Commencement 2007 - Villanova University

The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., ’75 A&S, Villanova’s32nd president, celebrated the Baccalaureate Liturgyin the Villanova Stadium on Saturday, May 19, at 5 p.m.After reading the Gospel, Father Donohue addressed theClass of 2007, their families and friends with the Homilybased on the Gospel reading. The sky had turned gray withheavy clouds. A stiff wind whipped the flags, blew drops ofrain and chilled the congregation. Nevertheless, FatherDonohue’s voice rang high with energy and enthusiasm as hedelivered a rousing Homily. He commanded the worshippers’attention as he urged the congregants to strive for a deeperfaith in God—a faith like John of the Gospel displayed.“Wouldn’t it be nice for us to see such a vision today?” FatherDonohue’s voice resounded through the stadium. “John hearsthe voice of Jesus. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could hear thatvoice today? Jesus prayed that we may share in the glory andspirit that He is, in union with His Father. Wouldn’t it be niceif we could just have a small vision of that today? Or at leastthat it would come sooner than it is?“Scripture is God’s Divine message to us,” Father Donohuecontinued, “and if that message has not come alive in thisworld, is it that God has lied to us? Or is it possible that we need tohave a deeper faith? Have a different sense of what God is callingus to be? Have a different vision to see this world—a differentheart to embrace our brothers and sisters, and a mind that isopen to new knowledge and possibilities?”God’s support when life challenged and tested them. “Life is notalways easy,” he said, “and each one of us struggles at times toreally experience life in its fullest extent. But we realize that thereis an effort, and that we must keep moving forward. We mustkeep exploring, keep experimenting; we must keep experiencingall of those things around us. And we realize that at times thingsdon’t go the way we want them to, but it doesn’t make us stop.”Father Donohue illustrated his point with examples, saying:“You don’t stop playing golf, just because you can’t play golf likeTiger Woods. You’re still going to paint, even if you can’t paintlike Rembrandt. If you’re not CEO in five years, you’re going totry a new way to become a CEO, because you realize throughthis experience—this journey that we take—we learn more andmore about ourselves and what we are about.“Sometimes we find God in the deepest, darkest moments ofour lives—the moments that are most bleak to us,” he continued.“Sometimes we find God when there’s an exam to be taken, orwhen we need some professor to understand that really, the printerdidn’t work! Sometimes, the moments when we struggle the mostare the moments of deepest faith for us. Because we realize that ifwe don’t have faith, we are living in despair.”Transforming minds and hearts is a phrase heard frequently atVillanova. As a Roman Catholic, Augustinian university, Villanovastrives to imprint this message upon its graduates, with thehope that they will inspire the hearts and minds of those theymeet. “In the years you have spent at Villanova, you and we have“Before you leave this campus for many partsof the world, look at the central image of our campus,look at the spires of our church...” —Father DonohueJIM MCWILLIAMSThere was in Father Donohue’s message a challenge to thegraduates to try to see the world with the sense and vision of whatGod calls us to be and do in life. Trust in God, in His plan for usand in a deeper faith to inspire and motivate our search for success.One can’t do this alone and must not give up on God or faith indifficult times. These were the ideas that inspired his Homily.“In our lives at Villanova, we speak so much about theheart and the mind—those two things that gather us togetherin this community,” said Father Donohue.He then urged the graduates to contemplate and reflectupon the meaning of a Villanova education. “And we ask inthis community that God would ignite our hearts with aflame—a flame that would set us on fire. A flame that is reallyable to ignite everyone around us with that love, that compassion,that forgiveness. Those of you who are graduating fromVillanova University tomorrow, you have been a gift to us. Forthe time you have spent here with us, you have been the verylife of this community.” Father Donohue noted that duringthis time, the Class of 2007 and Villanova have developed adialogue together. “In that dialogue, we have tried to openourselves up to ideas and visions that are different.”Fortunately, the impending storm held off long enough for thepresident to finish his message. It was the thunder of his voicethat echoed as Father Donohue encouraged the graduates to seekexperienced both highs and lows, and we continue to move forward.We continue to search for all of those important things inour lives. And we continue to try to find ways to let faith igniteour hearts and challenge our minds to become somebody different,and to bring that difference to somebody else,” said FatherDonohue. “I hope you will take that with you as you journeyforth from Villanova. Villanova prides itself on its ability to serveothers. We wish you well as you journey forth from here. We havegiven you a message, an inspiration and a sense of who you are. Ihope you are better today than you were when you arrived here.I hope you have become somebody different.”In closing, Father Donohue asked the graduates to keep Villanovaalive in their minds and hearts. “Before you leave thiscampus for many parts of the world, look at the central image ofour campus, look at the spires of our church,” he said. “See thosetwo gleaming crosses and see how they soar into the sky. Theyspeak the message that we have given to you: That Jesus is theAlpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end of everything wedo. He sits on top of our aspirations. As each one of you soars up,may your lives recognize that fact and may you lift your voices tosee the vision of Christ before you and say to yourselves: ‘ComeLord Jesus, ignite me with Your Love, with Your Spirit, with YourCompassion, with Your Mercy, with Your Peace.’“Wouldn’t it be nice?”`Summer 2007 19