Instaurare | Spring 2016

Instaurare The Christendom College Quarterly Magazine

Spring 2016

L A C LO T C A P IM CREATING A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR OUR HOMETOWN AND DIOCESE

10,000 Acts of Kindness by Student Missionaries | A Professor’s Passion for Communication Studying Classical Languages at Christendom | Forming Leaders: Student Activities Council

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VOLUME 24 | NUMBER 1 | SPRING 2016 Published quarterly by the Christendom College Marketing Office.

Executive Editor: Tom McFadden Managing Editor & Design: Niall O’Donnell Photos: Zachary Smith, Niall O’Donnell, Cecilia Flagg, Sarah Ziegler, Mary Katherine Mooney, Grace Mooney Contributors: Zachary Smith, Abigail Reimel, Vince Criste Christendom College 134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 800.877.5456 | christendom.edu Copyright © 2016. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the following credit line is used: “Reprinted by permission from INSTAURARE, the quarterly magazine of Christendom College (christendom.edu).” SUBSCRIPTION FREE UPON REQUEST. Instaurare magazine (pronounced “in-sta-rar-ay”) receives its name from the Latin in the college’s motto, “Instaurare Omnia In Christo” or “To Restore All Things in Christ.”

Christendom College does not discriminate against any applicant or student on the basis of race, sex, color, or national origin.

CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Donna Fitzpatrick Bethell, Chair Douglas Dewey, Vice Chair John Cecconi, Treasurer Robert Scrivener ’81, Secretary Bernadette Casey-Smith Eugene D’Agostino Richard Esposito Daniel Gorman Richard R. Hough III Timothy O’Donnell, ex officio Stephen O’Keefe ’93 Mary Beth Riordan Mark Swartzberg Thomas West Luanne Zurlo

ADVISORS TO THE BOARD Mary Ellen Bork Robert Crnkovich Philip Crotty John DeMatteo Robert P. George Joan Janaro Kay MacAvoy Rev. C. John McCloskey III John McNeice Joseph Melancon Rev. Robert Morey Robert Mylod Hon. James Nicholson Rev. George W. Rutler Mark Ryland Rev. William Saunders Hon. Rick Santorum Owen Smith Marjorie Teetor David Vicinanzo George Weigel Thomas Young Eugene Zurlo

ON THE COVER

Jake Meza ’05 is seeking to build up his community by living the Faith. See story on page 22.

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CRUSADERS CRUSH DUKE BLUE DEVILS The Christendom Crusaders traveled south to nationally recognized Duke University on February 27 for an action-packed match, crushing the #12 ranked team in the nation 31-10 in a comeback victory. Playing under the lights on Duke’s home pitch, the Crusaders exploited the Blue Devils’ weaknesses throughout the second half, leading to one of the most spectacular finishes in Christendom sports history.

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Seventeen & Christendom Alumni parents of seventeen children see the college as the best means for preparing their children for this world and the next.

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Impacting Arlington The college’s local ground has felt the impact of what Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington, Va., called “one of the finest Catholic colleges in the entire country and beyond.”

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Building Community Alumnus Jacob Meza ’05 is using his Christendom education to build up his community by prioritizing family and moral values with the hope that his example will help others do the same.

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From the President

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Liberal Arts in Action: Publishing

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News in Brief / Campus Enhancements

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Faculty Notes

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Forming Leaders: Student Activities Council

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Maybe Mom and Dad Do Know Best

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Christendom: A Candle in the Darkness

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Scholar-Athlete Profile

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Photos: From The Chronicler

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10,000 Acts of Kindness

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A Professor’s Passion for Communication

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Alumni and Benefactor Events

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Studying Classical Languages at Christendom

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Classmates: Alumni News

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Omnia in Christo SPRING 2016

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Faith and the Dignity of the Human Person FROM COLLEGE PRESIDENT DR. TIMOTHY O’DONNELL Dear Friends, What a beautiful and noble calling we have here at Christendom. Our education in the liberal arts equips our students to communicate the dignity of the human person in all its fullness. With so many who are broken and wounded and struggling in our world, this is so necessary.

It is fascinating to reflect upon the fact that God, in His providence, has entrusted human beings with the communication of His truth and life. In ages past, our forbearers were willing to die for the Truth. As St. Justin the Martyr observed in his Dialogue: “No one has ever been ready to die for his faith in the sun.”

What were our forefathers willing to die for?

As Pope Francis and Pope Benedict stated in Lumen Fidei:

“Yet with modern man’s seeming indifference, God is not always denied, He is simply not referred to in our daily life.

And without Him, without faith, no amount of science, philosophy, or ideology can fill the gaping hole of a universe without meaning.”

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For those early Christians, faith, as an encounter with the living God revealed in Christ, was indeed a “mother” for it had brought them to the light and given birth within them to divine life, a new experience and luminous vision of existence for which they were prepared to bear public witness to the end. LF #5 Are we also willing to die for that Truth? Let us recall that our brothers and sisters in Iraq, Syria, and North Africa are doing so every day with the holy name of Jesus on their lips!

We need today to restate simple truths.

We must realize that our faith answers the fundamental question… “What is the meaning and purpose of life?”

Our culture in so many ways has become very superficial and shallow. Yet, let us not fail to recall that any human being who appears superficial and shallow is not without depth but is, sadly, one who has lost touch with his depth.

He is no longer crying out, “Abba father!” but feverishly grasping all the fads, the trends, the host of modern philosophies, diet crazes, health schemes, consumerism, media, and technology fixations. Each and every one of these are efforts to fill the emptiness, the gaping hole in troubled lives. So many of our brothers and sisters are lost and wandering precisely because Christ and His revelation have been abandoned.

These chasms of emptiness, vast deserts in the human heart, the loss of the vision of the horizon, are all a horrible assault on the dignity of the human person.

Yet with modern man’s seeming indifference, God is not always denied, He is simply not referred to in our daily life. And without Him, without faith, no amount of science, philosophy, or ideology can fill the gaping hole of a universe without meaning.

Christ alone gives light, meaning, and purpose and therefore gives man his God-given dignity which the ancient pagan world yearned for.

That is why Christ proclaims in the Gospel of John: “I have come as light into the world that whoever believes in me may not remain in the darkness.” (John 12:46) What a noble and glorious mission we have together here at Christendom as faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends, benefactors, and supporters. We have been given the merciful grace to bring this light to the young and old, rich and poor alike, as we strive to live out our motto “to restore all things in Christ.”

How important it is that we as Catholics do not settle for mediocrity: a life of routine, of sins forgiven, Masses attended, sacraments received without thinking and realizing their profound meaning. Sometimes we can live in a ‘pious coma,’ hearing Scripture and not really listening, unaware of what we are really doing in our lives.

We are all called to greatness and to witness to the transcendent glory of living in light!

What a gift we have all been given from our heavenly Father who is dives in misericordia! (rich in mercy!)

We are moving from darkness into light!

May we all in this Lenten and Easter season embrace with renewed zeal this glorious mission.

Praised be the merciful Heart of Jesus, now and forever!

Christian Tappe ’07 Director of Marketing TAN Books & Saint Benedict Press

ArtsinAction L i b e ra l

“The liberal arts education I received at Christendom prepared me to think critically and to read and write well, which of course are essential skills in publishing. It also prepared me to shift from an editorial career to a marketing career. The liberal arts, which are good in and for themselves, allow you to adapt to different situations and problems.

