Christian Assoc. welcomes minister

Members of the University community extended an official welcome to the Christian Association's new associate minister, the Rev. Andrew Barasda, Jr., at a reception Friday. An informal reception was held to honor the former pastor of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, who will serve under the Rev. Beverly Dale. Barasda -- who began his new position March 24 -- will assist Dale in enhancing campus-community relations, creating ministries for men and forming outreach and support groups for the gay, lesbian and bisexual communities. Noting that Dale has flourished in her work with women and has created such groups as Sister Circle, Barasda said the primary focus of his ministry will be creating support groups for men. He added that although women have traditionally been families' spiritual leaders, men -- gay, straight and bisexual -- "share a lot of problems on what it means to become men." Barasda, who said he has been "out for 25 years," found it "empowering and liberating" to speak at a recent rally during the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered Awareness Days. He does not characterize himself as a "gay priest" but rather, as a "priest who happens to be gay." Barasda said his new position benefits both himself and the Christian Association. Dale's resources were often stretched thin as she was forced to minister to the community and perform administrative duties in her capacity as executive director. At the same time, Barasda was frustrated by the "limited campus ministry" at St. Mary's, which is located on Locust Walk between 39th and 40th streets. "So when Bev called, it was like a real lightning bolt," Barasda said. "I never expected it to happen." Barasda, a Baltimore, Md., native, said he enjoys working in the University community because "young people are a special challenge." He added that this is a particularly exciting environment for him because "Penn students will be the movers and shakers [of the future]." Barasda was also impressed with students' commitment to community service, noting that he always had plenty of student-volunteers help with St. Mary's soup kitchen and other programs for the homeless. In his 31 years as an ordained minister, Barasda has served as executive director of the Greater New Bedford Association for Retarded Children in Massachusetts and of HERO, Inc., a Maryland agency serving people living with AIDS. Barasda said he wanted a ministry "of compassion, justice and mercy? things society will definitely need into the next millennium." The Rev. Barry Harte, a University Lutheran Church pastor and Christian Association board member, said he worked with Barasda in the past and was "really excited" about working with him in the future. "With Andy on board, there is a whole new dimension [to the ministry]," Harte said. But Barasda's move to his new position was bittersweet for some, as he had to leave some of his other posts on campus. Engineering freshman and St. Mary's congregation member Tony Demidio said he will miss Barasda in his former capacity as pastor of St. Mary's but added that he understands the Christian Association's choice. "He's really a wonderful person? very low key," Demidio said. "I can see why they want him here."