Donald S. Nesti
Encyclopedia
Donald Silvio Nesti, C.S.Sp. (born 1936) is an American
Catholic priest
in the Congregation of the Holy Spirit
. He served as the tenth president of Duquesne University
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, from 1980 until 1988. He is the founder and current director of the Center for Faith and Culture at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston
, Texas
, and a professor of theology at St. Mary’s Seminary, also in Houston.
and raised in Clairton
. He attended Pennsylvania State University
for a year before entering the Holy Ghost Fathers' St. Mary Seminary in Norwalk, Connecticut
. Nesti earned a bachelor's degree
in 1959, and was ordained on May 30, 1963. He continued his education at St. Mary's, receiving a Bachelor of Divinity
degree in 1964. He also earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology
in 1966 and a Doctorate of Sacred Theology in 1970 from the Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome
. In addition to his degrees in theology, he holds a master's degree
in Italian
from the University of Pittsburgh
(1976), and did postdoctoral work at St. Edmund's College, Cambridge
in 1972. He taught at Duquesne as a theology professor from 1970 to 1976, and has written two books and several articles on the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Religious Society of Friends
(Quakers).
Nesti plays the French horn
and speaks French
, German
, and Italian fluently.
of the Holy Ghost Fathers. At the time of his appointment, he was the director of planning, research, and renewal for the Eastern Province of the Holy Ghost Fathers and the director of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Bethel Park
.
The announcement of Nesti's selection was made on April 18, 1980, and he assumed office on the following July 1. His formal inauguration was held on October 3, 1980.
Nesti's administration at Duquesne met with controversy. He clashed with student groups on campus, including the Tamburitzans
and the staff of the Duquesne Duke
. While the Duke staff was chastised by the administration because of a "vulgar" and "tasteless" April Fools' Day
edition of the paper, the Tamburitzans were angered at the cancellation of a 1987 world tour and investigation into their institutional practices by Academic Vice President Rolando Bonachea. Nesti also met with objections by the faculty senate on his handling of academic affairs, as well as resistance by students on campus policies. In light of these controversies, a vote of "no confidence" in the administration was issued by the Student Government Association on April 2, 1987.
The Nesti administration did, however, see many positive achievements, such as the construction of the A.J. Palumbo Center, which was begun in 1986 and completed in 1988. The university also made great progress in its academic quality, but persistent divisive issues in the university community forced Nesti's resignation on July 30, 1987. At the time, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
opined that "Donald Nesti pursued a commendable goal—a renewed commitment to excellence and accountability—in a clumsy and insensitive manner". The university's Academic Vice President, Dr. Bonachea, served as acting president until the spring of 1988 and the selection of Dr. John E. Murray, Jr. as Duquesne's eleventh president. Dr. Bonachea had been a supporter of Nesti, and stated that despite the popular reaction against his administration, "Father Nesti was right. In my opinion, he is a man of truth and principle who was determined to protect the welfare of each student."
in Columbus, Ohio
from 1989 until 1993. In 1994 Nesti founded the Center for Faith and Culture at St. Thomas University in Houston, Texas, where he currently serves as director. The self-stated mission of the center is the study of the relation of the "Gospel vision to the American way of life". From 1995 until 2001, he also served as the Provincial Superior of the Western Province of the Holy Ghost Fathers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Catholic priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
in the Congregation of the Holy Spirit
Holy Ghost Fathers
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, lay brothers, and since Vatican II, lay associates...
. He served as the tenth president of Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, from 1980 until 1988. He is the founder and current director of the Center for Faith and Culture at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and a professor of theology at St. Mary’s Seminary, also in Houston.
Background
Donald Nesti was born in Monessen, PennsylvaniaMonessen, Pennsylvania
Monessen is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,669 at the 2000 census. In 1940, 20,257 people lived there. In 1990 the population was 13,026. Steel-making was a prominent industry in Monessen, which was a Rust Belt borough in the "Mon Valley" of...
and raised in Clairton
Clairton, Pennsylvania
Clairton is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. The population was 6,796 at the 2010 census. Under Pennsylvania legal classifications for local governments, Clairton is considered a third-class city...
