0:00:11.349,0:00:16.779
Firstly, on behalf of the Board of
Trustees, faculty, administration,
0:00:16.779,0:00:21.789
and staff, welcome to the inauguration
ceremony of DeSales University's fourth
0:00:21.789,0:00:27.640
president, Reverend James J. Greenfield
OSFS. In keeping with the dignity of
0:00:27.640,0:00:32.470
this ceremony please silence your cell
phones and electronic devices. As many of
0:00:32.470,0:00:36.489
you know, St. Francis DeSales is the
patron saint of the Deaf and I want to
0:00:36.489,0:00:41.080
thank our sign language interpreters,
David and Pam Pehota who are here with
0:00:41.080,0:00:45.190
us this afternoon.
Also a special thank you to the brass
0:00:45.190,0:00:51.579
ensemble, Jeff Wohlbach, Don Hughes, Dan
Braden, Claire Socci, and L. Scott Force
0:00:51.579,0:00:56.850
under the direction of Mark Helms providing
the musical prelude to today's ceremony.
0:00:56.850,0:01:02.109
We appreciate your presence here today
on this momentous occasion. We will now
0:01:02.109,0:01:05.879
begin the inauguration ceremony.
0:01:18.850,0:01:26.140
The DeSales University color guard
organized by Nick Kanaskie.
0:02:34.260,0:02:39.290
The DeSales University student
representatives.
0:03:10.800,0:03:16.180
Bearing the mace of DeSales University,
Dr. Roger Berg, associate professor of
0:03:16.180,0:03:18.570
chemistry.
0:03:43.840,0:03:48.930
The DeSales University alumni
flag-bearers.
0:05:30.740,0:06:18.629
The DeSales University administrative,
professional, and support staff members.
0:06:21.650,0:06:49.279
The Oblates of St. Francis DeSales.
0:06:53.620,0:08:15.860
Presidents and delegates of other
institutions.
0:08:26.950,0:08:32.170
Members of the DeSales University
esteemed faculty.
0:10:29.890,0:10:34.029
The DeSales University vice
president, cabinet members, and the
0:10:34.029,0:11:09.220
inauguration committee members.
0:11:10.650,0:12:02.620
The Board of Trustees of DeSales
University.
0:12:06.470,0:12:10.460
The platform party.
0:12:48.930,0:12:53.730
Reverend Bernard F. O'Connor
president emeritus, third president of
0:12:53.730,0:14:05.860
DeSales University and Bishop Alfred A.
Schlert.
0:14:44.380,0:14:48.280
Ladies and gentlemen please stand.
0:14:49.690,0:14:55.790
Please welcome W. Douglas Brown Esquire,
chair of the Board of Trustees at
0:14:55.790,0:15:01.520
DeSales University, Reverend Kevin Nadolski,
OSFS, Assistant Provincial of the
0:15:01.520,0:15:08.180
Oblates of St. Francis DeSales and
Reverend James J. Greenfield OSFS, the
0:15:08.180,0:15:19.170
fourth president of DeSales University.
0:16:12.760,0:16:17.660
Please remain standing and join in the
singing of "God Bless America" performed
0:16:17.660,0:16:23.140
by the DeSales University chorale and
brass ensemble.
0:17:44.900,0:17:48.290
Please be seated.
0:17:53.150,0:17:57.750
The inauguration of a university
president offers an opportunity for
0:17:57.750,0:18:02.880
reflection as we see ourselves heirs to
the rich tradition of intellectual
0:18:02.880,0:18:07.110
endeavor reaching back centuries to the
great centers of learning in the old
0:18:07.110,0:18:10.679
world.
We welcome the presidents and delegates
0:18:10.679,0:18:16.110
from other colleges and universities who
join us today and we also welcome the
0:18:16.110,0:18:19.040
members of the DeSales University
student body,
0:18:19.040,0:18:27.870
DeSales University faculty, staff, Oblates
of St. Francis DeSales and clergy. We
0:18:27.870,0:18:34.980
offer a very special welcome to the
members of the Greenfield family and we
0:18:34.980,0:18:38.460
are honored to have the DeSales
University Board of Trustees who
0:18:38.460,0:18:46.290
represents the guiding force behind this
great institution. Finally, we are also
0:18:46.290,0:18:50.370
honored to host this distinguished
platform party whose members have come
0:18:50.370,0:18:54.809
today to bring greetings from the groups
they represent welcoming Father James
0:18:54.809,0:19:05.390
Greenfield OSFS as the fourth president
of DeSales University. Please stand.
0:19:06.850,0:19:13.640
It is my pleasure to introduce Miss
Karrington Hamilton, class of 2018, for
0:19:13.640,0:19:16.390
the Invocation.
0:19:22.530,0:19:31.169
Let us call to mind that we are in the
presence of God. In the name of the
0:19:31.169,0:19:39.090
Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. Good and gracious God, we thank
0:19:39.090,0:19:43.260
you today for the gift of our lives
and during this octave of Easter the
0:19:43.260,0:19:49.590
gift of eternal life, won for us by Your
son. We celebrate humanity created in
0:19:49.590,0:19:55.650
Your own image with an intellect that
seeks knowledge and truth and a will
0:19:55.650,0:20:01.950
that desires beauty and love. We thank
you for the gift of this day and this
0:20:01.950,0:20:06.539
moment an opportunity to pray for our
university and for its new president,
0:20:06.539,0:20:14.850
Father James J. Greenfield. We pray that
the gospel of Christ, the teaching of the
0:20:14.850,0:20:19.200
church, the principles of Christian
humanism, and the insights of Salesian
0:20:19.200,0:20:25.140
spirituality, which guide this university
be realized in his stewardship. May he
0:20:25.140,0:20:29.970
witness to our shared belief that human
life is oriented to the good, true, and
0:20:29.970,0:20:37.020
beautiful and is complemented always and
everywhere by love. We pray that Your
0:20:37.020,0:20:40.980
Holy Spirit which has guided Father
Greenfield and DeSales University to this
0:20:40.980,0:20:46.200
present moment may continue to lead him
and strengthen him so that he may bloom
0:20:46.200,0:20:52.260
where he is planted on this day. Enable
him to conform his heart to yours O Lord
0:20:52.260,0:20:57.270
so that he may guide the faculty and
staff with gentle strength, engage our
0:20:57.270,0:21:02.370
alumni, and benefactors who so kindly and
generously support this University and
0:21:02.370,0:21:09.090
may he care for our students with a
compassionate humility. Almighty God you
0:21:09.090,0:21:14.429
made us to be one in Christ, United in
love and compassion aware that we are
0:21:14.429,0:21:18.809
brothers and sisters in Christ we joined
together this afternoon to pray our
0:21:18.809,0:21:25.890
blessing on Father Greenfield. May he be
who you created him to be and be that
0:21:25.890,0:21:31.370
well and so give glory and honor to you
our Master Craftsman.
0:21:31.370,0:21:35.960
We pray this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
0:21:39.269,0:21:43.740
Thank You Karrington. Please be seated.
0:21:50.490,0:21:55.620
I am pleased to welcome to the podium
Mrs. Denis Von Funk, class of 1980,
0:21:55.620,0:21:59.960
offering the welcome on behalf of the
Board of Trustees.
0:22:09.280,0:22:14.950
Good afternoon distinguished guests,
members of the Board of Trustees, esteemed
0:22:14.950,0:22:22.420
faculty, students, and alumni. On behalf of
DeSales University Board of Trustees, it
0:22:22.420,0:22:27.880
is my great honor to welcome you to this
wonderful and momentous occasion, the
0:22:27.880,0:22:33.070
inauguration of Father James Greenfield
as the fourth president of the DeSales
0:22:33.070,0:22:38.950
University and the
first alumni president. As a member of
0:22:38.950,0:22:43.930
the Presidential Search Committee it was
clearly evident that
0:22:43.930,0:22:50.110
Father Jim would bring a new energy and
perspective to DeSales. I found it
0:22:50.110,0:22:56.650
interesting that his comments to the
search committee, Father compared the
0:22:56.650,0:23:03.250
role of the president as being similar
to conducting an orchestra. He referenced
0:23:03.250,0:23:09.190
a book on leadership by Roger Nierenberg,
a veteran conductor, titled
0:23:09.190,0:23:16.290
"Maestro: A Surprising Story About
Leadership by Listening". A maestro
0:23:16.290,0:23:22.950
doesn't micromanage, but encourages
others to develop their own solutions,
0:23:22.950,0:23:28.660
understanding the difference between
conducting and trying to play all the
0:23:28.660,0:23:37.030
instruments. A maestro helps people feel
ownership of the whole piece, not
0:23:37.030,0:23:43.660
just their individual parts and a maestro
leads by listening. What a beautiful way
0:23:43.660,0:23:48.060
to state the qualities of a successful
leader:
0:23:48.060,0:23:55.240
listen, don't micromanage, and make people
feel engaged and part of a team. In the
0:23:55.240,0:24:00.790
relatively short time that Father
Greenfield has been on campus it is
0:24:00.790,0:24:05.710
evident his love of the University and
that he has a vision for its future.
