Erie Together Receives $112,500 Grant
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:Features On Page 4: :Arts & Entertainment on Page 5: Opinion on Page 6: Mercyhurst promotes “Phantom Tollbooth” Apple Pay has made it “Buckle Up” campaign comes to Taylor Little easier to make things difficult Read more inside & online HE EST. 1929 VTOL. 88 NO. 8 MerciadEDNESDAY OVEMBER MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY W , N 5, 2014 Volleyball sweeps weekend Tung Vu photo Mercyhurst sophomore Sarah Puckett (7) jumps for a serve in Saturday’s game against IUP. Full coverage of the volleyball team’s sweep of the weekend series on page 7. Erie Together receives $112,500 grant ers aware of different career omy, regional cooperation, Mercyhurst Civic Institute receives and post-secondary education and education. Erie Together grant for anti-poverty initiative options, and increasing gradu- met the requirements in com- critical community needs. ation rates. munity and civic engagement, By Catherine Rainey “What [the grant] will help The other teams will be economy and education. Staff writer us to do is continue the work working with the sector of Lewis emphasized the that we’ve already begun,” people who have employment importance of Erie Together’s Erie Together, a civic said Laura Lewis, Ph.D., the barriers, such as citizens who main goal, which is “work- engagement movement ded- professor of sociology and have spent time in the prison ing together to make the icated to reducing poverty, social work who leads the system. Erie region a community of received an $112,500 grant Civic Institute’s involvement “They have some obsta- opportunity where everyone from the Erie Community in Erie Together. “It will give cles in getting out and getting can learn, work and thrive.” Foundation on Tuesday, Oct. us the capacity to move for- gain from employment,” said “What we’re really trying 28. ward, to bring different sec- Lewis of former prisoners. to do is help people. We’re Launched collectively by tors together and to work on “The goal there is to put in not just about creating new United Way of Erie County, very concrete actions plans.” place the supports they need programs, although new pro- the Mercyhurst Civic Insti- According to Lewis, the so they really can become pro- grams will come out of Erie tute and the Greater Erie grant will be used to help ductive members of society Together. We are about trying Community Action Commit- four countywide action teams like they want to.” to work smarter with the tee (GECAC) in 2008, Erie whose job is to align resources The awarding of the grant resources we already have,” in the community. Each team Erie Vital Signs was determined by Erie Vital Lewis said. Together received the grant as Erie Together aims to reduce poverty levels by improv- focuses on a different area: Signs, a collaborative group part of the Erie Community ing education statistics such as high school graduation rates. Foundation’s Shaping Tomor- early childhood readiness and that measures Erie county’s row initiative, which gives success; pre-K through third stability; and balancing eco- be focusing on making sure well-being in eight areas: cul- grants to causes that address grade; aligning education to nomic and workforce devel- children in poverty have the tural vitality, community and careers, fourth grade through opment. education they need from an civic engagement, brain gain, college; individual and family The education teams will early age, making eighth grad- environment, heath, econ- @TheMerciad Merciad Index Online Poll Results Are you going get into all the classes you need? News 1-2 50% Yes, of course Features 3-4 5% Nopeee 25% If all my professors sign me in A&E 5 20% I don’t even know when I register Opinion 6 Sports 7 Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: Laker Living 8 Did you vote on November 4th? merciad.mercyhurst.edu Page 2 The Merciad November 5, 2014 News New program pairs Synod affirms teaching, university students raises future questions Analysis conference, “permits people, and grade-schoolers By Nathan Turner all of us, to take one step at a News Editor ing its teachings which have time in our search for holiness appeared over time. By Amanda Moore buddy program,” said Lewis. a reality. in our lives.” The approach is “She has really taken it from “Most bishops have taken Staff writer “The kick-off party will be The Roman Catholic a way of reaching out to Cath- there. She connected with the in November or December Francis’ challenge to really olics in particular who have Church held an Extraordinary understand the experience [of Child Specialist