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College Honors Bishop McFadden, Tom Bruder and
the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

Neumann College celebrated its 43rd anniversary on March 12 by presenting an honorary degree to Bishop Joseph P. McFadden, auxiliary to the Archbishop of Philadelphia; renaming the Life Center in honor of Thomas A. Bruder, Jr., a longtime friend and benefactor of the College; and recognizing the contributions of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia.

After receiving the degree, Bishop McFadden delivered the fifth annual Dr. Dorothy A. P. Leunissen Lecture to a crowd of approximately 150 in the Meagher Theatre. In his address, entitled "The Role of a Catholic College in Our Society Today," he stated, “We have … experienced a knowledge explosion that has come about through technological and scientific advancement which has given humankind a feeling of self-sufficiency and, I believe at the same time, self-absorption whereby man can exist just fine without any need for talk about God or the Creator.”

In applying this concept to higher education, he noted, “There has crept into our society, and I dare say our educational institutions, a relativistic philosophy which would question any notion of absolute truth or the ability to really know the true, the good, and the beautiful. In my opinion, and in many ways, I believe, the whole notion of the ‘Academy’ has been turned upside down … It appears to me today that the Academy is more focused on acquiring knowledge or skills that will make man and woman more successful in the marketplace than in truly knowing about the good, the true, the virtuous and the beautiful.”

Regarding academic freedom on Catholic campuses, Bishop McFadden explained, “I would suggest that when we speak about academic freedom we really mean the search for truth.  I assume that academic freedom is allowing one to pursue the truth.  In a Catholic institution, we welcome this type of academic freedom because Jesus has already revealed to us "truth."  Jesus clearly states I am the way, the life and the truth.  We believe if academic freedom is truly operative in the university setting, it will eventually come to know the truth that we espouse in Jesus Christ.”

After the lecture, the College named its Life Center in honor of Thomas A. Bruder, Jr., a longtime friend and benefactor of the College and a member of its board of trustees since 1971. Bruder is the former owner and president of M. A. Bruder & Sons, Inc., a very successful family business that celebrated its one hundredth anniversary in 1999.

At the dedication ceremony, Bruder recalled his first Board meeting 37 years ago. “We had 306 students, one building and no development office,” he recalled, noting how much the College has grown since that time.

According to Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, Neumann’s president, “Tom Bruder’s generosity has had a significant impact on the growth of this College. From modest beginnings, Neumann has become an impressive regional success story, in large measure thanks to friends like him.”

A portrait of Bruder and a commemorative plaque in his honor were unveiled at the Charter Day celebrations and will be prominently displayed in the newly named Thomas A. Bruder, Jr. Life Center.

The College will also acknowledge the sponsorship of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, who founded Neumann College in 1965. The total enrollment then was 115 students. Today there are 3,084 students, including more than 770 who live on campus.

The Sisters are a community of more than 700 Catholic women religious who choose a Gospel way of life, lived in community. Today they minister in the United States as well as in the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, and Africa. They serve in a variety of ways, including health care; education at all levels; parish and diocesan ministry; spiritual and pastoral care; and service to the elderly, the homeless, the poor, persons with AIDS, immigrants and refugees.

3/24/08