From a young alum and community member:

I'm looking for a full-time job for the spring (and possibly summer depending on which occupational therapy graduate program I go to). Jobs I would be interested in are:
- regularly scheduled babysitting/nanny (I have a year of experience with children with autism so I'm comfortable taking care of people with special needs. I've also volunteered over 100 hours at Children's hospital and I enjoy playing games and doing crafts with kids)
- cooking meals for people (I really enjoy cooking)
- helping out around the CSC

If you have a job connection for this community member, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org and he'll put you two in touch!

What is your favorite part of an Oreo?

After listening to this week's homily (http://www.onlinehomilies.com/sessions/3047), a community member sent in this photo. What's your favorite part of an Oreo?

The End of the World

This is a guest blog by community member Frank Freeman. If you're interested in sharing your thoughts about spirituality and theology with the CSC community, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org.

The following item was copied from a journal (http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/rabbi-and-archbishop-connect-and-thoughts-new-theologians) telling about an experience of speaking to Catholics:

"As part of the deal, I was asked to deliver the convocation address, which presented a rare opportunity to speak directly to a sample of the next generation of theologians. Here's a synopsis of what I said.

First, I delivered a simple two-word message, one that, in my experience, theologians don't hear nearly often enough: "Thank you."

Thank you, I said, for putting your intellect, your passions and your lives at the service of faith seeking understanding. It's an arduous enterprise, and you're probably more likely to hear from people mad at you than from those quietly grateful. The vitality of the church, however, depends in no small way on your work."

The above words call attention to the need for theology to interpret for us the end of the world theme in the Gospel of Matthew. Theology tells us what we can’t just “see” without help. Simple morality, the life of the heart, and the pursuit of justice all will continue in existence to the very end of time. And those things all matter now and will come again to matter a second time.

Without the theology, we would be easily subject to the flood of symbols and thoughts that circulate just below the surface.

Just below the surface, we are cynical. We feel that justice and simple morality and the feelings we have are unimportant. Theology helps us to put our faith into perspective and to try to understand that we really are important. Theology can tell us not to become cynical and that God will not buy into it when we become cynical and dysfunctional.

What theology wont do is to “freshening up” our images. Those images are too deeply embedded to change. Theology goes around them, not through them. Theology tells us that even to the end of time, what we are now is what God sees and responds to. Our images don’t tell us that belief. Our images tell us to give up hope! Matthew teaches us about our images and “threads” the images with the moral lessons we need to live without fear and with hope. Otherwise, Matthew’s knowledge of the end of the world is the same as the pagans have.

It seems like very bad news, and Matthew does nothing to cover it up or give it a sugar coating.

Our “Catholic” beliefs about the end of the world (and Matthew’s direct images) come from our pagan ancestors. They also come from certain Protestant and Evangelical non-Catholic-Christians, most of whom do not acknowledge how pagan they actually are. It is tempting to fall for the Protestant non-Catholic theological rhetoric and to believe that we are privileged in a special way. That somehow some of us will be privileged. The Catholic theologians say, “no sale.” They don’t buy into the message that we are privileged. They buy into the message of hope: that God loves us as we are. The Protestant-non-Catholic is selling a privilege. The privilege of watching the end of the world from a box seat where nothing bad happens to the spectators. Not so. God will destroy what he chooses. There are no exceptions.

Sell? We are not sold. We are pretty much the same as the pagans.

Jesus says as much when he says that no man knows, only the Father. He could just as easily have said, the pagans have as much right to their beliefs as you do because you are doing guess work about a subject of which you are ignorant.

Our theologians teach us to accept our images of the end of the world because they are built in. Even though they are nothing other than the common, pagan, estimation, they are what we have inside us. We may substitute a scientific belief; but we will soon find out that even the scientists love science fiction more than their own predictions about the running down of the energy reserves. The point is that we are all caught up in that fiction. We don’t know; but that doesn’t stop us from trying. The fiction points out to us that the world will end. It isn’t stable, and it will, at some point, exhaust itself or else just run out of time. It will fall upon itself; or it will come to a staggering defeat due to some or other force. A merely natural force could do us in. A powerful god might give a decree that also does the job.
We pray that God not extend the end time so long that everyone on earth loses all hope and all faith.

It is a prayer for mercy. Did Jesus command us to pray that way. Yes. He commanded us to pray that way. The prayer will play a role in what God chooses. That much insight comes from our faith. The pagan images don’t seem to leave a lot of room for the fruition of our prayer life. Jesus says that it will be that way and it will be very bad if our prayers are too weak or so nonexistent that God has to act on his own. Jesus has commanded us to hold up our end of the bargain. And that it will bear fruit if we do. Just like the famous fig tree that unlike the faithless one, brought forth fruit. The other one earned a curse for only doing leaves. We seem to be one or the other of those two trees. And we have a command as to which one works. Our prayers will work. That form of belief is not cynical,of course; but we are born to believe otherwise and have to go the whole nine yards to trust in Jesus. We will always have the gut feeling that our prayers are the empty sound of an empty water reservoir. The old kind that each town mounted on stilts. We will never actually see our prayers accumulating into the fruition of the end time events. Until it happens. Until then, have faith. And make your faith produce works worthy of God’s trust in you. Theologically speaking, of course. Who knows any better than that?

