Summer 2020, No. 6 ViVnOeIyCaErS d - Saint Meinrad...

Summer 2020, No. 6

A YEAR NO ONE SAW COMINGAlumni find ways to continue forward

VOICESVineyardfromthe

A m a g a z i n e a b o u t m i n i s t r y f o r a l u m n i o f S a i n t M e i n r a d .

It really doesn’t needto be said but … 2020is not a great year. TheCOVID-19 pandemicslowly spreadthroughout the world– the United Statesseeming to get theworst of it all. Andwhile we were alltrying to “flatten thecurve,” a wave of

demonstrations began with the cries of “BlackLives Matter” in the wake of numerous deaths(Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and more).

Whatever your opinion is on social distancingor social justice, the bottom line is that lifeseems out of our control. At least more thanusual. Not being able to see loved ones. Beingfrustrated by ones we do not even know. In allof this, we often ask: Where is God?

As Catholics, we believe that God is not justeverywhere (in all things), but in our Church.

No, not the building, but the Church as thePeople of God, the image of Christ in the world.

Personally, that is where I have seen God during2020 and since I began this position as directorof alumni relations. God is so easily seenthrough the words and actions of our alumnicommunity. The stories in this issue are just afew ways I have seen God in action.

Page 2 | Voices from the Vineyard

This online publication can be viewed at https://alumni.saintmeinrad.edu/voices/

FEATURES2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .From the Editor

3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pandemic, Protests: Alumni Shine Their Light

4-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .First-Year Priest Reflects on ‘Unreal Times’

6-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Listening and Reflection as Ministry

8-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A Personal Look at Racism in the U.S.

10-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alumni Q&A: Bioethics as a Ministry - Fr. Travis Stephens

Produced by the Alumni Office and the Communications Office at Saint Meinrad Archabbey.

Office of Alumni Relations • 200 Hill Drive, St. Meinrad, IN 47577 • (812) [email protected] • http://alumni.saintmeinrad.edu© 2020

Joe Oliveri

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

VOICES Vineyardfromthe

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With conferences canceled and parishesclosed, Steve Angrisano MA’19 has gone on hisFacebook page (https://www.facebook.com/steveangrisanomusic) every day at 3 p.m.Central Time to pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet.With support from Saint Meinrad and the“One Bread, One Cup” program, he is able togather several hundred Catholics from aroundthe world in a prayer of peace and mercy.

Unable to be with the congregants of hisparish, Fr. Mike Keucher T’15, pastor of St.Joseph Parish in Shelbyville, IN, drove aroundon a bus to give some Easter candy to thefamilies and children stuck in quarantine –about 97 houses overall!

The reality of the pandemic hit hard for Dr.Mary Diane Valentine MTS’13, director ofadministration at All Saints Parish in St. Peters,MO. “When I came to the Hill for the AlumniRetreat in January, little did I know in thecoming weeks a virus would march in andbring a shutdown of my parish and itsfacilities,” Valentine said. Like many parishesand places of worship, Valentine and her stafffound a way forward.

“A new kind of participation emerged from the2,000-year-old Church. One that reached notonly our local community, but also other statesand even countries. What was unthinkableJanuary 1, 2020, is our common practice:People come to Mass online, participate withtheir responses in messages, and prayerrequests are relayed to the presider to beincluded during intercessions.”

COVID-19 was something no one expected,but everyone had a hand in adapting to. Eventhe monastic community at Saint Meinrad isfinding ways to keep everyone connected totheir life of prayer with daily Mass and Vesperslivestreamed at https://saintmeinrad.org/connect/live-video/.

Our country also was met with great racialtension centered around the escalated violenceinvolving police and Black people in late May.Protests took place in many city streets and,again, the issue of racial injustice was broughtforth on our screens and news feeds.

Fr. John McCaslin T'02 spoke about theprotests and the unrest found in hiscommunity around St. Monica Parish inIndianapolis, IN. Visit this link for the full story.

“People want answers for what happened,”McCaslin said. “I think that’s a lingering woundright there. It happened in a community thatfeels like, ‘How do we get this to stop?’ … Ithink as a community we’re hurt.”

Deacon Keith McKenzie knows this hurt well. Asa young Black man, he experienced racismthrough derogatory language and mistreatment.“In the third grade, I was called the ‘N’ word andreduced to tears,” McKenzie writes in an essayfeatured in this issue of Voices.

