Senior Visit Day
October 01, 2009
This issue of The Chronicler Online is dedicated to Mrs. Kimberly McWhirter, the mother of three Christendom College students - Denise, David, and John - who died last week from a sudden illness. Please pray for the repose of her soul and for her husband and 8 children that she has left behind. May she rest in peace. Amen.
Name: Peter Hill
Age: 18
Year: Freshman
From: Woodstock, MD
Major: Undeclared
Hobbies? I play piano, guitar, organ, and clarinet. I also like dancing, singing, talking, and laughing with friends.
What's your favorite class? Latin 201 with Dr. Clark. He takes a dead language and manages to give it more life than you would believe. The way he teaches us with energy, joy, and simplicity really keeps learning fun.
Do you play any sports? Yes, I am the goalie for the soccer team, and I play on the basketball team... I also plan on doing all the intramurals.
Do you participate in any drama or music related activities? Not currently, but I do plan on singing in the choir or possibly auditioning for a Christendom play before I graduate.
What is your favorite thing about Christendom? The excellent formation of body, mind, and soul. I am learning from excellent professors, receiving sound instruction in the Faith, and playing sports with great guys, excellent coaching, and healthy competition.
Why did you choose Christendom? I have two older sisters that came to Christendom, and I had the privilidge of visiting them occasionally during the school year. The exposure to the faithful community and wholesome atmosphere convinced me that Christendom was the place for me.
Plans after graduation? After graduation I see myself as a teacher, lawyer, FBI agent, pilot, musician, astronaut or possibly working as a salesman for Christendom.
Last Thursday night, Seniors and Juniors came to Kilian’s café, to hear Keith Robinson and John Donovan speak about career exploration. They gave the Seniors and Juniors four steps to help them on a career exploration process. Students were advised to start investigating now, and not to wait until after graduation to start this sometimes long process. This was the first “Life on Tap” of the year, and students will be offered many more opportunities to attend this kind of event.
On Friday the annual Piano Night was held in an elegantly decorated St. Lawrence Commons. Dozens of students enjoyed the performances of some of Christendom’s finest musicians. Fourteen pianists thrilled the crowd with music ranging from vocal pieces to classics and original arrangements.
This year the underclassmen were more strongly represented with five freshmen and seven sophomore performers, while Junior Steven Curtin and Senior Matthew Lancaster represented their classes.
“The performances were all outstanding,” said Christendom Professor of History Anthony Sheehan. “The skill of the musicians, despite there being no music program at the college, was excellent.”
Sophomores Elizabeth Sartor and Alex Kecskes both presented original compositions. Freshman John Rogers and Senior Matt Lancaster had self-arranged medleys. But original or not, the incredible talent of the room was undeniable; the full audience was testament to that.
“Christendom has many great performances to look forward to over the coming years,” said Lancaster.
Due to rain, Texas Western Night was postponed, so a group of students gathered in the Pope John Paul the Great Student Center basement for an evening of western-themed entertainment. The Magnificent Seven was screened, and students hung out and munched on snacks provided by the Student Activities Council.
While observing that a large amount of the audience was male, Senior Katherine Sartor said with a smile that the film "was good, but it’s definitely a guy’s movie!”
Students enjoyed the movie, and are looking forward to a real western experience at the rescheduled Texas Western Night!
Men’s Open House took place last Sunday. On this special occasion, women are allowed to tour the men’s dorms and see how life goes on the other side of campus. The men, chivalrous as always, made their rooms ready to receive guests by preparing an extra-clean environment and having a supply of food that would please any visitor. The women, in general, seemed to move in packs and were willing to follow a leader on a tour through the houses. They were able to gain a lot of insight into the lifestyle of the Christendom male.
Sunday night brought a very interested audience to St. John's Library for a lecture by Dr. William Mahrt of Stanford University. Dr. Mahrt is also the President of the Church Music Association of America and his presentation was on Gregorian chant and active participation in the Mass. He spoke about how to actively participate in the divine worship using Gregorian chant, and how it can bring us to a higher degree of participation (and appreciation) for the different parts of the mass.
