The Legacy Leaders Fellows Program, to be coordinated under the IPS Continuing Education umbrella, will bring together retiring CEOs (Legacy Leaders) from diverse backgrounds in an intense, structured setting that privileges spirituality and common purpose. This program of leadership education and theological reflection will encourage these Legacy Leaders to examine their interior lives and reflect on their experiences, so they may enter this new stage of life in an integrated, purposeful way. They will encounter theologians, faculty members and students from various Jesuit universities including the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago, as well as spend time at the John Felice Rome Center in Italy. Faculty from various Jesuit institutions, together with the directors of various apostolic institutions, will help educate these senior leader retirees in the theology and practice of spirituality and leadership in the next phase of their lives. The CEO retirees, in turn, possess talents, skills and experiences they can share with the leaders of apostolic institutions. Stronger relationships of mutual understanding between these two groups will offer tangible benefits to both, and to the larger communities that include them.
The Legacy Leaders Fellows Program expects to recruit the first cohort of at least ten students and begin classes as early as fall 2018.
Meet Masters in Spirituality Student: Br. Lee ColombinoCan you tell us a bit about yourself?
By origin, I am a yooper donchaknow, eh?! But, most of my life has now been spent outside the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A few years after undergraduate studies, I entered the Society of Jesus and I have been a brother for nearly twenty years. I have been greatly blessed in my life as a Jesuit. I have been in community with some fantastic men and I have met so many amazing people from the wide range of experiences I have had over the years. Despite my many resistances, it has been a fascinating journey in seeking to grow within God’s Love.
What were you involved in prior to studying at IPS? How did you discern IPS to be a next step?
Two years ago I was teaching in the Visual Arts Department at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, IL. Then starting in September 2016, I worked with Jesuit Refugee Service in Kampala, Uganda, for four months. In early January 2017, I went to Nairobi, Kenya for six months to participate in the East African Tertianship program (tertianship is the last stage of Jesuit formation). It was a phenomenal experience, but one that I am still ‘unpacking’. It was during this time in East Africa that I felt an expanding desire to grow in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, along with a desire to cultivate the skills in being able to give the Spiritual Exercises and to go into spiritual direction.
What are you currently studying at IPS?
Masters in Spirituality: Spiritual Direction concentration
What has your IPS journey been like so far?
In many ways, it has been the perfect continuation of my heart-based experiences in East Africa. I feel very grateful for my instructors and classmates this semester. I particularly enjoy our class conversations as they make the readings come to life. Due to the nature of the readings and conversations, I’ve been doing quite a bit of ‘soul-work’, which has been helpful in ‘unpacking’ my experiences of the last year. My experiences in IPS are providing me with substantially delicious ‘food’ for the journey.
What are some of your favorite Chicago-related pursuits?
Walking around in the city to simply take in the city life; the Chicago skyline and architecture (Architectural Foundation walking tours and river boat tours); Art Institute, Robie House, & other museums; I am looking forward to getting down to Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza after Thanksgiving, as well as getting glögg in Andersonville; finding new restaurants with friends; being by the lake; and walking through the Botanic Gardens.
If you could teach a class at IPS, what would it be called?
This is a fun question. Hmmm…something like: “The Contemplative Life and Art Appreciation / Art Making”
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
At this point, I would offer to my provincial my desires of working in a retreat house as well as my openness to possibly work abroad.
Finally, can you share a personal spiritual practice that continues to restore and re-energize your mind, body, heart and spirit?
Meditational and repetitive mark-making that is like saying the rosary, but instead of speaking, I draw with pen and ink on paper, with the work developing as it does.
This past summer, The Association of Theological Schools(ATS) awarded the Institute of Pastoral Studies and Dr. Dan Rhodes with an Innovative Projects grant to aid in developing a new approach to Contextual Education (CE) in the model of Theological Action Research Teams (TART).
As part of the research associated with this ATS grant, Professors Therese Lysaught and Dan Rhodes recently traveled to The Centre for Theology & Community (CTC) in East London, UK. While in England, Professors Lysaught and Rhodes met with CTC Director, Rev. Angus Ritchie as well as persons in their lay community, community organizers connected with the Centre, and a priest and lay leader from a Catholic Parish in nearby Manor Park.
“The Centre is doing some amazingly creative work and reinventing what parish and lay ministry look like,” says Professor Rhodes, “and the trip was wonderfully informative for learning how to engage participants in Action Research projects as well as for glimpsing the future of lay ministry.”
CTC’s Rev. Angus Ritchie and IPS’s Dan Rhodes in East London
The CE program continues to research and take preliminary steps toward instituting the TART model, building infrastructure, strengthening community partnerships, and developing programmatic components aiming to launch the first IPS student cohort to engage the TART/CE model in Fall 2018.
