Intern Elizabeth has graciously offered her perspective on the video. Her words below, then the video:

The backdrop as to where on earth the video came from:

The video was originally introduced to me while on a retreat called Aggie Awakening back in November 2005. Students leading the retreat made a spoof of it (similar to our own) and used it as a tool to introduce themselves to us. Needless to say, it was hilarious and forever stuck in my mind.

Flashing forward to the CSC Gala this past fall the song "September" by Earth, Wind, and Fire was played later in the evening. I immediately reminisced back to four years ago and that video. I had attempted efforts to remember what the dance looked like and received several confused looks from Andrea plus other onlookers. Following the Gala, I decided to show my fellow interns the video. After showing the video, we half joked we would make the video ourselves. But, do to the busy schedule of the CSC with the Awakening Retreat and Parents Weekend it was just literally an idea. Early November the idea popped up again and the four of us decided we would like to do it as a way to outreach to those who may not know of the CSC or be as involved. Also, since Andrea was leaving it would be the last imprint the four interns could make together.

It was excellent bonding time as a staff especially before Andrea left. I will forever have ingrained in my mind the staff dancing on a table and laughing hysterically in the process. More importantly, it was a fun way of spreading the word about the CSC!

So, watch it. Enjoy it. Share it.

Even Good Samaritans Need Time

I recently finished reading a book called The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. The book is about little things that create big changes. It's a fascinating read, and I highly recommend it.

In one part of the book, Gladwell discusses a study involving a group of seminarians. Seminarians were selected for the study because (a) they would be familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan and (b) they are training to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

In the study, the seminarians were asked to prepare a short talk and then head over to a nearby building to present it. With one of the groups of seminarians, when they finished writing their talk, they were told that they were a few minutes early and could head over to the other building. With the other group, when they finished preparing the talk, they were told that they were running late and should rush over to give the talk.

The catch was that on the path between the preparation building and the destination building, each seminarian came across a man to the side of the path (an actor) who had his head down, eyes closed, and was coughing and groaning in pain.

Would the seminarians--potential "Good Samaritans"--stop and help the stranger?

The study revealed that yes, some of the seminarians stopped and help. But many did not. The key factor? Whether or not they felt rushed.

Out of the first group of those who were told they were early, 63% stopped and helped. In the latter group--those who felt rushed--only 10% stopped to help.

This is astonishing, right? 10%! Of seminarians, no less!

The lesson lies in a factor that we might not think affects us. We read this example and think, "Oh, I'd stop and help. Of course I would." But the truth is that the odds that we would stop and help have very little to do with who we are and much more to do with time. Do we feel like we have an abundance of time or a complete lack of time? The difference could be a key factor in whether or not we walk like a Christian or just talk like a Christian.

How can we apply this to our lives? Find little ways to make yourself feel like you have a few minutes to spare. Leave early. Set your clocks a few minutes fast. Don't wait until the last minute to finish your work or tell someone you love them. Wake up a few minutes early.

Those few minutes could be the difference in your ability to embody the Good Samaritan.

A Different Kind of Thank You

This morning when I thought about writing a Thanksgiving entry for this CSC blog, I thought about writing a general thank you representing the entire staff (who, by the way, are very thankful for all of you).

I'm not going to do that, though. This thank you is going to be a little more personal.

I started working at the CSC as the Director of Operations on November 27, 2007--I started the Monday after Thanksgiving. I didn't quite know what I was getting into, and to be honest, sometimes I still don't. Every day is different. Every week, every month is unique.

The one constant--the one truly amazing constant--has been the people. My coworkers, the students, volunteers--I mostly interact with Gala and soup volunteers, the young adults, the old adults...you all have been constant reminders to me of God's love.

I mean that in a specific, intentional way--I'm not talking about God's love as some abstract idea, something you read about in a book or hear someone talk about. Rather, I'm saying that I see God's love in all of you. I see it in the way my coworkers truly want the CSC to be the best Newman Center for all students of faith at Wash U, how they are so selfless in the pursuit of sharing faith and love and challenging students to grow. I see it in the volunteers who go out of their way time and time again to serve and cook and fundraise and make this place run smoothly. I see it in the students who go on retreats and service trips and smile at new students who give the CSC a try. And I see it in the students who aren't all that active here, but they still make the choice to come to Mass when they could just stay in their dorm rooms and watch Simpsons reruns. I see it in the young adults who share their meager incomes with the CSC so the students can have the same programs and events and opportunities that they did, and I see it in that same group after Mass and at the happy hours when they laugh and chat and challenge each other--perhaps challenge each other even more than they did in college, when we were so resistant to other people challenging us. And I see it in the older adults, people who have no previous connection to the CSC other than they came to Mass or the Gala one time and found a group of people--a community, a congregation--of people who were opening and inclusive about their faith, not exclusive and derisive and dismissive.

I see God's love in each and every one of you. Every smile, every hug. Every day.

And really, is there any way to make this world a more loving place than to be a living example of God's love?

I'm so thankful that I've had the opportunity to work here for two years and been witness to the way all of you live in God's love. Thanks for being awesome. and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Jamey

Fr. Gary's Take on Religion on Campus

From an issue of Student Life this fall:

Is there a place for religion at Washington University? Not officially, because the Charter prohibits supporting any particular religion. Some would say not at all, most assuredly. Yet, how account for the growing number of religious groups over the last decade or the extraordinary growth of groups like the Catholic Student Center over those same years. The CSC alone has grown from about 45 registered students 18 years ago to about 800 now. And retreats have gone from about 22 that year to up to 300 now. And Mass attendance has necessitated 3 expansions of our Chapel, which includes students of all faiths and none on any given Sunday. Indeed, religion at WU is on the rise, and is frequently an object of reflection and study and debate.

Is it a search for identity when so many students experience themselves (especially in the classroom) as a minority and find their faith responded to by peer and faculty alike with hostility or indifference. A survey release 2 years ago—titled ‘How Religious Are America’s College and University professors?’—concluded that classroom attitudes are by-and-large anti-religious. Professors, while they believed in at least the possibility of God’s existence, were more than twice as likely to be skeptics or atheists as the general population. At the same time, this administration has been quite supportive of our presence for students.

Is it a student’s desire to belong or perhaps a search for meaning to their choices and to their lives? While the University does a remarkable job at educating and caring for students, campus ministries can provide what the University cannot.

Perhaps it has to do with the need we all have for guidance, for coaching, in the often complicated and painful world of relationships, arguably the most important “school” at WU. We at the CSC define our work at WU to be at the service of helping all students become more capable of giving and receiving love. That is for us the essence of God, the essence of life itself. Amo, ergo sum. (I love, therefore I exist.)

