Center for Catholic Education at UD

By Mariam Couri

The Center for Catholic Education now houses book collections from Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski, Dr. Tom Hunt, and Brother Tom Oldenski. While sorting and labeling these new books I came across a bookmark created by Catholic Relief Services that features a quote by Mother Teresa. The quote reads:

“If sometimes our poor people have had to die of starvation, it is not because God didn’t care for them, but because you and I didn’t give, we were not instruments of love in the hands of God, to give them that bread, to give them that clothing; because we did not recognize Christ, when once more, Christ came in distressing disguise.”

Saint Teresa of Calcutta or more commonly known as Mother Teresa, lived a life of servitude for others. Mother Teresa strongly advocated for all people to serve one another with love. She explains that we can not properly serve without having love and the only way to achieve such love is through prayer with God. Mother Teresa reminds us that prayer must be the foundation of all that we do.

Prayer provides us with the strength and endurance to achieve the difficult tasks that the Lord has set before us. The actual act of prayer does not give us strength, rather it is God who provides us with strength when we pray that allows us to use this strength in our lives. Consistent prayer and conversation with God allows us to grow our capacity to love. Love for others is the most essential trait we can identify as Christians. God calls us to love every single person that we encounter in our lives. Love for others can only lead us closer to love itself who is God in all three divine persons.

Mother Teresa’s life motto of serving through love demonstrates the goals and mission of Catholic Social Teaching. Catholic Social Teaching Principles emphasize the importance of caring for all people, the dignity of workers, caring for creation, and many other essential practices that all Catholics can accomplish. These principles are the foundation for Catholic mission and action in the world. As the earlier quote states, it is our responsibility to love and care for all people and recognize the face of Christ in those who are suffering. Matthew 25:40 says “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Christ is present in the least suspecting people and places. May we actively seek his face in all those we encounter. 

Books about practical Catholic lifestyles and many more subjects now reside in the Center for Catholic Education. The Center for Catholic Education builds onto their existing library of Catholic, Marianist, and Educational resources. The Center’s most recent donation of books are connected to a multitude of subjects including leadership development, classroom management, Catholic education, and personal religious growth. The addition of these books grows the existing library present in the common areas of the Center. The library features texts from the original University of Dayton Library, some of which date back to the early 1900's. Students are welcome to borrow books from the Center for Catholic Education Library during office hours of  8:30 AM - 4:30 PM. The Center for Catholic Education Library books are displayed in the Center on two separate bookshelves. A checkout log is provided for checking out the books. Ask the front desk if you have any questions. 

How can we live like Mother Teresa, actively seeking the good of all those around us every day?