ON

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5935 Iona Drive Vancouver, BC

Canada V6T 1J7

604-822-4463

stmarkscollege.ca

NEW

SLET

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• F

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2014

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Partnering with UBC’s ‘Theological Neighbourhood’

• Scholar-in-Residence: Meet Sister Anne Frances Ai Le

• New Diaconate Aspirants Begin Academic Formation at Saint Mark’s

2 SAINT MARK’S COLLEGE

From the Office of the Principal

Under the terms of the Saint Mark’s College Act in 1956, we are an affiliated college of the University of British Columbia, with the right to grant bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in Theology. We continue in the tradition of our founders, the Basilian Fathers, to offer programs steeped in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition for aspiring academics, working professionals and those interested in spiritual and intellectual development through Continuing Education.

As we embark on a new semester, there are a number of exciting developments at Saint Mark’s, including the arrival of our new Hanrahan Scholar-in-Residence, Sr. Anne Frances Ai Le, OP. Celebrating the life and service of the college’s longest-serving Principal, Fr. James Hanrahan, CSB (1991-2005), the Scholar program offers a home institution for academics to develop and share their skills and research interests through teaching at the College, giving special lectures in their areas of research,

and consulting and collaborating with students and faculty (see story on page 4).

Additionally, we are looking forward this fall to a site visitation from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), the major accrediting body for North American Graduate Schools of Theology. Saint Mark’s is presently an Associate Member of the ATS, and following the recent submission of our Institutional Readiness report this past June, the visit will be an important stage in our application for full membership in the Association (see update on page 11).

The Catholic philosopher Etiénne Gilson remarked “Faith comes to intelligence as a light that overflows it with joy and inspires it with a certitude that does away with question.” In the pages that follow, my hope is that you will see Saint Mark’s as a community steeped in the joy of the Christian message, and offering a wealth of resources — human and material — which proclaim the richness of the Catholic intellectual tradition.

As a community of teachers, scholars, administrators and pastors, we are interested in meeting individuals wherever they are on the journeys of both life and faith. I invite you to visit us in person or online to learn more about how we can help you on your journey.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Fall 2014 edition of On the Mark. Having only recently arrived in Vancouver as Saint Mark’s new Principal, I have already been moved by my experiences of the College as a place of learning, of community and of dialogue.

Saint Mark’s College

Saint Mark’s, as an affiliated

theological college of UBC, offers

a variety of graduate academic

programs for the formation of

Catholic lay professionals, continuing

education opportunities for adults, and

intellectual formation for lay, clergy,

and deacons.

Through its Campus Ministry, the

College provides a dynamic pastoral

presence and faith development

opportunities for students, faculty

and staff who work and study on the

university campus.

SAINT MARK’S COLLEGE5935 Iona Drive Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1J7 604-822-4463stmarkscollege.ca

Cover: Bell Tower at Saint Mark’s Parish Church

Dr. Peter Meehan joined Saint Mark’s as Principal in June 2014.

3FALL 2014 NEWSLETTER

Saint Mark’s College believes in partnering with like-minded churches, groups, institutions and organizations because we believe collaboration creates significant value for our students and faculty – and for the greater community. We invest time in developing these relationships and, as a result, have forged many fruitful partnerships.

Along with the Archdiocese of Vancouver and other Catholic institutions in the city, one of our key partnerships is with the theological colleges in UBC’s ‘theological neighbourhood’. These include Carey Theological College (Baptist), Vancouver School of Theology (Anglican and United Church), St. Andrew’s Hall (Presbyterian), as well as Regent College (Evangelical Christian).

The colleges currently share a library system (THEOLOG), and are working toward partnering in other important ways, including shared course offerings and co-sponsored events (see below).

FOCUS ON PARTNERSHIPS

Love Thy Neighbour: What Is UBC’s ‘Theological Neighbourhood’?

The Power of PartnershipThis coming year, Saint Mark’s is co-sponsoring a special event with Carey College, and will be offering oneof our new courses to students of other colleges in UBC’s theological neighbourhood.

Saint Mark’s to Offer New Course to Theological Neighbourhood StudentsComing up in January 2015, Saint Mark’s will offer our new course, “Augustine and Culture”, to students at the other colleges in UBC’s theological neighbourhood, as well as to Saint Mark’s students. Taught by Dr. Paul Burns, a faculty member at Saint Mark’s with a specialization in church history and early Christian thought, the course will be offered as a new elective – credit or audit.

