Archive for: Newman Guide Articles

One of the nation’s leading Catholic bioethicists, Dr. Joseph Meaney, navigates tough ethical questions as president of the National Catholic Bioethics Center—and he relies every day on the strong formation he received at a faithful Catholic college.

The world is undergoing a massive scientific revolution, and the 21^st century may be defined, in part, by its great advances in the realm of biology. As discoveries are made, such as new cancer treatments and genetic manipulation, new ethical questions are raised as well.

When discussing important questions about “end of life issues,” an “experimental procedure” or some other bioethical topic, Meaney “provides what the Church teaches, but also compassionate listening and prayer.”

“This feels like many of my experiences at the University of Dallas,” Meaney relates. At the university located in Irving, Texas, “There was real human interaction — caring for others around you, while also sharing the wisdom of the Church.”

Navigating consultations at the National Catholic Bioethics Center is like “reliving those experiences” at UD, which is recommended for its strong Catholic identity in The Newman Guide. When Meaney entered a public graduate school, these interactions did not happen nearly as frequently as they did in the close-knit Catholic community at UD.

“It was beautiful to be in an environment where virtue is fostered,” Meaney explains. In a way, the University of Dallas was a “bubble,” which Meaney says is a positive attribute.

“There was positive peer pressure… roommates who cared about you,” he shared. “It had a strong Catholic identity, values. By and large, there was a real Catholic ethos.”

Rather than having his faith constantly challenged or facing “political correctness and relativism” on campus, the undergraduate years were “very formative.”

UD was not “high school extended” and didn’t foster the “‘Peter Pan syndrome’ where kids don’t want to grow up,” Meaney says. Instead, it was a “good education” which helped spur on “intellectual, social and spiritual maturity” and helped students live a “good Catholic life.”

“An atmosphere that fosters marriage is wonderful,” Meaney says, in contrast to the widespread hook-up culture that exists on many campuses. “I met so many great people, some of whom were preparing for a religious vocation.”

Studying the liberal arts helps students “develop intellectually, seek truth, learn from the best minds, and orient yourself towards your vocations,” explains Meaney, who majored in history. The Rome study abroad program also helped many students “grow in maturity,” as learned to travel internationally on their own or in small groups. Meaney took part in countless other opportunities on campus, such as the tennis team, pro-life club, French language plays, the history honors society, and more.

Meaney took his first bioethics course at UD with the great pro-life philosopher Dr. Janet Smith, and now has come full circle. In 2019, Meaney was appointed head of the NCBC, where he promotes the dignity of the human person full-time.

“The human person is so precious… and needs to be treated with reverence and awe – not taken apart to manipulate without consequences,” he urges. “Catholics need to live that message and spread it and call out abuses that take place all the time.”

Catholic schools and colleges, especially faithful ones like UD, can help teach and restore respect for all human life. “Catholic education provides a beautiful basis for intellectual knowledge and spiritual growth. It’s tried and true formation.”

Opportunities for public Masses and other spiritual offerings have been limited over the last several months for Catholics across the globe due to COVID-19. To help fill the spiritual void and provide consolation, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have been livestreaming their daily Masses and other prayers online for the first time.

Sister Maximilian Marie, O.P., has been responsible for responding to the prayer intentions that the sisters have received during this challenging time. The Newman Society recently asked Sr. Maximilian Marie about this experience and how her vocation was influenced by her time at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts in Warner, N.H., which is recommended in The Newman Guide.

Newman Society: Why did the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, decide to share their private prayers and Masses online?

Sr. Maximilian Marie: At the Motherhouse, we are blessed by circumstances that allow us to have daily Mass during the current pandemic crisis. Our deep gratitude for the Blessed Sacrament, coupled with the recent launch (July 2019) of our Lumen Ecclesiae Digital platform, led to the possibility of daily livestreaming our Mass, Holy Hour, Rosary and prayers.

Thus, we invited people, globally and across denominations, to join in our community prayers to provide consolation and hope during this time of pandemic. It is our desire to especially inform people about the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours — the ongoing prayers of the Church — which we livestream at three periods of the day: Lauds (Morning Prayer), Vespers (Evening Prayer) and Compline (Night Prayer).

Upon reflection, I see the livestreaming project as another way to live out our vocation as Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. Jesus and His Real Presence are the heart of our vocation as Brides of Christ and the source of our Spiritual Motherhood. We start our day with a common hour of Eucharistic Adoration and Holy Mass, and then, in normal circumstances, we go out into the schools to share the great gift we have received with our students. In these days of “shelter-in-place,” by livestreaming our otherwise private Community Mass and prayers, we are able to bring Jesus to starving souls in a very different way but far reaching: we are not limited to the four walls of our classrooms, but bring Jesus into living rooms across the globe.

I am sure St. Dominic would have done the same! Upon founding the Order, he did something new by sending his friars out into the heart of society — founding convents amidst the hustle and bustle of universities and big cities… because that was where the people were. Through livestreaming and archived videos on our platform, we can bring Jesus to anyone and everyone who is homebound, alone and without the Sacraments during the pandemic.

