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STMThe Magazine of The Catholic Chapel & Center at Yale University Spring 2019 p 14 Meet Fr. Ryan p 4 Fr. Gerry: A Year at Yale p 8 Called To ServeSTM MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTORS Design: Cadwell Art Direction Primary Photography: Robert A. Lisak Mission Statement Saint Thomas More Chapel & Center serves the Catholic community at Yale by: · Creating a vibrant and welcoming community through worship and service · Cultivating informed faith and spirituality · Engaging in reflective discourse on faith and culture · Advancing the Church’s mission of promoting social justice · Participating in the global Church’s life and witness About the Cover After a run through the streets of New Haven, Father Ryan Lerner, the new Catholic Chaplain at Yale, returns to the Thomas E. Golden, Jr. Center. Fr. Ryan says his hour-long morning runs provide him with an opportunity to unplug, reflect on the day ahead and pray. STAY IN TOUCH WITH STM Download the STM Yale App. Editors: Robin McShane is the Director of Communications at STM. Sarah Woodford '10 M.Div. is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and STM’s Library Director. Associate Editor: Jan Fournier '06 M.A.R. Writers: Brian G. Cashin '19 is a senior at Ezra Stiles College and a member of STM’s ESTEEM program. Sabrina L. Consiglio '16 M.P.H. works in nursing home administration. She lives in California. Allan Esteron is one of STM’s Assistant Chaplains and is STM’s Service Coordinator. Sam G. Hayek is a fellow at Morse College and an ESTEEM mentor. Marlena Hinkle '21 is a sophomore at Saybrook College and a member of STM’s Undergraduate Council. Anna Kane '21 is a sophomore at Jonathan Edwards College and helped to coordinate STM’s 2019 Alternative Spring Break trip to Guatemala. Jill Martin '90 M.A. is a Professor of Law at Quinnipiac University and a member of the STM community. Veena McCoole '19 is a senior at Morse College and a member of the STM community. W. Patrick McCormick GRD '20 is a student at Yale Law School and a member of STM’s Graduate Council. Valerie Pavilonis '22 is a first year at Morse College and a member of STM’s Undergraduate Council. Kerry Alys Robinson '94 M.A.R. is a STM Board Member and the Development Committee Chair.In This Issue 268 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06511-4714 Phone: 203-777-5537 Fax: 203-777-0144 stmchapel@yale.edu Follow us online: stm.yale.edu STM Chaplains Rev. Ryan Lerner, Chaplain Sr. Jennifer Schaaf, O.P., Assistant Chaplain Rev. Karl Davis, O.M.I., Assistant Chaplain Carlene Demiany ' 12 M.Div. '14 S.T.M., Assistant Chaplain Allan Esteron, Assistant Chaplain STM Magazine is published twice a year for our alumni, parents and friends. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the entire STM community. Stephen Irving '19 makes Shepherd's Pie for STM Soup Kitchen guests. 1 THE REV. ROBERT L. BELOIN FUND FOR FAITH IN ACTION 2 ENCOUNTERING GUATEMALA 4 FR. GERRY: A YEAR AT YALE 8 CALLED TO SERVE 11 ESTEEM MENTORSHIP 14 MEET FR. RYAN 16 THE JUDGE GUIDO CALABRESI FELLOWSHIP IN RELIGION & LAW 20 SOUNDING SACRED Features STM MAGAZINE SPRING 2019 6 FAITH IN THE REAL WORLD 12 FROM THE ARCHIVES 18 THREE QUESTIONS 21 POP CULTURE 22 OPEN BOOK 23 SNAP SHOTFROM THE Chaplain’s Desk Dear Friends: As I proudly introduce the Spring 2019 issue of STM Magazine, I would like to take a moment to greet you as your new Chaplain. It’s been a great first few months, getting to know everyone while learning the names of the colleges, accurately applying Yale acronyms (YDS, YRM and YDN, to name just a few) and running through the streets of New Haven. I’ve been inspired by our students who bring freshness and authenticity to the practice of their Catholic faith amidst these challenging times facing our Church, our campus and our world. Finishing out another academic year we bid farewell to our graduating seniors, proudly sending them off with our gratitude, blessings and prayers. We also say goodbye and give special thanks to Monsignor Gerry Schmitz, who as interim Chaplain has shepherded the STM community through a year of loss and renewal. As we continue to heal from the loss of Father Bob, we found comfort in the Easter message of Christ’s victory over death and the promise of abundant, new life for those who go before us. And, this past April, we ushered Fr. Bob to his final resting place in the tranquility of the Riggs Garden, highlighted in the magazine’s “Final Word.” In her moving piece, “The Space in Between,” Jill Martin '90 M.A. reflects on the way in which the Riggs Garden spans the rich history of Catholic life here at STM, linked by the leadership and ministry of Reverend T. Lawrason Riggs '10 (our first Chaplain) and Fr. Bob—who both rest in this space between the Chapel and the Golden Center. As we remember our history, we are also looking ahead to our future with hope and joy. We shall continue to celebrate the legacy of Fr. Bob here at STM, and are excited to announce the launch of The Reverend Robert Beloin Fund for Faith and Action, detailed in Kerry Robinson’s '94 M.A.R. article. The Beloin Fund will support STM program initiatives Fr. Bob helped to create, like the Wednesday Soup Kitchen, and serve as an umbrella to fund a variety of new programs