Job Seeker: Piano Lessons

From a young adult and community member:

"I have a Bachelors degree in Music from Truman State University and offer piano lessons to students of all ages either from my home or in yours."

If you have a job connection for this community member, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org and he'll put you two in touch!

Joplin Service Trip Reflection by Mark Levand

A Reflection from CSC Intern-in-Service Mark Levand following the Joplin service trip

We just went to Joplin, MO and saw some pretty intense broken houses. A lot of the debris was cleaned up, but there was still much chaos present. Broken houses, crap all over, chairs in yards, bikes in bushes, trees with no leaves...or branches - that was all pretty face-value. Broken was broken; that's it - it gets fixed or it doesn't. But one of the most interesting things I found was the way impact of this devastation on people's relationships.

There was an old couple who were married for some 35 odd years who had all of their possessions blown away and had minimal insurance. We talked for a bit and they seemed pretty high-spirited. That was cool. The more we talked the more I put my self in that position; I am with my wife, living my life normally and suddenly everything is gone. Ok, that's fine, all our possessions - furniture, pictures, family heirlooms, appliances, bed sheets, my collection of bottle caps, notes from my wife from 40 years ago, my favorite T-shirt, my assortment of medications, that one thing we brought home from our honeymoon that we had that inside joke about that would always make us laugh in the midst of our stressed, child-rearing lives - all gone. Ok, that's big, but they're still just things - it would be tough, but still it would be "just things." I still have my wife, whom I love more than anything that the tornado splintered and threw all over town. and we have nothing but each other.

At this moment, I thought of Kenny Chesney's song "Honey, would you stand by me?" in which his partner was asked if they would stand by him if "your coat was thin and your shoes were old" and if "you didn't have nothin' but boots and jeans, honey, would you stand by me?" I thought of how much more sense this song made when we are faced with this reality in our lives. There certainly are marriages that crumble because one or both parties cannot deal with the situation at hand. There are also couples that get to experience love in a different way. A love that was there all along but now making them feel safe and blessed in a way that has never before been realized. A love that can allow them to say "yeah, we have nothing, but we have each other." A saying that is often heard and used. Perhaps to the point of the listeners missing the gravity of the concept. The feeling of losing possessions is nothing compared to the feeling of losing that love and support which has allowed us to grow safely and securely. Conversely, the absence of the material things that we have accrued over our years together, makes the presence of all of the intangible realities that we have accrued over these many years all the more real - all the more indestructible - and all the more life-giving.

So my experience of the "devastation" throughout Joplin has been more joyous than anything else. Much has been lost - clothes, shelter, cars, canned goods, that drawer of ugly sweaters that we are obligated to have that we only open by accident only to realize that we never use them and wonder why we even have them in the drawer in the first place - many gathered objects through our lives. But much more has been revealed. The dedication, fidelity, and support of people. The love between many of the couples I had met was practically tangible. Their love was inexplicably evident.

I suppose this meant a lot to me because I will never be rich. I will likely be in a position of minimal necessities several times in my life. And the concept of having someone stand by me in those times is wonderful. I cannot wait for my wife and I to encounter life at its best and worst with the love we have for each other. I cannot wait for the times when we 'aint got nothin' but boots and jeans' but still love and support one another. I cannot wait for the opportunity to have a love that is not only comforting but also empowering; enabling us to be the best people we can be, together.

Environmental Pledge Ideas

--I will walk, ride a bike, carpool, “WeCar” or ride the Metrolink to work/school at least once a week (Reduce your carbon footprint by 1 pound for every mile you do not drive).

--I will decrease my shower time by five minutes.

--I will join an environmental organization.

--I will use my tax refund to buy trees (Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per tree per year).

--I will only buy 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

--I will replace all of my incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star bulbs (Reduce your carbon

footprint by 450 pounds/year).

--I will only run my dishwasher, washing machine and/or dryer when it is full (Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40/year).

-- I will move my heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer (Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98/year).

--I will turn my thermostat back 10-15 degrees when I am away during the day (Save 10% on heating and cooling bills).

--I will use a designated reusable bag for shopping to cut down on plastic and paper bag usage.

--I won't leave the tap running while I brush my teeth (Save 25 gallons of water/month or 14,600 liters of water/year).

--If I have to print, I will print 2 pages to a sheet or print double sided (Save over half a tree being destroyed/year).

--I will turn the lights out when I leave the room (Save 68kg of CO2/year).

--I will reuse or refuse a plastic bag at least 3 times a week (Save 156 bags going to landfill/year).

--I will use a push mower to mow the lawn (Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide/year).

--I will air-dry my clothes when the weather permits (Save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75/year).

--I will change my car’s air filter monthly (Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130/year).

--I will write a letter to my Congressman and/or Senator asking him or her to support legislation to stop global warming (Visit www.nrdc.org/policy or www.nrdc.org/legislation for more information).

--I will use plastic/reusable plates rather than paper ones.

