T-shirts, meetings, and Adoration... oh my!

Dear Students,

Just some quick reminders...

First of all, don't forget to vote for your favorite T-shirt design this week. The designs will be posted in the student lounge and you can find ballots in there or in your mailbox. Voting will end on Friday, September 29, so be sure to cast your vote by then!

Are you considering applying to a PhD program after you finish your program at DSPT? Then come to the first meeting of the "academic group" to discuss your ideas and plans as well as things you think the school can do to help support students in this endeavor. We will meet in DSPT Classroom 2 at 7pm on Monday, October 2 and pizza will be served. If you have any questions, you can contact me at asdspt@dspt.edu.

Finally, the following message is from Ed Hopfner who has been nice enough to put together the Adoration schedule for the school:
Thank you to all who responded to the request for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We have put together a preliminary schedule. The days and times that seemed to work best were Thursdays and Fridays, from roughly 10-2:30. We still need at least one person from 12-1 on Thursday, and 11-12:30 on Friday. Ideally we will have two people (at least) for each 'slot.' We hope to start when the 'gaps' are filled--alternatively, we could have shorter periods of time if we can't fill them (maybe 1 hour on one of the days, etc). Ideally, we would like to start in October. Attached to this email is a schedule that has been formed from the email responses we received (before Adoration begins, we will confirm these dates and times with everyone). If you are able and interested, please look at the schedule and sign up for an open time slot by emailing asdspt@dspt.edu, especially if it would 'fill' a 'gap.' No one will be scheduled for more than an hour. Thank you !

I hope that the semester has been going well for everyone so far!

Sincerely,
Elissa McCormack
ASDSPT President

Compassionate Listening

Sr. Marianne sent the following information to me about a workshop that she is setting up at DSPT to introduce students from the GTU (and anyone else who is interested) to Compassionate Listening.

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Come meet the trainers and board members of The Compassionate Listening Project. The event is open to GTU and General Public.

COMMUNITY FORUM: WHAT IS COMPASSIONATE LISTENING?

Monday, October 9, 2006 at 6:30pm

Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology

2301 Vine Street

Berkeley, CA 94708-1816

“Do not be too quick to assume your enemy is a savage just because he is your enemy. Perhaps he is your enemy because he thinks you are a savage. Or perhaps he is afraid of you because he feels that you are afraid of him. And perhaps if he believed you are capable of loving him he would no longer be your enemy.”

—Thomas Merton, Seeds of Contemplation

What is the work of Compassionate Listening?

The Compassionate Listening Project (TCLP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching skills to heal polarization, cultivate healthy relationships, and build bridges between people, communities and nations in conflict.

The Compassionate Listening Project is dedicated to empowering individuals to heal polarization and build bridges between people, communities and nations in conflict. The work has grown out of 15 years of conflict resolution and reconciliation work on the ground in Israel and Palestine.

The Compassionate Listening Project has ushered hundreds of American citizens very deeply into both societies to listen to the suffering and grievances of people on all sides of the conflict and to help bring the humanity of each side to the other.

JOIN US TO LEARN MORE.

For more information contact:

Sr. Marianne Farina, CSC Ph.D.

Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology

510- 883-2081 or email: mfarina@dspt.edu

BBQ at St. Albert's - THIS SUNDAY!

Dear Students,

Don't forget that this Sunday (September 17) we will celebrate the beginning of the school year with a community BBQ at St. Albert's Priory! Vespers will begin at 5:30pm in the chapel at St. Albert's and the BBQ will follow. So come down to share in food and fun at the Priory!

If you need directions to the priory, send an email to asdspt@dspt.edu.

See you on Sunday!

Sincerely,
Elissa McCormack
ASDSPT President

Workshop for Students Applying to Doctoral Programs

Fr. Michael Dodds forwarded the following email to me, in case anyone is interested:

Hello, I hope your semester has gotten off to a great start.

I’m writing to let you know about a workshop for students on “Writing the Academic Statement of Purpose” for the doctoral application process. We have an EXCELLENT faculty panel on board to engage in the discussion, and Dean Arthur Holder will guide and facilitate the event. This has proven to be helpful for students as they embark upon the somewhat challenging path of applying to doctoral programs. If you know of students who are on this path, or perhaps any you’d like to suggest taking a look, please let them know about the workshop, which will be held on Wednesday, October 11, from 12:30-2pm in the Dinner Board Room of the GTU Library. Students can contact me or the GTU Admissions office for more information or to reserve a place. gtuadm@gtu.edu, 510-649-2460.

