Marylhurst University Ministry

New Discoveries

2012-01-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

I just finished two weeks of residency for my Doctor of Ministry program at WTU in Washington DC. The time was filled with readings, classes, discussions, and enjoying the company of my cohort peers. One of my discoveries during the two weeks was the English woman Evelyn Underhill. I was so impressed by her perspective on interfaith relations, on her understanding that Christianity requires more than just a "social" commitment (meaning casual), and on her personal life of deep prayer lived in the midst of the everyday concerns of life that I decided to write a paper on her works and her life. So over the next few weeks I'm going to share my learnings about Evelyn with you. If you're a fan of hers I'd love to hear why she is important to you.

Blessings to you, and to me, as we discover the wisdom of Evelyn,

Carol

New Year Greetings

2012-01-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

2012, remember when that date seemed a life-time away? Well it is here, so now what?

Each new year brings with it the opporutnity for us to take stalk of our lives and to consider not only who we are, but who we wish to become.

Some make resoultions, some take time to reflect, some just celebrate. All is good.

I hope that as we enter this new year that each of us is able to rejoice in what is good -- good in the world, in our homes, with our families and friends, at work and school, with our own lives. I hope each of us can take some time to really be present to the moment that is, not the moments that have been or the moments that are yet to be, but just to the moment that is right now.

So, happy 2012! May this be a year of memorable and joyful moments.

Blessings,

Carol

Almost Here

2011-12-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Season causes mixed feelings for many people. For Christians it is the high festival of the year -- the celebration of God loving humanity so much that God became one of us in the person of Jesus. Yet this focus is often lost by the stress of the holiday season: cards, gifts, decorations, food, and the expectation that we should all be happy and joyful -- all the time.

For those who are not Christian, or for those who do not believe in God, I imagine that it comes down to a choice -- to join in the party, or to hold fast to your deeper belief system and refrain from all the Christmas fuss.

So, I wish all who are Christian a very blessed Christmas a true celebration of the key festival of Christianity. For all those who are not Christian, I wish you a blessed and joy filled new year. As we continue to walk the path of learning and understanding one another's beliefs let us never go for the lowest common denominator -- instead let us remember that our beliefs are diverse, and that is a good thing, it brings richness. Let us respect the deep meanings of the many religious celebrations -- even those we do not celebrate, or understand.

Let us make 2012 a year of celebrating richness instead of trying to not offend by being too: Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Pagan, Muslim....

Happy New Year and happy celebration of all significat religious feasts!

Carol

Advent Waiting

2011-11-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

We wait all the time. We wait in line, we wait for test results, we wait for planes, we wait at traffic lights, we wait for children to get ready for school, we wait, we wait, and we wait.

Waiting is a fact of life, so the question becomes, how do we wait?

During Advent we are called to wait with purpose, with intent. We are called to open ourselves to new and amazing possiblities.

I invite you to make these weeks of Advent a time of intentional waiting... at the stop lights and every where else you find yourself waiting for the not yet.

Carol

Gratitude Attitude

2011-11-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

It is once again that time of year, when we turn our attention to thoughts of gratitude. Some of my Facebook friends have a practice of daily gratitude -- where each day he or she posts something that happened during the day for which he or she is grateful. Wow! A lot of work, if you ask me, but I can't help but admire the zeal behind the idea.

A wonderful mental health practice is to end each day by naming five things you accomplished during the day and five things for which you are grateful.

Why is it important to be grateful? Who cares anyway? Well, in the great scheme of things when we can practice a gratitude attitude we tend to be happier, we tend to appreciate the people in our lives more, we are able to let go of those daily frustrations with greater ease... so who cares? We all do! When we practice gratitude we are easier to be around and our positive energy can inspire others.

So whether you post each day on Facebook, or keep a priviate list, or just take a moment each day to appreciate someone or something -- let's make this habit of gratitude, not just a once a year celebration, but an attitude for life.

Blessings as you celebrate gratitude,

Carol

All Saints/All souls

2011-10-31T17:49:00.000-07:00

I love the feasts of All Saints and All Souls -- I love them because it is the time of the year where we intentionally celebrate those who have walked this journey before us. We remember all of the men and women -- famous, and not so famous -- who strove to follow a path to God.

Elizabeth Johnson borrowing from St. Paul describes the Communion of Saints as the crowd up in the stands cheering us on as we run the race of our faith journey. They are all on our side, they all wish us well, and want us to succeed. We as Catholics, as well as people from almost every major faith tradition, believe that those who have died care about us, are connected to us, and long for our happiness.

So let us celebrate the Saints with a capital "S" and the saints with a lower-case "s" -- one and all.

Blessings,

Carol

Fall Meditation

2011-10-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

As we journey through these beautiful days of Fall, it is important to stop and take pause. Maybe I should say, that we're somehow drawn to stop and take pause. For some reason Fall is a season that draws us inward, to the source of life. As we notice the leaves changing colors and the light becoming filtered something within us calls us to nest, to slow down, to take a moment to be reflective.

I hope that these glorious days of Fall find you with a bit of time to enjoy and to ponder.

Carol

Blessed Marie Rose Durocher

2011-09-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of the foundress of the the Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary, the founders of Marylhurst University.

Marie Rose was not a strong woman, physically; in fact she was ill most of her life and died on her 38th birthday. But during her brief time on earth she touched people deeply.

We remember Mother Rose because she was a woman of passion -- passion for God, passion for justice, passion for the needs of the poor and under-served. For me, Mother Rose is a powerful reminder of what happens when we allow ourselves to be transformed by the flame of God's love. Parents who had been hesitant to allow their daughters to join the newly formed religious community changed their minds after one brief encounter with Mother Rose. Why, I ask? I believe it is because she was so deeply open to God's love that she radiated God's presence to those she met. Does this mean that life was easy for her, no. She like the rest of us struggled with misunderstanding, fatigue, obstacles, and injustice -- but she had a broad, deep vision which gave her hope, even in the face of despair.

My prayer for all of us, no matter what our faith tradition might be, is that we become alive with the energy of the holy -- that we become signs and prophets of God's peace and justice.

Blessings on your journey,

Carol

2011-09-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

Prayer is an important part of our ministry at University Ministry. We've received the following prayer requests in the last few days -- I invite you to hold these intentions in your heart.

"Please pray for my 2 year old son. also that I am able to complete fall term positively. That I can find peace in my relationship with my son's father."

"Pray for me, as my future is unclear. I need a job and a direction."

"Please pray that my mom's health improves and that she regains her vision that has suffered as a result of diabetes. Her name is Gloria."

"That 9/11/11 will be a day of peace for all peoples."

Prayer, Justice Cafe, and Homecoming Week

2011-08-24T15:55:00.001-07:00

Did you know that your University Ministers are here to pray for and with you?

If you have a prayer request please send it to us, and we will be happy to pray for you. You can send a request via email (chiggins@marylhurst.edu), reply to this blog, slip a request under the door of Marian 104, or leave your request in one of the envelopes located on bulletin boards throughout campus. No need to use your name, unless you wish for us to pray for you by name.

Coming soon -- we are going to join with other young men and women throughout the United States and Africa to discuss justice issues in a program called, "Justice Cafes". These cafes are sponsored by IPJC (Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center), an organization dedicated to the work of justice funded by members of Catholic religious orders. More to come on this exciting project.

Also, on October 4th we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. There is a nation wide call for people to "Take the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor." You may find out more information about this amazing project via their website -- CatholicClimateCovenant.org. It is a free resource, so feel free to share and pass it on to others you know that care about the earth.

Finally, On Wednesday, October 12th we will be holding the first of five interfaith panels as a part of the Marylhurst's Homecoming events. This first panel will be on Sustainability. We are scheduled for 6:30 pm in the Old Library, with the panel beginning at 7:00.

Many blessings, as we slide into September!

Carol

Prayer, Justice Cafe, and Homecoming Week

2011-08-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

Many blessings, as we slide into September!

Carol

Catholic Social Teaching

2011-07-18T13:18:00.001-07:00

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable:

Catholic teaching proclaims that a basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt. 25) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

(Archdiocese of St. Paul—Minneapolis)

For many of us this is the great challenge of our social teachings. It is so easy to pass the blame on to those who are the most vulnerable, without stepping back to look at the structures that we have in place which allow people to fall into desperate poverty.

No matter your personal political views, the just question to ask is how is the current budget crisis going to harm the most vulnerable members of our society? How can we: republicans, democrats, independents, tea partiers, green partiers… how can we reach beyond our own perspective and put the needs of the poor first? This is the mandate of the Gospel. There is nothing easy about this mandate, no quick fixes, no magic practices – it requires a change of heart, of focus, of priorities. While none of us can fix the system alone; each of us can take a small step to positively impact the life of a poor person. What step might you feel called to take today?

Blessings and peace,

Carol

Catholic Social Teaching

2011-07-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable:

(Archdiocese of St. Paul—Minneapolis)

Blessings and peace,

Carol

Catholic Social Teaching

2011-05-23T14:27:00.001-07:00

Wow! It was great to read all the responses to our first blog on the social teachings of the Catholic tradition… I look forward to more fruitful sharing on these essential teachings.

This week our focus is, “Community and the Common Good”

Community and the Common Good:

In a global culture driven by excessive individualism, our tradition proclaims that the person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Our Church teaches that the role of the government and other institutions is to protect human life and human dignity and promote the common good. (Archdiocese of St. Paul—Minneapolis)

For many of us this is where the rubber meets the road. When do the needs of my family, friends, or community need to yield to those of the larger community? When does the greater community need to consider the needs of the individual? Being a fan of Star Trek, I am reminded of the death scene of Spock when he states, “sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one.” A statement that is reframed in the next movie as Kirk and the crew risk all to bring Spock back to life, “sometimes the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many or the few.”

I do not have any easy answers; I think seeking the common good is a delicate balance requiring much prayer and discernment. As a vowed religious sometimes I do have to set my desires aside for the common good of my community—at other times I am aware that my community sets aside time, energy, or resources to meet my needs. Is this not true in marriage and family life as well?

My hope and prayer for all us is that we will continue to make our decisions as individuals and as a nation in light of the common good. Concern for the common good is often an investment in our collective future, meaning that it might cost us time or resources now but the result will be a happier and healthier society.

Finally, I hope as we consider the common good we remember all who share this planet with us—the plants, animals, and natural systems that provide us with a home.

Blessings, and I look forward to your comments!

Carol

2011-05-09T11:15:00.001-07:00

Catholic Social Teaching:

Did you know that there are clear ethical teachings on justice? The main teachings concern—

Human Dignity;

Community and the Common Good;

Rights and Responsibilities;

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable;

Participation;

Dignity of Work—Rights of Workers;

Stewardship of Creation;

Solidarity;

Role of Government;

Promotion of Peace.

Human Dignity:

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the person is at the core of a moral vision for society. Our belief in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching.

(Archdiocese of St. Paul—Minneapolis)

What might this call to honor human dignity mean for us? How can we work for human dignity in our social systems, in our communities, in our families, and with our friends and co-workers. What one action could you take to honor the dignity of others? It doesn’t have to be a huge step, maybe it could be as simple as thanking people who wait on you, or as profound as letting other drivers merge in front of you. Or, maybe you are called to take more systemic action such as contacting your representative, or actively working to educate others about the horrors of human trafficking.

Whatever you feel called to do—blessings!

Carol

Easter Greetings

2011-04-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

Those of us who are Christian have two major feasts which we celebrate each year, the incarnation (Christmas) and the resurrection (Easter). I am reminded this year, with all of the people suffering from natural disasters, war, the economic downturn, disease, and lack of basic human rights that the work of Easter is not yet finished. We, who call ourselves Christian, certainly are called to set time aside to rejoice, but more important, each of us is also called to work for justice. Christ has no hands on earth but ours. If we do not continue his mission of building the Kingdom on earth, who will?

So as we celebrate this Easter season let us remember that God loves us so much that God became one with us through the incarnation. The incarnation celebrates human dignity, we are worthy of the presence of God in our human flesh. God chose to be with us in human form. This gift challenges us to honor the dignity of each and every human person. The resurrection invites us to shake free from the bonds of oppression and to embrace the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. It is through the power of the resurrection that we glimpse the Kingdom and our call to be active participants in creating a world of peace and justice for all peoples -- and for all creation.

Happy Easter to one and all, happy serving the needs of your neighbor.

Carol

Passover and Holy Week

2011-04-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

This coming week is a sacred week for Jews and Christians as we celebrate the feasts of Passover and the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. These celebrations, on the surface may seem to not have a lot in common, other than the fact that tradition holds that the Last Supper was held during Passover. However, both of these great feasts and traditions (along with many other traditions) celebrate the fact that God is a God of justice and faithfulness. We can rest in the fact that in the end God cares for us, more than we can possibly believe or understand. God desires our freedom and has worked and will continue to work through human history to call each of us to take the risk of stepping into a life of freedom.

Happy Passover!

Blessed Holy Week!

Carol

Spring Quarter

2011-03-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Ah, the beginning of a new term. We are all filled with the hope and anticipation of what challenges and opportunities will arrive during the coming weeks. How much of what happens is dependent upon our attitude of reception? Are we open to the new? To the new people we will meet? To the new ideas presented by our professors, our peers, our textbooks? Have we addressed how we will scheduled our time--some of us may still have work to complete from last quarter--what changes might we need to make to experience a calmer, more balanced life?

My prayers go with you as you embark on this grand adventure. Be good to yourself, to your peers, and to your professors.

Blessings,

Carol

Sabbath Time Anyone?

2011-03-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

It doesn't matter what our faith tradition might be, or even if we have a faith tradition, it is imperative for all of creation to take time for Sabbath rest. Sabbath doesn't mean taking a day off to catch up on errands, or to clean the house, or go shopping. Instead Sabbath rest invites us to set time apart, sacred time, to let go of our need to do and to embrace our call to be. I invite each of us, during this week of Spring Break (and I know that it isn't really a break for our faculty) to make time to just relax, to be, to enjoy the wonders of spring. If we take time to delight in life we will discover that we return to our work refreshed and with more creativity. So stop and enjoy the daffodils--they won't be here for long!

March 7, 2011

2011-03-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

End of Quarter Pause?

As the final days of winter quarter fly past us it is easy to get caught up in the need to finish, rather than to savor the learning. How can we refocus our attention so that we might find these last days as exciting and as engaging as the first days of the quarter? I suggest that we carefully budget our time, set due dates for ourselves, and give ourselves permission to say, "Good enough, is good enough!" I also suggest that we take time out of the frantic rush to pause, to ponder, to go for a walk, to enjoy a cup of coffee and to sleep!

So take a deep breath, get your work done, but remember learning is a process not a product... enjoy the journey!

Blessings,

Carol

February 28th

2011-02-28T15:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year,

For centuries the new year began on March 1st. I find this comforting as I have yet to accomplish, or should I say attend to, any of my resolutions from January 1st. New beginnings are wonderful. Each new day we can start with a fresh outlook, with renewed hope. I know that this is not always easy, some days like today are gray, wet, and miserable and it is easy to let ourselves feel that way as well. I encourage each of us, and especially myself, to strive to start each day of this new year with an open heart and an attitude of abundance.

Many Blessings,

Carol

February

2011-02-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

February, a time of transition from the darkness of winter to the light of early spring. Yet there is great tension in this period of transition -- will it snow this week or not? Will the early flowers be killed in a frost? But, every year spring manages to push its way through the winter soil and once again life returns to the earth. Sometimes I find myself pondering the energy it takes for spring to occur. The trees send forth buds, and in doing so they must reach down into the depths of their energy stores. There is a risk in this process, as if the tree sends forth buds too early they may be destroyed, too late and the tree may not get enough energy to live through another winter.

And so it is with us. A wise person once said that the only constant is change. I believe this to be true. Yet, change is hard work. It doesn't happen overnight, nor does it happen without us reaching into the depths of our beings. Change may or may not lead us to moments of deep transformation. The choice to grow and be transformed requires timing, trust, and courage.

So, on this day of cloud and sun, on this day when new life is risking an appearance on our beautiful campus I pray that each of us may be open to whatever the deep down stirring might call forth.

Have a blessed day!

Carol

Founders' Day

2010-10-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

Thursday, October 21st marks 151 years since the Sisters of the Holy Names arrived in Oregon. St. Mary's Academy, out of which Marylhurst College (and later Marylhurst University) grew is an example of the Sisters continual committment to inferfaith dialogue and respect.

Thank you for being partners in ministry with us these last 151 years.

2010-10-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

Please join us for the Homecoming Mass.

Saturday, September 16th

5:00 p.m.

St. Anne's Chapel

2010-10-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Feast of Mother Marie Rose, Foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Names, the founding community of Marylhurst University.

This is a letter she wrote to her sister, but which speaks to all of us.

My dear sister,

I have received your letters which always give me a new joy. I should like to have

news from you more often. Share with me more of your spiritual life.

You are doing the work of God each day. God, who has brought you thus far,

continues to guide you. Let us thank Divine Providence who takes such good care

of us. Thus we live with each other and with our many concerns in God’s peace.

You can see very clearly that God is blessing you. May such happy beginnings

continue in this New Year. Live in peace; do not worry about your concerns. Be

confident that God, who protects you, will never abandon you. And since we walk

along the same way, let us extend a hand to one another.

Courage, my dear, do not think for a moment that you are separated from us. That

is false. You are at a distance of only a few steps. I wish with all my heart, great

happiness for you and I am sure that you will be happy.

Good-bye, my dear, until tomorrow.

In the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, I am with you.

Eulalie - Marie Rose

Monday Mass at Noon!

2010-08-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

Please join us each Monday at 12:00 for the celebration of the Eucharist in Wiegand Hall. If you would like to serve as a reader please contact Sister Carol in University Ministry (chiggins@marylhurst.edu).

