By Mike Clemens ’15
At the core of Siena College’s Franciscan tradition is a commitment to service and the cultivation of a vibrant community of faith. This year, this commitment has been revitalized by the arrival of new staff members in the Office of the College Chaplain and the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy.
Fr. Larry Anderson, O.F.M. comes to Siena from Pompton Lakes, New Jersey where for the last five years he was the Associate Pastor at St. Mary’s Church. In his new role as college chaplain, Anderson hopes to provide spiritual support and guidance to the Siena community.
“I find it very rewarding to be able to pray with people and to talk with them about their faith,” Anderson said. “I want to help create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable sharing their faith, questioning their role in the world and trying to figure out what God wants for them.”
This year, Anderson is looking forward to getting to know Siena better and continuing to cultivate a lively faith community on campus. “The chapel door is always open,” he said. “I want the College community to know that they have a home here, that this is theirs.”
In addition to his responsibilities as College Chaplain, Anderson is Ryan Hall’s Friar-in-Residence. Along with the Chaplain’s Office staff, he is at work coordinating a number of upcoming campus events, including the Feast of St. Francis and the related activities of Francis Week, which is currently underway.
Anderson is an avid outdoorsman, so when he’s not on campus, you’re likely to find him hiking, kayaking or biking. “I’m looking forward to being in this area again,” he said. “There’s so much opportunity here to explore the outdoors.”
Judy Dougherty ’06 was promoted this fall to director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy. She has been part of the Siena community for 20 years, first joining the College in 1994 as a part-time employee in the Chaplain’s Office.
“For me, my job has always been about putting my faith into action,” Dougherty said.
In 2006, Dougherty graduated from Siena with a degree in religious studies. She then moved from the Chaplain’s Office to the Franciscan Center where former Siena president Fr. Kevin Mullen ’75, O.F.M., Ph.D. served as director. Dougherty has worked in the Franciscan Center for the last ten years and most recently worked as associate director.
This summer, the Franciscan Center moved from its longtime home in Foy Hall to a Hines Hall office suite next to the St. Mary of the Angels Chapel. Dougherty said that this new location will help the Franciscan Center continue its mission and provide more opportunities for students who want to help others.
“We moved closer to the Chaplain’s Office to better show the direct link between faith and service,” Dougherty said. “All faiths are called to be in service for those who are in need, and this new location is a great illustration of how we work hand-in-hand.”
In addition to being the Franciscan Center’s director, Dougherty also advises to two other service-oriented student organizations, the Habitat for Humanity and American Red Cross clubs. In her new role, Dougherty hopes to expand upon the FCSA’s commitment to serve any person who is in need.
“Every day is a new challenge and a new experience,” Dougherty said. “Already I have students coming into the office who are looking to get involved in service opportunities. That’s really a wonderful thing to see.”
Joining Dougherty’s team within the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy is Fr. Sean O’Brien, O.F.M. O’Brien was first introduced to Siena and the Franciscan way of life when he was a child. A native of Albany, he grew up less than two miles from the Siena College campus.
“My family used to attend mass here,” O’Brien said. “This was where I came to know the friars and to understand their call to service. I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a priest, and when I started to seriously consider religious life, I never thought of joining any order but the Franciscans.”
O’Brien joins the Franciscan Center as associate director and also coordinator of the Mentoring Program. During the course of his ministry, O’Brien has served in parishes and organizations from Florida to North Carolina to New Jersey, but he said that he is glad to finally be back home in upstate New York.
“I’m looking forward to getting to reconnect with family and friends,” O’Brien said.
Although O’Brien has been familiar with Siena since childhood, he first came to campus as an ordained priest in 2003, when he was tasked with conducting a feasibility study for the establishment of a Nativity School in the Albany area. Though the school was never constructed, in his time here O'Brien regularly assisted Jim Snyder, founder and then director of the Siena College Mentoring Program.
“After I left, Jim told me several times that I should come back to take over the program,” O’Brien said, “I was always hesitant. Now that I’m here, I think that he’s probably smiling in Heaven.”
O’Brien said that he loves the program because of the opportunities it provides for everyone involved. “I very much believe in the Mentoring Program,” he said, “I hope that it is a transformative experience for both the kids and mentors alike. One of the best things about an education from a place like Siena is that it isn’t just about textbook learning. Siena offers students the opportunities to apply their understanding of our Franciscan and Catholic tradition, and to do so in a way that can make our world a better place.”
Click here to learn more about the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy and here to learn about the Chaplain’s Office.
