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Post by td128 on Mar 14, 2020 15:23:22 GMT -5
I believe in many things including redemption, humility, and a commitment to excellence. I also like winning and the impact that truly competitive programs have on a college campus.
Think Iona would make this hire without already having checked with the NCAA to see if there were any impending meaningful violations?
I applaud Iona President Seamus Carey for having the fortitude and vision to make this move. I would fully expect that Iona will play many high profile OOC games at MSG.
Social media is exploding with 98% positive commentary on this hire. Can't buy press like that.
When schools in the northeast are fighting ever harder for students and the do re mi of endowment dollars are increasingly important, opportunities to hire individuals who can have an impact such as RP are typically non-existent.
Oh, what might have been. Another huge missed opportunity for the Crusaders. And if you are wondering if my comment here means what you might think it does.
The answer is YES.
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Post by td128 on Mar 13, 2020 8:38:06 GMT -5
I sent this out to the faithful this morning and welcome sharing it with the loyal friends, fans, and followers of the Crusaders who frequent these parts:
Fellow Crusaders,
When we launched the 90-Wide in the fall of 2009, there were many reasons we put forth at the time as to the likely benefits of the program. We have realized many of those benefits relating to the endless relationships that have developed over the years. In fact, I would venture to say that the benefits of the 90-Wide have far exceeded anything that we may have imagined those ten plus years ago.
As I sit here now reflecting on the 90-Wide and the truly awesome family that is our Crusader Football program and the College of the Holy Cross at large, I think about just how great it is to have this best in class mentoring program in place for the benefit of all our Crusaders both on and now especially off the field and off campus.
I do not want to take up too much of your time in light of all that is going on in the world today, but I am compelled to write and encourage us all to come together like never before. In doing so, we can not only weather this proverbial storm that is sweeping our nation and the world but we can AND WILL come out stronger on the other side AND we will do just that.
So what are my asks?
Mentors: please reach out to your Crusader mentees and let them know that you are there for them as they head home and continue their academic programs and training away from their brothers and sisters on campus. (I am attaching the 90-Wide file to this message for this purpose)
Mentors and Alumni on this distribution: Aside from engaging your Crusader mentees and letting them know that you are there for them, clearly many companies' summer internship programs may very well get turned upside down if this current situation persists and our Crusaders end up staying home throughout the summer until returning to campus for summer camp. On that note, if you have internship or work opportunities in your companies that our Crusaders living within your area may be able to fill, let's make that happen. Please communicate with me so that I can share those situations with the Crusaders.
The jobs of our coaching staff do not stop despite the current developments. Coach Chesney and staff, please lean on us. Need a place to stay if/when you resort to driving on recruiting trips? I am highly confident that our Crusader alumni would welcome playing host to you if/when you are in the neighborhood so to speak. Just ask and I welcome making calls and connections.
Crusaders: do not be bashful in reaching out to your mentors and share your insights and perspectives. None of us have ever experienced a situation such as this and especially from the perspective of an undergraduate Division 1 student-athlete. You are not now or ever on your own. We are family. Reach out and engage.
I am heartened to already hear of tremendous engagement between our Crusader brothers and their families at this time. I am equally heartened to hear of offers made by alumni to open their businesses for the support of our Crusaders.
I did not think it might be possible to be more proud of being a Crusader than I was a mere few weeks ago BUT I AM now and am forever grateful to be a member of this special family.
THANK YOU one and all.
In conclusion, when we talk about our mission, ( "a commitment to excellence in helping our Crusaders win on and off the field") now more than ever is the time for us to express and display that commitment.
Think of it. The 500 Crusaders on this distribution would not currently -- and should not -- be allowed to physically gather as a group. That said, we can effectively gather online as we are via this distribution. In that light, and in a manner of speaking, I guess we can now add to the benefits of the 90-Wide and write the following:
"90-Wide Benefits: very useful and beneficial to have in case of global pandemic."
Oh wow . . . who would have thought.
Adversity presents opportunity so . . . LET'S WIN.
LD lwdoyle128@aol.com
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Post by td128 on Jan 20, 2020 9:48:01 GMT -5
In an attempt to provide a degree of perspective to the conversation, I welcome highlighting the following points regarding our current Holy Cross Football program:
1. A young, dynamic and energetic head coach for whom the players clearly like to play.
2. A PLC in Year 2 of the Chesney-era. Oh my.
3. Quality of incoming recruits is higher than what has been experienced atop Mt. St. James in a long time.
4. Highly attractive future schedules replete with games against traditional rivals, selected BCS games, and league games. To focus on one game as yet unannounced to potentially spoil the overall quality of these schedules is the ultimate in focusing on a sapling amidst a bountiful forest.
5. Facilities that a year ago were ranked among the ABSOLUTE BEST NEW facilities in the nation including the top BCS programs.
6. An Alumni Mentoring Program that is best in class and is firing on all cylinders in terms of impacting our recruiting, our current student-athletes' development, and recent alumni career growth.
7. An energized alumni that has reconnected with the program in a big way as exemplified by the turnout at events, festivities, and games.
I appreciate that there were many long days walking lonely through that desert wondering if anybody atop Mt. St. James actually cared about Holy Cross Football but those days are now in the past and days of being perennial league champs, attracting ever more qualified future Crusaders, and transforming the program and by extension the college are right in front of us.
