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Volume 53, Issue 107 | friday, march 29, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com
Panelists share hopes for Christian unity Religious leaders from various denominations gather to discover commonalities, speak on community By RYAN KOLAKOWSKI News Writer
In an effort to strengthen ecumenism, the unity of wide-spanning Christian churches and faith traditions, five church leaders gathered for conversation and communion in McKenna Hall on Thursday night. Rev. Christopher Ferguson of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, Rev. Sarah Rowland Jones of St. David’s Anglican Cathedral, Rev. Martin Junge of the Lutheran World Federation, Cardinal Kurt Koch of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Rev. Tim Macquiban of
the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome contributed to the conversation. The discussion was led by Rev. Neil Arner, an assistant professor from the department of theolog y. The panel, titled “From Conf lict to Communion: The Future of Christians Together in the World,” provided a space for the five church leaders to find common ground. The discussion covered topics such as interpretation of scripture, theolog y and ethics. W hile the panelists recognized divisions among Christian denominations, they also agreed Churches must stand together to support one
ROTC Run Forrest Run race supports veterans By CATE VON DOHLEN News Writer
The fifth annual Run Forrest Run 5/10K race to benefit the Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) will commence Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in front of Hesburgh Library, where 900 American f lags will be placed on the grass early Friday morning. The event was started by Lauren McKee, class of 2018, her freshman year at Notre Dame. Senior Nathaniel Hanson, who directed the event this year, said he assisted McKee in organizing the event while he was a member of Air Force ROTC. “Even though I am no longer in the Air Force, it made sense for me to carry over and make sure the event is a success,” Hanson said. The race is supported by community members and volunteers from all three branches of ROTC at Notre
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Dame — Nav y, Army and Air Force. It is the second biggest race on campus after the Holy Half Marathon in April. McKee said they expect between 400 and 500 people by the time registration closes. Participants come from across the United States, the greater South Bend community and the Notre Dame community. It will probably be about two-thirds community members and onethird Notre Dame students, Hanson said. Junior Michael Terranova, who is the assistant director of the event and a member of Nav y ROTC, said one participant has dressed up as Forrest Gump every year since the birth of the event. GSF is named after Sinise, who played Lieutenant Dan in “Forrest Gump,” and the foundation supports defenders, veterans, first see RACE PAGE 4
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another going forward. “Imagine, in the depth and the terrorizing expanse of violence and division in this world, that five communions would stand together in ... and not tell the story of the Protestant Reformation as a story mostly about division, but that the grace of God so profoundly freed us that our differences could be honored and robbed of all powers that divide us,” Ferguson said. “Our now urgent task is that the Church may be one so that the world may believe.” Jones, the dean of St. David’s Anglican Cathedral in Wales, recognized Christians build see UNITY PAGE 3
RYAN KOLAKOWSKI | The Observer
Church leaders discuss ecumenism at a panel titled “From Conflict to Communion: The Future of Christians Together in the World.”
Fourth annual hackathon to promote creativity By MORGAN JOHNSON News Writer
Teams of undergraduate students will design, create and present a digital application to improve the Notre Dame community in the fourth annual Hesburgh Library Hackathon this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. “We want this to be an inclusive event,” emerging technologies librarian and
Hackathon co-chair Randy Harrison said. “It’s totally fine if this is your first experience with coding. We want students to see the resources in the library and see the library as a central hub for intellectual activity.” At its conception in 2016, the Hackathon drew about 20 participants. This year, the Hackathon is expected to register approximately 80-100 students and reward larger prizes, starting with
$5,000 for first place. Students will register on Friday evening in the Hesburgh Library, form teams and start developing ideas for their app until the library closes at 11 p.m. Teams will continue creating their products when the library opens on Saturday until its closure at midnight. Competitors finalize projects and presentations Sunday morning. see HACKATHON PAGE 4
Water Bottle Challenge encourages sustainability By McKENZIE LOOKEBILL News Writer
Catholic Relief Services and Saint Mary’s’ environmental studies department are promoting the use of reusable water bottles and containers on and off campus by organizing a water bottle challenge.
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The challenge was created by two sophomores, Gabriella Garcia and Ana Liu, and english professor Aaron Moe and has been gaining traction among students and faculty. “[Garcia] and [Liu] are taking my Native American literature course,” Moe said. “In that course, I shared my
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interest in something like a water bottle challenge. They came and talked to me after class and shared their work with Catholic Relief Service, so we decided to work together to sponsor this water bottle challenge.” Interested students see CHALLENGE PAGE 3
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