Compassionate Response to Critical Needs: That All May Be One -- Roundtable Discussion

The mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph, to bring all persons into union with God and with one another , involves a variety of ministerial activities. As they work to bridge the religious and social gaps that divide people, the sisters join in a tradition that is over 350 years old. This roundtable session brought together several perspectives on the mission of the C.S.J.\u27s and how they live that mission currently. Speakers: Sister Suzanne Sassus, C.S.J.Sister Suzanne Sassus, C.S.J. will approach the topic from the perspective of her extensive ministerial experience: she is a former LMU professor of Modern Languages and former member of the LMU Board of Trustees. Sister Suzanne served for 13 years on the Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange; for four of those years she was the General Superior. As Vice President for Sponsorship, Sister Suzanne helped shape St. Joseph Health System by infusing the values of dignity, service, excellence, and justice into policies, procedures, and decision making. and she designed and implemented formation programs for lay colleagues. She is currently a member of St. Joseph Health Ministry which sponsors St. Joseph Health System. David Robinson, SJDavid Robinson, SJ is a poet, musician, liturgist, spiritual director, and lay formator on the staff of the Loyola Institute for Spirituality located in Orange, CA. His ministry at the Loyola Institute for Spirituality includes support for Latino community groups, Ignatian pedagogy workshops for professors at Jesuit Universities, and spirituality and the arts projects focused on music, photography, and website development. He collaborates with Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange in retreat ministry, liturgy planning, art and music, and ministry with Senior Sisters. He is a keen observer of the charism in relationships and action. Marie Anne MayeskMarie Anne Mayeski, a former LMU professor of Theological Studies and former Sister of St. Joseph of Orange will offer insights based on those experiences as well as her knowledge of the Congregation and its current relationships and ministries. Dr. Mayeski is the author of several books on women in the Church and historical theology. She was a recipient of the President’s Fritz B. Burns Excellence in Teaching award. Sister Thuy Tran, C.S.J.Sister Thuy Tran, C.S.J., was a parish Director of Youth Ministry prior to joining the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. She has traveled extensively, is a spiritual-director in training, and currently works part-time in LMU’s Campus Ministry Department. She will offer observations about the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange today and her hopes for the future. Respondent: Father Tom Rausch, S.J.Fr. Tom Rausch, S.J., Ph.D., Duke, 1976, is the T. Marie Chilton Professor of Catholic Theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. A specialist in ecclesiology, Christology, and ecumenism, he has published seventeen books and over 220 articles and reviews, including Catholicism in the Third Millennium (2000), Who Is Jesus? An Introduction to Christology (2003), Towards a Truly Catholic Church (2005), Being Catholic in a Culture of Choice (2006), and Pope Benedict XVI: An Introduction to his Theological Vision (2009). Five times his work has been recognized by the Catholic Press Association. He has been in dialogue with Evangelical Christians since 1987, serving on the Catholic/Southern Baptist Conversation (1994-2001) and the Catholic/World Evangelical Alliance Consultation (2001-2003). He is a member of the Anglican/Roman Catholic Consultation USA, co-chairs the Los Angeles Catholic/Evangelical Committee and the Theological Commission for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles