Fields

Into
the
Fields
Newsletter of Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry &
Canadian Catholic Students’ Association July 2002
Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;
therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.” Mt 9:37-38
Building a just and
loving society for all:
my revolution through footcare
Amanda Ward
“I have set an example for you; you are to do as I
have done for you.” John 13 : 14
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be
rubbing feet in my spare time in Canada’s largest city. Yet,
every Thursday night I find myself tickling the toes of the
homeless as part of the “Out of the Cold Program” and
loving every minute of it!
I moved to Toronto in September for teachers
college. I had visited the city many times prior and was
fascinated by the energy that pulsed from the streets and
venues: people always on the move and always something to
do. It surprised me when I actually moved here that I could
feel so lonely despite being surrounded by millions of people.
The dark, sad lives of those often shoved to the edge and
blurred by the vision of high society struck me with raw force.
I saw the homeless lying on the streets begging for money and
it frightened me, their empty stares boring holes right
through me. I wanted to help but I didn’t know how. Giving
money didn’t seem to be the answer.
One Sunday I was at mass at the Newman Centre
and an announcement was made about “Out of the Cold”, a
support program for the homeless in downtown Toronto.
They needed help serving meals, providing evening
Footcare... page 17
Faith in Action:
World student leader tells Catholic youth how
to go about discerning the appropriateness of
social action before acting
Mike Mullen
When Budi Tjahjono tells Catholic students that
living out their faith may demand their involvement in risky
forms of social action, they listen.
And well they should.
Mr. Tjahjono, you see, knows of which he speaks.
As a Catholic student leader in his native Indonesia,
he had first-hand experience in social action, participating in
student street protests that helped topple the dictatorship of
President Suharto in 1998.
“Some of my friends went missing during those
protests,” says the passionate 29-year-old president of the
Paris-based International Movement for Catholic Students. “I
saw students killed during those protests. It was difficult, but
we needed to change our situation.”
His active involvement in the overthrow of Suharto,
he says, was demanded both by the values of his Catholic
faith and by his privileged position as one of less than 10 per
cent of Indonesians who get the opportunity to go to college.
“If the society gives me the permission to go to
university, gives me the opportunity to study at university, I
have a responsibility to contribute back to society,” he
reasons.
“For me, it was through the youth organization…
that I was able to bring the voice of the people, the voice of
Faith in Action... page 4
1

2
From the editor
WYD 2002 and
the Cross
Rick Benson
We are welcoming the world to Canada. The CCSA
and CCCM have been involved in the planning for WYD
University Café, University Day and the Chaplains’ Forum
for over a year! Where has God been present in this
organizational process?
To begin with I would say that God has been with us
almost every step of the way. The caveat of “almost” is when
we have at times not let God into the process. The CCSA
discernment weekend in February 2001 was the starting point
for many of us. We knew we were called as the Canadian
student and campus ministry association to host our sisters
and brothers in a significant way.
After returning with the cross from Rome with
student, Richard Medernach, and the Canadian delegation,
we knew we were called to serve and develop a greater
solidarity with Canadian students, American students and
students and chaplains from around the world. This solidarity
also led to a greater partnership with other Canadian
Religious Orders, Universities, and other Catholic
Associations.
Our interactions and planning were not without
difficulty, struggling to meet our funding requirements and
objectives. Our Team responded with charity and
understanding to these challenges. In June, we were reminded
of one of the gospel readings for that week… “trusting in
providence”. The response to stressful obstacles was to trust
in God’s support and to continue to find another way. God’s
response was to use other individuals and groups to respond
to our needs.
Our interaction with the International Movement of
Catholic Students has been a gift to us. This deepening
relationship has gone beyond cooperation in organizing
events. When five students from Zimbabwe died in a recent
bus accident a few months ago, we felt the pain and loss. We
have never met these students, however the Holy Sprit has
brought our communities together.
After the glow of WYD we are called back to the
sometimes difficult realities of every day life and interactions.
We want to hold onto the good feelings and experiences.
These will sustain us, but we must also live out challenges of
campus life and the interactions of those who did not
experience the high of WYD. Bishop Emeritus, William
Power responded in a simple yet clear way to my comment
about the personnel struggles that some of us shared during
the Pilgrimage of the Cross: “Of course you should expect
that!…you went to get the Cross didn’t you?”
Announcements
Acknowledgements
Thank-you Sr. Theresa Mahoney, osu, for hosting the
2002 CCCM Board, New Campus Ministers Institute,
and CCCM Conference (not to mention the January
2002 CCSA Regional as well!)
CCCM BOARD
At the AGM in London, at Brescia University College,
a few weeks ago, the following were elected:
Sr. Helene Allain ndsc (U. de Moncton) Atlantic Rep.
Rev. Jim Link CR (St. Jerome’s U.) Central Rep.
Mr. Michael MacLean (St.Thomas More) Western Rep.
Re-elected:
Mr. Peter Cote (Concordia U.) Central Rep.
Returning:
Ms. Kate Fagan Taylor (U. Victoria) Member-at-Large
Rev. David Shulist SJ (Memorial University) Member at
large (Chairperson)
Most Rev. Ray Roussin SM (Victoria) Episcopal Liaison
Mr. Rick Benson (Saint John) National Coordinator
We want to thank outgoing Board Members:
Sheree Drummond (St. Joseph’s C.) Western Rep.
Donna Hollands- Hurst (Brock U.) Central Rep.
Rev. Conrad Edwards (U. College of Cape Breton)
Atlantic Rep.
Coming in2003
CCCM Conference
Villa Madonna Retreat Centre, Saint John, NB
June 6-7: New Campus Ministers Institute
June 7-11: CCCM Conference
June 8: Second Annual Sherlock Lecture
Host: Rev. John Keoughan (St.Thomas University)
With supporting roles from University New Brunswick
(Fredericton and Saint John) and Univ. de Moncton.
Second Annual Bishop J. Sherlock Catholic Campus
Ministry Lecture
St. Thomas University, Fredericton,NB
Evening of 8 June 2003
CCSA Leadership Conference
Fall 2003