Campus ministry can be a place to go with your broken and blessed lives, to believe in something bigger than a me-centered life—something worth your young life, some horizon against which every day can be lived out and where your own personal story and the Great Story can connect and lead to transformation. A place to help us remember we are not alone. And a place to honor the desire many feel to worship, to give thanks, to pray.

From my perch across Forsyth for the last 18 years, being religious at WU can be a source of great consternation and great creativity, and it gives me great hope for the future of religion in the world. The latter because it is religious illiteracy that hurts people and can be dangerous to the common good. Ignorance imperils our public life. Campus ministries at WU work hard to encourage greater understanding of one another. Honest and sometimes difficult exchange about our religious traditions can bring us ever more deeply into the experience of being human together at this time and in this place. We seek to model the dialogue that will always lead to the truth, the truth I trust will set us free.

If religious groups are to succeed at WU, it will be because they respect ALL students as they are, of any faith or none. No proselytizing here, no coercion here, our covenant commits. It will be because it is open and engaging and willing to be challenged and inclusive and calls us beyond ourselves and our own agendas.

Is the practice of faith a value-add then, during these years? Clearly, yes. Because it will challenge us to be less selfish, because it will lead us to be a better citizen of the world, it will encourage us to step back and ask the Big Questions like ‘what am I going to do with my life?’ and ‘how can I contribute?’ and ‘what is my personal and our civic morality?’ and questions like ‘what is the relationship between wealth and success and happiness?’ Studies confirm that students who engage religious rituals every week studied longer and reported higher grade point averages, and had greater satisfaction with the institution than their peers. It can undoubtedly invigorate our education. Honest and sometimes difficult exchange about our religious traditions can bring us ever more deeply into the experience of being human together at this time and in this place.

Religion at WU is an experience worth exploring. Many have.

Javier Mendoza Concert

Didn't win the private Javier Mendoza Concert at your home during the Gala auction? I just received word that Javier will soon be celebrating the release of his new album via a concert in November. The details are below.

Saturday, November 14 at 8pm
ALL AGES SHOW
COCA Founder's Theatre in the Ucity Loop just off of Delmar
Advance tickets $20 (includes a copy of the new CD for 1st 300 tickets sold)

Tickets can purchased online at www.javiermendoza.com

Puppy Photos

Here are a few photos of the puppy that will be part of the super silent auction at the Gala:

A Puppy Comes to Church...and Returns to the Gala

Anyone who hangs out after Mass this Sunday may notice a creature that you're not used to seeing on the CSC grounds. This adorable little puppy, a border collie/lab mix, will be scouting out his future parents amongst all of you who are attending the Gala.

James Mitchell, owner of Mitchell James Salon, works with Partners for Pets to save puppies like this one. He has been neutered and has all his shots, so he's just ready for a new home. If you see him after Mass and want to bring him home, all you have to do is show up at the Gala to bid on him in the silent auction. Contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org to purchase Gala tickets.

IST Trivia Night!

Go on Awakening

If you are under 30 years old and haven't been on the Awakening retreat, go on Awakening (Oct. 17-19). It's as simple as that.

That's my advice, and I'd like to back it up with my experience on my Awakening retreat as a Wash U freshman 10 years ago.

I went on Awakening as tentatively as one could go. I was wary about missing a weekend away from new friends during my first semester, wary about going away with a bunch of people I didn't know, wary about the idea of being spoon-fed religion for a weekend.

By the end of the weekend, I realized that I need not have been wary at all.

The weekend is intense. I won't deny that. But it's intense in a good way. It's intense in the way that you get to know people better in three days (and essentially you're forced to get to know people in small group discussion, which, for my introverted side, was really helpful) that you'll get to know most people in three months. It's intense in a way that I imagined college would be--intense discussions in the quad, heated debates about life and love and politics and religion and relationship, talks that go well into the night. In no way did I feel like I missed out on a weekend away from Wash U. Rather, I felt like the rest of Wash U missed out on Awakening.

Also, Awakening isn't about spoon-feeding you religion in any way. Sure, there's prayer and confession and Communion, but they're presented in the most open, welcoming environment possible. In one weekend I realized that my religion, my faith, applied to all aspects of my life, not just the hour or so I put in my time on Sundays. It exemplifies that idea, and although you can wrap your mind around that idea by reading it here or hearing it during Gary's homilies, it's something that needs to be experienced firsthand.

Here's perhaps my biggest sell for Awakening: I was a huge doubter about the weekend before going into the retreat. After the retreat, I was not only a table leader for the next Awakening, but I also went on Growth (Awakening 2.0) after that, and then my senior year I gave the opening talk at Awakening (this is coming from a person who shudders at the thought of public speaking). I wouldn't have done any of those things if Awakening hadn't moved me. And it did, it really did. It moved me.

That's my two cents. Give it a try. Go on Awakening and being fully human, fully awake for a weekend.

The Waterfall: Before and After

For those of you who don't remember what the pond in the back looked like before, here are before and after photos. Feel free to drop by the CSC waterfall at any time to pray, nap, relax, or chat.

before

after

The Newman Gala Menu

Photos and descriptions of the Gala menu have been posted on the Gala website here: http://www.cscgala.org/menu.php

Feel free to salivate.

Gospel Question

Have you ever been given bad advice?

Experiencing Education from the other side: A Reflection of Justice in our Educational System by Elizabeth Doveno, Campus Ministry Intern

Education is one of my greatest passions with just so much to discuss here. I have one of my good friends, Quentin from Texas A&M University, to thank for this. He asked me once to really evaluate how many students failed to recognize all the possibilities that await them after their graduation and the system that creates that problem specifically in Texas but in the whole nation as well. September is the time to think and really reflect on education; students are returning to school some with reluctance and others ecstatically, parents are buying new school supplies and taking their children clothes shopping hoping these supplies will last till May, parents are listening to what their children will be learning this year, teachers are preparing lesson plans and decorating their blank classroom walls with as many materials as possible, parents are being concerned about child care for while they are still at work, teachers are concerned about teaching all the material for the new school year and having to teach again those things students did not learn, parents are spending lots of money for education and all the things that go with it. There are so many issues that may not effect us, but something that must be looked at. Students who live in the poorest of areas are not given the same educational opportunities as students living on the rich side of town. The state education system requires teachers to teach particular things, which is all in good intention, but looses value when teachers are forced to teach to a test. Beyond that, teachers are at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to support from administration, parents, and students. The work they put in is not always appreciated. Addressing the current issue of education, while being a Catholic striving towards holiness, I must be aware of the underprivileged and poor who are not given the best education, the state and federal education laws that inhibit some and benefit others, and who and how students are being educated.

