DePaul faculty and staff are invited to join us for an afternoon of reflection, art, and hospitality as we consider various images, forms, meanings, and styles of dialogue. A guided tour of the Art Institute as well as meaningful conversation and a tasty meal are all included.
Reflection by: Rev. Diane Dardón, Director, Pastoral Care and Religious Diversity
Several weeks ago, a crowd gathered to celebrate the holidays at DePaul’s annual tree lighting ceremony. This year the celebration continued as hundreds made their way from the tree lighting to the Lincoln Park Student Center to participate in Holidays Around the World. As part of DePaul’s commitment to honoring and supporting the spiritual and religious dimensions of our community, this event gave students an opportunity to learn about the multifaith and interconvictional traditions that so many within the university community embrace. Nearly 600 students engaged in activities or sampled the holiday foods from a multitude of faith or spiritual traditions. One of the Christian traditions that was highlighted in Holidays Around the World was Advent.
As a child, I loved Advent! I did not understand that Advent was celebrated in many Christian churches on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. I didn’t realize that this was a Christian liturgical season that marked the beginning of the Christian calendar. I had no clue that the four candles on the Advent wreath that were lit week by week each carried an Advent message of hope, peace, love, or joy. Instead, I loved Advent because I knew it meant that we needed to get ready for Christmas: trees needed to be cut down and decorated, cookies needed to be baked and iced, and lists of Christmas wishes needed to be sent off to dear Santa. I knew that when the Advent wreath magically appeared at the front of the church, we had a lot to do in preparation for Christmas.
For Christian communities that embrace Advent, it is, indeed, a time of preparing for Christmas. But the preparation is not about wrapping gifts or putting up decorations. Instead, Advent is known as a season for preparing one’s heart for the birth of Christ. And more importantly, it is a time of waiting and watching for the coming of the Kingdom of God, a time when all will know hope, peace, love, and joy.
Unfortunately, as we begin this Advent season, we are also deeply embedded in a season of tumult and strife. In these times, many may find themselves watching and waiting for the things that Advent promises but struggling because of a sense of hopelessness, a keen awareness of a world that is not engulfed in peace, and disappointment because joy in a hurting world seems impossible and love for neighbor is thwarted by differences or indifference. It is in times such as these that “God offers us the saints both for our imitation and comfort. We can imitate their spiritual strengths and take comfort in their difficulties.”[1]
For the Vincentian community, we look to Saint Vincent and Saint Louise and are reminded that they, too, lived in tumultuous times. During their lives, Paris was growing daily with masses of people flooding into the city. There was political unrest, with royalty being forced to flee their homes and responsibilities. Invasions and social unrest caused strain on the military. Religious differences caused great schisms among the people. Natural disasters, such as tremendous flooding, increased the societal issues of
poverty, homelessness, crime, and overflowing prisons. Amid this tumult, Vincent and Louise lived in hope and committed their waking moments to helping bring peace, joy, and love into their world. They worked tirelessly to be the very ones who ushered in a new Kingdom, a transformed world.
In this season of watching, waiting, and preparing for a transformed world, we are encouraged to imitate Vincent and Louise. As imitators, we do not lose heart but instead become agents of transformation, encouraging hope in ourselves and others, working toward peace in our communities and the world, and offering love and spreading joy daily.
Things to ponder:
How can you transform your own world? Where do you find hope, and how can you share that hope with others?
What can you do to create peace in your world or your community?
How can you express love through your daily actions? Where do you find joy, and how can you share that joy?
Reflection by: Rev. Diane Dardón, Director, Pastoral Care and Religious Diversity
[1] Quoted from John E. Rybolt, C.M., Advent and Christmas Wisdom from St. Vincent de Paul (Liguori, MO: Liguori Publications, 2012), 128 pp.
Sadly, we have learned of the death of Danielle Kubicz, mother of Christina Kallenborn of Information Services. Danielle passed away on November 8 at the age of 78. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, two children, one grandchild, a sister, and many life-long friends.
