By Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D.
I was asked by Deacon Sal to share my story with the parishioners of St. Elizabeth Seton. Rather than a traditional interview, I felt I would share with you why I have accepted the challenge to assist all of us in planning the Golden Jubilee that we will be celebrating in 2026.
I was raised by two loving parents, with two younger brothers, and a call to serve others. I cannot remember a Sunday when my father would not load us into the car for church, or a meal where grace was not said before anyone took a bite of food. There was always an emphasis on education, giving back and being involved. We followed my father’s commitment to his favorite phrase, “Make no little plans, they fail to stir the hearts of men.” It was his version and modification of a quote by a famous Chicago urban planner, Daniel Burnham, who believed that an improved environment could improve everyone’s lives.
That has been my life journey. I accepted the challenge to leave my professorship at Loyola University in Chicago thirty years ago in order to transform a small college with 900 students into a health care university. Today Midwestern University has two campuses, one in Glendale, Arizona and the other in Downers Grove, Illinois, serving 7,000 students by providing graduate degrees in health care. Believing in the University’s mission that we are called to educate the health care team of tomorrow, we have adopted a “One Health” philosophy in interdisciplinary education. During the last thirty years we have developed over thirty accredited programs in medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, graduate studies, veterinary medicine, podiatry, and master and doctoral degrees in nursing, physical and occupational therapy, clinical psychology, and other health care specializations. I remain very active in my role and commute two to three times a month between campuses to oversee all faculty, staff and student outcomes. I have also actively overseen the design, construction and furnishing of over forty new buildings, many of which are under construction today.
When I heard the call from Fr. Williams that St. Elizabeth Seton was ready to celebrate a Golden Jubilee and renovate our worship space, I asked if my talents could be of use. A Golden Jubilee has Old Testament origins. God told Moses that every 50th year was to be set aside for the return of absent members to their homeland (parish) and to refresh or reestablish their property. This is what I hope all of us can do here at St. Elizabeth Seton. It is a time to refresh our worship space. It is a time for us to call members of this congregation to service and celebrate the 50-year history of our Church.
I am now asking you to join me on this important journey. Like all planning, we began by asking for your ideas. We have had a tremendous response to our survey. Your responses provide the road map we will follow as we seek to satisfy as many of your wishes as we can. Based on your feedback, our worship space will be updated and refreshed, with a goal for its completion in 2026.
I have been blessed with inspirational colleagues, great leaders, two beautiful children and five young grandchildren. I have, like all of you, suffered the loss of loved ones, disappointment, and challenges, but I never faced these hardships without hope. My life has been filled with love and grace through the love and belief in Jesus Christ and the Church.
Please accept a call to serve with me as we transform our worship sanctuary, celebrate the past 50 years, and enrich our community of faith. Together we “will make no little plans.”
Dr. Kathy
Dr Goeppinger, thank you for stepping up to coordinate the 50-yr celebration of SES. My wife and I have been active members since 2003. Presently, I am serving as an EM at 4:30p mass. I was unable to attend the informative meeting you held so I am not certain what is all involved in the transformation our worship sanctuary, so I will just talk about what I would like to see different:
I mean no ill well with the family that donated the two pictures of St Elizabeth Seton as the family is so well liked, but I think those two pictures would better be placed in the Vestibule. In their place I would like to see very nice religious figures or pictures like of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and or Immaculate Heart of Mary. Again, I mean no ill well, but they look like they don’t belong to me.
I am not sure how to accomplish my next concern, but I feel we should make more room in back of the pews for the handicap. We live in an adult community and more and more of our Parish is becoming older and more difficult to walk very far. I think it would be so much easier for them to be able to sit in the back. They would need more room between pews.
Next is the Choir area. We have no need for the organ – get rid of it. A better organization of the Choir area is much overdue. The back row should be higher than the front. It is nice to see so many more bodies in the Choir, but it seems that they are climbing over each other. Very distracting.
Another thought. My wife likes to pray to the Infant of Prague, but it is placed way too high for her to touch or make eye contact.
Thanks for listening. If none of my thoughts are accepted, I still love this parish. It is home to me.
Great articles i would be very pleased to help with the Jubilee
Just a random thought, but each time during the mass we recreate the last supper, would be wonderful if there was a painting or at least great photo of the lords last supper somewhere in our church. Thanks