The following article first appeared in the February 2000 Boost-A-Month Club Newsletter.  For more information about becoming a Boost-A-Month member, call 1-800-935-0975 or contact Father Dominic Duggins.

Robert C. Berson Center Dedicated
Glenmary Recognizes Contributions Made by Past Leadership

Father Bob Berson, left, with Father Wil Steinbacher, listens to the accolades given during the dedication ceremoney.

Although he hasn't seen his name in lights, Father Bob Berson has now seen his name on the front of a building. As of Dec. 10, 1999, the building in Nashville, Tenn., which houses the Glenmary Department of Pastoral Services, the Glenmary Research Center, The Lay Pastoral Coordinators Program and the Co-Missioners, became known as the Robert C. Berson Center.

"It was a great surprise to me," Father Bob said of being told about the plans to dedicate the building in his name. "It's very atypical of Glenmary to officially recognize the contribution of one of our members."

It is atypical. In fact, this is the first time Glenmary has recognized past leadership for the things they have done, according to Father Michael Langell, director of the Department of Pastoral Services.

"Things" Father Bob has done include leading the community as both superior general and president for a total of 14 years; working in parishes in Virginia and Alabama and working with the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Ecumenism and Interreligious Affairs as a representative to the Southern Baptist Convention.

It was under his leadership that the Glenmary Religious Education Department was formed in the 1960s. "Father Bob recognized a need: the lack of religious education resources for Glenmary parishes and missions.

"At that time, there were not many resources available to our men in the parishes and missions," Father Bob said. In addition to being located in small, isolated areas, Glenmarians needed materials that fit the rural context of their parishes.

As an answer to that need, the Glenmary Religious Education Department was formed in Cincinnati. "We helped the men working in the outer limits of various dioceses find things they could use in religious education of adults and children," he said, such as books and audiotapes.

According to Father Bob, the idea worked so well that dioceses across the country began developing religious education departments of their own subsequent to Glenmary's department.

"Father Bob was instrumental in getting things off the ground in the early years," Father Mike said. The Glenmary department moved to Nashville in the late 1960s and, with that move, the department began to grow, reaching out to parishes and missions with more and more materials. At the same time, the Department of Pastoral Services (DPS) was formed to help parishes meet the ever expanding needs of parish ministry.

In 1984, the Religious Education Department merged with the Department of Pastoral Services, forming an umbrella organization that would address the needs in all areas of parish ministry.

Today, DPS helps parishes and missions with "anything that will help pastors do their work in the parish," Father Bob says.

Five professional staff members help parishes with the development of parish councils. They also present workshops and training on things such as parenting and dealing with cultural diversity in a rural setting; develop services for various seasons of the liturgical year; help parishes transition from being a Glenmary mission to a diocesan parish.

Department of Pastoral Services staff also help parishes with pastoral planning needs. Father Bob worked at DPS  for several years coordinating parish planning and relations with dioceses where Glenmary serves.

DPS is now entering into a new training initiative "which we're trying to iron out and get off the ground," Father Mike said.

Through the Glenmary Mission Formation Program, DPS staff will train any person who comes to work for Glenmary, lay or vowed, in the "Glenmary charism." DPS is also working to help pastors recruit and train pastoral associates.

Presently, Father Bob is living at Holy Trinity Church in West Union, Ohio. This summer, when that parish is returned to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Father Bob will return to headquarters in Cincinnati to begin work with Father William Howard Bishop's papers.

"There's always work to be done," Father Bob said.