National African American History month

As a first generation immigrant who grew up with a strong sense of the universal Church, I remember how shocked I was to learn in an American Catholic history class at Our Lady's University how long it to the Church in America to ordain African American priests. February is National African American History month. I'd like to bring your attention to some excellent resources on the American Catholic experience.

Quick Facts on Black Catholic History
[From the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's thinkpriest.org]


My Church Home
The Irish, the Italians, the Poles, the Mexicans — it’s second nature to think of members of these ethnic groups as Catholic. So much so that group and faith are inextricably linked in the imagination of the American public...

And yet, as Cyprian Davis observes in his book, blacks have been part of the U.S. Catholic faithful from the start, “add[ing] another essential perspective to the meaning of the word ‘Catholic’ and to the understanding of the American Catholic church.”
[full article at Notre Dame Magazine]

A biography of Franciscan Sister Mary Antona Ebo, one of six Catholic sisters who participated in the 1965 Selma March
[Catholic News Service]

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning-"my country 'tis of thee; sweet land of liberty; of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride; from every mountain side, let freedom ring"-and if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. [Martin Luther King, Jr]

Martin Luther King, Jr. with Father Theodore Hesburgh, CSC

And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants - will be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last." [Martin Luther King, Jr.]

Women and Spirit: Coming to a museum near you!

From the time the Ursulines arrived in New Orleans in 1727 up to today, women religious have made an incalculable contribution to this nation. Running schools, hospitals and orphanages from America's earliest days, these women helped foster a culture of social service that has permeated our society. Over the centuries these courageous women overcame many obstacles--both physical and cultural--to bring their civilizing and caring influence to every corner of the country. Understanding and celebrating the history of women religious is essential to understanding and celebrating the history of America.
(Cokie Roberts, news analyst and author)

If you haven't already visited, I strongly recommend a trip to see Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America, sponsored by the LCWR (Leadership Conference of Women Religious). I saw the exhibit on a recent trip to Cleveland, and can't recommend it highly enough.

The exhibit pays tribute to the extraordinary legacy that Catholic sisters played in the development of America, from building strong institutions in the cities to ministering to God's people on the frontiers and the edges of society. It does an excellent job of putting the sisters' accomplishments into historical perspective, and answering questions about issues faced by the Church in America throughout the years. For example, one part of the exhibit addresses the significance of the Catholic school system. The exhibit explains how many things we might take for granted as American Catholics were quite counter-cultural.

The exhibit will take you about 90 minutes to view, and is very accessible for all ages, although the educator's guide is helpful as well. The exhibit contains a nice variety of tributes to history, historical objects (such as possessions of St Elizabeth Ann Seton and Mother Cabrini), and multimedia.

Another aspect I find truly Catholic is that at the end of the exhibit are brochures for local congregations of women religious, recognizing that this exhibit may be the first time many young women think about a vocation.

As we celebrated the Year for Priests, we gave thanks for their ministry to the Church. "Women and Spirit" is an opportunity to pay tribute to the sisters who have done so much for our country.

Hopefully you can see "Women and Spirit" somewhere near you. Ellis Island is a very appropriate host site; I am also thrilled it is coming to the environs of Our Lady's University.

• May 9, 2010 - August 28, 2010
  Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage (Cleveland, Ohio)
  
  
• September 24, 2010 – January 22, 2011
  Statue of Liberty National Monument / Ellis Island Immigration Museum (Liberty Island, New York)
  
  
• February 2011 - April 2011
  The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (Dubuque, Iowa)
  
  
• June 17, 2011 - August 14, 2011
  Mount St. Mary's College (Los Angeles, California)
  
  
• September 2, 2011 - December 31, 2011
  Center for History in association with the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College (South Bend, Indiana)

A rare treat

Originally, there were three Church Ladies, Rosaleen, Therese, and Lucy. Rosaleen graduated early and joined the Missionaries of Charity. I've spoken to her once since then... and today I received this email, which reflects Rosaleen's beautiful soul.

LDM

my dear ones,

Pax Christi! This email brings you much love and prayer. Please rejoice and thank God with me - on May 24, I had my first profession in San Francisco! Deo gratias! Novitiate was a beautiful and grace-filled time - a real piece of heaven...and a holy preparation for life in the mission house. I count on your prayers as I go to Cairo, Egypt! Jesus is waiting for me in Egypt region (in the MC world, Egypt region includes Malta, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Egypt and part of Sudan---a vast geographical area). I will go to our regional house in Cairo and spend anywhere from a few days to a couple months, and then receive my official assignment somewhere in the region. Right now, I am at home for a little visit and will fly out of Chicago on June 11, stopping in Jordan before reaching Cairo.