Drawn by the rhythm of prayer in Africa
Stacey MacPhee
Faith. Faith is such an intangible word. It is
something that has a different meaning for different people.
It is a word that I find difficult to explain; but a word that I
had the opportunity to experience in a different country, in a
different culture and in a different religion.
Stacey MacPhee with friend in Kenya as she continued her experience with the Coady Institute
I have recently returned from an internship in Africa.
This internship was funded through Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA) & Human Resource
Development Centre (HRDC) and organized by the Coady
International Institute.
I was placed first in Cairo, Egypt but shortly after
September 11 th I moved to Bungoma, Kenya. In this article I
would like to tell you about my experience in Egypt.
I journey to live in the land of pharaohs and
pyramids, of skyscrapers and dusty lanes for almost two
months. Arriving in Cairo is an overload to all senses. It is
like stepping into the past and the future at the same time.
The drive to my new home from the airport is better
than any movie. Our tiny van zigzags through honking
traffic, we pass donkey drawn carts and BMW’s pass us.
Every corner has fresh fruits and veggies (I get somewhat
addicted to their huge mangoes). I see women traditionally
dressed with their faces veiled and women in business suits on
cell phones. Massive mosques stand next to ancient churches.
Cairo is the city of paradoxes and Egypt is a country of
friendly faces and many welcomes.
The first time I hear the muezzin call I have no idea
what is happening.
I arrive at my new home very late at night (or early in
the morning) and right away I crawl into my new bed to
sleep.
At 4:25am, I awake to this
strange and loud chanting.
It is a sound I quickly get
used to since Muslims pray
five times a day, a sound
that becomes part of my
day everyday.
I have the opportunity to
go to a mosque with a
friend of mine. It is a
beautiful mosque, creamy
white with gold edges, in
the middle of old Islamic
Cairo.
On a green carpet outside
we remove our shoes and
then step into the mosque.
It is like stepping into a
sound proof room. You
forget that you were in the
middle of a chaotic market.
It is so calm and peaceful–
the air soaked in peace.
There is a huge courtyard and high walls with
columns reaching to the open sky, pigeons flying criss-cross
above. In the middle, is the ablution station for people to
clean their hands and feet before praying. Between the
columns there is the praying area. It is carpeted. There is
nothing on the walls, just smooth marble. The whole thing is
so simple.
Watching people pray is like watching a dance–there
is a whole routine and rhythm that is beautiful.
Traveling has helped me open my mind to cultural
and religious differences. Whether people believed in God,
Allah or Buddha, they all smile the same wide smile.
Maseelama is arabic for “come and go in peace”. It is a word I
heard over and over again which will forever remind me of
Egyptians’ deep faith.
Stacey MacPhee is from Dalhousie, NB. She graduated from
St.FX in May 2001 with a Bachelor of Education. Presently, she
teaches a grade 5 french immersion class at St. Andrews Junior
High in Antigonish, NS.
3

...Faith in Action (from page 1)
the oppressed, and make sure it was heard by the government
and the society.”
And eventually, by the whole world.
Yet, social action doesn’t always call for that kind of
response.
In fact, while meeting with students and student
leaders in Saint John, Montreal and Saskatoon, he told them
they must learn to see the global society with a critical eye
before translating their faith in to social action.
In that way, they will discern what kind of response
is appropriate.
The IMCS motto is: See-Judge-Act.
“In See-Judge-Act we have the social justice aspect,
but we also have te spiritual aspect, as well,” Mr. Tjahjono
says, as he and his host Rick Benson, the National
Coordinator of Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry, take
part in a pre-arranged interview at the Diocesan Centre here.
“When we judge [a social issue to decide what action
to take] we use theological reflections, we use the Bible as the
main source of our judgment,” he says. “Judge can be
understood as judging people. It is not about judging people,
but in using our catholic values, we try to see, try to look at
the problems, from a Catholic point of view.”
“If Jesus lived at this time, what would Jesus say?
Something like that. And what Catholic social teachings say
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about this issue. From that, we can make a social reflection,
before we come to the act part.”
Mr. Tjahjono has been visiting North American
cities in an effort to learn more about student life and
encourage more collaboration among the Catholic student
movements in advance of World Youth Day 2002 [July 18-
28] in Toronto.
World Youth Day, he hopes, will be more than a
time of dancing and singing, but a starting point for students
to evangelize, spread justice and end poverty.
“We have to understand that while the World Youth
Day is in Toronto, it is only the peak of the celebrations that
will take place all over the world,” he says, speaking in
English (his third language after Java and Indonesian).
“So, for most of us the most important thing is not
only to be in Toronto, but to be together with young people
in our own diocese,” says Mr. Tjahjono, who also speaks
French.
“The WYD is the opportunity for young people to
meet other young people. And when young people meet
other young people, they can interact, they can discuss among
themselves,” he adds.
“As Christians, it is a way of evangelizing –
evangelization of the young people to other young people. It’s
not top-down from the Church, from the hierarchy, to the
young people with the young people becoming the object of
their evangelization. But the young people [themselves]
become the subject of the evangelization.”
Many times, he says, young people don’t really
understand what it is to be Catholic until they get together
with other young people.
Learning what it means to be Catholic and what it
means to be Catholic in a modern society, he says, is much
more important than all the dancing, singing, being together
and of having fun together for which WYD are known.
So, what is the meaning of being a Catholic young
person today?
“To be Catholic means we have to understand that
[I] have failures that I keep and I have to put my faith in
action,” he says. “So faith into action is one of the key parts
fro us to be presented to the young people. How can I put my
faith into action in my daily life. That is the key part.”
“That is why last year, when we had World Youth
day [in Rome], we organized [a conference] called Panorama
of the World. And we has as the topic Poverty Eradication:
the Youth Perspective and Involvement.”
The gathering focused “on what I, as a young person,
can do to eradicate poverty,” says Mr. Tjahjono. “At WYD,
we talked about how to interact and live together with the
marginalized. What can I do as a young person to help the
marginalized?”
Young people at WYD 2002 will hear Jean Vanier,
founder of the L’Arche movement, speak on the theme “You
Are the Salt of the Earth, You Are the Light of the World”
4

efore they break into groups to discuss how to be the salt of
the earth and the light of the world.
Now in the middle of a four-year [1999-2003] term
as president of the IMCS, Mr. Tjahjono is criss-crossing the
globe listening to the concerns of Catholic students in more
than 80 countries, and representing youth needs before major
UN conferences sponsored by UNESCO and the World
Health Organization.
He works with UNESCO to promote higher
education and, in August, will give some presentations on the
rights of young people to have higher education and not to
join the army during a human rights conference in Geneva.
There will also be discussions on eliminating discrimination
in advance on the International Conference on Racism and
Discrimination that he will attend in Durban, South Africa,
later in the year.
What he learns in one place, he shares in another.
After spending time in Rwanda, for example, he
came away with new insight about what is happening seven
years after tribal genocide claimed hundreds of thousands of
lives.
Their attitude? The past is the past.
“They are trying to forget the past and look to the
future because, for them, the past is already the past, and the
future is ahead of them,” he says. “And they do not care if
you are Tutsi or Hutu, but what they can do as one.”
Visiting a monument where 1,000 students and
university officials were killed, and buried, in a single day by
the Rwandan army, Mr. Tjahjono talked to survivors who
had managed to escape.
One man said he had hid in the Congo for four years
before returning.
“When they told their stories, they didn’t tell it like
it was something depressing to them,” he says. “They said it
happened to me, but it happened to many people, so I have
to accept it. Maybe it is difficult to accept that it happened
wholly, but again, I have to live with it. And I can see the
future through that experience.”
He found that same resolve among AIDS victims in
Cameroon.
“They don’t say, ‘My life is finished’,” says Mr.
Tjahjono. “They say, ‘I have AIDS now, but I still have the
future and I have to continue my future.’ They can’t just be
desperate, and say at home, and do nothing.”
Mr. Tjahjono says it is very important for students in
Canada, for example, to send emails and letters supporting
students in other countries who are facing calamity or
oppression.
He knows from personal experience just how
important that can be.
“That was one of the things we had [in Indonesia] in
1998,” he says. “We had a lot of solidarity letters from all
over the world. For us, it was a very big encouragement.”
*Printed with permission of the Saint John Telegraph-Journal.
On AIDS in Africa
Dark wind howls across
The land pregnant with curses
What wind is this
That brings wayward dirges?
The tender fruit falls
On the ground, premature
And dark wind sweeps it into
The gaping wound of earth
Let branches wave in loneliness
Ancient boulders bear witness
The green land is gone
Scorched with sorrow
Cold mounds sprout
In fields fertile with bones
While renegade souls lie
In helpless quietude
The sorrowful drum
Moans no longer
So when will You deliver
Tormented spirits from
This stranded nightmare?
Bring back receding hope
You who will breathe
Life into the dry bones
Bathe the barren fields
With hallowed fertility
Make lonely branches sway
Heavy with tender fruit
Come at dawn and rebuke
The dark wind of plague
Make haste and reveal Yourself
To the grief-stricken hearts
Embedded in harrowing ebony
Let them be healed
At the touch of Your hidden hand.
Joseph Arimoso
Joseph Arimoso, S.J., from Zimbabwe, is studying
theology at Hekima College in Nairobi. “On AIDS in
Africa, “ originally published in the Hekima Review,
is taken from HEADLINES News from the Jesuit social
apostolate, sjs.headlines@sjcuria.org.
5

