Showing posts with label Fordham U. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fordham U. Show all posts
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Reflective comments on Fr General's Speech - IAJU 2025 Assembly
Reflective comments on Fr General's Speech - IAJU 2025 Assembly
International Association of Jesuit Universities
Sep 29, 2025
In response to the powerful address delivered by Fr. Arturo Sosa, S.J., Superior General of the Society of Jesus, titled “The Jesuit University: Witness to Hope, Creative and Dialogical Presence,” the opening plenary of the 2025 International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) Assembly gathered institutional leaders to reflect and discern concrete paths forward.
Tuesday, July 08, 2025
A Catholic challenge to American exceptionalism
(iStock)
Thomas J. Massaro
July 07, 2025
Editor's note: This essay is adapted from the McGinley Lecture delivered at Fordham University on April 9, 2025.
While being a U.S. citizen includes many wonderful features and certainly accords many advantages, it also brings along some stigma and cringeworthy aspects. For example, as a people, we tend to be hopelessly monolingual and (perhaps relatedly) do not travel well at all. We all know the stereotype of the “ugly American” traveling abroad with no clue about appropriate behavior regarding local standards of etiquette or respect for cultural differences.
A more consequential aspect of behaviors and attitudes prevalent among the people of the United States is the phenomenon of American exceptionalism—a loose bundle of concepts that have fascinated observers of our national life for generations, despite being notoriously hard to define with any precision.
In the literature of the social sciences, that term has been employed to document how the United States is a statistical outlier among other nations on many scales, from material prosperity and productivity (we are fortunate to be way up on those scales) to the prevalence of gun violence and incarceration (sadly, we are also a world leader in many such measures).
But if we wish to conduct a theologically grounded evaluation of American exceptionalism, we have more work to do than just counting up instances of nation-specific phenomena. Any theological assessment of the phenomenon will engage the inherited claim that the United States possesses a special mission in the world. Such a project aspires to dig considerably deeper into the culture, history and collective value commitments of the American people than sociologists typically attempt.
This essay seeks to identify both constructive and potentially regrettable aspects of these prevalent attitudes regarding the supposedly unique status of the United States. Key questions will include these two: When Americans affirm that our nation is special and somehow set apart from other countries, are we betraying a delusional arrogance? Is it possible to embrace the idea of a special, evenly divinely ordained mission for America without violating Christian ethical principles and dismissing key religious virtues like mercy and humility?
Civil Religion
Any study of the collective values and virtues of a given people builds upon the seminal insights of Plato. In his treatment of justice in the Republic, Plato contended that the state is the individual writ large, or more precisely that the polis is somehow the magnified image of the souls of its residents, reflecting their collective virtues as well as their vices and pathologies. Many subsequent commentators have proposed a supposed invariant national character as an explanation for why countries behave in certain ways and not others. Wandering too far down this path risks adopting a determinism that pigeonholes entire peoples based on rank generalizations and arbitrarily ascribed traits, and of course this type of reductionism quickly becomes objectionable.
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Student fell to her death from Fordham University's clock tower
Student, 22, who tripped and fell 40ft to her death from Fordham University's clock tower at 3am after she 'wanted a better view of NYC for Instagram', will receive a posthumous degree, says college
Fordham University confirmed her death in a letter to students on Sunday night
Police said she went to Keating Hall clock tower with friends around 3am Sunday
Monfries, 22, fell 40 feet while trying to get better view of skyline, police said
Students said Monfries may have been participating in a 'rite of passage' event
The back of her head was smashed in and her vitals flat-lined at the scene
Paramedics were able to revive her and rushed her to St Barnabas Hospital
By Valerie Edwards For Dailymail.com
Published: 10:50 EDT, 14 April 2019 | Updated: 11:50 EDT, 15 April 2019
A 22-year-old student who fell 40 feet from Fordham University's clock tower early Sunday morning has died.
The school confirmed Sydney Paige Monfries, from Portland, Oregon, had died in a letter to students Sunday, just weeks before she was due to graduate.
School President Joseph McShane wrote: 'It is with great sadness that I report that Sydney Monfries, a senior at Fordham College at Rose Hill, died today after sustaining a fall inside the Keating Clock tower in the early hours of the morning.
'Our hearts go out to Sydney’s parents, and her family and friends—theirs is an unimaginable loss, and we share their grief.
'There are no words sufficient to describe the loss of someone so young and full of promise — and mere weeks from graduation. Fordham will confer a bachelor’s degree upon Sydney posthumously, which we will present to her parents at the appropriate time.'
Sydney Paige Monfries (pictured), 22, fell 40 feet from Fordham University's Keating Hall clock tower early Sunday morning
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Panel Debates Religion in Election Season
The Fordham Ram
on October 27, 2016/
The Center on Religion and Culture held a panel called “Soul-Searching on the Eve of the Election: Religion and the Future of American Politics.” The panel included David Blankenhorn, president of the Institue for American Values, Eddi Glaude Jr., the author of “Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul,” Tom Reese, S.J., columnist for the National Catholic Reporter and Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom, among others. The panel by and large discussed white Evangelical support for Donald Trump, the republican nominee. They noted that Trump may lose Utah, which normally votes Republican. There, the Church of Latter Day Saints is growing. They also discussed Hillary Clinton’s Methodist background, which may inhibit her from emphasizing religion in her campaign.
The Center on Religion and Culture held a panel called “Soul-Searching on the Eve of the Election: Religion and the Future of American Politics.” The panel included David Blankenhorn, president of the Institue for American Values, Eddi Glaude Jr., the author of “Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul,” Tom Reese, S.J., columnist for the National Catholic Reporter and Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom, among others. The panel by and large discussed white Evangelical support for Donald Trump, the republican nominee. They noted that Trump may lose Utah, which normally votes Republican. There, the Church of Latter Day Saints is growing. They also discussed Hillary Clinton’s Methodist background, which may inhibit her from emphasizing religion in her campaign.
Saturday, July 05, 2014
The Jesuit Agenda
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Published on May 19, 2014
Jesuit tentacles reach into the halls of power everywhere, including US Presidents, the military, corporate banking and power brokers worldwide.
To have the first Jesuit Pope ever as the head of the Catholic empire at this time in history, is no accident.
It is startling how the Jesuit organization has insinuated itself in every level of government, banking, and religious bodies.
Over the last 400 years the Jesuits have succeeded in establishing the largest worldwide network of schools and universities to prepare young minds for one goal and one goal alone, the world dominance of the Catholic religion.
The Jesuits have been able to shape and mold the thinking of many famous world leaders, and produce generations of political and religious leaders who were favorable to the Roman Catholic Church, and her doctrinal agenda.
When you read the list of who's who that are graduates of Georgetown University, you'll start to see a picture emerging of world leaders who are Jesuit trained.
The Obama Catholic administration is a virtual who's who of well known American Catholics and Jesuits, or at least Jesuit trained people.