They train your mind for life, not simply a narrow skill or specialization. It’s an education that allows you to adapt to new opportunities.”

Christendom alumni are involved in just about every field possible and are making an impact on the culture.

As leaders in the world of publishing, our alumni are using their passion for the Truth to help spread the Good News through books, blogs, and magazines.

“Critical thinking skills, an acute attention to detail, and communication skills are all crucially important to the success of my daily tasks as an editor. My Christendom experience provided me the opportunity to hone and develop precisely that skill set. My classes as an English major gave me exposure to a tremendously rich field of literature and a clear understanding of what works best for the written word—and what doesn’t. On a daily basis I have occasion to draw on the well-rounded base of knowledge I built during my studies, in critiquing the content, rationale, and style of the material I edit. Additionally, my extracurricular involvement with the Rambler and my work-study experience with the Writing Center gave me managerial and editorial experience which has proved profoundly valuable to me as an editor in a professional setting.”

Lauren Mann ’14 Assistant Managing Editor Regnery Publishing

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N EWS Chestertonian Defense of Education and the Family BARRON’S

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and faculty on February 22 Chesterton expert Dale Ahlquist n at ional top 5 delivered a lecture titled “The Democracy of the Dead” to the Christendom College community on COLLEGE February 22. With Chestertonian wit, REVIEWS Ahlquist shed light on a number of crises that face America in the realm of government and education. Download the talk at Christendom on iTunes U, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

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Top Conservative & Best Value College Christendom College has been named one of the “Best Colleges for Conservative Values” in America, in the latest rankings from NewsMax. In a ranking of forty other top colleges and universities, Christendom was named the #2 most conservative school in America, beating out the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Texas A&M University, Liberty University, and more. Also, Christendom College was named a 2016 “Best Value” college

by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance in its annual exclusive list of the top colleges in the United States.

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O’Donnell onEEWTN GES

LL O’Donnell PresidentCDr. OTimothy hosted a five-part miniseries on EWTN titled “The Love of the Heart of Jesus.”

A discussion about the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the miniseries began airing on February 2.

New Website Launch The college recently took a technological step forward, launching a completely redesigned website.

Featuring a fresh, elegant design, and the latest in responsive technology, the website will help prospective and current students discover everything they wish to know about Christendom in an easy, accessible manner, whether using a desktop computer or mobile device.

Above: Dr. O’Donnell films his new EWTN series in the college’s St. John the Evangelist Library.

Below: A screenshot of the homepage on the college’s new responsive website.

Thomas Aquinas Lecture

Promoting Chastity

Distinguished professor and author Dr. Thomas S. Hibbs delivered the college’s annual St. Thomas Aquinas lecture on January 27. The talk, titled “St. Thomas and Laudato Si,” may be accessed at Christendom on iTunes U, YouTube, or SoundCloud.

A new report from the Cardinal Newman Society highlighted Christendom College as one of the last Catholic colleges to retain traditional Catholic values in its student life policies, promoting chastity in the residence halls and beyond. “[Christendom College] demonstrate[s] that a culture that promotes chastity can be achieved with appropriate dorm policies as well as educational efforts,” said Adam Wilson, author of the Cardinal Newman Society’s report, writing in a summary of the report for Crisis Magazine.

Dr. Thomas S. Hibbs

Praying & Marching for Life Due to the impending snowfall, most of the Christendom community was unable to make it up to the annual March for Life. Instead, they gathered for a special Holy Hour in Christ the King Chapel. Despite the snow, many students still traveled to D.C. on their own.

CAMPUS EXPANSION AND ENHANCEMENT This summer, the St. Lawrence Commons will undergo renovations, which will modernize and update the kitchen and serving stations to improve the flow of the campus dining service.

Late in 2015 the college acquired approximately 80 acres in adjacent land to the south side of the campus. With this recent addition, the college’s campus size has doubled in the last three years.

After breaking ground in October, construction has begun on the new St. Clare Residence Hall for women. The hall, scheduled to open for the spring 2017 semester, will feature 25,000 finished square feet and will house 100 women.

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any parents hope that their children will follow in their footsteps and attend their alma mater for college. For Amy and Bob Hambleton, both alumni of Christendom who live in the Diocese of Arlington, that hope has become a reality, with most of their children attending the college over the years. In their case, the story is more unique than most—they have seventeen children, eight of whom have attended Christendom so far. In an area packed with colleges and universities, the Hambletons have encouraged each of their children to attend Christendom, seeing the college as the best means for preparing their children for this world and the next.

An Alumni Family’s Love for their Alma Mater

The Hambletons’ love for Christendom goes back to the very beginnings of the college. Bob’s father discovered an ad for Christendom in The Wanderer in 1976, and he, along with his brother Joe, joined Christendom’s first class of twenty-six students in 1977. In Amy’s case, her father knew Christendom founder Dr. Warren Carroll, and she began attending Christendom during its first year on its Front Royal, Va., campus in 1979.

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joyful feel that Bob and Amy quickly fell in love with as students and continued to love as alumni.

After marrying and settling in the Diocese of Arlington, Bob and Amy watched their beloved alma mater grow larger over the years, both in class size and physical plant. As the college grew, the vibrant community of faith they fell in love with as students began to grow larger and stronger as well, and both determined that the college would be the ideal location to send their children when the time came.

Christendom’s liberal arts curriculum trains your mind to do more, and as a result, you can be thrown into just about any career field that’s out there and find success in it, while bringing your Faith to that field at the same time.

For both of them, attending Christendom in those early years was akin to an adventure.

The Front Royal campus consisted of only two buildings at first, including the “quad” — the original residence hall, which Bob himself helped renovate.

The smallness of Christendom resulted in an intimate and

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“Our children are gifts that were given to us by God, and we want to do the right thing by these gifts. We feel that Christendom is the best gift to give to them — that’s due to the liberal arts education,

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Bob and Amy Hambleton: blessed with 17 children, as well as 27 grandchildren who are all 10 years and younger.

taught by faculty who truly make the Faith come alive, and due to the life-long friendships that form at the college as well,” says Bob. After living in the Diocese of Arlington for thirty-two years, the Hambletons have seen eight of their seventeen children attend the college so far, with each of them choosing to remain in the Diocese of Arlington as well after graduation.

Furthermore, six of the eight who have attended Christendom found their spouses at the college – another tremendous blessing for the Hambleton family.

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well, thanks to the education provided by the faculty and the joyful spirit that infuses the campus.

“At Christendom, our children are able to live their Faith with others who think and feel the same way they do, and they are surrounded by joyful people who love God and want to learn their faith and practice it,” says Amy. “Starting from when we attended Christendom until the present, the faculty has played a large part in this, having dedicated and sacrificed their lives to teaching our children the Faith,” Bob says. “Because of them, and the college as a whole, everyone who attends Christendom becomes part of the family of Faith that is growing and spreading throughout the Diocese of Arlington and beyond. Each person lifts up and helps the other as the early Christians did, encouraging each other to persevere in the Faith.”

Everyone who attends Christendom becomes part of the family of Faith that is growing and spreading throughout the Diocese of Arlington and beyond.

The Hambletons believe that Christendom best prepares their children for their success in their various business ventures due to the liberal arts education it provides its students.

