Mark-David Janus, C.S.P., Ph.D. is a Paulist priest and clinical psychologist who is currently the Director of the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a psychologist, Dr. Janus specializes in child-adolescent psychology. An expert is the effect of trauma on children, he has lectured and written extensively on the effects of physical and sexual abuse on childhood and adolescent development, including two books on runaway and homeless youth. He has served as a member of the faculty in the department of psychiatry at both The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the Indiana University School of Medicine. In that capacity Dr. Janus was responsible for the psychological assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with acute and chronic pediatric illness as well as severe emotional illness. Actively involved in the training of medical students and psychiatric residents, he was one of the first recipients of a Templeton Grant to introduce the relationship of faith and healing into the medical curriculum.
As a Paulist priest Fr. Janus has served on the staff of the Catholic Information Center in Boston, and in campus ministry at Boston University, the University of Connecticut and most recently, the Ohio State University. In each of these locations he has been involved in adult religious development.
Fr. Janus is a member of the Society of Personality Assessment, the American Psychological Association and the corporate board of the Robert F. Kennedy Action Corps for Children. He is listed in Who’s Who in Medicine and Science, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
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| Fr. John Kenny, C.S.P. is a Pastoral Associate at the Center. A native of Chicago, Fr. John Kenny was ordained in 1958. His first Paulist assignment was to the faculty of St. Peter's College, the Paulist college seminary in Baltimore. While there his summers were free, so he often helped out at the Grand Rapids Center (including the whole summer of 1958). He was director of the Center here from 1970 to 1978. His other Paulist assignments have been to campuses: Boston U., West Virginia U., Colorado U. and Clemson, the last three as pastor. You can reach him by calling the Center Office at 616-459-7267. |
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John Kenny,
C.S.P.
Phone: 616.459.7267
E-Mail
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Mary Vaccaro
serves as a Pastoral
Associate at the Catholic Information Center
and an Adjunct Faculty Member in Theology
and Women’s Studies at Aquinas College. She
has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religious
Studies from Aquinas College and a Master of
Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Boston
College. She served on the board of Grand
Rapids Area Center for Ecumenism (GRACE)
from 2002-2006 and is a member of the
speakers’ bureau for the Interfaith Dialogue
Association. Mary has served for several
years in various types of parish ministry in
the Diocese of Grand Rapids. She is an
Associate of the Grand Rapids Dominicans.
Mary has been on
staff at the Center since May of 1999. Her
ministry includes preaching, teaching and
various kinds of public speaking. She also
coordinates the Center’s education and
formation programming. As a teacher, she
especially enjoys offering courses on
Scripture, Sacraments, Social Justice,
Ecumenical/Interfaith Dialogue, Vatican
Council II and Women’s Studies. Mary
integrates theology and human experience
into all of her teaching through exploring
works of literature, art, music,
storytelling and humor. She also strives
to inspire and foster critical thinking,
theological reflection, contemplative prayer
and social activism in all capacities of her
ministry.
When she is not
involved with all of the above, Mary enjoys,
cooking, entertaining, reading, crossword
puzzles, exercising and walking with her
dog, Grace. She loves to spend time with
her family, especially her nieces and
nephews.
You may contact her by phone 459-7267 or email
mvaccaro@catholicinformationcenter.org
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Mary
Vaccaro
Phone: 616.459.7267
E-Mail
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Jerzy "George" Bugaj, D.M.A.
George is the Music Director at the Catholic Information Center. He came to Grand Rapids in 1999 but his work-ministry with the Paulist Fathers began in 1994 in Morgantown, West Virginia, while he was finishing his doctorate in music at West Virginia University. Originally from Warsaw, Poland, George is a professional singer, pianist, and musicologist. While in Poland, he was a broadcaster and music journalist for the Polish Radio. He also performed throughout Europe as a singer in an early music ensemble. George resides with his family in Kalamazoo where his wife, Magdalena, is a professor at Western Michigan University. They have two daughters, Katarzyna and Agata, and a son, Lukasz - respectively: violist, computer scientist and prospective biomedical engineer. The father and daughter - trio organize at CIC the annual Epiphany Polish Christmas Carol concert, already famous in Grand Rapids. If you would like to join the CIC music ministry as a cantor, choir member or as an instrumentalist, contact George by email or by calling the Center at 459-7267 (ext. 16).
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Jerzy "George" Bugaj
Phone: 616.459.7267
E-Mail
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Mike Mauer is Deacon and the Minister of Marriage Preparation.
Mike administers the Center's "Love Following Upon
Love" marriage program for all engaged couples.
If you have any questions about these programs, please call the Center at 616-459-7267.
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Mike Mauer
Phone: 616.459.7267
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Fr. Tom Tavella,
C.S.P.
was
born and raised in New York, just a little ways
from Kennedy Airport. He is the oldest of 6
boys and grew up in a largely Jewish
neighborhood on Long Island. He joined the
Paulists in 1976 and after receiving an M.A. in
Scripture Studies from the Washington
Theological Union, was ordained a Paulist priest
in May 1981. He has served in St. Peter’s
parish in Toronto, The Newman Center at West
Virginia University and in the downtown parish
staffed by the Paulists in Knoxville Tennessee.
In 1998 he was assigned to the Preaching
Apostolate at the Paulist Mother House in
Manhattan. There he traveled throughout the
country giving parish missions and retreats.
During his 23 years as a priest Fr. Tom has done
Newman work, parish work, radio, TV, teaching
and preaching. You may contact Fr. Tom through
is e-mail or by calling the Center Office at
(616) 459-7267.
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Tom Tavella, C.S.P.
Phone: 616.459.7267
E-Mail
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Irene Davis
Strom is the Business Manager
at the Catholic Information Center. She earned
a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from
Aquinas College in 2005 and will receive her
Master in the Art of Teaching degree from
Aquinas in May 2008. Irene has been on staff at
the Catholic Information Center since October
1978, where she has been responsible for the
daily business functions of the Center,
responsibilities that include finance,
personnel, and building management. She is also
active in planning and implementing educational
programs and social events at the Center.
You can contact Irene at the
Center office at (616) 459-7267.
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Irene Davis-Strom
Phone: 616.459.7267
E-Mail
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| Eulene Freeland
joined the Center Staff as Administrative
Assistant in March of 2001. She is the bulletin
editor. To contact Eulene please call her at the Center office at 616-459-7267. |
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Eulene Freeland
Phone: 616.459.7267
E-Mail
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| Joyce Wright
joined the staff at the Catholic Information Center as receptionist over
ten years ago. She is also coordinator of the New Life Ministry group for the separated, divorced, widowed and never married. New Life is based at the Center. To contact Joyce you may call the Center evenings at 616-459-7267. |
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Joyce Wright
Phone: 616.459.7267
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| Fr. Joe Gallagher, C.S.P., J.D. was born and raised in New York City, Fr. Joe graduated from Notre Dame (BA in Political Science), served as a naval officer on Landing Ships in the Pacific invasions during World War II, graduated from Fordham Law School (JD), and practiced law for 6 years in New York City. In 1955 Father Joe entered the Paulist Community and was ordained a Priest in 1961. Thereafter he has served in Paulist Information Centers and as Pastor of Paulist parishes in New York and Los Angeles. During his 40 years of priesthood, Fr. Joe also held several community posts, viz., Member of the Paulist General Council (24 years), Paulist Vice President (4 years) and, most recently, President of the Paulist Fathers. |
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Joseph Gallagher, C.S.P.
Phone: 616.459.7267
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