The Justice

Catholic chaplain and coordinator of the Interfaith Chaplaincy at Brandeis the Rev. Dr. Walter Cuenin, sits in his office. Cuenin spoke March 3 at the latest installment of "Tuesdays with..."

The audience was silent as Marci McPhee, the associate director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, walked up to the podium in the Shapiro Art Gallery to describe the Rev. Dr. Walter Cuenin at the most recent installment of the "Tuesdays with..." series March 3. "This is not your ordinary Catholic priest," she said.

Cuenin is the Catholic chaplain and coordinator of the Interfaith Chaplaincy at Brandeis University and was the speaker at Tuesday's event. The "Tuesdays with..." series is a joint venture between the Ethics Center and the Brandeis Religious Pluralism and Spirituality Group. In the spirit of Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie, the series brings together distinguished Brandeis professors and other notable individuals in the community to discuss lessons they have learned throughout life.

As he talked, his countenance took on a look that was distinctly jovial, tinged with the appearance of reflection. His voice had the tone of someone who has thought a great deal about his place in the world, his relationship with people and ideas around him and the questions he has found to be integral in his experiences. Still, while he projected a quiet recollection, Cuenin also displayed a great enthusiasm and sense of expectation for what is happening and what is to come.

As he spoke of his transformation from a traditional to a "progressive" Catholic, his acceptance of religions beside his own and his work to make the Catholic Church's practices more modern and inclusive, Cuenin certainly bore out McPhee's words.

Walter Cuenin was born in Virginia. His father was an officer in the Marine Corps, and according to Cuenin, the Cuenin family lived in "every place."

Cuenin credits his high school years in Paris with "beginning to transform me a little bit, to be open to see that, while I loved my own country, ... the world is exciting. There's a lot to see and do."

After high school, Cuenin initially decided to go to Georgetown University. However, during the summer he changed his mind, because he saw himself as having been called to the priesthood and decided to go to St. John's Seminary in Boston. Cuenin attended the seminary in the 1960s, and during this time he felt the influence of the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War.

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools