Instaurare | Winter 2010

The Christendom College Quarterly Magazine

Winter 2010

Inside this issue...

Protesting Abortion at Mega Shield - pg 4

Fall Football Games Bring Excitement - pg 9

Golf Tournament Big Success - pg 14

Players Perform Agatha Christie Play - pg 15

From the President Dear Friends, Pax Christi! I pray that all is well with you. As we now move toward the end of the year, when our thoughts naturally turn to the birth of Christ, and as the days grow shorter, and the darkness seems in many ways to impinge upon the light, it is truly a great time to reflect on the glory of Eternal Light descending from the realms of light to become one with us. This is a crucial time of year for Christendom College for a number of reasons, especially since nearly 60% of the College’s annual fund contributions is a result of Christmas end-of-the-year giving. This is so crucial to our mission. That mission of restoring all things in Christ through a liberal arts education has a special aspect to it which finds its fruition in the lay apostolate. In many ways, our world today seems to be as troubled as it was when Christ first entered it over 2000 years ago.

Timothy T. O’Donnell, STD, KGCHS

a deeper and deeper awareness of their responsibility and urging them on everywhere to the service of Christ and the Church.

There can be no intelligent understanding of the role of the laity of the Church’s apostolate without a precise understanding of the purpose of the Church Herself. As the late Father John Hardon taught, Christ established His Church as His Kingdom on earth, which exists to offer to all men the means they need for redemption and salvation. The apostolate refers to every activity of the Church by which He leads men and women to their eternal destiny. All members of the Church are called to contribute to Her growth.

The laity are called by God to exercise their apostolate as leaven in the world. It is important to remember that, by virtue of their baptism, they participate in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ, particularly by their work of sanctification and evangelization.

It is through the efforts of lay men and women that the Spirit of the Gospel will be able to permeate the temporal order. Laypersons accomplish this by their witness to Jesus Christ and by the fervent desire to promote the salvation of all men and women.

I would like to offer you a reflection on the role of the laity in the world today. What I would like to do is, first of all, lay a foundation for a proper understanding of the lay apostolate, and then secondly This is what inspired Dr. Warren Carroll and our college, and in speak about our special lay charism in this great effort your participation the field of education as a response to Our effectiveness as members of the church is essential for Christ and His the second Vatican Council. militant, that is, the church fighting, will depend Church. This can be seen in the I would like to begin with the teaching of the second Vatican Council in its decree on the apostolate of the laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem. The Council fathers wrote,

on our holiness of life. How important it is to remember that in this life we are engaged in a great battle. Holiness is a sine qua non for our efforts as lay apostles.

In its desire to intensify the apostolic activity of the People of God the Council now earnestly turns its thoughts to the Christian laity. Mention has already been made in other documents of the laity’s special and indispensable role in the mission of the Church.

Indeed, the Church can never be without the lay apostolate; it is something that derives from the layman’s very vocation as a Christian. Scripture clearly shows how spontaneous and fruitful was this activity in the Church’s early days (cf. Acts 11:19-21; 18-26; Rom 16:1-16; Phil 4:3).

No less fervent a zeal on the part of lay people is called for today; present circumstances, in fact, demand from them an apostolate infinitely broader and more intense. For the constant increase in population, the progress in science and technology, the shrinking of the gaps that have kept men apart, have immensely enlarged the field of the lay apostolate, a field that is in great part open to the laity alone; they have in addition given rise to new problems which require from the laity an intelligent attention and examination. All the more urgent has this apostolate become, now that autonomy – as is only right – has been reached in numerous sectors of human life, sometimes with a certain relinquishing of moral and religious values, seriously jeopardizing the Christian life….

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The need for this urgent and many-sided apostolate is shown by the manifest action of the Holy Spirit moving laymen today to

a response to this call.

teaching of the popes, from Pius IX on, culminating in the teaching of the second Vatican Council, which not only referred to the laity in nearly every major document, but devoted an entire decree to the laity itself. Christendom College is

Regarding the second Vatican Council’s teaching on the universal call to holiness, the Council Fathers wrote: “the Lord Jesus, divine teacher and model of all perfection, preached holiness of life (of which He is the author and maker) to each and every one of his disciples without distinction: ‘You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.’ It is therefore quite clear that all Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” (Lumen Gentium 40) Our effectiveness as members of the church militant, that is, the church fighting, will depend on our holiness of life. How important it is to remember that in this life we are engaged in a great battle. Holiness is a sine qua non for our efforts as lay apostles.

As Pope John Paul the Great said in his apostolic exhortation, Christifideles Laici, “Holiness, then, must be called a fundamental presupposition and an irreplaceable condition for everyone in fulfilling the mission of salvation within the Church.” As the great Dominican theologian Garrigou-Lagrange used to say in his lectures at the Angelicum in Rome, “You cannot influence others unless you first have developed your own interior life.”

see From the President page 8

Cover Story

Cardinal Arinze Joins Donors for Successful President’s Council Visit Weekend

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“It is better to support a good Catholic higher education institution than to agree that some of the big ones are not doing well,” Francis Cardinal Arinze told guests at Christendom College’s Annual President’s Council Visit Weekend held September 17-19. “It is better to light a candle than to discuss and condemn the darkness.”

Cardinal Arinze, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, joined members of Christendom’s elite group of top benefactors—the President’s Council— and members of the Board of Directors for the special weekend. A number of Christendom’s Advisors to the Board also attended the busy weekend, including Catholic theologian and author George Weigel and former US Senator Rick Santorum.

As the major donor society of the College, the President’s Council is an important part of the Annual Fund. The Council is an organization dedicated to the advancement of Christendom College through financial and personal involvement.

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Cuddeback enjoy a light moment with the Cardinal.

Through their participation, President’s Council members provide invaluable support to programs that attract intelligent and motivated students. Beyond providing student scholarships and financial assistance, gifts from President’s Council members also attract quality faculty and support their professional development; sustain and upgrade the technological tools that are integral to the teaching and learning process; and meet the needs of students with enhanced student services.

On Friday, guests sat in on scheduled classes in the morning. In the afternoon, they enjoyed a pontoon boat ride on the beautiful Shenandoah River courtesy of alumnus, benefactor, and local resident Frank O’Reilly, ’83, and also were entertained through campus tours with English Professor Dr. Robert Rice.

VPforAdvancementJohnCiskanik(l)talkswithnewBoardMemberTom Young (r) and benefactor Vincent Lin.

Friday evening, members of the faculty, staff, and Board of Directors joined Cardinal Arinze and the President’s Council members at the home of Dr. and Mrs. O’Donnell for a lovely evening of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

The following day’s schedule was very full indeed. In the morning, President’s Council members sat in on classes taught by Christendom faculty. English professor Dr. Patrick Keats discussed “Dracula as a Christian Novel,” while history professor Brendan McGuire gave his audience an understanding of “Why Moderns Hate the Crusades.”

Following these captivating classes, President’s Council members heard from students Paul Nangurai (Nairobi, Kenya), Mary Kate Vander Woude (Nokesville, VA), and Troy Spring (Moulton, TX). see President’s Council Weekend pages 10-11

GeorgeWeigelsignsacopyofhislatestbookforMarkandPamSwartzberg.

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Over 140 Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood in DC

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Christendom’s pro-life student group, Shield of Roses, held its bi-annual “Mega Shield” event on November 6. Over 140 Christendom students traveled to Washington, DC, to peacefully protest their opposition to abortion at the Planned Parenthood clinic, located just north of the White House, on 16th Street. About 30 students from the Catholic University of America joined in the peaceful protest as well.