One of the discussions Quentin and I had in the issue of education was that the poor and the underprivileged, those living in inner-city Houston, are given less opportunity and ability to achieve higher education than compared to someone living in the outskirts of Houston, like The Woodlands. Typically, the further a person lives away from a city the more money that individual has. This is because the person is able to spend the extra expenses on travel and time while those who work and live in the inner cities usually have less money and are the poorest of the poor. Because of this, there is less money in general but also towards education. They must spend the money on the necessities of life including food, water, and shelter. But even thinking beyond primary and secondary education a person in a lower income situation is less likely to be able to attend a university such as Washington University in St. Louis. Personally, I don’t think this is fair or right. Why should our society dictate that individual who was born into a lower economic standing to be unable to attain the same position than someone born into a higher economic standing?

Now, don’t get me wrong. WashU has created an adult program in the evening for those who would like to take extra classes and there are still means of getting funds such as scholarships and even going through particular organizations like the military to be given a free education for their service. But I do believe that the community could do more to help such as continue to support scholarships, make FASFA more available for our high school graduates in the schools where students are less privileged, and help at these schools through volunteering or tutoring. If you listened to the second reading at mass today you heard James tell us that it does no good to use our words to wish well when we are capable of giving a portion of ourselves to help those who are in need. We are all part of the Body of Christ, even those who are economically less privileged than others. What are we doing for the part of Christ’s body that is not as lucky?

Something else Quentin and I talked about was how in Texas the state regulates what students are being taught and expects to see it be taught through a standard test rather than taught through experiential learning, such as letting the kids to have more hands on experience in a lab doing research for cancer or seeing how an engineer constructs a bridge. In many cases, by teaching to a standardized test stifles creativity and expand the knowledge horizons. Students become less challenged by their teachers because there is only a need by the test and no further comprehension. Therefore, education has now placed boundaries on what is acceptable and what is not; in what can be learned and the endpoint of learning. After moving to St. Louis, I have talked with several different people and they have expressed distress in that the public schools of St. Louis are under the jurisdiction of the city with simplifying education down to a simple state test as well. It is good to have a desire to see students learning particular reading, writing, math, science, and history skills. However, it becomes a problem when this is all that is cared about. Teachers become concerned about their jobs in that if their students do poorly they could loose their job. The state is more focused on receiving money than to expand horizons on education. What is sad is that there are still a great number of students who cannot read even making it through graduation! My fiancé told me how his dad’s company had an employee who miraculously made it through his public university essentially illiterate. This is absolutely appalling and sad. Fortunately, for this person was lucky enough to be given the resources and the means to learn how to read.

In St. Louis there are many programs that address the issue of illiteracy; one is called the YMCA Literacy Council that helps adults who did not learn to read in their primary and secondary education that you can get involved in. There is an importance to make it known to our government, especially locally, that as Catholics we believe this to be unjust. While reading you may be thinking that those people do not effect me in any sort of way, why should I even care? Think of the verse in 1Cornithians 12:25-26 “so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If (one) part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.” What we do to and for one another effects our church in some way or another. In what ways do your actions effect the church as a whole?

Lastly, I have learned though conversations with friends who are teachers, there is a lack of support with high demands. It comes as no surprise why there is such a high burnout rate. One friend told me that they had an entire day within their district devoted to the state test and how they must teach to it otherwise they could lose their jobs. Beyond that, I have heard from teachers from Texas of the lack of support they have received from their districts for getting materials and resources needed. In more recent history one of the bigger struggles for teachers has been to play teacher, parent, mentor, and discipliner. School is not meant to be a home, but sadly it is so for many students. Teachers are not trained to be those roles. They are trained to be educators for all those who come into their classroom. Not only that, but many teachers do not want to be in that situation of playing that role. This creates just a very unhappy situation, but what else can be done?

For me as a Catholic, it is important to support not only those friends who are teachers back in Texas but also those teachers here in St. Louis. They, like Jesus, are using their faith in action in teaching. Sometimes they must teach what is difficult such as geometry and may be rebuked in that students feel it is pointless in a similar manner like Jesus was. We can pray for our teachers in that they are given the courage and the ability to face all the challenges that the classroom presents today. We can send letters of encouragement to those teachers in especially those schools with the lack of funding, support, and help. And as for those students who may not see the point in their education or school is essentially home we can pray and offer our time through programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters in helping taking away some of those extra burdens teachers bear.

In the past, I volunteered once a week for an hour helping kindergarteners learn to do simple math and reading through a program at Texas A&M University. You could also do the same through tutoring through schools. We can write letters to those teachers in those areas that are not as economically privileged such as those working for Teach for America and other service corps. By sending letters of encouragement and appreciation for a job that is not always so appreciated in hopes that they will be given the strength and courage to get through the tough moments of the day. We can continue to pray for students, teachers, and leaders in education in that they make good choices and decisions. We can send letters to our congressmen telling them to give our schools more assistance. We can be mentors and tutors to students helping them succeed into something greater than the status quo. We can get involved in the school districts to play an active part of the education system. So, in what way are you going to be Jesus for our educational system?

The Gala in Football Season

For the first time ever, the Newman Gala (as a Gala, not a brunch) will be in the fall this year. That means that it'll be in the middle of the NFL/college football season, which I didn't think would have much of an impact on the attendance.

However, as of Friday, I realized that it could have a positive impact on attendance.

As it turns out, the Minnesota Vikings--including Brett Favre and esteemed running back Adrian Peterson--are staying at the Ritz the night of the Gala. They play the Rams the following day, so odds are against them partying with us in the ballroom, but you never know. It's definitely worth showing up to find out.

Lord, rain down on us

Today, I invite you to pray with me for those in the driest parts of the country right now. In Texas has had very little rain the past 4 months, which is not the norm. In some parts it is so dry they have been able to recover lost things in the dried up river banks. With the lack of rain, it has been hotter--even late at night! So, please pray with me for those needing rain.

Prayers for Intentions

Today is the first Friday of the month meaning it is a day for the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (An explanation can be found here.) For this reason, I have decided to pray the Litany of the Most Sacred Heart for the intentions in the iPray box. I also prayed a decade of the Rosary focusing on the Luminous Mystery of the Transfiguration which also strengthens our own hearts in striving to reach Christ's.

I invite you to pray those prayers at some point this day. God bless you!

The iPray is now listening to the Prayerlist

So what is iPray?

iPray was created based off a passion and desire to pray for those in my community and those just in need of prayer. It is a play off of the iPod in that rather than streaming music or podcasts it is streaming prayer intentions.

How does iPray work?

