Instaurare | Winter 2018-19

Instaurare The C hristendom College M agazine

w i n ter 2018 -19

V I C T O R Y !

A Call to Greatness THE CAMPAIGN FOR CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE Record Year Sees College Break Ground on New Chapel | An Interview with Mary Ellen Bork Career Development Gives Students Confidence to be Successful | Successful Seasons for Crusader Athletics

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VOLUME 26 | NUMBER 3 | WINTER 2018-19 Published three times yearly by the Christendom College Marketing Office.

Executive Editor: Tom McFadden Managing Editor & Design/Layout: Niall O’Donnell Photos: Zachary Smith, Niall O’Donnell, Sarah Ziegler, Tamlyn Sheng, Christiana Fedoryka Contributors: Zachary Smith, Danielle Lemieux, Niall O’Donnell, Tom McFadden, Vince Criste Christendom College 134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 540.636.2900 | christendom.edu Copyright © 2019. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the following credit line is used: “Reprinted by permission from Instaurare, the official 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 sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ADVISORS TO THE BOARD

Mr. Guy Amisano Sr. Mrs. Donna Bethell (Vice Chairman) Mr. Martin R. Boles Mr. John Cecconi Mr. Robert Crnkovich (Treasurer) Mr. Gene D’Agostino (Secretary) Mr. Timothy Halisky ’01 Mrs. Karla Hester ’99 Mr. Richard Hough Dr. Timothy T. O’Donnell (ex officio) Mr. Stephen O’Keefe ’93 (Chairman) Mr. Mark Swartzberg Mr. Thomas C. West Jr. Ms. Luanne D. Zurlo

Mrs. Mary Ellen Bork Mrs. Bernadette Casey-Smith Dr. Philip Crotty Mr. Richard Esposito Mr. John De Matteo Dr. Robert P. George Mr. Daniel Gorman Mrs. Joan Janaro Mrs. Katherine McAvoy Rev. C. John McCloskey III Mr. John McNeice Mr. Joseph Melancon Rev. Robert Morey Mr. Robert Mylod The Honorable James Nicholson Mrs. Mary Beth Riordan Rev. George W. Rutler Mr. Mark Ryland Rev. William Saunders The Honorable Rick Santorum Mr. Owen Smith Mr. Robert Scrivener ’81 Mrs. Marjorie Teetor Mr. David Vicinanzo Mr. George Weigel Mr. Thomas Young Mr. Eugene Zurlo

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“I feel like I am a part of the Christendom College community. ... The college is a true treasure, and we are so blessed to have it here in the Diocese of Arlington.”

– BISHOP MICHAEL BURBIDGE Bishop Burbidge joined the college community for its opening Mass and blessing of the new chapel construction site. See more on page 24.

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Inside This Issue 3

Campaign Impact As the college declares victory on its $40 million comprehensive campaign, we look back on the unprecedented growth over the life of the campaign.

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Moving Forward A record year for enrollment sees the college break ground on the new Christ the King Chapel.

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ConďŹ dent & Knowledgeable The Career Development Office’s new initiatives are giving students the confidence to be successful.

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From the President

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An Interview with Mary Ellen Bork

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Sponsor a Student Program

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Photo Album

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News in Brief

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In the Classroom

24

Crusaders Enjoy Successful Seasons

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College Welcomes New Members to the Board

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Homecoming 2018

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Classmates: Alumni News

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Omnia in Christo: Importance of the Pipe Organ

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A Milesone in Our Hisory

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT DR. TIMOTHY O’DONNELL

“As we move into the future, we are well positioned to continue to play a leading role in Catholic higher education and the restoration of the culture.”

In the midst of our current cultural crisis, people see the need for a Catholic educational institution ready to prepare students to be the leaders this world desperately needs. The A Call to Greatness campaign was started in order to ensure that Christendom will continue to answer this need for years to come. So many generous benefactors came forward to support us, and so many faculty and staff gave of their time and limited resources to see this campaign to the end, all because they believe that places like Christendom are necessary in this world.

We’ve received many blessings from God during this campaign, and we are so thankful to be able to declare victory now because of the grace of Christ the King.

encourage students to think upon what is true, what is good, and what is beautiful. It is a great thing to conceive that, right here, in the midst of the chaos of our current cultural crisis, we are able to respond to that crisis concretely, in stone and with beauty. We can respond by boldly proclaiming that Christ is King, and we want to affirm that He is king and that His mother is queen. Here He will have a place where He will rule, where He will be honored, and where the great Eucharistic sacrifice will be offered daily on Christendom’s campus, with fidelity to the Church’s magisterium, and with devotion, love, and passion. I want to thank everyone who in any way helped to make this happen.

Looking back, A Call to Greatness was publicly announced two years ago, with the aim to raise $40 million by the end of the college’s 40th anniversary celebrations in 2018. Working together, we met and exceeded our three campaign goals: to raise funds for the Christ the King Chapel project, to double the endowment, and to meet the college’s increasing annual fund needs due to student enrollment growth during the life of the campaign. All this has helped to expand the college’s offerings while also ensuring its strength and stability.

In addition to the construction of the chapel, funds committed to the campaign will more than double the college’s endowment, from $10 million to nearly $25 million. These funds will help the college continue to offer generous financial aid packages and scholarships for students, while also securing financial stability for the future—all without support from the federal government. Since our founding, we have not accepted any money from the federal government, allowing us to remain free to teach the fullness of Catholic doctrine.

Reaching this milestone in our history was made possible by the tremendous sacrifices of our benefactors.

These generous individuals believe in the mission of our college so much that they are willing to give sacrificially to ensure that Christendom is strong and stable for generations to come. With their help, we were able to not only reach our lofty goal, but surpass it. And for this, we will always keep these generous friends of the college in our prayers.

Additionally, our generous donors contributed $15 million toward the annual fund during the campaign, enabling our record enrollment growth of 30% since 2012. These donations were used to fund the increased financial aid needed by the growing student body, hire qualified faculty, expand our math and science offerings, and enhance student academic and spiritual support.

Thanks to these benefactors, the construction of the magnificent new Christ the King Chapel will begin in the coming months. The Gothic structure should take between 16 to 20 months to complete.

There is something in the intrinsic design of Gothic architecture, with its soaring spires and beautiful colored glass, that elevates the mind, the heart, and the soul to the contemplation of Divine things. That is one of the purposes of our academic program—designed to 2

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As we move into the future, we are well positioned to continue to play a leading role in Catholic higher education and the restoration of the culture.

This is not an end, but another beginning. The world needs Christendom today, and we will continue to grow in our ability to fulfill our mission of “restoring all things in Christ.”

In the Heart of the Infant King,

V I C T O R Y !

Campaign Progress $45 MILLIO N o f $ 4 0 M I L L I O N ra is e d – GOAL EXCEEDED! 112.5%

C A M PA I G N I M PA C T As the college declares victory on its $40 million comprehensive campaign, we look back on the unprecedented growth over the life of the campaign.

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Thank You Reaching this milestone in the college’s history happened because of the tremendous sacrifices of our benefactors.

CHRIST THE KING PROJECT $13,500,000 GOAL $14,983,343 RAISED 4

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Image of new Christ the King Chapel This watercolor is an artist rendering by alumna Mandy Hain ’07, based on the designs from architect O’Brien & Keene.

