Vol. 34. No. 1 Fall 2013 AR RPUBLICATIOaNa FOR THmmE ALUMNI, PARviEviNTS AND FRIeEeNDS OF ww FORDHAM PREP Welcome Father Devron Rev. Christopher Devron, SJ is a Jesuit priest of the New York Province of the Society of Jesus. The middle of three children, he grew up in Palatine, a northwest suburb of Chicago, where he attended public schools until his undergraduate education at the University of Notre Dame. At Notre Dame, he earned a bachelor’s in arts, with a double major in philosophy and government, and a concentration in PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics). After being graduated in 1989, he came to New York City to work as a volunteer teacher at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx through a program of the Archdiocese of New York. He returned to Notre Dame to pursue graduate studies in theology, and then entered the New York Province as a Jesuit novice in 1991. In 1993, he took first vows, and began graduate studies in philosophy and theology at Loyola Father Christopher Devron, S.J. received the Fordham Mace as he was officially University Chicago, where he earned a master’s in the history of philosophy. installed as the 35th President of Fordham Prep at this morning’s Mass of the Holy Between 1995-96, he served as executive director of the Inner-City Teaching Corps Spirit. Father Devron is pictured with Chair of the Board John Neary ’87 and Assistant (ICTC) in Chicago. Founded by Mr. Pat Ryan, Jr. in 1993, the ICTC recruits and places to the Provincial for Secondary and Pre-Secondary Education Edward Young. recent college graduates as teachers in inner-city schools throughout Chicago. Fr. Devron Mr. Young represented Provincial Rev. David Ciancimino, S.J. solidified the ICTC’s early success as a pilot program so that it could improve and sustain its mission. He helped create its first advisory board and a partnership with the Loyola University School of Education so that volunteers could receive graduate credit for their professional development as ICTC volunteers. Fr. Devron worked closely with the historically black Catholic churches in Manhattan. He has served as a part-time chaplain Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago, principals at more than a at The Marymount School and the Notre Dame Alumni Club of New York City. dozen inner-city parochial schools on Chicago’s west and south sides, and the Big In 2008, Fr. Devron was appointed the founding president of Christ the King Jesuit Shoulders Fund. He then led a search to identify a long-term ICTC director. College Preparatory School, on Chicago’s West side—the 20th Cristo Rey model school Returning to the New York City for two years (1996-98), he taught at the Gonzaga opened since the first one (Cristo Rey Jesuit High School) was founded in 1996. Christ Middle School Program for Boys in Harlem—a Nativity Miguel Model School—and the King is a Catholic Jesuit, independent, coeducational, college preparatory school for created a scholarship program to assist Gonzaga students attending private high schools. students from families on Chicago’s west side who would otherwise not have access to a The following year, he was assigned as director of the Loyola Youth Center in Crown private secondary school education. Sponsored by the Chicago-Detroit Province Jesuits, Heights, Brooklyn. Christ the King offers students a strong academic and spiritual foundation integrated with In 1998, he returned to graduate studies in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he a Corporate Work-Study Program in a safe, disciplined, faith-based and caring environ - earned a Masters in Divinity at the Weston Jesuit School of Theology. He also earned a ment. The school's program is designed to foster each student's intellectual and spiritual Masters in Theology in African American spirituality, through course work at the growth built on a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ. Christ the King seeks to inspire Harvard Divinity School and the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University and prepare its students to become creative leaders: “men and women for others” who are in New Orleans. committed to work for justice in the Church, in the civic community, and in their chosen In 2001, he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest at the Fordham University Church. profession. During his tenure at Christ the King, Fr. Devron presided over the construction For the next five years he worked as the founding director of REACH (Recruiting of its new campus—a $30MM facility—and steady growth in enrollment, board of trustees, Excellence for Academics in Catholic High Schools). REACH, an initiative of Regis High and faculty and staff. School, identifies, recruits and prepares academically On March 4, 2011, Fr. Devron professed solemn gifted