By Sr. Margaret Patrice Slattery, CCVI
President Emerita

Sr. Pierre Cinquin, one of the founders of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, often told the Sisters in the early days of the religious congregation, “In everything we do, the glory should be for God, the utility for others, and the trouble for ourselves.” Sr. Pierre had come to Texas from France in 1869, and her use of the word “utility” seems curious in the age of iPads, email, and smartphones.

Quite clearly, however, she was talking about the Mission of service that prompted the first Incarnate Word Sisters in the 1800s to establish hospitals, schools, and orphanages in Texas. It is also quite clearly a statement of the Mission of the University of the Incarnate Word as it is today – to give glory to God by offering service to others and assuming the difficulties ourselves.

As the university continues to grow in enrollment and to expand to different areas of San Antonio as well as to different countries, people often ask, “Do you think the spirit at Incarnate Word is still the same? Is there still a focus on the importance of service to others? Is the Mission alive and well? What about alumni? Are they still involved in the Mission?”

I am always pleased to respond that I think it is truly ALIVE and VERY WELL. And I say that, believing it is true, because of my encounters with so many graduates who are doing great and wonderful things for the glory of God and the service of others without counting the cost of the trouble for themselves.

Most recently, I had the opportunity of working with Mary Jane Hardy, who earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education from the university. She graduated in 1963 and had a long and successful tenure teaching in the public schools of San Antonio. Upon retirement, she launched into a new career of writing a book about the early churches of downtown San Antonio, both Catholic and Protestant, giving details of how and why they were founded, and focusing on their religious and historical significance to the city. You can read her story in the “Feature Stories” section of this magazine.

It was an effort that she had become interested in when her husband was seriously ill in Metropolitan Hospital. Mary Jane took her small children to visit their father and afterwards propelled them to San Fernando Cathedral, St. Mary’s Church, and St. Joseph’s Church to pray for his recovery. Only then did she realize that the children had never before visited any of these churches of old San Antonio and knew nothing about how their founders, all of different nationalities and beliefs, had shaped the future of the city. What a terrible loss for young people to grow up in San Antonio, a city so rich in its religious and historical background and never develop an awareness or appreciation for it. If it could happen to her children, Mary Jane realized, it must be happening to many, many others.

It was the beginning of a dream for her, a dream that would take many years of dedication, a dream she would share with her husband upon his recovery, a dream that she would pursue even through her own bout with cancer, a dream that would give glory to God and service to others, although it meant persevering efforts and trouble for themselves.

Like Mary Jane Hardy, many other graduates are carrying forth the founding Mission of the university in their own way. Beth Buchek, who happens to be my niece, earned her bachelor’s degree at Incarnate Word in 2007. She had majored in religious studies and upon graduation was immediately offered a teaching position at Nerinx Hall, a Catholic high school for young women in St. Louis, Mo.

Beth loves teaching, particularly courses in social justice, and sharing with other young people what she learned at the University of the Incarnate Word.

Her first-year contract offered her only part-time employment, but it was a God-send for her because it gave her the opportunity to become involved with the St. Louis social justice community, focusing on such issues as anti-war, anti-racism, anti-violence, and anti-death penalty.

Her new-found friends also introduced her to Karen House. It was founded in 1977 as a Catholic Worker house of hospitality and emergency shelter for homeless women and children. The house is based on the Catholic Worker vision of Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day, which is grounded in a firm belief in the God-given dignity of every human person and the practice of the corporal works of mercy.

Approximately 13 women and their children live at the house for periods of four to five months at a time, or even longer in case of extreme need, while trying to cope with emergency situations of homelessness and extreme poverty. The house is operated totally by volunteers who provide food, shelter, clothing, hygienic supplies, counseling and at times even financial assistance. Their work is supported by generous donations from the community.

Beth moved into Karen House, serving as a parttime volunteer worker, trying to put into practice what she was teaching her students at Nerinx Hall.

“It felt like the answer to questions I had been asking my whole life,” she said. “I had always wondered how I could best help the homeless people I saw on the streets. I had felt a pull to welcome them into my home, give them rides in my car, share my food with them. At Karen House, I was able to live the gospel more fully than ever before.”

She believes strongly in the message of Peter Maurin, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement: “The world would be better off, if people tried to become better. And people would become better if they stopped trying to be better off. For when everybody tries to become better off, nobody is better off. But when everybody tries to become better, everybody is better off. Everybody would be rich if nobody tried to be richer. And nobody would be poor if everybody tried to be the poorest. And everybody would be what they ought to be if everybody tried to be what they want others to be.”