Co-Sponsored Events on Spirituality and Older AdultsSaint Mark’s is pleased to be partnering with Carey Theological College and the Centre for Healthy Aging Transitions (CHAT) to

co-sponsor special events on issues surrounding spirituality and older adults. Coming up in August 2015, the events will feature presentations by Dr. Richard P. Johnson, PhD, PCSG, a well-known Catholic doctor specializing in spiritual gerontology. (Gerontology is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging.)

Founder of the Johnson Institute for Spiritual Gerontology and Maturing Adult Faith Formation, Johnson is nationally recognized for his pioneering work in these areas. He has presented his work in numerous parishes, dioceses and religious communities and given keynote addresses and presentations in conferences around the world.

He is the author of numerous books, including Creating a Successful Retirement: Finding Peace and Purpose, Discover Your Spiritual Strengths and The 12 Keys to Spiritual Vitality: Powerful Lessons on Living Agelessly. Don’t miss this exciting event!

For more information on this and other upcoming courses and events:

• visit www.stmarkscollege.ca

• email info@stmarkscollege.ca

• call 604-822-4463

Dr. Richard P. Johnson

Here is just a small sampling of what’s coming up:

4 SAINT MARK’S COLLEGE

FEATURED FACULTY

A member of the Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province, Sister Anne earned her doctorate in philosophy in May 2014 at the University of St. Thomas, Houston. Her dissertation, entitled “Nudus Sequens?: Saint Thomas Aquinas on Evangelical Poverty and Christian Perfection,” focuses on the perennial value of Aquinas’ balanced view of evangelical poverty in relation to Christian perfection.

Sister Anne has taught philosophy at the University of St. Thomas for five years as an adjunct professor, theology at Mount Carmel High School for two years, and various other courses for her religious community’s formation program since 2003.

While at Saint Mark’s, Sister Anne will focus on her research and teach a variety of classes, including a three-part series on Symbolism in Spiritual Writings (see below).

FR. HANRAHAN, CSBSaint Mark’s College launched the Fr. Hanrahan Scholar-in-Residence program in 2012, to celebrate the life and service to the College of Thomas James Hanrahan, CSB. “Father Jim” served as principal of the College from 1991 to 2005 – the longest-serving principal to date. Developed to connect the needs of the College with the needs of early-career theology researchers, the program enables Saint Mark’s to host a junior or senior scholar who becomes involved in the intellectual life of Saint Mark’s for one year. The College provides a home institution where scholars develop and share their skills – by teaching at the College, working with faculty and students on specific projects, and offering lectures on their research.

Painting a Thousand Words: The Use of Symbolism in Spiritual Writings

FEATURED FACULTY

Sister Anne Frances Ai Le, OP, PhD

Saint Mark’s College is pleased to welcome Sister Anne Frances Ai Le to the College as our ‘Father Hanrahan Scholar-in-Residence’ for 2014-15.

Join Sister Anne Frances Le, Saint Mark’s Hanrahan Scholar-in-Residence, for a stimulating three-session series on the use of symbolism in spiritual writings.

“Things of the spirit, specifically spiritual encounters and mystical experiences, are often said to be ineffable. These experiences, moreover, are taken to be unique and particular to the individual and thus almost incommunicable to another. In an attempt to communicate their experiences with others, therefore, many spiritual authors, both men and women throughout the ages, have employed poetic language or symbolism and imagery,” notes Sister Anne.

Each week, excerpts and passages of the following works will be considered: November 5, 2014Catherine of Siena - DialoguesJulian of Norwich - Book of Showings November 12, 2014Teresa of Avila - Interior CastleJohn of the Cross - The Dark Night of the Soul November 19, 2014Ignatius of Loyola - Spiritual ExercisesJean Pierre de Caussade - Abandonment to Divine Providence

For more information on this and other upcoming courses and events, visit www.stmarkscollege.ca, email info@stmarkscollege.ca, or call 604-822-4463.

PERMANENT DIACONATE PROGRAM UPDATE

Second Cohort of Deacon Aspirants Begins Academic Formation at Saint Mark’s

5FALL 2014 NEWSLETTER

The second cohort of deacon aspirants began their academic formation at Saint Mark’s in September 2014. The group of eight men is now training for the ordained ministry of the permanent diaconate in Vancouver.