The group prays at this same clinic each Saturday morning during the academic year, but usually only around 15-20 students make the trek into DC on a weekly basis. Once a semester, the group’s leadership organizes “Mega Shield” and encourages as many of the members of the College community as possible to participate. Last fall, “Mega Shield” drew its largest group ever – over 200 students.

“I was really impressed to see so many of my fellow students get up on a cold Saturday morning to pray in front of one of Washington’s most notorious abortion clinics,” said Shield of Roses President John Killackey, who will be graduating this May. “It truly is a powerful witness to the culture of life on the front line of the battle against the culture of death.”

Students wake up early on “Mega Shield” Saturdays to attend the 7:30 am Mass, after which they load into private vehicles and a

couple of college vans. They arrive at the Planned Parenthood abortuary at around 9:30 am where they kneel on the grass in front of the clinic and pray four rosaries and a Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as sing some Marian hymns before departing back to the college campus in Front Royal.

“I was really proud to see so many students and even faculty there,” Senior Mary Members of the College’s choir led the group in singing hymns.

Harrington said. “We actualthe building are public property, and as a rely had to turn people away because we didn’t sult, students are now able to kneel and pray have enough room in the vans and cars.” on the public lawn again.

Harrington leads the section of Shield of Roses that is dedicated to sidewalk counseling.

“Not very many women came [to the clinic]—maybe three or four,” Harrington said. “And that’s a good thing.”

Last spring, this particular Planned Parenthood facility erected a fence blocking access to the public lawn outside the abortuary, making the prayerful protest more challenging. The students then had to spread out along the sidewalk. This fall, after a lot of litigation and research, it was determined that the grassy area and sidewalk in front of

“After we learned that Planned Parenthood installed the fence, and that police were threatening to arrest those that prayed or counseled on the public spaces within the fence, we extensively researched the status of that property,” said James Henderson, Senior Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice. “The Public Spaces Branch of the District’s Department of Transportation maintains the database of public properties in Washington, DC. During meetings with that department, two different sources confirmed to us that Washington, DC, owned a 50-foot right of way along the public sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood.”

Shield of Roses has been protesting at this particular Planned Parenthood for the past ten years and the clinic escorts can vary in their civility toward the students. Unfortunately, this time a few students remarked that the escorts mocked them.

The Shield of Roses receives limited funds from the College’s Student Activities Council, but relies on the generosity of others to continue its work. Anyone interested in making financial contributions to this student group should contact John Killackey at jkillackey@christendom.edu.

Over140studentsandvisitorstookpartinthisfall’s“MegaShield”event,travelingtoWashington,DC, to prayerfully protest the evil of abortion at a Planned Parenthood facility.

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The students of Christendom College are active in pro-life work year round, from prayerful protests to volunteering for pro-life candidates. Every year, Christendom cancels classes the day of the March for Life and the College’s entire student body enthusiastically attends.

Entrepreneur Frank Hanna Tells Story of Defending the Faith

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“When I was a child and I thought of defending the faith, I thought of some crusader on a horse going against the invaders of the Holy Land,” author and entrepreneur Frank Hanna told the students and faculty of Christendom College during his address on

Hanna, CEO of Hanna Capital in Atlanta, GA, and author of the best seller What Your Money Means, told students that his efforts to acquire the papyri for the Vatican were the beginning of “a defense of the Faith” for him.

“Faith is something that we decide to do,” Hanna said. “It draws us closer to God. So when we talk about the defense of the faith, we are talking about the defense of a decision we made.

And when we need to defend a decision we have made, we like to provide evidence.”

Hanna explained that the Christian faith is one that relies on the spiritual nature of man, but also embraces the corporal nature.

September 27. “Now, that is defending the faith, but defending the faith is a lot broader than that.”

In his talk, entitled Defending the Faith, Defending the Word of God, Hanna related how he established the Mater Verbi/Hanna Papyrus Trust, which sought to acquire for the Vatican sections 14 and 15 of the Bodmer Papyrus from the Martin Bodmer Foundation. The Bodmer Papyrus is a set of papyri which were discovered in 1952 at Pabau, Egypt. Dating back to AD 175, the papyri contain the oldest copy of the Gospel of Luke—and the oldest copy of the Lord’s Prayer—in the world.

INSTAURARE

“We are spiritual, but we live in this physical world,” he said. “And thus physical evidence of that which has happened is important.

Defending that physical evidence is important. Defending that physical evidence is not a substitute for faith, but it can enhance it.”

Hanna said that while we cannot prove that Jesus was God made man, we do have a lot of proof that Jesus was a real man, that many people believed He was God, and that they were willing to die for that belief.

“The better preserved the records of those events are, the better it is for all of us and our faith,” he said. “And the [Bodmer] Papyrus helps us to preserve that record. When we cling to those records, it is like clinging to photographs of a loved one.”

The Mater Verbi/Hanna Papyrus Trust was able to purchase the papyri and, in January 2007, Hanna presented the papyri to Pope Benedict XVI. They were transported from Switzerland to the Vatican with a high level of security that Hanna compared to “a James Bond movie.” They shut down the airports in Switzerland and Rome while police escorted the package to the plane with machine guns.

Once in Rome, it was transported to the Vatican Library by an armed motorcade with a helicopter overhead, Hanna said.

The papyri are kept in the Vatican Library today and are available for scholarly review.

“The talk was really interesting,” Junior Blaise Buckner said. “He was an engaging speaker and it was nice to hear from someone in the business world who is a great example of what it means to be a Catholic layman.”

Hanna, who was instrumental in the foundation of three Catholic schools in Atlanta, was excited to be at Christendom.

“As a business guy out in there in the world, it’s great to be able to come here and be something of a sponge and soak up what you all have—to soak up some of the spirit, enthusiasm, vigor, and grace that you all have,” he said. “Thank you for the witness that you’re giving to the Church.”

His talk can be downloaded at Christendom on iTunes U.

Published quarterly by the Christendom College Admissions & Marketing Office.

Executive Editor: Tom McFadden Contributing Editor: Niall O’Donnell Copy Editor: Torey Cervantes Christendom College 134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 800.877.5456 ~ www.christendom.edu Copyright © 2010. 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 (www.christendom.edu).” SUBSCRIPTION FREE UPON REQUEST.

Frank Hanna spoke with students following his talk: Defending the Faith, Defending the Word of God.

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Psychologist Dr. Ray Guarendi Explains Benefits of Being a Roman Catholic

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“There is only one reason to be Catholic—not because you love Father’s homilies, not because they have great youth groups, not because the cutest girl in the world sits in that third pew— it’s because it’s true,” clinical psychologist and radio personality Dr. Ray Guarendi told students at Christendom College on November 8. “If it’s not true, get out of it. Go do what you want. But if it is true, it is everything.”

His talk, entitled Why Be Catholic, exposed the common fallacies in the Protestant system that he discovered during his journey from evangelicalism to Catholicism.

Guarendi, a father of 10, is host for the radio show The Doctor Is In, which is featured on Ave Maria and EWTN Radio. He has been a regular guest on national radio and television, including Oprah, 700 Club, and CBS This Morning. He is the author of several books, including Discipline That Lasts a Lifetime, You’re a Better Parent Than You Think!, now in its twenty-fifth printing, and his newest book, Good Discipline, Great Teens.

