Instaurare | Spring 2022 by Christendom College

spring 2022

The MAGA ZINE of CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE

LE A D I N G

the post-roe generation

AN INCREDIBLE ADOPTION JOURNEY | ALUMNAE ON THE PRO-LIFE FRONT LINES EMBRACING THE SACRED CAUSE OF PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE | CHAPEL UPDATES

VOLUME 30 | NUMBER 1 | SPRING 2022 Published three times yearly by the Christendom College Marketing Office. Editor & Design Director: Niall O’Donnell Assistant Editor: Zach Smith Design Assistant and Illustrator: Julie Wells Photos: Julie Wells, Niall O’Donnell, Zach Smith, Gwyneth Sawicki, Sarah Jackson, Megan Meehan, Clare Shanley Contributors: Zach Smith, Julie Wells, Vince Criste, Isabella Reilly, Stephen Pilon, Lauren Bielinski Christendom College 134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630 540-636-2900 | www.christendom.edu Copyright © 2022. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the following credit line is used: “Reprinted by permission from INSTAUR ARE , the official magazine of Christendom College (christendom.edu).” SUBSCRIPTION FREE UPON REQUEST. INSTAUR ARE 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. Gregory Bodoh ’94 Mr. Martin R. Boles Mr. Robert Crnkovich (Treasurer) Mr. Timothy Halisky ’01 Mr. Julian Heron Mrs. Karla Hester ’99 Mr. Richard Hough Dr. Timothy T. O’Donnell (ex officio) Mr. Stephen O’Keefe ’93 (Chairman) Mr. Gary Schuberg Mr. Mark Swartzberg Mrs. Michele Velasco ’90 (Vice Chairman) Mr. Thomas C. West Jr. Ms. Luanne D. Zurlo (Secretary)

Mr. Guy Amisano Sr. Mrs. Donna Bethell Mrs. Mary Ellen Bork Mrs. Bernadette Casey-Smith Mr. John Cecconi Mr. Gene D’Agostino Mr. John De Matteo Dr. Robert P. George Mr. Daniel Gorman 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 The Honorable Rick Santorum Rev. William Saunders Mr. Robert Scrivener ’81 Mr. Owen Smith Mr. George Weigel Mr. Thomas Young Mr. Eugene Zurlo

ON THE COVER Students joyfully lead the 2022 March for Life in Washington, D.C.

N AT I O N A L CHA MPIONS Christendom's Rugby team won the National Collegiate Rugby Cohen Cup Championship in Houston, Texas, bringing home a second National Title. Read more on page 30.

In sid e Th is Is su e Leading the March

Christendom led this year’s March, guiding tens of thousands of fellow pro-lifers.

Miracle Baby

The incredible adoption journey of alumnus Matthew Marcolini ’15 and his wife, Elizabeth.

Faith, Family, and the Fight

Alumna Lauren (Merz) Bielinski ’10 reflects on her path to embrace the sacred cause of protecting human life.

Alumnae on the Pro-Life Front Lines

Alumnae work to build a culture of life through the local Front Royal Pregnancy Center.

From the President

Chapel Update

News in Brief

Photo Album

Parents Rejoice at Spiritual Fruit of Alumni Children

In the Library

Christendom Rugby: National Champions

Classmates: Alumni News

Omnia in Christo: Homeschooling Goes Mainstream spring 2022

A Catholic College’s Essential Characteristics A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT

“Our Catholic colleges and universities have a great and vital role to play in leading people out of the insanity we are witnessing in our culture.”

In our world today, education has become very controversial. Various ideologies have become accepted and inculcated in our schools, causing them to become hotbeds of controversy and confusion. The word education comes from the Latin word “educere,” which means “to lead out” from darkness, ignorance, and error into the light of truth. Our Catholic colleges and universities have a great and vital role to play in leading people out of the insanity we are witnessing in our culture. But in order for our colleges and universities to be effective, they must be attentive to and take seriously St. John Paul the Great’s teaching found in the apostolic constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae—“from the heart of the Church.” Thirty-two years after its publication, it is certainly worth a prayerful rereading. Periodically, I have a gathering of Presidents of Catholic Universities who are serious about implementing Ex Corde Ecclesiae in their institutions. The authentic Catholic school rather than being enslaved by an ideology is guided by “Gaudium de veritate”—the joy of truth. Pope St. John Paul writes: “It is the honor and responsibility of a Catholic university to consecrate itself without reserve to the cause of truth. … In so doing, Catholic institutions will be ‘instilling the gospel message of Christ in souls and cultures’” (ECE #4, #10). The Holy Father goes on to say that there are four essential characteristics necessary for every Catholic college:

1. A Christian inspiration; not only individuals but throughout the university community. 2. A continuing reflection in the light of the Catholic faith upon the growing treasury of human knowledge to which it seeks to contribute through its own research. 3. Fidelity to the Christian message as it comes to us through the Church. 4. An institutional commitment to service of the people of God and of the human family in their pilgrimage to the transcendent goal which gives meaning to life. If Catholic universities and colleges lived these four essential points in an authentic and vibrant way, what a service would be rendered to the common good in our society and culture! They would help free our culture from destructive and divisive ideologies by bringing the light of Christ into our current darkness. Christ as the Divine Logos is “the center of creation and human history” (ECE# 16). He alone reveals and gives meaning to our life. A Catholic university must bear witness to this truth. Here at Christendom, we strive to strengthen this great vision of authentic Catholic education given to us by Pope St. John Paul the Great. May we continue to pray and act for a genuine renewal of authentic Catholic higher education—the fruits of which are so essential for the thriving of our communities today. Praise be Jesus Christ,

Christ the King Chapel U

A T

Left: The altar from the current chapel has a new home in the Chapel of Our Lady located behind the High Altar in the new Christ the King Chapel, where wood paneling and audio wiring are also being installed. Top Right: Senior Mark LaRochelle stands with the altar he designed and crafted for the current chapel. Bottom Right: LaRochelle’s altar—painted and installed in the current chapel.

During the quiet of December, the

marble altar from the current chapel was relocated to the new chapel. The altar will reside within the small Chapel of Our Lady, located behind the main high altar. This is the third home for this relocated altar, its first home being the original Sacred Heart church in Winchester, Virginia. Talented senior Mark LaRochelle crafted an altar—complete with tabernacle—to temporarily serve as a home for our Eucharistic Lord in the current chapel. LaRochelle’s altar was then painted and embellished by literature professor Sharon Hickson. Additional marble altars have been recently installed in the two side shrines, one dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima and the other to the Sacred Heart. These altars date back to 1925 and were disassembled from their homes in St. Peter’s, a closed parish in Hartford, Connecticut. They were then cleaned and restored by the stonemasons at Rugo Stone of

Franconia, Virginia. The marble altars for the remaining two shrines—the Crucifixion and the Divine Mercy—are being prepared and will be installed this spring. Woodwork fabrication is underway by alumnus Corey Morgan ’07 of Corey Morgan Wood Works in Emlenton, Pennsylvania. Corey Morgan is also preparing the wood flooring, which will include beautiful black walnut Versailles basket weave panels. Work on the new stained-glass window creation continues with St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Thomas More nearing completion at Beyer Studio in Philadelphia. Restoration work and new Gothic canopies for eight of the windows from the current chapel are nearing completion. We are grateful for the continued help and support of our gracious benefactors who are making this incredible dream a reality. spring 2022

Christ the King Chapel

pict u r e s of pr og r e ss

UPDATE

Christ the King Chapel in the snow.

