Odds and ends.

I apologize for the sparseness of posting over the last several weeks; the onslaught of finals, De U prep, a relaxing home visit and the various tasks associated with moving and getting acclimated to a new place have kept me from giving this blog much attention. I'm happy to report that I've made it to Philadelphia in one piece and have (mostly) moved into my new digs at Saint Joseph's University. Over the past week, I've been occupied with numerous administrative details related to my regency assignment - getting my university e-mail account set up, moving into my office, choosing books for my fall courses - as well as the more general task of starting to get to know my new Jesuit community at SJU. I've had a very good experience so far - the community and campus have both been very hospitable, and I've enjoyed the generous assistance of many good people. Saint Joseph's is a very fine place and I'm very happy to be here.

This weekend, I participated in a couple of celebratory events which I would like to record. On Friday morning, I flew to Cleveland for Bi-Province Days at John Carroll University. I was pleased to join over two hundred other Jesuits from the Chicago and Detroit Provinces in honoring members of our two provinces who this year celebrate major anniversaries of their entrance into the novitiate or ordination to the priesthood (up to and including 75 years since entering the Society in the case of the great Walt Farrell) as well as witnessing the priestly ordination of Martin Schreiber and Cyril Whitaker on Saturday afternoon. Flying back to Philadelphia later that night, I was able to join other Jesuits from the SJU community on Sunday for a Golden Jubilee Mass honoring our own Father Jim Moore on the 50th anniversary of his ordination. Before retiring last spring, Father Moore spent a record 45 years as an administrator at Saint Joseph's University, first as director of admissions and then as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. For another perspective on Father Moore's jubilee and some pictures of the Mass, check out this blog post by a loyal alumnus of SJU who was also in attendance.

For my part, I was very deeply moved by the jubilee and ordination celebrations that I attended this weekend in Cleveland and Philadelphia. Watching as two of my Jesuit brothers were ordained to the priesthood and giving thanks for the many years of priestly and religious service offered by many other Jesuits gave me yet another opportunity to reflect on the tremendous gift of this vocation as well as the responsibilities that it includes. I hope that you'll join me in praying for Cy and Marty and all others who have recently been ordained to the priesthood as well as for Father Jim Moore and for all his fellow jubilarians. May the good work that God has done through them continue to bear great fruit. AMDG.