I welcome helping further energize the supporters of Holy Cross Football so that the administration has no other choice but to get on board and ride this train to the promised land. In the process, one can only hope that the administration gains an even greater appreciation for what vibrant and successful athletic programs mean to the health and well being of the campus community and the college at large.
For those who want to get distracted by one game as yet unannounced , I think you are missing out on what is a thoroughly enjoyable ride but we still have seats available in case you care to get on board.
LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Jan 15, 2020 15:27:11 GMT -5
Thank you hcbball . . . on that note . . .
Prayer For Healing After Car Accident
“Oh Lord, please place your healing hands on Our Holy Cross Women's Crew Team
Bring them healing energy. Help them recover physically, mentally emotionally and spiritually.
Send your healing angels and let them fill their bodies and souls with your healing love.
Dear God, please bring them strength to fight for their life.
And fill them with hope, courage and love.
Bring their families the strength they need.
Let their families see them recover in your faith.
Oh Lord, please give wisdom to their doctors and nurses.
So they can help them in recovery.
Please, God, help them to heal fully so they can go home to their loved ones.
Let the angels guide them through their recovery.
So they can enjoy their life next to their family.”
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Post by td128 on Jan 15, 2020 12:03:16 GMT -5
This morning, members of the Holy Cross women's rowing team were involved in a serious crash while traveling in Florida. The College is in contact with authorities in Florida and is in the process of gathering more information. Holy Cross has been in touch with the families of those students and coaches and are offering support for all those involved. We ask that you keep all those involved and their families in your prayers at this time. For those needing to talk to someone, the Office of College Chaplains and the Counseling Center are both open today.goholycross.com/news/2020/1/15/athletics-important-information-regarding-holy-cross-womens-rowing.aspxPrayer For Healing After Car Accident “Oh Lord, please place your healing hands on Our Holy Cross Women's Crew Team
Bring them healing energy. Help them recover physically, mentally emotionally and spiritually.
Send your healing angels and let them fill their bodies and souls with your healing love.
Dear God, please bring them strength to fight for their life.
And fill them with hope, courage and love.
Bring their families the strength they need.
Let their families see them recover in your faith.
Oh Lord, please give wisdom to their doctors and nurses.
So they can help them in recovery.
Please, God, help them to heal fully so they can go home to their loved ones.
Let the angels guide them through their recovery.
So they can enjoy their life next to their family.”
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Post by td128 on Jan 14, 2020 15:00:27 GMT -5
Holy cross Fan #1
@holycrossfan11
@jentandg
Holy Cross freshman guard Drew Lowder is transferring, sources told ESPN. Michigan native was averaging 14.1 points and 3.3 assists and shooting 42.0% from 3 through 12 games this season.
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Post by td128 on Jan 9, 2020 16:24:01 GMT -5
As reported on Football Scoop: New Hampshire (FCS): Sounds like good news for Sean McDonnell. Chemo over. Surgery done. Mac is coming back!footballscoop.com/the-scoop/With more than enough bad news in the world today, nice to see some good news. Sincere best wishes to Coach Mac for a continued clean bill of health and all good things going forward . . . except when the Wildcats play the Crusaders.
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Post by td128 on Dec 24, 2019 9:47:15 GMT -5
Dave, Wow. Talk about an ability of taking lemons and making lemonade. I honestly was thinking that a consensus might develop to give you a form of Crusader Dispensation this year but once again you display a level of class and character that puts you into rarefied air around these parts. I took particular pleasure in seeing the reference to the 90-Wide as well. I hereby confer upon you this Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa Well done, very well done!! Merry Christmas!!
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Post by td128 on Dec 16, 2019 14:25:18 GMT -5
td128 - I am filled with respect and admiration for the extraordinary opportunities you provide for HC"s scholar-athletes in service to them and to HC. Amazing! You are "a man for others" in keeping with the spirit of our great college. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you & your family. LoveHC Your gracious sentiments are deeply appreciated. There is a healthy difference of opinion on this board on an array of topics but on the one topic that rises above all, I think I can speak in a profound and unified voice regarding our love for Alma Mater. LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Dec 16, 2019 6:36:54 GMT -5
What a weekend for the Crusaders. As one longtime assistant coach at HC told me, "The games may be played during the fall but they are really won and lost on the weekends when prospects visit campus."
Major props to Coach Chesney and staff for aiming high, daring to be great and doing the necessary things to attract student-athletes of the sort like Byron Shipman and Malik Scott et al to Worcester.
Think coaches across the Patriot League are taking notice of these commitments? No doubt.
Mr. Shipman's list of offers is the sort not typically seen in the Patriot League. Nor is Mr. Scott's, which if we can trust this site, Rivals, indicates the following schools as having offered this future Crusader: Air Force (decommitted), Army, Cincinnati, North Carolina State, and Syracuse n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/malik-scott-186035#school-interests
Not a stretch to think that current Crusaders Ayir Asante and Ben Blessing shared their experiences at the Cross with their former high school teammates.
Great things can happen with leadership. Stating the obvious but student-athletes with skill levels like Mr. Shipman and Mr. Scott are game-changers . They have a profoundly positive impact on a team, a program, a campus, and a community.