“Christendom’s liberal arts curriculum trains your mind to do more, and as a result, you can be thrown into just about any career field that’s out there and find success in it, while bringing your Faith to that field at the same time,” says Bob. Christendom does even more than just prepare their children for career success — it is the best means for preparing them to defend their Faith and evangelize others after college as

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The Hambletons still have seven children left at their home in Fairfax, all being homeschooled by Amy. When asked if they would encourage their last few children to attend Christendom, Bob and Amy did not even hesitate in their reply: “Absolutely, without a doubt. They are all eager to attend Christendom some day.”

Faculty Notes

Christendom professors are primarily student-oriented educators and mentors. At the same time, they are experts in their fields of study and are engaged in a variety of other scholarly pursuits as they seek “to restore all things in Christ” beyond the college’s campus.

Prof. Joseph Arias, Adjunct Professor of Graduate Theology, presented a scholarly paper, “Evangelium Vitae and the Definition of Abortion,” at the 38th Convention of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars in Saint Paul, Minnesota in October 2015.

Dr. Bracy Bersnak, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Economics, presented “Aquinas and Finnis on the Virtue of Legal Justice” at the 2015 annual meeting of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists.

Dr. John Cuddeback, Professor of Philosophy, delivered a plenary address at the COURAGE National Conference in Chicago. The talk was titled “The Challenge of True Friendship Today.”

Dr. James DeFrancis, Assistant Professor of Theology, appeared in Cistercian Studies Quarterly, vol 50.4, with an article titled “Joseph’s Many-Colored Robe: Bernard’s Ecclesiology in the Apologia ad Guillelmum Abbatum.”

Prof. Daniel Garland, Visiting Professor of Theology, served as academic advisor for two guides for teachers to be published by Sophia Institute Press: “Love and Mercy: The Story of Salvation” (special for the Year of Mercy) and “The Sacrament of Confirmation” for middle school teachers and catechists.

Dr. Eric Jenislawski, Associate Professor of Theology, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in November 2015.

Dr. Michael Kelly, Assistant Professor of History, presented at the 2015 Sixteenth Century Society Conference in Vancouver. The paper was titled “What’s God Got to Do with It? Early Modern Protestant Explanations for the Divine Protection of Pagan Temples.”

Dr. Robert Matava, Assistant Professor of Graduate Theology, presented a paper in October 2015 titled “Natural Law, Human Nature and Speculative Knowledge Revisited: On Steven Jensen’s Knowing the Natural Law” at the annual convention of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.

Dr. Donald Prudlo, Associate Professor of Graduate Theology and Church History, published his third book, “Certain Sainthood: Canonization and the Origins of Papal Infallibility in the Medieval Church,” with Cornell University Press.

Prof. Mary Stanford, Adjunct Professor of Theology, wrote an article reflecting upon the Church’s teachings on marriage and sexuality in the wake of the Synod for the fall 2015 issue of Inside the Vatican Magazine.

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Caitlin Bowers (right) with her team of SAC leaders.

FORMING LEADERS College Student Activities Council Offers Rich Opportunities

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ur top priority is to build the community on campus through the events,” says Caitlin Bowers, the Director of Student Activities. Christendom’s robust Student Activities Council (SAC) is the group of students who plan and organize the campus activities throughout the semester. These student volunteers are not only event planners, but also campus leaders. They learn to prioritize the needs of their community while seeking to provide their peers with an enjoyable college experience.

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Bowers says that Christendom’s SAC is more personal and community-oriented than the “program boards” that organize events at the majority of other colleges.

“At other schools, there is no demonstration of ‘love of neighbor’ in the event planning. It’s just picking up a phone and hiring someone else to come do the work. The student volunteers who make up SAC put their creativity together to create something amazing for the entire community,” Bowers says.

Unlike other schools, who offer an event per week at most, the SAC at Christendom hosts an average of two to three events per week, all of which are planned and executed by students, under the direction of Bowers.

“I didn’t realize how student-run everything was, how much people were giving,” Herrmann says. “Everyone is supportive and always shows up for each other.”

Senior Clare Dempsey, in her third year as a member of SAC, describes how rewarding it is to work behind the scenes before special events.

“We create that magical experience,” she says, describing how rewarding it is to watch students’ reactions when they arrive for dances and find the buildings transformed into beautiful environments.

“Helping pull that magic off for everyone is wonderful,” she says with a smile.

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This love of serving others extends beyond the events. The students who volunteer for SAC train for a week to learn how to be a leader on campus, to bear the responsibility of being a role model for other students while also being easily approachable.

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Dempsey recalls that during her first event, “people I looked up to were asking me for advice and direction.” That experience made a huge impression on her. “It changes your whole perspective on life. It’s selfsacrificial, it pushes you to do the best you can for others,” she says.

Bowers summed it up by explaining that many graduated members of SAC have credited their experience as the reason for their success, as well as the inspiration for their vocations.

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“We’re basically the best,” Bowers says with a laugh. Considering that she receives calls from various schools asking her to help them improve their programs based on Christendom’s model, it is hard to disagree.

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Austin Leavitt, student body president, also a third-year member of SAC, agrees that it is an incredibly rewarding opportunity. “Organizing the events is

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It’s self-sacrificial, it pushes you to do the best you can for others.

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Last semester was sophomore Chloe Herrmann’s first time serving on SAC. She shares that it was eye-opening to discover the amount of effort that went into creating the campus events.

intimidating at first, but the whole experience is fun. You become strangely addicted to pulling it all off perfectly for everyone.”

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e b y a M Mom and Dad

Do Know Best

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veryone has a story about how they chose their college. Some chose a college because it was their parents’ alma mater; others chose one simply because they wanted a big-name school on their résumé. For current freshmen Emily Farabaugh and Alex Brefeld, their decision occurred after spending “the best week ever” at Christendom, during the Experience Christendom Summer Program. While they both initially had doubts about attending Christendom for college, one week at the school convinced them otherwise, thanks to the rigorous academic life, the vibrant community, and a sense of peace neither could find at any other college.

In the case of Farabaugh, her heart was already set on attending a much larger school after graduating high school, such as the College of William & Mary or the University of Notre Dame. After attending public school in Charlottesville, Va., for the entirety of her high school years, she wanted to experience a similar-sized academic institution in college.

However, after her mother discovered Christendom’s summer program online, Farabaugh decided to give it a try.

“I definitely didn’t think I would ever want to go to Christendom, because at that time, not knowing much about the school, I was convinced it was too small and too different from all my expectations of college for it to be the right fit for me. After an indescribable week that completely blew

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Freshmen Alex Brefeld and Emily Farabaugh

away my expectations and opened my eyes to what a unique and incredible place this is, I knew that I was coming here,” said Farabaugh.

Farabaugh continued visiting and applying to other colleges after attending the Experience Christendom Summer Program (ECSP), but eventually came to the realization that no other place gave her the feeling of contentment that she found at Christendom. After returning to the campus for an open house and to compete in the Padre Pio Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition, Farabaugh was convinced. By August of 2015, Farabaugh was a freshman at Christendom College—something that never would have occurred if she had not listened to her mother and agreed to try out the summer program.

