The Aquilian November 2017 Volume 80, Number 2
Gonzaga College High School Men For Others Since 1821
19 Eye St, NW Washington, DC 20001
Honoring an Enduring Legacy John Gabriel Smith was one of the first people of color to attend Gonzaga. Father Horace McKenna, SJ met Gabe Smith, realized his academic prowess, and admitted him into the school. During his tenure at Gonzaga, he was one of three African American students attending the institution. The other students of color did not finish, thus in 1954 Gabe Smith became the first person of color to graduate from our school. His is accomplishment was honored on Saturday, October 14, 2017. Mr. Smith now has a portal on Buchanan Field dedicated to him, and this por-
tal bears his name and a plaque that reads, “In recognition of John Gabriel Smith ‘54, the first African American graduate of Gonzaga. This entrance, made possible by the generosity of Onyx Alumni, serves as a tribute to Gabe and an enduring symbol to young men - of all races and ethnic backgrounds - who follow in his pioneering footsteps on Eye Street.” At halftime, a tunnel of Gonzaga students stretched down to the center of the field. Mr. Smith walked down tunnel of students followed by his family, school president Father Stephen Planning, SJ and Mr. Leary. He was also followed by the current Onyx Cabi-
net: Kenny Carter ‘18, Joshua Watts ‘19, James Washington ‘19, and myself. When he reached the center of the field the plaque was read aloud and presented to him by head coach, Randy Trivers and Father Planning, SJ. This was a monumental moment for the entire school community. I spoke to Kenny Carter about what it was like to meet Mr. Smith, he said, “It was amazing to meet him. He was very humble and kind. His was an amazing accomplishment and yet he did not carry himself with a high and mighty attitude. It was humbling.” After the ceremony, I also spoke with Aaron Griesemer one of students who was a
part of the tunnel. I first asked him how he felt watching the ceremony, and he responded, “I felt proud yet weird that in 1954 the first Black graduate came out of the school...honoring him was a privilege.” I asked, “Did seeing Mr. Smith make you realize how recent our history is?” He responded, “Absolutely.” It also made him realize that “we still have far to go, but at least at Gonzaga we’re trying to move in the right direction.” If Aaron could ask Mr. Smith one question it would be about how he handled coming to Gonzaga every day at a time when there was so much racial discrimination. Onyx club member Justin Hill felt
Eye Street Jesuits, p.3
Summer Service Trips, p. 4
Gonzaga and Slavery, p.5
Halloween, p.8
By: Kyle Brown ‘18 Senior Contributor
the same way. When asked about Mr. Smith, Justin said, “I couldn’t imagine the amount of strength going to school everyday and only having two other people there who look like you.” Mr. Smith took the first step in creating change at our school. In doing so he has left one of the strongest legacies at Gonzaga. Mr. Smith’s legacy is just as big, if not bigger than any Gonzaga club, record, or organization. His legacy is for every student of color who walks on our campus because he proved that we are just as strong and just as smart as any other student. We all should be forever grateful to John Gabriel Smith.
The Aquilian 2
Anxiety
Paper Money By: Josh Knutsen ‘20 Contributor
By: Lucas Jung ‘19 figures I think deserve recog- ington and Lincoln were two Contributor nition in American currency of the nation’s most imporare Chief Massasoit, Martin tant and influential leaders, Throughout the United Luther King Jr., and Susan and Benjamin Franklin’s diI have Anxiety States’ 241 years of exis- B. Anthony. Chief Massasoit plomacy resulted in the US but don’t treat me differently tence, there have been many was peaceful towards the first winning the revolutionary because if you treat me extraordinary people pro- pilgrims at Plymouth. Their war. With that in mind, I differently duced by this great nation. cooperation helped the set- would propose that Alexanthen it’s like you treat me different cause of my skin The most prolific of these tlers flourish and grow into der Hamilton, Andrew Jackor my social class people may have the honor of colonies. Since the pilgrims son, and Ulysses S. Grant be or my personality being remembered through ended up displacing the na- removed. Most of the US or my shape statues, monuments, and lit- tives, the least we can do is population has little knowlerature. However, one form show respect for the original edge about these men, and it’s weird having a mental disability of remembrance does not fol- Americans. Martin Luther Andrew Jackson is thought to it gives me some instability low this format. The faces on King Jr. deserves a place on have been particularly racist. yes anxiety may not seem the dollar bill because of his This leaves empty positions US currency are all represenlike the worst in society tative of one type of Ameri- great contributions to the on the 10, 20, and 50 dollar can. George Washington, civil rights movement. He bills. I propose putting Marbut it’s misunderstood Thomas Jefferson, Abraham helped break down barriers tin Luther King Jr. on the 10, that might be my destiny Lincoln, Alexander Hamil- of race and unite the country. Susan B. Anthony on the 20, ton, Andrew Jackson, Ulyss- Finally, Susan B. Anthony and Chief Massasoit on the is it such a felony to have to go to therapy es S. Grant, and Benjamin has earned a spot on the dol- 50. or get treated like I am messed up If all of these new bills Franklin are all white men lar bill because of her work mentally who lived over 100 years to increase women’s rights. were to be put into circulaor those who think they’ll be my remedy ago. Since our country is a She fought for women’s tion, it would be a progresI say this, but I benefit from others utility melting pot of different peo- voting rights, and lead the sive step toward destroying and I don’t mind when they give their pity ple and cultures, why should movement which resulted in racial barriers and correctly representing the diverse and our paper bills not represent today’s gender equality. honestly, my anxiety is something I’ve dealt with quietly The final dilemma is who beautiful United States of that? and you’re thinking why he’s speaking so delightfully Three important historical to remove and replace. Wash- America. of a problem so excitedly Graphics: and seems to need to keep this problem Grady Lonergan privately ‘20 possibly because of his insecurity Harrison or probably because of his immaturity Snyder ‘20
