In his new book, Woven Together: Faith and Justice for the Earth and the Poor, James Mastaler makes the case that now, more than ever, it is critical that religious stories encompass a call to moral responsibility for the earth and to the global poor.
James is an alumnus of the Master of Arts in Social Justice program at the Institute of Pastoral Studies and he has a PhD in theology from Loyola.
James S. Mastaler, PhD
The book, with a foreword by distinguished environmental philosopher Holmes Rolston III, has been endorsed by Bill McKibben as a “good-hearted and useful effort to bridge some of the gaps between communities of faith and the environmental justice movement.”
*Readers are encouraged
to connect with the author in the Facebook Group “WE ARE
#WovenTogether” or on Twitter @JamesMastaler
*Available wherever
books are sold in paperback and e-reader versions, including Kindle on
Amazon, or from your local independent bookstore (such as Chicago’s Unabridged Books).
6-05-2019|Comments Off on IPS Alumnus Publishes New Book “Woven Together : Faith and Justice for the Earth and the Poor”
On April 4th, IPS hosted Racism and The Church: A Community Conversation on ‘Open Wide Our Hearts’ at Regents Hall in Lewis Towers.
April 4, 2019 at Regents Hall
The IPS community gathered to explore further issues of race in our context and to foster a communal reflection and discussion. Panelists discussed the pastoral letter on racism (“Open Wide Our Hearts“) issued by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2018.
Scheduled speaker Donna Grimes (Assistant Director of African American Affairs, Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, USCCB) was unable to attend but has graciously recorded a video of her thoughts on the ‘Open Wide Our Hearts’ pastoral letter.
To view Ms. Grimes’s video, please click on this link.
Donna Grimes has also provided the following summary of her thoughts on the November 2018 pastoral letter:
I can’t resist comparing the anticipation in the Catholic community surrounding this Pastoral Letter with the Muller Report. There are countless parallels – rising concerns, an urgent demand for explanations, cries for justice.
The emergency became evident for the bishops with violence in Charlottesville in August 2017. But, around the country, concerns have long been brewing in the Black community…the recorded beating of Rodney King, the killing of Amadou Diallo, the murder of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and so many more Black men. And, not to be forgotten, Black women – Sandra Bland, Rekia Boyd. And the children – Tamir Rice and many victims of drive-by shootings…Too many precious lives stolen. Few perpetrators are convicted and sentenced. Cases dropped. Not guilty verdicts. Few grieving families are comforted. Mainstream America’s response including that of the bishops has been anemic rather than outrage and policy. From the bishops we heard: Stay peaceful, pray, don’t turn your anger toward the police and All Lives Matter.
Why haven’t our church leaders probed and responded to the underlying issues? I believe it’s because with the exception of abortion, they are mainstream America. Without taking anything away from individual bishops – particularly in areas with headline cases who reacted with public statements of compassion and community level action – what I’m saying is that their silence has been maddening! And, there’s no excuse for apparent lack of awareness or understanding of institutional racism. Fr. Bryan Massingale’s book, Racial Justice and the Catholic Church and Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow have been available for a decade.
The key contribution of this Pastoral Letter has been a platform — to open the door to dialog and action; to begin or resume the work of dismantling racism; to engage in difficult conversations together and within our own circles about racism in the neighborhood and in the Church. What we can do is not change the channel. We should address racism together at times, but it’s vital to work on racism within our own groups. In-group conversations will differ for White people and People of Color. For instance, White people could focus on white identity, what it means to be White in America and in the world and learning real American history. People of Color could examine how they internalize racialized messages and concentrate on empowerment strategies. The Pastoral Letter encourages self-reflection for everyone without implying that everyone should reflect in the same way.
I appreciate various critiques I’ve read about the Pastoral Letter Against Racism. Whatever shortcomings are exposed in the text of Open Wide Our Hearts, I have to give credit where it’s due. For instance, despite advice to center on the abuse crisis exclusively at their November 2018 meeting, they decided to keep the letter on their agenda. Then the bishops approved it with a nearly unanimous vote (2 no, 1 abstention). Bottom line (P.4): What they said was, “What is needed, and what we are calling for, is a genuine conversion of heart, a conversion that will compel change, and the reform of our institutions and society.”
