Volume XVIII, Issue 2

The Gadfly

October 25th, 2013

Volume XVIII

Issue 2

“Bite the sleeping horse.”

Premature Marriage

By Patrick Kormirre

We at Franciscan like to take pride and find solace in the fact that we are not studying at your typical university campus. Going to Mass multiple times per week (going to Mass at all), arriving for confession early so you don’t get stuck in the ridiculously long line, and spending your Saturdays on the sidewalk in downtown Pittsburgh praying for a change of hearts of those seeking abortions likely frequent the bottom of the priority lists of the (vast) majority of college students. We are living out a truly countercultural lifestyle that puts us at odds with the secular schools, and even other

Catholic schools.

One of the most glaring differences between Franciscan and your typical state school revolves around the topic of sex.

To be clear: just because we go to a Catholic university does not make us immune to sin. Many of our brothers and sisters struggle with the deadly sin of lust, even on this campus. The difference is that while we recognize the sinfulness of premarital sex, other schools glorify it. While members of the opposite sex are allowed in our bedrooms for a grand total of eight hours per week (with the door

propped open and everyone must be completely visible), at other schools you can spend the night in your significant other’s room and no one bats an eye. Dating in the secular world more often than not means sleeping together, moving in together, and basically living the married life without, you know, marriage. We (rightly) point out that most of these lovebirds are not emotionally and spiritually ready for the total self-giving that is marriage (or, for that matter, the outward characteristics of it).

But how many of us fail to see the

Please Continue on page 5

The Facebook Dilemma

By Courtney Shingle

I’m not one of those “social media is evil” types of people whatsoever. As an avid writer and blogger, I am a user of almost every major social media site. However, I’m also not about to say that social media has been the healthiest of influences on our generation. Look around you, and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. People are on their phones twenty-four/seven.

We listen to discussions waiting to get our favorite outrageous quote and put it up on “Overheard at Franciscan.” Instead of taking

pictures of things that genuinely inspire us or moments with our friends that we want to cherish forever, we are taking the next “selfie” they can put on Facebook – all in hopes of getting the most likes and winning the popularity game. I make this observation not to be judgmental, but to note that we are taking something that could be a great tool and potentially setting ourselves up for disaster.

I recently attended a philosophy talk called “Facebook and the Real You: With Lewis’ 1

The Abolition of Man.” In the presentation, Dr. Javier Carreño and Dr. Maria Wolter discussed C.S. Lewis’ approach in The Abolition of Man and show how it could be applied to Facebook – and how essentially it too could lead to the destruction of man. It inspired me to look back at Lewis’ work and think about the connections they made. Now, before all of you grab your pitchforks and torches to run me out of town, let me preface the whole thing by saying

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V. XVIII

I. 1

Letter From The Editor

Gadfly Staff 2013-2014

Hello Barons!

Just last week I returned from a retreat with my household – Pater Noster – on which I was asked to give a talk on St. John Bosco.

To be frank, I knew little to nothing about this man, who is one of my household’s patron saints. My best guess was that he was your typical holy man who had a knack with kids. I figured throw a couple miracles into the mix, maybe a vision or two, and bam you’ve got yourself a basic knowledge of St. John Bosco.

The more I read about Don Bosco, the more I fell in love with him. For the sake of space I wont go into much detail, but I do want to share his educational theory known as “The Preventive System” (influenced by St. Phillip Neri and Francis de Sales). The Preventive System is based on three pillars: reason, religion, and loving-kindness. I would like to focus on loving-kindness.

Don Bosco’s system of education was focused more on young children, before they were of University age but I would like to adapt such a system to Franciscan University. In regards to loving-kindness educators are to view their students more than simply students, but a child of God who deserves an expansion of knowledge. There lies a necessity for the teacher to have a personalist relationship with their students – to form a relationship that transverses beyond a number.

