news
page
2
<<
THE SAINT | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2011
Aquinas: Service Learning trip deadline is approaching
Flint: Get a tattoo before church at The Bridge
Michigan: Protests move to Rick Snyder’s doorstep this week
Nation: Wikipedia and others protest SOPA proposed policies
For all those looking to make plans for spring break, be aware that the applications for spring service learning trips are due Friday, January 20th. Options for students to consider are the Christian Appalacian Project in eastern Kentucky. Applications can be found on Course Connect.
An upstart church called The Bridge, located in Genesee County, has opened a tattoo parlor inside the church. Tattoo artist and Bridge member Ryan Brown used the art as a form of recovering from alcoholism. The church provided space for Ryan to move his studio.
Buses from Flint, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Benton Harbor dropped off protestors at Gov. Rick Snyder’s private home in Superior Township. Members of Occupy protestors were upset over Snyder’s policy for emergency financial managers to lead finances of at-risk school districts.
On Wednesday, Jan. 16, Wikipedia, along with several other websites, will be shutting down for 24 hours to protest the anti-piracy bills Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). The bills were created to block access to websites containing unauthorized copyright material.
Lighting Married Episcopalian the fire priests welcomed to the monica rischiotto |news editor
I’ll be the first to admit it. During the academic semester, keeping up with world news is not always number one on my priority list (Matt Kuczynski please don’t fire me). I find myself more engulfed in medieval literature, twentieth century writers, and just how exactly to calculate Excel spreadsheets. Being from out of state, keeping up with news from my home back in Oregon is even further down that list. This past weekend, however, my brother called to tell me our alma mater’s men’s high school basketball team beat our cross town rival for the first time in over 10 years. For anyone who went to Catholic schools, you know the rivalries can be pretty extreme. And when it comes to Holy Cross vs. the Jesuits, watch out. As I was reading an article about the game, highlighting the star players, I noticed the head coach’s name was nowhere to be seen. Curiosity got the best of me. I quickly Googled Mike Petrino. Four years ago when I was a senior he couldn’t have been more than 35. He just had his first baby. Both he and his wife were Montana natives, having moved to Oregon so she could finish her doctorate at the renowned Oregon Health and Science University. For all stretches of the imagination, he seemed to have “settled down.” He loved coaching the men’s team, found a best friend in my high school soccer coach of the time, was popular in assembly movies, and (sorry for the stereotype) for a coach, was not a half bad teacher. Yet despite what seemed to be success through the eyes of most, he never quite seemed satisfied. It is difficult to explain, but he was one of those people who had that look of intensity in their eyes, like their gears were always turning, observing and absorbing information. I had heard once through the grapevine he had dreams of coaching for a college program, but it was hard to imagine at that time someone like him moving up (and away). At my high school, there was a joke that once you started teaching, coaching, janitoring, whatever it may be, the community tended to suck you in, and you literally became a Central Catholic Ram for life. That being said, when I Googled Petrino’s name, my mouth nearly dropped. Portland’s most prominent sports columnist, John Canzano, dedicated a column just for Coach Petrino, who had accepted an assitant coaching position with the women’s basketball team at University of Wyoming. Petrino said it was an offer he would have never expected. The column was titled “Petrino must go.” It wasn’t because our guys team was unsuccessful (they finished third in state twice during Petrino’s 5 years and he finished with an overall 97-37 winning record). “Petrino must go” because it was clear to everyone around him he had the capability of doing even greater things, and deep down, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, greater (or perhaps different) things were in store. W h y i s t h i s r e l e va n t ? We l l , particularly to all my fellow seniors, I would imagine that most of you like me, went home for break and were bombarded with that question: So what are you doing after you graduate? And if you’re anything like me, your mind helplessly translated this into, “What are you doing with the rest of your life?” Hmm. When I read the article about Coach Petrino, I a rush of excitment, a sense of hope. He represents what Dr. Durham once said a World in Crisis class: Whatever you end up doing, “Find that thing that lights your fire.” For Petrino, it was coaching basketball, whatever level it may be, and always looking to improve. Maybe it’s okay if we haven’t had a supernatural experience of our computer blackening out and a deep, James Earl Jones-esque voice declaring, “This is what you’re supposed to do with your life!” Maybe we just need a spark. Something that gets us up in the morning and doesn’t place our childlike curiosity on a no-carb diet. After all, there is something spitirually comforting in realizing we can only plan ahead so much. When it comes down to it, the change we least expected just might be what we were always shooting for.