Freshman Alex Brefeld had a similar experience to Farabaugh in high school. Before hearing about Christendom from his parents, Brefeld, a native of Georgetown, Ky., was considering other, larger Catholic colleges. Nevertheless, when his parents encouraged him to attend the Experience Christendom Summer Program, he decided to give the “small liberal arts school” a try.

have done. After the program, I felt like I was in some way a part of the Christendom community and, throughout senior year, I kept up to date on Christendom news through publications such as Instaurare and The Chronicler. Although I continued to research other colleges as I made my decision, the Experience Christendom Summer Program made Christendom my obvious first choice,” says Brefeld.

While Brefeld expected the ECSP to be a fun week away from home—based on the advertisements that he had seen for it—he was not anticipating the level of engagement he experienced in the classroom, or the lasting friendships that formed after just one week on Christendom’s Shenandoah Valley campus.

Such a decision was nothing less than thrilling for Alex’s mother, Stephanie Brefeld. Like many Catholic parents today, Stephanie saw the disturbing trends running through today’s culture, and wanted Alex to have an education that would prepare him to impact and change the culture. While the Brefeld family had visited many other college campuses during their hunt for such an education, none compared to the uniqueness they discovered during Christendom’s summer program.

“It really made Christendom come alive to me in a way that simply viewing the college on the internet could never

Brefeld (center) at the 2014 ECSP.

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He became focused and determined—the college goal was now a reality. He tackled his senior year with an even stronger work ethic. We believe that the ECSP gave Alex that new perspective.

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“The summer program environment, from setting, to counselors, to professors was completely different from other campuses we visited. There is a sense of community one feels when simply setting foot on Christendom’s campus. Experiencing that community life and interacting with the enthusiastic and engaging camp counselors drew Alex in,” says Stephanie.

“The freedom to interact socially and academically with teens who shared his worldview was refreshing, and a breather from the world’s harsh culture. Attending the summer program motivated Alex to look ahead to his future in a new way. He became focused and determined—the college goal was now a reality. He tackled his senior year with an even stronger work ethic. We believe that the ECSP gave Alex that new perspective.”

Like Farabaugh, Brefeld returned to Christendom’s campus for the Padre Pio Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition in the spring of 2015, and he immediately felt at home again.

Today, Brefeld walks the campus as a freshman, after firmly deciding that Christendom was the best place for him to attend college.

“Attending Christendom has, without a doubt, been the best decision of my life. In the past few months, I have made life-long friends who have the same values as I have and are serious about their studies and faith. The tightknit Christendom community provides me with all the opportunities I need to keep my spiritual, academic, and social priorities in order,” concluded Brefeld. “The Experience Christendom Summer Program was fantastic, but even it cannot compare with the actual experience of being a student at Christendom College.”

Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition Contestants Visit Christendom Eighteen students from across the nation and beyond traveled to Christendom College on February 29 for the college’s sixth annual Padre Pio Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition, hosted by the college’s admissions office. Greeted by gorgeous Virginia weather and Christendom’s friendly community, the students engaged in healthy competition throughout the day, getting a taste of what life is like at Christendom in the process. Shannon Wagner of Elmhurst, Ill., and Aiden Miller of Stewartsville, N.J., were named this year’s recipients.

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A CANDLE IN THE DARKNESS

Board Member Looks to Christendom for Hope

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n today’s culture, faithful Catholics are thirsty for vibrant communities striving toward the same fundamental goal: salvation.

Such communities may be found in a variety of places, but benefactor Gene D’Agostino found his community in a unique location—Christendom College—a place he describes as a “candle in the darkness.”

Before discovering Christendom, D’Agostino found himself disturbed by the true “crisis of culture” sweeping across America, finding it first in his home state of Connecticut.

Seeing a supreme lack of transcendence and a celebration of self in its place, D’Agostino, and his wife, Janet, realized the need for a community with a faith-based understanding of culture and the world.

In their hunt for such a community, the D’Agostinos encountered two men: Christendom board member Douglas Dewey and former board member Eugene Zurlo, who both inspired them with their strong Catholic faith and incredible charity. Together, they brought the D’Agostinos into contact with Christendom’s unique, Catholic liberal arts education and its mission “to restore all things in Christ”—a mission the D’Agostinos eagerly wanted to further.

“In order to impact culture, you have to have an understanding about Truth, about natural law, and about tradition. When you have these understandings, you can truly live the faith and affect the culture. Christendom is the perfect outlet for giving students those understandings—it serves a crying need in our nation and our culture,” says Gene. “We need to teach future generations that there are absolute truths, and that is very much what Christendom does. It’s a real candle in the darkness.”

When Dewey and Zurlo asked Gene to join the college’s Board of Directors last year, he did not hesitate to become a part of the school. Since joining the college and its vibrant community, Gene has used his business background to

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We need to teach future generations that there are absolute truths, and that is very much what Christendom does. It’s a real candle in the darkness.

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help guide the college in its goal of changing the culture through education, providing it with the resources it needs to continue in its noble mission.

Desiring to impact the culture, the D’Agostinos extended their generosity one step further last year by placing Christendom College in their will. By making Christendom one of a select few beneficiaries, the D’Agostinos plan to share their treasures with Christendom long after they’ve gone to their eternal reward, helping the college continue to teach students the truths of natural law and the canon of Western Civilization for years to come.

KEEP THE CANDLE BURNING

For more information on leaving an estate gift to Christendom, please contact Glen McLeod at the College’s Office of Advancement. You can reach Glen by email at glen.mcleod@christendom.edu or by phone at 800.877.5456 ext. 1602

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CHRISTENDOM GIVES BACK TO ITS HOME DIOCESE

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hristendom’s reach is global. With campuses in Virginia, Rome, and Ireland, it boasts alumni and students hailing from 50 states and eight foreign countries, in addition to missionary efforts affecting 10 countries worldwide. While the horizons of the community stretch far, the college’s local ground has felt the impact of what Bishop Paul Loverde of Arlington, Va., called “one of the finest Catholic colleges in the entire country and beyond.” t Ca

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For nearly forty years, Christendom has lived and breathed in the Arlington diocese, thanks to the initial support of then-Bishop Thomas J. Welsh in 1977, and each of the subsequent bishops after him. The Diocese of Arlington has given its support to Christendom over the years, and Christendom has graciously given back to the diocese in turn. Over 30% of Christendom’s alumni have chosen to stay in the diocese post-graduation. Some are active in the religious life, others are educators or business leaders, but all have made the diocese their home, and the diocese is all the better for it.

Since its founding in 1977, Christendom has helped inspire 158 religious vocations, including seventy-five priests and fifty sisters. Of that great number, fourteen alumni priests currently serve in the Diocese of Arlington alone, along with three Poor Clare nuns, and one deacon. These religious have

Whether they run small businesses, serve as lawyers, or work in insurance firms, countless lay alumni impact the secular world the Diocese of Arlington inhabits, making it a better place for families to grow and thrive.

Christendom’s campus for the solemn and historic occasion, bringing the Mass to a new corner of the Diocese of Arlington. They will continue offering Mass and ministering to the small number of Catholics at Shenandoah University, in the hope that it will continue to grow and thrive in the future.

Christendom’s alumni priests are bringing Christ’s teachings to schools as well, with alumnus Fr. Bjorn Lundberg serving as chaplain of Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Dumfries, Va. At the young, increasingly popular school, Fr. Lundberg is joined by a staggering five other Christendom alumni on the staff, who teach the next generation of Catholic leaders religion, bioethics, social studies, and more.

