By Fr. Francis Di Spigno, O.F.M.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Here at St. Bonaventure, there are a lot of changes taking place, not to return to what was but to build what is to come.
One of the changes is the rewording of our mission statement and a new set of university values. It is not a coincidence that this is happening in conjunction with the upcoming arrival of our new mission officer.
Any successful organization knows how important it is to have solid mission and values statements. They define us; remind us who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
From the very first time Dr. Dennis DePerro spoke on campus as our president, it was apparent that he not only understood that but embraced it wholeheartedly. We are grateful!
St. Bonaventure Mission Statement
St. Bonaventure is a Catholic university dedicated to educational excellence as informed by our Franciscan and liberal arts traditions. In the words of our patron, we believe that there should be “no knowledge without love,” and thus seek to transform the lives of our students, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. St. Bonaventure embraces students, faculty and staff of all faiths and cultures and strives to bring out the best in every individual through meaningful relationships. As an academic and spiritual community, we endeavor to prepare our students for the challenges they will face in their professional careers and personal lives.
In June, Dr. DePerro announced that Fr. Russel Murray, O.F.M., will become the vice president for Mission and Integration. A Presidential Commission on University Mission had recommended the university reestablish the office for Mission Integration, update the SBU mission statement to make it relevant to today’s experience, and “identify a list of Franciscan values unique to the university and specifically connected to our patron, St. Bonaventure.”
The substance of our mission statement did not change but it now frames the spirit and words of St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio. Taken from his Itinerarium Mentis in Deum/The Soul’s Journey into God, Bonaventure says, “… there should be no knowledge without love.” St. Bonaventure knew that the life of the mind must be connected to the love of the heart, for “knowledge without love is in vain.” What is learned in the classroom, the residence halls, the chapel and locker rooms must be integrated to who we are in the world.
The question of our university’s values was a different story. There were several university “values” flouting around so it was clear that we needed to create one set of values that define who we are today. After numerous conversations, a survey of our alumni, students, faculty and staff, and consultation with the administration and Board of Trustees, we knew first and foremost that St. Bonaventure is a community.
We then set out to name exactly what type of community is at the core of who we are, what holds us together, and what drives us on toward the future. We are a community nurturing compassion, seeking wisdom, and building integrity.
St. Bonaventure Values
Informed by our Franciscan Charism,
we are a COMMUNITY …
… nurturing COMPASSION.
… seeking WISDOM.
… building INTEGRITY.
The primary Franciscan value that we offer the world is community. We are a community of people who like each other and who, at times, don’t. We are a community of people who have similar thoughts, and sometimes, not. But, as a community, we know that our common unity flows out of our respectful exchange of our differences as well as our joyful recognition that we are Bonnies.
As a community that nurtures compassion we recognize that everyone is created in God’s image and likeness, so we strive to echo God’s unconditional love for one another. As an institution of higher learning we not only focus on acquiring knowledge, but also on becoming wise. We prize the value of integrity so the foundation of our community remains strong and stable.
Despite these important changes, one thing that won’t change is introducing our Franciscan charism to the next generation.
In early July, the University Ministries team spent an afternoon and evening with our 2019 Orientation Team at Mt. Irenaeus (pictured below). It was a wonderful time together in that gorgeous setting. The highlight was the incredible sharing that took place during the Mass in the chapel as we brought the day to a close.
Although not everyone was Catholic, everyone knew the Franciscan spirit was alive and well. A bit overwhelmed with the experience of acceptance and love that was in the chapel that night, one of the students quietly said to me, “Religion wasn’t like this when I was growing up,” to which I replied, “That’s why we do it.”
That’s why the Franciscan charism and spirituality are so vital to the who, what, and why of St. Bonaventure. It is what makes us different. It is what makes us, us.
Fr. Francis Di Spigno is executive director of University Ministries.
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