--I will not burn my leaves, which leads to air pollution, health problems and fire hazards. I will start a compost pile at home instead (Visit http://www.compostguide.com/ for more information).

--I will switch off my power strips and unplug device chargers when they are not in use.

--I will set my computer and monitor to sleep when not in use, and turn off my monitor, PC, copier and printer at the end of the day (Can cut your computer’s electricity use roughly in half).

--I will take the stairs rather than the elevator at least twice a week.

--If I work in a research lab, I will close the sash on my fume hood while not in use (Can reduce total energy consumption in buildings by 17%).

--I will begin a composting program in my home/apartment or at work.

--I will reduce my meat consumption by choosing a vegetarian entree at least once a week.

--I will use a reusable water bottle rather than bottled water.

--I will use a reusable lunch box rather than paper or plastic bags.

--I will take notes on my computer at least twice a week rather than using paper.

--I will create an environmental awareness signature for my e-mail accounts (for example: “Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail”).

Want to do even more? Contact Theresa Schmidt at schmidt@washucsc.org for more information on or suggestions for the CSC's environmental efforts.

Job Seeker

A young adult in the CSC community is offering the following to any parents in the area:

"Babysitting on Tuesdays & Thursdays & Fridays. I canusually be anywhere by 3:45/4 pm for pick

up. I can also cook any meals and do any cleaning / ironing /etc. I can do some weekends."

If you'd like to get in touch with this person, please first contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org. If you're looking for a job or have a job opportunity, you can contact him with that info as well.

WUSTL 101: Do’s and Don’ts for Surviving Your First Year

Whether you are a first-year or transfer student, it can be difficult adjusting to a new place, new

lifestyle and new people. I hope this list of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” will help make that transition

easier, and allow you to enjoy and thrive during your time at Washington University in St. Louis.

Do:

--Make a difference. Are you a total tree hugger? Do you enjoy tutoring or mentoring children?

Research shows that volunteering improves health and self-esteem, so pick that issue or cause

that means the most to you and get involved with it. The Wash U Community Service Office

offers a wide variety of programs to choose from, and there are many clubs that raise awareness

of issues, such as the CSC’s Pax Christi or Wash U’s Environmental Justice Initiative for

grad students. In addition, these programs and clubs provide another way for you to meet

people who share the same goals and ideals as you. CSC extra: Contact Cynthia Enghauser at

enghauser@washucsc.org to find out about service and social justice opportunities available

through the CSC.

--Budget your time and money. Without Mom and Dad constantly nagging you to get your

homework done, it is easy to fall behind and perhaps lose that scholarship you need. While

you are supposed to enjoy college, it is important to remember that the main reason you are

here is to receive an education and prepare for the future. A great way to stay on-track is to set

up a rewards system: if I read fifty pages from my English novel, I can watch half an hour of

television. The same system works for budgeting money: if I do not eat out this week, I can rent

that DVD I wanted to see. If you have a reward or treat to look forward to, it makes it much

easier to save that money or get that homework done.

--Find a “study buddy” in every class. Sometime during the semester, the inevitable will

happen when you will, for whatever reason, be unable to make it to class. This is where

the “study buddy” comes in handy: at the beginning of each class, find out the name of that nice

girl or guy who sits beside you, and add them as a friend on Facebook. Then, when you cannot

make it to class, you can easily get the notes or homework assignment from your “study buddy”

instead of needing to contact or track-down the teacher. CSC extra: The CSC offers a ton of

great rooms for study session groups, including our library and dining room. The building is

accessible 24/7 with the key code (contact a staff member) and has free Wi-Fi.

Don’t:

--Put yourself on overload. Going to college is like traveling to another country: there are

so many things to see and to do, and you want to experience and participate in all of them.

Unfortunately, this can get you over-committed and cause you much un-needed stress. Do not

join every club or sorority that solicits you; attend a meeting or activity of all the clubs or groups

you are interested in and then decide which most excite you. Make sure you understand the

time and work commitment expected of you in each activity, and figure out how that will fit it

with homework, job and class commitments. Finally, make sure you save room for “me” time

and relaxing: you are not an asset to anyone else if you are completely frazzled from being on

overload. CSC extra: Relax with us! The CSC offers Mass on Sundays at 11am and 9pm in the

CSC Chapel, as well as Adoration on Wednesdays from 8-9pm.

--Hesitate to contact your teachers. Do you have some kind of mental or health condition that

may interfere with class somehow? Be straight from day one: send all your teachers an e-mail

describing your condition (I have diabetes, which is this, and means I have to do this) or conflict

in your life (my parents are getting a divorce, my grandpa is dying) and how it may interfere

with the class. If you let the teacher know ahead of time what issues you might be facing, it

makes it easier for them to understand if you do need to miss class and lets them know that you

are not lazy or “skipping.” Always let your teacher know if you are going to miss class, and try

to get the homework ahead of time if possible. If you are having trouble understanding a concept,

set up a time with your teacher to explain it: believe it or not, but the majority of them do not

want you to flunk their class.

