Instaurare | Summer 2016

Instaurare Summer 2016

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David & Goliath: Crusader Rugby Makes History | Caring for Students Beyond the Classroom College Launches Alumni Advisory Council | Preparing Students for Any Vocational Calling

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VOLUME 24 | NUMBER 2 | SUMMER 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, Tamlyn Sheng 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

Student Body President Robert McKay and Senior Class President Austin Leavitt show off their Christendom pride during Commencement Weekend. See section on page 13.

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“It’s a privilege to come to Christendom, known throughout our country and beyond for its fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the quality of the education offered here, and the caliber and commitment of its students and alumni.”

– EDWIN CARDINAL O’BRIEN Former Archbishop for the Military Services and current Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem Edwin Cardinal O’Brien received an honorary doctorate from the college. Listen to or watch his address and others from Commencement Weekend on YouTube or Christendom on iTunes U.

Inside This Issue 13

The Class of 2016 On May 13-15, the college celebrated its 37th Commencement Weekend, awarding seventy-two Bachelor of Arts degrees.

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College Launches Alumni Advisory Council The new council will serve as a liaison between the college and alumni, keeping each in touch with the other, as well as building an enduring community.

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David & Goliath: Crusader Rugby The story behind the team that defeated some of the biggest teams in the nation and achieved the best record in Christendom sports history.

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From the President

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Liberal Arts in Action: Pro-Life Movement

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News in Brief / 80 Priests in 40 Years

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Preparing Students for Any Vocational Calling

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Beyond the Classroom: Personal Care from Faculty & Staff

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Roots of Christendom Graduate School

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In the Classroom: History of Catholicism in Asia

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Photos: From The Chronicler

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Friends and Benefactor Events

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The Fine Arts at Christendom

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Prophetic Pedagogy

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Classmates: Alumni News

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Omnia in Christo: The Liberal Arts & the Culture Wars

SUMMER 2016

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Becoming Bearers of Light EXCERPT FROM COLLEGE PRESIDENT DR. TIMOTHY O’DONNELL’S CHARGE TO THE GRADUATES “Above all, at this moment in history we are in need of men, who through an enlightened and lived faith, render God credible in this world. The negative testimony of Christians who speak about God and live against him, has darkened God’s image and opened the door to disbelief. We need men who have their gaze directed to God to understand true humanity. We need men whose intellects are enlightened by the light of God, and whose hearts God opens, so that their intellects can speak to the intellects of others, and so that their hearts are able to open up to the hearts of others. Only through men who have been touched

by God, can God come near to men.”

- Benedict XVI During your time here you have been able to experience that fuller vision of light, that fuller narrative, which the spirit of the world—the spirit of darkness—does not want mentioned.

“Help them to see that with your Catholic faith you embrace the whole truth about God, man, and the created order.”

You also are blessed with the knowledge that “good will triumph over evil in the end.” You know that mercy is the limit which God places on evil and that, as St. Thomas tells us, God manifests His strength in His mercy. For what the world regards as “no’s” of Catholicism are in reality the signposts, the guardrails—if you will—that lead to true happiness!

But through the outstanding teaching of the faculty, and the hard work of the chaplains and staff, you have been given the light of faith and the light of reason—both of which find their source in Almighty God. You have come to see and experience the fuller narrative, which seeks and speaks the Truth.

Help others to give that great “yes” to Christ; for in saying “yes” to His Lordship, to His Kingship, you are saying: “yes” to God; “yes” to love; “yes” to human dignity; “yes” to our eternal destiny; “yes” to all that is true; “yes” to all that is good; “yes” to all that is beautiful; “yes” to happiness.

Through your study of theology, philosophy, history, literature, classics, mathematics, and all of your courses, you have experienced it.

You have experienced it in the conversations held in your residence halls and across campus.

Also during your time here, you formed deep bonds of friendship. Because of this educational formation you have not just “open” minds, but also discerning minds.

Be light-bearers, bearing within yourself the power of Truth, the power of love, the power of joy, which no one can take away from you.

Do this, and you too will change lives, change hearts, and yes, change the world. For God is still the master of all centuries and of all time. He holds eternity in His hands. Be lightbearers and you will be great. I know you can.

We know you can. Christ knows you can and beckons you to an eternal vision, which will beatify each of you. And know that our hearts and prayers go with you on your journey.

“There is an urgent need then, to see once again that faith is a light. For once the flame of faith burns out, all other lights begin to dim. The

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You have become “bearers of light.” That was the key to Dr. Carroll’s mission and our common vision in founding this college with its call “to restore all things in Christ.” My charge to you today, in this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy: Be bearers of light to your future spouse, your children, your friends, your associates, your parents, and your community.

Stay faithful to the Mass and to Our Lady.

Fulfill your calling and, with joy, let everyone you come in contact with see the great “yes” of your faith. Help them to see that with your Catholic faith you embrace the whole truth about God, man, and the created order.

The Catholic faith is reduced so often in the press to nothing but negativity and repression. A veritable litany of “no’s.” “No” to contraception; “no” to abortion; “no” to homosexuality; “no” to transgenderism; “no” to so-called gay unions; “no” to premarital sex; “no” to divorce; “no” to pornography.

Pope Francis wrote:

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light of faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence.

A light this powerful cannot come from ourselves; it must come from God.”

Praised be Jesus Christ now and forever. Amen.

ArtsinAction L i b e ra l

Christendom alumni are involved in just about every field possible and are making an impact on the culture. As leaders in the pro-life movement, our alumni are using their passion for the truth about the dignity of the human person to help change the cultural tide.

Lauren Merz ’10 Major: Philosophy Director of Strategic Partnerships Live Action, liveaction.org

“It’s hard to over-exaggerate how critical my time at Christendom was for preparing me for my current job as the managing editor of a rapidly growing online pro-life news publication, read by millions of people each month. While I can’t sing the praises of Christendom’s curriculum or professors highly enough, when I look back at my time there, I’m most grateful for the many, many opportunities Christendom gave me to enrich that core education through challenging and relevant extra-curricular activities: from writing for The Rambler, to participating in the Chester-Belloc Debate Society, to the astonishingly first-rate theatre productions in which I was able to act, to the literary society, to Shield of Roses. This all barely scratches the surface of what Christendom gave me. It gave me more than it is possible to enumerate here: a rich and coherent worldview, an active spiritual life, a love of the theatre, a love of philosophy, a love of rhetoric, my wife, and, yes, highly practical professional training in the field where I find myself today.”

“My Christendom liberal arts education and the incredible people who gave it to me, solidified my foundation on the Truths of the Church and the sacraments through which I gain strength daily. The teachers and mentors in college both exemplified and instilled in me the pursuit of excellence and true happiness, love for the Faith, and a thirst for Truth—for God Himself.

The life-long friendships I formed at Christendom help me to succeed in my career today, giving me the support system that keeps me both grounded and inspired. The writing, reading, communication, and critical thinking skills I learned through full course loads and work studies, combined with a full social schedule, trained me for the fun, busy life of being a Director of Fundraising. Anything is possible with God when we are relentlessly true to Him and His Church, giving ourselves in service to Him. By the challenge and calling of Christendom ‘to restore all things in Christ,’ I work with Live Action today to end abortion in our country, to restore our culture from one of death to one that protects and defends every human life—especially the most vulnerable, our preborn brothers and sisters.”