Catholic Students Rock
Brescia University College
Daria Rapai
It is my pleasure to share with you a quick synopsis
of the CCSA Central Region Conference that took place
January 18-20 at Brescia University College, in London, ON.
By all accounts, the conference was a huge success!
Over 85 participants rolled into London on Friday evening,
and were greeted by a very enthusiastic welcoming
committee. To set the tone for the weekend, the keynote
address was given by Dan Moynihan, an incredibly gifted
speaker, who motivated us to take an active role in our lives.
He challenged us to seek out experiences that would
strengthen our faith journey. Most specifically, Dan
encouraged us, through personal account, to join the
pilgrimage to Toronto for World Youth Day 2002.
Saturday proved to be an event-filled day with
sessions focusing on faith experiences and exploring the effect
of Christ’s life on our own. “The speakers, topics, and
workshops were very informative and enlightening,” wrote
one participant. The sessions led to insightful dialogue and
“nurtured and brought forth the gifts and wisdom in the
room[s].” The highlight of the afternoon was a dramatic
dance presentation by a group of Baha’i students that was
enjoyed by all.
In the spirit of community we celebrated an Agape
meal. Then the festivities of the evening began. It was
incredible to see so many talented young people perform in
the evening’s Talent Show. It was truly one of the more
memorable events of the conference. Together we applauded,
sang, and prayed late into the night.
On Sunday, after a beautiful Mass with Fr. Ken
O’Keefe, participants were given gifts of salt and light and
were encouraged to “GO NOW!” being “Sent by the Spirit”.
On behalf of the 2002 CCSA Central Region
Conference planning committee, thank you to all the
participants whose presence made the weekend a memorable
one! We hope to see you all in July during World Youth Day!
Robert Allore, S.J.
Ronald Barnes, S.J.
Jack Costello, S.J.
John Dadosky
David Demson
Robert Doran, S.J.
Cathleen Flynn, C.S.J.
Gill Goulding, I.B.V.M.
Michael Kolarcik, S.J.
Jean-Marc Laporte, S.J.
Peter Larisey, S.J.
Margaret Lavin
Mary Jo Leddy
Scott Lewis, S.J.
An Engaged Faculty...
Hazel Markwell
Kathleen McAlpin, R.S.M.
Ronald Mercier, S.J.
Ovey Mohammed, S.J.
Jacques Monet, S.J.
Gilles Mongeau, S.J.
J. Brian Peckham, S.J.
Joseph Plevnik, S.J.
Gordon Rixon, S.J.
Joseph Schner, S.J.
Jaroslav Skira
Carl Starkloff, S.J.
Michael Stoeber
“Faith and reason are the
two wings on which
the human spirit rises
to a contemplation of truth...”
John Paul II
Committed to Academic Excellence...
M.Div.
M.A. (In Theology)
Th.M.
M.A.M.S. (Ministry & Spirituality)
Ph.D. (In Theology)
S.T.B.
Ecclesiastical Degrees
S.T.L. (Licentiate)
Diplomas
D.S.D. (Spiritual Direction)
E.C.S. (Eastern Christian Studies)
M.T.S.
M.A./M.Div. (Combined)
S.T.M. (Sacred Theology)
D.Min. (Ministry)
Th.D.
S.T.D. (Sacred Theology)
D.S.T. (Spiritual Theology)
D.T. S. (Theological Studies)
Contact the Registrar at:
15 St. Mary Street
Toronto • Ontario M4Y 2R5
Tel: 416-922-5474 Fax: 416-922-2898
The Jesuit Graduate Faculty of Theology at the University of Toronto www.utoronto.ca/regis/
Founding Member of the Toronto School of Theology
6

First Annual Bishop J. Sherlock Catholic Campus
Ministry Lecture gives snapshot of rising Millennials
Jarrett Morrison
It was a cozy setting, comfy chairs and sofas
for the forty or so people that gathered on a
Thursday evening for the premiere lecture
established in honour of Bishop John
Sherlock. This new Canadian Catholic
Campus Ministry initiative kicked off the annual CCCM
Conference held this past June at Brescia University College.
Others working in ministry also attended the event,
including the guest of honour, Bishop Sherlock. Dr. Theresa
Topic, Brescia’s Principal, introduced the evening as a fitting
tribute to one whom has played such an important role in
Campus Ministry in Canada.
With over 35 years experience, John Sherlock has
served as a university chaplain, the National Chaplain, and
the Episcopal Liaison to the Canadian Conference of
Catholic Bishops. Indeed, Sherlock, was instrumental in
establishing the support necessary for the National Chaplain
to liaison and coordinate with campus ministers across the
country and to encourage them in their mission.
Sherlock shared a few words with the guests,
expressing his delight in the great honour that CCCM has
given him, and also offering his thoughts about postsecondary
students.
“Students don’t change that much,” Sherlock
remarked, “but the culture in which they are does change
dramatically, so that challenges are never the same, and yet,
they are the same but they’re more complex.”
Just who are our students today? Rev. William
McGrattan, the Dean of St. Peter’s Seminary in London and
the featured speaker of this inaugural lecture, offered up some
analysis to address this question.
Many names have been coined for the rising
generation populating universities and colleges, but the one
that seems to have stuck is the Millennials.
The Millennial generation refers to those individuals
who reached the age of 19 and 20 at the turn of the
millennium. They make up 30% of our current population.
They are affluent, more educated than their previous
generations and more ethnically diverse. Marketing
departments, not sociologists, are spending the most on
studying this generation.
To illustrate the character of Millennials, McGrattan
drew on the work of Neil Howe and William Strauss in their
book, Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, and
Reginald Bibby’s book, Canada’s Teens: Yesterday, Today &
Tomorrow.
Howe and Strauss have a cyclical view of history, one
which follows a pattern of four generations. They divide the
generations of the last century in the following manner: the
first group are the civic-minded people, the builders of society
(1901-1925); the second group is the silent generation, a kind
of transitional generation between the Great Wars (1925-
1942); next comes the utopian visionaries, a.k.a. boomers
(1945-1960); lastly, the sufferers make up the last group–
those who have experienced or believe they have experienced
suffering, otherwise known as Generation X.
Bishop John Sherlock with Rev. William McGrattan
Ergo, we are arriving at a new generation of civicminded
builders in the Millennials. They are optimistic,
focussed on ambition, with a high degree of self-reliance and
technological competence.
They love the family as a sanctuary against life’s
difficulties. They more readily accept differences in race and
speech, and are outspoken against discrimination.
On the flip-side, 80% of teens work over 15 hours
per week. They work to increase their ability to consume.
They are a media generation, aware of perception.
According to Bibby’s survey of Canadian youth, the
highest values for Millennials are friendship and freedom–
having choices–followed by a comfortable lifestyle. Thirty per
cent espouse to values concerning spirituality and religion,
but only one in ten said they would be actively involved.
Their largest concerns are school, and life after it, as
well as having little time for self and wanting more money.
Women of this generation differ from men on several
issues, including feeling that an experience of God is a greater
value, and also showing a greater concern about violence and
discrimination against women.
With dual income parents and few siblings, relational
surrogates, such as pets and cyberspace chatrooms become
substitutes for relational experiences.
What are the emerging spiritual characteristics of
Millennials? According to Howe and Strauss, they are more
(next page)
7

