THE BRAZIL FACULTY IMMERSION
EXPERIENCE
By Dr. Mary Laver, Director of Programs for Applied Catholic Social Teaching
It all started with a party marking a milestone for the Cabrini family. Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from all over the world gathered at Cabrini College in April 2005 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of their order by St. Frances Cabrini.
Representing the order in Brazil, Sr. Terezinha Lumbieri came to the podium in the Widener Lecture Hall and spoke passionately about the need for global solidarity between people, including the Cabrinian family.
Fifteen months later, five members of the college community headed to Brazil on the first international Cabrini College faculty solidarity study tour, cosponsored by Cabrini College, the MSCs and Catholic Relief Services, our oldest and newest international social justice partners.
The travelers (Adeline Bethany, Fine Arts; April Perrymore, Psychology; Ann Servey, Business; Jerry Zurek, English/ Communications; Mary Laver, Wolfington Center/ Applied Catholic Social Teaching) spent an intensive 12 days in Brazil. With Colegio Madre Cabrini as a home-base, the group met the Provincial officers, the retired sisters, young novices and lay leaders of the Madre Cabrini base community. At the Cabrini “creche,” a daycare center for children of the working poor, they were presented with a collage of images including Frances Cabrini holding a balloon!
In Northeast Brazil, CRS program associate Joseph Kelly offered the Cabrini entourage a traveling seminar on how CRS and its community partners are combating the problem of “escravos”—rural workers lured into indentured slavery by unscrupulous “gatos” seeking labor for ranches and charcoal plants. The Cabrini group saw creative approaches to this problem–character-building drama and dance programs for youth and small business projects for adults. The spiritual anchor of this work was obvious, as local people shared stores of how they had been mentored in their churches and schools, and inspired by Fr. Josimo Tavares, an Afro-Brazilian priest who was killed in 1986 for speaking out against slavery.
A second theme of the CRS portion of the trip was environmental issues – a social justice topic chosen by Cabrini College faculty this year. Known for its immense natural resources, Brazil is also pioneering “green” projects in farming and fuel-use, with help from CRS/ Brazil and local partners. The Cabrini group saw a demonstration of the use of “eco-charcoal” by local technical experts working with former slave-workers who would soon become co-owners of this initiative.
The Cabrini travelers returned to campus in July eager to use their Brazil experiences to share what they learned with colleagues and students. They are also working on a follow-up proposal to work with other Catholic higher education institutions on global social justice education.
Clearly, Sister Terezinha’s Widener Center speech is still echoing on and beyond Cabrini College. With her global visions of compassion and community—and her Brazilian balloon!--we think St. Frances Cabrini would be pleased.
By Dr. Mary Laver, Director of Programs for Applied Catholic Social Teaching
It all started with a party marking a milestone for the Cabrini family. Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus from all over the world gathered at Cabrini College in April 2005 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of their order by St. Frances Cabrini.
Representing the order in Brazil, Sr. Terezinha Lumbieri came to the podium in the Widener Lecture Hall and spoke passionately about the need for global solidarity between people, including the Cabrinian family.
Fifteen months later, five members of the college community headed to Brazil on the first international Cabrini College faculty solidarity study tour, cosponsored by Cabrini College, the MSCs and Catholic Relief Services, our oldest and newest international social justice partners.
The travelers (Adeline Bethany, Fine Arts; April Perrymore, Psychology; Ann Servey, Business; Jerry Zurek, English/ Communications; Mary Laver, Wolfington Center/ Applied Catholic Social Teaching) spent an intensive 12 days in Brazil. With Colegio Madre Cabrini as a home-base, the group met the Provincial officers, the retired sisters, young novices and lay leaders of the Madre Cabrini base community. At the Cabrini “creche,” a daycare center for children of the working poor, they were presented with a collage of images including Frances Cabrini holding a balloon!
In Northeast Brazil, CRS program associate Joseph Kelly offered the Cabrini entourage a traveling seminar on how CRS and its community partners are combating the problem of “escravos”—rural workers lured into indentured slavery by unscrupulous “gatos” seeking labor for ranches and charcoal plants. The Cabrini group saw creative approaches to this problem–character-building drama and dance programs for youth and small business projects for adults. The spiritual anchor of this work was obvious, as local people shared stores of how they had been mentored in their churches and schools, and inspired by Fr. Josimo Tavares, an Afro-Brazilian priest who was killed in 1986 for speaking out against slavery.
A second theme of the CRS portion of the trip was environmental issues – a social justice topic chosen by Cabrini College faculty this year. Known for its immense natural resources, Brazil is also pioneering “green” projects in farming and fuel-use, with help from CRS/ Brazil and local partners. The Cabrini group saw a demonstration of the use of “eco-charcoal” by local technical experts working with former slave-workers who would soon become co-owners of this initiative.
The Cabrini travelers returned to campus in July eager to use their Brazil experiences to share what they learned with colleagues and students. They are also working on a follow-up proposal to work with other Catholic higher education institutions on global social justice education.
Clearly, Sister Terezinha’s Widener Center speech is still echoing on and beyond Cabrini College. With her global visions of compassion and community—and her Brazilian balloon!--we think St. Frances Cabrini would be pleased.