--Stereotype others. High school has an uncanny ability to put labels on people and organize

them into groups. There are the jocks, the nerds, the preps, etc. Leave those high school

stereotypes behind, and look at each person as an individual, not a member of a group. If you

do not limit others, they will not limit you, and you are much more likely to discover true

friendships than if you stick with your specified group. College gives everyone a new beginning,

and by broadening your horizons you may discover a side of yourself that you never knew you

had.

--Skimp on sleep. Research shows that sleep deprivation negatively affects mood and decreases ability to pay attention and retain information. You might have a great time making a midnight Taco Bell run with your friends one evening, but when you have to wake up at 8 A.M. the

following morning it can negatively affect your entire day. Always plan what time you need to

go to bed in order to get the recommended eight hours of sleep you need each night. Include

plenty of time to get ready for bed, fall asleep, and get ready in the morning. Arrange midnight

rendezvous with your friends when you do not have class early the next morning. If you

do have to stay up late one night, schedule time on the following day for a 30 to 45 minute

nap, and make sure you can get to bed on time that night. For more information, check out

www.sleepfoundation.org.

Overall, college is about balance. Learn how to prioritize and organize your commitments

now—it will help you succeed both in college and in the work force.

On behalf of the Catholic Student Center staff, welcome to Wash U!

Job Opportunity

Young couple in the community looking for full-time daycare in someone's home for their newborn starting in February.

Contact Jamey (stegmaier@washucsc.org) if you'd like to be put in touch with the couple.

Job Opportunity

Family looking for after school care for their two boys (5 and 7). They live in Kirkwood. 3pm-6pm ideally M-F.

Contact Jamey for more info at stegmaier@washucsc.org.

Job Seeker

From a recent grad and community member:

"I have a Bachelors degree in Classics and would like to get a Masters in Social Work. To better direct my future studies, I would like a job at a local social service agency where I can gain hands-on experience in the field. Since I am interested in pursuing clinical social work, I would prefer any work that would allow me to work directly with clients. I am open to all populations, but I work best one-on-one with adults."

If you have a job connection for this community member, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org and he'll put you two in touch!

The Renovated Kitchen

Through the amazing generosity of Mike Beck, community member, RCIA sponsor, and co-owner of Beck/Allen Cabinetry, the CSC was able to renovate the house kitchen this summer. Mike took care of the cabinets and countertops, and past CSC residents chipped in to pay for the updated electricity, appliances, lighting, and flooring.

Why the house kitchen? One former resident, Terry Quinn, says it so well here:

Do you remember how much life at the CSC revolved around the kitchen? Think of how Gary’s high-pitched laugh would fill the room in the late morning when he came down for coffee. Or think of late-night conversations with people you bumped into on your way home—and how you suddenly didn’t feel as tired as you thought you were and stayed up even later into the night. Do you remember the impromptu feasts made up of leftovers from catered campus events or giant boxes of whatever was on sale at Sam’s that week? Did you ever meet someone in that kitchen—a student or some passing-through guest of another resident—that you felt immediately connected to?

If you've ever spent much time at the CSC, you know that the answer to those questions is a resounding YES.

There are several other parties to thank for their time, talent, and discounts. :)

Yvonne Sloan of Y Designs: Thank you for coordinating so many components of the kitchen. If you're looking for home or commercial designer, call Yvonne at 432-1081.

Jose Fernandez: Thank you for installing so many components of the kitchen. If you need someone to do pretty much any kind of work at your house, call Jose at 636-485-9974.

Schaeffer Electric: Thank you for providing such incredible service for the multitude of installations we asked you to do.

Francis Leisure, TMI: Thank you for taking the time to remove and reinstall the fan-coil units in the kitchen so we could completely redo the floors.

Now for some photos:

Before

After

Before

After

Employment Opportunity

A community member is looking for an after school nanny in University City. She has 2 girls (6th & 9th grade). Job involves driving home from school (your car), homework help, light housekeeping, starting some dinners or occasional meals for girls. Hours 2-6 pm. For additional pay, inclusion of laundry & ironing services preferred.

Please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org if you're interested.

If community members and students have job opportunities or jobs they're looking for within the CSC community, please e-mail a short description to Jamey.

Amos

Community member Frank Freeman contributed this entry to the CSC blog.

Amos’s role in history was to elevate the religion of Israel. Israel had ceased to be

religious; it had become a commercial people. Amos had an axe to grind. But we

may be surprised at the vehement force of his attack on the religion of Israel. At

the time, the name “Israel” referred to a region which was traditionally Jewish, but

no longer used that name. Amos was Jewish. He had a religion that he believed;

but why care that way about another country. What made Amos into “Amos?”

Amos, the Lover of Our Lady Wisdom

exploring the metamorphosis of Amos

There may be a reason why a Jewish boy, a young Amos, might have been attracted

to Israel. Amos was personally a wise man, a quality he shared with his Edomite

neighbors. There is nothing territorial about Our Lady Wisdom. She can flourish in any

culture. Amos clearly loved her; and just as clearly had other equally religious needs.

We see him first in a country in which his religious needs went unsatisfied. He was

vulnerable. In the flush of first love, the love of Our Lady Wisdom, he found himself

religiously lacking. The leadership of Judah was religiously weak. The “Law” was not

established in the heart. It was verbalized, but it had no emotional force to it. The name

for this region, the Southern part of the traditional Jewish region, was “Judah.”

