b"From left, Dustyn Ragasa of Chaminade University of Honolulu, Todd Hanneken of St. Mary's University and Kelly Bohrer of University of Dayton spoke on the final day ofthe AMU Symposium.ers and literally bring that healing and peace into theworld so that others do not need to keep suffering. AMU AFFINITY GROUPSShe invoked Marianist ideals in forging that healing While the recent Symposium in St. Louis was one of the largest single gatheringspeace, saying that Marianists personally and collec- of AMU schools and their representatives, AMU also has 13 smaller Affinity Groups,tively face up to what we are doing or not doing and with one or two representatives from each university. The groups have everythingwe make the necessary changes.This is Marianist from monthly or quarterly meetings to periodic gatherings. Some groups are just educating the whole person, doing so in commu- getting off the ground, and others have collaborated on courses and projectsnity, and being with them as we lean into the pain of among the universities since 2015.injustice. In the final keynote, Ragasa of Chaminade University The Groups noted, Our current world is increasingly unstable,Association of Marianist Universities Networking in Sustainability incoherent, lacking in orientation. Elements of everyMarianist Universities Border Educational Experience, Mary and Borders established foundationinstitutional and social Campus Ministry are being called into question Community & Civic Engagement Although society might seem to be adrift in the seasFood Insecurity on AMU Campuses without asolid foundation, that presents an opportunity.Marianist Educational Associate Coordinators/DirectorsIt would be akin to navigating this sea change by chart-Provostsing the stars, the clearest and most visible exemplarChief Information Officers Military Veterans Servicesof which is the Blessed MotherMary.Student AffairsIn the Magnificat, she bursts into a song of joyfulRegistrarsthanksgiving as she reflects on her special role in GodsLeaders of various disciplines including Law, Religious Studies, Education,re-establishment of more just relationships, he said. Business and Engineering.We celebrate her first yes to this mission in a specialway with our own yes-es as we commence our workfor the transformation of our institutions and ofLastly, Ragasa discussed the value of Marianistour society. education, which includes social consciousness inHe further cited Marianist founder Blessed William curricula and the promotion of justice. He said thatJoseph Chaminade, who in a correspondence of 1839, accepting life adrift represents an invitation to quoted Mary: Do whateverhe tells you. He then return more squarely to what is essential in our mission.added, (I)n this view, we embrace the work of the It is my hope that instead of drifting with the current,Christian education of youth, and especially of the we will continue to be guided by Catholic, Marianistpoor, the work of the arts and trades, the work of So- exemplars, principles, and values that are as numer-dalities, of retreats and of missions. ous as the stars in the sky. For more information about the AMU Symposium, visit marianistuniversities.org/amu-symposiummarianist.com/donate 9"