Updates, resources, and events highlighting the integration of DePaul’s Vincentian mission into the daily life and work of the university community.
Do Not Be Afraid of New Beginnings…
Bruce Springsteen memorably captures the experience of suffering. Yet, there are those who create possibility and hope amidst such difficulty.
Reflection by: Abdul-Malik Ryan, Assistant Director, Religious Diversity and Pastoral Care
The Catholic singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen memorably captures the experience and effect of facing suffering, abuse, and hardship in his anthemic “Born in the U.S.A.” In the narrator’s words, “You end up like a dog that’s been beat too much, Til’ you spend half your life just covering up now.”[1] I was recently reminded of this line both by the seemingly endless strain of different attacks many of us experience in the world, both directly or indirectly, and also in reading the book Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics by Kurt Gray.[2] Gray, a social psychologist and conflict researcher, argues that human psychology has been shaped by evolution to be extremely attentive to threats in order to avoid harm. Contrary to the idea that humans have always been apex predators, Gray argues that through most of evolutionary time humans have been very vulnerable. Although our environment has become safer for most, we are still “wired” to be incredibly sensitive to harm and threats of harm, and we seek to protect ourselves from those harms. One of the factors that makes societal polarization so frustrating and extreme is that different experiences or perceptions of harm lead us to believe that those who disagree with us are at best insensitive to the hurts we experience. At worst we believe they are dangerous and threatening to us.
Sometimes it may be hard for us to imagine the lives of those saintly figures of the Vincentian family we revere. We are separated from them by large amounts of time and sometimes by geography or cultures. The worlds we live in are much different from those in which they lived. This may be especially true of the women we look up to like Louise de Marillac and Elizabeth Ann Seton. They are introduced to us as saints, appearing to us veiled, and looking out at us from artwork or the pages of books. In the case of these two saints though, and perhaps most human beings, when we really take the time to know them, their life experiences are revealed as quite remarkable. Both of them were wives and mothers. They knew social and religious discrimination, times of relative economic comfort and times of hardship. They both suffered the deaths of a husband and of children. They were known to have times of darkness and uncertainty, but inspired by their faith they opened to others, founding communities of sisters that would serve countless people in need.
Sometimes those who experience scarcity, hurt, and loss end up turning inward and away from others, seeking protection from all the harms out there. Who could blame us? Indeed, we must use the wisdom of our experience to anticipate and plan for threats and harms that await those for whom we are responsible. Yet there are others who use such painful experience and knowledge to open their hearts and arms to those who are suffering. These are the ones that inspire us and create legacies of hope in dark times. They use their knowledge of loneliness to create communities. They use love and gratitude to awaken creativity amid narrowness and difficulty, making way for new possibilities.
For reflection:
How can we see and acknowledge suffering without feeling overwhelmed? What can we do to awaken creativity in difficult times? What can we do to allow others to be hopefully creative?
[1] Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the U.S.A.,” Born in the U.S.A. (1984). See: https://www.springsteenlyrics.com/lyrics.php?song=bornintheusa
[2] Kurt Gray, Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics (Pantheon, 2025), 368 pp.
Updates, resources, and events highlighting the integration of DePaul’s Vincentian mission into the daily life and work of the university community.
Do Not Be Afraid of New Beginnings…
As we enter the school year, how can we discover new opportunities?
Sadly, we have learned of the death of John Singer, the father of Carrie Slad, Cloud Administrator-Associate in Information Services. John passed away on August 26 at the age of 85.
John served in the U.S. Army in the 1960s, and then spent his professional career at First National Bank of Chicago and then LaSalle National Bank until his retirement in 1991.
John treasured time spent with family—especially holidays, celebrations, and outings with his nieces and nephew. He loved attending summer festivals and live performances, and he deeply enjoyed being part of a close-knit family. John was an avid fan of the Chicago Cubs and college basketball, particularly the DePaul Blue Demons and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He also had a deep affection for dogs, especially Old English Sheepdogs.
John will be remembered for his kind heart, steadfast faith, and unwavering love for his family. His memory lives on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.
He is survived by his wife, Carol, daughter Carrie, two grandsons, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Services were held in New Mexico. A full obituary and online condolences can be found at https://www.frenchfunerals.com/obituaries/john-singer
May he rest in peace.