Also, the Mission is ALIVE and WELL on the campus of the university. It is evident in the work of the faculty in their classrooms and even beyond. It is evident in the efforts of Sr. Dorothy (Dot) Ettling, CCVI, professor of education working in the Graduate Studies Program. Her title suggests a full-time profession, but in addition to her teaching, counseling of students, guiding them in the writing and defending of their dissertations, and serving on university committees, she is also director of Women’s Global Connection, which, together with Sr. Neomi Hayes, CCVI, fellow alumna and former dean of Students at UIW, she founded in 2001. Sponsored by the university, Women’s Global Connection is a program to reach out to the women of Africa and other third world countries in an effort to guide and assist them in gaining meaningful employment for their own support and that of their families.

In their travels to Zambia and Tanzania, Srs. Dot and Neomi discovered, to their dismay, that many women living in poverty in these countries have the innate skills necessary for some kind of useful and profitable kind of employment but because of a lack of education as well as suffering brought on by poverty and disease, they were unable to better themselves or support their families.

Through the efforts of the Sisters, as well as those of other faculty and students who have accompanied them on many trips to these disadvantaged areas, the Sisters have been able to develop projects in women’s empowerment, in economic development, in the techniques of early childhood development, in discovering methods for accessing water for irrigation and personal health, and in training in communication technology.

The program has now spread to Peru, and Sr. Dot travels regularly to visit the young women she is guiding. The two-day journey, which she often makes with faculty members and students, is not a pleasure trip but a necessary means of educating and encouraging young women who are earnestly trying to better themselves and their families and to create change in their impoverished communities. In addition to the hands-on work of guiding the women whom they serve, the Sisters must raise the necessary funds to support the travel, the networking, and the workshops. Much of their time is spent in planning fund raising events and seeking grants and donations from generous donors. It is truly a dedication to serving people in need.

So many other graduates could be included in this short article on the survival of the Mission at the university, and I wish I could share more of them with you. In so many wondrous and impressive ways, they all reflect the words of Sr. Pierre, “In everything we do, the glory should be for God, the utility for others, and the trouble for ourselves.”

I’m beginning my fourth year of ministry at the University of the Incarnate Word as the chaplain, just long enough to see a few classes graduate and join the ranks of the UIW alumni. Of course, our most recent graduates are the alumni I know best, especially those who have been a part of Mission and Ministry for two years and more as peer ministers. I’ve seen them grow in wisdom and maturity in the course of the generous service to the UIW faith community as musicians, choir members, community service volunteers, bible study leaders, and facilitators of men’s and women’s faith sharing support groups.

But I also meet many UIW alumni who have graduated longer ago. Their affection for the school and their gratitude for the Catholic education they received illustrate the bond to one’s alma mater that I never experienced as a graduate of a secular university. My experience there was not unpleasant, but I’ve never stepped foot on campus again after 37 years, never feeling the need to. I heard a much different story from an Incarnate Word graduate I met by chance in a store just the other day.

She told me when she’s back on campus she feels like she is home. Despite the change the years have brought she feels Incarnate Word is still the same school she loved so much as she prepared herself for her teaching career. What she learned from the Sisters, professors, and everyone who played a significant part in her college education was the basis for a deeply incarnational spirituality she still lives today, decades later. She taught many years in a variety of settings, including a prison, but she said her approach to her students was always the same. She never failed to honor the human dignity of the person before her. When asked how her time at UIW affected her, she said she learned to treat others as she had been treated, with integrity and respect. As we parted ways, I mused to myself, “the Mission continues.”

By Most Reverend Gustavo García-Siller, M.Sp.S
Archbishop of San Antonio

Each day of your life is a gift from God, providing you with the opportunity for a new beginning and to meet the challenges before you, while celebrating its joys.  Your Catholic education prepares you to embrace the new, exciting and demanding days ahead.  Through the deepening of your relationship with God, you can measure your preparedness to proclaim the Gospel, transforming your knowledge and faith into action.

I encourage you to allow your faith to always guide the important decisions ahead of you and direct your journey through life.  Never stop listening for God’s will in your heart, and do not be afraid to say, “Yes” to his calling.  Jesus declared, “You are the light of the World.”  So let the light of your faith shine brightly for all to see, in every place and in every circumstance.

Blessed John Paul the Great encouraged the young women and men of the world to share their faith with a world who needs to know Him.  He said, “They yearn for the life which Christ came to give in abundance…In your hands, carry the cross of Christ; on your lips, the words of life; in your hearts, the saving grace of the Lord.”

By Crystal Campos-Rosales, BA ’07

Relocating to a new state along with adjusting to a new vocation in life can pose feelings of excitement and fear. In August, I left my comfort zone to embark on a new adventure as a wife in a state miles away from family and friends.

Prior to leaving Texas, I was excited about the opportunity to begin my marriage in a different part of the world that my husband and I could explore together. Although I have always welcomed new challenges and contemplated residing in a different state, not long ago the huge relocation sparked feelings of fear. How well would I adapt to the area’s way of life? How well would I adjust to my vocation as a wife? These are questions I am sure many have asked before.

