Monthly Archives: July 2012

Grace and Bathsheba: Women using their bodies to fight

Dr. Melissa Browning, Director of the MA in Social Justice and Community Development graduate program, is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post’s Religion Section. This week she reflects on the HIV/AIDS crisis, in particular, she connects its impact on sub-Saharan African women to the biblical figure of Bathsheba.

She explains in the piece, “Like the story of David and Bathsheba, death and love are too often linked in the stories of women living with HIV and AIDS in Africa. If we want to see this pandemic end, then women must be given space to have power and control over their own lives.”

You can find the article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melissa-browning-phd/2-samuel-11-1-15-patriarchy-and-hiv-aids_b_1699687.html

Stay tuned for a more detailed profile of Dr. Browning in an upcoming IPS In Action blog post! In the meantime, check out her awesome website: http://www.melissabrowning.com/mb/Home.html

7-30-2012 | Comments Off on Grace and Bathsheba: Women using their bodies to fight

Help Celebrate the Organ

Loyola University Chicago’s Madonna della Strada Chapel is home to Goulding and Wood Opus 47, the Katheryn “Kay” Stamm Memorial Organ. This pipe organ of three manuals and pedal, 70 ranks is the musical crown jewel of our chapel. This exciting new instrument invigorates worship at Madonna della Strada and further pronounces the integral relationship between music and liturgy. The new instrument serves the community at Loyola as well as the artistic community in the greater Chicago area.

Besides leading the music every weekend for Sunday Mass, Loyola’s department of Sacramental Life is hosting a series of organ concerts throughout the year, to give Loyola and the surrounding community an opportunity to hear this instrument first hand.  Concerts take place the 3rd Sunday of the month at 3:00 p.m.  For a complete schedule of program information, check this link:  http://www.luc.edu/sacramental_life/organ/organyear.shtml

7-11-2012 | Comments Off on Help Celebrate the Organ

IPS welcomes new director, Brian Schmisek, PhD

Brian Schmisek, PhD

This week, the Institute of Pastoral Studies welcomes Brian Schmisek, PhD, as our new director!

Coming to us from the University of Dallas, Dr. Schmisek served as the dean and associate professor in the UD School of Ministry, he succeeds Robert Ludwig, PhD, who will return to the faculty at the end of this academic year after nearly eight years leading IPS.

Dr. Schmisek said he is, “looking forward to building upon the positive legacy that IPS has established through almost 50 years of pioneering professional ministry education.”

Dr. Schmisek brings his entrepreneurial, strategic, and fundraising skills to the leadership of IPS. He hopes to develop new academic initiatives; engage faculty, students, and alumni; and to continue his predecessor’s good work of building strong relationships across a wide network of constituencies.

Along with his wife Marnie, their four children John, Clare, Peter, and Helen, and their dog Kirby, Dr. Schmisek will be residing in the northwest suburbs.

Welcome, Dr. Schmisek, we are so delighted to have you here!

7-03-2012 | Comments Off on IPS welcomes new director, Brian Schmisek, PhD