Chronicler
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Editor:
Tom McFadden
Managing Editor: Niall O'Donnell
Contributing Editors: Tom O'Connor,
Jack Anderson (Sports Center),
&
Emma Boyle (The Rome Report)
Contributing Photographers: Tom O'Connor, Francis Aul, & Emma Boyle
Issue: February 29, 2008
Happy Leap Year!
Name: Joseph Ambrose Mazzara
Age: 21
Year: Senior
From: State College, PA
Major: Philosophy
Any Hobbies? Debate, piano, writing, Scottish things, and running
What's your favorite class or professor? I enjoy all of my Philosophy and Theology professors. It is difficult to pick a favorite, because each has a unique style that offers something distinct from the others, and these differences are hardly comparable or contrastable.
Do you play any sports? Yes, fencing, because it is both intensely physical and intellectual.
Do you participate in any drama or music related activities? Yes. Piano, because I enjoy it and am good at it.
What is your favorite thing about Christendom College? My favorite thing about Christendom College has a three-fold nature. It is cultural, intellectual, and spiritual. You could call this thing the formation, which Christendom gives to its students. It is cultural in that we are provided with a greater sense of what it means to have our Catholicism influence every aspect of our life. It is intellectual formation in so far as it hones the tool of reason and fosters in us an intellectual love for Truth, which of course, originates and flows from God. Thirdly, it provides us with a spiritual formation through making fertile the soil of our hearts for the things of God.
What do you plan to do after graduation? The day I graduate is the day I receive my commission in the United States Marine Corps. So I will be serving God, family, and country from the outset of my matriculation here at Christendom.
Students Show Their Appreciation
Last week at Christendom College was Appreciation Week. Organized by the Student Activities Council, Appreciation Week was held to ensure that all the hardworking staff and faculty at Christendom are recognized. Among those acknowledged were: Frs. Heisler and O’Kielty, the Cavalier Cleaning Service, Maintenance Department, Kitchen Crew, Staff, and Faculty.
Every day during the week, one group was specifically recognized at lunch. The SAC also decorated all the staff and faculty offices with streamers and balloons and put candy at every desk.
At Lunch on the Feast of the Chair of Peter (Friday) four teachers battled it out to see who could name the most popes, starting from Pope Benedict XVI and going back. Philosophy Professor Mark Wunsch won, with History Professors Brendan Mcguire and Chris Shannon coming in close behind.
This first annual celebration was very well-received by faculty, staff and students alike as it gave everyone at Christendom a chance to express their gratitude for one another.
Ace! Volleyball Tournement a Success
Students had the chance to square off against faculty and staff on the volleyball courts Friday night in the Crusader Gymnasium. Two courts were set up to allow for a tournament format to be use with more than six teams participating.
Associate Dean Tambi Spitz had been eagerly anticipating this event as an opportunity to show off her volleyball skills. Freshman James Redlinger had been practicing with his team for over a week preparing for Friday’s games: “I’m really excited about getting to play some of my professors in the tournament. We’ve been practicing for a while!”
All that practice paid off, as James’ team, “Marvel”, won the tournament in an exciting final game.
Many students are already looking forward to next year, considering possible teams and match-ups!
Students Drink in the Music at Cup o'Coeli
The sounds of piano, guitar and vocals could be heard drifting from Regina Coeli Hall Saturday night, during the annual Cup O’ Coeli. Student musicians were given the chance to perform during this open-mic event, in which there was no designated list of acts.
Many students chose to perform with friends, like the vocal trio of seniors girls Kak Freeman, Amy Germann, and Meghan Beller. One of the most well- received acts was that of Meghan Rubin, who sang an original composition with the help of Shelagh Bolger, who sang back-up, and Matt Lancaster on piano.
The relaxed environment provided students with the opportunity to perform without having to sign up in advance, resulting in some surprising and sometimes comical acts.
An exquisite array of desserts and refreshments were offered, including many varieties of coffee, candy and snacks. Cup O’ Coeli has been a longstanding Christendom tradition and promises to be a favorite among students for years to come.