0:24:05.710,0:24:12.640
I am confident the faculty, students,
administrators, and the board will in St.
0:24:12.640,0:24:18.850
Francis DeSales' words, "be who you are and
be it well" under Father Greenfield's
0:24:18.850,0:24:23.260
leadership. So, Father Greenfield, I look
forward to watching
0:24:23.260,0:24:33.480
you conduct the DeSales symphony. Thank
you, Denise.
0:24:45.990,0:24:51.080
It is my pleasure to call to the
podium, Reverend Peter M. Donohue, OSA,
0:24:51.080,0:24:56.850
president of Villanova University and
Nova Nation, representing Catholic
0:24:56.850,0:25:01.410
Colleges and Universities to extend his
salutation and greetings on behalf of
0:25:01.410,0:25:13.670
his colleagues to President Greenfield. I
0:25:13.670,0:25:19.730
promised Father Jim I wouldn't mention
anything that happened this weekend so.
0:25:20.540,0:25:28.710
In 1776, a body of individuals gathered
in a hall on a square in the colony of
0:25:28.710,0:25:34.140
Philadelphia that has become a
well-known national landmark. It was in
0:25:34.140,0:25:38.640
this hall where they penned a document
that called for independence from
0:25:38.640,0:25:44.090
another nation. A document that called
for freedom from tyranny and taxation. A
0:25:44.090,0:25:49.100
document that claimed the fundamental
rights and equality of all people. A
0:25:49.100,0:25:55.559
document that praised religious freedom.
It was this document that gave birth to
0:25:55.559,0:26:00.090
a nation and ushered in a philosophy
that has been the foundation of our
0:26:00.090,0:26:05.490
country, our city, and our neighborhoods.
It is called the people living in these
0:26:05.490,0:26:11.670
13 colonies to live with integrity to
work creatively to live ethically and to
0:26:11.670,0:26:18.900
engage in the free exchange of ideas.
In 1962, the Oblates of St. Francis
0:26:18.900,0:26:22.350
DeSales,
began efforts to create a university
0:26:22.350,0:26:29.190
that would teach young women and men to
live as Christians in a Salesian way. To
0:26:29.190,0:26:34.770
embrace one's life and bring the Gospel
message to the human family. From that
0:26:34.770,0:26:40.350
effort DeSales University has grown to
educate thousands of students in a
0:26:40.350,0:26:45.360
variety of disciplines preparing them to
engage in successful careers in the
0:26:45.360,0:26:51.500
global marketplace working to affect the
common good. As Pope Francis has stated,
0:26:51.500,0:26:56.820
future generations that are educated in
a Christian way for dialogue will come
0:26:56.820,0:27:01.710
out of the classroom motivated to
build bridges and, therefore, to find
0:27:01.710,0:27:07.830
answers to the many challenges of our
times. Your mission statement
0:27:07.830,0:27:13.710
echoes Francis's directive, as well as,
the principles of St. Francis DeSales to
0:27:13.710,0:27:18.780
create vital and respectful dialogue
between Roman Catholic faith and human
0:27:18.780,0:27:24.150
culture. It is a learning
community where integrity, creativity,
0:27:24.150,0:27:31.680
curiosity, ethics, responsibility, and the
free exchange of ideas are valued. Today
0:27:31.680,0:27:36.840
you inaugurate Father James Greenfield
as the fourth president to lead your
0:27:36.840,0:27:41.670
university into the future. A man who has
demonstrated those principles throughout
0:27:41.670,0:27:46.620
his life; who knows the challenges that
face higher education, who has
0:27:46.620,0:27:51.300
demonstrated fraternal and spiritual
leadership, and as you know has a
0:27:51.300,0:27:59.460
background in government, theology, and
psychology. Quite a combination. Father
0:27:59.460,0:28:04.650
Jim, today DeSales University calls you
to bring your experience, creativity,
0:28:04.650,0:28:10.230
knowledge, and spirituality to charge its
future. Jim on behalf of all the
0:28:10.230,0:28:16.050
presidents, your presidential colleagues,
in over 270 Catholic institutions of
0:28:16.050,0:28:21.960
higher education, we welcome you to this
unique ministry. We pledge our support
0:28:21.960,0:28:27.600
and our willingness to work together to
bring quality education to our varied
0:28:27.600,0:28:33.540
institutions and charisms. As you move
forward with this faculty, staff, and
0:28:33.540,0:28:39.240
students of DeSales University, continue
to find ways to empower them to build a
0:28:39.240,0:28:45.000
community that seeks equality and
independence. The works of St. Francis
0:28:45.000,0:28:49.350
DeSales, in the words of St.
Francis DeSales help them to be a
0:28:49.350,0:28:55.280
community that will bring honor to the
master craftsman whose handiwork we are.
0:28:55.280,0:29:02.900
Best wishes, congratulations,
and always God bless.
0:29:06.690,0:29:15.190
Thank you, Father Donohue. We will next
hear from Dr. Alison Byerly, president of
0:29:15.190,0:29:19.290
Lafayette College, representing the
Lehigh Valley Association of Independent
0:29:19.290,0:29:30.580
Colleges and Universities. Good afternoon,
it is a great pleasure and an honor to
0:29:30.580,0:29:34.840
welcome Father Jim Greenfield to our
Lehigh Valley Community. I'm extending
0:29:34.840,0:29:39.250
this warm welcome on behalf not only of
Lafayette College, but also the Lehigh
0:29:39.250,0:29:42.970
Valley Association of Independent
Colleges, the organization known as LVAIC,
0:29:42.970,0:29:47.140
which is a unique consortium and
one of the oldest such consortium in the
0:29:47.140,0:29:51.490
country. It consists of the six member
colleges and universities in the Lehigh
0:29:51.490,0:29:55.780
Valley and it's governed by a board made
up of the presidents of Lafayette
0:29:55.780,0:30:00.370
College, Lehigh University, Muhlenberg
College, Cedar Crest college, and of
0:30:00.370,0:30:05.350
course DeSales University. At the
foundation of the LVAIC consortium is
0:30:05.350,0:30:09.429
the understanding that our colleges are
stronger and more distinctive together, a
0:30:09.429,0:30:13.000
vision that's realized through the
consistent cooperation and collaboration
0:30:13.000,0:30:17.110
among our institutions. Our board of
directors has already had the pleasure
0:30:17.110,0:30:21.429
of spending time with Father Greenfield
and we owe the DeSales community a
0:30:21.429,0:30:25.090
heartfelt thank you for bringing a
leader of his quality and vision to the
0:30:25.090,0:30:29.590
Lehigh Valley. We believe that our work
together will continue to strengthen and
0:30:29.590,0:30:34.030
empower a community of educators and
learners as they create knowledge, drive
0:30:34.030,0:30:38.970
innovation, and affect positive change on
a regional, national, and global scale.
0:30:38.970,0:30:43.240
Father Greenfield, your fellow LVAIC
board members wish you the very best of
0:30:43.240,0:30:47.049
luck in your presidency and offer our
full support in your endeavors here at
0:30:47.049,0:30:52.350
DeSales University and within the Lehigh
Valley. Congratulations!