The early days of Fall bring with them a twinge of longing, longing for that which is most dear to our hearts and souls. As we watch the trees yield their leaves; as we enjoy the activity of the squirrels as they hide food; as we wonder at the flight of the geese; we are filled with a sense that all is as it should be, that everyone and everything in nature is doing the work that must be done to prepare for the season of rest, winter.

Let us remember to give thanks for each moment of sunshine, for the colorful trees, for the scurrying animals, and for the inner call to slow down and savor, even if just for a moment the beauty and joy of life.

2010-08-19T13:39:00.001-07:00

We are happy to announce that we will resume our Mass at noon on Monday, on Monday, September 20th. Our celebrant for this first Mass of the academic year will be Archbishop John Vlazny. Please join as in Wiegand Hall for this celebration of Marylhurst.

2010-08-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

The Biblical Exegetical Society is still alive and well -- we've just had a very odd summer, that's all. We will begin meeting again early in fall quarter. Look for more information in a few weeks.

Biblical Exegetical Society

2010-05-12T14:27:00.001-07:00

There will be no Presentation Meeting for the Biblical Exegetical Society in May.

We will gather to celebrate our Graduates at the Presentation of their Master’s Research.

Please join us for the Spring Colloquium to celebrate the incredible work of our M.Div and MAAT grads.

Saturday June 5th in the Marylhurst Old Library.

The tentative schedule is 9-5.

Later in the month we will have the finalized schedule

Which will identify times and presenters.

You are welcome to attend all or part of this great event.

World Labyrinth Day Festival

2010-04-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

WORLD LABYRINTH DAY FESTIVAL

Free Event ~ Everyone Welcome
Saturday, May 1, 2010 ~ 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Marylhurst University ~ 17600 Pacific Highway (Hwy 43), Marylhurst, Oregon 97036

Come and watch labyrinth designers create labyrinths, walk labyrinths, and learn about labyrinths.

Festival features: Outdoor Temporary Labyrinth Building Contest, Genesa Crystal Labyrinth, Kid’s Labyrinth Activities, Labyrinth Slide Show, Maypole Labyrinth Dance, and a Shoe Labyrinth (please bring gently worn shoes to donate for the labyrinth ~ after this event all the shoes will be donated to the homeless at Operation Nightwatch in downtown Portland.

Earth Day Celebration: Prayers for our Mother Earth

2010-04-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

On Thurs. April 22nd the Marylhurst community will celebrate Earth Day with Prayers for our Mother the Earth at 5:30 pm in BPJohn Recital Hall/ Chapel.

Prayer Leaders:
Jack Jersey
Katie Larsell
Naomi Elmore
Crystal Larsen Farr
Don Groves
Kirsten Gauthier-Newbury, M.S.
Julie Hommes
Laura Howard
Sr. Carol Anne Higgins, snjm
Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Rousell
Dr. Jerry O’Connell-Roussell

Gathering Prayer:Led by: Dr. Jerry Roussell
Good God, Creator of the world, draw us into prayer and celebration as we gather to remember the gifts of your earth and the stewardship you have entrusted to us as tillers and tenders in your image.
We know that in the gathering of the people, power is present among us; your Holy Spirit stirs and moves and gives us courage to remember that all good gifts come first from you.
We praise you for this creation in the words of the Psalmist, sung by our ancestors in faith for generations:
God speaks: the heavens are made;
God breathes: the stars shine.
God bottles the waters of the sea
and stores them in the deep
All earth, be astounded,
stand in awe of God.
Keep us faithful to this gathering in faith and "bless this vine your right hand has planted." Now and forever, Amen.
Taken from liturgy materials used on Earth Day 1997 at Seattle University Provided by Earth Ministry

Song of Gathering: Sacred CreationDr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell and Sister Carol Anne Higgins
Dance by Crystal Larsen-Farr

Lyrics:
Refrain:
Sacred the land, sacred the water,
sacred the sky, holy and true.
Sacred all life, sacred each other;
all reflect God who is good.

1. All praise be yours through Brother Sun,
bearing a likeness of you, Most High One.
Sister Moon and Stars who are precious,
splendid, ride your glorious sky.

2. Brother Wind and Air that pervades,
vary their moods to sustain all you've made.
Sister Water, useful and pure,
lowly, freely sharing her life.

3. Through Brother Fire you brighten the night,
strong and robust yet playful and bright.
Sister Earth, our mother who nurtures,
feeding, yielding flower and herb.

Final Refrain:
Sacred the land, sacred the water,
sacred the sky, holy and true.
Sacred all life, sacred each other;
all reflect God who is good;
all reflect God, all reflect God.

The Peace of Wild Things, A Purification,
Read by: Kirsten Gauthier-Newbury, M.S.At start of spring, I open a trench
in the ground. I put into it
the winter's accumulation of paper,
pages I do not want to read
again, useless words, fragments,
errors. And I put into it
the contents of the outhouse:
light of the sun, growth of the ground,
finished with one of their journeys.
To the sky, to the wind, then,
and to the faithful trees, I confess
my sins: that I have not been happy
enough, considering my good luck,
have listened to too much noise,
have been inattentive to wonders,
have lusted after praise.
And then upon the gathered refuse
of mind and body, I close the trench,
folding shut again the dark,
the deathless earth. Beneath that seal
the old escapes into the new.
Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

The Great Spirit Prayer, Unknown
Read by: Don Groves
Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes
ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have
made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand
the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain calm and strong in
the face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have
hidden in every leaf and rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts and act
with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion
without empathy overwhelming me.
I seek strength,
not to be greater than my brother,
but to fight my greatest enemy,
Myself.
Make me always ready to come to you
with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you without shame.

Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Consider Creation
Read by: Laura HowardAll people of the earth, each and every nation
Arise and rejoice at the continued creation
Of beauty, of springtime, the yearly rebirth
Of our protector, our home, our own Mother Earth!
Who despite our apparent lack of care
Creates bountiful splendor for all to share
From mountain tops to the deepest sea
All wonderful earthly miracles bursting free!
Yet this miracle of renewal requires the helping hand
Of the people to replenish and renew the land
From the largest of cities to the most remote farms
To unite in spirit and with the strongest arms.
Become a midwife to the birth of each flower
A guardian of our resources hour by hour
We must learn to take time to appreciate
The miracles of which we did not create.
For God has given this wonderful treasure
And its preservation will be the measure
Of people who recognize and will celebrate
The birth of each season before it's too late.
In citizenship, in willingness to toil
We must bend our backs and tend to the soil
In stewardship, arise and applaud the worth
Of the wondrous marvel of our Living Earth!
Consider creation. . . . Consider it now.
Source: service from August 1992, "Coming to See"
Creation Song: From Back to Eden
Dr. Sheila O’Connell Roussell and Sister Carol Anne Higgins

The Peace of Wild Things— Wendell Berry
Read by: Kirsten Gauthier-Newbury, M.S.
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Reading: “The Earth is Beautiful” traditional Navaho song
Read by: Crystal Larsen Farr

The Earth is beautiful
The Earth is beautiful
The Earth is beautiful
Below the East, the Earth, its face toward the East, the top of its head is
Beautiful
Its legs, they are beautiful -- Its body, it is beautiful
Its chest, it is beautiful -- Its breath, it is beautiful
Its head-feather, it is beautiful -- The Earth is beautiful

Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Psalm of the Cosmos (source unknown)
Read by: Naomi ElmoreLoving God, loving God,
all creation calls you blessed,
and so do we, and so do we.
Loving God,
all your creation calls you blessed.
Your spirit imprints the whole universe with life and mystery.
Yes, all creation proclaims your love.
We now join this chorus of praise.
Loving God,
all of nature calls you blessed,
and so do we.
For you have woven an intimate tapestry
and call it life
and called it good.
In love you have formed a universe
so diverse yet so related,
and into its web you call us forth
to walk the land and swim the sea
with all our natural brothers and sisters.
To the stars
we seem no more than blades of grass.
Yet to you, each of us,
as each blade of grass and each star,
is an irreplaceable treasure,
an essential companion on this journey of love.
Loving God, as you lure the whole world into salvation,
guide us with your Spirit
that we might not be only pilgrims on the earth,
but pilgrims with the earth,
journeying home to you.
Open our hearts to understand
the intimate relationship that you have with all creation.
Only with this faith can we hope
for tomorrow's children.
Amen. Alleluia!
Loving God, loving God,
all creation calls you blessed,
and so do we, and so do we.
Taken from liturgy materials used on Earth Day 1997 at Seattle University Provided by Earth Ministry

Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Psalm of the Polar Bear, a Lament
Prayed and written by Katie Larsell
I know you Lord as I know the ice -
It’s crusty thickness, where I hide and wait, is a testament to Your goodness
I know you Lord as I hunt through the icy depths
Your Arctic waters brings me the fat seal pup and rich beluga whale meat

Oh God, who thickens the ice
Why do I hear the mumble and groan of cracking ice and the singing sound of melt water?

Oh God, who brings the cold,every day I wake to a warm southern breeze - sweet smelling and false;

I lift up my nose and long for the hard, white smell of the cold, north wind.

But you, oh Lord, are the keeper of the ice,
You have cared for my people and our fierce, lonely hunt.

You, oh Lord, are the keeper of the ocean,
You have filled it with seal and salmon, whale and walrus.

You have given us immense strength, oh Lord, to swim tens of miles to the summer ice.
You have given us unerring smell, oh Lord, to find the hole where the seals come to breath.
You have given us stillness, oh Lord, to wait in deadly silence for our prey to appear.
You have made us fat and strong, fierce and persistent and we adore you with our every stalking move.

Why then, oh Lord, do we swim and swim and never find the strong carriage of an icy ledge,

Where are you Lord as our limbs ache and tremble, and our power gives out in a iceless, edgeless ocean?

Why do we grow thin on poor meals of skinny birds and hard-caught caribou without finding the succulent seal meat we need to fatten and grow our children.

Where are you Lord as the sweet tender wind flows up from the Southern lands destroying your faithful hunters?

Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Hymn of the Universe, Teilhard de Chardin
Read by: Jersey JackI live at the heart of a single, unique Element, the Center of the universe, and present in each part of it: personal Love and cosmic Power.
To attain to him and become merged into his life I have before me the entire universe with its noble struggles, its impassioned quests, its myriad of souls to be healed and made perfect. I can and I must throw myself into the thick of human endeavor, and with no stopping for breath. For the more I bring my efforts to bear on the whole surface of reality, the more also will I attain to Christ and cling close to him. God who is eternal Being-in-itself, is, one might say, ever in process of formation for us.
And God is also the heart of everything; so much so that the vast setting of the universe might be engulfed or wither away or be creation's dust, which is vitalized by a halo of energy and glory, to be swept away, the substantial Reality wherein every perfection is incorruptibly contained and possessed would remain intact; the rays would be drawn back onto their Source and there I should still hold them all in close embrace.
Taken from liturgy materials used on Earth Day 1997 at Seattle University Provided by Earth Ministry
Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Reflections: Time to silently reflect on the meaning of the earth. What more can I do to care for the earth? Share your thoughts with your neighbors.

Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Earth Day Prayer:
Led by: Julie Hommes
O GOD, we thank you for this earth, our home; for the wide sky and the blessed sun, for the ocean and streams, for the towering hills and the whispering wind, for the trees and green grass.
We thank you for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds, and see the splendor of fields of golden wheat, and taste autumn's fruit, and rejoice in the feel of snow, and smell the breath of spring flowers.
GRANT US a heart opened wide to all this beauty; and save us from being so blind that we pass unseeing when even the common thorn bush is aflame with your glory. AMEN! (http://www.appleseeds.org/earthday.htm)
Song of Blessing: All
Lord, send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth.
Lord send out your Spirit; renew the face of the earth

You set the earth on its foundation firm,
not to be moved in all its days;
Clothed it with oceans and robed it in light;
O bless the Lord, all you God’s works.

From sea to shore how your wonders are seen,
carefully planned in wisdom and love.
All of your world is abundant with life;
O my soul, bless you the Lord

God comes with bright wings a washing the world;
all is made new in water and fire.
Morning a rises a new in the sky;
God recreates in a new day.
Sung Response: Lord send out your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.

Sharing of Peace:

Prayers For Those Who Hunger

2010-04-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Ecumenical /Interfaith Worship Service on Hunger
April 10, 5:30, Wiegand Recital Hall/Chapel
B. P. John Administration Building, Third Floor North

Liturgical MinistersRachel Borsch
Kathleen Golden
Kevin Larsen,. .
Mary Ann Didomenico
Beth Ann Rose
Laura Howard
Sr. Carole Strawn, SNJM
Dionysis Murphy
Sr. Carol Anne Higgins. SNJM
Cora Palazzolo
Arleen Harlouff
Sr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM, Ph.D
Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell

Welcome and Introduction
Sr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM PhD The U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that both the rates of food insecurity and hunger continue to increase in Oregon. Does not Wisdom call, does not understanding raise her voice;
On the heights beside the way, in the paths she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town... I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice. We pray to seek wisdom, to seek understanding to seek justice so we will come to know the Lord.

Loving God, open our hearts and minds to your presence in one another. We call on your assistance and wisdom as we strive to serve the many needs of people in our communities, especially those who are poor and without hope. We gather this day to discuss and reflect on Hunger in America. As people of God we ask you, our Creator of all good things, to send us your Spirit, open our minds and hearts to new possibilities for service, advocacy and collaboration.
Sr. Carol Anne & Dr. Sheila
Refrain: The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord
Reader: Sr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM, Ph.D
Oregon is now among the five states with the highest hunger rate, and food insecurity. Hundreds of thousands of Oregonians have experienced times when they were hungry but did not eat because there was not enough money for food. The Oregon Food Bank Network distributed 66.2-million pounds of food in 2009 – the highest amount distributed by the statewide network in a single year. Nationally, 1 in 6 Americans (50 million), including nearly 17-million children, lived in households that knew hunger.

Song: I will bless the Lord at all times, with praise ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the Lord, who will hear the cry of the poor. R/
Refrain: The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.

Reader: Rachel Borsch: 1.02 billion people do not have enough to eat -- more than the populations of USA, Canada and the European Union. Higher food prices have increased the number of undernourished people in the world by 75 million in 2007 and 40 million in 2008. 907 million people in developing countries alone are hungry. Asia and the Pacific region are homes to over half the world’s population, and yet they comprise nearly two thirds of the world’s hungry people.
Song: Let the lowly hear and be glad: the Lord listens to their pleas; and to hearts broken, God in near, who will hear the cry of the poor. R/
Refrain: The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.
Reader: Kathleen Golden: More than 60 percent of chronically hungry people are women.65 percent of the world's hungry live in only seven countries: India, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia. One out of four children -- roughly 146 million -- in developing countries are underweight.

Song: Every spirit crushed, God will save; will be ransom for their lives; will be safe shelter for their fears, and will hear the cry of the poor. R/
Refrain: The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.

Reader: Kevin Larsen Every six seconds a child dies because of hunger and related causes.
More than 70 percent of the world's 146 million suffering children are under the age five. 10.9 million of these children under five die from malnutrition and hunger-related diseases.

Song: We proclaim your greatness, O God, your praise ever in our mouth; every face brightened in your light, for you hear the cry of the poor. R/

Refrain: The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.
Reflections on Hunger from the Hebrew Prophets:

Lector: Mary Ann DidomenicoTheir skin shrinks on their bones, as dry as wood.
Better for those who perish by the sword than for those who die of hunger, Who waste away, as though pierced through, lacking the fruits of the field! (Lamentations 4: 8b-9) Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? (Malachai 2:10)

Lector: Beth Ann RoseGod prefers righteousness and justice above sacrifice. (Proverbs 21:3). God calls for “justice (to) well up as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. (Amos 5:24) And what the Lord doth require of thee: Only to do justly, love mercy And walk humbly with thy God. (Micah 6:8)

Lector: Sr. Carole Strawn, SNJM Take away from Me the noise of thy songs; And let Me not hear the melody of your songs. But let justice well up as waters, And righteousness as a mighty stream. (Amos 5:23, 24)

Leader: Laura HowardIntercessions: Through the intercession of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, two exemplary models of service to the poor, we pray: Fill us with your love, O Lord!
Response: Fill us with your love, O Lord! For the hungry, that we may find the means to feed them:
Response: Fill us with your love, O Lord!
For the naked, that we may find the means to clothe them: R/
Response: Fill us with your love, O Lord!
For the homeless, that we may find the means to shelter them: R/
Response: Fill us with your love, O Lord!
For our students, staff, administration, alums, donors and volunteers in thanksgiving for their support and dedication: R/
Response: Fill us with your love, O Lord!

Ritual of Providing of Food to Alleviate Hunger

Reader: Sr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM, Ph.D Blessed are you, God, Flame of hope: may we be fuel and kindling for your fire of generosity toward others who have less than we do.

ALL: Blessed be God forever.

Presenter of the Bowl of Earth: Dionysis Murphy lifts up the bowl of earth, then lowers it and plants several seeds in the dirt.

Reader Dionysis Murphy: Blessed are you, God, Seed of justice: may we be fertile ground for your harvest.

ALL: Blessed be God forever.

Presenter of the Waters: Cora Palazzolo
Cora lifts up the pitcher of water and then pours water onto the bowl of earth planted with the seeds. Cora prays:

Reader Cora Palazzolo Blessed are you, God, Water in the wilderness: may we be streams in your river of peace.

ALL: Blessed be God forever.

Reader Dionysis Murphy: Blessed are you, God, Bread of life: may we nourish our sisters and brothers.
ALL: Blessed be God forever.

Reader Cora Palazzolo: Bless us, O Holy One of Blessing, that we may bless you in our lives of justice and peace.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Reader Rachel Borsch: Bless all who mourn for their sisters and brothers who die from starvation or through war or injustice.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Reader Kathleen Golden: Bless all who experience your mercy through the work and witness of women and men who unloose the bonds of oppression.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Reader Kevin Larsen,. .
Bless all who hunger and thirst for righteousness in solidarity with those who put their lives on the line for justice in their homelands.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Reader : Mary Ann DidomenicoBless all who seek your face in the laughter of children, the wisdom of elders, the mystery of creation, and in the solace of prayer.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Reader: Beth Ann RoseBless all who work as your peacemakers to resolve conflicts, in our homes, communities and world.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Reader: Laura HowardGod of all peoples,
Bless us in our work as members and supporters of development and peace.
Bless us through the challenges, struggles and joys we experience.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Reader: Sr. Carole Strawn, SNJMBless us when we falter and when we grow weary.
Bless us with your peace.
ALL: Bless us, God of justice.

