July 2021 Newsletter
The Professional Mentorship Initiative: Fostering Professional and Personal Development
Charles Mulaney
“If I only knew then what I know now…” a trite expression perhaps but one that captures the need for young people to tap into the prudence and judgement of those with accumulated experience. Pat Callaghan and others at Midtown recognized this need and created the Professional Mentoring Initiative (PMI) to bridge the gap between uncertainty and experience by pairing young professionals with seasoned counterparts. “I changed industries early in my career and was thankful to find a mentor who helped me set myself up for success. Now I’m realizing that lots of young guys are in similar situations as they grow their careers.”
To make the professional mentorship most fruitful mentors and mentees must first establish a personal relationship. Charles (Chip) Mulaney, a senior attorney at a large firm, mentions that “it’s all about relationships” and that mentorship is not “preaching ancient wisdom to a younger lawyer or answering the ten questions that will solve all (his) professional needs.”
Matt Binder
Matt Binder, Chip’s mentee and a litigator at another law firm, mentioned that he receives “personal advice as it relates to the professional,” such as the importance of balancing professional and family life by not living with “blinders on” and “increasing (one’s) tolerance for chaos.” These ideas relate directly to a common challenge for those beginning their careers: managing a demanding workload.
Returning to the notion of building relationship, it helps that Chip and Matt share personal interests, such as great literature and the translating of ancient Greek texts. Binder mentions that he has received professional advice on what he calls “professional extra-curriculars,” such as newspapers and journals to read, conferences to attend, and developments in law to be aware of.
Mulaney’s personal expectation is simply “to be useful” and to answer any questions Matt may have. Chip views PMI as an opportunity for Matt to “ask questions without consequence,” questions that one may be reluctant to ask at work due to the risk of coming across as naïve or unprepared. He also stresses the importance of being personally responsible for one’s own career. At a firm, he pointed out, one can become the passive recipient of less substantial work. In this environment he has advised Matt to aggressively pursue his own interests and build experiences that will enable him to succeed over the long term.
Book Review: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro (author of Remains of the Day) has given us a terrific story told from the perspective of an Artificial Friend. When Klara, the Artificial Friend and protagonist of Klara and the Sun, arrives at the home of her new owner, she is taken aback by the meanness that erupts from kids at a social gathering. But, as is typical of Klara in this brilliant and thoughtful novel, she comes to grasp that, “[t]hey fear loneliness and that's why they behave as they do…” Throughout the novel, Klara observes and ponders and arrives at insights concerning the deeper motives and nuances of human existence. By the middle of the novel, we find ourselves asking if there is "something unreachable inside each of us [human beings]. Something that's unique and won't transfer." Or if wanting that to be true is simply an “old feeling,” something that “a part of us refuses to let go.” And by the end of the novel, we are left with a distinct sense that the innocent wisdom of our Artificial Friend Klara might actually have helped us understand the hope that comes from having a Real Friend.
Pope Francis Closes over a Year-Long Series of Addresses on Prayer
On June 16, 2021, the Pope finished a series of addresses on prayer which had begun on May 6, 2020. There are total of 38 addresses on prayer, given during the weekly Wednesday audience, and they can be found on the Vatican website.
The catechesis is rich in content and covers many aspects of prayer: the different types of prayer (petition, thanksgiving, praise, etc.), the prayer of different figures from the Old Testament (Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David) and from the New Testament (Jesus himself and his mother Mary), how to handle difficulties in prayer, and much more.
The Holy Father’s addresses are concise and concrete. In the last address of the series, Pope Francis focuses on how Jesus is continually in conversation with the Father. He is praying, and he prays for us. The fact that Jesus has prayed for us to the Father ought to be a great source of consolation for us. The Pope encourages us to remember that “we have been ‘prayed for,’ we have already been received in Jesus’ dialogue with the Father, in communion with the Holy Spirit. Jesus prays for me: each one of us can take this to heart. We must not forget. Even in the worst moments.” Knowing that Jesus has prayed for me will help me continue that dialogue with him, and with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The Pope’s catechesis on prayer can be a wonderful aid for our own conversation with God.
Evenings of Recollection for Men
Beginning July 2021, the pre-pandemic schedule and location for Evenings of Recollection in English will resume as follows:
For young professional men: Second Monday of the month, 7:00-9:00pm
For men: Third Monday of the month, 7:00-9:00pm
The Evenings of Recollection will take place at Midtown Cultural Center (1825 North Wood Street). Parking is available in the St. Mary of the Angels Parish lot, accessible from the Hermitage side of the block. You can enter the residence from the white porch just off the parking lot, next to the playground.
The evening consists of times of prayer led by priests and talks given by laymen, focusing on how to grow in the spiritual life and integrate faith into daily life. An emphasis is placed on sanctifying marriage and family life, as well as one’s professional work. Recollections include Eucharistic Adoration and opportunities for the Sacrament of Confession.
Support Midtown Cultural Center
Please support the work of Midtown Cultural Center by making a tax-deductible donation online at our secure site. Thank you for your generosity!
“Your work must become a conversation with Our Father in heaven.”
— St. Josemaría Escrivá