Conversion of heart that compels change and reforms our institutions and society is a heavy lift. But, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
The bishops are correct about what is needed but can we honestly expect them to know how to make it happen? As Dr. Shawnee Daniels-Sykes (Mt. Mary University) pointed out in a recent post about the Pastoral Letter, it’s only been 50 years since racial segregation was “outlawed.” But, this is a young country and we have a much longer history of subjugating Black people, other people of color and poor white people.
The good news is that the ball is in our court now. We could press our own bishops to say more (and do more) to manifest their conviction that Racism is a Life Issue. Ask, what’s the plan for the diocese for dismantling racism? How will dismantling racism be addressed in seminaries? Catholic schools? Parishes? How will this imperative play out in hiring and contracting practices? In the distribution of resources? Ask your pastor to preach on racism, to create space for courageous conversations in the parish. The Pastoral Letter calls on all elements of the Church to take action: individuals, families, institutions and organizations.
Catholic colleges, universities – even pastoral institutes – have tremendous opportunities to study, reflect and act; and most importantly, to form anti-racist actors who are our future lawyers, doctors, educators, policy-makers, parents, clergy, business owners, etc. This means acknowledging the unspoken American value of White Supremacy, a cultural value that is right up there with Freedom and Democracy, recognizing White Privilege, facing White Fragility about race and overcoming these impediments to racial justice.
USCCB staff are finding their way toward implementing the Pastoral Letter Against Racism and assisting Catholic entities to do the same. Offices are being reminded of the bishops’ stated commitment to engage in efforts to resist racism – to reconsider their approaches, resource materials and methods of advancing the Church’s mission via evangelization and catechesis, youth ministry, priestly formation, and liturgy for example. In some cases, it’s as fundamental as pointing out that there are other people in the room and one size does not fit all.
One action that I’m especially excited about is working with Catholic schools to address how the history of Native Americans and African Americans is presented in the curriculum. Another is the listening sessions that the Ad Hoc Committee and staff are arranging in dioceses around the country. A Study Guide is in development. The USCCB website provides numerous resources e.g., K-12 lesson plan suggestions, brief backgrounders and parish aids, with more coming.
I’m encouraged by more bright lights, e.g., the creativity of Youth artist-activists like the spoken word collaborative, Split This Rock, by which a diverse group of teens use poetry and art to explore social justice issues. And, there are the emerging young community organizers who tackle the intersectionality of race with other justice issues.
Speaking of organizers, this reminds me that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has been going strong for 50 years. Read stories of hope as CCHD funds racial & economic justice empowerment projects.
I’d like to close with this inspiring message sent by a friend:
A door is much smaller than the house
A lock is much smaller, compared to the door
A key is the smallest of all,
but a key can open the entire house
Thus a small, thoughtful solution can solve major problems.
Let’s get started!
Thank you to all the speakers and those who attended for their presence and commitment to ensuring our faith community remains dynamic and inclusive.
Long-time Adjunct Faculty member Michel Bland has recently been promoted to Adjunct Associate Professor.
Dr. Bland is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and works as an educator, therapist, a consultant, and a psychometrician. Dr. Bland has a wide-range of experience in providing direct clinical services to adolescents and adults with post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, as well as individuals dealing with identity issues, life changes, including vocational, employment, relational issues, grief/loss, and geriatric issues in various clinical settings. Dr. Bland also has provided outreach to victims of sexual abuse including providing individual counseling and group therapy for victims and their families.
We recently asked Professor Bland to share with the IPS community.
How long have you
been affiliated with IPS? In what
capacity?I
am completing the end of my tenth year.
Are you currently involved in other formal pursuits, other than IPS?I have a private practice on the north side of Chicago.
What classes are you currently teaching this semester?This semester I am teaching: IPS 512: Ethics for Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Direction, IPS 520: Testing, Measurement & Assessment, and in the fall, I will be teaching IPS 509: Psychopathology.
