Donation boosts Catholic studies program

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This article was published 06/09/2014 (4320 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Somewhere between his university courses and his summer job, University of Manitoba science student Chris Lytwyn squeezed in time to explore the origins of his Catholic tradition.

“It helped me live my faith,” says the third-year student about his two-week study course to Israel last spring.

“Going to Israel and seeing where Jesus walked really opened it up for me.”

Next year, more students may have the opportunity to take the travel-study course through St. Paul’s College, located on the U of M campus, thanks to a substantial donation by retired lawyer Conrad Wyrzykowski.

Part of the million-dollar donation, leveraged into $1.5 million with provincial grants, will establish scholarships for travel courses, field studies and service projects, says Rev. Jeffrey Burwell, the director of the Jesuit Centre for Catholic Studies at St. Paul’s College. The remainder is designated for bursaries and expanded on-campus programming, including sessional instructors and lecturers.

Burwell says the Catholic studies program offers university students the opportunity to explore how this significant part of the Christian church has shaped history and contemporary society.

“We’re very clear Catholic studies is not theology, it’s not your Sunday school catechism,” says Burwell, one of two full-time professors in the program.

“It’s (about) the engagement the Catholic Church has had historically with the world.”

The province’s only post-secondary Catholic studies program plans to expand that engagement by offering online courses for the first time this fall, says Christopher Adams, rector at St. Paul’s.

“We’re trying to make the college more useful to people outside the university,” says Adams.

He says on-campus students are eager to take the introductory class, with 250 students signed up this year, 25 times more than registered for the course in 2000.

The Catholic studies program also offers courses on Catholic social teachings, human sexuality, legacy of the Jesuits and the ever-popular course on the paranormal.

“Catholics love the occult,” says Burwell, adding the course is also full whenever offered.

“Catholics aren’t rationalist in the sense that unless ‘I see it, I don’t believe it (way).’ “

Despite the curiosity about apparitions and demon possession, Burwell says the point of all the program’s courses to help students develop fully as humans, no matter what their major field of study.

“The Catholic studies program transforms students not just intellectually, but emotionally and socially,” says Burwell, about to take his final vows as a Jesuit priest. Jesuits are known for their commitment to education of the whole person.

“We need to give ourselves in the service of others, just to be a human person.”

That’s been Wyrzykowki’s motivation all his life, inspired by the priests and nuns who took an interest in him as a child.

He’s happy if others follow his example of generosity to help others in need, no matter what the cause.

“My attitude would be we should all give to those who don’t have,” says the graduate of St. Paul’s High School.

“It’s contagious, I believe. I’m motivated to give money to the religious order or somewhere else, and someone is motivated to take care of cats.”

brenda@suderman.com

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