Franciscan Way Winter 2003 - Franciscan University of Steubenville

In 1970, consecrated persons or
priests made up 51 percent of the
200,000 teachers in Catholic schools in
the United States. By the year 2000 that
proportion had dropped to 7.5 percent,
just over 12,000 teachers. This dramatic
decline, among other considerations,
prompted a new document, “On Consecrated
Persons and Their Mission in
Schools,” issued November 19, 2002, by
the Congregation for Catholic Education.
The document emphasized the contribution
consecrated persons make to the
apostolate of education by their radical
reference to Christ, and by their important
witness to the transcendent dimension
of the spiritual life. In the section profiling
the consecrated person, it said, “The
consecrated life must try to testify that
holiness is the highest humanizing proposal
of man and of history” (No. 12) and
that “consecrated persons communicate
the richness of their specific vocation to
the extent that they live their consecration
commitments to the full” (No. 13).
Calling their role in education “vitally
important” because they evangelize as
they educate, the document exhorted consecrated
persons to “revive their educational
passion” by “starting afresh from
Christ…contemplating his face, pausing
at length with him in prayer to then be
able to show him to others” (No. 82).
As a Franciscan who has served as a
teacher and administrator in high schools
and colleges for over 25 years, I found
these reflections both a wonderful reminder
and affirmation of the role of
priests and religious in education, especially
at Franciscan University. Since its
founding by Third Order Regular
Rev. Terence Henry, TOR
President
The Franciscan Presence
Franciscans in 1946, this school has
enjoyed a strong Franciscan presence on
the Board of Trustees, in administration,
staff, and faculty, and today, 15 friars
continue the rich Franciscan educational
mission here.
Several recent decisions highlight our
ongoing commitment to Catholic higher
education as Franciscans.
First, we decided to increase the
Franciscan presence in our Austrian study
abroad program by inviting a community
of Franciscan sisters to join us in our work
there. They will assist our chaplain, provide
a greater religious presence, and teach
some courses. This decision came out of
our October Board of Trustees meeting
in Gaming, which celebrated the end of
our tenth year in Austria, and the many
blessings that have come through this
program.
Second, Franciscan University started
a new semester abroad program in Rome
for our MA theology students. This program
became possible when Minister General
Father Ilija Zivkovic, TOR, invited us
to house our students at the guesthouse
at the international headquarters for the
Franciscan Friars of the Third Order
Regular of St. Francis. This kind invitation
represents a commitment to education
at the highest levels of the order.
Third, at the prompting of our provincial,
Father Edmund Carroll, TOR,
and the Provincial Chapter of the
Franciscan Friars, we created a new administrative
position ensuring that another
friar will always work in close collaboration
with the University president. I am
so pleased to announce the appointment
of Father Dave Pivonka, TOR, as the
University’s first vice president for Mission
Effectiveness. A 1989 graduate of
Franciscan University, Father Dave will
work throughout the University to help
focus departments on our unique
Franciscan mission and will also serve as
my assistant.
Fourth, the University hired Frank
Glazer as our new vice president for Advancement.
A senior development professional
with nearly 30 years’ experience, he
will lead our efforts to build up our endowment
fund. As the Congregation for
Catholic Education’s document stated,
Catholic schools must provide access to
education “especially for the poor” as a
matter of justice. Increasing our endowment
will allow us to assist families of
modest means who wish to send their sons
and daughters to Franciscan University
even as we strive to improve academic
excellence.
The University also welcomed Dr.
Robert G. Filby ’75, former president of
the Trinity Health System Foundation and
vice president of Medical Affairs for Trinity
Health System in Steubenville, as our
new vice president for Community Relations.
He replaces John Madigan ’58, who
retired in January after 18 years of dedicated
service but will continue to play a
role in the University on our Board of
Advisors.
I am grateful for all the fine men and
women—lay and consecrated—who serve
alongside the Franciscans here at this University.
Together, may we do our best as
educators to “light and trim the lamp of
faith of the new generations, the ‘morning
watchmen at the dawn of the new millennium’”
(No. 84).
4 Franciscan Way