Every month we honor and celebrate diversity. However, this month there are several significant events, milestones, and movements, specifically as they relate to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Some of these celebrations include Pride, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, and Juneteenth.  Pride month commemorates years of struggle for civil rights, the ongoing pursuit of equal justice, and the accomplishments of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and pansexual (LGBTQIAP+) community. The National Puerto Rican Day Parade celebrates Puerto Rican culture, heritage, arts, achievements, and legacy with music and dance. Additionally, the Juneteenth festival has been commemorated as a day to celebrate the abolishment of slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation in the United States. Celebrations typically include religious services, speeches, educational events, family gatherings, and festivals that emphasize education and the achievements of African Americans. 

Lesser-known achievements include Native American Citizenship Day, Caribbean American Heritage Month and Race Unity Day. Native American Citizenship Day commemorates a day in 1924 when the U.S. Congress passed legislation recognizing the citizenship of Native Americans born in the United States and Caribbean American Heritage Month, recognizes the significant contributions of Caribbean culture and history in the United States. Race Unity Day raises awareness regarding the importance of racial harmony and understanding. 

As we honor and celebrate these wonderful milestones, let us continue to push forward by living a life that embodies our Franciscan core values; focusing on cultivating a community that is committed to service, respect, integrity, and compassion.

Medaille University is well-known for generously committing their resources to educate students. At Hilbert, we are here to help continue that mission to those affected by Medaille's devastating closure. We offer love and support to students, faculty, and staff as they encounter uncertainty during this difficult transition. As we generate interest from Medaille students, it is our mission to create a welcoming and nurturing environment where we empower students to continue their education and provide them with the skills and resources necessary to achieve their educational goals.

Sunday marks the one-year anniversary since the devastating mass shooting in Buffalo, which tragically claimed the lives of 10 innocent people and injured three others. Our thoughts and prayers remain focused on the victims, their families, and those impacted most. May the 10 lives we lost on that horrifying day remain on our minds and in our hearts. This weekend, the City of Buffalo is hosting a series of remembrance events to offer healing and hope for the community.

As we pray for our WNY community, please also pray for those who lost their lives during the horrific tragedies this week in Texas. We have so much to pray for. I hope that despite these challenges, we remain committed to fostering the Franciscan spirit of hope, compassion, and service. 

Holy Week & Easter Reflection:

Wishing you joy and gladness in this Easter Season. In a world full of many difficulties, crises, and hurt; let us remember during this Easter, that God is with us, alive and well in the world. As we celebrate Easter and the risen Christ,  let us be reminded that this is a special time set apart when we are invited to awaken our memory of God’s presence in our lives.

This month, we reflect on God’s presence - found through appreciation of beauty and reverence of creation. I hope we take a moment to pause and appreciate nature, people, or a simple pleasure. I hope we step outside of our daily tasks and concerns and widen our attention to the beauty around us and open ourselves to discoveries born of appreciation and reverence. 

On this Holy Thursday, if you have 20 minutes of quiet time, perhaps at the end of the day, you might want to participate in the God Minutes Holy Thursday retreat reflection.
Please see the link listed below:

https://www.thegodminute.org/retreat

The God Minute has its daily reflection for today but in addition, it offers a 20-minute retreat reflection which places you in the Garden of Gethsemane, listening to the birds chirping and listening as God speaks to you.

May these holy days be filled with God’s inspiration to you.
May the celebration of resurrected life bring new hope to your being.
May the victory over earthly death turn your eyes to the promises of heaven.
May the empty tomb help you to leave your sorrows at the foot of the cross.
So that God's hope, promises and forgiveness reign in your life forever.

Have a blessed Holy Week and joyful Easter!

I want to take a moment to bring to your attention and ask for your support for our community members during the upcoming Jewish High Holiday. Passover starts at sundown on Wednesday, April 5, and ends after nightfall on Thursday, April 13.

The holiday of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is perhaps one of the most central to Jewish life and history. Passover celebrates the biblical account of the Israelites’ redemption and escape from 400 years of Egyptian slavery. Holiday rituals include a dramatic retelling of the Exodus story and many unique food traditions connected to a Seder, a ritual meal. It is a time to come together with friends and family to celebrate the great lessons of the story: the blessings of freedom and the reminder that since they were once slaves and were freed, it is their responsibility to work for freedom for all people, everywhere. 

