David Prier
2006 Recipient of the Maureen E. O'Rourke Marianist Student Award
Acceptance Speech
When Joan Wagner told me that I would be the recipient of this
year’s Maureen O’Rourke award, I had many different reactions.
I was first of all surprised. I knew of a few of the nominees,
and I that I was in a very prestigious crowd of possible
winners. Immediately after the surprise, I felt a mixture of
pride and a little bit of sorrow. I was certainly proud that I
would be recognized as an example of the Marianist charism on
campus. This is something that I put a lot of my time and
effort into, and it felt great to know that I would be
acknowledged for it. At the same time, however, I thought of
Maria, Chris, John, Erin, and Matt and I thought to myself a
hundred reasons why each of them deserved this award too. All
of them are living examples of the Marianist spirit for me, and
so it felt a little strange winning this award. Thus I feel
flattered and humbled to be chosen.
After Joan had told me the good news, she then went on to remind me of my obligation as the recipient of the Maureen O’Rourke Award. I would have to give a speech at dinner. Now for some of you, I’m sure speaking in front of a crowd comes very naturally, but it doesn’t for me. Over the past month, I’ve been putting a lot of thought into what I should talk about. I have been to some of the Lackner award dinners, and the recipients always seem to have eloquently planned out speeches that instill listeners with a sense of mission and purpose. I normally leave those dinners inspired, with confidence in our Marianist institution and its ability to impact and recognize people of such impeccable caliber. I therefore felt that it was my duty to come up with a speech that similarly moved those around me. With this goal in mind, I didn’t get too far. I think I put a little too much pressure on myself.
It was only about a week ago, when I entered Fr. Joe Kozar’s Religion and Literature class that I was finally able to begin to really formulate what I’d want to say. Before class, I confided in Fr. Kozar that I had been having some difficulty with my speech, and that I was open to any suggestions that he might have. He told me to pick just one thing that I really wanted to say and elaborate on that. So, during that class, when I probably should have been focusing more on the lecture (Sorry Fr. Kozar) I decided what I wanted to talk about here tonight. I’m going to try to describe what it personally means to for me to be Catholic and Marianist.
Over my past three years on the Rector’s Council, it seems like we’ve tackled this question of what it means to be Catholic and Marianist many times in many different ways. And, in all of our attempts to solidify a concrete definition, it seems that our answers are just a little bit vague. I think that this lack of rigidity shows the depth and complexity of our spirit in that it cannot be completely expressed in just a few concise statements. And, likewise, I offer no succinct list characteristics in my own understanding. What I am going to try to do now is express how I have been touched by this Catholic and Marianist spirit. In this way, I’ll hopefully describe what I feel it has meant and still means for me to be a Catholic and Marianist person.
As many of you know, there are five aspects associated with the Marianist Charism. Inclusivity Faith, Mary, Community, and Mission. Each has been extremely influential in my life, and I have experienced many living witnesses of these aspects throughout my time at UD. So, what I’m going to do for this speech is go through each of the five aspects and give you my understanding of it.
We’ll start with Inclusivity. What has it meant and does it continues to mean to be inclusive?
Inclusivity means that the Marianist Spirit tries to bring one common unity to all who are immersed in it. This is not the assimilation of peoples into one specific type of uniform person. It is instead an effort to make room for everyone at the table. All are welcome and accepted for who they are and what they think. No better example of this aspect of the Marianist charism exists for me than through Sr. Linda Jackson. Her truly unconditional and accepting love has shown me that agreeing with someone is not at all a prerequisite for loving them. I have seen her glow with pride at the accomplishments of students that she’s never met. I’ve seen her hug others (and I have been hugged) with such free love and compassion that it makes my heart swell. In this amazing woman I have found my living witness of inclusivity on the UD campus, and it has truly changed me. I strive to follow her example and always meet others with love before judgment and compassion before correction. These bonds of love that are created by Sister Linda and many others here at UD help form the welcoming environment on this campus and provide us with the cohesive glue that unites our community.
Faith
I have been blessed with amazing parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles that have helped build up the foundation of my faith life. I thank God often for the gift that he’s given me in a mother who lives out her vocation daily, a father who is for me a model of what a Catholic man should be. And, I am especially grateful for grandparents who are loving witnesses to God’s presence in my life. Without a doubt I owe much of my faith life to their guidance and direction. At UD, I have continued to mature and deepen in my faith. Retreats, weekly masses, and the wisdom of so many holy men and women have given me the ability actively grow in my faith.
