Winter 1989-90, Vol.Jfcno.^2
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> - * Winter 1989-90, Vol.JfcNo.^2 *: m v* A - <% "• **;• •"T*** It Between the Pages Mercyhurst Winter 1989-90, Vol. 8, No. 2 Chairman of the Board of Trustees James A. Zurn President Dr. William P. Garvey Senior Assistant to the President DR. MARY HEMBROW SYNDER Mary Daly '66 So much of women's experience has been Director of Publications discounted. Kimberly Dillon Contributors Gary Bukowski 73 Louis Caravaglia Bonnie Clark '84 W. Roger Clark Dorothy DiSanti Rich Forsgren '84 Corrine Halperin-Egan '80 Gloria Knox Dan Langan '91 Lance Lavrinc '83 Sr. Mary Lawrence RESTORING HIDDEN TREASURES Kimberly Malinowski Karen McGuire '92 The aim of art is to represent not the Kevin McHugh '92 Mercyhurst Archives outward appearance of things, but Karen R. Merkle '84 their inward significance. Jeff Pinski Edward D. Saloum Times Publishing Company Designer Diane Morschhauser COVER STORY Printing Seneca Printing, Oil City, PA ERIE'S FIRST WOMAN MAYOR Director of Alumni Relations Bonnie Clark '84 "I've always known the challenges Mercyhurst College before me/' Joyce Savocchio '65. (814)825-0538 Alumni Board President Lance J. Lavrinc '83 Pittsburgh, PA (412) 242-9344 Vice President Thomas P. Richter '73 A VISIT TO LILLIPUT Erie, PA (814) 833-4206 Secretary On the wall above the sinks GROW Joan P. (Kostolansky) Evans '60 was a toddler in diapers Adding a wonderful new Erie, PA (814) 838-8333 amidst unraveled toilet paper. Members to 1990 dimension to people's lives. Joan P. (Kostolansky) Evans '60 Lance J. Lavrinc '83 Thomas P. Richter 73 Members to 1991 Alice Feehley Crotty '49 Sally E. (Carlow) Kohler '51 Vivetta Petronio '58 Anthony J. Quint 78 James Sabol 70 To WHAT EXTENT IS THE Matthew Whelan '86 John Wiecek '88 HUMAN MIND UNIQUE? Members to 1992 Sr. Rebecca Burke '84 When you realize the value of life, you Diane Erzen '89 Michael Malpiedi '81 dwell less on what is past and concentrate Jeanne Maley Pfadt '42 more on the preservation of the future. Mercyhurst Magazine is published three times yearly in Winter, Spring and Summer/Fall by Cover photo: Joyce Savocchio '65, the new mayor of Erie, standing on the bridge leading to the Grotto Mercyhurst College. The magazine is published on the Mercyhurst campus. Photo taken by Edward Saloum, Adventure Color Lab. by the office of external affairs, Mercyhurst Col lege, Glenwood Hills, Erie, PA 16546. believe as we do, totally abrogates what Je sus is all about. "Thus, Ruether challenges Dr. Mary Hembrow Christians to cease using Jesus' name to Snyder in one of her deny the validity of other people's reli religious person gious experience. People don't like to hear classes. that," said Snyder. Snyder isn't saying that Ruether's study is a definitive understanding of Christ. She's just saying that, as humans, we should pay attention to what feminists are saying about how Christ is being used against women and others. "We have a responsibility to one another for the way we live out our un derstanding of who Jesus was. And, how having a distorted view of Jesus can have devastating consequences for other people's "We are playing games when we view lives," she states. Jesus as a middle-class, white, North Ameri Writing the book, Snyder says, helped EXAMINING can male," said Snyder, "But the games are her come to a clearer understanding of dangerous because they have supported Jesus. "The research I had to do, enabled racism, classism and chauvinism in many me to bring a more challenging portrait of CHRIST parts of the world." She referred to a visit Jesus to students," said Snyder. "I hope I, she made to Latin America where the image at least, start them on a process of critical FROM A of Christ as the suffering one has been used thinking about Jesus so that they don't use to keep the poor in the position they are in. what they have been taught in any way FEMINIST "The wealthy say to the poor 'Imitate Jesus, that would be destructive toward them you will get your reward in Heaven,'" said selves or others," explains Snyder. PERSPECTIVE Snyder. She adds that people are using When it comes to teaching, her method Jesus against the very things He sought to is simple. She relates what students study bring about in terms of a better world, such to their individual lives. "Students have as equality, justice and peace, which are the By Kimberly Dillon told me they learn a lot about the world values of the kingdom of God. through my course. Most of my students Snyder believes most suffering is caused are not majors. Some are just