Melissa Manaker ’15 (M.A.) earned the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award in 2009.

a tremendous impact on countless lives within the diocese, aiding them spiritually along their journeys toward salvation.

In Winchester, Va., a small community of Catholics attended Mass at the secular Shenandoah University for the very first time this past February, thanks to the efforts of Christendom’s own chaplaincy. College chaplain Fr. Stephen McGraw and associate chaplain Fr. Mark Wenzinger—both Christendom alumni—traveled twenty-three miles from

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Such a story is prevalent across the Arlington Diocese, with over one hundred and twenty-five alumni working for educational institutions. Alumna Melissa Manaker, who earned her M.A. from Christendom College in 2015, is one of the most active teachers in the Diocese of Arlington, serving as the principal of St. Rita’s Middle School, as chairman of the board for Angelus Academy, and as head of the Women’s Apostolate for Youth. Her impact is felt across the diocese, leading to her earning the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award in 2009.

Alumni impact education in other areas as well, with many working as directors of religious education at parishes, including 2005 alumnus Jimmy Blankenship. As director of religious education at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Purcellville, Va., Blankenship is responsible for the religious education of over 1,500 families, with over eight hundred students enrolled in grades kindergarten through high school.

Under Blankenship’s leadership, the youth and adults of his parish are prepared for reception into the Catholic Church,

helping the Diocese of Arlington continue to have one of the fastest growing flocks in the United States in the process.

Alumnus Deacon Sabatino Carnazzo is also having a deep impact on the educational formation of the adults in this diocese. As founder of the Institute for Catholic Culture, Deacon Carnazzo offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year, featuring some of the greatest Catholic intellectuals—including Christendom’s own faculty— speaking on theology, philosophy, political science, and history. Each of these programs is held at a different parish within the Diocese of Arlington, giving a variety of adults the opportunity to learn Catholic truths in a way that previously did not exist within the diocese.

Each one of these fields is filled with Christendom graduates, and yet this does not even begin to scratch the surface of all that alumni do in the diocese. Whether they run small businesses, serve as lawyers, or work in insurance firms, countless lay alumni impact the secular world the Diocese of Arlington inhabits, making it a better place for families to grow and thrive in as a result.

Deacon Sabatino Carnazzo ’04 (B.A.), ’09 (M.A.) is bringing his love of the Faith and his Christendom education to Northern Virginia through the Institute of Catholic Culture.

Parishes, schools, businesses, non-profit organizations — Christendom alumni are everywhere in the diocese. By the grace of God, the Diocese of Arlington gave founder Warren Carroll its support to found Christendom College in 1977.

It is only fitting that Christendom alumni give back an abundance of blessings in return.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE PROFILE Pat Audino ’16 Rugby & Soccer

Pat Audino is a recipient of the Thomas S. Vander Woude ScholarAthlete Scholarship. A leader on and off the field, he has served as Team Captain on both the soccer and rugby teams.

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“Life at Christendom is very well-rounded. I’m receiving an education that is preparing me for success, camaraderie to support me along the way, and some amazing competition found playing the sports that I love. Being able to play multiple sports throughout my life has instilled in me a discipline and hard-work ethic that extends from the field into the classroom.

The brotherhood and camaraderie which I’ve experienced—whether playing rugby or soccer—is invaluable. Some of my best friendships have been forged through sports, and that has continued here at Christendom. I know these irreplaceable relationships will be a part of my success in the future.”

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The Chronicler {christendom.edu/chronicler}

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“Snowmageddon” hit the campus in January, leaving close to three feet of beautiful snow.

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Students competed in the Swing & Waltz Competition.

Sophomores Charlie McKenna and Maria McFadden placed 2nd in the Waltz Competition.

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Students enjoy a crisp hike of White Oak Canyon, one of the many beautiful trails of Shenandoah National Park.

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Students celebrated the beginning of the semester with a Kick-Off Concert, featuring student bands.

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This semester, students and faculty have enjoyed StudentFaculty Reading Luncheons, a chance for students and professors to discuss a selected reading in a casual setting.

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In their final game of the season, the Crusaders defeated Patrick Henry College 62-27.

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Sophomore sensation Bryn Burgess charged for the basket in one of the first women’s basketball games of the spring.

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Sophomore Daniel Snyman sings at Cup O’Coeli, an evening of instrumental and vocal performances.

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2015-16 Lady Crusader Basketball.

10. 2015-16 Crusader Basketball.

11. Juniors enjoy gelato near the Basilica of Santa Chiara, in Assisi, during their Semester in Rome.

12. Junior Nicole LaRochelle discovers that the walls of Siena are ancient, but climbable.

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13. Juniors enjoy the Umbrian countryside outside the medieval city of Assisi.

14. #1 New York Times bestselling author, and Christendom alumnus, Ben Hatke ’00 spoke at a Life on Tap event, explaining how his liberal arts education helped him achieve his current success.

15. Junior Sean Shanahan discusses ISIS at a meeting of the Chester-Belloc Debate Society.

16. On First Fridays, the student body fills Christ the King Chapel for “Laudamus Te” Holy Hours, which are followed by a “Theology on Tap” style event in St. Kilian’s Café, featuring a guest speaker.

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Christendom College’s The Chronicler is an online publication appearing weekly on Fridays throughout the academic year. Written and photographed by students, The Chronicler provides a glimpse into life as a student at Christendom.

Find out more and sign up to get notified when a new issue appears at christendom.edu/chronicler.

For more pics follow us on Instagram!

@christendomcollege

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Building Community Alumnus Seeks to Share the Joy of His Faith

BY ABIGAIL REIMEL ’17

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hristendom College is proud to provide the intellectual and spiritual formation necessary to prepare students to inspire the world around them, but it is each individual’s responsibility to build upon this foundation. Alumnus Jacob Meza ’05 is using his Christendom education to build up his community by prioritizing family and moral values, with the hope that his example will help others do the same.

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Though originally from a more secular environment in California, Meza thrived at Christendom, where the Catholic community intrigued him. In the new environment, positive pressure from peers to embrace the faith combined with the incredible education opened his mind to a beautiful new lifestyle. In the midst of this, he met a young woman whose passion for her faith, matched with her joyful spirit, sparked his curiosity. Her example inspired him to learn more, and it was not long before he fell in love with his faith, and her as well. These things would help determine his path after graduation.

“Frequent sacraments, ideals, morals, all quickly became part of my core, what I believed in, what I liked,” Meza explained.

“I made it to junior year and realized ‘I’m not going to be here forever, so what am I going to do?’ I realized the girl I was dating was the girl I wanted to marry, and I needed a game-plan. I have always loved business and politics. The Political Science department motivated me to go out and change things for the better, so I chose that as my major.”

Meza puts his family first. Pictured below with his wife, Jessica (Morgan) ’05, and their four children.

After graduation, he continued his education earning a master’s degree in business. Five years later, he returned to Front Royal as a husband and businessman, ready to give back to the community that helped form him. He started working for the local medical provider, and though he loved his job, he was surrounded by people with very different priorities and opinions. Being in this environment showed him the value of his Christendom formation, which helped him succeed in a secular environment while remaining true to his principles.

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We need people out there changing the world, even if it’s just a little, touching one person.