Held from 2002 to 2006, the Archdiocesan Synod proposed implementing the permanent diaconate, which had been restored elsewhere in the Church following the Second Vatican Council.

In 2011, Archbishop J. Michael Miller announced a program to train men for this ordained ministry, noting in his pastoral letter that “permanent deacons will play a key role in accomplishing the Synod’s vision of a mission-driven Church.” Selection of suitable individuals began, and by the fall of 2011, a group of some 26 men began formation.

In 2012, this first group started academic studies at Saint Mark’s, which the Archbishop asked to partner with the Archdiocese to provide an “intensive theological formation that prepares the candidates for ministry and will also nourish their spiritual life.”

The members of the initial cohort, now 18 in number, will complete their Saint Mark’s

courses this coming spring, and are expected to graduate in May 2015. “We faced a number of challenges at the start of the academic program, and at every turn Saint Mark’s found creative and effective responses,” said Msgr. Gregory Smith, director of the permanent diaconate office. “The success of the college’s efforts is borne out by the high level of satisfaction with the courses now reported by the candidates, despite the unavoidable demands of intense part-time study.”

“The formation partnership between the Archdiocese and the college has, I think, produced an academic program that will ensure our future permanent deacons meet the high expectations that have been placed on them,” Msgr. Smith added.

What Is a Permanent Deacon?Men who are ordained to the permanent diaconate promise to live out the charism of service to God and the people of God through a life of ordained ministry. This commitment is characterized by service to the Word of God, the Sacraments of the Church, and a life of Heroic Charity.

Saint Mark’s continues to provide the academic formation for the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s permanent diaconate aspirants.

For the past two years, Monsignor Gregory N. Smith has taught canon law for the Permanent Diaconate program’s academic component, which is offered by Saint Mark’s.

Msgr. Smith is pastor of Christ the Redeemer Parish in West Vancouver and Director of the Archdiocese of Vancouver’s formation program for permanent deacons. He studied canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., from which he graduated with a licentiate, and in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University, from which he received a doctorate degree.

Msgr. Smith has also served as the Archdiocese’s Chancellor, Episcopal Vicar, and Moderator of the Curia.

FACULTY PROFILEMonsignor Gregory N. Smith

The Archdiocese of Vancouver’s second cohort of permanent diaconate aspirants began their studies at Saint Mark’s in Fall 2014. Some aspirants’ wives have chosen to participate in the academic formation program, with the potential to receive a degree from Saint Mark’s.

6 SAINT MARK’S COLLEGE

Saint Mark’s faculty stand out not only as dedicated teachers, but also as accomplished researchers – experts in their fields who are actively doing research in their areas of interest. As you can see from the following sampling of recent and forthcoming peer-reviewed publications, as well as presentations and outreach activities, faculty interests vary widely.

FACULTY RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Robust Research and Outreach Contribute to Student Learning at Saint Mark’s

John Bevacqua, M.Ed.

INSTRUCTOR

Recent and Forthcoming Publications:• “The ‘This Too Shall Pass’... Stall in

Education Reform”, Canadian Education Association (http://m.cea-ace.ca/blog/johnny-bevacqua/2014/05/4/too-shall-passstall-education-reform)

Presentations and Outreach Activities:• “Pedagogy of the Soul: What Will

Continue to Make Catholic Education Compelling in the 21st century.”

• “Teacher as Learner: The Catalyst for Reimagining School in the 21st Century.”

• “Technology-Embedded Pedagogy: Where Technology Meets Pedagogy.”

Dr. Paul C. Burns, Ph.D.

INSTRUCTOR

Recent and Forthcoming Publications: • “Child Sacrifice: A Polyvalent Story

in Early Eucharistic Piety”, part of a collection of essays co-edited with colleagues in Religious Studies at UBC. The article will appear in Not Sparing the Child: Human Sacrifice in the Ancient World and Beyond, (New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2015), a Festschrift in honor of Paul Mosca, edited by Daphne Vita Arbel, Paul C. Burns, Robert Cousland, Richard Menkis, and Dietmar Neufeld.

Dr. Adrienne Castellon, Ed.D.

INSTRUCTOR

Presentations and Outreach Activities:• Presented at the 8th International

Network on Personal Meaning Conference, July 25, 2014, in Vancouver. Topic: Servant Leadership and Reflective Practice in Education Settings.