Danielle and her husband, Frank, emigrated from Germany after WWII. Danielle worked for the Chicago Library Association, Greenpeace, and for St Ann’s Parish as the parish secretary from the mid-eighties until her retirement in 2012. She was an avid fan of rock concerts of the 60’s, a seasoned world traveler, and had a special love for animals and nature, supporting all kinds of wildlife and passing her knowledge to her young children and their friends. Danielle also loved usual and beautiful things and art, as well as trying unique foods.
The family will receive visitors at Heritage Funeral Home, 3117 S. Oak Park Ave, Berwyn, IL, on Thursday, November 14 from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. A prayer service is scheduled on Friday, November 15 at 9:00 a.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, directly followed by interment at Resurrection Cemetery, 7201 Archer Road, Justice.
With the intent of nurturing our DePaul Catholic community spiritually (mass), and corporally (lunch and good community after!) we would love to have faculty and staff join us at this inaugural Catholic faculty and staff mass.
Please RSVP HERE to let us know you will be attending, so we can order enough food.
It is our intent to have a similar mass and gathering rotating between the Loop and Lincoln Park on a bi-monthly basis, starting next year. All faculty and staff are welcome.
SAVE THE DATE
DePaul faculty and staff are invited to join us for an afternoon of reflection, art, and hospitality as we consider various images, forms, meanings, and styles of dialogue. A guided tour of the Art Institute as well as meaningful conversation and a tasty meal are all included.
Sadly, we have learned of the death of Danielle Kubicz, mother of Christina Kallenborn of Information Services. Danielle passed away on November 8 at the age of 78. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, two children, one grandchild, a sister, and many life-long friends.
Written by: Miranda Lukatch, Editor, Vincentian Studies Institute
Photograph by Akhil Nath.
Our mission here at DePaul focuses on helping others, especially those who have been historically underserved—the poor and the marginalized. It’s a wonderful mission, a noble mission. But I wonder how many of us also need help, and if we do, whether we are able to ask for it. Our own situations may not be as serious as those our mission calls us to aid, and we may not need advocacy or material support. But it’s likely that we need other things—assistance with work projects, perhaps, or, in our personal lives, help with caregiving, or managing burnout, depression, or grief. “Let me know how I can help,” we say when others are in trouble. But when we’re on the receiving end of such offers, we often don’t take people up on them.
In her book The Gifts of Imperfection, professor and social worker Brené Brown writes, “One of the greatest barriers to connection is the cultural importance we place on ‘going it alone.’ Somehow we’ve come to equate success with not needing anyone.” She continues, “Until we can receive with an open heart, we are never really giving with an open heart. When we attach judgment to receiving help, we knowingly or unknowingly attach judgment to giving help.” Brown argues that it’s a mistake to “deriv[e] self-worth from never needing help and always offering it.” [1]
In reading Brown’s words, I was struck by how well they connect with the philosophy of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. Its founder, Frédéric Ozanam, once said that help “humiliates when there is no reciprocity” and “becomes honorable because it may become mutual.” [2] Ozanam and Brown argue that help has a spiritual value beyond what is provided by immediate assistance. It allows people to connect with each other (and, Ozanam would say, with God) in a profound and meaningful way. Because of this, there is as much dignity in asking for help as there is in receiving it. It’s a lesson that runs counter to our cultural expectations, but it’s an important one to remember and internalize. The next time we may be feeling overwhelmed or alone, we should consider how we might challenge ourselves to more readily ask for help.
Reflection Questions:
Is there anything that you need help with? Whom could you ask for help, and how do you think they might respond?
Can you think of situations in the past where someone has asked you for help? How did you feel about the request? Did it make you feel more connected to that person?
Reflection by: Miranda Lukatch, Editor, Vincentian Studies Institute
[1] Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are (Hazelden, 2010), 20.
Each year, the DePaul community comes together for the Gathering of Remembrance, an interfaith service to honor the loved ones of DePaul faculty, staff, and students who have passed away this year. The ceremony includes the reading of names of those who have been lost and prayers from multiple faith traditions, creating a space for reflection, healing, and unity.
We invite you to submit the names of loved ones who have passed away within the last 12 months. Due to time limitations, we kindly ask that you submit no more than three names. This ensures that we can honor everyone during the ceremony and allows us to maintain the reflective and peaceful tone of the event.