Schubertiad Brings Musicians Together
A group of faculty, staff, and students gathered at the home of Classics Professor Mark Clark on the afternoon of Sunday, February 24 for a Schubertiad.
The idea of a Schubertiad comes from Franz Schubert, a composer of the German Romantic Era of the early 1800s. Schubert would informally gather with his friends who would sing his melodies or play his instrumental pieces accompanied by Schubert himself at the piano. These sociable evenings of songs, chamber music, and solo piano works, came to be known as Schubertiads. The Schubertiad has become a unique concert style of its own.
"There is a lot of musical talent here at Christendom and I wanted to provide a casual setting where the music could be performed and heard," Dr. Clark said. “This informal gathering is ideal for people who are busy with other things.”
The program began with a “Junior Schubertiad” featuring performances by the children of Dr. Clark and Philosophy Professor Dr. John Cuddeback. The children played folk songs and minuets on the violin, as well as, the piano favorite To a Wild Rose by Edward MacDowell.
Performances ranged from a Hungarian Rhapsody to Form and Matter, an improve take on the piano classic Heart and Soul, by Senior Joseph Mazarra. Mrs. Cuddeback performed one of Bach’s very challenging Solo Sonatas for Violin and Junior Sarah Berger performed Bach’s Fugue in F-Sharp Major.
The program came to a dramatic close with a chamber choir and small orchestra performing Mozart’s Missa Brevis in B.
Dr. Carroll Recounts the Greatest Conversion in History
Christendom College’s Founding President Dr. Warren H. Carroll delivered a lecture entitled, "The Conversion of Danton in the French Revolution” to the college community this past Monday.
"The conversion of Georges-Jacques Danton, leader and maker of the French Revolution is the greatest of all conversion stories,'" Carroll said at the beginning of his lecture.
“As the revolution began, Jesus Christ watched from His throne in Heaven, knowing that this man was about to loose the Devil on his city and on his people. But Christ was to reclaim this sinner and evildoer, and He did,” he said.
The lecture focused on Danton’s role in the beginning of the French Revolution, his hand in the many bloody massacres, and his sudden conversion brought about by his love of Louise Gély, a devout Catholic.
“Many French, even many Americans, glorify this revolution. I defy any Christian to read or hear an accurate account of the events of August 10, 1792, and not feel the presence and active malevolence of the Father of Evil and Lies. And the author of it all, as we have seen, was Danton,” Carroll said.
“Danton asked Louise Gély to marry him." Carroll continued. "It was a grace-filled moment like few in the world has ever seen. For she said yes, on two firm conditions: Danton must first go to confession and the priest who was to witness the marriage must be one who had not sworn allegiance to the schismatic church the Revolution had established. And Danton agreed to both conditions."
Carroll explained that soon after his conversion, Danton began to work against the bloodshed he had started and was soon arrested by the Revolutionary Tribunal. To his fellow prisoners Danton said, “A year ago I established the Revolutionary Tribunal. I ask pardon of God and men.”
Danton was beheaded at the guillotine. “Danton was dead—the Revolution and the Terror went on. We have good reason to believe that repentance and expiation had saved his soul. For Jesus Christ will save repentant souls up to the very edge of death. The Cross vanquishes the guillotine,” Carroll concluded. “On April 5, 1794, there was great rejoicing in Heaven, for Georges-Jacques Danton, who had been lost, was found. So pray for your enemies, even the worst of them.”
You can listen to this evocative lecture at Christendom on iTunes U.
Giving Life
On Wednesday the Crusader Gymnasium hosted the Red Cross for a campus-wide blood drive. Faculty, staff and students all came out to give blood.
“This is a great turn out,” Red Cross Nurse Lynette said. “We have been busy all day.”
Freshman Lauren Oligny was there to give blood because she knows that blood is something vital to so many especially women. “There are a lot of women who loose a lot of blood in childbirth and I know that if I was giving birth I would definitely appreciate that someone had given blood so that I could live,” she said.
Freshman Margaret Antunes who helped organize the event said that giving blood is the same as working at Habitat for Humanity. “You may not see direct results right there in front of you, but you know that you are helping someone. You meet them everyday—people who have benefited from blood transfusions.”
