Father Currie, "Papa Joe" to his young friends, has been directing Fordham's Campus Ministry program for the past dozen years. With both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Fordham, he has spent almost half of his active Jesuit life in India, where he studied theology (in the Himalayan foothills), was ordained (in Jamshedpur), and served as teacher, pastor, retreat director, and formation coordinator throughout the South Asian sub-continent. Since returning to the U.S., he hasbeen a teacher and campus minister at Georgetown and Loyola New Orleans, and directed a retreat facility in Annapolis, MD. Besides coordinating a vibrant ministry spread over Fordham's three campuses, Fr. Currie teaches in the department of theology, serves as "Master" of Tierney Hall, and as chaplain to the EMS volunteers and the football Rams.
Day
McGinley Center 104; Phone: 718-817-4503; Fax: 718-817-4505.
"Rev. Erika" came to Fordham in 2006 and is an ordained Itinerate Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.She is a native of Stamford, CT and received a High School Diploma from Westhill High School in Stamford, a B.S. in Organizational Management from Voorhees College in Denmark, SC and a M. Div. from New York Theological Seminary in New York, NY.In addition to her academic achievements,shewas President of the Student Association at NYTS and was the first woman ordained in the 110-year history of her local "home church" (Bethel-Stamford),a chaplain for the WNBA New York Liberty, and was recently appointed pastor of Allen Temple AME Church in Mt. Vernon, NY.
McGinley Center 205B; Phone: 718-817-1272; Fax 718-817-4505; e-mail: ecrawford@fordham.edu
Regina DeVitto, C.N.D. Faith Formation & Sacraments
Regina has been a part of Fordham Campus Ministry for over a decade. Regina, a sister of the Congregation of Notre Dame (Montreal), holds an MA in Theological Studies from Weston Jesuit School of Theology. She is experienced in spiritual direction, grief ministry, vocational discernment, sacraments, liturgy and music.Regina facilitates our R.C.I.A. program on the Rose Hill campus.
McGinley Center 205C; Phone: 718-817-4539; Fax: 718-817-4505; e-mail: devitto@fordham.edu
Randy Jerome Retreats/Christian Life Communities
Randy Jerome is excited to begin his tenure at Fordham as the new Director of Retreats.The youngest of four siblings, Randy grew up in Chicago before going on to Augustana College where he received a degree in religion and philosophy. He then went on to spend the next seven years as a youth care worker for abused and neglected teens before returning to school to earn his Master of Divinity degree from St. John’s School of Theology. Randy has also spent time working in prison ministry, hospital chaplaincy, and teaching. He enjoys working out, playing basketball and chess, camping, and a good meal (where is the deep dish pizza?!) Randy is amazed at God’s love for us and feels blessed to be part of the Fordham community. He looks forward to meeting and getting to know the students and growing with them in faith.
McGinley Center 206; Phone: 718-817-4509; Fax: 718-817-4505; e-mail:rjerome@fordham.edu
Denis Kelly Sacristan
Born and bred in the Bronx, Denis is no stranger to Fordham’s Rose Hill campus. In fact, he is a "Golden Ram," having graduated from Fordham College in 1951. He is more than happy to be back on campus. After stints in teaching and drug counseling, Denis worked in the Administration at Jacobi Medical Center, where he retired in 1995. After several false starts in searching for a replacement for Brother Greg as Sacristan for the University Church and campus chapels, Campus Ministry placed a notice in its Sunday bulletin several Springs ago. Fortunately, Denis was attending Mass and was inspired to come out of retirement and apply. Retirement, he thought, could be great for a while, but can’t be forever. Even after a tumble from the ladder while changing his first sanctuary lamp, and a "baptism by fire" of Spring weddings and liturgies- including those of Holy Week, the Baccalaureate, and Jesuit ordinations- he has not changed his mind! It’s a good fit! Denis is very proud of his daughter, Kira, who graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Speech. She freelances in films and music videos and provides him with joy and inspiration.
