instaurare | Summer 2005

NSTAURARE

The Christendom College Update Instaurare (vt. to restore, strengthen, renew)

July 2005 Special Commemorative Issue

Christendom Remembers the Legacy of Pope John Paul II Editor’s note: What follows are a few of the many reflections and remembrances of Pope John Paul II written by Christendom College alumni. TLM My wife Danielle and I were engaged on Ash Wednesday in 2000 during a school Pilgrimage that brought us to Rome. That same day, at Ash Wednesday Mass, the Pope came within feet of us to bless one of the few babies in the crowd (who was also part of the Chris-

the young people in our world. To me the answer is simple: he preached truth to us as a friend while the world tried so hard to deny that it even existed; he showed that our faith can be practiced with love toward all without compromising the doctrine upon which that faith is based; and he quietly did what others said could not be done - from toppling Communism to making unthinkable strides with other faiths around the world - demonstrating that if we truly allow ourselves to be instruments of the Lord’s will, that all things are possible with God. - Mark Rohlena ‘00 Pope John Paul II was a Pope of the people. He loved mankind with his whole being and was dedicated daily to bringing that love and charity to the farthest regions of the world. How often did we witness him going into the crowds hugging and kissing people as he went, bringing Christ to the poorest of the poor. He truly taught us what is meant by “to love your neighbor as yourself.” He will be greatly missed but deeply loved, forever. - Therese Peters ‘02

Pope John Paul II kisses the head of Declan O’Donnell, youngest child of Dr. and Mrs. O’Donnell.

tendom group). It was such a powerful day, and the Holy Father’s actions exemplified his love of and belief in the youth as the future of the Church. His hope in us was palpable. The secular world often wonders how the aged Pope was able to have such a connection with

I was fortunate enough to spend a semester in Rome.

Our class attended regular Wednesday papal audiences.

It was so amazing being that close to the Holy Father.

Even in the state he was in, he gave off an aura which I cannot describe. We were reading Fides et Ratio at the time, and knowing what the Holy Father had lived through, the attacks on the Church, modernism, etc., it seemed that he still looked on those attacking the church with compassion, and care. - Marc Perrington ‘04

A bronze bust of Pope John Paul II crafted by artist H. Reed Armstong adorns the periodicals room in the College’s library.

We have lost a great exemplar for our lives, a great leader, and an amazing man. We have been well advised to give thanks for what we were given in Pope John Paul II, rather than simply to mourn what we have lost — even though it is difficult to imagine that the next Pope can be as great as the one we just had.

Personally, I remember the first time I made the effort to see John Paul II, at the Mass on the Mall in Washington, DC, in 1979. I couldn’t see very much during the Mass, but was able to view it (again) on

Pope John Paul II affected me both as a Catholic College student rediscovering his Faith, and as a seminarian pursuing a vocation to the Priesthood. In high school I was inspired by a strong Pope who no one seemed to pay attention to, and then in College I began to study and learn more about the Church in the modern world, under his guidance. I first remember the excitement of seeing him from afar at World Youth Day ’93 in Denver.

With our youth group among thousands in Denver, I remember being aware of a sense of battle being waged

television later that night. I remember seeing him rest his head against his crozier — in prayerful devotion?

In sheer exhaustion? Either way, that simple gesture impressed me powerfully. I could only think about how much a man of prayer he was, and how he spared no effort in bringing the Gospel to a frequently hostile world. - Diane Duhig ‘82

Dr. and Mrs. O’Donnell led a Christendom College pilgrimage to Rome in October of 2003 where they were able to meet with His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

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INSTAURARE, Special Insert - July ten my masters on the philosophy of culture under Rocco Buttiglione, a close friend of the Pope, helped me appreciate John Paul II’s insights into the centrality of faith forming culture to bring humanity to Christ. - Mike Wallacavage ‘89 The impact of Pope John Paul II on my life cannot be over-emphasized. It was he who established the society of apostolic life to which I belong. As a priest, my vocation is intimately tied to the charism of the congregation of which I am a member - I could not imagine being a priest without the liturgical traditions which I celebrate, and these traditions denote the charism of Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, established by His Holiness in 1988. For this “home” I am grateful to Pope John Paul II. - Reverend Tom Longua, FSSP, ‘92

Dr. and Mrs. O’Donnell with baby Colleen (now Sr. Marguerite Marie) in 1978.

for our generation between unbelieving adults, a hostile culture, and this joyful Pope who had us screaming and cheering all over Denver. Coming down from this high, I set off for four incredible years at Christendom.