He also reflects on what the death of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. meant to his family andcommunity growing up. He rememberscoming back home after hearing of theshooting and asking himself, “Will we have togo at this alone?”

Our readers in the Saint Meinrad alumnicommunity and beyond should let thatquestion sink in. Please read his essay on page8 of this issue in earnest as a brother andsister in Christ, as this is the Catholiccommunity I know Saint Meinrad alumni to be.Our alumni go above and beyond to serveothers, to pray and worship one God, and tobe a shining example of our faith to all. Nomatter what this year may bring, thiscommunity can get through it together. F

PANDEMIC, PROTESTS: Alumni Shine Their Lightby Joe Oliveri

https://www.facebook.com/steveangrisanomusichttps://www.facebook.com/steveangrisanomusichttps://saintmeinrad.org/connect/live-video/https://saintmeinrad.org/connect/live-video/https://archindy.org/criterion/local/2020/06-05/unrest.html?fbclid=IwAR17dcepkzc7T8we68Mo2-Bm8jhJVGeiVakIj-2rw4e7nRW_MUxQc711xzs

| Voices from the Vineyard

“This is so unreal,” mypriest mentor said tome in early April2020. “Plan on nextyear being your realfirst Holy Week.” Bythen, I knew my firstHoly Week as a priestwasn’t going to beanything like I haddreamt it would be.

For six years in the seminary – and, in reality,for years before that – I looked forward to HolyWeek in the parish. Every year that I served asa master of ceremony, I anxiously awaitedpresiding at a Holy Week liturgy. And this year,I was able to preside at the Good Friday liturgy– but to an empty church with only my pastor,our deacon, his wife and our pastoral associatein attendance. Unreal, indeed.

But this year has been full of unreal moments:the first confession I ever heard; the first time Ianointed a sick person; my first weekendpresiding at Masses at St. Michael’s inPaintsville, KY; and the growing realization thatthe bread and wine that I pick up I return tothe altar as the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinityof Jesus Christ. The first year has been full of

amazing firsts that, by God’s grace, I’ve beenable to share with so many amazing brothersand sisters.

Saint Meinrad well prepared me for thosemoments – those sacramental encounterswhere God gives grace to the world throughmy humble, human, fumbling ministerialefforts. But there have been unexpectedgraces for which Saint Meinrad prepared meoutside the classroom. The sincere thanksgiven by someone who has received a freelunch; the connections created over parishdinners (back when we could have them); thebeauty of a visit to a parishioner’s home fordinner; the joys and challenges of the parish’sConfirmation candidates’ catecheticalpreparation.

Yes, I experienced situations like these at SaintMeinrad through Wednesday and weekend

ministry assignments, but there wassomething different about doing themin a community to which I am presentas a priest day in, day out. Thechallenge, though, is being bothintentional in reflecting while still takingwhat I learned in Southern Indiana andnaturally applying it in EasternKentucky. It hasn’t always beenseamless, but God’s grace has been atwork nonetheless.

It’s been a year when I’ve tried to take what Ilearned both inside and outside the classroomand grow into a minister. At Saint Meinrad, ourformators exposed us to various perspectives,devotions and liturgical styles. This year hasbeen one of taking what I learned, tryingdifferent ways to grow and learn, keeping whatworks and discarding what doesn’t.

Fr. Marc Bentley

FIRST-YEAR PRIEST REFLECTS ON ‘UNREAL TIMES’by Fr. Marc Bentley

Saint Meinrad well preparedme for those moments – thosesacramental encounters whereGod gives grace to the worldthrough my humble, human,fumbling ministerial efforts.


Fr. Marc Bentley T'19 (’13-19) currently serves at St. Michael’s Parish in Paintsville, KY. Hewill begin a new assignment as parochial vicar at Holy Family Parish in Ashland, KY on July 1,2020. He is a graduate of the Saint Meinrad Theology Class of 2019.

It’s like trying on various skins and discerningwhich one not only suits me, but also fits theneeds of the community and is aligned withGod’s will for myself and the community. It hasbeen a year of trial and error, of grace – evenpainful grace – trusting that God is presenteven in failure, disappointment and self-doubt.

We’re living in unreal times. As I’m writing,we’re still unsure when life will get back tonormal or even what will be “normal” in thefuture. The unreal increasingly is becoming thenorm; old patterns have fallen away and newones are on the horizon.