0:30:54.309,0:31:03.829
Thank you, Dr. Byerly. Please welcome the
Honorable Joseph F Leeson, Jr., class
0:31:03.829,0:31:09.349
of 1977, United States District Judge for
the US District Court for the Eastern
0:31:09.349,0:31:13.489
District of Pennsylvania to offer
greetings on behalf of the Civic
0:31:13.489,0:31:25.879
community. It's an honor to be able to
offer congratulations on the occasion of
0:31:25.879,0:31:29.719
the inauguration of Father Greenfield as
the fourth president of DeSales
0:31:29.719,0:31:36.349
University. Only fifty years ago this
area was undeveloped and filled with
0:31:36.349,0:31:43.820
corn fields. In that short period of time,
DeSales has grown into be a regional
0:31:43.820,0:31:50.149
university and grown into a a beautiful
suburban campus here in the Lehigh
0:31:50.149,0:31:54.799
Valley. It's become an important part of
the community and it's over 7,000
0:31:54.799,0:32:00.729
graduates live, work, and raise their
families here in the Lehigh Valley.
0:32:00.729,0:32:06.559
They play prominent roles in the
business, community, government, law
0:32:06.559,0:32:14.389
enforcement, education, health care, the
professions the arts, and in a myriad of
0:32:14.389,0:32:19.929
other fields.
DeSales has had a very notable and
0:32:19.929,0:32:24.979
influential role on enriching the
cultural life of the Lehigh Valley
0:32:24.979,0:32:31.459
through its involvement in the theater
and the arts. Throughout your life Father
0:32:31.459,0:32:39.379
Greenfield, you've shared your extensive
knowledge as an author, as a teacher, and
0:32:39.379,0:32:44.989
as a member of the board of trustees
here at DeSales University. Now as the
0:32:44.989,0:32:47.869
president of the school you're going to
have an opportunity to have a direct
0:32:47.869,0:32:55.659
impact on the future lives of its
students. I challenge you going forward
0:32:55.659,0:33:01.219
to build upon the success of the
institution to grow it, to make it thrive,
0:33:01.219,0:33:06.630
and to continue to educate men and women
and the service of the faith,
0:33:06.630,0:33:13.840
all in the spirit of the great gentleman
saint, St. Francis DeSales. I pledged my
0:33:13.840,0:33:19.390
full personal support to you as you
carry on the school's great tradition of
0:33:19.390,0:33:24.400
success. I look forward to working with
you for the betterment of the school, for
0:33:24.400,0:33:29.380
the betterment of the community, and in the many months and the many
0:33:29.380,0:33:35.460
years ahead and I extend my
congratulations to you and best wishes.
0:33:38.700,0:33:46.420
Thank you, Judge Leeson. Please welcome Mr. Timothy Dolan class of 1977,
0:33:46.420,0:33:50.770
and former DeSales University chair of
the board, who will offer greetings on
0:33:50.770,0:33:54.660
behalf of the DeSales University Alumni.
0:33:59.070,0:34:07.139
Good afternoon, welcome. In preparing
these remarks I referenced Father
0:34:07.139,0:34:12.100
Alexander Pocetto's book drawing out the
goodness in which he reviewed the
0:34:12.100,0:34:18.129
history of Allentown College. Father
Pocetto noted that as part
0:34:18.129,0:34:23.530
of Bishop McShae's vision for the college,
he wanted a school that was solidly
0:34:23.530,0:34:29.830
Catholic, affordable, and accessible to
all who qualified and he wanted the
0:34:29.830,0:34:34.510
College to be run by Oblates
because he knew he would get their first
0:34:34.510,0:34:43.990
team and he did. The first was Father
Stuart Dooling ,1964 to 78, who literally
0:34:43.990,0:34:51.159
tilled the fields and planted the crops.
Followed by Father Dann Gambet, 1978 to
0:34:51.159,0:34:56.859
1999, who through his vision and vitality
continued to nurture and expand the
0:34:56.859,0:35:01.630
college. Through him,
Allentown College continued to give a
0:35:01.630,0:35:09.930
Cadillac education at a Chevy price. His
successor was Father Bernard O'Connor,
0:35:09.930,0:35:15.760
1999 to 2017,
who followed the oblate motto of: "we
0:35:15.760,0:35:22.430
have taken hold and will not let go" and
took the university to a new plane, in terms
0:35:22.430,0:35:30.170
of spirituality and global expansion. I,
along with many other alums, have been
0:35:30.170,0:35:35.990
direct beneficiaries of their focus and
commitment. From its humble beginnings of
0:35:35.990,0:35:43.069
a class with 156 freshmen in 1965,
DeSales University proudly boasts of
0:35:43.069,0:35:51.260
almost 19,000 alum of its undergraduate,
ACCESS, and graduate programs our alumni
0:35:51.260,0:35:55.099
are individuals who have embraced the
cradle of our patrons St. Francis
0:35:55.099,0:36:00.980
DeSales, let us be what we are and be
that well in order to bring honor to the
0:36:00.980,0:36:07.099
master craftsman whose handiwork we are.
Today I have the honor and privilege of
0:36:07.099,0:36:13.460
welcoming on behalf of those alumni
Father James Greenfield, as the fourth
0:36:13.460,0:36:18.890
president of DeSales U. Father
Greenfield is uniquely qualified to step
0:36:18.890,0:36:24.890
into the role of president his early
education roots take him back to the
0:36:24.890,0:36:29.270
Philadelphia archdiocese, which along
with, the Diocese of Allentown in
0:36:29.270,0:36:34.010
Wilmington provided so many students to
the College in its early foundational
0:36:34.010,0:36:40.339
years. He is the first graduate to fill
the role as a fellow alum, graduate of
0:36:40.339,0:36:48.079
the class of 84, even though I look a lot
younger. His postgraduate work has taken
0:36:48.079,0:36:52.460
him well beyond Center Valley, exposing
him to the rapidly changing world in
0:36:52.460,0:36:58.010
which universities of the future must
compete, but never too far away as he has
0:36:58.010,0:37:04.220
served many years as a trustee of the
University Board. As alums, we all look
0:37:04.220,0:37:10.039
forward to his focus and commitment and
his becoming part of the 18 that will
0:37:10.039,0:37:15.970
continue the drive the university to
new heights. Thank you.
0:37:17.770,0:37:30.760
Thank You, Mr. Nolan. Please welcome Mr.
Brendan Graham, class of 2019, who will
0:37:30.760,0:37:44.850
offer greetings on behalf of the DeSales
University student body. Good afternoon.
0:37:44.850,0:37:48.940
Thank you for joining us today for the
inauguration of our University's fourth
0:37:48.940,0:37:53.860
president, Father James Greenfield. I'm
truly humbled and blessed to have this
0:37:53.860,0:37:57.580
opportunity to welcome you, Father
Greenfield, a fellow Father Judge
0:37:57.580,0:38:01.960
Crusader, on behalf of the student body.
It's already clear that you've
0:38:01.960,0:38:05.500
completely immersed herself in the
DeSales community in your short time as
0:38:05.500,0:38:11.050
president. Conducting informal listening
sessions with ice cream, attending the
0:38:11.050,0:38:14.260
Eagles pep rally on the turf field even
though I wouldn't paint his face green,
0:38:14.260,0:38:19.180
and emceeing the Special Olympics event
in Allentown making time to meet all the
0:38:19.180,0:38:24.160
volunteers are just a few prime examples
of your tremendous zeal and passion for
0:38:24.160,0:38:28.930
your title and vocation. The entire
student body and myself are excited for
0:38:28.930,0:38:32.710
the future of our institution under a
charismatic and meaningful leader like
0:38:32.710,0:38:37.410
yourself. Best of luck and welcome.
0:38:42.619,0:38:51.859
Thank You, Brendan. Next it is my pleasure to
introduce a distinguished member of the
0:38:51.859,0:38:57.170
DeSales University faculty, Dr. Katherine
Ramsland, who extends her salutations to
0:38:57.170,0:39:11.029
Father Greenfield on behalf of the
faculty. Father Greenfield, on behalf of
0:39:11.029,0:39:17.150
the DeSales faculty and with great
enthusiasm, I welcome you as our fourth
0:39:17.150,0:39:23.769
president. When I first met you I thought
you were the right person for the job.
0:39:23.769,0:39:30.920
My subsequent impressions have confirmed
this and my colleagues agree. We look
0:39:30.920,0:39:37.279
forward to moving ahead as you guide the
DeSales community in an open, respectful,
0:39:37.279,0:39:45.650
and inclusive manner toward becoming a
vibrant flagship Salesian University. May
0:39:45.650,0:39:50.630
God give you wisdom for a smooth
transition into this exciting challenge
0:39:50.630,0:39:55.539
and may it prove to be your calling.