Judah had a priesthood; but the priests were too weak to exert social force. Instead of

having a potent religion, they had weak one with tyrants for their leaders. The priests

went through the motions mechanically; they had no social force; they were being used.

Northern Israel, the geographic northernmost part of the Northern Kingdom, would

mean a distant place to Amos. Northern Israel, lying geographically close to Assyria,

was a place of social and religious ferment. The ferment did not travel south. The

southern part was complacent.

The Southern border to the kingdom to the north of Judah, was the nearby Kingdom of

Israel. It was in walking distance from Amos’s home. One may imagine Amos being

able to see the capital city (in his mind’s eye, of course) from his front door on the hill

top where he lived.

What we are driving at here is that in the very furthest Northern part of the Kingdom

of Israel the Levites, a non-priestly order charged explicitly with teaching, like our

Christian order of deacons, had produced a written work of the Jewish Law. This book,

which we may still have today, was the original form of the Book of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy is the highest book of the Law of Israel; it is the place where it is affirmed

that we are to love our God with our whole heart and our whole soul and our neighbor

as ourself.

Amos would not have read those exact words. The book in his time was a primitive one,

suited to the needs of the teachers whose job it was to draw out the social implications

of the Law. Amos bit and was captured and captivated by it. Nothing in his experience

was anything like this work. It shaped his life; and he became an activist in the Southern

part of the Northern Kingdom. He made it his job to tell them what the Law meant. In

Amos, Our Lady Wisdom meets the force of the Law and wins it over. Through Amos

we learn what it really means to love God. It has its roots in Our Lady Wisdom and for

its sake we put wisdom above the Law.

The book that we call Deuteronomy was written in the Persian period. Many hundreds

of years would pass before the book we have took the shape in which we find it. Amos

become one of the many commentators whose life work turns up in this book of the

Law. But before Amos could impact the book, it had to do its work on him. He had to

become it; to eat it; and to learn to preach it.

The metamorphoses of Amos was a spiritual journey from Wisdom to Law, a new

kind of Law that developed and is governed by Wisdom. Wisdom is like

commonsense. It all took place in the southern region of a kingdom that could

not have cared less. They were a commercial people for whom religion was a

simple duty, something that one performed in a sacred place specially reserved

for worship. Any social impact was only because it is supposed to be good idea

to think like that and to try to live up to one’s social duties in life. Amos’s brand

of faith was foreign to them. He preached it in their temple and they were very

reluctant to silence him because it was apparent that he had the authority to do

so. They asked him to leave; they tried to convince him that he had no realistic

vocation. It only made him try harder. We can perceive the fanaticism that

gripped him. It would be a sad mistake to suppose that he ever really lost his first

love for Our Lady Wisdom.

Your Vision of the CSC

Last week, the CSC hosted its first-ever (to my knowledge) visioning day (which was actually two days). The event was led by the CSC's consultant, John Flynn, and his assistant, Jody Schrandt, and was attended by over 40 community members, parents, students, alumni, staff, clergy, and Wash U faculty. Through lectures, discussions, and brainstorming sessions, the group determined that the following five areas are the most important for the CSC to consider as it moves forward:

1. Build relationship between students and non-student community
2. Help new graduates transition to other communities
3. Create a residential community
4. Strong Leadership Team and Succession Planning
5. Catholic Intellectual Thought and Theology Courses

I collected a few thoughts from those in attendance that I wanted to share on this site. These are just random quotes that stood out:

• One person said that her experience with the CSC during college "filled a need I didn't know I had."
• A staff member noted that many students today have faith because it's useful to them: they labeled it "moralistic therapeutic deism"
• Another staff member, citing several surveys, said that young adults today are most attracted to humility from those in power
• One community member said that one goal they'd like to see achieved is that student continue to make the CSC their own, and that the CSC stay open enough for students to do that.
• As noted in point 4 above, succession planning was a major objective from many in attendance. Several people noted the importance of the community members and students having more of a connection to the CSC as a place than specifically to Fr. Gary.
• Someone said this really well: The CSC has no agenda other than to love students. I think that says it all.

Job Seeker

An active CSC grad student is looking for a temporary summer job within the following possibilities: Art Therapist, Counselor, Higher Education Student Affairs.

Please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org to get in touch with this student.

Job Opportunity

Two former community members are looking for an intern for the January/February 2012 course, Beyond the Biologic Basis of Disease, an annual four-week social medicine course designed for medical students in their clinical years. Linking clinical tropical medicine with social medicine, the course merges a number of unique pedagogical approaches including field visits, classroom based presentations and discussions, group reflections, student presentations on previous international work, films, patient clerking and presentations, and bedside teaching.

The position would be from January 9 to February 3, 2012. If interested, please send resume and cover letter of interest to Michael Westerhaus and Amy Finnegan at social.medicine@yahoo.com by July 1, 2011.

Graduation Day!

Camp Counselors Needed (not for CSC)

We just received this e-mail from a local camp and thought it might interest some students:

Annie's Hope needs your help BIG TIME.

