ST. MARY’SST. MARY’SBlue&Gold

FALL/WINTER 2002

PRESIDENTCharles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.

(B.A. ’62, M.A. ’64)

UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENTVICE PRESIDENTThomas B. Galvin

UNIVERSITYCOMMUNICATIONS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORDianne Pipes

EXECUTIVE EDITORCandace J. Kuebker (B.A. ’78)

ASSOCIATE EDITORSAnastasia Cisneros-Lunsford

(B.A. ’92)Rob Leibold

PUBLICATIONS DIRECTORSteve Weed

PHOTOGRAPHYMelanie Rush Davis

Morris GoenTommy Hultgren

Luis Nuño Briones

CONTRIBUTORSPat Abernathey

University CommunicationsKaren Persyn and

Will Elliott (B.A. ’93)Advancement Services

Gold & Blue is produced for alumniand friends three times a year by theUniversity Communications staff.

Contents © 2002 by St. Mary’sUniversity. All rights reserved.

One Camino Santa MariaSan Antonio, Texas 78228-8575

www.stmarytx.edu

News from Around the Grove

Can America Afford to Stand Silent?by Jeffrey F. Addicott

Merger Expected to Promote Society of Mary Goalsby the Rev. John A. Leies, S.M., S.T.D.

Father Elizondo—Unifying the Faithfulby Kathy Khattar Villarreal (B.A. ’89, M.A. ’96)

Warming to the Global Approachby Larry Hufford, Ph.D.

The Sesquicentennial—Picture It

Barrios Siblings Cookin’ Up Recipes for Successby Rob Leibold

Class Notes

Concerning Our Dear Friendsby Robert B. O’Connor, Ph.D. and the Rev. John A. Leies, S.M.

In Closing

On the CoversOn the front cover, from left, are Brother Terry O’Connor, S.M., Brother Bill

McCarthy, S.M., the Rev. John A. Leies, S.M., and Brother Edward Loch, S.M., whoreprised the roles of the original Marianist pioneers who arrived in San Antonio bystagecoach in 1852 to begin the educational enterprise that became St. Mary’sUniversity and Central Catholic High School. On the back cover, St. Mary’s PresidentCharles L. Cotrell, Ph.D., and Central Catholic High School President, the Rev.Joseph Tarrillion, S.M., ride through the streets of downtown San Antonio atop anauthentic circa-1800s stagecoach to re-enact that historic event.

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CONTENTS From the Editor

A mericans have been grapplingwith concerns about national securitysince the terrorist attacks on the WorldTrade Center and Pentagon 15 monthsago. St. Mary’s law professor JeffAddicott, an expert in international andnational security, sees hope for theadvancement of internationallyrecognized human rights through thecloud of fear and uncertainty that hasenveloped our country and the world.

At St. Mary’s, the graduate programin International Relations is committedto educating students in theinterrelatedness of all countries andtheir peoples. Program director LarryHufford, Ph.D., recruits students whowant to be a part of the solution to theworld’s complex problems. Learningfrom the program’s interdisciplinaryapproach, IR graduates are making adifference around the globe.

History was made this past summerwhen four provinces of the Society ofMary merged into one, the MarianistProvince of the United States ofAmerica. Most of us will remember thebrothers and priests who taught us herewere from the St. Louis Province. NowSt. Mary’s University can benefit fromMarianists of the former Cincinnati,Pacific and New York provinces.

St. Mary’s University is coming tothe end of a year of unparalleledcelebration. From the spectacular galathat kicked off our Sesquicentennial lastJanuary, to the rededication of theUniversity to Mary in September andthe reenactment of Marianists arrivingin San Antonio orchestrated in October,2002 is a year all of us will remember.

Many of you attended one or more ofour anniversary events–thank you foryour interest and support. Those of youunable to be with us in person mayenjoy taking a look at the year in reviewon pages 12 and 13. Please rememberthat all of you are the building blocks ofthe University that stands strong andproud today.

And during this busiest of holidayseasons, let’s take time to reflect on ourblessings for we all have many. May thejoy of the season remain with you andyour family throughout the year.

—Candace Kuebker

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n Short Subjects

Law StudentsContinue Win Streak

St. Mary’s law students havemaintained their dominance in externaladvocacy competition by winning theLone Star Classic National InvitationMock Trial Tournament in November.

St. Mary’s teams grabbed first andthird places in a competition wherestudents demonstrate their courtroomskills while acting out imaginary civiland criminal cases.

Top honors went to the St. Mary’steam of Austin Poda, AndieChampagne, Craig Saucier and LeslieMassengale. Poda also was named thetournament’s best advocate.

More than a dozen schools wererepresented, including teams fromStetson University, Tampa, Fla.; theUniversity of Texas; BaylorUniversity; the College of William andMary, Williamsburg, Va.; theUniversity of Houston; and SouthernMethodist University.

The competition was held in civilcourtrooms at the Bexar CountyCourthouse. Local lawyers served asjudges but did not know local studentsfrom others as teams were identifiedonly by number.

Dude, It’s a Dell

Freshmen and juniors received new laptop

models this fall as St. Mary’s became the

first undergraduate university in San

Antonio to have a Dell University Honors

program.

University RekindlesSouth AmericaConnection

St. Mary’s President Charles L.Cotrell, Ph.D., and representativesfrom the faculty, admissions andadvancement traveled to Chile andPeru in July to visit potentialinternational students and parents, andto reconnect with alumni.

