The Arts

Celebrating Folio's Past; Previewing a Bold Future

When the inaugural issue of The Folio (as Holy Family University’s literary magazine was then known) was published in Spring 1959, the 30-page black-andwhite publication featured four literary pieces and three illustrations contributed by students. Over 60 years later, Folio has published hundreds of original works of prose, poetry, artwork, and photography and is one of the University’s longest artistic traditions.

BELOW:

“Sunset In Paradise” from Folio 38, Photograph by Taurai Augustin ’18

After decades of Folio existing as a print magazine, the current faculty advisors of Folio, Keith Kopka, Ph.D. and Raena Shirali, MFA, will help guide future issues of the student-run magazine to an entirely digital platform.

PERUSE THE ARCHIVES

To view all previous editions of Folio, please visit

holyfamily.edu/folio

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Folio 33 (2010). Folio 12 (1980), Art by James Mouat ’82. From Folio 36 (2013), Art by Amanda Bates ’15

The upcoming issue number 43/44 (a double issue representing the work of contributors from both 2020 and 2021) will be available to students, contributors and alumni at the start of the Fall 2021 semester.

Over the decades, dozens of students and faculty members have contributed to the publication of Folio, including University professor Thomas Lombardi, Ph.D., who passed away in January 2021 after teaching at Holy Family University for 45 years. Dr. Lombardi’s first contribution to Folio, a poem titled “Meeting in a Small Wyoming Town,” appeared in issue 5 (1969). He began serving as a moderator of the magazine with the next issue. Dr. Lombardi and his wife, fellow Holy Family faculty member, Victoria (Inverso) Lombardi ’69, remained involved as advisors of Folio over the next 40 years. His contributions continued to be featured in Folio, and his final poem to be published in the magazine, “Autumn Chore,” appeared in issue 42 (2019). In addition to helping students select poems and short stories for Folio in his years as an advisor, Dr. Lombardi also arranged on-campus evening celebrations known as Folio Night that featured students reading their work.

After decades of Folio existing as a print magazine, the current faculty advisors of Folio, Keith Kopka, Ph.D. and Raena Shirali, MFA, will help guide future issues of the student-run magazine to an entirely digital platform that will welcome submissions from undergraduate students from throughout the United States. In addition to helping to expand the audience of Folio to include a diverse group of writers, artists, and thinkers from across the country, the new format will allow the magazine’s staff to gain experience in the rapidly expanding field of digital publication. This new future will re-establish Folio as one of the University’s oldest traditions dedicated to the artistic growth of the University as the publication is shared with the wider literary community.

Capture the Bizarre

by Margaret DeFelice ’16 (Folio 36, 2013)

Why are humans attached to normalcy? Afraid to become who they want to be? Normal is boring. Life is more exciting when it stings. I’m not talking about pain, But of flaws that our souls sustain. Perfect cookie cutters are not the same As to what is truly insane. No story is of a normal life. Stories are filled with longing, sadness, and strife. Joy can take an unexpected turn That can set our being to burn. Average humans live to see these moments scourged. Creative humans rush to them with a great urge. Leading the way with no holds barred, Writers capture the bizarre.

Honesty

by Robin Ray (Folio 14, 1984)

Although a few have borne it,

Plenty have hid it. Some minds have never worn it,

Others have just begun. Those who think it sane,

Protest it again and again. The few who think it profane,

Look about it as vanity. Although some have ruined it utterly,

The least have worshipped it sacredly. Understanding this, what might it be

But the mere thought of honesty.