Seeds of Mission

A Parade of Casseroles

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casseroleWorking at DePaul University I’ve learned a lot about St. Vincent DePaul the charity saint. While many others were doing good works during his time, Vincent was the first to organize charity in a systemic way. One of the first places he experimented with this was at a parish in Chatillon, France. He recognized that parishioners would respond when there was a neighbor in need, but that the person would be overwhelmed with too much attention all at once and so the good will was not put to good use – back then they didn’t have freezers to hold extra casseroles! So, Vincent began to organize the parishioners into small groups of people who would go out and do home visits to assess need and then decide together how to respond to it. In these visits, both the physical and spiritual needs would be attended to.

This practice continues today around the world with the St. Vincent DePaul Society and other ministries, where volunteers go into others’ homes. It is also happening right here in Chicago in my own St. John Berchmans (SJB) parish community thanks to the ministry of HOPE (Helping Other People Enthusiastically).

For the past few weeks my family has been the gracious recipient of the generosity of SJB friends who have brought us meals as we welcome home our son Theodore.

Typically I’m on the giving, not receiving end. At first my husband was hesitant to receive such generosity since “we” don’t really need it. When I asked if he was going to suddenly take up cooking as his new hobby and leave his newborn in order to go to the grocery store, he quickly changed his mind. Yes, perhaps we could use some extra help! It is a humbling time as we welcome with open arms a parade of casseroles and tasty treats to give us the endurance to push through sleepless nights.

There is something very intimate and sacred about inviting someone into your home, especially during a moment of need. People we see in the pews on Sunday entered both the joy and messiness of our life with a newborn. Some would stay and visit for a while, sharing their wisdom on parenthood. Others saw we had our hands full and just left instructions of how to heat the food.

The simple act of preparing and delivering a meal is profound way to continue to build bridges of solidarity together. We are grateful for the physical and spiritual nourishment we’ve received from the SJB community –the actual meals and the many powerful prayers that have made all the difference in our and Teddy’s life. Hopefully someday you will have the opportunity to join or receive a parade of casseroles too.

Joyana Dvorak serves as Service Immersion Coordinator with DePaul University Ministry when she’s not home on maternity leave with her son.

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org

 

What is Vincentian?

bcicirel Seeds of Mission, Spirituality

Being-a-Vincentian

Often at DePaul we hear, see, and use references to our institution’s Vincentian heritage and mission. The word “Vincentian” is a direct link to our patron St. Vincent de Paul and our founding religious community, the Congregation of the Mission (also called “Vincentians”). The DePaul community is quite serious about its Vincentian mission even if there are different and nuanced understandings of what it means in theory and practice. At times, praise is given to people for acting or making decisions in a “Vincentian” way, perhaps because they extended or distinguished themselves in service to others. In other instances, critical judgment is passed on some actions or policies for being “not very Vincentian,” or not reflecting our cherished mission and identity.

Because this Vincentian mission is central to our identity and purpose as an institution and to how we understand and go about our work the question “What is Vincentian?” is a particularly important and relevant one.

In one way, it is and should be an ever-evolving conversation as circumstances change. In another there are certain foundational elements to “Vincentian” that are consistent over time.   In order to continue the conversation, I suggest two central ideas below for what “Vincentian” means. But, I’m interested in what others think. So – what do you understand to be key aspects of being Vincentian and to living out this Vincentian mission? What does it mean or ought it to mean for us to be a Vincentian university? What distinguishes us from other non-Vincentian institutions?

 Attention to the Needs of Those Who Live in Poverty
“[G]o first to all the poor and help them; if you can do other things, fine!” St. Vincent de Paul (V.10, no. 86)

The first idea I would contribute to the conversation is this: to be Vincentian as a person or as an institution means that a constitutive dimension of who we are must be about alleviating the suffering and addressing the needs of those who live in poverty. If there is anything characteristic of Vincent de Paul’s theology and life’s work, it was an attention to “the poor.” Therefore, if there is anything characteristic of a Vincentian person or institution, it must include a self-understanding and a commitment to social responsibility, particularly to addressing the needs of those who suffer or are marginalized by our society. With this in mind, our lives or our success are not measured by self-advancement alone but ultimately by what we do to help others and the human community as a whole to advance, with particular attention given to people who are disadvantaged or underprivileged by the structural realities of our society.

Whether one is an accountant, a nurse, a journalist, a scientist, a computer programmer, a musician, a teacher, an actor — or whatever profession or discipline one pursues — to be Vincentian means that we understand that the resources, skills, talents and opportunities with which we have been blessed find their full expression only when they are invested not just for our own benefit but also for the good and well-being of others, particularly to alleviate the suffering of the poor and outcast.

