Members of the SLC faculty and staff listen intently to Dr. Gilboa

Hi, y’all!

 

On Wednesday, October 15th, I had the good fortune and pleasure to attend the October session of the Faculty Colloquial Series.  It’s held once per month in the quiet study lounge and, though not quite as cool as CPR (shameless plug: CPR next Tuesday, Oct. 21 11:45 AM ***FREE FOOD!***), was addressed to a wide audience and provides the entire community a chance to come together to discuss a topic of general interest.

The topic yesterday was “St. Thomas Aquinas and Capital Punishment,” and was very ably presented by our own Dr. David Gilboa, Assistant Professor of Philosophy.  He took us all the way back to the beginnings of Christian community, and how people of faith have viewed the idea of capital punishment, or the death penalty, over the years.  Particularly influential in the theology of the Roman Catholic Church, the good doctor St. Thomas Aquinas argued that, while we as individuals “shalt not kill,” the state is not likewise hindered in administering God’s justice to supremely sinful persons who show no sign of repentance.

It was quite a lively discussion, with students, faculty and Sisters jumping in on all sides.  Should *you* be interested in the Church’s official teachings today, you may find them under Canon 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, online at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2art5.shtml

In November, Sandy Stevens from the Music Department will be talking about “The Celtic Tradition and Beyond.”  This will be a discussion of music, not basketball.  Sorry, guys.    To see the full lineup for this discussion series in the 2008-09 academic year, check out http://www.sl.edu/News/Calendar/Events/colloquium.asp

It’s free.  It’s fellowship.  It’s for all.  Check it out. 

In His Service, and with great affection,

Dan Connolly
danielfconnolly@hotmail.com

Religious piety is defined by Fr. Richard McBrien as “a virtue that calls for faithfulness in relationships with others, e.g. family, kin, country.”

The gift of piety comes to us through the Holy Spirit moving our hearts to worship God and to fulfill our Christian responsibilities.

 

          Religious piety is also used to describe devotional practices. In this case, piety becomes a way in which the Christian expresses openness to the influence of the Holy Spirit. Religious piety always remains linked to the other gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge. and fear of the Lord. Together these gifts form a balanced approach to the two commandments of love of God and love of neighbor.

 

                   Father Jeremiah 

Fr. Jeremiah Cullinane

Recently, I asked Fr. Jeremiah Cullinane if he would be interested in offering some spiritual reflections from time to time on our blog.  Graciously, he agreed to do so and below is the first of many more to come.  We thank Fr. Jeremiah for his contribution and we are blessed to be the recipients of his many years of experience and wisdom.

SPIRITUAL REFLECTION…

Every generation is challenged to define those Christian practices of devotion that express a proper spiritual worship of God. Contemporary times are no different from past generations.  In Vatican Council II’s document “Gaudium et Spes” we are asked to read and understand the “signs of the times” and apply the Gospel of Christ Jesus to them.  This is made today all the more complex because of the diverse nature of the times in which we live and because of the varying ways in which the Gospel can be authentically understood. Come back each Monday as I explore with you the meaning and purpose of various beliefs and practices of the Catholic/Christian faith.

Jen Rivera & Jenny Hughes work at the fish fry

Transitus Service and sharing of s’mores at SLC

Transitus Service at SLC

The week of September 26th through October 4th at SLC was reserved for the special honor of our patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi.  The week was kicked off with a fabulous fish fry on Friday, September 26th.  Many people from around the area came to the SLC cafeteria to enjoy some of the best fish they’ve ever eaten!  A great time was had by all.  However, this event took lots of people-power to make it successful.  Many staff members, faculty, and students worked together to make the evening enjoyable for all in attendance.  A special thanks to Joy Ruzek, Debbie Weller and Judy Vogel for their hard work in organizing and facilitating this event.

On Sunday, September 28th, a Mass was held in the Manitowoc Roncalli High School gymnasium in honor of St. Francis.  Many people from the area were in attendance and several students from Silver Lake College were there to carry in the banners.  Presiding at this Mass were the pastors of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Manitowoc.  A special thanks to the folks of that parish who helped to organize this Mass and make it a holy and spirit-filled event.