Leader: Sr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM, Ph.D The version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Peace Ritual to Unite All Peoples in Sharing Who They Are and What They Have
Prayer Leader: Rachel Borsch
HINDU PRAYER FOR PEACE Oh God, lead us from the unreal to the Real. Oh God, lead us from darkness to light. Oh God, lead us from death to immortality. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti unto all. Oh Lord God almighty, may there be peace in celestial regions. May there be peace on earth. May the waters be appeasing, May herbs be wholesome, and may trees and plants bring peace to all. May all beneficent beings bring peace to us. May thy Vedic Law propagate peace all through the world. May all things be a source of peace to us. And may thy peace itself bestow peace on all, and may that peace come to me also.

Sr. Carol Anne, Dr. Sheila and CongregationSERVANT SONG by Donna Marie McGargill, OSM
What do you want of me, Lord?
Where do you want me to serve you?
Where can I sing your praises?
I am your song.

Jesus, Jesus, you are my Lord.
Jesus, Jesus, you are the way.

Prayer Leader:
Dionysis Murphy
BUDDHIST PRAYER FOR PEACE May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be free from their illnesses. May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending one another. May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wildernesses--the children, the aged, the unprotected--be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.

Song: I hear you call my name, Lord,
and I am moved within me.
Your Spirit stirs my deepest self.
Sing your songs in me.
Jesus, Jesus, you are my Lord.
Jesus, Jesus, you are the way.

Prayer Leader: Kevin Larsen.
MUSLIM PRAYER FOR PEACE In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. Praise be to the Lord of the Universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations, that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other. If the enemy incline toward peace, do thou also incline toward peace, and trust in God, for the Lord is the one that heareth and knoweth all things. And the servants of God, Most Gracious are those who walk on the Earth in humility, and when we address, them, we say "PEACE."

Song: Above, below, and around me,
before, behind, and all through me,
your Spirit burns deep within me.
Fire my life with your love.
Jesus, Jesus, be the warmth of my heart.
Jesus, Jesus, you are the way.

Prayer Leader: Cora Palazzolo
BAHAI' PRAYER FOR PEACE Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be a lamp unto those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be a breath of life to the body of humankind, a dew to the soil of the human heart, and a fruit upon the tree of humility.

Song: You are the light in my darkness.
You are my strength when I'm weary.
You give me sight when I'm blinded.
Come see for me.
Jesus, Jesus, you are my Light.
Jesus, Jesus, you are the way.

Prayer Leader: Mary Ann Didomenico
JEWISH PRAYER FOR PEACE Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High. And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation--neither shall they learn war any more. And none shall be afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken.
Song: I am your song and servant,
singing your praise like Mary.
Surrendered to your Spirit,
"Let it be done to me."

Jesus, Jesus, "Let it be done to me."
Jesus, Jesus, you are the way.

Prayer Leader: Beth Ann Rose
CHRISTIAN PRAYER FOR PEACE Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they shall be known as the Children of God. But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To those who strike you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from those who take away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well. Give to everyone who begs from you, and of those who take away your goods, do not ask them again. And as you wish that others would do to you do, do so to them."

Closing Prayer
Leader: Sr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM, Ph.D Let us invoke the Love that moves above and below us, around us and within us.
Let us invoke the Spirit of Love that is greater than we are, but which is made real through us -- and only though us and our service to our sisters and brothers.
Let us invoke that human solidarity that makes justice and generosity possible and through which by making justice, we make peace possible.
Let us invoke love and live it as solidarity.
Our lives of giving and sharing are our prayers.
Amen.

Exchange of PeaceLeader: Invite all to exchange a sign of peace. As they greet another person, ask the participants to share with that person where or with whom they would like to take some action-- to alleviate Hunger in our world.

Holy Hour: Stations of the Cross

2010-03-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

Lenten Prayer Service: Stations of the Cross
Thursday March 11th Res 6925
Set up 4: Service 5:30 pm—6:30 pm
Wiegand Recital Hall/chapel - BP John Bldg.

Fr. Rick Ganz, S.J.- Presider
Liturgical Ministers

Sr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM PhD
Sr. Carol Anne Higgins SNJM
Dr. Mary Shephard
Kathleen Golden
Laura Howard
Cheryl.Scarcelli
Marjorie Speirs
Arlene Harouff
Sr. Carole Strawn SNJN Philipos Ghaly
Joanna Luft
Daniel Miller
John Hart
Cora Palazzolo
Philipos Ghaly
Dr. Jerry O. Roussell, Jr.
Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell

Welcome: Fr. Rick
Welcome to our Lenten Prayer Service- The Stations of the Cross. We dedicate this holy hour in thanksgiving to God and wish you and your family a blessed Lent, as we look forward to the seasons climax in the celebrations of holy week, our blessed Triduum and Easter. In this most solemn prayer service of the liturgical year, we embrace- in meditation and prayer- the life, the teachings and passion of Jesus. We honor his suffering and bond his passion to the deaths of those we loved who have gone before us into eternal life.
This beloved tradition has its roots in the dawn of Christianity. Ancient legends recall that soon after the Lord suffered, Mary the mother of Jesus and the Holy Women disciples…, walked the road to Golgotha, filled with unimaginable grief. As they came upon places in which Christ had suffered,….they stopped along the path to Calvary… to pray and to remember the last hours of the Lord. We bond with the first disciples of Jesus in this meditative Lenten Journey within the ancient practice of the Stations of the Cross. We pray in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Were You There:
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, ... Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble,
.....tremble,.....tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Reader: Sister Cecilia Ranger, SNJM, PhD
Mother Theresa of Calcutta is remembered as saying that she encountered the Christ hidden in the miserable disguise of the poor and the suffering. In our world today, Christ is crucified in our loneliness, in poverty, and in the sufferings of humanity. Right at this moment, someone is battling an advanced stage of disease; someone is losing a person they love.
Christ is crucified with us and through us … in every injustice, in war, disease, prejudice, hatred and cruelty, until the end of time.
In honor of the love Christ has for us, let us commit to be people of forgiveness and compassion. We offer this hour to unite …the sufferings…of humanity… to the Cross of Christ. We pray that by uniting ourselves to his passion, we will somehow ease the grief and sufferings of the people of earth.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader: Sr. Carol Anne Higgins
"1st Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death."

Chorus. By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Dr. Mary Shephard

Publicly accused and humiliated, mocked, beaten, bound and chained Jesus was dragged in front of the elders and priests of the city. He was sent to the Roman governor Pilate to be condemned to death. No one defended Jesus. He faced this judgment alone.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Prayer: Dr. Mary Shephard
We pray for all those who suffer from condemnation and judgment. We pray for the lonely and the abandoned, for those whose reputations have been wounded by gossip and unkind words. Creator God …give us the courage to be compassionate and kind. We ask you to forgive us for the times that we have judged ourselves or another person unkindly. We pray for the strength to heal.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader: Sister Anne Higgins
"2nd Station: Jesus Accepts the Cross"

Chorus. By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Joanna Luft
Jesus is stripped of the dignity of his clothing and scourged at the pillar. He is beaten and whipped to the point of death. Roman soldiers mock him crying "King of Judeans." They put a scarlet cloak around his shoulders, shove a reed into his hand to represent a king's scepter, and place on his head a crown of thorns. The cross is placed on his wounded shoulders.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “Pick up your cross and follow Me.
My yoke is easy my burden light.

Prayer: Joanna Luft
Lord give us the strength to face the crosses in our lives. Help us to remove every splinter we bear within our memories that steal our joy. Help us to recognize and heal from every heartache and burden we carry.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader: Sister Carol Higgins
"3rd Station: Jesus Falls the First Time"

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Kathleen Golden
His heart breaking for love of us, Jesus was tortured and beaten as he carried the cross. With every step, the weight of the cross cut deeper into his wounded shoulder. With each step, Jesus' body grew weaker from torture and exhaustion as he walked toward death. Overcome with grief and fatigue, Jesus fell hard on the sharp stones of the road to Calvary.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of humanity.”

Prayer: Kathleen Golden
Creator God, when we fall to our own weakness…give us the grace to pick ourselves up and try again. Help us to carry the cross of our failures knowing that we are forgiven. Walk before us always and teach us to never give up on ourselves. Help us to know how loved we are. May we witness our love for you ...with our lives.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Dr.Sheila
Passion Song:
He was wounded on the shoulder.
Hung up on the tree..
While his broken hearted Momma stood there
Crying at his feet……

Unremembered women
Members of the cast,
Beloved John and Mary stood there
With him to the last…
My Lord…..

All: Chorus: And I wanted to thank you
Thank you for loving me
And I wanted to thank and praise you …Lord.
For joining me.... as my brother, …my God …and my friend
to the end my Lord.... as my brother, my God and my friend. Amen.

Reader. Sister Carol Anne Higgins
"4th Station: Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother."

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader. Cheryl Scarcelli
Mother Mary walked beside her son on road to Golgotha-the place of the skull... She who had carried him in her womb,…she who had nourished and treasured him within her own body, she who had taught him to pray, Virgin Mary, the mother of sorrows ….stood helpless as she looked into the eyes of her son.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “Mother, behold your Son.
And gave his mother to us all saying, …….”Behold your Mother.”

Reader. Cheryl Scarcelli
Mother Mary, when you look into the faces of the grieving, the sick, the oppressed, the poor, the unwanted, the hungry . . . once again you see the sufferings of Christ… You see that beloved face that you followed on the Way to Calvary. Teach us compassion for all and for ourselves. When we offer mercy to each other, we offer it to your son.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader: Sister Higgins
"5th Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his Cross."

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: John Hart
Jesus was near death, but the soldiers forced him to continue his climb to Golgotha. They held a man in the crowd hostage, forcing him to carry the cross. Simon the Cyrene lifted the weight from Jesus' breaking shoulders and carried the cross for Jesus.

Reader:
And Jesus said, Fr. Rick Ganz
“What you do for the least of my sisters and brothers you do it for me. ”

Reader: John Hart
Lord give us the hearts to help one another. Send Simons into our lives to help us with our sufferings our fears….to help us carry the burdens in our lives. We ask for forgiveness for the times in which we failed to help others who were suffering. May we serve like Simon to help others carry their cross.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader: Sister Carol Anne Higgins
"6th Station: Jesus Falls a Second Time."

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Laura Howard
Hungry, thirsty, and deprived of sleep, the exhaustion and persecution of the walk to Golgotha overwhelmed the Christ. The ridicule, the laughter, anger and violence of the Roman soldiers broke his strength, crushed under the weight of the cross, Jesus fell to the ground.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “ I go to prepare a place for you.”

Prayer: Laura Howard
Jesus, like you, sometimes I fall under the weight of the cross I carry. Lord when life's cruelty weighs us down. please give us the strength to continue on our path. Creator God, when we fail to keep our word, when we break our commitments and fail to honor your will for our lives… give us the courage to pick up our cross and to begin again.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Song:

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, ... Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble,
.....tremble,.....tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Reader: Sr. Carol Anne Higgins
"7th Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus."

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Sister Carole Strawn
Veronica broke through the cold iron of the Roman swords to offer Jesus a moment of comfort. Veronica washed the torrent of blood and spit from the Sacred Face with her own veil. Legend recalls that Jesus rewarded her love and courage with a gift of himself. An image of the face of Christ appeared on Veronica’s blood soaked linen veil.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “ Seek the reign of God and I will add all things unto you.”

Reader: Sister Carole Strawn
Lord … lead us to see the dignity and beauty in every person, for every human being is a child of God. Jesus taught us that we are united in this journey of life, whatever we do to the least brother or sister, we do to the Christ. When we provide compassion and healing to ourselves and others, we also offer comfort to Jesus in his passion.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader: Sister Carol Anne Higgins
"8th Station: Jesus Consoles the Women of Jerusalem."

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Marjorie Speirs
The women of Jerusalem stood helplessly watching--watching as the heart of the woman Mary was torn to pieces as she watched the suffering of her only son. Mary knows our sorrows for she walked the road to Calvary beside her dying son. We remember women everywhere and faithful men who have lost their loved one’s in needless violence and pray for the end of injustice everywhere.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “Woman, Come drink Living water, water that will spring up into eternal life.”

Reader: Marjorie Speirs
Jesus, the weight you carry is so overwhelming, as our own burdens can also be. We pray to be led in compassion for one another, to have patience with ourselves. United in our commitments to justice, may we work together to shed light in the darkness and give hope to the suffering. Let us find courage in the dignity you modeled for us on your walk to Golgotha-loving to the very end.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader: Sister Carol Anne Higgins
“9th Station: Jesus Falls a Third Time."

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Daniel Miller
Jesus staggered and fell under the weight of the cross. He who was called the Messiah, the Son of God walked the road of an exile, a common criminal, a social outcast. As we contemplate your passion Jesus we pray, “Blessed are they who offer comfort to the prisoners, the lost and forgotten ones”.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “Be born again of water and the Holy Spirit”.

Reader: Daniel Miller
Lord, give us the strength to live in Truth. When we fall to our weakness, empower us to release our guilt and to begin again with the light of each new day. We pray to be pastoral people who care for others. We commit to take the extra step to offer support to those who hunger for kindness and plead for healing.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Dr. Sheila
Passion Song.
Two thieves hung beside Him
Two men met the Lord.
One cursed and laughed and mocked His face,
Then cursed and laughed some more.

But the other man repented
Touched by the love in his eyes
Jesus said, “Today my friend, you’ll be with me in paradise
My Lord…..

All: Chorus: And I wanted to thank you
Thank you for loving me
And I wanted to thank and praise you …Lord.
For joining me.... as my brother, …my God …and my friend
to the end my Lord.... as my brother, my God and my friend. Amen.

Reader: Sister Carol Anne Higgins
"10th Station: Jesus is stripped of his Garments"

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Cora Palazzolo
People just went about their day as they walked by the blood soaked hill at the city's gate. The bloodthirsty mob pushed Jesus to--Golgotha, the place of the Skull. Jesus was stripped naked before his abusers... stripped of all dignity.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “ I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

Reader: Cora Palazzolo
Jesus, we pray for your courage as we stand before the accusers in our lives. We pray to be people of compassion who unite in solidarity with all children of God who have been shamed and abused. We pray for the poor, those trafficked and used for profit and all who who, like you, have been stripped of their dignity.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader Sister Carol Higgins
"11th Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross."

Chorus: By your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.

Prayer: Arlene Harouff
Jesus was dragged to the place of death. The cruelty of the soldier's words tore through his spirit as they forced his bruised and tortured body down on the wood of the cross. The soldiers nailed his wounded body to the tree of death.

Dr. Jerry Roussell, Jr.
EFFECTS: Hammering Sounds.-- continuous.

Prayer: Arlene Harouff
Hands that had healed and pardoned were ripped through … by the pounding of heavy iron nails piercing the bones of his wrists...severing through the flesh and bone of his feet. Over his head, the soldiers posted a sign that read, 'Jesus... the Christ, ....King of the Judeans.

Tech:
Dr. Jerry Roussell, Jr.
Directions: Hung on the Cross Red cloth is draped on the cross-or sacred altar.

Dr. Sheila
Passion Song:
The sun stood dark at midday
The earth shook to its core.
The men ….who called him ….teacher ….friend
Didn’t know Him ….anymore.

Peter ….denied Him.
Judas ….sold his soul
The ones ….who stood…. beside him
Were ….the women, …John… no more
My Lord…..

Chorus: And I wanted to thank you
Thank you for loving me
And I wanted to thank and praise you …Lord.
For joining me.... as my brother, …my God …and my friend
to the end my Lord.... as my brother, my God and my friend. Amen.

His blood poured down like water
Rushing to the earth
The broken hearted Momma recalled
Angels at his birth
Abba Father
Have you forsaken me?
It is finished,
Forgive us Lord
Today on Calvary
My Lord…..

Chorus: And I wanted to thank you
Thank you for loving me
And I wanted to thank and praise you …Lord.
For joining me.... as my brother, …my God …and my friend
to the end my Lord.... as my brother, my God and my friend.
Amen.

Reader: Sister Carol Anne Higgins
"12th Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross."

Response: By your holy cross…. You have redeemed the world

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you…”

In Silence for a few seconds

Reader: Philipos Ghaly - Coptic blessing
Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross (three times).
He who is King of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns.
He who wraps the heaven in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.
We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ (three times).
Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection

For you:
This is the great Friday blessing:
May Christ our true God, Who for the salvation of the world endured spitting, and scourging, and buffeting, and the Cross, and death, through the intercessions of His most pure mother, of our holy and God bearing Fathers and Mothers, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind

Were You There When They Crucified My Lord vrs. 3

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble,....
tremble,...... tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

Prayer: Fr. Rick Ganz, S.J.
Creator God, we honor your presence in this place today…..you who made us … dreamed of us from the beginning and you who gives us the breath of life…. We ask you to remember and hold in your eternal heart our loved ones…. family members ….and friends who have died. As we honor Lord Jesus with these stations, ….we pray for eternal rest for the souls of our loved ones…

Names of the Dead:
We remember those for whom we prayed last year.
Marjorie Speirs’ friends Kay David and Sam Gross
for our government
and all who have lost their lives in war.

Susan Von Tobel’s brother in law- Larry Schmitt and family.

Marylhurst teacher Sara Halprin and her surviving husband Herb Long-also one of our teachers.