They include Roman Catholic congressmen and women, educators at Jesuit universities, governors, senators, representatives, and others who were chosen partly because of their close connections to Rome.
They include Senator Bob Casey, Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia, Representative Patrick Murphy, Senator Ted and and his wife Victoria Kennedy, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator John Kerry, Senator Patrick Leahy, Representative Xavier Becerra, Representative Mike Capuano, Representative Lacy Clay, and a list of authors, educators and others.
The vast majority of them were trained at Catholic schools, and many of them at Jesuit institutions.
The list of institutions where they were trained or where they teach includes Catholic and Jesuit schools like Georgetown University, Boston College, Loyola University, College of the Holy Cross, King's College, Marquette Law, University of Notre Dame, Trinity Washington University, Loyola Marymount University, Xavier University and Catholic University of America.
It is startling how the Jesuit organization has insinuated itself in every level of government, banking, and religious bodies.
Over the last 400 years the Jesuits have succeeded in establishing the largest worldwide network of schools and universities to prepare young minds for one goal and one goal alone, the world dominance of the Catholic religion.
The Jesuits have been able to shape and mold the thinking of many famous world leaders, and produce generations of political and religious leaders who were favorable to the Roman Catholic Church, and her doctrinal agenda.
When you read the list of who's who that are graduates of Georgetown University, you'll start to see a picture emerging of world leaders who are Jesuit trained.
The Obama Catholic administration is a virtual who's who of well known American Catholics and Jesuits, or at least Jesuit trained people.
They include Roman Catholic congressmen and women, educators at Jesuit universities, governors, senators, representatives, and others who were chosen partly because of their close connections to Rome.
They include Senator Bob Casey, Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia, Representative Patrick Murphy, Senator Ted and and his wife Victoria Kennedy, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator John Kerry, Senator Patrick Leahy, Representative Xavier Becerra, Representative Mike Capuano, Representative Lacy Clay, and a list of authors, educators and others.
The vast majority of them were trained at Catholic schools, and many of them at Jesuit institutions.
The list of institutions where they were trained or where they teach includes Catholic and Jesuit schools like Georgetown University, Boston College, Loyola University, College of the Holy Cross, King's College, Marquette Law, University of Notre Dame, Trinity Washington University, Loyola Marymount University, Xavier University and Catholic University of America.
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Sunday, August 18, 2013
Panel Discussion of Pope Francis (Fordham, Sept 9)
Michael Peppard August 16, 2013 - 11:12am
Perhaps of interest to Commonwealers in the New York area: Fordham University will be kicking off the new school year with a panel discussion of Pope Francis's pontificate. The panelists are three distinguished theologians (but they're letting me come too).
More importantly, we'll be welcoming Rachel Zoll, religion reporter for the AP, to keep us in line.
More information about "Six Months of Pope Francis" and RSVP online HERE.
Monday, September 9. 5:30 PM. Lincoln Center campus.
More information about "Six Months of Pope Francis" and RSVP online HERE.
Monday, September 9. 5:30 PM. Lincoln Center campus.
Thursday, March 07, 2013
Senate approves and confirms John O. Brennan as CIA director
Just who is John Brennan?
Let's go way back to see where he is coming from:
Early life and education
Brennan, the son of Irish immigrants from Roscommon, Ireland, was raised in North Bergen, New Jersey.[10] He attended the Immaculate Heart of Mary Elementary School, and graduated from Saint Joseph of the Palisades High School in West New York, New Jersey.[6]
While riding a bus to class at Fordham University, he saw an ad in The New York Times that said the CIA was recruiting, and felt a CIA career would be a good match for his "wanderlust" and his desire to do public service.[6] He received a B.A. in political science from Fordham in 1977.[3] His studies included a junior year abroad learning Arabic and taking Middle Eastern studies courses at the American University in Cairo.[3][6] He also received a Master of Arts in government with a concentration in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980.[6] He speaks Arabic fluently.[10]
John Owen Brennan (born September 22, 1955) is chief counterterrorism advisor to U.S. President Barack Obama; officially his title is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President.[2][3][5] His responsibilities include overseeing plans to protect the country from terrorism and respond to natural disasters, and he meets with the President daily.[6][7] Previously, he advised Obama on foreign policy and intelligence issues during the 2008 presidential campaign and transition.[8] Brennan withdrew his name from consideration for Director of the CIA in the first Obama administration over concerns about his support for the use of torture by the CIA underPresident George W. Bush.[3][6] Instead, Brennan was appointed Deputy National Security Advisor, a position which did not require Senate confirmation.[3][6][9]Brennan's 25 years with the CIA included work as a Near East and South Asia analyst, as station chief in Saudi Arabia, and as director of theNational Counterterrorism Center.[3][6][10] After leaving government service in 2005, Brennan became CEO of The Analysis Corporation, a security consulting business, and served as chairman of the Intelligence and National Security Alliance, an association of intelligence professionals.[11]President Obama nominated Brennan as his next director of the Central Intelligence Agency January 7, 2013.[12][13][14] The ACLU called for the Senate not to proceed with the appointment until it confirms that "all of his conduct was within the law" at the CIA and White House.[15] John Brennan was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee on March 5, 2013 to succeed David Petraeus as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agencyby a vote of 12 to 3.[16]
Source: Wiki
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Friday, November 30, 2012
Ann Coulter vs. the Jesuits at Fordham: A college invite is rescinded
9:11 am November 10, 2012, by Maureen Downey
Pundit Ann Coulter
I have written this blog now for several years, and only mentioned acidic pundit Ann Coulter once. Three weeks later, I am bringing her up again because this incident demonstrates a sensible way to handle controversies over college speakers.
Coulter was invited to Fordham University in New York to speak on Nov. 29 by the College Republicans.
The planned appearance triggered protests and a student petition A group of students argued that tuition should not be used to underwrite speakers at the private college who are “not compatible with the values the Fordham community professes – particularly the Jesuit tenet of ‘Men and Women for and With Others’.”
See what you think of Fordham President Joseph M. McShane’s response and of the decision Friday night by the Fordham College Republicans to cancel Coulter’s appearance.
First, Father McShane’s statement:
The College Republicans, a student club at Fordham University, has invited Ann Coulter to speak on campus on November 29. The event is funded through student activity fees and is not open to the public nor the media. Student groups are allowed, and encouraged, to invite speakers who represent diverse, and sometimes unpopular, points of view, in keeping with the canons of academic freedom. Accordingly, the University will not block the College Republicans from hosting their speaker of choice on campus.
To say that I am disappointed with the judgment and maturity of the College Republicans, however, would be a tremendous understatement. There are many people who can speak to the conservative point of view with integrity and conviction, but Ms. Coulter is not among them. Her rhetoric is often hateful and needlessly provocative — more heat than light — and her message is aimed squarely at the darker side of our nature.
