Siena College - Saga Yearbook (Loudonville, NY)

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My dear brothers and sisters of the class of 1983, 2 Opening Once upon a time there was a young man from a wealthy family. Like most of the boys at his time, he was caught up in the macho influence of friends and fam- ily and longed to be rich and well liked. He had absorbed the usual values of his time. Then the silent hand of God touched him through his experience of war and life with the poor. Prayer and meditation transformed his life. Empty pleasures gave way to the desire to share Jesus, life, Jesus, pain and glory, Jesusl love for the poor, love for the oppressed, for the aged, the lonely and the for- gotten. This young man learned to walk with the poor, to live with them and through his lifestyle, to further the reign of God. As a result, hun- dreds, even thousands of men and women began to follow him. He motivated an entire age to reform itself, to end the many wars that plagued that time and to end the oppression of feudal- ism itself. This man was, of course, Francis of Assisi who is the inspiration and guiding spir- it of Siena College. I believe that Francis of Assisi speaks to you. the 1983 gradu- ates of Siena. and to all of us associated with this school that we love so well. I believe that the foundation of your education here is Francisl message of jus- tice and peace. Siena will be re- membered by you certainly for its educational opportunities, but also as a caring community; not just a friendly place, not just a pleasant place, but a real community, a com- munity where we learned to respect one another, where we learned to help one another; a community where we acknowledged our differences, differences in beliefs, in life styles, in religion and in race, but a true community. This lesson that you began to learn at Siena must be Cover: Saga - a tale, often a poetic narrative of heroic deeds - a detailed recital of events. brought to fulfillment. You must continue to see all persons as your brothers and sisters, as children of God, the Father. This is what your education at Siena College should mean to you. As alumni you remain important members of the Siena College Community and Francis himself calls you to share your knowledge, your educa- tion, your very lives with those less fortunate. You have the obligation to understand the plight of the poor. You have the responsibility of putting your intellectual learn- ing into practice in the years that lie ahead. I believe that Francis calls you and all the alumni community to be of special service to the poor and to be active in the pursuit of social justice. I would be tre- mendously disappointed if you were not concerned about the many needs which face us today and will continue to face us for many years to come, the needs of the homeless, the chronically unemployed and the needs of families. Francis calls us to remember that all men and women are our brothers and sisters, that we are members of a global community. Francis calls us to live the Beati- tudes of Jesus, to live the Gospel life, to be men and women of peace and mercy seeking after justice at all times. It is a great and difficult call, one to which Francis responded eight hun- dred years ago. Yet it is a call ever new, ever personal, a call to you as graduates of Siena and a call to all of us who remain here on campus. A call to be true instruments of peace, love, pardon and hope. Hugh F. Hines, O.F.M. President 22 35 Features: Academics: a distinct or of or belonging outstanding part, to a learned quality, or society. characteristic of something.