Category : Social Justice & Community Development

IPS co-hosts “Integrity and Accountability in the Catholic Church”

Close to 90 people gathered at Regents Hall in Lewis Towers or joined in online this past October 11th to participate in a panel-led discussion on “Integrity and Accountability in the Catholic Church”.

IPS Dean Schmisek noted, “Many attendees engaged in a meaningful way with the panelists, who offered insightful analysis and thought-provoking comments. One of the participants said it felt as though the panelists were offering ‘ministry’ to those in the audience.”

The evening was a culmination of a joint effort from IPS, Dr. Murphy and the Hank Center, and Jocelyn Cheng from Alumni Relations.  Rebecca Weller was also on hand as a resource and advocate.

To view photos from the evening, go to: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmpmKV9s.

To view video of the evening, go to: https://bit.ly/2NL81Wr.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below are Dean Schmisek’s opening remarks:

Welcome to Loyola University Chicago’s Water Tower Campus. My name is Dr. Brian Schmisek, Dean of the Institute of Pastoral Studies here. On behalf of our Institute and Dr. Michael Murphy, Director of the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage, tonight’s co-sponsor of the event with us, I thank you for being here.
Welcome to Loyola University Chicago’s Water Tower Campus. My name is Dr. Brian Schmisek, Dean of the Institute of Pastoral Studies here. On behalf of our Institute and Dr. Michael Murphy, Director of the Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage, tonight’s co-sponsor of the event with us, I thank you for being here.
We have assembled a distinguished panel to discuss the topic “Integrity and Accountability in the Catholic Church.” With more and more revelations forthcoming in the news, we consider it part of our mission and duty as a Jesuit Catholic University to provide this forum in an academic setting.
Let me say at the outset that we will be discussing some sensitive topics. With statistics telling us that one in three women and one in six men will have experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime,  it is likely that there are some here tonight who have had this happen to them. This is a tragedy and our sympathies go out to you.
We also have with us tonight Rebecca Weller, an advocate who can provide support and resources for anyone that feels upset or triggered by the subject matter. Rebecca also has literature and other handouts available.
I should also mention that this event is being live-cast and recorded. If you have a comment or question for our panel, but are not comfortable being on camera you can wait until after we conclude at 8:30 to come up and ask your question or make your comment.
So with that, let me introduce our panel. Each will speak for about 10-15 minutes from their own perspective. After each has spoken, I’ll moderate the discussion, and Dr. Murphy will have a roving microphone. We will conclude at 8:30.
Justice Anne Burke has served on the Illinois Supreme Court since 2006. Before that, she served as a Justice on the Illinois Court of Appeals since 1995. She is a founder of the Special Olympics in 1968. She also was one of the first members appointed to the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People and served on that board from 2002 – 2004.
Dr. Rick Gaillardetz is The Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology and Chair of the Department of Theology at Boston College. He served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America in 2013-14, the largest professional association of Catholic theologians in the world with over 1400 members. He is a noted expert on ecclesiology and his books include a revised and expanded edition of By What Authority? Foundations for Understanding Authority in the Church, published by Liturgical Press this year.
Dr. Jennifer Haselberger holds a Ph.D. from the University of London in England, and a licentiate in canon law from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. She served as the Chancellor for Canonical Affairs in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul until April of 2013, when she resigned in protest of the Archdiocese’s handling of sexual misconduct by clergy. That same year she was selected as the Person of the Year, by the National Catholic Reporter. The following year she received the Michael J. Ehrlichmann Public Service Award from the Minnesota Association of Justice and the Trivison Award for demonstrating visionary leadership in the Catholic Church.
We are so pleased to have these distinguished panelists here to share their thoughts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To learn more about IPS, go to https://www.luc.edu/ips/.
For those interested in applying to IPS, go to https://gpem.luc.edu/apply/.

IPS Launches Spiritual Formation Webpage

IPS is proud to announce the launch of the IPS Spiritual Formation webpage.

This webpage offers IPS students opportunities for growth in personal faith, emotional maturity, moral integrity and public witness.  It also provides opportunities to interact with and reflect on their experiences with fellow students.

When asked about the importance of formation for IPS students, Coordinator of Formation Carol Taliaferro says, “formation is a lifelong process that addresses our personal relationship with God and helps us to discern with others our mission as disciples of Christ.”

The webpage will be updated to include information on small reflection groups, retreats, service opportunities, spiritual directors, pastoral counselors, special events, worship sites, etc.