John Jalsevac ’08 Major: Philosophy Managing Editor LifeSiteNews.com

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Student-Athletes Get National Recognition Four of Christendom’s softball studentathletes were named to the 2016 USCAA Softball National All-Academic Team. The honors were awarded to the Lady Crusaders for achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher during their athletic season, continuing the Christendom tradition of producing high-caliber athletes on the field and in the classroom. Senior Annie Adams, playing in her final season with Christendom, was one of the honorees, along with juniors Mary Solitario, Elizabeth Rensch, and Katie Kelly.

The construction of the new women’s residence hall, St. Clare Hall, continues to move forward. The hall, scheduled to open in January 2017, will feature 25,000 finished square feet and will house 100 women.

College Hosts Student Affairs Conference The college hosted a number of student affairs professionals from Catholic colleges across the United States on May 24-26, for the Cardinal Newman Society’s annual Student Affairs Conference. Featuring presentations and lectures from top college speakers, including Christendom’s own Dr. Timothy O’Donnell and philosophy professor Dr. John Cuddeback, the conference sought to build and strengthen relationships amongst the nation’s top Catholic colleges.

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St. Faustina at Christendom

The college hosted a special performance of St. Luke Productions’ Faustina: Messenger of Divine Mercy on April 1—just two days before Divine Mercy Sunday. In the production, students experienced firsthand the spirit and life of St. Faustina, whose personal encounters with Jesus have inspired a world-wide devotion to Christ’s Divine Mercy. A parallel modern story within the drama offered students a compelling personal connection to the current moral issues of our times.

Baseball is Back

The college’s rich athletic program will offer even more to its studentathletes next spring when the men’s baseball program is re-established. After a two-year hiatus, the Christendom Crusaders will swing for the fences in the spring of 2017, giving students further opportunities to compete at the collegiate level.

Students Excel in Classical Translation Contest Four Christendom students won top spots in the Classical Association of the Middle West and South’s national Latin translation contest. Amongst hundreds of other competitors, Christendom College was the only school to have four students place in the top two levels of the intermediate contest. Sophomores Cecilia Gallagher and John Martz were among the five first-place winners at the intermediate level, while freshman Garrett Boord earned second-place honors. At the advanced level, senior Robert Johnson earned a certificate of commendation.

New Alternative to the SAT Students interested in attending Christendom College now have an additional standardized testing option— the Classic Learning Test (CLT)—to go along with the standard SAT and ACT tests. The CLT, which utilizes a multiple choice system based on readings from some of the greatest minds of Western Civilization, gives students with a classical education a testing system better suited to their educational strengths.

Christendom is one of the first colleges to add this new aptitude test as part of its admissions process.

Political Action League Separates from Republicans The college’s College Republicans group recently changed its name and dropped affiliation with the national and state College Republicans over the recent sexual orientation amendment.

Now called the “Christendom Political Action League” (CPAL), the group chose to disassociate itself from the College Republican Federation of Virginia (CRFV) after it received nearly unanimous support to add sexual orientation as a protected class in the chapter’s constitution.

NE A R LY 8 0 P RI ESTS I N 40 YEARS Fr. Philip O’Neill ’12 was ordained a diocesan priest for the Diocese of Hartford, Conn., on May 21.

Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo ’04 was ordained a priest in the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton on May 1.

Christendom College’s vibrant Catholic educational experience has helped inspire nearly two hundred religious vocations since its founding, thanks to the college’s firm commitment to the Magisterium and its vibrant spiritual atmosphere. Of the nearly two hundred alumni that have discerned vocations to the religious life, seventy-nine men have been ordained priests, with another 25 men currently studying for the priesthood in the seminary.

Fr. Matthew Rensch ’11 was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Burlington, Vt., on June 21.

Please pray for all of Christendom’s priests and religious.

Fr. Alex McCullough ‘09 was ordained at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains, Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 21.

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PREPARING STUDENTS FOR VOCATIONAL CALLING

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college education is seen as an investment, one that will help students grow in wisdom, as well as the pursuit of excellence and success in their lives—personally, spiritually, and professionally.

A Christendom liberal arts education is one of the best investments available. The Catholic liberal arts education offered is time-tested and rigorous, which develops the student’s intellect in such a powerful way that he graduates with the ability to master any subject—no matter how complex the vocational calling. The curriculum and committed faculty are complemented by a culture of unmatched personal attention, helping each student discern and develop his academic and vocational goals, which help them become the great men and women God has called them to be. As a result, they graduate inspired and empowered to achieve true greatness and become tomorrow’s leaders.

Two years ago, in an effort to help the students better prepare for their post-graduation lives, the college made some organizational

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Education for a Lifetime (ELP) Leadership Projects

changes that put the office of Career and Leadership Development under the newly created office of Enrollment.

Now, two years later, it is evident that this restructuring of the position has been a resounding success, and is helping students to better understand their vocational callings.

Working closely with Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Tom McFadden, the Director of the Career and Leadership Office, Greg Monroe, has been able to transform many aspects of the career development program, giving the students many new offerings that complement their timetested and rigorous liberal arts education and will launch them on the road to success.

Tied to the “Introduction to Leadership Workshop” in which sophomores participate as part of the ELP Program, Monroe guided students in planning, coordinating, executing, and reflecting on a project that demonstrated their leadership capabilities and made a significant impact on campus or in their local community. Highlights of these projects included the formation of the “Christendom Crooners” a capella singing group, planning a new mission trip to the Bronx, N.Y., over spring break, initiating the first Philosophy Thesis Defenses, and putting on the epic theatrical production Les Misérables.

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Graduate School Prep

Over the past two years, over 50 students have taken advantage of the college’s offer to enroll in an online GRE study program and take the GRE for free—a savings for the student of $300. Monroe, in conjunction with history professor Dr. Michael Kelly, also created the Graduate School Mentorship and Advisory Committee—a rotating panel of volunteer faculty members who provide support to those students who wish to pursue graduate studies, and also identify and mentor those students who demonstrate the capability for advanced studies.

Life on Tap

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Revitalizing these alumni networking events, they became some of the most popular events on campus. Every month, numerous alumni traveled back to Christendom to give talks on how the college helped them find success in their career field, giving current students the opportunities to learn the secrets to their success, while also building valuable networking connections with successful alumni.

Internship Partnerships

The Dare to Be Great Advanced Education Scholarship Fund Phil O’Herron ’00, a Post-Doc at the Medical University of South Carolina, related his passion for science, which led him from Christendom to eventually earning a Ph.D. in neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University.

Students network with New York Times bestselling author Ben Hatke ’00 during a “Life on Tap” about the field of editing, writing, and publishing.

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In the interest of further helping students prepare for success after college, Monroe partnered with local businesses in the real estate, medical, law, consulting, publishing, religious, and demographic studies fields, in addition to providing students with shadowing opportunities at a variety of businesses, including the Smithsonian Institute in nearby Washington, D.C.

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Designed to support the college’s mission of forming proactive learners and leaders, the scholarship provides financial support to students who wish to supplement their Christendom education outside the college curriculum in order to prepare them for future occupations and academia—such as helping a student attend a business leadership conference, if they plan on starting their own business after college.

After serving the college for the past two years as the director of career and leadership development, Greg Monroe ’08 is embarking on a new adventure: becoming one of the youngest diocesan school principals in the country when he begins work at St. John Paul II Catholic High School in Tallahassee, Fl., this summer. He was a great asset to the college and will be missed as he continues to fulfill his personal motto of “advance always.”