For God and Country
While Berkeley, the famously liberal college town in California, has taken aim at Marine recruiters, saying they are "not welcome in our city," Christendom is showing their support for our troops.
In proud display of both patriotism and Faith, students raised money this week to have Masses said for the entire crew of the USS Tarawa (LHA-1). The fund raiser was organized by student outreach. Students also created a banner and signed messages of praise and thanks to the Marines.
Tarawa is a United States Navy amphibious assault ship, the lead ship of her class, and the second ship to be named for Tarawa Atoll, site of a Marine landing during World War II.
Tarawa is the first of five ships in a new class of general-purpose amphibious assault ships and combines in one ship type the functions previously performed by four different types: the amphibious assault ship, the amphibious transport dock, the amphibious cargo ship, and the dock landing ship.
She is capable of landing elements of a Marine Corps battalion landing team and their supporting equipment by landing craft, by helicopters, or by a combination of both.
From Assisi to Rome
Greetings from Rome!
First of all, I want to apologize for the severe lack of a Rome Report last week, but I'm just going to chalk this one up to Italian technology… or the lack thereof.
It's hard to believe that we have been in Rome for almost two weeks already, and some of us have been out of the U.S. for a month or more!
Although a lot has happened in Rome in the past two weeks, I would be extremely remiss if I did not share with you a little bit about our weekend retreat in Assisi. We were very blessed to have with us Father Solanus Benfatti, one of the Friars of the Franciscan Renewal, as our chaplain and retreat leader for the weekend. We only had two days in the town, and we all agreed that we would have loved to stay longer, but the time that we had there was very beautiful and completely peaceful.
Father described the town to us as "magical," and by the time we left I had to agree with him. Assisi is a pilgrim's town; the neat, narrow cobblestone streets all lead to one of the several basilicas in the town, and the quiet which pervades the town at any moment of the day or night. One of the guys described it as one big monastery. We experienced many blessings on this trip, including visits to the Basilicas of Saint Francis, Saint Clare, and the Portiuncula (St. Francis' "Little Portion"),and the Church of San Damiano, among others. We were also privileged to celebrate Holy Mass at the tomb of St. Francis on our last morning in Assisi.
After the beautiful calm of Assisi, it was quite a switch in gears to come, finally, to Rome!
We are all settled in our apartments at Residence Candia, just a ten-minute walk from the Basilica of St. Peter's. We have also begun our classes and started exploring the great treasures of the Catholic Church and Western Civilization that are here in Rome. We're soaking in the ambience of places like Piazza Navonna and Campo di Fiori, finding our favorite places to get a cappucino, and taking advantage of great traditions of the Church like the decorating of the Pilgrim Statue of St. Peter on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter in St. Peter's.
We are actually taking a final exam today (Friday), because our intensive Italian class has already come to an end. We are very excited for the arrival of the group from the Christendom campus this weekend and the 30th Anniversary Celebration on Wednesday. This Wednesday, we are also attending the Pope's Wednesday Audience, so we will be sure to pray for the whole Christendom community on that joyous occasion.
St. Lawrence and St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
Ciao!
In
honor of the 30th Anniversary of Christendom College
the Chronicler Online takes a peek into the past
of the college each week.
Before The Rambler...
The students of Christendom know their school journal, The Rambler, very well. It is a serious journalistic endeavor with high quality articles. The first student publication of Christendom did not possess such gravitas. BeforeThe Rambler there was The Paper, so the Christendom College Report reported in February of 1981:
Student Newspaper at Christendom College
College Battle Cry: Nuke the Neophytes. Thus read the headlines of The Paper—not an underground journal or
propaganda sheet, but the simple, little
student newspaper of Christendom. And
thus, they greeted the incoming students
early this year in a typical Paperian show of
graciousness and warmth. There is, however, no cause for alarm: this publication
has perfected the art of poking fun at all
quarters, including themselves.
Founded in the Fall of 1979 by a
handful of aspiring journalists, The Paper has thrived as the "voice of the students,”
reporting anything from nonsense to near
fact. Within a small community where all
news travels quickly, this student venture
has committed itself to amusing rather
than informing its leadership, the student
body. And, surprisingly enough, it has
been successful, which can be witnessed
on one Friday out of each month, at noon,
when The Paper is distributed and devoured silently by faculty, staff and pupils,
while their lunches grow cold.
