UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Campus Ministry

Zeal, Providence, Hospitality: Did You Know?

Every Catholic religious order was founded to address a particular problem of a time and locale. In the case of the Congregation of Holy Cross, that problem was the devastation wrought by the French Revolution, which had led to suppression of public worship and the shutting down of many Catholic communities. Nearly two generations of French Catholics were ill-informed about their faith. Basil Moreau’s band of priests, brothers, and sisters formed in order to be dedicated educators in the Catholic faith; that is the work the Church acknowledges that they do, and what their constitutions say they are to do. That is the principle of Holy Cross charism; several other charisms in the “DNA” of Holy Cross men and women fuel their audacious task. Among these are zeal (an unwavering spark for and commitment to living out their call), reliance on Divine providence (understanding that God can and does use any circumstance or human choice to reveal something of God’s love to a world ravenous for meaning and purpose ) and hospitality (commitment to be the face of Christ to all who show up and, perhaps more importantly, to see the face of Christ in all who show up).

“Did You Know?” is a sort of regular feature in upbeat intended to help staff and faculty understand dimensions of this Catholic, Holy Cross university. You can send questions to Fr. Jim Gallagher (Campus Ministry) or Karen Eifler (Garaventa Center).

 

Religious Charisms: Did You Know? 

“Charism” is a word that comes up frequently when describing Catholic religious orders and communities. In some ways, you can think of an order’s charism as its personality. Charism is the inspirational purpose that starts communities and keeps them going. It is their particular mission and animating spirit. It gives religious communities distinctive flavors and imbues their daily practice with meaning. In times of change, communities turn back to their founding charism or spirit—their purpose—to discern how to move forward and remain vital.

Over centuries of Church history, religious orders have been founded by dynamic personalities (think people such as Francis and Clare of Assisi, Benedict of Nursia and his sister Scholastica, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Basil Moreau) who felt compelled to address particular problems faced by the people of their time and in their local orbits. The talents and traits needed to meet those challenges differed, and thus the charisms that define each community vary. Still, as much as Jesuits, Sisters of Mercy, and Dominicans may vary from each other, all are living out their undeniably Catholic calls to holiness. In the next few weeks, we’ll take a look at the distinctive charisms of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

“Did You Know?” is a regular feature in upbeat meant to help staff and faculty understand dimensions of this Catholic, Holy Cross university. You can send questions or get more information from Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center, at eifler@up.edu or Fr. Jim Gallagher, Campus Ministry, at gallaghe@up.edu.

Blessing for the Vocation of Marriage, Feb. 14

For World Marriage Day (Feb. 10) and Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), all married people will be blessed for their vocation of marriage during the 12:05 p.m. Mass on Thursday, February 14, in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. All are welcome to attend Mass.

For more information contact Theresa McCreary, Campus Ministry, at x7131 or mccreary@up.edu.

Holy Cross & Catholic at UP: Did You Know?

Did you know what it means when you say that UP is Holy Cross and Catholic?

Often UP is referred to as a Catholic university, other times it is talked about as a Holy Cross university.  Do Holy Cross and Catholic mean the same thing?

The truth is that one connects us to the other.  The Congregation of Holy Cross is a Catholic community of priests and brothers. Members of Holy Cross have been serving at UP since 1902.  They have served as administrators, professors, hall directors, campus ministers, chaplains, and more.  The particular way that Holy Cross goes about the work of education has formed how we do things at UP. From Holy Cross comes our particular attention to the formation of the whole person, the accent on the importance of community, the importance of invested collaborators and a proclivity for using the cross as an image of hope. Being connected to the Congregation of Holy Cross is part of what makes UP particularly UP.

One of the key aspects of Holy Cross is that it is a religious community in the Catholic Church. All Holy Cross members are Catholic, but not all Catholics are Holy Cross. Part of what it means to be Catholic is to be connected with the tradition as well as the current lived reality of the Catholic Church. This happens though the members of Holy Cross but also through connections that the University has with local people, parishes, and leadership in the universal Catholic Church. It also happens through looking often to the vision of the human person and our role in the world as it emerges from the Christian scriptures and tradition. Part of this is to interact with the world and all of the people in it realizing that these interactions provide deeper insight into truth, beauty, and goodness. Holy Cross shares with most Catholics the conviction that exploring truth, beauty, and goodness leads us to the Author of all those things, and that education is a powerful pathway for doing that.

“Did You Know?” is a regular feature in upbeat intended to help staff and faculty understand dimensions of this Catholic university. You can send questions to Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C., Campus Ministry, or Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center.

2018 Spirit of Holy Cross, Blessed Basil Moreau Feast Day, Jan. 20

All University of Portland community members are invited to celebrate the feast day of Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, on Sunday, January 20, at the 4:30 p.m. Mass in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Madeline Doll is the recipient of the 2018 Spirit of Holy Cross Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Congregation upon its lay collaborators. Madeline worked for many years as an administrative assistant in the Congregation of Holy Cross office at Holy Cross Court and retired several years ago.

The award is given annually to lay collaborators of the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers. The award recognizes lay collaborators who devotedly work to make Blessed Basil Moreau’s vision and mission to “make God known, loved, and served” a reality at the Congregation’s education, parish and mission apostolates. Honorees receive a proclamation of gratitude signed by Provincial Superior Fr. William M. Lies, C.S.C.  on behalf of the entire U.S. Province.

For more information, contact Campus Ministry at x7131 or ministry@up.edu.

 

La Virgen de Guadalupe Midnight Mass: Dec. 12

La Virgen de Guadalupe Midnight Mass will be offered on Wednesday, December 12, at midnight (Tuesday night going into Wednesday morning). The Mass will be offered in Spanish with English following along, and pan dulce and hot champurrado will be available for people to grab after Mass. Please feel free to bring family, friends, and loved ones.

For questions/ADA accommodations e-mail Yuri Hernandez Osorio, student activities, at hernandy@up.edu.

Advent Visio Divina, Dec. 12: All Welcome

Campus Ministry and the Garaventa Center invite you to join with others in the campus community for Advent Visio Divina on Wednesday, December 12, at 12:35 p.m., following noon Mass. Visio Divina is an ancient form of Christian prayer in which we allow our hearts and imaginations to enter into a sacred image, in silence, to see what God might have to say to us. Our meditation will focus on an illumination from The Saint John’s Bible. All are welcome.

For ADA accommodations or more information: garaventa@up.edu or x7702.

Feast Of The Immaculate Conception Mass, Dec. 8

Campus Ministry will offer Masses on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday, December 8, at 10:30 a.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the conception of Mary, who became the mother of Jesus Christ. It is one of the most important Marian feasts celebrated in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church and so all Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass on this holy day of obligation.

For more information contact Campus Ministry at x7131 or ministry@up.edu.

Come Enjoy Bells In The Ballroom, Dec. 7

Christmas bells are (or will be) ringing in the Mehling Ballroom on Friday, December 7, starting at 7 p.m. All UP employees and their families are invited to come enjoy the festive sounds of the season with performances by the Chapel Handbell Choir, Chapel Choir (with orchestra members), and “The Bluff Boys” UP Barbershop Quartet. Christmas carols, cookies, cocoa, and prizes will also be a part of this very fun and relaxed concert in Mehling Hall. And this year, there is even a photo booth. Will they play Carol of the Bells? Hallelujah Chorus? Of chorus! Please come and enjoy.

For more information contact Maureen Briare, Campus Ministry, at x7335 or briare@up.edu.