The long-term goal is to implement a thoroughly re-imagined approach to CE based on a model of Theological Action Research Teams (TART). This expanded and more thoroughly integrated approach to CE engages students from their first semester forward. It shifts to a 30-week placement accompanied by coaching, learning communities, skill-focused workshops, and practical instruction. Working with community partners, students will engage in discerning community-identified issues and, subsequently, organize community-based, co-creative, and theologically informed initiatives for addressing these issues. Additionally, this approach aims to develop a program of theological education that attracts and retains under-served and underrepresented students, as well as engendering new faculty scholarship across theological/ministerial specialties rooted in community collaboration.
In adopting the TART model, IPS will form equipped leaders to serve the church and society in the twenty-first century and will pioneer a model of theological education based on the process of action research teams.
Each year, Loyola University Chicago honors its most outstanding students with the President’s Medallion. This award recognizes students who exemplify the three words etched on the medal: leadership, scholarship and service. Representing IPS in the roster of university-wide medallion recipients this year is Alessandra Menendez, a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS-Religious Education) degree student.
“Each of the recipients was recommended for this award by their academic dean because they exemplify a wonderful combination of achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service,” said Jane Neufeld, vice president for Student Development. “In short, they are students for which Loyola and its founders can take great pride.”
We reached out to Alessandra to find out what this award means to her, as well as to learn how IPS has impacted her life.
Congratulations, Alessandra, on receiving the President’s Medallion. What does this award mean to you?
It represents my time at IPS — the beginning of my spiritual transformation, my awakening (metanoia), the time I made special friendships with peers and professors, the discovery of my own tribe. It also means the humility and gratefulness to receive, and to accept God’s gifts.
I understand you’re currently pursuing a MAPS-Religious Education degree here at IPS. Can you tell us a little bit about what you were doing prior to enrolling at IPS? How did you discern IPS to be your next step?
I volunteered over a span of thirty years as a catechist, a religious education coordinator and a Eucharistic minister in every parish in the places we’ve lived in (Buenos Aires, Argentina, Miami, Florida, São Paulo, Brazil, Wilmington, Delaware, Madrid, Spain and for the past thirteen years in London, England). I knew I had a calling to a vocation as a Religious Lay person and I needed better formation which is what led me to IPS.
What has your IPS journey been like so far? Any particular courses that have left an indelible mark? Memorable events outside the classroom?
It’s been as if someone turned a light on and I could finally see parts of my faith that were in the shadows. My very first class with Peter Jones IPS 570: Intro to Theology and Ministry was an epiphany. I finally had language to explain what I had lived in thirty years of ministry but especially the last thirteen years in London.
Dr. Marian Diaz classes IPS 416 and 417 gave me the confidence to question the manipulation of scripture to push an agenda and taught me how to actually explore the true meaning and context of the Bible. Professor Canaris’ classes IPS 402 Church & Mission and IPS 599 Teaching & Learning Church were foundational classes in understanding my own Church family. I had never read and analyzed an encyclical or understood how the Church arrives at what we know as truth. It is disturbing, upon looking back, to think that I spent thirty years in ministry and none of this formation was available to any of us parish volunteers. As a Church, we need to do more worldwide to give access to lay ministers to proper formation.
I experienced a spiritual conversion studying and engaging in discussions over the theology of grace and theologian Karl Rahner in both Dr. Russell’s classes IPS 531 Christian Doctrine and its History & IPS 541 Liturgy & Christian Sacraments. It was during these classes that I realized God’s grace, His free gift, and His irrevocable offer of His unconditional love for us. I knew it intellectually, but it was here when I received the grace to actually grasp what it meant about how I was called to love even those who fall short in loving me.
One of the classes which turned out to be a surprise was IPS 553 Christian Moral Theology & Ethics with Professor Dan Rhodes. I walked into the class with a mindset of right or wrong, left or right. There is so much more to Christian ethics than what people assume.
Even IPS 400 Professional Writing with Paige Warren and sharing our NPR “I Believe” with fellow student and friend Karen Flavin has been enlightening.
Two classes which were personally challenging and extremely rewarding have been IPS 555 The Human Person & Psychological Development with Professor Dean Manternach and Fr. Bill Creed’s IPS 572 Hearts on Fire: Ignatian Spirituality. These classes demand a journey within that can be very painful and yet, we work in ministry to journey together and become present in Christ to each other, especially in suffering – an inevitable experience and part of being human.
IPS 564 Foundations of Pastoral Care with Professor David Lichter equipped me with the knowledge to fully engage in pastoral care and even supported me throughout my own journey with cancer. The timing of these classes have been providential for me.