Please pray for me! I pray for all of you, entrusting you all to Our Lady's beautiful heart.

If you have a chance, please let me know how you are, where you are.

with much love and prayer,

Sr. M. Grace Theresa MC

(image: St Catherine's Monastery, Egypt)

Blessed Brother André to Be Canonized

Brother André’s particular affection for St. Joseph, in addition to the need to accommodate the throngs of people seeking his help, advice and prayers, led to the foundation of Saint Joseph’s Oratory, at first a small structure constructed on Mount Royal with funds from small donations and Brother André’s barbershop income and now a massive basilica which attracts some 2 million pilgrims each year.

Brother André was entombed there after his death on Jan. 6, 1937. Between his death and burial, more than 1 million pilgrims came to pay tribute.

“We are honored and moved beyond words at Brother André’s formal recognition as a saint,” said Rev. David Tyson, C.S.C., Provincial Superior of the Indiana Province of Holy Cross. “Not only because this immensely humble man is the Congregation’s first recognized saint, but because he is such an extraordinary example for every Catholic of every age. Not for him the trappings of power and status, of money and prestige; he was famous first as a ferociously hard worker at the high school where he worked his whole life; he simply did everything and anything that was needed, from cleaning the floors to fixing shoes, from doing students’ laundry to cutting hair. What an example of prayer in action, of active service to others as the most eloquent and powerful prayer of all! And that is the essence of the Congregation – we serve the Christ in every being, with our hands and hearts and souls, with all our might. Brother André would be horrified were I to call him a hero, but his unrelenting focus on serving others, his blunt humor and utter devotion to God, the greatness of his simplicity – those are heroic virtues, and it seems wonderfully apt and instructive that the first Holy Cross saint was a man who insisted, sometimes testily, that ‘to serve is sweeter than to be served.”

Not only among the priests, sisters and brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross, but also throughout the Notre Dame community, the new saint is affectionately regarded, conspicuously honored and continually invoked. He is routinely mentioned in campus liturgies, and his statue, carved by Rev. Anthony J. Lauck, C.S.C., is in the northeast apsidal chapel of Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Another statue of Brother André, this one carved by Notre Dame art professor Rev. James F. Flanigan, C.S.C., is above the south entrance of the University’s Eck Visitors Center. [full article]

[Courtesy of the Notre Dame Alumni Association]

Lenten Programs for the ND Family

This Lenten season, join the Alumni Association as we honor Christ’s supreme sacrifice. A new video and a Holy Week gathering at the Grotto will unite the Notre Dame family as we embrace the greatest act of love ever: Christ’ suffering, death, and resurrection.

Pray the Way of the Cross

Throughout Lent, ND alumni, parents, and friends can pray the Stations of the Cross virtually, thanks to a new online offering from Pray.nd.edu. Praying the Way of the Cross is a brief video that places you at the Stations of the Cross in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. With meditative music and reflections, the video creates a spiritual experience that helps you contemplate the passion of Christ. Easily integrate this prayer experience into your day by visiting Pray.nd.edu and selecting the “Lent” tab.

Lenten Offerings at the Grotto

Lenten Offerings at the Grotto unites the ND family in prayer to remember our Lord’s suffering, death, and resurrection, while also praying for our loved ones who carry their own crosses. All ND alumni, parents, and friends are invited to participate in this Holy Week gathering, which will take place at the Grotto on Monday, March 29, at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

Representatives from the Alumni Association will join other members of the ND community to pray the rosary and to remember by name (or through anonymity) all of those in need of prayers. A special NDAA green candle will be lit as we offer these prayers up to God. Those who wish to submit the names of loved ones to be remembered may do so through Pray.nd.edu.

This experience is modeled after last year’s All Souls Day event on campus. On Nov. 2, 2009, representatives from the NDAA and other University departments gathered at the Grotto where they honored the passing of alumni family members by name. More than 3,000 alumni, parents, and friends submitted prayer requests for All Souls Day, and the group prayed for more than 13,000 people.

Learn more about these important initiatives by visiting Pray.nd.edu. The site offers daily prayers, Gospel readings, reflections, and other spiritual materials, including printable prayer cards. Subscribe to receive daily prayers by e-mail here.

[Courtesy of the Notre Dame Alumni Association]

Conference Announcement

Notre Dame Right to Life

announces its

5th Annual
Collegiate Conference
April 9 & 10, 2010

For the last five years, the student prolife organization of the University of Notre Dame has hosted an annual conference discussing topics pertinent to the prolife movement.