Bonnie Romane’s friends Harold & Evelyn Yost, Roger Watanabe, Mark Neustel, Ross Kurzer

We will reserve a few moments now so as to invite anyone who chooses to speak the precious names of our dead. Those who choose to do so, may speak their names out loud or if you prefer…. You may whisper their names in the privacy of your heart.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader. Sister Carol Anne Higgins
"13th Station: Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross"

Response: By your holy cross… you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
“And Jesus said, I go before you always even to the end of time.”

Reader: Dr. Jerry Roussell, Jr.
As darkness fell on the land, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus… took the body of Jesus down from the cross … wrapped it with spices in linen cloths and brought the lifeless body of the messiah to a garden. Joseph offered the Lord a newly carved tomb he had prepared for himself.

Prayer: Dr. Jerry Roussell, Jr.
Lord have mercy on the abandoned, the dying and those left to grieve their loss alone. Give us the courage to be people of hope, people who have faith in the midst of the cruel realities of our world. We pray for this community of faith, that we surrender ourselves to our Creator’s will for the good, for justice and mercy. Give us the courage to continue to believe in our eternal destiny until we are home with you.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Reader Sister Carol Anne Higgins
"14th Station: Jesus is laid in the Tomb"

Response: By your holy cross… you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus Said, “Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted.”

Passion Song
Would I stand beside you
Would I … just.. run away
Would I deny my Lord on Calvary today

I see you in the market place
I see you on TV
I see you in the hungry eyes
Hidden in Humanity.
My Lord…..

Chorus: And I wanted to thank you
Thank you for loving me
And I wanted to thank and praise you …Lord.
For joining me.... as my brother, …my God …and my friend
to the end my Lord.... as my brother, my God and my friend.
Amen.

Reader: Fr. Rick Ganz
And Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”

Response: By your holy cross… you have redeemed the world.

Closing Prayers: Sr. Cecilia
As the disciples of Jesus stood in the despair of Golgotha, they could not see the glory of Easter soon to come. So it is with us. When we are in grief we can't see the light at the end of the darkness. We pray to be people of hope, people of faith and people who commit our lives to justice for all. We pray the courage to bear our grief and to be a community of support and care.

Response: By your holy cross… you have redeemed the world.

Reader: Father Rick
Lord Jesus, our faith teaches us that your life, your teachings, cross and resurrection … assure us that death has been conquered, that eternal life is our birth right as children of God. So as we meditate on your passion …in anticipation for your resurrection into glory. You proclaim that you are the Resurrection and the Life. . Give us the courage to proclaim this good news to the ends of the earth, until the end of time. May we always see you …. in each other.
Go now to spread the peace and love of Jesus.

Chant: Lead us to Love, to offer mercy, compassion to all.

Holy Hour: adapted from Lectionary-Based Gospel Dramas for Lent and the Easter Triduum
by Sheila O'Connell-Roussell, Terri Vorndran Nichols St. Mary’s Press.
And traditional practice. University Ministry invites you to please bring food items to these events to donate to the Second Wind outreach of the Oregon Food Bank.

Lent: a season of communal preparation by Richard McBrien on Feb. 15, 2010 Essays in Theology -National Catholic Reporter

2010-02-17T14:27:00.000-08:00

Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent, is observed this year on Wednesday, Feb. 17.

The word "Lent" is derived from an old English word which means "springtime." The Latin adverb lente means "slowly."

On the basis of etymology alone, Lent signals the onset of spring and invites us, at the same time, to slow down our usual pace of activity and to take stock of our lives.

But Lent obviously means much more than the coming of spring. Indeed, in the Southern Hemisphere it is fall, not spring, that is on the way.

The etymology of the word offers one approach to disclosing the point and purpose of Lent. The liturgical route provides another, more productive path. The season of Lent is, in the final accounting, a preparation for Easter.

Members of the church prepare for the renewal of their baptismal vows at the Easter Vigil and for the annual celebration of the greatest of Christian feasts. Catechumens, on the other hand, prepare for Baptism and their full initiation into the church.

However, the name "catechumen" would eventually lose its significance, and by the Middle Ages the catechumenate, for all practical purposes, no longer existed.

During the first three centuries, most Christians prepared for Easter by fasting for only two or three days. But by the fourth century this pre-Easter fast developed into our now-established Lent of 40 days. Nevertheless, it was still viewed as a preparation for Easter and the baptism of new Christians.

Beginning in the fifth and sixth centuries, as the number of adult baptisms sharply declined in relation to the baptism of infants, the need to prepare adults for Baptism at the Easter Vigil receded.

Lent was gradually transformed into a time of prayer and penance, modeled on a 40-day, post-Epiphany fast popular among monks, in imitation of the fasting and penance practiced by Jesus during his 40 days in the desert.

Then with the liturgical renewal advanced by Pope Pius XII's restoration of the rites of Holy Week in 1956 and by the Second Vatican Council's retrieval of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), Lent, on the one hand, and Baptism and Easter, on the other, were happily re-connected.

Once again, Lent came to be seen and experienced as a season in preparation for Easter–preparation not just for individuals, but for the whole community of faith.

With the restored RCIA, Lent served anew as the "home stretch," as it were, of the long process of the initiation of new converts into full membership in the church.

On the First Sunday of Lent there is the formal enrollment of the names of the catechumens, known also as the rite of election. This rite ratifies the catechumens' readiness for the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) and provides an opportunity for them to express their desire to receive these sacraments.

There follows a period of purification and enlightenment, embracing the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sundays of Lent, in which catechumens are encouraged to purify their minds and hearts from temptation and sin, and to deepen their union with Christ.

The climax of this process is reached at the Easter Vigil, but it does not end there. A "suitable period" of post-baptismal catechesis, known as mystagogy (which is derived from a Greek word, meaning "to teach a doctrine," or "to instruct into the mysteries"), continues the new convert's instruction of the Christian moral life, the sacraments, the Trinity, and prayer.

Although it has been over 40 years since the restoration of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and over 50 years since the reform of the Holy Week liturgies, there are still many Catholics who continue to regard Lent in less liturgically appropriate ways.

For these Catholics, Lent remains a season devoted to prayer and penance (surely good and holy things in themselves), but without explicit reference to Baptism, to the Easter Vigil, or to their own responsibility for nurturing the faith-development of new Christians, including their active participation in the church's sacramental and ministerial life.

For many, Lent is still primarily, if not exclusively, a time for personal asceticism and private devotions: giving up things like candy, movies, and hand-held games, or attending daily Mass, as if the Mass itself were a private devotion, like Stations of the Cross.

The Eucharist is a communal celebration, not a penance. It is the center of the church's entire life, including the season that is about to begin.

Just as Lent is directed toward Baptism and Easter, so Baptism and Easter are directed always toward the Eucharist, the heart of everything the church does.

© 2010 Richard P. McBrien. All rights reserved. Fr. McBrien is the Crowley-O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame.

Mon. Feb 1st 5:30- Mass in the Irish in honor of St. Bridget\ Candlemas / Imbolc

2010-01-28T15:47:00.000-08:00

Mass in the Irish

Monday, February 1, 2010
5:30 pm
Marylhurst University
Wiegand Recital Hall
(3rd Floor B.P. John Administration Building)

All are welcome to join us!

St. Bridget arrived in Ireland a few years after St. Patrick. Her father was an Irish lord named Duptace.

As Bridget grew up, she became holier and more pious each day. She loved the poor and would often bring food and clothing to them. One day she gave away a whole pail of milk, and then began to worry about what her mother would say. She prayed to the Lord to make up for what she had given away. When she got home, her pail was full! Bridget was a very pretty young girl, and her father thought that it was time for her to marry. She, however, had given herself entirely to God when she was very small, and she would not think of marrying anyone. When she learned that her beauty was the reason for the attentions of so many young men, she prayed fervently to God to take it from her. She wanted to belong to Him alone. God granted her prayer. Seeing that his daughter was no longer pretty, her father gladly agreed when Bridget asked to become a Nun. She became the first Religious in Ireland and founded a convent so that other young girls might become Nuns. When she consecrated herself to God, a miracle happened. She became very beautiful again! Bridget made people think of the Blessed Mother because she was so pure and sweet, so lovely and gentle. They called her the "Mary of the Irish." http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=214

He feast is connected to Imbolc, the feast of the Light that shatters the cold darkness of winter as the earth stirs back to life.

New Light and Life Prayer Service

2010-01-20T17:46:00.001-08:00

O Gladsome/Joyous Light

Marylhurst University New Light and Life Service

January 21, 2010
Interfaith Gathering.
Thursday, 5:30 pm
Wiegand Recital Hall Chapel - BP John Bldg.

Welcome and Announcements: Dr. Cecilia Ranger, SNJM

We join in prayer for the life of the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot and the hundreds of thousands of our Haitian brothers and sisters who have lost their lives, homes, health and security in the massive earthquake that devastated the island nation. We pray for the missing, for those who grieve and for the health and safely workers providing a living witness of the power of love as they work tirelessly in the relief efforts.

Any donations of funds collected at the Light and Life Prayer Service will be given to the Medical Teams International relief effort in Haiti. If you aren’t prepared to contribute at the service, Marylhurst is collecting funds in our HR department make checks payable to Medical Teams International.

Donations of food will be given to the Oregon Food Bank because the need here at home does not stop because of a global disaster.

In union the Marylhurst University Campus Group Labyrinth Alliance our prayers and solidarity are with those in Haiti. After Thursday night's service those of you who don’t have class are invited to Flavia Hall to walk the Labyrinth for the intentions of the people of Haiti.

Marylhurst’s net proceeds from the up-coming Vienna Boys Choir concerts on March 3 and 4 will be given to the Medical Teams International relief effort in Haiti. (Since the concert is co-sponsored with our partners Music for the Heart, their share of the proceeds will still go to benefit their foundation which supports heart health and research.)

Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster.com.
Written by Sr. Carol Anne Higgins, SNJM

Sr. Joan Chittister on Dr. Mary Daly

2010-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

For Mary Daly: in memory of courage walking
by Joan Chittister on Jan. 13, 2010 From Where I Stand
I did not know Mary Daly personally. I never met her professionally. I never heard even one of her public speeches. My concern for women's issues did not come from Daly. I got that from my mother.

My sense of Daly's impact on history comes from every discussion of women's issues in which I ever participated. The impact Daly's ideas and courage was having on other women was palpable. In those living situations, then, I learned a lot from Daly. Most of all, I learned how to look newly at things I'd looked at for so long that I was no longer really seeing any of them.

Recently I heard a commentator remark on her role in the development of thought in our time that "when the theological history of the period is written, Mary Daly will, at most, be only a small footnote in the study." That depends, I would argue, on who is doing the history. Women, I think, will have a great deal more to say about Daly than any amount of footnotes can possibly hold.

Remote as my own associations had been, for instance, when the word of her death came I realized instantly that women in general, whether they knew it or not, had a great deal for which to thank her.

Women need to thank Daly for raising two of the most important theological questions of our time: one, whether the question of a male God was consistent with the teaching that God was pure spirit, and two, whether a church that is more patriarchal system than authentic church could possibly survive in its present form. These two questions have yet to be resolved and are yet rankling both thinkers and institutions.

Women need to thank Daly for bearing the rejection that too often comes to those who say a new insight first and say it consistently and say it in the face of the very system in which they themselves have been raised.

For example, in later years, Daly refused to accept men in some of her classes, forcing men to experience the exclusion that women had endured for centuries. As a result, she lost her tenured position at a Catholic college for allegedly failing to offer equal service to all students, both men and women. But at the same time, no one else in Catholic colleges — or elsewhere — lost their jobs for excluding women from access to theology degrees or various medical specialties, among others, on the grounds that women, as women, were unfit for such programs.

Nor did anyone — now that men had finally experienced what it felt like to be made invisible in the public arena — officially apologize to women for having kept them out of schools, offices, work, leadership positions, discussions and decision-making in both church and state for two millennia. However much theology claimed we were all equal.

Women need to thank Daly for modeling the adulthood, the psychological maturity, the strength it takes to accept the social isolation and loneliness that comes with refusing to agree that just because we have never questioned a thing that it is, therefore, unquestionable. Thanks to her relentless questioning of women's social circumstances and theological exclusions everywhere, the woman's question became a major and profound theological question. It is thanks to Daly and the myriad of women theologians after her that "Because we say so" is no longer either a logical or an acceptable explanation for the exclusion of women anywhere.

Women need to thank Daly for exposing to us a whole new way of being alive. She freshened thought about the role and place of women by using language to show us what we could not see. She dug into history to trace the original meanings of words like hag and witch — once terms of reverence for the spiritual qualities and feminine wisdom of women, but now used to reduce them to the level of the malevolent.

She forced us to think newly, to think creatively. She called on women to Re-member themselves, to put themselves together differently than they had been taught was right for a woman. She talked about Gyn/nocide to make us understand that the infamous centuries of witch burnings were really the genocide of women practiced long before this century's Holocaust and under the guise of holiness.

Indeed, Daly's work is an icon to women. She was a groundbreaking thinker, a threat to any patriarchal institution, a creator of an entire new way of seeing life, of being alive, of celebrating life. She touched a culture deeply. Indeed, we owe her thanks.

From where I stand, a person's influence is measured, not so much by virtue of their effect on the institutions that bred them, but by their influence on those who never knew them at all. It is the women who never knew Daly but now know the things she knew that are the real evidence of her legacy, her impact, her meaning not only to this generation but to generations to come. As in "all generations shall call her blessed."

Joan Chittister's blog

NCR article Mary Daly, radical feminist theologian, dead at 81

2010-01-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

Mary Daly, radical feminist theologian, dead at 81
She helped reshape Christian thought through decades
Jan. 04, 2010
By Thomas C. Fox-- http://ncronline.org/news/women/mary-daly-radical-feminist-theologian-dead-81

Daly in 1987 (Photo by Gail Bryan)

Mary Daly, radical feminist theologian and a mother of modern feminist theology, died Jan. 3 at the age of 81. She was one of the most influential voices of the radical feminist movement through the later 20th century.
Daly taught courses in theology, feminist ethics and patriarchy at Boston College for 33 years. Her first book, "The Church and the Second Sex," published in 1968, got her fired, briefly, from her teaching position there, but as a result of support from the (then all-male) student body and the general public, she was ultimately granted tenure.
According to a 2000 Cross Currents profile, "Much of her work since that time has consisted in blowing exuberant raspberries at the Vatican, Boston College, and the keepers of the patriarchal flame generally -- who may have expected no better outcome from educating a woman, and must feel betrayed and vindicated by turns."
Mary E. Hunt, co-founder and co-director of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER), announced the death Jan. 3 online in "The Feminist Studies in Religion" bulletin:
"With a heavy heart, yet grateful beyond words for her life and work, I report that Mary Daly died this morning, January 3, 2010 in Massachusetts. She had been in poor health for the last two years.
Her contributions to feminist theology, philosophy, and theory were many, unique, and if I may say so, world-changing. She created intellectual space; she set the bar high. Even those who disagreed with her are in her debt for the challenges she offered. ... She always advised women to throw our lives as far as they would go. I can say without fear of exaggeration that she lived that way herself."
Daly once wrote: "There are and will be those who think I have gone overboard. Let them rest assured that this assessment is correct, probably beyond their wildest imagination, and that I will continue to do so."
She was an exuberant participant in and shaper of the feminist movement of the 1970s, and 1980s.
The only child of working-class, Irish-Catholic parents in upstate New York, she grew up with a strong sense of her ethnic and religious heritage. As a young woman, she developed a desire to become a philosopher and a theologian. Encouraged by her parents, and especially by her mother, Daly pursued her intellectual dream, eventually becoming a victor over a Catholic educational system that prevented women from earning graduate degrees in philosophy by studying at the University of Freiburg where she earned graduate degrees in philosophy and theology.
Daly was influenced by thinkers ranging from Thomas Aquinas to French feminist Simone de Beauvoir to Virginia Woolf, according to Who2.com.
In fact, Daly, the feminist, developed a kind of perverse fondness for Aquinas, whom she called “the fat old monk.” She learned to "decode" the thinking of a man who, she cheerfully admitted, conceived of women as "misbegotten males."
Eventually, in her life and scholarship she developed a sweeping analysis of "patriarchy" as the root of women's oppression and of all social ills in which people are treated as objects.
After “The Church and the Second Sex,” she said she moved from "Christian reformist" to "radical, post-Christian" feminist.
Studying archetypal forms and prepatriarchal religion convinced Daly that church doctrine consisted of a series of significant "reversals." She explained these to NCR writer Jeanette Batz in 1996:
• the Trinity, from the triple goddess once celebrated worldwide;
• the virgin birth, from the parthenogenesis that once begat divine daughters;
• Adam giving birth to Eve.
Women operating on patriarchy's boundaries, she once wrote, can spiral into freedom by renaming and reclaiming an ancient woman-centered reality that was stolen and eradicated by patriarchy.
She took great delight in castigating the "eight deadly sins of the fathers": processions, professions, possession, aggression, obsession, assimilation, elimination and fragmentation. "Laugh out loud," she urged, "at their pompous penile processions."
As for God, there's simply no way to rid the language of allusion, she wrote, so, "if you must be anthropomorphic," she preferred “Goddess.”
Daly most often contemplated the divine essence as a verb, Be-ing itself, so that worship is "not kneeling in front of a so-and-so but swirling in energy." Her language echoed quantum physics, and she was flattered if you said so: "I do think about space-time a great deal," she admitted. "It's a kind of mysticism which is also political."
These attitudes toward life and religion were reflected in the Feb. 26, 1996 issue of The New Yorker in which she wrote:
“Ever since childhood, I have been honing my skills for living the life of a radical feminist pirate and cultivating the courage to win. The word ‘sin’ is derived from the Indo-European root ‘es-,’ meaning ‘to be.’ When I discovered this etymology, I intuitively understood that for a woman trapped in patriarchy, which is the religion of the entire planet, ‘to be’ in the fullest sense is ‘to sin.’”
“Women who are pirates in a phallocratic society are involved in a complex operation. First, it is necessary to plunder--that is, righteously rip off gems of knowledge that the patriarchs have stolen from us. Second, we must smuggle back to other women our plundered treasures. In order to invent strategies that will be big and bold enough for the next millennium, it is crucial that women share our experiences: the chances we have taken and the choices that have kept us alive. They are my pirate's battle cry and wake-up call for women who want to hear.”
And so Daly would like to say: “I urge you to Sin. ... But not against these itty-bitty religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism -- or their secular derivatives, Marxism, Maoism, Freudianism and Jungianism -- which are all derivatives of the big religion of patriarchy. Sin against the infrastructure itself!"
Daly poured much energy into breaking down age-old boundaries of critical thought. Her work helped set the stage for other feminist theologians who rose up in the 20th century to offer critiques of male-dominated theology that would reshape Christian thought. Several of these groundbreaking women included Rosemary Radford Ruether, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, and Rosemary Haughton.
Boston College Jesuits worked uneasily with Daly for more than three decades before parting ways. According to Jack Dunn, Boston Colleg spokesman, the university never terminated Daly's contract as a tenured professor.
“In 1999 she attempted to take a leave of absence (as she had in each of the previous instances in which a male student had attempted to gain access to her class) and her request was not granted. She then offered to retire from teaching at BC. A year later, she reneged on her retirement agreement and the case ended up in court where Judge Martha Sosman ruled against her motion for preliminary judgment."
In February, 2001, Boston College and Daly's supporters announced that a settlement had been reached.
Other Daly books include:
"Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism," which defined categories of political theory and philosophy of religion.
"Pure Lust: Elemental Feminist Philosophy," an exploration of patriarchy and feminist vision.
"Websters' First New Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language," a humor-filled work of words aimed at "freeing the English language" from its patriarchal roots.
"Outercourse: The Be-Dazzling Voyage," a philosophical autobiography.
"Quintessence... Realizing the Archiac Future: A Radical Elemental Feminist Manifesto," another consideration of feminist thought.
"Amazon Grace: Re-Calling the Courage to Sin Big."
New York Times profile of Mary Daly