Ruben Candia, Ph.D., languagesdepartment chairman, accompaniedCotrell to Chile where St. Mary’sformed a student exchange programwith the Universidad Mayor inSantiago to complement the business

N E W SF R O M A R O U N D T H E G R O V E

Last spring, moot court teams fromSt. Mary’s won the American BarAssociation’s National AppellateAdvocacy Competition and the TexasYoung Lawyer Association MootCourt Competition. n

Charles FrancisWelcomes New Tenants

Newly renovated Charles FrancisHall reopened its doors this pastsummer.

Tenants in the old residence hallinclude: technology/planning andinstitutional research; the StudentHealth Center; School of Humanitiesand Social Sciences dean’s offices; andfaculty offices for several departments.

Renovations also includeclassrooms with high-tech connectivityand art studios. The health centerfeatures examining rooms, a lab anddoctors offices, and the buildinghouses a conference room with high-tech connections. n

St. Mary’s ExtendsReach of DistanceEducation

The distance educationprogram in theology wasexpanded this past fall tograduate students in Austin,Waco and Bryan.

The University iscollaborating with the AustinDiocese to use distance learningto prepare lay leaders forvarious church ministriesthroughout the area. Classes areconducted through live, two-way video conferencingtechnology.

The Corpus Christi Dioceseis continuing its partnership inthe satellite program for thefifth consecutive year. n

Upgrades Bring More Flavor to Campus Dining

A section of the dining room in the Diamondback Café has

been renovated to make room for more selections and

service. The area features an 18-foot salad bar, soup

station, pizza/pasta station, Asian noodle bar and a mini

convenience store. A second phase calls for enhanced

outdoor café seating.

President Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D., and University

Advancement Vice President Tom Galvin chat with

several of the more than 160 Peruvian high school

students and parents who attended a St. Mary’s

event in Lima.

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school’s Southern Cone Program.Cotrell also attended gatherings in

Lima with parents and potentialstudents from high schools andPeruvian alumni.

The trip highlights the University’scommitment to attract moreinternational students and rekindleSt. Mary’s relationship with SouthAmerica. n

St. Mary’s SustainsCritical Acclaim

St. Mary’scontinues to receivecritical acclaim. Forthe ninthconsecutive year,the University isranked in the firsttier among

“America’s Best Colleges” in the Westregion, according to U.S. News &World Report’s 2003 college guide.

In the ranking system for topUniversities–Master’s, which includes572 schools, St. Mary’s is eighth forbest value and moved up to 11thacademically in the West region,which extends from Texas toWashington state.

The national magazine bases itsrankings on academic reputation,graduation and retention rates, facultyresources, student selectivity, financialresources and alumni giving. n

PPC Debates EducationSuccesses, Shortcomings

The Fall 2002 President’s PeaceCommission presented a three-dayprogram on “U.S. Education: Passingor Failing?” examining controversialissues in education such asstandardized testing, textbook choices,school vouchers and bilingualeducation.

Recent election research indicatesthat nine out of 10 Americans placeeducation as their highest priority. ThePresident’s Peace Commission isdesigned to stimulate and encouragedebate.

The Spring 2003 program willexamine the role of the United Statesin the world today. n

n Newsmakers

National Kudosfor Bertrand

Diane Gonzales Bertrand, writer-in-residence at St. Mary’s, captured twofirst-place prizes at the fourth annualLatino Literary Hall of Fame. Bertrandreceived Best Book honors for heryoung adult fiction novel “Trino’sTime,” and “Uncle Chente’s Picnic”was named best children’s picturebook in the bilingual category. Bothworks are published by Arte PublicoPress.

Bertrand’s two new books also arefinalists for the Tomas RiveraMexican-American Children’s BookAward. n

Three AlumniJoin Board

David W. Biegler (B.S. ’68),Brother Richard Dix, S.M. (B.S. ’52),and Ray Rodriguez (B.B.A. ’74), havebeen elected to the St. Mary’sUniversity Board of Trustees.

Biegler, a longtime civic leader inDallas, retired as vice chairman ofTXU Corp. in December 2001, afterserving as president and chiefoperating officer following TXU’smerger with Enserch Corp. in 1997.

Dix, assistant for temporalities forthe St. Louis-based Marianist Provinceof the United States, served as aSt. Mary’s trustee from 1976 to 1984and from 1992 to 2001.

Rodriguez, immediate pastpresident of St. Mary’s AlumniAssociation, is the principal in the RayRodriguez Insurance Agency in SanAntonio.

Biegler and Dix will serve two-yearterms while Rodriguez’s term is forone year. n

Professors’ First BooksChronicle Terrorism,20th Century Theologian

Examining the national unity Kenyaexperienced after the bombing of theAmerican Embassy and studying HansUrs von Balthasar’s modern Christianthought are explored, respectively, innew books by Communication Studiesassociate professor Elijah F.Akhahenda, Ph.D., and Theologyassistant professor Kevin Mongrain,Ph.D.

“When Blood and Tears United aCountry: The Bombing of theAmerican Embassy in Kenya”highlights the trauma and recovery ofDouglas Sidialo, a Kenyan who losthis eyesight in the 1998 explosion.Akhahenda also explores Kenya’spolitical history, rife with ethnicdivisions and uncertainty until theterrorist attack, when Kenyansresponded with a spirit of nationalunity not seen since it soughtindependence from the UnitedKingdom in 1963.

Akhahenda’s book is published byUniversity Press of America Inc.