Whether it be an editorial celebrating
the "zeroeth" anniversary of the publication or an investigative report on student
government cover-ups, "The writing",
says editor Joe Stuart, "is done with the
utmost care for foolishness and frivolity."
For example, in its recent Politics Issue, The Paper endorsed James L. Connors, the
school librarian, for President. Again, in
the upcoming Teacher Appreciation issue,
the journal plans to publish little known,
pieces written by some College professors
in their younger years ... those even the
professors will not remember.
Most interesting, perhaps, is that The Paper has not only improved rapidly in its
quality (if that is the correct word), but also
in its quantity, that is, the size of its staff
from the original six to the current 14 serving the popular newspaper. Included
in this, the "scoop group" is Assistant
Editor, Nancy Popik, and asorted editors
and columnists: Pete Westhoff, Ed Murphy, Doug Briggs, Walter Janaro, Ann
Stuart, Maggie O'Reilly, Dino Kelly,
Loretta Davision, and Pete Scheetz who
also takes care of photography. In addition,
there are the resident cartoonists, Bob
Mills and Cathy Burch, and the star
production staff consisting of Ann Marie
Hinkel and Rob Scrivener.
Together, they form The Paper, which
awaits the day when it can boast of a
circulation surpassing 100 readers. But, do
not be surprised if one day when reaching
into a vending machine to grab a paper you
wind up with The Paper.
Indoor Soccer Generates Buzz at Christendom
For the past several weeks, the Christendom intramural program has been in the midst of its entertaining indoor soccer season. The games take place in the Crusader Gymnasium two or three times every week and feature some close battles.
Noah Morey is heading the intramural program this semester and has done a fantastic job organizing this sport. Morey is known for his prowess with a soccer ball as he led the men’s team this season. Now he is content to officiate most of the intramural games and he makes sure that there is plenty of fun and competition to be had.
Every game has two ten minute halves with a running clock so it makes for a quick but fast-paced event. There is a lot of camaraderie since everyone is familiar with each other, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any intensity. Everyone has fun, but they are in it to win it.
A lot of the indoor teams have players who actually play on the Christendom teams and they use their experience. One team features two of the brighter stars on the men’s team in Johnny Ciscanik and Ryan Doughty. Simple observation can tell the viewer that these two have played before and played well. While some teams do struggle moving the ball offensively, Doughty and Ciscanik put on a clinic, featuring some crisp passing.
Other teams like to play defense and win in dramatic fashion. One team has taken two of their games to overtime and then shootouts, winning both with the free kicks. Luke Zignego, a member of the team, talked about the season thus far. “I never really played soccer before,” he said, “but I’ve found it to be lots of fun. It’s great to take a break from studying and get together with your friends and compete.” Zignego recently made the intramural headlines by notching the first goal of his indoor soccer career. After the goal he dropped to his knees in a dramatic celebration all in good-natured fun.
The indoor soccer season has been a thrill to watch from the antics of Zignego to the smooth play of Doughty and Ciscanik to the tremendous coast-to-coast run goalie Johnny Hambleton made several nights ago. The intramural program is running strong and the success of this year’s indoor soccer season has been proof of that. Next up on the list is the three-on-three basketball tournament, which is sure to garner even more attention across the campus.
Q: I hear the term “dress code” used a lot in reference to Christendom College. What exactly does this entail?
– W.L., Seattle, WA
A: That’s a good question, and rather than me trying to make up an answer, I am going to simply quote you from our 2007-08 Student Handbook.
Dress Code
Properly modest and dignified attire at Christendom College is not only a trait of a Christian people; it is essential to College morale, to respect for oneself and others. Since your primary vocation here is to be a student, it follows, then, that your attire, whether in class or relaxing, should equal the dignity of that pursuit.
College study is professional work; therefore, a professional Dress Code is in force for all classes, Community Masses (i.e., Masses at 11:30 a.m. M-F and all Masses on Sundays), Sunday brunch and noon meals on class days. Even if a student does not have a class on a particular class day, he is required to be in dress code during lunch M-F. Students may be denied admittance to a class, Mass, or meal if their dress does not comply with the code.
