Graduate Profile: Virginia Schilder, MDiv '23 

Memorable Moment 

It's not necessarily one "moment," but the most memorable part of HDS for me will be the beautiful, healing, and nourishing gatherings with HDS Catholics & Friends and HDS Catholic Renewal. Whether it's having Mass and dinner at Fr. Clooney's house, chatting over lunch, crafting a Noon Service together, collectively reflecting on the Gospels, sharing our laments and experiences of alienation as well as our hopes and dreams for more just and participatory Catholic spaces—these were precious glimpses of a freer church, and they strengthen me, give me hope, and further commit me to the shared work of liberation in our church. I love all you folks who have been a part of these sacred spaces! 

Message of Thanks  

I am who and where I am because of my parents, my brother Tommy, my partner Shan, the beloved community that is my housemates, and my extraordinary friends. Thank you all for your relentless encouragement, your grounding love, and your senses of humor (and for putting up with mine!).

I am also grateful to my coworkers at NETWORK, my CPE cohort, the brothers at SSJE, and all my HDS mentors, including Stephanie Paulsell, Patty Simpson, Kerry Maloney, Chris Hossfeld, Gloria White-Hammond, Frank Clooney, Dan McKanan, and Michelle Bentsman.

I'm also grateful to my more-than-human teachers, the plants that greet me walking to class each day, and the land that has held me these past three years.

Finally, thank you to my fellow HDS students. It's been an enormous privilege to be part of a community so creative, mutually supportive, and committed, and with such a wondrous diversity of gifts, interests, and experiences. Just getting to study, work, sing, play, garden, and hang out alongside you all was the most exciting part of my time here and the site of my greatest learning! 

Future Plans 

This fall I'll be starting a master of theology program at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (STM). I look forward to diving deeper into liberative theologies and experiencing formation and spiritual life in a Catholic community. While at STM next year, I'll keep working part-time for NETWORK Catholic Social Justice Advocates, and volunteering at a local community farm. In the meantime, I'm resting, seeing family and friends, and spending time outside!