Name: Thomas Francis
Age: 20
Year: Junior
From: Falls Church, VA
Major: Philosophy
Any Hobbies? Tae Kwon Do and paintball are some, but my favorite is spending time with my family
What's your favorite class or professor? Too many to choose from... I'll just have to go with my top 4: Mr. Brown, Dr. Cuddeback, Mr. Wunsch, and Mrs. Hickson.
Do you play any sports? Yes, I've always played soccer and loved it until I came to Christendom and met rugby. Since then I still play both but rugby is by far my favorite sport.
Do you participate in any drama or music related activities? I was part of the stage crew in "The Scarlet Pimpernel" my freshman year and played a minor role in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" last year.
What is your favorite thing about Christendom College? Gosh, I would have to say that the best thing about Christendom is how truly Catholic it is and how easy it is to live and learn your Faith in an age where Catholic college students, and therefore Catholic adults, have become scarce.
Why did you choose Christendom College? Both my parents are alumni so I've pretty much always known that I would come here, but at the same time the older I got the more I looked forward to it. I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else.
What do you plan to do after graduation? I'm thinking about the priesthood, but I'm not really sure just yet. I'm also considering careers in either Psychology or Construction.
Lighting the Fire Within
Students gathered once again last week in St. Catherine's Glade for a Fireside Chat. This time, Dr. Cuddeback spoke to students about Discipleship and Mentorship.
"The true disciple looks to his master in order to receive what the master has to give," Cuddeback said.
"I think that it is very easy for us to think that we are more attentive disciples of Our Lord than we actually are," he continued. "To what extent do we read Scripture really with the willingness to hear and be challenged in what we think we already know about Christianity, or what we think we already know about the spiritual life.
"We need to learn to approach Scripture and our Lord in the Eucharist with an attitude of 'help me Lord to see the great challenge which you are calling me to.' You'll find mentorship there in its deepest and most important place.
"The Lord can always be your mentor regardless of anything else. You also have the great spiritual masters as well—that's why spiritual reading is so important. No matter what's going on around you, you can always turn to St. Therese, St. John Vianney, St. Francis de Sales, St. Thomas, for guidance," he said.
You can find mentorship in the faculty of Christendom College too. Here we see it in action.
Welcome Home Alumni!
With the amazing friendships that are formed at Christendom, it is no wonder Homecoming weekend has such a strong turn-out of alumni every year.
Think about it: You come to a place where you meet people from across the country with varying backgrounds... you naturally become friends enjoying the other persons past, humor, conversation, and everything else they have to offer. Then, on top of that, you get a Christendom education, one of the best in the nation. An education that forms the whole person and you grow with each other... intellectually and spiritually. These are the best years of your life and this is where you find your best friends... want to come back and visit? Yes!
So again this year alumni came home and enjoyed, not only seeing old friends, but meeting current students.
Friday night the Christendom Crusaders basketball team took on a formidable alumni team. It was a close game and the alumni showed the students that they still could drop the moves and shoot with style. In the end though, the Crusaders won 58-50.
After the basketball game both students and alumni headed over to the St. Kilian's Café for a reception. Inside a student band played a bluesy set of music. The café was filled and the crowd poured out onto the patio. It was a beautiful night and many stayed conversing late into the night.
Saturday saw the sun shining brightly for an unusually warm October day. Students, along with the alumni and their children, came out for the annual Faculty-Alumni-Student Picnic. The children enjoyed pumpkin painting, face painting, cotton candy, snow cones (grape was favorite), and giant inflatable bouncers and rides. Fresh popcorn was also on hand for all, as well, as hot-dogs, hamburgers and other classic cookout fair. Live music was provided by Freshman Marie Miller and her band.
That night things got a little jazzed up for the alumni reception held in the chapel crypt. A tremendous amount of alumni turned out for this event. While catching up and telling stories from the past, the alumni enjoyed choice beverages and delectable heavy hors d'oeuvres.
At 8 o'clock the dance started. The beautiful brass sounds of the live swing band filled the St. Lawrence Commons through the night. During breaks in the band's sets Chaplain Fr. John Heisler performed his now popular role as Disc Jockey to the delight of all. Alumni and students danced far into the night.
It was a great Homecoming weekend. The Alma Mater was proud to have her children home again.
Come Follow Me: Students Gather for Eucharistic Procession
On Sunday of Homecoming Weekend the entire school gathered together for a Eucharistic Procession in honor of the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Feast commemorates the naval victory of Lepanto gained by Don Juan of Austria over the Turkish fleet on the first Sunday of October in 1571. In Rome, processions were made in thanksgiving on that same day by the members of the Rosary confraternity. Pope St. Pius V thereupon ordered that a Commemoration of the Rosary should be made upon that day.
Students prayed the Rosary and sang Marian hymns as they traversed the campus on a truly sunny Sunday.
"This is Christendom at it's best," Chaplain Fr. John Heisler said. "We're following the call of Pope Benedict XVI, John Paul II and all their predecessors to adore and venerate the Eucharist."