But the Church, along with the whole world, isultimately governed by God. When he went tobed each night, Pope St. John XXIII would liedown and say, “I’ve done my best I could in

your service this day, Oh Lord. I’m going tobed. It’s your Church. Take care of it!”

This first year – even before the pandemic –has indeed been an exercise in growing in thatkind of abandonment to the divine will. As aminister prepared by Saint Meinrad, my eyesare on the crucifix, modeled on the onehanging in the seminary chapel, hanging onmy office wall. In that glance, I pray that I trustin the God who loved us so much to guide usto the good things – all the truly real things –He has promised us. F

One of my biggest lessons from Saint Meinrad came during workon a Pastoral Studies certificate, where I learned that my choiceof words could encourage and invite or completely shut down aconversation.

“How can I use myeducation in the areasof theology andpastoral ministry tocontinue to be ofservice to God’speople?” Having beenout of formal churchwork since 2014, thatquestion has longbeen on my mind.And it’s a pertinent

question for many of us, now – perhapsdisplaced from parish work, living during aonce-in-a-century pandemic, and beingbrought to a no-longer-ignorable awareness ofracism in our country. We have opportunitiesin these times to minister to one another inways we have likely never considered.

In today’s social climate, the power of pastorallistening cannot be overstated. Admittedly,there is an added layer of difficulty since, inmany cases, we are still not able to sit face toface with the person who needs to be heard.It’s also tricky because social media is such alarge part of our societal climate, but online isfar from the ideal place to listen well or tohope to be understood.

One of my biggest lessons from Saint Meinradcame during work on a Pastoral Studiescertificate, where I learned that my choice ofwords could encourage and invite orcompletely shut down a conversation.Listening with curiosity and doing my best to

set aside judgment have made me more awareof the words I use.

For example, that awareness is importantwhen I’m visiting with friends whose youngadult son died from an overdose; or whenother friends brag lovingly about their son,who happens to be a gay man; or when familymembers see current events through adifferent lens than I do. It’s also been freeingto admit that, as helpful as I think I could be,comment boxes on social media platforms are,as a rule, not a productive way to engage.

In any case, the words we choose areimportant: “Help me understand why youthink…” conveys a desire to continue theconversation, while the reverse is true ofsomething like, “Well, the Church says….”

It’s clear that an interest in meaningfulreflection and a willingness to work throughour own discomfort in certain situations (andour responses to them) in an honest way areessential. For me, this contemplation ismanifested not only in listening, but also inwriting. During the height of the pandemic, Iwrote a short poem each day titled with thenumber of days I’d been at home and posted itimmediately to my blog. It was a type ofminimalist journal of my experience. Somepoems are better than others, some happierthan others; but my goal is always authenticity,whether or not it’s pleasant.


Susan Isaacs

LISTENING AND REFLECTION AS MINISTRYby Susan Isaacs

In addition, for about the past year, I havebeen regularly sharing reflections on my blog,on topics ranging from travel experiences toplayfulness to living genuinely through ourbrokenness. It’s my intention in my writing tonormalize the natural ups and downs that arepart of all of our lives, to let people know wedon’t have to hide the ugly parts – that, as weunderstand, it’s the seed produced after theflower dies (not the beautiful bloom, itself)that yields new growth.


In these days of uncertainty and unrest,there’s ample opportunity to examine ourdiscomfort and find room there for growth. It’smore important now than ever that we,whatever form our ministry takes (or whereverour daily lives find us), approach our fellowhuman beings with a sense of curiosity and anopenness to the idea that we still, even at thisstage of life, even at this level of education,have something to learn. The person we’reengaged with is, after all, God’s most preciouschild. F

Following her M.A., Susan Isaacs MA ’08 finished a certificate in Reflective Practices in 2016and a certificate in Pastoral Studies in 2019. She now works for the Reflective Practicesprogram, supervising some of the current participants during their practicum year. Susan isa writer and blogger who you can follow at susanoffaith.com or on Facebook atSusanoffaith. Ever an introvert, she's weathered the recent stay-at-home mandateremarkably well, even re-learning, to her husband's delight, that she can, in fact, cook.

https://susanoffaith.com/https://www.facebook.com/susanoffaith/https://www.facebook.com/susanoffaith/

I was born in ClarkeCounty, Alabama, in1961 and raised inOwensboro, Kentucky.My wife and I havebeen married for 35years and I’m a fatherof four andgrandfather of five. Ihave two master’sdegrees (social workand theological

studies). And I am a black man who is anordained deacon in the Catholic Church. I am aproud Black Catholic. However, there are timeswhen I have been disappointed in our Church.

