Letter from the Editor

Letter From the Editor-in-Chief

Thank you for picking up this month's edition of the Encounter, “Spooktober.” In this issue you will find a chilling story written by our very own Eve Odum, a drink review on all things sweet by Jessica Scroppo, and many other pieces to get you in the mood for Halloween. Whether you prefer tricks or you’re a fan of treats, this edition is the one for you!

“Spooktober” serves as the first issue that I’m Editor-in-Chief for, and I want to say a big thank you to the entire Encounter staff. I couldn’t do any of this on my own, and I’m incredibly grateful for everything. I want to specially thank my Assistant Editor, John Raspante, and our layout designers, Jessica Scroppo and Paula Garcia. We’ve all put in some long hours to get this issue to you, but these are the people that you will find in the Encounter office well into the night. I might have the ideas, but these are the people that make it happen!

Additionally, I would like to share that it has been a struggle for us to get into the swing of things. For the first time in about five years, the Encounter has no senior staff. Although most of us have been writing for the past couple of years, none of us have been editors or layout designers. It has been incredibly difficult for us to find our footing without any guidance. However, we’ve been able to pull through and it makes the printing of this issue that much sweeter.

Although we are starting to feel more confident in our abilities and our decisions, mistakes will still be made. In our September issue, “It’s Time To Speak Out,” we published a news article regarding the Texas Abortion Ban. While we try to bring you accurate and unbiased news, we failed to address an important point of view - the Cathloic perspective. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human" (2258). It is important to remember this as we read and consider news on abortion rights going forward.

Again, thank you for picking up the “Spooktober” edition of the Encounter! I hope you love it just as much as we do.

With love, Sarah Vandermolen