"Dear brothers and sisters," Pope Benedict XVI said in his Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, "the Eucharist is at the root of every form of holiness, and each of us is called to the fullness of life in the Holy Spirit. How many saints have advanced along the way of perfection thanks to their eucharistic devotion!
"From Saint Ignatius of Antioch to Saint Augustine, from Saint Anthony Abbot to Saint Benedict, from Saint Francis of Assisi to Saint Thomas Aquinas ... Saint John Mary Vianney to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, from Saint Pius of Pietrelcina to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, from Blessed Piergiorgio Frassati to Blessed Ivan Merz, to name only a few, holiness has always found its centre in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
"This most holy mystery thus needs to be firmly believed, devoutly celebrated and intensely lived in the Church. Jesus' gift of himself in the sacrament which is the memorial of his passion tells us that the success of our lives is found in our participation in the trinitarian life offered to us truly and definitively in him. The celebration and worship of the Eucharist enable us to draw near to God's love and to persevere in that love until we are united with the Lord whom we love."
Following the Eucharistic Procession College President Dr. Timothy O'Donnell was honored at a special brunch celebrating his 15 years as president. All enjoyed fresh made omelettes and Belgian waffles along with mimosas and a variety of pastries.
Executive Vice President Mark McShurley gave remarks during the ceremonies that honored Dr. O'Donnell and his wife, Cathy. A few factual highlights: during Dr. O'Donnell's tenure the student enrollment has increased 264% (144 to 524 including the graduate school), total financial assets increased 440% and total plant costs increased 397%. Many of the buildings which have become hallmarks of campus life have been built since his installment, including Christ the King Chapel, St. John the Evangelist Library, the St. Lawrence Commons, Crusade Gymnasium, and the John Paul the Great Student Center.
The Devil Unchained
On Monday, Founding President Warren Carroll delivered an intriguing talk on the infamous Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin entitled The Devil Unchained: The Ten Deaths of Rasputin.
Rasputin influenced the later days of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II, his wife the Tsaritsa Alexandra, and their only and sickly son Alexei and helped to discredit the tsarist government, leading to the fall in 1917 of the Romanov dynasty.
Because he helped alleviate the pain of her ailing son, Tsaritsa Alexandra saw Rasputin as a saintly mystic, visionary, and healer, while many others saw him as a debauched satanic deceiver.
"Pope Leo XIII warned us in 1897 that in the 20th century the devil would be unchained and let loose upon us to do his worse. As part of the wages of sin the devil also acts in history," Carroll said. "The best example, the most thoroughly established historically, is the fantastic story of Rasputin.
"I think in the end, the Archangel Michael, who had been fighting the devil for eons came down from heaven to kill the devil that had possessed Rasputin when men were unable to do so," he said.
This colorful and fascinating talk can be heard at Christendom's Podcast Website.
Gorgeous Weather and Wonderful Food Prepare Students for Midterms
You step outside and it is a glorious day—a light breeze, blue skies, and the sun is shining. You head off to class and soak in a bit of Philosophy or Literature or what have you. Lunchtime draws near and your stomach begins to growl—Mass is over and you've got some serious tests to prepare for. And before you can even begin to think about how awesome it would be to have a nice barbecue on a day like today you smell ribs, chicken, and burgers on the grill.
The Christendom Cafeteria is just that good. On Wednesday Chef Ron and Co. put together a delightful lunch of grilled chicken, barbecue pork ribs, along with wonderful sides of mac 'n' cheese and potato salad.
Gorgeous weather and wonderful food. Can life get any better? It's all part of life at Christendom College.
Letting the Pope Know We Love Him
Ciao! Welcome back to another edition of the Rome Report!
I hope that everyone reading this is doing well. This week has been another amazing week in Rome with many blessings. Last Sunday, in celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and the victory at the battle of Lepanto, several of us went to the High Mass at St. Mary Major.
The Mass was absolutely beautiful, and included a twenty person all-male choir, as well as a cardinal, bishop, 30 priests, and a church full of pilgrims. After Mass, we were blessed to pray at the tomb of Pope St. Pius V, who is buried in St. Mary Major and was the pope to declare first the feast day of Our Lady of Victory, which he changed to Our Lady of the Rosary the next year.
After Mass, we caught the Angelus Blessing in St. Peter's Square and then had a huge potluck brunch on a terrace on top of our building. We were also very impressed to hear Tim Curran read a rousing rendition of G.K. Chesterton's poem describing the Battle of Lepanto.
Later this week, on Wednesday, we finally were able to attend a Wednesday audience as a group. We woke up early in the morning, and arrived to wait in line at 6:15! After waiting for two hours, we were finally let into the square to rush to our seats. We were seating in the very front two rows, so we were all extremely close to the Holy Father.