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enduring Community

BY ABIGAIL REIMEL ’17

College Launches Alumni Advisory Council

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hristendom College is a phenomenal place and my time there shaped who I am to this day,” says Karla Hester ’99, chair of Christendom’s new Alumni Advisory Council.

The Alumni Advisory Council aims to keep Christendom’s graduates connected with each other, providing more opportunities for former classmates to reconnect, support each other, and stay in touch. Hester shared that it was important to her to start the Council because she did not want to lose the growth and connections from her four years at Christendom: “When I graduated 17 years ago, before the dawn of social media, I began to feel a sense that the people I shared that time with and I would ultimately drift apart because life happens. It is so important for me to be able to see what other graduates are up to these days. I know others did as well. I have long wondered what those other people did after

L-R: Karla Hester ’99 gives a presentation at the inaugural meeting of the Alumni Advisory Council; Brad Torline ’16 and Nancy Briggs ’82 chat about their shared Christendom experience; College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell addresses the Council.

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...this council is a way for all of us—even from across the decades—to learn more about each other and to be at each other’s service if even just through prayer. The networking opportunities are limitless.

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graduating. I asked myself if their Christendom experience took them to similar places. For me, this council is a way for all of us—even from across the decades—to learn more about each other and to be at each other’s service, if even just through prayer, as we work together ‘to restore all things in Christ.’ The networking opportunities are limitless.”

events to keep the alumni connected, but also advise the college on future development. Through this teamwork, the current students will be more aware of the continued support guaranteed them after graduation, and the alumni will continue to play an active role in the beautiful community that helped them grow.

She explains that after they all worked hard together, there was a natural desire to see the fruits of their labor, to see how everyone succeeded and how their time together became the foundation for something great. After speaking with several alumni and discovering they all shared this same desire for deeper, more consistent connection after graduation, Hester and a few other alumni attempted to organize something, but they needed more official involvement from the college itself. In 2015, the time was finally right. Working with Paul Jalsevac, director of advancement operations, Karla pulled together a group of alumni leaders from all eras.

The Council believes that their purpose—keeping everyone connected out of genuine care and love for one another and to further the college’s mission— makes the Council well worth all their time and effort. Hester is excited about the first event hosted by the Council: a summer tour around the country, which involves various alumni hosting BBQ events and inviting all alumni in the area either to reconnect or meet new friends in order to strengthen the sense of Christendom community across the nation.

The Alumni Advisory Council will serve as a liaison between the college and the alumni, keeping each in touch with the other. It will keep everyone connected with more cohesiveness, primarily through outreach events and techniques to help everyone feel part of a enduring community. The Council will not only work to build

“Ultimately I see this as a cause that is overdue in coming and I am happy to devote my time to it. Also, I want my children to see how important it is to continue to support worthwhile causes and to give of ourselves. They will be with us this summer in the midst of the insanity that is a 10,000mile road trip,” she says. “Hopefully they will already begin to get a sense of what Christendom means.”

This summer, alumni Karla and Tim Hester have set off on a 10,000 mile summer long cross country tour visiting and reconnecting with the alumni community.

Find out more and register for an event near you at christendom.edu/grillchill.

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Beyond the Classroom

BY ABIGAIL REIMEL ’17

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hristendom College has always been proud of the family atmosphere it creates for its students, an atmosphere which allows them to grow spiritually and intellectually while receiving a unique level of personal attention from the faculty and staff.

Driven by a genuine love for the students, both faculty and staff alike often use their individual talents to serve the students outside the classroom, because they want to see the students do well. Choosing to attend Christendom is choosing to become part of a family that will always care about helping each member find fulfillment through doing God’s will in the best way possible.

“We fall in love with the students. They become like our own children and you want to help them as you watch them progress during their time here,” shared Mrs. Sharon Hickson, assistant professor of English at Christendom.

Hickson often hosts women’s talks on campus covering a range of topics, including body image, friendships, dating, bullying, and self-worth. She also invites the girls over to her house, arranging senior girl parties or upperclassman gatherings to encourage the girls to bond with each other and learn how their connections can inspire the younger students to form better friendships as well.

“Often the most important education happens outside the classroom,” Hickson explained. “Class is like boot camp.

But outside of class the faculty are always approached with personal questions from students. They need us to speak to

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We who work so closely with students have the responsibility to continue to form them, and to lead them by example and guidance, to become fully the person God wishes each of them to be.

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them generally, to give talks about non-academic subjects to guide them.”

Professor Mike Brown, assistant professor of philosophy and coordinator of Christendom’s Mission Trip Program, shared that he also gives so much of his time to the students because, in his words, “I truly care about my students and their well-being.”

Brown is well-known around campus for his delicious food and his passion for working with students. From organizing the popular hikes that culminate in praying Mass at the top of a mountain, to arranging quodlibets, where the professors answer the students’ intellectual questions while everyone enjoys the catered food prepared by Brown himself, he is always trying to come up with new ideas to create an engaging, well-rounded college experience for the students.

“While my responsibilities obviously include teaching and planning missions and activities, we who work so closely with students have the responsibility to continue to form them, and to lead them by example and guidance, to become fully the person God wishes each of them to be,” Brown shared when asked why he goes above and beyond to be involved with the student body.

The same can be said of the staff at Christendom College.

Vice President for Enrollment Tom McFadden reaches out to the students on a personal level also, inviting them to his house for dinners and bonfires, as well as eating lunch daily with them, helping them navigate their college years better.

Top L-R: Senior ladies enjoy an evening at Prof. Sharon Hickson’s home; Prof. Mike Brown hosts a special faculty and student luncheon. Bottom L-R: Students enjoy lunch with Prof. Ray O’Herron and Dr. Doug Flippen; Dr. John Cuddeback hosts a dance at his homestead; VP for Enrollment Tom McFadden gives culinary instruction to male students at his home.

“I know people come from familial backgrounds, so it is good for them to go to someone’s house, where there’s a father figure. It helps support them. Giving them that time and showing them you support them helps them mature away from home, while still having a nurturing home environment to steady them,” McFadden explained.

Though he helps students both with entering the school and with finding career success afterwards, he personally enjoys reaching out to them through various means. He likes to attend the athletic events and cheer on the teams, and has recently begun teaching a men’s cooking class this past semester to give them a chance to enjoy learning some very useful culinary skills. Like the faculty members, McFadden shared that the staff reach out to students because they are all a part of the same family.

“If we were just a big school pumping out graduates we wouldn’t care. But each student is another valuable member of the Christendom family. The Christendom education is not just about getting a degree or a job— it’s about relationships.”

Many other members of the college community offer their time and talents to students outside the classroom, whether through attendance at performance events, giving talks to the students, eating meals with them, having dinners at their homes, hosting movie nights, performing at college events, or playing intramurals with them. The faculty and staff offer the students a personalized education, both in and outside the classroom—something that truly makes a Christendom education unique.

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Acclaimed Author Speaks on

The Roots of Christendom’s Graduate School

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n April 18, the college welcomed Fr. Peter Mitchell, author of the recentlyreleased book, The Coup at Catholic University: The 1968 Revolution in Catholic Higher Education. Fr. Mitchell presented on the infamous controversy surrounding Fr. Charles Curran at CUA in 1967-69, an event that was paradigmatic of and, in many ways, a major impetus for the crisis of dissent within Catholic higher education that occurred in the wake of Humanae Vitae.

