The Christendom College Quarterly Magazine Fall 2010

Inside this issue...

Grad School’s 2010Commencement - pg 4

ECSP Changes Lives & Hearts - pgs 7-10

Rome Program Gets New Directors - pg 12

New Athlete Scholar Named - pg 6

From the President Timothy T. O’Donnell, STD, KGCHS

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I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all of our readers of this fall issue of Instaurare. God continues to bless Christendom College abundantly, as you can see by the numerous articles found in this fall issue. One of the principal blessings has been the growth in enrollment we have experienced this

particular year. We have 123 enthusiastic new students entering into our academic program which will help them become the future leaders for our church and society.

With the growth in enrollment come many challenges. Many of the students who are attending come from families that are struggling fi-nancially. This has necessitated the College to give out a record amount in student financial aid. The downturn in the economy has also had an effect upon us. Although we have recovered somewhat in the area of our endowment, operational fundraising has remained a great challenge for the last two years. We have actually seen a decline in the amount given to the annual fund. This is very serious and something that must be re-served. The annual fund is crucial in supporting the student financial aid program (without which we would not have the students we have) and also for paying for food, electricity, heating, and all the other costs that are involved in simply running the College. To try to reverse the last two-year trend, this year, I have called for the beginning of what I am calling “Operation Annual Fund.” We will be trying in a special way this year to seek a reversal of the last two years in an effort to achieve our goal in operational fundraising. We will need to raise approximately $2 million between now and June 30, 2011, in order to achieve this goal.

For this reason, I ask you to be as supportive as you possibly can during

this time of economic difficulty.

While this will remain our focus, I would like to share with you the fact that the College has continued to work very hard in its development of a strategic plan. Strategic planning is essential for the long-term suc-cess of any institution, as it certainly is for Christendom College. Our strategic plan was based on a consultant’s report, which was given by Mr. William R. Hausman, the senior vice president of Campbell & Co. This report was based on the consensus reached at the College’s strate-gic planning retreat at Poplar Springs Inn on October 25, 2008. This retreat involved 37 members of the College community, representing faculty, staff, board, and members of the administration.

Despite the economic downturn, having a long-term vision for our Col-lege is of crucial importance. As a result of discussions with the various constituencies within the College, seven strategic visions emerged with each one of them having a priority issue. I would like to take this op-portunity to share the vision contained in that strategic plan with all of you, as friends of the College and members of our extended Clan Christendom.

The first strategic vision calls for Christendom College to provide the finest grounds and facilities for its undergraduate, graduate, and foreign study campuses in order to provide the best possible education for all of our students. To do this, it will necessitate acquiring the financial endowment resources that are necessary to support the merit and need-based aid programs at the College. This is crucial in order that we might continue to attract some of our nation’s best and brightest. The building of endowment sources will also be crucial for the development of our faculty and for library and academic resources as well. In addition to maintaining our valuable capital assets, we have a beautiful campus with

beautiful buildings, but we need to invest in those buildings in order to maintain them and to ensure that they are properly cared for.

The second strategic vision focuses specifically on campus facilities. It is the hope that our physical plant will meet the needs and expecta-tions of students, faculty, and staff, and, at the same time, communi-cate a sensible sign of the deeper aspects of the quality and the char-acter of the College. Christendom sits on 100 acres, nestled on a bluff overlooking the beautiful and his-toric Shenandoah River. We need to enhance this natural beauty in order to continue to manifest the quality of our education and the experience of going to school here.

Strategic vision three will involve

Christendom College’s Summer Institute: July 8-9, 2011Join these dynamic speakers for this special conference on

Dignitas Humanae: Catholic Teaching on BioethicsDr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls

President of the Advisory Board forthe University Campus Bio-Medico in Rome

Francis Cardinal ArinzePrefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and

the Discipline of the Sacraments

Bishop Robert MorlinoBishop of Madison, WI, and Chairman of the Board of

Directors of The National Catholic Bioethics Center

Dr. Janet E. SmithChair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in

Detroit (invited)

Dr. Marilyn Coors Associate Professor of Bioethics and Genetics, Center for

Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado (invited)

Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D.Director of Education

The National Catholic Bioethics Center

Dr. Janet Smith

Bishop Robert Morlino

Dr. Marilyn Coors Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls

Francis Cardinal Arinze

see From the President page 11

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Cover Story

College Begins 34th Academic Year with Record-Breaking Recruitment Season

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Christendom began its 34th academic year on August 24, with an enrollment of 409 students, hailing from 45 different US states and 7 foreign countries. In spite of seemingly bad economic times, Christendom’s admis-sion office reports its best recruiting year in its history, and looks forward to getting to know all of the new freshmen this fall.

Admissions offices across the country rely heavily on certain amounts of data that they collect throughout the year to determine how the recruiting year is progressing and whether they are on target for the following fall. The main areas of concern are the num-ber of people who have requested informa-tion about the college, the number of high school seniors from which to recruit, and most importantly, the number of applica-tions received.

Christendom’s admissions office reports tre-mendous growth in all of these important areas. The number of general requests for information rose 29%; the number of high school seniors who expressed an interest in Christendom grew 18%; applications for the Fall 2010 semester were 19% higher than this time last year; and the number of deposits were up 21% over last year. The College’s freshman class is 23% larger than last year’s, the student body has grown by 5%, and the College had to reinstitute its wait-ing list this year.

According to Tom McFadden, Director of Admissions, the growth in interest can be at-tributed to a number of different important areas that he and his team have been focusing on over the past year.

One of the most crucial areas is the amount of time and effort they have been putting into building relationships with potential students and their schools. Associate Director of Admissions Mike Schmitt has been hitting the road all year, visiting many Catholic high schools and parishes to meet with students, college placement counselors, as well as pas-tors and youth ministers. In addition to this,

the College has been represented at dozens of conferences and college fairs across the country.

Another initiative that bears much fruit is the “Experience Christendom” Summer Program, held each summer for rising high school seniors. Forty-four percent of this year’s incoming freshman class attended one of these sessions last summer, thus indicat-ing the positive effect this program has on prospective students. This year, the College held four one-week sessions of the program and welcomed 160 students to campus, with enrollment up 51% over last year’s programs.

Additionally, Christendom has seen a large growth in interest from Virginians over the past year. Typically, approximately 25% of Christendom’s freshman class is comprised of Virginians, but this year, 39% of the class call Virginia home.

“Last year, 23 of the 91 freshmen were from Virginia and this year we have 43 of 112,” says McFadden. “As economic times get a little tougher, it is no surprise that Virginians are beginning to look at more in-state colleg-

es. Christendom is one of only two Catholic institutions of higher learning in Virginia – making it a good choice for those interested in a private, residential Catholic liberal arts education.”

