Waymarks Toward Reunion’s ‘Feast’ Held at Scranton

The University of Scranton recently marked the opening of Waymarks Toward Reunion, a yearlong pilot program in sacred art and theology, with an opening event, titled, "A Feast in the Wilderness."

Directed by visiting assistant professor Patrick Beldio, MFA, Ph.D., the March 8 gathering featured a lecture, meal and concert at the DeNaples Center and an evening Mass at Madonna della Strada Chapel.

"What filled the day was love, intention and care," Dr. Beldio said.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Beldio reflected on major spiritual milestones that have shaped his own formation. He pointed to the Council of Nicaea in 325, the death of St. Francis of Assisi in 1226, St. Ignatius of Loyola's turning away from military life during his time in Manresa, the beginning of Meher Baba's decades-long silence in 1925 and the founding of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1926 as helping frame the program as a meeting point of his work as an artist, scholar and teacher.

Following Dr. Beldio's remarks, Rev. Paul Kollman, C.S.C., associate professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, began the program by offering a profound keynote speech introducing the contemplative vision of the late Rev. John S. Dunne, C.S.C., a shared mentor of his and Dr. Beldio.

The day continued with a lunch prepared by catering chef Larry Mullally, an afternoon concert by a devotional folk music trio from California-based Sufism Reoriented and an evening Mass.

"Waymarks Toward Reunion" is supported by a $100,000 grant from the Creative Arts Collective for Christian Life and Faith (CAC). It is a Jesuit-Franciscan partnership between Scranton and Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, with the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, D.C., as artistic home.