We would like to welcome Christopher Morales to the IPS team as a student worker! Christopher is just beginning his college career and has many admirable goals for his future. At IPS, we are happy to help Christopher and other students learn more skills that will help them on their journey.
Continue reading below to get to know a little more about him.
Where are you from? My Hometown is Chicago, primarily raised in the Humboldt Park area.
What do you like to do in your spare time outside of school and work?
A few of the things I like to do in my spare time are play sports, spend time with friends and family, visit my high school (Chicago Bulls College Prep.) and lead the cross fit also known as fit bulls class for a few class periods.
What is a fun fact or story about you?
A fun fact about myself is that I’ve played the violin for Chicago Bulls College Prep throughout my four years of high school.
What are you studying in school?
I am currently a part of Arrupe College of Loyola University of Chicago. This is a program designed to help build college success. The students of Arrupe College study their first 2 years there which will get you an associate’s degree. If any student wishes to further their education they can do so by transferring to any four year institute in Illinois, so that all of their credits can be transferred over; therefore, at Arrupe College I am only studying my general education courses. After Arrupe College I plan to transfer over to Loyola University of Chicago and major in criminal justice with the hopes of becoming a police officer.
What are a couple of your future goals?
One of my future goals is to become a police officer and to slowly work my way up the chain of command. I also want to own a house by the age of 24. I want to graduate with a bachelor’s degree because I will then be the second one in my entire family to have graduated from college with a degree.
What made you apply for this student worker position?
I was offered this job position by Gina Lopez due to how well my admission interview went for Arrupe College. I then contacted Gina back and accepted the position. Thus far, this has been a great experience and I am sure that I will continue to build my knowledge throughout IPS.
What are you looking forward to learning and accomplishing while working at IPS?
I am looking forward to accomplishing the task at hand on a daily basis and being able to work with this industry. I have only done this type of work one time prior to this one and I am enjoying every minute of it. This work is beneficial for skills and functions that I will need to know about later in life and I am really grateful for having the opportunity to work with IPS.
Elizabeth Schultz is earning her Masters in Pastoral Studies with a Health Care Chaplaincy concentration through IPS online courses. She has Masters in Engineering, flew a helicopter at 18 years old, loves long walks with her husband and has recently accepted a position as a hospital Staff Chaplain.
Check out our Q&A with Elizabeth below to read a little bit about her journey and her future goals.
Elizabeth with her husband Joe
Nickname: Betty Jean (my middle name is Jean, and Betty is a nickname for Elizabeth!)
Hometown: I was born and raised in NJ, went to college in Delaware and Syracuse, NY, and I’ve lived in Lititz, Pennsylvania for the last 23 years.
What do you enjoy doing outside of school? One of my favorite pastimes is going for a walk/run with my husband on a beautiful evening.
What is a fun fact or story about you?
I flew a helicopter when I was 18! Actually, I was in the co-pilot seat, but the pilot let me fly, hover, and land the Army helicopter. I was working at a military base in NJ during the summer between high school and college. One of the Army pilots gave me a flight suit to put on and took me (unofficially) on a flight along the ocean and up to NYC. We flew around my house, then up to the Statue of Liberty, and back to the base. Waving to the kids on the beach was almost as cool as actually getting to fly the helicopter by myself.
A quote, prayer, etc. that has significance to you? What is a blessing but a rain of grace falling generously into the lives of those in need; and who among us is without need? May the divine Spirit touch your spirit in the course of this day. May your work this day be your love made visible. May you breathe upon the wounds of those with whom you work. May you open yourself to God’s breathing. May you honor the flame of love that burns inside you. May your voice this day be a voice of encouragement. May your life be an answer to someone’s prayer. May you own a grateful heart. May you have enough joy to give you hope, enough pain to make you wise. May there be no room in your heart for hatred. May you be free from violent thoughts. When you look into the window of your soul may you see the face of God. May the lamp of your life shine upon all you meet this day.
Sr Macrina Wiederkehr
What is your previous education? I graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelors of Electrical Engineering in 1985 and from Syracuse University with a Masters in Engineering in 1988.
What were you doing before beginning your IPS journey? In August of 2011, I decided to take a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). That was a period of discernment which had begun over 6 years prior when I did a one year stint as a volunteer Eucharistic Minister in the hospital. After finishing my unit of CPE, I was hired part-time as a per diem chaplain. In August of 2012, I began a one-year CPE residency. THEN, I began at IPS. I did things a bit backwards!
What made you decide to come to Loyola IPS?
The maturity of the online curriculum. I looked at many online programs at Catholic universities and none seemed as rich and well-developed as Loyola’s.
What degree are you seeking?
I am in the final year of a Masters in Pastoral Studies with a Health Care Chaplaincy concentration. This curriculum will prepare me well for seeking board certification with the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.
Do you have a favorite class or one you look forward to taking?