Senior and music minor Nathan Scott commented, “I thought it was really interesting what he said about how the entrance hymn doesn’t give as much focus to the procession, because we are singing and are distracted, whereas if we have an introit chanted by a schola, we benefit a lot more from the beauty of the procession.”
The talk was followed by questions and a brief reception. It was the first event of the Beato Fra Angelica Fine Art Series.
On Monday afternoon, Founding President and Professor Emeritus Dr. Warren Carroll gave a lecture in St. Kilian's Cafe on the death of Nikolai Lenin.
"On January 20, 1924 Lenin died in his bed in agony and terror, his body racked by convulsions so violent that they flung it into the air," Carroll said. "Such was the death of Lenin, and the proof that God's vengeance on an evil soul can take place in this world as well as in the next. 'Vengeance is Mine,' says the Lord."
Download this talk at Christendom on iTunes U.
Temperaments and Treats
Monday night, ladies packed Kilian’s café as Philosophy Professor Dr. Doug Flippen gave them a talk on the temperaments. Tasty treats were provided for the girls to munch on as they listened to Dr. Flippen tell them about the four temperaments, and the virtues and vices of each one. He gave girls a brief test in the beginning to figure out what their primary temperament is, and then explained each one. The girls enjoyed the talk and had fun discussing the temperaments afterwards.
“I had heard some of it before, but not in that way," Freshman Lisa Vincente said. "It was a great talk—really interesting.”
The girls appreciated the opportunity to learn not only more about themselves, but more about others too.
On Tuesday, Father Daniel Gee gave the fourth lecture in his series on Confession. His talk reviewes all the important parts of the sacrament.
First is preparation, outlining our sins, but not looking too hard to outline the source of the sins. Second is contrition, and this is the part where we recognize "this is what I am." We also must remember at this part that God is giving us the grace to seek forgiveness. Third is the resolution: how, practically and concretely, can I strive not to sin? We must ask ourselves this and work out ways for our own situation. Fourth comes confession. In confession we must remember to be specific, but not in too much detail. Fifth is the exortation and penance: we must listen carefully to the confessor at this time.
“It is also a good idea to do the penance as soon as possible, immediately after confession if we can,” explained Fr. Gee. “If you ever get a penance you absolutely cannot do, don’t be afraid to ask for another penance.”
Sixth is absolution: at this time the confessor says the prayer of absolution and asks God to grant us pardon and peace.
“Bonus time!” said Gee. “We’re getting pardon and peace, the good old-fashioned shalom.”
Finally, we do our penance and complete the sacrament of reconciliation.
Download this talk at Christendom on iTunes U.
At the beginning of this academic year, it was announced to the student body that there would be an Equestrian Program available through the Royal Horseshoe Farm. Several of the students have already taken advantage of the program and go weekly to the stables.
The riders certainly do more than just sit on a couple horses. Even keeping oneself in the proper posture is a workout.
Not only are the lessons comprehensive, but they’re affordable. “It’s the cheapest you’ll ever find for horseback lessons,” exclaimed Sophomore Katie Gutschke.
The fun, benefits, and great price make this a wonderful program.
Junior Elise Anderson heads out on a trail.
Sophomore Katie Gutschke leads her horse into a canter.
Freshman Lisa Hill and Sophomore Grace Bellow make use of the Royal Horseshoe Farm's extensive grounds.
View more pictures at Christendom's Picasa Web Album!
This week I decided to write about a question and answer that strikes close to my heart as a coach of sports and the Athletic Director here at Christendom, and the question is this: If someone plays varsity sports in high school and wants to continue to play in college, why would that person go to Christendom?
My answer is exactly the opposite: if you are a strong Catholic and committed to your Faith and want a solid education, and for icing on the cake you want to play varsity intercollegiate sports, why wouldn’t you come to Christendom?
The intercollegiate sports program at Christendom exists for student-athletes that have been given athletic gifts from God to train those gifts and compete in the sports which they love, all the while not giving up the Catholic environment and education. Often I talk to my old players who are now in college and some of my friends that played sports in college and sometime it seems as though the risk is not worth the reward. The risk of being overrun with the immoral behavior that is rampant on many college campuses across the country or the risk of receiving an education that merely trains one to perform an occupation and not training to form a person capable of making decisions and making a difference in the world which we live in; all for the reward of being able to play intercollegiate varsity sports.