0:39:58.930,0:40:06.019
Thank You, Dr. Ramsland. Please
welcome Ms. Marian Gehringer,
0:40:06.019,0:40:09.019
representing the professional
administrative staff of DeSales
0:40:09.019,0:40:20.659
University who offered greetings to
Father Greenfield.
0:40:25.560,0:40:31.960
Saint Jane DeChantal
once said, "with God there is no need for
0:40:31.960,0:40:41.350
long speeches". That being said, on behalf
of the professional staff of DeSales
0:40:41.350,0:40:48.540
University I would like to welcome you
Father Greenfield as our new president.
0:40:48.540,0:40:56.230
Those of us who have had the privilege
of working here many years have seen
0:40:56.230,0:41:05.620
remarkable changes. It is only fitting
that a place that started out as green
0:41:05.620,0:41:13.300
fields will continue to grow and prosper
under the leadership of Father
0:41:13.300,0:41:27.370
Greenfield. In your listening sessions
Father, you said that you saw yourself as
0:41:27.370,0:41:34.210
a pastor for this community, with that in
mind we look forward to working with you
0:41:34.210,0:41:41.830
and praying with you growing in wisdom,
age, and grace before God and man. God
0:41:41.830,0:41:50.550
bless you and good luck. Thank you, Marian.
0:41:59.880,0:42:04.210
Please welcome Ms. Margaret Huber,
representing the support staff of
0:42:04.210,0:42:23.650
DeSales University to offer greetings to
Father Greenfield. Good afternoon.
0:42:23.650,0:42:28.360
On behalf of the staff, I would like to
welcome all of our guests to this great
0:42:28.360,0:42:32.410
celebration the inauguration of our
fourth president
0:42:32.410,0:42:37.210
Father James Greenfield. I have been
blessed over the years by working for
0:42:37.210,0:42:42.490
all the presidents here at DeSales. Each
had their own special influence on our
0:42:42.490,0:42:47.710
campus. The staff and I look forward to
working with Father Greenfield and
0:42:47.710,0:42:53.260
giving him our support and prayers. He
has already been meeting in small groups
0:42:53.260,0:42:59.200
with us to get our feedback on DeSales.
It will be nice to have a president who
0:42:59.200,0:43:04.930
was here walking the halls as a student
and has a feeling of what goes on at all
0:43:04.930,0:43:09.730
levels within the university. To all the
guests that are here,
0:43:09.730,0:43:15.040
DeSales is a very special place where
things are not only happening today, but
0:43:15.040,0:43:20.530
also in the future. We have a very
special group of Oblates,
0:43:20.530,0:43:26.680
faculty, professional staff, and most of
all students. We all look forward to the
0:43:26.680,0:43:31.520
change that comes with a new president
and I see DeSales only getting
0:43:31.520,0:43:36.440
better. In ending, I have a short quote
from St. Francis DeSales:
0:43:36.440,0:43:43.100
"If we walk steadily and faithfully, God
will lift us up to greater things." May
0:43:43.100,0:43:48.260
God bless Father Greenfield as he begins
his new leadership as president of
0:43:48.260,0:44:05.450
DeSales University. Thank you. Thank You,
Margaret. Please welcome Mr. Patrick
0:44:05.450,0:44:09.950
Mulcahy, representing the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, who
0:44:09.950,0:44:18.160
offered greetings to Father Greenfield.
0:44:18.160,0:44:30.620
Transcendence and imperfection, causes
and effects, reality and mystery, beauty
0:44:30.620,0:44:39.400
and the sacred. What do Shakespeare
universities and university presidents
0:44:39.400,0:44:47.900
have in common and what do they do?
Each navigates and helps us to navigate
0:44:47.900,0:44:56.630
these paradoxes, these intersections. Each
brings order to the chaos. Each helps
0:44:56.630,0:45:02.530
guide us to a vision of human life in
its wholeness and just as the arts do,
0:45:02.530,0:45:09.940
each invites us not to that which we
wan,t but that which we ought to want.
0:45:09.940,0:45:14.480
Father Jim Greenfield's voluminous
strengths and gifts are self-evident, we
0:45:14.480,0:45:20.240
see in him the kind of leader who can do
all of these things and more and we see
0:45:20.240,0:45:25.700
how lucky we are in his leadership. As
each of the three previous presidents of
0:45:25.700,0:45:30.860
DeSales University was just the right
person at just the right time, the
0:45:30.860,0:45:35.890
University perhaps with a little help
from above has done it again.
0:45:35.890,0:45:41.930
To Father Greenfield and to all who were
involved in bringing him to us, to quote
0:45:41.930,0:45:47.630
the Bard, "thanks and
thanks and ever thanks". We and the
0:45:47.630,0:45:52.820
communities we serve are blessed to have
Father James J. Greenfield as our new
0:45:52.820,0:46:06.230
president. Thank You, Patrick. It is now my
pleasure to introduce the Reverend Kevin
0:46:06.230,0:46:19.390
M. Nadolski, OSFS, Assistant Provincial
of the Oblates of St. Francis DeSales.
0:46:19.390,0:46:25.130
Bishop Schlert, Mr. Doug Brown, chair of
the board of DeSales University, fellow
0:46:25.130,0:46:30.770
trustees, esteemed faculty and staff,
beloved students and alumni, honored
0:46:30.770,0:46:36.800
guests and friends, dear members of the
Greenfield family, it is my huge and high
0:46:36.800,0:46:42.440
honor to present Reverend James Joseph
Greenfield, Oblate of St. Francis DeSales
0:46:42.440,0:46:47.450
to Mr. Brown and to the Board of
Trustees for inauguration as the fourth
0:46:47.450,0:46:53.390
president of this great University. Saint
John Paul the Second quoted the works of
0:46:53.390,0:46:58.280
the Second Vatican Council when he wrote
in his apostolic constitution Ex Corde
0:46:58.280,0:47:03.760
Ecclesia that catholic university
students are to become people
0:47:03.760,0:47:09.349
outstanding in learning, ready to
shoulder society's heavier burdens, and
0:47:09.349,0:47:16.820
to witness the faith to the world. This
lofty goal is grounded in the gospel of
0:47:16.820,0:47:22.520
Jesus, for all of us baptized people are
called to encounter our neighbors in our
0:47:22.520,0:47:30.740
society especially those most in need
those who are burdened. We Oblates of St.
0:47:30.740,0:47:35.540
Francis DeSales are confident that our
Brother Jim will finely lead DeSales
0:47:35.540,0:47:41.359
University students along with their
faculty and staff to take responsibility
0:47:41.359,0:47:46.690
for addressing the heavy burden of those
in the world who need our help.
0:47:46.690,0:47:53.680
Jim is excited to challenge our students
to witness to our faith in the world.
0:47:53.680,0:47:58.240
The founder of the Oblates of St.
Francis DeSales, blessed Louis
0:47:58.240,0:48:05.380
Brison exhorted the first Oblates to enter
society feet first and to reprint the
0:48:05.380,0:48:12.700
gospel with their lives. Our Brother and
Provincial Jim Greenfield certainly
0:48:12.700,0:48:20.310
engages to society with both feet on the
ground as a pastor, preacher, and teacher,
0:48:20.310,0:48:27.130
he meets people where they are without
judgment and with a joyful and reasoned
0:48:27.130,0:48:34.420
embrace of their potential. Indeed, he has
reprinted the gospel with his compassion
0:48:34.420,0:48:41.770
for those on the margins, respect for the
individuality of personalities, warm
0:48:41.770,0:48:48.700
witness to charity, a witty sense of
humor, strong intellect, and a generous
0:48:48.700,0:48:57.070
spirit. What's more, Jim is a wise leader
in his 10 years as our Provincial, his
0:48:57.070,0:49:03.750
gentle strength and strong gentleness
have been a unifying source of grace and
0:49:03.750,0:49:09.730
stabilizing force for mission. Jim is a
simple man with a profound love for
0:49:09.730,0:49:16.030
simple things. His favorite people are
his family especially his nieces and
0:49:16.030,0:49:22.990
nephews, sorry Tommy and Jerry, and he's
been an exemplary son to his parents, Bud
0:49:22.990,0:49:28.660
and his late mother, Nancy. I conclude
with one very brief anecdote that
0:49:28.660,0:49:36.430
illustrates the color and style of Jim
as a leader. As Denise mentioned, he
0:49:36.430,0:49:43.590
crafted the image of Maestro for his
leadership, he himself is a fine pianist
0:49:43.590,0:49:49.450
though I bet he would debate that. He
does see leading as bit of being a
0:49:49.450,0:49:54.490
maestro conducting the various
components of an orchestra to coordinate
0:49:54.490,0:50:01.240
each sound into beautiful music that
blesses the world and gives praise to
0:50:01.240,0:50:08.200
God. Today we are grateful that his late
mother, Nancy, and her best girlfriend,
0:50:08.200,0:50:12.130
Aunt Ruthie, worked so hard to get that
very
0:50:12.130,0:50:18.820
secondhand piano for a little boy named,
Jimmy Greenfield. Chairman Brown and
0:50:18.820,0:50:24.790
fellow trustees, on behalf of the Oblates
of St. Francis DeSales, I present to you
0:50:24.790,0:50:30.520
for ministry and for service as the
fourth president of DeSales University a
0:50:30.520,0:50:38.800
learner and a listener our pastor and
our provincial our Salesian brother and
0:50:38.800,0:50:46.669
our fellow disciple, Father Jim
Greenfield.
