This morning I went to my first all faculty and staff convocation at the school where I work. It's a traditional kick-off to the school year where we have breakfast with each other and get psyched up for the new year (but mostly people freak out about all the stuff they still haven't finished by the end of the summer). The university admins all talked about the where-we've'-been and where-we're-going stuff. But my very favorite part came when the university president, a Jesuit priest, was calling on people to share their ideas for "opportunities and challenges" for next year. One staff member said she was excited that our school was hosting the center for an organization that focuses on the role of women in catholic education, and how we should continue to focus on that, and this is how the president responded:
"Are there any official representatives of the Church here?" (Everyone laughs) "Good. Then I want to announce my candidacy for pope. I'm running on a 5-point platform. One, all bishops are elected by the people. Two, married priests. Three, women priests. Four, the Church has to take a mandatory 50-year hiatus from saying anything about sex. Five, the pope has to stop wearing beanies and Prada slippers."
It was hilarious, and fabulous to hear. So far, being at a catholic university has been interesting, but surprising. There's an immense value on the school's mission statement (BTW, I have never been part of any group with a mission statement that actually takes it seriously), but no one takes themselves too seriously. The school is also really working hard to make some big changes that the faculty and staff have pushed for, which makes it exciting to help my boss with reports and big projects that might otherwise seem really dry.
Oh, and classes start next week so it's been bananas-crazy all week. Yesterday we had a two-hour staff meeting but then walked over for lunch at a brewery a few blocks away, and on the way back we stopped and got cupcakes at this gourmet cupcake shop. OMG, amazing.
2 comments:
1) OMG, I need to meet that priest. Seriously. I'm surprised he said that in such a public place. In the past month, one priest and one nun have been excommunicated from the Church for saying women should be priests! Go Jesuit priest man!
2) I didn't know you were working for a Catholic University! Maybe I can schedule a business trip in the future...
So I keep forgetting that Georgetown is fully, full-on Jesuit which is silly because that's like saying I forget that BYU is Mormon, except that I'm not required to go to mass. Anyway, every time I wear my GU shirt in public someone goes, "Oooooooh A JESUIT." and then tells me some batshit story about some priest they know. This happened yesterday while I was buying gourmet cheese.
Also, I get an email every other day saying that Fr. So-And-So has passed on. Georgetown's campus is covered with gravestones! Anyhoo... it's all very new and strange. No Jesuit cupcakes here. Yet.
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