We have a desperate need for MALE cabin counselors for Camp Courage and Camp Erin-St. Louis. Not having enough male cabin counselors will, unfortunately, require us to decrease the number of grieving kids that can attend our camps. For the kids' sake, we don't want this to happen.

If you know any males who are 18 years or older, who are high school graduates, who are energetic, work hard, and work well with kids, please share this information with them. In fact, to be most helpful, pass this urgent need to your email contacts too.

Camp Courage and Camp Erin- St. Louis are overnight camps for children who have experienced the death of a loved one. Annie’s Hope- the Bereavement Center for Kids, puts on these camps. Don’t think Camp Courage and Camp Erin will be a sad experience, though. This is a fun, energetic experience where kids can be kids. We are looking for a great group of people over the age of 18 to volunteer as cabin counselors for both camps. If you enjoy the outdoors, kids and teens, and love having fun then this opportunity is for you!

Here are some details on the camps:

Camp Courage serves grieving children ages 6 to 12.

Dates: June 5 -9

Camp Erin - St. Louis serves grieving teens ages 13 to 18.

Dates: June 11-15

You can volunteer for one camp or both. Remember, this experience will look great on a resume!

Please feel free to call or email us with any questions. You can find more information and the volunteer application for Camp Courage and Camp Erin- St. Louis on the homepage of the Annie’s Hope web site www.annieshope.org

From the campers and from the Annie's Hope staff, thank you TONS!

Peace,
Becky Byrne, Executive Director

Job Opportunity (Summer)

Harding Security Associates, a member of the Six3 Systems family of companies, is currently accepting resumes/portfolios for a 2011 Summer Graphic Support position. This will be a paid summer position set aside for current college students that are US Citizens. This opportunity is a great place to start for those looking to use their skills in an industry where graphic artists are not only respected for what they bring to the team, but are also rewarded for their contributions.

Please contact Jamey for more details (stegmaier@washucsc.org).

Tsunami Homily Transcript

Gospel Question: What images coming out of Japan this past week have stayed with you the strongest?

The images have been arresting as they have flowed to us day and night from Japan and across the world. Some will stay with us for a very long time.

One that is very much with me still is of a guy driving along a coastal road and his camera is on and this huge 30 foot waves begins to cross the road in front of him and starts lifting up his car and carrying him like a boat. It was frightening and disconcerting to watch. How powerful that we have those images of this thing called a Tsunami! Now we’ve heard of Tsunami, we’ve known of the terrible toll they take on life and cities, but we’ve never had so many images….

Revelation is happening all the time, right in front of us. Sometimes revelation happens through the events of nature, even when nature is at its most ferocious. Revelations are the deepest down things shown us about ourselves, about our God, and about what matters in life. Some are so obvious, but some perhaps take a little deeper listening for us to really get it.

What might a Tsunami reveal? What might a tsunami teach us about our own true nature? 7 LESSONS OF A TSUNAMI:

1) Know your own power and the power of your impact on others and on the earth. You are powerful! YOU are powerful. And you have the power to destroy.

2) You can go someplace and and leave a mess and never clean up after yourself. If you make a mess of things (and you will!) at work, at home, in your friendships, a relation with God, clean up after yourself. It’s the least you could do!

3) Be prepared, all the while knowing there are some things for which you can never be prepared.

4) JUST 6 WORDS: Things can change in an instant.

5) The tsunami is oblivious to human life; indifferent to you and every person in its path. There are so many in our lives who we will encounter along the way who will not care about you in the least, take no interest in you, and even be out to get you–hurt you–even destroy us in the work of your hands and your loves along with it, maybe even your life. As the Scripture shows from its beginning to its last pages: “you will not go through this world without enemies.” We’d so like it to be otherwise—that maybe if I do it right, say it right, everybody will like me, but truth is the “haters” will always be with us.

6) JUST TWO WORDS: Nothing lasts. Absolutely nothing lasts! That home full of memories, that you worked so hard to build and invested so much of your life into, so full of memories of tears and laughter and conversation and making love, washed away, forever.

7) After a tsunami the skies can shine beautiful and blue as if nothing happened when really everything is changed. Nothing is the same. Life goes on—our worst days are somebody else’s best days. We stand on a street corner after our mom dies or a best friend and the bottom has fallen out for me, but everybody, 99.99% of the world goes on like nothing is changed at all.

Ya see, Encounters with the divine Love can take place in scenes of utter desolation. Love speaks thru the rubble of our lives. Telling us the Truth about ourselves. Love rebuilds even where the devastation has been most awful and terrifying, as people chose hope and people from half a globe away respond to each of these scenes with compassion in the One who is compassion itself.

What does all this have to do with Transfiguration? If we listened to life, if we listen to even disaster when it strikes, if we listen to what is happening right in front of us, we can be changed to. We can be changed for the better. If we take these lessons to heart, we can be transfigured! Something of light, something of glory, will shine through us. So that even the most terrible disaster can open us and help us discover something of our true nature.

As we watch these scenes in Japan, played out again and again, nature at its most ferocious, JUST ONE WORD: listen….