Dr. Timothy O’Donnell stands in the new Christ the King Chapel with Project Manager Pat Haggerty, Sculptor Edwin Gonzales, and Art Director Enzo Selvaggi.

Installation of a beautiful herringbone-patterned, paved walkway that will encircle the chapel is underway by Cornerstone Construction.

Marble altars have been recently installed in the two side shrines, one dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima and the other to the Sacred Heart. They were cleaned and restored by the stonemasons at Rugo Stone of Franconia, Virginia.

Work on the commissioned Pieta statue is underway by sculptor Edwin Gonzales, as well as a commissioned Christ the King statue by sculptor Oscar Belinchón, which will occupy a column at the center of the new Piazza in front of the chapel.

Restoration work on the large wooden stations of the cross from our current chapel are underway by alumna Mandy Hain ’07.

New gilded, functioning weathervanes incorporating the college seal were installed on the tops of the two steeples.

Installation of the St. Patrick window. Beyer Studio in Philadelphia is restoring the old stained-glass windows and installing them in the new chapel.

The chapel’s bells are now in operation and peal out the Westminster chime on the hour.

spring 2022

LE A D I N G

the post-roe generation CHRISTENDOM JOYFULLY LEADS HISTORIC MARCH FOR LIFE B Y Z AC H S M I T H

Nothing w o uld s t o p Ch ris t e ndo m

from being at the 2022 March for Life in Washington, D.C., this past January—not below-freezing temperatures, not an incoming winter storm, not even traffic delays trying to get into the nation’s capital. Christendom led this year’s March, guiding tens of thousands of fellow pro-lifers from the National Mall to the steps of the Supreme Court. Joyfully singing hymns and cheering for hours, the students were at the forefront of an incredibly hopeful movement in D.C., making a stand for the rights of the unborn everywhere.

Regina Bonvissuto ’25 joined her fellow students in joyfully celebrating life as they carried the lead banner.

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WE NEED EVERY PERSON—MAN AND WOMAN—TO JOIN IN THIS FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE UNBORN. BE ENCOURAGED—YOU ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH ALWAYS WINS.

George Schuberg ’22 addresses the attendees at the rally.

This was the fifth time Christendom has led the March for Life, but, in many ways, it was the most significant. After being a part of the March for Life since the college’s inception in 1977, the students at the front of the March joined thousands of others in the hope that they could truly be a part of the “post-Roe generation,” as the Supreme Court currently debates the landmark Jackson v. Dobbs case that could overturn Roe v. Wade in the United States. That feeling of hope permeated both the March and the inspiring rally beforehand, where senior George Schuberg addressed attendees. Speaking specifically to his peers, Schuberg called for more youthful, positive voices speaking out for the needs of the unborn at this critical time in America. “Our generation has suffered tremendously from abortion, but do not be discouraged—we will see the end of abortion if we keep fighting

for the equal rights of every human being from the moment of conception,” said Schuberg, who is president of the college’s pro-life club Shield of Roses. “We must pray for the innocent babies and their mothers but also for their fathers. Men need to rise to their vocations to protect the unborn, to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Even though you might be persecuted for standing up for the truth, don’t back down. We need every person—man and woman—to join in this fight for the rights of the unborn. Be encouraged—you are on the side of the truth and the truth always wins.” At the front of the March, students were joined by the Diocese of Arlington’s Bishop Michael Burbidge, who enthusiastically walked with students through the streets of Washington. His presence, along with thousands of others, was a source of inspiration to the student body,

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SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE MY PEERS TODAY ARE NOT WITH US. WE HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FOR THEM.

Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge donned a Christendom cap and marched with the college.

who were thrilled to be back in D.C. after the March was turned into a virtual event last year. “I’m just so happy to be here,” said junior Maggie Black in an interview with the Arlington Catholic Herald. “I think the pro-life movement and fighting against abortion is the movement of our time and it’s the great social injustice that we have to correct. It’s something we really need to fight for, especially being a part of my generation. So many of the people that would be my peers today are not with us. We have to keep fighting the good fight for them.” When Christendom reached the steps of the Supreme Court, the organizers of the March briefly stopped to personally thank each of the students holding the iconic March for Life banner for their enthusiasm and seemingly limitless energy leading, especially in below-freezing temperatures. After 49 years of walking in the March for Life, Christendom’s student body felt the magnitude of this year’s witness. Repeatedly, the question was asked, “What if Roe v. Wade is finally overturned this year?” The March for Life’s president, Jeanne Mancini, addressed this question, saying how this could significantly change the March for Life and its format in the years to come. If this turns out to be the case, Christendom

was privileged to be leading once again during this incredible moment in time, showing that the hard work and prayers of this generation are making a profound difference in the lives of so many. Just one year ago, Christendom’s student body marched around the college’s Front Royal, Virginia, campus after the March was moved to a virtual format for the first time in its history. The return to the streets of Washington, in a time that has perhaps never been more critical for the pro-life movement, was present in the minds of every student, every professor, and every staff member that traveled for the March that day. During the entirety of the March, a giant sign was proudly carried behind Christendom’s students that read, “We are the post-Roe generation”—a stark change from the typical “We are the pro-life generation” signs that are typically seen at the March. A shift has happened in the pro-life movement—an incredibly hopeful shift that Christendom was proud to be at the forefront of in 2022. There is much to pray for in the days ahead, but Christendom’s student body made it clear with chant after chant: we are the post-Roe generation and life will be respected in the United States again, perhaps sooner than many thought possible.

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NEWS

BRIEF DEFYING TRENDS

CATHOLIC PRESIDENTS

Christendom College welcomed presidents of Catholic colleges and universities from across America to its Front Royal, Virginia, campus for the latest Ex Corde Ecclesiae Presidents Roundtable over the weekend of February 18-19. The presidents spent their time together examining the challenges and opportunities facing Catholic institutions of higher education today, giving them the opportunity to reflect and assist one another in strengthening the Catholic identity of their respective institutions. As a special guest, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the Archdiocese of San Francisco personally opened the Roundtable’s spiritual reflections, bringing an atmosphere of prayer and spiritual reflection to the meetings, while giving the presidents the opportunity for spiritual renewal as well.

While national college enrollment is currently down 5.1% across the country, Christendom College’s enrollment has grown by a stunning 39% since 2012, including 9% over the past two years alone, defying the declining national enrollment trend. Due to the recruiting efforts of the admissions office, more students and families than ever before have experienced the college’s high-quality Catholic liberal arts education and authentic culture, both through in-person visits and online personal attention. Christendom has not only met its enrollment goal in recent years but surpassed it. In fact, due to such a high demand, many qualified students will be placed on a waiting list for admittance in the fall of 2022 for the second year in a row.

