Author Archives: Jessamyn Anderson

An Advent Reflection

Advent is the liturgical period leading up to the feast of Christmas.

A driving dynamic of Advent is hope.  If we had nothing to hope for,
there would be no point to this season.  The original hope was for a
child to be born who would bring justice and peace to the world and
who would heal the rift between humanity and God.  But that larger
hope is filled with smaller ones—daily hopes that can shape us as people.

Some hopes will shape our relationships.  The Christ Child grew to be a
man who embodied forgiveness and generosity.  A life of hope sees
the good in others, is patient with their shortcomings, and tenaciously
envisions them at their best.

Some hopes will shape our work.  The promised Messiah proclaimed
God’s realm of justice and mercy.  No matter what jobs we do or work
positions we hold, as hopeful people we maintain fairness and integrity
as short-term and long-term goals.  We make our work matter for the
common good.

Some hopes will shape our character.  Jesus exemplified hope that cultivates
true freedom.  A hopeful person cannot continue in anxiety, grasping,
need for control, and habitual anger.

How is hope visible in your life?
Where has it failed?

 

– Vinita Hampton Wright, IPS Student, Loyola Press Blogs

11-30-2016 | Comments Off on An Advent Reflection

Statement of AJCU Presidents on Undocumented Students

November 30, 2016

As Presidents of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities we feel spiritually and morally compelled to raise a collective voice confirming our values and commitments as Americans and educators. We represent colleges and universities from across our nation with more than 215,000 students and 21,000 faculty, and over 2 million living alumni.

Grounded in our Catholic and Jesuit mission, we are guided by our commitment to uphold the dignity of every person, to work for the common good of our nation, and to promote a living faith that works for justice. We see our work of teaching, scholarship and the formation of minds and spirits as a sacred trust.

That trust prompts us to labor for solidarity among all people, and especially with and for the poor and marginalized of our society. That trust calls us to embrace the entire human family, regardless of their immigration status (1) or religious allegiance. And experience has shown us that our communities are immeasurably enriched by the presence, intelligence, and committed contributions of undocumented students, as well as of faculty and staff of every color and from every faith tradition.

Therefore, we will continue working:

•    To protect to the fullest extent of the law undocumented students on our campuses;
•    To promote retention of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA);
•    To support and stand with our students, faculty and staff regardless of their faith traditions;
•    To preserve the religious freedoms on which our nation was founded.

As we conclude this Year of Mercy, we make our own the aims enunciated by Pope Francis:

“Every human being is a child of God! He or she bears the image of Christ! We ourselves need to see, and then to enable others to see, that migrants and refugees do not only represent a problem to be solved, but are brothers and sisters to be welcomed, respected and loved.” (2)

We hope that this statement will inspire members of our University communities, as well as the larger national community, to promote efforts at welcome, dialogue, and reconciliation among all that share our land.  We welcome further conversation and commit ourselves to modeling the kind of discourse and debate that are at the heart of our nation’s ideals. And we promise to bring the best resources of our institutions – of intellect, reflection, and service – to bear in the task of fostering understanding in the United States at this particular time in our history.

Signed,

John J. Hurley
Canisius CollegeDaniel S. Hendrickson, S.J.
Creighton UniversityJoseph M. McShane, S.J.
Fordham UniversityThayne M. McCulloh
Gonzaga University

Linda M. LeMura
Le Moyne College

Jo Ann Rooney
Loyola University Chicago

Kevin Wm. Wildes, S.J.
Loyola University New Orleans

John P. Fitzgibbons, S.J.
Regis University

Mark C. Reed
Saint Joseph’s University

Eugene J. Cornacchia
Saint Peter’s University

Stephen Sundborg, S.J.
Seattle University

Antoine M. Garibaldi
University of Detroit Mercy

Kevin P. Quinn, S.J.
University of Scranton

Michael J. Graham, S.J.
Xavier University

 

 Philip L. Boroughs, S.J.
College of the Holy CrossJeffrey P. von Arx, S.J.
Fairfield UniversityJohn J. DeGioia
Georgetown UniversityRobert L. Niehoff, S.J.
John Carroll University

Timothy Law Snyder
Loyola Marymount University

Brian F. Linnane, S.J.
Loyola University Maryland

Michael Lovell
Marquette University

Thomas Curran, S.J.
Rockhurst University

Fred P. Pestello
Saint Louis University

Michael E. Engh, S.J.
Santa Clara University

Christopher P. Puto
Spring Hill College

Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J.
University of San Francisco

James Fleming, S.J.
Wheeling Jesuit University

Michael J. Sheeran, S.J.
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities

 

(1) AJCU Presidents Statement in Support of Undocumented Individuals, January 2013 (http://bit.ly/2fNj9V6) 
(2) Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for The World Day Of Migrants And Refugees (5 August 2014).