ENDOWMENT FUND $13,500,000 GOAL $14,961,928 RAISED

ANNUAL FUND $13,000,000 GOAL $15,144,705 RAISED WINTER 2018-19

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A Campaign of Strength & Unity

11,168

Donors gave to the campaign

100%

Members of the board of directors, faculty, and staff made gifts

80 39%

Alumni priests, religious, and seminarians gave

U.S. News & World Report alumni giving rate (up from 16%)

Imagining the new Christ the King Chapel on campus.

See more images on page 27.

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C A M PA I G N I M PA C T

Unprecedented Growth

27% enrollment growth: from 388 in 2012 to 493 in 2017 99 new marriages among faithful Catholic alumni

46 new religious vocations

F INA N CIA L ST R ENGT H ST U DENT AID

$23,182,513

in federal-free financial aid awarded over past five years

DOUBLED

annual rate of federal-free financial aid from $2,396,579 in 2012 to $4,812,778 in 2018

$2,625,289

given for new Price Match Program; 170 students helped by program

$56.2 million

66.8% increase in net assets from $33.7 million

13+ CFI Score

Composite Financial Index (CFI) is a measure of financial health used throughout higher education; scores greater than 6 represent strong financial health, and scores greater than 10 represent very sound financial health

14.7%

Return on Net Assets (increase from 0.7% in 2012)

92%

of student body received financial aid

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Academic Excellence & Leadership The College enjoyed a very successful re-accreditation with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2012 as well as success with its submission of the fifth-year interim report in 2018.

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New degrees • Math major • Physics minor

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New math and science courses added, including Abstract Algebra, Probability and Statistics, Number Theory, Biology, and Anatomy & Physiology

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New professors joined our exceptional and faithful faculty

Biblical Studies Concentration reintroduced at Graduate School of Theology

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New Science Lab added to campus to support classes in Anatomy & Physiology

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F OCUS ON S TU DENT SU C C ESS New Academic Success Coach meets regularly one-on-one with students to address time management strategies, organization, learning styles, note-taking skills, study skills, test preparation strategies, and more, all aiming to help students form a personalized academic plan.

Education for a Lifetime Program prepares students for life after graduation. Students also receive active mentorship from full-time director of career development.

(See more on page 26.)

ACADE M IC OU T R EACH

Principles

Publication providing clear thinking on contemporary issues launched May 2015

2.8 Million Minutes of Catholic content viewed on Christendom’s websites over the past five years media.christendom.edu | youtube.com/christendomtube

2 Radio Stations

Provide Catholic programming to the Northern Shenandoah Valley 24/7

Christendom@University Graduate School launched an outreach program to Newman centers at secular colleges offering online faithful Catholic classes for credit

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Resource Expansion

103

Acres added RENOVATIONS AND/OR EXPANSIONS

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New buildings, including a firstrate women’s residence hall (first in 15 years), new halls for faculty and staff offices, and other student residences

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New sports fields were added, allowing Crusader rugby and soccer teams to host home games on campus for the first time, as well as 1-mile running route

• St. Lawrence Commons • St. Louis the Crusader Memorial Gymnasium • Regina Coeli Hall • John Paul the Great Student Center

C A M PA I G N I M PA C T

Student Life Services NE W S TUD ENT L IFE FORMAT ION SER IES

At the Well

Fellowship for women on campus offers an opportunity to hear from speakers or panels on the challenges facing Catholic women today

Into the Deep

Fellowship for men on campus provides insights on what it means to be Catholic men, how to pray, and how to foster chaste relationships

Strongholds

Small groups of 4-8 men led by a member of the faculty or staff for an intentional community committed to developing deep friendship with accountability and a focus on strengthening personal faith

F O CUS : TH E WHOL E PERSON

GR OWT H IN AT H L ET ICS

Expanded counseling services, doubling availability in the last year.

Two Hearts Catholic Counseling is available twice a week on campus for appointments and walk-ins.

National Champions

Two New Residence Life Staff Positions are now active on campus 24/7. They assist with Student Life management and serve as oncampus mentors, residing in the residence halls with students.

Crusader Rugby has qualified for the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) twice in the last two years, winning the National Championship in 2017. See more about current athletic achievements on page 34.

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Baseball, cross country, and softball are now offered at the varsity level through the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), along with volleyball, rugby, basketball, and soccer.

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Passing on What We Have

Learned AN INTERVIEW WITH MARY ELLEN BORK How is Christendom the answer to the cultural crisis we see around us?

I think it’s one of the key solutions. At Christendom, the young people are being formed in their intellectual and moral life, but also in their spiritual life—and they do it just fabulously.

We’re at a point in our culture where individuals—and especially if they’re radicalized—want to make up their own values, their own morality, and then impose it. If that turns out to be a political party too, they want to impose that on others. It’s certainly not the traditional morality of the JudeoChristian tradition, and after the Kavanaugh hearings, we all saw a new low in our culture from our elected representatives (not all of them, of course). I have this discussion all the time with people, and a lot of people say, “Well, aren’t you hopeful?”

My husband, Bob, really thought that the last bastion of moral order was really the Roman Catholic Church. As of this summer, we know we have a lot of problems with the Church and its leadership, so it just shows the power of the culture to even get into the Church. Young people today are facing a culture that is disintegrating.

All of this just constantly reinforces the need for Christendom and what it stands for, which is classical Christian values. It is needed more than ever. Christendom gives a philosophically and theologically deep education, and it happens in a spiritual community. It’s not just abstract ideas. These young people are living it every day in their communal life, but also in the liturgy.

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Mary Ellen Bork is the wife of the late Judge Robert Bork and has served on the college’s Advisory Board for nearly 20 years. Mrs. Bork is a freelance writer and lecturer on issues of Catholic life and culture. Over the years, she has been an advocate for the pro-life movement, promoting Catholic culture through groups such as the John Carroll Society, Imago Dei (Theology of the Body), The Susan B. Anthony List, and the Catholic Campaign for America. Her articles have appeared in national papers, including the National Catholic Register and The Washington Times.

In 2017, Christendom College awarded her the St. Catherine of Siena Award for Distinguished Service to the Church & Christendom College.

God is informing these young people as they go through their studies, and all the things they have to do, all the papers they have to write. And that will stay with them no matter where they go afterward. They need that experience to be able to withstand what they’re going to meet when they get out. They’ll be able to hand on what they have learned and be evangelizers.

Is there a particular moment or memory in your time spent with the faculty or staff of Christendom College that stands out to you?

I was just recently visiting the college for the groundbreaking for the new chapel. While there, I was very struck when Dr. O’Donnell mentioned in his remarks that there are so many things in our culture that are being torn down, and here we are building this thing of beauty on the edge of the Shenandoah.

I just thought that is really countercultural. And of course, Christendom isn’t just doing this when they are building a chapel, they’re doing it on a daily basis there.

What was it about Christendom that made you decide: “This is something I want to support”?

It’s an institution with excellent teachers that is providing a very in-depth Catholic education. There are very few places doing that today. I hope it continues to grow and continues to attract students from all over the world.

You recently set up a scholarship for the humanities in honor of your husband. Can you tell us the inspiration behind it?

We all saw what happened in the Kavanaugh hearings. It was hysteria. All of these false ideologies are being led now by younger people, and they don’t have any intellectual formation.