With the intent of nurturing our DePaul Catholic community spiritually (mass), and corporally (lunch and good community after!) we would love to have faculty and staff join us at this inaugural Catholic faculty and staff mass.
Please RSVP HERE to let us know you will be attending, so we can order enough food.
It is our intent to have a similar mass and gathering rotating between the Loop and Lincoln Park on a bi-monthly basis, starting next year. All faculty and staff are welcome.
Faculty and Staff Survey
Dear Faculty and Staff,
The long and often-stressful election season has left many of us feeling emotionally drained, concerned, anxious, and perhaps grieving about the state of our society and world.
We want to encourage all to support and to draw support from colleagues and friends in our DePaul community for the strength, comfort, and hope needed to move forward with a resilient hope.
In that spirit, would you please share resources, such as poems, songs, websites, readings, or thoughts you draw on in times like these and that you believe may be of help and support to others. Once we collect a critical mass of items to share, we will post on our blog site, Way of Wisdom.
Please know that as a Mission and Ministry team we are always here to support DePaul faculty and staff. Please contact any of us if we can be of help.
Written by: Euan Hague, PhD, Vincent de Paul Professor of Geography and Director of the School of Public Service and the Student Urban Research Corps. Recipient of the Cortelyou-Lowery Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in 2024.
Group photo of SURC and community members from the SURC Showcase, September 2024
In a letter to Monsieur Horcholle written in June 1650, Vincent stated, “I will always welcome joyfully any opportunity that comes my way to be of service to you.” [1] Service to others runs through DePaul in all its aspects and operations. But what does it mean to serve, and how should service to others be pursued? In over twenty years as a faculty member, I have put service to the community at the center of my own teaching and scholarship. The challenge is always the relationship between the “opportunities that come my way to be of service,” the manner in which we serve others, and the coordination of that work. Community collaborations are not one-off meetings; they need consistent negotiation and management, both with the organization and with the students working on projects. Such work is itself service, because through it we channel the personalism and Vincentian commitment that “it is not enough to do good. It must be done well.” [2]
In 2021, with support from an external funder, I conceived of the Student Urban Research Corps, which I now lead. It is housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Each year, a group of fifteen to twenty undergraduate and graduate students take on service projects to bring their skills into practice, working on community-defined research projects that assist organizations in their missions. From helping Lucky Jefferson to assess the publishing landscape faced by Black and other ethnic minority authors, to mapping the impactful events delivered by Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN), in the past three years SURC projects have aided a dozen community organizations. In some instances, a community organization reaches out, not knowing quite what they want or how to achieve it, but knowing that something is needed, and that they would like DePaul’s support to attain it. In those cases, I meet with the organization, listen, learn about their needs and community, and make suggestions about the capacities and skills sets that our students can bring to understanding an issue. In other cases, I return to an organization that I’ve partnered with in the past, or an organization that I have become familiar with through other interactions and ask what projects would help to build capacity. In these conversations, I echo Madame de Gondi’s asking of Vincent, “What must be done?” [3]
Prof. Hague working with students: Lacy Wright, who is seated, and Chris Impellizeri, who is standing. Photo by Keeton Holder/DePaul University
Communities and their members know about themselves. Most do not want academics to impose agendas or questions on them. Rather, we serve by offering help to answer questions, to collaborate on finding solutions, and to enhance the capacity of groups to make decisions about their own futures. Students learn through engaging with organizations and interacting with the community members who have questions to ask and conversations to pursue. “Being able to work with and for community members and organizations through SURC has been a great opportunity to participate in social science research that is truly community-driven,” says Beata Neidhoefer (LAS ’25). “As a sociology major interested in research, I’m wary of the history of social science research as a process often detached from real peoples’ interests and needs. SURC provides a uniquely direct connection between community needs and student researchers’ skills, enabling us to use what we learn in the classroom in an applied, practical way while building technical and transferable skills and building professional relationships with community members.”