NEW STUDENT MAGAZINE Seeing a hunger for excellent, uplifting content amidst all the noise of today’s culture, Christendom students Isabel Cumbelich and Zoe Grimm decided to found a new student-run magazine called Metanoia Magazine, an outlet for students to communicate the truths learned at Christendom through articles, short stories, and more. The first issue of the magazine was released on campus and online at the end of last semester, with student-written articles focusing on how to win the culture war, fake news and the free press, and more. The next issue is already in the works for release this spring. 12

STUDENT PREMIERES FILM From the very beginning of senior John-Paul Gutschke’s freshman year, he made a promise to himself: he would make a beautiful and inspiring film with the Christendom community and have it shown in a local theater. Gutschke fulfilled that dream this spring semester when he premiered his movie, The Promise, to sold-out audiences at Christendom’s local Front Royal theater Royal Cinemas, realizing a dream and inspiring his fellow classmates in the process. Over 90 students, along with faculty, staff, and one college alumnus, helped with the project, bringing it across the finish line after years of work.

NEW TRANSLATION

Academic Dean Dr. Ben Reinhard’s latest work, a new verse translation of the quintessential Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf, was recently published and is now available for purchase. A notable achievement in literal fidelity and poetic form, Reinhard’s translation of Beowulf includes his new translation in addition to a critical introduction which ground the poem in traditional criticism and the Catholic intellectual tradition. Reinhard’s new translation produces a formal equivalent to the original text with a noble and somber style of its own. Complementing the translation are the Old English text and detailed explanatory notes from Reinhard, making this Beowulf a distinct work and a must-read that is already earning acclaim. “Ben J. Reinhard’s new verse translation of Beowulf is a most welcome addition to the shelves of those who love the classics,” says famed author Joseph Pearce.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Christendom College senior Anthony Criste was named one of the Diocese of Arlington’s “Volunteers of the Year” at a special awards ceremony held on December 14. The award marks the capstone to four years of tremendous service at Christendom, where he has helped serve the rest of the Diocese of Arlington in the process. “During his time as a student at Christendom, Anthony has embodied the role of a servant leader through his work, volunteer efforts, and involvement in the community on campus,” says Director of Student Activities Marilyn Charba. “As this year’s student body vice president, he has served the community behind the scenes and is always there to lend a hand and support those in need. He’s the most hard-working, capable, and selfless leader on campus.”

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P H OTO A L BU M

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1. Faculty answered students’ questions at the popular Quodlibet event, an open forum where students can ask a panel of faculty any number of academic questions. 2. College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell offered a private tour of the new Christ the King Chapel to Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone during his visit to campus. 3. Students shared their musical talents at the annual Cup O’ Coeli event hosted by our Student Activities Council. 4. Students participated in the annual nationwide SEEK conference, which was livestreamed on our campus and led by Dean of Students Tim Judge (pictured), along with other staff members. 12

5. Alumni Jim Clark ’97 and Ben Ferri ’09 presented at the first Life on Tap alumni mentoring session of 2022. They spoke to students about how their liberal arts education helped them find success in the field of real estate. 6. Journalist for National Review and The Spectator Madeline Kearns spoke to students about the process and structure of a persuasive article, specifically from the Catholic perspective. 7. Freshman Regina Bonvissuto, winner of the Thomas S. Vander Woude Athletic Scholarship, goes in for a basket. The Lady Crusaders went 13–5 this season. 8. Sophomore John Paul Vander Woude dribbles down the court. The Crusaders went 10–8 this season. 9. Residence Directors James Foeckler and Isabel Meteyer light the torch to kick off the annual Dorm Wars compeition.

10. Classical pianist and composer Eric Genuis performed a concert for the student body, bringing hope and healing through his music. 11. Juniors are enjoying their semester in the Eternal City. 12. Student talent was shining during the Swing and Waltz Competition held as a part of this year’s Dorm Wars. 13. Led by Chef Don Higby ’02 and his team of chefs, the college started serving the local community through their new Fearless Eats food truck.

14. Frank Scarchilli ’22 pitches for the Crusader baseball team during their home opener against the Franciscan Barons. 15. In the classroom with Literature Professor Dr. Trey Stanford.

PHOTOS UPDATED WEEKLY ON FLICKR

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@christendomcollege

spring 2022

The Blank Family with Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge at the priestly ordination of eldest child Nicholas.

Mak ing Chr istendom T hr ive for Fut ure Generat ions GRATEFUL PARENTS REJOICE AT SPIRITUAL FRUIT OF ALUMNI CHILDREN BY VINCE CRISTE

Richard and Monica Blank wanted

something different, something better, for their children than what they experienced in their college years. Like any loving parents, the Blanks wanted to make sure that college was the right fit for their children. “We told our eldest child Nicholas (and all of our children since) that college should be a place to make good, long-term friendships and grow in your Catholic faith,” said Richard. “We wanted his college experience to be a solid step out into the world in a truly Catholic environment. Christendom clearly exceeded all those requirements.” Fast forward to 2022 and five of the nine Blank children have graduated from Christendom, making Richard and Monica overjoyed with the results of their children’s education. “All have come out of Christendom more firmly rooted in their faith, with great friends, experiences, and confidence to succeed in life,” Richard said. “Christendom provided a true, wholesome college experience where they were able to live and flourish. It allowed our children to play college athletics, participate in theatrical productions, gain valuable leadership experience, develop deep friendships, and actively practice their

faith, all while obtaining an excellent education. Their interaction with professors, both in and out of the classroom, also helped to form them into critical thinkers that are passionate and faith based, able to excel at whatever they put their minds toward.” So what are the Blank children up to these days? Richard and Monica will happily tell you that Fr. Nicholas ’13 is a Catholic priest serving at St. John the Evangelist in Warrenton (Diocese of Arlington, VA). Klarissa ’14 is the director of religious education and youth ministry at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA, as well as the religion teacher for 7th and 8th grade in their school. Peter ’16 (a commercial property manager in Manassas, VA) is married to Bridget (née McMahon) ’16 (an accounts payable manager.) Richard ’18 (a firefighter/EMT in Prince William County, VA) is married to Danielle (née Corcoran) ’18 (a full-time mother who cares for their two daughters, Zelie and Frances). Martha ’21 (a farmhand at a working bed and breakfast gaining life experience in Lancaster, PA) is engaged to classmate Sam Bratt with a wedding planned for this summer. Michael ’23 is a junior at Christendom (and has a leading role in the spring play on campus). The remaining Blank children include Gabriel (a freshman at CUA, studying musical theater),

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We rea l ly wa nt Ch r i stendom Col leg e to b e here long i nto t he f ut u re to prov ide si m i la r education a nd ex per ience s for ot hers .