Click here to view this press release online: http://www.ajcunet.edu/press-releases-blog/2016/11/30/statement-of-ajcu-presidents-november-2016

12-08-2016 | Comments Off on Statement of AJCU Presidents on Undocumented Students

Meet Grace Girardot

Grace Girardot is a current student in the MA in Social Justice program. When she is not busy working in Water Tower Campus Ministry as a Grad Assistant or doing her school work, you can find her doing yoga, cooking, being outside, attempting to play piano or guitar, knitting and trolling used book and record stores for hidden treasures. To learn more about Grace and her experience as a student, please continue to read below.

What is a little of your background?

I am a Chicago area native, hailing from the western suburbs. When I was 18, I was transplanted to South Bend, IN, where I attended the University of Notre Dame for my undergraduate years. Although I am a die-hard Fighting Irish fan, I got a lot more out my time in South Bend than simply the football seasons. I studied Spanish, Latino Studies and Poverty Studies. During this time I developed a deep love of Latin American Literature and music, which forced me to examine themes of marginality and otherness. Through service learning experiences abroad as well as in South Bend, I was able to deepen my interest in these topics, which has eventually led me to pursue the MA in Social Justice at IPS.

Why Loyola?

I chose to pursue the MA in Social Justice at Loyola due to the unique emphasis on faith as being the foundation upon which we understand the work of social justice. As an undergraduate leading service learning immersion seminars, I had relied on the tools and language that Catholic social teaching provided to help students (and myself) name the sensations that we were experiencing. Just as on an airplane you must secure your own oxygen mask before helping those around you, I wanted to continue to build up my own lens of CST, so that I would better be able to help others to identify their experiences through that same lens.

What have you learned by studying at IPS?

By studying at IPS, I have learned how to reimagine the world. I continue to learn about the complexity of the interconnectedness of our relationships with our environment, others, God and ourselves, and how these complexities relate to certain themes and events that we experience in the world today.

What is your favourite quote?

I am torn between two. Both are relatively short.
“Thou mayest.” –John Steinbeck, East of Eden
“The strength of a tree lies in its ability to bend.” –Zen Proverb

Tell us one fun fact about you.

I know how to hula dance.

What is the best compliment that someone has given you?

I think the best compliment that someone has given me is not necessarily something they have stated verbally but through their actions. I feel most humbled and flattered when friends, students, or family members show their trust in me by asking for help, advice, or coming to me to chat about their innermost ponderings.

9-23-2016 | Comments Off on Meet Grace Girardot

Meet Our New Business Manager

Staff Changes at St. Gertrude

We are sad to report that Mary Regula has left our parish. She joined the St. Gertrude staff last year, and quickly won everyone over with her hard work, keen organizational abilities, and terrific attitude.

She is moving with her family, her husband, Randy, and her sons—Andrew, a new graduate of St. Norbert College; Michael, a senior at Carthage College, and John, who just graduated from Mather High School.

Congratulations and best wishes to Mary, as she starts a new chapter of her life in Allouez, Wisconsin! She will be deeply missed by everyone at St. Gertrude!

Last week, Art Blumberg, came on board as Director of Parish Management and Facilities at St. Gertrude. This is actually his second time here. In the fall of 2013, he did his field work and internship for his Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) degree at the parish, working mostly with Fr. Dom and the Gym Mass.

For the past two years, he has served as Director of Parish Operations at St. Philip the Apostle in Northfield. Prior to that, he earned a MAPS degree at the Institute for Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago, where he met and took classes with Abby Mikesell. He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity at Loyola.