Saving on travel expenses is one of the factors McFadden says affects a student’s decision to go to an in-state school. Another factor is the Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) – $1,300 a semester offered by the State to Virginia resi-dents who attend in-state private colleges or

Class of 2014 Profile

112 students•39% from Virginia•42% are siblings of current students •

or alumni20% are legacy children•44% attended an ECSP•29 US States and 3 foreign countries•Freshman SAT Midranges: •

Reading: 550-690 Math: 500-620 Writing: 550-650

30% on academic scholarship •

College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell leads the entire faculty in an Oath of Fidelity to the Church. Christendom is one of only a few colleges whose entire faculty makes this oath on a yearly basis.

see Record Year page 13

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“Whether in our families or in the classrooms of higher studies, we can no longer claim ig-norance or shy away from standing for the truth,” Dean Spoor told his fellow graduates during the commencement exercises of the Christendom Graduate School held July 31.

Thirteen students received the Master of Arts in Theo-logical Studies degree, and two of them also received the Advanced Apostolic Catechetical Diploma.

Spoor, a native of Park Hills, KY, explained that he and his fellow graduates have a great deal of respon-sibility to teach the truths which they have learned faithfully and accu-rately.

“Some of us will continue in our education... others will directly engage in catechetics and pass on the faith to those who need instruc-tion. Whatever it is that we do, we must remember—if nothing else—that we are stu-dents of the science of sacred things,” Spoor said.

“Our task will be to continue what we started here and to counter the voices of dissidence with the truth of the Faith,” Spoor conclud-ed. “It is now expected of us, as Masters of the Divine Science.”

Professor of theology and Director of the Office of Sacred Liturgy and the Office of

Graduate School Sends Forth Thirteen at Commencement 2010Catechetics for the Diocese of Arlington, Rev. Paul F. deLadurantaye, offered the Bac-calaureate Mass. Dr. Timothy O’Donnell, President of Christendom College, and Dr. Kristin Burns, Dean of the Graduate School, conferred the degrees.

The distinguished gradu-ating class counts among its ranks one lawyer, two businessmen, two converts to the Faith, two Christen-dom College graduates, five DREs, a religious sister, and a consecrated virgin. The 13 Master of Arts degrees were conferred on Victor Alcan-tara, Carmen Briceño, John Gannon, Joseph Horan,

Amy MacKinnon, Sr. Thu Mai, LHC, Jo-seph Miller, Simone Rizkallah, Dean Spoor, Natalie Stilwell, Julie Thimons, David Wal-lace, and Benjamin Zumdahl. Victor Alcan-tara and Amy MacKinnon also received the Advanced Apostolic Catechetical Diploma.

Victor Alcantara, who earned his BA from Christendom in 2005, teaches at St. Louis parish in Alexandria, VA, and hopes that his MA will enable him to move on to teaching high school. He and his lovely bride, Kate, wed a week after the graduation ceremonies.

Carmen Briceño, a native of Venezuela, en-tered the Order of Virgins in August of 2009. She is currently living out her vocation as the Bilingual Youth Ministry Director for the Diocesan Laborer Priests. Next year she will

Graduates and Faculty of Christendom College’s Graduate School: Commencement 2010.

Graduate Dean Spoor.

be handing on the fruits of her studies as a missionary to Banica, Dominican Republic.

John Gannon holds an MBA from Central Michigan University and is now retired from a fruitful career in business. He plans on teaching teen and adult religious education.

Texan Joseph Horan graduated from the Catholic University of America in 2006 and plans to use his MA from Christendom in his teaching and ministry.

Boston native Amy MacKinnon has been a Director of Religious Education at several parishes and is continuing her graduate theo-logical education at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.

Sr. Annuncia Thu Mai, LHC, is a sister of the Lovers of the Holy Cross and a native of Viet Nam. She is a Director of Religious Educa-tion and is grateful for the enhanced ability she now has to draw souls to love God and His Church.

Joseph Miller is the Vice President of New Venture Partnerships for FOCUS (Fellow-ship of Catholic University Students). This father of ten children plans to use his MA to provide guidance for FOCUS and to con-tinue his studies at Holy Apostles College in Massachusetts.

Simone Rizkallah has been passionate about “all things Catholic” since her youth. Build-ing on her communication degree from Cali-fornia Lutheran University, she has taken a Director of Religious Education position at St. Ambrose parish in Northern Virginia.

Originally from Kentucky, Dean Spoor came to the Christendom Graduate School after completing his law degree at the University of Cincinnati and working as a lawyer. Spoor plans to pursue further studies in theology and go on to teach.

After attending Dallas Baptist University for her BA, Natalie Stilwell converted to the Catholic faith. She works for the Office of Family Life in the Diocese of Arlington and plans to continue as a scholar and speaker on apologetics and ethics.

During her time at the Graduate School, Ju-lie Thimons served as the administrative as-

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Arlington Diocese’s Bishop Paul Loverde has assigned Fr. Donald J. Planty, Jr., as the Head Chaplain to Christendom College. Fr. Planty’s assignment began on July 7 and he celebrated his first Mass in Christendom’s Chapel of Christ the King on July 8.

Fr. Planty was born in 1966 in Albuquerque, NM, to parents originally from New York, where his grandmothers still live - one in Up-state New York and the other in New York City. His parents, two brothers, sister-in-law and two nephews currently reside in Loud-oun County, VA.

Since his father was in the US Foreign Service, Fr. Planty grew up living in Panama, Chile, Mexico, Italy, and Spain, attending Ameri-can overseas schools - and living in “home base” Northern Virginia, where he attended public schools. He graduated from the Col-lege of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, in 1988 with a BA in Government and French.

Fr. Planty attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, PA, receiving an MDiv in 1992, the year he was ordained a deacon, and an MA in Theology in 1993. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Arlington, VA, in 1993, and subsequently served as Parochial Vicar at St. Charles Bor-romeo Parish in Arlington, VA, from 1993-1995, and as Parochial Vicar and Director of Religious Education at the Cathedral of St.

College Welcomes New Chaplain: Fr. PlantyThomas More in Arlington, VA, from 1995-1996. From 1996-2000 Fr. Planty studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, Italy, to prepare for the diplomatic service of the Holy See; at the same time, he studied for and received a JCD (Doctor of Canon Law) degree from the Pontifical Gre-gorian University in Rome, writing his dis-sertation on The Law of the Church and the Building of Churches: Canon 1216 and Sacred Architecture.

He worked as the Secretary (Deputy Head of Mission) of the Apostolic Nunciature in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 2000-2002, a post, which also covered Eritrea, Djibouti, and the African Union. In 2002, Fr. Planty left the diplomatic service of the Holy See to return to pastoral work in his diocese, and was assigned as Parochial Vicar and Director of Religious Education at Holy Family Parish in Dale City, VA, from 2003-2005, where he later became Administrator then Pastor, from 2005-2010.