Some of the most memorable events outside of class have been my friendships at IPS. Meeting my friend Maureen Kurcz in person the first summer at IPS, after sharing an online class together was heart-warming. Also meeting one of the most outstanding fellow students and an amazing human being, Rainey Lamey, my first summer at IPS. I just knew I was home. Meeting, sharing and being ministered by fellow student and friend Peggy Flynn has been a true gift from God. Other experiences like sharing a Sunday worshipping together with fellow student and friend Shingai Chigwedere, my daughter Isabella and Professor Canaris in Chicago; and also having the opportunity to spend quality time in person with Professors Russell and Diaz. In addition, getting together in London with fellow student and friend Kathy North-Wilhelm and watching Scorsese’s movie Silence together, plus jointly contributing with fellow student and friend Amy Altheimer in the IPS’s student panel. And finally the times we scheduled on our own to share new knowledge with fellow students Greg Merideth, Ian Mitchell were truly special. Truly so many great memories including fellow student and friend Kelly MacCarthy, Ana Victoria Guizado; and so many outstanding people who truly make me feel that this is not just a place, it’s a family.
Can you give us a sense of your learning experience so far, from an online/non-US based student lens?
The difference in time zones can be challenging. I am in the UK and thus, six hours later in the day. Because the learning takes place on-line, I think it truly helped engaging with all opportunities available (online office hours, one-on-ones with professors, making use of the technology available to get together with peers in smaller groups, zoom, voice-thread, etc). My experience from being online and non-US based is that if one is engaged, the quality of the experience is completely transformed into something exceptional. It is truly up to the student to engage with the professors, engage with the material (hint: read ahead of time, don’t fall behind) and engage with fellow students. Three E’s: Engage, Engage, Engage! The challenge is not so much whether one is US based or abroad, online or in person; but to engage in building relationships, being willing to open up and discuss what is challenging. Always be accepting of others and contribute to a safe environment where we can truly learn from our differences and practice ministry before we go out to our wider worlds.
How have you ensured balance in your holistic life, given your IPS commitments?
I walked into IPS like a child in a candy store. I wanted to take it all in. Part of me wishes I could have done this twenty years ago, but I am also grateful God gave me this opportunity now. He knows best! Before committing, I discussed with my husband that I was going to need more support. We have three children, so there was extensive planning to allow myself study time (summer means one might be reading a few books in a week). As I mentioned, I had a breast cancer (recurrence) this summer. I don’t take the cancer lightly and I know balance, both mental and physical, is important. We spend an insane amount of time sitting (reading, researching, writing) so moving is very important. Even if it means stretching, going out for a brisk walk and breathing. Keeping hydrated, eating properly, all impacts our brain and our mood. Healthy minds in healthy bodies, but I also think our being is not separated in silos but intertwined (body, mind and soul).
How do you envision your time at IPS unfolding in the near term?
I am finishing my contextual education experience which has been both challenging and enlightening. I work at a nursing home/hospice in London (which can be challenging) and thus greatly appreciate the support provided by a learning community led by Professor Dan Rhodes. Also friend and fellow student Peggy Flynn has been a huge source of support as her specialty is end-of-life care. And Fr. Bill Creed’s Ignatian Spirituality couldn’t have been better timed than simultaneously with this experience. Therefore, I see this term unfolding as one of discernment about what the next chapter of my ministry will unfold to be.
As far as longer-term goals, where do you see yourself five years after completing your IPS degree?
A dream of mine is to see IPS launch here in London. If I could have a dream come true, it would be this one: for our local Church in London to have the grace of this kind of formation for both Lay and religious, so that the communal reality we live with the IPS family from Chicago extends to this side of the pond. Personally, I also see myself continuing on my path to formation. I would like to explore more pastoral ministry in non-religious environments (corporations, non-denominational secondary schools and university campus ministries that support those who do not adhere to any religious’ beliefs). How do we provide pastoral care using language that is universal enough to be inclusive without compromising what we do? We are not here to proselytize but to journey together.
Finally, can you share a personal spiritual practice that continues to restore and re-energize your mind, body, heart and spirit?
It might sound strange, but I re-discovered something my grandmother and the nuns at school taught me as a child when praying: bowing with one’s whole body. This is much more common in Asian cultures. It can be quite a workout for the body when one repeats this motion over and over, but what it does for the spirit is invaluable when we become mindful before whom we bow. It is so counter to our western culture to grasp that an act of humility (bowing) makes us stronger, but it does. I bring to mind everyone who’s crossed paths with me, and I bow to the presence of God in them and in me. It centers me and reminds me what is true. Try it one hundred times and then tell me after a week, how you feel. 😉
Congratulations, Alessandra! We applaud you for your dynamic leadership and creative, compassionate, and courageous service to church and society.
October 17, 2017The Institute of Pastoral Studies community gathered this past weekend for the 2017 Alumni and Friends Dinner, an event dedicated to raising funds for IPS scholarships.The highlight of the evening saw Evelyn and James Whitehead, beloved IPS professors, receive the Aggiornamento Award. This video tribute to the Whiteheads details the over 40-plus year relationship they’ve had with IPS; one rooted in an “emotional, spiritual, mental, and practical connection”.