His family has long-standing ties to St. Gertrude. Art’s mother-in-law, Pat O’Callaghan, was a parishioner for many years and was often a lector at St. Gertrude East, and several of his nieces and nephews were baptized here.

Art and his wife Madeline have been married for 31 years and are parishioners at St. Margaret Mary, where they are active in several ministries. They have one son, Nick, who is an Associate Producer for the program Chicago Tonight on WTTW.

We ask you extend a warm welcome to Art as he adjusts to his new position here!

9-14-2016 | Comments Off on Meet Our New Business Manager

Two New Student Workers Join IPS

IPS is happy to welcome Starr Young and José Brito to the team! As IPS continues to grow, the more hands we need helping out around the office. Fortunately, IPS was able to hire Starr as a Graduate Student Worker and José as an Undergraduate Student Worker.

 

Starr
Meet Starr. She is from Chicago and this is her first year attending Loyola. She is earning her MAPC/MDiv dual degree from IPS. Get to know more about Starr in the Q&A below.

What are you looking forward to learning while working at IPS? 
I am very excited to be a part of the IPS team! I am looking forward to the opportunity to be more immersed in the community while working at IPS.

What is something special you are bringing to the IPS team?
I want to offer my time and talent to give back to IPS as the program has already given so much to me in the short amount of time that I have been a student.

What are your goals while in school and after?
Upon graduation from IPS, my professional goal is to combine my education and faith into a career as a counselor. I hope to one day open a community center where I can offer services to contribute to the healing of the mind, body and spirit of each client. My personal and more immediate goal is to help provide a place in the Catholic Churches of Chicago where Young Adults can feel accepted and inspired by their faith through a ministry entitled ReCiL (Reclaiming Christ in Life).

What do you like to do in your spare time outside of school and work?
I love to travel, spend time with my family and attend hockey games. Go Blackhawks!

What is a fun fact or story about yourself?
A fun fact about me is that I love science! My undergraduate degree is in Human Biology.

 

Jose

Meet José. He is also from Chicago and is a freshman at Arrupe College of Loyola. He is currently studying Social and Behavioral Sciences and will later study Criminal Justice. Get to know more about José in the Q&A below.

What are you looking forward to learning while working at IPS? 
I would like to learn more about the work environment in an office setting.

What is something special you are bringing to the IPS team?
Something special I bring to the IPS team is that I am bilingual. I speak fluent English and Spanish.

What are your goals while in school and/or after?
After school when I have graduated from Arrupe College, I plan to attend Saint Xavier University where I will study Criminal Justice, so that one day I will be able to work for a state or federal law enforcement.

What do you like to do in your spare time outside of school and work? 
In my spare time, I enjoy playing video games or boxing with my coach. Sometimes I go out with friends or family to play soccer, depending on the weather.

What is a fun fact or story about yourself?
A fun fact about myself is that I enjoy eating all kinds of food. I tend to over eat most of the time. I am always hungry. My mom told me that when I was only four months old I had began to drink the eighteen ounce bottles of baby formula and that I would drink four or five of those a day. Eventually making me a fat baby.

 

If you see Starr or José around the office, don’t forget to say hello and welcome!

 

Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.

3-23-2016 | Comments Off on Two New Student Workers Join IPS

Pastoral Counseling between Psychology and Religion

On March 15, IPS announced its new Master of Arts in Counseling for Ministry with the help of Dr. Robert Kugelmann. As the author of Psychology and Catholicism: Contested Boundaries, Dr. Kugelmann spoke about the new IPS degree and its relationship with Catholicism and Psychology.

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His talk that evening began…

“The title of this talk, ‘Pastoral Counseling between Psychology and Religion’ is a bit misleading, and if I can think of a better one in thirty minutes, I’ll let you know. It’s misleading because it can suggest that ‘psychology’ is one thing and that the word ‘religion’ always means the same thing. Psychology does not have unity, being a collective term for a great variety of disparate fields. As for religion, there is even more diversity than in psychology.

There is some merit with the title, however, because historically, pastoral counseling developed in the context of a complex intersection of a number of fields, including psychology (psychotherapy in particular) and the pastoral care that churches provide.

