The Office of Mission and Ministry has begun hosting a series of Vigils for the Vulnerable every Tuesday. Starting three weeks ago, the office began choosing a different community that is seen as vulnerable and hosting a short moment of solitude each week.
“We just felt like the Villanova community and a lot of different parts of the community from staff, students and faculty are feeling the impacts of some of the current environment and not necessarily having places to gather and feel like we’re together,” Director of Residential Ministry John Edwards said.
The event takes place in a short, 15-minute period each Tuesday from 12:45 p.m. to 1 p.m. The time was specifically chosen as it is a time between class changes so that way the students who wanted to stop by for just a few minutes in between class would have that opportunity.
“We wanted it to be a short but regular space where the Villanova community can come together, hear about the mission related to a particular topic that feels like it is being impacted in the current atmosphere that we’re in,” Edwards said.
Edwards elaborated deeper on the University’s mission.
“We believe that as a Catholic university, we have the responsibility to support, to have an international and global perspective in how we look at poverty and economic development and that we think that our institution as a university should be helping our community and other to be able to see why that is essential to who we are as Catholics and as Augustine,” Edwards said.
Despite Villanova’s being a Catholic university, Edwards believes it is important for the Villanova community to know that these vigils are not restricted to only those who practice the Catholic faith.
“A lot of people either pray together or either have a Christian prayer, a multifaith prayer or a period of silence in a way of just being in solidarity and maybe some way of engaging that issue in particular,” Edwards said.
These vigils are not just limited to the Office of Mission and Ministry. In fact, they are actively looking for ways to collaborate with other offices and groups.
“We’re really open, seeing as a way that the whole community can engage not just Mission and Ministry,” Edwards said. “Asking community members to say what do you think should be highlighted, who do you think is vulnerable right now? We’ll happily work with you to you know, put together a short program for one of the week’s vigils”
The office has been reaching out to campus partners, putting out announcements in their newsletters, and asking the community to request any ideas they may have for an upcoming vigil. If students have a certain community they want to be recognized as vulnerable are more than encouraged to reach out.
“If students had other communities that they wanted to be able to name as vulnerable and have uplifted they could absolutely reach out to me,” Edwards said.
“Noticing and paying attention to people that do feel vulnerable that do feel like maybe they’re not sure if they’re protected, not sure if they’re going to have what they need, not sure what the future looks like and we’re wanting to say be able to say Villanova’s is about your particular needs, your particular concerns and we want the Villanova community to gather together and say this is a place where everyone can come together and say we are in solidarity with those being impacted.”
The Office of Mission and Ministry plans to continue this weekly service until the week of finals.
The office has not confirmed every community they plan to host a vigil for as they are strongly encouraging students and other organizations to reach out with communities they think are the most important to support.
Ultimately, both student input and engagement is critical to the mission of the vigils, and both of these things are encouraged.
If one has suggestions or questions, they can email Edwards at john.p.edwards@villanova.edu.