This year's speakers include:
George Weigel,
Fr. Thomas Berg
Joan Lewis
Dr. Maureen Condic
and
keynote speaker: Francis Cardinal George


The conference is open to all (university student or not). For non-Notre Dame students, they are asking a small donation of $10 to help defray the cost of the conference.

Notre Dame's an easy drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, Peoria, Indianapolis, Detroit, etc. Regardless of where you are, but especially if you're anywhere nearby, you should consider coming.

If you'd like to attend, registration may be found here.



My personal recommendation:
As a veteran conference chair and NDRTL president, I cannot encourage you enough to attend this conference. There are a number of annual conferences at Notre Dame that are well worth attending - notably the Center For Ethics & Culture's Fall Conference & the Edith Stein Project. The NDRTL conference, however, is often overlooked, and it really shouldn't be. The speakers, frankly, are always of the highest caliber and the attendees are very committed to discussing and pursuing the issues of the conference. I should also mention it's the cheapest. For non-students, the other events mentioned cost over $100; but the NDRTL conference is FREE (unless you want to donate $10). Furthermore instead of listening to undergrads read their papers, you get to listen internationally renowned leaders speak. Please promote this conference and help move it's status from Notre Dame's Best Kept Secret to Notre Dame's Most Popular Event.

In Memoriam

Wednesday afternoon a consummate church lady, Gail Walton, beloved director of the University of Notre Dame Liturgical Choir, wife and mother passed from this vale of tears after a battle with leukemia at the age of 55.

It's difficult to begin to write about Gail. She was an amazing and wonderful woman, so selfless and tireless.

As Director of Music at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame, a position she held since 1988, Gail was extremely influential in liturgical music. She was an excellent musician, married to another wonderful musician, ND organ professor Craig Cramer. They were "the cutest couple" in everyone's eyes - especially when they played dual organ recitals.

Gail was everyone's second mom. She was always looking out for you, but she never looked out for her self. Last year she hurt her foot - falling off a stool if I remember correctly. The doctors told her the foot had to rest and be in its boot until it healed. But how do you play organ with a boot on your foot? So she took it off. I scolded her after one of our rehearsals (she was not only director of the Liturgical Choir, but assistant director of the Women's Liturgical Choir to which I belong) and told her she had to take care herself. She laughed and said she'd be ok. That was Gail. Our head director visited her just before Christmas. The doctors had allowed her to return home for a period, so long as she was strictly on bedrest. Was Gail following the doctors' orders? Of course not. She was baking, trimming the tree and doing all manner of things around the house. That was Gail. She was a such a wonderful woman...Absolutely unstoppable.

She was a perfectionist, too, and always drove us to be the best we could be. Everyone loved Gail. She will be missed so much - she already is. It's hard to believe she's gone.

Lastly but most importantly, Gail's faith was always inspiring. Today, the Notre Dame Observer published the following letter from an alumna, Laura Hoffman:

"I came to Notre Dame raised on Christian values but as a non-Catholic. When I auditioned for choir my freshman year in 2000, I wasn’t sure I would feel comfortable in a choir that sang at masses weekly. Gail Walton and Andrew McShane selected me to sing for the Notre Dame Liturgical Choir and I did so for four years.

Gail had a profound influence on my life beyond music. Singing at the mass at the Basilica weekly, I was exposed to the Catholic faith. Gail provided an extraordinary example to me of what it meant to be a faithful Catholic through the respect she trained us to have for our service in the liturgy and the way she personally conducted herself with class. I was baptized after graduating from Notre Dame during my first year of law school. I was touched by a stunning bouquet of flowers sent to me by Gail Walton and Andrew McShane on that special day of my entrance into the Catholic Church.

Gail Walton gave so much more to us students at Notre Dame than training and excellence in music. She brought us closer to God and made us better people. The Notre Dame family matters because of people like Dr. Gail Walton who helped us grow beyond our years at Notre Dame.

Thank you Gail, we love you and will miss your presence terribly in the Notre Dame community."

Gail herself was a convert and I can think of few others who embraced the service of the Church as she did. Gail shines as a model for all of us - a true church lady in every way.

Please take a moment to pray for Gail and her family, especially her husband. This has been so difficult for him.

Requiescat in pace.
In Paradisum deducant angeli...Chorus angelorum te suscipiat...Aeternam habeas requiem.

Gail conducts the Liturgical Choir in a 2008 concert:

(The Mawby Ave Verum (at the 5:20 mark) is one of my favorites)

Adapted from my original post at The Sober Sophomore. Funeral details can be found there.

N.B. for all the Pious Men

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

-Theodore Hesburgh, CSC, '39

Tis the Season: Spring Interview Season

The Church Ladies have professional experience in a number of fields including, but not limited to: parish and diocesan administration, the non-profit sector, education, the arts, and architecture/engineering. We believe that women bring a unique perspective and much needed voice to the workplace.

