The week begins with Masses of Anticipation on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. in the University Church at Rose Hill and 7 p.m. in the Pope Auditorium at Lincoln Center. These will be followed by ice cream socials for students and the University community.

In the days leading up to the pope’s visit, Fordham will be preparing “spiritually and pastorally” in every way it can, said Lito Salazar, SJ, executive director of campus ministry.

“We are encouraging daily and Sunday Mass homilists to consider invoking Pope Francis’ words or commenting on his global pastoral ministry whenever relevant to unpacking Scriptures at liturgical celebrations,” Father Lito said.

“In addition, the intentions of the pope and his visit have been and will continue to be in the intercessory prayers of the faithful. The Holy Hour devotion set for Mondays will have the same intention.”

Watch the pope live

On Thursday, Sept. 24, the day the pope travels from D.C. to New York, Fordham will live stream Pope Francis’ morning address to the U. S. Congress on all three campuses, beginning at 9:20 a.m.: the McGinley lobby at Rose Hill; Lowenstein 2nd floor plaza at Lincoln Center; and Room 228 at Westchester.

The pope’s address to the United Nations, which takes place Friday, Sept. 25 at 8:30 a.m., will also be live streamed from these locations.

In addition, students can enter into a lottery to win a ticket to that evening’s papal Mass at Madison Square Garden. The lottery can be found in the student tab at my.fordham.edu.

Students and community members will also have the opportunity to pray evening vespers along with the pope as he leads evening prayer at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Thursday, Sept 24. Beginning 6:45 p.m., the vespers will be streamed at University Church and Our Lady’s Chapel at Rose Hill and at Blessed Rupert Mayer, SJ Chapel at Lincoln Center.

Community service

On Saturday, Sept. 26, students are invited to participate in a community service project in honor of the pope’s visit. Participants will join Habitat for Humanity’s Pope Francis House in Yonkers to help construct homes

“Care for the poor and the marginalized is a central theme of Pope Francis’ papacy, and using our gifts and talents to care for the needs of others is something that’s part of Fordham’s identity as a Catholic and Jesuit school,” said Conor O’Kane, director of campus ministry at Rose Hill.

“The pope has an authenticity and spiritual freedom that resonates with our students,” O’Kane said. “His leadership and emphasis on what it means to be a person of faith in the world today is a question that’s relevant to all of our students. So his messages have been animating all that we say and do here [in campus ministry].”

Over the next two weeks, the University community can keep an eye out for papal experts from Fordham, who the Office of Communications has lined up to appear in the news. A full list of faculty experts and where they will be appearing is available here.

The annual Honor Roll, which is the highest federal recognition a school can receive for its community service, salutes institutions that achieve meaningful and measureable outcomes in the communities they serve. This year marks the fourth time Fordham was named to the Honor Roll.

“Social justice is at the heart of Fordham’s [mission]and we’re excited to receive an award that reflects the work we do as a whole,” said Sandra Lobo-Jost, FCRH ’97, GSS ’04, director of the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice, which is the liaison organization between Fordham and its surrounding communities in the Bronx and Manhattan.

Fordham was recognized in the categories of “General Community Service” and “Education.” The general category acknowledges institutions that are committed to improving the quality of life within the community—particularly for low-income individuals—in any form of service, including education, health, economic opportunity, environmental restoration, and support for veterans and military families. The education category recognizes institutions that work to improve educational outcomes for children and youth in pre-K through undergraduate education.

Among the public service projects in which Fordham students volunteered were New York City’s HOPE Count to estimate the number of homeless New Yorkers and Urban Plunge, a program in which student volunteers work to combat hunger, promote affordable housing, educate youth, and foster community development in various communities across New York City.

The Dorothy Day Center also connected Fordham’s student groups with at-risk youth in local middle and high schools to provide mentorship, arts and academic workshops, and to offer guidance to high school student clubs.

Universities are chosen based on innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the breadth of academic service-learning credits. This final criterion is another important component of Fordham education, which includes more than two dozen “service integrated” courses across all disciplines.

Launched in 2006, the President’s Community Service Honor Roll highlights the roles that colleges and universities play in serving local communities and in gearing students toward a life of civic engagement. It is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the agency that oversees federal service organization such as AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Social Innovation Fund.

While many students were heading to Edwards Parade to enjoy one of first warm days of spring, some 90 Fordham University student-athletes instead headed to the Rockaways on April 6, to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy as part of the University’s Sandy Solidarity Project.

The Fordham student-athletes joined a group from Habitat for Humanity Westchester, led by Executive Director Jim Killoran, in cleaning up areas hard hit by Sandy back in October. They assisted with clearing debris from houses damaged by the storm, demolishing decks that were ruined and deemed unsafe, hauling drywall to houses being renovated, and helping one homeowner to clear debris.

Members of the Fordham women’s swimming program provided some engineering assistance, helping level the front deck of a house that was raised by floodwaters. The women lent their muscle to dig out the temporary supports in order to let the deck level out to its original position—much to the delight of the deck’s builder.

Conor O’Kane, associate director of Campus Ministry, encouraged the student-athletes to interact with the residents and share their stories. O’Kane stressed the importance of understanding the devastation suffered by the people of Breezy Point and Far Rockaway, especially now as the storm has faded from the headlines.

“When you go back to campus, bring the lessons you learned here today with you,” said O’Kane. “Share the stories you have been told by the residents with your classmates and reflect on what it meant to the people whose lives you touched today that you were here.”

