From staff reports
To advance the mission of the Church’s sisters in Christ, the smallest college in New Jersey – and the last college in America primarily dedicated to educating nuns – has recently established a Young Professionals Committee made up of young adults from around the state.
“This is open to any young professionals who feel drawn to Catholic higher education and the work of these religious sisters,” said Louis A. Scarpa, who serves on the board for the Assumption College for Sisters, Denville.
Located in Morris County, the nonprofit college operated by the Sisters of Christian Charity offers two-year degrees to about 40 nuns from around the world, many of whom go on to pursue advanced degrees in other institutions of higher learning with the intent of returning to their home communities to serve in various ministries. Most of the sisters are from developing nations and return as leaders in their communities, establishing schools or orphanages or becoming professors themselves, Scarpa said.
The Young Professionals Committee was recently formed as a way for young adults to learn more about the sisters, aid the college in its mission, learn about the challenges that face nonprofits and develop skills to solve these problems, which leads to personal development.
“To me, it’s exciting to work with the sisters. The opportunity to support and get to know them – they’re really inspirational and fascinating people,” said Ted Lawless, chairman of the Young Professionals Committee, whose family has been involved with the college for years. As a teen, one of the young sisters from Tanzania would often visit his parish, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Morristown.
“So much of what we’ve come to know has been done by religious sisters,” Lawless said, citing the founding of hospitals and schools as examples.
He encourages young professionals who “have any interest in the future of that Catholic structure and continuing that tradition for future generations” to consider being part of the committee.
“It’s an important mission,” he said of the college. “It is a treasure of New Jersey’s and of the Catholic Church.”
Young professionals will initially bring to bear their skills in serving as ambassadors of the college through building relationships with the greater community and through hands-on efforts such as social media, development and marketing. Lawless said he hopes the committee will help organize social events for sisters, too, like yoga or bowling. He said the committee consists of those who are in a similar age group as the nuns, which is advantageous to brainstorming ideas for activities the sisters would enjoy.
“The young professionals not only offer their time and talent in service to the college, but they bring a positive energy, which encourages our sisters in their ministry of learning and service,” said Christian Charity Sister Joseph Spring, college president.
Lawless, who spends his summers on the Jersey Shore and St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, Lavallette, said though the school is located in the Diocese of Paterson, the good works of the sisters – and hopefully, the young adult committee – transcend any geographic lines.
“I think the support of higher education of religious is incredibly important,” he said.
Any young adults interested in the Young Professionals Committee can contact Ted Lawless at lawless.ted@gmail.com.