Dr. Paul C. Burns

7FALL 2014 NEWSLETTER

Dr. Shawn W. Flynn, Ph.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF RELIGION AND THEOLOGY DIRECTOR OF THEOLOGY PROGRAMS

Recent and Forthcoming Publications: • YHWH is King: The Development of

Divine Kingship in Ancient Israel (Vetus Testamentum Supplements 159; Leiden: Brill, 2014).

• “The Hope of Catholic Biblical Interpretation: Progress and Gaps in the Manifestation of Scripture Since Vatican II.” New Blackfriars (2014).

• “Nahum and Habakkuk” Paulist Biblical Commentary. Ed. Richard Clifford SJ, Carol Dempsey OP and Eileen Schuller, OSU; New Jersey: Paulist Press, 2015.

• “Ancient Israelite Religion” Database of Religious History: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (Directors: Edward Slingerland and Mark Collard), 2014.

• Book Review, Anne Marie Kits, Cursed Are You: The Phenomenology of Cursing in Akkadian and Hebrew Texts (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2014), Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2014.

• Book Review, David S. Vanderhooft and Abraham Winitzer (eds.) Literature as Politics, Politics as Literature: Essays on the Ancient Near East in Honor of Peter Machinist Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2013. Review of Biblical Literature.

• Book Review, Iain Provan, Seriously Dangerous Religion: What the Old Testament Really Says and Why it Matters (Baylor University Press, 2014) Pro Ecclesia: A Journal of Catholic and Evangelical Theology, 2014.

• Book Review, Richard Jude Thompson, Terror of the Radiance: Aššur Covenant to YHWH Covenant (Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 258; Fribourg: Academic Press; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2013). Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2014.

Dr. David J. Klassen, LL.B., Ph.D. PHILOSOPHY INSTRUCTOR

Recent and Forthcoming Publications: • “The Natural Law, the Virtues and

Consequences in the Ethical Theory of Saint Thomas Aquinas.” Lex Naturalis (Journal of the International Natural Law Society), forthcoming in early 2015.

• “Religious and Secular Foundations of Universal Human Rights and Equality Before the Law.” Philosophy, Culture and Traditions (A Journal of the World Union of Catholic Philosophical Societies), forthcoming in late 2014 or early 2015.

• “Maritain, Aquinas and the Intelligibility of the Natural Law.” In Whence Intelligibility. Edited by Louis Perron. Volume 43 of Series I, Culture and Values, in Culture and Contemporary Change, edited by George F. McLean. Washington,

D.C.: Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, 2013.

• Guest editor of the upcoming edition of Philosophy, Culture and Traditions on the theme of “Oppression, Resistance, and Rights: Philosophical and Religious Perspectives,” along with an introduction to that volume.

Presentations and Outreach Activities:• Presented on the topic of “Justice as Love”

2014 to the Thomas Aquinas Study Circle at Saint Mark’s in Spring . Presentation was based on seminar paper prepared for the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy in Washington, D.C. in Fall 2013.

Sr. Anne Frances Ai Le, OP, Ph.D.

SAINT MARK’S FATHER HANRAHAN SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE FOR 2014-15

Recent and Forthcoming Publications: • “Jacques Maritain on Art and Faith:

Conspiring Towards Heaven” in A Piercing Light: Beauty, Faith, and Human Transcendence (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, forthcoming), edited by James Jacobs.

Presentations and Outreach Activities:• Dissertation topic – St. Thomas’

understanding of evangelical poverty and Christian perfection – with the Thomas Aquinas Study Circle in November 2014.

• Painting a Thousand Words: The Use of Symbolism in Spiritual Writings (Saint Mark’s Continuing Education)

Dr. Shawn W. Flynn

8 SAINT MARK’S COLLEGE

New Biography Provides a “Prism” for Understanding the Catholic Church in Canada

The new Principal of Saint Mark’s comes with weighty scholarship. A major focus of Dr. Peter Meehan’s graduate work and teaching has been on Canadian history, with a special emphasis on the history of the Catholic church in Canada and the world. Even more specifically, he is interested in church and state – where the interests of religion meet those of government and politics.

Dr. Meehan is currently writing a biography of the late Archbishop Phillip Pocock, who, although not a particularly well-known or celebrated figure, was “progressively-minded and had a great empathy for lay people and their struggles”.