Intramural Basketball By: Ben Escoto ‘20 Contributor Last week, the intramural basketball double elimination tournament kicked off, with over 30 teams participating. The excitement surrounding the games is something that is not usually seen among this large a group of Gonzaga students across all grade levels. Students form a team of 5 players, which allows for 4 players playing on the court and 1 player on the bench. Games are 4 on 4, 20 minute matchups. The teams keep track of the score and call their own fouls. I got the opportunity to speak with Elias Garcia ‘18, a player in the tournament, whose team has won their
first two games and is in the winner’s bracket. “The games definitely create a competitive and energy-filled environment. It’s a lot of fun but some games do get a little heated. Needless to say, the hype is definitely real.” I also spoke with Mr. Leary, who had this to say about the tournament: “This year’s tournament is different from past years because it is a double elimination, bracket style, tournament that has a March Madness type of feel. This isn’t a round robin situation. It’s winner take all, lose two and go home. We have never had a 33 team tournament before with over 155 total students involved. This tournament integrates students from all different grade levels and gives everyone the
The Aquilian Founded In 1940 Gonzaga College HIgh School 19 Eye Street NW Washington, DC 20001 Men For Others in the Jesuit Tradition Since 1821
opportunity to build camaraderie and ball.” Watching the games, you might see some missed layups, or maybe you’ll find yourself surprised by some players’ talent you otherwise did not expect them to have, but you will definitely see the euphoria of victory in the winners and the agony of defeat from the losers. The intensity of competition between teams is heightening as many teams are facing elimination and seeing their championship run end. The best teams win and repeat, and we will see a champion emerge in the coming weeks. Be sure to catch a game after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
I have this tendency to have this dependency on those I love incredibly regrettably I try to live my life impeccably and use my integrity with much intensity essentially what I’m trying to say is something I hold heavily in my heart presently and I’m sure you’re tired of me speaking endlessly and relentlessly and I did this rather recklessly and thought about it carelessly but as I stated it’s something I care about tremendously and I hope I spoke successfully cause I did it kind of breathlessly and also kinda terribly but this is part of the recipe of what makes up me my anxiety is something I’ve dealt with in solidarity and it’s become a regularity I’ve had the temerity to share this poem apparently I hope I’ve given the courage to others potentially just me and my anxiety With help from the Gonzaga Poets & Writers, The Aquilian plans to feature a work of poetry written by a Gonzaga Student in each issue.
Editors-in-Chief Matt Gannon ‘18 Jamie Keeler ‘18 Trevor Louis ‘18
Editors Joe Barloon ‘18 Alec Dubois ‘18 Jack Martino ‘20
Phototography Editors Jack Chesen ‘18 Rylan Madison ‘18 Moderator: Dr. Harry Rissetto
The Aquilian 3
An Interview With Father Tim Kesicki, SJ By: Jamie Keeler ‘18 Editor-in-Chief Can we hear about your background? I entered the Jesuits after I graduated from John Carroll University in 1984. Much of my work has been in Secondary Education, and I served as President of Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland from 2000 – 2008. I also worked with Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Uganda after I was ordained a priest in the mid 90’s. Before serving as president of the Jesuit Conference, I was provincial superior of the Chicago-Detroit province. Why/when did you decide to become a priest? I have a brother who is a priest in the Diocese of Erie and I had thought about becoming a priest since I was young. I met the Jesuits at John Carroll, who introduced me to the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola. My positive experience with the Jesuit community and Ignatian spirituality influenced my decision
to enter the Jesuit novitiate. After 10 years of formation, I knew that I was called to be ordained to the priesthood. Tell me about your current job(s), and what attracted you to it (them). I was appointed President of the Jesuit Conference by the Superior General of the Jesuits. As president of the Conference I am able to work closely with Jesuits across the U.S. and Canada. I also attend meetings fairly regularly with the Superior General and his council in Rome. In my current role, I am able to connect with Jesuits from around the world. How do you divide your time among your jobs? My work involves a great deal of travel, and I am on the road almost 3 weeks a month. I’ve flown over 125,000 miles this year and I live in multiple time zones. I try to divide my time between official travel and spending time in the office. Even when I am in the office I can connect with people on multiple continents on any given day. I strive to be