I don’t think it comes as a surprise that Franciscan University holds the similar pillars of reason and religion (faith) – it’s seen in almost every professor’s syllabus, a course circumscribed within faith and reason. However, do our professor’s hold a loving-kindness towards their students? I can’t advocate for every professor, but I would argue that they do and it is this loving-kindness, together with faith and reason, that creates the unique Franciscan University of Steubenville educational experience.

For all professors and administrators: Your loving-kindness towards us – your students – is noticed and matters. When you remember our names, it matters. When you acknowledge us outside of class, it matters. When you take an interest in our goals, it matters.

When you truly care for us, it is noticed.

-Elias Hage

2

Elias Hage

Editor-in-chief

Joseph Antenello Copy Editor

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Michael Sherman Business Manager

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The Gadfly

Facebook, continued from page 1 technology is a tool; it’s only what we make of it that makes it good or bad. However, sometimes the way we use it has become less about cultivating friendships and more about narcissism.

Lewis talks about “men without chests,” men who have been conditioned to look only for the rational side of things and deny the emotional side, discarding feelings as unimportant. And haven’t we often done the same thing on Facebook – removed the emotional element of our speech?

On the Internet, we are often “men without chests,” and very often unintentionally; even though we may be writing with a specific emotion in mind, we tend to forget that our readers cannot hear our pleasure, liking, disgust, or hatred.

Where one well-meaning thing may make perfect sense to us, it may appear completely opposite to another who hasn’t the slightest inkling of our intention. Much of what we do on Facebook lacks context – context necessary to an adequate representation of the thought itself.

It is ironic for a site that allows you to share all aspects of your life with your friends, very little of what we share is the “real” us. While many things we share may be “us,” they are not in a sense real; we have complete control over our image on Facebook.

Who among us hasn’t untagged themselves from a picture in which they didn’t look as they wanted to or hasn’t deleted comments they previously wrote, as if to erase the traces of their own thought?

We very often craft our responses to our friends so that they show

us in the most appealing light.

We deliberate on whether or not to send that message, whether or not to rephrase our thought in the newest comment debate. Facebook now even lets you edit your comments and erase all signs of any misstep you feel you’ve made.

In a sense, all Facebook really shows is that crafted version of us, which in many cases we use as a manipulation for various reasons – likability or some convoluted form of popularity or convincing people that we are much more intelligent or skillful than we actually are. I’m certainly not suggesting that we all intend to approach Facebook in this way; however, it’s an easy trap in which to find yourself and being unaware of the pitfalls is what renders us incapable of overcoming it.

Now that I’ve said my peace about the problems that can result from Facebook, here’s the dilemma: Facebook is essentially neutral; how we use it determines whether it is a great tool for communication or results in the complete breakdown of communication altogether. But how do we prevent ourselves from slipping into this self-absorbed and fake way of presenting ourselves?

I think there are some things we can do to use Facebook more responsibly.

1. Think about who is seeing what you’re about to post. Who are you really communicating with?

Nowadays, we so very often add “friends” when we’ve just met them and know little to nothing about them. Are we really proving the great span of our friendships, or are we using our number of friends to portray ourselves as something more than we are? If most of them 3

aren’t interested in my opinions on the newest literary classic I read or my loathing of the choice for Ben Affleck as Batman, maybe I should reconsider the reason I’m using Facebook and the people I have on my list. I’m not saying that you should change what you write based on who your friends are (see point number two); I’m saying that you should choose your friends carefully – based on the relationship you have with them in real life and what you’re actually writing.

2. It’s the real you that your friends want. The little flubs you make from day to day in real life are forgiven, just as your friends will overlook those you make on Facebook.

So, while it’s necessary to think about how your words will appear to others lacking much of their personal context, don’t beat a dead horse; let your thoughts be yours.

3. I’m currently 4,459 miles away from most of the people I care about, so I can attest to the usefulness of Facebook. But when you let it become your primary form of communication, you’ve done yourself a great disservice.

Personal communication is always best: phone conversations or video calling are better tools than Facebook, and face-to-face is always the best and most reliable form of connecting with your loved ones.

