Baby Narek

For all those former students who have been writing and wondering what baby Narek Michael is looking like, he continues to change by the day--we'll actually by the hour.

In general he is a good boy with a very lively personality.  He loves the fresh air and his brothers of course.

Recovering Tradition

 Another case in point: I took a group of students to a shooting range in the neighboring town.  In the introduction, they said it was a relatively modern shooting guild, dating back ONLY about 400 years.  Hello, that is how old our country is!  For us, that is recent but more on the ancient side of the timeline!

Inevitably, as students travel Europe and experience the awe and grandeur of its historic churches, architecture, folk customs and symbols, they are confronted with the meaning of tradition.  What is it?  What's in it for me?

When compared with today's global megapolis we can be tempted to think of tradition as a relic of the past, as a sad step backwards.  On the other hand, as Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira (one of contributors to the blog Nobility and Analogous  Traditional Elites) wisely points out,

In the midst of the whirlwind that is overthrowing all hierarchies and blowing away all clothing, tradition feels like stifling yoke. But when the triumphant vulgarity of an increasingly egalitarian world, the noisy, frantic, and hurly-burly rhythm of daily life, and the instability threatening all institutions, all rights and all situations cause neurosis, anguish and stress in millions of our contemporaries, then tradition appears to them as an elevated rest for the soul, good sense, good breeding, good order and, in a word, the art of living wisely.

What then should we make of tradition, and what is it properly understood? 

To answer, I will again quote from de Oliveira's article on Tradition: True tradition, in principle, is neither for the past as such nor for the present as such. It presupposes two principles: (a) that every authentic and living order of things has in itself a continuous impulse toward improvement and perfection; (b) that, therefore, true progress is not to break but to go on to the heights.  In short, tradition is the sum of the past plus a present that is akin to it. Today should not be the denial of yesterday, but rather its harmonious continuation.

He continues with a concrete example: our Christian tradition is an incomparable value that must rule the present. It acts, for example, so that equality may not be understood as the sweeping away of the elites and as an apotheosis of vulgarity; so that liberty may not serve as a pretext for chaos and depravity; so that dynamism does not become frenzy; so that technology does not enslave man. In a word, it aims to prevent progress from becoming inhuman, unbearable, and hateful.

Therefore, tradition does not mean to stifle progress, but to protect it from going absurdly far astray as to become organized barbarity.

Indeed as students travel Europe they are confronted with tradition and forced to grapple with its essence.  From my experience, this is one of the great "teachable moments" we have here in our study abroad program.  Through their travels, they directly experience the beauty of tradition in its positive sense.  They can inhale its continuity with the present and view the constant challenge it presents as they seek to live wisely and grabble with the impulse towards improvement and perfection. 

As we gear up to another semester, part of my hope and prayer is that the students will come to imbibe tradition and come away from this experience freer and more ennobled. 

Shout Out: A new Program in Ethical Leadership

For all those students, staff, alumni, and friends of Steubenville, there is a new program in Ethical Leadership being offered at King's College, Cambridge.  For all those who may be interested, you can access more information on their website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/graduate/ethical-leadership

They have both part-time and full-time options and are offering scholarships since this will be their first year in launch.

Characteristics of Student Leaders

During the study abroad semester, the overall end result is often influenced by whether or not there were a significant number of student leaders in the group.  When leaders are present, success is inevitable.  So what are the qualities of student leaders, those which influence and shape their groups' semester?

Over the past five years of working and watching students, I would put these in my top 10: 


1.  Rooted in prayer.  It is in and through prayer that our apostolate becomes effective. 


2.  Steeped in silence.  In silence, they can hear the Lord's directives and heed his call. 


3.  Practice social virtues.  Students who understand how to listen, to be gracious, to smile, and engage in conversation create an atmosphere of peace and kindness which is contagious and sets the tone. 


4.  Passions under control.  Reals student leaders can control their passions and don't make pleasure their end.  In our classical / Catholic tradition, pleasure accompanies the good but is never the end of our actions.  


5.  Servant leader.  Student leaders are servants, metaphorically, "washing the feet" of their peers. 
6.  Good time management.  Student leaders are balanced, making time for exercise, leisure, prayer, and or course studies.  Student leaders study first. 


7.  Organized.  Organization leads to success because it allows for one to accomplish the task at hand with the necessary tools.  Disorganization in outer things reflects disorganization within. 


8.  Dress with class.  Student leaders know how to dress modestly yet with class and style.  This raises the bar in the classroom, the chapel and on campus.  


As St. Frances de Sales points out in his famous Introduction to the Devout Life, "Now, modesty in dress and its appurtenances depends upon the quality, the fashion and the cleanliness thereof. As to cleanliness, that should be uniform, and we should never, if possible, let any part of our dress be soiled or stained. External seemliness is a sort of indication of inward good order, and God requires those who minister at His Altar, or minister in holy things, to be attentive in respect of personal cleanliness.

As to the quality and fashion of clothes, modesty in these points must depend upon various circumstances, age, season, condition, the society we move in, and the special occasion. Most people dress better on a high festival than at other times; in Lent, or other penitential seasons, they lay aside all gay apparel; at a wedding they wear wedding garments, at a funeral, mourning garb; and at a king's court the dress which would be unsuitable at home is suitable.

A wife may and should adorn herself according to her husband's wishes when he is present;--if she does as much in his absence one is disposed to ask in whose eyes she seeks to shine? We may grant somewhat greater latitude to maidens, who may lawfully desire to attract many, although only with the view of ultimately winning one in holy matrimony....Always be neat, do not ever permit any disorder or untidiness about you. There is a certain disrespect to those with whom you mix in slovenly dress; but at the same time avoid all vanity, peculiarity, and fancifulness. As far as may be, keep to what is simple and unpretending--such dress is the best adornment of beauty and the best excuse for ugliness. S. Peter bids women not to be over particular in dressing their hair. Every one despises a man as effeminate who lowers himself by such things, and we count a vain woman as wanting in modesty, or at all events what she has becomes smothered among her trinkets and furbelows. They say that they mean no harm, but I should reply that the devil will contrive to get some harm out of it all.

For my own part I should like my devout man or woman to be the best dressed person in the company, but the least fine or splendid, and adorned, as S. Peter says, with "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit."

9.  Generous.  Student leaders are generous with their time, talent, and treasure.  

10.  Humble.  Student leaders are humble about their success.  They are never showy, flaunting, flatterers, or prideful in their mood, speech, or action. 

May we be blessed with many students leaders this next semester and for every semester to come! 

Perhaps the biggest class ever? / Otto von Hapsburg dies

It is true, we are slated to receive the largest class in the twenty year history of the Gaming program.  This fall we have nearly 185 students enrolled and ready to come.  To date, our largest class is 181 back in the fall of 2009.  If we do end up having our largest class it will have the privilege of celebrating with Fr. Terry, the 20th Anniversary celebration on the first weekend in September.

Until then, after our first ever pilot summer program, everybody is on vacation and many of us (including myself) are enjoying time back in the States.  The Kartause is like a ghost town, with tourists and wedding guests being the primary guests.  But that will change soon enough in mid August when the RA's descend to begin yet another semester.

If you haven't heard, Otto von Hapsburg recently passed away at the venerable age of  98.  He was a honored guest here at the Kartause for many years spoke to the students on politics, history, religion, and European affairs.  If the Holy Roman Empire was still in existence, he would be Emperor.  He was a true gentleman who was constantly striving to rebuild Europe and preserve its Christian identity. His burial with be July 16th at the Capuchin church in Vienna where we usually say Mass as a group.  Now, we will be able to honor his grave and seek his intercession.  May he rest in peace!