PRESIDENTIAL NEWSLETTER It's All About the Students!
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
It’s all about the students! PRESIDENTIAL NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2015 | Volume I, Issue 5 Dear faithful supporters of our beloved school, INSIDE THIS ISSUE I pray you and your family are well as we enter the Nativity season. The school has been bustling with 2 Community Engagement activity, as you will read and see in this month’s Presidential Newsletter. Our Nativity Appeal is in the mail and hundreds of people have already responded 3 Bookstore Symposia to assist the school as we prepare the next generation– better yet, the next army of soldiers for Christ–both lay 3 Photo Contest Winners and clergy. If you have not yet made your Christmas gift, now is the time to do so. If you desire to make a year- end gift, now is the time to do so. In essence, we need 4 Honoring Our Veterans your help and in earning your trust we promise to put your hard-earned gifts to the school to good work. We as a faith community have only one–yes, you read 5 Student Spotlight correctly–one college, school of theology, and seminary in the western hemisphere. Thus there is no better place to invest your effort, your time, talent, and treasure 5 Faculty Profile than HCHC. As you celebrate the Nativity season with your family, please know that everyone 6 CrossRoad Alumni Board on the Holy Hill sends you their greetings and prayers for a blessed Christmas. May the Christ Child bless you and inspire you all of the days of your life. 6 Financial Summit A blessed Nativity to you. Merry Christmas. 7 Byzantine Music Festival Rev. Christopher T. Metropulos, DMin DONATE President www.hchc.edu/donate ALTAR ITEMS NEEDED The focal point of all we do at HCHC is the Holy Cross Chapel, built decades ago through the generous donations of GOYANs around the country. In visiting the chapel and praying in the holy altar, I noticed that we are in need of new items to adorn the altar and to assist in the serving of the various services. In the place where the future priests of our Archdiocese and of other jurisdictions learn their vocation, we must provide them with every tool necessary. A full listing of needed items www.facebook.com/ HellenicCollegeHolyCross is included as an insert in this newsletter. If you feel you would www.instagram.com/ like to contribute to assist us in this sacred project, please HellenicCollegeHolyCross contact my office directly at 617.850.1280. www.youtube.com/HCHCmedia COMMUNITY SERVICE ENGAGEMENT community, can do in terms of recycling, water and waste foremost the living and deceased victimsThis month of thewe rememberterrible and first tragic and plants and animals that are entrusted to us, both now and terrorist attacks in France, Lebanon, intomanagement, the future. energy Can we, efficiency, while prayerfully and the protection investigating of the and Beirut. May God remember them construction of a new student center and campus master all in His Kingdom. plan, challenge ourselves to higher levels of environmental Gospel, but build upon and lead our relationship with local at Hellenic College Holy Cross, I society?operations Some efficiency ideas include: and design that not only honor the As I conclude my first semester the community, in particular, its service engagement — the rhythmic embrace of thefind life myselfand teachings continually of Our inspired Lord and by • a manmade nesting perch for our resident red-tailed hawks Savior, as chanted and read in our daily services. • bira rich,dhouses living wall of flora in our new student center • beehives – essential for pollination I am speaking of the dedicated and loving staff and faculty of • calculated tree planting initiatives • vineyards that tirelessly advance classes, discussions, and opportunities • community gardening spaces toour participate schools and in worksthe Office that of express Vocation the and Orthodox Ministry Christian (OVM) • food recycling to those in need faith both inside and outside our campus gates. • wellness areas • frisbee golf recreation courses This past month, I traveled with Presvytera Chrysoula • solar and environmentally responsible communications structures Healthcare System to meet Chaplain Douglas Falls and see Kourkounti to the US Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs Boston Can we develop new courses and programs of study on the subjects of sustainability and the environment, “programs of practical application,” as further expressed by His All Holiness? forfirsthand our freedom. the experiences Our students, and through influence their of work,our students honor and on thankthe courageous them, and men we cannotand women be more who proud. have sacrificed so much Our commitment to community is spread further internally and externally by the expanded understanding of our Church Equally impressive and penetrating is the work of the HCHC through the physical and virtual growth of our Holy Cross Missions Committee and its “Liturgy on the Streets” initiative, Bookstore. With the introduction