Click on the below for upcoming LUC events relevant for Spiritual Formation:

Ignatian Silent Retreat
C.C.C.
MSA Sister’s Retreat 2018-19
MSA Brother’s Retreat 2018-19
Women’s Retreat
The Busy Student Retreat
Alternative Break Immersion
Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice

Click here for Off-Campus Worship Sites

For more information, go to the formation webpage.  Consult with Carol Taliaferro at ctaliaferro1@luc.edu to see if funding may be available to cover full or partial costs of activities and services.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To learn more about IPS, go to https://www.luc.edu/ips/.
For those interested in applying to IPS, go to https://gpem.luc.edu/apply/.

“Everyone in the room is now your cheerleader.”

A Warm Welcome to New IPS Students from SEC Chair, Hannah Thompson

During last week’s New Student Orientation, Student Engagement Committee (SEC) chair Hannah Thompson welcomed all new IPS students with warmth and energy, delivering the below:

“You are about to embark on an amazing journey!  You should be so excited.  I am a part-time social justice student.   I commute from Elmhurst every week.  For undergraduate, I got my degree in communications. When I graduated from Elmhurst College, I interned at different nonprofits, did some advocacy work with the Federal Communications Commission and the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation for five years then came back to school.”

“In this department, I have had Dr. Mike Canaris and Dr. Peter Jones as professors.  They were tremendous.  Everyone here wants you to succeed.  I feel like they know you will do the work.  As a student who takes twice the time it takes you to do a paper, I can attest that the workload is reasonable.  This is graduate school.  Feel welcome to communicate with professors but you cannot afford to not put in the effort.  As long as they know you’re trying, they will help you.  For example, in Mike’s class, I was doing well on the assignments, but I wanted to throw the textbook out the window.  I expressed that to him, and he said, “I know you don’t have a background in theology.  It’s okay.”  We worked through it.  Every single professor wants you to succeed.  They truly do.”

Photo Source: Chicago Parent Magazine

“Ok, now I get to talk about the fun stuff!  I am the Student Engagement Committee (SEC) chair.  Last year, I was sitting where you are.  I decided to go to the first meeting.  It’s really fun.  Now, I’m in a leadership position.  With my disability, I could have easily been the online student that no one really knew.  That identify did not sit with me very well.  Getting involved really and truly is rewarding.  For one, I can walk into a classroom and have an idea of who that professor is and vice versa.  Your experience is so much richer if you get involved.  We also need members to make the Student Engagement Committee work.  The majority graduated last spring so I hope you at least come to the first meeting scheduled for September 5th at 3 o’clock.  We won’t have it the first week because that would be crazy but the second week on Sep 5th at 3pm, please come.  Getting involved only leads to good things.

“To sum up, everyone in the room is now your cheerleader.  We need to be present.  Get to know people.  These professors have touched my life.  This is a very devoted group of faculty that will challenge you while respecting your beliefs.  As for me, I’m the woman using a wheelchair, who uses a communication device to speak, usually in pink.  I’m real easy to recognize.  I want to get to know you.  I hope to see you around and chat.”

May the entire IPS family have a blessed academic 2018-2019 year and continue its mission to facilitate the integrated ministerial development of diverse and dynamic leaders for creative, compassionate, and courageous service to church and society.

###############################################

If you want to reach out to Hannah directly, you can email her at hthompson7@luc.edu.  To learn more about IPS, go to https://www.luc.edu/ips/.  For those interested in applying to IPS, go to https://gpem.luc.edu/apply/.

Photos from April 5th IPS Alumni-Students Networking Event

On April 5th, IPS and Loyola Alumni Relations co-sponsored a networking event that featured the following speakers who presented on the topic “Ministry in a Dynamic World: Finding Focus, Activating Energy, & Nurturing Gifts”.

  • Deirdre Long, IPS Alumna 2015, Marketing Coordinator, Loyola Press
  • Fr. Jason Malave, Cardinal’s Liaison for Renew My Church, Archdiocese of Chicago
  • Ann Ridge, IPS Alumna 2002, IPS Adjunct Instructor, and PhD candidate at The Chicago Theological Seminary
  • Keyalo Gray, MS Ed., Career Advisor, Loyola University Chicago

Close to 40 people participated in the event, including several who viewed our livestream via the IPS Facebook page.  Many thanks to Associate Dean and Assistant Clinical Professor Peter Jones for managing the livestream, undertaken to enhance the overall IPS experience of our online/distance students.  Finally, over 20 people supported the IPS Student Scholarship Fund.

We’d like to thank Deirdre, Fr. Jason, Ann, and Keyalo for sharing their time, talent and treasure with us that evening.

For photos of the retreat, click here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To learn more about IPS, go to https://www.luc.edu/ips/.    For those interested in applying to IPS, go to https://gpem.luc.edu/apply/.