0:51:17.420,0:51:23.370
Thank You, Father Nadolski and now it is
with pride that we commence
0:51:23.370,0:51:28.800
the investiture of Reverend James J.
Greenfield, OSFS, the fourth president of
0:51:28.800,0:51:34.260
DeSales University. I invite to the
podium W. Douglas Brown, chair of the
0:51:34.260,0:51:39.690
DeSales University Board of Trustees,
Reverend Bernard F O'Connor OSFS, third
0:51:39.690,0:51:43.410
president of DeSales University and
president emeritus, and the Reverend
0:51:43.410,0:51:47.400
Kevin M. Nadolski, OSFS, Assistant
Provincial of the Oblates
0:51:47.400,0:51:58.620
of St. Francis DeSales. Thank you. Before
I go to the prepared remarks, I just
0:51:58.620,0:52:02.730
want to tell you as chairman how proud I
am of this institution in this moment
0:52:02.730,0:52:07.950
this is really quite, quite something.
Okay, it's a great pleasure and privilege
0:52:07.950,0:52:12.300
for me to be here with you today to
confer DeSales University's highest
0:52:12.300,0:52:18.180
office on Reverend James J. Greenfield,
OSFS. DeSales University's Board has
0:52:18.180,0:52:22.770
made an excellent choice in selecting
Reverend Jim Greenfield. He's a man who
0:52:22.770,0:52:27.030
spent his life in the service of God,
he's earned the confidence of all who
0:52:27.030,0:52:31.920
join him in this great cause. Today he
will receive a symbol of his new office,
0:52:31.920,0:52:36.660
the President's Medallion, which he will wear
around his neck at honors
0:52:36.660,0:52:41.340
occasions, commencements, and other
important ceremonial occasions. Its
0:52:41.340,0:52:45.450
weight shall be a reminder of the heavy
responsibilities must be willingly
0:52:45.450,0:52:50.960
carried by all who occupy positions of
leadership. The design on its face
0:52:50.960,0:52:56.580
reproduction the university seal is a
representation of the large community
0:52:56.580,0:53:02.210
serves. Reverend James J. Greenfield, will you
please come forward.
0:53:06.990,0:53:10.470
Over the course of its history, DeSales
University has installed three
0:53:10.470,0:53:13.680
presidents, one of those former
presidents is with us today,
0:53:13.680,0:53:19.800
my dear friend, Father Bernie O'Connor.
Today this distinguished company and
0:53:19.800,0:53:23.640
university officials, scholars, and
esteemed guests have come together to
0:53:23.640,0:53:28.020
confer that high office on Reverend
James J. Greenfield, who was selected by
0:53:28.020,0:53:32.460
the vote of the DeSales University Board
of Trustees. Reverend Jim Greenfield
0:53:32.460,0:53:36.480
brings personal and professional
qualities of the highest order to this
0:53:36.480,0:53:41.130
new position. He's a born leader with deep
and abiding commitment to Catholic
0:53:41.130,0:53:46.170
higher education. He is a thoroughly
experienced administrator. His career has
0:53:46.170,0:53:50.130
given him personal knowledge the
challenges facing all levels of Catholic
0:53:50.130,0:53:55.730
higher education in our state.
Father Jim is a people person,
0:53:55.730,0:54:02.580
you cannot meet him and not be conscious
of the intellect, the charisma, and enthusiasm
0:54:02.580,0:54:05.869
that he brings to every task.
0:54:14.850,0:54:23.100
Medallion. You've been duly elected to
serve as president of DeSales
0:54:23.100,0:54:27.000
University. It's my great pleasure as
chair of the DeSales University Board of
0:54:27.000,0:54:30.870
Trustees to install you in that office
of all of its requisite rights,
0:54:30.870,0:54:35.340
privileges, and responsibilities. By
accepting the President's Medallion you
0:54:35.340,0:54:41.040
accept the charge to honor the core
values of reverence, integrity, service
0:54:41.040,0:54:46.140
excellence, and stewardship as you carry
out the duties President of DeSales
0:54:46.140,0:54:48.830
University.
0:55:18.160,0:55:27.049
Technical difficulties. Ladies and
gentlemen, I present to you the fourth
0:55:27.049,0:55:32.380
president of DeSales University, Reverend
Jim Greenfield.
0:55:53.029,0:56:08.009
Thank you. Thank you so much and I'm so
thrilled to be here with all of you. I'm
0:56:08.009,0:56:12.449
here and I get the best view I just like
to take everyone's picture for my
0:56:12.449,0:56:18.449
Instagram account, so please smile you
will see yourselves, there we go.
0:56:18.449,0:56:26.430
I'm doing that. Bishop Alfred Schlert, a
good friend and a former member of the
0:56:26.430,0:56:29.309
board,
Doug Brown, chairman of the board at
0:56:29.309,0:56:33.869
DeSales University, good friend, fellow
trustees, my brother Oblates of St.
0:56:33.869,0:56:39.089
Francis DeSales, dignified public
servants, visiting representatives of
0:56:39.089,0:56:44.279
colleges and universities, fellow
religious and clergy, and especially I'm
0:56:44.279,0:56:49.079
thrilled to have members of the
Franciscans, Jesuits, Redemptorist,
0:56:49.079,0:56:54.749
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sisters of St.
Joseph, Dominicans, and Augustinian with
0:56:54.749,0:56:59.099
us today.
Faculty and staff, it is great to be here
0:56:59.099,0:57:03.420
with you. It is a real honor and a
privilege for me to work alongside you.
0:57:03.420,0:57:09.869
Beloved students and alumni, honored
guests, and friends, especially friends
0:57:09.869,0:57:14.429
who've traveled so far from my former
ministries in Delaware, Northern Virginia,
0:57:14.429,0:57:21.150
and Washington DC. It's my deep honor to
stand here before you this afternoon to
0:57:21.150,0:57:25.829
be presented for service and ministry as
the fourth president of DeSales
0:57:25.829,0:57:32.880
University. Today is a momentous occasion
for all of us here in Center Valley: our
0:57:32.880,0:57:38.209
local Giant will start selling beer and
wine today.
0:57:40.710,0:57:50.070
It's a big deal. I'm honored by the trust
of the entire university community and
0:57:50.070,0:57:55.870
deeply grateful to the Board of Trustees
for its confidence in choosing me as the
0:57:55.870,0:58:01.750
fourth president. At the start, I want to
thank my Oblate confrare, Father Bernie
0:58:01.750,0:58:07.240
O'Connor in particular. As my predecessor, Father Bernie served this
0:58:07.240,0:58:13.540
university with classic distinction as
president for 19 years and began a long
0:58:13.540,0:58:21.490
career in 1974 as a professor, Dean, and
vice president, but for me he will always
0:58:21.490,0:58:38.290
be my eccentric philosophy professor.