Throughout my childhood and adolescence my family instilled great Christian values in my life that I have sought to uphold as an adult. The past several years I have challenged myself to put my faith and values into action by maintaining an active prayer life and attending daily mass, along with ministering to others while serving on several A.C.T.S. retreats. The implementation of both commitments has increased my faith and trust in God, especially when facing difficult times.

Faith, as we know, is the belief in things unseen. I have never wanted to be a “doubting Thomas,” but last summer I found myself to be so. My paternal grandfather, whom I lost in 2009, served as a prime example of what it means to have faith. I often saw him praying the rosary or heard him offering prayers for his family. He always reminded me to have faith in God and pray.

Before slipping into a deeper abyss of fear, my grandfather’s advice resonated within me. I also recalled the unceasing faith of the first Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word who left France to respond to God’s call to minister to the sick in Galveston. They did not know the challenges they would encounter during the journey. All they knew was that God would provide. Their faith helped me realize that God would do the same for me. It is a lesson we should all remember when our minds are filled with doubts. I am extremely happy in my new home and I know I will put my best “faith” forward to conquer any challenges life brings.

Most of us will not join an organization without knowledge of its mission. While we may not memorize the entire mission statement verbatim, we should be able to summarize the mission of the organization we are associated with.

When I think of the founding Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and their Mission, we can clearly see their Incarnational Spirituality shining brightly. They moved into the community and were the word that became flesh and blood.

When I examine the charism of the Sisters and their Incarnational Spirituality, three words come to mind, “-transformational,-” “-transitional,-” and “-transcultural.-” The mission is alive through these three words.

Transformational requires that one makes a change in character. The Mission should bring a reality shift that says, “I am not just doing my service for a requirement, I am doing this service because it’s who I am.” Living a transformative life can bring a healthy tension that causes us to take an honest and critical look at our own belief system.

Living the Mission is transitional because we move from one stage of life to another. The Mission should so affect our lives that we should be impelled to move out of our comfort zone and make a difference in our community. We are the ones continuing to answer the call of Bishop Dubuis, “Our Lord Jesus Christ, suffering in the persons of a multitude of sick and infirm of every kind seeks relief at your hands.”

The Mission is transcultural because we are required to extend ourselves into all cultures. If the Mission is going to be sustainable, it must be inspiring and engaging to the entire community, regardless of culture.

It is through these three words that we can gain a deeper understanding of the Mission statement that guides our daily work.

My life has been committed to living the mission of Jesus Christ, but if I were to take the final test and be evaluated on how well I am doing, I wonder if I would pass.

I’ve been offered the intellectual power of reason, the creative power of imagination and the moral power of will so that I might discover the real, envision the beautiful and actualize the good. This is what constitutes the heart and soul of our mission, and why we value science, history, art, language, literature, political science and religion. Each, in its own way, keeps us closely attuned to the traces of God in all things.

The Mission of the University of the Incarnate Word has, hopefully, been read by all of us. But we can’t stop there. Would you pass the test on the values from that Mission? The university is committed to educational excellence; I hope you found it here. Faculty and students support one another in the search for truth. The spirit of Christian service is perpetuated primarily through teaching and scholarship, while being open and supportive of innovation. Each area of the curriculum should include an emphasis on social justice and community service, while recognizing the diversity in our backgrounds. Each graduate completed this before leaving UIW.

One of the demands of our Mission is to see that truth itself can light the way to justice. It calls each and every one of us to discover God within our own hearts, to make God flesh, and to let God’s voice be our teacher. The measure of our success lies in passing on the message of Jesus.

Naturally, we bring our own personality and spirituality to our teaching and learning. Jesus shows us how to come together and how to put on the mind of God. He provides us with a way to freedom. We support and help transform each other, and in the process, the rest of our Mission reflects the destiny of all other relationships.

The final test is still coming and should instill a fear of the challenge, for our Mission requires belief and action. And so we ask ourselves: What makes us different? We are a community in progress and are being shaped by the world around us in the context of boundaries and permeability. Every way of life is both sinful and graced. In the sense of our being called, we must tend toward accomplishment in the name of the Incarnate Word. We are judged by how we live, and living the Mission is what we are called to do. I have often been recognized for living the Mission. But I’m not finished living yet, so it will be the final test that will prove how well I have done. You also have been formed by the Mission and will continue to put it into practice in whatever you do and wherever you live. Our blessings go with you.

Sr. Martha Ann Kirk enjoys a feast in northern Iraq during her research study on peace building efforts by Muslims inspired by Fethullah Gülen.

Come enjoy the feast prepared with love.