Whether DePaul faculty bring the community, through its members, onto DePaul’s campus, or go out, like Vincent, into the community to serve, the common aspect is that it takes work and an investment of time and energy from all parties. It takes time to build trust and collaborations, sometimes months or even years, and it takes time to work on projects that serve both the outcomes of the community and enhance student learning. Yet, this service follows another of Vincent’s calls to action: “Let’s work, let’s work, let’s go to the assistance of the poor country people who are waiting for us.” [4] Although I don’t think underserved and underrepresented communities are necessarily “waiting for us” in 2024, the call to go to assistance still resonates. We cannot only wait for opportunities to serve to come to us. We should seek out places where we can help, where our expertise and resources can make a difference in neighborhoods and communities across Chicago and beyond. Academic institutions are often derided as ivory towers where detached faculty and students talk and write esoterically about subjects. DePaul is different. Our mission, with its commitment to give “special attention to including underserved and underrepresented communities,” is central to the identity of the institution, which means it is central to the work we do as faculty, staff, and students at DePaul. To serve means to collaborate, to learn from residents and community groups, and to share DePaul’s resources, skills and expertise, with both professionalism and personalism.
“You can give me no greater consolation nor render greater service to your neighbor than to place yourself in a condition to serve him for a long time,” Vincent wrote to Jean Martin in May 1648. [5] DePaul has been serving Chicago since 1898. We and our students continue to serve.
Reflection Questions:
What does it mean to “welcome joyfully any opportunity that comes [your] way to be of service” in your work at DePaul?
How does your commitment to Vincent’s demand to go to the assistance of the poor reflect in your career at DePaul?
Reflection by: Euan Hague, PhD, Vincent de Paul Professor of Geography and Director of the School of Public Service and the Student Urban Research Corps. He received the Cortelyou-Lowery Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in 2024.
[2] This popular quote cited often at DePaul is a rephrasing of Vincent’s words. For the full quote, see: Conference 177, “Repetition of Prayer,” November 25,1657, CCD, 11:389. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentian_ebooks/37/.
[3] This is also a popular rephrasing. For the full quote, see: Conference 1, “The Vocation of a Missioner,” CCD, 11:3.
[4] Conference 177, “Repetition of Prayer,” CCD, 11:391.
As we face the challenges of a pivotal election, let’s unite to uplift our community, engage in meaningful conversations, and remember that we’re on this journey together.
Lunch with Vincent: The Black Experience at DePaul With Darryl Arrington and Shajuan Young
Join us for a closer look at the black experience at DePaul as shared by Darryl Arrington and Shajuan Young from the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity. Learn how they are trying to help eradicate the achievement gap for black students, foster success for black staff and faculty and use DePaul’s mission to help build a culture of belonging for all. Join us for conversation, community building and a tasty lunch! If you cannot attend in person, a Zoom option is available.
Each year, the DePaul community comes together for the Gathering of Remembrance, an interfaith service to honor the loved ones of DePaul faculty, staff, and students who have passed away this year. The ceremony includes the reading of names of those who have been lost and prayers from multiple faith traditions, creating a space for reflection, healing, and unity.
We invite you to submit the names of loved ones who have passed away within the last 12 months. Due to time limitations, we kindly ask that you submit no more than three names. This ensures that we can honor everyone during the ceremony and allows us to maintain the reflective and peaceful tone of the event.
With the intent of nurturing our DePaul Catholic community spiritually (mass), and corporally (lunch and good community after!) we would love to have faculty and staff join us at this inaugural Catholic faculty and staff mass.
Please RSVP HERE to let us know you will be attending, so we can order enough food.
It is our intent to have a similar mass and gathering rotating between the Loop and Lincoln Park on a bi-monthly basis, starting next year. All faculty and staff are welcome.
Written by: Victoria Van Kirk Pride, Associate Director of Housing Operations
As we approach the results of a pivotal election, it feels like we’re all holding our breath—like the feeling of waiting for the “L” during rush hour on a crammed platform, surrounded by a vibrant mix of humanity and a soundtrack of varied conversations. Each of us comes from different stops along the transit map, carrying our hopes, convictions, goals, and perhaps a touch of anxiety—all striving to reach our destinations while keeping in step with the pace of the city and one another.