At age 5, I stood in our neighborhood cornerstore feeling invisible. The store owner andseveral white patrons talked about unrelatedcorner store stuff. But it was a conversation fullof explicit, derogatory language – the ‘N’ wordused repeatedly.

When I was 7, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wasassassinated. When our neighborhood (theprojects), received news of his death, thewhole community was rocked to thefoundation. We made our way to ourrespective homes, hearts filled with sorrow, toour small black-and-white TVs. We sat quietly

as the news spilled from the screens into ourliving rooms. No one dared to say a word aswe became witness to manifest hatred on anational scale.

Later in the third grade, I was called the ‘N’word and reduced to tears. I ran home to mymother and found her, too, without words.She was silent and sorrowful, unsure how tocomfort her son. The hatred visible on the TVnationally was happening here at home and inschool, too.

Reflecting on Dr. King’s murder, we could notsay a word because we were in utter disbelief.At the time, people of color were excitedabout the real possibility of change – we finallyfelt an acute sense of hopefulness. But thenwe were shocked silent: brutal violence hadstolen Dr. King. My family was both tearful andnoiseless, a reflection of the emotionalquagmire that existed deep within the pits ofour being.

Now who will help us fight for racialequality? Will we have to go at thisalone?

The death of Dr. King was a starkreminder of our nation’s ever-presentdark history. But since hisassassination, we can still cite manycrimes against people of color drivenby racism. Real discussions need tohappen about local, regional, and

national policies and how they police andoppress black and brown individuals morethan white individuals.

Codified hate, these laws run counterintuitiveto the core social teachings of the Church: therespect of human life and dignity of all persons.Yet countless Black Americans have lost their


Since the death of Dr. King andall for which he fought, Americaremains racially divided. We arereticent to admit that racism stillexists. But hope exists andchange is possible.

A PERSONAL LOOK AT RACISM IN THE U.S. by Deacon Keith McKenzie

Deacon Keith McKenzie


lives, regardless of their image and likeness ofour Creator: Rodney King, Michael Brown Jr.,George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and AhmaudArbery are only five of innumerable personsslain in our country, one nation under God.

Since the death of Dr. King and all for whichhe fought, America remains racially divided.We are reticent to admit that racism still exists.

But hope exists and change is possible.However, we must first admit that there is aproblem and throw aside our silence, both inour country and in the Church. This isessential to living our beliefs: assuring all lifeis respected and all persons treated withdignity. F

Deacon Keith McKenzie MTS’17 (’09-16) was ordained in 2006 and currently serves at St.Augustine Catholic Parish in Louisville, KY. He graduated from Saint Meinrad with a master’sin theological studies in 2017. He is a member of the Kentucky Criminal Justice Forum(kentuckycjf.org). KCJF brings together key stakeholders (legislators, criminal justiceprofessionals, and justice-involved individuals) to engage in substantive dialogue to bringabout meaningful criminal justice change. KCJF is preparing to launch its first majorfundraising campaign, with a goal of raising $1 million.

https://www.kentuckycjf.org/

| Voices from the Vineyard

Q. Could you explain your journey from SaintMeinrad to where you are now?I started theology at Saint Meinrad in 2008. Ienjoyed my time at Saint Meinrad, not onlybecause of the studies, but also because of theexperienced formators and seminarians. SaintMeinrad provided a balanced formation thatprepared me well for ministry in the Dioceseof Lafayette. I most enjoyed doing the pastoralcounseling internship at the Maloney Center inLouisville, KY.

After ordination in 2012, I was assigned asparochial vicar at St. Maria Goretti inWestfield, IN. In addition, I worked at ourdiocesan tribunal as an auditor. At the tribunal,a psychologist and I took testimony fromplaintiffs and defendants in annulment cases.This taught me a lot about human nature.