Guarendi explained that he was deep into the evangelical world; at one point he was involved with four Bible studies and a prison ministry. His search for the truth led him to the early writings of the Church.

“I wanted to see what the Church actually thought in the first three centuries,” he said. In his research he found that the early Church baptized ba-

bies, confessed to priests, had a special headship for the Bishop of Rome, and prayed for departed souls.

“All the things that I was told was all ‘Catholic junk,’ that was added on to the pure and simple Gospel message, was there,” he said.

“That shook me up.”

It was in these early writings that Guarendi also found accounts of the Church’s belief in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

“I used to tease my Protestant friends,” Guarendi said. “I’ll make you a deal. You find me one early Church Father in the first thousand years that said this is nothing but a memorial meal—that’s all it is—it’s never meant to be anything else, and I could consider looking back at the Protestant church. But if I find you 25 early writers who said this is our Lord Himself, would you convert?”

Guarendi also pointed out that he saw a serious flaw in the lack of unity among Protestants. When he questioned his fellow Protestants on the presence of 35,000 different Protestant sects, he was told that they agreed on the basics and all the disputes among the sects were ancillary. Guarendi saw that that was not the case, for when it came to the issue of abortion, Protestants were in disagreement.

A swing band orchestra played for the annual Homecoming dance.

Freshmen(andvisitors)dressedupasGreekgods,winningthecostumecontestattheHalloweenDance.

StudentsandvisitorsdancetheLandlerduring theCollege’sfestiveOktoberfestcelebration.

“Is ‘life’ not a basic?” Guarendi asked.

His talk was full of humorous stories about family life and his path to conversion.

“It was really entertaining,” Senior Ania Zganiacz said. “Sometimes in dealing with Protestants, you just don’t know where to start and he gave us some great insights and talking points.”

This talk is available for download at Christendom on iTunes U, christendom.edu/itunesu.

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Fall Semester Events

StudentsandfacultytookpartintheSchubertiade musical event at the O’Donnell’s home.

EucharisticprocessionfortheFeastofChristtheKing.

Board Member Gorman Feels at Home at Christendom

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Board Member Dan Gorman’s journey with Christendom College began with an advertisement in the Arlington Catholic Herald for the College’s summer program in Ireland. His daughter, Mary, who lives in Virginia, brought the ad to his attention.

“We signed up, and what a wonderful experience it was,” Gorman says.

Father of five and grandfather to 13, Gorman knew from his first visit to Christendom that he wanted to be a part of it.

“My wife, Joan, and I felt like we had come

home,” he says of their first visit. “The true Christianity, the faculty, the students—all convinced us to become part of Christendom in some way.”

Gorman says that the love of Christ and His Church permeates the College and he finds the dedication of the students, faculty, and staff to be inspiring—particularly the joy that they share in accomplishing the College’s mission, “to restore all things in Christ.”

Gorman founded The Promotion Group, Inc., an advertising company that won

“Agency of the Year” award in 1988. As an entrepreneur, he sees the value of Christendom’s education. If asked for advice on where to go to college, Gorman will say, “realize your full potential by getting the finest liberal arts education available anywhere and at the same time strengthen your Catholic faith—at Christendom. It has the most accomplished faculty, a great student body, a truly Catholic environment...and it’s a lot of fun as well!”

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Gorman was raised in Queens. He now spends his time between Winter Park, FL, in the winter and the east end of Long Island in the summer. In his free time, he enjoys golf and singing in his parish’s choir. Gorman is also a sidewalk counselor for the Orlando Pro-Life Action organization. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2009.

Kiplinger Ranks Christendom a Best Value Visit Weekends Draw Christendom joins the Kiplinger’s Personal “What’s more, some of the colleges on the Close to 200 Students

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Finance annual rankings of the best values in private institutions, which lists private liberal arts colleges and universities that deliver a high-quality education at an affordable price.

Christendom joins this elite list of liberal arts colleges for the first time.

Christendom was selected from a pool of more than 600 private institutions provided by Peterson’s Competitive Colleges.

Christendom earned high marks in academic quality and affordability—with quality accounting for twothirds of the total—placing it on the magazine’s list of top 100 schools.

The annual Kiplinger 100 rankings appear in the December 2010 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

The average cost of one year at a four-year private school has lately been about $36,000, according to the College Board, with the increase for 2010-11 a relatively modest 4.5%. Christendom College’s cost, including room and board, comes in below average at $26,624.

Kiplinger rankings offer a net price below $20,000, making some of the best institutions in the world a downright bargain,” says Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s.

“Christendom’s average net price is $13,387,” says Christendom’s Director of Admissions Tom McFadden. “Financial assistance will vary in size—based on need, merit, and other factors—but you’re not going to find our caliber of education and personal formation anywhere in the country-—especially at a price like that.”

The expanded list, totaling 200 schools, is accessible now at kiplinger.com/links/ college. The site features tables that can be dynamically sorted by readers according to category of interest and the most frequently asked questions about annual rankings.

Christendom appears in numerous other national secular and religious guides each year including Barron’s Best Buys, Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s All-American Colleges and Choosing the Right College, Peterson’s Competitive Colleges, and others.

Christendom’s Admissions Office welcomed almost 200 visiting high school students to campus this fall – a 70% increase over last fall. Students took part in Crusader Visit Weekends, Experience Christendom Summer Program Reunion Weekends, and Regular Visit Weekends.

CollegePresidentO’DonnellplaysIrishsongsforthe studentsathishomeduringaCrusaderWeekend.

VisitProgramCoordinatorEveOwentalkswith students during their visit.

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Neuroscientist Relies Heavily on his Philosophical Education

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“Scientific academia is a pretty atheistic world,” Christendom College Alumnus Phil O’Herron says. “Some people have been really shocked that a seemingly normal person can believe in such a silly thing as God.” A graduate of the class of 2000, O’Herron is a post-doctoral research fellow in neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. He became interested in how man can know the world from studying philosophy at Christendom. From there, he decided that he wanted to know more about the brain and went on to get his PhD in neuroscience from George Mason University.

O’Herron says that Christendom has strengthened him in his faith, which he considers important to have in any walk of life, but especially in his. In O’Herron’s field, atheistic materialists surround him.

“Without the solid education I received from Christendom, it might be hard to persevere,” he says. “But having learned how to defend the Faith, why the Church teaches what she does, and the philosophical and theological errors that often underlie arguments against God’s existence or the Church, I find that I actually enjoy the opportunity to talk with people about it.”

In graduate school, O’Herron joined the Consciousness Club, a group of neuroscience students and faculty who were interested in philosophical questions about the mind and free will. At the meetings of this club, O’Herron discovered that, aside from all the participants being materialists, there were fundamental aspects of philosophy that were missing.

“They didn’t have an understanding of different types of causality, basic ontology, such as the different ways of being and the difference between essence and existence, and even just a basic sense of what levels of explanation are valid,” O’Herron says. “Someone, without the background that Christendom gives, might be overwhelmed by the materialist arguments.

However, having studied philosophy at Christendom, I had heard many of these arguments before and had studied what was wrong with them. It ended up being a huge help to me.”

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O’Herron believes that a liberal arts degree is more desirable than a specialized degree because it makes one a broadly educated and well-rounded person.

“This may seem strange coming from a guy in a scientific field because there is so much technical specialty that you need,” O’Herron says. “While I did not pick up the Philosophy major alumnus Phil O’Herron has a PhD in neuroscience. background information I need to do my day-to-day work at best thing to test.