”

Left: Klarissa on a mission trip in Guyana. Center (top): Martha and her fiancé, Sam Bratt. Center (lower): Richard and Danielle with their children Zelie and Frances. Right: Fr. Nicholas baptizing his niece, Frances.

and Maria (11th grade) and Raphael (8th grade), who are both homeschooled. Putting seven children through college is no small financial feat, so how did the Blanks make it work? “Thanks to generous benefactors,” said Richard, “Christendom was able to match a full academic scholarship offered to Nicholas from another college. All our subsequent children have received some level of academic scholarship, benefited from multiple children discounts, and worked as resident assistants, and many were counselors on the summer programs. We also took advantage of the college’s price matching program with some of our children.” Following a growing trend among grateful parents, Richard and Monica also support the college (above and beyond tuition) by donating to various fundraising efforts. “College is expensive. We really want Christendom College to be here well into the future to provide similar education and experiences for others. Donations are important to help maintain this wholesome Catholic college experience,” Richard said. One way to make Christendom thrive for future generations is to support The Carroll Fund. This special fund supports students in five key areas, including financial aid, counseling and spiritual development, faculty-staff salaries, athletics, and career development. On April 26, 2022, a combination of alumni, parents, and members of the senior class will join together on Giving Day to support The Carroll Fund. As the collge community celebrates and reconnects with the Christendom Family, this

year they will celebrate the priests of Christendom College, both alumni and chaplains. When asked what it is like to have a priest in the family, Richard replied, “We are so blessed to have our son serving as a priest. It’s incredible to experience Mass within our own home.” Monica was quick to add; “We thought from early on that Fr. Nicholas might have a calling. This priestly calling was reinforced at Christendom with many great examples to help foster that calling. We couldn’t be prouder of the vocation that he is called to fulfill and are incredibly blessed to have him serving in our home diocese.” As their children grow and begin to raise physical and spiritual children of their own, Richard and Monica Blank reflected on the greater Christendom community: “The vibrant community life extends beyond all the students to the professors, staff, coaches, advisors, and alumni. We regularly have students over from Christendom and it is indeed always a pleasure to share life with the ‘Christendom Family.’”

G I V I N G DAY 2022 Alumni, parents, and family: Show your love for your Christendom family—especially our alumni priests and chaplains—by supporting current students through The Carroll Fund on April 26, 2022. Make a difference at ChristendomGivingDay.com or use the enclosed envelope now.

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THE M I R ACL E B A BY THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF ZELIE MARCOLINI B Y Z AC H S M I T H

Have you ever seen a miracle? Many have heard of them, whether in the Bible or in the lives of the saints. But to witness one for yourself—that is an experience that can change lives and the world for the better.

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I had this moment of clarity that you often hear talked about in the spiritual life—this deeper seeing of something that should have been known before, but was revealed. That revelation was that God alone is enough. Even if tomorrow we had a child, it would never be more than Him. Alumnus Matthew Marcolini ’15 and his wife, Elizabeth Santorum Marcolini, have been living with a miracle for six months now: their first child, Zelie Mariana Grace Marcolini. Her story defies belief, except through the light of faith and the power of the Holy Spirit. Zelie is truly a miracle and her story is already inspiring countless people. To tell Zelie’s story properly, and to understand its full magnitude, it is best to start at the beginning. Since getting married in 2017 after meeting during Christendom’s St. Columcille Institute, Matthew and Elizabeth Marcolini prayed for the gift of children. During those four long years, God did not send them a child, and they undertook a journey that was difficult, but one that also deepened the Marcolini’s faith as they continued to pray and hope. In September of 2021, they decided to take a pilgrimage to Italy with the intention of praying for a child everywhere they went. They visited many holy sites, including St. Michael’s Cave, the Shrine of St. Padre Pio, and more. While in Rome, a priest offered to pray over the Marcolinis. What seemed a simple offer at first became so much more as the prayer lasted for 45 minutes. During that time, Elizabeth was moved to tears and broke down, but by the end, she experienced an intense feeling of clarity about her situation and her desire for children.

“By the end of it,” Elizabeth recalled, “I had this moment of clarity that you often hear talked about in the spiritual life— this deeper seeing of something that should have been known before, but was revealed. That revelation was that God alone is enough. Even if tomorrow we had a child, it would never be more than Him. As soon as I had that moment, there was this incredible peace I felt. I didn’t say any of this out loud to the priest, but when he lifted his hands he simply said ‘it is enough’ at the same time as I came to the same realization.” Upon returning to the United States after the trip, the Marcolinis spent the next three weeks in joyful prayer and spiritual peace—a joy and peace, which were palpable to their friends and family. Carrying with them the understanding that Christ alone was enough, they decided to pray a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux for a child. By day seven, suddenly, things began to change for Matthew and Elizabeth. “On the seventh day of the Novena,” Matthew said, “a friend of Elizabeth’s is at daily mass in Maryland and the priest tells the congregation, ‘There’s a mom in Maryland who is due in two weeks and doesn’t have an adoptive family.’ Elizabeth had never told this friend that we were wanting to adopt—ever. But she calls me and says, ‘Hey, I have no idea if this is something you’d be interested in, but here’s the situation.’ I called upstairs

to Elizabeth and said, ‘Liz, Danielle says she found our baby.’” At first, Matthew and Elizabeth did not think much about it. Following their time in Italy, they were content with just trusting God, but were happy to talk with the mother’s Gabriel Project worker, whose name just happened to be Cecilia—Elizabeth’s patron saint for 2021, whose intercession she had been praying for all year. They set up a Zoom call soon afterward with the birth mother, and halfway through, the birth mother stopped and said she and the Marcolinis had a mutual friend in the Sisters of Life, Sr. Mary Doolittle. Immediately, something clicked for Elizabeth, and she asked the mother for her due date. “She said, ‘October 13.’ I then responded, ‘Sister Mary told us three months ago about you anonymously and asked us to pray for you.’ We had been praying for her and for her baby for months already.” And yet, that was not the reason the birth mother brought up Sr. Mary Doolittle to the Marcolinis. Rather, it was because Sr. Mary had given her a book written by Elizabeth and her parents, Rick

spring 2022

and Karen Santorum, titled Bella’s Gift, which described their journey with their daughter, Bella. The birth mother kept the book on her dresser and prayed specifically each day that God would give her baby a family that would love her as much as Bella’s family loved her. “At that point, we were all crying,” Elizabeth said. “Cecilia, the Gabriel Project worker, then told us, ‘She’s been telling me this for six months. So, when I found out that you were Bella’s family, I realized this was a miracle and that her prayer was literally answered.’” The Marcolinis met with the birth mother a few days later in person and asked her more about her story, specifically if she had any favorite saints. Her response: St. Michael—whose cave the Marcolinis had visited and prayed at in Italy just a few weeks earlier. When they further asked Cecilia how she had connected with the priest who had told their friend Danielle about the baby, she told them that she had met him at a Planned Parenthood clinic on the Feast Day of St. Padre Pio—just a few days

before the Marcolinis met the mother. He was saying Mass in the parking lot, and he told her that Padre Pio would help this mother find a family for her baby—the same Padre Pio whose shrine the Marcolinis had also visited in Italy. Within just weeks of their life-changing trip to Italy, the Marcolini’s lives changed even more. Less than a week after finding out about the baby who needed a home, the mother called them and said she would love for them to adopt her daughter. After four years of praying, hoping, and ultimately trusting in God, a miracle happened. The Marcolinis worked hard over the following days to finalize everything necessary to adopt their new daughter, who they decided to name Zelie, after the mother of St. Therese of Lisieux. Shortly after her birth, the Marcolinis and the Santorums went to meet her for the first time. “It was surreal,” Matthew said. “The moment that we’d been waiting for almost five years to happen, happened in just a few weeks. When you have children biologically, you have nine months to prepare for that child to be there. It’s the reality of your whole, entire existence changing. In this situation, we had a week of thinking it wasn’t going to happen and a week of thinking it may happen, and then another week of hoping it’ll really happen, and then it’s there.” Family was incredibly important to Matthew and Elizabeth during this time, with the Santorums and Matthew’s mother both helping in numerous ways while Zelie spent time in the NICU before coming home. For the Santorums, Zelie—their first grandchild—is a gift, and one that is inspiring them to grow even deeper in their faith. “The fact that our book had a role in Zelie coming into our lives shows the power of true stories in touching people’s hearts to choose life,” Rick and Karen Santorum said. “We see Zelie as a gift from God like any child, but even more so. We have spent the past 32 years on the front line of the pro-life cause. Part of that effort was encouraging parents to choose life through our own personal witness with Bella and working with many organizations to support mothers in that choice from pregnancy centers to adoption services. All of our children have continued working in the pro-life vineyards, including Elizabeth and Matt. Zelie’s story shows God’s hand on this in ways that are undeniable and miraculous.” In September of 2021, the Marcolinis heard God tell them that He was enough and to trust in Him and His plan. Just a few weeks later, they finally became parents.