looking for One gets the impression when talking by human beings. "What kind of a God more depth in their relationship with God. with Dr. Mary Hembrow Snyder that she is sends suffering? And what does that say They are also concerned about the world in deeply committed to what she is saying. about our image of God? For the most part which we live," said Snyder. Probably, because she is. This soft-spoken, we are the ones that cause one another to However, she says, reaching students yet determined, feminist has spent most of suffer," says Snyder. on a personal level is hard because there her 41 years trying to answer "What does it Jesus, according to the Gospels of Mat are usually 40 students in a religious per mean to say I believe Jesus Christ is the Sav thew, Mark and Luke, was one who went son class. "Ifs frustrating to me and ifs ior in a suffering world?" around doing good, who went about trying frustrating to them. I can't give them the Pursuing an answer to that question, to alleviate suffering, ^^^^^^^^^ kind of time I want," Snyder left the Sisters of Mercy, Diocese of who tried to heal the •••^••^•1 ^^^^^^^^^" said Snyder, who ad Buffalo in 1981, where she had been a nun d ivisions between the // mits one of the things for 15 years, and began a doctoral program rich and the poor, be VY e are playing games when she likes best about in theology at the University of Saint Mi tween the religious we view Jesus as a middle-class, Mercyhurst is its chael's College in Toronto. As part of her elites and the masses white, North American male. But pride in personally search, Mary Hembrow Snyder, who of people they looked caring for its students. wanted to write a book before she turned down upon, who criti the games are dangerous because She also admits a 40, researched Rosemary Radford Ruether, cized the political they have supported racism, clas love for her students. the first woman to write a feminist inter leaders of his day sism and chauvinism in many parts "They are incredibly pretation of Christ. That research became when they misused of the world, ft open-minded. Some- a book entitled, "The Christology of Rose power. "He is a model ^^^^^^^^^^ times they make me mary Radford Ruether: A Critical Intro for us of what it means mmmmm^^^^m ^^^^^^^^^™ crazy because they duction." The book was submitted to the to be deeply involved with those who suf don't know what apartheid is or where th publisher one day before Snyder's 40 birth fer, and by that involvement, bring about Central America is. And some of the guys day. healing and reconciliation rather than fur tend to be sexist, but at least they are will One of the things Ruether discovered is ther division and destruction," said Snyder. ing to listen," she said. "As long as they are that women's experience of God has not "He was trying to teach religious people open-minded, it makes my job exciting." been considered valuable in Christian tra that following the religious laws is not For a woman who wanted to "use her dition. Snyder agrees, "So much of always the religious thing to do. Some energy to effect change in the world," women's experiences has just been dis times the religious laws are the very im Snyder has opened a lot of doors through counted," she said. pediment to holiness," she adds. her book and through her teaching. Also, in their research, both Ruether and According to Snyder, Ruether raised Snyder found certain areas where Christ these issues and said that, although we can Kimberly Dillon is the new editor of Mer had been used negatively against women, say that Jesus is the Christ for us, to turn cyhurst Magazine. the poor and the Jews. and use that against people who don't 1 RESTORING HIDDEN TREASURES By Karen Rene Merkle '84 and Kimberly Dillon he aim of art is to represent, not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance, v Aristotle A scene depicting campus life in the 1940s. For years, students have passed by, con everyday campus life. As well they should, gregated in front of, leaned against and, in they were painted by students who knew many cases, politely taken for granted their subject matter extremely well. For some of Mercyhurst's greatest treasures example, the two murals in the office of —the murals in Old Main. These large-as- external affairs (formerly the student life works of art not only visually tell us lounge) show life in the dorms and a typi about Mercyhurst's heritage; they are, cal day's activities. themselves, a part of history. Three other murals depict various Mercyhurst's murals were painted be scenes taken from religion.