Pastoral Care and Counseling Newsletter Pastoral Care and Neumann College Counseling Newsletter October, 2008 Neumann College, Visitors to Campus One Neumann Drive, Aston, PA 19014-1298 February, 2008 Bring Perspectives on Hope, ____________________________________________ The Pastoral Care and Counseling Newsletter is Homelessness and Forgiveness a department publication issued several times dur- ing the academic year. Since the opening of the Written by and for the school term in August, five highly re- members of the Pastoral garded persons have visited the Neu- Care and Counseling De- mann campus in response to invita- partment, it contains ar- tions from the Pastoral Care and ticles, reviews, inter- Counseling program. Two of these views and forms of re- five have been singular speakers at flective material of inter- events in the PCC Lecture series. est to these members sub- The other three served as a panel to mitted in advance to the provide input for the Fall Evening of editor of the publication. The streets of North Philadelphia to Enrichment. Editor: Suzanne Mayer, which Suzanne Neisser’s, rsm, minis- On Wednesday evening, Sep- try took her [upper] contrasts greatly ihm, Ph.D. tember 10 as is traditional, the three with Cranaleith, the Center to which Photography: Len Di- evenings of classes collapsed into one she took her retreatants [lower]. Paul, Ed.D. to allow all students in whatever Contributors: Eileen courses or programs to attend the Fall program, all of whom work with the Flanagan , Ph.D. Jim Evening of Enrichment. The focus of severely mentally ill and/or homeless Houck, Ph.D. this year’s gathering was an arti- spoke of their involvement in this cle that appeared in a recent ministry. Ranging from how they got Inside this issue: issue of the journal Spiritual involved, to their current engage- Life on “Spirituality Down ment, to the life, heart and hope they Advisory Board Decides on AdHoc 2 Here Between the Cracks.” hold for their special people, all S. Redemptrix Greets All from Rome 3 In the writing a writer, Aldo called for a spirit of compassion. Gallo, at times both home- Mark Diffenbaugh, the most recent Trio of Interns Shares On Current 4 less and mentally ill, pleads graduate — May, 08, told of sitting at Placements for an acceptance that goes length on a parking lot holding a cli- List of Upcoming Programs, Lectures 5 beyond understanding, espe- ent who just endured a schizophrenic cially on the part of those in break until the man could stand and Faculty Feats 6 church communities and return to the day center. Suzanne New Look in Spring Schedule 7 helping ministries. As a rein- Neisser, rsm, a spiritual director who forcement to the article, has taken courses in the supervisors’ CHS Program Involves Reflection 8 three graduates of the PCC program, told of ministering to the Continued on page 3 Page 2 Advisory Board welcomes — Advocate for Homeless as Goals Are Formulated Dr. Len DiPaul writes: The students to the spiritual and emotional world of the newly assembled Pastoral homeless. Care and Counseling Advi- Rev Mr. Joe Cella, a graduate of Spiritual sory Board met for their bi- Direction, has volunteered to coordinate a task annual meeting this past force which will work to put traction to a proposi- October 6. The meeting tion focusing on this particular topic. A meeting will opened with a brief expla- be convened to establish objectives along with nation and discussion on time commitments to move this initiative forward. the purpose of an Advisory Anyone interested in finding out more about this Council and how it can ad- project or being part of this group can contact Len vance the mission of the DiPaul at [email protected] or call at 610- PCC programs. The focus then shifted to discuss 361-5225. an initiative established last April; that is, sharing One point of discussion centered on ex- the gifts of Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Di- ploring the struggles of parents in passing on their rection with a sometimes invisible community: the faith values and their difficulty in understanding poor, the homeless and the mentally ill. their children’s divergent journeys. In addition, sur- Tony Medwid, Director of Community Life veying the role and needs of the spiritual journey for Bethesda Project in Philadelphia, shared his of the wives of deacons was raised as a topic. personal journey of working with homeless per- Much was discussed in the two hour pe- sons and also the stories of many of the guests riod. In closing, Dr. DiPaul notes, “The meeting at Bethesda Project. Mr. Medwid invited mem- was energizing and life-giving. The Council dem- bers in the PCC programs to join in his mission onstrated tremendous care and concern for all which he described as “in nomadic times, carry- who can and should benefit from the mission of ing the fire from one encampment to the next, Neumann College and the PCC program. These keeping the spirit alive by seeing the guests of ideas and conversations will serve as catalyst for our homes as hurting humans.” Mr. Medwid’s new courses, workshops, seminars and lectures sharing opened up points for discussion that re- presented by PCC in the future.” sulted in ideas for introducing past and current Have you seen the new website? Live and in living color, you can explore the meanings of spiritual direc- tion and pastoral counseling. You can probe where graduates can work. You can link into professional organizations. You can read about the SD code of ethics or about LPC licensure in the tri-state area . Where is this wealth of information? On the new, improved, expanded PCC website. Just click into GRADUATE STUDIES on the Neumann site. This opens up your choice of PC [in purple print] or SD [in green]. From there the world of PCC is yours. Kudos go to Webmaster, Lisa Cadorette along with Eileen Flanagan and Jim Houck! Page 3 S. Trixie, Winnie, Redemptrix — Whatever Name You Called Her, Sends Greetings from Rome Last year, when my Community elected me to serve in the General Governance team, even before I completed the Spiritual Direction track, I was apprehensive and felt inadequate for the task. But now, having been a year in the team I certainly realize that the Pastoral Care and Counseling program prepared me for this ministry. My responsibility as a General councilor is pri- marily to visit the communities in countries in which we work. I use the skills I learned from PCC, for example, contemplative listening, empathy, unconditional positive regard, acceptance, and genuineness to hear my Sisters’ voice their concerns. In many cases there are no solutions,; for example, at present there is a much suffering in my country Zimbabwe For the Sisters there, I simply put myself into their shoes and experience life with them as I listen to them. With the grace of God, I am gradually adjusting to my work and new environment. It does take time, so I need a lot of patience and lots of prayers. I did an Italian language course in July and am grateful to have this opportunity. Though rather short to learn the language thoroughly; nonetheless, it gave me some fundamental grammatical knowledge. One disadvantage is the fact that in our house we use English and a bit of German for communication, so I do not get sufficient opportunity to practice my Italian, slowing down my capacity to learn. Please remember me, in a week I am going to South Africa for three months, first to visit our sisters in E Cape, then to go for an international workshop for our temporary professed for a month and half and finally, to conclude with a retreat. It is a very big challenge ahead and I need showers of blessings. I really weep to know that the people in Zimbabwe continue to suf- fer want and seemingly there is no light as yet at the end of the tunnel! May all your supportive prayer be a source of strength for the many who are helpless. [Dr. Flanagan writes: Returning to Rome after my week's retreat in Assisi during the summer, I met Trixie for lunch after her Italian class. She is learning the language to increase her ability to communicate locally and within her community. Her leadership respon- sibilities also will take her to South Africa where her pastoral counseling background will serve her and her sisters well . ] Continued from page one that took place in the morning of September 27 poor women of “one of the most hard-pressed ar- saw Dr. Joretta Marshall, Methodist minister, theo- eas of North Philadelphia” (Gesu Home web- logian and professor at Brite Divinity School in page). She told of taking these women, who had Texas, speak on forgiveness. She emphasized never seen a blade of grass that did not grow from how this process engages aspects of both the between a cracked sidewalk, to Cranaleith [from spiritual and psychological. With her humor, years “sanctuary of trees”], a spirituality and retreat cen- of experience, depth of theological training and ter in the Somerton section of the city. insight, Joretta was able to take what many con- The third panelist, Marcy Perkins, an early sider such a uniquely personal experience to the graduate of pastoral counseling (1988), directs a heart of the human condition. shelter for women in Wilmington, DE called Finally, on the weekend of October 10 and Friendship House. Speaking with great care of 11, renowned theological Dr. Wendy Wright spoke “her ladies,” their many obstacles and enduring on “traditional Catholic devotions” and their place courage to overcome them, Marcy emphasized in contemporary spirituality.