As members of a Jesuit institution, we are called upon to deal with one another with civility and compassion, not to sling mud and impugn the motives of those with whom we disagree or to engage in racial or social stereotyping. In the wake of several bias incidents last spring, I told the University community that I hold out great contempt for anyone who would intentionally inflict pain on another human being because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or creed.
“Disgust” was the word I used to sum up my feelings about those incidents. Hate speech, name-calling, and incivility are completely at odds with the Jesuit ideals that have always guided and animated Fordham.
Still, to prohibit Ms. Coulter from speaking at Fordham would be to do greater violence to the academy, and to the Jesuit tradition of fearless and robust engagement. Preventing Ms. Coulter from speaking would counter one wrong with another. The old saw goes that the answer to bad speech is more speech. This is especially true at a university, and I fully expect our students, faculty, alumni, parents, and staff to voice their opposition, civilly and respectfully, and forcefully.
The College Republicans have unwittingly provided Fordham with a test of its character: do we abandon our ideals in the face of repugnant speech and seek to stifle Ms. Coulter’s (and the student organizers’) opinions, or do we use her appearance as an opportunity to prove that our ideas are better and our faith in the academy — and one another — stronger? We have chosen the latter course, confident in our community and in the power of decency and reason to overcome hatred and prejudice.
Joseph M. McShane, S.J., President
From the College Republicans late Friday:
The College Republicans regret the controversy surrounding our planned lecture featuring Ann Coulter. The size and severity of opposition to this event have caught us by surprise and caused us to question our decision to welcome her to Rose Hill. Looking at the concerns raised about Ms. Coulter, many of them reasonable, we have determined that some of her comments do not represent the ideals of the College Republicans and are inconsistent with both our organization’s mission and the University’s. We regret that we failed to thoroughly research her before announcing; that is our error and we do not excuse ourselves for it. Consistent with our strong disagreement with certain comments by Ms. Coulter, we have chosen to cancel the event and rescind Ms. Coulter’s invitation to speak at Fordham.
We made this choice freely before Father McShane’s email was sent out and we became aware of his feelings – had the President simply reached out to us before releasing his statement, he would have learned that the event was being cancelled. We hope the University community will forgive the College Republicans for our error and continue to allow us to serve as its main voice of the sensible, compassionate, and conservative political movement that we strive to be. We fell short of that standard this time, and we offer our sincere apologies.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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Sunday, September 16, 2012
A Comedian and a Cardinal Open Up on Spirituality
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: September 15, 2012
The comedian Stephen Colbert and Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York bantered onstage Friday night before 3,000 cheering, stomping, chanting students at Fordham University, in what might have been the most successful Roman Catholic youth evangelization event since Pope John Paul II last appeared at World Youth Day.
The evening was billed as an opportunity to hear two Catholic celebrities discuss how joy and humor infuse their spiritual lives. They both delivered, with surprises and zingers that began the moment the two walked onstage. Mr. Colbert went to shake Cardinal Dolan’s hand, but the cardinal took Mr. Colbert’s hand and kissed it — a disarming role reversal for a big prelate with a big job and a big ring.
Cardinal Dolan was introduced as a man who might one day be elected pope, to which he said, “If I am elected pope, which is probably the greatest gag all evening, I’ll be Stephen III.”
The event would not have happened without its moderator, the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and prolific author who has made it his mission to remind Catholics that there is no contradiction between faithful and funny. His latest book is “Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life.”
Father Martin said in an interview earlier this week that the idea came from two young theology professors at Fordham. The university’s president, the Rev. Joseph M. McShane, invited Cardinal Dolan to participate, and he readily accepted. Father Martin, who has made enough appearances on “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central to earn the title “official chaplain,” invited Mr. Colbert.
The event was announced with much fanfare by Fordham, and CNN was considering broadcasting it, Father Martin said. But then the university announced that it was closed to the media, without any explanation. Three thousand students and faculty members filled the Rose Hill Gymnasium, stomping on the bleachers, doing the wave and chanting “Ste-PHEN” like the revved-up audiences for Mr. Colbert’s studio show.
Some journalists were admitted as guests, and the cone of silence was shattered when many students and an editor from the Catholic magazine Commonweal sent out live posts on Twitter narrating the most memorable one-liners.
Mr. Colbert shed his character for the evening and offered several sincere insights into how he manages to remain a faithful Catholic while making fun of his own religion and most others.
“Are there flaws in the church?” Mr. Colbert said, “Absolutely. But is there great beauty in the church? Absolutely.”
He said he did not make jokes about the sacraments, or put a picture of the crucifixion on screen. But he said he liked to poke fun at the use and misuse of religion, especially in politics. “Then I’m not talking about Christ,” he said, “I’m talking about Christ as cudgel.”
Mr. Colbert is the youngest of 11 children, raised by Catholic parents who both attended Catholic colleges. His father and two of his brothers died in a plane crash when Mr. Colbert was 10. He said that after the funeral, in the limousine on the way home, one of his sisters made another sister laugh so hard that she fell on the floor. At that moment, Mr. Colbert said he resolved that he wanted to be able to make someone laugh that hard.
He is raising his children as Catholics, and he teaches Sunday school at his parish in New Jersey. “The real reason I remain a Catholic is what the church gives me, which is love,” he said.
Cardinal Dolan introduced Mr. Colbert’s wife, Evelyn, who was sitting in the audience, and brought her up to the stage. The cardinal put his arm around her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and when Mr. Colbert feigned offense, the cardinal said, in a remark that brought down the house, “I can kiss your wife. You can’t kiss mine.”
Mr. Colbert used his time onstage with the cardinal to air his complaints about the new English translation of the Mass, which was just introduced in American parishes this year.
“Consubstantial!” Mr. Colbert exclaimed, using a particularly cumbersome word that is now recited in the Nicene Creed. “It’s the creed! It’s not the SAT prep.”
The audience sent in questions by Twitter and e-mail, which Father Martin pitched to the two men. Among them: “I am considering the priesthood. Would it be prudent to avoid dating?”
Cardinal Dolan responded that, on the contrary, “it’s good” to date, partly to discern whether the celibate life of a priest is what you want. Then he added, “By the way, let me give you the phone numbers of my nieces.”
Mr. Colbert said, “It’s actually a great pickup line: I’m seriously considering the priesthood. You can change my mind.”
Another question was even more pointed: “So many Christian leaders spread hatred, especially of homosexuals. How can you maintain your joy?”
Cardinal Dolan responded with two meandering anecdotes — one about having met this week with Muslim leaders, and another about encountering demonstrators outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
But Mr. Colbert’s response was quick and unequivocal. “If someone spreads hate,” he said, “then they’re not your religious leader.”