As you taste a bite, be in awe of the billions of years of evolving life,

Cells to seeds to plants invited by the sunshine – each moment a miracle.

Our parents Abraham, Sarah and Hagar welcomed strangers because our infinitely generous and hospitable God welcomes us.

Though Peter had denied him three times, Christ invited Peter to dine with him.

All in those times, he knew an invitation to dine meant forgiveness, reconciliation, friendship.

God’s family is meant to dine together.

As I am nourished and renewed by the feast, am I welcoming the stranger?

Am I forgiving, reconciling, uniting and creating friendship?

Jesus would say, “I was hungry and you gave me no food”

Mohammed would say, “How could I sleep if my neighbor is hungry?”

As I am strengthened, am I remembering about every five seconds a child is dying of hunger?

Share the feast with love.

By Dr. Glenn James, dean of the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering

There’s a notable Catholic school in Indiana that motivates its football players with a well-known sign that everyone touches on the way to the field: “Play like a champion today.”  Here in UIW’s science buildings, I’m surrounded by similar motivating signs near almost every doorway, honoring friends and faculty from our math-science heritage.

Many memorable personalities are recalled including UIW legends such as Sr. Antonietta Fitzpatrick, CCVI, Ph.D. who led UIW’s early nuclear medicine program and taught physics of music among other engineering favorites. Another is Dr. Reg Traylor, who brought Texas-style leadership as dean for our school as well as the school of graduate studies.

These signs, found in buildings throughout the campus, are much more than tributes to the honorees and their generous families and friends.  They’re landmarks of UIW heroes whose stories form the foundation of our community.

One of my favorite plaques graces the lobby of the AT&T Science Center: “Sr. Mary Daniel Healy, CCVI, ’47”, who just turned 90 this year. She’s my UIW science hero, and not only because she began her academic career by teaching chemistry here for 30 years. Deciding that wasn’t quite enough fun, she went on to complete a Master of Science in nutrition and continued teaching nutrition and chemistry – and serving as a dietitian – for nearly 20 more years!  Likely holding the longest tenure of any person on the Incarnate Word faculty, she was awarded the 50-year service medal in 1997. She is a model of service and life-long learning who I remember warmly every time I see her name in our lobby.

When visiting UIW, stop and take a moment to read an honorary sign and contemplate that person’s legacy.  Let that refection continue to inspire you to serve your part of the UIW community – “like a champion” of our Mission and heritage.

What story will you leave behind to inspire those who follow you?

The passing of my mother unexpectedly in 1995 is a moment powerfully etched into my memory. My mother, who was not a great adventurer, had decided to take a trip to Europe with a group of seniors. She was in good health and spirits, though still working through my father’s passing 16 months earlier. Within 12 days, she died in France from complications of Legionnaire’s Disease.

I recall the homilist at her funeral making reference to her life in one word – her dash. Mom was a very simple woman, but spiritual, compassionate and selfless in what she did for others. Her birth and death dates were only markers in time. But, the dash between them was her life – how she lived and loved.

One of the inevitable realities of getting older is “taking stock” of our lives.  At some point, there is an expectation or need to document our accomplishments professionally. For some, success might be in the length and breadth of the visible list. For others, there might be a need to see the fruit of one’s labor in order to feel that sense of accomplishment. But, if the success of our life’s work must be measured within our lifetime, we must think outside the box.

In the words of Salvadorian Archbishop Oscar Romero: “One person plants a seed in the soil. Another waters it. We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development, (for what we do) may be incomplete, but is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the Master Builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.”

Life can change in an instant.  So, as I consider my own dash, I am grateful to the CCVI congregation, university faculty, staff and my mother who planted and nurtured the seeds of faith, truth, service, innovation and education in me years ago. I know that what I do in my life may always be a “work in progress.” But, I am blessed and privileged to be a minister, planting and nurturing the seeds (and songs) of mission within others, and knowing they will one day do the same. Soli Deo Gloria!

Reading today’s newspapers, it is easy to see the financial world is in trouble. In a world that often glamorizes fame and fortune, there are those who choose, instead, to use their talents for the benefit of others.

These special people might spend years of their lives working and studying, and as they realize the great gifts God has bestowed on them, they choose to share these gifts in service to others… not for their own glory, but to honor God in all things.

Who are these special people? They are all around us! The students, professors, staff, administration and university personnel are all working together for the betterment of our community and our world. Each small act of charity, kindness or understanding becomes a shining example of how we can serve one another.

Whether it is nursing a frail, elderly patient or advocating for others through responsible business decisions, we all become examples of the Word Incarnate. Taking the time to do our best, no matter what the task, demonstrates our commitment to excellence in the Mission of the University of the Incarnate Word.

And the joy we receive in return? What better return on our investment.