Let me introduce what I’ll say this evening. First, I’ll give an overview of the complex relationships between psychology and Catholicism since the beginnings of modern psychology. (as I haven’t studied much the relationships psychology has with other Christian religions, nor with other religions.) Then, I’ll present the rise of pastoral counseling in what has called a ‘trading zone.’ After that comes a brief history of the early work in pastoral counseling among Catholics. Finally, I will offer some reflections on recent developments.”

… Continue reading

 

The Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago has been offering degrees in ministry since 1964. Born in the spirit of Vatican II, and advancing the mission of Loyola University Chicago, IPS responds to “the signs of the times” in providing transformative education for ministry, spiritual leadership, and faith-based social engagement, delivering high-quality professional education characterized by innovation, excellence, leadership, ethics, and service.

Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.

3-24-2016 | Comments Off on Pastoral Counseling between Psychology and Religion

Student Feature: Meet Sr. Rose

Sr. Rose Namawejje is pursuing her Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling at IPS.

“First and foremost,” Sr. Rose would like to say that she is “grateful to Almighty God for the constant sustaining and good health. And for all He has done for [her] all [her] life.”

She continues, “I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to Lorraine. It was through her effort I was connected to Loyola Mission grant and Loyola regents who have contributed toward my studies at IPS, and to all members in those mentioned organizations, thank you. To the Cenacle sisters at Fullerton Parkway for hospitality given to me since I arrived in United States of America till to date. My further gratitude continues to go to the instructors who have been inspirational to me, especially Professor Steve Martz and Dr. William ‘Bill’ Schmidt.”

Sr. Rose

Sr. Rose’s nickname is Michael the Archangel, a name which means “who is like God?” She is from Kampala city in Uganda and Matooke is her local language.

Her favorite things include:

  • Hobby – singing and listening to music
  • Food – cooked bananas and fresh beans
  • Book – Holy Bible
  • Sports team – Chicago Bulls
  • Color – dark brown
  • Singer – Don William
  • Motto – My God and my all
  • Bible quotes –  “What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?” Psalm 116:12 and “Love one another” John 15:12

Sr. Rose has had extensive education, studying topics like public health, strategic management, psychodynamic counseling and more. She has studied at schools in both Uganda and the United Kingdom. Currently, she is a volunteer at St. Joseph Hospital.

Before joining Loyola IPS, Sr. Rose was the Project Development Coordinator for the Institution of the Little Sisters of St Francis.

“I offered free counseling services at Home Care Department in St Francis Hospital for the HIV/AIDS patients and those who went to the hospital to be screened to know their status of life. Also I taught primary Healthcare to expecting mothers in an antenatal clinic,” said Sr. Rose.

She said her decision to make a change and come to IPS was motivated by her desire to reduce pain in people’s lives.

“With poverty and disease so rampart in my country, I have seen a lot of pain in the lives of many people,” commented Sr. Rose.

Her goal is to extend medical solutions and create more options for health care to those who need them, especially for people living with HIV/AIDS.

“In my ministry, I continually encourage people to invest in viable developmental projects as a way of fighting poverty. By increasing family incomes, I believe people can take care of themselves and their children better.”

Sr. Rose went on to share thought provoking advice from a lesson she learned:

“One of the life’s lessons I have picked up through the years is that while many of our contributions may seem small, their impact in the lives of people can be huge. They may not always be correctly estimated. It is imperative, therefore, to always do the best we can in the moment we have and not to procrastinate, because we are never sure whether we will actually have the future moment we keep waiting for.”

Sr. Rose is getting her MAPC from IPS because she believes it would be good for her to further develop her counseling skills so she can draw more qualified people back to Uganda and continue rendering services to the people there. In fact, a future goal of hers is to start an IPS in one of the Catholic Universities in Uganda, so that Ugandans who wish to study such courses will not have to travel abroad. Though she is enjoying her time and studies here.

“Joining Loyola IPS has opened my eyes, seeing that all people can study pastoral studies not only priests and religious people as it is known in Uganda,” noted Sr. Rose. “Each class is different with different challenges, but important. I look forward to taking two electives from Dr. Peter Jones because I have had so many students speaking about him as a very good instructor.”

Here time here has not been without its challenges though. Sr. Rose is trying to adapt to American culture and is also learning English so she can write her papers and assignments. She said she has overcome these obstacles with the help of colleagues and nuns she has met.

