THE RENSSELAER NEWMAN FOUNDATION VOL 59, NO. 3 — Winter 2024

Author’s Note: I wrote this article as part of my Faith Matters series, which ran in a number of Connecticut newspapers in August of 2022, focusing on faith in our daily lives. I’d like to share it with you now as it captures the importance of what we do in chaplaincy. – Fr. Lenaghan

Summer quickly is coming to an end. In the next few weeks, college students will be moving to campus. Some are returning to continue their studies, while others will go off for the first time. But regardless of whether they are first-year undergraduates or finishing graduate degrees, I would encourage you to invite them to explore Religious Life on campus.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “My student isn’t religious or interested in religious matters. So, it’s nice to know you’re there should we need you, but it’s not really a program they would find very interesting.”

I get it. So, I always ask a follow-up: “What is it you think we do?” Their responses are nearly always a variation on the same theme. Some say they have no idea of the role of religious life professionals on campus. But most say we offer worship services; we encourage students of faith, and — if I’m very lucky — we engage students in social justice activities.

To which I always answer: if religious life on your campus is simply providing services to those who want to continue the practice of their faith, and the nearly exclusive engagement with the wider community revolves around social justice activities, then they should question why the institution’s religious life program is so anemic.

Religious life on campus should contribute so much more to the educational experience. If it’s done well, its events should meaningfully impact students across the academic community regardless of their beliefs. If it’s done right, its events should draw students regardless of their worldview.

Because in the course of my career in higher education, I have learned that my role is not to answer the existential questions that members of an academic community confront. Rather, it is to create spaces where those who engage with religious life on campus learn to ask better questions — of themselves, their neighbors, their society, their world, and the cosmos.

Of course, religious life professionals offer worship services and programs for students of faith to deepen their beliefs. And without question, we engage in social justice activities; today a thirst for justice is absolutely necessary. But a robust religious life office on campus should provide so much more. We help students acquire a measure of religious literacy because it is critically important to have exposure to the beliefs and practices of others. We advocate for any student who needs our assistance, regardless of their beliefs; we accompany students in their quest for the formation of meaning and values; we expose students to elements from a variety of cultures; we build community.

Through our activities and events, we supplement and complement the work of the classroom. We’re usually confidential resources, so what a student says to us stays with us. And one of the things I love most: Religious Life is one of the few places where students during the course of their academic studies are challenged to explore life’s great existential questions for themselves.

Religious Life spaces strive to be places of radical inclusivity because we seek to welcome and serve every student. Through our work, we invite students to wrestle with the emerging questions and challenges that will shape their futures as they make their way into increasingly pluralistic settings.

Ideally, they have picked up a little bit of knowledge along the way. As I frequently say: People may have differing views of the Pope, but by the time our students complete their undergraduate education, they need to know at least where the man lives. They need to know what a Torah scroll is, and how to find Mecca on a map.

So regardless of your student’s beliefs, encourage them to check out Religious Life on campus. In the end — if we do our jobs right — the experience may just enrich their lives.

SOURCE: New Haven Register, August, 2022.

You can reach Fr. Jordan in the RPI Chaplain’s office at 518-276-8622 or at lenagj@rpi.edu.

The Open House included a ‘Memory Wall,’ a fun and engaging area for returning alumni to share some of their memorable experiences at the C+CC. Here are a few of our favorites:

On Sunday, September 1st, newly arriving and returning RPI students were welcomed by the Chapel +Cultural Center and the Christ Sun of Justice parish, with our annual Welcome

(Back) Picnic.

The impressive spread featured grilled hamburgers & hotdogs, and BBQ pulled chicken. An array of homemade salads & desserts was generously provided by CSJ parishioners.

Guests enjoyed various games and activities, while tables offered opportunities to get involved with the Newman Catholic Fellowship, the Knights of Columbus, and other parish ministries.

The Welcome (Back) Picnic was an opportunity for students to connect with Fr. Jordan Lenaghan.

The event truly captured the spirit of our parish—bringing together both new and familiar faces, sharing in fellowship, and celebrating the sense of community that makes us all stronger.

The Chapel + Cultural Center was again ‘the place to be’ during RPI’s Family Weekend in October. The C+CC hosted a wine and cheese reception after the Saturday, 5pm mass, and coffee and refreshment hours after the Sunday 10am and 5pm masses. On Sunday morning, more than 200 people, students, families, and other parishioners, joined Fr. Jordan for worship.

Submitted by Tracy Watson, MDiv, Associate Catholic Chaplain

We tend not to think of food insecurity as a problem affecting students at a world-class university like RPI, but the truth is many of our students and friends are dealing daily with this issue.