Mongrain also has released his firstbook. In “The Systematic Thought ofVon Balthasar: An IrenaeanRetrieval,” the theology professorexamines the internal logic ofBalthasar, one of the most importanttheologians of the 20th century. Themodern theologian, who died in 1988,

Today on NBC . . . It’s St. Mary’s!

Veteran weatherman Willard Scott enthusiastically

congratulates St. Mary’s University on its 150th

anniversary during the Labor Day telecast of the

“Today Show.”

Douglas Sidialo, left, injured in the U.S. Embassy bombing

in Kenya in 1998, is highlighted in a new book written by

Communication Studies associate professor Elijah

Akhahenda, Ph.D., right.

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Legislative GatheringPlanned

The St. Mary’s UniversityLegislative Delegation is looking foralumni who are working in the TexasCapitol in Austin duringthe legislative session. A Januaryreception is being planned andinvitations will be extended to allalumni so employed. Please contactAdriana Villafranca, St. Mary’sdevelopment officer, atavillafranca@stmarytx.edu,or the Office of Development at (210)436-3146.

Alumni also may registerinformation online atwww.stmarytx.edu. n

based his theological elements on thesecond century church father, Irenaeusof Lyons, France.

“Balthasar” is published by theCatholic press Herder & Herder. n

n Good Deeds

Livestock ExpositionIntroduces New Awards

Ten freshmen each have received$10,000 four-year scholarships fromthe San Antonio Livestock ExpositionInc. The awards were given to BexarCounty students majoring in thebiological sciences.

The grant is a vital source ofsupport and enhancesthe ability of the Schoolof Science, Engineeringand Technology tocompete against largerpublic institutions forthe best and brighteststudents. n

AlumniScholarshipsTop QuarterMillion

The St. Mary’sAlumni Association isproviding $275,000 inscholarships forSt. Mary’s students

during the 2002-2003 academic year.Nine full-tuition scholarships, a $5,000law school scholarship, a $5,000graduate school scholarship and 50partial-tuition scholarships have beenawarded to current St. Mary’s students.

The St. Mary’s Alumni AssociationEndowed Scholarship Fund, whichexceeds $6 million, has assistedhundreds of students since itsestablishment in 1976. n

Local SchoolDistrict WinsScholarshipSupport

St. Mary’s will give$1,000 scholarships toevery HarlandaleIndependent SchoolDistrict student whoattends the University,matching awards givenby the district throughits educationfoundation. Theprogram begins in thespring semester.

Since the HarlandaleFoundation began in1999, district officialshave soughtpartnerships with localcolleges anduniversities to raise its25 percent college-bound rate and raiseawareness about highereducation. More than 465 studentshave received foundation grants. n

BeautificationFund-raisingDrive Nears$1 Million

The $5 million fund-raising drive for “A NewGateway to HistoricSt. Mary’s”beautification project,launched this pastsummer, has raised closeto $1 million. St. Mary’sTrustees Charles T.Barrett Jr. and BillGreehey have made leadgifts of $350,000 and$200,000, respectively.

Gifts of $100,000

have come from the Roger L. andLaura D. Zeller Charitable Foundation;Board of Trustees Chairman John W.Dewey; and, together, trustees Jackand David W. Biegler and theirbrother, Walter.

Ruben M. Escobedo, also aUniversity trustee, has pledged$25,000 to the project, which willaddress changing campus needs whileproviding a safe and attractiveenvironment for students andemployees at St. Mary’s. n

Tangents Get New Home

St. Mary’s University President Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D.,

presents the Rev. Joseph Tarrillion, S.M., president of Central

Catholic High School, with one of 50 Tangent Notebook

computers, which previously were used in the St. Mary’s

Laptop Project Initiative. The computers will be used to enhance

technology education for Central Catholic students.

Governor Makes Campaign Stop

Gov. Rick Perry spoke with students Sept. 5 when he visited

St. Mary’s University to tout his initiatives for higher

education during a gubernatorial campaign stop. The

governor addressed the importance of financial aid from the

state such as the Toward Excellence, Access & Success

(TEXAS) Grant program.

Scholarship Namedfor Popular EnglishProfessor

Sister Ann Semel, S.S.N.D., Ph.D.,St. Mary’s English professor for morethan 30 years, will celebrate her 50-year jubilee as a School Sister of NotreDame next spring, along with the 25-year anniversary of the EnglishCommunication Arts program, whichshe designed.

Semel, who was the first femalefaculty member in the School ofHumanities and Social Sciences–andonly the third on campus– continues toteach English courses.

A scholarship in Semel’s name hasbeen established to honor her. Formore information, contact RonanMcAshan, St. Mary’s AdvancementServices, (210) 436-3802, orrmcashan@stmarytx.edu. n

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Have It Your Way

St. Mary’s Annual Fund fall phon-a-thon

student callers tell alumni they now can

determine where their contributions

to the University are used.

To better serve the wishes

of St. Mary’s benefactors, gifts

may be designated to one or

more of the five schools. Also,

donors may assign their gifts to

campus beautification/grounds,

scholarships, student services,

athletics, academic support, or to

the Louis J. Blume Academic Library.

n Sports Corner

Conference Title Firstfor Soccer Women

The St. Mary’s women’s soccerteam won their first HeartlandConference championship, defeatingconference archrival Incarnate Word 2-1. The Rattler men were conferencerunners-up for the second year in arow.

