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Young Alumni Discuss Contemporary Faith

2/2/2018

On Wednesday, January 31, the Faith and Service Committee of the President's Leadership Council (PLC) hosted, “Staying Grounded: The Ignatian Way,” a faith-based networking event for young alumni at Gibsons Italia in Chicago. A panel of individuals from the Jesuit and Loyola Academy communities discussed the challenges of being a young Catholic in today’s secular world while tackling common misconceptions about the Church.

The evening began with a warm welcome from PLC Faith and Service Executive Board member Saly Sebastian ’06. Sebastian thanked guests and the PLC Faith and Service committee. Then, Loyola Academy President Rev. Patrick E. McGrath, SJ, began with a reflection in which he encouraged alumni to ask questions about their faith and how challenging it can be to stay grounded as a Catholic in a secular world.

Panelists included:

Rev. Patrick McGrath, SJ, President, Loyola Academy
Rev. Tom Hurley, Pastor, Old St. Patrick's Church
Mark Chang, Faculty, Loyola Academy Theology Department
Lauren Gaffey, Director of Young Adult & Sacramental Formation, Old St. Patrick's Church and Program Director, Charis Ministries
Rev. Joe Simmons, SJ, Faculty, Loyola Academy

Sebastian moderated the program, and the audience posed questions such as, “How can I better prioritize my faith, especially when I don’t have time?” and “What is the role of women in the Church, and how might we see that evolve?”

The evening provided ample time for shared wisdom and insight. Loyola Academy Theology Teacher Mr. Mark Chang offered this advice: “Through the highs and lows, what remains the same is Mass and the rituals. That is my constant throughout my life’s journey.”

Before the evening concluded, Father McGrath shared these words, “If you build a community of love, people will desire membership.”

“It was a really nice event. Gibson's Italia is such a neat new space with spectacular city views! The panel did a great job answering questions and offering spiritual insight,” says Elizabeth Kadison O’Connor ’02. “I was really impressed with the turnout, which speaks to the great work Loyola is doing to re-engage young alumni. I was happy to be able to attend and grateful to the PLC for their efforts to offer a program like this.”

"Staying Grounded: The Ignatian Way was the second event of Loyola Academy’s three-part young alumni faith formation series," explains Sebastian. "Our speakers helped guide the discussion and did a fantastic job representing the Church in an engaging and approachable way. We are just beginning to scratch the surface together and we were left wanting more. I’m looking forward to continuing the dialogue."

A special thank you to Saly Sebastian ‘06 for coordinating this event and for her dedication to the PLC. In addition, we are grateful to the PLC Faith & Service Committee Volunteers:

PLC Faith & Service Executive Board

Rory Kenny '06, chair
Mark McGuire ’06
Laura Schrum ’07
Saly Sebastian ’06

Event Volunteers

Brendan Cowhey ’10
Brian Daly ’10
Audrey Gaughan ’10
Elizabeth Maddock Kearney ’06
Estelle Pappas ’11

Be sure to join the PLC at Loyola Academy Alumni Mass & Fellowship on Sunday, February, 11 at Old St. Patrick’s Church. To learn more, click here.

To learn more about Catholic youth organizations, please visit the resources below:

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