IPS Professor Emeritus Peter Gilmour gave the keynote speech titled “Golden Threads in the Fabric and Future of IPS“. Professor Gilmour began his address, “Time travel with me to the year 2117, a century from now. One of the longest running shows in the history of TV, The Antiques Roadshow, is still a mainstay of the PBS network. Tonight the great, great, great granddaughter of IPS graduate, July Logue and her husband, Ed have brought to the Road Show a complete set of 1st editions written in the late 20th and early 21st centuries by authors, James and Evelyn Eaton Whitehead…” Read on below for the full text of Professor Gilmour’s keynote address.
IPS Dean Brian Schmisek commented on the event: “So many of those present made a point to say how meaningful the event was, how it honored our past and propelled us into the future.” Dean Brian also added the evening’s fundraising total exceeded expectations!
“Golden Threads in the Fabric and Future of IPS”
Keynote Address on the occasion of Evelyn Eaton and James D. Whitehead receiving the Aggiornamento Award from IPS, October 14, 2017
Dr. Peter Gilmour (pgilmou@luc.edu)
I’d like to begin tonight with a brief history of tomorrow. That’s right, a brief history of tomorrow. No doubt you are delighted to hear it will be brief. Perhaps you wonder if the speaker will live up to that promise. I’ve got it on good authority he will!
But, “a brief history of tomorrow”? What’s that all about?
Time travel with me to the year 2117, a century from now. One of the longest running shows in the history of TV, The Antiques Roadshow, is still a mainstay of the PBS network. Tonight the great, great, great granddaughter of IPS graduate, July Logue and her husband, Ed have brought to the Road Show a complete set of 1st editions written in the late 20th and early 21st centuries by authors, James and Evelyn Eaton Whitehead. The antiquarian book dealer looks them over, and tells them that he is familiar with these books for several reasons. He says, “First of all, the Whitehead’s work has been referenced in myriad dissertations and books on church ministry this past century, as perhaps you already know. But they have been more than footnotes; their work is the stuff of headlines. Many of these books have also been referenced in some of the Documents of Vatican III, the church council held from 2054 to 2060. Secondly, since your complete collection of the Whiteheads’ books are all 1st editions signed by both the authors, this is even better since so many of their books went through several printing due to their perennial popularity.”
The Antiquarian book dealer, Mr. Theodore Guzie, continues, “And I have a personal interest in these books. My great, great, great grandparents, Tad and Noreen Guzie spent many summers teaching at the Institute of Pastoral Studies, and no doubt knew the Whiteheads.” Lastly, Mr. Guzie refers to the golden threads that run through the entire history of IPS to date, some 153 years now, which can be found and documented in the Whiteheads’ books. The antiquarian book dealer, Mr. Guzie, concludes, “it’s hard to put an exact dollar figure on this complete collection of autographed first editions by authors Jim and Evelyn Whitehead, but I’d say that you know, like so many others who have been associated with IPS through its more than century and a half tradition, that it is fair to say, these books are priceless.”
Back to tonight, 2017. IPS has been witness to 10 presidents of the United States, 8 mayors of Chicago, 5 popes, 5 cardinal archbishops of Chicago, 5 university presidents here at Loyola, and 7 directors of IPS. Who would have guessed 53 years ago that the Internet would develop into a significant conduit for information, misinformation, and education? Add to the Internet the phenomenon of social media instantaneously connecting the citizens of the world with one another.
Today, many of our students first learn about IPS through the Internet rather than word of mouth. Stories and information about IPS once shared via religious communities in Ireland, coffee houses in Germany, church halls in Australia, and bars in Bangkok are spread today via Facebook and Google. Who other than perhaps a Nobel Laurette who sang in 1964, “The Times, They Are A-Changin” would have given much thought to the ever-increasing rapidity of change, the effects of robotics, artificial intelligence, the formation of the multiverse, and within it myriad universes, and the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in creation? Thank you Bob Dylan!
I have heard it said about the Institute of Pastoral Studies that no explanation is necessary for those who have had the experience; for those who have not, no explanation is sufficient. So, identifying the golden threads for so many gathered here tonight who have been such a significant part of IPS – students, alums, staff and faculty – you already are well able to recognize and celebrate this continuous living tradition. For others, it is my hope and prayer that my few words and stories might give you more than a hint about what we have been about these past 53 years, and what we will no doubt be about in the next hundred years. In the words of the Proverbs: “wisdom has built herself a house.” Yes, wisdom has built herself a house here in this place!