What continues to draw you to IPS?After being invited as a guest speaker a few times, I quickly found the spirit and mission of IPS to be very attractive, and in the Spring of 2009, I was asked to teach Psychopathology. I remain because of that same spirit, ministry, and passion. I enjoy the community and the diversity of the student population.
Can you share a personal spiritual practice that continues to restore and re-energize your mind, body, heart and spirit?I find it important for me to take quiet time for myself to be able to find my foundation and center. I also enjoy having Labrador Retrievers as they remind me to relax, enjoy and walk! Walking them a few miles a day forces me to enjoy the outdoors as well as my time with them!
We congratulate Professor Bland on his recent promotion and hope that he continues to be part of the formation of IPS students.
Mariclare Kanaley began her new role as IPS Enrollment Advisor this past January.
Courtesy of LUC GPEM
Earlier this semester, IPS Associate Dean Peter Jones introduced Mariclare, writing “Mariclare comes to IPS with a range of experiences that will no doubt enable her to succeed in this role. A graduate of Marquette with a degree in education and an appreciation for the Jesuit mission, she is also bilingual, having lived and studied in Spain for two years. Mariclare was most recently a teacher at St Matthias School here in Chicago (teaching Spanish and also religion courses).”
We recently sat down with Mariclare to learn more about our new enrollment advisor.
Mariclare with her family
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? (Grew up where, family, etc.) I grew up in Glenview, IL, a bit north of Chicago, with my parents, older brother, two younger sisters, and our dog. We all attended elementary school, high school, and college together (yes, all four of us, by choice!) and afterward went our separate ways. My parents still live in Glenview and after a few years of all working and living in different states and countries, we are all back in Chicago within a few miles of one another. My family is the most important part of my life!
What is your current role at IPS? I am the Enrollment Advisor for IPS. I work with prospective students and applicants of our programs as they determine which areas match their interests, how they are going to finance their education, and I try my best to be as supportive as possible as these candidates take a very important step in their personal and educational journey. I offer personalized conversation by e-mail, and encourage students to sign up for a one-on-one appointment with me to take the time to walk through all of their questions. That’s my favorite part of my role! I love getting to know the people interested in IPS programming and helping find solutions to questions, problems, or worries with the help of the IPS and GPEM staff. A one-on-one meeting can take place over the phone, over an online face-to-face program called Zoom, or in my office here at Chicago’s Water Tower Campus. Interested students can sign up for a meeting on the Enrollment Advisor Appointment Page!
What were you involved in prior to working at IPS? Before joining IPS in January, I had been a classroom teacher for 8 years. I taught middle school in Milwaukee, Spain, and Chicago – they continue to be some of the best years and most inspiring moments of my life. I have a passion for educating, caring, and understanding, and am a big supporter of teachers, adolescents, and parents everywhere. Outside of the classroom I taught yoga – I specialized in hot power yoga and yin restorative yoga; while I don’t currently teach, I still practice as often as I can!
How did you discern IPS to be a next step? I mentioned earlier that my siblings and I all attended the same schools, and both our high school and our university were Jesuit. I saw what an impact Jesuit education had on our character formation, and wanted to stay connected. Loyola University had always been a dream for me, and I felt that my background and skill set as a teacher would be helpful in the role as the Enrollment Advisor at IPS. I feel truly blessed to be here and continue to learn and grow surrounded by the teams and communities in which I work.
Are you currently involved in other formal pursuits, other than IPS?I am pursuing my MA in Community Counseling, another goal of mine.
What are some of your favorite Chicago-related pursuits? I love to walk around the city and enjoy the life and architecture, but not during winter! Chicago has a wealth of wonderful restaurants that I like to try, and discovering new places with culture and history is one of my favorite parts of this city.
Finally, can you share a personal spiritual practice that continues to restore and re-energize your mind, body, heart and spirit?Yoga and meditation are part of my self-care practice. Clearing my mind and ensuring I am available to meet others’ needs was a necessity as a teacher, and it has become a part of my standard restoration practice. There are plenty of apps and tutorials if anyone is interested in trying something new!