In these last months, I have had the privilege of reading and responding to the prayer intentions we receive through our website. They come in from around the globe and across denominations, expressing their gratitude and commenting on how, because of the livestreaming throughout the day, they do not feel quite as alone during these days of solitude.

Newman Society: What was your experience like at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts?

Sr. Maximilian Marie: I arrived at Magdalen College as a 21-year-old freshman, a little older than most students, but ripe and ready to live a more honest, authentic life. I immersed myself in the liberal arts program, the community life and the sacramental life on campus. At Magdalen College, I was stretched intellectually, socially and spiritually, and I loved it for that reason!

“The unexamined life is not worth living,” I was told in my first tutorial, and I was now examining my life with bigger eyes than ever, as I was exposed to (and exposed by) a variety of universally acclaimed works. This experience opened me to examining the fundamental questions of life: “Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going?” As I wrestled with these great works in the context of honest, personal friendships and a strong community life, a childlike wonder began to reawaken in me, and the floodgates of grace seemingly flew open!

I recall, one day at Mass, after receiving the Holy Eucharist, I gazed up at the Crucifix and realized how much Christ loved me. This experience was a special grace. The reality of the Crucifix and of the Holy Eucharist took hold of me — sacrificial love and selflessness.

As a “devout” Catholic, I had seen, known and consumed Him my whole life, but never with such deep meaning. This experience demanded a radical response from me: sanctity.  From this point on and by God’s grace, I became a daily communicant and totally in love with the Living Person, Jesus Christ. My identity was rooted in Christ, my Lord and His Catholic Church. This is the beginning to any faithful vocation… an invitation to love.

Newman Society: How did your time at Magdalen College influence your vocation to the religious life?

Sr. Maximilian Marie: It is curious, how this lay-governed, lay-administered Catholic institution that emphasized lay-leadership, was the key that opened my soul to consecrated religious life. I smile to think how, upon entering the convent in 2001, my college copy of Vatican Council II documents bears in its margins excitedly scribbled remarks alongside paragraphs focused on the laity, while the margins of the sections on Religious Life, were quite tidy.

To be honest, I do not recall any overt, external influences toward religious life—perhaps because, at the time, I had a one track-mind toward marriage. But, in retrospect it was the dynamic of the program of studies, the community life and the sacramental life that was foundational to my vocation.

A key influential factor was the emphatic teaching instilled in us regarding the universal call to holiness and seeing it lived out. From studying the social teachings of the Church and living them in a common life, to daily witnessing the sincere gift of self among faculty and staff, I realized that sanctification was ‘worked out’ in every act and at every moment.

This realization and the habits instilled made me truly free to say a wholehearted “Yes” to the will of God, whether it was seemingly inconsequential tasks like cleaning a bathroom to life decisions and vocational matters. Each action was a little fiat proclaimed with Mary: “Let it be done.”

In my almost 20 years of religious life, all that I received at Magdalen College has been constantly deepened and broadened in the context of our Dominican tradition of study, contemplation, and community life. Hardly a day goes by in which I do not recall some aspect of my education and formation at Magdalen College, for which I am so very grateful.

George Simon spent his first two years in college at a state university, but he wasn’t satisfied with the education he was receiving. He transferred to John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido, Calif., which is recommended in The Newman Guide, and the University made a “huge impact” on every aspect of his life.

“JPCatholic,” the nickname adopted by students and graduates, is a faithfully Catholic institution that combines an exciting emphasis on creative arts and business with serious theology and liberal arts. It has developed a creative community of artists and innovators in the heart of Escondido, which lies between San Diego and Hollywood. The university strives to prepare young people to evangelize and transform culture.

Today, Simon is a professor of film production at JPCatholic and is married to a fellow graduate. The Newman Society recently asked Simon to share about his experience at JPCatholic, and why it’s important for young creative Catholics to develop their artistic gifts.

Newman Society: Can you tell us about your background and relation to JPCatholic?  

Professor George Simon: Sure! I was born in Michigan and my family moved to American Samoa when I was seven years old. My parents bought a video camera so that we could record home movies and send them back to our family. My dad agreed to let my brother and I use the camera, and we spent the next seven years running around the island making movies.

In 2006, I enrolled at a state university in Michigan, which was not a good fit. I decided to transfer, and after hearing about a small Catholic film school in San Diego from my mom, I sent in my application and enrolled at JPCatholic in 2008. I graduated in 2012 with an emphasis in screenwriting.

After graduating, I spent four years growing a video production company and working in San Diego, Grand Rapids, and Chicago. In 2016, I married my wife, Melinda, a fellow grad of JPCatholic, and accepted an opportunity to work at JPCatholic. I was awarded my Master’s degree in film producing in 2018 and currently work there as a full-time professor.   

Newman Society: Why did you choose to transfer to JPCatholic?   