as present to my colleagues in the office as I am to the many with whom I connect virtually. What political and social issues are important to you, and what are your views on them? Three of my biggest passions are evangelization, the rights of migrants & refugees, and racial reconciliation. As a missionary Order, the Jesuits are always working to preach and teach the faith with enthusiasm. I engage Social Media and other platforms to preach the message of the Gospel. Having worked with JRS, I can see the plight of the world’s 25 million refugees and over 60 million displaced persons. I am passionate about Pope Francis’ call to “welcome the stranger” a Corporal Work of Mercy! I also feel that the Jesuits’ concern for Social Justice should encourage us to take a more bold and prophetic stance on racial justice. As your school recently discovered, the Jesuits have a tragic history with slaveholding. I care about recon-
ciling with our past. When did you come to the Gonzaga Jesuit Community? I moved to the Gonzaga Jesuit Community in January 2017. What is your favorite thing about living here? I enjoy my brother Jesuits in community and the diversity of ministries in which we are engaged. Who are your role models, and why do you admire them? I admire Pope Francis. His freedom and charisma are a great gift to our Church. I am blessed that my parents are both still living and I admire my Dad a great deal (he’s a Steelers fan)! At age 85 he recently received an award from his Bishop in Pittsburgh for Manifesting the Kingdom in his life. I know that his faith and example were a great inspiration to my Jesuit vocation. What do you do for fun? I love alpine skiing! It’s hard to find good runs here in DC, so I take advantage of any mountain range I am flying
over in my travels. I also enjoy bicycling, movies, spectator sports, and reading. What are your future plans? Jesuits don’t really plan for their future, other than to say “yes” to their next assignment. I have no idea where that will be, but I trust that it will be fulfilling. Is there anything else you would like to add? I would encourage anyone who ever thought about being a Jesuit to talk to someone about it. You never fully know where life is going to take you and it’s wise never to close the door too soon!
An Interview With Father Tom Reese, SJ By: Tommy Fisher ‘20 Contributor Father Tom Reese, SJ lives at the intersection of religion, politics, and prose. Over the years he has worn many hats - priest, reporter, teacher, editor, and presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Inter-
1962, he was ordained in 1974. He was educated at St. Louis University, the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, and at UC Berkeley, where he received a Ph.D. in political science. In addition to his passion for God, Fr. Reese has always been drawn to politics. Ac-
national Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Fr. Reese knew he wanted to be a priest since the second grade. While attending Loyola High School in Los Angeles, Fr. Reese said, “I was immediately attracted to the Jesuits by their commitment to their work, dedication to their students, and their camaraderie,” said Fr. Reese. Entering the Jesuits in
cording to Fr. Reese, “I have been interested in politics since high school. I am very proud of the Jesuits’ commitment to justice and peace. But political and social issues are complex, which means their solutions require study and hard work. This is why I did a doctorate in political science at Berkeley. My dissertation was on the politics of taxation, which is again a
hot topic this year.” After earning his PhD, Fr. Reese worked in Washington as a writer and lobbyist for tax reform from 1975 to 1978. He was an associate editor of America magazine, where he wrote on politics, economics and the Catholic Church, from 1978 to 1985, and editor-in-chief from 1998 to 2005. He was a Senior Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center, an independent, Jesuit-sponsored research institute located at Georgetown University, from 1985 to 1998 and 2006 to 2013. During the summers, he worked as a visiting scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Fr. Reese has authored numerous works including Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church in 1996. At the age of 72, Reese shows no signs of slowing down. He currently holds three jobs. He is a columnist for Religion News Service (ReligionNews.com), “an ecumenical wire service that provides material to both
religious and secular publications in print and on the Web.” This job requires significant reading and tweeting (@ThomasReeseSJ) on Reese’s part. In addition, in 2014 Fr. Reese was appointed by President Obama to the USCIRF (USCIRF.gov), an independent, bipartisan, U.S. federal government commission that reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations, and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. He was reappointed to another two-year term in May 2016 for a two-year term expiring in May 2018. Currently, Father Reese serves as Chair of the USCIRF, and visits countries like Nigeria, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to learn more about issues of religious freedom around the globe. Fr. Reese continues his religious duties by saying Mass at Holy Trinity parish and at Georgetown University. Fr. Reese enjoys living in the Jesuit Community at Gon-
zaga, stating, “I like the Jesuit community very much. It is an interesting and fun group of people who inspire me by their dedication and spirit.” Fr. Gasper (Gap) LoBiondo, SJ Superior of the Gonzaga Jesuit Community, is an old friend of Fr. Reese. According to Fr. Gap, “He is a great Jesuit and homilist. His insights into the politics of the Catholic Church are always informative and enlightening. In the Jesuit Community on Eye Street, Tom takes care of the distribution of daily mail. Also, whenever one of us cooks for everybody, he is the first to pick up the dirty dishes and do cleanup work in the kitchen. Now that’s what I call a committed Jesuit!” Fr. Reese finds inspiration in Pope Francis. “He is compassionate and loving and knows how to preach the Gospel in both words and actions.” Using this as a role model, Fr. Reese plans to keep doing what he is doing for as long as he can. We are grateful to have such an accomplished Jesuit here on Eye Street.