We want to thank Mariclare for sharing with us, and we wish her all the best in this new life chapter.
Finally, to view a video of Mariclare prepared by Loyola Chicago’s Graduate and Professional Enrollment Management team, click here.
By Michael Canaris, PhD (Assistant Professor at Loyola IPS, mcanaris@luc.edu). This piece was originally published in the Catholic Star Herald.
Lent has traditionally been an annual opportunity to recalibrate one’s relationship with his or her neighbor and the gifts of creation, in addition to with God. In preparation to celebrate the Paschal Mystery more fully, the church has historically provided prayerful and ascetical tools and “space” to rid ourselves of disordered attachments, so as to re-commit ourselves to the Risen Lord more emphatically. It has been clear for almost the entire history of the Christian faith that if believers do not consciously emulate the death of the Son of God in a very tangible sense in their own spiritual journeys, then the exultation of the empty tomb will ring exceedingly hollow in the subsequent Easter season.
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This
year, I have decided to focus my own Lenten disciplines on attuning myself more
intentionally to Pope Francis’s call to integral ecology. Distancing ourselves
from an addictive culture of disposability should not be a partisan issue,
whether in the church or in wider society. Catholic Social Teaching has
consistently made clear, at least since Pope Leo XIII’s groundbreaking document
Rerum Novarum, that orienting our
discipleship of Jesus around principles like the common good, solidarity, and
the universal destination of created things demands that we interrogate our
attitudes and lifestyles through the lens of the Gospel. This includes
“practical” as well as “spiritual” matters.
Being
stewards of creation mandates that Christians and all people of good will
refuse to treat things as trash, and other people as things. Such a
reductionism is antithetical to a holistic approach to “our common home,” this
earth across which the entire human race shares our origins, experiences and
telos (“goal”) in the divine plenitude, as Nostra
Aetate points out.
Residents
of the United States in particular are guilty of viewing the world as a spigot
of limitless resources, and of generating immense quantities of refuse to
sustain our relatively comfortable lifestyles. Questioning our (im)prudent use
of the wonderful realities that technology and American ingenuity have brought
forth in our era ought not to be a controversial initiative, if we claim to
care about our children “to the seventh generation.” Limiting one’s extemporaneous
use of items that cannot be recycled, his or her carbon footprint, and our
collective egotistic practices that ignore their impact on wide swaths of the
global population are legitimate Lenten theological aspirations. My own
complicity in such patterns is acute and disgraceful, and so I feel called to
examine such realities in my personal and professional life in the coming
weeks.
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Human
beings, social creatures who exist in networks of love, responsibility, and
blame, cannot experience the divine other than through our interactions in the
natural world. Our liturgical prayers emphasize that a matrix exists — between
God’s abounding generosity and the work of human hands, in which we collaborate
with the divine to live out a sacramental reality, whereby the natural is the
conduit through which we access the transcendent.
Put
crudely, if there is no clean oxygen, pure water or soils protected from
ultraviolet rays, there is no Blessed Sacrament, whether understood
eucharistically or anthropologically, as the human being is the ultimate
mysterious (saramentum is the Latin
version of the Greek mysterion)
recipient of God’s most gracious gift of Self.
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The coming season of reflective and consequential purification provides an excellent opportunity to examine how we can better take responsibility and agency in devoting ourselves to that vivifying encounter with that world which God and unfathomable amounts of time have provided us, and which we all too frequently disregard and degrade for immediate gratification.
Originally from Collingswood, Michael M. Canaris teaches at Loyola University, Chicago.
This agreement will be in effect for six years, after which time it may be renewed.
Of this recent development, IPS Dean Schmisek says, “This past August when Fr. Sosa [Father General of the Society of Jesus] encouraged Jesuit universities to work together, share resources, and collaborate, we immediately though of our MA in Christian Spirituality and the Diploma in Ignatian Spirituality offered at the Greg. Then last month, the Society named “Discernment and the Spiritual Exercises” as one of its four priorities [universal apostolic preferences] in the coming years. So this agreement comes at an opportune time, especially when so many are looking to the resources of Ignatian Spirituality for the modern world.”