The Resident Assistants and Proctors, under the authority of the Dean and the Associate Dean of Student Life, are the judges of whether or not any outfit conforms to the Dress Code. To help define “professional looking,” some guidelines follow. These guidelines are divided into three parts according to whether the dress code requirements are for 1) for all, 2) for men only; 3) for women only.
1) For All:
• Sweatshirts are not considered dress code.
• Shirts and footwear are required in all buildings.
• Cleated shoes may not be worn in any buildings.
• The wearing of jewelry that requires the puncturing of any visible part of the body other than the ear lobe is not allowed. Additionally, the wearing of earrings by male students is not permitted at any time.
2) For Men Only:
The Dress Code requires dress slacks, dress shirt, tie, dress socks, and dress shoes.
Here are some guidelines to clarify the above dress code:
• All shirt tails must be tucked in
• Turtlenecks are not permitted
• Cargo-type pants or pants with back patch pockets are not considered “dress code” appropriate.
• Hats are not to be worn inside any building.
• Ties must be worn properly, i.e. not pulled away from the neck or shirt unbuttoned.
• Dress socks must be worn.
• Belts or suspenders are required.
For Sunday Mass and Brunch, as well as for other select events such as Major Speaker Dinners, men have the additional requirement of wearing either a suit or a sports jacket. This is called “Sunday Dress Code.”
3) For Women Only:
The Dress Code requires a business dress, or a dress skirt/dress pants and dress shirt (preferably button down with collar), and dress shoes.
Here are some guidelines to clarify the above dress code:
• The neck of all dresses/blouses must not be lower than one and a half inches below the collar bone.
• All skirts/dresses are to be no shorter than the crease of the back of the knee.
• If a skirt/dress has a slit in the front or side, the slit shall not be more than one inch above the knee cap. If the slit is in the back, it shall be no higher than two inches, measured from the crease of the knee.
• No form-fitting dresses, skirts, tops, or pants are allowed at any time.
• A shirt should not be form fitting, or so tight that it produces “puckers.”
• Shirts and blouses should be long enough so as not to bare the midriff.
• Athletic t-Shirts of any sort are not considered “dress code” appropriate.
• Sleeveless shirts are allowed, but tank tops are not allowed.
• The straps of a dress or shirt must be at least one inch wide at the top of the shoulder.
• Acceptable pants are linen, wool, rayon, or cotton.
• Cargo-type pants, pants with back patch pockets, and capri’s are not considered “dress code appropriate.”
• Flip-flops, Birkenstocks, fishermen sandals, and sporty sandals are not considered “dress code.”
• For Sunday Mass and Brunch, as well as for other select events such as Major Speaker Dinners, women must wear a business dress, or a dress skirt, with dress shoes. Pants are not considered “Sunday Dress Code” appropriate.
At all times, dress must be modest (i.e. not tight nor too loose, not low cut in back or front, not too short, no spaghetti straps, strapless, or halter tops, etc.) and respectful. All shorts must be long enough so that the wearer’s fingertips do not go past the bottom of the shorts. Women’s swimwear must be modest one-piece. Clothing must be worn over the swimsuit when walking to and from the pool.
The specifications for dress code set out in this section are meant as guidelines and not as exhaustive rules. Note that the code calls for “dignified attire” and “professional dress.” Simple adherence to the letter of the law, or pushing the limits of what is acceptable, may result in a judgment by the administration that what seems technically correct does not in fact comply with the spirit of the rules.
Again, the Resident Assistants and Proctors, under the authority of the Dean of Student Life and Associate Dean, will be the judges of whether an outfit is acceptable dress on whatever occasion. If you have any questions about this dress code, please contact us prior to your arrival.
If
anyone has questions about applying, visiting, scholarships,
financial aid, campus life, rules and regulations, majors,
core curriculum, transfer credits, or even about the food
here at Christendom, please do not hesitate to contact me
at any time: 800.877.5456 ext 1290 or tmcfadden@christendom.edu.
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