and intellectual opportunities that will allow and encourage our students to put their faith into action through partnering with Yale University and the New Haven community. I am deeply humbled and totally excited to enter into this new chapter in the history of STM, along with the assistant chaplains, STM staff, students, community members, faculty and alumni/ae—and with each of you. I invite you to contact me anytime. I am eager to hear from you: tell me what you love about STM as well as your hopes for its future. Finally, I ask you to please pray for me, and I promise to pray for you and your families. Gratefully yours in Christ, Fr. Ryan "I am eager to hear from you: tell me what you love about STM as well as your hopes for its future." The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-261. In Memoriam: The Rev. Robert L. Beloin Fund for Faith in Action Kerry Alys Robinson '94 M.A.R. Board/Development Committee Chair t is with tremendous joy and gratitude for the tenure and legacy of Reverend Robert L. Beloin, Yale University’s seventh Catholic Chaplain, that the members of the Saint Thomas More Board of Trustees announce the creation of the Rev. Robert L. Beloin Fund for Faith in Action. For nearly twenty-five years, before his death on September 23, 2018, Fr. Bob elevated and celebrated Catholic intellectual life on campus, taking the topics of the day and illuminating them from the perspective of faith. His commitment to creating an environment at Yale where students could cultivate a mature, adult life of faith, cognitively and affectively, was evident to all who came in contact with him. A passionate champion of young adults in the life of the Church, Fr. Bob helped students develop a vocabulary to talk about their faith at the level of university discourse. He introduced the Small Church Community structure at Yale, writing commentary on Scripture; inaugurated three fellowships on Faith and Culture, Faith and Science and Religion and Law; and created the Catholic faculty series, Life as a Scholar and a Believer, among many other signature programs. He wanted students to know their faith, the better to act on it in their lives as scholars, as young leaders and as disciples. Although Fr. Bob will always be remembered for dramatically expanding Catholic life on Yale’s campus, building the Thomas E. Golden, Jr. Center, and endowing the ministry, he will be formally memorialized with the creation of a fund to support those programmatic initiatives he helped to create as well as opportunities for faith-based innovations to address pressing social challenges. Realizing this initiative will require a $5 million investment. Additional information will be shared at the inaugural Rev. Robert L. Beloin Lecture on September 5, 2019, at STM. To learn more about how you can support the initiative and honor Fr. Bob, please contact margaret.lukaszyk@yale.edu.Encountering Guatemala: Alternative Spring Break Reflection Anna Kane '21 s the plane carrying our Alternative Spring Break group made its descent into Guatemala City, tree-covered mountains cradling pure blue lakes bumped past our windows. Later in the week as we visited Guatemala City, Antigua and Xela, we moved through narrow streets filled with motorbikes and vibrantly-painted school buses. The buses are imported from the States after they are deemed no longer fit for our roads. The bold colors of these buses, known as “chicken buses,” reflect the lively and beautiful spirit of Guatemala. Yet, we learned that they are dangerous, racing along precarious mountain roads and acting as sites of bribery, corruption and child labor. 2. L to R: Valeria Villanueva '20, Anna Kane '21, Lisl Wangermann '21, Melissa Mendizabal '20, Brantley Butcher '19, Sr. Jenn Schaaf, Quan Le '22, Lourdes Sabé (Senior Lector I of Spanish, Yale University)3. During our trip in March, our group admired the beauty of the country we were welcomed into and were grateful for the generosity of every person we encountered. Yet, we could not ignore the daily challenges of those we met, and, of our own country’s complicity in creating those challenges. After attending a march condemning violence against children, we mourned that the children we met would need to attend such an event. After discussing politics with students, we lamented that these incredibly smart teenagers thought their government was too corrupt to consider running for office one day. And, perhaps most poignantly, we grappled with the implications of our trip and the responsibilities we gained through our new understanding of the country. As the week progressed, we became more aware of our privilege and the ethical stakes at the heart of an ASB trip like ours. Catholic mission work cannot be seen as just an interaction between a giving and receiving party. Rather, it should be approached as an opportunity to strengthen our global faith community and learn about our inherently interconnected world, woven more tightly together by our shared Catholic faith. Catholic mission work cannot be seen as just an interaction between a giving and receiving party. Rather, it should be approached as an opportunity to strengthen our global faith community and learn about our inherently interconnected world, woven more tightly together by our shared Catholic faith. Father Gerry: A