middle school boys who could not otherwise vows as a Jesuit in the Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola afford a Catholic, private secondary education, and at Christ the King Jesuit College Prep (Chicago, IL). assists their families with scholarship opportunities at Fr. Devron serves on the following boards: Regis, Fordham Preparatory School, Xavier High Loyola Academy (Wilmette, IL); Loyola University School, The Loyola School and other top high schools Chicago (on which he chairs the Student in New York City. Development Committee and has been appointed Fr. Devron interacted with the strategic planning to the Executive Committee). He served as a board and education committees of the Regis Board of member for the UNO Charter School Network and Trustees, regularly presenting to them the progress was a member of Rahm Emanuel's Commission on and impact of REACH. Working with the Regis Child Safety Zones. development office, Fr. Devron created a development He has led workshops and retreats on school strategy for REACH, wrote foundation proposals, and diversity for the Jesuit Secondary Education frequently met with foundation officers and individual Association, the New York Association of donors to the program. REACH—which includes a Independent Schools, the Canisius High School summer residential component at the University of Board of Trustees (Buffalo, NY), and The Loyola Scranton (Scranton, PA)—currently enrolls over 100 School (New York, NY). He was appointed a special students from every borough. Now ten years old, adjunct professor of sociology at St. Joseph’s REACH has helped dozens of young people from University (Philadelphia, PA), where in the summer New York City gain access to more than several of 1998 he was part of a team of instructors who million dollars in academic scholarships and financial taught a traveling course on the history and aid at Catholic high schools throughout the city. The spirituality of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. first REACH graduates are now attending colleges and Articles authored by Father Devron have been universities throughout the country. published in America magazine, the Tablet and the During his tenure at REACH, Father Devron Journal of Popular Culture and BustedHalo.com . also taught theology and worked as a campus minister and chair of the committee on diversity at Fr. Devron celebrates the 2013 Mass of the Holy Spirit Regis; developed a mentoring program for REACH Fr. Devron welcomes the Class of 2017 students; and served as a weekend associate at the Church of St. Joseph in Harlem, one of a handful of Ministry Chaplain’s Corner Being True to Oneself Fr. Don Devine, S.J., Chaplain In our Scripture studies in the seminary, we learned the finding a good husband, arguments with Martha, troubling importance of hospitality in the Israelite community. Abram, spiritual questions. Meanwhile, Jesus can hear Martha in the way back in Genesis 18 .1-15 , ran out from his tent to welcome kitchen, quietly organizing a simple, healthy meal, singing three strangers, entreated them to rest and accept a little softly, obviously enjoying preparing food for people she loves. water, hastened to find his wife Sarah and told her to make He turns to Mary and says, “Mary, Mary, you are anxious and some bread, ran to his flock to find a tender calf and gave it upset about so many things. How often do I have to say over to his servant who hurried to prepare it. They must all have and over again: “Don’t worry, do not be anxious?” been out of breath when Abram finally took cream, nuts and If we combine both stories, Jesus isn’t telling Martha to the calf he had prepared and laid all of this humbly before get out of the kitchen and Mary to stop sitting as His feet. the strangers. Talk about service and hospitality! Rather, it seems to me, He is encouraging each of them not The strangers, who were angels in disguise, promised to fuss too much over trivial matters. Both Martha and Mary Abram that a year later his wife would have a son in spite of should relax with their guest and listen to Him, both in the his old age and the fact that Sarah’s child-bearing years were living room and at the dinner table. This happens in the one behind her. What a wonderful gift for showing kindness to other Martha incident in the gospels in John 11.1-44 , well strangers. Martha did the same thing for Jesus in Luke 10. worth rereading. 38-42. And what was her reward? She did what was This miraculous scene occurs only in the gospel normally expected when an unannounced visitor arrived. according to John. When informed that Lazarus “the man She welcomed and fed him. Why the rebuke, gentle as it must you love is ill”, Jesus delays two days before leaving for have been, rather than the anticipated praise and gratitude? Bethany.