This was the second student-athlete effort toward helping Sandy victims. In January at the Fordham Breakfast for Champions, the Fordham Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) presented a financial gift to St. Francis de Sales School in Rockaway Beach, a school and parish that was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

The Sandy Solidarity Program was established by the office of University Mission and Ministry and the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice established and includes Fordham students traveling to the Rockaways to assist the Habitat for Humanity Westchester Project in rebuilding the Breezy Point and the Rockaways.

For more photos and video of the Fordham Athletics Sandy Saturday, visit the Fordham Athletic website at www.fordhamsports.com.

by Joe Dibari

More than two months after Hurricane Sandy struck the east coast, many local families are still struggling to rebuild their homes and lives. In an effort to help those affected, Fordham University continues to sponsor a series of one-day outings known as “Sandy Saturdays” to work with affected communities.

Volunteers will travel to Breezy Point and the Far Rockaways to help clear debris, gut devastated homes, and assist in the beginnings of the rebuilding efforts. Groups will join Habitat for Humanity, Operation Blessing, the St. Francis de Sales Elementary School, and other organizations already working in the area.

To learn about the volunteers’ Jan. 26 experience, read the article on Fordham’s news blog

Remaining Sandy Saturdays are set for:

• March 23
• April 6
• April 20

Volunteers will depart from Fordham at 7:30 a.m. and, following a full day’s labor, will return to Fordham by 5 p.m. Transportation and meals will be provided.

“Sandy Solidarity calls out the entire Fordham family to live with a true spirit of compassion, to truly live out our Fordham mission in this time of ongoing need,” said Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, vice president for University mission and ministry.

Fordham is requesting the help of faculty, staff members, administrators, and friends of the Fordham community to chaperone students on the outings. Anyone interested in either chaperoning or volunteering should contact the Dorothy Day Center for Service and Justice at (718) 817-4510 or by going online here.

More information about additional trips and ongoing relief efforts will be provided in a forthcoming Inside Fordham article.

The day after the church was the site of the ordination of three new priests for the Society of Jesus, construction crews began setting up scaffolding along the back and unrolling plastic sheeting to protect the pews.

By June 25, the loft had been cleared out, and an opening to the church tower that had been obscured by the organ pipes is now visible. While the keyboard portion of the old organ was too worn out to be re-used, the pipes and the smaller organ in the front of the church have found a new home at Church of the Annunciation in Crestwood.

The new custom made organ is currently being assembled at Schoenstein & Co. in Benicia, CA. Robert Minotti, director of Fordham University Choirs, is scheduled to fly out to the factory to give it a final test run on July 14, at which point it will be disassembled and transported across country in five tractor trailers. It is expected to arrive at Rose Hill on August 14, when installation will begin.

Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, vice president for University Mission and Ministry, said the $2 million project would not have been possible without the generosity of Stephen E. Bepler, FCRH ’64, his wife Kim B. Bepler, the late George Doty, FCRH ’38, the Brian and Joelle Kelly Family Foundation, and an anonymous donor.

“Our hope is to have a formal celebratory dedication of the new organs next spring with several smaller gatherings featuring noted guest organists,” he said.

“The contractors are now moving forward full steam on our very exciting project that will culminate in late October with the installation of two new world class church organs.”

Director of Fordham University Choirs Robert Minotti plays several hymns on the original organ shortly before it is dismantled. Photo by Patrick Verel

The University Church altar as seen through the pipes in the original organ on June 6. Photo by Patrick Verel

The opening to the church tower that had been obscured by the organ pipes, as seen on June 25. Photo by Chris Taggart

The now empty church loft, ready for renovation, on June 25. Photo by Chris Taggart

The University Church interior, draped with plastic sheeting, on June 25. Photo by Chris Taggart

An artists rendering of the new organ. Contributed Photo

“Seek God in all things and we shall find God by our sides.”
—St. Peter Claver, S.J.

Tuesday, 26 through Friday, 29 May 2009
Mariandale Retreat and Conference Center Ossining, N.Y.

Deadline for deposits is May 8, 2009. For more information, please contact Joan Cavanagh at (212) 636-6268.

FAQ

What happens during the retreat?
Each morning, a member of the Campus Ministry team presents a theme of the spiritual exercises and makes suggestions for your prayer. The rest of the day is spent mostly in silence, allowing you to be alone with God in prayer and recollection. A member of the Campus Ministry staff meets with you individually every day in order to tailor the retreat to your particular needs and faith history. Retreatants gather for Eucharist and meet again each evening for common prayer, discussion and to enjoy the surrounding 56 acres overlooking the Hudson River.

Who may go on the Ignatian Retreat?
The Ignatian Retreat is open to members of the Fordham faculty and administration, professional staff and graduate students. No previous experience is presumed, only a generous heart and a desire to deepen one’s relationship with God.

Meals
A continental breakfast is served each morning. Lunch includes homemade soups, salads, entrée, cold cuts, breads and desserts. Dinner includes hot entrée, vegetables, bread, salad bar and dessert. (Fresh fruit and soft drinks are available in the dining room throughout the day.)

Accommodations
There are 43 single bedrooms, each furnished with a twin bed, sink, desk and chair, reading chair, closet and fan. Restrooms and shower facilities are in each hallway. Linens are provided.

Who is on the retreat team?
Members of the Campus Ministry staff along with the Office of Mission and Ministry comprise the retreat team.

Commuter option
We understand that an overnight trip may not be possible for everyone; therefore, we have chosen Mariandale because of its convenient location for those who work at any of the Fordham campuses. If you would like to participate, but feel that you are not able to spend the night, why not consider joining us as a commuter?

The retreat begins at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and ends with lunch on Friday. Thanks to the support of benefactors, the fee is $170 for the full overnight experience and $80 for commuters.