Breath of Heaven sung by Amy Grant

2009-12-28T17:07:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T23:09:00.000-08:00

Our Lady of the New Advent

2009-11-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

O Lady and Mother
of the One who was and is and is to come,
dawn of the New Jerusalem,
we earnestly beseech you,
bring us by your intercession
so to live in love
that the Church, the Body of Christ,
may stand in this world's dark
as fiery icon of the New Jerusalem.
We ask you to obtain for us this mercy
through Jesus Christ, your Son and Lord,
who lives and reigns
with the Father in the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
Amen
Prayer composed by the Sisters of the Abbey of Walburga
of Boulder, Colorado

Shore Acres Waves 11-06-09--Thank you Sally

2009-11-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to the world, Hear me! I come to you as one of your many children. May I walk in beauty. Make my eyes behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things that you have made, and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so that I may know the things that you have taught your children-- The lessons that you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Fill my heart with gratitude for the work of your hands. Prayer by Sr. CA Higgins.

And I wanted to thank you. Thank you for loving me. And I wanted to thank and praise you Lord, for joining me as my brother, my God and my friend to the end my Lord. As my brother, my God and my friend Amen.
Refrain: Passion Song SO'C Roussell.

Mother Marie Rose

2009-10-07T15:50:00.001-07:00

Presence, the Heart of Our Mission
By Carol Higgins, snjm

Mother Marie Rose was, and is, a woman of God’s presence. She walked with her sisters and students and stayed engaged with those with whom she disagreed. She suffered illness, misunderstandings, and persecution yet she remained convinced of God’s love. Her very person manifested the presence of God to her companions. My studies of our history have convinced me that Mother Rose’s great gift was that she educated by intentionally living in God’s presence, a presence that was rooted in her deep faith. “I invite you to meet me in the Heart of Jesus…” Those who met her were immediately attracted to her, because she transparently radiated the loving presence of God. She impacted people because she was truly on fire with God’s love and exemplified God’s mission. We too are called to bring the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary forth, in this time and place, in the day-to-day reality of living a life consecrated to God.
Our Constitutions speak of our “Desire to proclaim by our lives the primacy of the love of God” (3). “The apostolic service of our Congregation involves a threefold
dimension: sharing in the Good News of salvation, revealing Christ by our words, and by
our manner of life, and serving those to whom we are sent” (10). These quotes speak to me of our call to live our lives intentionally. Whether teaching, praying with a patient, or sitting in traffic, we are called to live the Good News of salvation, we are called to be aware of God’s presence and to be God’s presence.
Is it possible that our calls to work for justice, to care for creation, and to care for one another could be a call to be more intentional about God’s presence and love as we go about the ordinary work of living and being? The question I’m asking us to ponder is, “What is at the heart of our shared mission?” Could it be that our mission is to live in such a way that we, by sharing God’s presence, continue Christ’s transformative work? Are we called to cast the fire of Jesus and Mary in the simple interactions of life? Do we have enough faith to believe that it really could be that simple?

“I invite you to meet me in the Heart of Jesus, for it is there that I wish to make my dwelling and where, if you so choose, we shall never be parted.”
Mother Marie Rose Durocher

Blessings of Yom Kippur- AISH.com

2009-09-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is one of two Jewish High Holy Days. The first High Holy Day is Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year). Yom Kippur falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah on the 10th of Tishrei, which is a Hebrew month that correlates with September-October on the secular calendar. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to bring about reconciliation between people and between individuals and God. According to Jewish tradition, it is also the day when God decides the fate of each human being.
...
Although Yom Kippur is an intense holiday it is nevertheless viewed as a happy day. Why? Because if one has observed the holiday properly by the end of Yom Kippur they will have made peace with others and with God.
There are three essential components of Yom Kippur:
1. Teshuvah (Repentance)
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
...
Teshuvah (Repentance)
Yom Kippur is a day of reconciliation, when Jews strive to make amends with people and to draw closer to God through prayer and fasting. The ten days leading up to Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance. During this period Jews are encouraged to seek out anyone they may have offended and to sincerely request forgiveness so that the New Year can begin with a clean slate. If the first request for forgiveness is rebuffed, one should ask for forgiveness at least two more times, at which point the person whose forgiveness is being sought should grant the request. The rabbis thought it was cruel for anyone to withhold their forgiveness for offenses that had not caused irrevocable damage. Learn more about teshuvah.
This process of repentance is called teshuvah and it is a crucial part of Yom Kippur. Although many people think that transgressions from the previous year are forgiven through prayer, fasting and participation in Yom Kippur services, Jewish tradition teaches that only offenses committed against God can be forgiven on Yom Kippur. Hence it is important that people make an effort to reconcile with others before participating in Yom Kippur services...

Prayer
Yom Kippur is the longest synagogue service in the Jewish year. It begins on the evening before Yom Kippur day with a haunting song called Kol Nidre (All Vows). The words of this melody ask God to forgive any vows people have made to God and not kept.
The service on the day of Yom Kippur lasts from morning until nightfall. Many prayers are said but one is repeated at intervals throughout the service. This prayer is called Al Khet and asks for forgiveness for a variety of sins that may have been committed during the year. The Jewish concept of sin is not like the Christian concept of original sin. Rather, it’s the kind of everyday offenses like hurting those we love, lying to ourselves or using foul language that Judaism views as sinful. You can clearly see examples of these infractions in the Yom Kippur liturgy, for instance in this excerpt from Al Khet:
For the sin that we have committed under stress or through choice;
For the sin that we have committed in stubbornness or in error;
For the sin that we have committed in the evil meditations of the heart;
For the sin that we have committed by word of mouth;
For the sin that we have committed through abuse of power;
For the sin that we have committed by exploitation of neighbors;
For all these sins, O God of forgiveness, bear with us, pardon us, forgive us!
...
When Al Khet is recited people gently beat their fists against their chests as each sin is mentioned. Sins are mentioned in plural form because even if someone hasn’t committed a particular sin, Jewish tradition teaches that every Jew bears a measure of responsibility for the actions of other Jews.
...
During the afternoon portion of the Yom Kippur service the Book of Jonah is read to remind people of God’s willingness to forgive those who are sincerely sorry. The last part of the service is called Ne’ilah (Shutting). The name comes from the imagery of Ne’ilah prayers, which talk about gates being shut against us. People pray intensely during this time, hoping to be admitted to God’s presence before the gates have been shut..
...
Fasting
Yom Kippur is also marked by 25 hours of fasting. There are other fast days in the Jewish calendar, but this is the only one the Torah specifically commands us to observe. Leviticus 23:27 describes it as “afflicting your souls” and during this time no food or liquid may be consumed.
The fast starts an hour before Yom Kippur begins and ends after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur. In addition to food, Jews are also forbidden from engaging in sexual relations, bathing or wearing leather shoes. The prohibition against wearing leather comes from a reluctance to wear the skin of a slaughtered animal while asking God for mercy.
...
Who Fasts on Yom Kippur
Children under the age of nine are not allowed to fast, while children older than nine are encouraged to eat less. Girls who are 12 years or older and boys who are 13 years or older are required to participate in the full 25-hour fast along with adults. However, pregnant women, women who have recently given birth and anyone suffering from a life-threatening illness are not required to observe the fast. These people need food and drink to keep up their strength and Judaism always values life above the observance of Jewish law.
Many people end the fast with a feeling of deep serenity, which comes from having made peace with others and with God.

About.com http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/yomkippur.htm

Happy New Year 5770 - Rosh HaShanah (ראש השנה) is the Jewish New Year.

2009-09-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

Copied from About.com
Rosh HaShanah (ראש השנה) is the Jewish New Year. It falls once a year during the month of Tishrei and occurs ten days before Yom Kippur. Together, Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are known as the Yamim Nora’im, which means the Days of Awe in Hebrew. In English they are often referred to as the High Holy Days.

The Meaning of Rosh HaShanah
Rosh HaShanah literally means “Head of the Year” in Hebrew. It falls in the month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar. The reason for this is because the Hebrew calendar begins with the month of Nissan (when it's believed the Jews were freed from slavery in Egypt) but the month of Tishrei is believed to be the month in which God created the world. Hence, another way to think about Rosh HaShanah is as the birthday of the world.

Rosh HaShanah is observed on the first two days of Tishrei. Jewish tradition teaches that during the High Holy Days God decides who will live and who will die during the coming year. As a result, during Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur (and in the days leading up to them) Jews embark upon the serious task of examining their lives and repenting for any wrongs they have committed during the previous year. This process of repentance is called teshuvah. Jews are encouraged to make amends with anyone they have wronged and to make plans for improving during the coming year. In this way, Rosh HaShanah is all about making peace in the community and striving to be a better person.

Even though the theme of Rosh HaShanah is life and death, it is a holiday filled with hope for the New Year. Jews believe that God is compassionate and just, and that God will accept their prayers for forgiveness.

Rosh HaShanah Liturgy
The Rosh HaShanah prayer service is one of the longest of the year. Only the Yom Kippur service is longer. Rosh HaShanah service usually runs from early morning until the afternoon and is so unique that it has its own prayer book called the Makhzor. Two of the most well known prayers from Rosh HaShanah liturgy are:

Unetaneh Tohkef – This prayer is about life and death. Part of it reads: "On Rosh HaShanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed, how many will leave this world and how many will be born into it, who will live and who will die... But penitence, prayer and good deeds can annul the severity of the decree."
Avienu Malkeinu – Another famous prayer is Avienu Malkeinu, which means “Our Father Our King” in Hebrew. Usually the entire congregation will sing the last verse of this prayer in unison, which says: "Our Father, our King, answer us as though we have no deed to plead our cause, save us with mercy and loving-kindness."

Customs and Symbols
On Rosh HaShanah it is customary to greet people with "L'Shanah Tovah," which is Hebrew that is usually translated as "For a Good Year" or "May you have a good year." Some people also say "L'shana tovah tikatev v'etahetem," which means "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year." (If said to a woman the greeting would be: "L'shanah tovah tikatevi v'tahetemi"). This greeting refers to the belief that a person’s fate for the coming year is decided during the High Holy Days.

The shofar is an important symbol of Rosh HaShanah. It is an instrument often made of a ram's horn and is blown one hundred times during each of the two days of Rosh HaShanah. The sound of the shofar blast reminds people of the importance of reflection during this important holiday. Learn more about the shofar in this article.

Tashlich is a ceremony that usually takes place during the first day of Rosh HaShanah. "Tashlich" literally means "casting off" and involves symbolically casting off the sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread or another food into a body of flowing water. Learn more about tashlich in this article.

Other significant symbols of Rosh HaShanah include apples, honey and round loaves of challah. Apple slices dipped in honey represent our hope for a sweet new year and are traditionally accompanied by a short prayer before eating that goes: "May it by Thy will, O Lord, Our God, to grant us a year that is good and sweet." Challah, which is usually baked into braids, is shaped into round loaves of bread on Rosh HaShanah. The circular shape symbolizes the continuation of life.

On the second night of Rosh HaShanah it is customary to eat a fruit that is new to us for the season, saying the shehechiyanu blessing as we eat it to thank God for bringing us to this season. Pomegranates are a popular choice because Israel is often praised for its pomegranates and because, according to legend, pomegranates contain 613 seeds – one for each of the 613 mitzvot. Another reason for eating pomegranates on Rosh HaShanah has to do with the symbolic hope that our good deeds in the coming year will be as many as the seeds of the fruit.

Copied from About.com

Sisters of the Holy Names & Marylhurst's Mission

2009-09-17T15:15:00.001-07:00

Feast of the Holy Name of Mary posted by American Catholic.org

2009-09-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

This feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3); both have the possibility of uniting people easily divided on other matters.
The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and in 1671 was extended to all of Spain and the Kingdom of Naples. In 1683, John Sobieski, king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna to stop the advance of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV in Constantinople. After Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, he and his soldiers thoroughly defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the entire Church.
....
Comment:

Mary always points us to God, reminding us of God's infinite goodness. She helps us to open our hearts to God's ways, wherever those may lead us. Honored under the title “Queen of Peace,” Mary encourages us to cooperate with Jesus in building a peace based on justice, a peace that respects the fundamental human rights (including religious rights) of all peoples.
...
Quote:

“Lord our God, when your Son was dying on the altar of the cross, he gave us as our mother the one he had chosen to be his own mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary; grant that we who call upon the holy name of Mary, our mother, with confidence in her protection may receive strength and comfort in all our needs” (Marian Sacramentary, Mass for the Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

..This entry appears in the print edition of Saint of the Day. Posted by American Catholic.org

The church and recession

2009-08-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

The church and recession
Local conference shows ministers eager to try to meet challenge of tough fiscal times
....
BY CLIFF NEWELL
The Lake Oswego Review, Aug 6, 2009

VERN UYETAKE / LAKE OSWEGO REVIEW
Dr. Cecilia Ranger served as moderator for “Blessed Are The Poor” at Marylhurst University on July 30. Twenty-four local church representatives talked about how to make their ministries more effective.

Food, clothing, shelter, financial advice, healing of the poor in spirit. Conquering fear.
In ways both basic and unusual, the church community of Lake Oswego and West Linn is rising to meet the demands of economic hardship not seen in the U.S. in 70 years.
This was made quite evident at the conference “Blessed Are The Poor,” held at Marylhurst University last Thursday.
Sister Carol Higgins of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary “called every church I could think of” in Lake Oswego and West Linn, and the response was heartening: 24 representatives of local churches gathered to talk about how they are dealing with the recession.
They did have some sad stories to tell. But the overwhelming feeling that emerged is that this is a time of blessing. The response of the church to the economic emergency has been quick and strong.
...
“We have a shelter ministry,” said Libby Boatwright, associate pastor of Lake Grove Presbyterian Church. “Homeless people were living in their cars in freezing weather, and we provided them motels, food and help to find housing.”
In some cases, it is simply amazing what some local churches are offering to people suffering from the recession. Boatwright provided two sheets detailing 11 programs now available at Lake Grove Presbyterian, while Julie Messenger, representing Riverwest Church of Lake Oswego, had an elaborate brochure called “the brown book” that details an extraordinary missionary effort right here at home.
It helps not only those in need but those who are giving.
“Our pastor Guy Gray said our outreach to people in poverty has helped us put the current distress in perspective,” Messenger said. “We tend to get inwardly focused, and it helps to reach out to others.
...
“Our congregation started a donation drive, and donations poured in. People really wanted to help, but they didn’t know how. They want to know, they really do.”
Such programs help eager-to-help church members see the hungry and homeless not as “people way off in the distance.”
The Rev. John Dotson of Lake Bible Church has assembled a 70-member strong team to minister at the Union Gospel Mission in downtown Portland.
“We’re doing more than serving,” Dotson said. “We’re seeing the value of our work to the individual we’re serving. Our volunteers sit down at tables with these people so they can see they are valued.”
...
Truly opportunities for service are abundant.
Matt Cato, director of the Office of Justice and Peace of the Archdiocese of Portland, said, “Four years ago our food program used to get one guest at the First United Methodist Church. Now it’s packed, and we’ve expanded it to two nights a week. It’s the only place between Beaverton and Hillsboro where you can get a hot meal.”
Hard times can bring churches together.
...
Mary Brunette of Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Oswego said, “We’re working with six or seven churches to provide houses for families in transition and let moms and kids get back on their feet. It’s a great collaborative effort.”
Perhaps no story at the conference brought home the need of the times like one told by a member of West Linn’s Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, co-pastored by Paul and Cathy Quackenbush.
“We probably would not have had our home in the summer if it hadn’t been for Paul and Cathy,” she said. “I knew we weren’t going to make it. My husband had been trying so hard to find a job and just could not.”
...
The woman had been interviewed by OPB about her family’s experience, and she vividly expressed the worst aspect of sudden financial crisis.
“Before I hadn’t experienced the type of fear that pours into people,” she said. “It starts in the morning when you brush your teeth. When you’re doing laundry, you ask, ‘How can I buy laundry soap?’ It’s a constant fear all of the time.”
It is a fear that is new to the Lake Oswego and West Linn area. As Father Rick Ganz of the Society of Jesuits, pointed out, these are not the “professional poor” of areas less well off, who know “the agencies and nice places to go.”
This is a condition that makes reaching out to them especially difficult.
“What I’m seeing is families who don’t look like they’re in trouble,” Messenger said.
...
Boatwright said, “It’s a point of shame for them to say, ‘I have to admit I’m in trouble.’ This experience pours them into a lower strata of society. Part of the problem is they didn’t see it coming.”
“The major challenge in Lake Oswego is that people are in need, but they won’t come forward,” Brunette said. “They’ve been successful, but something has happened to them.
“This is something that is really very hidden. There is more than meets the eye when you’re driving down the street in Lake Oswego. But when you help people who are gun-shy about being helped, it builds on itself.”
“The shame element, the silence,” said Laura Howard, who is seeking a master’s of divinity degree at Marylhurst. “That’s our culture. You don’t let people know you’re in trouble.”...
...
“This isn’t just physical poverty,” Boatwright said. “It’s poverty of the spirit. People don’t know where to ask for help. But the church is a place of hope. We’re here to do something different. We’re trying to organize a whole new thing. How can we get people away from the humiliation?”
“With people in Lake Oswego and West Linn there are many professionals who have lost jobs,” said Higgins. “The whole issue is shame. Confidence is really critical.”
One thing local people suffering from financial hardship can be confident about is that the church is willing and able to help. In fact, right at the conference tables, plans were made to meet again to talk about ways to make the church more effective.
...
“My first goal is to bring hope back,” Messenger said. “I want to bring back a fighting spirit.”
“The church might be the last straw for people,” Boatwright said. “Our job is that we’re not going to let you down.”
The Blessed Are The Poor conference was organized by Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell of Marylhurst University Ministry.