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: September 15, 2012
An earlier version of this article misidentified the magazine whose editor sent out live Twitter posts from the event. It is Commonweal, not the Jesuit weekly America.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Gingrich Presents “Nine Days That Changed the World”
By SAMMIE LAZAR
STAFF WRITER
Published: Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Updated: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 00:02
Photo by Stephen Moccia/ The Ram
Newt Gingrich came to Fordham for a special screening of his new documentary.
Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista came to Fordham for a special screening of their new documentary Nine Days That Changed The World. The former Speaker of the House came to Fordham as a guest of the Fordham Special Events office to celebrate the life and legacy of Pope John Paul II.
Produced in conjunction with Citizens United, the Gingriches hosted the extraordinary story of Pope John Paul II, taking the audience through his life and works. The "nine days that changed the world" were the Holy See's pilgrimage through Poland in June 1979. The documentary showed the moving tale of a cardinal from Poland becoming the first non-Italian Pope in over 400 years, and manipulating the turmoil in his home country to instill a feeling of solidarity among Catholics to go against the forced atheism of communism.
Pope John Paul II campaigned with love and tolerance, becoming the first Pope to travel to Egypt and Mexico, in addition to speaking out against anti-Semitism. He used love to combat the violence and martial law that marked the regimes in Poland and all across the Soviet Union, and he was a large factor in the revolution that eventually overturned communist rule.
Gingrich's attitude toward the late pope was one of complete admiration for his work against communism. He talked before the event about how as a young person and then a member of the armed services, he had seen the reign of the Soviet Union and had been witness to its power. The documentary that he and his wife produced aims to show how, with peace and diplomacy, a pope and those who believed in his message could bring down forces of violence.
"I thought the movie was extremely interesting," Eileen Bradley, GSB '13, said. "When people think of communist countries, they think of Soviet Russia and East Berlin, not Poland. It was interesting to see the post-war struggle there and how greatly the Pope influenced the change. It was inspiring to see how much religion could influence a country from an oppressed regime to democracy."
With campaigns like that of Pope John Paul II, those walls came down and the world was inspired.
"I hope students came and learned about a man, who was truly one of the greatest to ever live," John Mantia, GSB '13, president of the College Republicans, said. "We are supremely lucky to have had him as our Pope while we were growing up. He was the major force behind the collapse of the Soviet Union, and he did it without firing a single shot. His message of peace and freedom broke down the walls of the Iron Curtain and ushered in prosperity to much of Eastern Europe. It [was] a night to celebrate an incredible man, and I hope students have found the documentary fascinating and moving."
Source
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Monday, July 26, 2010
Fordham University to Host 14th Annual Jesuit Leadership Conference
Contact: Janet Sassi
212-636-7577
fallersassi@fordham.edu
More than 250 students from Jesuit schools around the country will converge on Fordham University's Rose Hill campus on July 28 for five days of workshops and community service in the Jesuit tradition.
The event marks the first time that Fordham is hosting the National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference (NJSLC), an annual gathering of student leaders from the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States.
The annual conference is designed to help student leaders develop ideas, explore student issues and build leadership skills in the Jesuit tradition. This year’s conference theme, “Ignite the Leader in You,” is designed around the four Jesuit tenets of cura personalis, unity of heart and mind, men and women for others and magis, and focuses on one tenet each day.
“Each day of the conference will offer different keynotes and different reflections, all based on St. Ignatius’ way of thinking and how it applies to student leadership,” said conference co-chair Michael Trerotola, CBA ’10. “A lot of students who attend Jesuit schools don’t realize the influence that the Jesuits’ history has on who they are, what they do and why. This conference will give them a great understanding of that, while exploring ways to become better human beings.
“These Jesuit tenets can be applicable in whatever religion you are part of,” he added.
Scheduled keynote speakers are:
Day One: Ed Gerety, co author of five books on leadership and personal development, on “Make Your Mark! Light the Way to Greatness;”
Day Two: Tim Muldoon, Ph.D., professor of theology at Boston College, spiritual guide and author of seven books on theology, spirituality, sexuality and marriage, on “Heart Speaking to Heart: a Spirituality for Jesuit Education”;
Day Three: Dart Westphal, president of Mosholu Preservation Corporation and publisher of the Norwood News, speaking on “Introduction to the Bronx,” a primer on service opportunities and their Ignatian contexts.
Day Four: Alison Donohue, FCRH ’94, GSAS ’98, New York Project Manager for Contemplative Leaders in Action and the first female chaplain at Regis High School, on “Magis: An Ignatian Approach to Decision-Making.”
In addition, Day Three, July 30, will be dedicated to Bronx community service. Students will volunteer at a dozen non-profits across the borough, including the Bronx Green Up urban farm, the Cerebral Palsy Association, the Concourse House for the homeless, the Teen Health Center at St. Barnabas, and the Fordham-Bedford Busters Garden, an abandoned lot developed by the surrounding community.
The conference wraps up with a special mass by John Cecero, S.J., celebrating the Feast of St. Ignatius (July 31) and a closing banquet with remarks by Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham.
The five-day event is sponsored by the Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators, with corporate sponsorship from The New York Times, Northwestern Mutual and others.
For a full schedule of events go to the conference web page.
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 14,700 students in its four undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in Westchester, the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre at Heythrop College in the United Kingdom.
212-636-7577
fallersassi@fordham.edu
Speakers Gerety (top), Muldoon and Donohue (bottom).
More than 250 students from Jesuit schools around the country will converge on Fordham University's Rose Hill campus on July 28 for five days of workshops and community service in the Jesuit tradition.
The event marks the first time that Fordham is hosting the National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference (NJSLC), an annual gathering of student leaders from the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States.
The annual conference is designed to help student leaders develop ideas, explore student issues and build leadership skills in the Jesuit tradition. This year’s conference theme, “Ignite the Leader in You,” is designed around the four Jesuit tenets of cura personalis, unity of heart and mind, men and women for others and magis, and focuses on one tenet each day.
“Each day of the conference will offer different keynotes and different reflections, all based on St. Ignatius’ way of thinking and how it applies to student leadership,” said conference co-chair Michael Trerotola, CBA ’10. “A lot of students who attend Jesuit schools don’t realize the influence that the Jesuits’ history has on who they are, what they do and why. This conference will give them a great understanding of that, while exploring ways to become better human beings.
“These Jesuit tenets can be applicable in whatever religion you are part of,” he added.
Scheduled keynote speakers are:
Day One: Ed Gerety, co author of five books on leadership and personal development, on “Make Your Mark! Light the Way to Greatness;”
Day Two: Tim Muldoon, Ph.D., professor of theology at Boston College, spiritual guide and author of seven books on theology, spirituality, sexuality and marriage, on “Heart Speaking to Heart: a Spirituality for Jesuit Education”;
Day Three: Dart Westphal, president of Mosholu Preservation Corporation and publisher of the Norwood News, speaking on “Introduction to the Bronx,” a primer on service opportunities and their Ignatian contexts.
