The Chronicler Online
An Online Publication of the Admissions Office
 
 
Welcome to the last of the Lenten Chroniclers.  We will not have one next week, due to it being Good Friday, but we will be back in action again on April 17. I wanted to bring up a subject that has been working its way around cyberspace and elsewhere over the past two weeks.  It is the topic of The Univeresity of Notre Dame inviting President Obama to be its commencement speaker and its plan to honor him with an honorary doctorate.  I know, for many out there, this is somewhat of a shock and there are many that are very disappointed in the university named after Our Lady.  Many bishops have written letters to Notre Dame's president, showing their disapproval for Fr. Jenkins' decision to invite the President. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I wanted you to think about a couple of things regarding this whole business. There are a lot of Catholic institutions of higher learning in the U.S.  And there are two types that stand out the most: those that are famously Catholic and those that are famous for being Catholic, and it is important to know the difference. Places like The University of Notre Dame, Boston College, and Georgetown University are famously Catholic.  Everyone knows them – Catholics and non-Catholics alike. They have great sports teams and cool mascots.  They have large donor bases and lots of loyal support.  And finally, they have prestige in the eyes of the world.   Places such as Christendom College, Thomas Aquinas College, and the Franciscan University of Steubenville, on the other hand, are famous for being Catholic.  They are not very well known, even by many Catholics.  If they have sports teams, they are pretty much unheard of.  Their donor bases are quite small, although they do have very loyal donors.  And finally, they have little to no prestige in the eyes of the world. But there are some things that the latter have that the former do not, and that is the admiration and recognition of many of today’s Catholic faithful and members of the Catholic hierarchy.  And they have this recognition due to the fact that each of these colleges are faithful to the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church and work very hard to make sure that all activities, speakers, and events are in line with the Church's teachings. Just look at their websites to find out who has spoken at their institutions, or who has received their universities’ awards, and you will see a veritable “Who’s who” list of today’s most notable Catholic luminaries.  Scott Hahn, Francis Cardinal Arinze, George Weigel, Fr. George Rutler, Sean Cardinal O’Malley, Congressman Chris Smith, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, and the list goes on. If you want to get ahead in today’s world, go to the famously Catholic colleges or universities.  If you want to get ahead in the world to come, go to those colleges and universities that are famous for being Catholic. That's one man's opinion.  Take it for what it's worth.   God bless,  Director of Admissions tmcfadden@christendom.edu
800.877.5456 ext. 1290 http://www.ncregister.com/daily/christendom_vs._notre_damemailto:tmcfadden@christendom.edushapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
The talent at Christendom shined in skits, musical performances, and more as students took part in Christendom’s annual Coffee House.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Talent Shines at Coffee House Student Profile  Name: Hayley Lam
Age: 18
Year: Freshman
From: Raleigh, NC
Major: Undecided Hobbies? Art, photography, sports, guitar, writing
What's your favorite class? Mr. McGuire’s History 101. Do you play any sports? Soccer, because, contrary to Fr. Gee’s opinion, it is the greatest sport! Do you participate in any drama or music related activities? Well, I live on top floor Campion. J What do you like most about Christendom? The wholesome enviroment, the good people, the small classes, and how close we are to both great hiking and Washington, D.C.
Why did you choose Christendom? To become the person God wants me to be and to get a solid education, so I can be Christ to everyone I meet.
Plans after graduation? Take a raft down the Nile.