. He attended Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
for a year before entering the Holy Ghost Fathers' St. Mary Seminary in Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
. Nesti earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1959, and was ordained on May 30, 1963. He continued his education at St. Mary's, receiving a Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree in 1964. He also earned a Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology
Licentiate of Sacred Theology is the title of the second cycle of studies of a Faculty of Theology offered by a pontifical universities or ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology. An Ecclesiastical Faculty offers three cycles of study: Baccalaureate or fundamentals, Licentiate or specialized,...
in 1966 and a Doctorate of Sacred Theology in 1970 from the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In addition to his degrees in theology, he holds a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
(1976), and did postdoctoral work at St. Edmund's College, Cambridge
St Edmund's College, Cambridge
Saint Edmund's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is the second oldest of the four Cambridge colleges oriented to mature students, which only accept students reading for either Masters or Doctorate degrees, or undergraduate degrees if they are aged 21 or older, the...
in 1972. He taught at Duquesne as a theology professor from 1970 to 1976, and has written two books and several articles on the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Religious Society of Friends
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
(Quakers).
Nesti plays the French horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
and speaks French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, and Italian fluently.
Service to Duquesne University
Nesti was the first Duquesne president selected by a search committee rather than appointed directly by the provincialProvincial superior
A Provincial Superior is a major superior of a religious order acting under the order's Superior General and exercising a general supervision over all the members of that order in a territorial division of the order called a province--similar to but not to be confused with an ecclesiastical...
of the Holy Ghost Fathers. At the time of his appointment, he was the director of planning, research, and renewal for the Eastern Province of the Holy Ghost Fathers and the director of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Bethel Park
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
Bethel Park is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area, approximately 7 miles southwest of Pittsburgh...
.
The announcement of Nesti's selection was made on April 18, 1980, and he assumed office on the following July 1. His formal inauguration was held on October 3, 1980.
Nesti's administration at Duquesne met with controversy. He clashed with student groups on campus, including the Tamburitzans
Duquesne University Tamburitzans
The Duquesne University Tamburitzans are the longest-running multicultural song and dance company in the United States. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company's members are full-time Duquesne University students who receive scholarships for their activities...
and the staff of the Duquesne Duke
The Duquesne Duke
The Duquesne Duke is the campus newspaper of Duquesne University.The Duke has been in operation since March 5, 1925 . Written and edited by students, it is published every Thursday during the academic year, excluding exam periods and holidays. The paper provides a mix of campus news, student...
. While the Duke staff was chastised by the administration because of a "vulgar" and "tasteless" April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
edition of the paper, the Tamburitzans were angered at the cancellation of a 1987 world tour and investigation into their institutional practices by Academic Vice President Rolando Bonachea. Nesti also met with objections by the faculty senate on his handling of academic affairs, as well as resistance by students on campus policies. In light of these controversies, a vote of "no confidence" in the administration was issued by the Student Government Association on April 2, 1987.
The Nesti administration did, however, see many positive achievements, such as the construction of the A.J. Palumbo Center, which was begun in 1986 and completed in 1988. The university also made great progress in its academic quality, but persistent divisive issues in the university community forced Nesti's resignation on July 30, 1987. At the time, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
opined that "Donald Nesti pursued a commendable goal—a renewed commitment to excellence and accountability—in a clumsy and insensitive manner". The university's Academic Vice President, Dr. Bonachea, served as acting president until the spring of 1988 and the selection of Dr. John E. Murray, Jr. as Duquesne's eleventh president. Dr. Bonachea had been a supporter of Nesti, and stated that despite the popular reaction against his administration, "Father Nesti was right. In my opinion, he is a man of truth and principle who was determined to protect the welfare of each student."
Work at St. Thomas University
After departing from Duquesne, Nesti taught as a theology professor at the Pontifical College JosephinumPontifical College Josephinum
The Pontifical College Josephinum is a four-year, Roman Catholic liberal arts college and graduate school of theology founded by Monsignor Joseph Jessing in 1888 and located in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The seminary prepares its students to become priests in the Roman Catholic Church. Students come...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
from 1989 until 1993. In 1994 Nesti founded the Center for Faith and Culture at St. Thomas University in Houston, Texas, where he currently serves as director. The self-stated mission of the center is the study of the relation of the "Gospel vision to the American way of life". From 1995 until 2001, he also served as the Provincial Superior of the Western Province of the Holy Ghost Fathers.
External links
- St. Thomas University Center for Faith and Culture
- "Five minutes with Father Donald S. Nesti, C.S.Sp" from the Texas Catholic Herald News
- A brief history of Duquesne University