Bernie. Bernie, your intellect and vision
0:58:38.290,0:58:41.830
brought more than the several new
buildings that augment our beautiful
0:58:41.830,0:58:47.230
campus, you deepened our embrace of
Catholic Salesian mission and develop
0:58:47.230,0:58:52.870
new and lasting relationships here and
around the world. Welcome back and thanks
0:58:52.870,0:58:58.480
for tearing yourself away from Naples,
Florida to be with us. As many of you
0:58:58.480,0:59:04.150
know I did not take office until January,
just 12 weeks ago and Father O'Connor
0:59:04.150,0:59:10.600
needed to get to Florida ASAP. Dr. Jerry
Joyce served as interim president with
0:59:10.600,0:59:16.330
strong professionalism and deft
administrative skill. Jerry, we thank you
0:59:16.330,0:59:20.980
and the generous spirit of your ever
cheerful wife ,Erin and your five
0:59:20.980,0:59:25.870
children Isabella,
Liam, Aden, Emilia, and Adeline for letting
0:59:25.870,0:59:29.580
you serve us for those six months.
0:59:35.910,0:59:43.259
And I know, for a brief, but exciting six
months this institution had a first lady
0:59:43.259,0:59:49.019
who made us proud. Finally, I want to
acknowledge my family sitting all over
0:59:49.019,0:59:56.609
here, especially my dad. Dad, you gave Tom, Jerry, and me such
0:59:56.609,1:00:02.009
great, incredible lives. He taught us how
to love and to learn and you provided
1:00:02.009,1:00:13.259
for a Catholic education at great
personal sacrifice. Mom's spirit we know is lovingly with us today and I know
she's proud of us right now. Not just for
1:00:13.259,1:00:20.910
me, but that you are wearing a suit and
tie that match. And as I said earlier at
1:00:20.910,1:00:26.369
Mass today, I am so incredibly proud to
share this day with you ,so dad I love
1:00:26.369,1:00:41.940
you and thank you for being here. My
brothers, Tom and Jerry, I am thrilled
1:00:41.940,1:00:46.469
that you're here too along with your
wonderful wives ,Patty and Chris, and a
1:00:46.469,1:00:51.150
personal message now to my nieces and
nephews Matt, Megan, Sammy,
1:00:51.150,1:00:57.450
Drew, and Timmy educated at St. Joe's,
Temple, Drexel, and LaSalle. From this day
1:00:57.450,1:01:04.469
forward, you were only to wear DeSales
University Bulldog gear and happy
1:01:04.469,1:01:11.709
birthday to my beautiful niece Megan,
thank you.
1:01:12.620,1:01:17.750
I thank those who spoke to greet and
welcomed me, but all of us here today.
1:01:17.750,1:01:21.800
Your words were heartwarming and
encouraging. I am grateful to president
1:01:21.800,1:01:27.050
Alyson Byerly from LVAIC and Lafayette
College who spoke on all behalf of the
1:01:27.050,1:01:32.270
presidents of LVAIX. I'm also grateful
to Tom Flynn president of Alvernia
1:01:32.270,1:01:36.560
College in Reading, the other Catholic
University here in the Diocese of
1:01:36.560,1:01:42.740
Allentown and also to Don Francis who is
retiring as president of the Association
1:01:42.740,1:01:49.840
of Independent Colleges and Universities
of Pennsylvania and Father Peter Donohue,
1:01:49.840,1:01:59.860
congratulations.
We bulldogs are proud of you Wildcats.
1:02:01.799,1:02:08.249
And I want to remember their star player
Donte DiVincenzo got his humble
1:02:08.249,1:02:12.509
beginnings at Salesianum School, so he
has a lot of Salesian spirituality in him,
1:02:12.509,1:02:23.130
so yes. As I was preparing this speech a
number of inaugural veterans proffered
1:02:23.130,1:02:28.349
much free advice: be profound, humorous,
insightful, literate, inclusive, and
1:02:28.349,1:02:34.410
inspirational, respectful, aspirational,
and above all, brief. So for the remainder
1:02:34.410,1:02:39.449
of this inaugural address I would like
to touch on three areas: the first one
1:02:39.449,1:02:47.369
memories of my alma mater, two: a mandate
for Catholic higher education and three:
1:02:47.369,1:02:54.390
the mission of DeSales University.
So, first the memories. In May of 1984 in
1:02:54.390,1:02:57.150
this very building in the wood courts
right over there,
1:02:57.150,1:03:02.219
I sat with my classmates for my
commencement ceremony presided over by
1:03:02.219,1:03:06.809
Father Dan Gembet, the second president.
Even though Father Gamber is one of the
1:03:06.809,1:03:12.900
finest orators I've ever met, I don't
remember anything he said or for that
1:03:12.900,1:03:18.420
fact what anyone said ,but I still
remember the day. A gorgeous Center
1:03:18.420,1:03:24.150
Valley afternoon what one former student
described as a place where the sunsets
1:03:24.150,1:03:30.089
were so beautiful they could cause
heartache. There are memories of Bishop
1:03:30.089,1:03:34.709
McShea and Father Dolan founding this
College smack in the middle of the 60s,
1:03:34.709,1:03:39.809
what another student suggests it was
either horribly naive or a noble act of
1:03:39.809,1:03:45.269
hope and courage. While students on other
campuses were burning flags, our first
1:03:45.269,1:03:49.650
students were dealing with the likes of
the infamous Dean civilus and rallying
1:03:49.650,1:03:54.390
not necessarily against the war, although
there was one on the roof of Conmy Hall,
1:03:54.390,1:03:59.729
but to have women admitted to the
college. Fast forward to this present
1:03:59.729,1:04:04.559
moment back in the same building on this
commencement as the fourth president and
1:04:04.559,1:04:11.789
its first alum to do, so I share with the
Irish poet John Odana who wrote: "the
1:04:11.789,1:04:17.430
human soul is hungry for beauty.
When we experience the beautiful there
1:04:17.430,1:04:22.170
is a sense of homecoming some of our
most wonderful memories are beautiful
1:04:22.170,1:04:29.549
places where we felt immediately at home."
Assuming this new ministry, I feel at
1:04:29.549,1:04:36.059
home and I'm thrilled to be back in
Center Valley. Launched as a 21 year old
1:04:36.059,1:04:42.140
into the world from this place I now
return to it at the youthful age of 56
1:04:42.140,1:04:48.630
for this University's blast off into its
next 50 years. Some buildings we just
1:04:48.630,1:04:53.609
passed through, but this building has
become an icon of what this school has
1:04:53.609,1:04:58.920
become. Commencing my first weeks in
early January I came here early in the
1:04:58.920,1:05:07.529
morning to work out right up there at
the top of the steps in the Compardo Fitness Center and that Compardo
Fitness Center is named after our
1:05:07.529,1:05:14.069
beloved coach, John Compardo, who died
recently at the age of 97. His spirit
1:05:14.069,1:05:20.460
still fills this place. Back then Billera Hall was never opened that early
1:05:20.460,1:05:24.390
and there was no such thing as a fitness
center, just a room with free weights
1:05:24.390,1:05:31.529
somewhere in a closet and from the looks
of me I wasn't using them. But let me
1:05:31.529,1:05:36.180
note, speaking of fitness centers, there
are plenty of opportunities naming and
1:05:36.180,1:05:43.769
otherwise for anyone here who desires to
expand that Center. Yes, in 35 years
1:05:43.769,1:05:48.749
Billera Hall has changed dramatically
and so has this great school and so is
1:05:48.749,1:05:55.440
the world and the enterprise of higher
education. My second point, a mandate for
1:05:55.440,1:06:01.259
Catholic higher ed. I am a big fan of
David Brooks a conservative writer and
1:06:01.259,1:06:06.420
political analyst at the New York Times
and a commentator for the PBS Newshour.
1:06:06.420,1:06:12.210
In his book, "The Road to Character", he
notes the difference between
1:06:12.210,1:06:17.969
the resume virtues and the eulogy
virtues. In modern society, we too often
1:06:17.969,1:06:22.829
focus our efforts on what he calls the
resume virtues, the measurable
1:06:22.829,1:06:28.349
compliments and accolades instead of the
eulogy virtues, the things for which all
1:06:28.349,1:06:31.170
of us
we'll be remembered. He notes the
1:06:31.170,1:06:36.300
tremendous increase in the desire of
Fame and notoriety in this age of social
1:06:36.300,1:06:41.910
media. He cites one study where middle
school girls were asked who they would
1:06:41.910,1:06:47.370
most like to have dinner with. Jesus
Christ came in second sandwiched between
1:06:47.370,1:06:53.040
two celebrities whose stars have now
faded. The girls were then asked which of
1:06:53.040,1:06:57.720
the following jobs they'd like to have.
