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it to be official, and because Villanova University is in a different province, Fr. Michael DiGregorio had to agree to it as well. I am grateful that they both approved! I am still a member of the Midwest Province, but am considered 'on loan' to the Villanova Province.

I must tell you that it is good to be back working with students again! Some wondered if I would return to high school ministry when I left office, but I thought it better to try something new. I have always enjoyed being associated with Villanova: as a student from 1983-1987, as the coordinator of the annual Midwest Mass and Dinner with students from our high schools who were attending Villanova, to being the first Friar on the Board of Trustees who was not from the Villanova Province from 2008-2018, to being the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

As Director of FSL, I have helped to establish an independent department. We used to be under the Student Involvement Office, but after a comprehensive study, it was decided to provide more resources to assist the students/chapters at Villanova. We have established an evaluation program "Retreat" continued from page 10

A new problem is emerging in American society that has not been seen before. Anonymous Federal police are operating with a brutality, common under dictatorships, against peaceful protestors in Portland, Oregon. A Navy veteran, standing nearby as a neutral observer, was beaten on the back and left with a broken hand by Federal agents for no reason. He said they acted like a “gang with clubs” as they spearheaded the group of protestors. Trump plans to send more Federal police to “liberal cities,” like New York City, Chicago, called 'Values in Action' where each group is asked to show how their service, philanthropy, leadership, and activities have a positive influence on the Villanova Community. This has been a wonderful experience —to see how much good our students/chapters do for others. Sometimes this good is overlooked because of a stereotype of fraternities and sororities from movies.

Of course, we know all too well, that we need to deal with the negative aspects of Greek/Student Life: Excessive Drinking, Drug Use, Sexual Assault and Hazing. The Dean of Students told me when I took this job, "Father, the values of these organizations are very much in line with the Augustinian Values by day, but when the sun goes down and you mix in alcohol, that is when the problems begin." This is nothing new, but we must continue to try to address these issues with them. One of my proudest moments, thus far, was taking the lead to form a campus-wide hazing prevention coalition and bringing in Jim and Evelyn Piazza to address our student organizations. The Piazzas are the parents of Tim Piazza who died at Penn State in 2017 as a result of hazing activities. It was a powerful presentation in the Finneran Pavilion with more than 2,000 in attendance. and Detroit. It appears as though the foundations of democracy are cracking.

How are we, as communities of faith, to respond to the new insights from this forced retreat? In the meantime, Pope Francis, through his writing and preaching, has been guiding the whole world on a retreat. The encyclical Laudato Si claims that material creation is good and everything is interconnected. What we need to do is to read, study, and pray this document.

The concrete steps to realize the advice of Laudato Si (#167-169) are found in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), approved by 193 nations in 2015. They can serve as a global examination of consciousness

I also am able to assist in Campus Ministry by presiding at Masses, Hearing Confessions, and being available for pastoral counseling. It is a joy to be more involved in Priestly Ministry!

A side benefit of being at Villanova is that my nephew, Trevor is a current Senior here. It is nice to see him on campus and to get to know his friends, especially those in the VU Band (which Fr. Tom McCarthy and I were in our freshman year). I think they enjoy the occasional dinners out to nice restaurants instead of cafeteria food too. I hope that his younger brother, Trent will attend here in the future! I still coordinate the Masses/Dinners with the students here from our Augustinian schools, but I have expanded it to include those who attended our high schools in the California and Villanova Provinces too!

Finally, I would say that my life is less stressful, and I feel healthier than I have been in a long time! I feel blest to have been the Leader of the Midwest Province and truly enjoyed working with so many of our Friars and Friends, but I am also grateful for term-limits! Who knows what the future holds, but for now, at the still youngish age of 55, with a great deal of experience and hopefully some wisdom, I feel that I'm where I'm

supposed to be! of where we are and what we must do to create a healthier, better, and more beautiful world.

A microscopic virus reveals to us how everything, including injustice, is connected. This retreat gives us concrete options, especially the program outlined in Laudato Si.

Our response is to accept or reject the invitation to change our life styles. The planet cannot sustain the direction we are heading in. But not all is lost. We do have options.

Read and pray Laudato Si!