-The key to using Facebook is to really communicate with others, specific people as much as possible, and to share things because you care about the people on your list – not because you want to make an image of yourself that’s ideal. Be you and be considerate about the way you use social media and you will never be its slave u

V. XVIII

I. 1

Tradismatics

Light, when it passes Christ and the truth of His Church, hand, you have Festivals of Praise, through a prism, radiates into will be drawn to extremes. praise and worship with guitars, brilliant, diverse colors. I recall

Yet, I believe the Church has arms extended in prayer, speaking one morning when I looked into experienced the beauty and splendor in tongues, and free praise. Most a large hotel dining room full of of these two spiritualities in a will choose one or the other kind of prism chandeliers. The warmth of powerful way these last spirituality – or so you the sunlight poured into the room several decades. In the would think.

“Really, any through the wide windows, and the Charismatic movement, true Catholic A growing number glass of the chandeliers dispersed there is a freedom of of students on campus spirituality will a broad spectrum of dazzlingly prayer, an emphasis actively seek out necessarily be beautiful colors hidden in the on one’s personal opportunities to grow traditional and sunlight. relationship with God, in both the traditional

So too, the light of Christ, a kind of ecstatic joy, charismatic.” and the charismatic when it shines in the Church, and a new working of spiritualities. One radiates into manifold forms of the Holy Spirit. In the rejoicing to be at a FOP holiness. And thus the Holy Spirit new liturgical movement, there is a on Saturday night will be overjoyed inspires saints of all kinds and revived sense of the importance of to attend the Sunday High Mass. colors, each of which reflects the liturgy in personal transformation, Another who learns Latin prayers rich holiness of Christ in unique a great respect for the continuity by heart will gladly go into free ways. Within the ranks of those of Tradition, an awakening to deep praise at praise and worship. Yet who strive to live the fullness of solemnity, and a new devotion to another will be found humming the truth, there is fruitful diversity the Holy Mass and Eucharistic Matt Maher – or was that the Salve of spirituality. Here on our own Adoration. Already as I describe Regina? campus, there is a multitude of these, readers will note that these A few students meeting spiritualities of all hues and shades. characteristics are not mutually this description have lightheartedly I will focus my comments on exclusive. The students of this suggested the title “tradismatics.” two in particular: campus have shown The word indicates an integrated traditional and a remarkable traditional-charismatic spirituality.

“The traditionally charismatic capacity for a One does not have to choose minded have been spirituality. freedom in formal between the two. This is not some called rigid, legalistic, liturgical prayer, a ultimatum of either/or. Really, Many criticisms of the esoteric, quarrelsome, personal experience any true Catholic spirituality spiritualities of of God within the will necessarily be traditional and stiff-necked” others have been inherited Tradition (drawing on that which has been heard on campus of the Church, a handed down) and charismatic and there is truth to some of jubilant solemnity in worship, and (infused with grace, exhibiting these criticisms. Any spirituality an eager desire for an outpouring of spiritual gifts). Granted, not every will have extremes: those of a the Holy Spirit in receiving Christ particular tradition or gift is present charismatic flavor have been in the Eucharist. in every spirituality, nor should tagged wild, chaotic, simplistic,

But what of the specifics they be. But there is an integral innovative, and unpredictable, of traditional and charismatic realization of the traditional and while the traditionally minded spiritualities? On the one hand, the charismatic in any authentic have been called rigid, legalistic, you have Latin Masses, Gregorian Catholic spirituality. This is esoteric, quarrelsome, and stiffchant and polyphony, lots of eminently true of the Holy Mass. necked. Any spirituality, if it does incense, older vestments, and Consider, then, how curious it is not remain rooted in the love of formal prayer books. On the other Please Continue on page 7 4

The Gadfly

A Moment of Awe

By Culver Hyde

My tender ears perk like a crimson fox, At the sound of giantous footsept near.

And my body shakes wildly in my socks As man leans truly what it means to fear.

I, like an ant crawling low in the dirt, Covered in dust and lower than the maggots.

I see a thing golden, massive, unoerturbed By foolish and ignorant heretics.