They’re kind of making it up as they go along, and that’s very dangerous. We need now more than ever to have young people who are able to think on their feet and explain, “No, this is wrong,” and analyze it because they understand the tradition out of which they’ve come. The humanities are really where faith and reason come together beautifully. Today we need to be able to explain our faith to a very confused world, and so the

humanities are crucial. There is a Catholic approach to truth and to morality, and it’s terribly important that we pass that on.

It isn’t happening in a lot of supposedly Catholic institutions, so I’m very happy that Christendom is doing that, and doing it here in the Washington, D.C., area.

Is there anything about Christendom College that has surprised you in the past years?

The growth. It is tremendous. It shows that people are really looking for something solid, and when they go and visit, and hear about it, and hear about the course offerings, I think they see that this is really what they want for their children, if they’re serious about the faith.

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using His blessings & education To help OTHERS Sponsor a Student Program Fosters Service and Leadership Although Christendom College works tirelessly

to keep costs low for its students, many Christendom families depend heavily on the generous financial aid program that the college offers – grants, loans, and scholarships. Without the generous support of Christendom’s many benefactors, these faithful Catholic students would not be able to afford Christendom’s time-tested, authentic Catholic liberal arts education. With the support of Christendom’s many friends and benefactors, over 75 percent of Christendom’s students are able to receive some type of financial discount, which often is the difference between whether a student attends or not.

One very popular program that the college offers is the Sponsor a Student Program, whereby benefactors can witness the direct impact of their gift in the life of a Christendom student.

STUDENT JOSEPH KELLY • Class: 2019 • Major: Philosophy “Thank you, Mr. Jonik, for your generosity in providing me the means to experience this liberal arts education that has not only been an incredible benefit for myself but encouraged me to share the fruit of that education with others. I count myself truly blessed to be able to receive such an education and to be able to carry on the mission with which we are all entrusted - to share with others the beauty of the Truth.”

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Donors receive direct communications from the students about the impact Christendom is making in their lives. Each spring, they have the opportunity to meet their sponsored students on campus and see firsthand the difference their generosity is making.

Senior Joe Kelly is a typical Christendom student. He is the eldest in a homeschooling family of six children, with his father being the sole financial provider. He did very well on his standardized tests, had a great high school GPA, and received a generous financial aid packet from the college.

When he applied to Christendom, in one of his application essays he wrote: Having been educated in a strong Catholic family, where daily Mass, devotion to Mary, and Eucharistic adoration formed

SPONSOR PAUL JONIK • Alumnus: Class of 1984 • Gift: Matching Challenge and Sponsor a Student “I am so grateful to have had the time that I did at Christendom, due to the generosity of my own parents. This opportunity, especially to have my gift matched and to help the next generation of students also have this education, not only touched me personally, but I was moved to respond. I am blessed to be able to support Christendom and its students in this way, in loving memory of my parents and their generosity toward me. God’s grace to guide our response to His call is so evident in our lives: ‘Freely have we been given, now freely give.’”

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If you are to answer the call to restore all things in Christ, you must surround yourself with others who will stand by you and help you make the hard decisions that being Catholic is going to require you to make. an essential part of the fabric of my life, I now desire a college experience where I can strengthen and develop my faith and intellect in the truth, and enjoy Christ-centered friendships. When I visited in April, the Catholicity of the campus, especially the beauty of the liturgy, struck me deeply. It is in that uniquely Catholic experience that I hope to further my knowledge of the faith, pursue to the fullest a true liberal arts education, and acquire a deep knowledge of the Western Catholic tradition, putting everything I gain at the service of God and neighbor.

Saint John Paul II, a much-loved saint in my family, often spoke about the “law of the gift”: We are fully human to the extent we make a gift of ourselves to others. This, then, is what I hope to contribute to Christendom College – a gift of self. For all of my youth I have undergone a formation within a dynamic Catholic home, learned the fine art of the “love of learning”, and experienced the unique beauty of family life. My humble contribution to Christendom would be the gift of self: placing my gifts, talents, and uniqueness at the service of the Christendom family.

While excelling academically, Kelly is also thriving outside of the classroom through serving his fellow students – doing what he said he wanted to do during his time at college. He is grateful for an education that has given him the academic prowess he sought and that has also taught him the place of service as a higher good by benefiting the community with his education.

Over his four years at Christendom, Kelly has been blessed with many opportunities to lend a hand or take on leadership roles to benefit the college community. He has served as a Student Ambassador welcoming visiting students to campus, as a sacristan helping prepare for and serve Mass, and through part-time work helping maintain campus facilities.

Now as a senior, Kelly continues to serve the community through special leadership positions. He serves on the Student Philanthropy Board, a group of seniors encouraging their classmates to financially support the college post-graduation, and

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he is also a Resident Assistant, helping to apply college policies and foster community on campus.

“Being an RA has given me a chance to grow the most because it’s a very ‘other-centered’ activity,” shares Kelly. “This has helped me realize that my formation is not just about earning good grades, but it’s often about putting the other person and their real-life problems first. It’s about making sure that I’m using the blessings and education I’ve received to help these students succeed in all aspects of their lives.”

According to Kelly, one of the greatest truths Christendom has given him is the fact that no man is an island. Christendom has helped him see that the Church extends beyond his family, his homeschool group, and the college.

“If you are to answer the call to restore all things in Christ, you must surround yourself with others who will stand by you and help you make the hard decisions that being Catholic is going to require you to make,” he concludes.

Senior Joe Kelly leads procession as altar server at Mass.

Because of Christendom College’s complete rejection of federal funds, there is an average shortfall of $5,000 per student each year. Christendom relies on generous benefactors to help bridge this gap so that students like Joe can thrive at Christendom. To learn more about Sponsor a Student, please visit www.christendom.edu/sponsor or call 540-551-9300.

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MOVING FORW

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WARD

Record Year Sees College Break Ground on New Chapel

Over orientation weekend, Christendom

welcomed its largest enrollment of 504 students to campus, including 168 new students. The college exceeded its enrollment goals for the year and grew by 3 percent, as it continues on its trajectory toward the final capped goal of 550 students (on campus, off campus, and in Rome). Interestingly, male students make up 50 percent of the freshman class this year—which is contrary to the norm in higher education today. This year’s freshman class also holds the distinction of having the highest-ever average SAT score for an incoming class at 1300.

“Despite a tight market for colleges in which more and more high school students are opting out of attending college, and men in particular are attending in smaller numbers, Christendom has been successful growing its enrollment and percentage of male students,” says director of admissions Sam Phillips. “Students long for an education that will challenge them intellectually, spiritually, and personally. They see Christendom, with its time-tested and authentically Catholic liberal arts education, as a place that will offer such a challenge. Students don’t want to just survive the college years, they want to thrive. Christendom affords them the opportunity. We are grateful and thrilled to welcome this new class.”

This year’s new students come from 35 U.S. states, as well as from Ireland, Germany, Spain, Canada, and Mexico, with 66 percent of the freshmen having previously attended the Experience Christendom Summer Program.

Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington celebrated the opening Mass over orientation weekend, where he received the entire faculty’s Oath of Fidelity and Profession of Faith. He expressed his continued admiration for the college during his homily, thanking the faculty and staff for educating the next generation of great Catholic leaders.

“I feel like I am a part of the Christendom College community,” said Bishop Burbidge. “The college is a true

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Dr. O’Donnell shows the site of the new chapel to Bishop Burbidge.

Entire faculty make Oath of Fidelity to the teachings of the Church.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Donna Bethell cuts the ribbon.

