Fr. Wild to retire in June 2011

[Chili]

Everyone is supposed to think for themselves.  The problem arises when professors don't put forth the viewpoint loud and clear by distorting or misrepresenting the actual Catholic teaching on a subject.  This prevents the students from making an informed decision.  I don't think it's appropriate to name specific professors or classes, but Catholic teaching on issues ranging from hot button issues such as abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage, birth control, and social justice, to other non-controversial issues, have been repeatedly distorted and misconstrued.  Not everyone who goes to or graduates from MU should or needs to be Catholic, but they should at least be correctly taught what Catholicism really is.  

Dr. Maguire????

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Father Lambeck?

Fr Lambert taught the Hinduism and Buddhism class when I was there.  He was older than Moses ('98-'99 or so).  Rumor has it that he had a stroke mid-semester, missed 1 class and was back at it.  Was a good teacher though.

EDIT:  Fr Lambert, not Lambeck.  unless there were 2 different Jebbies.

[Avenue Commons]

I'd certainly trade the buildings for the Warriors name.

It's funny, I always get calls from MU asking for money from some kid and I always tell them  they won't get a cent from me until they bring back the Warriors name.  Then the kid always says that they hear that a lot, and I tell them not to  call again.  But like clockwork, the next call will come in a month or two.

Did you take any math classes at Marquette? Which do you think is greater: tens of millions in donations for new buildings (including the AL) or the $50 you and the other losers "refuse" to give because of a stupid name change that happened 16 years ago?

You people that "refuse to donate" because of the name change really just like the convenient excuse to be cheap. If you disagree so much, why don't you have some integrity and disassociate yourself from Marquette entirely.

[Ari Gold]

I want to swing off topic and talk about how much I miss Dr. McAdams. I still email him or even pop his office whenever I get the chance. He and align politically. I used to spend a lot of time in his office agreeing with him. Kennedy class was one of my favorites...

I never took a Wolfe class but I knew a lot of students 'marveled at his brilliance.' I avoided the class til I was a senior because of it's difficulty, but he had retired by then. I believe Wolfe was of the Opus Dei sect. They are some of the strictest of catholics to begin with.

I do see what some of the other posters are mentioning when speculating of with wanting to keep a 'conservative catholic' philosophy and not swinging way far to the left like a few already mentioned members of the Theology department. or ones that haven't been mentioned that are very involved in DC politics. They'd probably like Fr. Leahy from BC then since he had a purging of liberal faculty... Not that MU should be swinging to the Bob Jones right either...

[tower912]

Fr Wild, thank you for your service.   Good luck and God's blessings upon you.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

Fr Lambert taught the Hinduism and Buddhism class when I was there.  He was older than Moses ('98-'99 or so).  Rumor has it that he had a stroke mid-semester, missed 1 class and was back at it.  Was a good teacher though.

EDIT:  Fr Lambert, not Lambeck.  unless there were 2 different Jebbies.

It was definitely Lambeck (Lambech?) in the early 1990's, not Lambert.

[Moonboots]

BTW, for anyone wondering, I did graduate from MU.  I was on ASMU at the time of the mascot/nickname fiasco with DiUlio and worked for the University (rec center, Athletic Dept), as well.  

Don't worry, no one was wondering.  I just finished reading this 8 page beast, and this is the first thing I learned.




Also, thanks Fr. Wild.  Met the guy a few times in my 3 years here, and he was as dedicated to the University as any person I've met since. The advancements made on campus speak for themselves.

Hopefully the next guy can maintain the same level of class.

[Daniel]

Nickname or not, it is very, very difficult running a Catholic institution of higher learning these days - and Fr. Wild did a great job for Marquette and made Marquette a more ficscally sound school, and knew the investment in basketball was great for Marquette.

We should only hope we can get someone as good as Fr. Wild to run our school.

[Warriors4ever]

I've been gone for several hours, so just catching up.
First of all, I'm a ma'am and not a sir, and secondly,yes I know I was dating myself by saying I had Fr. Donnelly when he was younger - actually I think he was pretty new to the university at the time.  Dr. Maguire had just arrived at the University as well.  I spent an afternoon campaigning for George McGovern with his wife.                                                                        This thread has actually made for some very interesting reading and discussion.

[IAmMarquette]

Learning is not the problem, its practicing.  And based on your comment I'd bet you know very little about how healthcare really works . . .  

If learning isn't the problem, then you don't have a leg to stand on. Furthermore, they're not practicing anything "unethical" -- or anything at all (and before someone crucifies me for taking a shot at nurses, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is, it's a learning institution, not a clinical practice) -- at the nursing school.