Day Four: Alison Donohue, FCRH ’94, GSAS ’98, New York Project Manager for Contemplative Leaders in Action and the first female chaplain at Regis High School, on “Magis: An Ignatian Approach to Decision-Making.”
In addition, Day Three, July 30, will be dedicated to Bronx community service. Students will volunteer at a dozen non-profits across the borough, including the Bronx Green Up urban farm, the Cerebral Palsy Association, the Concourse House for the homeless, the Teen Health Center at St. Barnabas, and the Fordham-Bedford Busters Garden, an abandoned lot developed by the surrounding community.
The conference wraps up with a special mass by John Cecero, S.J., celebrating the Feast of St. Ignatius (July 31) and a closing banquet with remarks by Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham.
The five-day event is sponsored by the Jesuit Association of Student Personnel Administrators, with corporate sponsorship from The New York Times, Northwestern Mutual and others.
For a full schedule of events go to the conference web page.
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 14,700 students in its four undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in Westchester, the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre at Heythrop College in the United Kingdom.
07/10
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Thursday, April 08, 2010
50 years after his death, Teilhard de Chardin's spirit is alive
by Thierry Meynard, SJ, and Joe Orso
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, is buried in Hyde Park, New York, on the grounds of a former Jesuit novitiate. At the cemetery there, in a field bordered by trees, 150 people gathered at his grave, 50 years to the day after his death on April 10, 1955.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ, is buried in Hyde Park, New York, on the grounds of a former Jesuit novitiate. At the cemetery there, in a field bordered by trees, 150 people gathered at his grave, 50 years to the day after his death on April 10, 1955.
A service at Teilhard's grave site was the culmination of a recent conference hosted by Fordham University's philosophy department.
Among them was Korean bishop Vincent Ri Pyung-ho, who has translated much of Teilhard's work from French into Korean. He paid respects to a man whose life has enlightened his own by kissing the earth in front of Teilhard's tomb. Neither Ri nor the others who had gathered had known Teilhard, but they had found in him a master, a prophet, and a poet.
From April 7 to 10, the French and American Chardin associations hosted events that drew about 2,000 people from five continents to Fordham University in New York to celebrate a man whose work continues to evolve.
Teilhard, a geologist, paleontologist, philosopher, and theologian, has inspired social and physical scientists alike to move beyond specializations. He solved many puzzles regarding the first humans by studying them not as an isolated phenomenon but in relation to the soil, vegetation, and other species. At the conference, scientists and others explained how Teilhard's holistic approach has helped them gather data from different disciplines into a coherent whole.
Lothar Schafer, professor of chemistry at the University of Arkansas, explained how Teilhard's thoughts about evolution mesh with new findings in quantum physics. Wangari Maathai, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, spoke of how Teilhard had helped inspire her work as a government minister in Kenya to empower her countrywomen.
"The Eucharist is celebrated in order to offer on the altar of the whole earth the world's work and suffering in the beautiful words of Teilhard de Chardin," wrote Pope John Paul II in Gift and Mystery. He was referring to prayers in Teilhard's The Mass on the World, which the latter had said 80 years earlier in the Gobi Desert, when he had run out of bread and wine and made the whole earth his altar.
Teilhard continues to draw together scientists, artists, environmentalists, diplomats, and theologians. The fact reflects Teilhard's life, in which diverse interests converged towards the Omega, Christ, the unique mystery in which everything is accomplished.
Silenced by the Church, he had few friends when he died and was unknown by most scientists. Since his death, though, his ideas have animated the minds and hearts of many.
"Of all things the most difficult to contain is the expansion of an idea," Teilhard wrote. "It is enough for truth to appear just once, to a single mind. From that moment nothing can prevent its spreading until it lights up the world. For whatever is truer will come to light, and whatever is better will ultimately become reality."
Among them was Korean bishop Vincent Ri Pyung-ho, who has translated much of Teilhard's work from French into Korean. He paid respects to a man whose life has enlightened his own by kissing the earth in front of Teilhard's tomb. Neither Ri nor the others who had gathered had known Teilhard, but they had found in him a master, a prophet, and a poet.
From April 7 to 10, the French and American Chardin associations hosted events that drew about 2,000 people from five continents to Fordham University in New York to celebrate a man whose work continues to evolve.
Teilhard, a geologist, paleontologist, philosopher, and theologian, has inspired social and physical scientists alike to move beyond specializations. He solved many puzzles regarding the first humans by studying them not as an isolated phenomenon but in relation to the soil, vegetation, and other species. At the conference, scientists and others explained how Teilhard's holistic approach has helped them gather data from different disciplines into a coherent whole.
Lothar Schafer, professor of chemistry at the University of Arkansas, explained how Teilhard's thoughts about evolution mesh with new findings in quantum physics. Wangari Maathai, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, spoke of how Teilhard had helped inspire her work as a government minister in Kenya to empower her countrywomen.
"The Eucharist is celebrated in order to offer on the altar of the whole earth the world's work and suffering in the beautiful words of Teilhard de Chardin," wrote Pope John Paul II in Gift and Mystery. He was referring to prayers in Teilhard's The Mass on the World, which the latter had said 80 years earlier in the Gobi Desert, when he had run out of bread and wine and made the whole earth his altar.
Teilhard continues to draw together scientists, artists, environmentalists, diplomats, and theologians. The fact reflects Teilhard's life, in which diverse interests converged towards the Omega, Christ, the unique mystery in which everything is accomplished.
Silenced by the Church, he had few friends when he died and was unknown by most scientists. Since his death, though, his ideas have animated the minds and hearts of many.
"Of all things the most difficult to contain is the expansion of an idea," Teilhard wrote. "It is enough for truth to appear just once, to a single mind. From that moment nothing can prevent its spreading until it lights up the world. For whatever is truer will come to light, and whatever is better will ultimately become reality."
Fr. Thierry Meynard, SJ, is a professor of philosophy at Fordham University in New York. Joe Orso, a freelance writer in St. Louis, graduated from Fordham University and Columbia University's school of journalism.
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Sunday, May 31, 2009
Catholic College Commencement Scandals Increase in 2009
Catholic College Commencement Scandals Increase in 2009
May 29, 2009
MANASSAS, VA (MetroCatholic) - In the Spring of 2009, at least 12 Catholic colleges and universities hosted scandalous speakers and honorees at their commencement ceremonies, according to The Cardinal Newman Society’s annual review. This marks a troubling reversal of the recent decrease of Catholic commencement scandals – merely seven took place in 2008, down from 24 in 2006.
“It is a very sad development, to see so many Catholic colleges and universities joining Notre Dame in their disrespect for Catholic morality and for the U.S. bishops,” said Patrick J. Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society. “The bishops’ policy against such honors and platforms is crystal clear and is only the bare minimum expected of Catholic institutions.”
