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AROUND THE PROVINCE
Jesuit Collaborative Seeks to Build Up the Kingdom
In recent years, much hand-wringing
has taken place over the dwindling number of priests, including
Jesuits, and what seems to be equally reduced funding and resources.
Now a new collaborative effort between the Jesuit provinces of Maryland,
New England and New York, seeks to provide creative responses to
these modern faith challenges.
Called the Jesuit Collaborative,
the joint initiative was started by Fr. Tom Regan, SJ, provincial
of the New England Province; Fr. Timothy Brown, SJ, provincial of
the Maryland Province; and Fr. Jeff Chojnacki, SJ, provincial of
the New York Province. It seeks to draw on the talents and willingness
of a growing laity that is interested in Ignatian spirituality.
According to Fr. Ron Mercier, SJ,
a priest in the New England Province and coordinator of the Jesuit
Collaborative, the idea is to share resources and join forces to
bring Ignatian spirituality, and specifically the Spiritual Exercises
of St. Ignatius, to a wider audience. Some specific goals include
providing opportunities for training people to give the Spiritual
Exercises; working with Jesuit institutions in fostering an Ignatian
identity; providing outreach to Hispanic Catholics; and encouraging
research and publication on Ignatian spirituality.
To help move the initiative forward,
the Jesuit Collaborative will sponsor a conference on Ignatian spirituality
June 15-17, 2007, at Fairfield University in Connecticut. Anyone
interested in learning more about Ignatian spirituality and the
Spiritual Exercises is invited to attend. For more information,
send an email to collaborative@sjnen.org.
St. Therese Parishioners are "Moving Forward Together"
Members of St.
Therese Church in Mooresville, N.C., have embarked on an ambitious
two-phase capital campaign to answer the growing need for more space.
St. Therese is one of the fastest growing parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte. In the past six years alone, the number of registered families has increased more than 100 percent and Mass attendance is at an all-time high. That's the good news.
The bad news is that the church still has a $1 million debt with the Diocese of Charlotte, part of a $3.5 million budget for the 2002 construction of a Parish Life Center. Before St. Therese can plan for expanded facilities, the existing debt must be paid off. With an acclerated debt reduction initiative, however, the parish will be able to pay off the debt three years faster with a savings of $60,000.
The pastor, Fr. Vince Curtin, SJ, and members of the Pastoral Council and the
Finance Committee, announced the launch of the capital campaign to address short and long term financial and planning needs.
Called "Moving Forward Together," the capital campaign was launched in October 2006. The goal of Phase One is to pay off the construction debt. Phase Two will raise funds to expand the sanctuary capacity.
"St. Therese is truly a special, vibrant parish with much to give and much to look forward to as we move forward with planning for our future," said Curtin.
WHEELING JESUIT UNIVERSITY STARTS ATHLETE TRAINING PROGRAM
 Wheeling
Jesuit University basketball player Katie Repicky has
her knee worked on by the university's head athletic trainer
Dave Dennis (center) and athletic training instructor Dave
Hanna. WJU's new athletic training program, which provides
a unique experience of professionalism and interaction with
athletes and athletic injuries, will accept its first students
in the fall of 2007. "We have designed a program that is both
unique in its content and education style," Dennis says. "Now,
with the university's backing and under the guidance of our
academic dean, we are excited to have the Ohio Valley's first
athletic training curriculum."
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Today's Georgetown Students are Tomorrow's Entrepreneurs
Georgetown
University received a $3 million grant from the Ewing Marion
Kauffman Foundation to fund new programs in entrepreneurship education.
The grant will support interdisciplinary initiatives to develop
new social entrepreneurship courses, establish curricular and co-curricular
programs, and foster international entrepreneurialism.
Georgetown is one of nine universities selected for the initiative. Selection was based on a series of criteria, including the ability to create a culture of entrepreneurship that permeates the campus.
Georgetown's proposal includes plans for campus-wide events focusing on entrepreneurship, programs to build relationships between entrepreneurial students and alumni, and an annual competition to solicit entrepreneurial solutions to global issues.