It works in two ways: 1. You can either go to the Catholic Student Center at Washington University put your intention in the box that is next to Mary in the Chapel. Or 2. Leave a comment here on the blog.

After that is done, I will check on a regular basis the intentions and pray for them. Later, I will post on the blog how I prayed for the latest intentions.

Who can use iPray?

Because this blog is open to any and all it is totally open to any person in need of an intention lifted up.

Who will read my intentions?

I will be the only one reading the intentions. If you wish for others beside myself to pray for your intention please indicate that.

Why does this matter? What is the point of it all?

I strongly believe in the power of prayer and interceeding for one another in prayer. We are called to pray for one another even! (James 5:16) This is something I have really enjoyed doing for a handful of years now.

So start sending your prayer requests. So till then, God bless you!

To read more blogs and updates check out http://ipraycsc.blogspot.com

Gospel Question

What is your new [school] year's resolution? How do you want to grow this year? What are the parts of you that have gotten "moldy" and need to be scooped out of the cottage cheese container?

This Week's Gospel Question

Do you identify as Catholic on Facebook?

This Week's Gospel Question

Have you ever argued with anyone about your faith or spiritual issues?

Gala Volunteer Sunday

You may notice a contingent of people in the community wearing silly, out-of-season ties or bright, colorful scarves this Sunday. Most likely, they’re in the Gala planning committee. The 2009 Newman Gala (October 10) is a mere 2 months away, and the committee has been hard at work to make it a special experience for all of you. If you have any questions for the committee members, feel free to approach them after Mass. Invitations to the Gala are going out in one week, and raffle tickets ($50 each; 1/30 wins; grand prize is $3000) are available for sale after mass, from Jamey Stegmaier (x221, stegmaier@washucsc.org), or online at any time.

Gospel Question

This week's Gospel question:

What on earth are we doing here?

Feel free to discuss in the comments section.

This Week's Gospel Question

This week's Gospel question is: When Is Enough Enough?

Feel free to listen to the homily to know what Fr. Gary is referring to.

CSC Featured in St. Louis Review

The Catholic Student Center was featured in an article in today's St. Louis Review. Click here to view the full article. They interviewed me (Jamey) for this, so I hope I didn't say anything too controversial!

The Link

One of my favorite parts about Mass and the CSC is the Lord's Prayer. At Mass this past weekend, I looked up and was reminded that at the CSC, people link hands across the aisle, creating one seamless chain throughout the entire church. For that minute that we spend praying, we're all linked together. We're all one body in Christ.

The next time you're praying the Lord's Prayer at mass, look around at the congregation. You are linked to every single person in the chapel at that moment, sharing words that have been passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years. It's an incredible feeling, to be so connected to so many people.

Teambuilding with Eggs

I put together a little teambuilding exercise for the staff on Tuesday. I gathered the staff together and presented them with two eggs, and I asked them to achieve the impossible (as they attempt to do every year with the students--some very fragile, some not as much):

I asked them to drop an egg from the third floor onto concrete and prevent it from breaking.

The guidelines were simple: The egg had to be dropped by me, an impartial party, and it had to land on the concrete. The only tools they had were as follows, and they were to be used to created some sort of structure around the egg to prevent it from breaking:

One sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper
A small piece of duct tape and a small piece of blue tape
Two paper clips
A foot of ribbon.
A small paper plate
A rubber band
A business card
Two coffee straws

We divided into two teams, but interestingly enough, they decided not to be competitive with each other. Rather, everyone decided they wanted to save the eggs. They just thought that working in smaller groups would prove more productive than working in one big group.

In the end, one egg shattered on impact, while the other barely cracked. The trick is that even though your instinct is to protect the egg--securely wrapping it in paper and tape--what you really want to do is reduce the velocity of the drop. That's what makes the biggest difference. Comparing it to our ministry, I'd say that we try to bring out the gifts in students and young adults that give them the abilities to be whole in the post-collegiate world, not find temporary fixes that aren't going to help them in the long run.

We also had a great discussion over lunch following this exercise. We talked about working in teams and how positive energy can provide a team with a much better result than if even one team member comes in with a negative attitude. We also talked about possible solutions we can use to teach students and young adults whose default attitude is more negative to recognize that and start to diffuse it.

All in all, I think everyone enjoyed this egg drop teambuilding activity.

A Message from the 2009 Newman Gala Co-Chairs

By now you’ve likely heard about the annual Newman Gala. Many of you have attended the Gala in previous years. As the 2009 Gala Chairs, we hope to see you at the Gala this year, when we’ll share a wonderful evening of community and fellowship in support of the CSC. If you’ve never attended the Newman Gala, please know that you are welcome and encouraged to join us on Saturday, October 10th.

The CSC holds a special place in our hearts. We have been members of the Washington University Newman community for fourteen years, first as undergraduate students, then as graduate students and young adults (in Melissa’s case, a former intern-in-service), and now as supporters of the CSC. In our time as community members, we have benefited from some of the greatest experiences of our lives. We both grew up at the CSC in our student days – attending and later leading retreats, participating in service trips, organizing social functions, and meeting lifelong friends. We met at the CSC. We got married at the CSC. We named our first born son after Fr. Gary. Well, not actually, although he did encourage the idea more than once.

Having received so much from the CSC in our time as students, we have always wanted to give back and make sure that future generations of students could experience the same type support, friendship, and affirmation that we received in our journey of faith, growth, and discovery. We can never do enough to achieve that goal, but we can always try. In the years since graduation, giving back has taken many forms, but our favorite way continues to involve attending and volunteering for service at the Gala. It’s an event that we look forward to each year.

To us, though, the Gala is more than just a one-night event. And it is more than just an annual fundraiser. It is a celebration of community and an affirmation that hundreds of people believe in and support the CSC’s mission. The Gala doesn’t come together overnight, and it doesn’t stop when the music ends and the lights are turned off in the ballroom. It is the culmination of countless gifts contributed by numerous people – the various committees who organize and plan the event, the many individuals who procure auction items, the students and adults who volunteer on the night of the event, and the supporters of the community who generously contribute financial resources. The Gala continues after the evening has ended, too – when mass is celebrated at the CSC the next day, when a student in search of support finds a home at the CSC, when a young adult joins with other CSC community members in service halfway around the world. These things can occur because of the outpouring of support at the Gala.

So, while the Gala is still months away, we hope that you can reflect in the coming months on the countless experiences at the CSC that would not have been possible without the success of past Gala events, and at the same time consider joining us for an evening of celebration on October 10^th.

Sincerely,

Melissa and Bob Zaegel

Are you a duck?

Have you ever heard someone say, "It's water off a duck's back"?