Sr. Rose said she with “go forth to change the world” by transferring the knowledge she is acquiring at IPS to the people of Uganda.

“My major dream is to establish IPS in one of the Catholic Universities in Uganda in image of Loyola IPS and students who will go forth in the programs will help me to change the world too. This school will not be limited to few people, but open to all Ugandans without discriminating in tribe, race, religion, et cetera. Even though studying abroad is fun, especially in developed countries, not all Ugandans can afford to study abroad. Not only that, in Uganda there is no university with faculty of IPS if you want to study pastoral studies you either go to Kenya, UK, USA, et cetera. The best way I will make change is to establish IPS in one of the Catholic Universities in Uganda.”

To conclude, Sr. Rose was nice enough to share a fun story from her childhood:

“The Catholic Church has a day known as Holy Thursday. On this day, the church and Catholics ponder Jesus Christ’s institution of the Eucharist, and how he invited the twelve apostles to celebrate it always in his memory. During the evening of this day, all Catholic Christians, Religious men and women, and the priests watch Jesus in the church throughout the night, pondering about this mystery. On one of these celebrations when we were in the church, watching and praying with Jesus, a schedule for the day was put out. The laity were to keep watch first, the religious sisters were next, and the priests were to remain in the church till the following morning while the other Christians return to their homes for the night. That night I hid myself behind the door so that I could remain in the church with the priest and sisters. I did not want to go home. I soon heard the catechist announce that there was a little girl who was missing and the parents were looking for her. My name was announced then I came out from behind the door very shy, sad and unhappy because my mission was not fulfilled. I had wanted to remain in the church with the religious sisters and priests. Of course my parents and siblings kept asking me why I did that and some were upset with me. But my parents were just calm. So we went home. From that day, I nurtured in my heart, the desire to be a religious sister or nun, so that I may stay in the church and watch Jesus with the priests till morning. And the Lord was so good to me that He answered my prayer and I became a religious sister. This made me very happy and now I am able to spend time with Jesus and watch with him till dawn during the Holy Thursdays.”

Connect with Sr. Rose:
LinkedIn
Twitter: @rosemikemawejje
Skype: rose.michael73 or rosie192069

 

***Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.

3-30-2016 | Comments Off on Student Feature: Meet Sr. Rose

Student Feature: Meet Carrie

Carrie Czajka was an online student and recently completed the MA in Health Care Mission Leadership program this past December. Read our Q&A with her below to see what she has to say about her experience at IPS and how she is going forth and setting the world on fire.

Carrie Czajka

Nickname:
Some of the young guys from my last job called me ‘Old School.’ Hey, if the shoe fits…

Where are you from?
I am from Detroit, MI. I recently saw a sewer cap on a sidewalk in downtown Detroit that had the following names listed on it: The Motor City, Day-Twah, The Big D, and Dee-Troit. It made me chuckle.

A favorite of yours:
I love Detroit Tigers baseball and spend a ridiculous amount of time listening to their radio broadcasts. What I like about baseball are the stories. Every player, every team, every city, and every stadium has its own backstory. Our local broadcasters (as I’m sure others do around the country!) do a terrific job of weaving these stories into their broadcasts.

A quote/motto or prayer/bible verse that has significance to you?
I am a talkative, high energy person by nature. I was well into my 40s before I learned to appreciate what “Be still and know that I am God” really meant. Silent retreats have become an invaluable part of my faith life.

What is your educational background?
I graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Psychology. I was so happy to finish my undergraduate degree that I swore I was never going back to school again. Ever. But I was bored in my career and decided to go back to school. I completed a Masters in Healthcare Administration from the School of Public Health at UNC in Chapel Hill. A tidbit about Chapel Hill: the fire trucks there are painted ‘Carolina’ Blue. No kidding.

Anyway, a few years later I completed a Certificate in Leadership Training from Georgetown (the hardest work I have ever done…lots of self-exploration…it’s exhausting!). Then I did an Internship in Ignatian Spirituality at Manresa in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

What were you doing before beginning your IPS journey?
I was working in a large Catholic health care company.

What made you decide to come to Loyola IPS?
I was really fortunate to have a mentor who encouraged me to go back to school. He told me that there are people who have a heart for mission work and specialized training would be useful. He was right.

