Page 49 - Priorities #67 2017 Spring

Molly Buccola has been the Campus Minister since 2006. Molly shares with us what a Cam- pus Minister does and how she has expanded her role recently.
What does a Campus Minister do at Priory?
I do a variety of things, from organizing weekly chapel services, to organizing, plan- ning, and facilitating retreats for our community. Starting in 2011, Fr. Martin and I have been offering retreats for our parents, alumni, and alumni parents. I try to highlight the Benedictine charism (the “feel” of the school) and promote Priory’s unique mission and identity. I’m thankful for our monastic tradition that inspires faith and deep relationships. I work with monks at Saint Anselm College to organize an annual Benedictine Life and Spirituality Seminar (BLSS) for faculty, staff, and members of our Board of Trustees. BLSS celebrates our Benedictine tradition and its value in this day and age.
What is your background in theology?
I was majoring in Psychology at Santa Clara University and saved the required Re- ligious Studies courses for last because I didn’t think it was my “thing.” I ended up loving the required courses and packed more into my schedule. After four years, I earned degrees in both Psychology and Religious Studies. I then visited various high schools and observed Theology classes. I wanted to teach Theology in a way that was both thought-provoking and inspiring. While in the Catholic Educational Lead- ership program at University of San Francisco, I visited Priory and observed Scott Parker’s Theology class and loved it. The rest is history...
You also coordinate the class retreats. What do students do at retreats and who runs them?
When I arrived, teachers facilitated the retreats yet there were talented and passion- ate students ready to step up. So I started a Retreat Team in 2007. These students have two of their own leadership retreats each year and meet as a team each month to discuss their Benedictine reading. I work closely with the Retreat Team to plan, or- ganize, and facilitate retreat activities and reflections. Like Priory classes, each retreat is founded on specific Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions that are rooted in our Benedictine tradition. All retreats consist of rituals (class mass, letters to self, candle ceremony.)
Why did you start offering parent retreats?
Parents are people too. Parents need retreats as much as students. Life in the Bay Area is ultra chaotic and fast-paced and Benedictines offer specific tools that address these challenges. Humans have always struggled to navigate relationships, social norms, and external pressures. I strive to offer background on Benedictine life and ways the tradition could provide a little sanctuary within school/work communities, home, and especially the self.
What is the goal of retreats?
To create an experience for people to step outside the daily norm, in order to reflect, pray, and reconnect with that which is truly important. For centuries Benedictines have been structuring time to reconnect with the self in silence, reconnect with each other through relationships, and connect with God in prayer. The ultimate goal is to create time and space to develop relationships with ourselves, others, and God.
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Molly with her 2016-17 Retreat Team.
The Saint Anselm student teachers with Molly and Father Martin.
Molly during one of her many spiritual parent retreats she organizes.
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