Fr. Planty is fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian and joins Christendom’s theology fac-ulty in teaching courses in Catholic doctrine to freshmen.

Former Chaplain Fr. Daniel Gee has been as-signed as Pastor of the Church of Saint Rita in Alexandria, VA, where the entire commu-nity, who will miss him, wish him well in his new assignment.

sistant to the Dean of the Graduate School. She had previously taught grade school, and has returned home to Pennsylvania to con-tinue teaching while getting involved in her parish RCIA program and in pastoral care for the dying.

David Wallace came to the Graduate School from Christendom College’s undergraduate program to continue and deepen his studies, though not before a year in Germany and It-aly at the Institute of Christ the King Sover-eign Priest. Wallace lives in Front Royal, VA, with his wife Elizabeth, who is also a Chris-tendom College graduate, and two young boys. He is the DRE at St. Bernadette’s par-ish in Springfield, VA, and hopes to go on for further study.

Born in Illinois, Benjamin Zumdahl is an-other convert to the Catholic faith. He moved to Virginia with his wife to attend the Graduate School, and is the DRE of a parish in Virginia. He is considering furthering his education to earn a PhD in theology.

This is the first graduating class to include students who have taken some of their cours-es in the new online format. Five of the graduates took a total of nine online courses among them. The Christendom Graduate School only recently started to offer its cours-es in the online format, and hopes to have the whole MA program (catechetics concen-tration) online within the next two years.

“This is also a very scholarly class,” noted Dr. Burns. “Seventy percent of them graduated with honors, and two of the graduates – Da-vid Wallace and Dean Spoor – passed their comprehensive exams ‘with distinction.’ We are sorry to see such a talented group leave, but are expecting great things of them ‘to whom much has been given.’”

David Wallace and Victor Alcantara: Double Grads from Christendom College. Reverend Donald Planty became Christendom College’s new chaplain on July 7, 2010.

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Benefactors Find New Inventive Ways to Contribute to Christendom

Volume XVIII, Number III - Fall 2010

Published quarterly by the Christendom College Admissions & Marketing Office.

Executive Editor: Tom McFadden Contributing Editor: Niall O’Donnell

Copy Editor: Torey Cervantes

Christendom College 134 Christendom Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630

800.877.5456 ~ www.christendom.edu

Copyright © 2010. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the following credit line is used: “Reprinted by permission from IN-STAURARE, the quarterly magazine of Christendom College (www.christendom.edu).” SUBSCRIPTION FREE UPON REQUEST.

INSTAURARE

Christendom College benefactors, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kling, of Alexandria, VA, re-cently discovered a way to provide invest-ment income from a piece of real estate they owned to use for possible health care needs in their future, and at the same time, a way to both avoid payments to Uncle Sam and make a generous gift to Christendom Col-lege. The solution they found is called a flip charitable remainder unitrust.

“Though income may also be generated for a fixed term only, the Klings elected to ar-range the income payments for their lives,” says Vice President for Advancement John F. Ciskanik. “With a simple signature, they irrevocably transferred their real estate to a trust, which is managed today by trustees of their choosing. Since Christendom is named as the remainder beneficiary, the Klings re-ceive a generous income tax deduction, in return for the transfer.”

During the unitrust’s term, the trustees invest the unitrust’s assets. Initially, the trustees dis-tribute the lesser of the unitrust’s net income or a stated percentage of its value, as revalued annually, to Dr. and Mrs. Kling. This “net in-come” feature guarantees that trust principal is not invaded to make a distribution during the time the real estate is still held by the trust.

“The method used to determine the amount

of these payments ‘flips’ upon the occurrence of an event stipulated in the trust instru-ment,” continues Ciskanik, “in the Kling’s case, the sale of real estate held by the trust. Incidentally, other events, such as the arriv-al of a specific date or a single event whose occurrence is not within the control of the trustee or anyone else—like a marriage, death, or birth— may also ‘flip’ the trust pay-ment instructions.”

The practical impact of the “flip” is to allow distributions to be made to the benefactors in the form of cash payments. After the “flip,” if the unitrust’s value goes up (goes down) from one year to the next, its payout increases (or decreases) proportionately.

“When the Kling’s unitrust term ends, the principal will pass to Christendom College,”

says Ciskanik, “to be used in support of our mission of providing the best Catholic lib-eral arts education. Unitrust donors may add funds to a unitrust whenever they want.”

Benefactors Dr. and Mrs. Robert Kling.

Inaugural Thomas S. Vander Woude Schol-ar-Athlete Scholarship Awarded to Barbale

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Freshman Mary Barbale receives congratulations from Athletic Director Chris Vander Woude for being the inaugural recipient of the newly established scholar-athlete scholarship.

Christendom’s Athletic Department recently created the “Thomas S. Vander Woude Me-morial Scholar-Athlete Scholarship” in the memory of the late athletic director, Tom Vander Woude, who died in 2008 saving the life of one of his sons. This four year scholar-ship is awarded to one freshman each year, beginning this year with the incoming class of 2014.

The student athletes submitted essays, tran-scripts, a letter of recommendation, as well as their statistics from all four years of high school to the committee, which, in turn, chose the candidate that they felt best dis-played the ideal of a Christendom Student-

Athlete as set by Vander Woude.

This year, the scholarship was awarded to Mary Barbale of Charlton, MA. One of ten children, Barbale was home schooled throughout high school and also played basketball, soccer, vol-leyball and even ran track her senior year, for a local high school, all while maintaining a stel-lar GPA. She made The Southern Worcester County League All-star team in three sports, leading the basketball team to the State finals her junior year. What separated her from the other applicants was her character outside of athletics, exemplified in her leadership in her local community. In addition to her athletic commitments, Barbale was a volunteer Reli-

gious education teacher in her par-ish. Her pursuit in excellence in all these fields, sports, academics, and leadership, exemplified the type of athlete that the selection commit-tee seeks to recognize at Christen-dom.

“We are delighted to award this first scholarship to Mary,” says current Athletic Director Chris Vander Woude. “Her Catholic faith and her character affect ev-ery aspect of her life, from sports to academics. We look forward to the positive impact that she will have on the College community.”

“Experience Christendom” Summer Program

“Unlike Anything You Have Ever Experienced”

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“Experience Christendom” Summer Programs Change Students’ Lives“At the end of each session, I ask the students to fill out a survey, and about 90% of the par-ticipants rate the program 5 out of 5, while the other 10% gave it a 4 out of 5 grade,” says Admissions Director Tom McFadden. “All of the participants agree that the program was better than they expected it to be, and quite a few say it was the best week of their lives.”

According to rising high school se-nior John Robert Griswold of Hilton Head Island, SC, Christendom was the last place he wanted to go to col-lege, let alone a summer program. But his parents thought that a week at the ECSP would be beneficial. He had made many assumptions about what the college was like and what type of people attended. But his im-pression soon changed.

