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ong can lift the spirit and inspire resilience, especially in times of need. The University of Mary has a long history of music; the Sisters who founded our University wove music all through our culture, mindful of the rich legacy of the arts throughout the fifteen-hundred-year history of Benedictine monasticism. From the Israelites in slavery in Egypt, to the civil rights movement, to New Yorkers singing together out their windows during quarantine, music unites us, gives us hope, and inspires us to carry on. One person who greatly influenced music at Mary was Sister Thomas Welder, whom we still miss dearly. You’ll read in this issue how she continues to influence our life here at Mary and beyond through her legacy of servant leadership. You’ll read the names of countless people whom she touched so deeply that they chose to make a gift in her honor. Her song plays on, in the heavenly realm and here below.
Monsignor James P. Shea President of the University of Mary
“When man comes into contact with God, mere speech is not enough. Areas of his existence are awakened that spontaneously turn into song.” -Pope Benedict XVI
It all reminds me of a quote from the sermons of St. Augustine — “O the happiness of the heavenly alleluia, sung in security, in no fear of adversity! God’s praises are sung both there and here … but here, they are sung in hope. My brothers and sisters, let us sing now, not in order to enjoy a life of leisure, but in order to lighten our labors. You should sing as wayfarers do – sing, but continue your journey. Sing, but keep going!” Certainly, in these days, we need hope. For many, the current pandemic has shattered the illusion that life is supposed to and most likely will go along well. People have realized that life has its fair share of serious sacrifices and disappointments, and that common life – on a university campus, for instance – requires a kind of common purpose and shared sacrifice that we can rally around. A shared song. It is really a profound opportunity, because what we have to offer in the Catholic tradition of the University of Mary is the possibility of a whole life, a life of confident hope and resilience. It is for this reason that we have launched Prime Matters, a response to this vital need of hope in our time. Prime Matters exists to awaken the Catholic imaginative vision in Catholics and all people of goodwill. This new site promotes content that provides clear articulation of the first principles of the Catholic imaginative vision and applies them to various academic disciplines, professions, and current events. I hope you will take some time to visit primematters.com to be inspired and filled with the hope of Christ. Here at the University of Mary, our students, faculty, alumni, and benefactors fill us with hope. I am so grateful for your support of the University of Mary and its mission. May God bless you!
Monsignor James P. Shea President
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