at MCW and before Christmas break so Synod of the Bishops on the divorced and civilly remarried. The Mercy Center is run- their parishioners],” she said. reached out to Mercyhurst that way the kids can meet family. The synod gathered “It’s not about just dumping ning a new program to benefit “Part of the problem comes students in the social work, their buddies and kind of 253 bishops from around the doctrine on people and saying, children in Erie and students from the fact that a percent- ‘You follow this,’” Piszker psychology and education have a fun party to start it off. globe to discuss the results here at Mercyhurst University. age of the bishops have no said. “Particularly not today departments about becoming Also, the moms can come in of a survey sent to dioceses Laura Lewis, Ph.D, and relationships with people out- because it doesn’t work. But a buddy.” and see who the buddies are, around the world, which AmeriCorps VISTA Caitlin side of their clerical circle.” rather meeting people where The children and buddies so everyone gets acquainted,” asked about issues relating to Sniezek developed The Mercy Those bishops who have they are, just as Jesus did, and together will pick out the Sniezek said. the practice of the Catholic Buddy program. Their hope not “taken Francis’ challenge” then allowing them to move activities they do each week. The program is for the chil- Church’s teaching on marriage was to pair up 13 students in to become involved in the forward in understanding, if dren’s fun, but it is also so the and family life, and how the local grade schools, nine chil- lives of their parishioners, as they’re in a place of safety, buddies can help them with church might address issues, dren at the Mercy Center, and “I look forward to a result, lack “an understand- acceptance, of pastoral sensi- any education struggles they such as same-sex marriage or members of the Social Work ing of the suffering of the tivity, that that will be the cat- seeing the kids and may be having. Catholics who have divorced Club and have them meet for people” who face difficult alyst for growth and change.” hearing ‘Hi Miss “I plan on having fun with and remarried. at least an hour every week. choices of how to follow the Journalists who sympathize my buddy by playing house The synod issued a final This consistency would be Susan.’” church’s teaching, according with more conservative ele- and to help them with read- report on Oct 31 detailing the good for the children to have to Hembrow-Snyder. ments of the Catholic Church, ing,” sophomore Susan Baltes initial findings of the synod, a friend there whenever they Susan Baltes The synod is part of the such as Ross Douthat with said. which will be reviewed in 2015 need them. reforms Pope Francis has the New York Times, have Baltes says she is almost as at the ordinary synod. The “These kids are really instituted since his election expressed concerns over the “As the kids and mothers excited for the program to report addresses the issues of starved for attention. I think in March 2013, and the open synod and the changes that get to know the buddies, if the begin as the kids are. same-sex unions, reaffirming the Mercy Buddy program will nature of this synod is part appear to be occurring within buddies want to take them out “I look forward to seeing the Church’s teaching against be good one-on-one attention of his push for transparency the Church. However, the for a snack or something, they the kids and hearing ‘Hi Miss same-sex unions. The issue of so they could get that,” said within the Vatican. It has also nature of the church, accord- can do that,” Sniezek said. Susan’. The opportunity came divorce and remarriage will be Sniezek. been a chance for the public ing to Piszker, “is always “Children and mothers at a perfect time and I am so discussed further at the synod “I hope it would boost self to see the wide-range of changing.” filled out child bios to show happy to be a part of the pro- in 2015. confidence and self esteem opinions among the bishops The Catholic Church is what the child likes and dis- gram,” Baltes said. Rev. James Piszker gave and make the kids overall hap- regarding the issues discussed. both pastoral and doctrinal in likes. It shows what the kids Sniezek said the program insight into the effects this pier.” “There are tensions even its nature, and he says, “those want to do and what the hopes to soon reach out to synod might have on the Cath- Lewis is the chair of the among the bishops,” Hem- two sides have been present moms are hoping their chil- education, art therapy and olic Church as a whole. “The board at Mercy Center for brow-Snyder said.