And with great wind I suddenly know, For by its light I have been enlightened, What stands before me, beside me, below And lifts me up like a mighty Titan What causes in me this uplifting effect?

Naught but John Polega’s great intellect.

applies as much as, if not more so, to Holy Orders than to Holy exact same phenomenon among Matrimony). our fellow students? Instead of

We must be consistent in diving head-first into cohabitation our beliefs. If we say it is foolish to and fornication, we dive instead jump into the married life without into a premature engagement. marriage, we must, in integrity, We fall into the same trap as the admit that it is equally as foolish secular couple, sans the mortal sin. to enter into the Sacrament of Many of us are not ready to get Holy Matrimony without proper married right out of (or during!) discernment and, as is my personal our college years. Dating is more opinion, time spent away from the than a discernment process. It is Catholic bubble on this hill. For a way of learning to listen to the those of us who have not tested our other’s heart. Dating is there to relationship outside of the context help us figure out if we are called of Franciscan University in the big, to participate in this sacrament, bad world where men don’t always and if so, with whom? But it goes hold open the door and people beyond that. Many of us simply will steal your computer if you have not learned to listen to the leave it unattended, we are setting heart of another (this principle ourselves up for (at the very least)

Marriage, continued from page 1

5

many trials and hardships down the road.

Marriage is a holy thing, the “sibling sacrament” of holy orders. Both vocations are geared primarily to the salvation of souls other than your own. They are vocations of service. The seminary process takes a minimum of six to seven years to make absolutely sure each seminarian is ready to receive the Sacrament. Not to say that we should wait as long before getting engaged to our significant others (that would be excessive), but we might want to take a few lessons from the rules Canon Law sets up concerning the courtship process of a seminarian to his bride, the Church. u

V. XVIII

I. 1

Subversion vs. Dissent

By Joseph Antoniello

Sometimes Overheard at it belongs. Now, perhaps there is are logical arguments – maybe – Franciscan can lead to some fairly some logic and concern behind but they are not the arguments interesting dialogue, though most these debates, and perhaps all you will sway anyone with. of the interesting bit remains of the conclusions have some Dissent, being the awful interior, while the useless racks merit, but it must be said that the word it is, should not be used up a couple hundred comments argument has become stale. Our except when it is genuinely on whether or not it is legitimate “intellectual” discussions have obvious that the excused is truly for couples to desire become prostitution acting in a violent disagreement privacy. In looking “Our ‘intellectual’ of the good for the with the Church. Also, remember at the wide variety sake of the ideology. that your argument is not the discussions of comments said At a deeper level, only correct one. This is a true have become around Franciscan, these prostituted application of the term prudential prostitution of the especially arguments are judgment – a term often exercised good for the sake the so-called really misguided by the neocons and the post“controversial” at liberal crowds, though it is rarely of the ideology.” attempts comments, there is fraternal correction; in the correct way. Prudential a particular trend misguided, because judgment refers to application of which has become apparent: they imply the other is dissenting principles, while still remaining your arguments suck, and they from the teaching of the Church. faithful to the message you have will keep sucking until you

Dissent is not a nice received. Is a couple making out remove yourself from the status word. It is a word that points to in public imprudent? Maybe. Is quo. an all out intellectual rejection. it immodest? Probably not, since I will limit my This rejection is one that places modesty refers primarily to the generalizations to freedom of expression over and interior disposition of the person undergraduates, because graduate above truth. John Paul II says in and acts, according to conscience, students are recluses with no Centesimus Annus that freedom in a way most prudent to them. friends, so it is best to continue must be a servant of the truth.

Is this subjectivism? You betcha, to depersonalize them for the Often, the discussions amongst but it is not a crime to live in remainder of this article. Now, students imply heresy, apostasy, subjectivity. We are subjects, the undergraduate population and dissent after-all. sticks primarily to a rigid sort when the “Is a couple making out in What this of Thomistic Fundamentalism, disagreement comes down to public imprudent?

Maybe. or worse yet, a Neoconservative has occurred. is approaching Is it immodest?”

