1:45–2:45 p.m.

Catholic Science and Illusion of the Canticle of Creation

The scientific model assumed by much of the human community today is predicated on the desire to define and categorize, atomistically. The sentiments of St. Francis and Pope Francis notwithstanding, this scientific approach appears to be the only one available to us, leaving the Catholic Franciscan community in the position of agreeing that we should position ourselves as partners to the natural world, but only after we have subjugated the nature and mastered our understanding of it through the imposition of a rigid, rational schemata of law and theory.

Presenter: Sean Martin, Viterbo University
Location: NRC 104

Caring for Creation in Siena’s First Year Seminar: A Course Designed for a New Generation of Franciscans

This presentation explores the process of course development and planning with faculty and administrators wishing to create experiences for their students that foster understanding of Franciscan environmental and social justice as members of our campus communities. “Care for Creation” explores the values of St. Francis and ways we can apply them in our lives, encouraging their global application for the good of all creation. Additionally, we participate in the struggle for climate justice, including a service trip to the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center, a local urban farming and environmental justice organization.

Presenter: Melody Hallenbeck Nadeau, Siena College
Location: NRC 104

Nurturing Care for Creation Through our Students

The looming environmental crisis due to climate change often feels overwhelming, and one of the challenges for educators is how to inform and motivate our students towards meaningful action. Following the lead of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’, a place to begin is to give students reason to care and something to do. I will share some class activities asking students to reacquaint themselves with nature and act on its behalf. For instance: In our Nature Writing class, the students collaborated on a project in response to Pope Francis’s call for Environmental Education in Laudato Si’. The result of their work is a website called Neumann Cares for Creation. It features essays on environmental concerns, reflections on Laudato Si’, creative and personal responses to experiences in nature, a photo gallery, and more.

Presenter: Jim Kain, Neumann University
Location: NRC 101

Using Franciscan Values in a Management Case

How do Franciscan Values relate to a supply chain dilemma for The Levi Strauss Company? Attend this session and learn how students in a graduate class applied six Franciscan values to a management decision faced by a major clothing company. Case questions are discussed, and as a participant you will be asked your thoughts on this challenging situation with ethical implications. We will share results of in-class suggestions from our students. A thought provoking and participative presentation awaits you.

Presenter: John Stevens, St. Bonaventure University
Location: NRC 101

Heartbeat of Athletics: Sports Chaplains Mentoring Stewardship, Service, Peacemaking, and Holistic Care of Athletes

The well-being and holistic care of student-athletes is a major concern for many Catholic universities. Colleges and universities are being challenged to create innovative ways to provide a healthy balance for harmony of mind, body and spirit on campuses and to develop student-athletes as leaders on their campuses, building relationships with support services such as sports nutritionists and sports counselors. Many sports chaplains mentor as facilitators in (SAAC) Student Athletic Advisory Councils enhancing experiences for student-athletes to be team leaders. This interactive session will provide participants the opportunity to “brainstorm” for a model sport chaplaincy program on their campus.

Presenter: Sr. Paula Scraba, St. Bonaventure University
Location: NRC 202

Polarity of Purpose: La Hermana Agua/Sister Water and the Canticle of the Creatures

The work by Mexican poet Amado Nervo entitled, “La hermana Agua/ Sister Water”, inspired a presentation several years ago. More recently, upon further reflection, I was led to a understand that Nervo only arrived at a point of departure. Francis praised God spontaneously. Nervo, on the other hand, needed to experience Water’s forms to achieve some level of awe. While offering meticulous personifications of Water, Nervo does not reach a true level of praise. Nervo’s singularization of Sister Water displays the question that Francis lived intuitively. A comparison of these works will explain their polarity of purpose.

Presenter: S. Linda Marie Sariego, Neumann University
Location: NRC 202

Performing the Gospel: Assisi’s Somatic Preacher’s “Art”

A conversation about the Franciscan contribution to sacred oratory. As a friar, preacher, and a sometime teacher of homiletics, I was drawn to Franciscan life because of a preacher. One senses a legacy under the words and style of contemporary Franciscan preachers like Viterbo’s own Thea Bowman, FSPA, and others in the U.S. context who proclaim more currently in that tradition. How did St. Francis himself preach? “Performance” is often an uncomfortable category for examination of preachers. The literature from the earliest years of the Franciscan story provides a paradigm for public discourse in the present context of preaching in our churches and academic settings.

Presenter: Fr. Michael Weldon, Viterbo University
Location: NRC 205