Saying Yes

Father Dave, this is such a joyful, hopeful, Spirit-filled weekend. Thank you for saying yes!”

I heard that comment more times than I can remember during the first of what I hope is many Franciscan University Homecoming Weekends—and the first of what will be my only Inauguration Weekend.

There was so much to be excited about.

The campus looked beautiful because our Physical Plant staff do such an amazing job, and the recent rains had made everything a beautiful green. The tips of the trees beginning to change color merely added to the fall splendor.

I loved having our students’ moms and dads on campus, often along with their younger kids, aka future Franciscan students. It was fun seeing our students playing tag with their younger brothers and sisters as their parents looked on with joy.

We also welcomed home our alumni. One blessing of traveling so extensively over the last seven years has been meeting so many alums doing such great things. But it was an entirely different level of joy to welcome them back here, to their alma mater, and to honor seven outstanding alums at the Alumni Awards Banquet.

On several occasions, I stood with groups of alums spanning decades, and as you might expect, they were sharing stories of their time here. But they were also sharing advice on best practices and the newest ideas in a given field. I found it edifying to see our older alums so interested in helping those just starting out in their careers.

Reminiscing with my classmates (2019 marks my 30th anniversary of graduating) was so much fun. They reminded me of things we had done—and offered their silence in exchange for tuition reduction. Some friends they are!

The Festival of Praise, or the FOP as the students call it, gathered some 2,000 students, alumni, parents, and friends into Finnegan Fieldhouse on Saturday evening. Men and women, young and old, heavy hearted and filled with anticipation—we joined together for the sole purpose of worshiping God. Near the end of the FOP, we moved from a time of exuberant praise to silent eucharistic adoration. God who is ever faithful blessed our simple gathering with a profound sense of his presence and a joy that can only come from him.

What a great weekend.

Oh, I almost forgot. I was also inaugurated the seventh president of Franciscan University on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Let me say simply, it was a joyous, hope-filled event! It celebrated what God has done at Franciscan and what God will do. A tremendous sense of excitement and anticipation led up to the inauguration. Now, we get to see how God reveals his plan to us. And then say yes to his plan.

As I said, many people thanked me for saying yes to being the new president. When I was younger, I felt God calling me to do something and I asked him, “Why me?” I immediately sensed this response: “Because you will say yes.” How do you say no after that?

But it’s true. I always want to say yes to what Jesus asks of me. It is my pleasure to say yes. I realize that life won’t always be so wonderful. That my saying yes is also saying yes to
the cross. But I want to be where Jesus wants me, and now, that’s back at Franciscan University.

My yes alone, however, won’t accomplish all the good I believe God is inviting Franciscan University to do in and for his Church. We are all charged with the essential job of repairing the Church. The Church today is struggling and wounded, yet she is still the bride of Christ and she is still beautiful to behold. She is worth fighting for, so let’s say yes as a Franciscan University community and let’s fight together valiantly because, as Christ said, the gates of hell will never prevail against her.

Peace,
Father Dave, TOR