Dr. Meehan remembers him personally – having served Mass for the Archbishop when he was a boy – and recalls hearing news of his passing during the Holy Father’s visit to Canada in 1984. Who is the intended audience of your book?Originally, I would have said those interested in the history of the Catholic Church, and more specifically in Ontario. Having worked on this now for several years, I now think it would be of interest to a wider readership. Pocock’s first episcopal appointments were to Saskatoon and Winnipeg, and he developed in these postings, particularly in Saskatoon, a great love for the Canadian West.

Additionally, researching his life has really been an experience of researching so many of the social, economic, and political events of the twentieth century, particularly since the Second World War, as they have affected or been affected by Catholicism in Canada and the world.

We have no real synthesis of the history of the English-speaking Catholic Church in Canada in the twentieth century, so Pocock’s life has, for me, become a prism through which to understand much of that time. My hope is that it will do justice to his contributions – which were substantial – and contribute to the larger narrative history of the Catholic Church in Canada Did you discover anything surprising about the Bishop?For historians, research is often referred to as a voyage of discovery – and we are constantly in search of things that surprise us. I have been surprised by a number of things since I started this work. For example, that he was made a bishop very young – he was only thirty-six years of age. I was also initially surprised that, despite the fact that he was born in 1906 and was already in middle age by the time of the great social revolution of the 1960s, he was very progressively-minded and had a great empathy for lay people and their struggles.

He was a strong supporter and participant at the Second Vatican Council and pioneered many of its reforms in the archdiocese of Toronto. I would have to say though, that more than surprise, I have been most touched by what I have come to understand of his great humility. Despite rising to great heights in the service of the Church, he took disappointments in stride, never appeared to be aggrandized by his office, and remained a parish priest at heart. In fact, when he retired, he went to live as associate pastor at St. Mary’s Parish in Brampton, Ontario, where he performed baptisms, counselled couples for marriage and ministered to the sick and infirm until his last years.

Would you ever consider teaching a course at Saint Mark’s (or CCC)?I would love to! Teaching is central to my vocation as an educator. Right now, through the efforts of so many, the colleges are on the cusp of a new and exciting stage in their development, and my role as Principal/President is to help us to get to a new level of growth and stability. That takes time. Hopefully in a few years I will be able to include teaching as a regular part of my duties.

Saint Mark’s new Principal Dr. Peter Meehan is not only an experienced administrator, but also a scholar in his own right. At the request of Cardinal Ambrozic, Dr. Meehan is currently writing a biography of a contemporary figure: Archbishop Philip Pocock, seventh Archbishop of Toronto, who died in 1984.

9FALL 2014 NEWSLETTER

MASTER OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Alexandria Nella Lepore

Current position: Associate Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith.

Why Saint Mark’s?“I feel called to youth ministry in a deeper, more catechetical way. I chose to pursue an MRE at Saint Mark’s College because it reminds me of King’s University College, where I graduated with an Honours Specialization in Catholic Studies. I immediately felt at home at Saint Mark’s. Like King’s, Saint Mark’s offers ‘the best of both worlds’: the opportunity to earn a university degree within a Catholic setting. I also greatly appreciate the technological capabilities of St. Mark’s College, which allow me to Skype into lectures from Yellowknife, NT, where I can continue to serve the church of the North.

Although I have worked in various capacities in youth ministry for the past six years, September 2014 marks the beginning of my pursuit to study the Catholic faith with the intention of someday teaching within either a high school or post-secondary setting. My first month of studies in the MRE program at Saint Mark’s has challenged me as most of my peers are already working in the education field. However, this is also a highlight of the program, as their perspectives are allowing me to learn from their experience, and also to approach my studies with a more catechetical perspective in mind.”

MASTER OF ARTS IN THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

Sharmila Rego

Current position: Sharmila is a mother of 5 children ranging in age from 4 to 19, as well as a writer. She has an MA in English and is cur-rently awaiting certification to teach within Catholic high schools in BC. After working as a journalist in Mumbai, India, she moved to Canada in 2002.

Why Saint Mark’s?“My husband Bryan and I started a family prayer minis-try in 2005 in the parishes of Surrey and Delta, where I felt called to evangelical work. As part of this role, I read, meditate and teach God’s Word, along with Catholic Cat-echism, to the families we pray with.

I stumbled on Saint Mark’s MA in Theological Studies while researching Catholic post-secondary institutions for my eldest son, who attended Corpus Christi College last year. The program will enhance my role as an educator of the faith within Catholic schools, and broaden the scope of knowledge and understanding within my evangelical work as well as my writing on the religious and spiritual.

