University of Saint Francis Home

No Security Alerts

Most Requested up arrow

USF Home | A-Z List | Blackboard

Sr. Carol Meyers

A gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo Japan in 1912 symbolized a friendship of nations. The first two trees were planted by First Lady, Helen Herron Taft. On March 12, 1912 they were placed by the tidal basin. Every year around the first of April, tourists flock to Washington DC to see the spectacular bloom. Sr. Carol always dreamed to being in DC at Cherry Blossom time. As a teacher, the time was always too busy to make the trip. This year was special. Spring came in Washington on time, the Cherry Blossoms were in their glory, and Sr. Carol was there to see it all.

This past spring semester was a sabbatical semester for Sr. Carol. Spending a month in Washington DC was part of the plan to spend some time in research and exploration of the interface between Physical Science and Religion in the Franciscan Tradition.

Time was spent at the University of Notre Dame Medieval Library reading some of the background to Saint Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures and the reference to physical science objects earth, fire, air, and water. Sr. Carol also attended a class and had one-on-one consultation with Sr. Ilia Delio, Department Chair of Spirituality at Washington Theological Union, who has written extensively in the area of Franciscan theology, as well as on various themes in science and religion.

But the trip wasn’t about all work and research. There was fun thrown in too. On a visit to the Smithsonian Art Museum, time was spent viewing famous paintings and portraits, as well as studying religious art of the period of the life of Saint Francis. A trip to the Air and Space Museum brought Sr. Carol up close to the problematic ceramic tiles found on the space shuttle Enterprise, as well as seeing the Enola Gay, which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Did you know that when NASA was searching for a teacher to volunteer to make the trip into space, Sr. Carol volunteered? The National Zoo, the Phillips Art Gallery, the Library of Congress, and a cruise down the Potomac to Mount Vernon rounded out the trip.

This is the year that Spring came twice for Sr. Carol, since her arrival back in Fort Wayne...there was snow!

We Want Your Story

The Web Services Team is looking for people and stories to be featured on the homepage. Have you taken a class from a great professor that you think deserves to be featured? Know an alumnus who has an interesting job? Maybe you have done work that made a difference to people? How has USF impacted your life? We want to know your story! Send an email to the webmaster and tell us why you or someone you know should be featured on sf.edu.

Previously Featured