In 1994 and 1997 I was thrilled to visit Rome with Christendom. Seeing the Pope at the Vatican, glorying in the history we had studied with Dr. Carroll and loving Catholic Culture in Rome, with other good friends and my family, the Pope was the hope of our trip, to see him. This joy in the Faith I discovered at the college was very much on my mind when I met the Pope on July 5, 1997. “Holy Father, I bring greetings from Christendom College!” That was what I wanted to tell him, that I was overwhelmed to be in his presence, and that so much of this came from the heart of our education at the College, and the love for the Faith we had received and nurtured for four years, our unabashed love for the Pope, the Faith, and the Church.

He mentioned that he would lead the Rosary that evening, which is something I very much continue to “connect” in my mind with him.

Though I resisted a Call for so long, in God’s sense of humor and Providence, Christendom helped lead me to hear and respond (and prepare) for a Priestly vocation.

And five years later, 30 deacons, seminarians and priests from St. Charles Seminary gathered in the Apostolic Palace on the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton to meet the Pope, sing in his honor, and pray at St. Peter’s. Now worn by age and suffering, no longer in his prime, he affected us, perhaps more profoundly. As we made the “baciamano”—to kiss the hand— one by one, the Pope asked questions of our Priest leader. “Where are they from?” “How many seminarians are there?” “Are they good, strong?” Not a few were crying as they descended the stairs to leave the Apostolic Palace. A picture we have from that day reminds me of a new generation of priests, who love the Church, anticipate challenges ahead, are formed by Our Lady, and stay close to Peter. - Reverend Mr. Bjorn Lundberg ‘97 The papacy of John Paul II ushered in an unprecedented age in which the Holy Father was truly among us. With the rise of technology, our late Holy Father was able to travel and be seen by more people than any pope before him. I remember the Pope’s 1999 visit to St. Louis. Along with over 20,000 other youth, I was changed by seeing the Vicar of Christ—although most of the time I was only seeing him through satellite television. The sense of just being near him was life-altering. Despite the sadness of losing such a beloved pastor of the universal Church, I am anxious to discover the friend we will find in the 265th pope. - Mary E. Hack ‘04 John Paul the Great has been a gravitating force drawing me into the mystery of living the Christian life despite my own failings during his entire reign as Pope. I attended World Youth day in Poland in 1991 and my life was never the same again.

All his encyclicals and writings have shaped my worldview intellectually, spiritually and culturally. Working at the International Institute for Culture and having writ-

Christendom’s second President, Dr. Damian Fedoryka, brought Christendom College to the attention of Pope John Paul II.

While attending Christendom I was privileged to take a class on our late Holy Father. The primary text for our class was George Weigel’s “Witness to Hope.” In that book, Mr. Weigel states that John Paul II coupled the “authority . . . of the apostle Peter” with “the intense love of the apostle John.” I reread this statement shortly after the death of our Holy Father, and it is so true. You can see that “intense love” permeating all of John Paul’s writings. It was love that urged him to leave the Vatican and travel more globally than any other pontiff, bringing the light of Faith and Truth to a world darkened by communism, Western hedonism, and secular materialism. He was the champion of the seminarian, of the religious, the married couple, the unborn child. His teachings are a wealth of inspiration to all. During his life, he taught us how to live, and even by his death he taught us how to die. May we never forget his example. - Theresa Fisher ‘03 Pope John Paul II, both in his ministry on earth and now through his prayers in heaven, has and continues to deeply affect my faith and my life. Like millions of other young people who were so loved and personally touched by our beloved

The O’Donnells have met with the Pope on numerous occasions since that first time in 1978.

JPII, there always will remain in me a special bond with him. I will always cherish my memories of seeing him and experiencing his awesome presence on a couple of occasions during my semester in Rome with Christendom. Also, to have him visit me, in my homeland, at World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada in 2002 was a very significant and moving event for me.

I am now completing my first year of graduate studies at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. At the Institute, which has always been very dear to John Paul II’s heart, I am learning of the profound riches that the Church, especially in John Paul II’s wisdom, has for the world to answer man’s deepest questions and longings. The full essence and magnitude of John Paul II’s teachings and writings are yet to be revealed in the coming decades. Daily, my knowledge and love of the Holy Trinity, of Our Lady, of marriage, the family, and religious life, and of every human person, is increased by studying the teachings that John Paul II has left us. I feel so blessed to part of his legacy, and hope (with the intercession of John Paul the Great!) to share these beautiful riches with others. For me, his greatest teaching has been his example—his life of deep faith, hope, trust and most especially, a truly saintly love. - Maria Reilander - ‘04 I grew up with Pope John Paul II as Pope and I consider that, in itself, a grace.

