Greg Cecconi, Director of Campus Ministry, resigned from his post on Friday, February 14th. Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, Fr. Francis McCarty, O.S.B., will take over in the interim. With Cecconi’s recent exit, there is no better time than now to evaluate and reassess what Campus Ministry truly means to this community and the importance of the role of Director of Campus Ministry.

While Saint Anselm College is welcoming to students of all religious backgrounds, there needs to be a stronger emphasis on the Catholic identity and impression. If Campus Ministry is to thrive in its appeal to the broad range of Catholic students on campus, then it is essential that the office puts forward a strong, unified Catholic front. This must start with the Director. What better way to strengthen the Catholic identity of the college and of Campus Ministry than to appoint a member of the monastic community to lead the office of Campus Ministry. All the monks are already campus ministers through their vocation to the Order of Saint Benedict and their dedication to Saint Anselm College, therefore making them all perfect candidates for the position of Director of Campus Ministry.

Over the past several years, there has been what you might call an over-promotion of other faiths and ideals, some of which directly oppose the teachings of the Catholic Church. More recently, the office has seemed to be in direct conflict with Pope Saint John Paul II’s Theology of the Body and Pope Francis’s Dignitas Infinita when it comes to the Church’s teachings on the ontological equality but functional difference between men and women in the Catholic Church. The office’s Instagram account has also presented some unfavorable ideas, such as suggesting that tradition is not important within the Catholic Church. Tradition is exactly what makes Catholicism different from every other Christian denomination. Additionally, it is concerning how often posts are made regarding other faiths’ holidays, such as Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. It is important to treat all students, regardless of their faith, with the utmost Anselmian respect and acknowledge that their traditions are important to them. However, as a Catholic college, we should not promote ideas that may contradict the Magisterium.

While I believe that any of the monks of Saint Anselm Abbey would make great candidates for the vacant position of Director of Campus Ministry, I would argue that one candidate stands out. This, of course, is Father Francis McCarty, O.S.B. ’10. Fr. Francis has been the Assistant Director of Campus Ministry for the entirety of Cecconi’s tenure at Saint Anselm College and previously served as Campus Minister for Faith Formation. Fr. Francis has also stepped up to the role of Director of Campus Ministry during Cecconi’s absences. He will continue to serve as the interim director for the rest of the spring semester.

Regardless of who takes the reigns come fall 2025, it will be his mission to enhance the Catholic image of the office and of the college as a whole. This is critical to ensure that the office of Campus Ministry never promotes or sponsors anything that conflicts with Catholic social teachings and the liturgical intellect and rigor of her Church.