Some Lenten thoughts:  Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return the words used for the imposition of the ashes at the Ash Wednesday liturgy are rather somber.  And last week the world outside my window was too.  The fog made even the hoar-frosted trees and landscape look ashen.  Both invited introspection.  Curiously, contemplating ones own fragility and the inevitability of dying, does not necessarily end in despair, but rather can lead to a clarity of purpose for ones life and a re-commitment to what is true and lasting.  The alternative set of words for imposition of ashes, Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel,  points in the direction of hope in this life despite its vicissitudes and elicits an anticipation of what is beyond imagination the fullness of life promised by Jesus for those who struggle to adhere to the path of love.

The semester continues, but last week without students.  I hope they enjoyed the week respite from classes.  I hope too they caught up on some of their work (like getting a head start on the rest of the reading for my English 110 course).  But while students and faculty had some down time, meetings and activities of administration continued on with no let up both at Campion and at the University.  My heart went out to everyone at the First Nations University these past weeks especially.  I pray that First Nations peoples, the Governments, and the University of Regina will be able to forge an agreement to assure that the mission of First Nations University will be upheld and that the institution will be an even  stronger partner on the Regina Campus.  I remember that in First Nationss early days on the campus the fifth floor of Campion College was one of its sites for offices.  Father Hannin, S.J., the then superior of the Saskatchewan Jesuits, even made sure that the Jesuit Fathers provided some First Nations student bursaries.

In the Deans office?  Besides the regular daily duties, I am excited to work with the Catholic School Board , the University of Regina, and Campion faculty and staff to explore putting into place  Accelerated Courses in the Catholic High Schools in Regina.  The program is envisioned as enabling high school students to take a university credit course while completing their high school requirements.  The benefit for the students is to make transition to university easier and to give them a head start in their university academic program.

2010! A new year and a new decade!  It was appropriate that 2009 ended with a blue moon.  On New Year’s Eve, as I mulled over the past year, I marveled at the brightness of the full moon on the frozen lake at Saskatchewan Beach.  I recalled Cat Steven’s lyric from a few decades past about being “followed by a moon shadow”.  The moon actually did cast shadows,  wonderfully clear shadows of the tree limbs on the white snow.

While my past may be like moon shadows, 2010 brings with it much brightness and excitement for the future.  Already I have begun my English 110 and look forward to meeting my students each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  The theme of the course is ‘the journey motif in literature’.  It is good theme for beginning a new decade– a new journey!  The Odyssey is our first book.  I do hope that there are no Polyphemus’s, Charybnis’s, or Scylla’s during the semester journey.

I still have much to learn in the Dean department of my life.  Getting courses firmed up for the Spring/Summer and Fall terms, advertising for sessional positions, sending out contract offers,  all continue to be new experiences.   I will chair the Academic Review Committee today.  That involves deliberations concerning faculty applications for Career Growth Increments, Merit Increments, Tenure, and Promotions!  All very serious ‘stuff’!  I am glad that the committee members have to do the deliberations at this point!  My deliberations only come later.  I am still surprised with the number of items which come through this office for consultation or decisions. But I look forward to new ideas, experiences, and challenges that continue to be just around the corner of my journey into 2010.

A challenge for me during this past week is to respond to the calamity in Haiti.  It is difficult to feel helpless in face of such suffering.  I will do what I can do, offer Mass and prayers for all in Haiti and for those families who mourn, and ache for loved ones.

Frank

When I watched the film, Julia Juliet, on my way home from Montreal three weeks ago, I realized that a proper blog should be a daily event! Though I did not have a recipe for each day of this fall term, there was enough happening for what might have been long comments and reflections for each day.

It is not bad living in a whirlwind for awhile. Adrenal flowed since Thanksgiving. Some of the activities in my new life are working on revising the academic agreement with University of Regina, negotiating the Collective Agreement of the Campion Faculty, calling and attending meetings, meetings and meetings, hosting the Saskatchewan Short listed Book Award Announcements and the Dean’s luncheon for Dean’s list students, attending the University Convocation and the Campion Convocation & brunch, being officially installed as Dean of Campion, and, recently attending many social events, to name a few.

My English 100 class was one stable center to my whirlwind. MWF we met at 12:30 to
focus on Literature and the skills of writing, a privilege and pleasure to be with them. Now, exam time, I have to submit them to the torture of a final examination.