This whole process, this whole journey, helped us truly understand that our relationship with God is, in essence, an adoptive one as well. Life truly is amazing. “We both process things very differently as a couple and have different struggles and different joys,” Elizabeth said. “But this whole process, this whole journey, helped us truly understand that our relationship with God is, in essence, an adoptive one as well. Life truly is amazing.” Zelie is now preparing for her six-month checkup, and has been Matthew and Elizabeth’s daughter for that many months. They prayed for a miracle, and now that miracle is with them every single day. “Adoption makes you so aware of the love that God has for us,” Matthew said. The miracle of life is so precious and must be defended and upheld at every turn. The Marcolinis, who had already spent so much of their lives at the forefront of the pro-life movement, heard God’s call and answered, providing a joyful witness to so many others of the power of faith and love. Zelie’s story is already changing minds and hearts. Even better, it is only just beginning.

spring 2022

Since April 2014, Lauren (Merz) Bielinski ’10 has been building Live Action’s strategic development and marketing programs. Lauren serves on Live Action’s executive team, setting the organization’s messaging, marketing, and strategy, building their organizational health and culture, and managing their fundraising team. Lauren shares Live Action’s work and mission around the country and is a popular public speaker on pro-life and cultural issues. Lauren is a Leonine Fellow, is from an Air Force family, and is the oldest of 14 children. She is married and lives with her husband in Kansas.

faith, family, and the fight MY JOURNEY TO EMBRACE THE SACRED CAUSE OF PROTECTING HUMAN LIFE B Y L AU R E N ( M E R Z ) B I E L I N S K I ’ 10

At seventeen, I was the eldest of eight

children and homeschooled. And to be honest, I thought this was just the right size for a large Catholic family. The youngest in our family at the time was my adorable brother, Tony, and he was the cherry on top. Our full, energetic family seemed complete. It wasn’t long, however, before my mom shared that she was pregnant with number nine, my sister Thérèse. I didn’t share my parents’ excitement—I was exasperated. Wasn’t eight kids enough for a large Catholic family? Seven younger siblings already gave our family a very full life. Now I had to help with yet another one?

spring 2022

In retrospect, I can see that this was a key moment. I wasn’t sure if I was totally pro-life. I loved each of my siblings, but seriously … more? I knew that being pro-life was part of being a good Catholic, and that meant welcoming every child. But as “Mom #2,” it didn’t feel quite “fair” to have to be that open. At this point, I was very ready to get out of the house and go to college. By God’s good Providence, I went to Christendom College. I had no idea who I wanted to be or what I wanted to do long-term. I had no sense of what God was calling me to in my vocation. I made incredible friends and fell in love with studying and learning. There were a variety of extracurricular groups on campus—a debate club, the theater club, and a prolife club called Shield of Roses. I always heard about and was invited to join the big white vans of my fellow students who drove the 90 minutes into Washington, D.C., to pray outside

Planned Parenthood every Saturday morning, but I never went. For four years, I came up with excuses to not join the Shield of Roses—I was too tired, had too much homework, stayed up too late the night before. But I always had this guilty feeling every Saturday morning that I shoved down and ignored. I gave myself the excuse that I would just pray for an end to abortion on campus and check off that mental box. While at my first job out of college working as an assistant for a conservative nonprofit, I came across Live Action’s undercover investigative videos exposing late-term abortion in our country. I learned not only about the violence happening every day in our own neighborhoods and cities, but that there is also an entire business model built up around abortion.

I had the opportunity to hear Lila Rose, Live Action’s president and founder, speak at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast a year or two into my first job. On top of the struggle to grasp being truly open to life in a big family, in my heart I also really struggled with abortion in cases of rape—something I had never shared with anyone. I could not imagine as a young twenty-something going through such horrific violence and then having the massive responsibility of raising a child on top of it. But Lila, in her bold, fearless way, dismantled this exception. She humanized the preborn child, making the child’s vulnerability and inestimable worth real to me in a new way, and grounding me in the reality that abortion was wrong no matter the circumstances around that child’s conception. After this speech, I was truly, fully pro-life. I started digging into what abortion really is and learned about this massive fight raging in our country every day. I learned that we have lost over 63 million children to abortion since Roe v. Wade was passed in 1973. Every day, 2,363 children are poisoned, torn apart, and suctioned out of their mothers’ wombs in our country alone. Mothers and fathers carry this burden and grief for decades, often silently, and without a path to healing. Once I learned the full truth for myself and fully realized that every life is truly an absolute gift and miracle, regardless of circumstance, hardship, or challenges, I knew I couldn’t sit on the sidelines any longer. Through my work at Live Action, I have become painfully aware that misinformation about abortion is rampantly spewed from media groups, businesses, and social media companies. These pro-abortion companies spend millions of dollars annually

“

Once I learned the full truth for myself and fully realized that ever y life is truly an absolute gift and miracle, regardless of circumstance, hardship, or challenges, I knew I couldn’t sit on the sidelines any longer.

”

to convince women and men that killing their own preborn children is necessary for their happiness and security. Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry have vast connections and resources, and even have over half a billion of our taxpayer dollars at their disposal. Our school systems, media, the federal government, and big tech are nearly all pro-abortion. They target schoolchildren, prey on mothers when they are in their most vulnerable state, distort the understanding of human nature, and lead parents down a path to destroy the most precious gift they could ever receive. And yet, even with all the power, money, and influence of the abortion industry, and with so many institutional forces against us, we are making massive pro-life gains.

spring 2022

In 2021, more pro-life legislation was passed than ever before. With the Supreme Court considering the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health case, I am hopeful that the decades-long battle against Roe v. Wade may finally come to an end this year. If the Supreme Court just does the minimum of upholding Mississippi’s 15-week law (which bans the killing of preborn children beginning at 15 weeks), it will then be up to the states to defend preborn children. States who have pro-life protections in place must be bolstered to keep those protections and ensure complete legal protection for the preborn. And the battle will intensify in states currently pro-abortion, where the killing of preborn children is permitted—and even promoted—through all nine months of the baby’s life in the womb. If the Supreme Court decides not to uphold the MS 15-week law, it will be clearer than ever that the battle must be fought at the state and community level in order to impact federal law. This is the tipping point for the pro-life movement. The battle is at a fever pitch and will never be the same again. But the battle is not primarily at the legislative level. Politics flows from culture, and culture flows from the spiritual battle within our own hearts and families. Our own relationship with Our Lord and how we allow Him to transform us and our relationships within our families is how we will truly win this battle. Abortion is downstream from the breakdown of the family. This violence will stop with strong, united, self-sacrificing families centered around Christ and His One True Church. With strong families rooted in the Sacraments of the Church, we will be able to engage and win this raging fight for preborn children. Looking back, I can see that I initially clung to a selfish, inaccurate definition of the term “pro-life,” and I challenge Catholics everywhere to ask themselves if what we truly believe reflects the totality of Catholic principles on the sacredness of life for those preborn, born, and also near death. If we all truly believe and act on this, 2022 will be the year we do more than ever before in the fight to defend preborn children—whether that is praying harder than ever before outside of abortion facilities, donating more than ever before to pro-life organizations and Pregnancy Resource Centers, and, most importantly—loving the families right in front of us through Christ who strengthens us.

