Fr. Benjamin Petit: Notre Dame’s hidden spiritual cornerstone

o n the evening of this Feb. 10, at 7:00 p.m., a special m ass will be celebrated at the Log c hapel by Father Paul d oyle, c s c . to honor Fr. b enjamin Petit, the great missionary to the Potawatomi, who died on this date in 1839. h e died of illness and exhaustion after accompanying his Indian parishioners on their forced removal march to Kansas. For the last two years on Feb. 10, a small group of friends have gathered at the Log c hapel, where he is buried, to remember his remarkable life and his early death. This year, we are welcoming anyone from the n otre d ame community who wishes to join us.

Father b enjamin m arie Petit was a young man, a former lawyer, a Frenchman, a missionary to America, a c atholic priest and martyr of charity who gave his life in service to the Potawatomi Indians of northern Indiana. I write this short article to make his remarkable story more known among the n otre d ame family.

Three good sources for the life of Fr. Petit that I have consulted are: “Potawatomi Trail of d eath: 1838 r emoval from Indiana to Kansas,” by s hirley Willard and s usan c ampbell (2003), “Walking the Trail of d eath,” by Keith d rury (2007) and a historical novel, “The Last b lackrobe of Indiana and The Potawatomi Trail of d eath,” by John William m c m ullen (2010).

In 1835, while studying at the s eminary of s t. s ulpice in Paris, b enjamin Petit was recruited by b ishop b rute of v incennes, Indiana to come to America, finish his priestly training and then serve as a missionary priest in the diocese of v incennes, which comprised all of Indiana and part of northern Illinois at the time.

In 1837, the c atholic Potawatomi people of northern Indiana, facing the threat of imminent forced removal to Kansas, desperately needed a new priest. b ishop b rute cut short Petit’s studies and ordained him to the priesthood early, assigning him to the Potawatomi mission. h e ministered at Twin Lakes near Plymouth, Indiana, and at s t. m ary of the Lake, outside of s outh b end (the future site of the University of n otre d ame). When the removal order came in s eptember of 1838 for the forced march to Kansas, Father Petit obtained the b ishop’s permission to accompany the Potawatomi on their long, sad march. After accompanying the survivors to their new home in Kansas, he started his journey back to Indiana in January of 1839. b eing very ill by that time, he stopped in s t. Louis, where he stayed at the Jesuit college. h e said his last m ass there on Feb. 2, and died on Feb. 10; he was not quite 28 years old. In 1856, Father s orin brought his body back to n otre d ame. First buried in s acred h eart b asilica, his remains were later transferred in the 1970s to a grave in the Log c hapel, alongside fellow missionaries Father s tephen b adin and Father Louis d e s eille. h e demonstrated his willingness to lay down his life by traveling the Trail of d eath simply because he loved his Potawatomi parishioners. h is sacrifice provides us with a rich example of a c hristian life well lived. h e clearly gave himself very wholeheartedly to his mission to the Potawatomi. h e was able to master all three languages he needed to use — his native tongue, French, the e nglish spoken by the Americans and the language of the Potawatomi. With his characteristic mercy, zeal and compassion — he was able to “pass over” (as n otre d ame’s late theologian Father John d unne put it) from the different cultural standpoints represented by these three languages and return to his own standpoint of faith enriched by the encounter.

Fr. Petit was a man with wisdom, who made an incredible journey of faith which ended on Feb. 10 in 1839. h e is fittingly buried under the Log c hapel at n otre d ame because this saint, this martyr of charity, is truly n otre d ame’s spiritual cornerstone!

Fr. Petit endured the depredations of the government of the s tate of Indiana and the federal government as well. h e also endured the disease-ridden conditions caused by the forced journey of 660 miles cross country in drought and extreme heat and exposure to extreme cold on his way home to Indiana. h e eventually succumbed to an early death caused by this trauma.

Fr. Petit was trained as a lawyer in France before he became a priest, and from his correspondence, one can see both his legal abilities as well as his practical wisdom. For example, he was very adept at managing money. At the beginning of his work with the Potawatomi, he made very serious efforts to appeal to the Federal authorities on their behalf, so they could stay on their ancestral lands in Indiana. b ut all legal efforts were useless, and he had to accept that his parishioners would be removed.

Fr. Petit worked tirelessly throughout his time on the trail to help the Potawatomi. Years later, in loving remembrance of the sufferings endured by the Potawatomi and Fr. Petit, a group of people made up of historians, Potawatomi, boy scouts, girl scouts and c atholics came together from 1976 till 2003, and placed 80 markers on the “Trail of d eath.” It was now possible to travel this whole trail and to remember this tragic journey. In 2006, a theologian from Wesleyan University in m arion, Indiana, Keith d rury, walked the entire 660 miles and wrote the compelling book mentioned above.