The Aquilian 4
McKenna Center Immersion Experience
By Derek White ‘19 Contributor The McKenna center service trip was all about helping other people, and learning who men struggling with homelessness really were. I learned this in my first couple of hours at the McKenna Center. During the service trip, we were asked to serve breakfast, and I was giving out napkins and cereal. I was extremely nervous right before everyone was about to walk in to get food. I was with a new group of people, getting thrown right into the breakfast serving process, and I was nervous for what the trip had in store. The men struggling with homelessness started to come in, and
we started serving them. The men were all so grateful and happy that we were serving them so they could start their day. When we were done serving breakfast, we were encouraged to talk and eat with the men. I had never had an indepth conversation with a man struggling with homelessness before. I was hesitant to sit down and talk and eat with any of the men. I finally grew the courage to talk and I sat down with a man. I introduced myself, and he did the same. His name was Anthony. We started talking about sports and basketball, talking about who would win the NBA title at the time. We carried on, having an extensive conversation about dif-
ferent types of video games, and discussing games that were better than others. In the conversation, I felt as if I was talking to a dear friend; he knew a great amount about a topic that I was interested in, such as video games. He then had to go about his day, but after he left I had a sudden realization. These men I thought of just being homeless, thought and acted like any other men. These men that we were serving were struggling with homelessness, but that wasn’t all there is to know about them. They were still ordinary men, just like the rest of us.
Eagles Fly to Apopka, Florida By: Patrick Langevin ‘18 Senior Contributor People speak, hear, and debate about immigration almost every day in the United States. Immigration proves itself as one of the most highly debated topics in politics today, especially with the new president. This past summer, I learned what it is truly like to live life as an undocumented immigrant in the United States of America. The moment I truly realized how hard life was as an undocumented immigrant was when I watched a woman tell the story of her husband being deported from
the country. She sat in a small room with myself and 11 of my classmates alongside her daughter with tears rushing down her face. Her English was shaky, so her daughter translated her mother’s version of the story, and then she told her own. She told us how both her mother and father were undocumented immigrants. She explained that she hadn’t seen her father in seven years following his deportation, and she was scared she may never see him again. She also told us that the police arrested her mother a few years prior, saying it was one of the scariest times in her life because she didn’t know
if she would see either her mother or father ever again. Luckily, she still lives with her mother today. My classmates and I also immersed into the community. We lived with families while in Florida, and at least one member of every family was an undocumented immigrant. We got to learn about
how they came to the United States, why they came to the United States, and a lot about their personal lives, such as how they met their spouse or their line of work. These families sacrificed a lot for us including beds and food. To me, these sacrifices showed that they truly appreciated our help and were glad to have us. The trip was extremely moving and very educational on the immigration process. I am extremely grateful for my time with my host family, and glad I was able to participate in such a great service trip.
Summer Service in Emmitsburg, MD vice trip is a week-long, service project in Emmitsburg, MD. Those who participate For incoming freshmen in this eye opening experiand sophomores who are un- ence, will spend a week helpaware, the Emmitsburg ser- ing others, becoming closer By: PJ Whitworth ‘20 Contributor
to and even meeting some other Gonzaga students, and becoming closer with God. When most people think of a retreat, they instantly think that it will be constant prayer and conversation about God. I can promise you that is not the case. There is prayer and reflection, but the majority of your time is spent on your work site helping those who need it most. During the trip, you stay in a large retreat house on a hill, with a pool and basketball court at the bottom of the hill. Every morning, you eat
breakfast, and then go to your work site. At your work site you might be assigned anything form paiting, to weeding, to even trimming trees. One of the most enjoyable work sites is a farm where you take care of goats, chickens, ducks, etc. After a days of work, the groups return to the retreat house and relax for about an hour before dinner. After dinner is reflection, and then talk and relax until lights out. This is the basic daily schedule, but some days we do things like go, bowling, go for pizza, and go shopping at a thrift store. I strongly encourage you to go on this service trip because I know how important it was for me in my develope-
ment as a Gonzaga student and man for others. Most of the people we serve are widowed women. Not only does our presence help them take care of their house/yard, but it also provides someone for them to talk to. These people are incredibly lonely, and to be able to give them someone to talk to and tell their story to is an incredible feeling. I am confident that if you decide to go on this trip you will enjoy yourself, and if you open yourself up to change you will take away so much from this experience. It is truly one of the best opportunities at Gonzaga, and I believe that you will see yourself change for the better right before your own eyes.