I have always loved the phrase because it speaks of a self-integrity not willing to be compromised by outside forces. I wonder if Jesus came back from his forty days of temptation in the desert and said to his Apostles, "Yea, that was really tough... really tough. But, hey, it's water off a duck's back, right?" Or maybe, when people scoffed at his miracles and criticized him for doing God's work on the Sabbath, he thought to himself, "Gosh, I was just trying to help that man walk, didn't mean to be offensive - well, it's all water off a duck's back, and I'm glad my brother can walk now." Or even in the good moments, like his entry into Jerusalem when people were shouting 'Hosanna' and praising him for the royal king they thought he'd be; perhaps even then he prayed, "God, it's water off a duck's back. Part of me would love to bask in this adulation and maintain it, but I've got serious work to do for you. I have to remember who I am."

So, are you a duck? Do you shed distractions from God the way that a duck sheds water?

I don't mean to promote imperviousness as a kind of stubbornness or self-righteousness; it's all too easy to fall into an attitude, which is not at all holy, of "I'm right and I don't care what anybody thinks, because I'm right." Rather, I mean the kind of imperviousness that maintains our core identity as holy creations. This is something that should be protected and defended, and sometimes it takes self-confidence to hold true to our best selves.

Today, for example, would have been a good day for me to be a Catholic duck. This afternoon my Dad was in a bad mood, which, of course, happens to all of us at some point or another. But he was being just awful to my mom, and then kept baiting me about being Catholic and kept hounding me on the issue of my conversion last year, angry about various positions the Catholic church has taken on topics like the death penalty .... on and on, kept following me around yelling in my face no matter where I tried to find a place to study in the house. I'm normally pretty good at tuning stuff out and staying serene on the inside, but for some reason, today I just felt unbearably frustrated and couldn't keep it at bay. I walked out the door and walked around my neighborhood for about an hour, shaking because I was so mad.

I imagine that hell is having the worst brought out in us. Hell is probably the agony of being reduced to our worst, most impatient, most frustrated, most stupid selves. On my walk this afternoon, I was nothing more than a creature of irritation, rended into anger by a stupid situation; now it was me who was in a bad mood. It was a long while before I was able to regain my calm and sense anything like a soul within me. And to think that I let my soul get so unsettled and hateful, so utterly unholy, by jibes against my Catholicism! How ironic. Where was the solid Catholic duck that stays loyal to its own holy dignity no matter what? Where was the solid Catholic duck that keeps its soul in love with the God who is Love, no matter what?

Anything that would trickle into our souls and divert us from the heart of God should be shed like a duck sheds water. It's not wrong to feel irritated or frustrated in a passing way, but our beings, on the level of heart and soul and identity, must be unshakeably sealed in Love.

A prayer:
Dear God, thank you for life. Please seal us in your holy integrity, so that, no matter what situations we find ourselves in, we can always be true to ourselves in you. You have called us to be holy in many contexts - happiness, worry, growth, defense, support, joy, criticism, etc. - so help us remember that these are only contexts and not the substance of our Love. St. Paul wrote, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being well fed and going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through the One who strengthens me." So strengthen us, God, and seal yourself within our hearts. Thanks! Amen.

Finding Work Without Losing Heart

My aunt, a nun in Philadelphia, sent me a link to a free e-book that a priest friend of hers wrote a while back. If you check it out, feel free to post a comment below.

http://www.sju.edu/academics/hsb/resources/findingwork/index.html

New Website

If you're reading this blog, you're probably looking at the new CSC website (beta version). Erik Buschardt, CSC webmaster, has been working on the new site for several months now, and I think he's done a fantastic job in reconfiguring the site.

Our mission when revamping the site was to find the optimal way to connect with more people more often. We're all about connection here at the CSC--connection through spiritual sharing, through mass, through discussions, through debates, through hugs--why should our technology be any different?

We decided that we wanted to simplify the user experience and put content that changes on a daily basis (announcements, calendar, blog) on the home page. More static content--important stuff that rarely changes--can be found by clicking the links on the left. Depending on the size of your computer monitor, you may be able to see the entire home page without scrolling at all.

Of course, the project isn't complete until we get user feedback. Let us know what you think of the new site. Is something really hard to find or counterintuitive? Let us know. Should something be bigger or smaller or more colorful? Let us know. Does something appear a little off on your browser? Let us know.

E-mail me with your feedback at stegmaier@washucsc.org.

Contest

My aunt, who is a nun in Philadelphia, sent me this information about a contest that might be of interest to you spiritual writers out there. It's sponsored by a publisher called Paraclete Press, and the prizes are large gift certificates to the company's books and products. If you win, let us know so we can link to it on this blog!

Jesus taught in parables, and as Peter Rollins (a Paralete author) says, "Parables do not seek to change our minds but rather to change our hearts." Do you have a truth you feel must be told? Do you have a parable to tell? Here's what you do: 1. Read the sample parable from Rollins' book (click here). 2. Craft your own, original parable, communicating truth from your own life of faith. Parables may be anywhere from 100 to 1000 words in length. 3. Send your entries to ellen@paracletepress.com no later than August 1, 2009. All entries will be read and judged by Peter Rollins and winners announced on or before September 1, 2009. (see below for prizes) Paraclete Press may post the parables of both winners and contestants on our website anytime after September 1, 2009.

Leap of Faith

The third and final article on my adoption--this time from my parents' perspective--has been published on Crosswalk.com. There are links to the first and second parts on the article in case you haven't read those.

http://www.crosswalk.com/parenting/11603222/

The CSC in the Post-Dispatch

The CSC is mentioned several times in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The article, entitled, "Stretching Physical and Spiritual Muscles," mentioned the recent Yoga stations the CSC hosted:

"Last month, students performed yoga while praying to the Stations of the Cross at Washington University's Catholic Student Center."

Later in the article, the CSC was mentioned again, complete with several quotes from Fr. Gary:

The Rev. Gary Braun, director of the Catholic Student Center at Washington University, has watched the number of students who show up for Stations of the Cross dwindle to three or four. He said he's concerned that young people don't see God in suffering. He said they'd rather avoid acknowledging their own suffering by engaging in risky behaviors, such as drinking. 

So he cast about for something new and appealing that would mesh well with the Lenten devotion. He kept hearing students talk about yoga and came up with the idea of doing a different pose while praying to each of the 14 Stations of the Cross as they were projected on a screen. Braun was stunned when more than 40 students showed up to participate.

"It blew us away," he said. "The parishes around the neighborhood asked us to do it for them next year." 

A company has approached Braun about making a video of the poses so people can do it in their homes. 

Braun stresses that he's not proselytizing, but merely wooing young Catholics to the devotion. He hopes they walk away with a better sense of Jesus Christ's suffering, he said. 