How would you describe your experience at IPS?
I had an extraordinary experience at Loyola…even as a distance-based student. My professors were first rate, my classmates were engaged, prepared, and committed to their coursework. The shared commitment to learning made for a much more rewarding experience.

What was your favorite class? 
I had so many great classes that it is hard to pick one. I had an opportunity to go to Rome with IPS in the summer of 2014. I would highly recommend a ‘Summer in Rome’ session if you are able to attend. It is simply wonderful.

I loved the course I took in Cultural Competency. And I am still talking about a leadership course I took last summer. What I loved most about my experiences during IPS was seeing my faith tradition with fresh eyes. I am grateful for the discussions, readings, assignments etc. that challenged my way of thinking or feeling about a topic.

Do you have any recommendations for future students?
Take a course that seems out there, but sparks your interest. Don’t be afraid to completely rethink how you feel about something. It can be very liberating. Most importantly, take time for good self-care. Rest, exercise, visit with friends, and find some quiet time to be with your own thoughts.

In what way will you go forth to “change the world?”
About a year ago, I started working with with a Jesuit priest in Detroit on the launch of an Ignatian leadership program. The ‘Contemplative Leaders in Action” (CLA) program is up and running in several other major metropolitan areas, but is new to the Motor City. The CLA program has three focal areas: leadership development, spirituality, and service. The target audience is young professionals (mid 20s to late 30s) and I am having a great time with this project. It is bringing a lot of my gifts and talents together in ways I had not anticipated. And I feel really fortunate to working on this effort…particularly at a time in Detroit’s history when there is so much growth and activity. There is a sense of hope in the City that we have not seen or felt in a very, very long time.

In addition, my Capstone project for Loyola included the development of a formation program for emerging leaders working in Catholic health care. I have been brainstorming with some former colleagues about ways in which we can use this program for first line managers working in the local system office. I have a soft spot for the ‘next gen’ of leaders and I am excited to be involved in efforts to encourage their growth and development.

Connect with Carrie:
Part of the reason why some of the young guys at my former job called me ‘Old School,’ is because I have been slow to adopt social media. I can be reached via email: cczajka@luc.edu.

***Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.

4-14-2016 | Comments Off on Student Feature: Meet Carrie

IPS Director Brian Schmisek Authors Two New Books

IPS Director Brian Schmisek authored two books that were recently published.

The first book is titled Ancient Faith for the Modern World. 

“Ancient Faith is actually a revision of a book I wrote almost a decade ago. It’s a popular topic and I am asked to speak on it at parishes and various conferences. So it’s as though the book is getting new life breathed into it,” said Dr. Schmisek.

Ancient Faith for the Modern World
Description:

The Apostles’ Creed is the most ancient statement of the Christian faith still in regular use in the church today. Children are taught to memorize it, anyone who prays the Rosary says it at the beginning of each set of mysteries, and it remains one of the basic prayers in the Catholic canon. Yet where did it come from, what does it actually mean, and why are we called to believe it? In this well-researched, engaging, and accessible book, author Brian Schmisek carefully explains each of what the church calls the twelve “articles” of the Apostles’ Creed and explores their meaning for a twenty-first century faith. Included at the end of each chapter is a “bottom line” summary of that article of the creed and questions for discussion on how the belief can impact daily life.

You may purchase Ancient Faith for the Modern World through ACTA Publications.

A Greek Reader for Chase and Phillips

The other book is titled A Greek Reader for Chase and Phillips. 

“The Greek Reader is a project I started in graduate school and picked up again only recently. It’s dedicated to two of my Greek professors who inspired me with a love for the language,” said Dr. Schmisek.

Description:

This companion reader to Chase and Phillips, A New Introduction to Greek, (Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1961) is a compilation of slightly edited “real Greek” from Plato, Xenophon, Plutarch, Diogenes Laertius, and the Septuagint. The reader has a preface introducing the student to the Greek authors. The lessons reinforce grammar and vocabulary in this classic introductory textbook. Students meet Socrates, Plato, Cyrus, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, his horse Bucephalus, and more. They read about events surrounding Socrates’ trial and execution, Plato’s analogy of the cave, Caesar’s capture by pirates, the first chapter of Genesis, and a famous Psalm. In short, students are exposed to some of the classics of Western Civilization in this short reader, which seeks to complement the proven Chase and Phillips.

