Instaurare | Spring 2007

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NSTAURARE

INSTAURARE

The The Christendom Christendom College College Update Update Instaurare (vt. to restore, strengthen, renew)

April 2007 Volume XV, Number I

Special Honor Roll of Donors Edition

EncouragingVocations Through DiscernmentWeekend weekend with an opening Mass and dinner on Friday evening. In his homily, Loverde told students, “You are here to listen attentively to the Lord-to listen to what God wants you to do.” Quoting John Paul the Great, Loverde said that God gave us individual life projects and that there are particular lives that God is calling the students to.

Bishop Loverde greets College President Timothy O’Donnell and his wife, Cathy, after the Opening Mass.

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Christendom College hosted a newly revised Discernment Weekend for students on 23-25 February. Students gathered in record numbers with priests and religious from across the country for a time of discussion and prayerful reflection. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde launched the

“Whatever the particular vocation that God is inviting you to,” he continued, “love is at its center—love of God and others… Dear young people discerning, I do not know the life project—the vocation—that God is calling you to, but whatever it is, He desires you to reveal His love to others. My prayer is that you follow his guiding light. Dare to love,” he concluded. Founder of Priests for Life Rev. Frank Pavone gave the opening address on Saturday morning entitled “Master Where Do You Stay?” Dealing With Uncertainty in Discernment. “If you get close to God, you are going to want to run away. We have to understand this dynamic if we’re going to understand discernment. Somebody feels the initial call, the attractiveness of a vocation…then they start to walk toward this and then they suddenly feel I am not worthy,” Pavone said.

Student Brittany Scheidler speaks with one of the religious sisters who visited during Discernment Weekend.

“Brothers and sisters, we have to feel I am not worthy, but that does not mean I am not called,” he continued, “Any journey of discernment is going to have that tension in it… What this tension means is that I am called to be purified and to accept something of

which I will never be worthy… No matter the vocation, every human being is called to life-giving selfsacrificing love. “Whatever our vocation is, it is always shaped by the needs of the Church and society at a particular point Fr. Frank Pavone and time,” Pavone continued. “Brothers and sisters, in our time we live amongst a culture of death, no matter what particular vocation we have, if it is a vocation in the United States of America in the year 2007, it must be marked by a particularly strong commitment to defend the sacred dignity of every human life.” The day continued with Exposition and Adoration of the Eucharist with opportunities for Confession. Lunch followed and students were given the opportunity to socialize with the many priests and religious, many of whom where Christendom Alumni themselves. The afternoon featured a series of Breakout Sessions on a variety of vocations topics including: Marriage as a Vocation, The Diocesan Priesthood, How to Foster Priestly Vocations in Your Family, Discerning Your Vocation While Still Single, The Consecrated Religious Sister, and many others.

College Announces the Creation of the Annual Fund and President’s Council

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As the College approaches its 30th Anniversary celebrating service to Catholic higher education, Christendom announces the creation of the Annual Fund and introduces the new President’s Council Donor Recognition Society. Since its founding in 1977, Christendom has had to raise funds each year for the purposes of sustaining the operational needs of the College – just as most other private institutions of higher learning have had to do. And each year, by the grace of God and through the generosity of the College’s many benefactors, Christendom has been able to raise the necessary funds to keep the College both on budget and in the black. In an effort to help with the fund raising efforts of the College, the Annual Fund has been created. The concept of the Annual Fund is not a new one. In

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fact, most colleges and universities have one and are sustained by the monies donated to it. Although Christendom has been raising money each year since its founding, the Development Office believes that it is now time to establish a different way of thinking about donations. Currently, donations to the College come in daily; some large amounts, others a mere $25, but all absolutely necessary. In fact, it is somewhat difficult to determine when donations will be sent in, and as a result, it makes the budgeting process a little more tedious than it has to be. With the Annual Fund, though, friends and benefactors of the College can make an annual pledge early in the fiscal year (which begins June 1) and make pledge see ANNUAL FUND, page 7

Board Member Gene Zurlo shares a laugh with Francis Cardinal Arinze at last year’s President’s Dinner. Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 6445 Merrifield, VA 22081


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