My experience at Saint Mark’s is still new, but already I know that God has led me to the right place, with intel-ligent and caring professors and the kindliness of all who work on campus. My mind is stimulated through the course work and the hybrid nature of the program suits my full-time work at home and within the church community.”

STUDENT PROFILES

The Saint Mark’s Students Experience – In Their Own Words

10 SAINT MARK’S COLLEGE

Susan Sousa“My Master’s degree has made me a better teacher, deepened my understanding of our faith, and opened new career opportunities.”

Background: • English and Christian Education teacher and Head of the

Christian Education Department, Holy Cross Regional Sec-ondary School, Surrey, BC.

• Member, lector, and extraordinary minister of the Eucharist at the Star of the Sea/Good Shepherd parish; member of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada (CWL).

What drew you to Saint Mark’s?I expressed interest in pursuing my Master’s Degree to my prin-cipal, who suggested I take a look at Saint Mark’s. He thought there was a program there that would speak to me. He was right. I was really excited to be accepted into the program, yet ap-prehensive about my academic abilities. I hadn’t been a student since the 1980s.

How did you benefit from your graduate studies?Almost immediately I became a better teacher. I was able to share both what I was learning and how I was learning with col-leagues and students alike. It has opened new career opportuni-ties. Becoming a principal in a Catholic school in BC is now an option for me, should I decide to pursue it. Main highlights?My instructors were very knowledgeable, experts in their areas, generous with their time and support, enthusiastic, professional and friendly. At my first two alma maters, I am known by my student number; yet when I walk the halls of Saint Mark’s, I am Susan. I am a part of a community.

Stacey Rhodes-Nesset “The learning was rich, sound, and invigorating for the life of lay ministry to which I feel called.”

Background: • Clinical instructor at the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, Dental

Hygiene Degree Program and clinical hygienist at the BC Cancer Agency in the Oral Oncology Department. Regularly volunteers in the underserved communities of Haida Gwaii.

• Serves on both the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission and Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, is an active member of the CWL; teaches Adult Faith Formation sessions at Star of the Sea Parish.

What drew you to Saint Mark’s?I chose Saint Mark’s because of its Basilian foundation, inclusivity, and the diversity of its programs and educators.

How did you benefit from your graduate studies?My faith life has certainly been deepened by the experience. I also continue to value the importance of service to others. The theology and my dental hygiene profession have been a wonderful merger in my work at the Cancer Agency and also the Free Dental Clinics I volunteer at.

Main highlights?The research and writing knowledge required of a graduate program has enabled me to work at UBC and be published in a scientific journal.

I have also been developing a clinical care aspect of dental hygiene that focuses on clinical compassion. My motivation for this key concept is the Catholic theology of the mercy and love of God.

FOCUS ON ALUMNI

Where Are They Now?

Where could a faith-based academic education take you? What could it inspire you to achieve? Find out by reading stories of our alumni as they describe highlights of their experience at Saint Mark’s and the paths their lives have taken since graduating from our College.

11FALL 2014 NEWSLETTER

Lisa Bond “Saint Mark’s has taught me the importance of life-long learning in all areas of my development – intellectual, spiritual and social.”

Background: • Vice-Principal, Teacher-Librarian, and Learning Resource

Teacher at Our Lady of Sorrows School.

• Involved in Archdiocesan-mandated child abuse prevention program “I’m a Gift from God”, including developing new Kindergarten and Grade 2 components and in-servicing for K-3 teachers throughout province.

What drew you to Saint Mark’s?I looked into various Master’s Programs and heard good things about Saint Mark’s programs from other teachers and friends.

How did you benefit from your studies?Personally, I grew closer to my family due to their constant support and encouragement. Professionally, I found a lot of what I learned was immediately applicable to my teaching. Academically, I seemed to pick up where I left off as a student, although learning seemed to take a little longer.

Main highlights?I thought that because I was raised Catholic, attended a Catholic school, and work in the Catholic school system, I would already know and understand a great deal; however, I learned so much more, not only about Church teachings, but also about my personal faith formation.

I also met great people and formed at least two life-long friendships. I enjoy sharing my personal and professional experiences from Saint Mark’s.