Boy, that’s a hard question. What I’ve discovered as an adult learner is that I want to soak in as much as I can and all of my courses thus far met that desire. I loved IPS 417: Literature of Ancient Israel and IPS 404: Theology of Suffering. I’m looking forward to taking IPS599: Theology and Ethics at the End of Life this fall.
Do you see any challenges you will have to overcome during your time here?
Probably my biggest challenge has been learning in the online environment. I tend to process information best by talking face to face with fellow students, colleagues, and instructors. So, conversing via posts in our message boards continues to be my biggest challenge. That being said, the synchronous classes are a blessing. The other MAPS programs I researched prior to applying to IPS did not offer nearly as many (if any) synchronous classes. Of course, professors and fellow students are only a phone call away for verbal discussion and learning.
Do you have any recommendations for future students?
Don’t hesitate to utilize all of the resources IPS offers. I’ve found the professors to be available and more than willing to help me reach my goals both academically and professionally.
Tell us about your new job.
I have accepted a permanent position at Lancaster General Hospital as a Staff Chaplain. The position is contingent upon finishing my degree and being Board Certified within 2 years. The IPS curriculum has me right on track (thanks to the Integration Project specifically for Health Care Chaplaincy)! I am the lead chaplain for our critical care units which include medical ICU, surgical ICU, Intermediate ICU and trauma/neuro ICU. That’s about 60 beds. I am to provide a consistent presence and read-access for staff, families and patients on those units. I will also provide mentorship to our CPE students assigned to those units and coordinate the provision of spiritual care. Other parts of the position include: attending and facilitating debriefings, participating in follow-up meetings for organ donation cases, attending ethics committee meetings, providing staff education, and working on advanced care planning.
What goals do you have for this job?
My primary goal is to be available to provide for the spiritual and emotional needs of our staff, patients and families. One of the ways in which to achieve part of this goal is to help patients and their families work together with the interdisciplinary team to develop a plan of care which is consistent with their goals and values.
Sarah Syversen has joined the Career Development Center (CDC) as the new Career Liaison for IPS, SoE and School of Social Work.
Sarah, an experienced advisor, studied education as an undergraduate at the University of Arizona and completed a Master’s degree in counseling at DePaul University.
“My journey in career services began right after I graduated college when I served as an Americorps VISTA volunteer. As a VISTA, I worked at the Youth Job Center of Evanston assisting young adults in securing entry-level employment and setting short and long term career and education goals. It was there I discovered my passion for counseling and, in particular, career counseling,” said Sarah.
Now as a Liaison at Loyola, she will:
Provide career counseling to the students and alumni of IPS and the other schools and programs
Deliver CDC career courses and workshops
Partner with IPS and the other schools and programs to deliver in class presentations
Work with faculty and school-based practicum/internship coordinators
Facilitate career exploration, preparation, and readiness for a successful transition outside of the Institution
Conduct outreach to appropriate employers
Coordinate large events with other universities with similar academic programs
Sarah not only has the skills to assist people in landing a job, but she also has a passion for it.
“I LOVE hearing people’s stories: what do they enjoy doing, what their career and life journey has been like so far, how they define success, how their life experiences have shaped who they are and who they want to be, etc. When I can help others ‘connect the dots’ and clarify their goals, values, and career path, I feel fulfilled and excited about my work,” commented Sarah.
The mission of the CDC is “to educate, counsel, and empower Loyola students and alumni through their self-identity and career exploration process.” In addition, the CDC recognizes the power of “personal reflection and intensive exploration” while job searching. “Career satisfaction is born of an authentic understanding of the self and the needs of the world,” as stated on the CDC website.
Sarah went into further detail as to what services the CDC provides for undergraduates, graduates and alumni.
“We provide one:one career advising and small group workshops for those students and alumni who could use some help determining career goals, clarifying direction, and overcoming obstacles. We also host several career fairs throughout the year, critique resumes and cover letters, discuss interview and networking strategies, and maintain RamblerLink: Loyola’s online volunteer, internship, and employment database.”
Sarah continued, “Our website also has a TON of useful information and links on all of the above topics. Check it out when you get a chance! www.luc.edu/career.”
Moreover, Sarah offered some insight to what tends to be the most challenging part for students about finding a job and shared some advice to overcome this challenge.
“Students often have on ‘blinders’ and are so focused on one particular career path or one narrow definition of success that they become easily disappointed or frustrated. On the other hand, when students are patient, keep their minds open to different or unexpected opportunities, and take the time to truly explore and reflect on their career values and interests, they tend to view themselves as much more successful and happy in their careers.”
In addition, she shared a couple of the best tips for success when searching for a job:
Have a career advisor critique your resume! Not only can we critique it for spelling and grammatical errors, but we can help you reformat your resume to emphasize relevant experiences or re-word a job description to highlight your transferable skills!
Learn how to use your network effectively. Nowadays, your network is key to finding a job. I can coach you on how to build your network and use it to your advantage.