Catholic priesthood
The Personal Ordinate of the Chair of St. Peter for ex-Episcopalian priests causes controversy over the vow of celibacy By Laura Farrell The Saint Reporter As America celebrates its diversity in culture, it also has to deal with the tensions between the many diverse groups. In the midst of economic strain and war overseas, the Catholic church has taken a small but significant step in promoting peace and understanding. At the start of the 2012 year, the Catholic Church announced that they have created the Personal Ordinate of the Chair of St. Peter. The new order will be a nationwide diocese of former Episcopalians, including former Episcopalian priests who are married with children. Although the Catholic Church has always welcomed new members, this ordinate allows former Episcopalians to COURTESY ANNIE BURCH share in their new faith together. It also allows for large groups of ex- Rome is opening its doors to married priests: The Vatican Episcopalians to join in the Catholic recently established a new order for ex-Episcopalian priests, many married with faith all at once. The base of this new children, to join the priesthood and still continue their married life. diocese will be in Houston, Texas and Among differing teachings of theology, explained just what will be headed by newly appointed on the Pope, Mary, divorce and this means: “Because the practice Bishop Jeffery N. Steenson. Bishop abortion and contraception, one of of priestly celibacy is a disciplinary Steenson, who has a family himself, the main concerns of this new order rather than a doctrinal issue, left the Episcopalian church in 2007. deals with the clergy. Episcopalian exemptions from practicing priestly There has always been tension priests are allowed to be married celibacy, as in the case of the former between these two churches, as these and have children. Because of this, Anglican priests returning to Roman issues are serious to many people. the Catholic Church has decided Catholicism, can be granted by the In recent years, the Episcopalian that ex-Episcopalian priests, now in Pope.” church has faced many differing the Catholic order, who are already All of these new members of the views between its members on married do not have to follow the Catholic Church will be expected allowing their priests to be women Church’s rules on celibacy, but they to follow and uphold the Catholic and homosexuals, as well as other will never be able to become bishops. traditions and teachings. changes within the church. Dr. Dennis Marshall, professor
Governor Snyder shortens benefits for unemployed
AQ Health Center to the rescue By Laura Rico The Saint Reporter
Winter has settled in, and so has the possibility of coming down with the unwanted aches and pains of the cold or flu. Dr. John Walen from the Health and Wellness Clinic said, “Typically each year’s influenza activity starts on the west coast and moves east over several weeks. Usually, we begin to see influenza activity in west Michigan in early January, with peak activity in mid-Febuary.” There have been no “warnings” from the Kent County Health Department or the Center for Disease Control about a particularly bad season, nor any warnings about dangerous new flu strains – unlike a few years ago when the warnings about H1N1 Influenza came out. “This year’s flu vaccine protects against both the ‘regular’ flu and the H1N1 strain, so there’s no need for these agencies to specifically warn about H1N1 this year,” said Dr. Walen. Walen added, “We get a handful of sick kids returning from Christmas break, who then generously spread their infections amongst their friends, so things stay pretty steady with viral illnesses for the next month or two.” Physician assistant Audrey Keller said the best way to reduce the chances of contracting the flu or cold is by “washing your hands for more than 20 seconds,” and advises students who are feeling ill to “stay at home so as not to spread their illness to others.” Sophomore Kelsey Moellmann makes sure to “stay clean during the [cold and flu season] by using hand sanitizer a lot.” Moellmann also recommends students read the AQ Student Health 101, the online student health magazine and says it’s full of “good health advice.” Students should rest assured that it isn’t too late to stop by the Health and Wellness Clinic, located in lower Wege, to get their flu shot or flu mist for $25. The clinic is open Monday thru Thursday from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:45 p.m.-1:15 p.m. for lunch) and Friday from 11:30 a.m. thru 3:30 p.m.
Damaged New policies focus on getting the unemployed back on their feet, some argue they lack the water main resources to do so leaves many without
By Yasmeen Ahmed The Saint Reporter
To end 2011, Governor Rick Snyder made some changes in Michigan. First, Snyder signed a measure excluding public employees with unmarried partners from being able to provide benefits for them. In addition, Snyder signed a law constraining the over 400,000 unemployed workers in Michigan to select low wage jobs after ten weeks of benefits, regardless of if the jobs pay less than they were making before and whether or not the job is outside their previous experience. Snyder claims, “It’s to encourage people to work. It’s not to have them go backward.” These laws may also potentially make it more difficult for someone to collect jobless benefits if they’re fired or leave a job voluntarily. Political Science major Taylor Ellison commented on the changes.
“This sounds more like starving the state of revenue as it limits the amount of money placed back into the economy,” she said. “Whether or not these tax-cuts translated into job growth has yet to be disclosed... “Personally, I feel like placing constraints on unemployment benefits at a t i m e w h e n unemployment is highest is as much, if not more problematic then the amount of money COURTESY FLICKR.COM the government p ays o ut in the s e Finding answers for the unemployed: Gov. Snyder hopes that cutting back benefits will push unemployed individuals benefits.” to seek job opportunities.
classifiedadvertising Want to win a 50 dollar gift card to Barnes & Noble? Philosophy Club would like YOUR refutation of the following argument: 1. Everything has a cause. 2. If a person’s choice has a cause, then that choice is not free. 3. Therefore, every person’s choices are not free. 4. If a person’s choices are not free, then they don’t have free will. 5. Therefore, no person has free will. 6. If things do not have free will, then they are not morally responsible for their actions. 7. Therefore, humans are not morally responsible for their actions. Come up with an argument against the conclusion (number 7), using any method you wish. There is no minimum or maximum word length. Email all submissions to jjv001@aquinas.edu. Deadline is February 8th, by midnight. One winner will be decided by club leaders, based on originality, clarity, and cogency.
News Editor Monica Rischiotto E-mail saint.editor@aquinas.edu
Phone (616) 632-2975
By Matt Kuczynski Editor in Chief Students walking past the Academic Building on Aquinas’ campus last Wednesday might have been surprised to see water gushing out of the ground. A water main burst that occurred Wednesday evening at around 9:00 p.m. flooded the lawn area outside the north wing of the Academic Building. The pipe leak affected water supplies to the Academic Building, the Arts and Music Center, Wege Student Center, the Campus Safety building, St. Joe’s hall and the maintenance buildings. However, regular campus activities were unaffected: classes were still held, and Wege was able to stay open and feed students. The pipeline was repaired and operating normally around noon the next day, after Aquinas’ maintenance crews called in a contractor to fix the damaged water main. Campus Safety Director Kevin Kwiatkowski said that the pipes in that area burst on occasion. However, according to Kwiatkowski, the damages from this leak were minor, with the only real issues being the “pipe [repair] cost, and the inconvenience for students and staff.” Students should still exercise caution walking the paths in the area of the repairs, as sidewalks that were above the pipeline have not been replaced yet.
Website www.aquinas.edu/thesaint