On August 28, 2007 a second reunion was held for our Cassadaga colleagues at St. Anne's in Fiskdale, MA. This year's gathering had some new faces and many others who were in attendance last year (see the pictures below). How many times can you reminisce about the "good old days?" Apparently quite often. The Cassadaga Trivial Pursuit game was especially fun with many of the questions (and answers) generating lots of discussion. It would appear, however, that we need some practice on our Gregorian chants. Just ask Joe McMaster who was absolutely terrific as our choir director.


Special thanks to the "organizing committee" Milty Malboeuf, Al Gaulin, Kip Muldoon, Richard Gallant, Richard Donais, Tomasz Kierul, and Harry Aubuchon. Thanks also to Fr. Roger Corriveau who was the principle celebrant and homilist, Fr. Robert Fortin who was co-celebrant, and to Fr. Peter Precourt for hosting us at St.Anne's.

Next up, Milty and "Mama" Luzak will start organizing a 2008 Pittsburg bash!! Hope to see many of our PA colleagues and what a terrific mini-vacation it will be for our New England classmates.

More info at - http://www.cassadagaseminary.org

Obituary: George H. Tavard / Respected theology professor at Mount Mercy College
Feb. 6, 1922 - Aug. 13, 2007

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

By Eleanor Chute, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Rev. George H. Tavard was a theology professor for just seven years -- 1959 to 1966 -- at Mount Mercy College, now Carlow University, but his impact was so great that for decades alumnae looked forward to seeing him at reunions.

Father Tavard, 85, died suddenly Monday in a Paris airport. He had been visiting a brother and a sister in France and was on his way back to Boston, where he resided.

Father Tavard, who chaired the theology department at Mount Mercy, was a charming man with a French accent -- he was born in Nancy, France -- and the ability to teach students at the then women's college how to think for themselves.

"He was invaluable in my life," said Catherine Linarelli-Hammack, of Arlington, Va., class of 1963. "It was an awakening experience to take a theology course from him. It wasn't the usual catechism, laid out stuff. It was historical and thought-provoking. ... He taught me to think on my own about a lot of things."

Father Tavard officiated at her wedding 42 years ago, and he visited the couple's home enough that their grandchildren referred to him as "Uncle Tavard."

He awoke at 5:30 each morning to pray.

"There was just this feeling of continued intellectual pursuit and peace when he was with you," Ms. Linarelli-Hammack said.

Cassie Greco Ruane, of Shadyside, class of 1965, said that as she visited other Catholic colleges for student government activities she saw what Father Tavard was teaching was "way beyond" the others.

"We were learning 20th century theology," she said. "It was an intellectually rigorous approach and a departure from what was standard fare in Catholic colleges at the time."

Former Carlow President Sister Grace Ann Geibel was not at Mount Mercy during Father Tavard's tenure but saw him repeatedly over the years.

She said, "If you ever met him, what you would see is a simple person, very quiet, but he just showed this genuine interest and warmth. This came through to the students," she said.

She said students looked forward to seeing him at reunions and "hung on every word" when he said a closing Mass.

His impact reached beyond Mount Mercy.

During his Mount Mercy years, Father Tavard attended Vatican Council II as a "peritus conciliaris" named by Pope John XXIII and consultant to the Pontifical Secretariat for the Unity of Christians, according to the Web site of his order, the Augustinians of the Assumption.

Jubilee, a Catholic magazine, once called him "one of the most articulate ecumenists in America."

His biography on the Web notes that he has "lectured and written extensively in the areas of historical theology, ecumenism and spirituality."

His work included being part of dialogues between the Catholic church and the World Methodist Council as well as the Catholic church and the Anglican church and the Catholic church and Lutherans.

Father Tavard studied at the Grand Seminaire de Nancy and the Catholic Faculties of Lyons in France and earned a doctorate of sacred theology from Lyons. He was ordained in 1947.

In addition to Mount Mercy, he taught at Assumption College, Penn State University and Methodist Theological School in Ohio, where he retired as professor emeritus in 1990. He also has been a visiting professor at various universities, including Catholic University of America and Princeton Theological Seminary.

A memorial is planned for the alumni reunion Mass at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 30 in St. Agnes Center of Carlow University.

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Eleanor Chute can be reached at echute@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1955.
Original Story at - http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07227/809476-122.stm 

The following message was sent by Walter Cardinal Kasper, the President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Dear members of the Assumptionist order, dear family and friends of Fr. George Tavard,

It is with sadness that we have learned of the sudden death of Father George Tavard. His life was a life dedicated to the restoration of unity among Christians, and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity owes a geat debt of gratitude to him. He served as a consultor of the then Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity through the years of the Second Vatican Council and up until 1973. He was a member of the dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion from its inception, soon after the Council, until 1981, and then was asked to serve on the International Methodist-Catholic Dialogue Commission from 1982 until 2006. He also served on the Catholic Church's dialouges with Lutherans and Anglicans in the United States. The Pontifical Council had planned to honour Fr. Tavard during the course of the meeting of the Methodist-Catholic Commission in October next, for his uninterrupted participation in national and international dialogues since the end of the Second Vatican Council.

He must be considered one of the great pioneers in Catholic ecumenical work, who put his mind, heart and soul at the service of Christian unity over six decades; indeed he was still diligently engaged in ecumenical work until the time of his death. His commitment to ecumenical relations through patient dialogue and rigorous historical scholarship was marked by a boundless energy and an intellectual creativity which spoke of the presence of the Holy Spirit in his lifelong ministry of reconciliation. As we now join you in bidding farewell to our colleague and friend, we commend him to the Lord, confident that the Good Shepherd will be eager to embrace one who has served so well his desire that all might be one.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Walter Cardinal Kasper
President

Father George H. Tavard

Georges Henri Tavard was born in Nancy, France on February 6, 1922. He made profession of religious vows as an Assumptionist on December 27, 1943 and was ordained to the priesthood on March 2, 1947.

He received a Doctorate in Theology from Universite Catholique de Lyon in 1949.

After spending a few years in England, he came to the United States in 1952 and has been here ever since.

Fr. Tavard was a Peritus at the Second Vatican Council serving especially with the Protestant delegation. He held several teaching positions at American Universities and Seminaries, most notably at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio and Marquette University in Milwaukee.

Fr. Tavard authored over 55 books and numerous articles, mostly on ecumenical subjects. Until his death he was busy writing and lecturing.