Nearly twice as many said that they'd
1:06:57.720,1:07:02.060
rather be a celebrity's personal
assistant, for example, Justin Bieber's,
1:07:02.060,1:07:08.040
than the president of Harvard. Though, to
be fair after 12 weeks on the job here
1:07:08.040,1:07:13.050
at DeSales, I'm pretty sure the president
of Harvard would also rather be Justin
1:07:13.050,1:07:20.130
Bieber's personal assistant some days. In
a culture that is overly hyped on status,
1:07:20.130,1:07:25.350
DeSales University is a place where
young adults learn the both and of
1:07:25.350,1:07:31.710
building resume and eulogy virtues. The
cost of college in the United States has
1:07:31.710,1:07:37.800
skyrocketed from an average of eighteen
thousand five hundred dollars in 2000 to
1:07:37.800,1:07:45.900
almost 39 thousand dollars in 2015.
That's an inflation rate of 209 percent
1:07:45.900,1:07:51.780
or 71 percentage points higher than the
overall rate of inflation over the same
1:07:51.780,1:07:57.270
period and I don't even have an MBA. This
has led to the highest levels of student
1:07:57.270,1:08:01.860
debt we have ever seen in this country,
concomitantly, it has led to an
1:08:01.860,1:08:08.120
unprecedented level of mistrust for the
liberal arts in our country, as well.
1:08:08.120,1:08:14.580
Along with our esteemed faculty I see it
as a moral imperative and a matter of
1:08:14.580,1:08:19.770
justice to make sure every dollar
parents and their young children spend
1:08:19.770,1:08:26.010
on an education here at DeSales
University is worth the investment. The
1:08:26.010,1:08:30.870
data suggests that college graduates
make more money than others, pay more
1:08:30.870,1:08:36.089
taxes, are more likely to be employed,
hold more prestigious jobs, move up
1:08:36.089,1:08:42.270
financially, and become entrepreneurs.
Those are the resume virtues, but those
1:08:42.270,1:08:47.339
data also suggests college graduates are
more likely to volunteer, vote,
1:08:47.339,1:08:52.020
be civic leaders, give larger amounts
to charity, and report higher levels of
1:08:52.020,1:08:58.109
personal job satisfaction. These are the
eulogy virtues. Amidst the mounting
1:08:58.109,1:09:02.850
suspicion for the liberal arts keeping
the right balance of these virtues is a
1:09:02.850,1:09:08.990
hopeful construct in assessing the value
importance and the necessity for them.
1:09:08.990,1:09:15.240
The great American church historian of
the 20th century, Monsignor John Tracy
1:09:15.240,1:09:21.540
Ellis, assailed the trend of Catholic
colleges and universities departing from
1:09:21.540,1:09:26.549
the Catholic intellectual tradition
which made them destination points in
1:09:26.549,1:09:31.230
the middle of the last century. He didn't
have the vocabulary of eulogy virtues
1:09:31.230,1:09:37.109
and resume virtues he was more blunt.
He said the Catholic Academy was guilty
1:09:37.109,1:09:44.400
of athleticism, vocationalism, and
anti-intellectualism. Of course we want
1:09:44.400,1:09:50.640
to get our graduates jobs, but we also
want to get them to heaven. For this
1:09:50.640,1:09:56.130
latter journey, they need to understand
truth, appreciate beauty, and work and
1:09:56.130,1:10:01.080
search for goodness. Anything else cheats
them of what it means to be a learning
1:10:01.080,1:10:07.980
woman or man. Just two weeks ago and
Brendan suggested this in his very warm
1:10:07.980,1:10:12.450
welcome almost three hundred DeSales
students gave up a free weekend to host
1:10:12.450,1:10:15.240
the Special Olympics here in the Lehigh
Valley.
1:10:15.240,1:10:20.150
Hundreds of them also sacrificed their
Spring Break to serve those in need.
1:10:20.150,1:10:24.840
Faithful to the call to care for our
environment, 100 trees are being planted
1:10:24.840,1:10:31.260
by students as part of the inauguration
initiative. Like many of you, I watched
1:10:31.260,1:10:36.270
last week in DC and around the world
hundreds of thousands of teens and young
1:10:36.270,1:10:41.780
people protesting gun violence in the
wake of the massacre in Parkland, Florida.
1:10:41.780,1:10:46.920
Young Sarah Chadwick challenged our
nation's leaders who remained silent to
1:10:46.920,1:10:51.720
sensible legislation to curb gun
violence. She said simply to those
1:10:51.720,1:10:55.890
politicians get ready to get voted out
of office by us,
1:10:55.890,1:11:00.360
the future. This was especially
encouraging not just because she named
1:11:00.360,1:11:05.910
herself and her vast peer group as the
future, rather she assured us that she
1:11:05.910,1:11:11.430
and her vast student group and peer
group will all vote and we pray they do
1:11:11.430,1:11:15.870
and never have such a poor showing at
the polls as the Millennials, a
1:11:15.870,1:11:21.570
generation before them did, when fewer
than one in five voted in the 2016
1:11:21.570,1:11:27.000
election. And I speak directly to all of
our students here today, too many people
1:11:27.000,1:11:34.460
died for your right to vote please honor
them by exercising that cherished right.
1:11:34.460,1:11:40.740
Third and finally, the mission of DeSales University. Our Catholic Salesian
1:11:40.740,1:11:45.420
mission is the centerpiece of what we do
here at DeSales. Our hope for all of our
1:11:45.420,1:11:51.270
students is that they fall in love with
the ultimate beauty who is God and in
1:11:51.270,1:11:54.990
the words of Father Gerry Schubert, the
beloved founder of the theater program
1:11:54.990,1:12:02.850
here at DeSales, quoting Gerard Manley
Hopkins, "we need to give beauty back". This
1:12:02.850,1:12:08.430
is the beauty of social justice, loving
and serving others, especially those in
1:12:08.430,1:12:13.620
need. It would be somewhat anachronistic
to suggest the 16th century Bishop like
1:12:13.620,1:12:19.110
Francis DeSales would have a 21st
century social justice ethos, but his
1:12:19.110,1:12:24.510
notion of unidiverse as defined on the
program cover calls us to a peaceable,
1:12:24.510,1:12:30.830
loving, coexistence with others who are
in any way different from ourselves.
1:12:30.830,1:12:36.330
Whether this difference is based on how
we name God, whom we love, what our
1:12:36.330,1:12:41.610
national origin is, which language we
speak, what color our skin is, for whom we
1:12:41.610,1:12:46.590
vote, or how much we earn. These
differences add to the rich panoply of
1:12:46.590,1:12:51.990
the light that illustrates the grandeur
of God and the expanse of God's grace
1:12:51.990,1:12:57.870
and goodness. Higher education in the
Salesian tradition connects the pursuit
1:12:57.870,1:13:03.330
of truth and a commitment to the
teachings of the Catholic Church. It is
1:13:03.330,1:13:08.160
especially committed to a Christian
humanism that reverences every aspect of
1:13:08.160,1:13:10.849
human
experience as being capable of
1:13:10.849,1:13:13.999
enlightenment by the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
1:13:13.999,1:13:19.939
I find it utterly inspiring that today's
festivities fall on the fiftieth
1:13:19.939,1:13:25.909
anniversary of the death of Reverend Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. King died because
1:13:25.909,1:13:31.959
many people could not tolerate the
unidiverse of his worldview. I quote him,
1:13:31.959,1:13:36.320
"history will have to record that the
greatest tragedy of this period of
1:13:36.320,1:13:41.719
social transition was not the strident
clamor of the bad people, but the
1:13:41.719,1:13:48.050
appalling silence of the good people". At
his death President Johnson exhorted our
1:13:48.050,1:13:52.249
nation to reject line violence as he
hailed the slain religious civil rights
1:13:52.249,1:13:58.879
leader as an apostle of non-violence. St.