Sarah was also kind enough to share some helpful resources:
Also, Loyola recently started an alumni database, where students can reach out to alumni working in fields in which they are interested and begin career conversations. Check out LUConnect: http://luc.edu/career/luconnect/
We hope you have been enjoying your summer! We talked with a couple people to hear what they had to say about their experience in the IPS Rome program this summer.
The course, Peacebuilding in a Global, Interfaith Context, was taught by Dr. Marian Diaz. The course explored the theory and practice of peacebuilding from a variety of religious perspectives. Peacebuilding involves the period of time after a conflict has come to some resolution. The course focused on how a lasting peace can be forged in a given context in light of cultural and religious differences.
Both Christine Collins and Susan Schemper heard about this special course through IPS staff and faculty. Susan said her advisor, Bill Schmidt, suggested it, and Christine actually found out about this program on a fluke.
“I went to a seminar Loyola was having at the Cuneo property in Vernon Hills one night about graduate school. I really didn’t have a direction, and thought by attending I might find an avenue to pursue. I spoke with Chrissy Sofranko that night and she asked me some questions that led to her telling me about the Rome program,” mentioned Christine. “When I left that night I knew I wanted to go to Rome with Loyola!”
Christine and Susan each had unique moments that were the most memorable for them on the trip.
“I loved the Sant’ Egidio visit and talk given by Marco,” said Christine.
For Susan it was “sitting with the group from Rondine and getting a sense of what that peace-making group is about.”
The IPS Rome program offers learning and cultural experiences that you can’t find in a classroom in Chicago.
“I learned how much more there is to the world. In all aspects. Historically, politically and just globally in general,” said Christine.
“The overwhelming thing I learned was just how complex peacemaking is in a world of different belief systems and religions. Yet, it is also always between people or people and their environment,” noted Susan.
When asked if they would recommend this program to other students, they both said, “absolutely!”
“You can not get this experience/education in a classroom or out of a book,” added Christine. “I loved every minute of our time in Italy. I learned so much from the people and places we visited. I also learned a lot from our Professor and my classmates. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I will never forget it!”
Susan did have a bit of good advice for future participants of the program:
“Take good shoes for walking and an open-mind. It will take awhile to metabolize the content of the trip over time. Relax and let that happen.”
Christine concluded, “It is an amazing experience – enjoy!”
Thank you to all who attended this year. We hope to see more of you in the Rome program next summer! Check back on the IPS website during the 2016 Spring semester for updated information.
IPS welcomes new staff member, Mirta Garcia. Mirta is the Administrative Assistant for Parish Leadership and Management Programs. This is a new position created in response to the success of the Hispanic Ministry segment of these programs that are spearheaded by Coordinator Mark Bersano.
“Given her extensive administrative experience, religious education background and fluency in Spanish, we are very fortunate to have Mirta on our team to serve parish communities,” commented Mark.
Mirta has only been in the office for a short time, but she already feels like she is part of the IPS family; and we agree!
“I am very thankful and blessed to be part of such wonderful group of people. From the first day that I walked into IPS office, I felt at home. I am looking forward to a great start, supporting and helping kick-off the great program that Mark Bersano and Felipe Legarreta-Castillo are leading in the office of Parish Leadership and Management Programs,” said Mirta.
Read the Q&A with Mirta below to learn a little more about her and be sure to welcome her to the IPS community!
Where are you from?
I was born in Melrose Park, IL, raised in Chicago, and my parents are from Durango, Mexico.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy taking a walk with my husband, Cesar. Together we enjoy watching our son, Andrew, play college football at Augustana College. For the past 4 years, we’ve enjoyed watching our daughter, Alexis, cheer on the High School football and basketball teams. My youngest daughter, Maya, kept us on our toes last year. She participated in volleyball, basketball, cheerleading and dance. Next month Maya will be entering Leyden HS where she will be part of the Marching Band. Is it football season yet?
What is a fun fact or story about you?
I am a Catechist and teach CCD at my parish, St. John Vianney, since 2011. I’ve helped students prepare to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. This fall I will be teaching the teenage girls in their first year of Sacrament of Confirmation preparation.
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment, personally or professionally, so far? My biggest accomplishment was having the opportunity to coach my daughter, Maya, plus 25 other cheerleaders with Leyden Bears – United YFL. I share this experience with my daughter, Alexis, who was one of my teen coaches. This experience created a bigger bond between my daughters and I. Having the opportunity to shape, form and encourage these young ladies was priceless. Bringing home three times Regional and National Champs trophies was a big plus too.
How did you feel when you were offered the position at IPS?
Excited… I even did the happy dance.
What previous education or experience has best prepared you for this role?
I have an associates degree in Secretarial Science from Robert Morris University. I am skilled in Office Management in the areas of Administration, Quality Control, Event Coordination, and Human Resources. I have worked for a Fortune 500 company. One of my unique strengths is the ability to support multiple VP Level executives and multi-task effectively.
What are you looking forward to bringing to this new role at IPS?
I am looking forward to bringing my solid background experience in office administration, my enthusiasm, and my passion towards my Catholic faith.
Do you have a mentor or an experience in your life that helped shape who you are today?
My participation in Spiritual Exercises retreats have really shaped my spiritual life. It is in the silence of the retreat that I am able to enter and deepen my faith and reach other levels of my spiritual journey. Having Daire Ryan, a Consecrated Women of Regnum Christ, as my Spiritual Director has made a positive impact in my spiritual journey.
Two of our IPS students, Elizabeth (Liz) Palmer and Christina (Tina) Cisarik, will be Graduate Assistants for LUC Campus Ministry this upcoming academic year. Campus Ministry’s graduate assistantship is a program for Loyola graduate students who are exploring a call to ecclesial ministry. While examining this call in the context of a university community, Graduate Assistants work toward proficiency in the skills necessary to answer the call, namely pastoral leadership, pastoral care and program management. (For more information, visit the IPS Financial Aid site.)
We are so pleased to have students like Tina and Liz who are eager to give back to the Loyola community and represent IPS in such a wonderful way. Continue reading to find out how these ladies plan on bringing their unique passions, experiences, attitudes and goals to set the world on fire.
First, meet Liz Palmer. She is earning her Master of Divinity (MDiv) at IPS and expects to graduate in 2018.
Liz Palmer
Any classes in particular you look forward to taking at IPS? This fall, I am enrolled in Introduction to Theology and Ministry. I anticipate this class to create a strong foundation for my studies. I am excited to learn more about the history and traditions of theology and to be able to apply that knowledge practically in ministry. I hope to grow professionally while learning and growing in my faith.
Tell us about your new role at LUC Campus Ministry: I am privileged to work with Campus Ministry as Retreats Assistant this year. This role will allow me to lead retreats such as Loyola 360, Unwritten, Transfer Student Retreat, among others at Loyola’s Retreat Center throughout the year. Working collaboratively with other students and mentors, I look forward to developing opportunities for students to be reflective, to explore their faith, and to foster relationships. My goal is for the retreats to branch into all areas of life and have an impact even after the retreat weekend ends. Life is a retreat that should be embraced daily. I am eager to spend my time in the Campus Ministry offices to connect with the Loyola community.
What are you looking forward to bringing to your new internship outside the classroom that you have learned inside the classroom? Pursuing my undergraduate education at Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame, Indiana) taught me that the mind must be educated simultaneously with the heart. I discovered this as a Biology and Psychology major with a Religious Studies minor. This culmination of disciplines allowed me to understand that faith and reason coexist. I also learned the importance of walking in solidarity with others. Conversations with my mentors and peers highlighted our shared humanity and the value of human relationships. I hope to integrate these lessons into my role of Retreat’s Assistant at Loyola.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing during your time here at Loyola IPS and how does that relate to your future goals? During my time in Loyola IPS, I most look forward to learning about and embracing the Jesuit identity. Through my studies and internship, my goals include promoting justice through my words and actions. This translates to my future plans where I hope to plunge into my baptismal waters as an advocate for human dignity, solidarity, and social justice—where I can promote caring Christian relationships that encompass listening, companionship, and trust.
Any other project(s) you are working on that you wish to share? I will be serving as the Women’s Varsity Soccer Team Chaplain. As a former collegiate athlete, I look forward to combining my passions for athletics and faith at Loyola.
Now, meet Tina Cisarik. She is earning her Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) and anticipates graduating in May 2016.
Tina Cisarik
Any classes in particular you look forward to taking at IPS?
This Fall, I’m looking forward to taking “Art & Spirit: Sacred & Secular” with Linda McCrary. As my Bachelors degree is in Graphic Design, I’m very delighted to have the opportunity to explore the relationship between my two passions through the coursework and discussions provided through the class.
Tell us about your new role at LUC Campus Ministry:
As a graduate assistant in Campus Ministry on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus, I will be assisting primarily with the “Loyola Companions” program, a peer minister-supported imitative whose mission is to build community on our campus through various faith and service leadership opportunities, including welcoming new students, offering hospitality and providing support to students within residence halls. Additionally, I will have the opportunity to gain experience in various other components of campus ministry, including retreat direction and small group faith sharing facilitation.
What are you looking forward to bringing to your new internship outside the classroom that you have learned in the classroom?
I’m excited to see what I read on paper and discuss in the classroom “come to life” in my internship. Whether through implementing new spiritual practices with students or translating theological terms into college-friendly, applicable language, I’m looking forward to seeing how I can further relate my studies to my role as a staff member at a Jesuit institution.
What are you most looking forward to accomplishing during your time here at Loyola IPS and how does that relate to your future goals?
During my time as an IPS student, I’m looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of my own, growing spirituality while learning the tools and strategies necessary in assisting others seeking more faith-filled lives. I am confident that the education provided through IPS will equip me with an array of skills and experiences that can translate into a wide variety of career and ministry options.