Some don’t even play sports in college; they work hard and play all throughout high school and then go to a big university and have to stop playing these sports, which they worked hard at and thoroughly enjoyed for so long.
At Christendom we offer intercollegiate varsity sports for men and women, and opponents range from smaller Christian bible college to larger Division III schools, covering states from New York to North Carolina. Athletics, particularly intercollegiate varsity sports, offer such a great place to form friendships and build character and virtue, while enjoying a sport that an individual person loves. On top of that, it is a great place for evangelization and Christian sportsmanship to be shown, such as when our soccer teams huddle up at center field following each match and sing “Non Nobis Domine.”
The bottom line is that here at Christendom, student-athletes compete in the sports they love, often against Division III talent, all the while receiving a great education in a Catholic environment that is second to none in its formation and building of friendships.
Intensive Italian and Santa Marinella
Waking up in Rome is an experience like none other. It still feels like a dream to many of us. Though, this Tuesday we woke up to reality quite a bit as we began our week of intensive Italian, which kicked-off our academic semester in Rome. It is a fifteen-minute walk to class at the Istituto SS Maria Bambina around the walls of Vatican City. While walking through St. Peter’s Square, every so often one of the students will be asked to take their picture (by a tourist or even an Italian couple) in front of the obelisk. Taunting the pigeons, while walking through the square, has quickly become a favorite pastime of Nick Freeman, James Hannon, and Troy Spring. During free time in between classes, some of the students will go out to explore and shop. Others attend daily Mass in the chapel at the Istituto.
Everyone took advantage of what the beach had to offer. Liz Newcombe, Janie Wells, Nick Freeman, and James Hannon were just a few who spent a good part of the day playing frisbee and soccer. Others devoted their time to building an amazing sandcastle, which was appreciated by many curious passers-by.
Sunday, the day of rest, definitely lives up to its name in Rome, as one is hard-pressed to find a store or restaurant that is open. Though, if there is one place to go on a Sunday afternoon after Mass, it is Old Bridge Gelateria, located right outside the Vatican walls. A big serving of gelato for a great price makes it well-loved by Christendom students.
Chillin' at the beach: Roman style.
The famous sandcastle at Santa Marinella.
Sarah Massett and Lynn Fraysier get a drink in St. Peter's Square.
Study break on the terrrace.
The view from the terrace of the Istituto where the students study.
Q: I am interested in applying for the upcoming Spring semester. What do I have to do, and when?
A: If someone wishes to enter Christendom in the Spring, they need to fill out our regular application and simply mark on it that they are interested in attending in Spring 2010. Both first-time freshmen and transfers are accepted at this time. For those who are transferring, we need to receive your college transcripts before we can send your application to our Admissions Committee.
Applications should be submitted prior to November 1, although I would recommend submitting it even earlier, if at all possible. The Spring 2010 semester begins on January 16. Normally, we admit about 15-20 students each Spring, and we should be able to admit about the same this upcoming Spring as well.
If someone is interested in applying for financial aid, the financial aid form (found on our website) must be completed and filled out in a timely fashion as well.
So, anyone interested in attending Christendom this Spring should fill out the application, fill in the financial aid form, and expect to hear from us near the beginning of December.
Director of Admissions
tmcfadden@christendom.edu
800.877.5456 ext. 1290
If anyone has questions about applying, visiting, scholarships, financial aid, campus life, rules and regulations, majors, core curriculum, transfer credits, or even about the food here at Christendom, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.
Age: 18
Year: Freshman
From: Woodstock, MD
Major: Undeclared
Hobbies? I play piano, guitar, organ, and clarinet. I also like dancing, singing, talking, and laughing with friends.
What's your favorite class? Latin 201 with Dr. Clark. He takes a dead language and manages to give it more life than you would believe. The way he teaches us with energy, joy, and simplicity really keeps learning fun.
Do you play any sports? Yes, I am the goalie for the soccer team, and I play on the basketball team... I also plan on doing all the intramurals.