The Aquilian 5
Gonzaga’s History with Slavery By: Jack Boland ‘18 Senior Contributor & Joe Boland ‘19 Contributor Did Gonzaga, formerly known as the Washington Seminary, directly or indirectly benefit from enslaved persons or slave labor? Was the Washington Seminary involved in any way with slave-run plantations? Did enslaved persons work at the Washington Seminary? Over the summer, a team of six students from Gonzaga along with Mr. Donnellan went to Georgetown University for two weeks in order to find the answers to these questions. By analyzing two hundred year old manu-
scripts and accounting books, among other documents, we quickly discovered that Gonzaga had deep ties to the slave-run plantations owned by the Maryland Jesuits. There were six major
plantations around Gonzaga: Bohemia, Whitemarsh, St. Thomas, Newtown, St. Inigoes and St. Joseph. All were owned by Jesuits. In Gonzaga’s earliest accounting book, money is frequently seen going out to these plantations in exchange for large amounts of food. Food which was grown and worked by slaves. The conditions on these plantations were not ideal either. Due to the concerns raised about the lack of profits coming from the plantations, the Superior General of the Jesuits sent an Irish priest named Fr. Kenney in 1820 to investigate. In his report back to the Jesuits, he disgustingly critiqued that “pregnant women should not
be whipped,” and “that this chastisement should not be inflicted on any female in the house where the Priest lives. Sometimes they have been tied up in the priest’s own parlour, which is very inde-
corous.” He concluded that the ineptness and immorality of the Maryland Jesuits was at fault for the dilapidated status of the plantations. As we searched deeper through the Maryland Provincial Records, which detailed the transactions of all Jesuit institutions in the area, we found more mentions of Gonzaga. One entry reported a sum of $900 coming in from the St. Inigoes plantation, and, in the very next line, it stated, “The above sum was expended as follows. For establishment & support of Washington Seminary.” Furthermore, in a General Fund’s Book, it reports $363 from Bohemia being directly funnelled into Gonzaga. Finally, junior Daniel Podratsky, who worked on the project, contacted the Vatican in order to get access to restricted documents in the Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu. In these documents, once the Vatican gave us permission, we found thousands of dollars coming in from the plantations and going to the “support of Washington Seminary,” and for the “payment of debt on purchase of ground on which Wash. Sem. is built” as well as for “furniture for Wash. Sem.” We saw even further evidence of the Seminary being built from
the profits of plantations through a letter to the Maryland Provincial which said that it “was built with mission funds,” in other words, money made off the plantations the Jesuits owned. These entries gave us clear and undeniable evidence that Gonzaga was, in part, built on the backs of slaves. Once we concluded that Gonzaga benefitted from the surrounding plantations, we turned our attention to direct mentions of enslaved persons at Gonzaga. We found two names of slaves in Gonzaga’s first accounting ledger: Isaih and Gabriel. In an entry dated a year after the school was opened, we saw $82 being paid “to Jerome Mudd for Isaih black boy for expenses to St. Thomas.” The term “black boy,” we learned, was a common term used that was synonymous with slave, and reinforced our suspicions that this Isaih was, in fact, enslaved. To fully understand the entry, however, we needed to learn who Jerome Mudd was, and, in a history of Gonzaga written in 1922, we discovered that Jerome Mudd was an English teacher at the Seminary as well as a Jesuit priest-in-training. To summarize, Gonzaga paid a faculty member, a Jesuit no less, to transport a slave back to a plantation. Along with Isaih, we immediately encountered mentions of a “Gabriel” being tipped miniscule amounts by students at the Seminary. What piqued our interest in Gabriel was the fact that he was only mentioned by his first name, while servants, free laborers, and providers
of services to students were either referred to as a “Mr.” or were addressed by their first and last names. Upon consulting Prof. Rothman, the head of the Georgetown Slavery Archive, and other prominent historians, we discovered that it was common practice at this time to tip young slaves for working overtime, so as to instill in them the notion that working more would equal a reward. An entry in a Georgetown accounting book, however, confirmed our suspicions that Gabriel was a slave. Referring to Gabriel as the “black boy from the Seminary of Washington,” the entry details the lease of Gabriel to the College in exchange for a discounted tuition to a certain Mrs. Margaret Fenwick. The final mention of Gabriel comes six years after his lease, and describes his ultimate sale, at $450. This transaction is the last definitive mention of the Gabriel that worked at Gonzaga; however, we are still working on confirming a substantial lead we have on the future of Gabriel, a future that consists of his eventual emancipation. With Gonzaga’s history with slavery coming to light, we, as a student body, should acknowledge our school’s past sinfulness, and actively work together in the hope of forgiveness. Student Researchers: Joe Boland ‘19, Daniel Podratsky ‘19, Matthew Johnson ‘19, Jack Boland ‘18, Hameed Nelson ‘19, Jack Brown ‘18
Student Reactions - Interviews by: Patrick McAuliffe ‘19 I was not shocked by the idea that the school had slaves considering when the school was founded. I was just happy we were finally acknowledging this fact. Once the presentation concluded, I learned what people meant when they said they were left speechless. I’d never experienced this feeling before now. What shocked me the most while looking through the different payments was the $0.0625 to Gabriel for weeding in the garden during time of recreation. - Kyle Brown ‘18
I was initially surprised by the amount of evidence that had been found by the research team as well as the kind of evidence they found. To me, it seemed like they didn’t hold anything back, even though it might bring bad publicity to the school. What impacted me most was the names of people that worked at the Washington Seminary, the precursor to Gonzaga. These weren’t just numbers or dates, these were real people. Most people would distance themselves from that fact but I am glad to see that we have accepted the fact that we are connected to them. What we can do is try to make sure the future generation of students know this as well. - Tomas Williamson ‘19
Most historians spend years trying to find as much information on a topic as possible, but the students found this much material in only a few weeks. The slides were full of information. I would definitely like to see a memorial garden dedicated to Gabriel and Isaac. I was happy to hear that Georgetown was not trying to hide their history and had issued a formal apology for what their ancestors had done. I was shocked by the abuses that Gabriel had gone through during his time at the Washington Seminary, especially the fact that he was given so little recognition for his work. - Quentin Cooper ‘19
The Aquilian 6
An Interview With Mr. Lopez, S. J.
