|
News
Defining 'Hurst's Catholic identity
By Joshua
Wilwohl
Editor-in-chief
The past few weeks at Mercyhurst College have been what
some would say, one of the rockiest times for a Catholic institution. Erie
Diocesan Bishop Donald Trautman says he will no longer attend the college’s 2008
graduation in protest of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s visit.
As a result, Mercyhurst President Dr. Thomas Gamble
developed two committees to develop political policies. One focuses on paid
political advertisements and the other focuses on political speakers.
The controversy over both made its way up the chain of news
to the New York Times, gaining national attention. But, what is it about the
college on the hill that has everyone in a stir?
Gamble says the school upholds its Catholic identity, while
others say the college is one of the most “liberal” Catholic institutions
they’ve seen. The president attended a seminar last week led by Pope Benedict
XVI with over 300 other presidents and superintendents of Catholic colleges,
universities and high schools in the United States.
What he gathered, along with his own beliefs, Gamble
responded to the questions everyone wants answered.
Q: What was primarily discussed when you
attended the pope’s seminar?
A: A variety of things. It was very exciting and kind of inspirational.
He was grateful to Catholic educators and what they do. He gave a blessing to us
all and he talked about Catholic identity, and how that fits into a Catholic
college … and he wants all them to express something genuine about Catholic
identity.
Q: What is something genuine that Mercyhurst
would express in its Catholic identity?
A: There are lots of things. All the way from we have liturgy five times
a week. We have a very active campus ministry program here. We have retreats for
students who are interested, and right now we’re creating an office of mission
integration. The office will be led by Sister Lisa Mary, and she’ll report
directly to the president. When we talked about the ($32 million) plan, we
discussed the meaning of work and the dignity of work, which ties to Catholic
social teaching. So we have a commitment to the dignity of work in our mission,
and the rest of our activities here. Why are we so focused on international
students? Because the church is international, and because we’re Catholic and
Catholicism is international, so we should be international. Why are we so
focused on sustainability? Well, we’re called by Catholic teaching to respect
creation and the goodness of creation. So, an awful lot of commitments and the
kinds of things we do are there because of our commitment to features of the
Catholic faith. Then, of course, there’s service to the community, service to
others. One of the first things our students do when they come as freshmen is go
out on a day of service. And then one of the last things is, of course, your
social ethics course. So … I hope and expect that it’s the whole atmosphere of
the college has a Catholic feel to it.
Q: With the current events that are happening
at Mercyhurst such as the political advertisements, Sen. Hillary Clinton on
campus, the bishop’s protest … was there any advice given on how to guide a
college such as Mercyhurst in the “right” direction?
A: Of course I’ve been consulting and talking with lots of people and
this is really an issue with most Catholic colleges and universities. …
Everybody is working on that issue and trying to find the right balance. We are,
too. It’s said and it’s personally painful for me to be in a controversy about
something like this, because I consider myself a faithful and good Catholic. So,
I think we’re all struggling with it. I continue to, so does the (Board of
Trustees) and we really want to respect and express the beauty of Catholic
identity, but we also have to do it in a way that respects the pedagogical
virtue of free and open discussion. We’re planning a forum in the fall before
the election that is called, “The Responsible Catholic and the 2008 Election.”
And that will be a variety of viewpoints from the Catholic perspective about the
election and the candidates and the choices. We do want to make sure that
everyone at this college and in the broader Erie community get an opportunity to
hear from a variety of Catholic scholars and how a responsible Catholic might
respond to the 2008 election.
Q: Would you consider Mercyhurst more of a
“conservative” Catholic college or a “liberal” Catholic college?
A: You know, honestly, in Catholicism, those terms do not apply very
well. Those terms apply to the political realm. … I think that some aspects of
the church teaching look conservative to people and other aspects look liberal
to people. The authentic teaching of the church looks very liberal on social
justice issues, and it looks conservative on other issues. So, it’s really not
liberal or conservative, it’s faithfulness to the teachings of Jesus of
Nazareth. I don’t think it comes out liberal or conservative.
Q: In what direction do you see Mercyhurst heading
as defining us as a Catholic institution?
A: I think that should be an active area of inquiry for us and we should
continue to try to articulate our Catholic identity and express it. Somebody
should be able to ask, ‘What makes Mercyhurst Catholic?’ The answer should be
evident, and maybe more evident than they are…I want to work with the office of
mission integration on (this) and that’s why I’ve asked Sister Lisa Mary to take
this important role.
Q: How in its current state would you define
Mercyhurst College as a Catholic college?
A: We have an active campus ministry, we have liturgy available five or
so times a week, we have retreats and rosary groups. We also have service
opportunities that link to missions of the Sisters of Mercy. … Even the goals
can be tied to some of the mission statement. When we were going out and doing a
strategic plan, the first thing we did was rearticulate the mission statement.
The first sentence says Catholic and Mercy in it, and then it expresses…we talk
about goodness of creation, dignity of work, we talk about service to others, we
talk about the liberal arts…and all of that makes it Catholic.
|
|
What's
inside
Police log
map
Find the
destinations
Mercyhurst
College
Police and
Safety
responded to
over the
past week.
This week's
front page
Check out
this week's
front page.
PicHurst
The events
- in
pictures -
that
occurred on
the
Mercyhurst
College
campus over
the past
week.
Blogs
Blog with
your
favorite
Merciad
columnist.
Feedback
&
subscriptions
The Merciad
is always
interested
in feedback.
Please
submit all
feedback to
editormerciad.
Contacts
Want to tell
us what's on
your mind?
See news
happening?
Contact a
reporter,
columnist,
or editor.
|