Welcome to Worcester, gentlemen!!
LET'S WIN!!
Friends of Crusader Football Mission: a commitment to excellence in helping our Crusaders win on and off the field.
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Post by td128 on Dec 15, 2019 8:51:00 GMT -5
"Elected officials who are Catholic do not jeopardize their relationship with the Church by supporting legislation like the Roe Act anymore than if they support legislation upholding divorce which also contravenes Catholic doctrine."I am not so sure about that, especially given that many legislative bodies have passed legislation approving abortion at any point during the pregnancy and some pols have gone so far as to legitimizing infanticide. So before we roll over and accept this 'anything goes' approach to the treatment of the unborn and how we view pols who would call themselves Catholic in the process, I welcome submitting the following commentary to the debate: This is how to deal with pro-abortion Catholic politicians: catholicherald.co.uk/dailyherald/2019/05/21/this-is-how-to-deal-with-pro-abortion-catholic-politicians/Another bishop shows Dolan what to do about people like Governor Cuomo
It’s rare these days to find Catholics who want to enter into public service as Catholics. Most want to be “personally Catholic” and “publicly Liberal.”
Wherever the Catholic standard does not agree with the constantly shifting standard of “public reason,” for too many Catholic politicians, their faith loses every time. That’s bad for them, for the faith, and for the common good too. It’s bad for Catholic children to see very public Catholic role models teach with their laws things contrary to the Faith they share. It’s bad for non-Catholics to see Catholic politicians teaching to citizens through their legislation things which are untrue and immoral.
For this reason, bishops have an obligation to help hold Catholic politicians to the standard of their own faith. In a recent letter, Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane did just that, writing that Catholic politicians who support abortion must not present themselves for communion at Masses.
Efforts to expand access to abortion, allowing murder of children up to the moment of birth is evil. Children are a gift from God, no matter the circumstances of their conception. They not only have a right to life, but we as a society have a moral obligation to protect them from harm.
The champion of this abortion legislation is Andrew Cuomo, a Catholic and governor of New York. Governor Cuomo frequently cites his Catholic faith in support of legislation he favors. His public witness as a Catholic politician, coupled with his stalwart support of abortion, is unacceptable.
Politicians who reside in the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, and who obstinately persevere in their public support for abortion, should not receive Communion without first being reconciled to Christ and the Church (cf. Canon 915; “Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles.” Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2004).
Bishop Daly is to be applauded for actually taking his responsibilities as a Bishop seriously enough to use the disciplines of the Church to admonish and teach his flock. However, Bishop Daly doesn’t address any politician in Spokane, but one in the Archdiocese of New York, namely Governor Cuomo.
A spokesman for the Diocese told J.D. Flynn of the Catholic News Agency that Bishop Daly’s letter “is not commenting directly on any one politician in his diocese, but making clear that it is important to understand that the Catholic faith and public abortion advocacy are incompatible. The principle is that if one persists in a public way in supporting abortion access they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion.”
In response to Catholics who demand that Governor Cuomo be excommunicated, Cardinal Dolan has claimed that it would be counter-productive. But perhaps Bishop Daly offers some good fraternal advice to Cardinal Dolan, appealing not to Canons 1398 or 1399 which concern excommunication but to Canon 915, which says that anyone who “obstinately” perseveres in “manifest grave sin” are also not to be admitted to Holy Communion. What could be more manifest, or more gravely sinful, than promoting abortion on demand, the direct intentional killing of human life, legal from conception to the hospital delivery room? What could be more evident than the fact that Governor Cuomo obstinately perseveres, in outward defiance of his own faith.
Cardinal Dolan could write a similar letter which would not be counter-productive, but could on the contrary be an important teaching moment for all.
C C Pecknold is Associate Professor of Theology, and a Fellow of the Institute for Human Ecology, at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC
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Post by td128 on Dec 14, 2019 6:10:48 GMT -5
I know of another Bishop who MOST definitely supports OUR Crusaders. The question -- perhaps less a question and more a statement of fact -- is that our faculty and our administration do NOT support the Bishop. (https://www.telegram.com/news/20190526/letter-mourning-loss-of-holy-cross-catholic-identity)
Who does appreciate the support of the Bishop for OUR Crusaders? Coach Chesney.