Catholicism. This leads mostly This is most the status quo to arguments over modesty, often a huge in a new way. chastity, and liturgy.

Within error on Maybe clothes these ideological frameworks, it behalf of the excusee, who while are the makers of modesty. becomes easy to pick out not only giving an interpretation of a Maybe the free market is the only the opponent’s argument, but the teaching sees his view as most way to save the world. Maybe the conclusion. Chastity is about other prominent and therefore the liturgy can only be expressed in people’s feelings. Modesty is about correct interpretation. But this antiquated chants but we must clothes. Liturgy is where Heaven might not be the case in many never look at the world through kisses earth, so burn your damned instances, and your arguments the status quo alone. We must djembe in the fires of Hell where will fall on deaf ears. Maybe they take what has been taught and 6

The Gadfly seek to apply it in a new way.

Here is an exercise: if Catholics cannot support gay marriage and the government doesn’t support traditional marriage, what ought Catholics do? As Romano Guardini says, a genuine anarchy does not reject societal norms enforced by the State, but rather simply ignores them. Another approach is to not appeal to the government to define marriage, but rather to get them to stay out of marriage altogether. Culture has been protected, the sanctity of marriage is still revealed by that culture, and really – in the long run – everyone is happy.

This line of argumentation is not typical, yet is still not dissent.

What is it? It is subversion of the status quo. The Thomistic Fundamentalism of many Catholics will sway little to no one these days – natural law theory has taken some pretty immense turns since the Middle Ages – and we must seek to approach this in a new light, a new path toward the love of truth by living the truth in love. u

Tradismatics, continued from page 4 faith. The novel is held up against

the classic and assimilated in to speak of a “charismatic Mass” continuity. Thirdly, this prayer is and a “traditional Mass” as if one distinguished by a capability for were not the other. Again, I am jubilant solemnity. In this case the not claiming that the specifics most intense joy coincides with of each spirituality (especially a deep sense of solemnity before the extremes) must be manifest the greatness of God. Exuberant in each Mass or prayer service. rejoicing is found precisely in One need not free-praise at Latin the contemplative gaze upon the Mass nor recite Pater Nosters and divine countenance.

Ave Marias at FOPs. Rather, I am pointing “There is an inner It is in these qualities that the traditional out an ambiguity in richness of sanctity and charismatic our current use of the here blossoming spiritualities intersect. terms charismatic and out from Christ’s In conclusion, traditional.

I issue a challenge holiness.”

The integrated to the reader. Here experience of prayer at Franciscan in the living Church gives rise to a different story. Firstly, University there is an abundance it is characterized by a striving of opportunities to grow in for organic holiness. An ecclesial various forms of prayer. On this spirituality is lived as a whole. It is campus there is a lived tension of defined not in terms of its opposites seemingly divergent spiritualities. but as a rigorous phenomenon unto Enter into this tension and find the itself. There is an inner richness harmony. Go to a FOP; attend a of sanctity here blossoming out High Mass. Pray a holy hour; take from Christ’s holiness. Secondly, part in prayer teams. Smell the and I borrow a favorite phrase of incense; raise your hands in prayer. this university, this spirituality is Discover where the treasures of the marked by its dynamic orthodoxy. Church’s Tradition meets the fresh Following after St. Paul (1 Thess breath of the Spirit in free prayer.

5:21), the Church tests everything Experience the elation of Gregorian and holds to what is good. All that chant and the sobriety found in is true and good is taken up by praise and worship. Encounter the the members of the Church and Lord, ever Ancient, ever New, in incorporated into their prayer. Far a transformed way. Look upon the from a blind acceptance of any and goodness of the Lord as He shines every form of prayer, this forms a through the glorious prism of His part of an ongoing maturation in Church! u

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The Gadfly

Quotes from the professors “I don’t mean to inspire conspiracy theories.”

Dr. Sirilla

"There's a reason that the 70's should stay buried...the whole epileptic disco lighting was born."

Mr. Prey

“We need to do theology on our knees, as well as in the academic... or tower whatever.”

Dr. Sirilla

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