Amid this swirling energy and the heightened stress of the times, we are reminded of Saint Vincent de Paul’s words: “It is not enough to do good. It must be done well.” [1] This quote serves as a powerful call to action, urging us not only to act but to do so with intention. In these uncertain times, responding with compassion and understanding is essential. A little kindness can be one of the most effective antidotes to the emotions of the moment, helping us navigate the challenges we face together.
Our DePaul community thrives on its diversity, weaving together a rich tapestry of voices and experiences. Regardless of the election’s outcome, each of us plays a vital role in picking up the pieces and fostering meaningful conversations—we have to take care of one another. Recognizing and valuing our diverse perspectives is crucial, especially for those who may feel marginalized. Sharing an hour for coffee with a classmate who sees things differently, or supporting those who feel sidelined, can create real change. These small gestures add up and are like the stops on our beloved “L” line—each one helps map out our journey, guiding us through the complexities of our shared experience.
Let’s acknowledge that this election cycle has felt long and dramatic. The constant barrage of news headlines and social media clips makes it hard to sift through the noise for substance. It’s normal to feel a whirlwind of emotions—anxiety, excitement, disbelief—especially when our perspectives differ. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to breathe deeply and honor those feelings. Go for a walk in Lincoln Park, journal your thoughts to process any lingering frustration, or strike up a Teams chat or text thread with a DePaul friend or two to lift your mood or make you laugh—surely you can find a hilarious GIF to share apropos to the times we are in.
As we navigate this uncertain terrain, let’s remind ourselves of the Dalai Lama’s wisdom in quoting a favorite West African proverb: “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” This somewhat humorous reminder underscores that even the smallest actions or intentions can create impacts or ripples of change, especially during challenging times when every effort to engage, support, and uplift one another matters more than ever. Let’s turn to one another for support and understanding to connect our personal experiences to collective action.
So, regardless of the outcome, let us reflect on our roles here in our Vincentian community. How can you embody the spirit of Vincent in your daily interactions? What steps can you take to foster understanding and rebuild respectful connections within your circles? Share your ideas with friends, join a campus group focused on dialogue, or even write a reflection on your experience this election season. Every voice matters in shaping our community.
Together, we can embrace the challenges ahead, finding strength in our shared values and humor, reminding ourselves that while adversity is inevitable, our response is a choice that shapes our community.
Reflection Questions:
How can I actively contribute to creating a more inclusive community through and after the election?
In what ways can I approach conversations with empathy and a bit of warmth?
What small, intentional actions can I take this week to support those who feel overlooked?
Reflection by: Victoria Van Kirk Pride, Associate Director of Housing Operations
[1] This popular quote at DePaul is a slight rephrasing of Vincent’s words. For the full quote, see: Conference 177, “Repetition of Prayer,” November 25,1657, CCD, 11:389. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentian_ebooks/37/.
Lunch with Vincent: The Black Experience at DePaul With Darryl Arrington and Shajuan Young
Join us for a closer look at the black experience at DePaul as shared by Darryl Arrington and Shajuan Young from the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity. Learn how they are trying to help eradicate the achievement gap for black students, foster success for black staff and faculty and use DePaul’s mission to help build a culture of belonging for all. Join us for conversation, community building and a tasty lunch! If you cannot attend in person, a Zoom option is available.
Each year, the DePaul community comes together for the Gathering of Remembrance, an interfaith service to honor the loved ones of DePaul faculty, staff, and students who have passed away this year. The ceremony includes the reading of names of those who have been lost and prayers from multiple faith traditions, creating a space for reflection, healing, and unity.
We invite you to submit the names of loved ones who have passed away within the last 12 months. Due to time limitations, we kindly ask that you submit no more than three names. This ensures that we can honor everyone during the ceremony and allows us to maintain the reflective and peaceful tone of the event.
Sadly, we have learned of the death of Danielle Kubicz, mother of Christina Kallenborn of Information Services. Danielle passed away on November 8 at the age of 78. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, two children, one grandchild, a sister, and many life-long friends.