“ b lessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.” m ay I make a suggestion here about the vocation of the University of n otre d ame as it relates to this journey of Fr. Petit and his companions? It seems to me we are caught in a crisis of wisdom, where we might well cry out with the title of one of the philosopher Alasdair m acIntyre’s books, “Whose Justice, Which r ationality?”

The Trail of d eath is a trail of grief and loss, however marked by hope. The hope of the emergence of a gathering of the people of God, a “young c hristendom” as Fr. Petit called it.

In the midst of the sharp divisions and political, social and ideological polarization of our society today, Fr. Petit provides a strong example of how to actually embody the love and service of the Gospel. In these present conditions, I see fear playing a greater role in our lives than I could have ever imagined, driven by narratives that are often only half true. In the face of this, Fr. Petit stands out to us for the manner in which he poured out his life for those in his care. And that love — the love of God, issued in the desire to serve God’s glory and the salvation of all people. h is desire then bore fruit in practical deeds done for others.

Fr. Petit was willing to take the injustice done to others without going into either rash violence or paralyzing despair. h e was willing to patiently wait out the weaknesses of others to whose policies he was radically opposed, not simply to conduct, or to win, a debate. r ather, he acted as he did so he could more effectively serve the common good — beginning with his Potawatomi parishioners.

We are grateful for his example as he faced his trials and endured to become truly n otre d ame’s hidden spiritual cornerstone. Fr. b enjamin Petit pray for us.

By SOPHIA MICHETTI scene Writer

Trends have a tendency to repeat themselves. c law clips, flared jeans and (hopefully) a national championship-winning football team — all of these exemplify how things that become popular usually find their way back to fame down the road. This pop-culture phenomenon manifests itself in no one better than Jennifer c oolidge. When you hear the name Jennifer c oolidge, you have to be thinking, “Wait, that sounds familiar.” It should, especially if early2000s teen movies were an integral part of your childhood.

Jennifer c oolidge first graced our screens with her charm and humor when she played one of Jerry s einfeld’s girlfriends on the 90s sitcom “ s einfeld.” While she hoped landing a role would provide some momentum with booking more acting jobs, she wasn’t able to find another notable guest role until 1999 when she became a recurring character on “American Pie.” While she was never able to take on a lead role, “American Pie” became her lifeline, with c oolidge taking guest appearances on the show up until 2012. s till, with few breakthroughs in the industry, Jennifer c oolidge became an icon for our generation when she landed the roles of e lle c reated, written and directed by m ike White, “The White Lotus” is an hbo m ax satire show that follows a group of employees and guests at a hotel set in an idyllic location. While the first season was set in h awaii, the second finds itself in s icily at a new hotel with a new cast of employees and guests, except for Jennifer c oolidge’s character, of course.

Woods’ ( r eese Witherspoon) manicurist in the 2001 film “Legally b londe” and as s am’s ( h illary d uff) evil stepmother in the 2004 film “A c inderella s tory.” These two films are quintessential to the range of iconic teen movies from the early-2000s because of their memorable phrases and iconic scenes. m aintaining her trend as a supporting actress, c oolidge first etched herself into our memories by popularizing the “bend-and-snap” in “Legally b londe,” which she later recreated in Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” music video. It was only three years later before she reminded us the importance of thinking of others after climbing out of her pink tanning booth in “A c inderella s tory.” While I will always think of these movies as essential to the formation of my own self-confidence, c oolidge’s career seemed to plateau from there. That is, until “The White Lotus” came about.

Jennifer c oolidge plays Tanya m cQuoid- h unt, a woman seeking inner peace after her mother died, and she’s one of only two characters to reprise their role for season two of the show. c oolidge’s performance in “The White Lotus” sparked her rising status in pop-culture today, as she has won e mmys, Golden Globes and more for White’s show. h er acceptance speech for the 2023 Golden Globe for b est s upporting Actress — Limited or Anthology s eries or Television Film, specifically, is when I realized just how much we were missing out on c oolidge. After turning on the award show with no expectations of actually being entertained, Jennifer c oolidge’s chaotic acceptance made me laugh and brought me to tears within its four-minute time frame. In her speech, she details how hard it was to persevere in a career that didn’t seem to be going anywhere and how important m ike White was to giving her a chance to become popular enough to where her neighbors finally invite her to parties. s o, to return to where I started, things that are popular always seem to find their way back to the limelight, and we especially love it when beloved actresses from our childhood finally stand in the spotlight. Growing up, Jennifer c oolidge made us laugh and smile, and 20 years later, we’re lucky enough to see her achieve the acclaim she’s always deserved.