IPS has had so much success with the Hispanic Ministry efforts of our Parish Leadership and Management Programs that we are expanding our efforts. As part of the expansion, we have been fortunate enough to hire Felipe Legarreta-Castillo, Ph.D. as the instructor for the Spanish language Bible Study program, which will add other parish ministry sites to that currently operating at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines.
Legarreta-Castillo has been a student, adjunct faculty member and most recently, a chaplain at Loyola University Chicago. As he continues his work at Loyola IPS, we ask your help in welcoming him to our IPS family as a full time faculty member.
Get to know a little more about him in the Q&A below.
Hometown: Chihuahua, Mexico
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Sports: Triathlons, Basketball, Kayaking
What is a fun fact about you?
Well, I have a pet, a bilingual non-German speaking German Shepherd called Apache who came from Mexico, and now has an identity crisis.
You know several languages (ancient and modern), which one has been the most difficult to learn?
German, I studied the language, but I still do not understand why it takes several pages to write one sentence. By the time I get to the next page, I forget what I read on the first page.
*For those curious, he knows: Biblical Hebrew and Greek, Ecclesiastical Latin, Spanish, English, Italian, French and German.
What about Loyola makes you want to continue to be a part of it?
It is a Catholic Jesuit University with the highest academic standards seeking God in all things to the service of all, especially the underprivileged. AMDG!
What are you looking forward to most about being the instructor for the Spanish Biblical Theology courses? Transforming peoples and communities through the reading, interpretation, proclamation and celebration of God’s salvation as found in the Scriptures in order to form one Community, the children God.
What previous education or experience has best prepared you for this role?
My studies at Loyola and teaching Bible here in Chicagoland and before in Mexico.
Do you have a mentor(s) or experience(s) in your life that helped shape who you are today?
God’s people, every community I have served and worked with. They have revealed to me God’s love and compassion in a humble and pristine way.
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment so far (personally or professionally)?
Every accomplishment has been simply another step forward in my journey of service and love. Thus, we really never “complete” loving and serving: it is a journey until we meet our Creator, our Father, then all will be accomplished in Christ.
Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.
6-04-2015|Comments Off on Faculty Profile: Felipe Legarreta-Castillo
“I got involved in this project through an undergraduate immersion trip in 2009 when I taught at Marquette. I was invited by Chris Hallberg (who was then an undergraduate) to accompany students for a Spring break reverse-immersion trip to El Salvador. Another professor on that trip was a colleague of mine in engineering, Dr. Lars Olson. He had invented the HPN, but needed a team to help him move it from the lab to the world. That’s where Chris Hallberg and I came in. Once we had a team, the project really began to move forward,” said Therese.
She and the HPN team want to bring a life saving device to cities around the world where there is a high number of respiratory problems, but where the people are poor and often do not have immediate access to electricity.
The solution: an innovative, low-cost nebulizer that does not require electricity. The HPN will get its power from a hand crank on the side of the device. Just like any other nebulizer, the HPN converts liquid medicine into a mist that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.
Human Powered Nebulizer
Respiratory problems are a major cause of death and disability throughout the world. In fact, lower-respiratory infections (LRIs), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and tuberculosis (TB) account for three of the ten most prevalent causes of mortality. In addition, asthma and other respiratory problems account for a substantial and growing number of hospital visits each year. These diseases also differentially affect the poor, killing more than HIV and malaria combined.
This project could not have come at a better time for Therese, as she had recently began researching health issues like the ones above that affect people in countries around the world.
“I jumped at the chance to work on this project because a few years prior to this, I had begun to shift the focus of my work from standard issues in medical ethics (which Paul Farmer refers to as “quandaries of the rich”), to focus on the issues that plague most of the world, namely, lack of access to even the most basic care and more. So by 2009, I had been working on questions of global health and global medical ethics, and I was grateful for an opportunity to work with a team of people with a real world solution,” said Therese.
The HPN team has held focus groups, conducted clinical trials and continues to work closely with community health workers in El Salvador. Immersion into the culture is crucial to the project. For instance, the first design of the HPN was powered using leg muscles and resembled a bicycle. However, once tested, the team learned that this model was too heavy for easy transport through the villages and was not producing enough power. Some women in the community suggested using the arm muscles for power since the people use their arms for manual labor every day in that culture. This recommendation eventually led to the easy-to-carry, hand crank model it is now.
Previous HPN model
Not only does the HPN team want to make it physically compatible and efficient, but also medically. It is important that the HPN works just as effectively as an electric nebulizer. After a clinical trial in El Salvador, the results showed no statistical differences. In addition, the HPN addresses multiple respiratory conditions, unlike most global health interventions that only address one disease or condition.
Throughout the course of working on this project, there has been both challenging and rewarding moments for Therese.
“The most challenging parts of the project have been having to cultivate the virtue of patience and the cross-cultural education that such work necessarily entails. When one works on issues that involve poor people, without an intention to profit off of them, it can be a challenge to get grants and funding. Our project is low-tech, ‘appropriate’ technology that lacks the glitz and glamor that major funders like. So we have had to work much more slowly and patiently than Americans are accustomed to.