The word “Passover” is derived from the Hebrew word Pesach, which means “passed over,” referring to the 10th plague that killed the Egyptian firstborn, but miraculously “passed over” the houses of the Israelites. 

Our campus welcomes people from all cultures, faiths, and spiritual backgrounds. For that reason, the Interfaith Prayer Room is available in the Campus Center for all students to use, particularly during this holy month, when Easter, Passover, and Ramadan coincide. The Interfaith Prayer Room is located at the top of the stairs, located nearest to the Dining Hall entrance.

Please consider those around us who may be observing Passover and abstaining from eating chametz, “any food product made from wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt that has come into contact with water and been allowed to ferment and “rise.”” (Chabad.org), which can be a challenging undertaking. 

For Administrators, Faculty, and Staff:

• Encourage use of the Interfaith prayer room
• Offer time and space 
• Check- in and offer support
• Provide accommodations where needed

The celebration of Ramadan begins this evening, Wednesday, March 22^nd. Ramadan is a spiritual month for Muslims that is marked by special observations such as fasting and nightly prayer. In the spirit of St. Francis in his encounter with the Sultan Malik al-Kamil, we encourage you to discover more about this tradition and take our Muslim brothers and sisters into consideration. 

Hilbert College welcomes students of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds to our campus. For that reason, the Interfaith Prayer Room is available in the Campus Center for all students to use, particularly during this holy month, when Easter, Passover, and Ramadan coincide. The Interfaith Prayer Room is located at the top of the stairs, located nearest to the Dining Hall entrance.

To learn about sample accommodations for observant Muslim students, who may be feeling tired, hungry, and/or dehydrated in your classes as a result of religious practices during this holy season, please review some of the resources below. 

For Administration and Faculty

• Offer time and space for prayer
• Check- in and offer support
• Due to fasting practices, some Muslim students may request religious accommodations for alternative exam times. Provide accommodations where needed.

For Students

• Students seeking religious accommodations for their observation of Ramadan should contact their professors as soon as possible

An Educator's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices 

To view a complete list of Interfaith Holidays with helpful definitions and descriptions, please go to https://www.nccjtriad.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Interfaith-Calendar-2023.pdf.

To our friends from all faith traditions and in the words of St. Francis of Assisi, we wish you “Peace and All Good!”

Ramadan Mubarek!

I apologize for the delay in sending this to faculty and staff as this was sent to students last week. We are only in the second month of the new year, yet again we are grieving. Last week, a man armed with a handgun entered an academic building and fired shots into a classroom. Three Michigan State University students were shot and killed, and five students were wounded by a senseless act of violence. 

Shots were fired at a university filled with young scholars. A university that I imagine was filled with young students discovering their purpose, building new relationships, and working towards their dream of reaching their educational and career goals. 

We extend our prayers and our deepest condolences to the entire Michigan State community, especially to those who were injured and to the family and friends of those who were killed. 

We also extend our prayers to the families, friends, and to all members of the Buffalo community. Many of us wept as we listened to the emotional and heartbreaking stories that were shared during the hearing regarding the Top’s tragedy. Let us never forget. 

Also, let us pray for the loss of life and all the families impacted by the devastating earthquake in Turkey-Syria.

We are a community of compassion and resilience who come together in difficult times to show support and care for one another. 

Let us pray for peace, and comfort for all.

As colleges and universities across the country remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., today let us take a moment and pause for thoughtful reflection. As we continue to witness our nation's discourse, let us be reminded that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a champion for justice, racial equality, and change. His courage challenged the morality of our nation. However, you choose to spend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I hope you will take some time to remember Dr. King and to reflect on how we can advance the values he stood for in our own lives and in the communities we share.

This year, with issues of race still on so many of our minds, it is especially appropriate that we remember Dr. King, who did so much to promote equality of opportunity, social justice, and respect for human dignity. Like, Dr. King, we have a duty to care for one another and we recognize our call to action in efforts of transforming challenges, policies, tragedies, and acts of violence into peace. It is important that we continue to work together to create positive solutions that will continue to carry the legacy of Dr. King and cultivate positive change.