The Rattler volleyball team, 19-14overall and 5-4 in HeartlandConference play, finished the regularseason with a win in Austin over St.Edward’s University. The team tookthird place in the HeartlandConference Tournament held in AustinNov. 15 and 16. n

Bill Greehey ArenaPicked for Rotary Finals

The RotaryClub of SanAntonio pickedSt. Mary’sUniversity as siteof the first LoneStar Invitationalboys and girlsbasketballchampionshipfinals on Dec. 7.

Thetournamentattracted a field of

Rattlers Play AgainstLegendary Fielder

Legend Ty Cobb (second row in white jersey) is surrounded

by ballplayers on the front steps at St. Louis College, circa

1910. The baseball team was undefeated that

year except for an exhibition game

played against Cobb’s Detroit

Tigers. This photo was found

by San Antonio Express-

News columnist Cary

Clack (B.A. ’85) at a

relative’s home.

Gonzalez Named Distinguished Law Grad

The St. Mary’s University Law Alumni Association honored

U.S. Congressman Charles A. Gonzalez (J.D. ’72) as the 2002

Distinguished Law Graduate. Gonzalez is serving a second

term as the U.S. representative from the 20th Congressional

District of Texas, a seat previously held by his father, Henry

B. Gonzalez (J.D. ’43).

64 teams–including 19 from SanAntonio–and featured some of thefinest, most sought-after high schoolathletes in the country.

Opened in November 2000, the3,500-seat, state-of-the-art BillGreehey Arena in the St. Mary’sAlumni Athletics & ConvocationCenter, is San Antonio’s premiercollege basketball arena. n

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Can AmericaAfford to StandSilent?by Jeffrey Addicott, Assistant Professor of Law

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Although a chief characteristic ofthe war on terror is that the UnitedStates stands alone as the world’s onlyremaining superpower, this is not thecentral hope of the era. The centralhope rests in the great promise of aworld more fully based ongovernments who adhere to humanrights and democratic values spelledout in the Charter of the UnitedNations.

Unlike the Cold War era, the waron terror offers a chance to advancehuman rights and democracy in areasof the world heretofore untouched.

Contrary to the voices of totalitariandespots such as Iraq’s SaddamHussein, there is an intense globalinterest in securing the blessings ofpeace, prosperity and human rights thatthe West has so long enjoyed. The waron terror creates one of those raremoments in history where a window ofopportunity opens for the world tomake serious and lasting strides towardthe ever-elusive goal of controllingaggressive warfare and improvingrespect for the normative values ofhuman rights.

Promoting Human RightsIf the international community, led

by the United States, does not findways to realistically promote andfoster at least the most fundamentalcategories of human rights spelled outby treaty and custom, the terrorismexemplified by the Sept. 11 attacks onAmerica is sure to be only a taste ofthings to come. In the short view,global terrorism will only meet its endbecause of the efforts and leadership ofAmerica.

Battlefield victories alone will notbring a peace that can extend beyond ahandful of years. Long-term periods ofpeace and stability require an attendantadvance in institutionalizing theblessings of human rights values–thefreedoms encapsulated in our own Billof Rights and set out before the world

in the United Nations Charter. Assisting in the incorporation of

human rights values into theinstitutional framework of, forexample, a new Afghan government isnot merely an end worthy unto itself.In the quest to avoid war and promotethe full range of human rights, suchefforts benefit not only the Afghanpeople, but create a society which canpeacefully coexist with the whole ofthe world community.

It appears fundamentally obviousthat activities pursued by democraciesare substantially better than theactivities pursued by totalitarianregimes such as the Taliban inAfghanistan and those now in powerin Iraq, Iran, Syria and Libya. While ithas long been suspected that stabledemocracies firmly committed tohuman rights do not make war on eachother, engage in terrorism, or abusetheir own people, the empiricalevidence now demonstrates thiscorrelation. The debate on this point isover.

American author Mark Twain onceremarked that it was not enough to beon the right track, one also had to keepmoving to avoid getting run over.Thus, the central question of how todefeat terrorism now becomes howbest to quickly impress solid humanrights values in other national entities.Most certainly, human rights valuesbecome solid and irreversible onlythrough the development ofinstitutions designed to promote them.Institutionalization must be thecriterion.

The United States must accept thatit has an obligation to assist anycountry endeavoring to creategovernments grounded in basic humanrights. Liberated nations in the war onterror will eagerly embrace the basicprinciples of liberal democracy andself-determination, but will needimmediate assistance to implement aninstitutional framework to

accommodate their desires for the fullrange of human rights.

Without meaningful assistance totranslate the battle cry of human rightsinto an institutional framework, it isnaive to assume that the democraticvalues and human rights will germinate,for example, in places such as the newAfghanistan. Aside from countryspecific issues, whether oneconcentrates on sectarian fragmentationor religious bias, the euphoric hope forinstant world peace and greater humanrights in the wake of the war on terror ispresumptuous. The globe is a dangerousplace.

Indeed, the danger of globalterrorism is far more pronounced thanever before. Dictators such as SaddamHussein do not need sophisticatedtechnology to deliver weapons of massmurder. The new breed of al-Qa’eda-styled terrorists are the delivery systemfor weapons of mass murder. Due to thegrowth of terrorist activities throughoutthe world, it is virtually impossible totake a defensive posture against everypotential attack.

U.S. Stands as Positive ModelIn short, the United States cannot

afford to be indifferent to the moralvalues that are the true source of itsglobal influence. Judged by any positivestandard, be it in the field of humanrights, self-determination, economicopportunity, or privacy related toproperty and person, the United Statesstands out as a positive model.