Paul proclaims in the second letter to
1:13:58.879,1:14:05.239
the Corinthians, "we are afflicted in
every way but not constrained; perplexed,
1:14:05.239,1:14:11.419
but not driven to despair; persecuted, but
not abandoned; struck down, but not
1:14:11.419,1:14:17.689
destroyed; always carrying about in the
body the dying of Jesus so that the life
1:14:17.689,1:14:23.749
of Jesus may also be manifested in our
body". We can best honor Dr. Martin Luther
1:14:23.749,1:14:29.449
King, says our United States Catholic
Conference of Bishops, by continuing to
1:14:29.449,1:14:35.659
Ford his legacy and boldly asking God
today and every day to deepen our own
1:14:35.659,1:14:40.939
commitment to follow his will wherever
it leads in the cause of promoting
1:14:40.939,1:14:47.539
justice. This is why we cannot be silent
to social issues of our time on this
1:14:47.539,1:14:53.449
College University campus. A primary
skill we learn from St. Francis DeSales
1:14:53.449,1:14:59.629
is the art and the discipline of
dialogue. Pope Francis is an apostle of
1:14:59.629,1:15:04.010
dialogue calling Ford in two of his
seminal writings of this five-year
1:15:04.010,1:15:10.879
papacy. evangelii gaudium and laudato si
champion dialogue as essential means to
1:15:10.879,1:15:16.879
peace. What's more his Congregation for
Catholic education last April announced
1:15:16.879,1:15:21.889
a new vision for Catholic education
where dialogue is the lesson plan
1:15:21.889,1:15:27.530
that puts the human person at the center
of Education. Here in Center Valley, the
1:15:27.530,1:15:32.499
human person in dialogue with others
will be the centerpiece of all learning.
1:15:32.499,1:15:37.849
Such, an educational enterprise emerges
splendidly from our Catholic
1:15:37.849,1:15:42.550
intellectual tradition that is rooted in
the liberal and creative arts and
1:15:42.550,1:15:47.630
connected to the sciences and the
technological pursuits found in business,
1:15:47.630,1:15:55.939
education, healthcare, and social services.
In conclusion, someone once gave a
1:15:55.939,1:16:01.249
commencement address at Yale University.
He spoke to the graduates, "our
1:16:01.249,1:16:06.999
civilization stands at the crossroads.
Down one road is despondency and despair,
1:16:06.999,1:16:12.679
down the other road is total
annihilation. I hope you'll take the
1:16:12.679,1:16:17.719
right Road."
There's too much cynicism about our
1:16:17.719,1:16:23.479
future. I say this again directly to all
of our students: the education you
1:16:23.479,1:16:28.010
receive here at DeSales University
provides you with an extraordinary
1:16:28.010,1:16:35.239
opportunity to reimagine the right road
to take into your future equipped with
1:16:35.239,1:16:40.130
the Salesian art of dialogue and
understanding of the unidiverse. You can be
1:16:40.130,1:16:45.800
the change our world needs at this
present moment. I began my remarks today
1:16:45.800,1:16:51.139
by quoting an Irish poet reminding us
that the human soul is hungry for beauty
1:16:51.139,1:16:57.649
and when we experience the beautiful we
feel immediately at home. DeSales
1:16:57.649,1:17:03.050
University is a home that holds all of
us together whether student, faculty,
1:17:03.050,1:17:11.199
staff, or alumni. The words of our school
seal hanging behind us, hanging behind me
1:17:11.199,1:17:16.969
instructs us well. They're the words that
inspired Francis DeSales, "Tenui nec
1:17:16.969,1:17:22.389
Dimittam". I have taken hold and I will not
let go.
1:17:22.389,1:17:27.800
Francis believed that our God grasped
our hearts and souls in love and will
1:17:27.800,1:17:33.919
never abandon us. My prayer for all of us
is that we never forget we are held in
1:17:33.919,1:17:39.400
such a divine embrace
and we never never ever let go of the
1:17:39.400,1:17:44.530
ultimate beauty who is God, the master
craftsman in whose image we are
1:17:44.530,1:17:50.800
fashioned and who invites us day in and
day out to be who we are and be that
1:17:50.800,1:17:54.300
well. Thank you.
1:18:31.369,1:18:35.670
Thank you President Greenfield for your
inspiring words and your vision for
1:18:35.670,1:18:39.360
DeSales University.
We welcome you as our president and we
1:18:39.360,1:18:43.469
look forward to working with you as the
university moves into the future filled
1:18:43.469,1:18:48.119
with high achievement and service to God,
to the people of Pennsylvania, the nation,
1:18:48.119,1:18:53.519
and the world. And now I would like to
introduce Dr. Stephen Myers, professor of
1:18:53.519,1:18:56.969
English, to read an original poem he
wrote especially for this inauguration.
1:18:56.969,1:19:13.860
Dr. Myers. "Poem Ending with Lines from
Wendell Berry" for the inauguration of
1:19:13.860,1:19:25.709
Reverend James J. Greenfield, OSFS. Then
here they were Jim outside my window in
1:19:25.709,1:19:33.749
Dooling Hall signing their defiance of
January's lead-lined grey with a show of
1:19:33.749,1:19:42.050
feathery blue bird blue an air dance a
spectacular act of levitation and
1:19:42.050,1:19:52.469
semaphoic messaging at heart
performance art chill winds the frozen
1:19:52.469,1:20:04.550
earth dull sky still this is how it
always starts the geese stream north
1:20:04.550,1:20:14.369
held to the ancient faith the witch
hazel explodes in pyrotechnic yellow the
1:20:14.369,1:20:25.309
great horned owl calls in a mate the
whole natural winter world homesick
1:20:25.309,1:20:31.230
hopeful and bent with zeal and great
good cheer
1:20:31.230,1:20:38.210
for home as you were Jim returning here
1:20:38.660,1:20:49.920
now April this auspicious afternoon here
the adding to and drawing from the pool
1:20:49.920,1:21:20.900
of human wisdom carries on here our
various labors various names Amirshokoohi Barbieri Broswell Brown Fuentez
Gupta Choppier Joyce Jubilan Nan
1:21:20.900,1:21:28.550
Pichetto Robbie Schwartz Shive
Schneider Wasnewtski Zerbe here Jim
1:21:28.550,1:21:40.350
before you the University it's beating
heart be unidiverse you exhorted us at
1:21:40.350,1:21:52.970
evening prayer and be that well and here
as one we pray not for new earth and
1:21:52.970,1:22:03.020
heaven but to be quiet in heart and in I
clear
1:22:03.020,1:22:09.020
what we need is here.
1:22:21.120,1:22:26.560
Thank you Dr. Meyers for that wonderful
reading and now that the DeSales
1:22:26.560,1:22:31.090
University chorale will present "All You
Works of the Lord, Bless the Lord"
1:22:31.090,1:22:35.410
while the DeSales University student dancers under the direction of
1:22:35.410,1:22:41.790
Timothy Cowart, associate professor of
dance, perform.
1:28:12.010,1:28:17.679
Please stand and remain standing for the
singing of our alma mater.
1:30:54.820,1:31:01.270
I now invite Bishop Alfred A. Schlert,
the Bishop of the Diocese of Allentown
1:31:01.270,1:31:04.139
to give the benediction.
1:31:13.120,1:31:20.000
Risen Lord, we give you thanks for the
many blessings of this Easter season joy,
1:31:20.000,1:31:28.550
light, and life. Inspire in our DeSales
University community the ability to be
1:31:28.550,1:31:34.850
joyful disciples on the road to emmaus
who recognized the presence of Christ
1:31:34.850,1:31:44.110
and proclaim his truth to all the world.
Allow us students, faculty, administrators,
1:31:44.110,1:31:50.480
benefactors, and Friends of DeSales to be
faithful witnesses of Jesus who
1:31:50.480,1:31:57.080
courageously bring the light of Christ
into the doubt, darkness, and hostility of
1:31:57.080,1:32:04.100
this world. Renew in us a greater
appreciation for the new life that you
1:32:04.100,1:32:10.340
have won for us through your
resurrection from the dead. As we depart
1:32:10.340,1:32:16.130
from this place grateful for the gift of
DeSales University and our newly
1:32:16.130,1:32:23.420
installed fourth president Father James
Greenfield OSFS may the joy, Light, and
1:32:23.420,1:32:30.650
Life of the Easter season guide us and
remain with us always. The Lord be with
1:32:30.650,1:32:39.950
you. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Our
help is in the name of the Lord. May
1:32:39.950,1:32:47.350
Almighty God bless you. The Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
1:32:55.120,1:33:01.219
This concludes the inauguration ceremony
of Reverend James J. Greenfield ,fourth
1:33:01.219,1:33:05.659
President of DeSales University. Please
remain in your seats throughout the
1:33:05.659,1:33:08.710
recessional you are all invited to a
reception in the DeSales University
1:33:08.710,1:33:20.890
Center. Thank you for being a part of
this momentous occasion.
