It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Frank Holley Luoni, father of CCMA member, Fr. Chris Luoni, chair of the National Convention Committee. Please read on for more on Frank Luoni.
Frank Holley Luoni, age 85 of Massillon, Ohio, passed away on Jan. 26, 2012, after a lengthy illness. He was born in Charleston, W.Va., on April 23, 1926, to the late Alberto and Blanche Luoni. Frank served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a tanker. He retired after 32 years from RCA Service as a branch manager. Frank was a lifetime member of the K of C 4th degree Grand Knights and Faithful Navigator and a member of the Autumn Leaves at Reedurban Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church for 31 years. Frank was a volunteer at the House of Loretto. He enjoyed golfing and ‘gourmet’ gardening.
Frank is preceded in death by five brothers and three sisters. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Juanita; children, Stephen (Christina) of Fayetteville, Ark., Annette (Karl) Ash of Canton, Jeffrey of Peoria, Ill., and Fr. Christopher of Youngstown; granddaughters, Samantha and Mackenzie Ash of Canton; sister, Dorothy Auld; and many nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be TODAY from 6-8 p.m. ET at the Reed Funeral Home, Canton Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Joseph Catholic Church of Canton. Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery with military rites. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to House of Loreto or St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Canton. Those wishing to send their condolences or share a fond memory may sign the Reed On-line guestbook at www.reedfuneralhome.com.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Fr. Chris and his family.
Chrysta Bolinger is CCMA’s Director of Member Services and Communications.
This week I will continue to step back to let the students speak.I recently surveyed students for their honest feedback about campus ministry.Today let’s look at their responses to the question: “What basic advice do you have for campus ministers?”
“For me student led organizations, especially bible studies, have been key in my faith development, so feel free to take back seat sometimes and watch the students grow without adult influence. It is truly amazing to see what students can create and foster if they are left to it!”
“I think campus minister should plan events and to make sure that they advertise to their fullest ability instead of the kids already in campus ministry. Sometimes cliques can also come about in a ministry and those are the bane of my existence.Create an atmosphere where everyone is approachable and make sure that everyone feels equally included.Maybe have some lunches or dinners in the campus ministry and publicly advertise for them.”
“My advice would be to stay strong and know that every little thing that you are doing is helping someone out there, even if you can’t see it.”
“I think campus ministers do a lot for the students and are a real inspiration to the college community. I think if programs are not being well attended reflection should take place. I don’t think they should be cut until zero students are interested. I would hate to see a program be changing someone’s life and then be cut. If it is not doing well the program should be reevaluated and modified to attract more students. I think it is important for the campus ministers to give their support to the students and their programs while allowing the students to develop their leadership capabilities.”
“I think that one of the best ways a campus minister can engage students is by communication in order to better understand the interests and needs of the community as well as to get them involved in ministry by promoting a desire for their interaction and placing value on their opinion. Acknowledgment is also very important. Often times a simple “thank you” is all it takes for someone to feel accepted and wanted in a group. “
“I definitely believe campus ministry is a valuable addition to every campus. It offers students a plethora of opportunities. Personally, it has allowed me to step up and take leadership roles that have also helped me grow deeper in my faith, and has confirmed my decision to pursue a career in youth ministry. I think it’s important that campus ministers listen to the students they serve and try to respond to their needs and interests. I also think it’s important for campus ministers to provide opportunities for students to learn more about their faith and discuss it in an open environment. I think high school and college are crucial times for young adults in regards to their faith life, and if they don’t have the opportunities and the resources to grow in their faith and take ownership of it, they will be at a disadvantage.”
Greg Baker is Director of Campus Ministry for Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA
Let’s be honest, this one has no theological value
Last semester I discovered the ministerial joy that is “Ultimate Werewolf”. For those unfamiliar with Werewolf (or Mafia), here are some basics of the game:
Everybody gets a secret identity- most are good guys, one or just a few are bad guys.
Everybody closes their eyes at “night”, the bad guys wake up and silently choose a target, who is “killed” and out of the game.
During the day cycle, the group tries to figure out who the secret bad guys are- the group votes on who to eliminate & identify.
These cycles continue until the good guys win by taking out all the bad guys, or the bad guys kill everybody.
