The Companion

Weekly E-Bulletin of
Rockhurst University's Campus Ministry

September 20, 2015
New Bishop
Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. was named as the next bishop of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese. He will be installed on November 4th.
Ignatian Heritage Month
Ignatian Heritage Month will be celebrated during the month of September.  Mark your calendars for these important activities taking place during this month:
 
Daily Examen    
3:30 pm           
Monday through Thursday from Sept. 14 - October 1
Ignatius Statue

Sept. 21            
7:30 pm           
Presentation by Fr. Kevin Burke, SJ (Rockhurst Alum, '75) 
on "The Beginning of Wisdom: The Challenge of Pedro Arrupe to Jesuit Universities Today".  
Sponsored in conjunction with the Center for Arts and Letters, The Thomas More Center for the Study of Catholic Thought and Culture, and the Office of Mission and Ministry, 
Arrupe Auditorium
 
Sept. 24           
8:45am     
Come watch the Pope's address to the Joint Meeting of Congress Arrupe Auditorium
 
Ignatian Six Word Story contest for students, faculty, and staff.  Please submit your entry to Mary Cary ([email protected]) by September 30th.  
This Wednesday: Silent Retreat Deadline

Applications are due to Celia by the day's end on Wednesday.
This Thursday: Pope Watch Party
Join us this Thursday, September 24th at 8:45am in Arrupe Auditorium for a festive viewing of the Pope's historical address to Congress.
LIFT
River Relief Day of Service

Leftovers with Love
Volunteers Needed for Leftovers With Love!
Each week, Rockhurst University donates its leftover cafeteria food to St. James Place, a nearby social service agency that assists people from our neighborhood in many ways, including nightly free meals.  As a Leftovers with Love volunteer, you would:
  • Transport food from the RU cafeteria to St. James Place on a KC city bus
  • Eat dinner at St. James Place with their guests
  • Engage in a short prayer and reflection
Volunteers serve on Tuesdays from 4 to 6pm, and can sign up individually or in groups of 3 or smaller.  Service hours will be credited to your transcript. Email August Thacker or Maggie Cain to sign up!
 
CMC Open House Hours
This year, the Campus Ministry Center (CMC) at 5134 Forest is open every Monday-Thursday that school is in session from 6pm-10pm. While CLCs and other groups use the upstairs, the first floor is open for students to stop by to study, socialize, etc. Know that you are welcome to stop by and make yourselves at home!
Volunteer in Guatemala
Jesuit Volunteer Corps
With the Pope's visit to the United States, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps was featured in the Washington Post. It's a worthwhile read
A Prayer

From "Praying the Ignaitan Way" by David Fleming, S.J.
 
Ignatian spirituality is a way of orienting my life to God influenced by Ignatius Loyola [the founder of the Society of Jesus, aka the Jesuits]. Since Ignatius was not ordained until he was 46 years old, his spirituality is neither particularly priestly nor religious. His insights came as a layman, and Ignatian spirituality had its appeal to men and women alike in all walks of life. . .
 
How we believe makes a difference in how we pray. The Ignatian perspective views our God as a God who works. As Jesus says in John's gospel, "My Father works, and I work." God is always working with each one of us. God is patient, God never gives up, God rejoices in our little steps of progress and successes, and runs to meet us when we return discouraged and a little worse for wear. Just as Jesus was busy about the kingdom, busy about his Father's affairs, so Jesus calls followers to be busy with him in the same mission.
 
This perspective of a God totally involved in working with the world affects the way I pray. If God is so present to my world, how can I become more aware of God? Who can I find God more easily in my day? Ignatius' key was a prayer form traditionally called the examination of conscience. Today, we tend to refer to this daily way of praying as the "consciousness examen."
 
This examen can be described in five steps. Ignatius suggests that we always begin and end our meeting with God in gratitude.
 
1.    Hi God, Here I am. Thanks for being here for me. And thanks for this day.
2.    Lord, I want to see; Lord, let me not be deaf to your voice. Please send your Spirit into my life so that I can see and hear as you would have me see and hear.
3.    Where have I seen you, Lord, where have I heard you speaking within myself and my deep desires, through other people, in what they have said or how they have acted, in the events of this day? Where have I noted your distance or felt myself moving away from you? Have I felt your absence or even abandonment?
4.    I thank you, God, for your presences. I ask pardon for the ways that I have kept you, God, out of my day or at least I have paid no attention to your presence. And finally,
5.    I say good-bye, God. Please stay with me. Thanks for this prayer time. Keep me more aware of the ways you surround me with care and love.
 
Ignatius suggests that we make this kind of prayer daily --- perhaps as we are walking or driving to school or work, maybe sometime before we turn in for the night. Little by little, I am meant to be growing in my sensitivity to turn to God easily within my day's' activities and so find God. I begin to live with God, to have a sense of working with God, and God working with me.
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If you have a favorite prayer that you would like to share with the campus community, feel free to pass it along to Cindy Schmersal so that it may be considered for inclusion in this section of "The Companion."
In This Issue
This Week in
Campus Ministry
 
Sunday, Sept. 20th
6:00pm: Mass (SFX) 

Monday, Sept. 21st   
7:30pm"The Beginning of Wisdom: The Challenge of Pedro Arrupe to Jesuit Universities Today".presentation (Arrupe Auditorium)
10:10pm: Mass (MC)

Wednesday, Sept. 23rd
Silent Retreat Registration Deadline
10:10pm: Mass (MC)

Thursday, Sept. 24th
8:45am: Pope Watch Party (Arrupe Auditorium)

Saturday, Sept. 26th
4:00pm: Family and Alumni Weekend Mass (SFX)

Sunday, Sept. 27th
6:00pm: Mass (MC)

Need Prayer?

 

Email the Campus Ministry staff with your name and your intention, and we will happily hold you in prayer throughout the week.

Office of Campus Ministry
Massman 4 (lower level)
(816) 501-4063 

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