Student Life Anti-Federalists: the Original Conservatives by Niall O’Donnell “It turns out that the conservatives were the opponents to the Constitution and the liberals were the authors of the Constitution,” Georgetown Associate Professor of Government Dr. Patrick Deneen said in a lecture entitled Men of Great Faith: The Democratic Vision of the Anti-Federalists delivered on March 26 at Christendom College. "Conservatives have become known as ardent defenders of the Constitution and associate themselves with the framers of the Constitution... So what does it mean to revitalize our conservative knowledge or tradition, if it turns out that contemporary conservativeness is actually a defense of what—at the time of its founding—was the liberal tradition? What does it mean to conserve a liberal tradition,” he said. You can read more about this fascinating lecture here or download it at Christendom on iTunes U.  Got Coffee? by Ashleigh Buyers Here at Christendom, students and teachers alike just have to have their coffee! And nothing goes better with a hot cup o’ joe than some incredible Christendom talent! Put the two together and you get Christendom’s Coffee house 2009! This year’s Coffee House was spearheaded by the visionary leadership of Elizabeth Walsh, who, with the SAC team, remodeled the St. Lawrence commons into a cozy coffee house, reminiscent of a Starbucks with added amphitheater seating and a projector to properly showcase the night’s performances!  The event’s fabulously funny hosts, Josepha Bertolini, Hilary Schafer, Brendan Sheridan, and Chris Genn introduced cartoon voice connoisseur Nathan Gniewek, forced back on stage by popular demand! Gniewek was followed by several side-smacking comedy routines such as Emily Smith’s “Conversation Gaps,” Sam Pynes’ monologue “The Invention of Tobacco,” and skits such as “A German Fairy Tale,” and the phenomenal rendition of “A Whole New World” performed by Scott Lozyniak and Bernadette Horiuchi!  In short, the shows were, as said by senior Brendan Sheridan, “some of the funniest acts ever seen at a Christendom event!” The remainder of the night featured some musical numbers by gifted artists such as Frances Aul, a.k.a. Elton John, as well as Alex Kecskes on the piano. Jacqueline Kenny showed the school she was not confined to singing only Opera by performing an incredible jazz number, and was then followed by Francis Ginski, jamming a guitar solo. Naturally, what Coffee House would be complete without the coffee classic, “Taylor the Latte Boy” sung by Bridget Randolph!  “Coffee house this year was great and had such a great turn out. I can’t wait to get the show on DVD!” said Senior Elizabeth Fraser Yes that’s right! Soon, you will be able to watch Coffee House '09 over and over again! Because like coffee, Christendom's comedy and talent is addicting!  PICASSA GALLERY FEATURE Coffee House 2009 Beauty: Objective or Obstacle? by Liz Sartor Sunday evening, St. Campion’s Common Room was packed with girls from all classes here at Christendom, freshman to senior, waiting to hear Mrs. Hickson’s talk, entitled “Beauty: Obstacle or Objective?” After munching on pizza and Mrs. Hickson’s famous brownies, the girls sat back and listened to her words of wisdom. Mrs. Hickson talked about how God intended for nature to be beautiful, and for us to be attracted to it, because it reflects His beauty. She also pointed out that when we see someone who is truly beautiful to us, it is because they reflect God’s goodness and beauty. Girls like to look beautiful, and that is fine, as long as beauty does not become our main objective in life, she said. She emphasized that it is virtue in us that makes us beautiful. We should make being women of virtue our goal, which will make us even more beautiful. The girls really enjoyed Mrs. Hickson’s talk, as usual, and are appreciative that they have an opportunity like this to hear from such a great woman on a personal level. Unveiling of the Palestrina Bust By Liz Sartor An excited group gathered in the Chapel Crypt Sunday night, to see the official unveiling of the new bust of the composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Dr. Kurt Poterack gave a brief introduction for Dr. H. Reed Armstrong, who was commissioned to sculpt the bust. Dr. Armstrong explained how one researches the particular person one is sculpting, because when one sculpts, one needs to know more than just what they look like—one needs to know who the person really was. Dr. Armstrong then used a powerpoint presentation which showed how the bust was made, step by step. When he finished, Dr. Poterack pulled the cover off the bust, revealing Dr. Armstrong’s incredible work of art. Christendom is excited to have this amazing sculpture, not only because Christendom has a great appreciation for the arts, but also because of the Palestrina choir, named after the composer. The bust will be kept in Dr. Poterack’s office, until Christendom has a permanent choir room, which will then be home to the sculpture. Fr. Gee’s Final Lenten Series Talk By Ashleigh Buyers The Last day in March also marked the grand finale of Fr. Gee’s popular and insightful Lenten Series, held in the Chapel Crypt. Christendom’s chaplain once again led the students, faculty, and guests in an eye opening view of the last words of Christ, explaining how each represented a particular sacrament. This final presentation, focused on the last two sacraments given to us during Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. When Christ says, “It is finished,” He is proclaiming His victory over the first sin of Adam that defiled God’s beautiful creation. These words represent the sacrament of baptism, which restores us to our original perfection, he said. Just before Christ departs, He says His final words “Into your hands I commend my spirit.” This represents the sacrament of Confirmation, which strengthens within us the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit. Now