T he B oston C ollege
Chronicle DECEMBER 14, 2017
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CORPS BELIEF The Ignatian Volunteer Corps has become a destination for retired Boston College alumni seeking to reaffirm the connection with Jesuit spirituality they enjoyed at the Heights. IVC’s New England Region, which opened almost nine years ago, includes many BC alumni among its 43 members who serve diverse neighborhoods in Boston, Brockton, Framingham, Worcester, Providence and other areas for two days a week. Among their activities, Ignatian volunteers teach, mentor and advise in a variety of educational
are assisted by Jesuits who act as “spiritual reflectors” to help the volunteers contemplate service and its deeper meaning for themselves and those whom they serve. At its Dec. 3 core community celebration, which took place on BC’s Brighton Campus, IVC New England honored 15 members who have volunteered for at least five years. For IVC staff member and volunteer Ann Bersani ’77, a seven-year participant, the organization provided a meaningful avenue for reorientation when
THE ART OF CRAMMING Inspiring works at the McMullen Museum of Art provided a backdrop for Boston College students preparing for finals during study days earlier this week. Following suit with an initiative launched at the end of the spring semester, chairs were set up after hours in the McMullen galleries, and the first floor was opened up to provide quiet areas for study late into the evening as well as during the day. The McMullen can host up to 200 students in chairs, but they also often camp on the floor or on benches. Demand was higher this semester, as word of this new study venue had spread among students. And while the space itself is a draw for students, organizers say that the option to sit among beautiful works of art, and take a break to stroll through the exhibitions, is both stimulating and stress-reducing. Coffee also was provided for the ever-important study breaks.
Grace An ’18 found this gallery in the McMullen Museum of Art a perfect place to study for finals. (Photo by Yiting Chen)
“We are delighted to open our doors until midnight to invite our students to enjoy the beauty of our McMullen Museum spaces and great works of art as they study for exams at the end of semester,” said McMullen Director and Professor of Art History Nancy Netzer.
Because the museum is a place for quiet reflection for many students, noted Education Outreach and Digital Resources Manager Rachel Chamberlain, “extending our hours during finals, when students need the space and reflective environment most, seemed only fitting.” –Rosanne Pellegrini
WHAT THE DICKENS? (L-R) Kevin Kane, Larry Feeney, Ann Bersani, Frederick Enman, SJ, and Julie McGovern are among the many Boston College alumni involved in the Ignatian Volunteer Corps New England Region chapter, which met on Brighton Campus earlier this month. (Photo by Frank Curran)
programs; provide services to potentially homeless elders; educate and locate resources for adult students and immigrants; coordinate food and furniture outreach to families in need; and organize retreats for homeless and formerly homeless women and men. Volunteers gather every month for discussion and reflection at BC, the Diocese of Providence or College of the Holy Cross (the location rotates), and do assigned readings – the current one is Go Into the Streets! The Welcoming Church of Pope Francis, co-edited by Joseph Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology Richard Gaillardetz. The members also hold occasional retreats at the Campion Center in Weston, and
she and her husband – also a 1977 graduate – returned to the Boston area after 30 years. “Since we’d been part of BC, and our kids went to Jesuit high schools, service work was something that always appealed to me,” she explains. “It’s good to stay active when you’re retired, and to be connected with others. Getting involved in IVC is a way to be part of a community, and to explore your spirituality with people who have similar interests and concerns.” For more information about the Ignatian Volunteer Corps New England Region, see ivcusa. org/ivc-offices/welcome-to-ivcnew-england. –Sean Smith
This is the last issue of the fall semester. Chronicle will return on January 18. Stay up to date with BC News [www.bc.edu/bcnews] ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Jack Dunn DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Patricia Delaney EDITOR Sean Smith
CONTRIBUTING STAFF Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Siobhan Sullivan PHOTOGRAPHERS Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini
Holiday parties often have their shticks, like karaoke carolsinging, ugly Christmas sweater contests, or dressing up as your favorite “Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer” character. But for its end-of-semester social, the English Association of Boston College revisited a classic Yuletide tale, only with a twist: Invitees were encouraged to submit a Christmas Carol-themed piece, whether poetry or prose, to be read at the event. The result was as heartening as a Christmas Day feast, according to vice president Celia Smithmier ’20. “A few of our submissions were very Dickensian – formal, old-fashioned language – which were really fun. Otherwise, we had a range, from to lyrical to casual.” Philip Verdirame ’20 was chosen as the winner, with this entry: Counting the diminishing coin pile of my meal plan In the chilled halls of frozen dorms
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Up the icy stairs And down the stack of books Three silly ghosts visit me one sleepless night in the dimly lit library They moan and warn me of essays past, present, and worst of all: future Here he lies, killed by the pen, the paper, and the footnotes Will someone give me half a crown To get on the next train to New York So I can shout “It’s Christmas Day!”
“I personally love A Christmas Carol and do not mind the clichés because I think, like ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ it is a much needed and classic piece of art that allows people to take a step back from their modern and busy lives and appreciate Christmas each year,” said Verdirame, who recounted once attending a Christmas Carol reading in a historically preserved house – “like entering the 19th century,” he said. “A genuinely wonderful experience.”
Verdirame said he consciously steered away from composing anything “deep” or too derivative of Dickens. “I wrote the poem with an ironic tone about how final exams at BC don’t let you appreciate Christmas and how much I couldn’t wait to go home and shout ‘It’s Christmas Day!’ – referencing Scrooge’s ‘Aha!’ moment.” For Smithmier and her EABC colleagues, the social represented a welcome return to activity for the organization, which had been on hiatus. “Our goal is to foster a sense of community among English students at BC and allow them a space to sharpen their writing skills, study, and communicate with other similarly minded students,” she said. “So we’re just trying to raise awareness and get people involved as we re-establish our presence on campus.” –Sean Smith
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