Attention to Providence
“[W]isdom consists in following Providence step by step.” St. Vincent de Paul (V. 2, no. 720)

The second major component that I would contribute to any notion of what it means to be “Vincentian” is attention to what Vincent often called “Providence,” or to the movement and action of God in our daily life and experiences.   Any reading of Vincent and his life reveals that Vincent’s worldview was grounded in a sense of God at work, leading him, guiding him, re-directing him, and moving him to action. Much of his attention was focused on discerning how and in what ways Providence was at work in his daily life, experiences, and human encounters.   He understood himself and his followers in their day to day work to be part of a much larger mission and project, that of God’s mission on earth.

With this emphasis on paying attention to Providence , being “Vincentian” means that we understand ourselves to be part of a bigger movement that transcends and exceeds the limits of our own life and person. It begs in us the question: “What is the larger project or mission of which you and your daily life and work are a part?” Or, put another way, “To what end is your life and work directed?”

These are two elements that I believe are essential to any understanding of what it means to be a “Vincentian,” whether as an individual or as an institution. There are clearly others… what do you think? Share your thoughts and ideas so that we can together paint a fuller picture of what “Vincentian” means for us in today’s day and age and here at DePaul.

Mark Laboe serves as DePaul’s Associate Vice President for University Ministry

Photo courtesy of http://bit.ly/1pGWcyw

What George Clooney Taught Me About the Importance of Education

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BLOG photo 2

What does a mediocre rental movie have to do with existential questions of humanity and the value of higher education?  Probably very little, but I will let you peek into the firing of my synapses which found a connection.

It was a free night with no plans so my wife and I rented a movie from the box in the drug store.   After some discussion we choose The Monuments Men. The movie follows the ‘based on a true story’ tale of a group of art scholars tasked with preserving masterpieces during the throes of World War II. The mission is carried out while the Nazis are seeking to seize masterpieces from the countries being militarily conquered. Worse still, because of the war paintings, sculpture, and architecturally important buildings could be destroyed either due to the fighting and bombing or intentionally due to the Nazis’ desire to eradicate a people’s culture from the earth.

The movie focused on some key questions for us as people. How can we reconcile the spending of resources on preserving works of art (no matter how beautiful) with the fact that resources are in short supply and in high demand for other needs? How can we spend lives saving art rather than defeating the enemy? More importantly, what is it we are actually fighting for? What do we truly value?

These questions make me think of current debates regarding the value of higher education.   What is higher education’s purpose or need when, in a changing job market, a college education is not necessarily required and is certainly not a guarantee of employment?

If higher education is reduced to being a hoop one needs to jump through to get a lucrative job, I will concede pursuing it may not make sense. It is however more than that. Though it may help one get a job (and well it should), higher education is about education — learning, imparting wisdom, and helping one discern vocation. Perhaps most importantly, higher education is about discovering the contributions a person will make with their one precious life.

The process of education is about making sense of life and our world; it is not so our job market can ask us what sense higher education makes.   If education was all about how to get high-paying jobs (which are not bad and can be quite good) and that is all we focused on, our societal response to positions of care and compassion for our sick, elderly, and vulnerable would be very small. Human services would not be a field, nor would most liberal arts studies. History would be lost to time, and we would gain nothing from the accomplishments of those who have gone before us. The greatest accomplishments in thought and philosophy would go unlearned and unexamined. If it is all about high paying jobs, we may well be excellent producers of products, but we may never have learned how to think.

I recently watched the eyes of a large Mexican family – all of them, from oldest to youngest, men and women – fill with tears as they looked on with pride as their loved one (daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, great niece, cousin) donned a DePaul cap and gown, becoming the first in their family to graduate from college. She will be going into a helping profession.

If higher ed is primarily about money this scene does not make sense, but if education is about more than that – striving to achieve, learning, living dreams, discovering passions, extending one’s understanding of community – the very things that make us human, then I think we have answered what the value of higher education is.

The movie The Monuments Men makes a compelling argument that we were not simply fighting to save people nor only to stop an imperialist power. We were fighting to preserve cultures, people’s histories, and greatest accomplishments. It makes the point that we value difference, beauty, and expression as humans. It also makes the point that we are willing to do what is necessary to preserve these elements for future generations. We do this so that those who come after us will be inspired to learn about their culture, learn about where they come from, and learn about the very essence of what makes them who they are.

Presumably this is also why we continue to offer and place value upon higher education. Without education present in our society we risk becoming a culture of task completers, valued chiefly by our capacity to produce. With learning present in our society, we are humanized and we are a culture of beings valued for who we are as a people.

