Campus Ministry Newsletter
February 2016
November is a time for remembering. At the beginning of the month the Catholic Church celebrates All Soul's Day. One of my favorite celebrations for remembering those who have died is found in the Mexican celebration of Dia de los Muertos. When I lived in Seattle my wife worked at a parish with a large Latino population who introduced us to the holiday. Now each year my family creates an altar in our home with photos, memorabilia and foods that remind us of our loved ones who have died. Then in the evening we gather to share food and tell stories to kindle their memories in our hearts.
November also provides us with the space to gather with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving. As we gather with our families and friends let us truly give thanks for the abundance in our lives, our loved ones, our Loyola family and the many gifts we receive. May this time of gratitudes also serve as a touchstone calling us to be mindful of those whose tables are empty, who hunger for justice and those who long for companionship.
May this month provide us with space to cultivate gratitude, nurture relationships, examine our relationships with God and live into our call to be persons for and with others.
Peace & blessings,
Seán Bray
Up and Coming Events
EVENSONG
Please join us for Evensong on Thursdays at 5 PM in Alumni Chapel. Evensong is a beautiful evening of prayer, song, and student-led reflection. Pizza & fellowship follow in Cohn Hall 133. Our February Evensong Presiders will be:
Thursday, February 11th:
Thursday, February 18th:
Thursday, February 25th:
Faith and Sexuality: Why Theology Must Think Again About Sex
Please join the entire Loyola community next Thursday evening for a conversation about Faith & Sexuality. Distinguished theologian Mark Jordan, Ph.D., will consider “Why Theology Must Think Again About Sex,”. Jordan is currently the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Christian Thought at the Harvard Divinity School, where he is also a professor of women, gender, and sexuality.
Feb. 11, 2016, at 7 p.m. in McGuire Hall, refreshments available at 6:30 p.m. in the McGuire Atrium.
For more information on Professor Jordan and event details, please visit the event site.
SpiritualiTEA: Feb 11th
Please join us on Thursday, February 11th at 2:00PM in Cohn 133 for Tea & Conversation with Mark Jordan to discuss faith and sexuality. Mark Jordan is a distinguished professor at Harvard Divinity School and has done field-defining work on sexual ethics, political and religious rhetoric, and the history of Christian sexes and genders. He has authored publications including The Ethics of Sex, Telling Truths in Church: Scandal, Flesh, and Christian Speech, Recruiting Young Love: How Christians Talk about Homosexuality, and Convulsing Bodies: Religion and Resistance in Foucault.
This hour will be an opportunity to have a more intimate conversation with Professor Jordan before his keynote lecture which we also hope you can attend that night (2/11) at 7pm in McGuire Hall. Light refreshments will be served.
Please RSVP for the tea to elgower@loyola.edu by Friday, 2/5.
RSVPs are not required to attend, however, they are much appreciated in helping us prepare appropriately for numbers.
Men's Retreat Feb 19-21st
The weekend is limited to 25 participants, and operates on a first-come, first-served basis. We hope you will consider joining us for what promises to be an unforgettable experience. Please contact Fr. John Murray, S.J. at jpmurray@loyola.edu or ext.5881 for more information.
CLICK HERE to register now!
A.M.D.G.: The Retreat
Join us from April 15 - 17, 2016 at the A.M.D.G. retreat! A.M.D.G. stands for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, or “for the greater glory of God,” the motto of the Society of Jesus. The A.M.D.G. Retreat will have a new format this year, focusing on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It will offer an introduction to key parts of the Exercises, including the “first principle and foundation,” growing as a person who discerns, and finding God in all things.
Women's Retreat
We celebrate and invite all women to join us on the Women’s retreat to explore one’s confidence in your authentic self. The Women's Retreat offers students in the Loyola community a weekend away to pray, reflect, and share with one another as women of diverse identities. This retreat offers a unique opportunity to be led by a team of professional women from Loyola. There will be intentional time for community, prayerful reflection, and relaxation. Please contact Elise Gower at elgower@loyola.edu or ext. 5375 for more information.
