Chaminade University of Honolulu

Marianist

Babington Serves in Women’s Leadership Forum

Chaminade President Lynn Babington, Ph.D. recently traveled to Rome for a weeklong seminar aimed at fostering new opportunities for women in leadership at Catholic institutions of higher education and promoting the importance of values-based education.

Babington was selected to participate in the Women’s Leadership Program, which is an executive initiative of the International Federation of Catholic Universities.

Participants in the gathering, from October 22 to 26, included university presidents, rectors and other distinguished women leaders from academia.

They discussed the critical role of women in Catholic higher education, the importance of advancing women in academia, and the role of service-focused Catholic education.

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The program also explored the intersection of faith, leadership and governance at Catholic universities worldwide.

While women are a powerful force in Catholic higher education leadership, they hold only 8% of top positions globally.

Organizers said the Women’s Leadership Program is designed to bring together women leaders guiding institutions with confidence, integrity and Catholic values.

Babington said it was a great honor to participate in the initiative, which included talks at LUMSA University in Rome and visits to the Vatican.

“A central area of reflection was the urgent and important work of Catholic universities to, as Pope Leo XIV’s has said, seek ‘the integral development of the human person forming intellects with a critical sense, believing hearts, and citizens committed to the common good,’” she said.

Babington added, “Those inspiring words speak eloquently to our University’s mission.”

Silverswords Recount ‘Joy’ of Youth Pilgrimage

Surreal.

That’s how four Chaminade University students described their recent trip to Rome for the Jubilee of Young People, a global Catholic pilgrimage meant to break down bridges and spotlight the power of unity, service and hope. More than one million youth participated, celebrating Mass with Pope Leo XIV, participating in volunteer activities, and gathering for concerts and vigils.

“I was just filled with gratitude for having the opportunity to be there,” said Julia Durocher ’28, who is studying biochemistry at Chaminade. “It was such a beautiful thing to be there with young adults. It gave me hope that the Catholic Church is being brought into the next generation.”

Durocher was selected to participate in the Chaminade contingent along with her brother, Anthony ’26, Sophia Terry ’28, and Olivia Jensen ’27. Also in attendance were students from fellow U.S. Marianist institutions—the University of Dayton in Ohio and St. Mary’s University in Texas.

Anthony Durocher said the Rome trip was full of “pinch me” moments. Like when he and the other Silverswords joined tens of thousands of young pilgrims from around the globe to parade in the streets of Rome. “There was so much energy and everyone was so alive,” Durocher said.

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The Jubilee of Young People, from July 28 to August 3, coincides with the Jubilee Year of Hope designated by Pope Francis. The Vatican said more than one million youth convened for the celebration, which closed with a huge, open-air Mass at Rome’s University of Tor Vergata.

Pope Leo XIV presided over the Mass, calling on young people to embrace peace. “My young brothers and sisters, you are the sign that a different world is possible,” he told celebrants. A world of fraternity and friendship, where conflicts are not resolved with weapons, but with dialogue.”

Terry said that message resonated with her.

She was especially grateful to form close bonds with her fellow Chaminade pilgrims. “The trip meant so much to me because I was truly able to embrace my faith with those of differing cultures and getting to express our love of God together was truly inspiring,” she said.

Even months later, Terry added, “The impact of this pilgrimage has brought me a spark like no other, whenever I’m in a tough spot I remember how truly supported I am by God and by those around me. The trip was so beautifully impactful on each and every person that went.”

Jensen, who is pursuing a degree in historical and political studies, said one moment from the pilgrimage that she will always cherish is kneeling during a large-scale eucharistic adoration at Tor Vergata right along with Pope Leo XIV and hundreds of thousands of youth from across the globe.

“Seeing the Holy Father kneeling in unison with me was eye-opening,” Jensen said.

“It reminded me that he is human just as I am, and that I too have the same opportunity to pursue holiness in my lifetime. As I looked around, I saw one million other Catholics in silent reverence, all kneeling before the presence of our Lord.

“I felt overwhelmed by the presence of the lord and by the sheer universality of the Church. It did not matter whether someone came from Hawaii, Ukraine, Spain, or Colombia. We were all united together under the one Catholic Church.”

Jensen added that the trip to Rome recharged her—and her faith. But she also realized on reflection that there was no need to travel to Rome to feel that way. “We can find hope in our communities, in prayer, and in the faces of those closest to us,” she said.

The pilgrimage was Julia Durocher’s first trip overseas.

For her, one major highlight was hearing fellow pilgrims recite the Lord’s Prayer in their own languages.

“That was something that I will never forget,” she said, adding that she could feel Jesus’ presence everywhere she went in Rome. “I felt Jesus was calling me to bring what I experienced in Rome back to my home,” she said. “To be an instrument of His love and kindness to others.”

Her brother, Anthony, said the joy he felt—and saw—during the pilgrimage still buoys him.

“On a bad day or during a sad time or if I’m not feeling very grateful, I just look back at my memories of Rome,” he said. “There was joy on so many people’s faces. People from Ukraine, from Russia, coming from poverty, they came together and they had joy.”