Usually these types of games just have good guys & bad guys- in this case, Villagers & Werewolves. But Ulitmate Werewolf is way cooler- the Villagers & Werewolf teams include lots of goofy characters, including but not limited to:
The Priest- who can save a Werewolf victim once per game with his blessing
The Hunter- who fires his crossbow when attacked, and kills a target of his choosing
The Thing that Goes Bump in the Night- who wakes up in the middle of the night and pokes somebody nearby
Teen Werewolf- who must say the word “werewolf” every day-cycle, or automatically loses
Vampires- who compete with werewolves to attack villagers
The Village Idiot- who always votes for targets to be attacked
A Big Game for Big Groups
Ultimate Werewolf can be played with up to 64 people and as few as 6- there are dozens of identity cards. This flexibility makes it great for service trip groups or a huge undergrad retreat. We even played it before a Pastoral Team Meeting and everybody from Youth Minister to retired priests got a kick out of it. Once players get “killed”, they are out of the game, but it is usually so much fun everybody stays around to figure out who the bad guys and good guys were, and spend the rest of the game giggling on the sidelines and suppressing the desire to give hints to the group.
My undergrads are positively rabid for “Ultimate Werewolf”, and as it caught on, everybody was curious to learn what was involved in this new werewolf phenomenon. It is fun to see which identity cards the students like- my students love “The Thing that goes Bump in the Night”- we can’t play a single game without “The Thing”. I usually act as the moderator, which is just as enjoyable as playing because I get to see eyes light up in the night-cycle.
So, if you are looking for a ridiculously fun icebreaker, retreat game or wintertime source of amusement, I highly recommend “Ulitmate Werewolf”.
What games are a big hit at your campus ministry site? Please share!
Katie Diller is the Director of Student Outreach at St. John Student Center serving Michigan State University.
The connection between the first reading and gospel seems to be all about authority - who has it and what that means. We’re reminded in the first reading about the important role of prophets and that the true prophets receive their messages directly from God. Jesus’ ability to preach as one having authority and to command unclean spirits is a sign that like the prophets of Israel his work is guided by God. And, as the unclean spirit attests, he is in fact “the Holy One of God.” Since this is Mark’s gospel Jesus rapidly silences the unclean spirit, but even without the spirit’s proclamation the abilities that Jesus demonstrates clue the people in to the fact that something special is happening in Galilee.
There is much rich imagery within these two readings about what it might mean to be fully authentic, to be directed by God, and to properly discern what is and is not of God. And yet my attention is captivated by this second reading from the first letter to the Corinthians. For many years, this reading was used to support an assumption that married people couldn’t really be as holy as someone who was single, especially someone who had a vocation to serve as a priest or religious. As the Christian community has continued to reflect and pray with the Scriptures in light of tradition and experience, it has developed a new way of understanding what it means to truly serve and love God.
In the Second Vatican Council one of the primary developments was an articulation of the “universal call to holiness,” a theological statement that every single human person is called to holiness in the midst of whatever state of life to which God has called them. Keeping this in mind, perhaps the most important connection between these three readings is a sense of listening to the voice of God and letting it guide our paths. When we listen for God we’re able to rightly discern others who serve as prophets and additionally understand the importance of seeking God regardless of whether we are single or married. The psalmist seems to reinforce this connection, warning us, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
How do we speak about discernment in the course of our ministry? Do we undergo discernment ourselves or use the process of discernment when evaluating programming or other activities? Are we authorities that allow God’s message to shine, or are our efforts directed solely by our own assumptions and interests? Where is God in the midst of our lives, calling us to be holy?
Sarah Heiman is Administrative Director of Campus Ministry at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.
USCCB’s Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development would like to extend an invitation to attend the 2012 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering (CSMG) titled, Faithful Citizenship: Protecting Human Life and Dignity, Promoting the Common Good, February 12-15, at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, DC. At Faithful Citizenship, Catholics can connect in person with Catholic social ministry leaders from across the United States, and exciting plenary presentations, briefings, workshops, and strategy sessions will focus on Faithful Citizenship and other important topics, and will better prepare Catholics for the challenges and opportunities of the election year. Visit the CSMG 2012 web page for more information.
NALM Annual Conference, May 21-June2, 2012
The 2012 NALM Annual Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Virginia. The hotel, located minutes from downtown Washington, DC attractions (the National Mall, White House, Smithsonian), offers free shuttle service to Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and the DC Metro. Crystal City is the business district located closest to National Airport. Preconference events include the Institute for Lay Ministry Formation Directors and the Roundtable for Pastoral Associates and Parish Life Coordinators, will be May 30-31. This is a great professional development opportunity and a chance to visit the nation’s capital! For more information and to register, visit http://www.nalm.org/mc/community/eventdetails.do?eventId=333465&orgId=nalm&recurringId=0.