"Yoga is about being present, and there's a pain in the body to hold the pose," Braun said. "It's amazingly visceral."

Lessons from the Interns

Gabe and Rachel, the CSC interns for the 2008-09 school year, spoke during a segment of the homily at Tuesday's Mass. They each had a lot to share, but I thought I'd pull one thought from each of them that stood out to me. The Gospel question was, "What have you learned this year?"

Gabe shared how he has gotten better at accepting help this year, and he offered some insight on how to do that. A struggle he has--that a lot of people have--is believing someone when they offer help. We don't know if they really mean it. So Gabe has come up with a theory that you should always accept offers of help because (a) if the person genuinely wants to help you, then they'll feel good after helping you or (b) if the person doesn't actually want to help you, accepting their disingenuous help will teach them not to offer help when they don't mean it.

Rachel shared how she has learned how to offer prayers of gratitude this year. She said in the past she would mix thankful prayers with "wishful" prayers, So she wasn't able to embody the gratitude as she was praying. She decided to name specific names and things she's grateful for, as well as gifts that God gave her. It became an exercise in intentional prayer focused on specific examples in her life and what those things mean to her (instead of thanking God in general for all of your gifts or blessings).

Have you felt the heartache of God's love supreme?

I find myself losing the proximity of some beloved friends as this year comes to a close, and the pain of this has surprised me. Especially in a college setting, people move away and shift to new chapters of life all the time; often these are wholesome shifts to hopeful futures... So why does this hurt so, so much? Why does heartache increase the more you care about a friend? And why is there divinity in this kind of bittersweet?

A couple of years ago, I don't think I was capable of missing people as I do now. I interacted with people and wanted what was best for them, but because I was focused solely on the anthropology of it, I rarely wondered what actually constituted the essence of friendship. I figured that its degrees of meaningfulness and permanence probably had to do with personality type and the pragmatics of daily life. But during my time at the CSC, I've found that deep friendship is a phenomenon which can't be fully explained with a sociology of interaction. The friendships that matter and last are those that have a divine dynamic while remaining completely rooted in the personal and relational reality.

Humanity has an inherent need to understand and be understood with the depth of God - in short, to find a 'love supreme'. I remember when Robbie Williams' single by that title topped the charts in 2000. The song's bathos bothered me, but I couldn't help recognizing that it voiced something true about people's need for intimacy: Oh, it seemed forever stopped today, all the lonely hearts in London caught a plane and flew away... Oh, what are you really looking for? All the places you have been, trying to find a love supreme, trying to find a love supreme...

The world posits a million ways to strive for it, but I think that the much searched-for love supreme is manifested in friendships of mutually growing care. At an RCIA Question and Answer session, Father Gary once said that "the highest form of humanity is good conversation," and that always stuck with me because it charted a path to collective holiness. While the logistics of a friendship may be the chatting or the time spent together, the life of a friendship lies in the manifestation of an ecstatic (as in 'out-of-stasis') divinity. It always involves growth. It always involves the building of something holy.

The heartbreaking thing about the end of the year, then, is that these life-giving friendships sometimes have to change and readjust to new circumstances. The spiritual family members we've grown together with are suddenly moving across the country, heading to new ministries, starting different jobs and attending new universities. And although we know the friendships will continue, it hurts that they can't continue exactly as they have. The divine growth is going to have to shoot forth in slightly different ways. Thank heavens for modern communications!

I suppose there is something beautiful about the bittersweetness that comes from deeply caring. I was utterly devastated earlier this week when I realized what painful thing it is to watch a friend/spiritual mentor prepare to leave, but she captured the supreme in an email, writing:

"Heartache is not something I've ever 'gotten used' to, but what I have learned is that it is an indicator that I have loved and been loved... and for that I am most grateful."

God is good, dear friends!

Dissecting the Ten Commandments

I've been reading Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson, and yesterday I came upon a fascinating diatribe from the narrator about the Ten Commandments, particularly "honor thy mother and father". I couldn't copy and paste from the text, and it's a lot to type, so to read what I'm talking about, click the link below, then click on the book cover and search inside the book for "ten commandments." It'll take you to the first page of the diatribe. Great fodder for thought, especially the passage about the ways the commandments have been misused in the past (i.e., to justify slavery).

http://www.amazon.com/Gilead-Novel-Marilynne-Robinson/dp/031242440X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240798683&sr=8-1

Under the Tuscan Moon

I just wanted to share with everyone my excitement about tomorrow's spring event at Oliva on The Hill, which we're calling Under the Tuscan Moon (7-10:00). There are currently 96 people signed up to attend, so we're expecting quite a crowd. The weather is supposed to be beautiful, and I plan on spending my time in the courtyard area.

If you're interested in coming, contact David Montgomery as soon as possible at montgomery@washucsc.org or 314-935-9191 ext. 224. Tickets are $50. I hope to see you there!

(Also, a special thanks to Catering St. Louis for sponsoring this event.)

Rethinking Boredom

Do you think you feel bored? How do you experience your everyday Christianity?

The other day I was bored studying, so I started looking up words in the Oxford English Dictionary... and I found that the words "bored" and "boredom" were only used for the first time in 1852 in a Charles Dickens novel. This fascinated me because most words have very, very long histories going back to the 11th or 12th century. Why is "boredom" such a recent concept? Did people before then have the same feelings of the commonplace, but assume they were the norm rather than something to be described? Or did they feel the commonplace, but see it as neutral or even positive?

When I am doing something and it strikes me that I am bored doing it, suddenly I am less content in it. The concept does not describe, but rather creates a sense of dissatisfaction and impatience. I suddenly worry that I am missing something, that life is supposed to be more exciting, and that I'm supposed to have something in addition going on. But until that moment, I am actually quite happy and absorbed studying, cleaning, cooking, daydreaming or whatever.

Perhaps the newness of the term shows us that we don't have to frame the commonplace as a necessarily negative experience; it's not a given inherent in human experience, but rather an association of just the last hundred years.

What does this mean for our spiritual lives? Although it's good to be striving for holiness, maybe we don't have to freak out and doubt ourselves if there's not much happening at the moment. This past year and a half has been a great one for me as I've learned more about the Catholic faith, started spiritual direction, gone through RCIA, spent the summer with the Carmelites, helped with the Awakening retreat, sponsored in RCIA, etc. My mind has been expanding at a crazy rate and I know the Holy Spirit is in all of this and will be in it in the future.

But I surprised myself the other evening when I was reading about a saint and I suddenly worried that I was bored with it. For some reason, St. Therese just wasn't very interesting at the moment and I didn't even feel in the mood to read about any other saint, either. And I was concerned because this was negative lack, right? What if I was no longer on the edge, no longer on the ever-expanding horizon? What was wrong with me?