of symposia, student where, in the darkness and cold of dawn, students seek, meet, necessities, and an ever-increasing selection of books and and care for the homeless of the Boston area. I congratulate religious items, I hope it can become a place for students and and thank all of those who volunteered for allowing me to visitors to visit regularly. participate in their most recent outreach. Thank you to Michael Tishel and Fr. Eugen Pentiuc for their On campus, Dr. Timothy Patitsas and the Green Initiative outstanding, interactive talks on St. Porphyrius and the Student Club lead efforts to raise continued awareness and messianic prophecies, respectively, to conclude our Fall HCHC promotion of environmental initiatives so vital to the present Bookstore Symposium Series. and future life of our property and operations. As we prepare to celebrate the Holy Incarnation of Our Lord eight years prior to coming to HCHC, my love and passion and Savior, and look forward to the new year, let us not, in the forHaving the outdoorsresided in and Vancouver, environmental British protection Columbia, couldfor the not past be words of the Gospel, “hide the light” of all of the wonderful stronger. For me, following the example of His All Holiness things that we are accomplishing and can and will accomplish, Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW, it is a centerpiece for through God’s grace, in the time to come. Our community, my Orthodox Christian faith. though small in number, is so sizable in its impact. It begs to be experienced and shared! In his latest book, On Earth as in Heaven A Blessed Nativity and happy and safe New Year to you and of modern times with “the moral crisis” (Fordhamof humanity, University further all of your friends and loved ones! Christ is Born! Glorify Him! sayingPress, 2012),that it His is Allour Holiness obligation marries as Orthodox the ecological Christians dilemma “to examine and explore ways and means by which we may Sincerely, especially of our students, to this most urgent issue.” As Chief of Staff, Kevin N. Kovalycsik Isensitize challenge and myself influence regularly the desires to see and what attention, more we, as a Chief of Staff PRESIDENTIAL NEWSLETTER | DECEMBER 2015 2 HOLY CROSS BOOKSTORE SYMPOSIA Holy Cross Bookstore Symposia continue to serve the HCHC community and the Pan-Orthodox community of Boston. On Wednesday, November 18, Michael Tishel, CrossRoad Director, gave a presentation on the life and teachings of SaintDirector Porphyrios and Office of Kavsokalyvia. of Vocation Michael’s& Ministry presentation Assistant inspired us all to fall in love with Christ rather than merely do our religious duty. After the event, the Bookstore treated attendees to free Greek coffee and desserts while celebrating the opening of a new snack section featuring high-quality treats that students love. The Bookstore’s next Symposium will be on Tuesday, December 1, at 7pm. It will feature Holy Cross faculty member Rev. Dr. Eugen Pentiuc. Fr. Eugen’s talk will help us prepare for the Nativity of Christ by looking at Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. BOOKSTORE REOPENING PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Congratulations to the winners of the Presidential showcased their creativity by taking and sharing photos Holy Cross Bookstore has reopened, with a andInauguration videos with Photo and of Fr.and Chris Video during Contest! the historic Students event selection of toiletries, snacks, ice cream (Ben & and were awarded gift cards to local establishments for Jerry’s, Magnum, and more) and coffee, including Greek coffee, Starbucks, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Play Livick-Moses and Yianni Magoulias, second-place winners tavli while enjoying your coffee. New operating Clairetheir efforts. Barden Pictured and Bradley here are Delmar, first-place Senior winners Designer Sarah hours, books/icons, Under Armour merchandise, Melanie Pappas, who coordinated the contest, and Chief of and specials will be announced in the coming Staff Kevin Kovalycsik. Not pictured is third-place winner, weeks. Stay tuned! Bailie Henry. Check out all of the entries by searching #HCHCInauguration on Facebook and Instagram! PRESIDENTIAL NEWSLETTER | DECEMBER 2015 3 HONORING OUR VETERANS: FR. MILTON D. GIANULIS In honor of Veterans Day, we are proud to feature an alumnus who has honored our country. Fr. Milton D. Gianulis, Captain, CHC, USN (Ret), served as a chaplain in the US Navy for 26 years. His personal awards include a Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Fleet Marine Force Service Medal, and two Humanitarian Service Medals. By Fr. Milton D. Gianulis stations, and elsewhere. This work also includes facilitating BA ‘76, MDiv ‘80 worship for those of other faith backgrounds, offers spiritual counseling for those of any or no faith background, and serves As a military chaplain, my Orthodox as a special adviser to the command, with direct access to the faith was strongly tied to my identity and was key to my ministry in a non- Orthodox environment.