The Freshman Survival Guide Available
There have always been guides for picking a college, paying for college, and getting good grades in college. Now, there’s a guide that offers the first truly holistic look into the lives of college students and life on campus. Addressing everything from studying to sex to spirituality, The Freshman Survival Guide is the first to deal with the whole student, treating the intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual lives of college students as intimately connected aspects of their overall success.From the long-time editor-in-chief of BustedHalo.com, Bill McGarvey and contributing editor Nora Bradbury-Haehl, The Freshman Survival Guide is the perfect tool to help freshmen handle the most difficult transition they’ve ever encountered: going to college. The culmination of years of research, interviews and surveys with hundreds of students, administrators, professors, education experts, psychologists and campus ministers from across the country, The Freshman Survival Guide’s many resources encourage students to be “seekers” who not only survive, but thrive. Now in its third printing since its April 2011 publication, tens of thousands of students have already benefitted from the book’s approach. The Freshman Survival Guide is available for purchase wherever books are sold. Special bulk discounts for CCMA members are available as well. Please email bulkbuys@thefreshmansurvivalguide.com for information.
“The Freshman Survival Guide was an incredible blessing to our students and a key element of our Freshman Retreat at the beginning of the Fall semester.Five months later, I still have students thanking me for putting it in their hands.In fact, a few credit the book with bringing them back to the Campus Ministry program after “getting busy” with college life.Freshman Survival Guide is a great gift from families to college bound students, and a great investment for campus ministry sites at the beginning of the academic year.”
Katie Diller, Campus Minister, Michigan State University
Chrysta Bolinger is CCMA’s Director, Member Services and Communication.
This week I will continue to step back to let the students speak.I recently surveyed students for their honest feedback about campus ministry.Today let’s look at their responses to the question: “If you were a campus minister what would be the top priorities in your ministry?”I find their responses, once again, to be wise and penetrating.
“Bring the faith community together in unique ways.Be aware of the needs of both the individual and the community as a whole.Promote the importance of faith in education. Encourage the practice and development of ministry in young adults.Serve as a resource for those exploring the facets of their faith.”
“In my ministry, I would do a lot of listening to determine what the students want. I would try and find at least two or three programs that the students would be interested in and make those big. I would also do a lot of outreach to the student body to make sure everyone would feel welcome.”
“I would probably put the emphasis of my ministry as almost a guidance counselor role. I don’t know why, but that is always something that I feel college students need more of because sometimes you don’t want to talk to your friends or your family about something.So what do you do then? You go to a counselor or campus minister.”
“Top priority in my ministry: loving atmosphere, non-judgmental setting, open to everyone, easy-going, everyone is approachable.”
“If I were in charge of Campus Ministry I would focus on the reaching a broad range of students and offering multi-cultural experiences so that students could both grow in their faith and explore others.”
“As a campus minister, I think it would be important for one’s priorities to reflect the priorities of those whom they serve. I think it’s important to offer a wide array of services and opportunities, but if there aren’t opportunities that the students are interested in or passionate about, they are not going to fully grip them and take the reins, and they won’t be as fruitful as they could potentially be. I think the biggest priority would be community - some of my fondest memories regarding campus ministry in high school and college are not necessarily the “aha” moments in Mass or the witness talks that gave me chills, but they are as simple as getting to talk to new people during an outing, or convening in Campus Ministry after Catholic devotions on Wednesday nights to hang out, eat cookies, and play euchre. Campus Ministry, while it is the essential faith presence on campus, does not always need to be directly about faith or religion. I’ve come to find that while my faith is at the root of everything I do, I find it much more fulfilling to sit around and talk with people who I know share the same values and beliefs as me, without needing to discuss those thoughts or beliefs. I think community is also essential because it is something students need across the board - not just within the confines of Campus Ministry”.
Greg Baker is Director of Campus Ministry for Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA
I stumbled across this 1993 Australian TV miniseries in the British section of my local video rental place. Now, I realize that sounds a bit obscure, but it featured young Russell Crowe and a bunch of sisters in full habits- I was intrigued.
The miniseries looks at a small order of sisters somewhere in Australia before, during, and after the Second Vatican Council. Though it features on ensemble of characters in the convent and girls’ boarding school, each episode focuses on the personal struggles of a different character alongside a 1960’s Church issue. The first episode is a pre-Vatican II look at vocation, novitiate & obedience as a handful of young women join the order. The episodes progress through issues of divorce & remarriage, sex education, the change in religious habit and traditions in the order, and Humanae Vitae.