My job has always had a strong geographical commitment, so as a result, at less than 5 years after graduation, I have been on over 100 interviews. As spring interview season and job fairs approach, I'd like to share some tips that I've gleaned through the years (including the memorable spring break of my senior year at Our Lady's University, which seemed to be spent entirely on the Metro-North railroad).

SETTING UP INTERVIEWS:
-See if your field has a professional organization website with job postings.

-If you are looking for a job in a faith-based context, check out catholicjobs.com, the diocesan website, or the local Catholic Charities website. It might not hurt to call over to HR with the latter two; some places don't keep their websites up to date. If you are interested in education, call the Catholic Schools Office of the diocese.

-For other nonprofit jobs, check out nonprofitjobs.com

-For jobs in higher ed, I strongly recommend HERC. Smaller institutions might belong to independent consortiums, so google "independent colleges" and your area.

-Word of mouth is great. Ask, ask ask.

-Take advantage of your alumni connections. Our Lady's University is very good about facilitating networking. If you are still in school, ask if your department maintains a list of alumni and their professional connections.

-Narrowly focused job fairs, such as those set up to specifically recruit students from your school/ school's department- can be rewarding. In my experience, smaller is better, excepting fields that hire a lot of employees, like public education.

-Schedule your interviews at least 3 hours apart. I have had good interviews that lasted from 15 minutes to 2 hours and counting. You never know.

APPAREL:
-Check out my earlier post on buying a good dark suit.

-If you are interviewing at several offices over a few days, consider buying a second suit. Depending on your complexion, I'd recommend grey, navy, or chocolate brown. Pick shirts or camis that can go with both suits.

-If your interviews include trudging through spring slush, consider investing in a pair of dressier walking boots you can keep on during your interview, or trade out for your dress pumps if you would rather.

-A stylish briefcase/large purse makes a good first impression. It should be big enough to fit a ring binder inside. Interior pockets are a plus for your wallet, keys, etc.

-Lightly apply make-up and cologne.

-Unless you are interviewing at a parish or chancery, swap out your religious jewelry for the Church Lady Classic, a string of pearls. Modern HR policy forbids discrimination on religious grounds, but you can never tell what will set someone off. You can be an example of the faith- after you get the job.

-Have a small emergency kit: clear nail polish (for runs in stockings), stain stick, safety pins, umbrella, headache remedy, and gum/mints.

PUBLIC SAFETY:
-Interview season may be the first time you have been in a metro area alone. Be safe.

-Make an index card for every interview with: date/time, the name of organization, address, interviewer, phone number, and brief summary of the organization. When your GPS picks the wrong one of six highways named after Boston's Irish bishops, you'll be glad to have a direct contact. If taking public transportation, note the nearby stations and schedules. Keep this card in your coat pocket for easy reference.

-Someone should know where you are. Share a list of interview locations and times with a parent or roommate.

-Don't talk about your travel plans in public.

-Bring your charged cell-phone, but turn the ringer off.

-Sole proprietorships can offer a more flexible work week and a wider professional experience. But go with your gut here. If you feel uncomfortable with the proprietor, or the office is very remotely located, don't take the job.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW:
-Confirm your interview a few days ahead of time.

-Print off extra copies of your resume, at least one for each interview. I know you emailed it to them already... but they misplaced it. Or gave it to a colleague for review. Their kid drew on it. The dog puked on it. Don't take it personally. Have another to hand out.

-Consider having business cards made.

-Arrange your documents in a ring binder or folio. Check that your portfolio is up to date.

-Print off the company's home-page and list of recent ventures. Talking about these expresses your genuine interest in the organization.

-Think of creative ways to describe some of your faith-based activities for the public sphere. You led a book-study? Translation: Experience facilitating small groups.

-I strongly recommend reading Drucker's "What NonProfits are Teaching Business."

AT THE INTERVIEW:
-Arrive early.

-Speak clearly and cheerfully.

-If asked about a skill you lack, express your willingness to learn.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW:
-Send a thank you note promptly. Use professional stationery.

-Follow-up as necessary. It can take longer than you think for some hiring decisions to be made.

Good Luck! The Church Ladies are praying for you.

ND Program Creates Online Spiritual Dialogue

In February, ... through the program “Tender, Strong, and True: Living the Gospel Daily,” expert panels will discuss a variety of topical issues from a faith-based perspective. Integrating social media and Internet broadcast capabilities, viewers will be able to participate in the discussions live.