Job Seeker

This community member has gained valuable experience through event management and development work, but has discovered that their true interest lies in communications. They would like to find a position that allows them to focus more heavily on those skills. They're mostly looking for mid-level communications, corporate communications, marketing specialist, writer/editor positions, etc.

If you have any leads, opportunities, or questions for this community member, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org. And if you are a community member (student or non-student) who is looking for a job or has a job opening that you'd like the CSC community to know about, let Jamey know so he can post it on this blog.

"Love" by George Herbert

This is the poem that was read at today's ecumenical Ash Wednesday service:

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.

"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.

Job Opportunity (Summer)

Wash U grad looking for a babysitter for their son (who will be 6 months) from June 27th- July 23rd. Their regular nanny will be out of town. Variable days and hours (mornings, evenings and weekends) but can try to work with your schedule. Could do MWF or T/TH, or M/F or any variation. Please contact Jamey (stegmaier@washucsc) if interested in getting in touch with the family.

Job Opportunity

Soon-to-be historical theology Ph.D. (and CSC community member) seeks full-time teaching, mentoring, and/or administrative employment in higher or secondary education.

Contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org if you're interested in getting in touch with this person.

A Reflection from John Aughey

Last weekend I attended a silent retreat at White House Retreat House. As part of this retreat, we had group prayers throughout the day, but one prayer that stuck with me is the Angelus. This prayer is said three times daily, and in the morning is followed by two additional prayers. The Angelus by itself takes only a minute to recite, and the morning extensions add just a few additional minutes.

During one of the talks of the retreat, the presider spoke about our addiction to noise. We wake up in the morning and turn on the TV or radio. We walk with iPods bombarding us with music. The instant we get into the car, we turn on the radio. We even go to bed with white noise generators because we can't stand the silence. We are addicted to noise.

My 25 minute drive to work is filled with noise and information. I'm either listening to music or news, or thinking about what I am going work on once I get to work. By the time I get to work, my senses and brain are in overdrive and rather than being prepared to dive into work, I find myself so over stimulated that I can't focus on a single task.

So I have started to incorporate the Angelus and additional prayers into my morning drive to work. I still listen to the radio, but at a set point in my commute I turn off the radio and recite the Angelus by memory. The additional prayers are intentionally not committed to memory, as this allows me to remain in a prayerful silence state until I arrive at the parking lot. Once I arrive, I don't bolt out of my car, but rather sit there with my book and finish the final prayers. These minutes of intentional silence and holding back help to center me and prepare myself for the challenges of the day.

Have a spiritual reflection to share? Send it to Jamey to be posted on the blog: stegmaier@washucsc.org

Library Update from Frank Freeman

I have added two new books to the library. The newer one is medical Ethics by Richard

A. McCormick. The title is, Health and Medicine in the Catholic Tradition. Subtitled,

Tradition in Transition. The moral theology department of Creighton University, Omaha,

Nebraska singles out McCormick. See Tod Salzman at Creighton U. and look under

deontology.

The best thing about McCormick is that he writes an American English. There are very

organic, very meaty examples taken from life. Those examples can bring us up short,

as when McCormick takes us inside a heroin addict house in New York City. Or goes

into a cancer ward with the famous Alexander Solzhenitzen. Or he drops a line about

a friend who went insane. Was anything worth that? McCormick asks us why? do we

really believe that these self-ruined people are God’s special creation? Is this really His

way of revealing? We can’t know. But until we ask this unanswerable question the rest

makes no sense at all.

McCormick is very careful to identify his own position: he features himself as “the radical

middle,” an identity that he acknowledges could be arrogant. The book is a great read.

No harm in skipping to the last chapter on abortion and sexual ethics. It is the best part.

Not to mention the great footnotes. A tour de force, McCormick spells out his opinions

and our options. ... really! It is a book that can fully reward a fifteen minute quick-skim

read. Then, dare you to put it down.

The other is the 1963, essays on The Renewal of the Liturgy. Skip to the last one, The

Future, its Hopes and Difficulties, for a frank and open discussion of the obstacles.

Not to be outdone, there is a reflection posted. By me.

Egypt and the Arab world are one the edge of a cultural explosion. Some of it, at

least, was anticipated by Egypt’s Nobel Laureate. Naguib Mahfouz. Many Arabic

speaking people grew up with his novels and the movies made from them. His Nobel

Laureate Address is recommended for a fresh insight into the world view of an Arabic

writer.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/

1988/mahfouz-lecture.html

Job Opportunity

Barry-Wehmiller, a large, well-respected comapny in Clayton, has a full-time job opening. A big part of this person’s role will be helping project managers handle more by doing a lot of the adminstrative and technological legwork. The technology portion has the potential to be intriguing, but a lot of what this person does will be helping our team function like a well-oiled machine. The ideal applicant is someone who has been in an administrative role and is looking for a similar, but more challenging role. Please e-mail Jamey if interested at stegmaier@washucsc.org

Job Opportunity (Summer)

Two jobs from the New Sector Alliance

New Sector Summer Fellow
Join New Sector for a summer experience in social enterprise! Spend 11 weeks on a capacity-building project at a nonprofit in Boston or San Francisco, while you learn about the social sector and nonprofit management through New Sector's Social Change Leadership Curriculum. Read more here. The official deadline is February 4th. Pass it on or apply yourself - http://www.newsector.org/application/application.php.

