January 27, 2009
On a
chilly winter afternoon, the St. John’s University community
gathered at St. Thomas More Church on January 26 for the Founder’s
Week opening mass and student recognition awards. Very
Rev. Michael J. Carroll, C.M., Superior of the Eastern Province of
the Congregation of the Mission, celebrated the mass and during the
ceremony recognized 240 students who as transformers embodied the
Vincentian values of service, respect and compassion throughout the
year. The students also received a special blessing from St. John’s
President Rev. Donald
J. Harrington, C.M.
Photo Gallery
Also in attendance for the occasion was Most Rev. Alfonso Cabezas,
C.M., Bishop Emeritus of Villavicencio, Colombia, and many members
of the University community.
In his homily, Fr. Carroll spoke to the congregation of St. Vincent
de Paul’s conversion and reflected upon the Founder’s Week theme:
“Vincentian Transformation: Changing Hearts; Creating Peace”, its
meaning as a call to service and God’s grace for all. At the end of
the mass, each student received a certificate acknowledging his or
her contribution to service within the community and around the
world.
Serving the Community and
Beyond
The recognized students had joined together over the past year to
serve those less fortunate in poverty-stricken areas within the
U.S. and around the world. From post-Hurricane Katrina New
Orleans to Panama and Rome, these students were inspired to help by
working in soup kitchens, building homes for the poor, volunteering
at children centers and assisting in institutional research.
Mairelis Rodriguez, a senior in The Peter J. Tobin College of
Business reflected on her missionary service in Panama and New
Orleans as “a humbling and gratifying this experience. Words cannot
express how this experience has changed me,” she says. “Following
this mission is something I did and will continue to do without
thought or pretense.”
Stefan Edwards, an M.B.A. student, traveled to numerous cities
throughout the United States and overseas working in community and
children centers. When asked how he feels about receiving
this award, he replies: “It is great to be recognized for your
work, but it’s about more than just recognition when people are
able to see that service is in itself a reward.”
Journalism major Melissa Amy Enaje, a participant in campus
ministry, was honored to discover her nomination for the student
recognition award. “It is touching to know that our University
recognizes those who act with their hearts,” she says. “Our purpose
is to serve others without seeking acclaim—but it certainly feels
good to be acknowledged.”
Nominated by her supervisor in the Office of Institutional Research
at St. John’s, Senida Vukovic, a graduate assistant, was surprised
to learn she was a recipient. Summing up her experience, she
says “I am at loss for words, this feels good, wonderful in fact, I
had no idea I was nominated.”
Immediately following the mass, students attended an informal
luncheon in Marillac Terrace, where they reconnected with fellow
missioners, met new students who have shared the same vision and
reflected upon their service to the community.