Before the audience began, we planned to sing the Christus Vincit when Christendom was announced. However, the anticipation was so great, that as soon as we were announced, we just started screaming wildly and abandoned all hope of singing. It was an incredible experience, and we definitely let Pope Benedict know that we love him!
Anyways, everyone back in the States is in our prayers. This weekend is our second free weekend, so until next week. Ciao!
In
honor of the 30th Anniversary of Christendom College
the Chronicler Online takes a peek into the past
of the college each week.
Then and Now: A Photographic Peek into the Past
Over its 30 years Christendom has gone through some amazing changes. Below are some examples. Move your cursor over the images below to see what it used to be like.
Campus
Sign and Entrance
Student Center - Old Library
The March for Life
West Wins Fourth Consecutive Year, But Not By Much
It was the closest outcome of an East-West game in years, though the victor did not change. West was best again, for the fourth time in a row, in East-West ‘07. The redshirts held on to win in grudge battle, 18-14.
Turnovers helped keep the East in the game for the second half, but the blue-and-white couldn’t capitalize. Sporting new blue uniforms with white letters and numbers this year, the East gave a concerted effort, but couldn’t pull off the victory.
The East received the ball first and drove into West territory before a turnover thwarted the drive. West capitalized on three out of four first half possessions, notching three touchdowns to take an 18-8 halftime lead. Senior tailback Noah Morey was a deadly weapon out of the backfield, scoring one of his two touchdowns on a reception. Senior quarterback Pate Quest ran an efficient offense, as the East had no answer on defense for the West attack. Junior quarterback Tom Francis hooked up with Freshman receiver Chris Genn on a well-executed deep route in the second quarter, to keep the game within reach for the East.
Halftime adjustments on defense helped the East defense keep the game close, along with a bit of fortune on several dropped passes. Senior lineman Zac Inman made some crucial defensive plays in the backfield. Meanwhile, the East offense conducted another scoring drive, highlighted by an electric touchdown run by Senior tailback Bobby Lancaster. By the fourth quarter, the score was 18-14.
And there it remained. The rest of the game would be constituted by turnovers. The East was down to its final gasp on its own 30-yard line with less than thirty seconds to go, and no timeouts. Tom Francis, under pressure, threw a deep pass in the direction of tight end Zac Inman, and the ball was up for grabs. Both Inman and West linebacker Noah Morey came down with possession of the ball. What was the call? The nearest referee said Morey had gotten his hand in a split second earlier. The jump ball went to the West, interception and ball game.
Nonetheless, most of the fans remarked that it was an exciting game to watch, even if they were not football fans. It was the closest East-West game in four years, and quite an entertaining way to end Homecoming Weekend for the alumni.
Q: I am interested in going into the field of education when I’m done with my studies. Is Christendom College a good choice for a person who has this goal, and specifically, what does Christendom have to offer a person who has this goal? –L.D., Cincinnati, OH
A. This is a very good question and, in fact, one that is asked of me quite often. As a general answer, a Christendom education is beneficial to anyone interested in any field of work because of the overall well roundedness of our program. We educate our students, rather than train them. We believe that by giving our students a classical liberal arts education, they will be ready to meet all of the challenges that come their way upon graduation. In fact, we have seen this to be the case with our graduates. Our graduates are involved in many varied and different careers, from medicine to law, journalism to law enforcement, from owning their own businesses to working on Wall Street. (View Christendom’s brochure: Skills for Life in Adobe PDF format)
Now to address the specifics of the question. What does Christendom have to offer a person interested in entering the field of education upon graduation?
To begin with, a large percentage of our alumni have gone on to teach, mostly at the elementary and secondary levels, but some have chosen to pursue graduate school and teach at the college level. We have alumni teaching at Providence College, DeSales University, Jacksonville State University, Thomas Aquinas College, New York State University at Albany, Christendom College, and elsewhere. In fact, I used to be a teacher for a number of years and also spent a year serving as a Headmaster of a small private elementary school in New Hampshire.
Through our core curriculum, through the study of history, philosophy, literature, and particularly theology, our students are truly educated in the things that matter. They are not educated to do one thing or another, but are simply educated. Because of this, those who have an interest in teaching are always welcomed, and even sought after, by many Catholic school systems. School officials realize that although teaching methods are very important, the most important thing in teaching anyone is the love and knowledge of the Faith and the desire to pass on, not only head-knowledge, but more importantly, a love of God, His Church, and the good Catholic life in general. Christendom College prepares its students for that.
Other colleges, in their education programs, may teach its students how to teach math to 4th graders, or how to organize your classroom to make it more learning friendly. We believe that these things will work themselves out once you are in the classroom so there is no real need to spend a bunch of money and time on being trained in specifics when you will end up learning these things on-the-job later.
Now for those who may want to get their feet wet in teaching before graduation, we do offer a Teacher Formation Program as part of our curriculum. Seniors are given the opportunity to work as teacher aids with local Catholic and public schools, helping to plan classes and teach certain subjects. More information on this program can be found by going here.
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