By: Alec Dubois‘18 Editor Please provide basic background information (Where born and raised, education, jobs). Please feel free to embellish. In order to know my story you should know a bit about my parents. My father’s parents were both born and raised in Puerto Rico in the mountains. My grandfather’s side of the family was well off, while my grandmother’s side was pretty poor. My greatgrandparents were elitist and a bit racist: they did not want my grandfather to marry a poor boricua and so the couple eloped to the United States and settled in Philadelphia, PA where they got married, had kids (my father), and became actively involved in their local parish. My mother was born in a town called Kwidzyn in Northern Poland about an hour and a half form the Baltic Sea. My grandparents were 8 and 11 when the Nazis invaded in 1939 and both lost family members either at the front lines or in concentration camps. When the Russians came in and set up a Communist puppet-government in 1945, my grandparents refused to join the party, since it was vehemently anti-clerical and anti-religion. This caused them more than their fair share of economic and emotional hardships so they decided to seek asylum from the United States. After 7 years of paperwork and red tape, they were finally allowed to leave and settle in Philadelphia, PA in 1970 where my grandfather’s bother had decided to stay right after the war. My mom was 10 years old when she arrived in the United States. My parents went to separate single-sex schools for high school and actually knew each other, but did not become a couple until after my father returned from his time as a marine in Okinawa and my mother got a job as a nurse in a pharmaceutical company. I was born and raised in Philadelphia a few years after they got married and two years later, my younger sister was born.
After graduating from my local parish grade school, I went to Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School (the Prep) in North Philly where I was on the forensics team, led retreats, rowed varsity crew, and played club rugby. My favorite subjects were English, German, Classical Latin, and Attic Greek. Along with all those extra curricular activities, I also held a job catering weddings. It was at the Prep that I met the Society and some of my favorite Jesuits. They were at the same time pious and down to earth; brilliant but approachable. When the time came for college applications, I thought I wanted to go to big name schools like UPenn, Cornell, or Princeton, but after sitting with it and bringing it to prayer (although I would not have called it that at the time) the idea of going to those schools was draining rather than exciting. Mr. John Kilroy was a part of the Alumni Service Corps at the Prep my senior year and gave me the idea to continue at a Jesuit institution. I applied to every Jesuit school from Boston College up north to Georgetown down here, but truly felt at home at Loyola College (now University) in Baltimore. At the time, I had grand ideas that I was going to medical school, but it would be pretty difficult to do with a C in chemistry so I switched majors my sophomore year to speech pathology and audiology. I got to work with all kinds of people outside the classroom in clinics: folks with Down Syndrome, those with Autism, the elderly, and grade school students. I decided to join the Society and began my two-year novitiate experience in Syracuse just after I finished at Loyola. During those first two years I worked at a food pantry; a hospice for dying patients; studied Spanish in Bolivia; taught Latin, English, and Public Speaking in Micronesia; completed the 30day Spiritual Exercises up in Gloucester, MA; and attended a spiritual direction workshop in Saint-Michelde-Wentworth in Quebec, Canada. After taking
my First Vows, I attended Fordham University for my master’s degree in Philosophy, where I also took up American Sign Language and Biblical Greek. Why/when did you decide to become a priest? The idea first came up in high school. Seeing the young Jesuits show up day after day, year after year, to teach immature kids in North Philly seemed insane to me. Why would they want to do this kind of work and not even get paid for it? On top of that, they would have to live with older guys. It didn’t make sense until senior year, when I got to know them that I realized they thought we (the students) were worth it and it made them happy to be there for us as teachers, coaches, retreat directors, etc. They were investing their time and energy to make us better people and that stuck with me through college.When the time came for me to apply to graduate school or take a year off to do service, I remembered how happy the Jesuit scholastics were. If I was willing to go off to Alaska or go into a clinic and deal with people in difficult moments, what was keeping me from joining the Society? I never knew 100% that I wanted to become a priest, but I knew I had to try or that question would always nag at the back of my brain. If it fit, then great! If it was a bad fit, then I could move on with the knowledge that I should go down a different path. Tell me about your current job(s), and what attracted you to it (them). Right now I am a regent, or someone who is in Jesuit formation, who is doing ministry between philosophy and theology studies. When we talk about jobs in the Society, it is very rare to say that a Jesuit picked his own job. Jesuits are given jobs by their Provincial, which is often the fruit of a long conversation where the Provincial and the man discuss their interests and needs. My mission is to teach freshmen and sophomore religion as well as help out with Campus Ministry. Although teaching at a Jesuit high school was