In the movie one of the characters asks, “Who would make sure that the statue of David is still standing or the Mona Lisa is still smiling? Who will protect her?” If the focus had only been on defeating the Germans, the “monuments men” would not have made sense and neither would the art they were trying to save. If our focus is on our humanity and our greatest expression of such, these are the values we hold dear, these are the values we fight for, and these are the reasons we endeavor to learn.

 

Robert J. Gilmore is the Coordinator of Faith Formation for DePaul’s Catholic Campus Ministry

 Monuments Men image from from wikipedia.org; Egan Statue from http://abt.cm/1nTAZDq

 

5 Pieces of Advice for DePaul’s Incoming Freshmen— From Last Year’s Freshmen!

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depaul quad

As the school year came to an end last month, I heard a lot of fellow freshmen saying things like, “I can’t believe how fast this year went!” Or, “I wish I could do (fill in the blank!) all over again.” A few of those freshmen were also talking about things they wish had known before they came to DePaul. So I gathered a group of these experts to offer their five top pieces of advice for DePaul’s incoming class. Here we go:

DON’T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE ON TV!

You’re probably not going to be partying all the time. In fact, if you try this, you’re likely going to watch your grades plummet. You’ll be out of here faster than you can say “This party rocks”. On the other hand, most college experiences aren’t spent under a tower of books either. Most students are able to balance their academics with their social life. But make some good choices because your first few quarter grades will really shape your overall GPA down the road.

MAKING FRIENDS IS TIME CONSUMING AND CAN BE DIFFICULT

The first week, particularly if you’re part of the Discover program, your whole floor tries to be best friends. This likely won’t last. Depending on your res hall, you will stay social, but most of your friends will come from elsewhere. Classes are small, which is great for individualized attention from teachers, but this does not actually help that much in making friends. Aside from group projects, you most likely won’t talk to your classmates much. Your friends will come from the communities you get involved in. There are tons of different clubs, sororities, fraternities, faith-based groups, and service groups. The more you get involved, the more people you meet and the less lonely the campus feels. And sometimes joining a group that just sounds interesting cannot only turn out to bring you great friends, but you might discover some new interest or passion.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIME – YET NONE AT ALL

Coming from high school means that most of you probably were really busy with classwork, extra-curricular things and trying to hang out with your friends before you all went your separate ways. That final year in high school is really busy with fourteen hour days being packed full. When you get to DePaul you will find that your time is really open. You’ll be wondering how to fill the hours and you might even miss the structure and business of high school. But don’t panic. Your schedule will get packed. You’ll need to make time for classes, studying, working, social life and the groups you join. Don’t forget to add in time to go out of your building for meals and try to work in some recreation. You’ll need time to work out the stress and tension. And then, before you know it, your calendar is packed and you’re back to fourteen hour days. So be particular about what you fill your hours with. Join clubs, go out, leave time to study, and maybe, just maybe, try to squeeze in some time for sleep…and set and stick to priorities.

BEING A COMMUTER CAN BE BRUTAL

While you may not have to deal with annoying roommates and awful meal plans, being a commuter is tough. It’s harder to meet people when you’re not on campus as often. While no one really likes traffic or trains, commuters inevitably come to loathe these things, though they are experts on navigating them. The truth is, though, everyone at DePaul becomes a commuter eventually because few people live on or even near campus after freshman year. Find friends to live with off campus, find friends who commute like you, find friends who can share the grind of commuting and enjoy your time at DePaul whether in the res halls or not!

THIS IS CHIBERIA

This past winter was particularly cold, but those from warmer states or maybe even those just not used to feeling lake-effect winds may not be prepared for winters in Chicago. Get yourself some waterproof boots, a real winter coat, a thick scarf, thicker gloves, a fuzzy hat (no matter how goofy you look!), grow some of that tough Chicago skin, and start praying for spring. The quarter system lets us skip the December snow, but as you’re waiting at the Fullerton platform the first week of January and shivering, you’ll realize that we got back just in time for two or three months of ice. Someone waiting with a bunch of people on the Fullerton platform said to one shivering group, “You live in Chicago? You’re a warrior. You know that? A WARRIOR!” Yes, yes, we are warriors. And the battle starts winter quarter.

WELCOME TO DEPAUL, freshmen! You are in for a great year…and it will fly by…and then YOU can share your advice with the next new class. Enjoy!

Lindsey Echito is now a sophomore at DePaul who put her advice together with other freshmen thoughts to offer this great advice.

Photo courtesy of DePaul DeBlogs