Implicit in Mitchell’s account was the story of Christendom College’s graduate school founding—a story that to this point has not been widely told. The Coup at Catholic University is dedicated to the college’s graduate school founder, Msgr. Eugene Kevane, who emerges as an antitype of Curran and the story’s unsung hero.

Kevane, who was then head of CUA’s School of Education, was ousted from CUA in 1968 for his defense of the Magisterium and his virtually solitary resistance to the reinstatement of Curran. Kevane accurately predicted at that time what would happen within the Catholic university system and the wider culture if Curran’s dissent went unchecked.

After losing his post as dean of the School of Education, Kevane joined with the Notre Dame Sisters to found the Notre Dame Institute in 1969. This institute merged with Christendom College in 1997 to become the college’s graduate school to continue its work of forming Catholic educators. While heading the institute, Kevane also

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spearheaded the writing of the widely-acclaimed Faith and Life catechetical series published by Ignatius Press. Translated into other languages, Pope Benedict XVI called the series “the best catechetical series in the German language.”

Fr. Mitchell received his STD in Church History from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 2009 and is currently pastor of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Greenville, Wis. His first book is entitled, John Paul II, We Love You: Young People Encounter the Pope (Servant, 2007).

College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell signs the documents that finalize the merger of the Notre Dame Institute as Christendom’s Graduate School of Theology in 1997.

COMMENCEMENT 2016

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undreds of hours of classes, events, sports games, and friendships came to a culmination on May 13-15, as the college celebrated its 37th Commencement Weekend.

Awarding seventy-two Bachelor of Arts degrees and one associate of arts degree to the Class of 2016, the Christendom community came together to honor them, along with Dr. James Hitchcock and Edwin Cardinal O’Brien, at the Commencement ceremonies.

Cardinal O’Brien celebrated the Baccalaureate Mass and received an honorary doctorate, while Hitchcock was awarded Christendom’s Queen Isabel Catholic Vision of History Award before delivering the commencement address.

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COMMENCEMENT 2016 SUMMER 2016 15 SPRING 2016

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COMMENCEMENT 2016

On Friday evening, the college warmly welcomed over a thousand guests to campus for the weekend’s festivities, beginning with the Baccalaureate Mass, celebrated by Cardinal O’Brien, former Archbishop for the Military Services and current Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. In his moving homily, Cardinal O’Brien touched upon the themes of commencement, encouraging graduates and their families to listen to Christ’s call to be His disciples in the present and in the years to come.

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After the Mass, graduates and their families were treated to an elegant reception at the picturesque Shenandoah Valley Country Club. While there, parents took advantage of the opportunity to meet the college’s faculty and staff, who were instrumental in mentoring their children during their time at Christendom, while seniors spent the evening reminiscing and celebrating their four years at the college. Following cocktails, an exquisite dinner, and several toasts, seniors and their families returned to campus for one last dance at the college, featuring a live swing band, Yesterday’s Swing Orchestra.

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1) Edwin Cardinal O’Brien is awarded an honorary doctorate. 2) Valedictorian Amy Marter. 3) Salutatorian Sarah Greydanus. 4) Dr. James Hitchcock with former students: Christendom professors Drs. Michael Kelly, Brendan McGuire, and Christopher Lane. 5) Dr. Hitchcock receives the Queen Isabel Catholic Vision of History Award. 6) Vince Criste presents Elisabeth Willson with the Student Achievement Award. 7 & 8) Families enjoy chatting and dining with professors on Friday night.

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Salutatorian Sarah Greydanus of Bloomfield, N.J., welcomed all the attendees to the ceremonies, noting in her address the sometimes strange and comical similarities between the ritual aspect of commencement and the life that the Class of 2016 led while at Christendom.

College president Dr. Timothy O’Donnell followed Greydanus’ salutatory address by bestowing an honorary doctorate in humane letters on Cardinal O’Brien, which inducted him as an official member of the Christendom College Class of 2016. In his remarks, Cardinal O’Brien praised Christendom for its education and fidelity to the Church over the past nearly forty years, and encouraged the graduates to become leaders in civic and Church life upon graduation.

“I know how grateful all of you are to your families and to the faculty and staff of our college, for helping you reach this

COMMENCEMENT 2016

Saturday morning began with sunshine, caps, gowns, and bagpipes, as the soon-to-be graduates processed from Christ the King Chapel to St. Louis the Crusader Gymnasium for the Commencement ceremonies.

Robert McKay London, England Major: History “Christendom has taught me the value of my faith—not to be ashamed of what you believe in.

That, instead of making you an outcast, it gives you something that other people don’t have, something to be proud of and to give to other people. The gift of our faith is wasted if we do not pass it on to others.

After Christendom, I hope to do just this: to live in such a way that people ask, “Why? What gives him the right to be so joyful and to act the way he does?” I want to be a person that makes others jealous of what I have. And the best thing about this is that they don’t have to be jealous, they can have what I have and I hope to help them get it.”

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academic milestone. It’s a privilege to come to Christendom, known throughout our country and beyond for its fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the quality of the education offered here, and the caliber and commitment of its students and alumni,” he began.

and media, and elite university life. For a change, they are right. Young graduates, future years will bring you significant successes in many endeavors, but only the Gospel and generous service to others, steeped in prayer, will bring you peace of heart and the hope of Heaven.”

“Dear graduates, value the education that you have received here. It has equipped you to civic and Church leadership, and done so well. But sacrifice will be demanded of you, and I think you’re up to it,” he continued. “As we know, some foes, to their fear and chagrin, see the success of Christendom as a threat to their increasingly secular dictatorship in politics

After receiving the college’s Queen Isabel of Spain Catholic Vision of History Award, first given to the college’s founder and fellow historian, Dr. Warren Carroll, Dr. James Hitchcock delivered an inspirational address to the graduates, filled with wit and wisdom. Drawing upon his own personal history in the field of education, Hitchcock illuminated

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1) Will Tomlinson and his family and junior Xochitl Ortega. 2) Michelle Miller and Liz Roberts celebrate following graduation. 3) Maggie Kopeck receives a proposal right after receiving her degree. 4) Mary Clare Pilon with her father, Associate Librarian Stephen Pilon. 5) Catherine McFadden, daughter of VP for Enrollment and Marketing Tom McFadden, with her family. 6) The 2016 Philanthropy Board. 7) Bridget McMahon and her family 8) Becca Francis and her family.

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celebrating, here at Christendom, a very triumphant event,” Hitchcock said.

“When I was in graduate school, several of us got together with the idea: maybe we could start a lay Catholic college.

Why? Because, if there was going to be any hope for a liberal Catholic institution, it would have to come from the laity.

While our idea never got off the ground, whoever would have guessed that a wave of neo-Catholic colleges run by laymen would appear later, and that they would be the ones preserving the authenticity of the Faith, often against the infidelity of some of the clerically-run institutions? We are

Before ending, Hitchcock praised the college’s faculty, particularly the history department’s Dr. Brendan McGuire, Dr. Michael Kelly, and Dr. Christopher Lane, all former graduate students of his, commenting that “the history here is in the best possible hands.”

Following the commencement address, assistant director of donor and alumni relations Vince Criste presented the Student Achievement Award to Elisabeth Willson of Fort

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the need for strong, Catholic liberal arts colleges, such as Christendom, to exist in our modern age.