Professor George Simon: After two years studying broadcasting and cinematic arts in Michigan, I became really discouraged by the lack of hands-on filmmaking classes. I researched other universities in Michigan that had programs related to film and television, but none of them offered a rigorous, hands-on curriculum that involved actually making movies.

When I discovered JPCatholic and saw that I would be taking multiple classes in film production, directing, screenwriting and post production in my first year, I knew it was the right fit. As I went through the curriculum, every class made me say, “Yes, this is exactly what I want to be studying.” Three months later, I was on a train from Michigan to San Diego, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.   

Newman Society: How did you benefit from the Catholic education and formation provided by JPCatholic?   

Professor George Simon: The decision to transfer from a secular university with 25,000 students to a small Catholic university had a huge impact on every aspect of my life. I went from a culture where the expectation is that everyone is going to party for four years, straight to a place where I was surrounded by passionate Catholics and where daily Mass and confession is offered on campus.

I was born and raised Catholic and my dad is a deacon, but it wasn’t until I started attending JPCatholic that I ever went to adoration or spent time in an adoration chapel. The theology and philosophy classes helped me to grow in my faith and challenged me to think for myself and tell stories that are good for humanity, instead of just trying to emulate whatever Quentin Tarantino or David Fincher are doing.   

Newman Society: Can you share about some of your film projects like Get Clean and Almost Home? 

Professor George Simon: Absolutely! ​Get Clean​ is a short film that my wife and I made while we were both in college. Melinda came up with the idea of a character whose sins begin manifesting as marks on her skin. The character tries, unsuccessfully, to wash the marks away and is ultimately only able to remove them by receiving the sacrament of confession.

The process of making the film was crazy, because it was put together really quickly. We didn’t have any equipment other than a camera, so I used a giant roll of trash bags as a make-shift tripod. We edited the film that night and submitted it to a scholarship contest an hour before the submission deadline.

We ended up winning the top prize, which was a $25,000 scholarship for Melinda and a $25,000 grant for JPCatholic. Unfortunately, I had withdrawn from the university due to financial reasons and was not eligible for the scholarship. Derry Connolly, the president of the university, used the grant to create an additional scholarship to make it possible for me to come back and finish my degree.   

Almost Home​ is a short film that was created as part of the 8Beats Anthology, which is an anthology film that explores modern parables based on the eight Beatitudes of Jesus Christ. The story follows a truck driver who is trying to get home to his family and a little boy on a road trip with his parents, who cannot stop fighting. The film just concluded its festival run after winning awards at multiple festivals including the Windy City Film Festival in Chicago and the Transparent Film Festival in New York City. The 8Beats Anthology is produced by Catholic Creatives and is scheduled for release in 2020.   

My most recent project is a short film titled ​The Scar,​ which tells the story of Arthur, who cares for his wife Mercy in the aftermath of an accident that destroyed her memory. In an effort to stimulate her mind, Arthur tells tall tales about the mysterious scar on his chest, which appeared the same day Mercy lost her memory. The film is extremely ambitious and required scenes in feudal Japan, the old West, and the Mediterranean Sea. We’re close to finishing up post-production, and I’m excited to send this small-but-mighty film out into the world.   

Newman Society: How does the Catholic faith influence the courses you teach as a film professor?   

Professor George Simon: As artists who are seeking to impact culture for Christ, we all recognize that we cannot settle for mediocrity in our art. Everyone strives for excellence and pushes one another to be excellent, not just for their own personal benefit, but because the mission we are all undertaking demands that we become exceptional storytellers. Otherwise we have no ability to compete in an industry that has immense power to either call humanity closer to Jesus Christ, or to push them away.   

I teach a Fundamentals of Production class that is basically movie making 101—students learn how to use a camera, record audio, set up lights, write, produce, film and edit. It can seem challenging to infuse a demonstration on how to set up a C-Stand with the deep theological truths of the Catholic faith, however, even in these technical moments is the collective faith of the students and faculty that have the greatest impact. The Catholic faith that is shared between my students is powerful and influential.    

Newman Society: Why do you think it’s important for young creative Catholics to develop their artistic gifts? Why do you think it’s important for the Church to be involved in the arts?   

Professor George Simon: For me, as a filmmaker, developing my creative gifts and growing as an artist is inseparable from my journey to heaven. God invites every one of us to develop our talents and when we accept that invitation, we glorify Him and show the world the unique beauty He has planted in our souls. Every young Catholic artist should develop their creative gifts, because it is an integral part of who God made them to be.

One of the first things I tell my students is that, as filmmakers, we live in the best possible time in human history to make movies. As cameras and film equipment have become more accessible, it has become more possible than ever to create content that can compete with major studios. It is crucial for young Catholic artists to develop their gifts in order to become exceptional storytellers and earn the right to be heard.

Studios and networks spend billions of dollars each year creating stories that have tremendous impact on the world. In order to fully answer the call to “make disciples of all nations,” it is imperative that young artists are perfecting their raw talents into precise and experienced craftsmanship, enabling them to share the experience of God’s love, whether overtly or subtlety, in every script they write, set they work on and story they create.