On a recent Tuesday evening, 16 students and I became more familiar with the newly opened RPI Campus Pantry. Graham Knowles, Associate Dean of Off Campus Commons and champion of the pantry, met with us and filled us in on the needs of students and the pantry, the process to get the campus pantry up and running, and how students and others can assist in making this a sustainable operation. Graham thanked our University Parish, Christ Sun of Justice, for the overwhelming generosity expressed through the food drive in September (all collected goods went to the campus pantry. The parish will hold another drive in January to kick off the Spring semester.)

Newman students had insightful questions, and Graham was so gracious in fielding every one of them. He also shared about how he senses the presence of God in the students he encounters at the pantry.

The Rensselaer Newman Foundation’s Sun and Balance Award is given each year to an individual whose service to, and support of, the mission of the RNF and the Chapel + Cultural Center, is at the highest level.

This year’s recipient is Mary Jo Kerrigan. Mary Jo (Sorrentino) Kerrigan is a 2008 RPI grad. During her years at RPI she was an active member of the Newman Catholic Fellowship on campus where she held a variety of leadership positions including president, treasurer, retreat coordinator, and more. Many of her closest friendships and best memories from RPI were a result of hours spent in the Hospitality House and C+CC with peers.

Mary Jo joined the Board of Trustees for the Rensselaer Newman Foundation in 2015 and enjoys being able to create the opportunities for current students to explore their faith and make their own memories. She is humbled to be this year’s Sun and Balance Award recipient. Mary Jo grew up in Sherrill, NY and now lives in West Caldwell, NJ with her husband, James, and two children, Abigail and Maxwell.

Congratulations, Mary Jo!!

Written by Joseph Trosa, ‘25, Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus Council 13635



RPI’s Knights of Columbus chapter was fortunate enough to attend the recent Knights of Columbus College Conference in New Haven, CT. We attended seminars of what it means to be a Catholic man in today’s college environment, addressing issues such as staying rooted in faith amidst societal pressures, balancing academic and spiritual life, and fostering genuine brotherhood on campus.

One of the highlights of the conference was the Knights’ participation in Eucharistic Adoration. It was a powerful experience, giving a moment of stillness to reflect and renew their spiritual focus. It was an inspiring trip that reinforced the importance of faith-based leadership and community service.

Thank you for supporting the work of the Rensselaer Newman Foundation in 2024.

Your contribution helps to power all that we do on behalf of the students and the RPI Community!!

During this season of giving, we hope that you’ll remember the Rensselaer Newman Foundation when making year-end philanthropic decisions. Here are a few easy ways that you can SUPPORT THE VISION of the RNF & C+CC and help to grow our service to the students and the RPI community:

Leave a Legacy

Consider including The Rensselaer Newman Foundation in your estate plans and help sustain our mission for generations to come. 

“I decided to include the Rensselaer Newman Foundation in my estate plans because I recognize the importance of nurturing and growing a life in the Church, both in college and beyond. The Foundation did that for me in the past, and I wish to do my part to enable it to continue to do so in the future.” - Anonymous, RPI Class of 1981.

Legacy gifts have the potential to be forever transformative in furthering our mission and supporting our students. To discuss further, or if you have already included the RNF in your estate plans, contact George Hauenstein, Director of Advancement at haueng@rpi.edu, or at (518) 276-3138.

Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA

If you are age 70 ½ or older you can make a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) of up to $100,000 from your traditional IRA without having to pay federal income taxes on that distribution. The distribution must be paid directly to a qualified charity (such as the Rensselaer Newman Foundation) and may be counted towards satisfying your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for the year.  

Donating Stocks

You may be able to increase the impact of your donation and reduce your tax liability by donating appreciated stock. If you have held the stock for more than a year, you may be able to avoid long-term capital gains taxes and deduct the fair market value of the stock on your taxes while allowing a non-profit (such as the Rensselaer Newman Foundation) to receive the full pre-tax value of those appreciated assets.

Please speak with your financial or tax advisor to determine which of these gift options might be right for you. 

Send a check or give online:

Give securely at rensselaernewman.org

SPECIAL SPONSOR SHOUT-OUTS

A big THANK YOU to Nielsen Direct, Inc., Window Depot USA of Albany, and to Crisafulli Bros. Plumbing & Heating Contractors, Inc. for their partnership with us, and for their sponsorship of the RNF Sun & Balance Award Banquet.

Check them out on their websites:

Nielsen Direct, Inc.:

http://www.mailprep.com/

Crisafulli Bros. Plumbing & Heating Contractors, Inc.:

https://www.crisbro.com

Window Depot USA of Albany:

https://windowdepotalbany.com/

Please don’t forget to make your contribution for 2024-2025. You can do so by:

• giving online at rensselaernewman.org

• calling George Hauenstein at (518) 276-3138 during business hours and making your gift over the phone

• clicking the button below:

Consider making monthly, recurring gifts this year. $10, $25, $50, $100 a month or more. A little each month can be easier on your budget, and provides us with a consistent, dependable stream of revenue.