CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL UNION Fall 2004 Vol
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Logos CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL UNION Fall 2004 Vol. XVII No. 2 Grant opens virtual doors by Patricia Shevlin, Development Associate Director With great enthusiasm and gratitude act. And, in response to a frequent CTU recently received a $30,000 grant request, CTU plans to set up a job bank to accommodate significant technologi- to serve CTU graduates and students. cal advancement in the coming year. The grant will also help CTU evaluate While this generous funding source the possibility of online courses. wishes to remain anonymous, the To accommodate this potential Alums talk back results of the gift itself will be very evi- development, an archive of learning dent to CTU website visitors. modules will be created to lay the Results of 2004 Alumni/ae survey tallied “We are extremely grateful for the groundwork for online courses. vision of this grantor which recognizes CTU graduates working throughout by Pattie Wigand Sporrong, Marketing & Communications Director the relevance and importance of new the world will soon be able to access forms of learning and dialogue that the wealth of scholarship at CTU as ast year around this time have become so critical to meeting the well as be able to communicate with fel- Associate Director of “There isn’t a day needs of our students, our graduates low graduates. “This enhanced interac- Development Patricia and other CTU associates,” commented tive website will provide a form of con- L that my theological Fr. Gary Riebe-Estrella, S.V.D., tinuing education for those in distant Shevlin sent a survey to 1,500 academic dean. countries who have few resources at CTU graduates asking them to education and One of six major goals of CTU’s five- hand,” says Riebe-Estrella, “a need that reflect on their CTU education year strategic plan is to develop alter- has long been felt and can now be and comment on its relevance to formation aren’t nate learning modes using the Internet met.” their current ministry. The purpose and distance learning. This new grant Even those living closer to home are was to gather information on called into play.” will enable CTU to take some important delighted with the prospect of being the impact of our graduates for Stephen Jendraszak (M.T.S. ’81) steps in the process of implementing better connected to CTU. Louise Van the “Making a Place for Faith” Parish manager, Indianapolis, Ind. this goal. The grant also allows CTU to Andel (M.Div. ’04) writes in anticipation campaign materials. respond to the increasingly voiced of these new developments “The CTU To gain the support of friends desire of our graduates to get ongoing web page is going to be very helpful for and organizations for the campaign to renew the campus and increase educational and ministerial support, fur- me. It is the only way I will keep in ‘live’ ther their careers, and maintain strong touch with CTU since I live far out in the lay scholarships, it was critical to show the relevance of a CTU connections with the CTU community. suburbs, and probably will not be drop- education and how CTU graduates help transform the wider world. The plan calls for a new interactive ping in as often as I would like. Please So, the survey asked graduates to describe their ministry, and give website where graduates and visitors convey my thanks to whoever is their opinion on how effectively CTU prepared them for it. can access theological materials and responsible for these technological By the January deadline, surveys filled the in-box at an above-average share ideas and responses through wonders!” response rate from a broad representation of CTU graduates. Reading online discussions. A virtual library of Indeed, Catholic Theological Union the answers, according to Pat, was both heartening and inspiring: lectures and presentations given by fac- conveys thanks for this grant and the “Without exception, all had great things to say about CTU. And, ulty and visiting experts will be estab- possibilities it invites. Readers will the quality of the ministries our alums work in and the scope of their lished. Bibliographies, book reviews, want to keep an eye on the website as and web links relevant to theology and these exciting enhancements unfold. influence are so impressive!” ministry will be available. Faculty will be Visit HTTP://LEARN.CTU.EDU and watch The survey results provided just the kind of information that was invited to address “hot topics” while our progress. needed. A list detailing the graduates’ ministries, a map pinpointing the guests will be able to respond and inter- countries in which they serve, and a selection of their comments were incorporated into the “Making a Place for Faith” campaign book. Read the results and alum feedback on page 8 INSIDE New column: “Beneath the Union” news items............................page 4 Are you online? Three teens “instant message” about their Peacebuilders experiences...............................................................page 3 Graduation ’04: The Etymology of Hope.........................................page 5 Apostles of Peace shine at the Trustee Dinner...............................page 6 New calendar, New curriculum, New faces at CTU.........................page 9 Voices of students and alums..............................................pages 4, 7, 8 Photo: David Katz U.S. Senator-elect Barak Obama emerges from CTU after casting his ballot on Election Day, Nov. 2, 2004. He will be the only African-American senator when he takes office in 2005. See page 4 for more on this story. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE AN AWAKENING? This week a team of us from CTU spent a few days at a conference center in San Jose, California with representatives from nearly 30 other theology schools—all of them Protestant schools except us. We were the guests of the Lilly Endowment and the common denominator among us (besides eternal gratitude to the Lilly Endowment!) was that each of us had been awarded a major grant to reach out to young people and invite them to consider a life of service as a “Making a Place for Faith” career choice. The Lilly Endowment (bless them) is convinced that church institutions such as schools of hits $13 million theology have a role to play in Photo: Howard Gardiner by William Booth, Development Director renewing the church and that direct connection with young people is one In just one year, CTU has raised Jim and Cate Denny and John and way to do it. We agree, and so we $13 million toward its $25 million goal Carolyn Parmer, all members of the applied and got the grant. battered church. Okay, some of you for the “Making a Place for Faith” Cabinet who have made very signifi- The goal of the conference was may be wondering if these are like any campaign supporting campus renewal cant commitments to the effort. “peer learning”—each of us shared of the sometimes sullen teenagers you and scholarships. The campaign has In recognition of their gift the how our programs were going, what have ever known (I have nieces and entered a new phase that will reach Parmer family has indicated an inter- we are learning about young people, nephews, too!). The fact is, when out to CTU’s lay friends and past est in naming the worship assembly and what of this experience would we young Catholics are with other donors. This follows closely on the area in the new academic center after want to communicate to the wider like-minded young people and heels of Phase I in which $10 million the family. In accepting these leader- church we served. The given serious attention and was raised from the 25 religious ship gifts, Fr. Senior expressed his school's programs dif- respect and exposed to communities that comprise the gratitude to them as well as many fered in style and The young the best of the school’s governance. others who have responded in the duration. CTU's people’s idealism, church's teaching In the last issue of Logos a list of early stages of the campaign effort. Peacebuilders and ministry, the the Campaign Cabinet appeared. Since the last list, three new names program, for their innate goodness, young students The Cabinet has been charged to have been added to the distinguished example, is a their hunger to learn, come alive and carry on the fundraising with the lay group of Cabinet members. They are yearlong pro- respond in community during this next important John and Rosemary Croghan of gram centered and their boundless a way that is phase. Thus far, the Cabinet has Winnetka, Brian and Carol Foley of around a sum- energy have been like extraordinary. helped generate $3 million through Chicago, and Charles H. Shaw of mer intensive The point of their personal contributions and by Winnetka. We welcome their leader- taught by our a tonic for any of us who all this? Our networking with friends. ship involvement with the campaign own faculty. have become a bit road assignment was Two families, in particular, have and their support of CTU. This past year we to think of what helped make this first year of the had nearly 80 weary in an often we want to campaign a huge success. They are high school juniors battered church. communicate to and seniors on cam- the church about our CAMPAIGN CABINET (As of November 11, 2004) pus [You can read more experience with youth. about it in this edition of What I want to say is that Mr. Robert L. Berner, Jr. Mr. Thomas M. Owens Logos.] The place had more pul- despite the drugs and Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Bidwill, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John Parmer sating energy in those few days than it the materialism and the confusion of Ms.