Salesian Snapshot

by Sr. Theresa Lee, FMA

Area of Refuge. I was bemused the first few times I saw these signs posted by various doors of Newman residence. One time, I cracked open a door just to see what lay on the other side. A stairwell. Then, it hit me… Oh, that’s right, I’m now in the Midwest…Tornado Territory.

Since arriving on August 6, 2011, after three years serving at one of our ministries in New Jersey, I’ve been truly delighted to experience that, in many ways, not only Newman Hall, but all of St. John’s Catholic Newman Center, is indeed an “area of refuge”, an oasis, for the approximately 600 young men and women who reside here, and for a few more hundreds (thousands!) who pass through here daily. But you already know the tremendous richness that exists here at the center of this sprawling, picturesque University.

As curious as I have been during these first months to learn more about SJCNC – its history, its people, its incredible mission – I have found that students, staff, and just about everybody, are just as curious to learn more about us, the Salesians!

“I want you to be happy – in time and in eternity.” That passion for God and for the salvation of souls – that others, especially the poor, abandoned, orphaned, and/or exploited youth of his 19^th century Italy should experience, here on earth and forever, the deep love of God – compelled John Melchior Bosco to unreservedly dedicate his life to God and to his boys as a priest, teacher, mentor, and above all, friend. From his humble beginnings in Becchi, a farming hamlet, little Johnny Bosco began drawing souls to God by walking a tightrope in order to attract the neighborhood kids while he recited from memory the Sunday sermon (rarely ever shorter than an hour). At his death on January 31, 1881, Don Bosco (Don means Father in Italian) left behind 64 works (oratories, professional trade schools, churches, schools, boarding homes), 700 Salesian priests, missions in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, as well as three groups who worked with him in continuing the charism entrusted to them: Salesian priests, Salesian Sisters, and Salesian Cooperators.

Those who knew him said of St. John Bosco that “...he lived in this world as if he were seeing the invisible.” It was this deep, mystical union with God throughout his life that girded him with unshakeable faith and hope-filled joy in the midst of extremely turbulent times, personal attacks, and desperate situations. His single-minded focus on the things of God and God’s glory guided his every decision, including naming the congregations of men and women he founded after St. Francis de Sales, who was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1877 and was known as the “Gentleman Saint” for his extreme kindness and gentleness.

As a Salesian Sister, I am deeply grateful for my vocation and membership in this worldwide family of over 16,000 priests and brothers; 15,000 Sisters; 35,000 Cooperators; and many other groups today. My prayers of gratitude in these days have been, however, for the great joy in sharing in the lives and faith journey of people here at SJCNC and the University, for the gift of being for one another not only “an oasis”, a place of refuge, through our friendships and many kindnesses each day, but also for the mutual daily encouragement we give to one another to be leaven for the world... as good Christians and honest citizens.

Is Being A Good Person All That Matters?

Introduction to Eastern Catholic Churches

Many Roman Catholics are most likely unaware that the Roman Catholic Church is not the only expression of the Catholic faith but is, rather, one of several Catholic Churches that together comprise the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.  In this short video, Fr. Loya, a dear friend of St. John's Catholic Newman Center, gives an excellent history and explanation of the richness of one of those Catholic Churches, the Byzantine Catholic Church.  Roman Catholics everywhere would do well to learn about our Eastern Catholic brethren and appreciate their particular Catholic tradition.  Enjoy.

The Collect from the Fourth Sunday of Advent

I love the fact that, here at St. John's, we take great pride in knowing that we perpetuate many of the near-forgotten traditions of our Catholic heritage. One of these is the praying of the Angelus every day before the Noon Mass.

It seems that the concluding prayer of the Angelus is connected to the collect from the Mass for this Sunday (Advent 4). The new translation makes that quite evident, as it was very unclear before.  See here.

What is Faith? (And What Is It Not?)

Evangelization is Rooted in a Personal Encounter with Jesus Christ

The Following quotes were sent by Fr. Anthony to the staff at St. John's. He gave me permission to share them here, as I found these quotes very affirming. They also may be useful to us when engaging in a discussion about what we believe, and why we believe it.


1) "Christianity is not a new philosophy or new morality. We are Christians only if we encounter Christ... Only in this personal relationship with Christ, only in this encounter with the Risen One do we really become Christians... Therefore, let us pray to the Lord to enlighten us, so that, in our world, he will grant us the encounter with his presence, and thus give us a lively faith, an open heart, and great charity for all, capable of renewing the world."

- Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican City, Sept. 3, 2008

2) "The Church is not an association that wishes to promote a certain cause. It is not about a cause. It is about the person of Jesus Christ."
- Pope Benedict XVI, July 1, 2008

3) "Many people perceive Christianity as something institutional -- rather than as an encounter with Christ -- which explains why they don't see it as a source of joy."
-Pope Benedict XVI, May 2004

4) "The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!"
- Pope Benedict XVI

5) "The evangelization of the person and of human communities depends totally on this encounter with Jesus Christ."
- Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican City, November 13, 2007

6) "One doesn't begin to be a Christian because of an ethical decision or a great idea, but rather because of an encounter with an event, with a Person, who gives new horizons to life, and with that, a decisive orientation.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican City, November 13, 2007

7) Our knowledge of Jesus is in need above all of a living experience: Another person's testimony is certainly important, as in general the whole of our Christian life begins with the proclamation that comes to us from one or several witnesses. But we ourselves must be personally involved in an intimate and profound relationship with Jesus." - Pope Benedict XVI, October 4, 2006 Rome

8) "Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est (1) 2006

9) "For each one of you, as for the apostles, the encounter with the divine Teacher who calls you friends may be the beginning of an extraordinary venture: that of becoming apostles among your contemporaries to lead them to live their own experience of friendship with God, made Man, with God who has made himself my friend."

- Pope Benedict XVI, UNIV Congress, April 10, 2006

10) “Our knowledge of Jesus is in need above all of a living experience: Another person's testimony is certainly important, as in general the whole of our Christian life begins with the proclamation that comes to us from one or several witnesses. But we ourselves must be personally involved in an intimate and profound relationship with Jesus.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, Rome, October 4, 2006

11) "The experience of [the African] bishops is that evangelization itself should be foremost, that the God of Jesus Christ must be known, believed in and loved, and that hearts must be converted if progress is to be made on social issues and reconciliation is to begin, and if -- for example -- AIDS is to be combated by realistically facing its deeper causes and the sick are to be given the loving care they need. Social issues and the Gospel are inseparable.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, Munich, Germany, September 10, 2006

12) "The fundamental task of the evangelization of culture is the challenge to make God visible in the human face of Jesus.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, Address to Bishops of Ontario, Castel Gondolfo, Italy Sept. 8, 2006

13) “How many people also in our time are in search of God, in search of Jesus and of his Church, in search of divine mercy, and are waiting for a "sign" that will touch their minds and their hearts! Today, as then, the Evangelist reminds us that the only "sign" is Jesus raised on the cross: Jesus who died and rose is the absolutely sufficient sign. Through him we can understand the truth about life and obtain salvation."
- Pope Benedict XVI, Parish of God the Merciful Father, Rome, March 26, 2006

14) “Thus, the apostles' adventure began as a gathering of persons who open to one another reciprocally. A direct knowledge of the Teacher began for the disciples. They saw where he lived and began to know him. They would not have to be heralds of an idea, but witnesses of a person. Before being sent to evangelize, they would have to "be" with Jesus (cf. Mark 3:14), establishing a personal relationship with him. With this foundation, evangelization is no more than a proclamation of what has been experienced and an invitation to enter into the mystery of communion with Christ (cf. 1 John 13).”
- Pope Benedict XVI, March 22, 2006

3 Signs

In the book Three Signs of a Miserable Job, Patrick Lencioni offers advice to everyone with a job about how to identify and then combat miserable jobs. I imagine that most people will have a job they feel miserable in at some point in their career. Lencioni identifies several areas that can cause misery. For college students, this is an important time to prepare for your future careers, and Lencioni offers some advice to keep in mind as you search for that internship or job. The three signs he identifies are: anonymity, immeasureability, and insignificance. Lencioni describes anonymity as feeling alone or unknown at work. It can be addressed by being known and cared for on a personal level by someone we work with. This can take place in the relationship with a boss or coworker. Immeasuribility refers to not knowing where we stand in our job. It asks the question, do we know when we have accomplished the task assigned? Can we identify success? Insignificance relates to our need to have a job or role that contributes to something greater than ourselves and something that matters. These signs can help people in jobs or looking for jobs to find greater satisfaction in what they do. These suggestions feel somewhat intuitive and resonated with me when I read them. Lencioni makes the point quoting Samuel Johnson who said “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be taught." These reminders for work can also act as signposts in our faith journey.

Just as we have a need to be known and cared for at work, we can take solace in the fact that we have a God who knows and loves us all deeply and wants to grow in relationship with us. Fr. Anthony has spoken frequently about the importance of friendship and the role that our relationships play in our faith journey. We also have a faith that is measurable. I was asked once in confession, have you grown this year. I had never been asked that in confession but in reflecting on it then, and today, I can see growth. With greater prayer, I see more confidence in my relationship with God, I can recognize his graces acting more in my life and I have a greater appreciation for the people he Has put in my life. Finally, I think there is nothing more significant than our quest for eternal life with God.

If you are feeling miserable, either in a job or in your faith, try to do something this week to address one of these signs: anonymity, immeasurability, insignificance.