University Church; Phone: 718-817-3215; Fax: 718-817-4505; e-mail: dekelly@fordham.edu
Robert Minotti Liturgical Music
Robert begins hisninetieth year here at Fordham as Director of Music. In this capacity he serves as University Organist, Director of our Liturgical Choir, and Coordinator of Music for all weddings celebrated in the University Church. During the academic year, Robert’s weekends are generally quite full, with weddings on Saturdays, and two Masses on Sunday, oneat Rose Hill at 11 AM, and a second at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan at 8 PM for our Lincoln Center campus. In addition to his work in Campus Ministry, Robert also directs the University Concert Choir, which performs three concerts each year on campus, including a Festival of Lessons and Carols at Christmastime, and goes on the road for two other regional concert tours. A native of Potsdam, NY, Robert received a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College and a Master of Music degree from the University of Notre Dame. He has previously served as Director of Music both at St. Bridgid’s Catholic Church in Peapack, NJ, and at the University of Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart during the university’s summer sessions.
McGinley Center 106; Phone: 718-817-4504; Fax: 718-817-4505; Email: minotti@fordham.edu
Lisandro Pena Liturgical Ministry
Lisandro is in hissecond year as Liturgical Coordinator at Fordham's Rose Hill campus. Born and raised in Ecuador, with a graduate degree from St. Francis college in Brooklyn, he has spent four years studying in Rome and has visited twenty-eight countries. He spent the last three years working as a Liturgical Coordinator at Gonzaga University in Washington, where he earned a Master's degree in pastoral ministry.
McGinley Center 205D; Phone: 718-817-0882; Fax: 718-817-4505; e-mail:lpena@fordham.edu
Gil Severiano Executive Secretary
Gil joined the Campus Ministry staffeight years ago after many years of managerial and secretarial experience. She returned to school after starting a family with her husband Jorge, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities, summa cum laude, from Iona College in 1998. She enjoyed the experience so much that she decided to find a position in an academic environment. Gil has been very active in community service throughout her life. She was a Girl Scout Leader and Board Member for nine years, and served on and chaired numerous PTA committees and works for other community groups. Gil is devoted to her threechildren: Lauren, Gabrielle, and Alexander. She truly enjoys working with the students, staff, and faculty and is looking forward to another exciting year!
McGinley Center 102; Phone: 718-817-4500; Fax: 718-817-4505; e-mail:severiano@fordham.edu
Lincoln Center
Joan P. Cavanagh, M.A., M.S. Associate Director
Joan is a familiar face at the Lincoln Center Campus. She has been at Fordham since August 1997 following seven years of high school teaching and campus ministry. She holds Master’s degrees in Theology (Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, N.Y.) and in Counseling (Fordham Graduate School of Education). Joan trained as a Hospital Chaplain at NYU Medical Center and Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital where she ministered on AIDS and cancer units. Working together with an interfaith team of chaplains she achieved advanced standing in her practice of pastoral counseling and chaplaincy in the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. She was certified as a chaplain in the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. Joan’s training at Calvary Hospital led to her certification as a Bereavement Counselor.
Joan loves being a part of the Lincoln Center community and enjoys working with Faculty, Staff and Students. She enjoys organizing the faculty retreats, prayer and memorial services. She is available for pastoral counseling and spiritual direction. She has always worked closely with people of all faiths and extends a welcome to all members of the LC community, Catholic and non Catholic alike. She has a deep appreciation of Ignatian Spirituality which underlies the work of Campus Ministry. When asked what campus ministry is all about, she will tell you, "We tend the soul of the Campus". She looks for new and creative ways to meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of students, staff, and faculty at the Lincoln Center campus. She invites you to stop in to meet her and the wonderful staff at Campus Ministry.
