Grad boosts SBI as incubator of Church leaders

By KATE BLAIN- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Education may provide food for thought, but to Margaret Leatham, St. Bernard's Institute in Albany has been "a first course in a smorgasbord of lifelong learning."

Mrs. Leatham got her master's degree from the Albany Diocese's graduate school of theology and ministry last year. She urged anyone thinking about such a degree to consider SBI.

"The Church needs leaders," she explained. "I'm glad to be part of a Catholic institution of higher education."

Life change

Mrs. Leatham's path to SBI began with a tragic event: In 1992, at the age of 33, she had a cerebral hemorrhage. At the time, her children were eight and five years old, and she'd just begun thinking about leaving her "stay-at-home mom" position to work outside the home.

Instead, two surgeries and radiation treatments left her weakened and unable to work. When she was finally able to sit with a cup of coffee and read the newspaper each morning, she noticed an advertisement for SBI.

"I would pray and read the paper," she remembered. "I saw SBI's ad and thought, `Wow, I never even knew it existed.'"

Impressed

Not really knowing why, she called the school and spoke to then-director Sister Margery Halpin, RSM, about enrolling.

"I thought, `I'm not even a good Catholic!'" Mrs. Leatham recalled. "But Sister Margery was very kind and gracious. Now I know that was God calling me."

Her attention was caught in another way, as well: Soon afterward, popular SBI lecturer Dr. John Dwyer spoke at St. Edward's parish in Clifton Park, and Mrs. Leatham attended the talk.

"I was just blown away," she told The Evangelist. Surprised and pleased at how scripturally based his lecture was, she thought, "I could sit and listen to this man forever. If this is what you learn about [at SBI], this is for me."

Back to school

Mrs. Leatham began attending classes in May 1993, with a concentration in Scripture. She took 18 months off to attend to family obligations but went back in 1995 and worked toward her degree one course at a time over the next five years.

She doesn't consider herself a typical student since "there are a disproportionate number of older people" in SBI's student body. "I may have been one of three people currently raising a family."

However, Mrs. Leatham was typical in that she was a layperson interested in working in ministry. During her time at SBI, she worked at Our Lady of Victory parish in Troy and at parishes in Green Island; her SBI classmates were religious education directors, Hospice chaplains and the like.

Mixed group

The alumna noted that SBI's student body is also ecumenical, attracting students of many religious backgrounds.

"Because of my becoming colleagues with other folks who are doing similar jobs in other Christian denominations, I have a broader understanding of our Christian `family tree,'" she said.

Her classmates also included attorneys and engineers. By and large, she said, SBI students "are people with other degrees and careers who are doing this for fun or their own interest, or to have a second career in retirement."

While at SBI, Mrs. Leatham encountered another setback: Radiation treatments had made her lose the ability to write. She brought a word processor to class and tediously typed her notes while learning to write with her left hand. She applauded the school's attitude toward her disability.

"The students and faculty were very sensitive and supportive," she said.

New career

Last May, Mrs. Leatham finally realized her dream by graduating from SBI. She is now chaplain at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy.

"I love my work!" she stated. "There's a couple of different pieces: I work with students as moderator of the Newman Club; my role is similar to a director of young adult ministry. There are service, leadership development, community building and catechesis [components]."

Another part of Mrs. Leatham's job is her role as pastoral associate for Christ Sun of Justice parish, which is located on RPI's campus. She recruits lectors and other volunteers, and does pastoral counseling and spiritual direction. She recently offered the Benediction at RPI's graduation ceremonies.

SBI prepared her well for her work, Mrs. Leatham said, urging other Catholics to answer their own call to be educated there.

"I believe God calls people to leadership in the Church," she stated. "The stirrings I felt in my heart were taken seriously at St. Bernard's, and nurtured and challenged."

(Contact St. Bernard's Institute at 453-6760.)

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