Written By: Siobhan O’Donoghue, M. Div., Director of Faculty and Staff Engagement, Mission & Ministry
“Do not be afraid of new beginnings. Be creative. Be inventive. You who have energy: who have enthusiasm; who want to do something of value for the future; Be inventive, launch out; Do not wait!”
– Quote attributed to Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
Every year on September 9, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul celebrates the Feast Day of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, one of the principal founders of the Society. Frédéric was a gifted scholar, a professor, a lawyer, and a pioneer of social change.
In his invitation quoted above, Frédéric asks us to consider the opportunity presented by new beginnings. As we embark upon the start of this new school year, Frédéric’s invitation seems particularly relevant.
With the busyness of the new academic year starting up, may we make the most of Frédéric’s invitation as we stand on the threshold of something new.
Reflection/Discussion Questions:
[1] See Sunnie Lain, “The Feast Day of Blessed Frederic Ozanam,” 9 September 2019, Society of St. Vincent de Paul Dayton, https://stvincentdayton.org/the-feast-day-of-blessed-frederic-ozanam-2/.
We have learned of the death of Dr. Jeanne Panuncialman, former professor of the School of Nursing. Jeanne passed away on August 19 at the age of 94. A U.S. Navy veteran, Jeanne served as a Naval nurse, earned her Ph.D., and taught in DePaul’s nursing program in the 1980s.
Jeanne built her life around faith and family. She was a true force of nature who served her country and became a role model for women in medicine, and so much more. Until the very end of her life she found joy and humor and shared that with others.
She is survived by seven children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Services were held in August at Knollcrest funeral home. Online condolences may be posted at https://www.knollcrest.net/obituaries/Jeanne-Venard-Panuncialman?obId=44365380#/obituaryInfo.
May she rest in peace.
Sadly, we have learned of the death of John J. Gasparic, the father of David Gasparic, Senior ERP Developer for Information Systems. John passed away on August 30, at the age of 80, after a long battle with lung cancer.
John worked for 31 years selling IRD vibration instrumentation, services, and training for Rockwell Automation. He enjoyed going on family vacations and attending Chicago Cubs and Bulls games with his son and daughter.
John is survived by his wife of 51 years, Judy, his daughter Carrie, his son David, two grandchildren, and many extended family and friends. Services were held on September 5. Online condolences may be posted at https://www.friedrichjones.com/obituaries/John-J-Gasparic?obId=44799214.
May he rest in peace.
It is with deep sorrow that we have learned of the death of Douglas Long, Director of the First-Year Program. Doug passed away on August 26, 2025 after battling Leukemia. He was 62.
Doug earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Indiana University, where he then served as Director of Audience Development before joining DePaul in 2000 as an instructor in the College of Communication. He then became director of the First-Year Program in 2009. The program is recognized as one of the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, a reflection of Doug’s leadership and vision. His work helped shape the experience of thousands of students and supported a great many faculty and staff across the university.
Doug’s passion for movies and their production was widely known. He was always ready for deep conversations about filmmaking and movie trivia with friends and colleagues. He also had a deep love for theatre and stage performance, for which he was a director. His love of family and faith gave him the support and courage to face the challenges of his illness with strength and spirit.
Most of all, Doug was known for his kindness and caring nature, his sense of humor, and his collaborative spirit that kept the First-Year Program thriving and exciting for first-year students. He consistently built dedicated teams of faculty and staff who valued his leadership and collegiality and motivated all to make DePaul’s first-year experience one of excellence. In his own words, “One benefit of working in the First-Year Program is interacting with other people who value education and the opportunity to make the beginning of the college experience as successful as possible.” He will be deeply missed and remembered by many.
Doug is survived by his wife, Kay, children Adam and Sarah, his parents, and three brothers. Visitation will take place on Saturday, August 30, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Adams-Winterfield & Sullivan Funeral Home, 4343 Main Street, Downers Grove, IL. A “Words of Remembrance” service will start at 2:00 p.m. A larger Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be submitted at Adams-Winterfield & Sullivan – Doug Long Obituary and Tribute
A university remembrance service will be held on Thursday, September 25, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. in Cortelyou Commons. RSVP HERE through DeHub
Vincent was a trailblazer, a true change agent of his day. He was a man who saw hope and possibility despite the challenges of his time. He felt a keen dissatisfaction in the gap between the way the world should be and the way the world was. Throughout his 79 years, Vincent sought to close that divide, asking “what must be done” and acting on the answers he found. His life was marked by a deep commitment and devotion to service, grounded in love for all people, especially those most in need.