Prayer Requests

2009-07-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Your needs in prayer are placed before the Spirit for blessings, healing and for graced filled opportunities to come your way. And Jesus said, "If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt 18:19-20)

Your Marylhurst Prayer Team members commit to pray for you everyday, and to place your intentions for health, happiness and holiness in our prayers and liturgies. Please feel free to email or call me with your confidential prayer requests. Or stop by our meditation room to write your need in our Book of Intentions. Whether you include your name or not, your needs will be added to the University Prayer Request Log, included within our liturgies and your intentions placed before Jesus and Mary within our private prayers.
Also please let me know if you'd like to join our prayer mission.
Dr.Sheila
Dr. Sheila O'Connell-Roussell
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
University Ministry -- Marian Hall 104
Meditation Room -- Marian Hall 110
Marylhurst University
17600 Pacific Highway (Hwy 43)
PO Box 261 / Marylhurst, OR 97036 - 0261
Voice Mail: 503.534.4021
Fax: 503.636.9526
Phone 503- 636- 8141 (ext 4021)
Toll Free: 800- 634- 9982
soconnell@marylhurst.edu

The Lake Oswego Review, May 28, 2009

2009-06-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

Ministries program starts new era here
Effort reaches out to other religions
By Cliff Newell

Ready to lead Marylhurst University Ministries into a new era are directors, from left, Father Rick Ganz, SJ, Dr. Cecilia Ranger and Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell.
ADVERTISEMENTS

Marylhurst University has made great strides in recent years, and now its ministries program is stepping up to keep pace.

“Marylhurst University has been changing ever since it started,” said Dr. Cecelia Ranger of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, the order that founded Marylhurst. “It has continually evolved to meet the needs of people. The ministries program needs to evolve, too.”

Ranger will be directing this evolution, along with Father Rick Ganz, SJ, and Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell. They are heading up a ministries program that formerly was sort of like Marylhurst campus buildings before they were recently so beautifully renovated – somewhat shabby and worn.

But the blueprints are ready for some great work:

n Major emphasis on interfaith relationships.

n Reaching out to the surrounding community.

n Provide religious instruction to students, no matter what their faith.

n Confront “real world” issues with spiritual insight.

It will be new energy and new methods devoted to a mission that has been the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, from the start.

“The Sisters have always taught anybody who came to their door,” Ranger said. “Whatever their denomination or age. We want to help them develop to their fullest capacity possible.”

Perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of the re-invigorated ministries program is the emphasis on reaching out to other Christian denominations and other religions.

“Things have changed so much already,” said Ganz. “When I was growing up in the 1950s it was considered a sin to even go into a Protestant church.”

Still, if there has been great progress in improving contact and creating empathy between persons of different faiths over the past 50 years, in some ways things have stayed disappointingly the same.

“We have worked so hard over the last 100 years to achieve unity – Anglicans, Lutherans, Greek Orthodox, Catholics,” Ganz said. “But most people don’t know that. We have got to get going to heal our world and not sit back in our camps.”

“Reaching out to others does not obliterate my Catholic calling,” Ranger said. “We aren’t asking people to change their religion. We want to help a Presbyterian be the best Presbyterian he can be.”

To that end, Marylhurst recently has become the scene for some impressive ecumenical gatherings, including “Partners for Peace” on March 15, which attracted Jews, Muslims, Sabeel (a Palestinian Christian group), Catholics, Buddhists, all praying together for peace in the Middle East.

These are efforts that Marylhurst, with its history, seems uniquely qualified to achieve.

However, the main impact of the new ministries program could be in reaching people one-on-one, students who are burdened by the problems of the real world.

O’Connell-Roussell sees them all of the time.

“Twice in my own classroom there have been episodes involving Iraq veterans,” she said. “There have been deaths in families. These are real issues we must deal with.”

It is a unique challenge that the three ministries directors face at Marylhurst. Looking around at the campus on a typical spring day you see some students sunning themselves or throwing a Frisbee.

But most Marylhurst students are “non-typical” college students. As Ranger put it, “They’re not here for summer camp.” They’re at Marylhurst to achieve more education and better their lives.

In meeting Ranger, O’Connell-Roussell and Ganz, you are impressed with their vast credentials. In fact, one of Ranger’s accomplishments was hiring O’Connell-Roussell in 1992 when she was dean of the religious studies department at Marylhurst.

But what really wins you over is their incredible enthusiasm.

With a big smile, Ranger said, “It is an exciting time to be alive and to be here and walk with people down these paths.”

To read more about Marylhurst University Ministry, go to the site http://universityministry.blogspot.com .

Mary in the Early Church from Earlychristians.org

2009-05-12T00:28:00.000-07:00

THE DEVOTION TO THE VIRGIN MARY IN THE EARLY CHURCH
The Virgin Mary has been honored and venerated as Mother of God since the first centuries of Christianityhttp://earlychristians.org/docs_interest/Mary.html

“THE FIRST CHRISTIANS, WHOSE LIVES ARE AN EXAMPLE FOR US, SHOWED A LOVING VENERATION TO THE VIRGIN. IN THE PAINTINGS PRODUCED DURING THE FIRST THREE CENTURIES OF CHRISTIANITY, THOSE THAT ARE CONSERVED IN THE ROMAN CATACOMBS, THE VIRGIN IS CONTEMPLATED THROUGH HER REPRESENTATION WITH THE CHILD GOD IN HER ARMS. WE CAN NEVER BE CONTENTED IN THE WAY WE IMITATE THIS ATTITUDE OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS!
(ST. JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA)

“FROM NOW ON WILL ALL AGES CALL ME BLESSED.” (LUKE 1, 48)
Recent Mariological studies give evidence that the Virgin Mary has been honored and venerated as Mother of God and our Mother since the first centuries of Christianity.

During the first three centuries, the veneration of
Earliest representation of the Virgin Mary
(Catacombs of Saint Priscilla)
During the first three centuries, the veneration of Mary was essentially included in the rites of adoration of her Son. A Father of the Church summarizes the essence of this primordial Marian cult using these words (referring to Mary): “The prophets announced you and the apostles commemorated you with the highest of praises.”
During these first centuries, only indirect testimonies of the Marian cult exist. Among them are archaeological remains of the catacombs that demonstrate the cult and veneration of the first Christians toward Mary. One of the paintings in the catacombs of Saint Priscilla represents the Virgin with her Child in her arms and a prophet, probably Isaiah, at her side. The other two paintings correspond to the Annunciation and to the Epiphany. All of the paintings mentioned are of the second century. In the catacombs of St. Peter and St. Marcellinus, one admirable painting of the third or fourth century represents Mary between Saints Peter and Paul. There, Mary is portrayed praying with her arms extended.
One magnificent demonstration of the Marian cult is the prayer “Sub tuum praesidium” (We fly to thy patronage) that dates back up to the third to fourth century, and that illustrates the intercession of Mary.
The Fathers during the fourth century praise the Mother of God in many and diverse ways. Saint Epiphanius, after combating the error of adoring Mary practiced by a sect in Arabia, writes: "Let Mary be held in honor. Let the Father, Son and Holy Ghost be adored, but let no one adore Mary." St. Ambrose expresses the same sentiment who after giving praise to “the Mother of all virgins”, is at the same time clear and emphatic in saying that “Mary is the temple of God and not the God of the temple” to put the Marian cult in its rightful position and to distinguish it to the adoration of God.
It can be proven that during the time of Pope Sylvester, in the Roman Forum, where the Temple of Vesta used to be located, a structure was constructed bearing the advocation to “Santa Maria Antiqua” or Ancient St. Mary. In the same manner, Bishop Alexander of Alexandria consecrated a church dedicating it to the Mother of God. Moreover, it is known that Mary was being honored together with our Lord in the Church of the Nativity in Palestine since the era of Emperor Constantine, in remembrance of the miraculous conception of Christ.
Reliable ancient texts dated 225 A.D., used in the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist, mention the veneration of Mary. They also honor her during the feasts of the Incarnation, Nativity, Epiphany, etc. of our Lord. Towards 380 A.D., the first Marian feast, identified as “Memory of the Mother of God”, “Feast of the Most Holy Virgin”, or “Feast of the glorious Mother”, was instituted.
THE TESTIMONY OF THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH

The Virgin and the Child (Murillo)
The first Father of the Church who wrote about Mary is St. Ignatius of Antioch († c. 110). He defended the veracity of the humanity of Christ against the docetists by affirming that Jesus pertained to the line of David because he was born of Mary. Jesus was conceived by Mary – He came from her – and this conception was virginal, and pertains to the most hidden mysteries in the silence of God.
In his book "Dialogue with Trypho", St. Justin († c. 167) insists on the reality of the human nature of Jesus and, as a consequence of that human nature, he insists also of the maternity of Mary over Jesus. Like St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Justin emphasizes the virginal conception. Saint Justin bases his Marian reflections on the Eve & Mary parallelism as the passage of Genesis 3:15 suggests, and this perspective which is incorporated in his theology, will serve as the basis of the Marian reflections of the later Fathers of the Church.
St. Irenaeus († c. 202), focuses on the reality of the human corporeality of Jesus and that he really came from the womb of Mary to combat the prevailing Gnostic and Docetic beliefs. Moreover, he bases on the divine motherhood his Christology: it is the human nature assumed by the Son of God in the womb of Mary that gives to the redemptive value of the death of Jesus its universality, i.e., its applicability to all men. He emphasizes also the motherhood of Mary in relation to the new Adam (Christ) and her cooperation in the work of redemption.
The north African Father, Tertullian († c. 222), during the dispute with Marcion, a Gnostic, affirms that Mary is the Mother of Christ because Jesus was engendered by Mary in her womb.
During the third century, the use of “Theotókos” (“Mother of God” in Greek) became more widespread. Origen († c. 254) was the first to apply this title to Mary. Among the prayers of supplication, the title first appeared in the prayer “Sub tuum praesidium” that, as mentioned earlier, is the oldest known Marian prayer. During the fourth century, in opposition to the doctrine of Arius, the confession of faith of bishop Alexander of Alexandria contains the same title. Since then, it gained universality and many were the Holy Fathers who reflected and studied in depth the truth that Mary is the Mother of God. Among them were St. Ephrem, St. Athanasius, St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, Proclus of Constantinople, etc. Because of these, “Mother of God” became the most frequent title applied to Mary.
The truth of the Divine Maternity of Mary was proclaimed as a dogma of the Church in the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

“AND AFTER THE DEATH OF THE SAVIOR? MARY IS THE QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES; SHE IS PRESENT IN THE CENACLE AND SHE ACCOMPANIED THEM WHEN THEY RECEIVED WHAT CHRIST HAD PROMISED, THE PARACLETE; SHE SUPPORTED THEM IN THEIR TRIALS AND SHE HELPED THEM OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES THAT HUMAN WEAKNESS BRING IN ALONG THE WAY: SHE IS A GUIDE, LIGHT, AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS”
(SAINT JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA)

THE PREROGATIVES OR PRIVILEGES OF MARY
The account of the devotion to Mary throughout history would not be complete if not for a third basic element: the exceptionality of the person of Mary. The affirmation of her "exceptionality" forms part of her mystery and is rooted in her sanctity which leads one to her so-called “privileges”. The bases of these “privileges” are founded on her Divine Motherhood and her cooperation in the work of redemption. In reality, these “privileges” are gifts endowed by God so that she can carry out her unique and universal mission.
The existence of these privileges or prerogatives is not a “superfluous” doctrine nor a theological opinion. They are necessary to preserve the integrity of the Christian faith.

St. Ignatius, St. Justin, St. Irenaeus and Tertullian wrote about the virginity of Mary. Similarly, in Egypt, Origen defends the perpetual virginity of Mary and considers the mother of the Messiah as a model and help of Christians. In the fourth century, the term “aeipathenos” – ever-virgin – was introduced by St. Epiphanius in his confession of the Faith. Later, the Second Council of Constantinople proclaimed it as a Dogma of the Church.
With the affirmation of the perpetual virginity of Mary becoming more and more widespread and universal, another privilege, the absolute holiness of the Virgin was also given emphasis. Although it had been always believed that she was incapable of sin, the possibility of Mary having had imperfections was considered at first. St. Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, St. Ephraim, and St. Cyril of Alexandria held this belief while St. Ambrose and St. Augustine did not accept it. After the dogmatic proclamation of the Divine Maternity of Mary in the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., the consideration of the privilege of absolute holiness of Mary grew stronger and was disseminated with the title “most holy” or “panagia” in Greek.
Since the fourth century, together with the privileges already mentioned (ever-virgin and most holy), the affirmation of her other privileges proceeded. Concretely, themes about her Dormition or her Assumption, her preservation from all sin including original sin, her task as Mediatrix, and her Queenship were developed. Along these lines, St. Modest de Jerusalem, St. Andrew of Crete, St. German of Constantinople, St. John Damascene, and the Fathers of the last centuries of the patristic period who studied in depth these privileges merit special attention.

Holy Week

2009-04-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

Holy Week is the most priceless week of the Catholic Christian Liturgical Year, as well as that of most Christian denominations. Through the celebrations of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday we re-live what we call the Paschal Mystery of Jesus the Christ. On Palm Sunday Christians remember the celebrated Jesus as He rode triumphant into Jerusalem on a donkey while citizens lay palm branches in His path. Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) recalls the institution of the Eucharistic Feast, at which Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. The tables of triumph were over-turned when Jesus was humiliated and asked to carry the Cross, only to be put to death on that Cross, between two thieves. Holy Saturday brings Christians together to recall their Baptism and to baptize catechumens, to light the New Fire and to celebrate on Easter the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ (anointed one). We call the three days, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday the Easter Triduum.
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We invite you to celebrate Eucharist with us on Thursday April 9th 5:30-6:30 pm - Wiegand Recital Hall,- BP John Bldg.
Presider: Fr. Rick Ganz, S.J.
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If you do not have a spiritual family or congregation with whom you celebrate, the Sisters' Chapel at Mary's Woods, on the second floor, has services at at these times: Palm Sunday 11:00 a.m.; Holy Thursday 4:00 p.m.; Good Friday 4:00 p.m.; Holy Saturday 4:00; Easter Sunday 11:00 Eucharist and 12:00 Ecumenical Service. You will be welcomed warmly.

Have a Blessed Spring Season, and feast on the sights of the bright lavish yellow daffodils, the pink camellias, and all the new blossoms on the trees which line our streets.

(Cecilia A Ranger, SNJM, PhD, University Ministry)

Welcome Fr. Ganz, S.J.

2009-04-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

Jesuit priest to help lead Marylhurst University

Fr. Rick Ganz
As published in The Catholic Sentinel on April 1, 2009

MARYLHURST — A longtime Jesuit educator has been named to a top post at Marylhurst University.

Father Rick Ganz, a member of the Oregon Province of Jesuits for 36 years, is new special counsel to Judi Johansen, Marylhurst’s president.

Ganz will help oversee long-term planning, teach classes and support university ministry. He’s also been charged with enhancing Marylhurst’s presence in the community.

Father Ganz served as a high school and college teacher and administrator. Most recently, he served as the director of campus ministry at Gonzaga University in Spokane, where he became known for trying to link education and spiritual lives. Before that, he served as a teacher and administrator at Jesuit High School.

“The depth and diverse expertise of Father Ganz will add a new dimension to our leadership team,” Johansen said. “Marylhurst will benefit from the wisdom he has gained through his dedicated years of service as an educator and spiritual guide.”

Johansen credited the priest for his “wonderful ability to inspire mission-focused institutions to understand their unique purpose.”

Marylhurst, Oregon’s oldest Catholic university, was founded in 1893 by the Sisters of the Holy Names. In recent years, it has sought to reach out to non-traditional students via small classes offered on weekdays, evenings, weekends and online.

The presence of Father Ganz on campus continues a long partnership between the Holy Names Sisters and the Jesuits.

“We are both forward-looking, and we are both apostolic communities,” Holy Names leadership team member Sister Jane Hibbard told the Sentinel for a 2008 story about the connections.

“We all value continuing education and continuing spiritual development. There is a real sense of nothing being finished yet.”