Cecilia Flagg Bedford, Virginia Major: English Language & Literature “If there is one thing that stands out to me as a new graduate, it is that going into the world and accepting my vocation—while leading others to Christ—will require courage, sincerity, and unceasing charity, and Christendom has helped prepare me for this lifelong challenge in four short years. Through Christendom’s curriculum, I’ve encountered many great philosophers, theologians, authors, and historians, who have constantly inspired me by their virtue and integrity and have shown me the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

I’ve been challenged by my professors and peers to constantly become the best possible version of myself. In this next year, I know the world will have a lot in store for me; however, I am confident that I have the means necessary to keep growing in the Faith and helping others, because of my life at Christendom.”

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Defiance, Va., for her impressive additions to the community over the prior 4 years. Willson made great contributions to the academic, athletic, and social life of the college as the head female resident assistant, as a member of the choir and the varsity basketball team, and as a counselor for the Experience Christendom Summer Program.

“As we conclude our journey together, in this extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, let us also remember how we began our formation on this campus, in the Year of Faith,” she said. “While this convergence might seem like a happy coincidence, it enables us to see our time at Christendom as a pilgrimage, bookended by these two virtues.”

Valedictorian Amy Marter of Lake Village, Ind., then delivered the farewell address. She encouraged graduates to share the gift of Faith they received at Christendom with others, in order to fulfill the mission of the college to “restore all things in Christ.”

Closing the ceremony, college president Dr. Timothy O’Donnell delivered his charge to the graduates. [Editor’s Note: See page 2.]

Parents Praise Christendom

“Christendom College has been a source of traditional Catholic education for our children. We live in a very chaotic and blemished society. Christendom has helped to educate our children morally, academically, and spiritually—to uphold their Catholic Faith in a world that wants to keep God out. Our goal as parents is to get our children's souls to heaven; Christendom has truly been a blessing on this journey!”

-- Brian and Mary Pat Kavanagh Parents of Five Christendom Alumni

“Christendom is the authentically Catholic college we wanted our children to attend. As we searched for a college that was worthy to further the eighteen years we had invested in our children through home education, we became convinced that the liberal arts education received at Christendom College would continue to properly form them to think rightly. We saw the good fruits and were convinced of its value. We encouraged all five of our children to make Christendom their alma mater and she has been a ‘bountiful mother!’”

-- Hank and Karen Weber Parents of Five Christendom Alumni

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The college’s newest alumni are eager to work to “restore all things in Christ,” and are excited about the many opportunities they will have to be light-bearers to those with whom they come in contact. Jacob Hiserman, for example, will be entering a two-year Master’s program in history at Baylor University, with a concentration in the History of American Higher Education and American Religious History, while Catherine McFadden will be entering a 12-month

accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing program at George Mason University. Jeremy Minick has founded a web development company (Enable Design) in Virginia, while Elisabeth Willson has accepted a teaching position at Seton School. Amy Marter will intern at Our Sunday Visitor this summer before heading back East to study for her Master’s Degree in English at The Catholic University of America, while Kayla Newcomb will be working in the advancement and marketing office at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Other members of the class are pursuing positions in the fields of business, education, marketing, public policy, editing, law, and much more.

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Following the ceremonies, the graduates and their families participated in an outdoor BBQ luncheon, hosted by the alumni affairs office.

Austin Leavitt Franklin, Massachusetts Major: English Language & Literature “Christendom taught me many invaluable things.

Most importantly, it taught me the answer to a question that most of the world asks everyday - “How can I live a life that is full of joy and meaning?” Christendom, the education and experiences it offers, not only answers that question, but helped teach and inspire me to live and strive as an example of this, to everyone around me. I believe that Christendom gave me, and the rest of my class, the foundation and the means to do that and now it’s our obligation to do so, and change the culture from the inside out.”

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Former Executive Vice President Presented with Pope St. Gregory the Great Award During the Friday dinner, former long-time Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mark McShurley was given the Pope St. Gregory the Great Award, which was instituted as a special way to acknowledge stewardship and service to the college and its Board of Directors.

“The college is what it is today in a large part due to his talent and commitment—the gold standard in Catholic higher education,” Dr. O’Donnell said during the presentation of the award. “For 30 years he served with fidelity and distinction and has left behind a strong legacy which continues to benefit us all.”

Maria Klosterman Rochester, New York Major: Philosophy “On top of giving me an amazing education, I have made great friends, for which I will be forever grateful.

Christendom has helped me to organize my mind and develop my critical and analytical thinking skills in such a way that I know I will be ready for any career. I plan to make a difference through helping businesses return to the goal of innovations which help society—whether it’s in a global way or at a local level. I am going to help people and businesses that invent better ways to live and that positively impact our culture, rather than better ways to make money.”

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In the Classroom HIGHLIGHTING A COURSE FROM OUR RICH CURRICULUM

HIST 494 HISTORY OF CATHOLICISM IN ASIA Christianity, like virtually every global religion, was born in Asia, and today Asia is home to about 125 million Catholics. This course examines the history of Catholicism in Asia, from the early Church’s growth in Persia and India, up to the present day. It focuses on regions outside the sphere of the ancient Roman Empire, and thus the geographical scope stretches from Mesopotamia in the west to Japan in the east.

FROM THE PROFESSOR DR. CHRISTOPHER J. LANE As a historian of early modern Catholicism, I have long taken an interest in the Church’s global expansion. Indeed, the very mention of Asian Catholicism often brings to mind the sixteenth-century missions of figures like St. Francis Xavier.

To stop there, however, would be to have only a piece of a much larger story, indeed a surprising story that suggests that Catholicism is no less indigenous to Asia than to Europe.

As we explore this history, we are guided by a number of key questions. How did early Christian communities in Persia, India, and China grow, and how did they relate to the universal Church? How did new missions arise in the globalizing context of the early modern period? How have the policies and actions of temporal authorities affected the Church’s growth in Asia? How does the concept of “inculturation” illuminate the history of Catholicism in Asia,

and what controversies have arisen over varying approaches to inculturation? And finally, given the small percentage of Catholics in most Asian countries, has Catholicism “failed” in Asia for its being a “foreign religion,” as many would contend?

Teaching this course has been a great delight, for it ultimately enables my students and me to explore the diverse cultures of Asia and their experience of the catholicity of the Church.

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The Chronicler {christendom.edu/chronicler}

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Student Athletes: Senior Crusaders

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Christendom celebrated St. Joseph’s Day with the annual procession from Christ the King Chapel during a beautiful snowfall.

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Comedic “Whodunit” fun at the annual Mystery Dinner Theater, written and produced by students.

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Annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities led by College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell.

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Students performed Les Misérables this spring (read more about the performance on page 29).

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Students chat with Dr. Robert Wilken of the University of Virginia prior to his lecture, “Cardinal Virtues and Some: The Christianization of Hellenism.”

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The Christendom community packed into Crusader Gymnasium for an exciting Boxing Bout.

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Junior and team captain Mary Solitario lets a pitch fly.

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2016 Spring Break Missionaries

10. 2016 Lady Crusader Softball.

11. Junior Semester in Rome: Director of English Programing for Vatican Radio Sean-Patrick Lovett gives students an exclusive tour of Vatican Radio.

12. Junior Semester in Rome: Classroom (i.e. Colosseum).

13. Junior Semester in Rome: Students learn all about the art and architecture of the city in the places where they actually exist, rather than simply in the classroom.

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14. Author and historian Dan Williams gave an exclusive lecture about the pro-life movement before Roe v. Wade, which is the subject of his book, Defenders of the Unborn.

15. Sister Joseph Andrew, O.P., founder of the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist, speaks to students about their role in the Catholic community as heroes.