“Perhaps the only assumption that was prov-en correct by that memorable week,” says Griswold, “is that the lifestyle at Christen-dom is the antithesis of that experienced in the campers’ hometowns. Yet, unexpectedly, that lifestyle is superior in virtually every conceivable way.”

Participants take classes in the morning, taught by Christendom faculty members, and then following Mass, and lunch, are giv-en the opportunity to take a Scripture study class taught by College President Dr. Timo-thy O’Donnell.

“A teaching president is a rarity in today’s world of higher education,” says high school senior Timothy Mire of Dripping Springs, Texas, “so it was a real treat having the College President teach us every day. He was awesome!”

In the afternoon, after adoration and time for confession, the students have some down time where they play some sports, go on a hike to Skyline Drive, or go off a rope swing into the glo-rious Shenandoah River. And in the evenings, students take part in a vari-ety of entertaining activities, such as a swing dance, an Irish barn dance at the President’s home, a home-cooked steak dinner at the Admissions Direc-tor’s house, a talent show, and other fun events. All in all, it often ends up being one of the participants’ best weeks of their lives.

“People are constantly surprised that a one-week program can change their lives,” says McFadden. “But it really can–just ask any of this past summer’s participants!”

“Before coming to Christendom I heard the interviews online and my mom told me how tons of kids said their lives were changed by the program and it was the best experience of their lives,” says high school junior Micah Davis from San Antonio, TX. “I thought that these kids were crazy and just needed to get some actual friends. After about the second day at camp, I realized I was just like every other kid who came to the camp. I met friends and after only a few days it seemed I had known them my whole life. My week at Christendom was the best week of my life and I most definitely want to spend my col-lege education at Christendom breathing in a Catholic atmosphere.”

Many of the participants were given financial aid to attend the program, made available through the donations of a number of Chris-tendom’s loyal benefactors. Anyone interest-ed in financially supporting these programs may contact the Admissions Office. To view pictures, videos, or testimonies from the various 2010 ECSPs, please go to Christen-dom’s website at www.christendom.edu. Four ECSP sessions are scheduled for the summer of 2011, with registration beginning in January.

Students sing along during the Irish Barn Dance.

Dancing the Virginia Reel is always a crowd pleaser.

Bowling is always a lot of fun for the campers.

Although taking classes in the summer may not seem like fun - the students leave with a new appreciation for Theology, Philosophy, English, and History.

CChristendom College’s ever-popular “Ex-perience Christendom” Summer Program (ECSP) was held in four different one-week sessions this year, drawing 160 participants from all over the US.

Last year, the College held three sessions of the ECSP which seeks to introduce rising

high school seniors (and some rising juniors) to the College’s unique academic, social, and religious offerings. Approximately 45-50% of the participants normally choose Chris-tendom for their undergraduate education, and this year is no different. Almost 45% of the incoming freshman Class of 2014 at-tended one of last year’s programs, showing the amazing effect that the program has on the participants.

Each summer, Christendom welcomes many students to campus who, at first, are a little unsure of what to expect from a summer pro-gram that is advertised as a type of “Catho-lic immersion program.” Some students are afraid that there will be a bunch of “religious fanatics” on campus and others think that the place will be full of nerds. Some think that it will be just like going to school in the summer while others believe that it will be “mind-crushingly boring.”

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It was a life-changing experience and one of the best weeks in my life! At the camp, I was able to discover what all those ads meant when they stated “Breathe Catholic.” Every aspect of every activity within each day during that glorious week pointed to our Catholic iden-tity. From attending Mass to discovering the foundation of Philosophy to merely forming wholesome friendships, my fellow campers and I began to appreciate and take pride in our Catholic Faith. — Christina H., VA

The whole week was amazing! I never thought in a million years that I would consider attend-ing Christendom. Now after only one week it is my number ONE choice. — Emily N., SC

Before coming to Christendom I heard the interviews online and my mom told me how tons of kids said their lives were changed by the program and it was the best experience of their lives. I thought that these kids were crazy and just needed to get some actual friends. Af-ter about the second day at camp I realized I was just like every other kid who came to the camp. I met friends and after only a few days it seemed I had known them my whole life. My week at Christendom was the best week of my life and I most definitely want to spend my college education at Christendom breathing in a Catholic atmosphere. — Micah D., AZ

Everything really came together to make an amazing experience. This program gave me a little hint of what it really means to “live and breathe Catholicism.” — Kyle E., NY

I had the best week of my life at the “Expe-rience Christendom” Summer Program—it was amazing! The program was definitely life-changing, as Mr. McFadden said it would probably be. I had the most amazing week of my life. — Rebekah K., MA

Finding a school with such intellectual cali-ber while maintaining Catholic morals and traditions is near to impossible in this day and age. The Christendom Summer Program confirmed my belief that a Catholic Liberal Arts education is the right path for me. The Christ-centered curriculum balanced with the fun activities showed me that one can find enjoyment while studying. I am convinced that the pursuit for truth, the Catholic envi-ronment, and the beautiful campus make for one of the best truly Catholic colleges in the nation. — David V., MA

I loved absolutely everything about the pro-gram, except one thing: I wish it had been two weeks! My week at Christendom was like nothing I had ever experienced. It was everything I had expected and so much more. — Catherine S., GA

I’ve been homeschooled my whole life so this was my first exposure to a classroom setting. Being around like-minded teens at ECSP was both an inspiration and a joy. In this day and age, it’s hard to find such people. After the first day, I felt comfortable, like I belonged. I think I have found the college of my dreams, thank you. — Melanie H., NJ

My week at Christendom was a life-changing experience for me. Prior to the program, I thought I had planned out my life. And, I regret to say, Christendom played no part in my plan. That one week at Christendom threw my world upside-down. The unmistak-able Catholic aura of the college, manifested most beautifully during Mass and Adoration, touched me deeply. — Nicholas D., MD

I can honestly say it was one of the best weeks of my life. Everything, from the classes, to the activities, to the quiet times in the chapel helped me to grow in my faith, and ingrain myself in Christian culture. — Alex H., MO

It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced and I didn’t want to leave! Everything was unsurpass-able in quality - from the intellectually challeng-ing courses to the enthusiastic counselors, the never-ending fun-filled adventure and bountiful feasts! I enjoyed the counselors’ captivating tales of scholastic conquest in the academic world as well as the spiritual gains of the “Breathe Catho-lic” atmosphere of the Christendom College campus. I hope with a fiery passion to attend Christendom College in the future after my ex-perience there this summer. I feel like we were made for each other! — Flannery M., VA

When I first arrived on campus I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but over the next few days I saw unfold before my eyes a vision of how the world should be. The atmosphere on campus was infectious and I was soon com-pletely in love with all the sights, sounds, activities, and people. For the first time in my life I was surrounded by young people who are in love with Jesus and His Church as much as I am. — William S., KY