On October 2nd, a Mass honoring the life of St. Francis was held in the SLC Chapel.  Presiding at this Mass were Fr. Jeremiah Cullinane (SLC college chaplain), Fr. Dave Beaudry (SLC adjunct professor), and Deacon Paul Gleichner (SLC director of campus ministry).  As usual, the student-led music ministry did an awesome job!  Students also participated in carrying up the gifts, reading, greeting, and Eucharistic ministry.  We are truly blessed here at SLC to have such a dedicated group of student volunteers.

On Friday, October 3rd, a Transitus Service was held at SLC.  The Transitus Service, organized by Sr. Mardelle Meinholz, is a solemn event marking the passing of St. Francis from life in this world to the next.  It is characterized by prayer, music and a candlelight vigil.  At the end of this service, a bonfire was held behind the convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity.  It was there that people had a chance to reflect on the meaning of St. Francis in their own lives and share in fellowship with others from the SLC community.  To round out the evening, s’mores were made around the bonfire and everyone had a wonderful time.  A special thanks to Sr. Mardelle for making this event a success.

On Saturday evening, there was a St. Francis Parade in downtown Manitowoc.  Silver Lake College had a presence in the parade with a large banner and our school van.  Our mascot, “Freddy the Pheasant” was also there to greet parade-goers.  About 15 students, staff and faculty walked in the parade and handed out candy and toys to children on the curbs.  A special thanks to all those who took time out of their busy schedules to participate in this event.

The members of the Silver Lake community had a busy, but spirit-filled, week of activities honoring the life of St. Francis of Assisi.  We look forward to next year when we can do it all over again!  Please join us!

On Septebmer 23, 2008 something wonderful and new began on the campus of Silver Lake College.  The Campus Ministry group held its first Christian Prayer and Reflection service, or “C.P.R.” for short.  Being a Roman Catholic college, we’ve always been used to having Mass in our chapel.  However, we thought it would be a great idea to have a service where ALL Christian faith traditions felt comfortable.  This thought led to CPR.

Deacon Paul presided at the first service which included scripture, open prayer and our new Praise and Worship band led by student Mitch Angel.  Mitch is a returning student majoring in music and brings with him 20+ years of praise and worship experience.  In his own time, Mitch recruited a group of SLC students and worked with them to rehearse several songs.  They did a wonderful job and in addition to their singing, incorporated guitars and drums to make the experience truly memorable.

Approximately 30 people were in attendance for this service which ended with free sub sandwiches, chips and soda provided by Campus Ministry.  The CPR was a smashing success and more will be held each month in the Quiet Study room at SLC.  We thank everyone who helped to make this event prayerful and successful!

On the weekend of September 19-21, ten students from the Silver Lake Campus Ministry group trekked north to enjoy a retreat on beautful Chambers Island in Door County.  Each year the diocese of Green Bay invites college students from around the diocese to attend this retreat for the purpose of doing light yard work and closing down the retreat center for the winter.  It’s also designed so students can meet and interact with other students and build relationships that will last a lifetime.

The students pulled away from the Silver Lake parking lot on Friday thinking they were headed to Door County to board the “Quo Vadis”, the diocesan owned ferry. However, they were in for a surprise when they discovered high winds would keep them from crossing the channel.  As an alternative, the students were invited to UW-Green Bay’s Ecumenical Center where they had a chance to eat and have fellowship with other students.  This little detour turned into a blessing and the students had a real chance to make new friends.

On Saturday morning the students drove to Door Country, boarded the Quo Vadis, and began their retreat.  All students reported that the work was light but the fun was heavy!  They had opportunities to rome around the island, spend some time in relaxation, and share in prayer together.

On Sunday, the group returned to Manitowoc and decided to end their weekend with a feast at Perkin’s restaurant.  They ate, laughed, and shared the friendship that God had

SLC Campus Ministry Students at Chambers Island

 created.  The weekend was a wonderful success and the students look forward to returning to Chambers Island in the spring.

May God bless these students as they continue their journey in faith!

Welcome to the Silver Lake College Campus Ministry blog. The purpose of this blog is to highlight campus minstry activities here at SLC. There will be some announcements, reflections, and photos of various activities and events. You are always welcome to contact me if you’d like to post a reflection or announcement on this blog. My email address is. I encourage all SLC students, staff, and faculty of all faiths to get involved and make a difference. Together, we form the body of Christ and together we build the Kingdom of God.

May God bless you always and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Peace.

Deacon Paul