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Post by td128 on Dec 13, 2019 6:06:36 GMT -5
Mr. Sarasota, as a longtime reader and somewhat regular commentator at this site, I welcome the fact that you are back on this board and I welcome sharing with you that I have real respect for your spirit and concern for Alma Mater. A few comments: 1. You are correct that there are many within our ranks of alumni and on the Board who would choose to move to a D3 status tomorrow. I think an overwhelming number of our faculty fall within this camp. While there are many highly respected individuals in this camp, there are certainly some cancers within our midst as well including those who knew of a prospective professor's writings defiling the good name and honor of our Lord and Savior prior to hiring said individual and still moved forward with the recommendation to hire. What do you do with cancer? You localize it, degrade it and then ultimately cut it out. 2. With all due respect, though, you could not be more wrong with your assessment that: "HC has no sports identity with the 17 yr olds in the U.S. who would apply to HC". On that note, I can introduce you to 90 of the most remarkable young current Crusaders from truly incredible families representing a vibrant cross-section of our American social fabric who have chosen to matriculate at Holy Cross given ALL that it represents. To think otherwise simply is not an accurate statement. What is missing and why does Holy Cross seem to perpetually under perform within this realm? A lack of real leadership and commitment on campus and within the ranks of our Board of Trustees which understands and embraces the fact that the vision for Holy Cross as THE preeminent Catholic undergraduate institution in America can be meaningfully advanced with a truly vibrant, healthy and competitive athletics program that is defined by a commitment to excellence in winning on and off the field. Please do not think that a move to D3 means that we might win at that level. Those with an antipathy for competitive athletics at the D1 level are not about to have an epiphany and aspire for athletic excellence at the D3 level. In very short order, IMO Alma Mater would likely take on the patina of Vassar, Bates, and Connecticut College. There is NO shortage of schools within our geographic target area to compete for students aspiring to matriculate at these sorts of institutions. ( See more under the heading: Show me a good loser and I'll show you a LOSER!!) We can go that route and accede to the wishes of the faculty, selected alums and many within our administration OR . . . . We can truly commit ourselves to excellence and develop future leaders for our college and our country. This is ALREADY happening (perhaps against the better wishes of some) and our 90-Wide Mentoring program is playing a very meaningful role in delivering on this. While selected programs on campus are wallowing in mediocrity at best and a certain few far worse that that, our Holy Cross Crusader Football program is THRIVING. Might this be replicated across all our programs? That is a ground ball BUT it requires a desire on the part of the administration to do so. To wit, I hope anybody who might read this comment and thread will take a few minutes and read the following as examples of what I mean: chuchurahrah.blogspot.com/2018/07/90-wide-mentoring-impact-report.htmlIf you do not want to read all 15 profiles of the Crusaders on that link, please scroll forward and read about Gary Acquah '14, Jon Smith '14 and Tyler Zeoli '15. Special, special, special. These individuals are simply examples of what Holy Cross can produce and they have a LOT of company of other similarly outstanding Crusaders who at this very hour are bringing glory and honor to Alma Mater. IHS
AMDG
LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Dec 10, 2019 9:40:29 GMT -5
td, forgive my ignorance but can't figure out who "GR" is, even in context. The synapses just don't seem to be connecting this morning. I could only think of GateRaider but pretty sure you don't mean him! I am sure it is embarrassingly obvious who you are referring. Who occupied the office on Fenwick 1 After JEB S.J and before FV ?
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Post by td128 on Dec 10, 2019 8:22:47 GMT -5
"IMO, much of the travail affecting the current R. C. church in western Europe and North America is the result of the faithful becoming increasingly literate, knowledgeable, and questioning. They are far less accepting, at face value, of the catechism and doctrinal pronouncements of bishops and priests."
I would wholeheartedly agree with this point and thank you for stating it. I recall as if it were yesterday receiving a response from GR in which he stated that he wanted to "reconcile our faith and culture" during his tenure at Holy Cross. This exact premise that our respected colleague P.Phreek puts forth is what led to the questions and answers behind the ultimate 'resignation' (I'll be kind) of GR saving the college from potential untold shame and dishonor in the process.
Nothing good happens in a vacuum of leadership.
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Post by td128 on Dec 10, 2019 5:31:53 GMT -5
I have often told folks on campus, "If I wanted to go to Tufts or Middlebury or another school of that ilk, I would have. Along those same lines, if you want a school like that, you should just go there."
Regrettably very few have ever chosen to meaningfully engage me on the topic.
Our Church and our college have certainly faced many challenges over the years. Some such as the sexual abuse crisis are of an existential nature. I believe there is a special place in hell for those engaged in such horrific acts or others who would look to cover them up. The hierarchy within the church -- and certainly some more than others (e.g Bernard Law) -- has failed massively in this regard. That said, I am not a big believer in painting (condemning) an entire group with a broad brush nor in attacking an individual messenger so as to distract from a message.
Back to the matter at hand. While I respect the diversity of opinions that are central to a Liberal Arts education, I have little time for those who would openly defile our Lord and Savior and our faith under the umbrella of academic freedom or otherwise. I do not have much time or regard for others who would support that premise or others of a very similar nature.
I have ultimate respect for and welcome fully embracing/supporting those who defend the Catholic principles that are central to our faith and the Jesuit principles upon which our great college was established. I welcome ardently waging that fight to defend the same within my own parish, my own diocese, and my Alma Mater.
I am confident that those who built our great school would hope for and expect nothing less.
For those concerned that Holy Cross runs the risk of being defined as a seminary, I think I missed that seminar during my days on the hill in the early '80s.
IHS
AMDG
LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Dec 8, 2019 11:41:33 GMT -5
A few questions for the faithful who frequent these parts:
If the Worcester Telegram, Boston Globe, NY Times, and/or any other periodical ran a story that the local bishop declared Alma Mater as operating outside the norms of a Catholic institution, do you think the Bishop or the college would take the bigger hit and suffer the more meaningful fallout?
Do you think the Bishop would take such actions unilaterally or in concert with and the support of those to whom he answers?
Do you think the Board of Trustees at Holy Cross who are charged with protecting the good name of the institution would be willing to run the risk of this situation transpiring?