I had one of the best weeks of my life! It included incredible professors and class material, fun ac-tivities, and the chance to make friends. Com-ing from a public school, it was a real blessing to share and grow in our faith with other kids who accepted the same set of religious principles. This week gave me a new definition of what a true Catholic college is. — Jason Y., VA

In Their Own Words........Real Students – Real Testimonies

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much and feel like I’ve grown closer to God. I was able to fully be myself because of the Catholic atmosphere and without the peer pressure. I felt like I was really living my life to the fullest. I had thought that the people would be wearing overalls, have no taste in music, or have no sense of humor, but I was way wrong. Everyone was so full of life and real and they did everything for God. I felt free to be Catholic and to be myself. I feel like I’ve grown spiritually and have started to gain the courage to say “yes” to whatever God tells me to do and it was all because of my experience at Christendom. Being at Christendom was like Heaven on earth. — Stephanie H., VA

The ESCP week that I went to was the best week of my life. I saw for myself that Chris-tendom students really do “Breathe Catho-lic” because everything we did was with a Catholic atmosphere. — Lindsay T, OH

The week that I spent at Christendom College was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It was an amazing week, much more than I expected. — Maggie S., CA

Before going on the Christendom College summer program, I was very skeptical about going on a week-long “Catholic camp.” I was absolutely sure that I would never go to Christendom since it was way too Catholic. My week at Christendom College completely changed my outlook and I had a blast! I loved every minute of camp. — Evelyn H., VA

Four ECSP sessions are scheduled for the sum-mer of 2011 – Session 1: June 11-18, Session 2: June 19-26, Session 3: July 2-9, and Session 4: July 10-17. Registration will begin in January.

into everything you do, and I enjoyed it so much! Now, I can’t imagine going to a col-lege that’s even a tiny bit weaker in its faith than Christendom. — Mary P., AZ

More than anything, I loved the “Catholic air” that flowed through every aspect of life at Christendom, not only in church but in the so-cial activities and academics as well. — Katie T., VA

The Christendom summer program was a refreshing, life-changing experience! I so en-joyed living in a Catholic environment with peers who wanted to truly practice their faith. I can truly say that the program was possibly the best week of my life! — Rebecca N., KY

The whole week was wonderful! The profes-sors were interesting and funny and you can tell they really like what they do. I enjoyed the daily Mass, Adoration, and Rosary – it was so neat to be around other teenagers who are reverent in church. Like they say, “Breathe Catholic,” but it does NOT mean a place filled with snobbish “holy rollers.” It’s just that the Catholic faith is everywhere. I can’t wait to come back!! — Sarah J., PA

The “Experience Christendom” Summer Program was the best thing that ever hap-pened to me. The fun there was like things you thought would only be in movies. At ECSP, I experienced life to its fullest!! — Ga-brielle M., VA

When I first arrived at Christendom, I told myself that I would never want to go to col-lege there. That soon changed. Everything at Christendom was amazing. The classes were not like any other classes I’ve ever taken. The counselors were really good role models. Ev-eryone there shared the same beliefs I did and loved God just like me. I was so blessed to be able to partake in this camp at Christendom, a place where you truly “Breathe Catholic.” — Alexandra H., CT

I came to Christendom expecting to have fun just because a few of my friends were going. What I wasn’t expecting was to love the col-lege for its own sake and to have one of the best weeks of my life. I have rarely experi-enced God’s presence as tangibly as I did at Christendom. The classes were engaging and inspiring and the counselors were amazing! — Anna S., VA

In one week at Christendom, I learned so

Words cannot describe how much fun I had at Christendom College this summer! I re-ally thought that I didn’t want to go there because I had my mind set on going to Texas A&M for my medical degree. But after going to the summer program, my mind was shift-ed and converted in a single week! Christen-dom College truly is one of the best colleges I have ever heard of and to turn my whole mind and goals around in one week is truly something amazing. — Timothy M., TX

Before I went to the summer program, Christendom was the last place on earth that I would have thought about attending for college. After the summer program, my view on Christendom has changed completely and now it is one of my first choices for col-lege. — Stephen T., PA

When I arrived at the Christendom Summer Program I was pretty sure that I would not want to be coming back next year for college. However, after spending time on campus tak-ing classes, doing activities, and just hanging out with all the awesome people at Chris-tendom, I have totally changed my mind. At Christendom College, I truly realized what is means to “Breathe Catholic.” — Jack B., TN

It was the happiest, most wonderful week of my life, with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. And yet, I have had the hardest time describing my experience to my friends and family! It is unlike anything you have ever encountered, or will ever encoun-ter. The Catholic faith is truly incorporated

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Board member Richard Es-posito says that many of the academics he knows are po-litically correct and get on his nerves — but not the ones he knows from Christendom. In fact, he finds the faculty and staff of Christendom inspiring.

“It is always a joy to meet and speak with them,” he says.

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Esposito is the founder and owner of Lighthouse Wealth Management, LLC, a firm that takes a “holistic” approach to wealth management: providing clear, easy-to-understand advice and specific guidance on any and all matters related to money.

Christendom College has been on Esposito’s

Faculty and Staff Inspire Board Memberradar for a long time, hearing of it frequently from friends and The Wanderer newspaper. In September of 2003, he joined the Board of Directors.

“I’m impressed with the stu-dents — their appearance, the way they carry themselves with intelligence and love of the Faith and Jesus Christ,” he says.

He describes Christendom as “a first-class college.”

“It is competitive with any secular or religious school, while faithfully following the teachings of the Church — without exception,” he says.

Esposito and his wife, Lida, have five sons and currently reside in the Bronx.

Board member Richard Esposito.

During the summer, Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged the reception of a spiritual bouquet from the Christendom College community. College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell received a letter from the Vati-can’s Office of the Secretary of State, which imparted the Pope’s Apostolic Blessing on all who participated in the bouquet.

The letter stated, “His Holiness Pope Bene-dict XVI gratefully acknowledges the spiri-tual bouquet sent for his intentions. He very much appreciates the prayerful support given to him in his ministry to the univer-sal Church. Upon all who have remembered him in their prayers the Holy Father invokes joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ and cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing.”

While in Rome this spring, O’Donnell pre-sented the spiritual bouquet to Francis Car-dinal Arinze, who accepted the bouquet on the Pope’s behalf and promised to personally deliver it.

“It is crucial that we, as Catholics, express our loyalty and support for the Holy Father as a priest and as the supreme teacher,” said O’Donnell.

The bouquet was given as an act of thanks-giving and solidarity during the Year of the Priest. Contributions were collected over an eight-month period on campus and on Chris-tendom’s website. The bouquet enumerated 1,343 Masses, 556 Holy Hours, 2,225 Rosa-ries, 637 visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and 1,202 Chaplets of Divine Mercy.