Imagine what the world, what our Church, would be like if a different man had been chosen. Communism, the culture of death, the decline in vocations, the widespread crisis of faith and morals, the breakdown of traditional marriage, the despair among the Youth – where would we be today if a man less than Karol Wojtyla had defied those evils? Pope John Paul II was a crusader for the culture of life against the culture of death (the fact that he gave it a name says something) and he gave me hope that we can win. - Mary Claire Almeter ‘97 Although just about anyone could speak about the seemingly endless list of John Paul II’s virtues, accomplishments and works, the thing that I will remember the most is how he saw Christ in EVERYONE. While his writings were great and his manner drew us to love him, I believe imitating his ability to see Christ in everyone is something that is extremely practical for us on our path to obtain our final goal of eternal happiness. - Melody Pegis ‘95

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INSTAURARE, Special Insert - July 2005 While in Rome with Christendom in the spring of 2003, I was blessed with many opportunites to see Pope John Paul II, both from a distance and relatively close up, but one incident stands out in my mind. After the Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday, the pope’s calvacade passed right in front of where I was standing behind the barricade. As he slowly moved forward in his “popemobile,” parents in the crowd held their children above their heads, hoping for a touch or blessing from the Holy Father. A Swiss guard swooped one baby from his mother’s hands and held him suspended comically in front of the pope. The Holy Father’s face suddenly became filled with an expression of incredible, radiant joy, such as I had never seen before.

He grasped the little child’s head firmly in his two hands and kissed it, his whole being expressing the most indescribable love. My eyes filled with tears, as I am sure did the eyes of the child’s overjoyed parents as they received him back. I will never forget that moment, or the great love that John Paul II had for all the children of God. - Elizabeth Ascik ‘04 I was present in Rome during the final days and hours of our Holy Father Pope John Paul II, and was privileged to be among the first (several thousand!) to pay my last respects as his body lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica. Having providentially made my first journey to Rome during Holy Week and Easter Week, I was able to be present in the Piazza San Pietro when the news came that the Holy Father was dying. I remained in the square outside his windows, along with several hundred others, throughout the night on Friday night, praying the Rosary and the chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as prayers to St. Joseph, patron of the dying. I took part in the public liturgical prayers that were offered in St. Peter’s Square shortly after his death on Saturday evening, and thanked God for the tremendous grace given to our Holy Father to die on the First Saturday of the month, and on the Feast of Divine Mercy, which liturgically had already begun at the time of his passing.

The love and emotion of the Italian people was evident in the crowds which gathered, weepAt the Chapel dedication in April of 1995, Cardinal Schotte brought a chalice and paten to Christendom as personal gifts ing, praying, chanting “Giovanni Paolo,” and from Pope John Paul II. applauding to show their love and respect. I was so blessed to be a part of that outpouring of love, and it moved me profoundly. One of the last things our Holy Father did was to thank the young people who had kept vigil with him in the square on Friday night. This impressed upon me more than ever his great love and fatherliness towards all of us, and especially for the young.

These incredible experiences left me with a very deep sense of loss, inasmuch as I had felt so very close to our Holy Father in those final hours. I thank God for

Dr. and Mrs. O’Donnell joined the 27 Christendom in Rome Students at the funeral of Pope John Paul II (photo by Joannie Watson).

granting me the privilege of being present, and I will treasure these memories forever.

- Maria Virginia Bissex ‘02 Pope John Paul II touched my hand and looked in my eyes in 1993 at an audience in Rome and somehow altered my spirit. His purity of heart and mind resonated through my being at that moment in a way that changed me forever. From that time, I knew that Christ was leading me to go to a Catholic College and I truly believed that JPII was instrumental in my choosing Christendom. I had been a faithful Catholic with many questions, and my fleeting meeting with the Holy Father filled me with an unspoken fire for truth about Faith and about life, specifically the way I should live, a zeal that was absent in me prior to that day.

I cried the day I reached out to him in a wave of outstretched arms and fingers, because I knew a little miracle had occured in the large scheme of things, but it was so big for me. Christ touched me by reaching in and squeezing my heart through the kindest eyes I have ever seen.

I am so priveleged to have received the touch of our blessed Pope John Paul II and to have lived as a youth in his generation. As I cried with thousands in Denver, CO, at World Youth Day, years ago now, I cry again, “JPII, we love you!” You will always be my “Papa”. - Mary Kate (Murrell) Pride ’98

Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Christendom College students and friends met with Pope John Paul II in a special audience during a pilgrimage to Rome in 1992.

INSTAURARE, Special Insert - July 2005 4 Dr. O’Donnell Looks Forward to Continued FriendshipwithHisHolinessPopeBenedictXVI I first met Cardinal Ratzinger in 1996 during a trip to Rome. I was able to meet with him at the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and introduce him to the work of Christendom College. He was a very gracious man and showed a keen interest in the work of Christendom.