We need people who are up to the challenge.

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“Christendom gave me the foundation in strength to stay that course. Quickly our confidence in what we believe can be eroded by what you have to face on a daily basis— especially if next to no one shares your values or lives a similar lifestyle. You have to be strengthened to a certain degree, in your choices and your faith, so you’re not shaken by the work day,” Meza shared.

He explained that having the unshakable foundation from Christendom has helped him perform better at work.

During his job interview, he made it clear that family was his priority, that even though he would give his all on the job, he would not prioritize work over family time. His genuine answer earned him respect, and the position. On the job, he has found that proper priorities help him approach issues innovatively by using the combination of values and critical thinking instilled in him at Christendom.

“I influence decisions by coming at them strategically. I like to use reasoning and logic to come to some sort of creative solution that gets the outcome I want,” said Meza, who is currently the director of the Urgent Care and Occupational Health program for Valley Health Hospital System. It gives him the ability to encourage people to make professional decisions based on logic that actually protects moral values as well, without making a religious issue the central reason for change.

This mindset has helped Meza excel professionally, and he hopes that applying the same concepts through his new position on the Front Royal Town Council will also help him improve the local community. He wants the college and town to work together to create a wholesome environment for raising children, and strengthening future generations to promote enduring values in their own lives and places of business.

“I care about my community and want to be involved,” Meza expressed. He explained that ultimately the best thing Catholics can do is witness through their lives, be joyful about living for Christ, and never stray from their principles.

“Everyone has to prioritize their values and stay committed to them; I think that’s lacking in society. Stay committed and be joyful about the decisions you make. If you’re out there exemplifying that joy, it creates curiosity like you wouldn’t believe, because few people are happy. That’s how I evangelize, by living my life in a certain way that piques people’s curiosity. Then they slowly start to ask about it, and when they see you’re passionate about it—it opens their minds to Christ. We need people out there changing the world, even if it’s just a little, touching one person. We need people who are up to the challenge,” Meza said.

That is exactly what he is trying to do, and is working hard to ensure that he and his family will be a worthy example to inspire others to do the same, fulfilling Christendom College founder Dr. Warren Carroll’s belief that “one man can make a difference.”

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10,000 ACTS O V

ery few colleges in the world can say that a third of their student body embarked on mission trips last year — but not many colleges are as unique as Christendom. After setting records in generosity last year, Christendom’s student body decided to take their giving spirit to the next level with the launch of the “10,000 Acts of Kindness” outreach program. Organized by the college’s mission program, the student body is aiming to help 10,000 poor and homeless people by the end of the academic year, from the concrete jungle of New York City to the wild jungle of Guatemala.

“Christendom students are known for their generous spirit.

This year’s effort is taking that to the next level as we’re

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challenging the entire Christendom community to touch the lives of 10,000 souls in an unprecedented way. This is an exciting time, seeing everyone rise up to the challenge and make a difference like never before,” said Mrs. Julie Cipriano, who is directing the initiative.

Since the fall, weekend after weekend, students have been waking up before dawn on Saturday mornings to load into vans and travel up and down the East Coast. Moving from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, to New York City, students have spent their time at each stop administering to the homeless and impoverished in tangible ways, whether that be through bringing them clothing and food or even sharing a simple and encouraging conversation.

These random acts of kindness drew the attention of the FOX News station in Philadelphia, and have attracted the attention of many others across the nation who have contributed monetarily to the campaign. Over $17,000 has

OF KINDNESS “

Christendom students are known for their generous spirit. This year’s effort is taking that to the next level.

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already been donated to continue these noble efforts, which the program will use to buy meals and material goods for the poor and homeless, in addition to paying for travel expenses both at home and abroad.

This attitude of sacrifice is part of what makes the “10,000 Acts of Kindness” campaign so unique. While it’s unprecedented in its scope and size, it’s also unprecedented in the generous sacrifice of time seen across Christendom’s student body. Even during Christmas break, Christendom students traveled to Venice, Fla., to help bring fallenaway Catholics back to the Faith through door-to-door

evangelization. During a single week, the students reached nearly 2,500 Florida residents, convincing many to return to the Catholic Church and many to visit it for the first time.

In its largest phase, the “10,000 Acts of Kindness” campaign recently took its efforts international over Spring Break, as many students traveled outside the United States to Guatemala, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Whether they were digging trenches for water, feeding the hungry, building houses, or simply sitting with the poor, the students truly lived out the mission of Christendom College—to restore all things in Christ—through their efforts.

In this Year of Mercy, all are called to help the less fortunate, both tangibly and spiritually. Through the continued efforts of Christendom’s mission program, the students are fulfilling this call, and bringing the light of Christ to all nations in the process.

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ROOTED IN FAITH

A Professor’s Passion for Communication

BY ABIGAIL REIMEL ’17

“G

ood, powerful, effective communication takes skill. It takes energy. It involves every nook and cranny of our being: mind, heart, hands, stomach, spirit, emotions—all five senses—all six if you’re a woman,” said Seàn-Patrick Lovett, the English Program Director for Vatican Radio and faculty member for Christendom’s St. Columcille Institute.

Lovett, who teaches a course titled “The Art of Communication in the New Evangelization” for the college’s popular three-week summer program in Ireland, is an expert in the field of communications.

Lovett, who began his work at Vatican Radio in 1977 under Pope Blessed Paul VI, serves as a consultant for the Vatican Television Centre, and is vice president of CREC (Centre

THE ST. COLUMCILLE INSTITUTE is a three-week summer program in Donegal, Ireland, that seeks to strengthen the faith and deepen the understanding of young Catholic leaders through a thorough catechesis, ensuring that participants develop the ability both to evangelize and defend the Faith within secular society. Participants also examine the patrimony of Western Christian Civilization through an in-depth study of history and literature, while experiencing the beauty of Irish culture.

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de Recherche en Communication) in Lyon, France, which coordinates media and communication workshops in Africa and Asia. He has been a professor of social communications at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome since 1988, and was awarded Papal Knighthood in 2011. He received the Daniel J. Kane Communications Award in 2013, and authored a best-selling book with Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Alumni & Benefactor Events Lovett’s passion for communication is rooted in his faith because, as he put it, “God is Communication.” Because of this, Catholics are called to share God’s message of love to all people, which is not as simple as it sounds. Being a “Communicator-4-God” requires courage, creativity, and commitment if one is to effectively reach this world which is growing more deaf to God’s salvific message.

It is for the sake of forming “Communicators-4-God” that Lovett continues to join the Institute’s faculty each summer, and he enjoys being a part of a program whose purpose is to help young Catholics become leaders in the New Evangelization.

“Aside from the incredibly high quality academic program, where else in the world is both spiritual and physical nourishment offered with such variety and abundance,” he asked. “And who knew that potatoes could be prepared in so many different ways? Or that Guinness straight out of the barrel really does taste better? And what it’s like to know you have a personal (and, most importantly, merciful) confessor on call 24 hours out of 24?”

In addition to Lovett’s workshop, there are three twocredit courses in Irish history, Irish literature, and Catholic theology, taught by Christendom professors Timothy O’Donnell, Sharon Hickson, and Brendan McGuire.