Radio Mass Celebrates 60 Years of Serving Faithful Listeners
Whether elderly, homebound, incarcerated
or maybe just in bed with the flu, hundreds of Baltimore listeners
have been able to tune into Sunday Mass on the radio for the past
60 years. That's how long Radio
Mass of Baltimore, sponsored by St. Ignatius Church, has been
broadcast live over the airwaves.
Started in 1946 by Fr. Joseph Dougherty,
SJ, then pastor of St. Ignatius, Radio Mass was broadcast from the
chapel at Mercy Medical Center for its first 50 years. At that time,
before Vatican II, Dougherty would give a running commentary during
the service, explaining what was happening and translating from
Latin to English. Listeners loved it.
In 1997, under the direction of then
pastor Fr. William Watters, SJ, the Radio Mass broadcast moved from
Mercy to the Chapel of Grace at St. Ignatius Church. A new contract
was signed with radio station WBAL, Baltimore's most powerful AM
radio outlet.
Radio Mass continues to be broadcast
live every Sunday at St. Ignatius Church, under the direction of
Fr. James Casciotti, SJ, pastor of St. Ignatius.
The very first Radio Mass was celebrated
by Cardinal Lawrence Shehan who at the time was auxiliary bishop
of Baltimore. Over the years, Radio Mass has continued to have special
guest celebrants. For example, on March 18, 2007, Baltimore's Cardinal
William Keeler will celebrate Radio Mass. The Mass will be one of
appreciation for all caregivers.
If you happen to be in the Baltimore/Washington,
D.C. area on Sundays at 9:30 a.m., you can tune in to Radio Mass
on WBAL, 1090 AM.
Fund Established to Honor Father Baumiller's Genetics Work
 Combining
a deep Catholic faith with his scientific mind, Fr. Robert
Baumiller, SJ, became known for his contributions in the fields
of bioethics and genetics. That's why his students, colleagues
and friends were stunned when Baumiller died unexpectedly
in July 2006 after routine heart surgery. At the time of his
death, Baumiller was associate dean for health education programs
at Xavier University. He
spent the better part of his prestigious genetics career working
and teaching at Georgetown University. As a memorial to Baumiller,
the American College of Medical Genetics has established the
Father Robert C. Baumiller Fund for Genetics and Society.
Donations to the fund will be used for activities that continue
Baumiller's work in bioethics, genetics education and increasing
access to genetic services.
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JVC East Gets Grant to Encourage Vocations
Jesuit
Volunteer Corps East (JVC East) is the recipient of a $10,000
grant to create programs that encourage young volunteers to consider
career paths geared toward serving others. The one-year grant is
funded by the Lilly Endowment Inc. and is issued by The Fund for
Theological Education (FTE).
JVC East is one of 10 national faith-based young adult volunteer programs chosen to be part of the grant program that is called "Volunteers Exploring Vocations." The aim is to help recent college graduates embark on a theological exploration of vocation.
JVC East chose three of its 13 communities (Boston, Hartford and Portland) to participate in the Volunteers Exploring Vocations program.
Karen Smith, program coordinator of JVC East, said although it is too early to measure the success of the grant program, she is excited about the possibilities. "People in the JVC are ripe to be asked to contemplate how they are called to respond to the needs of the world out of their faith."
The Volunteers Exploring Vocations program provides materials and structured discussions that help participants through personal reflection about their lives and professional goals. Participants will also attend a national conference led by educators and pastors that is geared toward young volunteers interested in exploring theological education and congregational ministry. Five volunteers will also be selected to receive a $2,000 scholarship to pursue a master's of divinity degree.
The Jesuit Volunteer Corps is a national and international program operated by six regional offices. Volunteers commit themselves to working with people who are marginalized by society and to living in community with other volunteers.
JVC East volunteers work and live in inner city environments from North Carolina north through Maine, with people from a wide range of ethnic and racial backgrounds.
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