I don't know exactly what to make of this, but maybe it's just a moment or just a shift with no crisis attached. Experiencing feelings of the commonplace doesn't have to be framed as "boredom" which is a new term that unfortunately indexes existential negativity.

Maybe Therese will be more interesting tomorrow. Or maybe my new horizon isn't in the lives of the saints but rather in something else the church has to offer. Or maybe God just wants me to be content in the moment. In any case, I'll never say I'm bored, and then I won't be!

Clumsy


It's funny.

I mean it's the peculiar and interesting type of funny funny... and the powerful silence gripping it, grips you. The Grace bluntly revealed by it is quite satisfying to the soul, but clumsy.

Usually it happens as unexpected as a bolt of lightning and equally as startling. It ushers a silence that presses its presence upon you and crushes your will to disturb it. It's peculiar how simply silence establishes its authority with it while re-establishing the authority of the spoken word by virtue of its absence.

It's a delicate, strangely elegant moment with a sharp temptation to say something but... silence says it best. It's clumsy and humbling how Grace gets revealed, shared yet still remains hidden in its silence.

It's interesting how so many dire things become, at this moment, frivolous and inconsequential. Whatever was so pressing, important or unsuitable becomes oddly, irrelevant.

It happened the other day when a friend told a story that took place a long time ago, though time had little affect on him. The story brought to life the clouds that carried the rain which warned of the thunder that echoed the lightning which shattered the silence... and revealed it in a profoundly Graceful way.

Who would have thought seeing a grown man cry could be such a wondrous thing.

Funny.

The Good News

Don't you love it when there's good news but no bad news? This is one of those days.

Thanks to the generosity of all of you who were inspired by our matched collection this Easter, the total collection (pre-match) from this past Easter was $54,401.18. Let me repeat.

$54,401.18

You all are amazing! Thank you so much for your generosity!

(This post was updated on Wednesday, April 15.)

Stripped

Naked He stood stripped on the cold marble floor of Pilate's Praetorium. Surrounded, a garrison of soldiers mocked, spat and crowned Him with thorns. "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!" echoed into the chamber.

Alone, Jesus' heart had to have been racing and chest heaving. Refusing to deny who He was, Jesus responded to His accusers final temptations with silence. (A peek into the third beatitude: meek)

These austere circumstances are revealing. Through this gauntlet, with only faith, trust and love, Jesus carved the eye of a needle He needed to pass through to enter His Kingdom and our Salvation.

Maybe this final stripping of Jesus shows God knows how painful it can be as the world strips its assets, our idols, back from us (think stock market, etc.). And Jesus' path will be the one we take into His Kingdom. The world inevitably disappoints and betrays, leaving you rejected and alone. And that's the good news!

The intent is never suffering for suffering sake.

On the other side, God's peace awaits... the one that surpasses understanding, un-burdens, un-worries, and makes life worth living. It's the peace that teaches you to love in spite of, during and even because of suffering.

Redeemed, there's a thrill of hope and a weary soul rejoices. Nothing of this world will give it to you; and nothing can take it away. Not even a garrison of soldiers.

Saints and Smiles

Catholic religious art is so great, especially with a sense of humor!
Credits go to www.lolsaints.com for great images of the saints we love so much.

The kingdom of heaven... and what's the other one for?



















The Feast of the Annunciation:















Blessing of the animals:
















Lord of the Dance: Holy fashion:

















The original gansta:

The Zoo at Mass

Just thought I'd share a funny story about this past weekend's mass from my personal blog.

http://jameystegmaier.com/2009/04/05/management-tactic-31-the-camel-rule/

Pierced

SilenceHoldsRevealsConcealsEverything.


Confided
Within
Silence
Is
Grace.


The clanging bell tolls with a hollow cowbell sound and like cattle we are summoned to the trough. Overflowing with milk and honey, enough never satisfies, we starve. Victimized by the trillionth promise of safety the world conjures up, we covet. Like Pavlov's dog expecting satisfaction, we drool.

The noise and commotion,
Clatter and clamor
Empty desire and blind ambition
Pulverize silence like a bloody jackhammer.

Blotted transgressions masquerading as grievances and regrets, dreams smolder as the body gets older and vain hopes of the promise of something extra... silence amidst this violence seems preposterous.

Children of Grace, heirs to inheritance
Your prayers have been heard for Holy Innocence.
Faithful to the Solemn Pact
Silence knows its time to act.

The sheer magnitude of silence dwarfs violence and the Grace confided within exposes its folly. Listen.

The church bells ring!
Extolling The Exemption.
The Angels sing!
Of the prodigal's redemption.

Knowing innocence reestablishes our trust in silence, Innocence did. That's when Innocence in Silence absorbed the violence, absolved and then transformed it.

Glory the day when Silence shouted
The violent winds, Grace re-routed.
Laying bare a Love so fierce


Willingly hung Innocence Pierced

Wrighton Award

Those of you who attended the 9:00 mass last night at the CSC were witness to Chancellor Wrighton receiving the first-annual Catholic Campus Ministry Association's Exemplary Administrator Award. Below is a photo of the chancellor receiving the award, as well as the full text of the essay that was submitted to nominate him for the honor.

Mark S. Wrighton, Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis and champion of the Catholic Student Center at that institution, is a chemist at heart. After graduating from Florida State University with a B.S. degree with honors in chemistry in 1969, Chancellor Wrighton spent the next 21 years in chemistry-related academia. He is blessed with the skills of joining covalent bonds to charged particles, of linking elements together to form complex compounds. He is blessed with the ability to make connections.

Upon his election and appointment as the Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis in 1995, Chancellor Wrighton took his abilities in the field of chemistry and transferred them to the student body and greater community. Instead of melding molecules, he forged relationships between donors, alumni, parents, faculty, and the people of St. Louis. He recognized that the Catholic Student Center and its director, Fr. Gary Braun, were important assets in keeping those bonds firmly in place. He also saw the CSC as a house open to students of all denominations, a home away from home for students who need a place to feel grounded and comfortable in their own skin. By identifying and affirming the CSC’s efforts to be open and inclusive, Chancellor Wrighton established a precedent for Washington University to welcome students and organizations of all faiths. Chancellor Wrighton continues this tradition by making several appearances at Interfaith Alliance meetings every year.