But America’s most fundamentalvalue does not reside in her militarymight or industrial complex. Thosemighty pillars merely provide supportfor the United States’ most enduringcommodity–human rights flourishingunder a systemic respect for the rule oflaw. n

Jeffrey Addicott, assistant

professor of law, spent

20 years in the military

serving as the Army

Special Forces senior

legal adviser and in

numerous senior legal positions worldwide.

His areas of expertise include human rights,

health law, international law, comparative

law and national security law. The article is

a condensed excerpt from his new book,

“Winning the War on Terror.”

Since the events of Sept. 11, 2001, the world

has entered into a period fraught with uncertainty

and yet, strangely, there shines a renewed hope for

peace and the advancement of internationally

recognized human rights.

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Merger Expected to Promote Society of Mary Goalsby the Rev. John A. Leies, S.M., S.T.D., Department of Theology Chairman and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics

united Marianist Province of more than 600 members was created July 1, 2002, when four of the five American

provinces of the Society of Marymerged to encompass institutions fromthe eastern seaboard to the PacificOcean, and even farther afield toPuerto Rico, Mexico, Hawaii, Korea,India, Kenya, Malawi and Ireland.

Four Become OneThe newly formed province has

three universities–St. Mary’s, theUniversity of Dayton and ChaminadeUniversity of Honolulu–numerablehigh schools and parishes, severalretreat houses, and sundry otherministries that can be found in placessuch as Bangladesh and the CzechRepublic.

On that historic day in July, afterseveral years of study, discussion,interchange, meetings and assemblies,the four provinces–Cincinnati, St.Louis, Pacific and New York–mergedinto one, establishing the unifiedMarianist Province of the UnitedStates of America.

Why Unify?The question: “Why was the merger

effected?” is continually asked. Theanswer, put simply, is that the movewill result in personnel savings,flexibility and energy.

The number of Marianists in eachprovince was declining because of thelack of vocations. Additionally, ourmembership is becoming increasinglyolder.

According to our Rule of theSociety of Mary, each province is ledby an administration of at least four orfive members. Merging into one cutsback on administrative personnel.Furthermore, the new arrangement

allows much greater flexibility inplacing Marianists. With separate,individual provinces–whose ownnumbers may have beendwindling–men were not easily lent toother provinces.

Also, there are hopes that creating aunited province will stimulate renewedenthusiasm. New beginnings oftenhave the power to generate vitality.

The only American province notjoining in the merger–at least fornow–is the Province of Meribah,which consists of some 40 members inthe New York City area. It wasestablished separate from its motherProvince of New York by a GeneralChapter of the Society of Marybecause of deep differences concerningministry and the role of the schoolapostolate. The Meribah Provincewished to remain independent.

A New Phase BeginsThe Marianists came to the United

States in 1849, first to Cincinnati andDayton, then to San Antonio in 1852.In 1855 an official, canonicalAmerican Province was created withheadquarters in Ohio. But the Societyrapidly grew and new provinces werestarted: St. Louis in 1908; the Pacificin 1948; New York in 1961; andMeribah in 1976. Now a new phase inthe corporate life of Marianists in theUnited States is starting with themerging and uniting of provinces.

The hopes and prayers of themembers of the newly createdMarianist Province of the UnitedStates of America are that the movewill bring about fresh energy,greater administrative flexibilityand, eventually, more religiousvocations. n

ANew Times, New Leaders

A new Provincial,

chosen after extensive

consultation with

members of the four

provinces, will lead the

unified organization.

He is Brother Stephen

Glodek, most recently

the New York

Provincial. Assistant

Provincial is the Rev.

James Fitz, former

Cincinnati Provincial.

Selected to the new

Provincial Council are:

the Rev. Tim Dwyer,

former St. Louis

Provincial; the Rev.

Tim Kenney of the

Pacific Province;

Brother Richard Dix,

past treasurer of the

St. Louis Province; and

the Rev. Joseph

Lackner of the

Cincinnati Province.

St. Louis has been

picked to be central

headquarters for the

new province.

Glodek

Fitz

Dwyer

Kenney

Dix

Lackner

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He’s one of San Antonio’s mostrecognized and respectedtheologians. And to many across

the country, he’s known as “the father ofU.S.-Latino Theology.” But meet him forthe first time, and you will see a humbleand a most unassuming man who willreadily tell you his passion in life: to bringthe rich Mexican-American traditions intothe Mass and other aspects of the Church.

“I believe deeply in the simpleexpression of faith by people,” says theRev. Virgilio P. (Virgil) Elizondo (B.S.’57), founding president of the Mexican-American Cultural Center and creator ofCatholic Television of San Antonio.

For 40 years, this local boy turned priesthas been a strong voice in the AmericanCatholic Church. His “Latino theology”speaks to all people, emphasizing thatreligion and ethnicity can and should beuniting factors in expressing faith. Hiswork at San Fernando Cathedral, where heserved as rector for 12 years, broughtexcitement and spirituality intocelebrations, like the annual MariachiMasses, the candlelight vigils, Las Posadasand the Good Friday Passion Play, all ofwhich are still enjoyed today byoverflowing congregations of people fromall faiths.

His message of maintaining culturaltraditions has taken off. Just this fall, hereceived the prestigious 2002 HispanicHeritage Foundation Award and wasnamed one of Time magazine’s “Top 100Innovators in Theology.” His numerousbooks, including “The Future of theMestizo – Life Where Cultures Meet,”have attracted much attention, and studentsat the University of Notre Dame, where heinstructs during the week, wait for monthsto enroll in his courses.