One of the insightful commentators on the church in America, the late Tim Unsworth, described IPS as “a sturdy, innovative graduate program in pastoral studies at Loyola University of Chicago that draws…students each year from all over the world.” Good description, for sure, but no big clues about the magical, mystical, miraculous golden threads that are the inner dynamism of IPS.
IPS is, first and foremost, about people. Perhaps not since Chaucer collected characters for The Canterbury Tales have spiritual and spirited personalities rubbed shoulders so closely. National and international, intricate and intimate, witty and wise, rural and urban, sensual and sacramental, the people who are IPS are on pilgrimages of mind, heart, and spirit. From places as near as the south side of Chicago, the North Shore, Waukegan, Harvey, Oak Park, Holland, Michigan, and as far away as Sydney, Australia, Patna, India, Beijing, China, San Paulo, Brazil, Quebec, Canada, Bochum, Germany and many other places round the world, our students have come. This community of students and faculty gathers every semester and summer to examine in-depth various aspects of religious traditions, classical and contemporary cultures, and personal experiences. IPS draws faithful people from around the world into an epicenter of Transformational Education.
What began with a single degree in Religious Education has evolved into degrees in Pastoral Studies, Pastoral Counseling, Spirituality, Divinity, and Social Justice. Duel degrees with other schools at Loyola as well as certificates and workshops complete the spectrum of offerings for the diversified students of IPS who now come from many religious traditions and backgrounds, from most all continents of the world (Antarctica aside!), and an ever widening age demographic, from young adults to retirees.
Yes, IPS is essentially about people.
IPS is also about the people to whom our students and graduates minister, whether it be in religious institutions, public and private venues, on the streets, or in our families. Our graduates, return to their holy places, or go on to new venues to assist faithful people who strive to identify purpose in their lives and pursue action that is oriented toward care and service to others, especially those in most need. Transformative Education, gestated at IPS, becomes a generative force in our graduates’ ministries that in turn transforms — touches the hearts – of those to whom they minister.
This inner dynamism of lPS, one golden thread that runs through IPS since its inception in 1964, is a call to Transformative Education. Sometimes this golden thread is a gentle pull towards recovery and growth. Other times it is a well laid out curricular path. Sometimes that golden thread shines through the inevitably dark night of the soul many people encounter on that journey towards spiritual adulthood. Other times that golden thread, carefully woven into the colorful tapestry of life and living unnoticed to the untrained eye, but becomes a lodestar. Alternatively, it might point the way toward a rock-strewn road that a prophetic voice urges us to follow.
Let us time travel once more, back to the future — a brief history of tomorrow — for another moment. Again, the year is a century from now, 2117. A descendent of Heidi Russell has stumbled across information about her great, great, great, great grandmother, a theologian who published groundbreaking work in early part of the 21st century while teaching at Loyola University’s Institute of Pastoral Studies. Professor Russell’s great, great, great, great granddaughter, recently ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic tradition – one of the developments of the latter 21st century interfaith Council, Vatican III – is herself pursuing a doctorate in theology. She is searching the archives at Loyola University Chicago, not only for information on her famed ancestor, but also to gather data on her doctoral dissertation subject – Pastoral Theology.
To her amazement, she comes across an original copy of the founding document of IPS, duplicated with the now quite faded purple ink of the mid 20th century known then as hectograph, involving a gelatin stencil and alcohol moistened paper. She comes across the following statement in this founding document: “The Institute provides an interwoven program of studies. It is not a catechetical, biblical, or liturgical Institute, but pastoral. This means that the Institute studies the total action of the Church, which is preaching and teaching, praying and worshiping, guiding and forming.”
Our view of church is not exclusively parochial and our practice of ministry transcends traditional religious structures and institutions. This of course generates a dynamic, constructive theology that meets people where they are, evolves with the experiences of each individual life and every secular and sacred culture. Or, as Ignatius succinctly said” “Finding God in all things.” These are the benchmarks of Pastoral Theology unfolding in the many and varied forms of ministry our graduates pursue: pastoring churches as either ordained or non-ordained leaders of faith communities, teaching religion in school and parish settings, counseling people within the context of faith, providing spiritual direction, providing hospital chaplaincy, working towards social justice for the poor and marginalized, and in so many other settings and situations.
And so we gather here tonight to celebrate not only the internal dynamism of IPS, but also what Karl Rahner, S.J. spoke about in his 1979 talk titled, “Toward a Fundamental Interpretation of Vatican II.” He heralded the coming of a world church, not Euro-centered, but world-centered. A church that celebrates other faiths as crucibles of revelation, which reveres the many and varied cultural experiences and expressions of faith, and finds great meaning and strength in diversity. Alfred Lord Tennyson hinted at this epic change in Idylls of the King: “The old order changeth, yielding place to the new. And God fulfils himself in many ways. Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.” IPS is both a sacred crucible of Rahner’s world church and a prophetic glimpse into that future. As the holy Koran says, “We have created you…and appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another.”