The Tender, Strong, and True series opens on Sunday, Feb. 7 from 8:00-8:45 p.m. EST with “Persevering in Prayer: Getting It Started and Keeping It Going.” The program will feature panelists Rev. Brian Daley, the Catherine F. Huisking Chair in Theology, and Tami Schmitz, assistant director of spirituality for Notre Dame Campus Ministry. Monsignor Michael Heintz ’08 Ph.D, director of Notre Dame’s Master of Divinity program, will serve as the moderator.

Each program will be broadcast online via UStream, a website consisting of a network of channels that provide a platform for live video streaming of events online. Once users log into Notre Dame’s UStream page, they enjoy a high quality, TV-like viewing experience that also allows them the opportunity to interact with panelists via Twitter, Facebook, or other online social media.

“Ustream’s technology provides the Alumni Association the opportunity to reach a much larger alumni audience than more conventional tools,” Sullivan states. “The live program and its interactive component create an event that encourages a community of learners.”

For those who cannot participate in live airings, each broadcast will be archived both on the Notre Dame Ustream site and on alumni.nd.edu. [source]

Lest we forget

Martin Luther King, Jr. with Father Theodore Hesburgh, CSC

I am aware that there are many who wince at a distinction between property and persons--who hold both sacrosanct. My views are not so rigid. A life is sacred. Property is intended to serve life, and no matter how much we surround it with rights and respect, it has no personal being. It is part of the earth man walks on; it is not man. [Martin Luther King, Jr.]

Gaudete Sunday

I have no trouble summoning joy on Gaudete Sunday. Many moons ago, on the Saturday before the Third Sunday of Advent, I got engaged. I remember perfectly the joy of the day- the proposal at the Grotto at Our Lady's University, the blessing of the engagement in the Law School chapel, sharing the news with friends, the drive home through the blizzard, and an engagement party that the priest and MC braved the elements to attend. The years of waiting, akin to the season of Advent were over.

Zenit has a beautiful reflection on the Third Sunday of Advent. Here's a snippet:
In today's second reading, St. Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord always [Philippians 4:4-7; see also Philippians 2:18; 3:1;4.4). The rejoicing to which St. Paul invites us, and which forms the heart of the Advent season. But we must ask ourselves, what did persecuted Christians have to rejoice about? The answer is their relationship with the Lord, which can even become stronger and more intimate in times of persecution. Their joy is not in their circumstance; indeed it is often in spite of their circumstance. Rather it is in the Lord. Sheer joy arises out of a deep and abiding relationship with God that carries the believer through all sorts of trials and tribulations. Rejoicing in the Lord is a sort of adoration, and adoration often takes the form of prayer. Rejoicing constantly leads to praying and praising repeatedly. Since Paul refers to giving thanks after he mentions prayer, it is probable that the term "praying" refers to petitioning God in some form, perhaps interceding for self and others in some manner.

Image source

Immaculate Conception

Everything was frozen over. Yet it all seemed so beautiful. The lake, especially, with its broad carpet of dazzling white snow, quite naturally reminded us of the spotless purity of our August Lady whose name it bears, and also of the purity of soul that should mark the new inhabitants of this chosen spot . . . .

We were in a hurry to enjoy all the scenery along the lakeshore of which we had heard so much. Though it was quite cold, we went to the very end of the lake, and like children, came back fascinated with the marvelous beauties of our new home. . . .

Once more, we felt that Providence had been good to us and we blessed God from the depths of our soul.

[Fr Edward Sorin CSC, December 5, 1842]

[image source]

Looking for Advent reading?

If you liked Andrew Gawrych's "The Cross, Our Only Hope: Daily Reflections in the Holy Cross Tradition," I would recommend the companion volumes, "The Gift of Hope: Advent and Christmas Reflections" and the "The Gift of the Cross: Lenten Reflections."

Compiled by one of the Congregation's youngest priests, the books feature a quote from the Constitutions, Father Sorin, or Bl. Basil Moreau, followed by a meditation by a member of the Holy Cross community (priests, brothers, and sisters).

In the wake of The Cross, Our Only Hope, and The Gift of the Cross, this accessible Advent resource offers a scripture verse and brief reflection for each day of Advent and the Christmas season and makes an affordable introduction to the themes of the Holy Cross spiritual tradition. Readers will experience the vision of the Congregation to educate both the mind and the heart, and its desire to make God known, loved, and served. Among other notable Holy Cross contributors to this booklet are Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., Joel Giallanza, C.S.C., Mary Ellen Vaughan, C.S.C., and Mary Ann Pajakowski, C.S.C. This resource is also ideal for use in parishes and schools during the Advent and Christmas season, and because it is not associated with any particular calendar year, it can be used perennially.