Folks, it blew my mind
As a 29 year old in ministry, my understanding of the Second Vatican Council has been formed by academic course work, reading the documents directly, the praise or complaints of my elders and the present interpretations (or reinterpretations) that we are experiencing today. This fairly obscure miniseries totally blew my mind.
The miniseries is quite balanced. It shows both the personal excitement and anxieties of the women in the convent & school. My favorite episode focused on the mother superior, Mother Ambrose, as she led the sisters through the study of their way of life, the change in religious habit and traditional practices. Her wisdom, power and sensitivity were just… wow. The portrayal of the sisters is very human- their struggles with obedience, sexuality, Church teachings and joy- incredible.
I learned SO MUCH about how the Second Vatican Council must have been experienced in the 1960’s. This may have been one of the most fascinating Catholic historical movies I have ever seen. And I learned a great deal about the “strong, luminous women, intent on doing good” that were portrayed in the miniseries. I cannot recommend “Brides of Christ” enough!
In Ministry
I admit that I have not yet found a place to show this series in campus ministry here at Michigan State. Since there are six 50-minute episodes, I think the greater likelihood is that I would choose just one episode to use in a presentation. If I were able to teach an academic course on Catholicism at the Movies, I would definitely use “Brides of Christ”. This may also be a great bridge-builder in a parish with young people who are unfamiliar with the shifts in the Second Vatican Council and the members of the permanent community who would remember the 1960’s.
Bottom line- run, don’t walk, to a good video rental place or your Netflix account and get these DVD’s.
Katie Diller is the Director of Student Outreach at St. John Student Center serving Michigan State University.
Today I am posting a YouTube video, not because I like it. In fact I strongly disagree with it, however, it has received 13 million views in a very short period of time and is the talk of many college students.
This video discusses why the man hates religion but love s Jesus. I think this attitude is highly representative of the view of many millennials today (this link will not work on 1/18 due to Wikipedia’s blackout in protest of the SOPA/PIPA bills in Congress), and is worth knowing that it is out there. Maybe a program on why religion is important to loving Jesus might be perfect for your center.
I’m just returning from a week long immersion trip with 15 of our students that focused on issues of diversity and justice in our local community. The week culminated in our celebration and recognition of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and was a week in which everyone was challenged intellectually, emotionally, and physically through our service and reflection. In reading the upcoming Sunday’s readings, I couldn’t help but do so with an eye towards the transformation that we are all constantly undergoing.
The first reading recounts Nineveh’s acceptance of the call to repentance brought by Jonah, and in the Gospel we hear the story of Jesus calling some of his disciples, telling them to “come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” These are stories that I am very familiar with, and perhaps because of that I’m drawn to the second reading from 1 Corinthians. There’s an ambiguity in the text that I think requires careful reflection and that might help our students to begin to reflect on some of the transformational experiences in our lives.
I’m stuck on two lines: “those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing.” The context is that since the end is near at hand (a clear apocalyptic tone but it can also mean the realities of death), we should be transformed and not act in the ways we have been acting. It’s not that we should all be weeping or that we should all be rejoicing, but that whatever our state in life is we should remember that that experience may not always be the case.
Some of the reflections with my students this week evoked these same feelings of ambiguity and transformation. When talking about racism and prejudice some were moving from a place of deep hurt and frustration to a place of finally being heard and valued for who they were, and some were challenged to step outside of their comfort zone and address how their happy lives in some cases ignored or fostered the discrimination of others. I think we all need to constantly be transforming, identifying what we have done and didn’t do that added or lessened the burdens of others. And over it all, of course, we need to allow ourselves to be transformed by others, to be open to the experiences and lessons they share. In doing so, we may be better able to hear God’s call to repent and believe in the Gospel.
Sarah Heiman is Administrative Director of Campus Ministry at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.
Looking for professional development conferences and events this summer? Then look no further! Visit CCMA’s event calendar to find events going on around the country. For instance, there is the Director’s Institute, focusing on aspiring leadership in ministry; the Development Institute, focusing on building relationships to bring potential donors to your ministry; CMLI, bringing students and campus ministers together to create best practices in ministry, and more!
For more information, please contact the national office at info@ccmanet.org or 888.714.6631.
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