Office for Mission and Heritage
Established in 2004, the Office for Mission and Heritage assists the Saint Xavier University community to become more focused on, intentional about, and accountable for pursuing its educational mission as a Catholic and Mercy institution.
Accordingly, the Office for Mission and Heritage has a threefold focus:
- Promoting and deepening the University community's understanding of and engagement with Saint Xavier's Catholic identity
- Fostering and enlivening the University community's appreciation for and embodiment of Saint Xavier's Mercy heritage, past and present.
- Supporting and contributing to the academic excellence of the University's undergraduate and graduate programs
Beyond Saint Xavier, Mission and Heritage is active with national organizations committed to Catholic and faith-based higher education. Among these organizations are the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), the Conference for Mercy Higher Education (CMHE), and the Lilly Fellows Program.
Prayer for Saint Xavier University
O God, give us the compassion and conviction to care for the vulnerable and marginalized, as did Catherine McAuley. Give us the zeal and courage to spread the message of Mercy far and wide, as did Frances Xavier Warde. Give us a hunger for justice and devotion to pursuing the common good, as you have given it to generations of Mercy Sisters and their collaborators.
Give us, the Saint Xavier Community, these same tender hearts, wise minds, and brave spirits to live out our Mercy heritage and mission, today and always. Amen.
The Suscipe of Catherine McAuley
My God, I am yours for all eternity.
Teach me to cast my whole self
into the arms of your Providence
with the most lively, unlimited confidence in your compassionate, tender pity.
Grant, O most merciful Redeemer,
that whatever you ordain or permit may always be acceptable to me.
Take from my heart all painful anxiety;
suffer nothing to afflict me but sin,
nothing to delight me, but the hope of coming to the possession of You
my God, in your own everlasting kingdom.Amen.
Prayer of Mother Agatha O'Brien
While you, O My God, are my help and defender
No cares can o'erwhelm, nor terrors appall.
The wiles and the snares of this world will but render
More lively my hope in my God and my all.
Yes, my refuge, you are in sorrows and dangers
My strength when I suffer, my hope when I fall.
My comfort and joy in this land of the stranger
My treasure, my glory, my God and my all.
To you dearest Lord will I turn without ceasing
Though griefs may oppress and sorrows befall.
I'll love you till death, my poor spirit releasing,
Secures me to Jesus, my God and my all.
And when you demand the life you have given,
With joy shall I answer your merciful call,
And quit you on earth but to find you in heaven
My portion forever, my God and my all.
Amen.
For more information contact the Vice President of Mission and Heritage, Jenny DeVivo, Ph.D., at 773-341-5734 or devivoFREESXU.
Lenten Mission Series
"Conversations with God: The Many Pathways to Prayer"
McDonough Chapel
Wednesday Evenings, 7 to 8 p.m.
Cost: Free
February 25, 2026 -- Judith Valentine, "Touching the sacred through poetry"
March 4, 2026 -- Joanne Kuttner, Dmin, "Prayer: Conversation with God"
March 11, 2026 -- Teresa Calpino, PhD, "Lectio Divina: Praying with Our Whole Self"
March 18, 2026 -- Patricia Shutts, "Contemplative Prayer: Being present to the Presence"
March 25, 2026 -- Dr. Joanne Kuttner, Dmin, "Creating a Personal Prayer Space"
Touching the Sacred Through Poetry
Wednesday, Feburuary 25, 2026
Judith Valentine
Like Scripture, poems encourage us to think in imaginative and non-linear ways. They
reveal truths that at first might seem hidden. As such, poems are trustworthy companions
for prayer. Still, we often neglect this important resource for deepening the inner
life and enhancing our prayer time. We will explore why poetry is a gift of the Sprit
and to our spirit, and how it can be what the ancient Celts called an anam cara, a
soul friend.
Judith Valente is a former staff writer for The Wall Street Journal and on-air correspondent
for national PBS-TV. She has written six spirituality titles and three collections
of poetry. Her writing focuses on helping busy people live more contemplative lives
in the secular world. She is a lay associate of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in
Atchison, KS, president emeritus of the International Thomas Merton Society, and guides
the annual "Benedictine Footprints" contemplative retreat/pilgrimage to lesser-known
sacred sites and parts of Italy. Her most recent book is How to Be A Contemplative:
Poems and Brief Reflections.
Prayer: Conversation with God
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Joanne Kuttner, D.Min.
Prayer is entering into a conscious, loving communion with God. Since we each approach
God differently, we will explore a variety of ways to pray and examine why we pray.
Reflecting on our daily human experiences helps us create a space to dialogue with
our beliefs, actions, and perspectives. This helps us search for the meaning of what
God is doing now in our lives. We learn to open ourselves fully to the grace given
to us by God and become more attentive to God’s presence in our daily lives.
Joanne Kuttner, D.Min. specializes in Pastoral Theology and Spirituality. She is a
senior lecturer in Theology at Lewis University for the last 21 years. At Lewis, she
has served as the Program Director of the Rome Study Abroad Program for five years.
She applied for and received a Lilly Grant for a program called “Engaging Stories,”
a 7-day Theology Summer Camp bringing together high-school students from across the
country. She has been the Director of the program since its beginning 11 years ago.
She has also served in a variety of leadership roles in her parish for over 60 years.
Lectio Divina: Praying with Our Whole Self
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Teresa Calpino, Ph.D.
The presentation will provide a brief overview of the history of Lectio Divina and
then lead the participants through an encounter with the practice. Lectio Divina is
an ancient prayer tradition used by millions around the world to encounter God through
scripture. In the Lectio process, first God speaks and we listen with our heart. Then
we speak and God listens. The only requirement is to bring your openness and desire
to be challenged and transformed by God’s Word.
Teresa Calpino holds a Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity with a focus
on women in the New Testament writings. She is currently an Advanced Lecturer in Theology
at Loyola University Chicago. Teresa is a graduate of the Spiritual Direction program
at the Siena Center in Racine, WI with a busy practice accompanying seekers on their
journey through the spiritual life.
Contemplative Prayer: Being Present to the Presence
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Patt Shutts
Contemplative prayer is silent prayer of just “resting in the presence of God.” Sounds
good, but it is not easy to quiet our minds to just be present to God who we believe
is always with us and in us and in all. We will learn about Centering Prayer and practice
it together. Centering Prayer can be an opening to contemplative prayer for those
desire to be more aware of God's constant loving presence.
Pat Shutts holds a B. A. in Theology and a Masters in Pastoral Studies from Loyola
in Chicago, along with spiritual guidance certification from Creighton University.
She worked for 16 years in retreat ministry at Siena Retreat Center in Racine, WI,
where she did spiritual guidance, lead prayer and meditation, and various spiritual
programs for the retreat center. For about 20 years she worked in all kinds of formation
ministries in Catholic parishes and school settings.
Creating a Personal Prayer Space
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Joanne Kuttner, D.Min.
This presentation will share a variety of ideas and suggestions for creating your
own prayer space in your home. Participants are encouraged to bring an item to show
us that has value in your prayer life. This Lenten Mission Series will conclude with
a conversation about spirituality and nourishing our spiritual lives.
Joanne Kuttner, D.Min. specializes in Pastoral Theology and Spirituality. She is a
senior lecturer in Theology at Lewis University for the last 21 years. At Lewis, she
has served as the Program Director of the Rome Study Abroad Program for five years.
She applied for and received a Lilly Grant for a program called “Engaging Stories,”
a 7-day Theology Summer Camp bringing together high-school students from across the
country. She has been the Director of the program since its beginning 11 years ago.
She has also served in a variety of leadership roles in her parish for over 60 years.