The son of Mexican immigrants,Elizondo looks back with pride at hishumble beginnings: his West Side home,his encouraging parents, his involvement inChrist the King Church and later, hisexperience at St. Mary’sUniversity.

“St. Mary’s was a time of selfdiscovery for me,” he says. “Thestrong presence of the Marianistson campus changed my life. Beinga witness to their dedication anddevotion made me reflect moredeeply on my calling.”

Elizondo can easily list a dozenor so of his “favorite” Marianists.He remembers Brother HerbertLeies for his communityinvolvement and the Rev. JamesYoung and lay-professor Leon

Pousson for their challengingclasses.

Although Elizondo dabbledwith the idea of becoming adoctor and consequentlyreceived a chemistry degreefrom St. Mary’s, his calling tothe priesthood was muchstronger. He was ordained in

1963. And as he began toserve in his ministries,

Elizondo felt a vacuum in the Church. “The theology of the Church appeared

to be separated from the lives and faiths ofthe people,” he says. “We seemed to ignorethe beautiful Hispanic traditions, like homealtars, processions and rosaries, throughwhich many receive their faith.”

Over the years, Elizondo hassuccessfully brought to life these traditions.He believes the greatest challenge of theCatholic Church is also its greatestpotential – to incorporate the multiculturalgifts of all God’s children. And this priest,author, teacher, lecturer is up to the task, ashe daily carries out his busy schedule offaith unification. n

The Rev. Virgil ElizondoUnifying the Faithfulby Kathy Khattar Villarreal (B.A. ’89, M.A. ’96)

Awards/Accomplishments

1998-Present, St. Mary’s University Board of Trustees1997, Johannes Quasten Award, Catholic University of America1997, Laetare Medal, University of Notre Dame1993, Humanitarian Award, National Conference of Christians and Jews1993, Mission Award, U.S. Conference of Mission Associations1992, Imagineer’s Award, National Mind-Science Foundation1992, President’s Award, National Federation of Priests’ Councils1991, Ford Motor Co. Award1989, St. Mary’s University Distinguished Alumnus Award1987, Sadlier-Dinger Award, National Conference of Diocesan Directors

“Any advancements in theology,at least in San Antonio, would notexist had it not been for institutionslike St. Mary’s – one of the firstto open its doors to women studentsand faculty, and todaya leader in providing opportunities toMexican-Americans.”

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relations–careers in government and/ornongovernmental sectors, in additionto traditional private sectoremployment.

Learning from PractitionersStudents of the graduate IR

program have benefited tremendouslyover the past decade by the presence

and tutelage of two Diplomats-in-Residence: AmbassadorEugene Scassa and SeniorForeign Service Officer JohnSalazar, both of whom havearoused increased interest inpublic and nongovernmentalsectors. They have opened doorsfor internships withgovernmental agencies, invitedmore than 30 high-ranking

diplomats to speak at St. Mary’s, andserved as positive role models forstudents.

Practicality is fundamental tostudents pursuing IR careers;therefore, as part of the program, weutilize adjunct faculty to promote thatpractical approach to study. Thosesupplemental teachers have included:Samuel T. Scott Jr., a senior foreignservice officer who spent his entire

The goal of combining thesesomewhat disparate disciplineswas to discourage a one-

dimensional compartmentalizedapproach to the understanding ofinternational relations.

With the collapse of the formerSoviet Union and the resultantpolitical turmoil around the world, ithas become apparent that criticalglobal issues are best analyzedthrough an interdisciplinaryapproach. Other more recentconditions requiring this widerfocus include the collapse of theArgentine economy, terrorism,international trade agreements,human rights, the continuedproliferation of internationalnarcotrafficking, developmentassistance, as well as the expansion ofthe European Union and the NorthAtlantic Treaty Organization.

International Relations (IR)graduates gain an understanding of theinterrelatedness of issues necessaryfor developing and analyzingprograms and policy in the globalarena.

Four decades after Mai’ssuccessful foray into cross-

Warming to theGlobal Approachby Larry Hufford, Ph.D., International Relations Graduate Program Director

More than 40 years ago, Ludwig Mai, Ph.D., a prophetic

St. Mary’s University economics professor, created an

interdisciplinary International Relations major, integrating

history, international economics, international business,

literature and political science into a program designed to

enhance analytical and critical thinking skills.

departmental program development,the master’s degree program offersfour areas of concentration: Inter-American Studies, InternationalEconomic Studies, InternationalConflict Resolution and SecurityPolicy.

The curriculum attracts studentswho want to be a part of the solution

to the complex problems facing theworld today. It is telling, then, thatover the past decade the number ofgraduates seeking employment inpublic service and nongovernmentalsectors of the economy has increaseddramatically.

Today, more than 100 students areenrolled in the International RelationsGraduate Program, which emphasizes“applied” international

The curriculum attracts students

who want to be a part of the solution

to the complex problems

facing the world today.

11

career in developmental assistancework; retired U.S. Secret ServiceAgent Stephen Harrison, Ph.D., who isa former director of White Housesecurity and the security coordinator ofthe 1984 Olympics; Nina Stewart, aforeign service officer who served asdeputy assistant secretary of defensefor counterintelligence and securitycountermeasures; and, RogerSpotswood, Ph.D., of the DefenseIntelligence Agency, who, at the timeof his retirement, was the agency’ssenior substantive expert on Chinastrategic assessments, military forcesand future estimates.

