Catholic Chronicle

Students, faculty blog about spring break service activities

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

SYLVANIA—As they spend their spring break serving others in New Orleans, North Carolina and Peru, Lourdes College students and faculty are also documenting and sharing their experiences online.

One group of 18 students, alumni and staff departed March 7 on the 14th annual Habitat for Humanity alternative spring break trip. The group traveled to High Point, N.C., to work for the Habitat for Humanity Highpoint, Archdale and Trinity affiliate. They return March 13.

The students are keeping an online blog of their experiences at http://www.lourdes.edu/AboutLourdes/MissionMinistry/CampusMinistry/MissionandMinistryBlog.aspx.

Another group of faculty and students from Lourdes College traveled to New Orleans to conduct professional development activities with teachers and students in the Archdiocese of New Orleans school system.

Notre Dame Sister Marya Czech, assistant professor of biology and health sciences; Jennifer Fong, director of the center for professional studies; Notre Dame Sister Jaculin Manders, instructor of mathematics; Kerri Riggs, instructor of psychology and several Lourdes students are to give presentations and workshops focusing on subjects including curriculum mapping, digital literacy, genetics and evolution and kinesthetic learning of science processes.

“This is our second year working with these schools,” says Sr. Czech. “After Hurricane Katrina hit, the schools received a number of new technologies during the rebuilding process. Our professional development activities focus on helping the teachers learn how best to utilize these technologies and apply them in their classrooms.”

The group is keeping an online blog during the trip at http://www.lourdes.edu/professionalstudies.

A third team of students led by Dr. Martha Gallagher, an instructor of nursing at Lourdes College, set out on a mission trip to Lima, Peru, to provide health care to area residents. Dr. Gallagher is keeping an online blog documenting the trip at http://www.lourdes.edu/peru.

Mercy College students head to Baltimore, Guatemala for spring break

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—Spring break is a time when many college students look forward to tossing the books aside and heading to the beach. But some Mercy College students are forgoing the sun and sand and are looking forward to the opportunity to serve.

From March 8-13, Notre Dame Sister Sally Marie Bohnett, Mercy’s campus minister, is leading a group of nine students to Baltimore as part of Mercy’s alternative spring break trip program. There they are to join Mercy Sister Kitty Neuslein, who has worked with poor and underserved residents of southwest Baltimore for more than 30 years. The trip and the program give students the opportunity to be actively engaged in community service and experiential learning over the course of the week.

The college selected Baltimore this year because of the work being done by the Sisters of Mercy, who continue to help others improve their lives in the poorest area of Baltimore.

“We are going to be working in an area beset with drugs, crime and dysfunction," says Sr. Bohnett. “This trip will challenge us out of our comfort zones and broaden the world view of our students as future healthcare providers.”

Those participating in the alternative spring break have been asked to be flexible and ready for anything, as they may be working with senior citizens, developmentally disabled adults and those recovering from drug and alcohol addiction. Along with Sr. Neuslein, the group is to connect with the Mercy Volunteer Corps. Members of the corps give a year of service in Mercy ministries and will be instrumental in providing training and education for the various assigned tasks.

Another student group from Mercy College is heading to Guatemala, led by Precious Blood Sister Karen Elliott and Susan Bernheisel. The eight students attending the trip are enrolled in an Interdisciplinary Healthcare Ministry and Enculturation course and will be working at an orphanage where all of the children are physically handicapped. The students are to assist with the children’s hygiene activities, getting them ready each day and providing them with individual attention and special enrichment activities.

Drs. Bernheisel and Elliott have been working with the students since January to prepare them for a trip that is to provide the opportunity to learn about the essential role of the Mercy mission and core values, as well as how to integrate them into their lives and clinical practices.

Both trips are partially underwritten by Fifth Third Bank, and additional funding for the Baltimore trip is provided by the Diocese of Toledo. Students pay for the remainder of the expenses.

John Hayward, Mercy College president, praises the students, faculty and staff involved in the service activities.

“We are very proud of all of our students who have opted to participate in these trips,” he says. “Our institution has a long history of service learning, which benefits not only our students, but the communities they will be serving.”

Aqua-Knights win 44th district title

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—The Toledo St. Francis de Sales High School Aqua-Knights won their 44th district title by more than 200 points with numerous record-breaking swims.

The Knights won all events except for four, and in those four events, they scored second place. Each Knight achieved personal best times and scored in the top 16, with their times overall placing them well at the upcoming state championship.

Head coach Keith Kennedy was selected by his peers as Northwest Men’s Coach of the Year and is now in contention for State Coach of the Year.

In the 50 Free, sophomore Dan DiSalle broke the district record with a winning time of 21.18. Connor Trimble took sixth place, Matt Marshall took eighth place and Jordan Skie took 12th place.

In the 100 Free, Dan DiSalle took second place, Dan Miller took fourth place, Matt Marshall took eighth, and Jordan Skie took 14th place.

In the 200 Free, the Knights scored 1-2-3 with Rowan Williams breaking the district record with a time of 1:40.80. Dan Miller took second place, Mike DiSalle took third place, and Connor Aossey took 10th place.

In the 500 Free, Matt Zimmerman took second place, Billy Maginnis took fourth place, Connor Aossey took ninth place and Justin Carter took 21st place.

Rowan Williams set a new district record in the 100 Back with his winning time of 51.61. Nick Carmony took third place, Jake Hunter placed fourth and Matt Zimmerman placed fifth.

