Mission & Ministry

Hospitality: College-wide Theme for 2005-2006

Hospitality has been identified as the theme for the 2005-2006 academic year. The response to this theme, which was introduced at the Welcome Back Celebration on August 24, 2005, has been very positive. For an excellent introduction to the theme, you may wish to read Hospitality in the Franciscan Tradition: A Distinctive Ethical Vision and Practice by Richard Kyte in The AFCU Journal: A Franciscan Perspective on Higher Education, January 2004, pp. 10-22. If you don't have a copy of the journal, please feel free to request a copy from the Neumann Institute at 5407 or hutchisp@neumann.edu. This article would make an excellent focus for discussion at a unit meeting.

God's October Surprise

During October 2005 and again in 2006 and 2007, the celebrations of St. Francis of Assisi, Ramadan, and Rosh Hashanah occur within a few days of each another. Persons of faith from all over the world have joined together to utilize this convergence of celebrations to promote greater understanding and dialogue between and among Muslims, Christians, and Jews. To learn more about what has been named "God's October Surprise," please visit the Tent of Abraham website http://www.tentofabraham.org/ This site has links to information which may be incorporated into classes on a wide range of issues related to inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue.

Feast of St. Francis: October 4

Our celebration of the Feast of Francis of Assisi begins on Sunday, October 2 at 4 PM with the Blessing of Animals in the Rose Garden outside the Chapel in Bachmann Main Building. On Monday, October 3, all are invited to join the Sisters of St. Francis at 7 PM in the Motherhouse Chapel for the Transitus Service which commemorates the passing of St. Francis into eternal life. On Tuesday, October 4, the Neumann College celebration of the Feast of St. Francis begins with Morning Prayer at 8:30 AM in the main lobby of the Rocco A. Abessinio Building, followed by coffee and Danish. The Frances and Wesley Bock Book Award for Children's Literature will take place in the library at 10:30 AM. Mass will be celebrated at noon in the Sacred Heart Chapel. There will also be an evening Mass at 7 PM in the OLA (Our Lady of Angels) Motherhouse Chapel of the Sisters of St. Francis to which the Sisters have extended an invitation. Anyone wishing to attend the Transitus celebration on October 3, or the 7 PM Mass in the OLA chapel should please call 610-459-4125.

St. Francis: Troubadour of God's Peace

On Thursday, October 27, 2005, there will be a professional one-man production of the life of St. Francis of Assisi in our own Meagher Theater. This event, which will be presented at 2 PM and 7:30 PM, is free for the college community and guests in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the college and the 150th anniversary of the Sisters of St. Francis. Faculty may wish to encourage students to attend this artistic interpretation of the life and vision of St. Francis. Everyone is welcome to invite families and friends to this event. For more information on Leonardo Defilippis and the theatrical performances offered through St. Luke Productions, please visit http://www.stlukeproductions.com/

Resources available through the Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies

Several faculty and staff members have requested resources to deepen their understanding of the Catholic and Franciscan tradition and to integrate it appropriately and effectively into the curriculum and within the various units. In response, there is now a Resource link on the webpage of the Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies. This link includes resources related to: the Catholic tradition; the Franciscan tradition; social justice, care of creation, and peacemaking; prayer; spirituality and the college student; and service learning.

In addition, one of the other Franciscan colleges is coordinating development of an on-line resource for faculty and staff who wish to explore what it means to identify ourselves as Catholic colleges in the Franciscan tradition. In order for this resource to be of most value, it is important that those designing it are aware of the interests and questions of faculty and staff. Therefore, please e-mail the Neumann Institute office to share your questions and the type resources you would like included on the inter-collegiate Franciscan website.

Spirituality and the College Student

At the August 19, 2005 meeting of the President's Advisory Cabinet, Dr. Ayshe Ergin, Director of Institutional Research, reported on the findings from the College Students' Beliefs and Values (CSBV) Survey. Following Dr. Ergin's report, there was a lively discussion of ways that Neumann College can support our own students' search for meaning and purpose. Excellent resources may be found at the sites indicated on the Neumann Institute resource link.

Neumann Reads

At our Welcome Back celebration Dr. Mirenda shared that Dr. Lawrence S. Cunningham, the John A. O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, will be this year's commencement speaker. Dr. Cunningham is a well known writer and scholar.
During the course of the year, the Neumann Institute Committee will sponsor a book discussion based on one of Cunningham's most recent books Francis of Assisi: Performing the Gospel Life (2004). Look for additional information about the book discussion and how to participate at a later date.

Franciscan Visiting Scholar Lecture

The Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies is pleased to announce that Sr. Kathleen A. Warren, OSF, author of Daring to Cross the Threshold: Francis of Assisi Encounters Sultan Malek al- Kamil, will be with us in the second semester to share her research on Francis of Assisi's encounter with the Muslim Sultan Malek al-Kamil as a model for inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue. Kathy will also share her experience in creating an inter-faith Assisi Pilgrimage scheduled for May 2006. Dates will be announced soon.

Peace and All Good!