If it did happen, do you think the Annual Fund and other forms of giving would increase, stay the same. or take a hit? If increase/decrease, by how much?
Do you think applications for Admission would increase, stay the same, or decrease? If increase/decrease, by how much?
I could go on but I think these might be sufficient food for thought.
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Post by td128 on Dec 8, 2019 10:38:10 GMT -5
icymi . . . "I accepted the role of bishop because that’s what the Church wanted me to do. I’d never thought about being a bishop. Unfortunately, it’s been a very difficult time in the life of the Church. I’ve been a bishop for 20 years, and for 17 of those, I’ve been dealing with the sexual abuse situation, which is absolutely a scourge. So, there’s many joys. Many, many joys, and I thank God for the gift and the responsibility of being a bishop, but the present context, in the last 17 years, it’s been a cross. But I think that’s God’s providence, because he chose me to be a Bishop and he gives me the graces I need everyday. It’s just amazing the source of strength one gets from meeting people throughout the diocese who are praying for me. If I didn’t have the prayers, I’d be in a mental institution. So it’s been a gift, it’s been a joy, but I’ll be frank in saying that there have been many moments of great suffering."
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Post by td128 on Dec 7, 2019 16:17:50 GMT -5
I have to admit that I am surprised that this interview with Bishop McManus from the November issue of The Fenwick Review has not already been posted here. In any event, this interview crossed my desk earlier today. I might imagine that this interview will generate a fair bit of reaction. As well it should given the increasingly secular narrative and agenda that is propagated atop Mt. St. James. I applaud The Fenwick Review for engaging Bishop McManus and addressing issues that I think the administration having swept them under the rug would have preferred to have kept them there. I applaud Bishop McManus for defending our Catholic faith. He leaves little to interpretation as to where he stands on things. I would think the Board might be convening in short order to address these topics. As well they should. IHS www.thefenwickreview.com/archive/2019/11/16/an-interview-with-bishop-robert-mcmanusA few weeks ago, Co-Editor-in-Chief Jack Rosenwinkel ’21 interviewed Bishop Robert McManus, the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Worcester. They discussed everything from McManus’s own background to what it means for Holy Cross to be an authentically Catholic school. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Questions are in bold; everything else is Bishop McManus.
Bishop McManus was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He entered high school seminary at the age of 14, studied philosophy as a Basselin Scholar at the Catholic University of America, and was ordained a priest in 1978. He has a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. In 1998, he became the rector of Providence’s seminary, and later that year, he was ordained a bishop. He has led the Diocese of Worcester since 2004.
Do you like being a bishop?
I accepted the role of bishop because that’s what the Church wanted me to do. I’d never thought about being a bishop. Unfortunately, it’s been a very difficult time in the life of the Church. I’ve been a bishop for 20 years, and for 17 of those, I’ve been dealing with the sexual abuse situation, which is absolutely a scourge. So, there’s many joys. Many, many joys, and I thank God for the gift and the responsibility of being a bishop, but the present context, in the last 17 years, it’s been a cross. But I think that’s God’s providence, because he chose me to be a Bishop and he gives me the graces I need everyday. It’s just amazing the source of strength one gets from meeting people throughout the diocese who are praying for me. If I didn’t have the prayers, I’d be in a mental institution. So it’s been a gift, it’s been a joy, but I’ll be frank in saying that there have been many moments of great suffering.
Going off that… with the abuse crisis and increasing animosity towards Catholicism, your job has probably gotten a lot harder.
The greatest hurt for a bishop and a parish priest is two-fold. It’s secularism, and then a lot of the mistakes we made in the renewal of the Church after the Second Vatican Council… those two things have decimated the population in terms of practice of the faith.
But I would say it’s a big church and there’s room for everybody as long as you want to be authentically Catholic. That’s what it’s all about. And that’s another difficulty I have. You see it so often with Catholics in public life, especially among Catholic public officials. What’s going on here in Massachusetts is a prime example of this. The mayors of Massachusetts just stood up at a press conference in front of the State House and publicly proclaimed their support for this Roe Act, which promotes abortion. Those Catholic politicians have to realize that by taking a public, pro-abortion stance, they jeopardize their relationship to the Catholic Church. They are, in some level, involved with a very, very grave evil. It’s a type of apostasy.
It’s also very upsetting when Catholic institutions claim to be Catholic but have squandered their Catholic identity. Those are some of the biggest hurts. To see the beauty of the faith either being watered down, or set aside, or actually being repudiated by people who still claim they want to be Catholics. But they can’t have it both ways.
What does it mean for a college to call itself Catholic?
Well, first of all, any Catholic institution can only be called Catholic by the endorsement of the local bishop. The local bishop grants the title of Catholic identity to a local institution, and for very, very serious reasons, could withdraw that Catholic label.
What fundamentally makes Catholic colleges Catholic is that they have to be completely and unambiguously supportive of promoting, fostering, and furthering the great Catholic intellectual tradition, which spans from Jerusalem right to the present moment. Just look at the 13th century. you had St. Francis, St. Dominic, St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Albert the Great—these great intellectuals.