Do you participate in any drama or music related activities? Not currently, but I do plan on singing in the choir or possibly auditioning for a Christendom play before I graduate.
What is your favorite thing about Christendom? The excellent formation of body, mind, and soul. I am learning from excellent professors, receiving sound instruction in the Faith, and playing sports with great guys, excellent coaching, and healthy competition.
Why did you choose Christendom? I have two older sisters that came to Christendom, and I had the privilidge of visiting them occasionally during the school year. The exposure to the faithful community and wholesome atmosphere convinced me that Christendom was the place for me.
Plans after graduation? After graduation I see myself as a teacher, lawyer, FBI agent, pilot, musician, astronaut or possibly working as a salesman for Christendom.
Life on Tap
John Donovan explains the strategy of searching for a good career.
Outstanding Talent at Piano Night
This year the underclassmen were more strongly represented with five freshmen and seven sophomore performers, while Junior Steven Curtin and Senior Matthew Lancaster represented their classes.
“The performances were all outstanding,” said Christendom Professor of History Anthony Sheehan. “The skill of the musicians, despite there being no music program at the college, was excellent.”
Sophomores Elizabeth Sartor and Alex Kecskes both presented original compositions. Freshman John Rogers and Senior Matt Lancaster had self-arranged medleys. But original or not, the incredible talent of the room was undeniable; the full audience was testament to that.
“Christendom has many great performances to look forward to over the coming years,” said Lancaster.
Chronicler Online Reporter and Sophomore Liz Sartor performs an original composition.
Western Movie Night
While observing that a large amount of the audience was male, Senior Katherine Sartor said with a smile that the film "was good, but it’s definitely a guy’s movie!”
Students enjoyed the movie, and are looking forward to a real western experience at the rescheduled Texas Western Night!
Open House
Gregorian Chant and Active Participation in the Mass
Senior and music minor Nathan Scott commented, “I thought it was really interesting what he said about how the entrance hymn doesn’t give as much focus to the procession, because we are singing and are distracted, whereas if we have an introit chanted by a schola, we benefit a lot more from the beauty of the procession.”
The talk was followed by questions and a brief reception. It was the first event of the Beato Fra Angelica Fine Art Series.
Mahrt directs the St. Ann Choir at Stanford.
Senior Visit Day
On Monday the Admissions office hosted it's first Senior Visit Day. Visiting students learned about Christendom's unique academic, spiritual, and cultural life from various presenters. They were also able to have lunch with faculty members and sit in on classes. The next Senior Visit Day is scheduled for Monday, October 12, 2009—Columbus Day. Find out more here. 
Visitors enjoy lunch with Literature Professor Dr. Patrick Keats.
A student panel answered a wide array of questions: from sports to the spiritual life.
Admissions Director Tom McFadden explains Christedoms one-of-a-kind location in Rome—right next to the Vatican.
The Death of Lenin
"On January 20, 1924 Lenin died in his bed in agony and terror, his body racked by convulsions so violent that they flung it into the air," Carroll said. "Such was the death of Lenin, and the proof that God's vengeance on an evil soul can take place in this world as well as in the next. 'Vengeance is Mine,' says the Lord."
Download this talk at Christendom on iTunes U.
Temperaments and Treats
“I had heard some of it before, but not in that way," Freshman Lisa Vincente said. "It was a great talk—really interesting.”
The girls appreciated the opportunity to learn not only more about themselves, but more about others too.
Dr. Flippen explains how you can know if you're Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, or Phlegmatic.
The Grace to Seek Forgiveness
First is preparation, outlining our sins, but not looking too hard to outline the source of the sins. Second is contrition, and this is the part where we recognize "this is what I am." We also must remember at this part that God is giving us the grace to seek forgiveness. Third is the resolution: how, practically and concretely, can I strive not to sin? We must ask ourselves this and work out ways for our own situation. Fourth comes confession. In confession we must remember to be specific, but not in too much detail. Fifth is the exortation and penance: we must listen carefully to the confessor at this time.
“It is also a good idea to do the penance as soon as possible, immediately after confession if we can,” explained Fr. Gee. “If you ever get a penance you absolutely cannot do, don’t be afraid to ask for another penance.”