As for your latter comment, well, I'll be practicing in 3 years.


Edit: And with that, I bid you, and this thread, adieu.

[Avenue Commons]

I want to swing off topic and talk about how much I miss Dr. McAdams. I still email him or even pop his office whenever I get the chance. He and align politically. I used to spend a lot of time in his office agreeing with him. Kennedy class was one of my favorites...

Dr. McAdams and  I are and were very different in our politics, but I enjoyed his classes. I still think about the Kennedy class all the time and its been 14 years since I took the class. I learned a lot about critical thinking skills in that class.

PS: Still don't believe Oswald acted alone. Think he was the lone shooter, but I think he and some other nuts in Dallas "planned" the shooting.

[GGGG]

Dr. McAdams and  I are and were very different in our politics, but I enjoyed his classes. I still think about the Kennedy class all the time and its been 14 years since I took the class. I learned a lot about critical thinking skills in that class.

PS: Still don't believe Oswald acted alone. Think he was the lone shooter, but I think he and some other nuts in Dallas "planned" the shooting.

That is exactly how I feel about Wolfe.  His politics were nowhere near mine, but he really challenged you on how to think.  On top of it all, he is such a decent man.  I would see him on the pick-up courts and he would come over and talk with me.  And to be honest, his personal politics rarely entered the classroom.  IMO, he was the epitome of a college professor.

[tower912]

I loved Wolfe as a professor, too.   I disagree in that I think he clearly let his politics come into the two courses I had him.    But if you could make a reasoned argument that went against his principles, he enjoyed it and rewarded it.    He didn't take it personally that you disagreed with him.  I loved how he would ask during the week or so leading up to a holiday break if anyone was unable to return home, as he would have them to his house for Thanksgiving/Easter dinner.   A talented, kind, gracious, funny educator. 

[mu-rara]

I don't think Marquette should be teaching only Catholic ideas.  After all, the class is called Theology 101, not Catechism 101.  If you want catechism, go to Sunday school.  You can't do theology if you don't also learn about other faiths, traditions, worldviews etc.  I'd say it's a pretty cheap faith that only wants to hear the official dogma.  The only true faith is chosen by the believer, it can't be crammed down anyone's throat, and to be truly chosen the alternatives must also be known.  My personal faith was deepened at Marquette precisely because I was encouraged to dig to the core, question the true meaning of my faith, and even explore faiths outside of my own.  

In my opinion, Marquette did it right.  I learned about a broad spectrum of ideas, maybe even heard a pro-abortion argument along the way from someone employed by the university, but never, ever was that pro-abortion argument even remotely endorsed.  It was presented for educational purposes, and having heard that argument I'm better prepared to face it with a reasoned response and more complete understanding.  If I was sheltered from different viewpoints, all I would be able to say is abortion = wrong . . . why? because the Vatican told me so.    

The fact that Dan Maguire still teaches at MU says volumes about Academic Freedom.  He is so far off the Catholic teaching reservation it isn't funny.   Although I could not disagree with him more, I think  college students should be exposed to his ideas.  I took his class and became a better Catholic for it.

[IAmMarquette]

The fact that Dan Maguire still teaches at MU says volumes about Academic Freedom.  He is so far off the Catholic teaching reservation it isn't funny.   Although I could not disagree with him more, I think  college students should be exposed to his ideas.  I took his class and became a better Catholic for it.

Exactly. You don't become a better anything by being constantly inundated with a single set of teachings. Exposure to beliefs other than your own challenges you to evaluate your own beliefs, and allows you to become stronger in them. As you said, college students should absolutely be exposed to such ideas.


(I know I said I was done with this thread, but I couldn't help myself.)

[GGGG]

The fact that Dan Maguire still teaches at MU says volumes about Academic Freedom.  He is so far off the Catholic teaching reservation it isn't funny.   Although I could not disagree with him more, I think  college students should be exposed to his ideas.  I took his class and became a better Catholic for it.

I know for awhile after McGuire left the priesthood, MU put a "clause" in Jesuit contracts saying if they leave the priesthood, they must resign their professor position.  That got them censured by the AAUP.  Is that still the case?

[ZMovieman]

Exactly. You don't become a better anything by being constantly inundated with a single set of teachings. Exposure to beliefs other than your own challenges you to evaluate your own beliefs, and allows you to become stronger in them. As you said, college students should absolutely be exposed to such ideas.


(I know I said I was done with this thread, but I couldn't help myself.)