Tonight we gather to take seriously the gospel of Matthew’s words: “You are the light of the world. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where in shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of humanity, so that, seeing your good works, they may give you praise…”
We gather here tonight to give praise to IPS and, particularly, to a partnership of mainstays whose teaching has been a constitutive part of Transformational Education and Pastoral Theology, the golden threads running through the life of IPS, calling people to the coming world church. They first taught at IPS just two years after the moon landing. One small step for the Whiteheads; one giant step for Transformational Education and Pastoral Theology at IPS. In the words of Ecclesiasticus: “Many will praise their understanding, and it will never be forgotten. Their memory will not disappear, generation after generation their name will live.”
Tonight we celebrate you, Jim and Evelyn. Your contributions to the ever-ongoing development of Transformational Education and Pastoral Theology are many. “Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices. Who wondrous things has done in Whom this world rejoices…” All of us who are IPS thank you for your dedication to its transformational and pastoral vision and mission of IPS.
In light of recent events, IPS Dean Brian Schmisek penned an opinion piece reflecting on the rising sentiments of racism and sexual assault we are seeing in the national discourse.
Add your thoughts to the discussion below.
By Brian Schmisek
60. That number is the percent of white Catholics who voted for President Trump, the candidate who admitted to the behavior of a sexual predator and appealed openly to racism. Even a leader of his own party said his words were the “textbook definition of a racist comment.” Now that the election is over and we are in the first year of the Trump administration, will the USCCB be calling for a ‘fortnight of freedom’ for women, immigrants, and minorities? Or will the focus remain on “religious liberty” and the contraceptive mandate? Those on the right claim the Supreme Court vacancy was the crucial factor in electing Trump. Does this grand prize, Gorsuch on the bench, excuse or at least rationalize the behavior of the chief executive? Though there are many things to critique about a Trump administration, this troubling number, 60, deserves attention from US Catholics for what it says about us.
Since the 1980s many quarters of Catholic leadership, including some US Bishops, reduced the pro-life issue to abortion, saying it was so beyond the pale that any candidate who openly supported a pro-choice position was thereby ineligible for consideration for elected office by Catholics. About ten years ago, some bishops claimed it was the defining moral issue of the last thirty-five years. Many bishops spoke about denying communion to such politicians, and the fervor increased with each election year. Even if this was never the official position of the USCCB, many thought leaders in conservative Catholic circles argued for that position and it took deep root in the hierarchy and among many of the faithful.
Now, while the US Catholic hierarchy and their conservative allies were focused on that issue, we have elected a President who denigrated entire classes of people based on race, and admitted to, even bragged about sexual assault. Apparently, as 60% of the white Catholic vote indicates, these were not disqualifying factors. In fact, According to the Pew Research Center, Trump received a greater percentage of the votes of white Catholics than any other candidate, Republican or Democrat, in at least 20 years. Indeed, from another more recent study by Pew, comes this startling line: “And among white Catholics – as with white evangelicals – those who attend religious services at least once or twice a month are more approving of Trump’s job performance than are white Catholics who attend Mass less often (61% vs. 44%).”
This overwhelming support from churchgoers seems to be a clarion call that something is wrong with our priorities. There is a problem with the way we are educating and catechizing our people when a blatant racist empowering alt-right groups, neo-Nazis, and other fringe elements receives 3 out of 5 votes from white Catholics, and stronger approval from Mass attending Catholics than not. Trump’s cultivation of support from these extreme groups was mocked in a spoof commercial of “Racists for Trump” on Saturday Night Live, but after a marked increase in hate crimes and violence from what he has unleashed, the stakes have been raised. We need to take a closer look at our role and ourselves as Catholics in this unique time.
Rather than seek to remove the splinter of the contraceptive mandate from the eye of the Affordable Care Act, the bishops would do better to remove the log from their own and that of their flock. Though it pains me and even shames me to say it, that log is latent, pernicious racism, and the minimization of sexual assault among the white Catholic faithful. That log is excusing behavior we would not accept in our children to achieve a seat on the Supreme Court with the hope of ending the contraceptive mandate.
Immediately I can hear the reply that elections are complicated affairs with a variety of issues at stake; white Catholics are not racists and do not minimize sexual assault. I would like to agree. But the election results and the racial divisions it exposed should cause us to reconsider. Where were the letters from US bishops that seem to have been so plentiful in previous presidential cycles? When a candidate is so openly racist and misogynistic, might he have been disqualified from consideration by followers of Jesus who claim to love their neighbor?