The 2009 commencement scandals occurred despite the unprecedented public opposition of 83 U.S. bishops to the University of Notre Dame’s honor for President Obama at commencement. None publicly supported Notre Dame’s action.
Most of the protesting bishops referenced the 2004 USCCB statement “Catholics in Political Life” as support for their opposition. The statement reads: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
The Cardinal Newman Society compiled the following list of Catholic colleges and universities whose commencement speakers have publicly opposed or acted against Catholic values on key moral issues:
***Creighton University (Neb.)
Christopher J. Elias, M.D., was the commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Science degree recipient at Creighton University on May 16. Elias is the President and CEO of Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH). PATH, a nonprofit organization to address health concerns around the world, promotes abortion and contraception. PATH worked in Nepal to shift “cultural norms” toward an acceptance of abortion by means of “dialogue groups.” The organization’s website states: “This is where PATH comes in: helping address the long-held beliefs that still stand between women and safe abortion.”
***Dominican University of California
Willie L. Brown, Jr. was the commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient at Dominican University of California, where he is a board member, on May 15. Brown has served as Mayor of San Francisco and as Speaker of the California State Assembly, and he is an advocate of abortion rights and homosexual marriage. According to a review of his autobiography, Basic Brown: My Life and Our Times, “Willie Brown shows how some of the most far-reaching and socially advanced legislation in American history — like… legalized abortion, gay rights… — was carried out under his guidance and on his watch.” In 1996, Archbishop William Levada protested when San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown officially recognized 175 same-sex couples as “domestic partners” in a proceeding that was very similar to a marriage ceremony. Last year Brown publicly opposed California’s Proposition 8, which legally defined marriage as between a man and a woman.
***Fordham University (N.Y.)
Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City, delivered remarks and received an honorary degree at Fordham University’s commencement on May 16. Bloomberg is pro-abortion. MedicalNewsToday.com reported in 2006 that Bloomberg said, “Reproductive choice is a fundamental human right, and we can never take it for granted. On this issue, you’re either with us or against us.” Reproductive choice is a euphemism for abortion. Bloomberg also supports homosexual marriage. According to New York Magazine, he has stated, “I think anybody should be allowed to marry anybody.” Charles Schumer, a U.S. Senator from New York, also spoke at the Fordham University commencement exercises, according to Catholic News Agency. Schumer has received a 100% voting record from NARAL Pro-Choice America. He has voted to expand the availability of contraceptives, voted for expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines, voted against notifying the parents of minors who get out of state abortions, and voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion.
***University of Notre Dame (Ind.)
Barack Obama, President of the United States, was commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient at the University of Notre Dame’s commencement on May 17. Obama is vigorously pro-abortion. Before becoming president, he stated at a Planned Parenthood conference that his first act as president would be to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act (a bill that would remove all existing restrictions on abortion); the bill has not yet passed. He also opposed a ban on partial-birth abortion. As president, Obama has worked to overturn conscience protections for healthcare workers, appointed numerous pro-abortion cabinet members (including the Secretary of Health and Human Services), dedicated federal funds to harvest embryonic stem cells, and overturned the Mexico City Policy which prevented U.S. funds from being used to promote abortion overseas. Obama reaffirmed his pro-abortion stance two weeks before the Notre Dame commencement ceremony, and again during his commencement address. More than eighty bishops have opposed Notre Dame on account of this matter.
***College of the Holy Cross (Mass.)
King’s College (Pa.)
Robert Casey, Jr., a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, was commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at both the College of the Holy Cross and King’s College commencement ceremonies (May 22 and 17 respectively). These went forward despite the fact that Casey’s own bishop in Scranton, Pa., Bishop Joseph Martino, has been repeatedly critical of the senator’s record in recent months. This criticism included Casey’s vote opposing an amendment to reinstate the pro-life Mexico City Policy, which prohibits federal funds to groups that promote or perform abortions. Bishop Martino also scolded Casey for his vote to confirm pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services. The bishop called the decision of King’s College to honor Casey “an affront to all who value the sanctity of life,” saying Sen. Casey lacks “the moral stature” to properly address the challenges faced by the graduates.
***Xavier University of Louisiana
Donna Brazile, a political commentator and activist, was commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at Xavier University of Louisiana on May 9. Brazile supported President Obama’s reversal of the Mexico City Policy which previously barred taxpayer funding from supporting abortion services overseas. She said that “this will save lives.” In a CNN segment during the 2008 presidential campaign, Brazile suggested that public discussion of Barack Obama’s legislative support for infanticide should be diminished in light of high gas prices. Additionally, in a 2006 article, Brazile expressed her support for across-the-board availability of contraceptive services, including her support for the Prevention First Act. New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes boycotted the ceremony on account of the selection of Brazile.
***St. Francis College (N.Y.)
Yvette Clarke, a U.S. Representative from New York, was the commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at St. Francis College on May 27. In 2007, Clarke voted for the expansion of federal funding to include more research of embryonic stem cell lines. In the same year, Clarke co-sponsored a bill that would have ensured access to and federal funding of contraception.
***Saint Joseph’s University (Pa.)
Chris Matthews was commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Communications degree recipient at Saint Joseph’s University on May 16. Matthews is the widely-recognized host of MSNBC’s Hardball, and has repeatedly and publicly supported legalized abortion. Last March, he referred to pro-life advocates opposing the nomination of pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services as “terrorists.” Cornel West, a Princeton University professor, also received an honorary degree at the commencement ceremony of Saint Joseph’s University. In 2006, West opposed the Federal Marriage Amendment by signing onto the public statement “Beyond Same-Sex Marriage: A New Strategic Vision For All Our Families and Relationships.” The group supporting the statement (at BeyondMarriage.org) proposed that “Marriage is not the only worthy form of family or relationship, and it should not be legally and economically privileged above all others.” They sought to “reframe the narrow terms of the marriage debate” and advocated legal recognition of “a wide range of relationships” regardless of “conjugal status.”
***Stonehill College (Mass.)
M. Elizabeth Fini was Stonehill College’s commencement speaker. Fini currently serves as the Vice Dean for Research at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. According to the Daily Trojan, Fini expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of utilizing embryonic stem cell lines for research at USC. “Because we got this jumpstart, it makes all the difference for us,” she said. “Our researchers are ready to go, where other schools are going to have to get this started.” As scientific director and vice chair for research at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in 2007, Fini helped establish a partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital in England and Bascom Palmer. According to the South Florida Business Journal, Moorfields previously received a “$7 million donation to conduct embryonic and adult stem cell research to treat macular degeneration,” and Fini intended to work with the Hospital on that project, even looking for a matching donation for Bascom Palmer.
***University of St. Francis (Ill.)
A. J. Wilhelmi, an Illinois State Senator, was commencement speaker at the University of St. Francis on May 9. In 2007, Senator Wilhelmi voted for a bill that permitted Illinois state funding for research on embryonic stem cell lines.