For my first two years at UD, I remember Bro. Dan Klco and I would meet every other week for spiritual direction. He would listen to how I was feeling, and what I was thinking and talk to me about the way God was working in my life. I know that these meetings helped me to strengthen my faith life and my relationship with God. And, also, I know that I’m not the only one that is touched by this community’s commitment to helping those who want a partner on their spiritual journey. To be a man of faith has become a serious priority for me, and I am grateful to this community for its support. We are a truly unique and special place in that we have members like Bro. Dan who actively serve and cultivate the faith life of those around them.
Mary
The third aspect of the Marianst charism is Mary, and I know that UD has given me a better understanding of who this woman was and what she means for me today. I see Mary daily through so many people on campus. I see her in the strong but humble faith of women like Maria Mergler, Erin Anderson, Maureen O’Rourke, Megan Hilleren, or Alison Black. I see their dedication to service and to carrying out Jesus’ mission, and I along with others cannot help but to be changed just by knowing them. And, though they deserve much more recognition than I do, they would never go searching for it. They are my examples of how to live lives of action not for personal gain but in service to others as Mary did. I have learned so much from these women, and I through them I see Mary’s continued influence in our world today.
Community
I think that community is my favorite of the aspects of the charism. I have been welcomed to this place by many people. A unique community exists here between me and my roommates, my friends, my classmates, and people I haven’t yet met. This place is my home, and I feel welcomed and loved here. Whether it’s through Cornhole, Barbeques, Parties, Frisbee golf, or just hanging around our house watching movies, I’m always surrounded by wonderful people. This community is more than just being with my friends and having a fantastic time here at UD. It is a family.
There are clear signs of our community everywhere I look. I see it when John Graziano walks up and down Lowes Street just to say hi to his neighbors. I see it through Chris Neiport and Ken Barrett spending their afternoon making a dinner for anyone who wants to come. I see it through Matt’s tireless effort to change our campus climate often spending way more time in committees than in classes. I see it in the welcoming smiles of people I pass on the street. And most of all, I have felt our community as it has supported me and lifted me up in the midst of tragedy and sorry. If I had another hour, I’d thank everyone that helped me through last winter when we lost Steve Yano to suicide. No truer example of community have I experienced than in those difficult months. So, I see proof of our community every day of my life, and I thank God for this blessing that he has given to us all.
Mission
The final aspect of the Marianist charism is mission. This is the part that we graduating seniors especially have to grapple with right now. Through participation in various groups and activities on campus, I have been encouraged to join the mission of the university and of the Marianists. The question that I struggle with now is how to take what has been given to me out to the rest of the world. How will I carry on this spirit that has changed me and allow it to further influence my life? How will I spread this mission to others when I leave UD? These are question that I do not know the answers to yet. I do know, however, that I have excellent examples of people living out this very same mission.
Joan and AJ Wagner as well as the other Marianists have dedicated their lives to this charism, and continue to find new and creative ways to use their talents to fulfill it. Their zeal and excitement was one the main reasons that I got caught up in the Marianist spirit. They, and the majority of the people in this room have shown me what it means to live out this mission.
Though I don’t know exactly how I will continue living the Marianist spirit next year or ten years down the line, I do know that it has changed who I am. I have been saturated by it. The citation that Joan read for the award said that I am a good representative of all things Marianist. If this is even partially true, then my success in living out the Marianist charism is mostly due to the wonderful people who have so strongly influenced my life.
In conclusion, what it means for me to be Catholic and Marianist is to hug like Sr. Linda, serve and pray Maria Mergler, give counsel like Bro. Dan Klco, welcome others like John Graziano, and show dedication like Joan McGinnis Wagner. So, I am once again grateful for this award, but I am infinitely more thankful for the blessings of the Marianist Charism that everyone here and so many others have given to me. You have, through your words and your actions, shown me what it means to be Catholic and Marianist. And, I count myself truly blessed to know you all.
Thank you
Along with this award, I have been given $500 to give to an on campus group. This year, I would like the $500 to go to REACH, a fairly new student organization that is dedicated to the support mental health on our campus. This group is just getting off of the ground, but I feel that it has the potential to touch many lives and combat serious mental health problems especially those of depression and suicide on our campus.