Members of the board break ground on the new chapel.

treasure, and we are so blessed to have it here in the Diocese of Arlington.”

Following Mass, Bishop Burbidge blessed the ground where the college’s new Chapel of Christ the King will sit.

“Bless all those who work or contribute to provide this site where a Church will be built,” prayed Bishop Burbidge at the site of the new chapel. “Today, may they rejoice in a work just begun. Soon, may they celebrate the Sacraments in Your Temple and, in time to come, they may praise You forever in Heaven.”

Two years prior, the faculty, staff, students, board members, and benefactors gathered on that then-newly purchased property to celebrate an announcement that Christendom would be embarking on a comprehensive campaign that would feature a new Christ the King Chapel at its center. At the ground breaking, held in September of this year, many of the same people gathered again at that site to celebrate the culmination of that goal, plunging golden shovels into the ground to officially break ground on the new chapel—a place that will be a symbol of

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hope and inspiration, not only to students and faculty, but to all who pass through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

The new chapel will have more than double the seating capacity of the current chapel and a 120-foot Gothic tower that will rise out of the Shenandoah Valley and be visible for miles.

The chapel will be built in a traditional cruciform structure, with a beautiful high altar, handcrafted in Italy, at the center, and an exquisite handcrafted organ, designed with over 2,600 pipes. The chapel will also feature new artwork crafted to reflect the timeless traditions found in the great Gothic cathedrals of Western Europe, and restored traditional sacred art rescued from abandoned historic churches throughout the United States. The sacred art adorning the chapel, including over 100 stained glass windows sponsored by our benefactors, will raise the hearts and minds of the community to Heaven and pay homage to the great artistic traditions of our rich Catholic patrimony.

When the A Call to Greatness campaign began in 2016, with its goal of $40 million, there was never a guarantee that

V I R T U A L TO U R S N E A K P E A K

this ground breaking would happen. By the grace of God and through the sacrifices of numerous benefactors, the goals of the campaign were not only met but were exceeded by $5 million—a testimony to the power of prayer and to the respect Christendom has garnered as an institution of higher learning over the past 40 years.

Thanks to the hard work of the college’s staff and faculty, and the abundant generosity of hundreds of friends of Christendom College, the construction of the new Christ the King Chapel will begin in the coming months, and once started should take between 16 to 20 months to complete.

WATCH THE VIDEO

ch r is tendom.edu /vir tualtour

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P H OTO A L BU M

{c hristendom.edu/pictures} 1. Student band Play the Changes performs at the annual Texas Western Night.

2. A full chapel on First Friday Holy Hour.

3. American Gladiator-style jousting at the BBQ Summer Fun Fest.

4. Annual Upper vs. Under Flag Football Game.

5. Fired up at the Resident Assistants vs. Student Activities Council dodgeball game.

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6. 2018 Lady Crusader Volleyball.

7. 2018 Crusader Soccer.

8. 2018 Lady Crusader Soccer.

9. 2018 Crusader and Lady Crusader Cross Country.

10. 2018 Crusader Rugby.

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11. Canoe fun on the Shenandoah River.

12. Boxing Club in action at the War on the Shores Tournament.

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13. Dancing and fun at Italian Night.

14. Dr. John-Paul Jansen ’00 advises students on entering the medical field at a Life on Tap event.

15. Students work to restore grotto dedicated to the Sacred Heart on a campus-wide Day of Service.

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16. Global entrepreneur Declan Ganley addresses students at an Outside the Box speaker event.

PHOTOS UPDATED WEEKLY ON FLICKR

christendom.edu/pictures FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

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NEWS

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Christendom alumni now make up 17 percent of the seminarians in the Diocese of Arlington. Eight Christendom alumni are now studying for the priesthood in the diocese. Rev. Mr. Nicholas Blank ’13 was ordained a deacon this past summer and will soon join recenlty ordained Fr. Christopher Tipton ’12 as a priest. The other seven, Philip Briggs, Joseph Flaherty, Jonathan Fioramonti, John Paul Heisler, Peter McShurley, Joseph Townsend, and Andrew Clark, are in various stages of their studies, with two, Townsend and McShurley, studying at the North American College in Rome.

BRIEF Over $10,000 was raised for the next generation of Christendom student-athletes at the ninth annual Thomas S. Vander Woude Golf Tournament, with over 100 golfers and over 20 sponsors participating in the event. Since its inception, the golf tournament has drawn over 100 golfers each year to the Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Course in Front Royal, Virginia, for a day of golf, remembrance, and fundraising for Christendom students. This year was no different, with many alumni and benefactors returning to Front Royal to pledge money toward the college’s student-athlete scholarships.

Dr. Adam Schwartz, a David Jones expert and history professor, recently had his latest article, “The Artist and His Epoch” published by the Russell Kirk Center. A review of the new book David Jones on Religion, Politics, and Culture: Unpublished Prose, Schwartz digs into Jones’ theology, aesthetics, and more, revealing Jones as a pioneering poet, visual artist, and trenchant literary and social critic. Schwartz, author of The Third Spring: G.K. Chesterton, Graham Greene, Christopher Dawson, and David Jones, moves through the contents of the Jones book during his essay, touching upon Jones’ thoughts on war and fascism in the process.

Amanda Graf was recently named the college’s vice president for student affairs.

College president Dr. Timothy O’Donnell made the announcement in mid-September, praising Graf for her years of service and for improving the college’s student life office over her tenure. “For more than seven years, Amanda has provided the college with exemplary service, both in her previous role and as director of student affairs,” said O’Donnell. “During her time with us, she has continually improved processes and policies, helped to increase support for students, and worked to deepen in student life our shared commitment to building trust and a true Christian community for those we serve.”

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First Things magazine published a noteworthy article written by philosophy professor Dr. John Cuddeback titled, “Reclaiming the Household,” bringing national attention to Cuddeback’s thought that the decline of the family has roots in the demise of the household.

Turning to the timeless principles of Aristotle and others, Cuddeback discusses how family life, from working together to eating together again, can be renewed in our modern day.

In the Classroom HIG HLIGHTING A COURSE FROM OUR RICH CURRICULUM THE HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION III, 1291-1715

By Dr. Christopher J. Lane

The year 2017 saw a constant stream of

discussions and publications arising from the 500th anniversary of the beginnings of the Protestant movement. Some commentary recycled old tropes, imagining the early Protestant leader Martin Luther as a man ahead of his time, representing the individual freedom to believe as one saw fit. Professional historians of every religious confession (or lack thereof ) have long abandoned this distortion of Luther’s convictions and actions, and some of the best commentary of 2017 instead put the early Protestant movement into its long historical context.

Such an effort at historical nuance is nothing new to Christendom students. Every fall, Christendom sophomores dive deeply into the two centuries before and the two centuries after the rise of Protestantism. By the time they cover this period, our students have already studied the ancient world, late antiquity and the spread of Christianity, and the development of medieval Europe. In History 201, they sharpen their skills in historical analysis by exploring an especially complex era, wherein politics, theology, technology, and a host of other factors contributed to harsh and often bloody conflicts that permanently divided the Christian West.

Any worthwhile account of this period must simultaneously explain fundamental continuities and revolutionary changes. The long scope of this course enables students to see how the rise of Protestantism and the sixteenth-century transformation of Catholic life can be partly understood as alternative, intertwined responses to the widely acknowledged need for reform in late medieval Christianity.