hope-filled, following two generations that focussed on being
self-centred, critical of institutions, and very cynical of society
in general. Millennials are more willing to work with other
people for the betterment of society.
Millennials actively rebel against any identification as
Generation X. They want to be leaders and heroes.
They exhibit an openness to questioning; they search
for deeper meaning and value, McGrattan says, “[But] do
they have the language? Do they have the ability to reflect on
this experience? Do they have a community to be able to
interpret that experience in a way that will be beneficial for
those that they feel they are called to serve?”
The fast-paced lifestyle often mars the spirituality of
Millennials.
McGrattan cited Jesus’ example on how to cope with
ministering to people always on the go.
“Jesus did not stay stationary in his ministry; he was
an itinerant preacher and he was very much on the move. So
discipleship as a model for Christian life and being able to
walk with students will allow them to identify with the very
person of Jesus Christ. We are not a static community. We
are a community of discipleship and we have to keep moving
with this generation.”
Panellists at the lecture echoed similar views. “The
best thing we can do,” responds Amanda Ward, a recent
Bachelor of Education graduate and member of the CCSA
executive, “is to provide them with the outlets and
opportunities so they can explore and find their place, to slow
down their fast pace, to spend time in silence.”
Kelly Bourke, a retreat chaplain with the Waterloo
Catholic District School Board and past CCSA president,
added that often her retreatants do not know how to
approach silence “because they’re enjoying each other’s
company that it doesn’t occur to them that time spent in
silence together can be a good thing.”
Rev. Jim Link, CR, the director of campus ministry
at St. Jerome’s University, notes how campus ministry is “an
incredibly powerful place to be.” The students he encounters
are searching for belonging, like all people do. “They will
belong to a faith community if its meaningful to them.
They’re hungry for someone to teach them to pray.”
McGrattan’s talk was well received, as were the
panellists’ responses, by the gathered guests. Many
commented on what a wonderful beginning it was for this
new annual lecture.
I asked Bishop Sherlock what he thought of Rev.
McGrattan’s talk.
“Superb! An accurate and profoundly researched
analysis of the outlook of modern young people.” He added,
“One of the big problems of evangelization is speaking the
language of a culture. If there’s a need for spirituality, it has
to be brought to people in a language they understand.”
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Covenant House Toronto Covenant House Vancouver
(416) 598-4898 x.5408 (604) 685-5437 x.29
landis@covenanthouse.on.ca brown@covenanthousebc.org
Covenant House, Canada’s largest youth shelter, offers help and hope to
thousands of street kids.
8

Forms of Solitary Prayer
Reprinted from Love - A Guide for Prayer by Jacqueline Syrup
Bergan and S. Marie Schwan from the series Take and Receive
(Saint Mary’s Press, Winona , MN, 1985). Used by permission
of the publisher. All rights reserved.
There are various forms of scriptural prayer.
Different forms appeal to different people. Eventually, by
trying various methods, we become adept at using approaches
that are appropriate to particular passages and are in harmony
with our personality and needs. (continues on next page)
Meditation
In meditation one approaches the Scripture passage
like a love letter; this approach is especially helpful
in praying poetic passages.
Method:
• Read the passage slowly, aloud or in a whisper,
letting the words wash over you and savoring them.
• Stay with the words that especially catch your
attention; absorb them the way the thirsty earth
receives the rain.
• Keep repeating a word or a phrase, aware of the
feelings that are awakened.
• Read and reread the passage lovingly as you
would a letter from a dear friend, or as you would
softly sing the chorus of a song.
Meditative Reading
“I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and
said,’…feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving
you.’ I ate it, and tasted sweet as honey.” (Ezek. 3:2-3)
One of the approaches to prayer is a reflective
reading of Scripture or other spiritual writings.
Spiritual reading is always enriching to our life or
prayer. The method described below is especially
supportive in times when prayer is difficult or dry.
Method:
• The reading is done slowly, pausing periodically
to allow the words and phrases to enter within you.
• When a thought resonates deeply, stay with it,
allowing the fullness of it to penetrate your being.
• Relish the word received.
• Respond authentically and spontaneously as in
dialogue.
Contemplation
In contemplation, we enter into a life event or story
passage of Scripture. We enter into the passage by
way of imagination, making use of all our senses.
Theologians tell us that through contemplation we
are able to ‘recall and be present at the mysteries of
Christ’s life’
The Spirit of Jesus, present within us through
Baptism, teaches us, just as Jesus taught the apostles.
The Spirit recalls and enlivens the particular mystery
into which we enter through prayer. Just as in the
Eucharist the Risen Jesus makes present the paschal
mystery, in contemplation he brings forward the
particular event we are contemplating and presents
himself within that mystery.
Method:
• In contemplation, one enters the story as if one
were there. Watch what happens; listen to what is
being said.
• Become part of the mystery; assume the role of
one of the persons.
• Look at each of the individuals; what does he or
she experience? To whom does each one speak?
• What difference does it make for my life, my
family, for society, if I hear the message?
• In the gospel stories, enter into dialogue with
Jesus. Be there with him and for him. Want him;
hunger for him. Listen to him. Let him be for you
what he wants to be. Respond to him.
Mantra
One means of centering prayers is the use of the
‘mantra’ or ‘prayer word’. The mantra can be a
single word or phrase. It may be a word from
Scripture or one that arises spontaneously from
within your heart. The word or phrase represents,
for you, the fullness of God.
Variations of the mantra may include the name
“Jesus” or what is known as the Jesus prayer, “Lord,
Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on
me, a sinner.”
Method:
• The word or phrase is repeated slowly within
oneself in harmony with one’s breathing. For
example, the first part of the Jesus prayer is said
while inhaling; the second half, while exhaling.
9

