pdf copy - Fairfield College Preparatory School

Teach me to be Generous
By Elliott Gualtiere, Director of Campus Ministry. This article was originally published in Jesuits magazine, a
publication of the New England, New York and Maryland Provinces of the Society of Jesus.
Elliott as a participant
at the First Emmaus
Retreat in October
1993. Jesuit Fathers
Phil Florio and John
Mullin are in the front
row on the right.
reunion of sorts since Rocco had taught
at my high school (Iona Prep in New
Rochelle, NY) as a layman. I went from
Political Science major to Youth Minister
as I would spend the two years following
my graduation in 1995 at St. Ignatius
working with young people very different
from me. Rocco epitomized the word
“generous” in everything he did for those
young people. He inspired me to stay on
after his final year of regency to continue
working.
A
Generous Spirit has been
instilled in me by my
collaboration with the Jesuits.
When I walked on the campus
of Fordham University in the fall of 1991,
I did not realize a decision to attend
a Jesuit University would change the
course of my life. It was not until my
junior year when I was put into contact
with Fr. John Mullin, S.J., and I attended
my first Emmaus Retreat that I would
see my life go in a whole new direction.
Padre (as he was affectionately called)
had this way of encouraging you. He was
the living example of Ignatius’ Prayer for
Generosity. He was not only my spiritual
director but my friend. He encouraged
me to serve at Mass as both a lector and
Eucharistic Minister and when I was
struggling to figure out what to
do after college he got me in
contact with Fr. Rocco Danzi,
S.J. Rocco was doing his
regency work at St. Ignatius
Church in Crown Heights,
Elliott and Maura in Toronto
Brooklyn. This was a
at World Youth Day
Thank you from Steve Nicholson nS.J.
For St. Ignatius, gratitude was one of the
key elements of the spiritual life. In closing
his famous Spiritual Exercises, he invited
retreatants to begin their final meditation by asking
God for “an intimate knowledge of so great good
received, in order that, being entirely grateful, I may
be able in all things to love and serve God.” As a
Jesuit novice working at Fairfield Prep this spring
semester, this “grace,” as Ignatius would call it,
was anything but hard to come by. On the contrary,
gratitude for the many gifts of my time at Prep wells
up in my heart and mind without any trouble at all.
There was, of course, the time spent in the
chemistry classroom. With the guidance of master
teachers Tony Canuel, Tom Cunningham, and
Brian Lewis, I was able to try my hand at teaching
for the first time. It was an absolutely wonderful
experience to work with the students, introducing
them to new ideas, and solving problems together.
Their earnestness and natural curiosity made
teaching fun and exciting, and class periods would
fly by quickly – at least from my perspective!
There were the many retreats and service
opportunities in which I was able to participate,
thanks to the openness and encouragement of
34 Prep Today
Steve Nicholson, n.S.J., teaching in the
Chemistry lab (above) and at a Prep
basketball game with Fr. Holland, S.J.
Elliott Gualtiere and Jon DeRosa. Getting to know
students, parents, faculty, and alumni on a deeper
level will remain among my favorite memories of
my time at Prep, as well as the most sacred. I was
moved and inspired by the deep spirituality and
the real goodness of each group of people whom
I encountered, and found God readily in these
intensive experiences of community building,
personal reflection, spiritual growth, and service.
There were sports, musical performances,
clubs and extracurricular activities, and so many
other incredible things going on, each one a distinct
part of the vibrant community of faith, learning,
formation, and service that is Fairfield Prep. The
thing for which I am most grateful:
the community that I was so
immediately and lovingly welcomed
into. To find a place and a group
of people at this time in my Jesuit
formation in which I could try news
things, find support, inspiration, and
friendship, and simply be myself
through it all, is a greater gift than
my words here could express.
To the students, faculty, staff, families, and
alumni of Fairfield Prep, I say thank you. We hear
in the New Testament that it is far more blessed to
give than to receive, but I know that I have received
more from you than I ever could have given. Please
know of my prayers for you, and my deep gratitude
and affection, now and always. AMDG!