Fr. James Grummer, SJ, the superior of the Pontifical Gregorian University Jesuit Community in Rome and director of the Ignatian Spirituality Center at PGU, adds, “The diploma program we offer at the Gregorian allows students to learn a great deal about Ignatian spirituality in an exceptional atmosphere. Since our teachers and students come from all over the world, they have a unique opportunity to learn with one another. The different experiences and perspectives they bring to class illuminate the breadth and depth of the Ignatian tradition in ways that transform the participants academically, professionally, and personally.”
Which is right for me? Spiritual Direction and/or Pastoral Counseling?
This is a really good question and one that comes up often. So let’s start by defining terms. First, spiritual direction, as the name implies, is primarily about the spiritual life: our relationship with God and the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is also involved in fostering personal growth in and deeper intimacy with God (as experienced in prayer and lived out in discipleship).
Counseling and psychotherapy are different. These terms are often used interchangeably so I’d like to make a distinction here as well. Counseling helps us to work through and resolve problems in our lives and relationships. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, goes deeper and is primarily focused on the emotional life and helps us to heal past hurts and to look at and resolve unhealthy patterns in our lives.
When should you pursue counseling/therapy vs. spiritual direction?
If you are struggling with emotional pain and negative patterns of behavior in your life, dealing with depression or mood disorders, anxiety, addictions or other diagnosable conditions, psychotherapy is your best option. Do you need guidance and support sorting out your life and your relationships? Counseling would be the way to go.
Are you trying to grow in your relationship with God and discern the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life? Then, spiritual direction is what you should pursue.
Keep in mind that each discipline is not mutually exclusive and you can participate in spiritual direction along with therapy and counseling.
(Adapted excerpt from: Spiritualdirection.com – Catholic Spiritual Direction – What is the Difference between Counseling and Spiritual Direction?)
“Pastoral counselors hold a unique position in the field of counseling. With their combination of theological training and advanced education in the behavioral sciences, they are poised to provide effective mental health counseling that is capable of respectfully integrating religious and spiritual components.”
(The Misunderstood Pastoral Counselor: Knowledge and Religiosity as Factors Affecting a Client’s Choice, Walker, et. al., Paper based on a program presented at the 2012 American Counseling Association Annual Conference and Exposition, San Francisco, CA, March 23-25,)
Reflection Corner
As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards to God’s varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10
Spiritual formation requires taking not only the inward journey to the heart, but also the outward journey from the heart to the community and ministry. Christian spirituality is essentially communal. Spiritual formation is formation in community. In community, we learn what it means to confess our weakness and to forgive each other. In community, we discover our own woundedness but also a place of healing. In community, we learn true humility. Without community, we become individualistic and egocentric. Therefore, spiritual formation always includes formation to life in community.
(Henri Nouwen, Following the Movements of the Spirit, Spiritual Formation with Christensen, M. J. & Laird, R. J.)
IPS is excited to announce that Adjunct Instructor Bill Huebsch will be teaching a new class in the Fall of 2019 entitled “Introduction to the New Pastoral Theology Emerging in the Era of Pope Francis”.
We recently reached out to Bill to find out more on this new IPS course offering.
Can you provide details of your class? How did it come about? What are your hopes/objectives with this class? This class will trace pastoral theology directly from the life and ministry of Jesus into the early church, and from there we’ll consider how it has come down through the ages to the present time. The core of the class will be to study the principles that guide pastoral theology and ministry, especially the set of questions (or hermeneutic) we bring (1) to our way of scrutinizing the signs of the times and (2) to how we articulate for others and ourselves the call to holiness. We will also examine the conciliar and post-conciliar development of pastoral theology and focus especially on two recent apostolic exhortations of Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel and the Joy of Love.
This is a practical, hands-on course which will ground each student’s self-understanding of his or her ministry with a solid and continual theological reflection. It’s a “personal course” inasmuch as students will be expected to connect the theology to their real, concrete situations in life and ministry. And it will also be a lot of fun! I think this kind of study is essential for those who plan to work in parish ministry.