Christendom, I think I picked up something that is a lot harder to get in any other way: “Without these abilities, technical expertise learning how to think critically through will not get you very far,” O’Herron says. “I problems and process arguments.” think in studying philosophy and logic at Christendom, I had a lot of practice at anaHe explains that a big part of science is be- lyzing arguments to see if conclusions were ing able to see the big picture surrounding an justified and, if not, what was missing.” experimental result. A scientist has to fully process all the assumptions that go into a re- When asked what he misses most about sult and then be able to interpret the finding Christendom, O’Herron responds with a in light of what else is known. The scientist smile, “I think the right question is: what then needs to decide what would be the next don’t I miss about Christendom?”

From the President...

Christ Himself taught us this. What were His first words to His followers? “Come – come learn of me.” What were His last words? “Go – go out into the world, for all power in heaven and earth has been given to me!” Today the problem we face is that too many have gone out into the world from nominally Catholic institutions without first having come to Christ to learn and take on His mind and His spirit. Is it any wonder that so many Christians are therefore seduced by the world?

We’re witnessing today such a manipulation in language, where lust has become sexual liberation, indifferentism becomes pluralism, self-delusion becomes self expression, pornography becomes art, homosexuality is referred to as a “lifestyle” (who would ever characterize the powerful

continued from page 2 love between a man and a woman as a “lifestyle”?), abortion, the killing of an unborn, helpless child, simply becomes choice. In every instance we see a demonic element here, for as our Lord told us, “He was a liar and a murderer from the beginning.” Our College’s mission and commitment to a fruitful lay apostolate through education in the liberal arts has never been more timely than it is today.

None of this would be possible were it not for the tremendous generosity of heart and spirit you have shown for our vital educational apostolate.

Please be assured that I will remember each of you in my grateful prayers as together we celebrate the joyous feast of our Lord’s Nativity.

May the Infant Christ shower His choicest blessings upon you now and forever.

Flag Football Games Bring Out School Spirit on Campus

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The Christendom men played their annual flag football games this fall: The Upper vs Under game and the East vs West game.

As is normally the case, the Upperclassmen thoroughly beat the freshmen in the first game of the year. The Upper walked away with a 58-0 win.

In the East vs West game, things were a little tighter and, although it appeared that the East might actually pull out their first win in 7 years, they failed, and the West won 14-6, for the 7th consecutive year.

FreshmanJonathanFioramontistrugglestogetfree from Jack Anderson and Peter McNeely.

TheUpper’sPeterMcNeelyavoidsthedefense.

TimBeeraddedalotofspeedtotheEast’soffense.

JuniorPatSteinrunsdownthesidelinetoscorefor the Upperclassmen.

FreshmanDanMitchellrushesdownthefield.

WestQBPeterMcNeelywasadangerousweapon.

The West won their 7th straight victory over the East in the annual East vs West flag football game.

TheEast’sPatSteinevadestheWest’sdefense.

The final score was West: 14 – East: 6. Maybe next year, fellas!

SamMcMahontriestotakedownPaddyNorton.

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President’s Council Weekend...

continued from page 3

he feels the education has been in his life.

During the dinner, College President O’Donnell and Vice President for Advancement John Ciskanik thanked the College’s top benefactors for their generosity by giving them beautiful framed pictures of imagery from Christendom’s campus.

BenefactorssatinonaclasstaughtbyDr.Keats.

The students talked of their experiences at Christendom and they expressed their personal appreciation for the generosity of the College’s benefactors.

Following Mass, offered by Cardinal Arinze, participants ate lunch with the students, once again, getting a first-hand experience of the students who they are helping with their Annual Fund donations.

Visitors had a chance to dine with students.

Cardinal Arinze joined guests on Saturday night for the President’s Council Awards Dinner. Held in the spacious St. John the Evangelist Library, the dinner featured a book-signing reception with George Weigel beforehand.

Complimentary copies of Weigel’s new book on Pope John Paul II, The End and the Beginning, were available for all guests.

The Awards Dinner was emceed by alumnus, benefactor, and Board member Steve O’Keefe, ‘93, who related his own experience of attending Christendom and how beneficial

Cardinal Arinze gave the closing benediction on Saturday night.

“It is my prayer that the Lord may bless you— those who have given of their time or talent or treasure—and that the Lord may see that you don’t become poor just because you give to Christendom College,” the Cardinal quipped.

Benefactors heard from a student panel.

College’s newly adopted marketing slogan, “Breathe Catholic,” His Eminence said very definitively, “It encapsulates Christendom’s charism.”

Cardinal Arinze will once again be returning to the Christendom College campus next

The weekend concluded on Sunday with Mass and a champagne brunch.

“A Catholic university should stand out as a higher educational institution that promotes dialogue between Faith and reason,” the Cardinal said during his homily. “While each academic discipline retains its own integrity and has its own methods, Catholic theology plays an important role in the search for a synthesis of knowledge as well as in the dialogue between faith and reason. The light of the Gospel illuminates the entire atmosphere of the institution.”

The Cardinal explained that since a Catholic college strives to educate the whole person, a graduate of a Catholic college should stand out from graduates of secular universities.

The graduate of a Catholic institution should have a well-formed will in the habit of choosing the right thing.

SenatorRickSantorumsharesalaughwithBoard member Gene Zurlo.

July 9 for the College’s 2011 Annual Summer Institute, which will focus on Dignitas Humanae: Catholic Teaching on Bioethics.

The homilies given by Cardinal Arinze during the weekend are available for download at Christendom on iTunes U, www.christendom.edu/itunesu.

“Such a person is not carried away by opinion polls, or what others are doing,” Cardinal Arinze said. “If some other people are cheating on public funds, deceiving in matters political, contracepting, or committing abortion, a Catholic who has been well-formed is expected to see the evil of these actions and to behave differently.”

At the brunch that followed, students presented the Cardinal with a spiritual bouquet in thanksgiving for his extraordinary support of the College.

Frank O’Reilly offered pontoon boat rides.

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When asked his thoughts on Christendom

DonorsGeneandCathyWursterwithCardinal ArinzeatthereceptionheldattheO’Donnell’s.

Sustaining Members: Tom and Donna Bethell.

Founder’sCircleMembers:JackandLeslieMurphy.

Board Associate Member: Ned Farinholt.

BoardAssociateMembers:CraigandDianePascoe.

Sustaining Members: Ray and Nancy Anater.

Founder’sCircleMembers:BobandLizCrnkovich.

“Christendom College is one of the best liberal arts colleges in America. Its commitment to providing its students with an integrated, rigorous core curriculum, combined with a vibrant Catholic atmosphere that permeates every aspect of the college experience, marks it as a distinctive and precious resource. I recommend Christendom College to anyone seeking an education that teaches students to think, to pray, and to serve, all under the guidance of Faith and reason. It is wholly worthy of your support.” – George Weigel

Founder’sCircleMember:Dr.ElizabethFrauenhoffer.

Duringtheweekend,formerBoardmemberand benefactor,Dr.PhilCrotty,hadanunveilingofhis portrait, painted by artist Henry Wingate.

BoardMemberSteveO’Keefeemceedthedinner.

AlumnusFrankO’ReillywithWalterandJoanJanaro.

Francis Cardinal Arinze with some students following the champagne brunch.