16. The lower hall of The John Paul the Great Student Center was recently renovated, replacing the flooring, lighting, paint, as well as installing a state of the art surround system for the student body.

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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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D av i d & G o l i at h Christendom Rugby Triumphs Over the Nation’s Biggest Teams to Achieve the Best Record in School History

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hree trophies. Two huge tournament wins. And the best record in Christendom sports history: 20-5. To say that the performance of Christendom’s rugby team this season was impressive is an understatement.

In twenty-five matches, spread over the fall and spring, the Crusaders played some of the biggest teams in the nation and came out victorious time after time, accumulating twenty wins in the process. How did they accomplish so many achievements, especially with a team consisting of many players stepping foot onto a rugby pitch for the first time?

Through perseverance, example, and prayer, truly living up to the motto of the Christendom athletic department: “for the love of the game and the glory of God.”

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Christendom’s rugby team has been impressing onlookers for many years, after rising from a student-begun club sport to one of the college’s most successful varsity teams. When male students apply to the college, many do so now with the mindset of playing rugby as a Crusader.

While these students have the desire to play, many lack the experience. In fact, of the team’s current 26-man roster, more than half never played the game before coming to Christendom, giving opposing teams the impression that they are competing against a lesser, more inexperienced squad. Based on the Crusaders’ record of 27-7 the past two seasons, along with an undefeated season in 2013, that could not be further from the truth.

One reason for the Crusaders’ seemingly inexplicable success comes from the incredible student leadership that has been at the heart of the rugby program since day one, particularly from newly graduated team captains Patrick Audino and Robert McKay. Both were among the few who had played rugby before coming to Christendom, bringing a wealth

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Like the titular biblical hero, the Crusaders entered match after match as the seeming underdog, and left match after match as the unquestioned victor.

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of experience and talent to Christendom’s rugby pitch over the past four years. Together, along with other high-school rugby players, they turned students with no prior experience into rugby superstars, and helped build a sense of team commitment and brotherhood that many seasoned rugby programs never experience.

Thanks to this student leadership, along with the willingness to practice hard every single day of the season, Christendom’s rugby coaching staff was also able to guide and advance the rugby program to where it stands today. Coaches Theo Smith and James Conrad both played and coached rugby extensively before coming to the Christendom athletic program, having both the knowledge and the strategies to guide a successful team. Thanks to the commitment of Audino, McKay, and every player on the team, they were able to develop even more advanced strategies over the past few years, contributing exponentially to the historic 2015-16 season.

For the first time in team history, the Crusaders began playing in the fall, after being invited to compete against teams in

the Cardinals Conference—one of the biggest conferences in the National Small Rugby College Organization (NSCRO), a subsidiary of USA Men’s Rugby. Despite having many key players either studying in Rome or injured, the team managed to end 2015 with a record of 5-2, defeating big-name schools such as James Madison University, the College of William and Mary, the Merchant Marine Academy, and George Mason University along the way.

When the Crusaders returned in the spring, they did so rejuvenated, with their entire 26-man roster, and with a schedule that dwarfed their three previous seasons combined.

Not only did the Crusaders play in three huge tournaments in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh, they also hosted the 3rd Annual Shield Rugby Match against the Franciscan University of Steubenville, and traveled south to play the biggest-name school any Christendom team has ever faced: Duke University. Many teams would be intimidated at such a schedule; the Crusaders were only eager to prove how far they had come as a team.

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Their first stop would be their biggest: Duke.

The Blue Devils entered the match with national recognition, a much-larger team, and a ranking of #12. None of those facts mattered to the Crusaders, as they quickly exploited the Blue Devils’ weaknesses to end the forty minutes with a stunning victory, 31-10.

Friends & Benefactor Events

The triumph of a much-smaller school, such as Christendom, over the sheer force of a muchlarger school like Duke set a David vs. Goliath tone for the rest of the season. Like the titular biblical hero, the Crusaders entered match after match as the seeming underdog, and left match after match as the unquestioned victor.

In New York City, the Crusaders played against Cornell, King’s Point, William Paterson, Babson, and American University, looking for the 13th Annual Four Leaf 15’s Tournament trophy, in the shadow of the Manhattan skyline. The Crusaders swept through all five matches, stunning the opposition, and scoring another trophy for the Christendom trophy case. In Pittsburgh, the Crusaders crushed the opposition for their second straight Jeff Hewitt Memorial Tournament trophy. And in front of hundreds on Crusader Field at home, they defended the Shield Trophy, defeating the Franciscan University of Steubenville for the second-straight year, 54-31.

In fitting fashion, the Crusaders finished their season at home, defeating the men’s rugby club Griffons U23 68-25, and capturing something even more historic in the process: the twentieth win of the season, and the legacy of being the most successful sports team in Christendom history.

The story of Christendom’s rugby team truly is one of overcoming all the odds to achieve success—much like the story of Christendom College itself. The size of the team, and the college, became one of its biggest blessings, as the team became as tight as brothers, whether on the field, in the classroom, studying together, or praying together in Christ the King Chapel.

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Benefactors and friends enjoyed a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi during this Year of Mercy on March 4-13. Led by Dr. and Mrs. Timothy O’Donnell, attendees discovered the treasures of the Eternal City and the home of St. Francis. A similar trip is being offered from October 28 November 6. Learn more and see the full itinerary at: christendom.edu/pilgrimage.

On April 21, college benefactors and friends boarded the Hornblower Cruise Line for a cruise in New York City harbor. The time aboard the ship was generously donated by the cruise ship’s owners, Terry and Mary McRae. While enjoying the world-famous skyline, attendees discovered a message of hope for the future as they learned about Christendom’s unique educational approach to a formation of the whole person in Truth.

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The Fine Arts at Christendom

he fine arts lie at the very heart of the Christendom College experience, both inside and outside the classroom.

Since the college’s founding, the rich creativity fostered in the classroom has flowed beautifully into the college’s many fine arts offerings, evidenced by the beauty of the choir or the dramatic talent that sets the stage aglow each semester.

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Christendom gives each student ample opportunity to flex their creative muscle in performance settings, resulting in a truly unique, vibrant Catholic culture.

While the college does not offer a performing arts major, this turns out to be a blessing for many students, who would be unable to participate in plays, musicals, and more at other colleges or universities without such a major. At Christendom, everyone is invited to participate in song, dance, and theatrical productions—a distinctive facet of community life at the college that has resulted in many students gaining confidence on stage.

Students who enjoy music have many opportunities to do so.

If they want to learn and sing the Church’s most beautiful hymns, from Palestrina to Josquin des Prez, they can join the college’s choir, led by the talented conductor and composer Dr. Kurt Poterack. The choir sings at each Sunday Mass,

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and also sings during Vespers, processions, and other college functions, such as commencement. Others can join the Christendom Crooners a capella group, or perform in the student-organized Chamber Orchestra. Talented pianists can perform during the annual piano night, while other musicians and singers can perform during Coffee House, St. Cecilia’s Eve, or Pub Nights.

Dancers, too, can enthrall audiences during the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, Coffee House, swing and waltz competitions, and much more.

In addition to these more casual performances, students can bring their God-given dramatic, musical, and comedic skills to theatrical productions as well by performing in epic musicals, Shakespearian dramas, or “mystery dinner theaters.” This past spring, Christendom students were responsible for directing and producing two very entertaining shows: the student

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...students have the ability to create and perform with confidence, while at the same time, not sacrificing their rigorous education in the Catholic liberal arts.

