WESTFIELD – The Diocese of Springfield has appointed Father Warren J. Savage as Westfield State University’s new Roman Catholic Chaplain. In his new position, Savage joins Reverend Kim Murphy and Rabbi Joyce Galaski, the university’s Protestant and Jewish chaplains, respectively, in providing a range of faith services for Westfield State students.
Savage completed his Theological Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He has worked as an international speaker, lecturer and mission preacher. He currently lectures in the Religious Studies Department of Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee.
Elizabeth Preston, interim president of Westfield State University, is looking forward to the new chaplain joining the center.
“Meeting Father Savage is an experience. He is energetic and enthusiastic about living his faith and in caring for others no matter their background. Most importantly, his commitment to interfaith dialog and service aligns with Westfield State’s focus on increased community engagement and we are very much looking forward to having him be a part of our campus community,” Preston said.
Along with Murphy and Galaski, Savage will maintain an office in the Interfaith Center. The university also plans to add an Imam for Muslim students.
Founded in 1982 by donation from the late Albert and Amelia Ferst, the Interfaith Center supports religious and spiritual life, as well as promoting interfaith understanding on and off campus. It provides students the opportunity for worship, meditation, spiritual exploration, religious learning and service.
Savage, Murphy and Galaski’s first collaborative project will be working with students as part of President Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge. Westfield State will be one of 250 “institutions of higher education who are making the vision for interfaith cooperation and community service a reality on campuses across the country.” Interfaith service involves people from different religious and non-religious backgrounds tackling community challenges together – for example, Protestants and Catholics, Hindus and Jews, and Muslims and non-believers — building a Habitat for Humanity house together. Interfaith service impacts specific community challenges, from homelessness to mentoring to the environment, while building social capital and civility.
Creating a Culture of Engagement
Participation in the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge builds on other established Westfield State University service initiatives. Through the Department of Higher Education, Westfield State University has become involved with the American Democracy Project (ADP), a multi-campus initiative focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy. ADP is funded through the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).
The university is also part of Campus Compact, a national coalition of college and university presidents dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education.
“From Westfield State’s work with Campus Compact to ADP and now to the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Challenge, we are committed to helping our students become informed, responsible citizens,” said Preston. “We are building relationships and providing experiences that encourage students to examine their values, develop practical competencies and apply their learning to find solutions for social and civic problems both on and off campus.”
The administration at Westfield State University is taking further steps to foster a culture of civic engagement throughout the Westfield State experience including directly integrating civic engagement into course work in order to get more students to get involved.
“We would like to attach a civic engagement message to more courses and even make civic engagement projects requirements for certain courses,” Preston said. “Ideally, we would like to require students take more than one course at Westfield State that involves them in community service in some way. Our hope is that this will inspire students to get involved in community service projects outside of coursework as well.”
“I am here not just for the Catholic students but for all students,” said Savage. “I am excited to be part of the Westfield State University campus community. I look forward to working with the administration, faculty, staff and students in creating an environment where people from different faith traditions, spiritual experiences and walks of life can respect each other and dialogue together.”