“I do hope that this gave him some consolation as he continues to shepherd the church with such courage and fidelity,” O’Donnell said.

Pope Acknowledges Spiritual Bouquet

Cardinal Arinze received the spiritual bouquet from Dr. O’Donnell and later gave it to the Pope.

From the President... continued from page 2an effort in applying contemporary technol-ogy solutions to try to enhance the campus communication network and student learning skills. By leveraging technology in an appropri-ate way, this will not only encourage the proper stewardship of our resources and will save money, but also enhance the interconnected-ness found here on our campus.

Strategic vision four involves efforts to prepare our graduates to meet the challenges of secur-ing financially beneficial careers and attending diverse graduate programs. The motto of the College, of course, is “to restore all things in Christ,” and this can best be done graduating leaders who are dedicated to the lay apostolate and who are in a position to contribute to the Christian renovation of the temporal order. Thus, the development of a top-notch career development program is absolutely essential to our future, particularly given the uncertainty of the economic climate.

Strategic vision five seeks to offer our students a wide variety of diverse activities and opportu-nities, in order to ensure their understanding of today’s society and strengthen their deter-mination to enter into that society as effective lay apostles. One of the primary goals of the Christendom education, as I said earlier, is to form leaders to help guide the Church and our society in the new evangelization.

Strategic vision six concerns the importance of

continuing to try to strengthen our academic program by enhancing the integration of Faith and reason, according to the perennial wisdom of the Catholic liberal arts tradition. This will include strengthening, in particular, the offer-ings that we provide our students in mathemat-ics and science.

Strategic vision seven involves an aggressive ef-fort to continue to recruit and enroll students who are intellectually prepared for the rigor of the College’s liberal arts program, who share en-thusiastically in our vibrant Catholic commu-nity, and who will best respond to the educa-tion offered. This will involve the development of an integrated recruitment plan that will seek to boost the number of inquiries, visits, applica-tions, and enrollments each year.

It was remarkable to see the strong consensus that was felt on the part of all the various con-stituencies of the College concerning this stra-tegic plan. This will afford us concrete working goals to guide us for the next five to ten years. None of these things would be possible were it not for your commitment to the mission of Christendom College and to the vision es-poused in this plan. May God bless you abun-dantly for your generosity and support. I ask you, particularly during this difficult time, to continue to support us, and if at all possible, augment it, that the great work of the College may continue and flourish, despite the current economic turmoil in our country.

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New Rome Program Directors Excited for Fall in the Eternal CityChristendom College’s Junior Semester in Rome Program—now in its eighth year—has two new and enthusiastic leaders: John Noronha and Katy Ott. Noronha will be the Program Director and Ott will serve as the Associate Director.

“Both are well positioned to build in an ex-cellent way on the academic, formational, and spiritual strengths of the program,” Vice Presi-dent for Academic Affairs Steve Snyder says.

“I am very excited to be a part of the mis-sion of Christendom ‘to restore all things to Christ,’ with the goal of education being to learn the Truth and live by it,” Noronha says. “I am hoping to build on the good founda-tion laid by the former directors and help the students truly experience the universality and unity of the Church while experiencing a personal connection with the Pope and the story of the Church.”

Noronha has spent two years living in Rome, an experience he describes as “spiritually en-riching.” He hopes to share his knowledge of the Eternal City with the students.

“Rome has such a profound wealth of his-tory, art, and culture, and when this is under-stood in the light of Christianity, it leaves a lasting impression on the hearts and souls of the faithful,” he says.

Ott shares Noronha’s desire to facilitate the students’ growth.

“I hope that they are able to grow in faith, cultural awareness, and in their understand-ing of the Italian language,” Ott says.

Ott has been impressed with the unwavering support from the Christendom community.

“Everyone has been forthcoming in offer-ing information, suggestions, and prayers. Their support provides a solid foundation for the Rome Program and enables it to remain relatively seamlessly connected to the Front Royal campus and maintain Christendom’s academic rigor abroad,” she says.

Joining Noronha and Ott for a second year as the program’s resident coordinator is Chris-tendom alumna Beth Doherty.

“I got a good taste of Rome and I am excited

to go back again,” Doherty says. “The last two semesters provided a truly stellar group of students and I look forward to meeting and serving more Christendom juniors this year.”

Doherty says that the Rome Program takes students out of their comfort zone, helping them discover their own resources and find a healthy balance between independence and dependence.

“The pilgrimage mentality of the Rome Pro-gram emphasizes our complete dependence on Christ,” she says. “Students grow in their knowledge of themselves and their ability to handle a variety of situations. These situa-

tions can range from city living and cultural experiences to encounters with themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, and even their ultimate vocations.”

According to Noronha, what sets Christen-dom’s program apart from other universities is the students themselves.

“They already have a solid grounding in faith, morals, and spirituality—the true Catholic way of life,” he says. “By coming to Rome they will be able to mature and to take this way of life to the next level.

“I hope the students will leave Rome with a renewed exuberance and joy in their faith.”

John Noronha, Beth Doherty, and Katy Ott are Christendom’s Rome Program staff members.

Students stay in the Residence Candia (marked above in red) and take classes in a convent located directly next to the Vatican (marked with an X).

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From July 26 to August 13, Christendom’s Summer Study Abroad Program immersed itself in Irish history, literature, and culture.

Beginning with a week of classes in Irish history and literature on Christendom’s Front Royal, VA, campus, a group of students, alumni, friends of the College, and others prepared for two weeks abroad on the Emerald Isle. Alumnus Father Kevin Walsh ‘87 served as chaplain of the tour, providing daily Mass and confession. The group was also blessed to have in its company another priest, Fr. Miles Walsh of Baton Rouge, LA. Dr. Timothy O’Donnell, Mrs. Cathy O’Donnell, and Dr. Patrick Keats served as the main tour guides.

During the journey, the Christendom group visited each of the four provinces of Ireland – Munster, Leinster, Ulster, and Connaught. The major stops were in Killarney, Galway, Knock, Donegal, and Dublin.

Throughout the tour, the group visited many important religious sites. Among these were the Rock of Cashel, where St. Patrick baptized the King of Munster; Clonmacnoise, home of Saint Kieran; the Shrine at Knock, where Our Lady appeared in 1879; Ballintubber Abbey, where Mass has been celebrated for the past 800 years; the Hill of Slane, where St. Patrick lit the Paschal Fire in defiance of the pagan king in nearby Tara; and the ruins of St. Kevin’s monastery at Glendalough in the beautiful Wicklow Mountains.