You may purchase the book through Wipf and Stock Publishers.

***Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.

4-21-2016 | Comments Off on IPS Director Brian Schmisek Authors Two New Books

Success is in the Stars for Dr. Heidi Russell

Dr. Russell joined IPS in 2008. She holds an M.Div from Washington Theological Union and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Marquette University. She also served for six years as Director of Christian Formation for a parish.

In addition to a number of peer-reviewed articles, conference papers and parish presentations, she has written two books, the most recent of which is Quantum Shift: Theological and Pastoral Implications of Contemporary Developments in Science.

9780814683033

Description:

While the field of science has made incredible advances in the past century, and more and more scientists have gone to great lengths to make these developments accessible to the public, we still rarely hear ministers and communities of faith discussing the implications of these developments for the life of faith. Quantum Shift explores recent developments in science from relativity to quantum mechanics to cosmology and then suggests ways in which people of faith might engage these scientific developments to foster their understanding of God and what it means to be part of the world we believe God created. Heidi Ann Russell demonstrates how these scientific developments offer us new and exciting images that spark our theological imaginations and reinvigorate our spiritual lives.

When describing her motivation for writing this book, Heidi talks with passion and a sense of discovery:

“I find the developments in contemporary science fascinating. When I first read about the double slit experiment in quantum physics, it made me realize that everything I had learned about science growing up and what I thought of as reality was not really the case at the most fundamental levels. It seemed to me that if theology is going to be relevant in today’s world, we must engage this shifting view of reality,” said Dr. Russell.

Though she loves learning about new scientific developments, Dr. Russell said writing this book was just as challenging as it was rewarding.

“Each chapter opened up a whole new world of science, and I was really starting from scratch each time. It was exciting, but also overwhelming at times,” commented Dr. Russell. “Karl Rahner has a great phrase he uses – ‘gnoseological concupiscence’ – in a nutshell, it means that we live in a world in which there is too much for us to possibly know everything. There has been such an explosion of information across so many fields, no one can possibly learn it all. I felt that challenge in writing this book.”

After reading this book, Dr. Russell hopes that “people walk away seeing developments in science as exciting rather than threatening.”

She added, “Too often people view theology and science as pitted against one another. I hope people read the book and stand in awe at the mystery of the created world and the God we believe created it.”

For more information or to purchase the book, please visit the Liturgical Press website.

Heidi_Russell

Dr. Russell has another recent accomplishment – she has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure.

She was first hired as a Clinical Instructor for IPS. Two years later after a national search, she was hired as a tenure-track Assistant Professor, and has developed a well-earned reputation as a gifted teacher. Dr. Russell brings solid scholarship and pastoral experience to the classroom, whether in Chicago or overseas, having taught with IPS in Kenya and in Rome, Italy.

Receiving the promotion, especially tenure, “was a tremendous relief” to Dr. Russell.

“I love IPS and teaching here, and I truly had no desire to go somewhere else.”

When asked what her proudest moment at IPS has been, she did not hesitate to say it is seeing her students succeed.

“Every year at graduation, I feel like a proud mother watching my children leave the nest. I am so proud of our students and what they do and how they change the world and the Church on a day to day basis.”

Dr. Russell went on to describe a touching moment between her and her students:

“My most significant memory at IPS was the day I came to my Liturgy and the Christian Sacraments class following the adoption of my son. Unbeknownst to me, the class had prepared a special prayer service for me, blessing me in the adoption and baptism of my son, who had been with me for almost two years through foster care. It was a blessed moment, when I felt overwhelmed by the gift of being able to work every day with the amazing people that are our students here.”

Looking to the future now, Dr. Russell said she is excited to be able to continue teaching at IPS, witnessing how students will serve the Church and the world, and continuing her research for her current book, Source of All Love: Catholicity and the Trinity.

To conclude, Dr. Russell said, “I am so grateful to my students and colleagues who have made IPS the special place that it is to work. I’m delighted to know that I will be a part of IPS for many years to come.”

 

***Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.

4-26-2016 | Comments Off on Success is in the Stars for Dr. Heidi Russell

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