President Grudzen's Statement on the Election of Pope Leo XIV | |
Global Ministries University welcomes the election of the new Roman Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV.
In his opening statement after his election, Pope Leo spoke of a church "that builds bridges, that is always open to receive everyone--just like in this square--to receive everyone, to welcome everyone who needs our charity, our dialogue, and love." Pope Leo's call for a missionary church with an emphasis on dialogue resonates with the mission of Global Ministries University. Pope Leo unites North and South America in his personal and pastoral experience. His message of peace amplifies the needs of our world today.
We hope he will journey to Turkey at the end of May to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea. GMU has worked closely with the Turkish community on many interfaith projects in Turkey, Kenya, Nigeria, and the United States. Pope Leo received an invitation to Turkey from the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians. This may also be an opportunity for Pope Leo to meet Islamic leaders in Turkey to establish his role in interfaith dialogue with Islam in accord with the interfaith ministry of Pope Francis expressed in his Fratelli Tutti encyclical.
Pope Leo XIV can be a global spiritual leader who renews our moral purpose and affirms the living connections we have with all of humanity and all of God's creation.
Gerald Grudzen, PhD
President
Global Ministries University
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"With hearts full of hope and prayer, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP), offers Pope Leo XIV our warmest blessing as he begins his ministry as Bishop of Rome and leader of a global Church yearning for healing, inclusion, and justice.
The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) affirms Pope Leo XIV’s expressed desire, in his first words as pontiff, to be close to the People of God. In this moment of profound transformation, we invite Pope Leo XIV into open-hearted dialogue with women priests who are joyfully serving inclusive Catholic communities around the world. Our ministry flows from the same Spirit that animated the early Church at Pentecost—a Spirit that knows no hierarchy of gender, race, or status."
~Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
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Join FCM in praying for the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the very first American pope. FCM, as our members know, has its roots in Catholicism - it was founded by priests who desired to marry. With the same spirit of progress and inclusion, we pray for Pope Leo XIV and the Church to truly be a "Church that walks, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close, especially to those who suffer." May Pope Leo XIV, the Catholic church, and all denominations and people of
faith seek to love others, include everyone, and care for those in need.
~Madison Jones McAleese, Executive Director, FCM
| | President Gerald Grudzen received an award from the Buddhist Council of America in Detroit, Michigan | | President Grudzen's Article Published by Maryknoll | |
With this support we sponsored a Kenya-wide interfaith training
program in 2015 at the Maryknoll Center in Nairobi with the support of Fr. Lance Nadeau, now Society Superior General, and co-sponsorship by the Columbia University Global Center in Nairobi. These training programs were under the direction of Global Ministries University, an interfaith theological school based in California that offers a variety of theological courses via an online platform...
| | Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in Your Life with Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP | |
Exegetical Research
In April’s column, we explored free online resources for the study of the Bible. This month, we look at similar resources for the study of the Qur’an (Koran). A caveat: I have less familiarity with these research tools—I’ve never engaged in exegetical study of Islamic texts, so although these sources are utilized by major theological libraries, I don’t have first-hand knowledge of them. If anyone at GMU is aware of other resources accessible for our students, please let me know. Comments are always welcome!
Corpus.Quran https://corpus.quran.com
Word-by-word grammatical analysis, morphology, syntax (i'raab), and multiple English translations for linguistic and grammatical study of each word in the Qur’an.
Al-Tafsir.com https://www.altafsir.com
A completely free, non-profit website providing access to the largest online collection of Qur’anic Commentary (tafsir or tafseer), translation, recitation, and essential resources in the world.
Includes classic tafsir works in Arabic (e.g., Al-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir), plus some translations. Helpful for traditional Sunni exegesis.
QuranEnc.com https://quranenc.com/en/home
Provides reliable exegeses and parallel translations of the meanings of the Qur'an in multiple languages
Next month we’ll explore resources for study of the Torah. Stay tuned!
Questions? Comments? Need help with research? Contact me:
Judy Clarence, M.L.I.S., GMU Librarian
librarian@globalministriesuniversity.org
Photo by Ali Burhan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/quran-religious-text-of-islam-7261977/
| | Spring into Spirituality! | | As spring turns into summer, it is an appropriate time to reconnect with nature and "let the light shine" in your life and in your soul! Dr. Margie Schneider is offering three courses at a discount. TH580 Creation Spirituality, TH581 Eco-Art & Creation Spirituality, and TH517 Spiritual Ecology are available individually for $235 per course. You don't want to miss this opportunity to expand your awareness of the Divine in Creation and in You! | | From the Center for Christogenesis | | Theology for the 21st Century | | Discover the compatibility of science, spirituality, and faith. GMU partners with the Institute of Science and Religion program in Kerala, India. You can view lectures on their YouTube channel. | |
GMU Global Conference on Fratelli Tutti
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The United Nations International Organization for Migrants
Migration is the movement of people away from their usual place of residence to a new place of residence, either across an international border or within a State. There is no universally agreed definition of “migration” or “migrant”, but there are several widely accepted definitions that have been developed in different settings. For example, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs defines a long-term migrant as a person who lives outside their country of origin for at least 12 months.
IOM puts the safety, dignity, and protection of people first in the most challenging crisis response contexts in the world. As displacement rises to record levels, IOM will increase its own capacity, and that of other humanitarian actors, to reach and sustain access to communities in need of life-saving humanitarian and protection assistance. Its research and publications guide migration policy and practice, offering insights that improve responses worldwide.
As displacement rises to record levels, IOM will increase its own capacity, and that of other humanitarian actors, to reach and sustain access to communities in need of life-saving humanitarian and protection assistance.
| | | | GMU will partner with the Omeriye Foundation as the focal point in Kenya, and participate as the USA mentor for Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, and Nairobi University in the EARTH FUNDS AI for Climate and Environmental Challenges in September 2025. | | |
Silicon Valley Peace Conference:
“AI’s Role in Community Development and Peacebuilding in Developing Nations”
President Grudzen is working with the Pacifica Institute in the Bay Area on an international AI conference on peacebuilding for September of 2026. This will also be the 25th anniversary of GMU. Pacifica Institute has agreed to pay for the cost of facilities where the conference will be held. A conference website is being built, hosted in the Pacifica web hosting. We will have participants from Africa and India as well as the US. It will be a great way to celebrate the success of GMU and our outreach to the world.
We hope to have both in-person and virtual participation in the conference along with the publication of conference papers.
| | Collaboration with People's Catholic Seminary | | |
GMU seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of those who wish to start Intentional Eucharistic Communities. Together with PCS, GMU is now offering:
Creating Inclusive Eucharistic Communities in an Emerging Synodal Church
5 sessions $475 + $25 App Fee
Women in the Bible and Christian Tradition
5 sessions $475 + $25 App Fee
Credit for these courses can be applied towards a GMU graduate degree or certificate.
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See yourself trained to Celebrate Life
People today are looking for a more personal approach to rites of passage, such as funerals and burials. Our focus is to provide formal training that shows you how to design and conduct personal, meaningful ceremonies and funeral services.
| | People’s Catholic Seminary provides educational programs that foster an expanded worldview of our liberating God of compassion present in all and working for justice for all through systemic change. As co-creators and companions on a journey, we share the wisdom of God in our sacred texts, theologies, sacred practices, sacramental celebrations, and lived experiences. | | |
GMU operates under the corporate umbrella of the Federation of Community Ministries of California (FCM of CA), originally formed on October 30, 1997, when we gained the status of a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. GMU is registered in Santa Clara County, CA, as a DBA of FCM of CA. The two entities have the same Board of Directors.
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