Thank you,
Kathleen

Also, I've received the dates for Theology on Tap and will be posting them on the calendar momentarily.

Suggestions for the name of the Theological "Owl"

If you have any other ideas, feel free to send them to asdspt@dspt.edu or leave them in the comments section. Remember: we will vote on the name at the first session of the Theological "Owl."

- Theology "Uncorked"
- Balaam's Ass
- The Owl and the Donkey
- The Lion and the Lamb
- The Dominican Ox
- The Ox of Aquinas
- The Dumb Ox

Called & Gifted Workshop: Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts

I participated in the Called & Gifted Workshop last fall and I highly recommend it to everyone! It gives you a chance to learn about the different charisms of the Spirit and, by looking at your abilities and interests, begin to discern what gifts you have been given and how you can best bring those out in your life. For example, I scored relatively high on Administration, and now I am in the position of ASDSPT President!

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What gifts has God given you? How are you called to use them?

Come explore the many and diverse charisms, or spiritual gifts, that God has given you and your neighbors to accomplish a work of love in the world.

Based on a Catholic understanding of spiritual gifts, the Called and Gifted Workshop is open to women and men of any faith tradition. You will take the Catholic Spiritual Gifts Inventory, explore twenty-four of the most commonly encountered charisms, and learn a process of discerning charisms in yourself and others.

Friday, Sept.15th 7:00-9:30pm
Saturday, Sept.16th 9:00am-4:00pm
DSPT Classroom 01
2301 Vine Street, Berkeley,CA 94708

Registration before Sept. 13: $20 (DSPT Students) $30 (Non-DSPT Students)
after Sept. 13: $30 (DSPT Students) $40 (Non-DSPT Students)
For more information, please visit our website: www.dspt.edu
or contact Ed Hopfner: 510-849-2071 or ehopfner@dspt.edu

The Called and Gifted Workshop is co-sponsored by the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology and by the Catherine of Siena Institute.

All-Student Body Meeting Results

Dear Students,

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the All-Student Body Meeting. Your input is much appreciated! For those who missed the meeting, we have some new activities this year that you may be interested in. We have sign up sheets for many of these in the student lounge, including a sign up sheet to volunteer to help with the Tuesday Masses, so go check the student lounge next time you’re at DSPT.

First, we are holding a design contest for new DSPT merchandise and the prize will be a free T-shirt with your design on it! So we are accepting black and white designs until THIS FRIDAY (September 15). Put your designs in Br. Emmanuel Taylor’s mailbox. Voting on these designs will take place from Monday, September 18 until Friday, September 22.

Some new proposals for this year include a monthly movie night, a Theology of the Body discussion group, and an academic group for students interested in PhD programs. If you are interested in any of these things, please email us back at asdspt@dspt.edu or just sign up in the student lounge.

We also have a volunteer to run Owl of Minerva this year, but are looking for some people who would be interested in helping out. We would like to start a similar group for theology and are still looking for someone who would be interested in organizing that. You would work with the person running the Owl of Minerva and would, of course, receive any support from the Student Council that you need. If you are interested in this position, please email asdspt@dspt.edu. We are also trying to think of a name for the theology group, if you have suggestions, email them to asdspt@dspt.edu. The suggestions will be posted on the blog and voting will take place at the first theology discussion!

Finally, with our school and new chapel, the DSPT is again able to have Adoration of the most holy Eucharist during the day. We would like to offer this to as many students, for as many hours as possible during the week. We are currently looking at any hours between 8am – 5pm. The only requirement would be a regular weekly time commitment by individual students, with a minimum commitment of 30 minutes. If you would be interested in committing to a specific time, please email asdspt@dspt.edu. Include days/times you would be available (or, if you prefer, days/times you would be unavailable). This is NOT a commitment at this point, until we and you agree to a specific time (or times) and date (or dates). If you would be interested in learning more about this devotion, please email asdspt@dspt.edu, either with specific questions or with a general statement of your interest. We hope to begin Adoration at our new chapel by the end of the month.

Finally, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the BBQ at St. Albert’s Priory on Sunday, September 17. Vespers will begin at 5:30pm and the BBQ will follow!

Sincerely,
Elissa McCormack
ASDSPT President