Ultimately, this course points to our own day and reveals how the religious conflicts of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe set the stage for the long-term process of global secularization. The students thus learn the context needed to analyze, in History 202 the following semester, the last three centuries of the modern era.

Above: Life of Martin Luther (H. BrĂźckner, circa 1874).

Below: Dr. Christopher J. Lane in the classroom.

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winning streaks & top rankings CRUSADERS ENJOY SUCCESSFUL SEASONS IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM Christendom’s athletic teams have

been tremendously successful in recent years: more trophies, more wins, more recognition, and even a national championship to boot. This isn’t to say that Christendom sports teams did not win in the past—it’s just happening in a more consistent manner across the board. That winning trend continued this fall, with each of the fall sports teams taking significant steps—even leaps—toward the top of their respective leagues.

Of the fall sports, Lady Crusader Volleyball proved to be the most dominant in 2018, including an astounding 13-game winning streak that saw them rise to the No. 2 ranking in the nation and earn their first trip to the USCAA DII Volleyball National Championship. There, they won a thrilling semifinal match that took them all the way to the finals, before they ultimately fell against the best team at the Nationals, Johnson & Wales. The volleyball team entered 2018 with good expectations for its season, with returning stars Michaela

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Pennefather, Celina Albisu, and Gemma McMahon, but its transformation into the No. 2 team in the nation was an unexpected surprise. Mary Margaret Heisler was named the USCAA’s Student-Athlete of the Year, and Gemma McMahon and Michaela Pennefather were named to the USCAA’s 1st Team All-American. McMahon was also named the USCAA Setter of the Week in October for her heroics during the Lady Crusaders’ sweep of the CCBC Essex Quad-Match.

While the Lady Crusaders tore up the volleyball court, the men’s soccer team took aim at its best season yet, with stars in their final seasons looking to leave their mark on Christendom sports history. Based on team and individual performances, those goals were accomplished. The Crusaders earned the No. 5 spot in the national rankings, suffering only four losses—one to the No. 1 ranked team in the nation. On top of that performance, senior Pete Day kept up his quest to score the most goals in Christendom sports history, achieving

that goal in the final game of the season with his 82nd ever. In the nation, he finished second in goals scored and in points.

Junior Michael Urankar finished second in the nation in assists, with other younger players showing off their skill on the field, boding well for the future of Crusader soccer.

Crusader rugby entered the 2018-19 season in a period of transition, with many former stars now graduated. Despite this, both old and new players stepped up as leaders, giving the Crusaders not just victories in a tough opening stretch against D-II teams, but also their highest NSCRO ranking ever: No. 4, beating out the likes of Duke, Vanderbilt, and the College of William and Mary in the process. The Crusaders defeated Duke to earn their second consecutive trip to the NSCRO 15s National Championship playoffs, continuing their streak as one of the most successful rugby programs in the country.

New and older stars alike joined together to give the Lady Crusader soccer team their own national ranking of No. 14.

Performances on the field, however, bode well for an even higher ranking in the future. Senior Gemma Youngman led the way, not just at Christendom but in the whole country, as one of the top scorers, scoring 21 goals and 44 points overall.

Right behind her was the next generation, with freshman Annie McGraw fourth in the country in assists with 11. Both earned

spots on the USCAA’s All-American teams to top the year off.

On the running trails, the burgeoning Crusader Cross Country teams continued to make a strong impression, both at the school and in the USCAA. Now in their third year of existence, the men’s and women’s teams made strong showings at multiple meets, even taking third and earning the sport’s first trophies at the Westmoreland Invitational. Multiple players earned trips to the USCAA’s National Championships as well, with Emily Farabaugh named student-athlete of the year. With new athletes joining the team, including freshman star Aganze Nkere, only better runs lie ahead for Crusader Cross-Country—especially as the school looks to begin hosting meets in the future.

On top of all this, the USCAA named 20 Christendom athletes Academic All-Americans as well—more than any other school in the nation.

Winning streaks. Top rankings. Best scorers in the nation. These descriptions all apply to the fall 2018 season of Christendom athletics, making it one of the most exciting in school history. Students come to Christendom looking to thrive both in and out of the classroom, and their achievements in both are a testament to the environment of greatness that the college cultivates for its students.

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& eable

Career Development Initiatives Give Students Confidence to be Successful According to a recent survey, more

freshmen than ever (80 percent) say they go to college to get better jobs so that they can make more money. With a career in mind from day one, it would seem that the career development office of any college or university would be a highly ranked and able to provide students with all the resources they need to succeed. But in reality, once enrolled, few (34 percent) feel confident in their ability to find a great job post-graduation.

Additionally, many students never even visit the career office, and according to a recent Gallup poll, out of those who did, only 16 percent say they found the visit to be very helpful.

This is not the case at Christendom College.

To begin, the majority of students who choose to attend Christendom do so because they wish to immerse themselves in the time-tested, rigorous liberal arts education, offered in a vibrantly Catholic culture. Yes, they are concerned about their future careers, but only secondarily. They first want to become educated, then, with the assistance of the faculty, staff, and alumni, they pursue a variety of career fields in which to work.

Christendom has a number of unique offerings available to students that greatly enhance their chance for success and enable them to be confident in their ability to find a great job post-graduation.

According to a survey given to Christendom’s Class of 2018, the majority of students felt confident in their ability to write a cover letter and resume (87 percent), confident in their ability to interview for a job (83 percent), and by the end of the academic year, 89 percent had applied to a job or graduate school. Of those who had visited the career development office (96 percent), 70 percent agreed that their meeting with the career counselor was beneficial—quite a bit better than the national standard of 16 percent.

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“ Director of Career Development Kristin Stephens meets with a student.

Over the past four years, a number of new initiatives have been implemented that have given students a better understanding of the value of a Christendom liberal arts degree in the workplace and the tools they need to manage their postgraduation career path—whether that involves going to graduate school or directly into the workforce.

Since 2014, many improvements have been made to the offerings that enable the students to be confident and knowledgeable about their career paths. There is now an improved visibility for the office and the career development director.

The current director of career development, Kristin Stephens, meets with all of the new students over orientation weekend, and makes sure they know who she is, where her office is, and how she can help them. She also addresses all of the returning students, and as of mid-November, over 280 of the college’s 504 students had met one-on-one with her to discuss their plans and get some direction.

Additionally, the college has worked diligently to build an alumni mentor program where select individuals agree to connect with current and prospective students and their families, and to discuss how they transitioned from Christendom to their respective fields. On top of that, many alumni are invited to return to campus to give testimonials to the students about the value of their Christendom education in their career field at a Life on Tap—held four times each semester. Each of these events draws 100 to150 students, and inspires the students to strive for excellence and achieve greatness in a variety of fields.

In an effort to boost graduate school applications and enrollment, the career development office offers a free online GRE test prep program for the students to use and also pays the $205 fee on behalf of the student taking the GRE test. A

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Christendom graduates get involved in every career field possible—marketing and education, medicine and business, architecture and software design, computer programming and event planning, and so much more.

”

faculty committee was created to assist students in graduate school selection, and Stephens works with a variety of graduate schools to encourage them to recruit on campus.

And finally, an integral part of the success in this area is attributable to two unique one-credit courses that are part of the college’s core curriculum and required for graduation.