Centering Prayer
“In centering prayer we go beyond thought and image,
beyond the sense and the rational mind to that center of our
being where God is working a wonderful work” (59, p.28)
Centering prayer is a very simple, pure form of prayer,
frequently without words; it is an opening of our hearts
to the Spirit dwelling within us.
In centering prayer, we spiral down into the deepest
center of ourselves. It is God who is breathing us into
life. To enter into centering prayer requires a recognition
of our dependency on God and a surrender to God’s
Spirit of love.
“The Spirit too comes to help us in our weakness…the
Spirit…expresses our plea in a way that could never be
Journalling
“If you read my words, you will have some idea of the depths
that I see in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4)
Journaling is meditative writing. When we place pen on
paper, spirit and body cooperate to release our true selves.
There is a difference between journaling and keeping a
journal. To journal is to experience ourselves in a new
light as expression is given to the fresh images which
emerge from our subconscious. Journaling requires
putting aside preconceived ideas and control.
Meditative writing is like writing a letter to one we love.
Memories are recalled, convictions are clarified, and
affections well up within us. In writing we may discover
that emotions are intensified and prolonged.
Because of this, journaling can give us a deeper
put into words…” (Rom. 8:26).
The Spirit of Jesus within us cries out “Abba, Father!”
(Rom. 8:15).
Method:
“Pause a while and know that I am God…”
(Ps. 46:10)
• Sit quietly, comfortable and relaxed.
• Rest within your longing and desire for God.
• Move to the centre within your deepest self. This
movement can be facilitated by imagining yourself slowly
descending in an elevator, or walking down flights of
stairs, or descending on a mountain, or going down into
the water, as in a deep pool.
• In the stillness, become aware of God’s presence;
peacefully absorb God’s love.
appreciation for the written word as we encounter it in
Scripture.
Method:
There are many variations for the use of journaling in
prayer. Among them are the following:
• Writing a letter addressed to God
• Writing a conversation between oneself and another
(The other may be Jesus, or another significant person.
The dialogue can also be with an event, an experience, or a
value. For example, death, separation, or wisdom receives
personal attributes and is imaged as a person with whom
one enters into conversation)
• Writing an answer to a question, for example, “What
do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51) or “Why
are you weeping?” (John 20:15)
• Allowing Jesus or another scripture person to ‘speak’ to
us through the pen.
Gods Creations
Luminous light fills the entire sky
white cloud gracefully moves with the night air
outside of the cavern appears a reflection of a woman
children kneel as they feel her presence
The night continues
as the day follows
~Kata Goluza
Postscript:
The youth delegation at the North American
Vocations Congress to Priestly and Consecrated Life
echoed the sentiments of the recent CCSA
questionnaires. Young people want to learn how to
pray. We hope that this brief introduction to styles of
prayer may be helpful. We encourage you to seek out
a Spiritual Director or Companion to share in your
journey with God.
10

Repetition
“I will remain quietly meditating upon the point in which I
have found what I desire without any eagerness to go on till
I have been satisfied” (Saint Ignatius of Loyola)
Repetition is the return to a previous period of prayer for
the purpose of allowing the movements of God to
deepen within one’s heart.
Through repetitions, we fine-tune our sensitivities to
God and to how god speaks in our prayer and within our
life circumstances. The prayer of repetition allows for the
experience of integrating who we are with who God is
revealing himself to be for us.
Repetition is a way of honouring God’s word to us in the
earlier prayer period. It is recalling and pondering an
earlier conversation with one we love. It is as if we say to
God, “Tell me that again; what did I hear you saying?”
In this follow-up conversation or repetition, we open
ourselves to a healing presence that often transforms
whatever sadness and confusion may have been
experienced in the first prayer.
In repetitions, not only is the consolation (joy, warmth,
peace) deepened, but the desolation (pain, sadness,
confusion) is frequently brought to a new level of
understanding and acceptance within God’s plan for us.
Method:
The period of prayer that we select to repeat is one in
which we may have experienced a significant movement
of joy or sadness or confusion. It may also be a period in
which nothing seemed to happen, due, perhaps, to our
own lack of readiness at the time.
• Recall the feelings of the first period of prayer.
• As a point of entry, use the scene, word or feeling that
was previously most significant.
• Allow the Spirit to direct the inner movements of your
heart during this time of prayer.
A Personal Reflection on The Rosary
Rachid Nayel
Given to Saint Dominic by our Lady, in the time
that the Albigensian heresy was devastating the country of
Toulouse, it was promised that the praying of the rosary
would remedy heresy and sin. Through history, no prayer
outside of the Mass has been more powerful. Through the
imploration of our Blessed Mother, this prayer has helped
defeat armies, elevated the Church, and above all given hope
to Catholics of all ages.
Mary has always kept her promise and this pledge
extends to all Christians. It is only through Christ that we
attain salvation, but Mary helps us become the children of
God, and as our heavenly queen and mother, she watches
over all of us.
Catholicism has always been essential in my life. I
will forever cherish memories of my brother and I, as youths,
altar-serving and playing tag outside the church after Sunday
mass. At church as well as at home we were encouraged to do
everything in a matter that would please God; this attitude
gave me a sense of duty and an earnest love for godly
commandments.
During my formative years I attended public schools
where most student were French-Canadian Catholics whose
parents had chosen not to practice. Secondary school was
especially godless, most students rebelled against everything
and anything, so inevitably religion was to be scrutinized. By
the end of secondary school I had given my life to Christ and
acknowledged His saving power over my life, but I still felt
that I wasn’t fully enjoying His grace.
Then came the rosary: it was as if a light had been
turned on. Immediately I figured out that there was more to
Christianity. During the summer of my last year of secondary
school I discovered the power of prayer and it was this
undemanding devotion to the Mother of God that revealed it
to me. The simplicity of hailing Mary and the
straightforwardness of seeking her intercession give me an
immeasurable inner peace.
Since I started praying the rosary daily, about ten
months ago, my faith has gotten stronger. At the beginning of
the rosary we pray the Hail Mary three times, once for an
increase in faith, once for an increase in charity and once for
an increase in hope. Since I started doing this my life has
been full of opportunities where I can learn to grow in these
virtues. Moreover I feel drawn to daily mass and other forms
of prayer have become easier. I feel that there is nothing that I
cannot overcome for I know that God is with me and that
Mary is continuously interceding for me.
In conclusion I would like to leave you with a story
of St. Teresa of Avila who tells us how priceless a treasure it is
by showing the value and merits of a single Hail Mary.
Shortly after her death, she appeared to one of the sisters of
her community and told her that she would be willing to
return to a life of suffering until the end of time to merit the
degree of glory which God rewards one devoutly recited Hail
Mary. So imagine the rewards to those who are earnestly
devoted to the rosary.
11