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edition of the famed Broadway musical, Les Misérables, and a student-written Mystery Dinner Theater production.

Sophomores Kieran O’Donnell and Emma Hackett put their unique stamp on the renowned production of Les Misérables.

Guiding a cast and crew of over eighty students through weeks of practice, they poured their creativity into every aspect of the production, from the choreography, to the costumes, to the set design. By the end of the spring semester, the student production of Les Misérables was unveiled, resulting in roaring acclaim and incredible satisfaction on the part of every student who was involved.

The opportunity to learn how to direct, produce, and even write shows is not just a possibility at Christendom, it’s encouraged, resulting in not only productions like Les Misérables, but also the college’s annual Mystery Dinner Theater.

Mystery Dinner Theater has been a spring staple for years, with the senior class presenting a hilarious, intriguing, and interactive “whodunit” to audiences each year. The comedic and creative talents of the students come out in full force for the performances, with the students often decked out in elaborate costumes and surrounded by incredible sets, all designed by the students themselves. Even the production itself is written, produced, and directed by key members of the senior class, resulting in original shows that consistently bring the house down with laughter year after year.

All of these opportunities are a trademark of the entire Christendom College experience, where students have the ability to create and perform with confidence, while at the same time, not sacrificing their rigorous education in the Catholic liberal arts. From the theatrical to the casual, and from song to dance, the fine arts at Christendom are as rich as ever and constantly growing, thanks to the creativity and initiative of the student body.

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Prophetic PEDAGOGY

BY DR. RAYMOND HAIN ’02

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t has taken me many years of teaching at places other than Christendom College to understand why my alma mater is such a powerful educational community. Most schools host a battle between an academic pedagogy of research and clarity of thought over against a humanistic pedagogy of oratorical beauty and power. The classroom should be a place where we seek the truth, wherever it is to be found, and preferably where it hasn’t yet been found, or the classroom should be a place where we master the arts of persuasion and learn how to win friends and influence people, especially those who will be interviewing us for our first jobs. Christendom is interested in both of these noble aims, of course, but only in the service of something deeper: a prophetic pedagogy convinced that what someone says cannot be separated from who it is that is saying it, and that the prophet, like the martyr, is meant to be a witness to what is spoken.

Persuasive truth should be in the happy service of the transformation of the soul.

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Dr. Raymond Hain ’02, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Providence College, has also taught at the University of Notre Dame, the Catholic University of America, and Xavier University.

Tampering with souls is much more unsettling than the impersonal pursuit of the truth or the personally manipulative pursuit of persuasion. There is no guarantee, after all, that transforming someone else’s soul might not require the transformation of one’s own.

And failure, like success, is always measured on the largest of scales, for the meeting of souls is a necessarily intimate one—it’s no surprise that the family contains our richest portraits of human love, and of human hate.

Christendom, like the best of families, embraces the possibility of close personal relationships because it knows that the risk of the most painful kind of failure is worth the possibility of the most joyful kind of success.

So at Christendom, as a matter of routine, one eats with one’s professors, with chaplains, with administrators. In their leisure time, faculty and staff spend even more of their lives with students and with one another, often enough with their families beside them, enjoying St. Patrick’s Day or the East West game or, in a more serious vein, the March for Life or First Friday adoration. The writer Anthony Esolen, a colleague of mine here at Providence College, once mentioned to me that when he first visited Christendom he finally understood what a college, a collegium, could be. In short, because it lives a life in common; Christendom is a community.

It should be no surprise that most of the rest of our country’s 200-odd Catholic

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Christendom, like the best of families, embraces the possibility of close personal relationships because it knows that the risk of the most painful kind of failure is worth the possibility of the most joyful kind of success.

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colleges and universities are not. Most teachers rarely see their students outside of regular class time. And when they do, it is a once-a-semester random sighting somewhere on campus with barely enough time for a coherent “hello.” A rare student might take a favored professor for a second class, but hardly ever for a third or more. A meal shared between teachers and students and administrators is the result of an initiative, rather than the expected, and enjoyable, flow of daily communal life. Not too long ago, a friend of mine said, “Why would I ever want to get to know my students?”

For years, I thought nothing of the fact that Christendom professors regularly attended the weddings of their students; I am still waiting for my first invitation.

As a teacher myself, my principle task is to create the possibility of prophetic pedagogy wherever I happen to find myself, and happily there is no sounding the depths of our students’ hunger for it. Christendom College remains my exemplar, and if I happen to succeed, that success will bear a clear family resemblance to Warren Carroll’s achievement.

I am very much at the beginning of my efforts, and can claim only that the Providence College Humanities Forum has a name, and some funding, and a director who has a vision bestowed upon him by a small liberal arts college in Northern Virginia. May God bless and protect all of us who work for such an education, and please remember us in your prayers.

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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]

1990’s

Sarah (Parker) ’98 and Desmond Silveira recently welcomed new addition Peter. He joins siblings Christopher, Vincent, Catherine, John, Ben, and Blaise.

Michelle (Zak) Gacioch ’90 stopped by campus in the spring and caught up with her former classmate, VP for Enrollment Tom McFadden ’90.

Robert O’Connell ’91 is the President of the Lourdes Hospital Foundation in Binghamton, N.Y. In 2005, he married his wife, Julia, and they have two sons, Ronan Anthony Padraig (10) and Jude Michael Colmcille (6).

Fr. Kevin Peek ’92 went to England in April 2016. He found two special highlights: 1) The Rabbit Room in the Eagle and Child, where the Inklings (Tolkien, Lewis, et al.) spent many a Tuesday lunch over pints and pipes discussing their latest works. 2) The grassy square in the Tower where Thomas More was killed—then buried in a mass grave now shrouded by a chapel. As his patron saint (of middle name), this was a hallowed moment and space of which no picture could capture.

Mary Lou (Foley) Loftus ’93 and her family were elated to welcome Brendan Joseph Melchior to their fold on January 8.

Weighing in at 10 lbs.

13 oz., he has already made his mark by being the biggest of the Loftus clan. His four sisters and two brothers have been enjoying him ever since.

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Carolyn (Wilber) Dunlap ’98 announces the birth of their eighth child, Daniel Isaiah Dunlap, born January 27 (on Carolyn’s mother’s birthday). He weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz. (one of her smallest babies) and was 22 inches long. He is adored and cherished by his older brothers and sisters and has been a blessing to all of the family!

Jonathan McDonald ’99 and Anne (Golden) McDonald ’98 welcomed their seventh child in 2014, along with purchasing their dream home in Catlett, Va. (no, the home in the picture is not theirs).

Jon works from home full time, with occasional international travel, as a Global Deal Support Expert for SAP. Anne is a stay at home mom and enjoys restoring furniture in what little free time she has.

2000’s

Bunny (Martell) ’04 and Mike Cerny welcomed their seventh child on Jan. 20, Stephen Sebastian Joseph, 9 lbs. 10 oz., 22 in. After a week in the NICU due to aspiration pneumonia, baby Stephen was able to come home and meet big brothers and sisters Gerard, Meg, Francesca, Tommy, Joseph, and Michael Jr. Mom and baby recovered quickly thanks to the prayers and assistance of family, friends, and a close-knit church community.

Jeremy and Mary (Hack) Sheiko ’05 celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary this year. They have two daughters, Colette (9) and Magdalena (6) and live in Lafayette, Ind. They are in the process of growing their family through adoption and they invite you to follow their journey through Facebook and their website.