What work are you currently involved in? Over the past five or six years I have been working to present the teaching of the church in plain English so that people can apprehend it and live according to it. Toward this end, I’ve published several booklets that provide recent papal documents in a plain English study guide format. These have included, among others: Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad), and The Art of Accompaniment. (All from: New London, CT: 23rd Publications.) Besides teaching here at IPS, I also maintain a busy international lecture schedule and this winter, am spending ten weeks in Guatemala, learning Spanish and helping the “least among his sisters and brothers” gain a foothold in today’s culture and economy.
How long have you been affiliated with IPS? In what capacity? I have been on the adjunct faculty here at IPS for several years. Last year I taught the course on The Story and Promise of Vatican II. I’ve also been deeply involved in the expansion of IPS’s presence in the North of England where a new pastoral ministry certificate is now being offered. I also teach in that program for IPS.
What draws you to IPS? I see IPS as a training center for the leaders of the church. It offers students excellent academics set amid the Ignatian genius for discernment and prayer. It’s a practical school, one that knows the culture in which its graduates will work. The leadership of IPS is solid and well-planned, looking to the future without fear and responding to the changing ministry needs we see before us. I like that.
Can you share a personal spiritual practice that continues to restore and re-energize your mind, body, heart and spirit? My daily prayer has led me to be something of a busy, urban contemplative. I find a surprising amount of quiet, reflective prayer in my daily life. And even when a day here or there doesn’t allow for it, I soon find myself turning my heart once again to speak with and listen to the Lord, whose voice echoes in my depths, as the CCC says in article 1776.
IPS students can begin to enroll via LOCUSfor Fall 2019 classes starting on April 11th.
A video tribute honoring Rev. Jimmie Flewellen was presented at the Founders’ Dinner on Saturday, June 8, 2013.
Rev. Jimmie was the first African-American Catholic chaplain for the United States Justice Department, along with being one of the first deacons in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He remained an active member of the IPS community for years, serving as a member of the IPS Advisory Council.
To view the 2013 video tribute to Rev. Jimmie, click here.
Retirement is a new vocational moment; it is an invitation to a wisdom transition to engage proactively the leadership challenges of aging, meaningfully. This program has a trident strategy of attending to the personal journey, examining the past to turn experience into wisdom for legacy planning. The program integrates the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius as a tool for discerning vocational choices and decision making. The second prong of the trident strategy embraces a twenty-five-person cohort that will accompany each other on this year-long journey and engage in leadership dialogues about their new or evolving roles while becoming an encore learning community for the long term. The last prong of this trident process is engagement with significant mission driven institutions and ministries of the Society of Jesus.
Through the year, these fellows will involve the institutional leaders in real leadership conversations, listening to the challenges of running mission-driven, nonprofit, values-based organizations within the largest global educational network of universities and high schools. Thus one discovers that this is not a residential university program, but a spirited, Jesuit collaborative program on the move.
This Ignatian Fellows’ three continent journey will begin with a four-day residency hosted by the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola in September, 2019, then continue in November, 2019 with a four day residency hosted by the Jesuit School of Theology and Ministry at Santa Clara University. In January, 2020, the cohort will experience a four day social immersion in Lima, Peru, followed by a March, 2020 four day residency hosted by the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. The cohort will then meet for a four-day residency hosted by the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and finally a ten day excursion to Spain and concluding in Rome with a leadership conversation with the Jesuit Global Higher Education leadership team and the sharing of insights and observations from their year together. Between sessions there will be assigned reading and opportunities to dialogue using the Ignatian Colleagues Program and platform. Ultimately, this inaugural group of Ignatian Legacy Fellows will become Founders of the Ignatian Society of Fellows, an alumni community that will continue to convene around leadership conversations to foster the work of the Society of Jesus.
Contacts: John Fontana, Co-Director, 847-703-5836, jfontana@luc.edu or Mariann M. Salisbury, Co-Director, 301-807-5369, Msalisbury1@luc.edu