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Volume 53, Issue 65 | wednesday, december 5, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
ND worker doubles as ice carver Master ice sculptor Danny Bloss contributes frozen artwork to ND dining halls By MIKE DUGAN News Writer
In a building a little over a mile northwest of LaFortune Hall, Danny Bloss goes to work. Bloss is a 29-year-old employee of the University of Notre Dame currently working at the Center for Culinary Excellence. He is responsible for cooking all the pasta, sauces and soups for the campus, though he also performs a unique role at the University — he is one of Notre Dame’s ice carvers. Bloss is highly-experienced in the field of ice carving, having regularly competed in regional and national competitions over the majority of his 12 years as see BLOSS PAGE 3
Observer Staff Report
EMMA FARNAN | The Observer
Danny Bloss, a Center for Culinary Excellence worker, designs ice sculptures for the dining halls, like the one pictured above in South Dining Hall. The angelic sculpture overlooks students’ Christmas dinners.
Notre Dame celebrates Las Posadas tradition By CHRISTOPHER PARKER News Writer
This week, Notre Dame celebrates three consecutive nights of Las Posadas, a Christmastime Catholic tradition in Spanish-speaking countries around the world. It commemorates Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging in Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. Farley rector Elaine DeBassige, who was instrumental in bringing the tradition to campus, said Notre Dame’s version compresses a nine-night novena down into three. “It’s supposed to be a novena, but on campus, we just don’t have that kind of time, so we readjusted,” she said. “We sing carols and travel to many locations seeking shelter for Jesus and Mary. Each location we stop at, we sing a part of the Las Posadas song and are turned away. We pick up more carols at the place that rejected us. We continue until we reach our
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final destination.” Becky Ruvalcaba, assistant director of multicultural ministry, said in an email that each night ends in festivities. “Once we are invited in at the end of the procession, we move to the chapel and have scripture, music and prayer. Finally, at the end we have a celebration,” Ruvalcaba said. Music and food are an integral cultural part of Las Posadas. DeBassige said Notre Dame can expect to see homecooked Hispanic dishes, catering, mariachi and a pinata. “Because the crowds are growing, we have some catered food from local restaurants like Mango Cafe. This year in Farley, we are adding cheese enchiladas, pozole and bizcochitos,” she said. “Several women learned how to be New Mexican tonight!” For Ruvalcaba, Las Posadas embodies the beauty of the Catholic image of the Holy see LAS POSADAS PAGE 3
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University President Fr. John Jenkins has created a standing committee to review Notre Dame’s guidelines about creating licensed Notre Dame products, according to an email sent Wednesday to University students, faculty and staff. Jenkins formed the committee in response to a May report by an ad-hoc committee on worker participation, he said in the email. “While recognizing the important steps that have been see REVIEW PAGE 3
Saint Mary’s students create blackout poetry By McKENZIE LOOKEBILL News Writer
As some Saint Mary’s students review old notes and tests in preparation for finals in the Cushwa-Leighton Library, some students are making markings to remove words out of old books. On a table on the first floor, torn pieces of paper are being edited by adding black lines to
mark out unnecessary words. This is the process of blackout poetry, brought to the library as part of a class project. Three students, junior Dalanie Beach, and first-years Hannah Toepp and Hannah Kornfeld, completed this project as part of an assignment for their Design Lab I class. “This Design Lab I course really covers all the bases,” Kornfeld said. “We did a lot
of different projects — everything from painting, to making videos and learning how to use certain design software. At the end of each project, we had class critiques where we discussed how we can improve on each of our pieces. This project is a group landmark installation, meaning we have to install some sort of see POETRY PAGE 3
Sorin residents continue ‘Monk Hoops’ tradition By NICOLE SIMON News Writer
When former University President and current priestin-residence of Sorin College Fr. Edward “Monk” Malloy started playing basketball with seminarians, he did not know that “Monk Hoops,” as the tradition is now known, would bring Sorin residents
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together today. Malloy’s basketball career started in high school, when he played for the top school in the country at the time. He played on Notre Dame’s varsity team as an undergraduate, and did not stop with the sport when he graduated. “Before I moved into dorms, I was on the staff at Moreau Seminary. I used to invite
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teams from campus to come over and play there against the seminarians,” he said. “We were pretty good, and they were always surprised.” The tradition he started with the seminarians came with him to Sorin College when he moved into the dorm in 1980, Malloy said. see HOOPS PAGE 3
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