Angela (Von Ehr) ’07 and Bobby Murphy are pleased to announce the birth of their fourth daughter, Cecilia Anne. Born March 4, 7 lbs. 7 oz., she is doing great and is much beloved by her sisters.

Sarah Miranda ’10 and Daniel Hart were married on April 1, 2016, in Hyattsville, Md. Daniel works as Managing Editor of Publications at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., and Sarah teaches 3rd grade at St. Jerome Academy in Hyattsville, Md.

Fr. Alex McCullough ’09 (see page 5) enjoyed visiting with fellow alumni following his ordination. L-R: Mo and Denise Woltering ’94 and their family, Maura McMahon ’09, Emma Boyle ’09, Cyrus Artz ’10, Courtney Nelson ’09, Tim Curran ’09, Teresa Nelson ’12, Matt Hadro ’10, and Caitlin Bowers ’09.

Angela (Swagler) ’12 and her husband Sean Greenwalt graduated from Ave Maria School of Law on May 14, 2016. Sean graduated #5 in their class.

They currently are studying for the Florida Bar and would appreciate any prayers.

Christopher and Elizabeth (Sartor) Foeckler ’12 welcomed their second child, Christopher Michael Joseph, Jr., on January 27—narrowly missing the blizzard. They have been enjoying watching Francis be a good big brother to his new sibling. Elizabeth just finished her last year teaching choir at Seton School in Manassas to focus on being a mom and continuing to teach private music lessons as well as choir at Chelsea Academy in Front Royal, where Chris is entering his fourth year teaching.

2010’s Rebekah Skiba ’11 got engaged February 2016 to Zachary Miller.

They are getting married this September.

Noreen (Daly) ’11 and Spencer Barrs are pleased to announce the birth of their first daughter, Fay Maureen, born February 24, weighing 6 lbs, 7 oz.

REST IN

PEACE

Jordan and Lauren (Enk) Mann ’14 were blessed this past May with the arrival of a daughter, Veronica Rose Mann.

Madeleine (Murphy) and John Connor Coyne ’14 married in Daphne, Ala., on the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 2016.

Julie Wells ’15 is currently collaborating on a children’s story about St. George with Sherry Boas, author of The Lily Trilogy. The book is being printed through Caritas Press and should hopefully become available for purchase soon. Her work can also be viewed at www.juliewellsillustration.com.

Alumni Advisory Council Spring 2016 SURVEY Caroline Deucher ’12 is teaching English in Nagoya, Japan, for a year or more. She has many funny stories that can be read on her blog, “A Geek on the Go” (ageekonthego. wordpress.com).

Mary Frank ’13 graduated Summa Cum Laude with her B.A. in Theology from Catholic Distance University.

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Brian Blaney ’89 October 21, 1966 - May 20, 2016 Survived by wife (Judy) and two children (Richie & Erin)

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SUMMER 2016

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Omnia in Christo The Liberal Arts & the Culture Wars

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By Dr. Christopher Shannon

his past April, I had the honor of participating in the annual Progressive/Conservative Summit hosted by the Hauenstein Center at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The conference was an effort at bringing together scholars and public intellectuals from across the political spectrum to engage in serious debate over matters of profound disagreement, in the service of finding some common ground upon which to build the consensus necessary for a robust and fruitful public life. Panels addressed a wide range of topics, including the conservative intellectual tradition, civil religion, just war, and the rise of the administrative state. My panel was a debate with Professor Andrew Hartman, author of the highly acclaimed book, A War for the Soul of America: A History of the Culture Wars. Our debate is available online at hauensteincenter.org/ progcon, but in this essay I would like to reflect on one aspect of the culture wars that I did not address in our debate: the fate of the liberal arts.

something like a traditional core consisting of classic texts in the Western tradition, while liberals and progressives stressed the need to expand the canon to include women, minority and non-Western authors. In perhaps the most famous sound bite of the debate, the African American activist Jesse Jackson led members of the Black Student Union at Stanford University in a chant of “Hey-hey, ho-ho, Western culture’s got to go,” as part of a protest against the university’s requirement that all students take a core course in Western Civilization. Hartman provides a thorough and authoritative account of this conflict in his War for the Soul of America.

Writing from a generally progressive point of view, he nonetheless writes sympathetically of conservatives who at the very least share with him a belief that the humanities matter.

If ever there were a topic ripe for common ground between the left and the right, it is the current crisis in liberal education. The history of American education is in some sense a history of crisis, but the nature of the crisis has changed over time. During the 1980s and 1990s, the era of the “culture wars” proper, conservatives and liberals debated vigorously and at times viciously over the nature of the content of a proper humanities education.

Self-styled conservatives tended to defend

The progressive effort to forge a new consensus has failed outside of the world of institutional education; indeed, the recent assault on the humanities is in part a reflection of the fact that universities can no longer credibly claim to represent common values. Progressives who wish to preserve the humanities need to acknowledge the way in which they have driven out alternative, traditional viewpoints in the name of promoting diversity. Recent publications, such as Kirsten Powers’ “The Silencing: How the Left

Instaurare

Today, the debate has shifted to the question of whether state university systems should fund any kind of humanities education, liberal or conservative. In tough economic times, most university administrators—and, to be honest, most prospective students—tend to judge education in utilitarian terms. By this standard, colleges and universities exist to provide the practical skills necessary to achieve success in an increasingly competitive job market.

The seeming twilight of the humanities offers lessons to be learned for both progressives and conservatives. The type of humanities programs that came under assault in the culture wars were in fact relatively recent creations. They achieved their initial raison d’etre in the early years of the Cold War as part of an effort to show the Communist East that Western capitalist democracies were committed to values that transcended mere material prosperity. The “Western” values that formed the Cold War consensus came under assault in the 1960s, and America has been divided ever since.

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.

is Killing Free Speech” and Nicholas Kristoff’s New York Times op-ed piece, “A Confession of Liberal Intolerance,” suggest that at least some progressives are beginning to acknowledge their own respectable bigotry and take steps toward greater openness to truly different perspectives.

What are Catholics to learn from the culture wars over the liberal arts?

We need to realize that “Western culture” has more often than not proven to be a false friend. Far from synonymous with Christendom, the idea of Western culture arose as a substitute for Christendom in the wake of the loss of faith among Western intellectual elites in the nineteenth century. Whereas the idea of Christendom once suggested the universal, global reign of Christ on earth, Western Civilization is, most obviously, geographically particular; further, it has historically functioned as a rival universal that merely allowed a space for Christianity as one among many Western “values.” At the dawn of the Cold War, Catholic thinkers such as Christopher Dawson imagined a new Christendom that would unite the diverse cultures of the West and the East through the spiritual unity of the Church. No less a Thomist than Bishop Fulton J. Sheen imagined Confucius and the Buddha shaping a distinctly Asian Catholicism in the way that Plato and Aristotle shaped a distinctly European Catholicism. This ideal of unity-in-diversity is the key to the Catholic path beyond the culture wars.

A graduate of Yale, Dr. Christopher Shannon is a professor of history at Christendom College and author of the highly acclaimed Bowery to Broadway: The American Irish in Classic Hollywood Cinema.

PILGRIMAGE JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY

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Enjoy tours of St. Peter’s Basilica, the catacombs, the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the hidden churches of Rome, the basilicas and tombs of St. Francis and St. Clare, attend a general audience with His Holiness Pope Francis, and more during the final weeks of this Year of Mercy.

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