Archbishop Wester Speaks on Nuclear Disarmament

No one wants nuclear war, but many in the U.S. contend nuclear weapons are required for deterrence. In his thought-provoking and timely Marianist Lecture at Mystical Rose Oratory this month, Archbishop John Wester argued that thinking is not only naive but dangerous.

“I believe that deterrence is not the answer. In fact, I believe that deterrence is the enemy. Deterrence is what we should fear the most,” Wester told attendees. “Deterrence does not work and here’s why: Human beings aren’t always rational and we can’t read minds. For nuclear deterrence to work, all stakeholders must be determined to act … predictably.

“But we know that’s not true. That’s not how people work.”

Wester, the archbishop of Santa Fe, has become a staunch proponent and leading voice in the movement for nuclear disarmament. In 2022, he garnered headlines after issuing a pastoral letter entitled, “Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament.”

In his Chaminade lecture—called “Nuclear Weapons: It’s 89 Seconds to Midnight—Does Anybody Care?”—Wester stressed the importance of talking and of education. He said the conversation on nuclear disarmament is critical but long overdue.

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Wester’s remarks come as the world marks eight decades since the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people and continue to have profound effects on communities. Wester says visiting Japan in 2017, including the sites of the bombings, underscored for him the importance of disarmament to achieve a lasting peace.

In addition to giving the Marianist Lecture on October 12, Wester delivered a similar talk to Chaminade students, faculty and staff earlier in the week. Andrew Peter Ancheta II, director of Student Engagement at Chaminade, said after Wester’s address at the Mystical Rose Oratory that he was buoyed by the message of hope. “Hope can be a very contagious thing should we allow it to be,” Ancheta said. “It’s important for us to not let this conversation die in this beautiful oratory.”

The Marianist Lecture series, which is sponsored by the Marianist Center of Hawai‘i, Chaminade University and Saint Louis School, is aimed at fostering inclusive dialogue on Catholic thought and responsibility. Marianist Lecture presenters, including Wester, are honored with the Mackey Award for Catholic Thought—named after the first president of Chaminade University.

In his talk, Wester outlined the chilling but real potential fallout if a nuclear war were to happen. In addition to the millions killed and injured in the blasts and billions more who would die because of the nuclear winter, Wester noted that nuclear war promises an end to modern life as we know it.

“It would mean an end to just about every book ever written, every medical advance made, every technological development, every philosophical or theological insight gained, every transportation mode we now take for granted. No communication, no hospitals, no first responders, no schools, no libraries, nothing,” he said. “I’m not doing this to create fear but to invite all of us to an enlightened self-interest and to be the change that we want to see in our world.”

Wester closed out his lecture with recommendations for further study and continuing the conversation. The title of his talk, “80 Second to Midnight,” refers to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ “Doomsday Clock,” aimed at spotlighting the existential threats facing humanity.

Wester also challenged attendees to bring more than logic to the conversation of nuclear disarmament. Heart, he said, is also required.. “We need a sense of morality, a sense of how we live with one another,” he said. “We need to do everything we can to end nuclear weapons.”

Chaminade Celebrates Fall Convocation

It was a day of spiritual celebration.

With the kickoff of the new academic year fresh on everyone’s minds, Chaminade students, members of the faculty and staff gathered September 3 for a special Fall Convocation. This year’s gathering, which is a longstanding tradition at Chaminade, not only celebrated the beginning of the school year but marked 25 years since the University’s namesake was beatified.

It was on September 3, 2000, that Pope John Paul II designated Fr. Chaminade as “Blessed.”

Fr. Martin Solma, S.M., vice president of Mission and rector, said Fall Convocation typically happens during the first week of the new school year but was moved to include the Silver Jubilee celebration for Chaminade. He added that honoring Chaminade in this way, as a campus community united around service, values the educational project he started.

    • “This is a man who had a wonderful charisma of forming a community of faith and then expressing that in an educational faith,” Solma said.

    Classes were canceled for two hours so all students had the opportunity to attend the convocation, which was held in the Ching Conference Center and also included a recognition of the newest cohort of Marianist Educational Associates (MEAs) at Chaminade.

    Participants in the MEA program, which includes representative from sister institutions the University of Dayton and St. Mary’s University, go through a one-year formation program filled with readings and reflections. The goal is to instill a deep understanding of the University’s Marianist character and encourage faculty and staff to weave those values into their work.

    Chaminade has 38 active MEAs, with seven in the newest cohort.

    The newest MEAs are:

    • Hubert Brown, audio video coordinator
    • Kumu Kahoali’i Keahi-Wood, cultural engagement specialist
    • Elisabeth Mather, MSCP ’18, mental health counselor
    • Kristopher Martin, MBA ’17, director of Admissions
    • Lorin Ramocki, DNP, RN, School of Nursing & Health Professions dean
    • Ariz Sanchez, assistant vice president for Student Success / Office of Student Success
    • Jodi-Ann Yoshida, MBA ’23, director of Alumni Relations

    Martin says he’s honored to have been selected for the program.