I am glad Christmas is approaching. The third Sunday of Advent, the lighting the pink candle of the Advent wreath, signal the nearness of the birthday event that changed the Western calendar and, indeed, the whole world. The demonstration of God’s love for us 2010 years ago and the message that self sacrificing love is the way to peace in the world and in peoples’ hearts is as relevant today as it was then. My hope is that all might experience Christmas Peace and bring that peace to their families and friends, and even to their enemies.
best wishes,
Frank

I have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving– but I admit that it’s been such a busy couple of weeks that I haven’t had a chance to do much ‘mulling’ over all the details. But despite traveling to Toronto and Pickering, Ontario, for four days of Jesuit meetings (Jesuit Superiors across Canada, and Consultation Meetings with the Provincial Superior of English speaking Canada and his other three Consultors) and the scramble to catch up on my return late Sunday evening, I came back with energy grateful for the chance to see many of my Jesuit confreres and to share with them what is happening here at Campion and Regina and to have a hand in the plans for Jesuit ministry across Canada.

The learning curve of being dean of Campion continues to be steep. This past week I have begun to learn how to help professors obtain tenure at Campion, the process for professors applying for sabbaticals, and how to begin to work with the deans and departments heads of the University as the planning of course scheduling for Spring/Summer, Fall, and Winter 2010 begins.

I had a taste of what student recruitment is at Vanier Collegiate last Friday. I was invited to join President Timmons and Mike Burton on one of the University recruiting outreach projects. They gave spectacular presentations. It was a new experience for me. I learned that I am not good at this yet. My next effort will be much different.

I had to be careful of giving too much thanks this weekend– three thanksgiving dinners may be excessive, one with the Precious Blood Sisters after Sunday morning Mass, one that Matthew prepared for the Jesuit community Sunday evening, and tonight’s dinner at the home of good friends of the Jesuit Community! While it is important not to eat too much, I know that one can never give too much thanks to God!

Till next time,
Frank

As I glance out of my office window I notice green is not the dominant colour any more– rather now it’s shades of yellow and brown! And, yes, it is the first day of Fall and time again to blog!

In the middle of August I found out that, when one deans, emergencies can occur. But despite the sudden departure of a professor, cool heads and great help and cooperation brought about good remedies. Generosity and juggling assured the Campion course offerings in Fall 2009 and Winter 2010. How important to Campion College is people working together!

Early September I was quite intrigued when I discovered that the faculty and staff of Campion were going to have our ‘retreat’ on the Friday before classes began at Sherwood Forest. I only knew about the Sherwood Forest in England. The possibility of confronting Robin and his merry band crossed my mind. But Saskatchewan’s Sherwood Forest just outside of Regina turned out well. It was a fabulous spot for us to pray, reflect, and talk about the Vision and Mission of Campion College.

The opening of a new school year, even after having more than sixty of them, is always exciting for me. Headstart was grand because I was able to meet the hundred or so students and got to present a ‘study helps lecture’ in the afternoon. I had lunch and an enthusiastic chat on film making with one lad from Campbell Collegiate who serendipitously decided to attend that very morning.

I suspect I have the best students in all the University in my English 100 course. Already they have handed in two written assignments. It takes me awhile to put the names to the faces, but with the good participation in the class it should not take the whole semester to do that! Having finished John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, we are just launching into Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Really good stuff.

That’s it for now.
Frank

Here am I sitting at the dean’s desk looking out across the north parking lot at the buildings of downtown Regina. I would never have thought of myself in this office twenty five years ago when I was principal of Loyola High School in Montreal, or fourteen years ago when my religious superior sent me to join the Regina Jesuit community and the ministry at Campion College, or even when I was in the office of assistant dean of Campion a few years ago! Yet here I am. It will be fun to meeting and working with students, faculty, staff, and colleagues at the University. It is an exciting time for me.

Summer has been full for me. I have just come back from the W. B. Yeats International Summer School in Sligo, Ireland, which focuses for two weeks of lectures and seminars on the poetry, plays, and prose of the great Irish poet. It was a splendid ‘fortnight’ (as they say in Ireland). Strangely, the weather was very much like we’ve had in Regina this summer– rainy and cool.

Who knows what adventures are in store for me this semester. But I look forward to sharing some of them with you during this semester on this blog!

Frank