During his years in the field of chemistry, a major focus of Chancellor Wrighton’s research interests was discerning and creating new catalysts. In his role as the Chancellor, he himself has embodied the role of a catalyst as he has sought to expand the Catholic Student Center’s potential energy. When the CSC determined that it needed to expand its chapel to accommodate the crowds of students that filled the seats every Sunday, Chancellor Wrighton was there to support the initiative from the beginning. At the campaign kickoff for the chapel expansion in 2005, which coincided with Chancellor Wrighton’s birthday, he served as the keynote speaker. Even though Chancellor Wrighton is not Catholic, and even though the university’s charter does not allow it to support any particular religion or religious university, he extended the generosity of his time to the CSC community to support the cause.

But Chancellor Wrighton has acknowledged from the beginning that the CSC is more than a chapel. He believes that the CSC plays an integral role in student life, not just as a physical place, but also as a living campus ministry that positively affects the lives of the students at Washington University. Through Chancellor Wrighton’s guidance, the university now receives over 22,000 applications for about 1,350 openings in a typical entering class (a two-fold increase from before his appointment), and he has opened his arms to campus ministers walking among those students.

Despite his impressive academic background, Chancellor Wrighton continues to learn from those around him. Immediately following the tragedy on September 11, 2001, one of the first people he called was Fr. Gary. He welcomed Fr. Gary’s counsellorship, and he sought to better understand the spiritual side of how to deal with the aftermath of the terrorist act. Chancellor Wrighton has also striven to give students the opportunity to learn more about faith and religion, most recently by adding a full-time Chair of Catholic Studies to the university’s faculty. The addition, he noted in his announcement, allows Washington University to “foster a deeper understanding of the historical, philosophical, theological and social impact of the Roman Catholic Church. And it will create new opportunities for greater interaction with the St. Louis Catholic community.” This position complements the previously established programs in Jewish and Islamic studies.

In the chemistry lab, Mark S. Wrighton successfully replicated photosynthesis, the conversion of solar energy into usable, chemical energy in biological organisms. As the Chancellor at Washington University in St. Louis, he has found a way to connect students to the various sources of energy in their lives. The Catholic Student Center and other campus ministries are vessels of such energy, and we are blessed to have Chancellor Wrighton as a champion of our ministry.

What Does Writing Do For You?

Today one of my favorite people at the CSC reminded me of something I've known for so long but usually somehow forget. She said that while I can be so specific and descriptive in writing about what I feel or think, whenever she asks me in person how I'm doing I inevitably answer in some quiet and vague manner. I'm not as good of a communicator in person as on the page, she said to me tonight.

Like I said, this was hardly breaking news to me or to anybody who knows me. Not only do I come from a family that internalizes just about everything, but for years I struggled with a speech impediment that stunted my confidence and muzzled me even more. Nurture and nature. And to be really honest, I still struggle with it. Every day. I say this openly and frequently, but getting to the point to where I am today--a teacher, retreat director, campus minister, and a coach--is an achievement in which I take more pride than just about anything else I've accomplished. The achievement isn't in the fact that I've conquered anything. Just that I've learned how to harness my fear.

But why is it so difficult for me to open up to a friend in a one-on-one setting? This is never an issue of literally struggling to speak; that's a perpetual gift saved for other numerous opportunities. I wish I knew the answer, because deep down, I long to have that connection. I long to have intimate relationships. I anticipate one of the greatest and deepest joys of my life will be when I find the woman with whom I will share everything. And I've already received great blessings and graces through real and sustained friendship. So it's not that I desire to ever come off as shallow, detached, or worse, uncaring. In fact, when I look at myself in the morning, I look at someone who strives to be quite the opposite.

So what does writing afford me, the writer? What does it do for you?

One thing I love is reading reflections on the art and craft of writing. But real quickly, I believe that the act of writing inherently puts an arrangement around feelings or anchors actions that may lack any other real nucleus. Once written, words allow the writer the opportunity to get a more objective perspective on things that have rumbled around inside of him or her. Once I see what's on my paper or computer screen, I'm more able to find the words to speak about those very things in a more coherent manner. It's a process.

But thanks to my challenger tonight, I'm re-resolved to taking the same risks in conversation that I do on the page. Even though vastly more people could theoretically read what I post on a blog, the real and immediate presence of a one-on-one conversation is somehow more threatening to me. Threatening and scary, but an intimacy that bonds friendships anew and strengthens ones existing. Two things I can get on board with.

Catholic CSC Vocabulary

When I first came to the CSC and was thinking about becoming Catholic, I had to learn a whole new vocabulary. There were so many unfamiliar words and phrases which people would toss around during conversation, and it took me a little while to place them all in context and make definitions for them. For example:

'The gifts' brought up to the altar during Mass are the bread and the wine, not the collection baskets that go around church.

A 'monsignor' is a fancy priest, whereas a 'monstrance' is the gold stand which holds up the consecrated Host during eucharistic adoration.

'Perpetual' adoration means it's going to be at some terrible hour of the night.

The 'Our Father' is the same thing as "The Lord's Prayer.'

The 'Gary' in 'Father Gary' is his first name, not his last name.

'OCD' refers to the initials of the Discalced Carmelites, not Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. And CCD is something totally different - a Catholic education class.

All the different "ladies" in Catholicism are not actually different. Names like "Lourdes" and "Guadalupe" are not these women's names, but refer to the places where Mary was seen.

When you're new to the Catholic Student Center and somebody comes up and invites you to 'Masensupe on Tuesday,' they mean a Mass service first and then a soup dinner afterwards :P

'Scoot to the middle of your pew' isn't meant literally, but rather means you're supposed to scoot towards the end of the bench closest to the middle of the church.

In any case, I've enjoyed getting more familiar with all the linguistic idiosyncrasies of Catholicism and the CSC, and I'm currently in the process of trying to figure out this term: charism. I've heard Fr. Gary use it as a synonym for "ministry" but sometimes people use it as a synonym for something more vague like "community spirit." And yet other people talk about it as though it's a quality you're born with, like an extra chromosome or something. So, for example, what does it mean to talk about the "charism of the CSC"? I'm trying to build a working definition for this word and this is what I've got so far:

"A charism is the shared principle by which the members of a particular community articulate the love of Christ in their interactions with God, one another, and the world. A charism is not a static quality possessed by an individual, but rather a relational capacity manifested in community. This articulation of love is infused and guided by the Holy Spirit and thus, with God's help, individuals can grow into the community semantic. Fulfilling this potential lends efficacy to the community's abstract spirit. When a charism is shared by the members of a community, it forms the grammar of their love in everyday prayer, relationship and ministry. The manifestation of charism is essentially the continued speaking of god's eternal word through the lived language of a particular community."

Okay, does that definition work according to your experiential understanding of the term? And if we buy this definition, then what would the "CSC charism" be? What is our particular gift in articulating the love of Christ?