College of Saint Elizabeth Celebrates Anniversary with Free-to-the-Public Choral Concert, January 29, 2010

The College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Road, Morristown, continues its year-long 110 anniversary celebration with a performance work entitled Agape, a Greek word meaning selfless or unconditional love, on Friday, January 29, 2010, in Dolan Hall of Annunciation Center on campus at 7:30 pm. The event, which also honors the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth who are celebrating their 150th anniversary this year, is free and open to the public.  

The choral work is dedicated to the life of Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, foundress of the Sisters of Charity. The performance will also be sung in memory of the late Father Edward Hinds, former pastor of St. Patrick's Church in Chatham, who was to have participated in this performance as a member of his parish's adult choir. Fr. Hinds died tragically in October.

"We will gather to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the College, the 150th anniversary of the Sisters of Charity, the life of Elizabeth Ann Seton whose feast is in January, and honor the life and legacy of Father Edward Hinds," said Carol Pisani, special assistant to the President for Mission and Values. "The Agape is a dramatic reflection upon the sacred communal experiences of storytelling and meal sharing. It is about community and the meaning of the Eucharist for Christians today."

In addition to St. Patrick's choir, the work will be performed by the CSE Festival Choir and members of the Elizabeth Singers, and the children's choir from Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley. It also features as the main storyteller Monsignor Ray East, pastor of St. Theresa of Avila Parish and director of the Office of Black Catholics and vicar for Evangelization of Washington, DC. For more information, contact Carol Pisani at (973) 290-4491 or write to cjpisani@cse.edu.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey, the College of Saint Elizabeth enrolls more than 2,100 full- and part-time students in more than 25 undergraduate, 10 graduate and one doctoral degree programs. For information on other activities or programs, visit the College of Saint Elizabeth web site at www.cse.edu.