Each fall, we celebrate Vincentian Heritage Week in honor of St. Vincent de Paul’s Feast Day on September 27. For more than four hundred years, DePaul University has continued to carry forward his legacy by educating the next generation of trailblazers.
Please join us for a week of community building and celebration in the Loop and in Lincoln Park!
Celebrate St. Vincent de Paul with a celebratory Mass at 12:00pm in the St. Louise de Marillac Chapel. Everyone is welcome! Join us afterwards for refreshments across the hall in Catholic Campus Ministry (Student Center – Suite 104). Walk ins are welcome.
Join Office of Student Involvement and Mission and Ministry for the Loop Mini Vinny Fest! Celebrate our namesake’s Feast Day and DePaul University with fun, food, games, photos, free t-shirts and more! This is a DePaul tradition you don’t want to miss! To register, please click here.
Celebrate St. Vincent de Paul with a celebratory Mass at 12:00pm in the Miraculous Medal Chapel. Everyone is welcome!
Join DePaul faculty and staff at our annual St. Vincent de Paul Heritage Week Luncheon in the Loop as we learn about and reflect upon Vincentian Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities. Helping to lead this interactive conversation will be Faculty Council President Sonia Soltero and Staff Council President Scott Ozaroski.
This event will take place in room 8005 of The DePaul Center beginning at Noon. Lunch will be served. We will also be hosting the conversation via Zoom for those who cannot be with us in person. We hope you will join us!
Please RSVP for either in-person or remote attendance by following this link.
Friday, September 26 (8:45 am-10:00 am) | Student Center 120 A & B
Come celebrate our shared Vincentian heritage with delicious food and great community at our annual St. Vincent de Paul Prayer Breakfast. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Martine Green-Rogers, Dean of DePaul’s Theatre School, who will share how she integrates the mission into her professional and personal life.
Join us in community, gathered for the sake of a mission. All are welcome! Please register here.
Join us for Vinny Fest 2025, a DePaul tradition to honor and celebrate St. Vincent de Paul’s legacy with fun, games, photos with Vincent, free food, and more! Vinny Fest features student organizations, offices, and departments as they host engaging activities to celebrate our mission in action as a DePaul community. Follow @depaulvia to stay up to date.
To register to participate, please click here.
Partners interested in registering may access the required form here.
Join Catholic Campus Ministry and St. Vincent de Paul Parish fto celebrate the Feast Day directly following 5pm Mass. Whether you go to Mass weekly, occasionally, or have never been to a Catholic Mass, you are welcome here! Come celebrate! Walk-ins are welcome.
For more information, please contact: sodonogh@depaul.edu.
Patrick Donoghue, the father of Irish Studies Program director Mary McCain, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2025, at the age of 80. An attorney and 78-year resident of Michigan City, Indiana, Pat practiced municipal and corporate law and was a member of the Indiana Bar for 56 years.
Pat graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1966, and received a Juris Doctor in 1969 from Indiana University in Bloomington. He served as a law clerk for the Hon. James E. Noland of the United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana, from 1969 to 1971. He spoke often over the years of this clerkship not only as the honor that it was, but also as a formative experience that would influence his work throughout his career.
In Michigan City, he joined the firm Sweeney, Fox, Sweeney, Winski, and Dabagia, later becoming a partner. Pat was the Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board’s attorney for many years and served in similar roles for the Redevelopment Commission and other boards and councils. He recently received a Distinguished: Very High Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards from Martindale-Hubbell.
An avid sailor, Pat participated in many races and served as the Judge Advocate for the Michigan City Yacht Club. He helped found the South Shore Sailing School and did volunteer legal work and was a longtime board member at the LaPorte County Historical Steam Society.
Pat maintained a lifelong connection to Ireland and Irish culture. He spent much of his time in retirement reading, particularly about American, Irish, and British history, rewatching classic Western movies, traveling, and supporting and taking pride in his children and grandchildren, who loved him deeply and will miss him terribly.
Pat is survived by his wife, Nancy, four children, nine grandchildren, and many extended family and friends.