The fact that a majority of white Catholics thought such a vote acceptable means there is much work to do, more leadership needed from our bishops. For example, the USCCB might devote at least as much energy to eradicating racism and the trivialization of sexual assault as they do the contraceptive mandate. There is much in Scripture about hospitality, treatment of the other, the stranger, the alien, the immigrant, the widow, and the orphan. It says nothing about a contraceptive mandate. Some bishops have even been ahead of the curve and already spoken about these issues. For example, one of the few African American bishops, Bishop Braxton, published a Text and Study Guide on the topic. This is part of a solid foundation on which to build.
The election of Trump has seen fathers deported, families torn apart, mothers separated from their children, and policies called ‘inhumane’ and ‘contrary to the values of the country and its legal system,’ by at least one federal judge. Hate crimes are increasing; as is violence against minorities. Closeted racism, never locked away tightly, has emerged with a frightening boldness. The free press is threatened; truth itself is under assault with alternative facts and propaganda “news.” A ‘meanness’ and viciousness drives this administration that tears at the fabric of society, and the meaning of truth itself. It’s as though Trump is echoing the words of Pilate, “What is truth?” The contraceptive mandate and the creation of a permanent committee for religious freedom seems to be among the least of our concerns, akin to chasing windmills in the storm of racism and assault.
Was the election of a bigot and braggadocios predator worth a seat on the Supreme Court? Have we given the modern equivalent of 30 pieces of silver for that one vote? If so, there is nothing we can do now but run into the darkness and weep, hoping against hope that at some future resurrection we as a church will be forgiven by a Risen Christ who will embolden us with the command issued three times: feed my sheep. Then, the church will experience a rebirth with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit as at Pentecost. On that day, our priorities will reflect Jesus, his commands and his mission. We will welcome the stranger, protect the widow and the orphan, and love our neighbor as Christ loves us.
September 12, 2017 The Journal of Pastoral Theology has just published an article authored by IPS Adjunct Professor, AHyun Lee. In the article entitled “What Do I Call You?” Postcolonial Pastoral Care and Counseling: Ambiguous Sense of Self with Perspectives on the Experience of Korean Clergywomen, Professor Lee “explores the ambiguous sense of self with the complexity of the psychological experiences of racial–ethnic minority women, especially Korean immigrant women’s subordinate roles in intercultural contexts”. Professor Lee interviews five ordained Korean clergywomen to “address the psychological influence of stereotyped representations and expectations that intersect with race, gender, immigration, and cultures”. To read the full text of Professor Lee’s article, go here: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/xJT3P7D4yf97vPINKhXx/full. Professor Lee is currently teaching IPS 472 (Pastoral Counseling in an Intercultural Context) this Fall semester. You can reach her at alee27@luc.edu.
9-12-2017|Comments Off on IPS Professor AHyun Lee article in Journal of Pastoral Theology
This past July, the Association of Theological Schools awarded IPS a grant to “develop and implement an innovative and nationally-recognized integrated formation program for students and faculty that includes intercultural competency”. Carol Taliaferro has just joined IPS as Coordinator of Formation to spearhead this strategic mandate.
We recently sat down with Carol to talk to her about her journey to IPS.
What brought you to IPS last spring? What course did you teach? Last spring a position became available for an Instructor for Spiritual Practicum II. One of the faculty members advised me of the vacancy and asked if I would be interested. I said yes, submitted my Curriculum Vitae, had an interview with the Dean, and to my surprise was offered the job as an Adjunct Instructor. As a Spiritual Director, I was very enthusiastic yet a bit anxious about teaching the course as this was my first teaching experience with IPS.
Have you always been involved in the education field? No, I have not always been involved in the education field. In fact, although I have done some informal teaching, IPS was my first professional teaching assignment.
How did that first teaching assignment unfold?As with most new endeavors there are things that you do well and some things that may require some improvement. I really enjoyed my first teaching assignment. I could not have asked for a better class. I only hope that their lives were enriched as much as teaching them enriched mine. I must say that I am truly grateful for the experience. I found that amazing things happen when you allow yourself to be stretched beyond your preconceived capabilities and self-imposed limitations.
What does the term “formation” mean for you? To me the term formation means human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral preparation for those who are planning to enter ministry.
What drew you to the Coordinator of Formation opportunity here at IPS? What drew me to the Coordinator of Formation opportunity at IPS was being able to help the students to find opportunities that will meet their personal developmental needs as they prepare to take on their ministerial and/or pastoral responsibilities.
What are you most excited for as the Coordinator of Formation? As the Coordinator of Formation I am most excited about getting to interact with the students, faculty and staff. I look forward to working with them and becoming familiar with their needs and doing all I can to assure that they are met. I am excited about piloting a new position in IPS and look forward to meeting and mastering the challenges this entails.