Reflections from Our Partners in Peace Events

2009-03-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

We want to thank everyone who participated in the Partners in Peace Lenten Events. Many of our participants requested further information to help us understand the crisis in Palestine, Gaza and Israel. We gathered as a community of Christians, Jews and the faithful of Islam to share our common humanity.

The beautiful art we share is a gift from Vicki Shuck. She calls this peace, "In the Beginning". We've chosen this as a prayerful reflection that the sad situation in the Middle East will recreate itself into a new beginning for all of God's people.
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Many asked our panelists and participants to share ideas for Just Social Action responses to further peacemaking. What you will find below is our opening prayer, followed by Sister Elaine Kelley's open sharing. You will find the 25 social Action Response suggestions provided by Mira Almukarker and finally Dr. Masoud Kheirabadi, Ph.D' select bibliography that many have requested.

Blessings to your all and may peace fill our world.

Prayer for the Decade of Nonviolence written by Sister Cecilia Ranger, SNJM Ph.D.

I bow to the sacred in all creation.
May my spirit fill the world with beauty and wonder.
May my mind seek truth with humility and openness.
May my heart forgive without limit.
May my love for friend, enemy, and outcast be without measure.
May my needs be few and my living simple.
May my actions bear witness to the suffering of others.
May my hands never harm a living being.
May my steps stay on the journey of justice.
May my tongue speak for those who are poor
without fear of the powerful.
May my prayers rise with patient discontent,
until no child is hungry.
May my life’s work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.
May my soul rejoice in the present moment.
May my imagination overcome dearth and despair
with new possibilities.
And may I risk reputation, comfort and security
to bring this hope to the children.
Amen

Dr. Sheila O’Connell-Roussell - University Ministry
We open our discussion, “ Seeking a Just Peace for Gaza, Palestine and Israel with prayer. We the children of Abraham stand together today, believing that what we hold in common is more essential than that which alienates us from one another. We are bonded by our commitment to justice and our belief that the Lord our God is One, the Same Creator of all. With St. Paul we offer that all our attempts to image and articulate God ‘fall short”(Romans 3:23). With St. Anslem we image God as that ‘which nothing greater can be thought.” In humility, we recognize with the Angelic Doctor St. Thomas, that, our “God remains beyond our intellect and thus is unknown to us in the full glory of Divinity (Aquinas, De Potentia q. 7, a. 5).
What is essential here is the new level of faith, a faith understood by the house of Israel, offered to their adoptive children of Christianity, and revealed to the faithful of Islam. This Abrahamic faith was -and is- based on the belief that the Lord is a “righteous” God (Psa 119:137) who demands ‘ justice for the oppressed (Psa 103:6).
Today, we invoke the blessings of the God of All who is unconditional mercy, ‘ fidelity, compassion, and liberating love’ articulated by Moses, the prophets, Jesus and Mohammed.
Dr. Masoud Kheirabadi, Ph.D - Marylhurst Professor
We pray in the name of Allah the Most Merciful, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds. Give us your grace, your mercy and show us the way to justice and peace (based on Surah 1).

Sr. Elaine Kelley, Friends of Sabeel--North America
Creator of All, give us a hunger for mercy and a thirst for justice so that all people of earth can be one.

Mr. Robert Abramovitz- Marylhurst M.Div student and Rabbi to Business
Holy One, lead us to understand the sufferings of all your people. Teach us to walk in each others shoes and irrevocably bind our own success to the lives of our brothers and sisters.

Mr. Joe Hastings- Catholic Relief Services
God of All, lead us in your ways of compassion, of mercy and justice for all. Fill us with your grace to heal the wounds of war and the courage to speak up for the peace we profess: a safe and secure home for all built on human dignity and a shared common good.

Meditation: Students Jenny Pixler, William (Billy) Perry
and Crystal Larson-Farr will offer a musical meditation and liturgical dance on Peace.

The following is the sharing offered by Sister Elaine Kelley from Friends of Sabeel Her website is http://fosna.org/content/mapcards

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I lived in Bethlehem on the West Bank for four years and have seen Gaza's squalor and misery. I work with Friends of Sabeel--North America, a grassroots movement started by Palestinian Christians working at the Sabeel peace center in Jerusalem. Sabeel is an Arabic word meaning "the way" and it refers to a path to peace through nonviolence. The People of the Way is what first-century Christians in Palestine were called. Sabeel teaches that this way must be rediscovered by Christians if we are to transform our world and that a Palestinian theology of liberation will lead us to truth and reconciliation. Sabeel believes that a just peace must be based on international law, human rights and existing United Nations resolutions that call for an end to Israel's 41-year military occupation. Our theological, moral, and legal principles are outlined in the Jerusalem Sabeel Document, which is available at our table. In the U.S. we put on regional educational conferences featuring Palestinian and Israeli peacemakers. We also sponsor witness trips to the Holy Land. These are a combination of traditional pilgrimage and opportunities to see the separation wall, checkpoints, demolished homes, settlements, refugee camps, and other details of Israel's military occupation.

I speak from my own personal faith experience as a Catholic Christian and from an understanding of what Jesus is asking of me and all those who would follow him--to build the kingdom here on earth, to turn from desires for earthly power and possession, to be alert to all the temptations of security, comfort and control, and materialism put before us as citizens of the most powerful empire the world has ever known. Jesus spoke to these issues consistently in the Gospel.

MAP. This illustration of Palestinian loss of land from 1946 to the present makes it clear at a glance what the problem is. Zionist forces and their supporters from outside Palestine began to invade. Historical Palestine, shown in GREEN, has now all but disappeared under Israel's policies of expansion and Apartheid. You will never hear the word Apartheid being used in this country to describe Israeli policy because truth is filtered out in what we hear in the news. But people like Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu speak openly about it. This shows the bantustans where Palestinians are confined. Gaza and the West Bank are separated by Israel proper. The entire West Bank is chopped up into little impoverished enclaves. There is a wall that completely surrounds the West Bank--part of it is a 28-foot concrete wall; other parts are electrified fences covered in razor wire and monitored by the Israeli Occupation Forces. If it were a security wall Israel would have built it along the 1967 border of the West Bank; instead, it snakes deep into Palestinian land, overtaking their olive groves, cutting through towns, separating Palestinians from Palestinians. Even entire towns are walled in, like Bethlehem, with only one entrance/exit through an Israeli checkpoint. I went through that checkpoint recently in November. It's a surreal and humiliating experience and difficult for the elderly forced to walk the distance in the cold or rain or under the brutal Middle East sun.

Palestinians can't even travel from one of their own towns to another. They can't travel on their own roads without going through checkpoints, or on the by-pass roads built for the 400,000 illegal Jewish settlers on the West Bank. The tiny Gaza Strip down and on the left is completely enclosed by the sea on the west, the Egyptian border on the southwest, and by Israeli military walls, barbed wire, and checkpoints all around. Israel controls Gaza's airspace, territorial waters, and land borders. Israel controls all water supplies and electrical grids and is in complete control of 1.5 million Palestinians locked inside the tiny Gaza Strip (25 miles long by 6 miles wide)--a virtual outdoor prison of impoverished refugee camps. Israel controls transport of humanitarian aid into Gaza, which it denies regularly. The great irony is that the 1.5 million Gazans who live in the strip don't even want to be there. They want to return to their homes. The first refugees were driven out of their homes and land along the coast of Palestine during the invasion by Zionist forces in 1948 and their population has surged in these six decades. Gaza is now the most densely populated piece of land in the world and one of the most impoverished.

Israel's most recent barbaric war against the people of Gaza was a major news story for a while, but now it's all but forgotten in the media. I believe as a Christian that our highest calling in life is to pursue truth and to be a witness to that truth. Truth, not only about current events on TV, but the truth about the Christian faith and the real message of Christ. Sabeel must deal with the ignorance of Christians who believe God said in the bible that the land of Israel is just for the Jewish people and that Christians are obligated to support illegal settlements on Palestinian land, Israeli military incursions, land confiscation, house demolitions and collective punishment. These people point fingers at Palestinian terrorists and their home-made bombs but not at Israel or the U.S. and their death-dealing weapons of mass destruction. Sabeel works hard to counter biblical literalism, which has been so devastating for the people of Palestine. For without the massive support from American groups like Christians United for Israel and the Christian Embassy with their ideological and economic support for Israeli aggression and their Wednesday morning prayer breakfasts at the Pentagon, without this utterly distorted version of Christianity and its powerful influence on US Middle East foreign policy--Israel could not carry out its expansionist ambitions.

We hope things are changing in Washington, but so far it's the same on Middle East policy. It was announced this week that President Obama will not cut the 30 billion dollars in military aid promised to Israel. And the scurrilous campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists against Charles Freeman, an outspoken critic of Israeli policy and Obama's choice to head the National Intelligence Council, is a very bad sign for Palestinians. This is the political power of empires; it is not the power of truth that we seek. We cannot continue with this politics as usual. Our violence against each other, against poor creatures and all of God's beautiful creation has caused so much suffering and death. I believe that a serious Christian will be appalled by what passes as Christian in this world. I believe that serious Jews and Muslims and all people of good will are sickened by this as well.

We need the radical truth of the Gospel and the message of liberation first given to the Jewish people of first-century Palestine who were in the throes of heroic resistance against the brutal oppression of the Roman Empire. That radical truth was almost lost when Christianity became a part of the Roman Empire but has always been accessible to those who seek the truth. It has been rediscovered in the flowering of historical biblical scholarship and liberation theology. That radical truth is something that Palestinian Christians have always known. They are the living stones, descendants of the first Christians who were there during the time of Christ, who drank tea with the Apostles and suffered the Roman persecution for three centuries. Now they suffer the persecution of new empires.

Easter is close upon us and the story of crucifixion and resurrection will be told again throughout the world. When Palestinian Christians go to church this Palm Sunday and Good Friday and Easter they will listen to sermons very different from the watered down stories we hear. They know their own history well. They know that Christ preached a vision about the kingdom of God, "on earth as it is in heaven", not up in the sky or postponed until death and the next life, but a kingdom Jesus preached for NOW on EARTH, a kingdom of peace and freedom and justice. They know that Jesus' vision of kingdom was in direct conflict with the kingdom of Caesar, who was worshiped as the Son of God and had many names, like Prince of Peace and Savior of the World. According to Roman history, there were two processions in Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday--(1) a procession of Caesar's soldiers "on war horses, leather-armored with helmets, weapons, banners, golden eagles mounted on poles, sun glinting on metal and gold" [Crossan], storming into Jerusalem to instill fear and put down the Jewish revolt that rose up every year before Passover; (2) and there was the procession from the Mount of Olives, Jesus on a little donkey, barefoot, with followers singing hosanna and waving olive branches--in a nonviolent demonstration against injustice and against Caesar's idea of kingdom. Palestinians know that Jesus was not crucified between two thieves but between two insurgents who had much in common with Hamas and Hezbollah. Rome's own historical documents say that crucifixion was reserved only for political criminals--for insurgents and runaway slaves--those who challenged Roman authority. A more accurate translation of the word we inherited as thieves is better read as rebels. For Christians who take the message of the Gospel seriously, the difference is enormously important.

There is hope and it is almost palpable. There's a worldwide consciousness growing and we seem to be on the edge of something new. But we have to work for the kingdom of God and never give up on people. We have to be actively seeking the kingdom. Nation states seek power in all its forms. Christians must not take part in it. We have more important things to do. We must go back to our roots in Palestine, experience Jesus in his historical context as one who suffered under the oppression and military occupation of the Roman Empire. If we can understand that history we can understand our own times better.

What Can We Do To Bring Peace With Justice In Palestine?Gaza Massacres (27 December 2008 - 18 January 2009)
“More than 1,300 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were killed during 22 days of Israeli shelling from sea, air and land. Palestinians in Gaza had nowhere to flee from Israel's onslaught as the border has been closed for two years, with disastrous consequences for the 1.5 million in habitants of Gaza -- the majority of them children and refugees” (http://electronicintifada.net/bytopic/687.shtml).
On 27 December, Israel began its bombardment on Gaza and then on 3 January began its ground offensive. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Gaza. Five sisters in one family, four other children in another home, universities, colleges, police stations, roads, apartment buildings were all targeted. The UN Special Reporter on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian areas issued a statement that "The Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip represent severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war."

Twenty-five Things to Do To Bring Peace with Justice:

1) First get the facts and then disseminate them. Here are some basic background information:
http://www.btselem.org/english/Gaza_Strip
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article4933.shtml
http://www.mepeace.org/forum/topics/the-true-story-behind-this-war The true story behind this war
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/If%20Gaza%20falls.pdf If Gaza Falls
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10055.shtml Gaza massacres must spur us to action

2) Contact local media. Write letters to editors (usually 100-150 words) and longer letters (usually 600-800 words) for local newspapers. But also write to news departments in print, audio, and visual media about their coverage. In the US http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/ you can find media listings in your country using search engines like Google.

3) Pass out flyers with facts and figures about Palestine and Gaza in your community (make sure also to mention its relevance to the audience).
4) Organize and join demonstrations in front of embassies or when not doable in front of your parliament, office of elected officials, and any other visible place (and do media work for it).

5) Hold a teach-in, seminar, public dialogue, documentary film viewing etc. This is straightforward: you need to decide venue, nature, if any speakers, and do some publicity (the internet helps).

6) Volunteer for NGOs in Palestine.

7) Put a Palestinian flag at your window.

8) Wear a Palestinian head scarf (Koufiya).

9) Wear Black arm bands (this helps start conversations with people).

10) Send direct aid to Gaza through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). http://www.un.org/unrwa/

11) Initiate boycotts, divestments and sanctions at all levels including asking leaders to expel the Israeli ambassadors (an ambassador of an apartheid and rogue state). See Palestinian call http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10056.shtml

12) Work towards bringing Israeli leaders before war crime courts (actions along those lines in courts have stopped Israeli leaders from traveling abroad to some countries like Britain where they may face charges).

13) Calling upon all Israelis to demonstrate in front of their war ministry and to more directly challenge their government.

14) Do outreach: to neighbors and friends directly. Via Internet to a lot of others (you can join and post information to various list serves/groups).

15) Start your own activist group or join other local groups (simple search in your city with the word Palestine could identify candidate groups that have previously worked on issues of Palestine). Many have also been successful in at bringing coalitions from different constituencies in their local areas to work together (human rights group, social and civil activists, religious activists, etc).

16) Develop a campaign of sit-ins at government offices or other places where decision makers aggregate.

17) Do a group fast for peace one day and hold it in a public place.

18) Visit Palestine (e.g. with http://www.sirajcenter.org)

19) Support human rights and other groups working on the ground in Palestine.

20) Make large signs and display them at street corners and where ever people congregate.
21) Contact local churches, mosques and other houses of worship and ask them to take a moral stand and act.

22) Sign petitions for Gaza, e.g.
http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/98.php?cl_tf_sign=1

23) Write and call people in Gaza.

24) Work with other groups that do not share your political views (factionalism and excessive divisions within activist communities allowed those who advocate war to succeed).

25) Dedicate a certain time for activism for peace every day (1 hour) and think of more actions than what is listed above.

For support and contacts of people in Gaza or to volunteer, please contact the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between People http://www.pcr.ps/

Recommended Books for Arab-Israeli Conflict
Masoud Kheirabadi, Ph.D

Dan Smith, The State of the Middle East: An Atlas of Conflict and Resolution (Paperback), University of California Press, 2008 (ISBN- 1844076296)

Jimmy Carter, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid (Hardcover), Simon & Schuster (November 14, 2006) (ISBN-10: 0743285026; ISBN-13: 978-0743285025)

Charles Smith, Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A History with Documents, six ed. Bedford/St.Martins, 2007 (ISBN: 13:978-0-312-43736-7

Rashid Khalidi, The War on Lebanon: A Reader, Olive Branch Press, 2007 (ISBN-13: 978-1566566803)

Rashid Khalidi, Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints and America's Perilous Path in the Middle East, Beacon Press, 2004 (ISBN-13: 978-0807002346)

Stephen Sniegoski, et al, The Transparent Cabal: The Neoconservative Agenda, War in the Middle East, and the National Interest of Israel, Ihs Press, 2008 (ISBN-10: 1932528172)

Augustus Richard Norton, Hezbollah: A Short History (Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics) (Hardcover), Princeton University Press (March 1, 2007) ISBN-10: 0691131244; ISBN-13: 978-0691131245

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007 (ISBN-13: 978-0374177720)

Recommended Documentaries:

CBS 60 minutes on Palestinian-Israeli Relations (January 2009) http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4752349n

A lecture by Professor Mearsheimer (Department of Political Science, University of Chicago) and Professor Stephen M. Walt (John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University) on Israeli lobby and US Middle Eastern policy dynamics: http://www.palestineremembered.com/Articles/General/Story1831.html

The Promised Land at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6hCe6CBwko

2009-03-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

Mary Magdala Labyrinth Walk

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Marylhurst University, Room 201, B.P. John Administration

6:00—6:30 p.m.

Crystal Dawn Walker

Veriditas Trained Labyrinth Facilitator

L.A.B.Y. President (Labyrinth Alliance Balance You)

Marylhurst University Partners in Peace: Forum for Interfaith Dialogue

2009-03-06T11:52:00.001-08:00

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Saturday March 14 & Sunday March 15th , 2009... ... ...
Art Reflection -by Vicki Shuck.
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(Continuing Education,, undergraduate or graduate credit may be earned in connection to these Marylhurst University Ministry Partners in Peace events).
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Sat. March 14th
Parish Without Borders: Starting and Strengthening Social Ministry in your Parish
Office of Justice and Peace Archdiocese of Portland
-Catholic Relief Society –West
9:30 am -3:30 pm
Marylhurst University’s Flavia Hall Salon. Continental Breakfast and Lunch Provided.
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Justice for the World- Celebration of the Eucharist...4:00pm. -5:00 pm - Flavia Hall Salon. (Presider Fr. Rick Ganz, S. J.)
Liturgical Artists: students Jenny Pixler, William Perry, Crystal Larsen, Sr. Carol Higgins, SNJM and Dr. Sheila O'Connell-Roussell- University Ministry.