that all the Sacraments have been revealed, God has “given us all the graces we will ever need to be good Christians and obtain our salvation. All we have to do is bask in the graces,” Fr. Gee said. The students would like to thank Fr. Gee for his excellent Lenten Series, which are all available for you listening convenience at Christendom on iTunes U. http://www.christendom.edu/news/2009/04-01-deneen.shtmlhttp://www.christendom.edu/itunes_u.shtmlhttp://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/christendom.edu.1388967800.01388967802http://picasaweb.google.com/christendomcollege/CoffeeHouse2009http://picasaweb.google.com/christendomcollege/CoffeeHouse2009http://www.christendom.edu/itunes_u.shtmlhttp://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/christendom.edu.1774261754.01774261757shapeimage_6_link_0shapeimage_6_link_1shapeimage_6_link_4shapeimage_6_link_5
 And Then There Were Four…
 Most Americans know that the Final Four is this Saturday in Detroit, featuring NCAA men’s basketball teams Michigan State, Connecticut, Villanova, and UNC. But there is another Final Four, one far more intriguing, where the obstacles are ever-present, the challenge grows by the minute, and the stakes are much higher. And no, I am not talking about the NCAA Women’s Final Four. The Intramural Indoor Soccer season at Christendom has been running since February, and the tournament just began on Monday night. Out of the 12 teams that made the tournament, only 4 now survive. Monday night’s round-up included an overtime thriller that ended up in a shoot-out. The winning team included Mike Inzeo, Michael Bugin, Frances Allington, and game-winning goalie Peter McNeely. After Team 15 took the lead on Nick Peterson’s first-half rocket, Bugin countered with a score right before the Half. The second half and overtime remained scoreless, forcing a shoot-out. Both teams had three chances. The first four shots went awry before Inzeo snuck one in, past the goalie who shall remain nameless. Nick Peterson’s final chance missed paydirt by inches, securing a Final Four birth for Team 3. They will face Team 8, a powerhouse led by striker Johnny Ciskanik who whipped through the regular season with a 6-0-1 record. The game after was well-fought, though not as intense. The motley crew of Jackson Kulick, women’s soccer player Ky Leopold, John Hepler, Nick Freeman, men’s soccer player James Hannon and Brendan Sheridan advanced 2-0, on Kulick’s goals. Hopefully the Final Four will provide as much intensity as the tournament did Monday night. After all, it was during March Madness.  Rome from the Bird’s Eye Every other day it becomes quite necessary for me to trot to some bird’s eye view of the city. Compared to Palermo, Sicily (where I spent last weekend), Rome’s streets are marvelously breathable and clean! But heights are an addicting way to observe the city, so I have developed a route and rated my favorite hills from which to watch sunrises, sunsets, and the sun in-between. The Fontana Paola is gorgeous early in the morning, surrounded by budding trees, and from the wide view you can see past St. John Lateran's Cathedral to the mountains. On a windy afternoon I'll take a walk up Via Sistina and head to my favorite Piazza Del Quirinale near the old Papal Palace, where the huge openness will give you some room to breathe and time to gawk at the black limousines. On a Sunday afternoon the popular Villa Borghese view puts steeples and bell towers in a neat line, with the grassy park to your back. But the tiny Villa Sciarra with its trellised pathway is my choice for a view at dusk, for it provides a warm, “just-over-the-top” peek of the city. Bring some red wine in a backpack! And there are still more views to find. Right now I am hunting for one that might face St. Peter’s… Special Report The Culture of Dance by Liz Sartor Lots of colleges have dances where their students can come and enjoy themselves, but not many colleges actually provide opportunities where their students can learn how to really dance. Christendom is home to many great dancers of different styles, who get together every week to teach their fellow classmates some “smooth moves.” Though Christendom doesn’t actually hold dances during Lent, the different dance groups still get together and hold practices on Sundays. The swing group teaches you the basic swing moves, then how to do more complicated moves, from the Hudson, to the knee pop cradle. The swing group is particularly popular with the Freshman class, mostly because that class is new to Christendom, and excited to learn how to dance. Also, the Freshmen are probably some of the more energetic Christendom students, so that might have something to do with it too! Aside from swing, there is also ballroom dancing. The different dances students learn at ballroom practice vary, from foxtrot, to tango, to Cha-cha, to waltzing. They first lay down the basic steps for each style, then show the students different moves they can do. The two most popular are probably the waltz and the tango. Ballroom is great because there are so many different dances of different styles, so there is a dance for everyone. Finally, there is contra practice. Contra seems to be the most popular among the upperclassmen, though freshmen do attend as well. Within contra there are several different dances. Generally, at any given contra practice, one could dance the Virginia Reel, the Lindler, the Minotaur, Trench Warfare, and the Duke of Kent. What is great about Contra is that there are different dances of varying speeds, so if you aren’t one for fast dancing, you can always hang around for a more relaxed dance.  The students love that Christendom gives them the chance to actually learn how to dance, and incorporate a bit more culture into their lives than the average college might. Plus it gives them a great chance to take a study break and just have some fun. Let’s dance!