It’s also been a great challenge and privilege to work continuously in another country, to learn about that country’s cultural habits (and strengths and weaknesses) because they really teach a person about one’s own strengths and weaknesses (particularly the weaknesses). Also, repeatedly coming face-to-face with the impoverishment of a place like El Salvador—which is like much of the world—is repeatedly sobering.
This latter ‘challenge’ has also been a great reward. Probably the greatest reward, however, has been the deep gratitude of the community health workers and other front-line health care workers who have given us the great gift of working with us on our research. They are SO grateful for the HPN; they thank us over and over; they want more of them so that they can make a real difference in the lives of real people who are eking out a living in really remote areas. But every time they thank us, I know that it’s WE who should be thanking THEM, for the work they do (which is much, much harder than the work we do) and for their assistance with the project.”
In the end, the team’s goal is to produce a device that will last for 10 years and cost less than $50. “The HPN is designed to be used primarily by community health workers. The World Health Organization estimates that there are about 1.5 million community health workers in the world. We would love to put an HPN in the hands of every community health worker,” commented Therese.
As a personal goal, Therese would like “to continue to be challenged by these amazing people we get to work with in these developing countries, to continue to learn from them, to continue to work with them, and hopefully to eventually be fluent in Spanish!”
For more information on the project, device, history and more, visit hpnproject.org and like it on Facebook.
Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.
6-02-2015|Comments Off on The Human Powered Nebulizer – “Bringing Life and Breath”
At the May 2015 IPS Commissioning and Graduation Party, Staycie Flint was our wonderful student speaker. The abundance of positive feedback in regards to her address prompted us to post her speech below for those who missed it and for those who wish to read and reflect upon it again.
Please join me in a prayer I take from Ephesians. 1:18
“Open the eyes of our hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling us to embrace. Reveal to us the glorious riches You are preparing for Your beloved.”
When Father Steve invited me to speak today he put before me two goals: speak about the IPS student experience and inspire the graduates of 2015 forward into our future work.
At first I wanted to say no, and not JUST because I am terrified about public speaking.
I have been filled with sadness and great anger lately. Among those I love and within the work I do, I see the trajectory of this country and I am scared and mad and tired and not so sure I have it in me to be inspiring.
Then I thought, making myself talk would remind me of why we celebrate today and that we are in this world together. I could use some of that!
I came to IPS asking: “How do I belong to this world?” “Who am I to be in this world?”
I was fairly convinced that my enrollment in the spiritual direction track was the way to go for me. Until that one class with Anne Luther. The one where she states: “Our time together is about discerning as a spiritual community whether you are called to be a spiritual director.”
And the only question that rose up in me was, “If the unanimous community decision turns out to be that I am not called to spiritual direction will there be a tuition refund?”
Given that I am standing here today celebrating the receipt of my Masters of Divinity, and not a certificate in spiritual direction, I can tell you that an issue of a refund never became necessary. More importantly, I learned that the question of “How do I belong to this world?” is a question that has no final answer.
This is what I cherish and admire about IPS. In IPS, we find a place that strives to hear the world and respond out of who we’ve been created to be. IPS respects scholarship and acknowledges that theory is nothing without praxis. At IPS, what we think and believe is empty and without weight if it is not accompanied by action.
This union of theory and praxis necessitates that teachers and students be willing to walk in the light of truth – light that shines on truth and can be both harsh and beautiful, even at odds.
This is not so surprising to those of us who love this city of Chicago where on a Friday night we are cheering for hockey goals and weeping as another round of bullets perpetuates a slow motion massacre.
Philosophers, mystics, teachers, and prophets throughout the ages have taught us that the uniqueness of each individual is best seen in who they become, and that becoming is a continuous call and response process, not a sequence of events.
So. Today I share three brief reflections on this notion of becoming and answering how we belong to this world.
Reflection One: On Suffering and Becoming
“How do I belong to this world?” is a question deeply impacted by the suffering around us and within us.
And it is hard work.
The ongoing discovery of the answer to “How do I belong to this world?” is painful and often lonely.
For many of us, our hearts automatically snap shut at the sound of difficulties, hardships: suffering.
Drawing attention to the suffering around us and the suffering within us is risky and vulnerable business.
Some of us, particularly those who can, protect our hearts by withdrawing.
The closing of hearts is a practice familiar to people from all walks of life: the destitute; the secure; the invisible; the seen; the privileged; . . . often understandably so
Why else does suffering endure? Why else do the cries of the oppressed stir no action from all the world?
Sometimes withdrawing is all we know to do. Suffering often come to us as disruption.
Suffering tears us down
Suffering destroys us
Suffering never redeems
It devastates us.
When suffering disrupts our equanimity we can recoil.
We don’t want things to change. We want them to stay the same.
Or worse, we want things to change and things only stay the same.
We don’t want to feel such hardness of life: be it sadness or anger or fear.
We want to feel certain: full of hope, full of joy, full of peace.