On December 5, 2015, the Donor Relations Office successfully hosted more than 70 friends and benefactors at its second annual Christmas at Christendom event. This two-day event began with Mass, lunch, and two specially tailored classes in history and philosophy. Benefactors then enjoyed a delicious dinner in the beautifully decorated Chester-Belloc room.

The evening ended with a First Friday holy hour with hundreds of students, faculty, and staff in the Chapel of Christ the King. To maximize interaction with the student body, benefactors were paired up with students and enjoyed tours of campus, Mass, and meals.

Join in the experience this summer! Earn six credits in three weeks in Ireland. Visit christendom.edu/ireland to find out more and apply to the St. Columcille Institute.

The Office of Alumni & Donor Relations hosted an alumni Advent retreat on Sunday December 6 in the Chapel of Christ the King. The retreat was led by three alumni-priests – Fr. Stephen McGaw ’88, Fr. Bjorn Lundberg ’97 (pictured above), and Fr. Kevin Beres ’96 – who spoke on daily prayer, the Sacred Heart, and sanctification of the routine, respectively.

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Unlocking the Riches of Western Civilization Studying Classical Languages at Christendom

BY DR. EDWARD STRICKLAND CHAIRMAN, DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICAL AND EARLY CHRISTIAN STUDIES

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he pragmatic is not so practical; that, at least, summarizes the judgment of the Holy See on the elimination of Classics in the curricula of modern, state-sponsored education. For nearly a century, modern curricula have progressively excluded the study of Latin and Greek, effectively denying students intimate contact with the wisdom, beauty, and truth of antiquity. The joys of the classicist who can fully access the heritage of antiquity are undeniable.

But today, too few know these joys.

Pope St. John XXIII recognized the decadence that had spread to Catholic institutions under the malign influence of conforming to state education requirements. The effective disappearance of traditional formation in Latin and Greek in time endangers men of the Church; they risk becoming intellectually ill-equipped to participate with greatest eďŹƒcacy in her mission. John XXIII was neither the first nor the last to observe this, but he has the credit of having prepared a statement of principles, goals, curricula, and criteria for renewing instruction in Classics, in his

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Daniel McGuire ’03 Major: Classical and Early Christian Studies Attorney at McDermott Will & Emery "In my professional life, as an attorney at one of the country's largest law firms, I am frequently called upon to read and understand documents, sometimes relating to industries or sectors of the business world to which I have no prior exposure, and offer a professional opinion as to the significance of the material to a client's case. Our clients are some of the largest and most successful companies in the world, and they depend on us to have the excellent professional judgment and skill required to represent their interests; there is no room for error. I have no doubt that my education as a Classics major at College’s Library Christendom College was critical in preparing me to meet this high standard of excellence as Resources Enhanced a lawyer today."

Apostolic Constitution Veterum Sapientia, and the document Sacrum linguae Latinae depositum.

These documents describe well the place that Classics holds in Catholic liberal education. Classics constitutes a mater atque ancilla studiorum; certainly its goals are to initiate the student to access all the relics of antiquity, whether literary, monumental, or artistic.

It must be said, though, that the integrative perspectives of the classicist on the whole of ancient civilization are not the same as those of the specialist in history, philosophy, or theology. Often a classicist doubles as historian, philosopher, theologian, art historian, expert in comparative literature, archeologist or the like, but rare is the person who combines one or more expertise. Instead, the classicist is apt to point to connections among disciplines that only a fuller access to the relics of antiquity can make available.

In short, the classicist has the keys to unlocking the original riches of Western Civilization.

Thanks to the generous contributions of an endowed fund established by Mr. L. Tuffly Ellis in memory of his late parents, T. Fordtran & Louis T. Ellis, the college was able to subscribe to the renowned Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG), which was welcome news to the Classics and Early Christian Studies Department.

“The department of Classical and Early Christian Studies is profoundly grateful for the generosity of donors. Such kindness allows students and faculty to have access to a great scholarly tool and electronic repository of Greek literature—the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae,” Department Chairman Dr. Edward Strickland said.

In the upper-level classes, the students’ work becomes more intense and scholarly. Now, using the TLG, students can access and consult hundreds of works of the canon of Greek literature; can make connections via its database tools to reveal significant correlation in works of individual and multiple authors; can trace the history of an idea; and can engage in scholarship that might otherwise be limited by access to a research library. The wealth of two millennia and more of Greek literature, both classical and Christian, opens vistas for the students that promise years of rewarding study.

This kind of intricate research is encountered in all the college’s academic departments, and is only able to be offered through the generous support of the college’s many donors and friends.

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our d y ns to n e S sio mis ates@ u b u s sm .ed clas ndom e ist chr

CLASSMATES [your paper & ink alumni social network]

1980’s Sr. Mary Agnes of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, OCD (formerly Mary Ann Peek ’83), moved from the Carmel in South Dakota to the Carmel in Erie, Pa.

1990’s Ignatius Ehlinger, son of Tim and Winnie (Newcomb) ’96 Ehlinger, continues to break down barriers for special needs people in Front Royal, Va., and is performing in Warren County Middle School’s musical production of “Hairspray Jr” in April.

Peter ’99 and Heather (Tansey) ’03 Jensen are happy to announce the arrival of their third child: Andrew Tansey Jensen born December 18, 2015, 10lbs. 10oz. and 21.5 in. He joins his brother Conor (2) and sister Olivia (1).

2000’s

Sr. Mary Grace of the Holy Spirit (Mary Curran ’96) is now the Novice Mistress at the Carmel in Buffalo, N.Y.

Janet Purdy ’97 recently traveled to Chile to visit the girl that she sponsors there through the organization Unbound. She is in her 11th year teaching Spanish at St. James Catholic School in Falls Church, Va., and she enjoys traveling to Spanish-speaking countries to brush up on her language skills, explore the world, meet the people, and learn about their cultures. In addition to the recent trip to Chile, she has also participated in Unbound Awareness Trips to Colombia, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Other countries she has visited include Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands, Mexico, and Spain.

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Andrew ’01 and Sarah (Hatke) ’03 Antonio went to Italy to visit Ben Hatke ’00, his wife Anna (Bertolini) ’03, and their children. They went to the small town where Anna’s father grew up in Gravagna Montale, a province in Tuscany. They were joined by Sarah’s parents, Gene and Roseanna Hatke. They hiked in waterfalls, biked the mountains, hiked the Via Francegena, ate lots of prosciutto, and drank a lot of red wine. It was definitely the trip of a lifetime.

Annie (Martin) DeLisle ’03 is developing an Adult Day Center for those in the Movement Disorder Community, as well as other elderly who need more physical assistance but who do not have memory impairment. They will open St. Anne’s Adult Day Center in the Spring of 2016. Currently, most care is targeted toward memory care. St. Anne’s will be a new standard of care, implementing the latest care for Movement Disorders and be both advocates and a resource for families in their community.

Jaclyn Weber ’06 was one of a select few students to travel to the Philippines for a global learning service course toward her M.B.A. in January 2016. The warm weather, fresh mangoes and coconuts, and extremely welcoming people were just a few of the highlights. While there, Jaclyn worked with a group of impoverished women in Sagua Banwa on the Negros Island to help assist them in their entrepreneurial business venture in soaps.

It was an enriching week-long experience for her first time in Asia and she came back with many new friends.

Zachary Inman ’08, Christendom’s Associate Director of Admissions, and Sadie Bratt ’13, former Admissions Counselor, tied the knot on October 10, 2015, in Dixon, Illinois.