CCOL 101 and CCOL 301—a series of classes spanning the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years—are part of the Education for a Lifetime Program (ELP), which focuses on enhancing the student learning environment by integrating students’ career discernment into their liberal arts education.

The program, directed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs Greg Townsend, emphasizes a discernment that builds upon the liberal arts in light of the college’s mission and ensures that students have basic 21st-century research, computer communication, and job search competencies.

The courses, which are taught by a variety of college personnel with relevant experiences, aim to help the students develop the skills needed to maximize professionalism in the workplace, develop an understanding of themselves, develop a knowledge of the opportunities that the liberal arts education at Christendom College has provided for them, and give the students the confidence they need to excel beyond their peers in their post-graduation pursuits.

Through all of these new improvements, the students are reaping the benefits. In a senior exit survey given to members of the Class of 2014, when asked if they were able to translate their liberal arts education to the workplace, 78 percent said they could, whereas 86 percent of the members of Class of 2018 said they were able when asked the same question. When asked if they were well prepared to enter their chosen profession in

Hig hlig ht s of t he Educ at ion for a Lifet im e Pro gra m FRESHMAN: After freshman year, students will be proficient in: • Understanding the value of a liberal arts education.

• Thinking about their long-term, and short-term, careerrelated goals.

• Understanding the many aspects of a career portfolio.

• Writing a “rough-draft” resume.

• Determining their unique personality, strengths, and weaknesses.

SOPHOMORE: After sophomore year, students will be proficient in: • Understanding that a liberal arts degree is valued by employers.

• Understanding the four steps to career planning.

• Searching for career fields that are in line with their interests, temperaments, and personalities.

• Researching summer jobs and internships to better build their resumes.

• Writing a “college student” resume and understanding the basics of writing a cover letter.

2014, only 62 percent agreed. Four years later, 71 percent were confident in their abilities. Each year, the numbers rise, and the level of student satisfaction with the career development office’s offerings increases.

Although students do not primarily choose Christendom so that they can get the best job and make the most money, the college certainly gives them the tools they need to succeed. Christendom graduates get involved in every career field possible—marketing and education, medicine and business, architecture and software design, computer programming and event planning, and so much more. Armed with the knowledge that 93 percent of employers agree that a candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than their undergraduate major, Christendom graduates are making a real difference in the world as they work to restore all things in Christ.

JUNIOR: After junior year, students will be proficient in: • Understanding the importance of networking in finding jobs.

• Creating a complete online LinkedIn profile.

• Understanding Catholic leadership for the lay apostolate.

• Researching graduate schools of interest to identify admissions requirements.

SENIOR: After senior year, students will be proficient in: • Understanding the job search process.

• Writing and submitting job-focused cover letters and resumes, based on a specific job description.

• Understanding how to prepare for an interview and how to follow up.

• Understanding how to answer the top 10 interview questions for a specific job.

• Understanding the basics of Microsoft Excel and Powerpoint.

• Understanding how to ask people to be references and getting recommendation letters.

• Understanding the basics of: budgeting, buying cars, mortgages, finding housing.

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COLLEGE WELCOMES NEW CHAIRMAN & MEMB ERS TO BOARD

Halisky

O’Keefe

OF DIRECTORS After a decade spent on the board,

1993 alumnus Stephen O’Keefe was voted the new chairman of the board of directors. He replaces longtime Chairman Donna Bethell, who led the College through an extraordinary era of growth during her 20 years of exemplary service. Donna will continue to serve as vice chairman. O’Keefe has an extensive background in founding and growing companies, including NovusCG, a data management company that was acquired

by IBM in 2007. During his time on Christendom’s Board of Directors, O’Keefe has helped guide the college through an extraordinary period of growth. As the new chairman, he will look to continue guiding the college through this integral new period, helping it to achieve its mission of helping students to “restore all things in Christ.”

“The need for Christendom and its graduates in this world has never been greater,” says O’Keefe. “I vividly remember that when I was a student at Christendom, I loved our studies of the Reconquista. I am profoundly honored to be asked to play a leadership role in the Reconquista of my time. Viva Christo Rey!” Joining O’Keefe on the board is new member alumna Karla (Kuykendall) Hester, from the Class of 1999. Hester, who now works with O’Keefe at Virtual Service Operations after a decade spent at IBM, has been heavily involved with the college’s alumni base in recent years, helping to form the alumni advisory council and playing a key part in the college’s first alumni Giving Day, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“It has been a wonderful three years serving as the chair of the recently formed alumni advisory council, seeing how truly dedicated Christendom alumni are to their alma mater, and seeing how the relationships from college never end. When approached about becoming a member of the board of directors, I knew I couldn’t say no. I was already convinced that this is where God was directing me to use my talents at this point in my life, and I am highly motivated and overjoyed to help the college network grow and mature.”

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Hester

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I vividly remember that when I was a student at Christendom, I loved our studies of the Reconquista. I am profoundly honored to be asked to play a leadership role in the Reconquista of my time.

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Fellow alumnus Tim Halisky is also a new face on the board. A graduate of the Class of 2001, Halisky is currently the president of RLA Mid-Atlantic, working to assist retail agents serving the healthcare industry. Halisky plans on bringing that same spirit of service to the board of directors, ensuring that students receive the best possible education while they are at Christendom.

“I am blessed to serve Christendom College in this capacity,” says Halisky. “As a result of the courage and conviction shown by Dr. Carroll and the founders, Christendom College is preparing young men and women for a life journey rooted in the Catholic faith. More than just a liberal arts education, Christendom provides a glimpse of Catholic culture that our modern world needs to see and experience. The Christendom culture seeks to fill souls with all that is Good, True, and Beautiful in an environment surrounded by God’s beauty and anchored in the life of the Church through the sacraments. I look forward to furthering the mission of Christendom College as we embark on the next chapter of ‘restoring all things in Christ.’”

Homecoming 2018 was blessed with a solid turnout of alumni and beautiful warm weather. The Classes of 1988, 1998, and 2008 celebrated their anniversaries in the St. John the Evangelist Library, mingling with classmates, faculty, and staff. Homecoming 2018 included several new and engaging events, including the Quodlibet (with several alumni faculty) on Friday night, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy prayed at Dr. Carroll's grave and a Reminisce with Dr. Ray O'Herron in St. Kilian's Café on Saturday afternoon, and the Warren H. Carroll Reception in a beautifully decorated gymnasium on Saturday night. The alumni office is grateful to all those alumni (and students) who assisted in any way with planning and executing Homecoming 2018, especially Nancy Briggs ’82, Nancy Bauer ’96, Don Higby ’02, and Sylvia Messing ’18.

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Send your submissions to classmates@c hristendom.edu.

CLASSMATES YO U R PA P E R & I N K A L U M N I S O C I A L N E T WO R K

1980s Leo White ’80 traveled with wife, Lourdes, to Jerusalem in July 2018. 1 Nancy Briggs ’82 is now a licensed real estate agent for the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is working with her son-in-law, Ben Ferri ’08, founder of Inform Real Estate. They especially look forward to being of service to Christendom alumni, parents, and friends who are interested in relocating to the Front Royal area (informrealestate.com).

Fr. Edward Murphy ’83 is now the pastor of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in St. Augustine, Florida.

He has been there since July 2017.