In the Library BY STEPHEN PILON, MSLS, ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN AT CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE

Pilon assists a student in the St. John the Evangelist Library.

A catchphrase of librarians is to help

others become lifelong learners. St. Augustine said, “Let us therefore so look as men who are going to find, and so find as men who are going to go on looking.”1 The implication is to make of every place a little classroom of learning, searching, discovering, and contemplating. At Christendom, the library is more than a place for quiet study and dusting off old books for a quote to complete a paper. It is a place to explore and to seek out the wisdom of the ages. In fact, it is a place to keep the dust from settling on one’s own mind, to keep ideas fresh, to build the reason, which supports the faith, which informs your reason. John Paul II, in his encyclical Fides et Ratio, stated that “faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.”2 Librarians have a dual goal, to help students find the immediate object of their inquiries, and teach them how to do

this search themselves. In an address to students, parents, and teachers, John Paul I said, “To teach John [research], it is not enough to know [research], one must also know and love John.”3 Love for students is a defining characteristic of the education at Christendom. From classroom to lunchroom, chapel to library, the parallel goals of improving the intellect and inculcating the faith are of paramount importance. Our library is not just a collection of books and resources to aid students’ intellectual pursuits. It is also beautiful and inspiring, designed to lift their minds and hearts. Students may come seeking truth. We hope and pray they will find Truth Himself.

1. De Trinitate, IX, 1 2. Fides et Ratio, Blessing 3. L’Osservatore Romano, no 39 [28 Sep 1978], 3

spring 2022

CHRISTENDOM COLLEGE RUGBY

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS B Y Z AC H S M I T H

John Ascough ’25 breaks through for a try against New Mexico Tech. Left: Brothers Owen ’22 and John ’25 Kennedy celebrate.

Christendom College: National Champions,

once again. In December, Christendom defeated New Mexico Tech 34–29 in the National Collegiate Rugby Cohen Cup Championship in Houston, Texas, bringing a second National Title home to campus. The thrilling win marked the second National Championship for Christendom rugby after they won the 2017 7s Championship in Philadelphia in overtime. This victory marked the first 15s National Championship for the school’s rugby program—an enormous accomplishment and a testament to the commitment, perseverance, and talent of the college’s student-athletes and coaching staff. The team worked hard all season toward this goal, ultimately reaching Houston with only two wins separating them from a National Championship. Sixth-ranked Holy Cross was their first opponent in the semifinal match, with Holy Cross rising to 29–0 over Christendom within the first twenty minutes of the game. That huge deficit marked the lowest point of the season for Christendom—a hole that would be enough to mentally crush other teams. But Christendom refused to bend. They brought the game to 29–20 at the half, and then in the second half Christendom pounded the Holy Cross defense with drive after drive down the field. Christendom ultimately pulled off an incredible 44–34 comeback win with their backs against the wall, sending them to the Cohen Cup Championship game on Sunday against #3 New Mexico Tech. Christendom refused to let the biggest game of the year begin the same way the semifinal matchup did, scoring first to start the game. The New Mexico Miners, however, also refused to yield, scoring back-to-back tries to go up 10–5 over Christendom. The staunch Christendom defense ended the half with 24–10. With only 40 minutes standing between them and a 15s National Championship, Christendom went to work on holding off New Mexico. The Miners, however, entered the

second half hungrier than ever, pushing down the field again and again. The score changed from 24-10 to a neck-andneck 24-24, until New Mexico finally took the lead with only four minutes left in the game. Christendom found themselves with their backs against the wall. Again, they refused to bend. Christendom tied the game with only a minute left on the clock before charging back down the field, pushing themselves inch by inch toward the try line. Finally, the ball came to team captain Owen Kennedy on an assist from his brother, John. With five men piling on Kennedy, he pushed ahead, driving himself over the try line for Christendom and victory. Final score: Christendom 34, New Mexico Tech 29. Over the past five years, Christendom has emerged as one of the top rugby schools in the country even though it’s the smallest school in National Collegiate Rugby by a wide margin. Christendom’s small pool of student athletes makes their accomplishments even more stunning, with multiple tournament wins, #1 national rankings, and now two National Championship titles to show for their hard work and perseverance.

spring 2022

rest or i ng hope & ALUMNAE WORK ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT BY JULIE WELLS

Lily

stared

blankly

into

the

future.

Last week, she found out she was pregnant. Life seemed hopeful and exciting. Her girlfriends were so encouraging as they talked and dreamed about the things to come. Even though the whole pregnancy was unexpected and a bit scary, she felt calm and at peace when she pictured her little baby. Tiny fingers. Tiny toes. Humming soft lullabies as he drifted off to sleep. What adventures would they experience together? Lily felt this overwhelming hope up to the moment she shared the news with her boyfriend. Trevor didn’t want a baby, he told her. He was firm about this, and there was no arguing with Trevor. Lily knew he meant well and he cared for her. Even when he lost his temper, he was never as harsh as her own dad had been. Trevor rarely told her he loved her, but love is more than words. At least, that’s what she told herself. Trevor probably knew best. The next morning, Trevor told Lily he had scheduled an abortion for her. She felt she shouldn’t argue, but Lily wanted this baby more than anything. Nobody should have the right just to take it from her. Lily called her best friend, Scarlett. Scarlett told Lily she had recently heard an ad on the radio for a pregnancy center in Front Royal. It wouldn’t hurt to call them and get a second opinion.

hea l i ng

spring 2022

The FRPC staff keep the waiting room clean and cheerful for women who come seeking help.

Lily called and spoke with the staff at the Front Royal Pregnancy Center (FRPC). To her surprise, they truly listened to her. Everyone in her immediate family was often so dismissive. Lily felt empowered and confident to take the next step and stand up for herself and her unborn child. She called and canceled the abortion appointment, making up her mind to see an ultrasound of her baby before making any final decisions. Because of the caring staff and emotional support at FRPC, Lily is now anticipating the birth of her firstborn and planning hopefully for the future. A drop of water in the ocean may seem insignificant by itself, but each drop plays an important role in the composition of the whole. Similarly, one small act of compassion toward another may seem trivial, but when an entire community bands together to bring hope and healing to a broken world, the impact can be immense. In 1991, four Christendom alumnae felt the call to open a center for local women facing untimely pregnancies. Angelique O’Reilly ’83, Nancy Briggs ’82, Maggie Ciskanik ’84, and Tina Furtado ’83, with the faithful support of their husbands, rented a small space in the Seton Home Study School building. Their initial plan was to provide counseling 34

and material support to any women who reached out to them. Because of the limited space, there was nowhere to store clothing, diapers, formula, and other baby items, so the Kosten family (parents of three alumni, and grandparents of numerous other alumni) generously offered their third floor as a storage space for the center. Around this time, the women enlisted the help of Kathy Foeckler ’91, who was teaching high school English at Seton at the time. Foeckler kept the storage space well stocked and served as the contact person for clients’ material needs. While sharing the history of the original center, Foeckler admitted, “We’ve come a long way.” Foeckler still volunteers regularly at the center. Sometimes girls come to FRPC who must complete a number of community service hours, and Foeckler works with them as they assist with odd jobs around the center. Foeckler believes this to be yet another outreach, impacting local women from different walks of life. “If we all do a little bit,” said Foeckler, “if we can all just do something—it doesn’t have to be something great.” The local Knights of Columbus chapter donated a new ultrasound machine to the center on May 22, 2013. With this new addition, they have quadrupled their number of clients.