The Global Connection Experience
Cuernavaca Centre for Intercultural Dialogue on Development
12
The Road Much
Less Travelled
Terry Kersch, CSB
The graffiti-laden bus downshifts and slowly bumps
off the smooth Acapulco highway and begins to strain up a
dusty mountain road. It is not 10 a.m. yet and already the
heat of the day is beginning to show itself in little beads of
sweat forming on the foreheads of the passengers. This
remote mountain road here in the state of Guerrero, Mexico
has been known for its bandits so the passengers are nervously
gripping the chicken bars on the seats in front of them as they
scan the road ahead for likely ambush points. The two
designated negotiators are silent as they review in their minds
all possible scenarios and develop their plans for dealing with
the bandits should the bus be stopped.
Of course, all passengers were warned ahead of time
about the relatively remote possibility of being robbed en
route to their destination, so all valuable items and most of
their cash was left behind in safety at CCIDD (Cuernavaca
Centre for Intercultural Dialogue on Development). All were
instructed to remain calm and simply cooperate with the
bandits if such an eventuality should arise. Nevertheless, the
negotiators are aware that the bandits would probably be
more scared than the passengers on the bus. This was the
greatest danger—an accidental discharge of a weapon in the
hands of a hungry, thirsty and nervous young lad.
Slowly but surely, the sun-baked bus continued to
grind up the dusty mountain road. Uneventfully, and with a
sigh of relief, the bus traversed the arid wilderness and came
in contact with the first vestiges of civilization: a 3-room high
school built on the outskirts of this small town of 15,000
souls. This high school was designed to be a “Tele-
Secundaria”—that is to say, a school in which instruction
would be delivered to students via the “Morelos 2” Satellite
and viewed on the three television sets in the school.
However, the high school teacher on site pointed out
that the three television sets and the satellite dish and receiver
had been stolen a couple of years ago. We all thought that
whoever stole them probably put them to better use because,
as far as we could determine, no electricity had ever arrived at
this school and there were no signs that it would soon arrive.
After a short visit to the unkempt graveyard next to
the school, we re-boarded the bus and continued into the
heart of Tlamacazapa, Guerrero. This town was founded
almost a half a millennium ago by a small group of
indigenous people who fled the Spanish conquest by leaving
their homesteads in the valleys and re-settling in the remote,
arid mountains. Verbal tradition has it that this town
remained isolated from the outside world until the middle of
the 20th century. But the style and condition of its three
churches, and the fact that pretty well everyone there spoke
Spanish, would seem to indicate that at least some Christian
Missionaries had found Tlamacazapa long before the town
found the rest of Mexico.
Be that as it may, the main “industries” of this little
town include subsistence farming and the weaving of baskets
of all sorts and sizes. These baskets are made from a kind of
palm leaf that grows on short, stubby plants throughout the
region. The baskets are sold in all the major tourist centers in
Mexico such as Cancun, Acapulco and other vacation spots.
As in most parts of Mexico, water is a serious
problem here—especially toward the end of the dry season
that lasts 10 months of the year in the central highlands. By
early May, the three town wells were almost empty as men,
women, and children lined up at these spots carrying over
their shoulders or in their hands any kind of object—from a
child’s plastic sand pail to greasy oil cans—that could hold
water. Diana, the CCIDD nurse accompanied us that day
and told us that despite government efforts to improve the
water supply here, it remained contaminated by heavy metals.
It is indeed safer to drink Coca Cola in these parts. But Coca
Cola does not grow corn.
Tlamacazapa is perched on a mountainside and we
made our way up the steep paths on foot to the topmost
reach of the village to visit a campesino and his family. Isidro
and his large family were clean, slender, but not unhealthy
looking. He struggles to feed his family by selling their homemade
baskets, by cultivating a small corn patch, and by
dragging over his shoulders a couple of fresh cut logs to a
local sawmill for 15 pesos each.
Thus, the lumber brings in about $3.00 USD after a
day’s work of cutting and hauling. However, the Mexican
government estimates that it costs about $12.00 USD per day
to feed a family of six. Isidor’s income, then, is already 75%
short for the standard food package while his family exceeds
the standard family size by almost 40 %. He struggles to
make up the deficit by subsistence farming and by selling
baskets. This year, however, he has no idea how he will be
able to afford sending two more children to school.
Although impressed by Isidro’s faith, the plight of
Isidro and his family made a strong impact on this year’s

“If you have come to help us, you are wasting your time.
but if you have come because your liberation is
bound up with ours, let us work together.”
delegation from Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry. This
was not, however, the group’s first encounter with poverty in
Mexico. Indeed, the visit to Tlamacazapa marked the half
way point in the Mexico encounter.
The Mexico we experienced was not the squeaky
clean images of Cancun or Acapulco as depicted in the slick
television adds. Instead, we encountered Mexico in the way
that 70 million Mexicans live their daily lives. This is not to
say, however, that we actually lived that way. For we returned
each evening to CCIDD with its normal beds, carefully
prepared and abundant food, and safe drinking water.
Nevertheless, we were able to gain some appreciation about
how 70% of a hundred million people live just a short fivehour
flight south of Toronto.
called to go global?
Global Connection is a 14-day immersion and
witnessing experience facilitated by Canadian
Catholic Campus Ministry in conjunction with the
Cuernavaca Centre for Intercultural Dialogue on
Development. Visit www.cccm.ca for more info.
Priests and Laity
Called to Serve
Living our faith
among other
Peoples and cultures
To Be Challenged
John Cuddihy
It is one thing to hope for conversion and another
thing entirely to be changed in ways difficult to describe
within the limits of language. It is a matter of hoping for an
enormous, momentous occasion of enlightenment only to
realize that it will never happen; that the true discovery of
God’s will is a time consuming and arduous process of
painful soul searching and honesty. More than an epiphany,
change comes as an increasing awareness not of answers, but
questions that need to be asked.
It was during a moment of quiet reminiscence that I
remembered a friend having said several times in different
ways, in different circumstances, that God doesn’t tell us His
will directly, in a flash of revelation, but through the people
we meet, the events that unfold, the kindness, gentleness, and
love extended by those we encounter as we walk in the sands
of life.
I have encountered wisdom so deep that I am
saddened to be parted from it. It is selfish in that I value this
wisdom primarily for its ability to open my eyes, to enable
me to grow and develop as an individual. It is not, however,
individual development that I should be working for, but a
better world for others. We are called by Christ not to serve
ourselves, but to serve others. Somewhat paradoxically, in
order to fully serve others, we must develop ourselves.
In May 2001, I attended the Global Connection
Experience along with a group of students and chaplains from
Canadian universities. Going in, I wanted to be changed, but
had no idea what to expect.
In “wanting to be changed”, I had little idea of what
exactly this would entail, but looking back, what I think I was
looking for was an experience that would provide a
motivation to act beyond that which an academic knowledge
of social injustice could provide. This experience I most
definitely received.
Through discussions with the group, our facilitators,
speakers kind enough to share their knowledge and wisdom
with us, and through the generosity of those who welcomed
us and shared with us their thoughts, struggles and lives, I
came to an understanding of the reality of poverty.
Looking back over the past months since my return,
I see the chaos of student life: assignments, midterms,
projects, finals, and the occasional moment of relaxation. If
there is one word that can generally be used to describe life
for many people in our society, it would be busy. (to next page)
13