We had two magnificent pontificates with John Paul II and Pope Benedict, which I think was a great moment in the Church’s intellectual tradition. With then with Cardinal Newman’s canonization, we have to stand back and realize that this man—hopefully, someday a Doctor of the Church—has so articulately contributed to the Catholic intellectual tradition. These are the things that a Catholic college or university has to be rooted in.
I think fundamentally, you do that by hiring for mission. You only hire people—even if they’re not Catholic—that thoroughly and authentically commit themselves to supporting the mission. The Catholic identity of a college is completely tied up with the mission, and if we don’t get the mission straight, the identity is going to be undercut. When you don’t hire for mission, you get off the track. Once you get off the track, it’s hard to get off the track, because of tenure. Once you have a tenured professor who’s off the tracks, you have a big problem. There’s very little you can do administratively in that situation.
How do we balance the belief in objective truth and the Catholic intellectual tradition with academic freedom?
Well, it’s very well established in Ex Corde Ecclesiae, by John Paul II. He’s very clear in that document. In 2008, Pope Benedict came to the United States and gave a talk at Catholic University to Catholic educators—from university presidents to elementary school teachers. He talked about academic freedom the way Ex Corde speaks about it, which is to say that a university cannot be a university without academic freedom, but within certain parameters. In some instances, what academic freedom means at Harvard University, or Berkley in California, that type of academic freedom cannot be exercised at a Catholic university, especially in the fields of theological education. Because we are a dogmatic Church, a Church with a whole doctrinal tradition.
As a result, theology is faith seeking understanding. The theological tradition moves forward, but always within the confines of the dogmatic tradition of the Church. There certainly can be a development—Newman makes that clear, and we see it in the Second Vatican Council—but there cannot be theological rupture in the tradition, what Benedict XVI called “a hermeneutic of discontinuity.” We saw this after Vatican II. The mandate of the Council was to bring the tradition forward, but we saw some theologians—and I don’t say it was done with any ill will—actually get off the Catholic rails.
What advice would you give to a student who is in a class, particularly a religious studies class, where they feel like the professor has gotten a little off the rails?
If a student hears something in class that he or she knows is not the teaching of the Church, and if it’s being propagated in a... theological… what do they call it?
Religious studies.
I know, they try to make the distinction between theology and religious studies. Well, fine, make the distinction, but the reality is, it’s a Catholic college, and if you hear something that is contrary to the faith, I think students have a right to put their hand up and respectfully challenge that particular position. Then, they should ask to see the professor—again, in a very respectful and civil way—and raise their objections.
You don’t have to be Catholic to go to a Catholic college, but I think when you go to a Catholic college, or a college that claims to be Catholic and strives to be authentically Catholic, then you’re going to be introduced to the great Catholic intellectual tradition, which may be very contrary to some of the tenets of religion that a non-Catholic student may have.
That is why Ex Corde Ecclesiae says very clearly that a majority of the professors at a Catholic college should be Roman Catholic. I would go a little bit further and say they don’t just need to be Roman Catholics; they have to be Roman Catholics who are committed to the Catholic intellectual tradition. A college is a place where intellectual conversations go on all the time, but what I am finding is, in some quarters, some people who argue in the name of diversity, or argue for tolerance, are unfortunately very intolerant of positions that do not square with them. And if you disagree with them, it’s hate speech. I just find it very intellectually unsettling that this plea for diversity and tolerance often does not play out from their point of view.
Over the years, there have been moments when Holy Cross has been at the center of this debate about what defines a school’s Catholic identity. How do you feel like the school has handled some of these incidents?
I’ve been here 15 years, and I think the college has sometimes handled things very appropriately, and sometimes less so. A couple years ago, when had this controversy over Benny Liew, I was just completely disappointed in the reaction of the College. He shouldn’t have been hired. He shouldn’t still be hired. I don’t think he should be teaching in a Catholic college. He’s still there though.
And then last May, I was upset too. I happened to give a talk up at the Cross for a group of physicians and nurses who are very attached to the Divine Mercy spirituality. I gave on a talk on the Church’s moral concerns about transgenderism. I was very forthright. I never named anyone, never named any colleges, never named faculties… well, there’s an article done in the paper, and I’m being criticized by the chief administrators at the college, saying that my speech was hate speech.
That’s ridiculous! It’s just crazy. These days, I’m less than certain that the Catholic identity of Holy Cross is strong. I’m very concerned.
Does that put Holy Cross’s official Catholic status in jeopardy?
Well, a bishop can remove the Catholic title, but I would rather dialogue with the school. But when it’s cut off by saying, “We don’t want you here on campus,” well, give me a break.
So what do you do? How do you have dialogue if the other side refuses or just says it’s hate speech?
You just have to pray for some type of conversion. It seems to me that when people want to cut off dialogue with these subjective arguments, basically they’re saying, “Well, you’ve hurt my feelings.” And that’s the end of an intellectual conversation, because it’s not about feelings. It’s about truth. It’s difficult.
My concern is, and I’ve said this to Fr. Boroughs, every Catholic kid and Catholic faculty member on that campus is part of my pastoral responsibility, and if I think something is being said or taught that I find dangerous to the faith, then before God I have a responsibility to speak up, and not only at Holy Cross. When people are on campus, they are part of the Church here in Worcester. And I take that seriously.