Volunteers have helped tremendously in organizing baby clothes according to size and season.

The center currently has two ultrasound nurses. Ultrasounds are incredible tools for mothers who are struggling to understand the crisis they are in, and to help them grasp that the pregnancy involves another human life. While the ultrasound machine was a huge blessing, it incurred new expenses as well. FRPC hosted a local fundraiser every fall to raise donations for their nonprofit, but now it was even more vital to raise funds. Mary Brand ’98 was invited to become a member of the board in 2014. Among her duties was organizing the Walk for Life in town. She was determined to get more of the surrounding community involved. An active parishioner of St. John the Baptist in Front Royal, Mary accepted this challenge. Brand noted, “My strategy was to use my connections to get as many people involved as possible, get the word out about the Walk for Life, and wake the ‘sleeping giant’ we had at St. John’s and the Catholic community in Front Royal. I had no idea that so much of the work was done behind the scenes in the months before the event and that the actual Walk is just a victory lap for the real fundraising efforts that take place ahead of time.” Brand felt that she saw a whole new side of the center while serving on the board, firmly believing that we can all accomplish much more if we join together. spring 2022

Young girl at the annual Walk for Life.

“I learned so much about how God can use us to accomplish his ends, despite our shortcomings,” she said. “There are so many people who stay in the shadows and don’t toot their own horns and have given so much for that Center to still be in existence today. It is truly a work of love of the community. Ultimately, though, it is God's work, and I pray that He continues to bless the work of the Center and all those who are involved.” The center just hosted its 10th Walk for Life this past year. Families from the community came to show their support and stand for the protection of life, including numerous children who spoke out for future generations. Over the years, numerous Christendom alumni have been actively involved in the growth of the Front Royal Pregnancy Center, serving on the front lines in a battle against the culture of death. As a result, FRPC, now in its thirty-first year, is thriving. The growth that the center has had continues to impact and assist hundreds of women each year. The current director at the center is Kathy Clowes, assisted by three alumni staff—Jessica, Olivia, and Agnese. Jessica Schmitz ’15, currently serving at the center as the assistant director, regularly witnesses firsthand the trauma and suffering these mothers experience. “It’s common for the mother to be receiving pressure from another person,” said Schmitz, “and the center can help give her the confidence to speak up for what she wants.” Schmitz is assisted by Olivia (Cerroni) McDonough ’18, who works as the dedicated marketing specialist for the center, and they just hired Agnese Janaro ’21 this past fall, who currently serves as a donor relations assistant. Countless other Christendom alumni and students have been actively involved with FRPC. Before the current offices were built within the center, the back office was built out of simple blue-carpeted cubicles donated from Human Life International. When the new offices were finally built, FRPC invited the Christendom Crusaders rugby team to help break down the cubicles. They came willing and eager to assist.

“God can use us to accomplish His ends, despite our shortcomings.”

Local children and their families speak out for future generations.

Christendom students help make baby baskets for mothers in need.

Around Christmastime, Christendom students offered their time to sort baby clothes, and the Chester-Belloc Debate Society hosted a fundraiser, giving the proceeds to FRPC. Students are happy to share their time and talents in order to help support the women who seek assistance through the center. This past year was the busiest client year to date. With the increased access to chemical abortion, women are calling very early on in their pregnancies, feeling hard set on abortion. The cultural expectation is that abortion is more accessible and easier. The center is trying their best to be present for these women and help them to pause, take a breath, and think through their situations and social pressures they are under. This past year alone, the center served 316 unique clients, facilitated 1,031 visits to the center, offered 162 ultrasounds, and provided 175 free pregnancy tests. Thanks to the four alumnae who trusted God with blind faith and opened their doors to local women in need, the Front Royal Pregnancy Center is now thriving with the continued help and support of the surrounding community, including our dedicated students and alumni who are working selflessly to restore all things in Christ.

SEND YOUR SUBMISSIONS TO CL ASSMATES@CHRISTENDOM.EDU

CLASSMATES YOUR PAPER & INK ALUMNI SOCIAL NETWORK

1990s

2000s

Michael Hichborn ’99 was featured in the film Enemies Within the Church. The Protestant-produced film focuses on the Marxist infiltration of Christianity through so-called “social justice” causes. Michael’s contribution to the project centered on Marxist strategies and tactics, and he’s been asked to play a more leading role in the upcoming second part. 1

Gabriel Young ’01 and his family will be relocating from Ankara, Turkey, to Montgomery, AL, where he will be instructing new military attorneys on international and operational law. He will be complete his 20 years in the Air Force in late 2024. (If anyone is aware of an employer who is looking to hire a retired military attorney who has been a professor of law and whose expertise is mostly in international and operational law, please email gmtyoung@yahoo.com.) Jason Crye ’04 has been elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. As a Fellow, Jason will have privileged access to the library of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh where the Society has its offices. The Society is the premier national society for the study of Scotland’s history. It was founded in Edinburgh in 1780 and granted a royal charter by King George III in 1783. Past Fellows of the Society include Sir Walter Scott. Derek and Bethany (née Zuniga) Rogers ’04 were the recipients of an Excellence in Youth Ministry Award through the Diocese of Arlington. They have been involved in ministry (working at two separate parishes) in northern Virginia since 2010. 2

Tom and Mary (née Akers) Hambleton ’07 welcomed their seventh child, Michael Pio, born in June 2021. They celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary in January 2022. 3 On the Feast of the Epiphany, Sam and Katie (née Fitzpatrick) Phillips ’08 received a special gift from the Magi: baby David James Belloc Phillips. David’s five older siblings are greatly enjoying their little brother and get a kick out of his fluffy head of hair. 4 Sequoia Sierra ’09 has a radio show, “A Culture of Beauty,” that will launch in mid -March. It started off as a podcast but now will be on the radio three times a week at 11:30 a.m. PST, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on Spirit Filled Radio Network, as well as on various podcast networks. You can download the app or listen at spiritfilledradio.org. To keep up with the show and Sequoia, please follow on social media or check out www.acultureofbeauty.com or www.sequoiasierra.com.