I agree. I too became a better Catholic for Maguire's class. He challenged parts of my beliefs that I simply took for granted, but they became stronger because of it. As a matter of fact, I seem to remember some of the students who did the best in his class were decidedly conservative (both politicially and religiously).

[mu-rara]

I agree. I too became a better Catholic for Maguire's class. He challenged parts of my beliefs that I simply took for granted, but they became stronger because of it. As a matter of fact, I seem to remember some of the students who did the best in his class were decidedly conservative (both politicially and religiously).

I'm pretty sure he enjoyed the debate.

[bs4173]

Wow this thread went way off-topic pretty quickly.

First of all, it's shameful that people (gumbyandpokey and a few others) care more about a nickname for an athletics programs than they do about the university as a whole. If a cool nickname is a measure of a university, then the Ivy League is sh*tty, Stanford is worthless and NYU is good for nothing. I know we're all basketball fans, but I went to MU for a degree, not for season tickets. Anybody can cheer for MU, but not everybody has the privilege to attend. If you'd still like MU circa 1995--that is, an unsafe place for students, an ugly campus whose nicest building is Cudahy Hall and a mid-tier education--just to get "Warriors" back, then I'd rather you keep your money and your opinion to yourself.

Secondly, if you're whining about how "Catholic" the education is, you should educate yourself about what a Jesuit education entails. If you want a strict Catholic education without any form of questioning or reasoned discourse, you've been mislead for a long time, because MU has never been like that, and thank heavens. Your religion is your responsibility; MU gives ample opportunities to grow in it. Also, clearly you haven't noticed that 45% of our student body IS NOT Catholic. I have Protestant friends, Jewish friends and Muslim friends who all love it at Marquette because it promotes openness and faith, not closed-mindedness and Bible thumping.

Lastly, more growth--in academic prestige and facilities, endowment dollars and applications, national reputation and the caliber of the typical student--has occurred during Fr Wild's tenure than any other president's. Period. If you think Wild's arrogant, you should spend 10 minutes in any academic setting around administrators and faculty and then try arguing that. I have my critiques of the university and of some of the bad decisions the administration has made, but I'm realistic, too. The man has given 14 years to the university, and I hope we get somebody who can accomplish a fraction of what he has.

For what it's worth, I'd be willing to bet a fat, fat chunk of change that the new president will be Fr. John Patrick Fitzgibbons.

[mu-rara]

Wow this thread went way off-topic pretty quickly.

First of all, it's shameful that people (gumbyandpokey and a few others) care more about a nickname for an athletics programs than they do about the university as a whole. If a cool nickname is a measure of a university, then the Ivy League is sh*tty, Stanford is worthless and NYU is good for nothing. I know we're all basketball fans, but I went to MU for a degree, not for season tickets. Anybody can cheer for MU, but not everybody has the privilege to attend. If you'd still like MU circa 1995--that is, an unsafe place for students, an ugly campus whose nicest building is Cudahy Hall and a mid-tier education--just to get "Warriors" back, then I'd rather you keep your money and your opinion to yourself.

Secondly, if you're whining about how "Catholic" the education is, you should educate yourself about what a Jesuit education entails. If you want a strict Catholic education without any form of questioning or reasoned discourse, you've been mislead for a long time, because MU has never been like that, and thank heavens. Your religion is your responsibility; MU gives ample opportunities to grow in it. Also, clearly you haven't noticed that 45% of our student body IS NOT Catholic. I have Protestant friends, Jewish friends and Muslim friends who all love it at Marquette because it promotes openness and faith, not closed-mindedness and Bible thumping.

Lastly, more growth--in academic prestige and facilities, endowment dollars and applications, national reputation and the caliber of the typical student--has occurred during Fr Wild's tenure than any other president's. Period. If you think Wild's arrogant, you should spend 10 minutes in any academic setting around administrators and faculty and then try arguing that. I have my critiques of the university and of some of the bad decisions the administration has made, but I'm realistic, too. The man has given 14 years to the university, and I hope we get somebody who can accomplish a fraction of what he has.

For what it's worth, I'd be willing to bet a fat, fat chunk of change that the new president will be Fr. John Patrick Fitzgibbons.

As far as whining about the mascot.....I will only say that Marquette gave up the mascot when nobody was asking them to.  MU changed mascots in 1971 , way before it became the thing to do.

Second, while I think that Dan Maguire should be allowed to teach at Marquette for reasons stated in that post, I think Jesuits are squishy on many points of Catholic doctrine.  Going into any detail on this would probably get the thread locked, and I think this is a good dialogue.  I'll leave it at that.