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Graduate School Bids Fond Farewell to Sr. M. Timothy Prokes, FSE It is with sadness and deep gratitude to God for her time with us that the Christendom Graduate School bids farewell to Sr. Mary Timothy Prokes, FSE, who left the Graduate School this fall after 15 years of teaching.

Sister Timothy has been re-assigned to the American College of the Immaculate Conception at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, where she has been appointed a visiting International Scholar.

Sr. Timothy, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist who was born and raised in Minnesota, became a member of the faculty and Dean of Students at Notre Dame Institute in 1995, two years before it merged with Christendom to become the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College. Sr. Timothy has taught a countless number of insightful theology and spirituality courses during her time with Christendom, and has touched many lives in the process. In addition to teaching many of the courses required for the various program concentrations, Sr. Timothy has also taught a wide variety of electives, including courses on Trinitarian spirituality, the theology of the body, eschatology, the mystical life, twentieth century popes, contemporary Catholic thought, and saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. Sr. Timothy has also delivered lectures throughout the US and Europe, and has published a variety of books and articles on topics such as the theology of the body, virtual reality, the mutuality of men and women, and the feminine vocation.

According to Sr. Timothy, her most cherished memories of her time at the Christendom Graduate School center on “occasions of genuine relationship and sharing of life, laughter, and personal insight” with the students and faculty. She also holds fond memories of her Thursday morning classes, which were unique in that they were composed mostly of retired persons seeking deeper faith and providing wonderful insight from the varied and full lives that they have lived. Sr. Timothy has also been edified by the “deepening of intensity” in many of her graduate students, which she finds heartening, noting that “the challenges from within the Church call for a deepened, even heroic kind of reevangelization on all levels.”

The Graduate School faculty gathered at the home of Dean Kristin Burns in early

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September to say farewell to Sr. Timothy and to thank her for her service and friendship. They presented her with a spiritual bouquet from the Graduate School faculty, staff, and students, and an NDGS sweatshirt to wear when it gets cold in Belgium.

“Sr. Timothy has been such an integral part of the Graduate School that it is strange to have her gone,” said Dean Burns. “I have depended on her wisdom and experience and I miss her, as do all the faculty, students, and staff.”

Sr. Timothy will be involved DeanoftheGraduateSchoolDr.KristinBurnspresentslong-time in formation at the American GraduateSchoolProfessorSr.Timothywithsomegoingawaygifts.

College, which is a seminary and house for American priests doing gradu- lectures and classes, but hopes to have time ate work at the University. She will be giving also for research and writing.

Give the Greatest Gift You Can Give – Mass Pope Leo XIII, in his encyclical Mirae caritatis (1902), wrote beautifully on having Masses offered for someone and the interconnectedness between the living and deceased.

Mass is offered at Christendom College two to three times a day, and each Mass can be offered for you or your intentions.

Please contact Melanie Baker in the President’s Office at melaniebaker@christendom.edu or 800.877.5456 ext. 1211.

Suggested stipend is $10. Mass cards are available and will be sent to those for whom the Mass is offered.

The grace of mutual love among the living, strengthened and increased by the sacrament of the Eucharist, flows, especially by virtue of the Sacrifice [of the Mass], to all who belong to the communion of saints. For the communion of saints is simply ... the mutual sharing of help, atonement, prayers and benefits among the faithful, those already in the heavenly fatherland, those consigned to the purifying fire, and those still making their pilgrim way here on earth. These all form one city, whose head is Christ, and whose vital principle is love. Faith teaches that although the august Sacrifice can be offered to God alone, it can nevertheless be celebrated in honor of the saints now reigning in Heaven with God, who has crowned them, to obtain their intercession for us, and also, according to apostolic tradition, to wash away the stains of those brethren who died in the Lord but without yet being wholly purified.

Want to Have the Best Week of your Life?

Register today for one of Christendom College’s exciting life-changing summer programs!

Experience Christendom Program Students who will be entering their senior year in high school in the Fall of 2011 are invited to join students from across America and around the world to take part in this life-changing summer program. Students will experience what life is like as a student at Christendom College. The academic life will be seamlessly joined to the spiritual, physical, moral, and recreational aspects of the Christendom educational experience.

Choose from four one-week sessions, each costing $500 (limited financial assistance will be available on a first-come, first-served basis).

Session 1: June 11–June 18 / Session 2: June 19–June 26 Session 3: July 2–July 9 / Session 4: July 10–July 17 Students will spend their mornings taking classes in Theology, Philosophy, Literature, and History in order to gain an appreciation for the liberal arts.

After Mass, lunch, and Benediction, students will spend their afternoons and evenings enjoying a number of recreational, sporting, and social activities. They will canoe on the Shenandoah River, hike on Skyline Drive, swing and contra dancing, go bowling, play volleyball, participate in a talent show, eat a steak dinner at the Admissions Director’s house, and go to an Irish Barn Dance at College President O’Donnell’s home.

Latin Immersion Program Interested in speaking and reading Latin, rather than simply translating Latin?

Will you be a high school junior or senior in the Fall of 2011? Christendom College Classics Professor Dr. Mark Clark will guide you in deepening your ability to think and converse in Latin, using the same method that modern language immersion programs use, as well as the Latin teaching traditions of the Catholic Church.

Prior knowledge of Latin is preferred, although not required. The program, which will be held July 17–July 24, costs $895.

Latin classes will be held in the mornings, and following Mass, lunch, and Benediction, students will take part in all of the same activities as those listed above for the Experience Christendom Summer Program. Participants will also take classes in Theology, Philosophy, English, History, and Astronomy.

Tentative schedules, as well as photos, videos, and testimonials from prior programs, are available on www.christendom.edu.

Space is Limited. Register Online Today!

Donations to the financial assistance fund are welcomed and encouraged. Please use enclosed envelope.

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Thomas S. Vander Woude Memorial Golf Tournament A Great Success

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On October 8, the first Thomas S. Vander Woude Memorial Golf Tournament was played at Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club in Front Royal. The tournament, which was the first event of Homecoming weekend, was a huge success in all areas, especially in helping to grow the Thomas S. Vander Woude Memorial Scholar-Athlete Scholarship.

ticipated in the tournament.

During the awards ceremony that followed the tournament, the winning foursome was announced: alumni Sean Kay and Jim Clark, along with Nevin Kay and Troy Johnson.

The result was overwhelming. The tournament recorded 123 participants, 50% of whom were Christendom alumni, and it brought in over $15,000 for the scholarship fund. This not only met the needs for this coming year but will support the scholarship in future years as well. Over 50 door prizes were given out, which was made possible by the generous support of sponsors and the hard work of many volunteers.

“This was my first time back to Christendom for Homecoming weekend,” said Sean Kay, “and the golf tournament was a fantastic addition to the schedule of events. Of course, we were pleased that the event was able to raise money to the support the College’s scholarship’s efforts, and it was an honor to play in memory of a great friend of the College. We look forward to next year!”

During the ceremony, Athletic Director Chris Vander Woude introduced the first recipient of the scholarship award, freshman Mary Barbale. Barbale thanked all those present for their support of the scholarship and noted how much the award meant to her and how it had positively impacted her decision to attend Christendom. Before the end of the ceremony, Alumnus Tim Halisky (‘01), who was on the tournament planning committee and played baseball while at Christendom, said a few words about the tournament and the scholarship. He commented how it was a great day of golf but even more so how great it is that the scholarship has been started and made available to potential student athletes.