2010-15 Jeremiah and Katie (née Erwin) Ii ’10 welcomed baby number six, Brendan (named after his uncle Dr. Brendan McGuire), in December. Baby Brendan had to spend his first Christmas in the NICU, but thankfully he is home now and doing well. 5

Angela (née Swagler) Greenwalt ’12 accepted a position as an in-house counsel attorney for GEICO Insurance Company. She and her husband also sold their starter home and moved into their forever home on Good Friday, 2021. Joseph ’15 and Elizabeth (née Willson) Walsh ’16 welcomed baby Lucy to the mix on November 22, 2021. 6

2016-19 Paul Flagg ’17 is the first Christendom College seminarian for the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. Please pray for all seminarians! After teaching for two years at a Great Hearts Academy, Bernadette Ellis ’17 graduated with a BSN from Arizona State University in 2020. She has been working as an RN out in Phoenix, AZ, and is excited to be relocating to the Washington, D.C., area this year. Joseph ’18 and Hannah (née Brezinsky) Cummings ’17 were blessed with the birth of their first child, Sophia Christine, born on January 18, 2022. 7 Garrett and Chloe (née Herrmann) Quigley ’18 welcomed their son, James Theodore, into the world on June 2, 2021. He was 9 lbs. 11 oz. and 22 inches long. He was baptized at Holy Family Parish in Little Falls, NY. His godparents are Monica Vicente ’18 and Jared Herrmann ’23. 8

Catherine Olbrych ’18 entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Little Flower in Buffalo, NY, as a postulant on November 24, 2021. Please keep her in your prayers. She may be contacted in care of the monastery at the following address: Monastery of the Little Flower of Jesus, Discalced Carmelite Nuns, 75 Carmel Rd, Buffalo, NY 14214 Mary Strickland ’18 and Tim Castano were married on December 18, 2021, at Christ the King Chapel. 9 Cynthia and Kieran O’Donnell ’18 welcomed Raphael Anthony O’Donnell on January 11, 2022. 10 Mary Schneider ’18 is engaged to be married to Nicholas Dudley. Mary and Nick met at UVA, where Mary served as a FOCUS missionary and Nick attended UVA Law. They plan to be married in Louisiana on May 7, 2022. In August 2022, they plan to move back to the Shenandoah Valley where Nick will practice law with Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver and Mary will continue as director of development and alumni relations with Catholic Hoos at the University of Virginia. 11 Stephen Bertotte and Georgie Messing ’19 were married in August 2021 in Bad Axe, MI. They were married by Fr. Jason Wunsch and are living out in Denver, CO. Tait J. Pilegaard ’19 is engaged to Enya O’Callaghan. Tait is now an official Irish resident and will be settling permanently in Donegal for the future. Tait and Enya are to be married June 11, 2022, in Donegal, Ireland. 12

S AV E T H E DAT E

2020s James and Monica (née Marsh) Rossi ’20 welcomed their son, Anthony Raphael Rossi, on January 31, 2022. 13 James Foeckler ’20 and Emily Guza ’21 were married on July 24, 2021, at Christ the King Chapel. 14 Elizabeth Smith ’21 has been accepted to the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome to study philosophy. Michael Mersch ’21 and Christina Smith ’21, daughter of Guy ’89 and Mary Kate ’97 Smith, were married January 8, 2022. They had a fantastic time surrounded by many fellow alumni and current students. 17 Anthony Storey ’20 and Bridget Schneider ’21 were married November 27, 2021, and are living in Middletown, VA. 15 Matthew and Regina (née Ellis) Erikson ’22 baptized their son, Giuseppe Baptiste, who was born December 25, 2021, at St. John the Baptist Church on February 5, 2022. 16

F E AT U R I N G C L A S S R E U N I O N S F O R 1 9 82 , 1 9 9 2 , 2 0 02 , A N D 20 12

O C T O B E R 7-8 , 202 2

Compiled by Vince Criste ’98, director of alumni relations. 12

Requiescat In Pace

Michael Echaniz ’20 Catherine “Ren” (Magnusson) Freeman ’08

spring 2022

OMNIA

C H R I S TO

H o m e s ch o o l i n g G o e s M a i n st r e a m When I was growing up,

I knew a couple of homeschoolers. I recall thinking that homeshooling was weird. While this assessment was immature (I was eight), it is true that homeschoolers in the second half of the 20th century were uncommon, and they were usually considered fringe by the wider public. However, my research on the history of homeschooling in America suggests that over the course of the decades between 1950 and about 2010, the American public gradually began to accept homeschooling. Over time, state laws established homeschooling’s legality, departments of education clarified requirements, and many public school

systems began to work with, rather than against, homeschooling families. To top it all off, in 2008, the California Supreme Court (In re Rachel L) ruled homeschooling constitutional for the flabbergasting reason that most Californians—including the state legislature—had been acting as if homeschooling were legal, even though no explicit legalization had occurred. The presumption that homeschooling was legal had become enough to make it so. Tolerated but not mainstream, homeschooling plateaued in the first two decades of the 21st century at the small (though not insignificant) rate of about 3-4% of American schoolchildren. In other words, about 1 out of every 20 American children was homeschooled. And it seemed as though there it would stand—tolerated, but still not 40

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.

BY PROF. DIXIE DILLON L ANE

common in a heavily-institutional school landscape. Then came 2020. And suddenly, that fall, the rate of homeschooling more than doubled to 11% in one of the most conservative estimates. (Some estimates put the number as high as 19%.) At least 1 out of every 10 American children was now a homeschooler. What happened? As a historian, I examine social phenomena in their contexts. We all know the context of pandemic schooling in 2020: Most public and private schools across the country (with notable statewide exceptions) closed down for in-person instruction and switched over to “Zoom school,” and three important things happened. First, children fell behind in most states on important academic benchmarks. Second, parents, especially those who were working from home and overseeing this online schooling, personally saw it happen. And finally, many state governors made it clear that whenever in-person schooling resumed, it would bring Covid-era restrictions with it, which some parents did not welcome. Were these three changes the causes of the dramatic jump in homeschooling in America in 2020? Since this change is so new, the evidence relating to it is still mostly anecdotal, and can only prove correlation, not causation. But my intuition, based on my study of trends in homeschooling since 1950, is that the primary cause of the growth in homeschooling was the coupling of parents’ shock at the failures of institutional schooling during the pandemic with the homeschooling community’s existing outside-the-box solutions. Suddenly, families who had never before homeschooled were setting up “learning pods,” crashing Department of Education homeschool registration

websites, and frantically reading through The Well-Trained Mind. Increases in homeschooling varied by state (possibly because of differing state pandemic school policies), but as we search for hard evidence, let us look at the example of Christendom’s home state of Virginia. Virginia saw homeschooler registrations rise from 38,282 in the 2019-2020 school year to 59,638 the following year, an increase of 21,356 students, or more than 55%. And in spite of these homeschoolers being new to the business, attrition was quite low: the following (2021-2022) school year saw a decrease of only 3,889 students (doe. virginia.gov). It is telling to note also that the number of Virginia homeschoolers who filed for a religious exemption from schooling showed no significant change in 2020. Although filing for a religious exemption frees families from all school board oversight, this easier option is not the one that new homeschoolers chose. If the new homeschoolers were roughly the same across categories as the “old,” one would expect the numbers to rise across both types of registration. This may suggest that fewer new homeschoolers were motivated primarily by religious factors; they did not stand outside of the religious mainstream as far as schooling goes. To sum up, therefore, we can hypothesize with some confidence that the new homeschoolers, in Virginia and elsewhere, have their origins in the broad mainstream of society, and that their astonishing numbers—between 11% and 19% of all schoolchildren—are drawing homeschooling itself into ordinary American life. Dixie Dillon Lane, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor in the Department of History.

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