Dear Providence College Parents:

Two years ago, PC's Division of Mission and Ministry undertook a study of the spiritual needs and practices of our students, and published the results in a report entitled Cor ad loquitor: Heart Speaking to Heart. It noted that college students, in general, fall into three categories: the devout, who integrate their lives of faith with all of their other pursuits, though many still lack a full appreciation of the teachings of their church or denomination; the seekers, who come from different backgrounds with or without faith but who have questions that may lead them to faith; and the disengaged, who are largely indifferent to religion.
 
This report concluded that Providence College must accomplish three things if we are to be faithful to our Catholic and Dominican mission, and meet the religious and spiritual needs of our students. First, we must provide an education in faith to all, in ways appropriate to each individual. Second, we must provide a lived experience of faith, community, and service. And third, we must bring to our students the rigor of a faith met by reason that addresses the questions and the needs of today, and is relevant to their lives.

To achieve these goals, the Office of the Chaplain/Campus Ministry has developed a plan of outreach and evangelization at PC which involves service, catechesis, and faith formation to reach students at all three levels of spiritual engagement. I would like to introduce you to a sampling of the programs that we hope will attract the interest of your daughters and sons.

Just Lunch--a lunchtime lecture and discussion series on issues of social justice--was launched last spring and continues its programming this year. Theology on Tap encourages discussion on contemporary topics of religion and daily life. Caffeinated Catholicism--a lecture series on the foundations of faith--and a weekly chaplain-led examination of scripture provide additional opportunities for students to learn more about their faith.

Programs for students seeking to deepen their spirituality include "twilight retreats" and weekend retreats such as Connections, for freshmen, and Encounter with Christ. Other programs provide opportunities for ecumenical worship and prayer. Students are encouraged, as well, to become more engaged in their faith as Campus Ministry leaders, assuming important peer-to-peer evangelization roles in faith-sharing programs.

Service opportunities also are important for students. Each semester, more than 500 Campus Ministry volunteers reach out to serve the local community through a variety of health ministries and social justice programs. These include outreach to children through Special Olympics and afterschool tutoring programs, to the elderly residing in area nursing homes, to recent immigrants through ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, and to the hungry of Providence who rely on local soup kitchens and food pantries.

As our students follow Christ's example in reaching out to the less fortunate, they also take part in dedicated service trips beyond Rhode Island. This January, for example, a group of students will take part in a faith-based trip to New Orleans--NOLA Immersion: Rebuilding the Gulf, Responding to the Gospel--that combines prayer and reflection with community service and immersion in the faith, food, and culture of the city and its residents. In March, PC students will participate in a variety of alternative spring break programs such as Habitat for Humanity on the East Coast and other parts of the U.S., as well as in Tijuana, Mexico.

As we have assessed the spiritual development of our students and created new and exciting programs to promote outreach and evangelization, we have been encouraged by the words of a prayer by the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero:

"We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise . . ."

This poignant thought describes what we at Providence College do every day. We water the seeds that you, as parents, planted in your sons and daughters. You have entrusted us to faithfully nurture their minds, hearts, and souls--to help them to grow and to be transformed.

As we enter this season of thanksgiving, we are grateful for the confidence you have placed in us and, with you, trust all that we do to the providence of God. 

Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P.