Sun. March 15th
Seeking a Just Peace- Gaza, Palestine and Israel Prayer, Discussion and Community Sharing.
Marylhurst Forum for Interfaith Dialogue
Presenters from the Jewish, Islamic and Christian Communities.
2:00pm -4:00 pm Marylhurst University’s Flavia Hall Salon.
Table: display materials.
Reception with Refreshments Provided.

You are invited to Our free University Ministry Partners in Peace Events.

Parish Without Borders: Starting and Strengthening Social Ministry in your Parish
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This workshop helps participants to start a parish social justice ministry that is (1) rooted in Catholic Social Teaching, (2) connected to other ministries in the parish, and (3) a leaven to invite all parishioners to participate, not just a motivated few! These effective (and realistic!) steps are also helpful for strengthening or renewing the social justice ministry that already exists.
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1 - Inspiration: Being a Leaven of Social Justice
2 - Organization: Moving People to Action & Keeping it Going
3 - Collaboration: Building Connections across the Archdiocese
4 - Transformation: Building Solidarity with the whole Human Family!

Presenters:
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Tom Ulrich -Catholic Relief Services, Director of Constituency Relations and Support Department in US Operations.
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Joe Hastings -Catholic Relief Services
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Catherine Willett -Office of Justice and Peace Archdiocese of Portland
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Jeanine Boucher-Colbert -Catholic Relief Society -West

Marylhurst Forum for Interfaith Dialogue

Sunday March 15
Seeking a Just Peace- Gaza, Palestine and Israel
Prayer, Discussion and Community Sharing.
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Panelists
Dr. Masoud Kheirabadi, Ph.D - Marylhurst Professor
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Sr.Elaine Kelley, Friends of Sabeel--North America
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Robert Abramovitz- Marylhurst M.Div student and Rabbi to Business
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Joe Hastings- Catholic Relief Services
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Catherine Willett—Office of Peace and Justice Archdiocese of Portland.
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A Prayer service, discussion and reception for the community to address peace and justice with a focus on the current issues in Gaza, Palestine and Israel. We gather as an interfaith community to pray, and to express our grief over the distress among our brothers and sisters of all faiths and cultures, and to find hope in our shared humanity.
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Opportunities in our Community: We would also like to make you aware of another event scheduled for the same weekend. If you are not able to join us at Marylhurst, the Sisters of the Holy Names have sponsored -Christian-Muslim Understanding (ICMU) --
"Connecting for the Common Good: Moving from Common Word to Common Works" by Dr. John Borelli (Georgetown) and Dr. Amir Hussain Loyola Marymount) at 1:00 pm, March 13-14, 2009 at Portland State University. More information can be found at http://www.icmuoregon.org & info@icmuoregon.org
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The Catholic Campaign for Peace in the Holy Land is part of an unprecedented interreligious initiative. This initiative engages Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders and communities in a coordinated effort to promote a just peace in the Middle East. The following is adapted from the USCCB site for Peace and Justice. http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/holyland_peace.shtml
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Since Dec. 27 08, the Israeli initiative to stop the Palestinian militant group Hamas from launching rockets, more than 1,000 Palestinians and 13 Israelis have died.

“Religious tensions play a minor role in fueling world conflicts; rather, countless economic and social injustices are what foment violence,” said Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
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"Stop the Violence, Start Building Peace" is the plea of the Episcopal Conference of the Mother Church of Jerusalem – a divided and suffering land.
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"There can be no peace unless people believe in peace. There can be no security unless there is security for all. There can be no justice unless there is justice for everyone in this land,"(Bishops in the communiqué of Jerusalem).
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To the world's leaders the bishops pleaded, "Work with Israelis and Palestinians to stop the violence in Gaza and provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance. But do not stop there. With one voice press Israelis and Palestinians to build a just peace with security for Israel and a viable state for Palestinians."
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Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., said, “"Both Palestinians and Israelis have experienced hurt, violence, death of loved ones, have seen suffering of children and have a shared experience of pain,…" whether by Hamas rockets or Israeli military actions—is only "furthering bitterness and desire for revenge in an endless spiral."
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"Violence begets violence”.
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“Israeli families are terrified of rocket attacks. Palestinians families agonize over the hundreds dying in Gaza and the dire humanitarian situation. Violence only breeds violence. The United States with the international community must help break this spiral of violence." He added, "Throughout this trip I witnessed vibrant faith: Muslim calls to prayer, Jews bowing in prayer, Christians celebrating the Eucharist with joy. Faith must play an important part in resolving the conflict. Religious leaders must emphasize our common belief in peace and the human dignity of all."

January 15, 2009
Bethlehem â€“ Jerusalem

The People's Voice Peace Initiative
An Israeli-Palestinian civil society Initiative developed by Dr. Sari Nusseibeh, President of Al Quds University in Jerusalem and Ami Ayalon, former head of the Israeli security service, Shin Bet.

In early 2004 the Initiative had more than 150,000 Israeli and 125,000 Palestinian
endorsers. This initiative, like the Geneva Accord, offers benchmark principles and ideas for realistic compromises for mutually acceptable peace, including on crucial, sensitive issues such as borders, security, settlements, refugees and Jerusalem.

The Palestinian people and the Jewish people each recognize the other's historic rights with respect to the same land.

The Jewish people has for generations wanted to establish the Jewish State in all the Land of Israel, while the Palestinian people has similarly wanted to establish a state in all of Palestine.
The two sides hereby agree to accept a historic compromise based on the principle of two sovereign and viable states existing side by side. The following Statement of Intentions is an expression of the will of the majority of the people. Both sides believe that through this initiative they can influence their leaders and thereby open a new chapter in the region's history. This new chapter will be realized by calling on the international community to guarantee security in the region and to help in rehabilitating and developing the region's economy.
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The People’s Voice- Statement of Intentions
1. Two states for two peoples: Both sides will declare that Palestine is the only state of the Palestinian people and Israel is the only state of the Jewish people.
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2. Borders: Permanent borders between the two states will be agreed on the basis of the June 4, 1967 lines, UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative (known as the Saudi initiative). - Border modifications will be based on an equal territorial exchange (1:1) in accordance with the vital needs of both sides, including security, territorial contiguity, and demographic considerations.
- The Palestinian State will have a connection between its two geographic areas, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. - After establishment of the agreed borders, no settlers will remain in the Palestinian state.
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3. Jerusalem: Jerusalem will be an open city, the capital of two states. Freedom of religion and full access to holy sites will be guaranteed to all. - Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem will come under Palestinian sovereignty; Jewish neighborhoods under Israeli sovereignty. - Neither side will exercise sovereignty over the holy places. The State of Palestine will be designated Guardian of the Temple Mount for the benefit of Muslims. Israel will be the Guardian of the Western Wall for the benefit of the Jewish people. The status quo on Christian holy sites will be maintained. No excavation will take place in or underneath the holy sites.
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4. Right of return: Recognizing the suffering and the plight of the Palestinian refugees, the international community, Israel, and the Palestinian State will initiate and contribute to an international fund to compensate them. - Palestinian refugees will return only to the State of Palestine; Jews will return only to the State of Israel.
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5. The Palestinian State will be demilitarized and the international community will guarantee its security and independence.
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6. End of conflict: Upon the full implementation of these principles, all claims on both sides and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will end.

A Resource from the
National Interreligious Initiative for Peace
Telephone/Fax: (360) 652-3736
E-mail: usicpme@aol.com or
Office

Envision Marylhurst

2009-01-30T11:07:00.001-08:00

"In the beginning", is a treasured phrase that honors our shared cosmology, preserves the belief that our Creator from beyond time imaged us -all of us- gifted with life and the longing to co-create our lives together.
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In identifying the interconnectedness of each generation, C.S. Lewis wrote, “This moment contains all moments” (The Great Divorce). Our Marylhurst foundresses, the Sisters of the Holy Names, the sisters today and those of the future have entrusted all of us with their vowed mission. We all play essential roles in the story of our mission. Each of us is called to educate and empower, to build a community that works for the good in each generation.
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As I pray for our Envisioning process, as I pray for the discernment each of you contribute. And I’m excited about the future we will create, the legacy with which we will bless future generations. I believe with St. Paul, that the “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard nor has it entered into the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor 2: 9-10) and that "imagination is more important than knowledge...(Albert Einstein).
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It is a privilege to create the future together. I pray blessings on Envision Marylhurst.

Reflections in Ordinary Time

2009-01-14T09:32:00.001-08:00

Interfaith Liturgy:
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New Light and Life Prayer for Peace and Prosperity
Thursday January 22, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Wiegand Recital Hall,- BP John Bldg.

Love in Action Outreach: Please bring food items or funds to support our Second Wind Drive for the Oregon Food Bank. Now that the Holiday season is over, the poor still need our help.

P.S: Scroll Down to find our Links.

Reflections in Ordinary Time:

I got up this morning, spoke to my Lord, poured the coffee and turned on the news. …
There it was again, images of a world whirling in panic, war, and financial hysteria. As I listened to the day’s toxic prediction, the report was a cascade of chaos. The forecast was dreadful, terrible, a plunging stream of loss and fear. The numbers who suffer loss of life, liberty and happiness escalated with each report.
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I can’t wrap my brain around it. Grief numbs what could become overwhelming. Yet, the very thought of Blessed Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. gives hope beyond words. I am old enough to remember him, to have found my own call in light of his commitment and courage. Martin's radical commitment to the path of Christ as an embrace of peace and justice for all, has long nurtured my spirit. What once was a vision, what once was his dream of a better world -even in the midst of crisis- has become reality in our life and times. Barack Obama is soon to be anointed President of these United States.
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This reflection goes beyond politics. Dr. Obama is far more than our first black President, he is an icon of all of us and our ancestors. Although we still have work to do, Dr. Obama evidences that the dream of equality is manifesting in our lives. He is black. He is white. He is an icon of the Native people, the Hawaiians, the Irish and all who dreamed the dreams of freedom and equality. The time is now to work to further justice and provide happiness, prosperity and dignity for all people of earth.
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Can We Do It?
To be clear, there are always two versions of the human story that compete for our allegiance. The first is displayed across the crisis. Denial is foolish. The crisis is real, demanding our attention and healing. I don't offer one of those "think positive and it will be" magical formulas.
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With that said, this chaos does not possess the final definitive word in the story of our lives. We have an essential part to play in the healing of this drama. As Blessed Mother Marie Rose Durocher wrote, “We are guardians for the future.”
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You and I are writing the story of life on earth. We do it together and everyone plays a part in the deconstruction or the building up.
... As I offer this reflection, I'm looking at my little three year old Jack. I find a depth of motivation for the commitment in his eyes. Let's keep on keepin on with the dream of Martin, for Jack and all the little one's who will inheirt our grace and wounds.
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Education Holds the Key. We who are privileged to embrace the vocation of education- whether as student, teacher, staff, or administrator- offer a vision of possibility, a wellspring that nurtures the very fabric of society. Together, we unleash the healing power of vision and -through the interconnected wisdom of our disciplines- provide the tools to weave the world of tomorrow.
... Every day, in everything we do, and by who we are- we reconstruct harmonies of hope. We begin with ourselves then reach to those with whom we share life. We teach the good, shape character and refine skills that change our human destiny, one person at a time.
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The unimaginable power of a liberal arts education is in its ability to celebrate the present, while honoring the past and directing the creation of a new future.
.. Our ancestors offer wisdom for these times of financial insecurity.
... Benjamin Franklin said, that "If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." ...
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It takes faith to believe that we can create the world that we envision. It takes faith to bind our resolve to the Omega Point of Reality, that unchangeable Presence –Who is known by many names. Those who have dared to offer language to describe such Mystery have named the Holy with words that describe our our human hungers for refuge,compassion, liberation, sustenance, love and life. It is Life Itself who calls us to craft our own healing. The Spirit relentlessly calls us into hope, calls us to believe that we have the gifts to turn this dark night into a new dawn for all people, if we believe and work like Martin.
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In union with the Spirit’s grace filled audacity, we are invited to dare to believe that our work will shatter the darkness and fill the world with the Light of Hope. I believe that together we can do it. I believe it's God's will that we do it.
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God's will has never changed. We are called to be what we were created to be, and nothing less. We are creatures made in the image and likeness of God, created as co-creators hard-wired with the ability to recreate, to forgive, heal, learn and love.

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In the beginning was the Word
The Word was with God
And through this sacred Word
All that is came to be.
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The beginning is Now. The Word is love, is justice.
All that exists, all that has been or will be-coming is ...Now.
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In the Present Moment fully lived,
God is....
we are ....
in God....
Now.
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Outside... inside time... the Holy One is...
in our experience...in our memories. Now.. in the present moment, tomorrow is not, not yet.
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The Good News is, we are liberated and empowered to change the story of earth's destiny. With Martin, we can see the promised land and dare to believe that the reign of God is at hand, is coming soon.
..The mind-blowing truth is, it is! If we have eyes to see and ears to hear we'll recognize its incarnation into our world -even as the chaos threatens to swallow us in its rage.
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Reflection …

And the Teacher said, “Be not afraid, the Truth will set you free."
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The Teacher was a dreamer like Martin.
And his students cried, "Truth! The truth is, the world is whirling in panic, war, financial hysteria and grief. If you want us to believe that -truth, justice and compassion can heal this world- then show us."

The Teacher saw their fear and blessed those who would not see the dream take flesh in their lifetimes, yet who were willing to believe. I know he thought of Martin, could imagine his coming. I know he's proud of him today.
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The Teacher was not naïve; he knew the road would be hard. He had tasted fear. He stood before his students hiding nothing of the truth and promised to go before them in all things. Every scar from his journey was visible. He wore no mask to cover the wounds of his passion. Injustice, evil and hatred had ripped at his soul and had torn his body.
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Martin followed his teacher in the ways of peace in defense of justice. On April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, Martin was murdered as he planned his protest against the injust conditions of the garbage workers. The Teacher had taught Martin that there were truths worth living for, worth dying for. The Teacher taught Martin how to change the world. ... And Martin did. In my lifetime, I've witnessed a revolution of the the heart.
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I remember how it was. I remember the day I stood with my friend and my Mother at the bus stop. Two little 1st grade girls waiting for a ride to school in a North Carolina winter's cold. Both little daughters of US Marines whose fathers were gone, off defending our America on some foreign soil. She was black, I, Irish.
..."She can't ride!", the man yelled down to us.
"Well then neither will we!" said Momma. Mom and I walked with Christiana that day through the North Caroloina snow. then Momma worked to change the law. Even the military was segregated at this time and the law would not change until the 60’s with the Civil Rights Act.
Oh I remember Martin, taught his truths to thousands of students over my 30 years of teaching. But I imagined that the dream he sang would take flesh in another age.
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On January 20th, 2009 the United States turns the page of history as we call forth Dr. Barack Obama in service of our people.
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If we want to heal the world, like Martin we can. Even now, The Teacher stands before his students in timeless glory. Gogotha's humiliation could not darken the power of his light or steal the depth of his love. He taught us the way. He taught the truth, the truth that will set us free.
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The Teacher said, “Love one another, as I have loved you. Love the enemy. Heal the sick, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty. Free those in bondage, protect the gifts of creation, and bring peace to the world. It is my peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you. Go in peace."
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Truth is a power not contained by time or place. When injustice is identified and evil named, it dissolves in defeat. It's only a matter of time. And contrary to current political thought, we are not running out of time.

Winter Quarter

2009-01-05T19:21:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year.

Dare to Dream, the Impossible Dream-Peace on Earth, Justice for All.

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We invite you to enter your sacred imagination as together we create this new year of 2009. What mysteries lie ahead? What opportunities and challenges. The privilege of the vocation of education and the ministry of presence, is that we are given the great, humbling and tender vocation of changing people's lives and permitting student to change our own. We can see in the student what lies hidden. We can empower and uplift, direct and encourage.

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As we enter 2009, I wish to give thanks to my teachers. As a young single mother my university teachers told me that I could choose my path. At this point in life, I can't image the journey without their encouragement, critique, challenge and direction. I stand in gratitude for the graced opportunities offered by the sages, teachers, and ministering souls who continue to give so much so that we can live out our dreams.

Happy New Year!

I pray that all your dreams come true. I pray that you dare to dream. And Most importantly, I pray that we all dare to speak our dreams, to give them flesh.

Blessings,

Sheila

PS: The use of this art is gifted to us by the respected North West artist Victoria Shuck.

http://vickishuckartwork.blogspot.com/

Snow Storm Blessings

2008-12-18T17:08:00.000-08:00

Hello Marylhurst Community,
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The snow softly falls around us, whispering, mocking, teasing, mandating that we all stay still and listen to nature's song, a lullaby sung by Mother Earth.
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We can venture out as our did our skilled ancestors, who slowly, carefully -minding each step- challenged the slip and slid of December.
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How do we silence the voice of culture that screams unrelentingly that time is of essence, there is work to be done? Our kind administrators have asked us to relax. Can we? Should we? Will we?
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Should we climb into the antiquated vehicle and skid- hopefully safely so - in attempt to accomplish business as usual, even though the wise ones have retired to their abodes. They enjoy the evening sipping tea, warming soup, grading papers, calculating grades that are due tonight!
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Well, we have computers! Thank you, God for all those geniuses you created, who in turn created this tool that permits us to cast our thoughts as if by the power of bi-location.
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Tonight, Wisdom sings a haunting song of timeless gift. I intend to listen to voices of the grand children. My Stella and Jack know. They know it's time to play.
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We are gently reminded to slow down, to take time, to be kind to self and other.
Isn't it delightful. We have no choice. We need to stay home, stay off the roads and live another season to work.
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This beautiful photo of our BP Johns Administration building looks like the work our own VP Michael Lammers. Thank you Michael for this beautiful meditation.

Snow storm blessings,
Sheila