“It is fitting that the scholarship be named in memory of Christendom’s former athletic director, Tom Vander Woude. Although I didn’t know Tom personally, the many stories about him in relation to the young student athletes he mentored at Christendom give the scholarship and the golf tournament a great connection to the formative value of sports which Tom Vander Woude believed in,” he said.

Many of the Vander Woude family were in attendance including Mrs. Mary Ellen Vander Woude, the widow of Tom Vander Woude, as well as 6 of their 7 sons, who participated in the tournament. Joseph, whom Tom gave his life to save just two years earlier, also par-

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“We wanted to put on a fun event which would cause people to want to come back and bring their friends each year, as well as to eventually grow the financial support of the scholarship through it,” said tournament coordinator Chris Vander Woude.

The support and participation from the sponsors, volunteers, and players was truly overwhelming, said Vander Woude, and he hopes that the tournament will continue to grow each year. If this happens, the College will be able to offer more scholarship opportunities to attract student-athletes to Christendom.

It was a beautiful day for golf in the Valley.

TournamentWinners:NevinKay,JimClark,Troy Johnson, and Sean Kay.

The Second Annual Thomas S. Vander Woude Memorial Golf Tournament has been confirmed for Friday, October 7, 2011, at Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club.

The tournament was sponsored by the following. Please support and thank them for making this year’s tournament such a success: NVMS, Inc.; Renaissance Montessori; In Memory of Larry McGrath; Paladin Financial; K&B Underwriters, Inc.; Inboden Environmental Services; Cavalier Services; Circle Media; Cysco; Lake Litho; Arthur J. Gallagher RMS, Inc.; Valley Health; St. John Catholic Church – Leesburg, VA; Handyman Connection; Piedmont Physical Therapy; Design Benefits; Yount, Hyde and Barbour, PC; The Laudiero Family; The Menke Family; The Halisky Family; Signet Screen Printing and Embroidery; Schaper Construction; Trinity Consulting; The Class of 2006; The Class of 2003; Office of Youth Ministry in the Family Life Office of the Diocese of Arlington; Gate Control Systems, Inc; The NIA Group, A Marsh and McLennan Agency LLC Company; Fort Valley Excavation; The Families of Andy Day, Mike O’Herron, and John O’Herron; TruGreen; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Misses Heather Tansey and Alyssa Lombardi.

CollegeAthleticDirectorandtournamentcoordinatorChrisVanderWoudeintroducesMaryBarbale, the first recipient of the athletic scholarship.

Alumnus Tim Halisky gave some brief remarks.

TomVanderWoude’swidow,MaryEllenVander Woude,andthesonhediedsaving,Joseph,were present.

Players Thrill Audience with Agatha Christie’s Appointment With Death

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The Christendom Players, under the direction of English Professor Patrick Keats and alumnus Peter Smith, performed Agatha Christie’s mystery thriller Appointment with Death at Skyline High School in Front Royal over the weekend of November 12-14.

With a cast composed of freshmen through senior students, Appointment with Death was an enjoyable experience for all.

Although Christendom does not offer a degree in drama or the fine arts, students are able to attend open auditions each semester to try their hand at acting. Others choose to work behind the scenes with make-up, set design, costumes, and props. The Players have performed more than 30 full-length productions since 1988. This play was dedicated to former athletic director, the late Tom Vander Woude.

NicoleKoopman(Dr.SarahKing)andJoeDuca (AldermanHiggs)werewonderfuladditionsto the cast.

MargaretMcShurley’sfirstappearancewithThePlayers,asthemanipulativeMrs.Boynton,wassuperb.

StageveteranSteveCurtin,playingtheroleofDr. Gerard, helped the new actors perform well.

Olivia Aveni and Philip Briggs, as Delilah and Dragoman, stand in awe of Mickey Krebs, who played the role of Greta Krebo.

BrianKillackey(RaymondBoynton)andSavannaBuckner(GinevraBoynton)arenewtoChristendom’sstage.

FreshmanJamesCiskanik,asJeffersonCope,comforts thedistraughtNadineBoynton,playedbyMary Harrington.

FreshmenMaryFowlerandJoeDucawereoutstandingintheirrolesasLadyWestholmeandAldermanHiggs.

Brendan Vieira, Mary Harrington, and Ben Allen gave very believable performances.

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Crusaders Have Record-Breaking Fall Sports Season

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In its relatively short history, the College has never had a singular sports season end with all of its varsity intercollegiate sports teams finishing with at least a .500 winning percentage or better. There have been basketball seasons with one of the teams having a winning season. There have been fall seasons with one of the soccer teams having a winning season, but never have all three sports in the fall or both the teams in the winter or spring had a winning percentage over .500.

That all changed this past fall for the Christendom Crusaders!

Thanks to the men’s soccer team and the women’s volleyball and soccer teams, Christendom athletics has a new record in the history books. All 3 of these sports finished their respective seasons with a winning percentage of at least .500. The women’s volleyball finished with an 11-6 record, the women’s soccer with a 6-6 record and the men’s soccer team with a 13-4 record. The 11-6 record posted by the Lady Crusaders in volleyball also stands as a first, as it was the first year the team had a winning record.

The 6-6 Lady Crusader soccer team boasted 3 come-from-behind wins during the season to show the spirit and heart of their team.

Finally, the 13-4 men’s soccer team finishes as the highest winning percentage of any sports team in Christendom history.

While the records for each of the teams might indicate an overwhelmingly successful season for each, each team dealt with adversity throughout the season and unanimously conquered it! The Lady Crusaders volleyball team had a starting lineup that included just 2 starters from last year, Lisa Hill and Sarah

Lady Crusader’s Volleyball Team.

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Lady Crusader’s Soccer Team.

Massett. Senior Mary Kate Vander Woude, sophomore Anna Harris, and freshmen Mary Barbale and Bridget Vander Woude rounded out the starting lineup. Not only were 4 of the 6 starters new to the team, but so was first year head coach Professor Mike Brown. With all the new faces, playing together as a team was a significant struggle.

Perhaps the team which endured the most hardship and adversity this year was the women’s soccer team. The team began the year two starters short of last year’s team.

Despite these key losses, the team took huge strides throughout the season and battled in each game. Coach Nelson changed to a 4 back defense which took a few games of adjusting especially with an almost completely new defense made up of freshmen Karen Hambleton and Klarissa Blank and new goal-keeper Molly Morey.

“As a coach, when you have 9 brand new players and only 1 player from the previous year playing the same position, it speaks vol-

umes about the women that after a 1-4 start they would battle back on a 5-2 run and finish 6-6,” said Nelson.

But the biggest story on campus this fall was the men’s soccer team. A team that the year before had finished 9-6-1 and graduated only 2 seniors had high aspirations when the team set foot on campus, and they would not disappoint! A team consisting of 25 players, “whittled” down from the 35 that had tried out, had a daunting task ahead of it. The Crusaders went 5-1 in their first 6 games which were played in 9 days, an awesome feat for any sports team, especially in soccer where each game demands the very most from each player, both physically and emotionally. And what would follow was a season that the men’s team will never forget and one that might live on in Christendom history for years to come.

The Crusaders had many memorable games during the fall season, including the 9-1 drumming of Patrick Henry College in which the team scored 7 goals in the 2nd half. There also was the 0-1 loss the team sustained against a very good Division III Lancaster Bible College team after which the coach of Lancaster Bible commented, “This is the best Christendom soccer team we have ever played against.” Another notable game was the 5-0 shutout at Division III Mount Aloysius which included the first goal in the 2nd half just 31 seconds after the kickoff, with Mt. Aloysius not even touching the ball until it was to retrieve it from their own net.

