Campus Ministry The Campus Ministry Team

Currently, there are three full time members, one part time member and two graduate assistants on the Campus Ministry Team.

Rev. Fr. James E. Piszker, a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been chaplain to Mercyhurst College since August of 1998. He previously worked in campus ministry at Allegheny College , Meadville , PA and Towson University , Towson MD. Fr. Piszker is responsible for all sacramental activities on campus including the celebration of mass, confessions and weddings. Fr. Piszker is responsible for scheduling weddings and other events in Christ the King Chapel. He is also responsible for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process in which members of the college community may be initiated into the Catholic faith through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist or to be received into full communion with the Catholic Church, or complete their initiation into the Catholic faith through the reception of Confirmation and/or Eucharist. Fr. Piszker is also an adjunct faculty member in the Religious Studies and Religious Education departments of the college. His ministry extends beyond the boundaries of Mercyhurst as he is also chaplain to the Retrouvaille program (a program for troubled marriages), periodic on-call chaplain for Hamot Medical Center, periodic weekday presider at Eucharist for the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, confessor to the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse, and occasional guest presider at Eucharist for various parishes in the diocese. He also teaches in the ministry training program for the diocese, having taught a wide variety of courses in theology. Fr. Piszker is also available for individual pastoral counseling and spiritual direction and assists other members of the Campus Ministry team with retreats and other programs. He may be reached at (814) 824-2467 or via e-mail jpiszker@mercyhurst.edu. In the event of an emergency, he may be reached via campus Police and Safety.

Greg Baker, Director of Campus Ministry, has been serving the College since November 2007. He and his wife, Jennifer, have a son, Eli and a daughter, Naomi . Greg is a native of Erie, receiving his undergraduate degree in Liberal Studies from Gannon University and his master’s degree in Theology from St. Bonaventure University. He has extensive experience with service and justice work, including a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, several months in a Catholic Worker house, and various short-term service trips to places such as Appalachia, South Dakota, Haiti and various major cities. Greg has spent many years working and volunteering with Camp Notre Dame in Fairview, PA. He has been a parish Religious Education Leader and Youth Minister and most recently served as the Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Erie, PA. Greg is responsible for the overall spiritual formation of the students, faculty, administration and staff. He ensures that each student is able to connect with religious services and rituals to support her/his faith tradition. Greg oversees a variety of spiritual programs and events, retreats, and service and justice activities, most of them student led. Greg maintains an open door policy for anyone seeking spiritual guidance, personal support or a listening ear, and can be reached at 824-2301 or via e-mail gbaker@mercyhurst.edu.

Daniel Cabanillas came to Mercyhurst College in 1993 as a voice major. He graduated Cum Laude in 1997. He is a native of Honduras in Central America , where he pursued a degree in foreign languages. During his years at Mercyhurst as a foreign student, Daniel grew close to Campus Ministry since Sr. Elizabeth Lintsen was the Foreign Student Advisor as well as the Director of the office. In 1999, Daniel applied for the position of Campus Minister and Director of Liturgical Music and joined the team in the fall of 1999. In the fall of 2004, Daniel moved to a full time position with the International Student Center but still works with Campus Ministry on liturgical music. He is married to Emily Cabanillas and has five children: Mikkela, 11; Nadia, 7; Daniel, 5; Liana, 3; and Emilia, 2 ½ weeks. He may be reached at (814) 824-2430 or via e-mail dcabanillas@mercyhurst.edu.

Christine Brotherson, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, has been with Campus Ministry since August, 2009. Christine, a native of Erie, PA, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baldwin-Wallace College; a Master of Theological Studies degree from Boston University School of Theology; and a Master of Social Science Administration degree from The Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Christine has worked for several years in leadership positions as a Pastoral Counselor and a Licensed Social Worker. She has extensive experience working with at-risk youth and families; women in transition; people suffering the loss of a loved one through death or divorce; and as an advocate for social justice issues at the state and national level. As a Pastoral Counselor, she has led prayer groups, coordinated spiritual retreats, taught meditation, and counseled teens and young women. As a Campus Minister, Christine assists with the spiritual growth of students through individual pastoral counseling and spiritual direction; develops student leadership in programs for service and justice, especially with the college chapter of Habitat for Humanity; and assumes special responsibility to create programs for and personally connect with Protestant students as well as students of other religious beliefs. Students are invited to stop by her office at any time. She can be reached at (814) 824-2549 or via e-mail cbrotherson@mercyhurst.edu.

Helena “Nell” Hardy, Administrative Assistant, came to Mercyhurst College in 2007 and arrived in Campus Ministry after working in the Student Union office and on the weekend EMTA “fun bus”. She is a journalism graduate of Syracuse University and enjoys writing, reading and soundly defeating others at Scrabble. She has three teenage sons; the oldest, Brendan, is a Mercyhurst sophomore. Nell also trains horses and her two English Springer Spaniels, one of which may be seen occasionally around the Campus Ministry office. She may be reached at (814) 824-2429 or via e-mail hhardy@mercyhurst.edu.

Gretchen Beth Yori began her college career at Mercyhurst North East where she earned her A.A. in Liberal Arts in 2007. She transferred to Clarion University of Pennsylvania for a semester before returning to Mercyhurst College to finish her B.A. in Communication with a focus in Journalism, and a minor in Religious Studies. Gretchen participated in alternative breaks offered on campus, was copy-editor for the Merciad, and inducted into the Mercyhurst College Service Honor Society as well as Lambda Pi Eta, a National Communication Honor Society. Gretchen is currently working toward earning her master’s degree in Organizational Leadership at Mercyhurst College while working as a graduate assistant in the Campus Ministry. She may be reached at (814) 824-2429 or via e-mail gyori82@mercyhurst.edu.

Brian Reddan is a recent graduate from Mercyhurst College, having completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Intelligence Studies in May 2009. As an undergraduate student at Mercyhurst he began working with Campus Ministry almost immediately as a liturgical minister, retreat planner and a variety of other programs. As a graduate assistant, Brian organizes and oversees a variety of service projects as well as collaborative efforts with other departments. In addition, he provides sacristan assistance to the chaplain. He can be reached at the main Campus Ministry phone number (814)824-2429, or via e-mail .