When young people are at Catholic institutions, they have absolutely every right to be introduced to authentic Catholicism, not a watered-down version of it.
Do you have any final parting words for Holy Cross Students?
Don’t settle for what George Weigel calls, “Lite Catholicism.” Young people want the real McCoy. By your example, your enthusiasm, your practice of the faith… it catches on. When my younger brother graduated college, we moved to Grand Rapids, and he had a roommate. One of the first weekends they were together, my brother gets up and gets dressed to go out. And the roommate goes, “Where are you going?”
My brother says, “Mass.”
“You’re going to Mass?”
My brother goes. Three weeks later, the guy gets up and goes, “I think I’m gonna go to Mass with you.” And he came back to practicing the faith.
You people have a lot of responsibility. But it’s all about prayer. Prayer and living an authentically Catholic life, praying for the conversion of souls. But I ask you all to pray for me, and I pray for the College every day.
AMDG
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Post by td128 on Dec 5, 2019 14:57:52 GMT -5
If anybody had any doubts how the Cornell administration feels about football, read this: A Message From The Chairman August 15, 2019 Dear Friends of Cornell Football,
WELCOME TO THE CFA BIG RED FOOTBALL ALUMNI!
As you know by now, the University does not allow us to use the name “Cornell”. Simply stated, The CFA Board of Directors is disappointed in the actions, and tactics, of the University Administrators.
Remember, we graduated from Cornell. We played football for Cornell. We are Cornell. The University Administrators cannot take that from us.
The Cornell Football Association was formed 25 years ago with the mission of keeping the football alumni connected. The mission of the CFA Big Red Football Alumni is to keep the football alumni connected.
To that end, our organization will conduct three major initiatives in the coming year.
CFA tailgate parties at all home games Annual CFA Awards Day ceremony (October 26th, Ithaca Country Club) Annual CFA Golf Outing on Saturday, August 1st. Now is the time to pull together and support the CFA Big Red Football Alumni. We can best show our strength, by sticking together as a large and vibrant membership group with solidarity in purpose and resolve. Specifically, we are asking for a major turnout on Saturday October 26th for our CFA Awards Day. Join us for the CFA tailgate event on Kite Hill prior to the the Brown game at Schoellkopf Field, followed by our CFA awards Day reception at Ithaca Country Club.
Regarding membership, dues will be $100 per calendar year. These funds will support our administrative costs and CFA tailgates. All other events will be priced at break-even numbers. For those of you that have already paid dues for 2019, please be advised that we are in the process of verifying if the University will be supplying season tickets to CFA members for home games as they have in the past. The CFA will honor our commitment irrespective of the universities position and we will send a CFA membership notice out soon.
bigredalumni.org/chairmans-message-8-15-2019/
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Post by td128 on Dec 4, 2019 8:20:49 GMT -5
Crucis,
Your points are very well taken. Colleges and universities may or may not want to admit it but mental health on campus is IMO in crisis. Many reasons can be assigned for this reality but to deny it would be foolish. Most colleges do not have anywhere near the staff needed to address this issue. A current Crusader near and dear to my heart developed a business plan and pitched it in Holy Cross' Shark Tank competition and to its Ignite Incubator for further development to address this glaring need. The feedback he received from those on and off campus was very supportive. A junior year abroad has the plans on the sidelines currently but to be resurrected in fall 2020.
So what might be done? Increased mentoring/support both on and off campus.
Those in positions of authority who use their influence for their own selfish desires and/or to advance unhealthy if not immoral behaviors should be outed, addressed, exposed, and if need be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
In light of that, "Do those advising students at HC think/believe that protests of the sort that transpired at HC a few weeks back increase stress levels and anxiety, have no impact, or alleviate the same?"
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Post by td128 on Dec 4, 2019 5:09:00 GMT -5
This took me under two minutes to find. www.city-journal.org/college-admissions-cheating-scandalThe salient section tells us: What the pay-to-play admissions scam does not demonstrate, however, is that “legacy” admissions are somehow more corrupt than race-based affirmative-action admission policies—which seems to be the primary lesson that left-wing commentators and politicians are taking from the scandal—or that meritocracy is a “myth” that has now been debunked. Racial preferences are a far more significant deviation from academic meritocracy than legacy preferences, which are not even implicated in the current scandal. An underreported but salient detail in the Singer scam is that he “falsified students’ ethnicities,” according to the New York Times, because “some families and students perceive their racial backgrounds can hurt or aid their chances of getting in to schools that consider race in their admissions decisions.” This is not a mere perception; it is the truth. At Harvard, legacies are better candidates on average than other students, Harvard’s Dean of Admissions William Fitzsimmons said in a 2011 interview. Nevertheless, blacks get a bigger boost than legacies, despite lower academic scores. In fact, the boost from being black is so strong that Harvard limits the contributions of non-race factors to a black applicant’s composite admissions rating. Just being black quadruples your chances of admission to Harvard. The university claims that if race were not a factor, then the percentage of blacks at the school would fall to 0.6 percent, compared with the current 14 percent. The Asian share of the student body would be at least 43 percent, by Harvard’s own estimate, compared with 18 percent, if race were removed from the admissions equation.