But perhaps the most memorable was the 1-0 overtime victory over USCAA rival Southern Virginia University on October 4.

About 10 years ago, the Crusaders played

Southern Virginia and lost 7-0 in what was a crushing defeat for the Crusaders, one which Coach Vander Woude remembers all too well from being a player on that Christendom team, but not this year, not this Christendom team. The team had lost earlier in the season to Southern Virginia in a close 1-0 game so payback and victory was on the team’s mind.

The two teams were very evenly matched, so much so that the game would require overtime to determine a winner. In possibly the best team performance of the year, the Crusaders took more control of the game the longer it lasted and in the 98th minute, Tommy Salmon found Johnny Ciskanik who delivered a blistering shot which hit the back of the net before the Southern Virginia goalie could even react.

Lessons Learned from Blessed Cardinal Newman

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The win would be a statement game not only for this year’s team but also for the men’s soccer program as a whole that has continued to grow each year. The final stats for the year include: 49 goals in 17 games, 7 shutouts for the defense, the Crusaders outscored their opponents 49-15 for the year and the defense would only allow more than 1 goal in a game just 3 times. The final record of 13-4 with a winning percentage of 76% ranks best all time in Christendom sports history, beating out the 2007-08 women’s soccer team.

The team finished the season ranked 6th in the nation for the USCAA and earned an automatic invitation to the National tournament.

Junior Johnny Ciskanik finished in the top 10 in the nation for total points and total goals scored in one season and Freshman Tim Vander Woude finished in the top 10 in goals allowed per game and save percentage, which is also a tribute to the whole Crusader defense which held strong throughout the whole year. The team bids farewell to seniors Sam McMahon and James Hannon, both of whom are great examples of Christendom student athletes and have been a big part of the team through their hard work and leadership and they will be sorely missed.

This past fall was the greatest season in Christendom sports history due to the hard work, character, and teamwork of the Crusaders and Lady Crusaders who led their respective teams to successful seasons and furthered the groundwork for more seasons to follow like this past fall. And a special thanks to all the Christendom Crazies who made all the home games an experience to remember.

On October 6, Dr. Joshua Hochschild delivered a lecture entitled The Problem of “Liberalism”: Lessons from John Henry Newman to students and faculty at Christendom College.

Hochschild, an Associate Professor of Philosophy and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Mount St. Mary’s University, discussed the rich tradition of Newman’s thinking. He explained that some have accused Dr.Hochschild(right)speakswithfacultyandstudentsfollowing Newman of being a progressive or a histalkontherecentlybeatifiedJohnHenryCardinalNewman. liberal, but that is not the case.

“Dr. Hochschild’s presentation of Newman as “Today Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman both an innovative yet orthodox thinker was is very close to being declared a doctor of the fascinating,” Junior Mary Becher said. “And I Church,” Hochschild said, “and he described love the way Newman’s critique of the liberalhimself as a life-long critic of liberalism.” ism of his own time is still relevant today.”

Hochschild explained that Newman had criticized liberalism for emphasizing the primacy of individual liberty independent from of any kind of authority. Although Newman took an innovative approach to Catholic doctrine, he defended the importance of the primacy of dogma.

“The lecture was timely, in light of Cardinal Newman’s recent beatification,” Senior Tyler Lowe said. “I really liked the way he emphasized Newman’s thought that even though we can’t use discursive reasoning to argue the faith, we can still say there is a relationship between faith and reason and that they are complimentary. I think there’s a message there for all the relativists in modern universities.”

Students and faculty discussed the thinking of Blessed Newman further with Hochschild following the lecture.

Christendom senior John Killackey enjoyed how Hochschild showed Newman was indeed a champion of the Church’s tradition.

“His lecture inspired me, and I am sure many others, to study his writings with renewed respect and interest,” Killackey said.

The event filled the St. Thomas Aquinas Lecture Hall with students who enthusiastically questioned Hochschild after the lecture.

The Cincinnatus League hosted the event, which was funded by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. The Cincinnatus League aids students in the application of the philosophical foundation they have received at Christendom to contemporary education, culture, and politics.

The talk is available for download at Christendom on iTunes U.

Historic Crusader’s Soccer Team.

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Graduate School Welcomes New Professor of Theology to Faculty

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The Christendom Graduate School is pleased to welcome Dr. Robert “RJ” Matava to the ranks of its faculty. Born and raised in Connecticut, Matava began his studies at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD. At Mt. St. Mary’s, Matava also met Danielle Smith, the woman who would become his wife six years later. Graduating in 2002, both RJ and Danielle opted to continue their academic careers in the Washington DC area.

Matava worked on his MA at the Dominican House of Studies, while Danielle pursued an MS in psychology at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences. Before finishing their degrees, they knew it was love and were wed on July 17, 2004, at their alma mater. Abigail, their first child, was born the following summer.

In 2006, the growing Matava family crossed

the pond for RJ to complete his education with a PhD from the University of St. Andrew in Fife, Scotland. Founded in 1413, St. Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world. It was during this time in Scotland that the Matava’s second child, Benedict, was born.

With his dissertation nearly complete, the Matavas moved to another locale within the United Kingdom: the University of Oxford in England. From 2009-2010, RJ Matava was the Liddon Fellow at Oxford’s Keble College where he taught students and completed his doctoral thesis on the Controversy de Auxiliis: the sixteenth-century dispute between Dominican and Jesuit theologians on the relationship between grace and free will. RJ successfully defended his thesis this past spring and the Matavas returned to the US four months later.

Back in the States, Dr. Matava has joined the Christendom Graduate faculty as a full-time Assistant Professor, teaching theology classes on various topics, including God the Father, Apologetics, and the Synoptic Gospels during the fall semester. In the spring, he will be teaching Ecclesiastical Latin, The Virtues, and The Trinity. Matava is also a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University where he is working on developing his thesis into a book. His research interests include: creation, providence and free will; practical reason; truth in St. Thomas; and the kingdom of God. “We are very blessed to have a professor who combines an impressive scholarly background, dedication to student learning, commitment to the Christendom mission, and a down-toearth, friendly style, “ said Dean Kristin Burns.

“He’s a perfect fit.”

Just this past October, Danielle and RJ welcomed their third child into the world: a little girl name Isabelle Ruth. The family lives in Alexandria, VA, with close access to Queen of Apostles Church and the Graduate School.

Admissions Office On the Road This Fall – Posts Record Numbers

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Even with the increase of ‘friendly competition’ from other solid Catholic colleges and universities, sometimes referred to as the “Newman [Guide] Colleges,” and although the future of the economy is still somewhat

40%! Additionally, the office has received 25% more applications than it did this time last year, and the number of high school students visiting campus has grown by over 70%.