Lowenstein 217A; Phone: 212-636-6268; Fax: 212-636-7212; e-mail: jcavanagh@fordham.edu
Damian O’Connell, S.J. Liturgical Ministry
Father O’Connell has strong personal ties to Fordham. He is a graduate of both Fordham Prep and Fordham College. Both his sisters are Fordham alumnae, and his brother went the full route of Fordham Prep, College, and Law School. Since his ordination to the priesthood, Father O’Connell has lived and worked with the Lakota people of western South Dakota, with the people of the Marshall Islands, and the various peoples of Manhattan Island. He has promoted local church leadership in his roles as high school teacher, pastoral counselor, spiritual director, and parish priest. He currently coordinates Lincoln Center liturgies and serves as chaplain to Fordham’s Law School. He loves God and hates injustice. He lives in McMahon Hall and has as his one overriding interest: to hear news of the Christ, and to share his news of the Christ with others.
Day:
Lowenstein 217B; Phone: 212-636-6318; Fax: 212-636-7212.
A native San Franciscan, PatgraduatedfromFordham in 2005, earning a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. While at Fordham,he was greatly involved with Fordham's Emergency Medical Service,volunteering forfour years as an EMT. Hewas also an active member of the Global Outreach program andserved as leader ofthe GO! Guatemala project his senior year. Aftergraduation Patjoined the Nashville Jesuit Volunteercommunity,where heworkedwith men and women transitioning from incarceration to rejoining their communities bysupporting and advocating for them in their search foremployment, housing, treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, and a variety of other services.He enjoyedhis JVC experienceso much that he iscurrently pursuing his MSW degree and hopes toeventually continue hiswork with the offender population.As an Eagle Scout, Pat enjoys all things outdoors, including camping, hiking, swimming and skiing. He loves New York City (exceptduring the winter) and his work with the students, faculty and staffof the Lincoln Center campus.
Lowenstein 217; Phone: 212-636-6267; Fax: 212-636-7212; e-mail: callaghan@fordham.edu
Vin DeCola, S.J. Campus Minister
Vin comes to Fordham after three very distinct "careers" during his first 30 years as a Jesuit. After 5 years working in the Pacific Islands of Micronesia, Vin spent 9 years as Executive Director of Jesuit Volunteers International where he directed a staff to recruit, train, send, and support almost 80 college graduates each year who were serving in one of nine developing countries. In 2001, Vin returned to his hometown of New York and served 7 years as President of three Jesuit "Nativity" middle schools (St. Ignatius in the Bronx, the original Nativity on Manhattan's Lower East Side, and Brooklyn Jesuit Prep in Crown Heights).
Vin is delighted to return to his alma mater, Fordham, where he did his undergraduate studies as a Jesuit scholastic from 1979 to 1982. The focus of Vin's work will be the First Year Experience for resident and commuter students at Fordham's Lincoln Center Campus.
Lowenstein 219; Phone: 646-312-8269; Fax: 212-636-7212; e-mail: decola@fordham.edu
Westchester
Carol Gibney Associate Director
Carol is beginning her fifth year in Campus Ministry at the Westchester campus. She has initiated numerous community service projects including partnerships with Children's Village and Westchester Habitat for Humanity, Midnight Run, and weekly visits to the RSHM convent. She initiated several new Global Outreach trips to Camden, New Jersy, Lima, Peru, Barahona, Dominican Republic and San Francisco, California. Carol received her undergraduate degree from the College of New Rochelle and her Masters degree in Social Work at Fordham's Graduate School of Social Service in Tarrytown and was the recipient of the Fordham University GSSS Marian Crandell award honoring her school spirit. She serves on the board of the Center for Jewish-Christian-Muslim Understanding, Inc. in Westchester County, and the Dominican Literacy Project as well as the Board of the Terrytown Rotary Club. Carol is a trained Spiritual Director and has begun to offer the 19th Annotation of the Spiritual Exercises to Faculty and Staff. It is Carol's desire to empower students and others that she works with to become radical agents of transformative love. Raised in the Bronx, Carol lives in Yonkers with her husband Jimmy, and two children, Shana and Danny.
Westchester Campus Room 133; Phone: 914-367-3420; Fax: 914-367-3421; e-mail: cgibney@fordham.edu