In October 2018, he completed the Camino de Santiago in Spain—98 miles in 9 days. 2

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Mike ’87 and Leslie (née Bridges) ’92 Hofbauer celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by hiking the Camino de Santiago with six of their seven children in May. 3

1990s Paul Krueger ’90 and his family visited Calgary Stampede 2016. Paul also made his first visit to campus in 27 years over homecoming weekend.

Many alumni from that era turned out to welcome him at a gathering at Tom ’90 and Amanda ’93 McFadden’s home. 6 Bennett ’91 and Mary Beth (née Harrigan) ’92 Ellis spent the last school year enjoying an “America the Beautiful” adventure. They traveled the perimeter of the country in their RV, working and homeschooling

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their three youngest children on the road, and falling in love with state after magnificent state. 5 Theodore Schwalm ’94 competed at the 2018 International Judo Federation World Kata Championships in Cancun, Mexico. Theodore served as team manager for the USA Judo World Kata Team. 8 Joanne Fields ’98 and Edward Portzer tied the knot July 20, 2018, in a private Nuptial Mass at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, D.C. The Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, surprised them when he arrived to concelebrate the wedding Mass. The couple now resides in the tiny town of Pierpont, just 10 miles south of Lake Erie in Ohio. 7 Vince ’98 and Barbara (née Portzer) ’95 Criste celebrated 20

years of marriage on October 24. The family celebrated Juliana’s confirmation on October 27 with the Most Rev. Paul Loverde, Bishop Emeritus of Arlington, Virginia. 4 On October 7, 2018, Michael Hichborn ’99, who is the founder and president of the Lepanto Institute, gave a speech on the power of Our Lady’s intercession through the Holy Rosary at the Rosary Coast to Coast rally in Washington, D.C.

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2000s Dr. Gwen Adams ’01 is teaching this 2018-19 school year as a visiting professor at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorodo. In February 2019, she is hosting Come Away and Rest Awhile, a creative retreat for educators and anyone who loves to learn. Learn more at bardstreet. com/retreat.

Bryan Hadro ’04 and his wife Caitlin just had their first baby, Jordan Robert Hadro, on October 24, 2018. 10 Trish (née Metzger) Gallagher ’05 got married on June 9, 2017, to Thomas Gallagher in Peoria, Illinois, at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception. They had their first son, Sean Patrick, on March 20, 2018. Trish was teaching Montessori Pre-K with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd previously, but now is a full-time mom. They live in Virginia Beach, where Thomas is the coordinator for youth and young adult ministry at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church. 9

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Jeremiah ’05 and Natalie (née Vitti) ’06 McMahon welcomed Gianna Grace in May 2018. Gianna joins her siblings Jeremiah Bernard, Evalyn Rose, and Patrick Anthony.

Jeremiah ’05 is enjoying success in his own business that he started in 2016 as a general contractor, JMJ Enterprises. 11 Ben ’08 and Monica (née Briggs) ’07 Ferri have been living in Front Royal for the last six years after a four-year stint in the cold, white north of Ottawa, Ontario. They are expecting their sixth child and have recently purchased acreage in nearby Rappahannock County, where they plan to build a large enough home to host visitors, throw parties, and raise their growing family. Ben runs a real estate company (informrealestate. com) and Monica attends births as a doula and teaches childbirth classes (lifespringsdoula.weebly.com).

Zac ’08 and Sadie (née Bratt) ’13 Inman welcomed their second child, John David, on September 25. He joins older sister Zoey, 20 months. 12

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2010s Rachel (née Williams) Pierce ’10 and Paul are happy to announce the birth of Benedict Joseph on May 1, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. 13 Ryan and Julia (née Callaghan) Mitchell ’10 are happy to announce the birth of their son Peter James Mitchell, who was born on August 18, 2018. 14 Anthony ’11 and Jessie (née Williams) ’15 Barren welcomed their second child early this summer.

Zelie Jane was born in the car and delivered by her daddy on June 22, 2018. 15 Francis Aul ’11 is in his final year at Georgetown University Law Center. This past summer he served at the Department of Justice and was a member of Justice Kavanaugh’s confirmation team. 16 Br. John McFadden, OSB, ’13 made his final profession as a Benedictine monk at Clear Creek Abbey in Oklahoma on September 8. His parents, Tom ’90 and Amanda ’93, as well as his siblings Catherine ’16, Maria ’18, Dominic ’21, Cecilia, Louisa, Anna, James, Margaret,

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Mary Clare, and Regina, were all there to celebrate the big day. 17 Katie McCoy ’14 married Dominic Gergen on February 3, 2018, in Albany, Minnesota. They are expecting twins in December. 18 Julie Wells ’15 recently illustrated her second children’s book for Box of Balloons, a nonprofit organization with the mission to throw birthday parties for children from underprivileged families. For more information about their mission and to purchase the book, please visit: boxofballoons.org. 19 Ann Hess ’15 is working as the Middle School Language Arts Teacher at St. Joseph the Worker School in Orfield, Pennsylvania.

Subdeacon Philip Gilbert ’15 is continuing his theological studies in Ukraine for an immersion year.

The goal of his time is to become linguistically proficient as well to have an in-depth experience of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, her people, and from where they come.

He is currently studying at Holy Spirit Seminary in L’viv, Ukraine.

There are about 200 seminarians there, which makes it one of the largest Catholic seminaries in Europe.

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Melissa Marter ’16 is proud and blessed to be a missionary with Hard as Nails Ministries, based in Syracuse, New York. Hard as Nails is a Catholic organization that proclaims the Gospel in dynamic ways with a mission to awaken the world to the power of God’s love. 20 Jacob ’16 and Stacie (Wimmer) ’17 Hiserman were married on July 21, 2018, at Mater Dei Catholic Church in Irving, Texas. They now reside in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while Jacob pursues his Ph.D. studies at the University of Alabama. 21 John Ruhl and Rosie McNeely ’17 were married on August 17 in Lincoln, Nebraska. They are now living in Lincoln where John is finishing his degree in accounting and Rosie is finishing her accelerated BSN program. 22 Meghan Uebel ’17 married Alexander Belk on November 25, 2017. They also just had their first child, Kathleen Faustina Belk, born on September 18, 2018. 23 Matthew Kane ’17 recently made his first temporary incorporation commitment to the Fraternity of St. Peter’s after Vespers. On October 20, 2018, he was one of fourteen men who received their first clerical ton-

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sure at Our Lady Guadalupe Seminary chapel in Denton, Nebraska.

His Excellency, Fabian Bruskewitz, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Lincoln, led the Pontifical Mass.

Max Van Hecke ’17 married Sarah Padgett ’17 on June 16, 2018, and are now living Norfolk, Virginia.

David Keatley ’17 is at the International Theological Institute in Trumau, Austria, with the hope of graduating in 2020 with a Master of Arts in Sacred Theology.

Mary Solitario ’17 married Joseph Pennefather ’17 on September 1, 2018, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. They are living in Front Royal. Mary recently started working for Valley Health as a fitness instructor, and Joseph is a contractor with Roofsimple. 24 Joseph McMahon ’17 and Paulina Cuddeback ’18 were married on July 7, 2018, at Christ the King Chapel by Rev. Donald J. Planty. 25 Stephen and Sophie (née Mello) Diggs ’18 welcomed Aamiyah LeighAnn on July 15, 2018. 26 Jane Adams ’18 and Luke Maschue ’18 were married on August 18, 2018, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Staunton,

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Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Maschue now reside in Washington, D.C., where they are both pursuing graduate degrees at The Catholic University of America. 27 Danielle Lemieux ’18 and Trey Dusseault ’19 became engaged in July 2018. Please keep them in your prayers as they prepare for their summer wedding in 2019. 28 Jacob DeVos ’18 and Emily Rose Bailey ’18 were engaged on the Solemnity of the Assumption, August 15, 2018. 29

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REQUIESCAT IN PACE 27

Maria Halliday ’07 passed away on November 29, 2017.