(from previous page)
I often don’t think that there is enough time in a day
to accomplish all I feel needs to be done, and I know that
many friends of mine feel the same way. This is a problem in
that by rushing along full tilt, we seldom have time to
question, to contemplate, to seek truth, to develop
relationships. That time must be set aside if we are to develop
to our full potential as human beings. That time must be set
aside if we, the individuals that collectively make up society,
are going to ever change the direction in which Western
society is heading–if we are going to care about those
members of the human family who are marginalized.
Our Western culture is individualistic and selfcentred
and yet, all too often we don’t recognize the danger,
the fallacy and selfishness of the capitalistic mindset.
Returning from Mexico I had an idea of the reality of
material poverty that exists for seventy percent of Mexicans
and for the majority of people world-wide. Reflecting on the
time since, the two weeks in Mexico, and the thoughts shared
with people since then, I am beginning to understand the
poverty to which we as a society are subjecting ourselves.
In our departure package from CCIDD, at the very
top of the first page, there is a quote by Rose Gregoire, an
Innu woman. She said, “If you have come to help us, you are
wasting your time. But if you have come because your
liberation is bound up with ours, let us work together.”
I think that when we begin to set time aside, to slow
life down, and ask ourselves what is truly important, we will
begin to see the truth in these words. We will no longer help
people in order to sooth our consciences but will actively fight
for social justice because our spiritual liberation is tied to the
liberation of the oppressed.
What is frustrating and scary is that the root of social
injustice is not in some distant nation, some geographical
location too obscure for many to imagine. The root of the
problem is in the way we who have power and privilege,
choose to live our lives. We often do not recognize where we
have power, where we are privileged. We make countless
decisions every day, small decisions that put together have a
direct impact on the lives of those who are marginalized–in
our own society as well as in developing regions.
I would like to challenge you, as I have challenged
myself, to take time to examine your life, to reflect on your
decisions as a consumer, the choices of food and clothing, the
choice to buy or not to buy, the choice to pay more for a
product that is produced in a more socially responsible
manner. By continually examining our lives and reflecting, we
will become more aware of the choices we make so that when
we do something, it is a conscious choice, a decision made in
full awareness. To loosely quote a friend, “At least if we
decide we want to keep our goodies, we know that we want to
keep our goodies and will be honest with ourselves.”
14

Acting Locally
St. Thomas student leads the way to Meal Exchange:
Applying the message of Global Connection
Emily Doukogiannis
Guidance is always available from God, our challenge
is to recognize and embrace its messengers. In the summer of
1999, I travelled to Cuernevaca, Mexico where I spent 13
days dumbstruck by the Global Connections Experience. We
always hear things that are going wrong in the world and
become disgusted at the thought, but have you ever stared at
it and had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide?
At the end of our stay we were all asked to reflect on
our experience and think about how we could apply the
subject matter to our lives in Canada. I realized at this point
that it was my responsibility to empower people. God gave
me a voice and I had to use it.
At the time I was serving as Vice-President of
Student Services on the St. Thomas Student Union. When I
went back to work after my 2 week stay in Mexico, I sat
down at my desk and groaned as I looked down at the stack
of mail I had to sift through. On the top was another package
from a student organization that had contacted me before my
stay in Mexico. It was from an organization called Meal
Exchange. The mandate of Meal Exchange was implementing
student solutions to the hunger problem in Canada.
Prior to my experience in Cuernevaca, I ignored
numerous requests from this organization, because I was far
too busy with my position as Vice-President. I decided to
read through the subject matter and… bingo! This was the
answer to educating ALL university students in Canada about
the hunger problem that exists in our communities, and I had
the opportunity to socially engage students by taking
responsibility for its solution. I knew God was placing
something in my lap that could not be ignored.
I called the General Manager of Meal Exchange and
asked how St. Thomas could get involved. Two years later,
students and administration at St. Thomas University have
raised thousands of dollars simply by running a simple and
effective program that understands students.
The Meal Exchange’s first mandate is to strengthen
civic engagement by encouraging students to identify and
implement solutions to hunger. As such, its programmes offer
to transform students from passive contributors in the fight
against hunger into agents actively creating solutions. What
sets the Meal Exchange apart from other social organizations
is that all donations go directly to the students and
community members in need. The organization is run by
hundreds of volunteers who work diligently to recruit every
post-secondary institution in Canada. Meal Exchange at St.
Thomas has raised over $10,000 and stocked the shelves at
the campus food bank, and a community food bank, and is
now donating to elementary milk programs.
What I have learned from this experience is that God
gives each and every one of us the power to make a difference,
where we have trouble is putting this power to use. I
shouldn’t have had to go half way around the world to find
my motivation to make a difference. What I didn’t realize
was that I only had to look in my backyard.
If you want to join the Meal Exchange on its quest to
empower students to end hunger in Canadian communities,
visit www.mealexchange.com.
15

The Society of Jesus
Priests and Brothers Serving the Church
For the greater glory
of God
hearts
big enough to embrace a suffering world
minds
sharp enough to grasp a complex world
spirituality deep enough to sustain this vision and service
Jesuits
of English-speaking Canada
Assistant for Vocations
1325 Bay St., Suite 300
Toronto, ON M5R 2C4
416-962-4500
vocation@jesuits.ca
www.jesuits.ca
16

