Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
As we shift to the Ballston swing space--and eventually the new Ballston campus facilities--we as members, family, friends, and supporters of the Marymount community cannot forget to allot for a space and resources for students to continue to be so formed. It has come to the attention of students that there are currently no concrete plans(for the intermediary or new Ballston campus) to include a Chapel and prayer space for University students to use for personal reflection, services, or mass.
Deeply concerned, we look to the University mission statement and tradition for guidance:
"Marymount is a student-centered learning community that values diversity and focuses on the education of the whole person, promoting the intellectual,spiritual, and moral growth of each individual. Scholarship, leadership, service, and ethics are hallmarks of a Marymount education...A Marymount education reflects the mission of the University and fulfills its Catholic identity and the heritage of its founders, the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. The University fosters intellectual, spiritual, and moral growth through study, reflection, and application of knowledge." - Marymount University Official Website
If Marymount University wishes to continue fostering spiritual growth within its members, firm plans must be made to give students, faculty, and staff, the spaces necessary to pray, reflect, and to be formed in their faith.
We the below signed urge the administration of the Ballston restructuring project to prayerfully and seriously consider this plea.
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Updates
March 26, 2014
Marymount leadership is still hiding behind vague excuses while ignoring the spiritual needs of this community. They think we will just quietly accept the erasure of our prayer space if they wait long enough. They are wrong.
17 Comments
I greatly appreciate having a chapel at both the Ballston campus and the center of main campus. In the midst of running from class to class, meeting deadlines, and trying to maintain work schedules, it is so refreshing to be able to take a step back from the hectic nature of day-to-day life and spend some time in peace, quiet, and prayer before the Eucharist. Being a Catholic University, I would definitely expect that Marymount would continue the tradition of including a chapel at the Ballston campus.
I go to this chapel to several times each week! When students have more than one class at Ballston campus, the chapel is the perfect place to wait between classes!
There should be a universal prayer/meditation space if we are to uphold these common ground principles. I am in total agreement that a space like this is necessary for all faiths regardless of their background or creed. College is a place of personal growth and development and as such a worship/prayer/meditation space is required; especially considering many of the students who attend classes down there rarely come up to main campus during service hours.
One chapel is not enough. This is a Catholic University, where students will use this place of worship to praise Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. I have been told several times that the University is trying to display and increase their true, Catholic identity. I would be very disappointed if Marymount, quite frankly, did not live up to their word.
As the University is aiming at furthering the Catholic Identity of Marymount, it seems tragically regressive to build the new Ballston building without plans to include a chapel. The peaceful and true presence of Jesus Christ in the chapel at Ballston makes a difference to the students, faculty and staff.
Praying!
EMAIL FROM DR. MATT SHANK, PRESIDENT OF MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY:Greetings Father Bashista: Recently, there have been a number of students, faculty and staff inquiring about the presence of a chapel and/or meditation space in the new Ballston Center. Questions have also surfaced about space for a chapel and/or meditation at 4040 Fairfax, the building we will occupy as temporary space (or swing space) during the construction period. I am very pleased to communicate that we will have both a chapel and meditation space in the new Ballston center and also in the temporary space at 4040 Fairfax. Our Catholic students will have the opportunity to pray and attend Mass in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. All of our students will also have a separate space for meditation, prayer or reflection. Unfortunately, it is too early in the planning process to determine the size and location of the chapel and meditation space within the new Ballston Center. I will, however, be seeking your input and, as you know, have asked you to serve on the interiors task force for the new Ballston Center. Please feel free to disseminate this note to anyone you wish. I ask for your continued support and prayers as we move forward together on this important project for Marymount. Thank you. Matt Matthew D. Shank, Ph.D President Marymount University
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
As we shift to the Ballston swing space--and eventually the new Ballston campus facilities--we as members, family, friends, and supporters of the Marymount community cannot forget to allot for a space and resources for students to continue to be so formed. It has come to the attention of students that there are currently no concrete plans(for the intermediary or new Ballston campus) to include a Chapel and prayer space for University students to use for personal reflection, services, or mass.
Deeply concerned, we look to the University mission statement and tradition for guidance:
"Marymount is a student-centered learning community that values diversity and focuses on the education of the whole person, promoting the intellectual,spiritual, and moral growth of each individual. Scholarship, leadership, service, and ethics are hallmarks of a Marymount education...A Marymount education reflects the mission of the University and fulfills its Catholic identity and the heritage of its founders, the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. The University fosters intellectual, spiritual, and moral growth through study, reflection, and application of knowledge." - Marymount University Official Website
If Marymount University wishes to continue fostering spiritual growth within its members, firm plans must be made to give students, faculty, and staff, the spaces necessary to pray, reflect, and to be formed in their faith.
We the below signed urge the administration of the Ballston restructuring project to prayerfully and seriously consider this plea.
Updates
March 26, 2014
Marymount leadership is still hiding behind vague excuses while ignoring the spiritual needs of this community. They think we will just quietly accept the erasure of our prayer space if they wait long enough. They are wrong.
17 Comments
I work in the Ballston area and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to attend daily mass.
I greatly appreciate having a chapel at both the Ballston campus and the center of main campus. In the midst of running from class to class, meeting deadlines, and trying to maintain work schedules, it is so refreshing to be able to take a step back from the hectic nature of day-to-day life and spend some time in peace, quiet, and prayer before the Eucharist. Being a Catholic University, I would definitely expect that Marymount would continue the tradition of including a chapel at the Ballston campus.
I go to this chapel to several times each week! When students have more than one class at Ballston campus, the chapel is the perfect place to wait between classes!
There should be a universal prayer/meditation space if we are to uphold these common ground principles. I am in total agreement that a space like this is necessary for all faiths regardless of their background or creed. College is a place of personal growth and development and as such a worship/prayer/meditation space is required; especially considering many of the students who attend classes down there rarely come up to main campus during service hours.
One chapel is not enough. This is a Catholic University, where students will use this place of worship to praise Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. I have been told several times that the University is trying to display and increase their true, Catholic identity. I would be very disappointed if Marymount, quite frankly, did not live up to their word.
As the University is aiming at furthering the Catholic Identity of Marymount, it seems tragically regressive to build the new Ballston building without plans to include a chapel. The peaceful and true presence of Jesus Christ in the chapel at Ballston makes a difference to the students, faculty and staff.
Praying!
EMAIL FROM DR. MATT SHANK, PRESIDENT OF MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY:Greetings Father Bashista: Recently, there have been a number of students, faculty and staff inquiring about the presence of a chapel and/or meditation space in the new Ballston Center. Questions have also surfaced about space for a chapel and/or meditation at 4040 Fairfax, the building we will occupy as temporary space (or swing space) during the construction period. I am very pleased to communicate that we will have both a chapel and meditation space in the new Ballston center and also in the temporary space at 4040 Fairfax. Our Catholic students will have the opportunity to pray and attend Mass in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. All of our students will also have a separate space for meditation, prayer or reflection. Unfortunately, it is too early in the planning process to determine the size and location of the chapel and meditation space within the new Ballston Center. I will, however, be seeking your input and, as you know, have asked you to serve on the interiors task force for the new Ballston Center. Please feel free to disseminate this note to anyone you wish. I ask for your continued support and prayers as we move forward together on this important project for Marymount. Thank you. Matt Matthew D. Shank, Ph.D President Marymount University
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I work in the Ballston area and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to attend daily mass.