Sixth is absolution: at this time the confessor says the prayer of absolution and asks God to grant us pardon and peace.
“Bonus time!” said Gee. “We’re getting pardon and peace, the good old-fashioned shalom.”
Finally, we do our penance and complete the sacrament of reconciliation.
Download this talk at Christendom on iTunes U.
Equestrian Program
The instructor, Tina Anderson, teaches more than just the basics. Last week, Junior Elise Anderson was working with keeping an uncooperative horse under control.
“It’s a great way to relieve stress,” said Sophomore Grace Bellow, “and it’s also good exercise.”
Not only are the lessons comprehensive, but they’re affordable. “It’s the cheapest you’ll ever find for horseback lessons,” exclaimed Sophomore Katie Gutschke.
The fun, benefits, and great price make this a wonderful program.
Junior Elise Anderson heads out on a trail.
Sophomore Katie Gutschke leads her horse into a canter.
Freshman Lisa Hill and Sophomore Grace Bellow make use of the Royal Horseshoe Farm's extensive grounds.
View more pictures at Christendom's Picasa Web Album!
Why Wouldn't You Come to Christendom?
My answer is exactly the opposite: if you are a strong Catholic and committed to your Faith and want a solid education, and for icing on the cake you want to play varsity intercollegiate sports, why wouldn’t you come to Christendom?
Some don’t even play sports in college; they work hard and play all throughout high school and then go to a big university and have to stop playing these sports, which they worked hard at and thoroughly enjoyed for so long.
At Christendom we offer intercollegiate varsity sports for men and women, and opponents range from smaller Christian bible college to larger Division III schools, covering states from New York to North Carolina. Athletics, particularly intercollegiate varsity sports, offer such a great place to form friendships and build character and virtue, while enjoying a sport that an individual person loves. On top of that, it is a great place for evangelization and Christian sportsmanship to be shown, such as when our soccer teams huddle up at center field following each match and sing “Non Nobis Domine.”
The bottom line is that here at Christendom, student-athletes compete in the sports they love, often against Division III talent, all the while receiving a great education in a Catholic environment that is second to none in its formation and building of friendships.
Intensive Italian and Santa Marinella
On Saturday, a group of us took a day trip to Santa Marinella, a beautiful coastal town on the Mediterranean Sea. After an hour's train ride, we arrived on the sandy beaches, which were warm, inviting, and much-appreciated after a week of studying Italian.
Sunday, the day of rest, definitely lives up to its name in Rome, as one is hard-pressed to find a store or restaurant that is open. Though, if there is one place to go on a Sunday afternoon after Mass, it is Old Bridge Gelateria, located right outside the Vatican walls. A big serving of gelato for a great price makes it well-loved by Christendom students.
Chillin' at the beach: Roman style.
The famous sandcastle at Santa Marinella.
Sarah Massett and Lynn Fraysier get a drink in St. Peter's Square.
Study break on the terrrace.
The view from the terrace of the Istituto where the students study.
Q: I am interested in applying for the upcoming Spring semester. What do I have to do, and when?
A: If someone wishes to enter Christendom in the Spring, they need to fill out our regular application and simply mark on it that they are interested in attending in Spring 2010. Both first-time freshmen and transfers are accepted at this time. For those who are transferring, we need to receive your college transcripts before we can send your application to our Admissions Committee.
Applications should be submitted prior to November 1, although I would recommend submitting it even earlier, if at all possible. The Spring 2010 semester begins on January 16. Normally, we admit about 15-20 students each Spring, and we should be able to admit about the same this upcoming Spring as well.
If someone is interested in applying for financial aid, the financial aid form (found on our website) must be completed and filled out in a timely fashion as well.
So, anyone interested in attending Christendom this Spring should fill out the application, fill in the financial aid form, and expect to hear from us near the beginning of December.
Director of Admissions
tmcfadden@christendom.edu
800.877.5456 ext. 1290
If anyone has questions about applying, visiting, scholarships, financial aid, campus life, rules and regulations, majors, core curriculum, transfer credits, or even about the food here at Christendom, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.