Phil Barone broke the district record in the 100 Breast with his winning time of 57:13. DJ MacDonald took fourth place, Connor Trimble took seventh place and Billy Maginnis took eighth place.

In the 100 Butterfly, Mike DiSalle placed second, Nick Carmony placed fourth, Jake Hunter took fifth place and Kyle Crawford took eighth place.

In the 200 Individual Medley, Phil Barone took second place, DJ MacDonald placed third, Kyle Crawford placed fifth and Justin Carter took 14th place.

The Knights broke the district record in the 200 Medley Relay with a time of 1:34.35. They also came in first place in the 200 Free Relay with a time of 1:27.20 and had another record-breaking win in the 400 Free Relay with a time of 3.08.19.

In diving, Dylan Szegedi won the district diving title, Matt McKee took sixth place, Matthew Evola took 10th place and Jake Booth took 11th place.

Central Catholic named Apple Distinguished School

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—Toledo Central Catholic High School (CCHS) has been named one of 53 Apple Distinguished Schools across the United States for the 2009-2010 academic year.

This designation is reserved for schools that have implemented a 21st century vision of education using Apple technology.

The selection of Central Catholic as an Apple Distinguished School highlights its successes in enhancing and extending teaching and learning with thoughtful and innovative use of technology. Apple Distinguished Schools are schools that have integrated Apple products and solutions and have become centers of educational excellence and leadership. These schools also demonstrate Apple’s highest vision of a successful 21st century learning environment.

CCHS introduced its One Connected Community laptop program in 2007 to provide every incoming freshman student with an Apple MacBook computer. The students are able to use their computers in class and at home, allowing teachers to integrate technology with their subject matter in every classroom.

From iPhones to iPods and wireless access points to file servers, CCHS is using virtually every Apple technology tool at its disposal to create a more effective learning community.

“Central Catholic has always been a leader in the Diocese of Toledo’s learning community,” says Chris Hamady, the school’s director of technology. “It is only natural that we would embrace and integrate state-of-the-art learning tools that were developed by the world’s leader in educational and communication technologies in an effort to create the highest quality experience for our One Connected Community.”

Remember who you belong to, says youth speaker

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—Father R. Tony Ricard won’t complain too much if you call him a mama’s boy.

The priest from the Archdiocese of New Orleans finds he has been quite successful in listening to and following the wisdom of his mother, and he now travels the country sharing a message of faith inspired by her words.

Father R. Tony Ricard, a priest from the Archdiocese of New Orleans, speaks to youth, young adults and families at Toledo Christ the King. (Chronicle photo by Laurie Stevens Bertke)

The popular youth speaker sprinkled plenty of humor into his delivery of that message when he spoke at Toledo Christ the King Feb. 1. His presentation was part of an evening event for youth, young adults and families sponsored by the parish and the diocesan offices of Black Catholic Ministry and Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry.

“When we were little, my mama used to always say the same exact thing to us when we would leave home. She would always say, ‘Remember who you belong to, and don’t be stupid,’ ” said Fr. Ricard.

The first part of that quote is easy to understand, said Fr. Ricard. It serves as a reminder that “wherever you go, whatever you do, you represent the family. You belong to her, and if you go out there and you do something that is wrong, it’s going to reflect on whether or not she been doing her job as a mama.”

The second part of her quote reflected his mother’s teaching “that ignorance was when you don’t know something. Stupidity is when you know it’s wrong, but you still do it,” said Fr. Ricard.

Simplifying it further, Fr. Ricard told the crowd, “Ignorant people can get into heaven; stupid people burn in hell.”

If stupidity means you know something is wrong and you still do it, the church would define that as a “grave matter,” added Fr. Ricard. “You have full knowledge of what you’re doing, and you do it of your own free will — sin.”

Fr. Ricard asserted that his mother’s “little line sums up everything the Roman Catholic Church has been trying to teach us since the dawn of time.”

“When we say, ‘Remember who you belong to,’ what do you think the entire Old Testament is about?” he said.

And when people still did not remember, Fr. Ricard continued, the Lord said, “Let me come down and tell you myself,” and He sent His only begotten son, Jesus, to spread that same essential message: “Remember who you belong to, and don’t be stupid,” said Fr. Ricard.

Jesus’ entire life focused on turning away from sin and loving others. “Ultimately Christ was saying to us, you’ve got to do right,” said Fr. Ricard. “You’ve got to make sure you’re walking the right path. Cause if you’re not, you’re gonna go to the fires of Gehenna.”

Going to hell is more difficult than getting into heaven, according to Fr. Ricard, because “when He hung on the cross, he gave us a ticket that passed up everything, straight to the kingdom. All you’ve got to do is hold on to the ticket.

“That’s it. You’ve got to consciously choose to go to hell,” he said. “You’ve got to make a decision to go against the will of God.”

It is much easier to do the right thing, Fr. Ricard added.

“Wherever we go, whatever we do, we have to remember, we are children of God,” he said. “No matter how old you get, you are God’s sons and daughters, and wherever you go, whatever you do, you must represent your God.”

Those who live lives of faith are destined to be in the kingdom one day, Fr. Ricard told the audience.

“All of us are destined for greatness,” he said. “All of us one day will be in the kingdom of heaven, celebrating with our God. But it’s up to us, whether or not we truly live out our common call.”