A teacher, Realtor, and loyal friend, Halliday passed unexpectedly at the age of 32.

Angela Wimmer ’15, age 25, passed away after a tragic car accident on September 30, 2018. Formerly of Muenster, Texas, Angela resided in Denver, Colorado, for the past two years. She will be deeply missed. 30

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A LU M N I I M PA C T I N A C T I O N I N A U G U R A L G I V I N G D AY S U P P O R T S C O L L E G E I M P R O V E M E N T S Alumni contributed an extraordinary $379,150 in cash and pledges to the

inaugural 2018 Giving Day in support of the Carroll Fund. During 2018, the approximately $137,000 received in cash and pledge payments helped to underwrite improvements and new initiatives in the following areas:

F I NA NC I A L A ID

Increased Price Match Program to help make Christendom affordable for new students by ensuring competitive financial aid offerings while remaining free from federal funding.

FAC U LTY A ND STA FF S A L A R IES

Supported expansion of math/science faculty, including offering new classes in Anatomy & Physiology II plus Lab, Introduction to Biology, Anatomy and Physiology I plus Lab, and Concepts of Physics.

CO U NS EL I NG A ND S PIR IT UA L D EVELOPM EN T Increased access to mental health support by doubling the hours of free on-campus counseling and increased student safety with the hire of a new security firm with increased presence on campus.

AT H L ET I C S

Increased support to athletic department, including hiring athletic trainers to medically assist at every home game and all practices and helped procure six Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the gymnasium and five other places around campus.

SAVE the DATE

Let’s come together and celebrate the reality that Christendom College is more than 500-plus students and their professors. It is a community of learners dedicated to constantly battling for the Truth, defending the Faith, and preserving our Catholic heritage.

GIVING C H R I S T E N D O M

DAY

C O L L E G E

4.30.19

SUPPORTING THE CARROLL FUND

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Omnia in Christo The Imp or tanc e of the Pip e Org an a s an Ec clesia l Instr ument By Dr. Kurt Poterack The invention of the organ

is attributed to one Ctesibius of Alexandria in the third century BC. His contemporary Philo of Byzantium described the organ as a “syrinx (i.e., a panpipe) played by the hands.”

And this is an accurate description of this new instrument that involves the sounding of pipes by means of wind activation, ultimately, by a keyboard. (The first organs employed sliders representing each pitch that were grasped and moved by the entire hand, opening up an air passage to a particular pipe.) The entrance of the pipe organ into the liturgy of the church has a long and somewhat complicated history, but a general outline is as follows: At a certain point the organ becomes associated with the cult of the emperor. According to one scholar, “[w]hen the Emperor of Byzantium spoke, an organ played. On the other hand the organ was supposed to be the combination of all the voices of the cosmos. Accordingly the organ music at imperial utterances meant that when the divine emperor spoke, the entire universe resounded. As a divine utterance, his statement is the resounding of all of the voices in the cosmos. The ‘organon’ is the cosmic instrument and as such the voice of the world’s ruler, the imperator.”

Having become firmly associated with the Christian Byzantine Emperor, a gift of a pipe organ is given from Byzantium to King Pepin, Charlemagne’s predecessor, in 757 AD. Charlemagne himself, as the western Holy Roman Emperor, has an organ mounted near his throne in the rear balcony of his court church in Aachen. Thus the pipe organ makes its way from the East (where it never became a liturgical instrument) to the West (where it ultimately does) through its chain of association with Christian rulers.

Finally, according to the same scholar, the association of the organ with the “Christian royal court” gets transferred to cathedrals and monasteries in the West. He continues, “[l]ess than a lifetime ago [i.e., in the early 1960s] it was [still] customary for the organ to play as background to the abbot’s recitation of the Pater noster in Benedictine abbeys, and this is to be understood as a direct 36

Instaurare

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.

inheritance ... [of the organ’s ancient cosmic associations with the Byzantine Emperor].”

This, however, represents an important clarifying development.

It should be remembered that in the traditional usage of the Roman Rite, the celebrant either sang or recited the Pater noster alone, representing Christ teaching the apostles how to pray. The pipe organ, being a very successful instance of what later comes to be called “inculturation,” had undergone a centuries-long process of purification of any negative preChristian associations and a transformation into an instrument associated with Christian rulers. From there it is just a short step to becoming an instrument that, in the western liturgy, comes to represent Christ himself—King of Kings and Lord of Lords—the true cosmic, divine emperor, Christ the Pantocrator!

This is the theological underpinning of the sacrality of the organ in the Roman Rite. While many people instinctively recognize its sacrality, others tend to think of the organ more as a useful instrument that accompanies congregational singing and plays great literature such as that of Johann Sebastian Bach. Actual written out, composed organ music, however, tends to date more from the seventeenth century. Before that time the organ is much more an instrument for liturgical improvisation.

The church’s chant melodies were the basis of these spontaneous improvisations in the liturgy.

A poem about the fifteenth-century German organist, Conrad Paumann, for example, states that “[r]esponse, antiphon, introit, hymn, sequence and responsory . . . in improvisation . . . his head is such a gradual.” Indeed, arguably the most famous religious composer of the sixteenth century, Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina, is identified in many manuscripts as “organist,” but only his vocal compositions were ever written down. He would have improvised at the organ on the chanted melodies of the liturgy as was needed to introduce them or to accompany the liturgical action. There was no need to write these down, as improvisation was a common skill of all organists at this time.

Another common use of the organ was to perform in alternation with the choir singing a liturgical text. Believe it or not, the organ would substitute for an actual part of the liturgical

text. For example, in response to the celebrant intoning the Gloria (“Gloria in excelsis Deo”), the organist would play the music for the text that followed (“et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te.

Adoramus te. Glorificamus te.”). Then the choir would respond, singing the words “Gratias agimus tibi propter magnum gloriam tuam,” and back and forth between the wordless organ and the words of the choir. This practice, known as “alternatim,” was practiced between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries and shows the extent to which the organ had become an integral part of the liturgy of the Roman Rite.

Because of its sacral significance the organ seemed to mystically bear the very words of the liturgy associated with the chant melody without actually articulating them.

Widespread use of the organ to accompany congregational singing seems to begin only after the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation—and then only very gradually. Up to this point, when the organ was used in conjunction with voices, it was generally used either alternatim (see above) or to double and thus reinforce the actual written vocal parts of the choir. However, congregational accompaniment by organists grows among Catholics and Protestants as does the size and complexity of the organ over the next centuries. From the seventeenth century on, many great works are written for the organ by composers such as J.S. Bach, Dieterich Buxtehude, Charles-Marie Widor, Cesar Franck, and Olivier Messiaen.

However, in all this the pipe organ remains, as the newly canonized Pope Paul VI said, something “to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man’s mind to God and to higher things.”

Kurt Poterack, Ph.D., is master of the choristers, schola director, assistant professor of music, and program director of the music minor at Christendom College, where he has served on the faculty since 1999.

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