always the next step after Philosophy, I am happy that my conversation landed me here at Gonzaga. In addition to my duties in the school, I also serve as the Guestmaster for the Jesuit community by taking room reservations for any Jesuit looking for a place to stay in DC. How do you divide
and different opportunities to get to know people who call this part of town their home. Who are your role models, and why do you admire them? My maternal grandmother has been a major influence in my life. Her dedication to her family and sense of duty when things get tough make her
your time among your jobs? Not well – I’ll get back to you once I’ve figured that all out. What political and social issues are important to you, and what are your views on them? How do you think these problems can be handled? Since both of sides of my family are not native North Americans, immigration is pretty important to me. While I understand that national security is a concern, it saddens me to see so many Christians forget that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were all refugees who fled into Egypt when Herod was killing all the first born. It’s disappointing to see so many people forget where they come from – that most people in this country have immigrant roots and still treat others the way their ancestors were mistreated. When did you come to the Gonzaga Jesuit Community? I arrived at the Gonzaga community on the feast of Aloysius on June 21 – pretty auspicious if you ask me. What is your favorite thing about living here? Living on top of your workplace has some challenges, but Gonzaga is in a great location. It’s close to so many museums, the Capitol, great restaurants,
one of the strongest people I know. I also admire so many Jesuits who came before me. Guys like Walter Ciszek and Stanislaus Kostka have been exactly where I am today and went on to do great things. There’s hope there. What do you do for fun? I love to cook. I usually cook recipes I grew up with so there’s a lot of kielbasa, potatoes, and cabbage, but I like to cook things outside of my comfort zone. In fact, I make my own sauerkraut from scratch. I also enjoy playing video games. Right now I’m playing through Cuphead on PC and finishing up some side quests in Zelda: Breath of the Wild while I wait for the new Super Mario Odyssey to come out on the Switch. I am also now accepting all Mario Kart 8 challenges. What are your future plans? After I finish at Gonzaga, the next step would be to study Theology either in Berkeley, CA or Boston, MA. Before I get there, I plan on attending a Kairos, going to more sporting events, and making the most out of my short time on I Street.
The Aquilian 7
The Problem, Two Sides, and a Way Forward
By: Matt Gannon ‘18 & Trevor Louis ‘18 Editors-in-Chief
In the wake of heartrending violence in Las Vegas, we feel that it is important to say something. We at The Aquilian are diverse in ideology and disagree on many aspects of politics. Even so, we universally and unequivocally condemn this horrific violence. We intend this message not to be partisan or divisive in spirit, but rather unifying and instructive. This isn’t a mean-
ingless sound byte that vilifies articles where the grown-ups days after another attack. or blames. This is a question: bicker fruitlessly over policy We all have questions: Why How can we move forward? and practice. We as Catholics try is it that Newtown and Aurora We write as American stu- to reconcile it all with what we and Orlando and Las Vegas are dents on different sides of the believe, and, all too often, fail. destinations with two definiaisle working towards a solu- Senseless violence has pervad- tions - one a locale, one a scene tion. of senseless We as Amerimurder? Why is In this article, cans have been deit that we allow we condemn gun violence, present sensitized to the misshootings to beour two opposing views on possible ery, the evil, and the come part of the solutions, and agree on a practical vernacular, the seeming inevitability way forward. of mass shootings. usual, the norm? We as students mindWhy does nothlessly practice drills ing ever come of that prepare for mass shootings ed every year we can remember, these tragedies? without thinking of what that every election we’ve witnessed, We all have worries: Will means. We as young adults read every class-wide prayer in the this hit closer to home? Will
I one day mourn a parent, a brother, a teacher, a friend lost to gun violence? Will this never end? What we don’t have are answers. We don’t pretend to know the solution, but we do know that change has to start individually. We cannot be quiet in the face of evil, violence, and fear. We cannot live in the shadow of death. We cannot allow violence to divide us into a red and a blue America. When we are divided, we are mired in argument. When we work together we can change the narrative.