Measuring AchievementsWhat have been the results over the

past nine years? Ten of our graduates have become

foreign service officers. And, thanks toScassa and Salazar, more than 40 IRstudents have completed internshipswithin the U.S. Departments of State,Commerce, and Agriculture, and withthe U.S. Agency for InternationalDevelopment, the Defense IntelligenceAgency, and the Central IntelligenceAgency, in Washington, D.C., as wellas in locales such as Croatia,Lithuania, Chile, Uruguay, Nicaragua,Belize, Mexico and Bangladesh.

Two students have been recipientsof the prestigious two-year PresidentialManagement Internship, working inthe intelligence field at the Departmentof Defense. Four alumni of the jointJ.D./M.A. (law and internationalrelations) degree program have servedor are serving in the Judge AdvocateGeneral’s Corps. Several dual JD/IRgraduates work in the areas of humanrights and immigration law.

Affecting the Nonprofit SectorOthers illustrate the opportunities

available in the nonprofit sector.Graduates of our program work withWomen for Women International todevelop programs in Colombia,Afghanistan and Pakistan; at PACT, toassist nongovernmental organizationsin Mexico, Peru, Mozambique,Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe; andwith Chemonics in Washington, D.C.,to launch and advance environmentalinitiatives. They also work at theInstitute of Integrated RuralDevelopment in Bangladesh and theCenter for Justice in Maquiladores inSan Antonio.

Some travel the world asinternational trade analysts with theDepartment of Commerce. Others areemployed with the DefenseIntelligence Agency and the NationalImagery and Mapping Agency, whichprovides imagery intelligence andgeospatial information to the DefenseDepartment.

One IR alumnus, a qualified armscontrol inspector, is a Russian-Germanlinguist stationed in Germany workingfor the Defense Threat ReductionAgency. Several are with the FederalBureau of Investigation and the CentralIntelligence Agency.

The private sector offersopportunities for IR graduates as well.One is at Science ApplicationInternational Corp. in a division thatprovides chemical, biological andnuclear material support to theDepartment of Defense. Part of her jobrequires that she write scenarios and

participant materials for readinesstraining exercises related to weaponsof mass destruction.

Preparing for the Global ArenaIn San Antonio, graduates are

employed by the city, working ineconomic development andinternational affairs.

A half dozen of our graduates haveenrolled in doctoral programs atuniversities in Texas–Baylor, TexasTech and Houston–and throughout thecountry–Old Dominion in Virginia,George Washington University in thenation’s capital, and the University ofNew Orleans in Louisiana.

These alumni, however, representonly the tip of the iceberg. As ourprogram expands, St. Mary’s willproduce hundreds of graduates with anunderstanding of major cultural,economic, historical, political andsocial themes found in the globalarena. Our emphasis on appliedinternational relations also will supplythem with the critical thinking andanalytical skills needed for success inthe public, nongovernmental andprivate sectors in the 21st century.

Ludwig Mai’s legacy lives in thevision of international relations that hecreated and advanced long before mostcolleges and universities saw theimportance of educating with a globalview and understanding. n

Larry Hufford, professor of

political science and

graduate director of the

international relations

program, has been at

St. Mary’s since 1993.

Hufford’s background includes stints as a

VISTA volunteer and migrant ministry social

worker. A popular political analyst in the local

media, he earned his Ph.D. from the London

School of Economics and Political Science.

Having active duty military in

the graduate IR program, both on

campus and at Fort Hood in Killeen,

means some students complete and

take courses online.

Alumnus Samuel Shattuck is

stationed in Saudi Arabia. Among

current students, Christine Dunbar

is in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where

she is a Farsi linguist. Mark Van

Weezondonk and Katherine Barber

are in Sarajevo and Kosovo,

respectively, and Ryan Bentley and

Alvin Lewis are in South Korea.

And, Carlo Niño, a young Marine

officer, completed his final

coursework for graduation while in

combat in Afghanistan.

Today, the Internet and the

Armed Forces take the graduate IR

program throughout the world.

12

S T. M A RY ’ S U N I V E R S I T Y1 8 5 2 - 2 0 0 2

P I C T U R E I T

13

14

Joining a family-owned businesscan be a stressful proposition. Thehours are long; the days are

longer. The nuances of the customerdictate the outcome with no guaranteeof success.

Two St. Mary’s alums have madethat transition work. It has taken themfrom a small downtown Mexicaneatery originally housed in a formerboat garage to national television showappearances, stellar reviews in nationalpublications and a new cookbook.Along the way their restaurant—LosBarrios—has gained a following of

politicians, celebrities and people fromall walks of life.

Over the past two decades, siblingsDiana Barrios Treviño (B.B.A. ’85)and Louie Barrios (B.B.A. ’ 82), havetaken their mother’s restaurant toheights none had imagined.

Louie credits much of the growth ofthe business to what he learned atSt. Mary’s.

“I’d work at the restaurant afterclasses. This is where I studied,” hesays. “As a sophomore I took amarketing class. I passed outmarketing surveys at the restaurant andused that information in class.Everything I learned in class I appliedat the restaurant, immediately. I got anA on the project and increasedrevenues at the restaurant.”

Adds Diana: “What we saw inclass, we lived at the restaurant. Theprofessors would use us as examples,which really helped it all make sense.”

The two credit their mother, Viola,with getting the business started with a$3,000 loan and moving Los Barrios to

its present location in a former DairyQueen on Blanco Road. They agree,too, that the business jelled whenLouie implemented a business planafter earning his undergraduate degreethat saw the business expand, literally,several times. And Diana’s publicrelations and marketing skills aretaking the business to the next level,including the building of a secondlocation slated to open next spring.