Thomas and Clare (Bratt) Polak ’09 were married in June 2010. Thomas received his Masters in Clinical Counseling from Gannon University in 2013. They now have three sons, and work at a boarding school in Ohio, called Grand River Academy. Thomas piloted a brand new program this year, the Productive Growth Center, which is a unique center that integrates hand-tool-only woodcraft with traditional counseling. He is the full-time counselor at the school, along with teaching a Philosophy course, coaching tennis, and being a Dorm Master.

2010’s Steve and Meghan (Kavanagh) Ginski ’10 live in Westminster, Md., and have two children, Jonah (3) and Coeli (10 mo.). Steve is an attorney who practices at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in D.C., and Meghan is a licensed esthetician (skin care).

Bill Waller ’11 graduated from George Mason University School of Law in May 2014. He also passed the Virginia State Bar in July 2014 and started working as a Magistrate in Virginia’s 10th Judicial District.

Michael ’13 and Lisa (Hoonhout) ’12 Davis welcomed their son, Christopher Evan Davis, on January 24, 2016, who is ready to be in the Christendom class of 2038.

Charles and Sarah (Slagel) Berninger ’10 welcomed the birth of their second child, Natalie Jeanette, born on May 7, 2015. Their son, Anthony (now four), is very happy to have a little sister. Also, Charles recently earned his aviator’s wings, qualifying him as a helicopter aircrew member in the U.S. Coast Guard. The Berningers live in Mobile, Alabama.

Kelly Lawyer ’13 got engaged on January 31 to Joshua Cabana of Fairfax. They are getting married in August 2016.

Mary Gurtowski ’15 is pursuing a writing career, publishing her first book, The Story of a Sailor, under the pen name of Therese J. Roberts. Check out her author page: amazon.com/author/ theresejroberts or her website at writingwithyourheart.com. Mary writes poetry, novels, non-fiction, and children’s books, and she plans to have more titles published soon.

Brian Rankin ’15 and Lindsey Trapp ’15 were married on September 05, 2015, in Front Royal, Va.

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SAVE THE DATE

HOMECOMING 2016

Teresa Cory ’15 recently relocated to Denver, Col., where she now works for FOCUS as a Donor Relations Specialist.

Upcoming Alumni Events

Peter and Jordan O’Dwyer ’11 had their first baby on December 15, 2015, Anita-Therese Kathleen O’Dwyer.

OCTOBER

This past summer, Brigid King ’15, Maggie Schuberg ’15, and Gabi Muskett ’15 traveled to Corsica, France, to spend the month of July doing mission work for the Community of St. John. Their time was spent doing manual labor by cleaning up the convent garden, cooking, and working at family summer retreats. The retreats consisted of numerous families spending a week there in order to grow spiritually and in friendship. Their trip was under the leadership of Fr. John Michael Paul, who led the Christendom 2014 Fall retreat.

• Saturday, June 25, 2016 2nd Annual Alumni Day of Reflection and Discussion

Maureen Dalley ’10 is a candidate for the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. She welcomes all prayers for her continued discernment.

• Friday October 7, 2016 6th Annual Thomas S. Vander Woude Golf Tournament Join the Yahoo! email list. christendom.edu/yahoo Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/cdomalumni

SPRING 2016

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Omnia in Christo Homeschooling as American History By Prof. Dixie Dillon Lane

Taken from the college’s motto “Instaurare Omnia in Christo,” this section features an essay or excerpt from a recent paper or talk by one of Christendom’s distinguished faculty.

O

f the seventeen students enrolled in my history course this year, all but four have been homeschooled. Sixty years ago, not one of them would have been; in fact, sixty years ago the idea of homeschooling would have seemed not just odd, but unthinkable.

Of course, American children have always studied academics at home, but that study and our modern homeschooling differ in important ways. When Abraham Lincoln studied at home, it was not because schools were necessarily failing; it was because studying at home was just what one did in order to become literate.

The American “common school” was only just beginning to develop, and even after it had, for a long time no one thought it odd when a child learned at home instead of school.

By 1950, however, it seemed positively unAmerican. This was in part a result of the professionalization of teaching in the early twentieth century, when progressive educators argued that schools should serve the purposes of social engineering. These professionals argued that parents lacked the expertise required by this new model of education: only trained teachers could properly prepare children for the modern industrial world.

So when the first modern homeschoolers appeared in the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, most Americans were alarmed. Uncertified parents teaching vulnerable children? Surveys suggested that most Americans strongly disapproved. The country had lost its earlier sense that school should supplement the education received in home and church, and not the other way around.

If this was the common feeling of the time, then from where did modern homeschooling come? We can see some possible causes in recent American history. From the start of the Cold War in roughly 1947, Americans began to lose the sense of togetherness that they had during World War II even as they came to see schooling as a matter of national defense (and national panic) that required heavy government intervention. Through a series of traumas and

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transformations, Americans also lost many of their most important shared social assumptions (good, bad, and indifferent) concerning the relationship between families and the state.

They began thinking, relating, and behaving in ways that evidenced a deep distrust of the public and its institutions, which they believed no longer amenable to the influence of ordinary, everyday Americans. My dissertation research suggests that this growing distrust led some parents, the first homeschoolers, to rebel against sending their children to public and even private schools that allowed increasingly less parental input on vital matters such as curricula, pedagogy, and discipline.

Educators distrusted parents, and parents distrusted educators. Neither could trust the other with the care of children.

Today about one in every twenty-five American schoolchildren is homeschooled. I would not suggest that homeschooling is now normal, or easy, or that it does not still face obstacles in law and society. Yet while growing so spectacularly over the past sixty years, it has also changed. Since the 1950’s, we have seen homeschooling transformed from a fearful, hidden activity to one characterized by robust communities, tremendous curricular resources, and an increasingly clear legal status. Rather than hiding their activities from local school principals as they once might have, today homeschooling parents call those principals up and arrange for their homeschoolers to join the public school football team. And the principals, generally speaking, let them.

What happened?

Over the decades between 1950 and 2010, homeschooling moved away from a simple anti-school, anti-institutional approach based

on endemic distrust and towards one that allowed some community involvement but prioritized family authority; that is to say, ultralocal control of education. First, in the 1970’s and ‘80’s, homeschoolers saved their dying movement by formalizing themselves into coops, associations, and organizations. This initial re-entry into a wider community of education allowed them to protect themselves legally while also helping each other to educate their children. And second, in the 1990’s and early 2000’s homeschooling further transformed itself into a post-institutional activity, one that drew from institutions but was not bound by them.

This is why Johnny can now do history online, choir at the public school, and math with his sisters. Homeschooling families can once again participate in public educational life, but this time without losing parental authority.

Education is both a private and a public good; when it is cut off from either sphere it weakens. Through modern homeschooling, Americans have found a way to reunite the public and the private even in a distrustful environment. They have created educational relationships that share their resources as needed while still respecting a fundamental commitment to subsidiarity (in this case, parental authority). Since that commitment in America, however tenuous it may sometimes seem, is as old as the New England town meeting, the history of homeschooling can be called not only illuminating, but also characteristically American.

Dixie Dillon Lane received her Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame in 2015. A specialist in the history of American homeschooling, she teaches American educational history at Christendom.

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