Contact Sophia Michetti at smichett@nd.edu

By CLAIRE McKENNA scene Writer

n etflix, in a startling move, recently released their new strict account sharing rules on its help center page, just to retract them and state that the whole thing was an accident. b ut don’t stop holding your breath just yet! n etflix’s plan is still to start enforcing these new rules in the United s tates sometime in the first quarter of this year. b ut the question remains: how in the world do the powers that be at n etflix think that this is a good idea?

Let us recap the rules themselves. Going forward, n etflix’s account-sharing will be only for members of the same household, and it considers someone a part of a household if they are connected to the home Wi-Fi. If you can’t access the home Wi-Fi once every 31 days, then you are not a part of the household. s o, sorry college kids, but that will be an additional $2.99 for your ability to watch. And for travel? You can get an access code for seven days of unblocked access, but after that, no dice. o nce the new rules go into place, it does not make economic sense to me to keep that n etflix subscription when you can get more out of a subscription to one of its competitors. You can watch anything on d isney+ and h ulu for just $9.99. That is only one cent more than n etflix’s most basic plan ($6.99) with one additional screen (which is $2.99 based off of the price in c osta r ica). It’s just math, and the math is not on n etflix’s side. o stensibly, the crackdown will help n etflix get more money for its production of T v shows and movies. That rationale, though, seems hollow, when one remembers that each episode of season four of “ s tranger Things” had a $30 million budget. At the end of the day, nothing about n etflix’s plan seems smart. It reeks of a cash grab from people who only care about getting as much money as possible for their own gain, and I, for one, am not planning to let them use my money to line their pockets.

This is a bold money-grabbing move from n etflix that I’m sure will be quickly adopted by other streaming services if it proves successful. b ut I do not think that n etflix is the best platform to be unveiling unpopular rules that test the loyalty of its subscribers. n etflix’s power to keep its subscribers comes from the quality of shows that it releases. b ut, off the top of my head, the only big shows from n etflix that I can name are “ s tranger Things” and “Wednesday.” And with “ s tranger Things” ending soon, I cannot imagine that “Wednesday” has enough power to keep people from canceling their subscription. This is not to mention the shows n etflix has lost to its competitors (think “Friends” and literally anything d isney), or the popular shows that it decided to cancel for no known reason (think “ s ense8”).

Contact Claire McKenna at cmckenn4@nd.edu

Happy Birthday: Clear up unfinished business, declutter your life and dedicate your time to the people, activities and things that bring you joy. reevaluate your lifestyle, how and where you live, and what you can do to make your surroundings more conducive to living your dream. Positive energy will help you generate the spirit required to persuade others to help you reach your desired goal. your numbers are 4, 15, 18, 27, 36, 43, 45.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Choose your words wisely; a slip of the tongue will display your feelings and curb your chance of getting positive results. Strive to maintain a simple life and be peaceful. keep your thoughts a secret until you decide your next move. Opportunity begins with you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An aggressive move on your part will also cause friction with someone who doesn’t see things your way. Slow down, hear what others say and make decisions based on what’s best for everyone. Intelligence will win in the end.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t let anyone lead you astray with pretenses. Build opportunities that don’t require you to depend on others. Stay in control, do things your way and take credit for your accomplishments. Set high standards and live by them.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Do what feels right, and stop worrying about what others do or think. Trust in your instincts and refuse to let emotional meddling come between you and what you are trying to achieve. leave nothing to chance; be sure to reach your deadlines.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Travel, excitement and entertainment will lead to exciting connections and opportunities. Open doors, make plans and head in a direction that makes you want to shout with pride and make a difference to something that matters to you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): listen up; you’re receiving several signals to help you pick and choose what to do next. As harsh as someone may sound, don’t let anger set in, or you will miss the lesson. A change will work in your favor.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take advantage of any opportunity to try something new. your unique spin will draw attention and give you the money to pick and choose people with something to contribute to your side. Added discipline and the desire to win will pay off.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Step back, and you’ll get a different perspective on a situation at home. use your keen awareness and unique way of handling people to turn lemons into lemonade. A romantic gesture will encourage someone to be open with you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): listen cautiously and interpret what you find out. When in doubt, ask questions to avoid letting someone take advantage of you or blame you for something. focus on your home and clearing a space you can call your own. Say no to manipulative people.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Stifle your emotions and gather facts. Don’t start something you can’t finish. Do something to lift your spirits and make you feel good about who you are and how you can make a difference. have faith in what you have to offer.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you look, you’ll find a unique way to turn something into a moneymaker. Sell items you no longer need or make an item that helps ease your stress and is novel enough to market. Deals look promising, and gifts and windfalls are apparent.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): keep an open mind. Size up situations, then you’ll know when to make a move. Someone’s motives will be questionable. Don’t be afraid to do your own thing if it keeps the peace and gives you wiggle room. Birthday Baby: you are lucky, convincing and intuitive. you are cooperative and organized.