I told him that every year the entire faculty at our college voluntarily takes the oath of fidelity to the magisterium of the Catholic Church in the presence of our bishop. He was moved by this and expressed his gratitude and admiration for our work.

I told him that this takes place each year at our opening Mass as a way of signifying to our entire student body that there can be no real conflict between faith and reason, nor is there to be found any limitation on academic freedom through joyfully embracing the teaching of the Church. He also expressed to me at that time his delight that Christendom College prided itself not only on its academic excellence but also on its fidelity to the magisterium.

the time, some in the media were unfairly portraying him as quite the reverse.

I believe that Pope Benedict XVI’s experience as a university professor will have a great impact on his pontificate, perhaps very similar to the impact that John Paul II’s university experience had on his pontificate.

I think that our current Holy Father will continue the good work initiated

by Pope John Paul II in his apostolic constitutions “Sapienta Christiana” and “Ex Corde Ecclesiae.”

I think that Pope Benedict will find it important to continue Pope John Paul II’s habit of speaking to the vital role that must be played

by Catholic institutions of higher learning in an effort to re-engage the culture and communicate effectively to the world the great synthesis of the Catholic intellectual tradition, which unites both faith and reason and recognizes in both a common source in Almighty God. I believe that “Ex Corde Ecclesiae” will be very important to Pope Benedict. Evidence of this can be seen in a beautiful document from his Congregation entitled, “On the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian.”

This lucid document should help theologians who sincerely seek the truth to recognize that there is a special ecclesial dimension to their mission within Catholic education that does require fidelity to the deposit of faith as it is communicated by the Church.

The apostolic constitution speaks of the Catholic university Christendom student Joseph Kosten ‘06 meets Pope Benedict XVI in May of 2005. as being “consecrated” in a special way to the search for and acquisiIt is because of this and Christendom’s strong support tion of truth. It must therefore be open to everything from the late Jan Cardinal Schotte, Secretary General for relating to God, man and the created order. The Catholic the Synod of Bishops, that Cardinal Ratzinger graciously theologian has a crucial role to play in this essential agreed to serve as the Chairman of our 25th anniversary mission. honorary dinner committee in 2002.

As the Second Vatican Council taught in “Dei On several other occasions he has also welcomed Verbum,” Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the groups of Christendom students and pilgrims to the magisterium are like three pillars that are so interconSacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and nected “that one can’t really stand without the others.” to his early morning Masses in Vatican City.

They should be used and joyfully accepted by the It was clear from our conversations that Cardinal theologian in his effort to help explicate the Faith in Ratzinger is a man of refined intellect, who is deeply service to the Church and a world that hungers for the sensitive to the trends of contemporary thought. He saving truth of Christ. sees clearly the dangers of a brutal secularism with its The fact that Pope Benedict XVI is a man of great accompanying moral relativism, which would strip intellect and scholarly ability should reassure scholars human life of its true meaning and dignity. everywhere that they have nothing to fear.

I found myself impressed not only by the clarity of Sadly, often times this fear stems from a belief that they his thought, but also by his gentleness and kindness. At will lose their “freedom.” As the Pope beautifully stated

Cardinal Ratzinger met with members of Christendom College in 1996.

in his opening homily, “this yoke of Christ... does not weigh down on us, oppressing us and taking away our freedom.”

Pope Benedict, like all true intellectuals, is totally committed to the search for and acquisition of truth.

It must be remembered that truth is the object of the intellect. Once truth has been discovered there is a special obligation to submit to it. This is what the human heart and mind were made for by the God who loves us.

I believe his pontificate will be a grace for our broken, suffering world. The election of Pope Benedict should be a source of joy and hope for all those who love the Church, love the Faith and are committed to “communicating the whole truth about man,” which is revealed most fully in Jesus Christ.

It is my hope that we might continue and deepen our friendship with the Holy Father as he stand now in the more profound relation to us of Father, “Papa.”

- Dr. Timothy T. O’Donnell, President of Christendom College 1992-present (The above is an edited version of an interview with Dr. O’Donnell conducted and published by ZENIT News Agency.)

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, while Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, served as the Chairman of the Honorary Dinner Committee for Christendom College’s 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner, held on September 14, 2002, at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Tysons Corner, VA. In a December 4, 2001, letter to College President Dr. Timothy T. O’Donnell, then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote, “I am well aware of the distinguished record of Christendom College over these past twenty-five years, and of the outstanding contribution which it has made to Catholic life in the United States of America. For this reason, I am particularly honoured by your kind invitation and am happy to accept your invitation [to serve as Chairman of the Honorary Dinner Committee], and in so doing to associate myself with such a fine Catholic institution of higher learning....I offer my best wishes for a successful 25th Anniversary celebration and my prayers that Christendom College will enjoy many more years of service in the education and formation of young people.”