Year at Yale Editors: You came into a community that was grieving the loss of a beloved and respected leader. How did this emotional dynamic influence your work this year, if at all? GS: As many are aware, I knew Father Bob prior to his ordination and had been present at STM numerous times for liturgies and lectures. At the time I was asked to serve as Interim Chaplain, I was aware of his serious illness and that he was entering his final days of earthly life. Fortunately, for the first few weeks I was present at STM, Father Bob was able to greet the Community at the entrance of the Chapel or in the Golden Center during the Sunday Brunch. This gave me a tremendous appreciation of the great respect that the Community and in particular the Staff and the students had for him. Conscious of this, I knew that I had to be attentive to all the Community members as they mourned his passing and give them time to share with me their stories of life with Father Bob at STM. This they did. What was obvious was his deep personal commitment to all who called STM their spiritual home and how they saw Father Bob as a friend, a leader and an exemplary example of priestly life. I was conscious throughout the year of the importance of referencing Father Bob in a homily particularly if the homily pertained to aspects of life at STM that Father Bob had initiated. Invariably someone would say to me afterwards, thank you for keeping his memory alive or I had forgotten about that moment in Fr. Bob’s life. As I prepare to take leave of STM, I know the stories will continue for years to come. Editors: What was it like to work with college-age Catholics? GS: Working with a community whose mission is to support college and graduate students in their journey of faith has been challenging, exciting and rewarding. Our students are committed deeply to their faith; they would ask probing questions about the Church, doctrine, moral issues and sacred scripture. I have remarked numerous times to friends my own age as to how impressed I am with our students and my conviction that when they move beyond Yale, they will be involved in Church life and take active roles in their communities of faith. 4. As Fr. Gerry prepares to leave his post as Interim Chaplain at STM, STM Magazine Editors Robin McShane and Sarah Woodford '10 M.Div. asked him to reflect on his past ten months in this role. “I never imagined that I would be asked to assume this role; nor did I ever anticipate how it would enrich my life.” Photograph by Robin J. McShane5. Editors: What were some of the Yale traditions that you learned about during your time at STM? GS: Growing up in New Haven, I am aware of the major in- fluence that Yale is in the city. However, getting to be on the “inside” of Yale; to witness the tremendous number of events that take place daily on the campus; to have access to the various facilities and to meet so many faculty members who attend STM was new to me. Working with both STM and Yale Religious Ministries gave me a new perspective on the diversity of faith life at Yale. The continued effort to respond to tragic situations both domestically and globally through vigils, prayer services or hands on response were traditions that I never knew existed on the Campus. It was always moving to be a part of these moments. Editors: What was your experience of working in a Chapel that serves both Yale University and the New Haven community? GS: I was surprised to find that STM is comprised of so many community members who, while not affiliated with the University, worship here and are involved in programs regularly. It was so encouraging to know that those who a part of the STM family have not forgotten that we live and work in a city with many needs—and, that STM can be a significant presence in the life of our citizens, particularly those whose lives are lacking in many of the basic needs that we enjoy daily. In no way does STM exist in a bubble on Park Street, isolated from the real life issues that pass our door each day. Editors: What will you miss most about STM? GS: I will cherish this opportunity for the rest of my life. I never imagined that I would be asked to assume this role; nor did I ever anticipate how it would enrich my life. I will miss the rich experience of a community that is dynamic, diverse, well-versed in the life of the Church and concerned deeply in how the Church can be an effective witness to the presence of Christ. I am grateful for our Assistant Chaplains and our dedicated staff who supported me and were always ready to answer questions, give advice and offer help. The vibrant liturgies and the exceptional music, the special events such as Songs for Soup, the outreach ministries (especially our Soup Kitchen, to which I hope to return as a volunteer), the Sunday dinners and living in the heart of a major university, will be missed. I look forward to returning occasionally and I know that under the leadership of Father Ryan that STM will continue to be a vibrant presence of the Catholic Church at Yale and in New Haven. Thank you for welcoming me and I know that you will welcome Fr. Ryan with the same support and encouragement that you all have given to me. Please be assured of a remembrance in my prayers and I ask your prayers for me. Photograph by Maddie Smith '20 Tessa Murthy '19Next >