Another Full House
There were many “manies” to the 2014 Christmas concert, fittingly entitled “The
Many Moods of Christmas” and held at the seminary on Friday, December 5.
There were the many musical compositions—twenty-three in all—that even included
a hymn to Mary sung in Aramaic. There were many singers and instrumentalists—
fifty-six in all. Five musical groupings performed under the expert direction of Dr.
Ronald Prowse, director of liturgical music. The 550-seat, vintage auditorium was
filled up with guests who enjoyed the good vibrations of the evening.
Sacred Heart’s Christmas concert is held on the Friday of the first week in
December, as it has been for the past fifty years. Consider marking your 2015
holiday calendar now.
Dr. Ronald
Prowse
directs the
seminarian
choir and
Michigan
Sinfonietta
at the December 5
Christmas
concert.
Appointed to Pontifical Commission
Mosaic readers already know that four faculty members
are serving, or have recently served, on a council or
commission of the Holy See (Dr. Janet Smith, Dr. Edward
Peters, and Dr. Ralph Martin [current]; and [past] Fr. John
McDermott, SJ). Now a fifth faculty member has been
selected for such an honor.
In October 2014, Pope Francis appointed Dr. Mary
Healy to the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Dr. Healy,
associate professor of Sacred Scripture since 2008, will
serve a five-year term. The Pontifical Biblical Commission
was established in 1902 to advise the Holy Father on issues of biblical interpretation. She is the only American
on the twenty-member commission, which is made up of
biblical scholars from across the globe.
“Not only is she an accomplished scholar and a superb
teacher, but her work originates from a deep faith,” Msgr.
Todd Lajiness says. “We are proud she will be making a difference in the life of the universal Church.” When Dr. Healy
first heard of the appointment, she was “surprised yet thrilled
at the prospect of being able to serve the Church in this way.”
“There is a biblical renewal going on today—a rediscovery of what it means to read Scripture ‘in the Spirit.’
This will be an amazing opportunity to contribute to it.”
Dr. Healy attended her first commission meeting in April.
Look for an update on her work in an upcoming digital
Mosaic (mosaic.shms.edu) and in the fall print edition.
“Dear Hero . . .”
The lay staff’s Quality of Work Life Committee sponsored a Christmas card sending for service men and women overseas
through the program “Operation Christmas Card.” The program seeks to ensure
our nation’s military personnel receive at
least one card during the Christmas season.
“I was surprised at the array of people
who gave cards. There were many from
faculty and staff, and a catechism class
full of children visiting the seminary even
wrote out cards,” said Patricia Casnovsky,
administrative assistant at Sacred Heart,
who coordinated the outreach. Often
cards were addressed to “Dear Hero,” and
all expressed thankfulness for the sacrifice
of the service persons.
The QWL Committee sponsored another project, “Operation Paperback,” between
March 18 and March 27. The seminary
community dropped off hundreds of gently
used paperback books in a collection box in
the front lobby. The books will be sent to
troops overseas and to veterans and military
families here at home.
Dr. Mary Healy
hopes her work
on the Biblical
Commission will
encourage Catholics to “fall in love
with the Word of
God.”
shms.edu
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