Mission & Identity Message
After serving since 2001 as the Director of Campus Ministry, I began a new role in 2014 as the Director of Ministry and Ignatian Formation to develop new opportunities for faculty, staff, parents and alumni to engage more actively in our Ignatian mission of faith and service. During that year, new programs were introduced, including POTS Family Service Sundays, Faith on Tap, Igniting Our Values Lenten Prayer Program, Ignatian book discussion groups and a public program with America( Magazine) Media held in the Prep’ s theater on How Pope Francis is Changing the Church, a forum that has become an annual event. These programs are opportunities for our faculty, staff, parents and alumni to build community, to share faith and to serve our brothers and sisters in need. Our Engagement Office began connecting the community to more online Ignatian spirituality resources through our website, Facebook and Twitter posts, and our new monthly Pilgrim’ s Post. We also collaborated with our Guidance Department and parents clubs to integrate Ignatian spirituality into their existing programming and to create new activities for their members.
I am grateful to Mike Kravatz and Craig Smith of Campus Ministry for running these programs while I served as the Prep’ s Interim Principal. Now, as Vice President for Mission & Identity, I am eager to continue to expand these programs, and I ask for your prayers and support.
In addition to developing faith and service opportunities for the Prep’ s adult community, I will work closely with our new Global Education office and our partnership with the REACH program. The goal of our Global Ed program is to raise awareness in the Prep community of the world beyond our campus. This new perspective will prepare students to be more accepting of differences, aware of social justice and human rights issues, and better prepared for an interconnected and diverse world in which they will live and work. Teresa Di Vita, our Global Ed Coordinator, is working to increase the global competencies of our students through school-wide programs, curriculum enhancements and international travel. In the coming year, our students will travel to Australia, Belize, China, Ecuador, Italy and Tanzania.
Last year the Prep entered into a partnership with REACH, Regis High School’ s intensive program for middle school students. It includes a 6-week summer session and 20 weekend sessions to prepare students from low-income families for admission to top Catholic high schools. The Prep’ s partnership with REACH will increase the number of students served by the program and allow us to host the residential experience for rising 6th graders at Fordham University this summer. I will help recruit Prep faculty and graduates to ensure the success of the residential experience at Fordham.
It continues to be exciting at Fordham Prep as we explore new ways of adapting our mission for the future, and I look forward to connecting with Prep alumni as we continue to celebrate the Prep’ s 175th anniversary. God bless all Rams!
Brian Carney Vice President for Mission & Identity
MINISTRY EVENTS
The Race for Ecuador- thanks to all who supported, especially Mr. Chavez and Mr. Gonzalez for an exciting photo-finish race. Your efforts raised $ 818.00 to support those effected by the recent earthquakes. Mr. Chavez is working with the Working Boys Center to determine the most effective way for your donations to be used.
The Lenten Mission Drive in Honor of Fr. Devine to support Xavier and YAP Catholic High Schools in Micronesia raised $ 1675.50
The first ever Ignatian Heritage Week Ping Pong Tournament raised $ 500.00 to support Appalachia Habitat for Humanity and Jesuit Refugee Services.
On behalf of all of the organizations mentioned above, thank you all for your support!
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