New Sector Resident in Social Enterprise
Are you passionate about creating positive social change? Interested in nonprofit management, capacity-building, or social enterprise? Do you know anyone who'd be interested in New Sector's year-long AmeriCorps program? We are opening a small second round of applications, and the deadline is March 1st. Pass it on or apply yourself - http://www.newsector.org/application/application.php

Applications due on February 11 at the latest.

Job Seeker: Work with Children and/or Immigrants

A recent graduate from the University of Notre Dame is looking for a position in the social work field where she can work closely with children and/or immigrants in St. Louis. Rachel is fluent in Spanish and is passionate about social justice.

If you're interested in connecting with Rachel about a job or networking opportunities, please contact Jamey at stegmaier@washucsc.org.

2009 Intern Reflection

2009-10 CSC intern-in-service Elizabeth Bundy reflects upon her experience at the CSC...as an introvert.

::ahem:: Hi, My name is Elizabeth Bundy (formerly Doveno)...and I am an introvert. My energy comes from having time to myself and I am drained from talking to lots and lots of people in a day. Yes, it may come to some as a shock because I am very well known to chat someone's ear off; however, I insist that it is true. I struggle with outreaching to others in large group settings. I get petrified at the thought of going up to complete strangers and engage in a conversation with them. I am not very smooth or comfortable with small talk. I can get anxious in a social situation where I receive blank stares and expressionless statements-especially if I feel that what I share is really personal or important. I rather engage in a small group conversation or even better one on one with deep meaningful insights. I become easily drained by trying to milk a conversation that is not going anywhere. Now, don't get me wrong, not all times does a conversation need to end in a deep enlightenment of life. Primarily though, the conversations I remember most, entail something deep and meaningful. So, how did I ever work in an environment like the CSC that relies heavily on engaging new students/and community members?! My job is to constantly meet and greet new people and create an environment that is open, loving, and welcoming. I need to get out of my introverted self and stretch what I think I can do.

I remember VERY clearly the first weekend as an intern at the CSC. All through the first Mass I could only think about questions I could ask new people and what my approach was going to be. I decided to stick to what I knew and was more comfortable doing. This approach is to look for those individuals who are similar to myself where they feel overwhelmed just going up to new people and usually are on the outskirts taking several trips to the food table hoping to bump into someone there. I found a young grad student working on her MSW at the Brown School at WashU. I honest to God could not have asked for a better first meeting of a student! We chatted about her home, why she was passionate about social work, adventures she has had in the city, and even more meaningful a small insight to her faith. This spring board gave me my confidence and helped me to continue my established means of meeting new people. I could introduce myself to someone new and have a brief meaningful conversation with them! Holy cow...no way! I took this new found energy and found confidence to meet people in smaller groups not chatting with too many others. In this, I had some great conversations and continued to gain confidence.

Now, there was still some hurdles for me to overcome. I needed to still outreach constantly and not just continue to go to those students and community members I knew. So, I decided every weekend to meet one new person at both Masses. Now, this may seem a little too small of a goal, but for me...it took some time. My gifts and talents are more of running in the background making sure things are going smoothly and handling crisis situations of sorts. My gifts and talents are NOT having a group of people surround me and entertain them with tons of witty remarks or being the one playing master of ceremonies. Regardless, I needed to stretch myself and challenge myself to try.

By the spring semester of last year I was proud of my efforts. I was successfully meeting new students weekly and creating new relationships. When the end of the intern year came, I truly felt like I gained skills that I had previously not worked on. I had the satisfaction of knowing I could engage in small talk, introduce myself to someone new when I did not know them rather than sit in the back and wait for them to come to me, and jump into a group while in conversation. I will not lie and tell you that now it all comes naturally. I recently have found it once again challenging to just jump into a group conversation when maybe only knowing one other person of the group or not even knowing anyone. Regardless, the experiences given to me through the internship were invaluable to growing into a better me. I am still introverted, and that will not change. I am now, however, more confident and able to put myself in situations that just a couple of years ago would find myself avoiding.

Job Opportunity

Two working parents at the Wash U medical campus with variable schedules looking for a very flexible nanny to work approximently 20 hours a week for our infant starting late March. Needed for days, evenings, and weekends. Schedule changes monthly. We live less than one mile from the Loop. Non-smoker. I graduated from Wash U in 2001. Please email or call me if interested.

Contact Jamey Stegmaier at the CSC if you're interested in this position. (stegmaier@washucsc.org)

Job Opportunity

A recruiter for A Christian Ministry in the National Parks (acmnp.com) will be at Washington University on Thursday, Jan. 27 from 11-1 in the Danforth University Center Tisch Commons. Each summer ACMNP places students in 25 different National Parks to lead worship services, work full-time guest service jobs, and live in community with people from all over the world. Contact Melody for more information at Recruiter1@acmnp.com