One of the highlights of the tour was the trip to Inishmore on the Aran Islands, the site of the 3000-year-old Celtic cliff-top stone fort of Dun Aenghus and the Church of St. Benan, a contemporary of St. Patrick. From there, it was on to Donegal, a beautiful city in the northwest of Ireland. During their time in Donegal, the group was blessed to have Mass at a Mass Rock, at which two priests were killed during the penal days. Having Mass at this sacred location reminded each of the pilgrims of the sacrifices people have endured to preserve and practice their Catholic Faith.

On the way to Dublin, the group stopped at Armagh, the Primatial See of Ireland, for Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and then visited St. Peter’s Church in Drogheda, where the incorrupt head of St. Oliver Plunkett is preserved.

The Christendom pilgrims returned to the US with a renewed gratitude for their Catholic

Summer Study Abroad Program Takes on the Emerald Isle

universities.

Two high schools in Manassas, VA, are also showing more interest in Christendom. Elev-en students from Seton High School and four students from Holy Family Academy are fresh-men at Christendom this year. Over the years, graduates of these two popular high schools have been applying and enrolling at Christen-dom, but this year their numbers grew.

Freshman Jordan Mann, who graduated from Seton Home Study, says he chose Christendom because it was the school that best integrated the Faith with every aspect of life, “from the most fun game to the most difficult assignment.”

Mann is also impressed by the alumni he has met from Christendom.

“They have been able to do wonderful things for the Church and their communities be-cause of their Christendom education. I de-cided that this is the kind of education I want to have so that I can do comparable things with it,” he says.

Freshman Jennifer Nussio, a 2009 “Experi-ence Christendom” Summer Program par-ticipant, says she chose Christendom because she saw that it was “spiritually rich and aca-demically challenging.”

“I wanted the benefits that Christendom of-fers to every student, a residence hall that feels like home, a curriculum that never ceas-

Record Year... continued from page 3es to be fascinating, a collection of students, faculty, and staff that form a family, and the most beautiful Sacrifice of the Mass offered at the heart of the campus,” Nussio says.

The rest of the freshman class comes from 29 US States and three foreign countries (Ire-land, England, and Canada).

“This economic recession has impacted Christendom in a good way,” says McFadden. “You have to be flexible—be able to adapt—and have faith in God in this job market, and nothing prepares you better for that than Christendom’s liberal arts education. People are realizing this, and I think that is why we had one of our best recruiting years ever.”

The new year began with a very successful ori-entation weekend, organized by members of the Student Life office, which concluded with the Mass of the Holy Spirit, offered by the Diocese of Arlington’s Bishop Paul Loverde.

During that Mass, the entire faculty, with College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell leading, made a solemn profession of Faith and made an Oath of Fidelity to the Magiste-rium. Christendom remains one of the only Catholic colleges in the US to have its entire faculty make this oath on an annual basis.

The entire College community looks forward to a wonderful year, growing in wisdom and, holiness. To keep up with weekly activities, please read the weekly online newsletter, The Chronicler, found on www.christendom.edu.

Faith and a lasting appreciation for the country of Ireland, its history, and heritage.

More people than ever took part in this summer’s Christendom in Ireland program.

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Alumni Use Christendom Education to Publish the TruthBehind some of today’s most popular Catho-lic or conservative publishers you may just find one of Christendom’s alumni. Their ed-ucation has equipped them to excel in this mass means of communication as a tool for spreading the Truth.

Alumna Robyn Lee is the Managing Editor for the popular Faith & Family magazine and the Editorial Assistant for the widely dis-tributed National Catholic Register. Lee graduated in 2002, majoring in philoso-phy with a minor in theol-ogy.

“Faith and reason — what an awesome com-bination,” Lee says. “Every day I see how my solid grounding in these disciplines, together with my Christendom-aided understanding of the truths of the Catholic faith, has proven an essential tool for succeeding in the ‘real world.’ I frequently find myself drawing on my education in compiling information for my articles, handling readers’ questions, and serving our writers and editors.”

Lee got involved with Faith & Family and the Register because she wanted the opportu-nity to use her “God-given skills to help the Church proclaim the Gospel.” She knew that her versatile liberal arts education would give her the tools she needed to be successful.

“The fact that I had a liberal arts degree from Christendom College was instrumental in landing my position,” she says, “and my education is crucial to my daily work with the paper and the mag-azine.”

Alumna Lesly Bratt couldn’t agree more. “My ability to think clearly and with the ‘mind of the Church’ is con-stantly put to good use,” Bratt says.

A member of the class of 2004, Bratt is the Production Editor for Saint Benedict Press, a Catholic publishing company in Charlotte, NC, which recently acquired TAN Books.

“From things as seemingly trivial as what typeface to use for a particular book, to how to present a concept to one of my superiors,

to whether we should edit a certain passage in a book — my ability to step back from a project or situation and analyze it in light of its ‘end’ is invaluable,” she says.

Aside from her Christen-dom education aiding her in the technical aspects of the job, Bratt sees the formation she received at Christendom as a powerful tool in daily tasks and personal interac-

tion in the office.

“Truly professional behav-ior requires quite a bit of self-discipline which, if not motivated by virtue, becomes hard to sustain,” Bratt says. “I have found I perform my job with much more success and enjoy-ment when I pay attention to how I can apply my un-derstanding of the virtuous life in all of my day to day tasks.”

Bratt calls this understand-ing of the virtuous life Christendom’s “se-cret weapon.” She finds that it enables her to put her thoughts and work in better or-der.

“It is an ability that many people do not possess, or even realize is important,” she says.

Alumnus Christian Tappe, who came to the Intercolle-giate Studies Institute (ISI) from conservative publish-ing giant Regnery in 2009, is also excelling as an editor. ISI, a non-profit organiza-tion, seeks to give college students a better under-

standing of the values and institutions that sustain a free and humane society through publications, conferences, and the like. At ISI, Tappe is the Assistant Editor and Publi-

cations Office Manager.

“I am certainly a better writer after going to Christendom,” Tappe says, “but much of the editorial process requires clear thinking and an ability to see the big picture—as well as the small details— all at the same time. To the extent that I can do that, it’s credited al-most entirely to the liberal arts education I received at Christendom.”

An English Language and Literature major from the class of 2007, Tappe says that he loves his job.

“It’s a lot of fun to read and craft books all day.”

Lee also loves her job. She recently added a blog to her list of activities at Faith & Family (www.faithandfamilylive.com/au-thor/RobynLee).

“Christendom not only helped me launch a career I love,” Lee says, “but also strengthened my faith as I help build the kingdom of God. Our Lord calls us to bring as many souls as we can to Him. Christendom has laid the foundation for

me to participate in this mis-sion!”

Alumna Robyn Lee ‘02.

Alumna Lesly Bratt ‘04.

Alumnus Christian Tappe ‘07.

College Forgives Debts of Alumni Religious Most dioceses and religious orders require young men and women entering seminaries or convents to be completely debt-free. As a result, many college graduates are unable to enter the seminary or convent until they have paid off their loans.

