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Jesuit Journeys
Winter 2000
Men on mission
Creighton U. on the
cusp of a new era |
By Steve Kline
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 Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska is nearing the end of a remarkable era as Fr. Michael G. Morrison, SJ prepares to step aside in June after 19 years as its president.
He has served longer than any other Creighton president. When he announced in May his intention to step down, many in Omaha wondered what life would be like without "Father Mike."
Taking the reins as Creighton's next president will be Fr. John P. Schlegel, SJ, who has been president of the University of San Francisco since 1991. Fr. Schlegel began his academic career at Creighton 30 years ago.
The day that Creighton announced Fr. Schlegel's appointment as president, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter asked me: "Isn't it a little strange that someone would leave San Francisco or Nebraska?"
"No," I replied without hesitation or elaboration.
"Well?" she prompted.
Well, the Great Plains are as beautiful as the Bay area, which is incredibly beautiful. Omaha is a great city and it is getting better. Creighton is a nationally prominent Jesuit university with rich tradition and an exciting future. All good reasons for a Dubuque, Iowa native like Fr. Schlegel to return to his roots. |
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Longstanding Creighton University President Fr. Michael Morrison, SJ (bottom) strikes a reflective pose in his campus office. Fr. John Schlegel, SJ (above) answers questions at a news conference announcing he will succeed Fr. Morrison in June 2000.
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"I love San Francisco. I love Omaha. I love the University of San Francisco. I love Creighton," Fr. Schlegel said at the news conference announcing his appointment.
The main reason Fr. Schlegel's move is no surprise is that, ever since the time of Francis Xavier and his missions to India and the Far East, Jesuits have traveled to the places where they are needed to do the work that needs to be done. They go where they must and they help build the Kingdom.
The 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States do their building by forming people of conscience, competence and compassion - people for others. That is what Fr. Schlegel has been doing in San Francisco, and now it is time for him to continue the work in Omaha.
The Morrison era at Creighton has been extraordinary. Rev. Carl Reinert, SJ, president of Creighton in the 1950s who sparked an unprecedented boom on the campus, is one of the giants in school history. Fr. Morrison leaves a similar legacy.
Creighton's endowment has grown, from $20 million when he took over to $200 million today. The campus never looked better. The Skutt Student Center, the Lied Education Center for the Arts, the Beirne Research Tower, and the new Richard McGloin, SJ Residence Hall are a few of the new buildings constructed at Creighton under Fr. Morrison's leadership. Endowed scholarships have grown.
Catholic schools have much to offer a needy world. The mission continues with hard work and bright promise ahead. We owe a debt of gratitude to leaders like Frs. Morrison and Schlegel.
Creighton students always have access to Fr. Morrison. He takes time out from nearly every day to be outside on the campus mall, in front of St. John's Church. Students are never shy about stopping to chat with the president.
Fr. Morrison has not shared much with the public about what he intends to do after Creighton. Some other Jesuit mission no doubt will benefit from his experience and his capacity for focused, tough work.
Creighton, meanwhile, awaits the dawn of an exciting new era. The University of San Francisco has blossomed under Fr. Schlegel's leadership. At Creighton and in the city of Omaha, people respond enthusiastically to Fr. Schlegel's positive energy and vision.
Creighton, USF and indeed all Jesuit Catholic schools have much to offer a needy world. The mission continues with hard work and bright promise ahead. We owe a debt of gratitude to leaders like Frs. Morrison and Schlegel.
Stephen Kline is director of Public Relations
and Information at Creighton University.
You can e-mail him: skline@creighton.edu
or call him at 402-280-1784.
Francis J. Ring SJ  A man of great ingenuity with a flare for the mechanical, Fr. Francis J. Ring died Oct. 15, 1999 in Belize City, Belize. He was 81 and had spent his entire priestly life in Belize.
"Ringo", as his fellow Jesuits called him, was born March 19, 1918 in Theilman, MN. He entered first grade in a rural schoolhouse at 4, graduated from high school at 16, and soon entered the Society. He completed his undergraduate studies at St. Louis University by 20 and was ordained in June 1947.
After tertianship he was assigned in 1949 to mission work at Corozal, British Honduras (now Belize). He was a wizard with regard to things mechanical and early in his career he designed a truss that was adopted nationwide in Belize to help buildings withstand hurricane-force winds. He built and supervised the remodeling of most of the mission buildings that are still in use today. When a new Belgian machine at a Belize factory failed to work properly, Ringo got it up and running without knowing a word of the language in which the installation manual was written.
He worked eight years in mission stations, taught chemistry, physics and math at St. John's College in Belize City six, and served the diocese for six more years as superintendent of schools.
At 53 he returned to pastoral work and was a tireless parish priest in the regions around Corozal Town, Dangriga, and Punta Gorda. He died following a battle with hepatitis and a failing liver.
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 Are you listening?
Do you hear the whisper?
Vocations to Jesuit religious life are the work of the Holy Spirit, who often calls with a whisper. It can be a challenging and fulfilling life. |
| Come experience a vibrant community life rooted in the common experience of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, our founder.
Come experience our spirituality and ideals, which help us strive to serve those most in need: the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized.
Come experience the many ways we show others that Jesus has come to make us free and more alive as we strive to find God in all things.
Come experience a journey and a tradition that began more than 450 years ago to train leaders who prepare the world's peoples for God's coming Kingdom.
If you or someone you know might be hearing the call to our way of life, please contact our vocation director, Fr. Warren Sazama, SJ, at 800-537-3736.
E-mail: vocations@jesuitswisprov.org
Or write him: 3400 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53208. |
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The Wisconsin Province
of the Society of Jesus
The Jesuits of the Upper Midwest
and Great Plains States |
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| Visit our website: www.jesuitswisprov.org |
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Return to Winter 2000 issue
Next Article: Our deeds bring Christ to others
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in a class by herself
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