Last Wednesday, the Mission Over a Meal program held its first of three lunch series designed to offer members of the Loyola community - faculty, staff and administration - an opportunity to eat, reflect and discuss the mission of Loyola.
As the new 2009-2010 school year began, some obvious changes and additions were quite publicly opened on the Loyola scene. A more discrete addition was the new Office of Mission Integration, which coordinated the "Mission Over a Meal" lunch series. This new office was opened to offer faculty, staff and administration different programs and opportunities designed to help them learn more about the mission of Loyola and the different ways faith, justice and the Jesuit ideals of the mission can be incorporated into their daily work and lives.
Father Tim Brown, S.J., Special Assistant to the President for Mission Integration, teamed up with another rather discrete addition to the Loyola community - first year philosophy professor, and Formation Assistant for Mission Integration, Sam Sawyer, S.J. to jump-start the office.
As the Loyola community expands and the number of Jesuits decreases, the quantity of faculty, staff and administration that extensively understand and have had experience with the multitude of phrases including cura personalis, "For the Greater Glory of God," "Finding God in All Things," and "Ignatian spirituality" which are all encompassed in the Jesuit and Loyola mission decreases.
"There are people who are just central to Loyola, who really make Loyola what it is and who are every bit a part of the mission, who haven't had the opportunity the Jesuits have had to get as much explicated intentional formation. How does that aspect of the mission work? What are the actual spiritual realities behind the mission?" Sam Sawyer, S.J. explained.
The goal of Mission Integration is to solve this problem - to reach out to members of the faculty, staff, and administration through different programs to help them gain experience with the spirituality that drives the mission.
"We believe a better understanding of our mission at Loyola and being able to articulate and talk about the mission is strategically important for living out the mission each day," said Amy Maher, Program Coordinator for Mission Integration, and class of '06 alumni.
Over a simple, complementary lunch of soup and bread, the participants of Mission Over a Meal enjoy introductions amongst themselves before the designated speaker for the individual session begins his/her 15 minute discussion. After the reflection, the group breaks off into smaller groups to discuss and reflect on what was just heard.
At the first "Mission Over a Meal," which took place last Wednesday, Sam Sawyer, S.J. offered the first reflection focused on "praying for grace" to the 20 faculty, staff and administrators that attended. According to Sawyer, it is important to begin each prayer period by praying specifically for the grace we are seeking, which includes what we are looking for and what we are asking from God. His discussion attempted to encourage the audience to be aware of the desires they have from God and to listen to the desires God has from them.
Since this office and organization is still completely new and in the making, the influence and effects of the programs organized by the Office of Mission Integration is still unknown.
"I'm not entirely certain how the faculty, staff and administration will respond, which is to say, I have some hopes about it but we don't have, sort of, a plan. What were aiming for is, we hope the faculty and staff and administrators who participate are able to pay better attention to what God is doing with them, and they'll respond to that. And our thought is that it can't help but be good for the university," said Sawyer.
As the lunch series continue, the Office of Mission Integration encourages members of the faculty, staff and administration to attend the "Mission Over a Meal" program to further their understanding and experience with the mission of Loyola. Father Tim Brown will offer the 15-minute reflection during the second "Mission Over a Meal," while Donnie Cook will offer the reflection for the final luncheon.
The future Mission Over a Meal lunches will commence on Wednesday, February 3 and Wednesday, February 17 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Sellinger VIP room. Admission is on a first come, first serve basis, so don't hesitate to take advantage of this opportunity; contact Amy Maher (anmaher1@loyola.edu) to reserve your spot.
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