HC's memo to class agents yesterday was not perfectly crafted. It said, " They were responding to her premise that discrimination no longer exists and students of color do not belong at elite institutions."
The question is whether McDonald has written something that says that blacks don't belong. A fair reading of the text I posted above would suggest that, when generalizing, McDonald comes close to saying that, although she doesn't go all the way. The College could have written: "Some students who participated told us that they were responding to Ms. McDonald's writings and statements which suggest that discrimination no longer exists and that some less qualified students of color are being admitted to elite institutions and thereby disadvantaging some students from majority groups."One of the problems with the portion of the College's statement is that it generalizes about the intentions of 250 to 300 students. I am sure that there were nuances in their reasons for protesting. Alum, Thank you very much for this insight. Certainly seems like a potentially logical line of reasoning. There is no lack of commentary on the college admissions process. The statement put forth by the college seems to jump to a very aggressive conclusion. Based on the statement alone, I am not so sure our former Jebbie friends would give those who wrote it a passing grade in Logic (one of my all time favorite classes at HC) let alone critical reading and writing. Whatever happened to 'pursuit of the truth' and 'commitment to excellence'?
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Post by td128 on Dec 3, 2019 6:17:07 GMT -5
I hope those frequenting these parts do not go off track in an ad hominem fashion so as to deflect from the meaningful exchange of legitimate thoughts, facts, and opinions submitted here.
A few comments:
I for one would not watch any show if I thought the commentator were racist. I do not watch Tucker Carlson every night but I have watched him enough over the years. I do not uniformly agree/disagree and/or endorse positions and premises put forth by TC or any other commentator. I periodically watch almost every station to hear what they have to say. I will leave it at that.
The college has now put out a very public statement in which it specifically and categorically states that Ms. MacDonald promotes a premise that "students of color do not belong at elite institutions." Strong statement.
If in fact that is the case, who is screening speakers on campus these days and why would Ms. MacDonald have been allowed to speak if in fact she harbors such blatantly racist views? One would think that a statement supporting this premise with specific details and facts would have been shared with the members of The Fenwick Review and none of this would have ever transpired.
On the other hand, I think back to my days in lower Carlin and lower O' Kane in which some of my favorite Jesuits would respond to a statement of that sort, "Ok, scholar, support your premise and make your case."
By putting out that specific assertion, has the college potentially taken a bad situation and just made it worse in an attempt to bring cover and curry favor with the alumni who have clearly overwhelmed the Alumni and Development Offices?
I would not be surprised if we hear more from Ms. MacDonald's camp in regard to the college's statement. If/when that happens, the college should not be surprised.
In anticipation of that, I would think the college and specifically Ms. Murray should preemptively put out its reasoning to "support its premise and make its case" as Jesuit education has instructed all Crusaders across the entire spectrum of ideas over the life of the college.
If in fact Ms. Murray does so, she may be a shining light for all of us both on and off campus. I hope so.
If the powers that be though would like to now conveniently try to sweep this under the rug in the same fashion that the Professor Liew debacle was handled, then opportunity lost for all concerned and especially our current students.
#LEADERSHIP
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Post by td128 on Dec 2, 2019 5:36:04 GMT -5
In the course of my regular reading, I came across these two video clips embedded in stories. Interesting that both documentaries utilize the same two key words in their titles. I would guess that that is intentional on the part of those who produced the second documentary. I welcome sharing them here in furtherance of this discussion. Created Equal: America's Civil Rights Struggle: This clip is only 4 minutes and addresses a series of documentaries produced between 2013 and 2016. I am shocked that this promotional video has seemingly only been viewed 319 times. Maybe I am missing something but that hardly seems possible or if in fact true that is a shame. Here is a link to the National Endowment for the Humanities site covering these documentaries: createdequal.neh.gov/I also welcome sharing a video clip that runs only a few minutes. This promo addresses the story of fellow Crusader Clarence Thomas. The documentary is scheduled to be released in spring 2020. Those who read the book Fraternity know how highly Clarence Thomas holds Fr. John E. Brooks S.J. as a mentor and friend. This video has in excess of 21,000 views. Here is a link to the producer of this documentary: manifoldproductions.com/ClarenceThomasfilm.htmlCreated Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words: I think the college could elevate itself on the national/international stage if it hosted a symposium and invited both Justice Thomas and perhaps Ted Wells or a noted civil rights historian to address the topics covered within these documentaries. That sort of symposium strikes me as what a Jesuit Liberal Arts education is and should be all about unlike the recent clashing of cymbals and disrespect displayed on our campus and further spread via the WSJ. At a bare minimum, I would hope that the administration would seize the opportunity and show these documentaries side by side in the Seelos Theatre or Hogan Ballroom given the demand for seats and then have a Q/A with profs, alums, et al who can speak in a meaningful fashion on the topics covered. Invite Ms. MacDonald back to be part of the forum. Live stream the discussion so that the entire Holy Cross community can observe. #LEADERSHIP
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Post by td128 on Dec 1, 2019 16:38:20 GMT -5
I am SO PROUD of Kalif and SO HAPPY for him. He has truly worked his tail off over the last 4 years and he NEVER stopped believing that he belonged in the league.
A true Crusader in regard to his persistence and determination to fight for everything he has achieved.
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