But this is not the case for Christendom alumni. Since its founding, Christendom has been writing off loans of its alumni who choose to enter the religious life (over 100 alumni have entered the priesthood or religious life).

Any student who receives a loan from Christendom College, and then enters a religious order which requires vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience does not have to pay back his or her loan to Christendom.

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Omnia in ChristoUnderstanding Authentic Freedom: Some Lessons from Homer’s Odyssey

During a 1987 visit to the United States—the Land of the Free—John Paul II said that “the only true freedom, the only freedom that can truly satisfy, is the freedom to do what we ought as human beings created by God according to His

plan.” The late Holy Father maintains that any use of freedom that fails to be informed or guided by God or God’s will is not an authentic freedom. Freedom, while a capacity great in dignity, is not an end in itself—we do not so much value freedom for its own sake as for the sake of something else; we value freedom for the sake of those other good things we hope to attain in life through freedom. In describing the traditional conception of human freedom as the condition for choosing the good, which is in its fullest sense God and God’s will for us, John Paul II underscored the indissolubility of freedom and responsibility.

There is no question that the literature of classical antiquity stresses the benefits of cooperating with the divine will and, thus, the necessity for the responsible discipline of the passions. In the pagan world of ancient Greece and Rome, he is most free, it seems, whose will is most in accord with the will of the gods. Whether in the case of Diomedes in Homer’s Iliad or Orestes in Aeschylus’ Oresteia, disciplined cooperation with Athena, the goddess of wisdom, inevitably brings rewards. For those who would flout the will of the gods, such as the suitors of Penelope in Homer’s Odyssey, there will be a reckoning. If they cannot order themselves and bring their wills into line with the divine will, they must pay a steep price, as the suitors do when they lose their lives. But Odysseus himself, the instrument of divine justice upon the suitors, must first order himself—discipline himself—so that he can fully comply with the will of Athena and return home to his duties as king, husband, and father.

If we are to give ourselves over to the divine will and to others through love (as authority figures, as husband and wife, as parents) it requires that we first possess ourselves, since we cannot give what we do not possess. That is to say, we must master ourselves in order to give ourselves up to the divine will or to give ourselves over to our families. The Odyssey suggests, then, that from discipline and submission a more perfect freedom will arise so that one can better follow one’s vocation. As Tiresias warns Odysseus in the Underworld, the way home—the way to peace and fulfillment—lies through a “narrow strait,” which Tiresias defines as “denial of self, restraint of shipmates” (XI.118-19). Tiresias does not give Odysseus a topographical map with directions, but rather an interior, moral map: virtue, the “narrow strait” between the extremes, is the only way to achieve the goal.

But, Odysseus’ story also illustrates that self-discipline must be

Thomas W. Stanford III, Ph.D.

informed by piety, by the absolute acceptance of a more perfect and powerful divine will; that is, a faith that can move mountains (or kill suitors). Thus, Athena chastises Odysseus, who, just before the test of the bow, doubts if he can kill the suitors against such imposing odds, and wonders what will happen afterwards. Athena says: “Your touching faith! Another man would trust / some villainous mortal, with no brains—and what / am I? Your goddess-guardian to the end in all your trials.” Athena answers the question of man’s impiety plainly: it is a question of choosing whom to trust. Is one to exercise one’s freedom in order to trust imperfect and limited human desire; or, is one to exercise one’s freedom to trust the divine directive? After his free-will assent to Athena, the divine will finally guides and empowers Odysseus to re-establish order in his home. And, when asked to by Athena to “command” himself and cease his pursuit of a group of men that had threatened him in the final scene of the Odyssey, Odysseus obeys and, we are told, his “heart was glad.” His felicity is a product, then, of his discipline, and his free choice has produced more freedom: as a product of exercising his freedom well and disciplining his—at times—wayward will, he is now fully free to fulfill his vocation as husband, father, and King of Ithaka.

The power of human freedom is perhaps never more in evidence than when one chooses to make the divine desire his own, as is witnessed in the case of Odysseus. This conception of freedom finds its fulfillment, of course, only in Christ’s acceptance, in Gethsemane, of the will of the Father. As it is Christ who “fully reveals man to himself ” (Gaudium et Spes), it is Christ Who, in emptying

Himself to cooperate with the will of the Father, gives all men the model for the exercise of freedom. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) elegantly explains the meaning of authentic freedom:

The soul has the right to make decisions that concern herself. It is the great mystery of personal freedom, before which God himself comes to a halt. He wants his sovereign authority over created spirits only as a free gift of their love. He knows the thoughts of the heart. He sees through the deepest foundations and abysses of the soul . . . . But he does not yet want to take possession of her without her wanting it herself. Yet he does everything to achieve the free surrender of her will to his as a gift of her love in order, then, to be able to lead her to the bliss of union.

What better use of freedom, God’s great gift to us, than to bring us closer to God, in whom we find genuine happiness and our true home?

Thomas W. Stanford III, PhD, is Associate Professor and Chairman of the Department of English Language and Literature at Christendom College. He earned his BA and MA in English from the University of Dallas, and his PhD from the Catholic University of America. He and his wife, Mary, have five children.

The power of human freedom is perhaps never more in evidence than when one chooses to make the divine desire his own, as is witnessed in the case of Odysseus. This conception of freedom finds its fulfillment, of course, only in Christ’s acceptance, in Gethsemane, of the will of the Father.

Non Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 6445

Merrifield, VA 22081

134 Christendom DriveFront Royal, VA 22630

Return Service Requested

“We were introduced to Christendom Col-lege at a reception held at the end of a Wan-derer conference in 1996. As we learned more about the school, particularly its refusal to accept government financial assistance, it was obvious that financial aid from third par-ties was essential for the operational needs of the school, as well as for providing many stu-dents with financial aid for costs associated with their educational needs.

Later, we were able to spend a day attending classes with the students and were impressed, not only by the energetic faculty, but also by the intellect and enthusiasm of the students. The curriculum is ideal for producing vibrant Catholic scholars who, with their liberal arts education, are prepared to participate in their chosen professions. The opportunities to practice their faith through daily Mass, rosary groups, Adoration, and confession are especially important.

With the able and devoted administrators, the astute and energetic faculty, enthusiastic students, a beautiful and modern campus, we are delighted to financially help Christendom College continue to send forth well-formed, committed Catholic men and women who will carry Christ’s Gospel well into the twenty-first century and beyond.” – Gene & Cathy Wurster

Contact VP of Advancement, John F. Cis-kanik (jciskanik@christendom.edu), if you are interested in joining Christendom’s loyal family of benefactors and helping “send forth well-formed, committed Catholic men and women” who will work to “restore all things in Christ.”

Why do the Wursters Support Christendom?

Gene and Cathy Wurster, VAMembers, President’s Council