“Los Barrios Family Cookbook,”published this past June by RandomHouse, has given them a rareopportunity to expand the familybusiness in unexpected ways.

The cookbook came about afterDiana was asked in 1999 to host asegment for a television network’smorning show on the River Walk withfamed chef Emeril Lagasse. Apublishing house editor saw thatsegment and contacted Barrios aboutthe possibility of doing a Tex-Mexcookbook.

“While my name is on it, it reallywas a total family effort,” Diana says,adding that in addition to the recipes,vignettes about events and people whohave graced their lives and businessover the years have been included.

“There are many St. Mary’s peoplereflected in the book. They are a bigpart of the stories,” Louie says, addingthat on slow nights when the restaurantwas just getting going, he would callhis fraternity brothers.

“Those guys would come down andfill the place,” he says, appreciative ofthe business and the camaraderie theyprovided.

Louie says attending St. Mary’swas like coming home after anextended absence. He went to aCatholic grade school and then topublic school and one year at a statecollege before settling at St. Mary’s.

“It was nice being at a place wherepeople cared about you. Theyembraced you just like you werefamily. St. Mary’s was the best move Iever made,” he says.

While older sister, Teresa, attendedTrinity University, Diana decided tofollow her brother.

“It seemed like a good place,” shesays. “Louie taught me how to driveand how to study.”

Now, the two of them are teachingeach other how to turn a little familyrestaurant into a success story that goesbeyond their wildest expectations. n

Barrios SiblingsCookin’ Up Recipesfor Successby Rob Leibold, Associate Editor

“It was nice being at a place wherepeople cared about you. Theyembraced you just like you werefamily. St. Mary’s was the best moveI ever made...”

24

Editor’s Note: Bob O’Connor and the Rev.John A. Leies captured the many qualitiesof our dear friends, the Rev. J. WillisLanglinais, S.M., and Brother RalphThayer, S.M., who died Aug. 3, 2002, andNov. 21, 2002, respectively.

When we speak of the recentlydeceased, often we describe theirlives by the roles they played

throughout. I would like to share with yousome of the roles through which Willis andI engaged each other for the past 37 years.

Teacher . . . He worked us so hard inMoral Theology we began to think it wasimmoral.

Colleague . . . We enjoyed countlessmeetings and committees ad nauseam. Forthe past decade I was his would-be techadviser—“would be” because he alwaysexpressed more interest in learning abouttechnology than he seemed to have time for.

My boss . . . We always maintained agood, friendly–while not always agreeing–professional relationship.

His boss . . . As chairman of theTheology Department, I pushed him toteach a course. Always semi-reluctant at thebeginning due to his administrativeworkload, he was grateful at the end of thesemester and never wanted specialtreatment because of his position.

Fellow Ecumenist . . . Many Christiansand Jews knew and loved Father Willis. Iknow some people for whom he was theonly Catholic or priest they ever knew.

Confessor . . . Our jobs were clear in thisrole: I provided the sins, he mediated theforgiveness—always encouraging me toreduce his forgiveness workload.

Valued Friend . . . He delighted in joke-telling (and was especially fond of thepriest-minister-rabbi stories in which thepriest didn’t always come out ahead!); hewas pleasantly cynical about theincreasingly politically correct world inwhich we lived; and yet he was alwaysupbeat.

It was my honor to have known andloved Willis for the past 37 years. AMarianist monk to the core, he animated thelives of those around him, believing andliving the doctrine that God-in-the-world isrevealed or concealed by the actions ofthose who profess to believe in Him. TheRev. J. Willis Langlinais, S.M., enrichedmy life, the life of my family and the livesof countless others just by being himself.He will be missed. n

There is on one hand a sadness that weexperience – the end came so soon,so fast, so unexpectedly. And so

soon after we lost Willis Langlinais and BillHamm.

Brother Ralph Thayer, S.M., was alwaysan interesting person, for he had done somany interesting things. His resume says hetaught high school at McBride, Coyle,Victoria and Central Catholic. That hecoached football, basketball, baseball – andeven boxing. He had academic degrees inboth history and library science. That he

Concerning Our Dear Friendsby Robert B. O’Connor, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Theology, and the Rev. John A. Leies, S.M., Theology Department Chairman

learned how to fly.I lived with Ralph for 27 years. For me,

his heart was set on three things: the studyof history, St. Mary’s University and theSociety of Mary. He taught history here atthe University for 38 years and served as amember of the San Antonio HistoricalSociety, the Texas Historical Associationand the American Historical Association.

Ralph retired from teaching andadministration in 1992, but he did not sitback and rest on his laurels. Instead, hebecame the buyer for the community, tookcare of the community cars and was thecommunity chauffeur.

He also was the community barber. Idon’t know where he learned the tonsorialarts, but he did. For years, every Monday,he faithfully would make himself availableto cut hair. I will admit that in ourcommunity there are few, if any, full headsof hair left, but still with more than 40people in the house, the job was not a smallone.

We shall miss Ralph. But we also rejoicefor his life, his work, his friendship, theyears we had with him. When we come toheaven, I think we shall find Ralph talkinghistory with the pioneers and patriots of thepast, conversing about airplanes with thosewho were pilots, talking to educators,engaged in conversation with his family andwith all our Marianists, at the same timeloving God with his full heart.

Farewell, “Tiger” – we’ll meet again, inGod’s good time. n

In Closing

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