I support reformed gun legislation As we take a look at how to solve the problem Matt Gannon ‘18 Trevor Louis’18 that keeps Americans of mass shootings, it’s #1: Here’s Where We Start important to safe from senseless keep in mind violence. The White House has said that “now is not the time that solutions aren’t as easy as many would lead you to believe. to talk about gun control.” I adamantly disagree. We cannot wait for another There is no legislation out there that could put a full stop to mass shootings or mass tragedy to galvanize change. The vast majority of America agrees. In the prokillings. Similarly, it’s also important to keep in mind that every proposed solution to posals below, I argue for a common sense approach that respects fundamental this issue is a balancing act between security and liberty, with all the consequences rights and rejects reckless complacency. We have done nothing for too long. that follow. Universal background checks would be ineffective. While the purpose of universal I support universal background checks whenever and wherever a gun is sold, background checks is to close the “gun show loophole,” only 0.7 percent of criminal no matter the type of gun and regardless of whether the seller is private or not, mandated to be licensed or not, or selling to a state resident #2: Background Checks guns were purchased from private sellers at gun shows according to a 2001 DOJ study. It was found that 80% of crime guns were or not. According to Pew Research Center, 84% of Americans purchased outside of both normal retail distribution channels and gun shows. About support this proposal. Arguments that point to a black market for guns ignore half of these were acquired from the black market and the other half from friends, the reality that too many gun problems are entirely legal in their origin. family, and fellow criminals. It would be nearly impossible to regulate these transfers without serious government overreach, such as a federal gun registry. I support the institution of a reformed and revised 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban in which the term “assault weapons” is clearly defined. 68% of AmeriReinstituting an assault weapons ban would be a mistake. According to the infamous cans support this proposal. In fact, Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush both supported this measure. Additionally, a federal appeals court recent- 1994 assault weapons ban, an “assault weapon” is any combination of a collapsible stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet mount, a flash suppressor, or a grenade launcher, in ly ruled 10-4 that “we have no power to extend Second #3: Assault Weapons Ban addition to a detachable magazine. One alone is okay; two together Amendment protections” to assault weapons. This constitute a deadly weapon that must be banned. Not surprisingly, proposal would have prevented the legal purchase of the this assault weapons ban was not effective. According to The Federalist citing FBI guns used in Aurora, Newtown, and San Bernardino. Regardless of ease of use statistics, the number of homicides attributed to rifles in 2014 was 36% lower than in in self-defense, the further unfettered proliferation of weapons of war and high 2003, the last year under the assault weapons ban. In addition, homicides involving capacity magazines would be disastrous. rifles fell from 3% to 2%. Nobody wants the mentally ill to own guns, but there’s something called due process I support the reinstitution of Obama-era regulations that made it more difficult in this country, and it applies to everyone. President Trump’s repeal of the Obamafor mentally ill citizens deemed unable to handle their own finances to buy era regulations relating to the mentally ill simply forces the guns. According to Pew, 89% of Americans support this #4: Guns and the Mentally Ill government to prove in court that the mentally ill are, in fact, proposal, yet it was quietly repealed in February. I agree mentally ill. That way, people who aren’t mentally ill don’t that this should not be an arbitrary assessment, however. get their rights taken away just because the government misidentifies them. Although the bump stock was determined to be legal by the Obama-era ATF, in the I support the immediate ban of the “bump stock” device that enabled the Las of the Vegas shooting, I think a ban on bump stocks is Vegas shooter to transform his semiautomatic weapon into one #5: Bump Stock Ban wake perfectly reasonable. If we’ve already practically made it imposthat operated automatically. sible to own an automatic weapon, then it makes sense to ban an accessory that makes a semi-automatic weapon function as such. I support legislation that says if you can’t fly on a plane in the United States Nobody wants terrorists to own guns except for other terrorists.There is such a thing because of suspected ties to terrorism, you should not be able to purchase a as due process in this country. The “No Fly List” is determined at gun. While the methodology of the list should be reviewed, #6: Guns and Terrorism will by the TSC, without actually proving that the people are terthis is a common sense measure that would prevent dangerous rorists. For example, Representative John Lewis has been on the individuals from legally obtaining weapons. No Fly List before as well as Steve Hayes from the Weekly Standard. If they can end up on the no fly list, you can too. In the debate over gun control, it is important to remember that the 2nd AmendAutomatic weapons have been effectively banned since 1986. A gun with a “silencment is to be respected. Too often, however, gun rights advocates hide behind er” is still as loud as a jackhammer. AR-15s are used every year in cases of selfthis provision. Too often it is used as a catch-all that The second amendment does not only apply to muskets #7: Common Misconceptions defense. conceals America’s gun problem, one that has legal anymore than the first amendment only applies to the printing press. roots. I support the right to bear arms, but I equally Armed civilians regularly take down shooters and save lives. support the unenumerated right to live without fear of senseless gun violence. At some point something has to be done. The way forward We might disagree on how to change the narWith these two approaches rative, but we agree that sensein mind, we seek a common less shootings cannot become way forward. We agree on the norm. We must also conmore than one might think. front the root of our violence Most importantly, there needs problem, rather than focusing to be a real conversation about only on limiting the means of gun violence in America. Las atrocities. We agree that the isVegas, Orlando, and San Ber- sue of guns and their regulation nardino cannot be repeated. is immensely complex. Terms
and policies are too often conflated or manipulated into partisan sound bytes. The words “loophole” and “buyback” are thrown around without any real context. Opposing stances too often devolve into default party disagreements. We agree that Americans need to come to know the issue - in all its complexity - in order to move forward. More specifically, we broadly agree that certain
groups should be restricted from purchasing weapons. While we disagree on the process, we support legislation that discourages the mentally ill from accessing guns. Additionally, we agree that suspects of terrorism should not be able to easily purchase guns. Finally, we agree that the “bump stock” device used in Las Vegas must be banned. If automatic weapons are illegal, then modifications creating au-
tomatic weapons should also be illegal. All in all, we might disagree on specifics, but we jointly and unequivocally condemn the idea that mass shootings could be the new normal. We maintain the conviction that tangible change will come through discussion, not through bickering or vilification. Our way forward is simple: education and conversation.
Eye Street Halloween Photos by: Rylan Madison ‘18 & The Aquilian Staff