UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Campus Ministry

Online Campus Masses, Resources for Prayer & Spirituality

Starting Sunday, March 22, Campus Ministry will be streaming and posting Sunday and Daily Mass online. Sunday Mass will be streamed at the regular time of 10:30 a.m. and Daily Masses at the regular time of 12:05 p.m.  Check the Campus Ministry website for more details using this link.

Campus Ministry has also gathered many of the online resources for prayer and spirituality that are produced on campus and linked to them through this page.  Feel free to let us know if there are other resources that we should know about by emailing ministry@up.edu.

St. Joseph, An Extraordinary Man: Did You Know?

Did you know about St. Joseph?

You only get a vague image of this extraordinary person in the New Testament.  This unusual man, Joseph believes in the Incarnation, God becoming human, long before any theologian taught about this. He trusts that something special is happening in Mary, his betrothed, becoming pregnant with Jesus. As you read further in the Gospel account, there is a story of Joseph seen as a man who perceives God’s communication to him through dreams. Thus, believing in one of those dreams, he takes Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod, the king who seeks to put Jesus to death. However, in terms of a real description of Joseph’s virtue, the Scriptures leave us one central word. Joseph is spoken of as a “just man.”

A classical definition of the word “just” is to give to all what is due them. Therefore, you can imagine Joseph being a carpenter who worked hard to provide a good service and asked reasonable recompense. Where else did he offer what was due? One possibility is that he treated his foster son and Mary his wife as sacred people.  This is based on the fact that Joseph’s life was filled with a great deal of hallowed mystery. God had asked him to live in mystery and to be a husband and father of faith.  He fulfilled that role of “protector of the sacred” by giving Mary and Jesus what was just, everything that was due to them.

Perhaps our call to justice involves our treatment of others ahead of anything else. Ask yourself, “Are all the people in my life being given what is due to them while treating them as part of a sacred mystery?”

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

Fr. Jim Connelly Lecture: “Brothers of Holy Cross: 1920-2020,” March 17

Rev. Jim Connelly, C.S.C., associate professor emeritus of history, will present “Brothers of Holy Cross: 1820-2020, from 4 to 1,000,” on Tuesday, March 17, at 7:15 p.m., in the Brian Doyle Auditorium in Dundon-Berchtold Hall. Light refreshments will be served after the lecture.

Fr. Connelly’s lecture will celebrate the bicentennial of the establishment of the Brothers of Saint Joseph, a group of young men formed into a teaching community in 1820 by Fr. Jacques Dujarié. In 1835, Fr. Basil Moreau took direction of the Brothers of Saint Joseph and, following his vision of starting a new religious community modeled on the Holy Family, united his auxiliary priests and the Brothers of St. Joseph in 1837 to form the Congregation of Holy Cross.

For more information contact Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C., Campus Ministry, at gallaghe@up.edu.

 

Feast of St. Joseph, March 19: All Welcome!

All faculty, staff, students, and the public are invited to celebrate the feast day of St. Joseph in a Mass on Thursday, March 19, at 5 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. St. Joseph is the patron saint of the Brothers of Holy Cross, who have since their founding sought to emulate his devotion to Jesus and his commitment to service to God’s family.

For more information contact Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C., Campus Ministry, at gallaghe@up.edu.

Holy Cross Religious Brothers: Did You Know?

Did you know about what a religious brother is?

Many people are afraid to ask the question. “What’s a Brother, anyway?” It’s a perfectly good question to ask at any time one feels so inclined to put it out there.

The “Brother” in the Catholic Church is a man who is vowed to poverty, celibacy, and obedience like any priest who is a member of a religious congregation like Holy Cross. In the Congregation of Holy Cross, the brothers and priests live together in community and follow the same “constitutions” or rules. All are involved in various ministries in fulfillment of the vowed commitment. So, what is the difference between priests and brothers?

All priests are ordained by the Sacrament of Holy Orders to administer the Sacraments of the Catholic Church.  The priest is called to this important ministry and fulfills it in a variety of ways and places.