***University of San Francisco (Cal.)
Most Reverend Kevin Dowling, Bishop of Rustenburg, South Africa, was an honorary degree recipient and undergraduate commencement speaker at the University of San Francisco on May 22. Bishop Dowling has publicly criticized abstinence-only programs and supports condom use by those infected with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. After he expressed his view regarding condoms in a 2001 interview, the South African bishops’ conference condemned his statements and has reaffirmed that condoms are “immoral” and a “misguided weapon in the fight against HIV.” The papal nuncio of South Africa has also rebuked Bishop Dowling at least twice. Kamala D. Harris was the graduate school commencement speaker at the University of San Francisco on May 23. She is the San Francisco District Attorney. According to the Bay Area Reporter, Harris has spoken at rallies against California Proposition 8. The proposition, which passed, defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Harris said that was an expression of “prejudice” and “hate.”
“It is a very sad development, to see so many Catholic colleges and universities joining Notre Dame in their disrespect for Catholic morality and for the U.S. bishops,” said Patrick J. Reilly, president of The Cardinal Newman Society. “The bishops’ policy against such honors and platforms is crystal clear and is only the bare minimum expected of Catholic institutions.”
The 2009 commencement scandals occurred despite the unprecedented public opposition of 83 U.S. bishops to the University of Notre Dame’s honor for President Obama at commencement. None publicly supported Notre Dame’s action.
Most of the protesting bishops referenced the 2004 USCCB statement “Catholics in Political Life” as support for their opposition. The statement reads: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
The Cardinal Newman Society compiled the following list of Catholic colleges and universities whose commencement speakers have publicly opposed or acted against Catholic values on key moral issues:
***Creighton University (Neb.)
Christopher J. Elias, M.D., was the commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Science degree recipient at Creighton University on May 16. Elias is the President and CEO of Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH). PATH, a nonprofit organization to address health concerns around the world, promotes abortion and contraception. PATH worked in Nepal to shift “cultural norms” toward an acceptance of abortion by means of “dialogue groups.” The organization’s website states: “This is where PATH comes in: helping address the long-held beliefs that still stand between women and safe abortion.”
***Dominican University of California
Willie L. Brown, Jr. was the commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient at Dominican University of California, where he is a board member, on May 15. Brown has served as Mayor of San Francisco and as Speaker of the California State Assembly, and he is an advocate of abortion rights and homosexual marriage. According to a review of his autobiography, Basic Brown: My Life and Our Times, “Willie Brown shows how some of the most far-reaching and socially advanced legislation in American history — like… legalized abortion, gay rights… — was carried out under his guidance and on his watch.” In 1996, Archbishop William Levada protested when San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown officially recognized 175 same-sex couples as “domestic partners” in a proceeding that was very similar to a marriage ceremony. Last year Brown publicly opposed California’s Proposition 8, which legally defined marriage as between a man and a woman.
***Fordham University (N.Y.)
Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City, delivered remarks and received an honorary degree at Fordham University’s commencement on May 16. Bloomberg is pro-abortion. MedicalNewsToday.com reported in 2006 that Bloomberg said, “Reproductive choice is a fundamental human right, and we can never take it for granted. On this issue, you’re either with us or against us.” Reproductive choice is a euphemism for abortion. Bloomberg also supports homosexual marriage. According to New York Magazine, he has stated, “I think anybody should be allowed to marry anybody.” Charles Schumer, a U.S. Senator from New York, also spoke at the Fordham University commencement exercises, according to Catholic News Agency. Schumer has received a 100% voting record from NARAL Pro-Choice America. He has voted to expand the availability of contraceptives, voted for expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines, voted against notifying the parents of minors who get out of state abortions, and voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion.
***University of Notre Dame (Ind.)
Barack Obama, President of the United States, was commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Laws degree recipient at the University of Notre Dame’s commencement on May 17. Obama is vigorously pro-abortion. Before becoming president, he stated at a Planned Parenthood conference that his first act as president would be to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act (a bill that would remove all existing restrictions on abortion); the bill has not yet passed. He also opposed a ban on partial-birth abortion. As president, Obama has worked to overturn conscience protections for healthcare workers, appointed numerous pro-abortion cabinet members (including the Secretary of Health and Human Services), dedicated federal funds to harvest embryonic stem cells, and overturned the Mexico City Policy which prevented U.S. funds from being used to promote abortion overseas. Obama reaffirmed his pro-abortion stance two weeks before the Notre Dame commencement ceremony, and again during his commencement address. More than eighty bishops have opposed Notre Dame on account of this matter.
***College of the Holy Cross (Mass.)
King’s College (Pa.)
Robert Casey, Jr., a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, was commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at both the College of the Holy Cross and King’s College commencement ceremonies (May 22 and 17 respectively). These went forward despite the fact that Casey’s own bishop in Scranton, Pa., Bishop Joseph Martino, has been repeatedly critical of the senator’s record in recent months. This criticism included Casey’s vote opposing an amendment to reinstate the pro-life Mexico City Policy, which prohibits federal funds to groups that promote or perform abortions. Bishop Martino also scolded Casey for his vote to confirm pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services. The bishop called the decision of King’s College to honor Casey “an affront to all who value the sanctity of life,” saying Sen. Casey lacks “the moral stature” to properly address the challenges faced by the graduates.
***Xavier University of Louisiana
Donna Brazile, a political commentator and activist, was commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at Xavier University of Louisiana on May 9. Brazile supported President Obama’s reversal of the Mexico City Policy which previously barred taxpayer funding from supporting abortion services overseas. She said that “this will save lives.” In a CNN segment during the 2008 presidential campaign, Brazile suggested that public discussion of Barack Obama’s legislative support for infanticide should be diminished in light of high gas prices. Additionally, in a 2006 article, Brazile expressed her support for across-the-board availability of contraceptive services, including her support for the Prevention First Act. New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes boycotted the ceremony on account of the selection of Brazile.
***St. Francis College (N.Y.)
Yvette Clarke, a U.S. Representative from New York, was the commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient at St. Francis College on May 27. In 2007, Clarke voted for the expansion of federal funding to include more research of embryonic stem cell lines. In the same year, Clarke co-sponsored a bill that would have ensured access to and federal funding of contraception.
***Saint Joseph’s University (Pa.)
Chris Matthews was commencement speaker and honorary Doctor of Communications degree recipient at Saint Joseph’s University on May 16. Matthews is the widely-recognized host of MSNBC’s Hardball, and has repeatedly and publicly supported legalized abortion. Last March, he referred to pro-life advocates opposing the nomination of pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services as “terrorists.” Cornel West, a Princeton University professor, also received an honorary degree at the commencement ceremony of Saint Joseph’s University. In 2006, West opposed the Federal Marriage Amendment by signing onto the public statement “Beyond Same-Sex Marriage: A New Strategic Vision For All Our Families and Relationships.” The group supporting the statement (at BeyondMarriage.org) proposed that “Marriage is not the only worthy form of family or relationship, and it should not be legally and economically privileged above all others.” They sought to “reframe the narrow terms of the marriage debate” and advocated legal recognition of “a wide range of relationships” regardless of “conjugal status.”