One Friday night while I was working in the trauma center of the hospital that employees me, a 32 year old African-American woman was brought in after being shot in a drive by shooting.
As she was rushed into the trauma bay her heart stopped beating and the medical team began doing everything possible to bring her back from death. Her husband crumbled into my arms and wept until the medical team cleared the room and he could get to her side. Family joined us in the room and entered into a crying that Toni Morrison describes as “loud and long – with no bottom and no top, just circles and circles of sorrow.”
(If you have heard this sort of wailing, if you have sobbed this way, I am sad to remind you of it today and I ask that you stay with me as I continue to share.)
This family began to tell me about their beloved. She was an anti-violence activist. She was shot just outside her home after arriving home from an anti-gun-violence fundraiser she and her life long friend and colleague had planned for months. As this family raged and sorrowed into their long grief her friend began to weep and repeatedly say to her beloved’s family, “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have asked her to be part of this. This never would have happened had we just stayed out of it!” and the family responded with, “Don’t say that. It is not true. She needs you more than ever to keep doing this work. We need you more than ever. Please. Please. Please. Don’t. Stop.”
And I can tell you, this dear departed’s friend hasn’t stopped and the movement has grown stronger and is making a difference.
So. We have to be brave. We have to be vulnerable. Though we may need to pause, we can’t stop. We have to hear the cries of this world and how they mix with the cries of our own hearts and we have to continue to answer for ourselves “How do I belong in this world?”
There is a way IS A WAY of engaging suffering that opens us up and leads us to action.
Your work of becoming and answering “How do I belong this world?” will go forward as you find your own particular ways of embracing, RESPONDING, to the calls of suffering.
Reflection Two: On Relationships and Becoming
David Whyte writes:
“Human beings are creatures of belonging, though they may come to that sense of belonging only through long periods of exile and loneliness.”
“How do I belong to this world?” is the question we must keep finding answers to amidst the calls of relationships with our selves, each other, and our Maker.
In the face of the loneliness and exile of suffering we must attune ourselves to the Maker of Hearts whispering to us through relationships:
the hands of caregivers
the rhythm of the liturgy
the transparency of song the largess of creation the attentions of loved ones and in ways that only we can hear
The Whisperer persists in saying our becoming… my becoming…. your becoming… does not happen in isolation.
In fact, we’ve been given boundless hearts fully capable of becoming. Your relationships will open you to your unfolding.
One born into an ultimate box that was terribly void of relationship to the world around her, Helen Keller was lifted into her own becoming through relationship with her Teacher Anne Sullivan. Over time she found her own way into an abundance of relationship with the whole world and it wasn’t always accepting.
In a letter to Senator Robert La Follette, Helen Keller wrote:
“So long as I confine my activities to social service and the blind, they compliment me extravagantly, calling me ‘arch priestess of the sightless,’
‘wonder woman,’ and a ‘modern miracle.’ But when it comes to a discussion of poverty…that is a different matter! It is laudable to give aid to the handicapped. Superficial charities make smooth the way of the prosperous; but to advocate that all human beings should have leisure and comfort, the decencies and refinements of life, is a Utopian dream, and one who seriously contemplates its realization indeed must be deaf, dumb, and blind.”
See, there is a risk in becoming and living the wholeness of ourselves. It will not always be received well by others.
Dr. Audre Lorde said:
“There’s always someone asking you to underline one piece of yourself— whether it’s black, woman, mother, dyke, teacher, etc.—because that’s the piece that they need to key in to. They want to dismiss everything else.”
I highlight this resistance because I want to acknowledge that we can’t be about our becoming without claiming our relationships to our social location and how it engages the social location of those around us.
Responding with a critical self-awareness to the call of relationships that resist us and seek to limit us is as important to shaping our becoming as the response to the call of the encouraging relationships.
Hellen Keller needed for her becoming the pretentiousness and devaluing of a senator as surely she needed the support of Anne Sullivan to live into her becoming.
Martin Luther King Jr. needed the ignorance and cowardice of Bull Connor as surely he needed the inspiration and guidance of Howard Thurman to stretch fully into his becoming.
Audre Lorde insists that we need all the relationships, not just a couple, with ourselves and others in order to live into becoming.
The holding and responding to ALL the relationships in our lives are simply different expressions of the central way we belong to this world.
In truth, the work of becoming puts the whole wide world in relationship with us and us to the world.
Reflection Three: On Becoming and Belonging to Our Maker
One of the most powerful things Christianity teaches the larger world is that a tomb of darkness can give way to life unmeasurable.
And this is the hope and assurance we have.
In our becoming we are connected to a source of life that goes way beyond our earthly days.
Dr. Howard Thurman, spiritualist and mentor to Martin Luther King, frames our becoming in this way. He states:
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
When you are answering “How do I belong to this world?” don’t forget that the answer best speaks to how your Creator has made you to come alive!
Also don’t forget that your source of this life is a boundless Divine who has become all things – not just a few things, all things. As Reverend Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou of Ferguson and Baltimore reminds us,
“We have seen the face of God, and God has got tattoos on God’s face, and God sags God’s pants, and God is angry and God is queer.”