One reason for the steady growth points to the changing demographics of the Christendom community over the past few decades. In the early years of the College, only a few dozen students were graduating every year. But more recently, as the graduating classes have grown into the 70-90 range, the amount of people being exposed to Christendom’s mission and identity via “word of mouth” grows exponentially. No sooner do many graduates leave than they are replaced by other family members and friends. Other immensely helpful factors have been AssociateDirectorofAdmissionsMichaelSchmitthasbeen the various High School Summer Protravellingthecountry,bringingthe“goodnews”ofChris- grams and the Junior and Senior Visit tendom to high schools, parishes, and elsewhere. Days. uncertain, the Christendom College Admissions Office continues to post record num- Furthermore, in recent years Christendom has bers. Total inquiries are up 25% from a year expanded horizons with a healthy amount of ago and a whopping 250% from two years active recruiting “on the road.” This fall, Miago; high school senior prospects are up over chael Schmitt, Associate Director of Admis23%, and junior prospects are up almost sions, has been visiting solid Catholic high

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schools in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Michigan, as well as making presentations at the homes of Christendom parents and at various parishes.

“As an ever increasing amount of students recognize the value in pursuing their higher education in a small Catholic environment,” says Schmitt, “formed by the ageless traditions of the Church – as opposed to more secular options – I am sure we can expect the applications to continue to arrive at record paces.”

Schmitt is now working on his spring visit schedule and is lining up dozens of high school visits, homeschool group presentations, college fairs, and in-home presentations.

If anyone is interested in hosting an informational reception for their community, or would be interested in having a Christendom representative come to their area, please contact Michael Schmitt at: mschmitt@christendom.edu or call the Admissions Office: 800877-5456, ext. 1293.

Omnia in Christo “St. Nilus’s Pastoral Care?”

tempted.

St. Nilus of Ancyra, a fifth-century abbot from Asia Minor, definitely had a vision for how bishops were to fulfill their charge responsibly, i.e., shepherd their flocks to heaven, and he counseled them to avoid the careerism, self-aggrandizement, and indolence to which they might be

The scope of St. Nilus’s vision for bishops as Christian leaders is rather more comprehensive than might be imagined: once one groups and examines suitable letters, the data gleaned constitute a “mirror of bishops” in outline form. The bishop’s personal authority (as opposed to his sacred authority ex officio), derives from his discernible holiness and is the chief mechanism for him to control dissension within the church, broadcast her teaching, and check the moral decadence of her members (and by extension this applies to lower clergy also). Nilus also recognized that besides his persuasive capacities, a bishop also possessed power of both divine and civil origin, neither of which was to be used capriciously or indiscriminately, but to advance the cause of piety; there were, therefore, limits on the scope of a bishop’s power.

Among those limiting factors was a bishop’s own self-interest, or moral or doctrinal corruption, any of which, especially when presented under color of official teaching or power of government, would be an abuse of that sacred function, illegitimate, and not bind the conscience of his subjects. Nilus even foresaw that the legitimate counterpart to such a view was that the ordinary faithful might resist their abusive bishop through protest or non-compliance.

A bishop’s pastoral care, as Nilus saw it, was not confined to maintaining ecclesiastical order and propagandizing the faith. Pastoral care, as one discovers in Nilus’s Letters, also comprises leading pious works like almsgiving, reparatory supplication, restoring justice, offering words of consolation to dejected sinners prone to despair, encouraging pagans, infidels, and sinners to convert, aiding the downtrodden, and combating demons. Lastly, Nilus also envisioned that many of these pious works would be performed in conjunction with the practice of penance, over which the bishop has an important guiding role.

Nilus predicates effective Christian leadership on a profound spiritual life, i.e., a bishop’s personal quest for holiness. Nilus recounts a form of spiritual life that involves recognizable processes of purgation and illumination, but, significantly, fulfilling the duties and ordinary functions of his office are one of the primary means for a bishop’s personal sanctification. The Holy Eucharist, for example, is a source of his sanctification, a means of his advancing in virtue, his retaining unclouded his intellect and knowledge of the faith. This Eucharistic character of his spiritual life was, according to St. Nilus, bound to manifest itself in a mysterious association with the Savior through suffering. Lastly, and quite contrary to what one might not expect, Nilus does not hold up monasticism as such as an ideal for every Christian to embrace.

Edward Strickland, PhD

“On St. John Chrysostom, the Model of Bishops.”

John was the light not only of the great church of Byzantium but of the whole world. He was an admirable, clearsighted bishop… He often contemplated how at nearly every hour the House of the Lord was filled, virtually teeming with angels to care for it, especially at the time of the divine, unbloody Sacrifice. Filled with awe and joy he privately recounted this fact to his children, that is, his spiritual friends.

He said that from the moment the priest begins to perform the holy oblation, a number beyond count of heavenly powers come down from Heaven. They are vested in stoles of indescribable brilliance, their feet are bare, their gaze is earnest, and they surround the altar with their faces bowed down in reverence, great stillness, and silence. They attend until the awesome Mystery is accomplished. Then each one disperses on this side and that throughout the whole august House of the Lord. The angels help, that is, they assist and cooperate with the bishops, priests, and deacons present as they distribute the Body and precious Blood… I write this so that you may learn how awe-inspiring the Divine Liturgy is and that you should not be negligent when distributing the divine, awesome Sacrament… Do not allow people to converse with one another or whisper during the Sacrifice; do not permit them to act brazenly, I mean to fail to stand in a reverent manner. Do not allow them to look round or mill about aimlessly like common folk, for the Lord says to Moses, and through him to all priests, “Make the sons of Israel respectful and not disrespectful.”–St. Nilus of Ancyra, Ep. 2.294 “A Faithful Bishop is August.”

But what is a bishop? A light for the Church, a city fountain, a sun for the ecclesiastical see, the crown of the altar, a harbor for those who grieve, a moon that traverses the night, the rule of righteousness, the image of virginity, the exemplar of mildness, the proof of fidelity, one who provides for the poor, the enemy of the wicked, the generous defender of mourning widows, the guardian whom destitute orphans implore. A bishop is the one who strikes back at wicked violence, prevents theft, shares others’ pain, is spontaneously solicitous for others, is a pledge of salvation against death, a treasure for the poor, is the remembrance of and just like the written text of sacred Scripture, the thundering tongue of the orthodox faith, the admonitor of the people, and reason’s snare against heresies. In sum, a bishop is nothing other than a god visible in the world. –St. Proclus of Constantinople, Homilia 25.3 (Spicilegium Romanum, 4:94-98) This talk was delivered to the faculty and seniors at the annual Senior Dinner held each fall semester. Dr. Strickland was schooled at the College of Charleston, Tulane University, and the Catholic University of America, receiving bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees in Classical languages. He teaches a full range of classes from the Latin and Greek curriculum on Classical and Christian authors. He has been a member of Christendom College’s faculty since 2001 and departmental chairman since 2007.

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atural Law and its role in end-of-life discussions

Announcing...

Christendom College’s Summer Institute: July 9, 2011 Join these dynamic speakers for this special one-day conference on

Dignitas Humanae: Catholic Teaching on Bioethics Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls President of the Advisory Board for the University Campus Bio-Medico in Rome Francis Cardinal Arinze Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls

Francis Cardinal Arinze

Bishop Robert Morlino

Bishop Robert Morlino Bishop of Madison, WI, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of The National Catholic Bioethics Center Dr. Janet E. Smith Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit Dr. Marilyn Coors Associate Professor of Bioethics and Genetics, Center for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado

Dr. Janet Smith

Dr. Marilyn Coors

Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. Director of Education The National Catholic Bioethics Center

Topics to include: The anthropological foundation for Catholic Bioethics ~ Cloning ~ Embryonic Stem Cell Research ~ Contraception ~ End-of-life decisions ~ and more.

Go to www.christendom.edu/summerinstitute to register.

Early-Bird Discounts will be available for all who register prior to June 1, 2011.