Roots in The College of the Holy Cross
Frank Kartheiser, class of '89, is a co-founder of the Mustard Seed in Worcester, MA. Ever since then, there has been a long standing connection between Holy Cross students and the Catholic Worker movement.
Here are just a few alumni that have connections:
Brian Leonard '08
Experience at Holy Cross:
Brian toured Abby's House & took part in the Spiritual Exercises. He participated in Community Based teaching, teaching English to Vietnamese students, & summer research in South Worcester communities. At Holy Cross he learned about peace & dignity of the oppressed & justice in the Catholic Church.
Impact after graduation:
He attended 75th National Catholic Worker Reunion in Worcester. He discovered a movement to do works of mercy worldwide. Brian advocates Peace Justice as a fellow companion to Scott & Claire Shaffer-Duffy who hold peace vigils at Lincoln Sq.
How CW is reflected in their life:
Brian has taught Religious Studies in Catholic schools, the acute psychiatric care hospital, & juvie. He researches local history & the Catholic Worker.
“A lot of joy comes in the work and in the struggle.” (working at the Seed)
George Horton '67
Experience at Holy Cross:
The only college George applied to was Holy Cross. George says that the Catholic education he recieved at Holy Cross had a big impact on him and his life after college. He stuided Philosophy and Theology.
Impact after graduation:
Served two years in the army after graduation which he believes was very forming. George began by working in food pantries and soup kitchens He said that it makes you "look beyond yourself, look at the people living on the margins, be with the people, want with them, and you will benefit from your relation with them".
How CW is reflected in their life:
George works with Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of New York and has worked in the office of social action. For 33 years he's run a program for homeless people. Homeless people who were on the road to recovery would come to a 12 week program and there they would help them develop skills, they would be given mentors, work on goals, and they would be able to tell their story. Helping them heal and letting the society know what works and the deprivation that hurts people.
Michael Harank '76
Where is he now: Michael is currently working as a registered nurse at a clinic in Berkley California serving poor underserved and marginalized men and woman of the community.
While at Holy Cross Michael wrote his senior thesis on the Catholic Worker House called the Matt Talbot house. He had the unique experience of being able to interview some of the pioneers of the catholic worker movement. While he was a student at Holy Cross, he often went down to the mustard seed to serve members of the community, and would even bring friends!
After Graduation, Michael took a trip to Europe where he was able to learn more about important catholic figures in his life. Later on in 1987, he graduated nursing school and began his nursing career in a dedicated AIDS unit. For the past 16 years he has dedicated his knowledge and skill to working in a medical clinic dedicated to helping the underserved in his community. He is such an inspiration!
Brenna Cussen '00
pictured on right
Where are they now: Saint Isidore's Farm Cuba City, WI
Experience at Holy Cross:
Brenna met & interviewed Claire Schaeffer-Duffy & her family from the SS. Francis & Therese CW for a class (Faith and Poverty) as a sophomore.
"My Senior year, I interned with them and my life was changed! My whole understanding of what it meant to be a Catholic Christian in the world was deepened, and I knew I wanted to be a Catholic Worker from then on."
Impact after graduation:
Brenna live on CW farms for 12 years & helped found the St. Isidore CW Farm. Her family (core community) welcomes guests to stay with them. "We try to live justly on the land through daily prayer, care for creation, education, hospitality, and nonviolent action."
Frank Kartheiser '89
Experience at Holy Cross and with people from Holy Cross:
Frank origanally started at Holy Cross '68 but decide to leave in the middle of junior year. After dropping out he went to a Catholic peace fellowship meeting. While there, a professor from Holy Cross offered him a place to live. Frank lived with him, his wife and four kids. Before this, Frank had never heard of the Catholic Worker Movement. His year with them allowed him to learn about life skills and the Catholic Worker Movement, while also learning about Worcester at the same time. He was talking about the anti-war movement, meeting people who were thinking the same thing as him. "War is horrible and runs against all that we believe." The saying, “What am I doing” felt like it had an impact on him. Frank went back to Holy Cross and finished his degree in '89.
How CW is reflected in their life:
Frank co-founded the Mustard Seed in October of '72. He says that it's always been a tremendous blessing and challenge. "Blessing to break bread with people in Worcester, such tremendous guests." It gives him a chance to meet people who are thinking about how to build their faith. The challenge is that the line is getting longer, younger people are coming, people they have lost, people who have been able to clean up and others are back again. He says "you can get pretty sick of managing hunger in the richest country in civilization. People think of a soup kitchen as food, but you have to add to that, the community that holds it is more enduring."
Advice to younger generations:
Frank would advise younger generations to, "Get into classrooms and start talking: faith to me is not a noun, faith is a verb, we don’t always know how to do it and not always good, being able to be involved, that's a chance to get involved, action is where the learning is. Take action and evaluate it. Learning takes place in the interaction. Relationships are key. Building and holding on. How can you set aside some time to engage with people you aren’t always with or work with. Where can you learn more about what’s really happening?"