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THE
NEW VOICE FOR MARIANISTS By Khalid Moss When you listen to him swap grading stories with colleagues in the religious studies department, the Rev. Paul Marshall sounds more like a semester-weary professor than the new rector at the University of Dayton. And while the Cleveland native and 1969 UD grad admits that his heart will always be in teaching, he's eager to tackle his new job as liaison between the office of the president and the community of vowed Marianists. "Right now I'm still an assistant professor in the religious studies department," Marshall said. "I'm transitioning into the job of rector. The university rector is a joint appointment by the Society of Mary, or Marianists, and President (Daniel) Curran and is vastly different from the rector of a church or parish. My job will be to articulate the Marianist vision and help people realize what it means to be a Catholic, Marianist institution." As the product of a working-class family in the predominantly black Glenville section of Cleveland, Marshall realized early on that religion would be his bully pulpit for equality and justice. When he assumes his post in July, Marshall will become the first black rector in the 155-year history of the school. But his elevated profile won't short-circuit his concern for diversity in society and in the Roman Catholic church. "It wasn't until the civil rights movement that African-Americans were even allowed into seminaries," Marshall explained. "Although the first black Catholic priest in America was ordained in the Chicago diocese in the 1890s, he had a hard time being accepted. Because of racism in the church, he couldn't be trained in Chicago. He had to be trained in Rome. Religious communities had a very sketchy history when it came to admitting blacks, and recruitment efforts only became serious in the '60s and '70s." By the time Marshall chose to follow the Marianist way, the civil rights movement was in full swing. "During grade school and high school, my inspiration in terms of religious message was Martin Luther King. If I was going to deal with the race problem, religion had to be a part of it. My parents were from the South, and they emphasized that we were children of God and as good as any white person. That made sense to me because I felt as God was calling me to ministry. I wanted to have a hand in transforming the priesthood into one that welcomed people of color." Marshall joined the Marianists in 1965 and was ordained a priest in 1976. He served as president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus from 1993 to 1995 and was a UD trustee from 1995 to 2000. In 2000 he joined the religious studies department. Marshall sits on the board of Bread for the World, a Christian organization seeking justice for hungry people worldwide. Marshall's faith walk has taken him from the hardscrabble streets of Cleveland to the hallowed halls of a leading university, but nothing could compare to his return to Cleveland in 1980 as pastor of the predominantly black St. Aloysius parish. "It was exciting. I stayed there for 17 years," he said. "It was a challenge. It was really unique, especially in terms of worship. We were proud to be a black parish and shared the gifts of our blackness within the church and to the larger church." Marshall's responsibilities as rector will include working with Curran and vowed Marianists on a long-range vision for the university. Curran, a Philadelphian who became the University of Dayton's 18th president and first lay leader on July 1, 2002, said he picked Marshall over several other strong candidates because he brings a unique set of gifts to the position. "Paul meets the current need of the institution in terms of rector," Curran said. "The rector plays a key role in terms of recognition and identity. At a Catholic Marianist institution it's important to have a rector who can clearly articulate the key values and characteristics of our Marianist identity. He has to do this across multiple audiences, not only with students but also with faculty, staff and alumni. It's a critical role for us and a critical role for the Marianists on campus." Curran said Marshall won the job because of his qualifications, not his skin color. "Paul's race was never a variable
in my decision-making process, but he brings an added dimension. He's
always been very committed to
diversity so, in a way, this is an extension of his ministry. For many
people his appointment will be an important symbol for UD, but I just
think he's going to do a wonderful job." |