UPDATE

ATS Accreditation

Are you a Saint Mark’s alumni? We want to hear from you! Stay connected with past classmates and upcoming events at the College by dropping us a line at alumni@stmarkscollege.ca or 604-822-4463.

Most theological colleges in UBC’s theological neighbourhood are fully accredited members of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) – and Saint Mark’s hopes to soon join their ranks.

In 2010, Saint Mark’s College was granted associate membership in the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). This associate status can last up to five years, before an institution must apply for the next step on the way to full accreditation: candidacy status.

Saint Mark’s submitted its readiness report in June 2014. This fall, Saint Mark’s will be formally visited by ATS with the goal of moving to candidacy status. Having ATS accreditation means that other theological schools throughout Canada and the United States will officially recognize our programs.

What Is Accreditation and Why Is it Important?Accreditation is a primary means of quality assurance in North American higher education and a significant resource for quality improvement. The practice began with institutions of higher education in North America. Historically, accreditation has been a voluntary activity in which institutions agree on standards of educational quality and then hold themselves mutually accountable to those standards.

For students, accreditation provides assurance that a program is engaged in continuous quality review and improvement, meets agreed-upon standards, and is accountable for achieving what it sets out to do. It can also help facilitate transfer credit from one institution to another.

Partly adapted from: “An Introduction to Accreditation by the Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools” at www.ats.edu/uploads/accrediting/documents/handbook-section-1.pdf

12 SAINT MARK’S COLLEGE

DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Message from Our Development Office

The only degree-granting Catholic theological college in British Columbia, Saint Mark’s is a place that nourishes those who seek to understand and deepen their faith. The acquired knowledge and skills in turn provide the tools for students to responsibly lead in their personal, community, and professional lives.

This past spring, a new group of students graduated with a Master’s degree or diploma in the areas of Theological Studies, Religious Education, and Educational Leadership. This coming spring, 18 members comprising our first cohort of permanent deacons will graduate. Saint Mark’s also looks forward to introducing a new Continuing Education program in 2015.

Similar to Corpus Christi College, we are a private not-for-profit educational institution. We receive no government funding while maintaining a competitive tuition model with other graduate theological schools in the province of British Columbia. This cannot be accomplished without donor support. To our donors, we owe tremendous gratitude! We also extend a very special thanks to the Archdiocese of Vancouver for their valued support over the last many years.

SAINT MARK’S ALUMNI: We want to hear from you!

Did you attend Saint Mark’s College?

Drop us an email to let us know what you’ve been up to – in your studies, your career, your life in general. Our goal is to eventually post our alumni info online, so you can stay con-nected with former classmates.

In your email, please take a minute to answer

the following questions:

1. When did you attend Saint Mark’s?2. How did your studies with us impact your

career?3. Which aspects of Saint Mark’s programs

are our greatest strengths?4. What were the highlights of your Saint

Mark’s experience?

Send your answers to alumni@stmarkscollege.ca. With your consent, your comments can serve as an affirming student testimonial for Saint Mark’s advancement efforts.

To learn more about creating a legacy or to make an impact gift, please contact Florence Allaye-Chan, Coordinator of Development at 604-822-6862 (x119) or fchan@corpuschristi.ca.

Hilda Abi-Rached and Family

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The Basilian Fathers of Toronto

Belcum Foundation

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Maria Micallef

Ivana Micallef and Patrick Johnston

Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB

Liam and Joya O’Loughlin

Oliver Capital

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish

Raymond and Ann Paris

Guido and Laura Pela

Pontiac Holdings

Jim and Penny Rogers

Saint Augustine’s Parish

Saint Mark’s Parish

Saint Patrick’s Regional Secondary School

Dale and Lynnis Rondeau

George Sanders

Sook Ching Foundation

Bonnie Staniszkis

Dr. John and Mary Stapleton

Anne Marie Sweeney

Dr. Gerald and Marian Sylvester

Joseph and Elizabeth Tan

Mimi and Douglas Tang

Telus – Employee Matching Program

Thomas Rondeau LLP

Franco and Donna Trasolini

Vancouver College

Don and Bonnie Vicic

Dr. Gernot and Norma Wieland

We wish to recognize the following donors, who gifted $1,000 or more to Saint Mark’s and Corpus Christi Colleges during the 2013/14 fiscal year:

“Faith foundation and formation”; “challenging, but rewarding”; “strengthening while supporting”; “confidence” – all words echoed by graduates describing their academic and faith journey at Saint Mark’s College.