How will the presence of an in-house Coordinator of Formation concretely impact the lives of IPS students, faculty and staff? The presence of an in-house Coordinator of Formation will impact the IPS students, faculty and staff because they will have a direct source to refer to or one contact point when searching for personal formation opportunities. As Coordinator of Formation I will be collaborating with other departments, especially, Campus Ministry and the Division of Student Development and will advise the student, faculty and staff of what is available using social media and/or other forms of notification. I will also be available for personal consultations as requested.
Can you share something about your prayer life practice that a fellow IPS community member may be able to rest in? When I was first contemplating going into ministry, I was talking with a close friend and I told him that I didn’t really think I was ready for ministry, that I didn’t think I was smart enough, because all of the great theologians seemed to be brilliant. So much so, that I didn’t understand anything they were trying to convey. His response to me was “God does not call the qualified, God qualifies the called.” My friend has since passed on, but whenever I am confronted with a new challenge I remember his words. I then stop, take a deep breath, quietly reflect for a moment and trust that God has provided me with all that I need.
How can a member of the IPS family connect with you? The IPS family can contact me at ctaliaferro1@luc.edu.
The Institute for Pastoral Studies is excited to welcome Dr. Deborah Watson on-board and introduce her to our community. Dr. Watson will begin her time as a Clinical Instructor with the Pastoral Counseling program this Fall 2017. Graduate Assistant, Ramona Gant, asked Dr. Watson a series of questions and here are some of her responses. We hope this Q & A session will give you a preview of what you can look forward to from Dr. Watson.
What graduate seminars would you like to teach?
My favorite courses to teach are family systems theory (comparable to IPS Family Therapy & Personal Transformation) and individual theories (comparable to IPS Models of Pastoral Counseling). Having a theoretical framework to organize all the information one gathers is necessary and associated with positive outcomes. Additionally, I find building that theoretical framework quite fun. I also enjoy working with practicum students, as it is the culmination of years of study and a time to apply what they have learned—an exciting part of the educational journey to be on with students as they begin to put into practice all that they have been preparing for.
What is your next major project, after you finish your work on your current one?
That is a great question. I was scheduled to leave for Bhutan on August 16 to continue my work there. Now, I am on my way to teach at Loyola and cannot be more excited to see what my next project will be.
What was your graduate program like, and do you feel it was effective in training students for jobs?
I had an awesome graduate program. It was a comprehensive and rigorous program. We had exposure to many ideas and resources. We had a diverse faculty body, particularly in regards to theories, experiences, and passions. This diversity gave students a wide range of teaching styles and exposure to different areas of interest and resources that enhanced student learning, preparedness, and adaptability. Preparing students for a multitude of job opportunities (e.g. advocacy, wellness, community work, clinical work, education etc.).
How did you prepare for the job market?
I have always stayed engaged with the communities I am involved with. Over the years that includes local churches, schools, and social service agencies. These connections keep me current with social and political happenings and the needs of the people or students I work with. Having personal and professional networks and being involved with people and projects not only bring purpose and meaning to my life but simultaneously keeps me current with information, skills, technology, networking, and trends (although I must add there is always room for improvement). As I was working on my doctorate in education, I always strived to expand my worldview or perspectives, to learn not only about others but myself (I believe a necessary ingredient in the helping professions). I have stayed an active member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the National Board of Certified Counselors International (NBCC-I), the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), and the Illinois Counseling Association (ICA). I recently attended a conference hosted by the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC) in Richmond, Virginia, where I connected with colleagues that spent time in Bhutan working on the same project that I was working on (helping to build a mental health counseling infrastructure).
What do you do for fun?
I love to travel, listen to music, and play games. My greatest pleasure comes from spending time with family and friends. I also enjoy taking walks and going on bike rides (in the great outdoors).
8-01-2017|Comments Off on IPS Introduces New Clinical Instructor Dr. Deborah Watson
The Association of Theological Schools, has awarded the Institute of Pastoral Studies and Dr. Dan Rhodes with an innovative projects grant to aid in a new approach to Contextual Education. This project will form equipped leaders to serve the church and society in the twenty-first century and will pioneer a model of theological education based on the process of action research teams.
The long-term goal is to implement a thoroughly reimagined approach to CE based on a model of Theological Action Research Teams (TART). This expanded and more thoroughly integrated approach to CE engages students from their first semester forward. It shifts to a 30-week placement accompanied by coaching, learning communities, skill-focused workshops, and practical instruction. Working with community partners, students will engage in discerning community-identified issues and, subsequently, organize community-based, co-creative, and theologically informed initiatives for addressing these issues. Additionally, this approach aims to develop a program of theological education that attracts and retains underserved and underrepresented students as well as engendering new faculty scholarship across theological/ministerial specialties rooted in community collaboration.
This year, the CE program will begin research and preliminary steps toward instituting the TART model, building infrastructure, strengthening community partnerships, and developing programmatic components aiming to launch the first IPS student cohort to engage the TART/CE model in Fall 2018.
