Finding purpose, developing leaders
Monday, October 12, 2009
Msgr. Franklyn Casale
For thousands of years, world religions have looked into the powerful connection between the body, mind and soul and the ability to live a healthy, productive and spiritual life. From the Inca empire to Zen followers and Catholics, humanity has been looking to find life’s purpose as well as maintain a healthy body and a strong mind.
Today, as I look around our campus, I find blooming hope in our students’ lives:
From athletes training in our new sports lab - the Fernandez Family Center for Leadership and Wellness - learning all about sports entrepreneurships and administration, to a committed group of faculty, staff and students who are collaborating in international fair trade agreements as tomorrow’s positive agents of change.
Final production of a documentary that will reflect what ordinary people can do in the poorest of regions is now in its final stage. “Blooming Hope: Harvesting Smiles in Port-de-Paix” is being produced by Professor Marcela Moyano-Rosero from our Institute of Communication, Entertainment and Media. Professor Moyano-Rosero has traveled to Haiti to chronicle the university’s partnership with the lay missionary group Amor en Accion and Miami’s sister diocese of Port-de-Paix. STU’s faculty, staff and student partners, under the coordination of Anthony Vinciguerra, coordinator of the university’s Center for Justice and Peace, have been intensively working on sustainable development projects related to solar energy, women’s artisan markets and fair-trade coffee collaborations.
The film shows how specific individuals have been impacted by the collaborative projects, including school children from the remote village of Baie-de-Henne. When the documentary is shown November 14 during Haitian cinema activities in south Florida, other youngsters will be inspired to create and support similar projects. STU students are currently garnering sponsors; funding the film’s production; and planting the seeds of brotherhood. Leadership development cannot get any better.
Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale
President, St. Thomas University
Comments from readers
Sometimes I find it interesting seeing how the last line of a writing can hold so much�even often the full �weight� of what is being written. I refer to: �planting the seeds of brotherhood�� When I read your article �backwards�, this is what I see: planting seeds of brotherhood, members of STU coalesce and plant Trees (every new project symbolizes a Tree), You and your fellow administrators, staff and students�water and nourish the Trees (make their being sustainable)�and at the very beginning they find themselves coping with your personal inquire (that, proper of one entrusted as shepherd of STU): Are there signs in our community suggesting the presence of healthy, productive and spiritual lives among our members ? " A good Tree is known by its fruits�, our Lord stated. Your community�of Trees, is growing into a �forest��which at some time in the future�might �overgrow� upon the cement-steel made buildings�and at those times, you will rejoice even more abundantly than now ! � Our Lord will be glorified. Jes�s