In 2015, the bishop allowed me to completethe National Catholic Bioethics Certificateoffered at the National Catholic BioethicsCenter. The following year I applied toDuquesne’s Healthcare Ethics PhD program. In2016, I was assigned to St. Louis de Montfortin Fishers, IN.

I began my doctoral studies during thesummer of 2017. I completed the programfaster than any previous student, defendingmy dissertation in November 2019 andgraduating in December 2019. In January, Istarted teaching theological bioethics atMarian University. This summer, I will becomethe pastor of St. Alphonsus in Zionsville, IN.

Q. What is your specialty area and where didyour passion for this come from?I became Catholic when I was a senior in highschool. One of the things that drew me to theCatholic Church was the unity betweenscience and faith. During college, I had five

majors, four in the sciences and one incontemporary philosophy. I always felt a callingto integrate my knowledge of faith, scienceand philosophy.

Regardless of what vocational or career path, Iwas intent on melding the two together andbioethics was where they converged for me. Inmy years as a priest, I have enjoyed teachingon this topic for youth groups, high schools,colleges and gatherings of adults.

Q. How does bioethics connect to yourministry as a priest in the Catholic Church?Healthcare is a ministry of the Church. Insofaras alliances between Catholic health careservices do not always align with secularinstitutions, this becomes an opportunity toevangelize and educate regarding the richCatholic Christian teaching and tradition. Manypeople do not realize that there is a coherencebetween Church teaching and science. In fact,scientific inquiry presumes a God that createsaccording to discoverable principles.

ALUMNI Q&A: BIOETHICS AS A MINISTRYFr. Travis Stephens


Q. Describe your path to receiving yourdoctorate degree. Why Duquesne University?Duquesne is an excellent university, with a veryrich Catholic tradition. There were many thingsthat had to work together for me to be able todo this PhD. First, financially, I paid for thedoctorate entirely on my own. Duquesne has aclergy discount that made this more feasible.

Second, I worked on my doctorate at the sametime that I was doing fulltime ministry in aparish. My pastor, Fr. Pat Click, made thispossible, because of his great respect forhigher education.

Third, Duquesne allows students to attendclasses via Zoom. This means that one is notrequired to be on campus to complete one’scourse work.

Fourth, students begin writing the dissertationon day one. Moreover, if one’s papers are ofthe right caliber, they allow students tointegrate them into the dissertation. So, if oneis diligent enough, you could essentiallycomplete the dissertation by the time thecoursework and comprehensive exam processare complete.

Q. Were you met with resistance? Did anyobstacles get in the way?As far as obstacles, unfortunately, my dad diedby suicide in the midst of the studies. This wasdefinitely a hardship, but in some ways thestudies gave me a motivation to push throughthe grief. As far as picking the thesis of thedissertation, my advisor asked me questionsabout my interests in moral theology andhealthcare ethics. Since I had an interest in theCatholic moral tradition, it was not difficult forme to pin down an area of interest for me topursue.

Q. How has Saint Meinrad prepared you inyour ministry as a priest as well as inteaching/researching bioethics?Saint Meinrad has a balanced approach topriestly formation. I think their academicformation is excellent, but priests are notpreparing to become professors. A greatteacher is able to keep things practical.

In addition to being able to plumb the depthsof the intellectual tradition, one must be ableto apply it practically and explain one’srationale in a simple enough way that even anon-expert can understand. The professors Ihad at Saint Meinrad were always able toapply the intellectual knowledge to thepractical and give a sound, rational explanationfor it.

Q. How can your gifts and talents help thealumni community at large? What is theirbest way to contact you?I am a learner. I love to teach because I love tolearn. One of the ways that I keep learning isby helping others work through difficult ethicaldilemmas. I am available through my email:[email protected].

Fr. Travis Stephens T’12 (’08-12) is a priest of the Diocese of Lafayette and is now the pastorof St. Alphonsus Parish in Zionsville, IN. He is a Saint Meinrad graduate of the Theology Classof 2012.

[email protected]

200 Hill Drive • St. Meinrad, IN 47577 • (812) 357-6501 • www.saintmeinrad.edu

Interested in hearing more stories like these? Do you know alumniwho should be featured? Please share your feedback and suggestions with Joe Oliveri, director of alumni relations,

at [email protected] or (812) 357-6222.

—St. Benedict of Nursia

And let them first pray together,that so they may associate in peace.
www.saintmeinrad.eduwww.saintmeinrad.edu

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