One of the few promises in life that I am comfortable making is that the Maker and Keeper of hearts gives life and sustains our becoming with a boundless heart that knows no limit.
I close by wondering what awaits you? What awaits you as you go about the continual work of answering “How do I belong to this world?”
The world calls out to us through earthquakes, hungers, and broken spines. It whispers to us through a grieving co-worker, a beloved’s bad day, and our own weariness. What will be your response?
The more we trust and practice being open to the call and response of all that surrounds us― the good, the bad, the ugly―the clearer it becomes that it is not the events of our lives that define us but rather how we belong to this world―how we respond to the calls―that defines the events of our lives.
I learned through my time here at IPS that answering “How do I belong to this world?” is found in my ongoing responses to the calls of suffering, relationship and our Maker. When I realized that my calling wasn’t clear, the response to me from the likes of Fr. Krupa, Dr. Russell, Dan Lunney, Dr.s Evelyn and Jim Whitehead, and Dr. Lysaught was, “we will help you be who you are to be in this world and we won’t ask you to be who you are not.” I trust that most of you graduating with me know something of this gift. I hope you replicate it in the world.
I remind us of Dr. Lorde and paraphrase a conversation Krista Tippet shared with Courtney Martin and Parker Palmer when I point out that we are often asked to show up in life as only “slices of ourselves.” To feel like we’re showing up as our whole selves in all the settings of our lives is a rebellious act.
So. I invite you to go forth and rebel! I invite you to take in your whole self in the presence of your Maker, be vulnerable to this ongoing work of becoming, show up with the fullness of all you can grasp and rebel. Rebel against the powers that would ask of you and the Divine’s beloved community for less.
Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.
5-13-2015|Comments Off on IPS Commissioning Student Address
In a beautifully crafted reflection, Brian Anderson explores the struggle of redefining peace within tense times.
His thoughts and message arose from the recent divestment issue surrounding Loyola, but hold true for a lot of issues that individuals, various groups and our country as a whole are facing today.
As the Interfaith Campus Minister for Loyola’s Campus Ministry, Brian understands that there will always be tension, but the response to such unrest should come from open minds and open discussion. Creating interfaith dialogue is essential.
Read his post below and share any thoughts or questions you may have in the comment section below.
In Tension Lies a Hidden Harmony
These past few weeks in Campus Ministry, my job has been very emotionally busy. Normally, I come to work and have a to-do list for upcoming programs and events that I’m working on with my students. However, with the issue of divestment being discussed in the Student Government Loyola Chicago (SGLC), much of my energy was focused on being present to students on both sides of the issue. They came to me with their anger, frustration, and fear. They came to me wanting a space to be heard, to be recognized and most importantly, how to find a peaceful solution to this issue.
And so I did the best I could to be an open ear and a safe space for their emotion. But what I did not do, or at least not yet, is serve as a conduit for those people to speak to one another through a constructive dialogical space. And for this, I’m frustrated and concerned.
I’m frustrated because of the many forces playing on our students’ lives that keep them from feeling that they can speak to one another without fear of harassment or attack. I’m concerned because this issue serves as another example of the lack of dialogue in our community.
Without dialogue, the humanity of the situation is lost. Tweets, blogs, news headlines, and facebook updates speak about “those people” over there as if they have no complexity or back story to their opinions and beliefs. They paint a cardboard caricature with an emoji and a half sentence.
With dialogue, one realizes that no one is ever so easily painted. We all have things in our history that complicate us and make us the beautifully flawed individuals that sit in class, eat in the dining halls, and walk across campus beside everyone else.
Therefore, how do we come to a solution within the tension? In the Campus Ministry department, for the past four years, we’ve been developing various means of engaging the community through the lens of interfaith dialogue. Our faith traditions are rich with examples of how best to live life and approach tough situations. Two examples come from our Abrahamic traditions.
In Psalm 34, verse 14, from Hebrew scripture, it states “Seek peace and pursue it.” From the Qur’an verse 49:13, we read “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.”
These statements of belief do not ignore the tension, but call upon us to seek peace because of it. Tension and conflict will never not exist. Our world is too complex, too “gritty.” Therefore, we need to start viewing peace not as the absence of tension but a space to explore tension through conversation and respect.
As I write this, I think of the piano that I received from my grandmother. Musical instruments like pianos and guitars will only make beautiful music if they have tension in their strings. The vibrations from those strings when struck by something new and foreign brings that music to life.
As we enter into the summer break, I am going to take the time to reflect upon how to live in tension that doesn’t break me and my community, but instead creates a sound that brings harmony and peace to all those living within it.
Join the conversation by following @BrianSchmisek on Twitter and @LoyolaIPS on Instagram! Also, network with the Loyola Chicago IPS community on LinkedIn.
4-30-2015|Comments Off on Guest Blog: In Tension Lies a Hidden Harmony