***Stonehill College (Mass.)
M. Elizabeth Fini was Stonehill College’s commencement speaker. Fini currently serves as the Vice Dean for Research at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. According to the Daily Trojan, Fini expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of utilizing embryonic stem cell lines for research at USC. “Because we got this jumpstart, it makes all the difference for us,” she said. “Our researchers are ready to go, where other schools are going to have to get this started.” As scientific director and vice chair for research at the University of Miami’s Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in 2007, Fini helped establish a partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital in England and Bascom Palmer. According to the South Florida Business Journal, Moorfields previously received a “$7 million donation to conduct embryonic and adult stem cell research to treat macular degeneration,” and Fini intended to work with the Hospital on that project, even looking for a matching donation for Bascom Palmer.
***University of St. Francis (Ill.)
A. J. Wilhelmi, an Illinois State Senator, was commencement speaker at the University of St. Francis on May 9. In 2007, Senator Wilhelmi voted for a bill that permitted Illinois state funding for research on embryonic stem cell lines.
***University of San Francisco (Cal.)
Most Reverend Kevin Dowling, Bishop of Rustenburg, South Africa, was an honorary degree recipient and undergraduate commencement speaker at the University of San Francisco on May 22. Bishop Dowling has publicly criticized abstinence-only programs and supports condom use by those infected with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. After he expressed his view regarding condoms in a 2001 interview, the South African bishops’ conference condemned his statements and has reaffirmed that condoms are “immoral” and a “misguided weapon in the fight against HIV.” The papal nuncio of South Africa has also rebuked Bishop Dowling at least twice. Kamala D. Harris was the graduate school commencement speaker at the University of San Francisco on May 23. She is the San Francisco District Attorney. According to the Bay Area Reporter, Harris has spoken at rallies against California Proposition 8. The proposition, which passed, defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Harris said that was an expression of “prejudice” and “hate.”
Source: http://www.dfwcatholic.org/catholic-college-commencement-scandals-increase-in-20094526/.html
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
U2 raises the roof, Band Set to Rock Fordham
HIGH NOTE: The Edge (left) and Bono perform a special U2 gig atop the BBC building in London Friday. The band will play a special show at Fordham University this week.
U2 RAISES THE ROOF
BAND SET TO ROCK FORDHAM
BAND SET TO ROCK FORDHAM
By JAMES FANELLI and DAN AQUILANTE
Last updated: 6:56 am
March 1, 2009
Posted: 3:00 am
March 1, 2009
It could be a "Beautiful Day" Friday for Fordham University students and faculty. U2 is expected to perform at the Bronx campus that morning for ABC's "Good Morning America," according to sources and published reports.
U2'S EVENT 'HORIZON'
While the TV network and the university yesterday would not confirm the Bronx gig, the show reportedly will be strictly limited to college students and staff. Bono and the band are also slated to do five nights this week on "The Late Show with David Letterman" as they promote their latest album, "No Line on the Horizon," which goes on sale this week.
March 1, 2009
Posted: 3:00 am
March 1, 2009
It could be a "Beautiful Day" Friday for Fordham University students and faculty. U2 is expected to perform at the Bronx campus that morning for ABC's "Good Morning America," according to sources and published reports.
U2'S EVENT 'HORIZON'
While the TV network and the university yesterday would not confirm the Bronx gig, the show reportedly will be strictly limited to college students and staff. Bono and the band are also slated to do five nights this week on "The Late Show with David Letterman" as they promote their latest album, "No Line on the Horizon," which goes on sale this week.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Dominican President Sees Fordham as Key Partner in Growth of Democracy
| Contact: Janet Sassi 212-636-7577 fallersassi@fordham.edu |
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| Above, Dominican President Leonel Fernández, flanked by Fordham President Joseph M. McShane, S.J., left, and IPED Director Henry Schwalbenberg, Ph.D. Below, Fernández dons a baseball cap presented by Father McShane. Photos by Ryan Brenizer |
Fernández, who spent 14 of his formative years in New York City’s Dominican enclave of Washington Heights, reciprocated by inviting Fordham’s students to join him on his mission to make his small nation a model of democracy in the Latin American world.
“We don’t look at you as Dominicans living abroad,” he told the standing-room-only crowd assembled in Keating Hall. “This is a fence of transnationalism, geography doesn’t play the same role as before. If you happen to live in a barrio in New York called Washington Heights, it’s still Dominica. You [still] play an important role in the future of the Dominican Republic.”
Fernández enjoys a reputation as a reformer and was elected to his third presidential term in May, having shored up the economy and inspired double-digit economic growth in the Caribbean island nation during his last term. The president’s visit to Fordham coincided with his appearance Wednesday, Sept. 24, before the United Nations’ General Assembly to speak on social and economic strategies, and energy issues in oil-poor nations.
The visit also coincides with the release of Caribbean Crusader: Leonel Fernandez and the Transformation of the Dominican Republic (Dorrance, 2008), an authorized biography by Ronald Schneider, Ph.D., professor emeritus of political science at Queens College.
Students from Fordham’s graduate program in International Political Economy and Development (IPED) program questioned Fernández on his plans to improve social programs now that the nation has become the largest economy in the Central American and Caribbean region. Fernández’ government recently completed construction of the first subway line in the capitol of Santo Domingo, a $700 million project that drew some criticism from advocates for health and education programs.
“Why did we focus on building a subway? I think we must become more independent from fossil fuels,” said Fernández. “Oil will peak in terms of its production, and the price will only increase. We need a system that is less dependent on the family vehicle.”
Strong social programs, Fernández added, can only be achieved by sustaining economic growth over a sustained period of time. “My aspiration is to continue our economic progress with modernization—but within a democracy that respects human rights, political plurality and promotes diversity through free and fair elections.”
In honor of the president’s visit, Henry Schwalbenberg, Ph.D., director of IPED, announced the creation of the Juan Pablo Duarte Fellowship in Public Service award, to be given by Fordham annually to a student of Dominican ancestry to attend the IPED program. Duarte, one of the Dominican Republic’s national heroes, was credited with leading the nation to independence from Haitian rule in 1844.
Fernández holds honorary degrees from nine universities, including the Sorbonne and Harvard University. He earned his doctorate of law in 1978 from the University of Santo Domingo, and was first elected to the presidency in 1996, making him, at age 42, one of the youngest leaders in Latin America.
Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 14,700 students in its four undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in Westchester, and the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y.
Source: http://www.fordham.edu/Campus_Resources/Public_Affairs/topstories_1355.asp
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