Brothers do not feel called to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders and therefore do not administer the Sacraments of the Catholic Church. The brother is called to minister in other ways. Many Holy Cross brothers have been involved in educational ministries of our congregation.

The beauty of Holy Cross is that men are encouraged to live out their God-given vocation to priesthood or brotherhood in a fraternity of equals. Those interested in learning more about the Congregation of Holy Cross should approach a priest or brother and ask questions openly.

You may also learn more by way of a lecture happening at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17. Fr. Jim Connelly, C.S.C., will reflect on the 200 years of existence for the Holy Cross Brothers. All are welcome to come to this lecture happening in the Brian Doyle Auditorium located on the lower level of Dundon-Berchtold Hall.

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

“Hold Fast to Love and Justice” with Bernadette Farrell, March 21

Mark your calendars for a special Lenten concert with renowned liturgical composer Bernadette Farrell entitled, “Hold Fast to Love and Justice,” on Saturday March 21, at 7 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. The concert features music focused on social justice, as well as beloved favorites such as “Christ, Be Our Light.” The event is free and open to all, with a reception to follow. Sponsored by the Garaventa Center, Campus Ministry, the Office of International Education, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Oregon Catholic Press. For ADA accommodations or more information contact the Garaventa Center at up.edu/garaventa or x7702.

Ashes On Foreheads: Did You Know?

Do you know why people had ashes on their forehead last week?

Deep in the roots of the Judeo-Christian tradition is a connection between ashes and penance.  Ashes are a way of humbling oneself before God to acknowledge actions or behaviors that have drawn one away from God. The Season of Lent for the Christian community is a time of preparation for celebrating Easter, the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. As a part of that preparation, Christians focus in on renewing their relationship with God. The season starts and retains a note of penance as a way of acknowledging that it is our pulling away from God that is the reason for our need for renewal.

The use of ashes as a preparation for the Lenten season of penance and renewal reaches back to the early Christian communities. Often the ashes would be sprinkled on the top of a person’s head, which is a tradition that continues today in some parts of the world. Somewhere along the way this transitioned into the application of the ashes in the shape of the cross on the forehead of the penitent – a way to connect their walk of renewal with the suffering and death of Jesus.

Once applied, an individual is not required to keep the ashes on their forehead all day. However, many do as a way of offering a witness to their commitment to their faith and an encouragement to others in their own walk of faith. It also invites questions that provide opportunities to talk about faith and the Christian way.

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

Hallow Prayer App Available for Lent

Looking for a way to pray more intentionally during Lent? Consider downloading Hallow, a new app that offers several types of guided prayer, including Centering Prayer, Examine, Lectio Divina, and more.  The creators are offering one free introductory month to serve as an aid for your Lenten journey. Available most places you find apps and at: www.hallow.app. Contact Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C. in Campus Ministry for more information.

The Season of Lent: Did You Know?

The season of lent banner with white crucifix on purple background Paint brush style vector design

Lent is a period of preparation for the Easter celebration, which is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.  This liturgical season has been a part of the practice of Christians since the late second century. The length of this period varied early on but was proposed to be set at forty days at the Council of Nicea (325 A.D.) More than just a time to give something up, Lent is a time to renew one’s attentiveness to life as a disciple of Jesus.  Fasting seeks to strip away the distractions, almsgiving draws deeper attention to our relationship with our neighbors, and prayer looks toward deepening a relationship with Jesus. This renewal of life as a disciple of Jesus is meant to prepare Christians for the fullness of life that is promised by the resurrection. Lent this year begins on Wednesday, February 26 and lasts up to the Holy Triduum, which are the three days leading into Easter on Sunday, April 11.

“Did You Know?” is a mostly weekly feature in upbeat that pokes around the many interesting features of UP as a Catholic and Holy Cross university. If you have a question or topic of interest that you would like covered in this feature, please send it to Fr. Jim Gallagher, C.S.C., Campus Ministry, or Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center.