...Footcare (from page 1)
entertainment, organizing the clothing, doing foot care and
acting as overnight security. Here was my opportunity to
make a difference.
I went to the volunteer orientation meeting with the
intention of serving meals, however, they had more than
enough servers and they asked if I would be interested in
doing foot care. I am not a squeamish person but touching
the feet of strangers was a bit unnerving to me. A few of the
‘veteran’ foot care women saw my hesitation and promised
me that this experience would change my life and that these
people needed my gifts. They were right.
Over the past five months I have soaked, filed,
clipped toenails, massaged and powdered a lot of feet. I have
met and built relationships with many interesting individuals
who are in need of love and someone to whom they can tell
their story. For twenty minutes I have the privilege of making
a person feel loved and cared about. When my ‘regulars’ don’t
show up, I get worried and wonder what happened to them.
In the midst of such a large city that can seem so
cold and lonely, I have found a warm, welcoming
community, full of love and acceptance. I receive much
more than I give to these people. They teach me
lessons that can never be learned in books. They teach
me about compassion, about listening, about valuing
life and about what it means to be a servant of
Christ. I am constantly reminded of the story of
Christ washing the feet of his disciples and how he
called them (and us) to go out and wash the feet of
others. It is a powerful message.
Growing up in a family of eight, I never really
felt privileged in the money sense of the word. I always
had a job, even when I was young, to save up for
things I most wanted. We lived on a tight budget,
similar to what I live on now as a student! But I
realized just how privileged I was as I started
working with the homeless at “Out of the Cold”.
I always had a meal on the table to come home to,
a bed to sleep in, people who loved me and
clothes to wear, even if they were hand-medowns.
As a student, the same is true. Although
I live on loans, I have money to buy things, I never
go hungry, I can afford my rent and I can afford
tuition for an education. This is not the reality for
most of the people at “Out of the Cold”.
There have been times where I have
questioned why I volunteer at a place like this. I
have met guests that have scared me because I do
not fully understand their illness or the situations
that have led them to the streets. It is not a
glamorous job. Some people have literally rotten
feet from constantly walking in wet shoes and
some smell of body odour. Sometimes arguments
break out amongst the guests as to who was first in line. They
are not shy to show their frustration when we announce that
we are closed for the night and they have not had their turn.
Regardless of the hassles, the look of relaxation on their face
and their willingness to open up to me and tell their story and
the true happiness I feel in my heart when I am in that
environment, keeps me coming back week after week.
The majority of guests who come to have their feet
done are men, and as one of the few young women working, I
sometimes do have to deal with uncomfortable situations
resulting from comments or advances. I have been asked out
on dates, asked for my number, asked if I am single, asked if I
am rich. Those questions are easy to fend off. I usually tell
them I’m too busy with school, that I honestly do have a
boyfriend or that I am a student living off loans and therefore
have no money. I believe a sense of humour is necessary to
surviving in life and here is no exception!
The toughest question I was ever asked was whether I
would honestly ever date someone who was homeless. I was
taken completely by surprise. I did not know how to
answer honestly and in a way that would not offend
him. I told him, in any situation, I always try to
look at the person first and the gifts they have but
that I honestly did not know if I would/could
date a homeless person. I could not explain why
though. He seemed satisfied that I did not give
a pious answer but I left the building that night
reeling from our conversation.
Why would I not be attracted to
someone who was homeless? If I met my
boyfriend on the street and he was the exact
same person I grew to love, would I stop
loving him simply because he had no house,
money, or possessions? I felt shallow and
thought of all the people like Jean Vanier
who have dedicated their life to working with
the ‘outcasts’ of society and prayed that I
would have the grace to continue building
relation-ships with those who are
marginalized.
As I reflect about my experiences with
“Out of the Cold”, I recall the theme of the
World Youth Day ‘University Day’: “As light of
the world and salt of the earth…how do I as a
university student, interact with the
marginalized in my society?” I am called to be
a light to these people who live in their own
‘darkness’, whether it is unemployment,
alcoholism, mental illness, family break up,
drug addiction or simply lack of support and
love. It is my duty as a human being to strive
for a just and loving society for all my brothers
and sisters. This is just one way in which I can
take steps to make this type of society a reality
and bring the love of Christ to those around me. 17

The days are just packed:
peer ministry at Assumption U
Sarah Plumb
I made the trip to Windsor, Ontario on
Labour Day, 2001 to begin my Masters in
Pastoral Ministry. I knew only my relatives
whom I would be living with and I had not yet
met anyone with whom I would make this
spiritual journey over the next two years.
On my first day of class, I entered the small room in
which most of the I.P.E.M. (Institute of Pastoral and
Educational Ministry) courses are held. I took a seat and
looked across to the other side of the room. A beautiful
smiling face looked back at me and I knew I was where I was
meant to be. The person to whom that face belonged was
Diane, the first of our peer ministry team that I was to meet.
At the break, Catherinanne George, AssumptionU. and U. of
W’s new Director of Campus Ministry came to introduce
herself to students potentially interested in Campus Ministry.
And that, my friends, was the fateful moment that I became
inextricably connected to this beautiful community.
Our peer ministry leadership team came to consist of
Diane who comes to us from the “…beautiful Caribbean
island of St. Lucia”, Emmanuel, a Maltese computer whiz
with a flair for the absurd, as well as Marie, a very street-savvy
Torontonian. Of course we can’t forget Chris, an evangelical
sort and a huge Christian Rock fan, Amy, a human kinetics
major who is always filled with love and laughter, and Mike, a
guitar-playing superstar. And last but not least, our fearless
leader, Catherinanne.
Our cozy community has grown quite a bit since
then and we’ve laughed, prayed and played together quite a
lot these past 8 months. Let me now try my best to condense
in a short article the most meaningful events that have
occurred this year.
Early on in the year, we participated in a Universitywide
health fair where we gave students information on the
importance of keeping healthy spiritually as well as physically
and mentally. We heard some great stories about how U. of
Windsor students keep up on their spiritual health, with
activities ranging from daily prayer to yoga.
As Advent quickly came upon us, the peer ministry
team put together a very well received retreat entitled
“Making Room for God: There was no Room in the Inn…is
there Room in your Heart?” I personally felt very proud of
our teamwork and our ability to put together a meaningful
gathering for our fellow students. We had upbeat icebreakers,
reflections on Mary’s journey to Jesus’ birth, prayers, songs
and personal reflection questions.
We put on a Christmas carolling extravaganza at a
local Seniors Residence which was very poignant and
extremely entertaining. An energetic former Baptist minister
18
Group from Assumption University and the University of Windsor attending the 2002
CCSA Central Region Conference at Brescia University College in London, ON
wheeled around with us the entire time singing his heart out
and sharing his laughter. Another woman who was nonverbal,
who made little motion that she even realized we were
there, followed us around in a dutiful manner, as though she
couldn’t bear to be separated from the music. And finally, we
were asked by another woman’s family to sing at her bedroom
Lord, take me by the hand and guide me,
For the way is sometimes dark and lonely;
Even in the quiet I hear the chaos
And in my solitude I am disrupted
by the intruders with no name.
Lord, hold my hand when I am lost,
For many roads seem like dead ends,
Guide me along the routes I have yet to discover,
And shine your light on the darkness that
sometimes invades my heart.
Lord, sit with me when I rest,
For I will need you to lean on;
Give me solace when I’m in despair,
And courage when bravery fails me.
Lord, help me to my feet when I fall
And heal my scars after I bleed;
Take me across the treacherous waters
For without you I cannot swim,
And take care of me if across the waters
I shall not survive.
Lord, be beside me as I walk through
this life and to the next,
Take my soul and let it grow
Even when my feeble body ceases to exist,
Lord guide my soul.
Claudia Andre

door while she was moments away from death. We all learned
that day the astonishing effect that music can have on
people’s innermost lives.
Another excitedly awaited event was our
“Understanding Islam” evening where a local Imam came and
spoke about his faith, followed by a chance for small group
discussion over delicious Middle Eastern refreshments! Many
of our campus ministry group attended as well as many
Muslim students, including a young Muslim woman writing
an article on the evening for the Lance, U of W’s school
paper. It was an incredible opportunity for inter-cultural
dialogue and we all learned a great deal.
Among many other endeavours over this school year
were our Salt and Light Café, Open Mike Talent Forum, our
Lenten Retreat “Rediscovering Yourself…New Life!” where
we got really creative and made some rocking spiritual sand
art, and of course our weekly Wednesday masses, presided
over by a different inspirational Basilian priest each week and
followed by an always marvellous dinner.
I feel I have grown a lot in my faith this year and that
I have been able to contribute to the faith life of others. It’s a
powerful thing to have a small, intimate group of believers
who share similar values and life goals. The experience of
being in a peer leadership role was also exciting and eyeopening
for me. But perhaps the very best part of this year is
that I have made some incredible life-long friendships.
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19

Into
theFields
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