SXU Alum Invited to Lead Invocation At General Assembly
Saint Xavier University (SXU) alum Austin Schafer '04 was recently invited to lead the invocation for the Ohio State 135th General Assembly for the third time since 2009. Schafer was invited to lead by Ohio state senator Louis W. Blessing III. His service at the invocation is just part of the many ways Schafer has devoted his life to ministry and Mercy.
Schafer, who majored in philosophy with minors in religious studies and pastoral ministry, was drawn to his studies because he was interested in serving in full-time ministry in the Catholic Church upon graduation. After graduating, he accepted a role to serve as a pastoral associate and director of youth ministry at a large and diverse parish in New Jersey, where he also served as a retreat facilitator focused on service-learning and social justice immersion trips for youth.
Schafer served in parish, youth, young adult and college campus ministries for 18 years before transitioning into health care.
"Preventing and relieving human suffering is at the heart of my vocational calling. Health care chaplaincy is the practice of meeting care-seekers in a time of need or crisis to provide a comprehensive, compassionate, holistic and non-anxious presence and to facilitate connection with meaning and the sacred as they understand it. I believe people heal when they feel heard, and I desired to engage in genuine human encounters in the health care setting," said Schafer.
Schafer became a board-certified chaplain with the National Association of Catholic
Chaplains after earning a master's degree in theology from the University of Dayton.
He was required to complete over 1,600 hours of educational and clinical training,
obtain an ecclesial endorsement from his local bishop, and undergo an extensive board
application and interview process.
As part of his training, Schafer began service at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, followed by a chaplain residency with Kettering Health in Dayton. After his residency, he served at MercyHealth and TriHealth, both in Ohio.
Before Shafer started his clinical pastoral education, he desired to get certified as a state-tested nursing aid and also worked for a period of time as a pharmacy tech. In the middle of his chaplain residency at Kettering Health, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Despite the pandemic's numerous challenges, Schafer's vocational call to serve in health care only grew and deepened.
"As a chaplain, I had the sacred responsibility to deeply listen and facilitate making meaning in the face of crisis, trauma and loss," said Schafer.
Most recently, Schafer was named director of pastoral and spiritual care for St. Elizabeth Healthcare. The role requires him to lead a team of over 25 dedicated chaplains at six different hospitals in northern Kentucky, southeastern Indiana, and the greater Cincinnati area. He also leads chaplains who are specifically focused on cancer care, palliative care, and inpatient and home-based hospice care.
"In addition to setting the strategic vision and coordinating the delivery of comprehensive
pastoral care for both our patients and associates, I am also a Catholic mission leader
who engages in mission integration efforts around our mission, vision, core values
and strategic plan. This leads me to engage in the work of forming health care leaders,
work on the ethics team, and lead the work of community engagement efforts in extending
our healing mission, especially to the most vulnerable in our communities," said Schafer.
Schafer is grateful for what he learned at SXU, calling his time there "grace-filled."
He's especially thankful to have served in Campus Ministry as a peer minister and
be engaged in the Pastoral Institute and Religious Studies program.
"For me, there was a deep sense of community, inclusion and belonging at SXU. I felt like I was able to be fully who I was called to be, and the Mercy mission helped inspire and nurture my sense of calling and purpose. I also appreciated that it was an intimate campus where faculty and staff got to know me by name as an individual and not just a number. I was challenged intellectually, emotionally and spiritually to grow. My time at SXU was purpose-driven with a focus to engage the world and be of service to others," said Schafer.
In addition to his work with Campus Ministry as a peer minister, Schafer was also involved in SXU's liturgical choir for Mass on Sunday evenings. He also sang as a tenor for the University Chamber Singers and Chorale and played clarinet in the SXU Concert Band. Schafer served as a student worker for Media Services. He fondly recalls learning to multitask at SXU.
"A funny situation I found myself in at graduation – I played Pomp and Circumstance with the band, then had to move over to sing the National Anthem with the Chamber Singers, and then had to operate a video camera with Media Services to record part of commencement! But each of these activities rounded out my education and tapped into something much deeper in myself, helping me to more fully discover my gifts and talents, which I still use in my everyday life," said Schafer, who sings as a tenor with the May Festival Chorus and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Some of Schafer's favorite memories from his time at SXU include building friendships, serving in Campus Ministry, Sunday evening Mass at McDonough Chapel, and opportunities for making music with the Music Department.
Schafer is currently in his final year of pursuing his doctorate in health care mission leadership from Loyola University. Into the future, Schafer plans to continue to serve and respond to God's call in his life, wherever that may lead.
"I desire to continue to serve Catholic health care in excellence in mission leadership, pastoral care, ethics, formation,
advocacy, and community engagement. God has called me at each step of the journey,
and I strive to live my life in generous response to that call. As a dedicated husband, proud father of two boys, and health care mission leader and
chaplain, I strive to be an instrument that resonates our God's joy and healing presence
to this world."