Register at: http://www.loyola.edu/department/campusministry/retreats/women
The Spiritual Exercises Retreat
February 29 – March 5, 2016 (Spring Break)
Experience the beauty and depth of Ignatian spirituality on this five-day adaptation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. For over five hundred years, the Exercises have helped men and women deepen their personal relationship with God. This retreat is individually directed, meaning that participants meet one-on-one daily with a Jesuit spiritual director. Liturgy will be offered daily, and the retreat team will also present brief reflections on key elements of the Spiritual Exercises.
If you have any questions about the retreat please feel free to contact Fr. John Murray, S.J. at jpmurray@loyola.edu.
save the date
Adoration
Day of Reflection
Date: March 12, Time: 10AM - 4PM
Join us for a Day of Reflection hosted by the authors of The Scandal of White Complicity in US Hyper-Incarceration: A Nonviolent Spirituality of White Resistance. These renowned scholars, Alex Mikulich, Laurie Cassidy and Margaret Pfeil, will facilitate dialogue, reflection, and learning to explore the structural and cultural elements of racism. Participants will be invited to explore a nonviolent spirituality of resistance, through interactive group-process. The event is open to students, staff, faculty, administrators and the community. Registration required: http://www.loyola.edu/department/campusministry/justice/day-of-reflection.
LENTEN RESOURCES
LIFT EVERY VOICE
Lenten Moments of Mercy
ONLINE LENTEN RETREAT
Sunday Mass Schedule during the Academic Year (2015-16)
- 11:00 a.m. in Alumni Chapel
- 6:00 p.m. in Alumni Chapel
- 8:00 p.m. in Fava Chapel (Hammerman)
- 10:00 p.m. in Hopkins Court
Weekday Mass & Liturgy Schedule during the Academic Year
- 12:10 p.m. Monday-Friday: Daily Mass in Alumni Chapel
- 5 p.m. Every Thursday: Evensong (Evening Prayer) in Alumni Chapel | This week's presider: Patrick O'Connor class of 2016
- The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated each day (Mon. – Fri.) before the 12:10 p.m. Daily Mass
Exciting New opportunity
Belief Series
Campus Ministry is excited to be hosting viewings of Oprah Winfrey's documentary series, "Belief." This series examines our global community and explores belief through the lens of traditional faith backgrounds, diverse spiritual practices, and the search for the meaning of life. Join us for bi-weekly episode viewings, Mondays at 7PM in Campus Ministry: February 22, March 7, March 21, April 4, and April 18. Questions: contact Jeffrey Gilcreast jmgilcreast@loyola.edu.
SOUP WITH SUBSTANCE
This semester, Soup with Substance will focus on awareness and dialogue about specific justice issues prevalent in our world today. We choose one topic in which to discuss so that we may gain multiple views and understand the issue on a deeper level. We invite several different people throughout the community to come join in this conversation, serving as a conversation partner and engaging with and listening to the students who will ask questions and provide opinions. We will use a round table discussion model to ensure everyone's voices are included in the conversation.
For the month of February, Soup with Substance will be held on February 10th and February 24th from 12pm-1pm in College Center Room 107. On February 10th, we will be discussing the topic of human trafficking, and on February 24th, we will be talking about Food Justice. A simple meal of soup and bread will be provided. All are welcome!
Engage On CAMPUS
Conversations in Grey: Drop-In Conversations about Race in Baltimore
Five conversations will take place each week at various locations around campus. For more information please visit the webpage
The Daily Examen
Newsletters from other offices
Reflection Questions
How does your faith affect the way you feel or think about issues of racism and racial justice?
How are you opening yourself up to encountering the experiences of others?
When and how have you challenged racism? What happened and what did you learn about yourself and/or others?
When and how have you failed to challenge racism? What happened and what did you learn about yourself and/or others?
If you are looking for places and people to have conversations about race please consider attending a Conversation in Grey session on campus.