    “I want to be able to share my experience as both a Chaminade alumnus and MEA with prospective students so they feel a sense of purpose and belonging,” he said, adding that he’s greatly enjoyed the experience so far—including an MEA formation retreat at St. Mary’s University in Texas this summer.

    “Also, it has reframed the way I think about my own purpose and how I can positively impact others,” he said. “I look forward to explaining our campus and community through the lens of an MEA, and seeing prospective students begin to understand and embrace our Marianist culture.”

    Mather says she’s long been interested in the connection between faith and learning.

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    “Personally, I believe deeply in our common human need to seek transcendence or the divine in community,” she said. “At their best, both religious faith and institutions of higher education recognize our human need to connect with a story larger than our individual selves.”

    Mather added she looks forward to continuing to learn from the program, and her fellow MEAs.

    “To be honest, I’m a bit of a nerd, so I absolutely love learning about history, religion, and philosophy, and the opportunity to do this kind of learning with cross-disciplinary colleagues was really fun,” she said. “I also really appreciated getting to know colleagues at the University of Dayton and St. Mary’s University who share so many experiences and goals.”

    For Solma, that’s a key point.

    The MEA program gives participants “a language to talk about what we do here,” he said. “They’re really collaborators with the leadership of the University and with the Society of Mary.”

    Silverswords Celebrate Jubilee in Rome

    A group of students, young professionals and faculty from three U.S. Marianist universities, including Chaminade, recently journeyed to Rome to celebrate the Jubilee of Young People with thousands of other youth from around the globe. The pilgrimage included special gatherings, spiritual activities, public service opportunities and vigils.

    Marianist officials said Hawaiʻi was well represented among the more than 1 million young pilgrims attending the jubilee. The Chaminade contingent joined groups from fellow Marianist institutions, University of Dayton in Ohio and St. Mary’s University in Texas.

    At a welcome address for the jubilee in St. Peter’s Square on July 29, Pope Leo XIV told the young pilgrims they are the “salt of the Earth and the light of the world.”

    “We hope that all of you will always be signs of hope in the world,” he continued.

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    Father Martin Solma, S.M., vice president of mission and rector at Chaminade, said the pilgrimage underscores the University’s work to “remain true to its Catholic and Marianist legacy and the characteristics of a Marianist education: formation in faith, an integral, quality education, family spirit, service, justice, peace and the integrity of creation.”

    The gathering was planned around the Jubilee Year of Hope, an event of spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Catholic Church designated by Pope Francis. As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops explains, the Jubilee Holy Year was aimed at encouraging Catholics worldwide to renew themselves as “pilgrims of hope.”

    A jubilee year has been held every 25 years since first being declared in the year 1300.

    Francis said, in discussing the Jubilee Year of Hope, that Catholics “must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.” The final day of the Jubilee of Young People will be celebrated on August 3 with Pope Leo XIV.

    New Executive Director Appointed For Marianist Universities Association

    Allison Leigh, director of Marianist strategies at the University of Dayton in Ohio, has been appointed the new executive director of the Association of Marianist Universities.

    Her term begins July 1.

    She will be the first woman and first lay Marianist woman to serve as executive director.

    Because the AMU executive director position was expanded to full-time, Leigh will leave her current role but remain on the University of Dayton’s campus.

    She will succeed Bro. Tom Giardino, S.M., who is stepping down after nine years to pursue other Marianist priorities.

    As director of Marianist strategies at the University of Dayton, Leigh built strong relationships across the three Marianist universities—Chaminade, St. Mary’s in Texas and UD—including through her work with the Marianist Educational Associates program.

    She also previously served as the University of Dayton’s campus minister for retreats and assistant director for retreats and faith communities.

    Leigh received her master’s degree in pastoral ministry and doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Dayton, with her research focusing on how students experience the Catholic and Marianist mission.

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    Leigh earned her bachelor’s degree at Xavier University and then spent a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Her experience led her to consider a career in campus ministry.

    Leigh said she’s thrilled to continue being part of a mission that has inspired her to live her faith more deeply.

    “Since first meeting the Marianists at UD in 2003, I have known Catholic and Marianist higher education offers a contribution to our society the world desperately needs,” Leigh said.

    “It is a profound honor to take on this new role and collaborate with faculty, staff, and students who embody this mission in their work, every day, across all three Marianist universities. I have been blessed and deeply formed in my own faith and values by those who have done this important work, and am thrilled to carry it forward.”

    The Association of Marianist Universities is a ministry of the Marianist Province of the United States to support, promote and advance Marianist higher education through cooperation among the three universities.

    Chaminade President Lynn Babington said, “We’re thrilled Allison has accepted this leadership role with AMU. Her passion for empowering faculty, staff and students and students to animate and embody the mission through their individual and collective roles and her love for facilitating programs that help people grow in their formation are so important in our university communities.”