Hannah Charity is on the editorial board of the Newman Club.
The Newman Club on campus, run by editorial board members, President Emily Theisen ’22, Vice Presidents Sophia Grant ‘22 and Hannah Charity ’22, Treasurer Mac Elizalde ’23, and Senior Advisor Emily Davis ‘23, hosted a plethora of events and outings in collaboration with Parker Diggory, the Director of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL) during Holy Week, the week where Catholics commemorate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, his crucifixion on Good Friday, and his resurrection on Easter. During the Lenten season, Catholics fast, pray, and repent in preparation for Easter when Christ resurrected. The Newman Club members shared their reflections—their experience of being Catholic on campus and the close-knit sense of community—during this hallowed week.
The Holy Week events began with the Palm Cross Making event on Friday, April 10, which took place on the 2nd floor of Case Center. Students stopped by from 2-4:30 p.m. to make their palm crosses. Diggory and Theisen were at the table welcoming students and teaching them how to make crosses. The palms, which are passed out on Palm Sunday, represent Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem days before his crucifixion and the glory of Jesus.
As for Bible Studies, throughout Lent, there have been Bible Studies every Thursday led by Elizabeth Druke ‘22, a member of the Newman Club and Christian Fellowship. “I enjoyed leading Bible Study because it was a good opportunity to gather with other Christians during Lent. The theme was centered around selflessness. It was good to reflect and talk with other students about what selflessness means and how we can be more selfless in our daily lives,” Druke shared. The Newman Club has also been holding Bible Studies at the Wilson Chapel, and the focus has been on The Beatitudes, found in the Gospel of Matthew, which are eight blessings that Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount. The Bible Studies consists of a new student leading every other week (rotating between the e-board members), and members come to read the Bible and participate in the discussion. The meetings are small and intimate, and members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.
On Holy Thursday, April 14, the Newman Club members attended Mass downtown at the Church of Saint Peter, the main church that Newman Club members attend every Sunday. The Mass was special as it celebrates the Last Supper where Jesus ate with his twelve disciples and washed their feet. During the Mass, the washing of the feet ceremony is performed, and the act represents humility and a willingness to serve others. “At the Holy Thursday Mass, it was really moving to witness family members and even strangers wash each other’s feet in imitation of Christ,” Druke said.
The next day on Good Friday, April 15, members of the Newman Club attended the Stations of the Cross event, which took place from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students, staff, families, and local clergy walked around campus to the various stations. The Stations of the Cross consists of fourteen stations, which commemorate the Passion of Christ, from his condemnation to his entombment. Together, they walked around campus: the event began outside of Wilson Chapel, and members made their way past Tisch, Case Green, the library, the Tang, Filene, Falstaff’s, and concluded at the chapel. Grant led the walk, but people took turns reading at the Stations and carrying the cross. “It felt really cool to be leading it. I feel much more engaged and connected to the practices when I’m involved in some way, so leading it made it that much more meaningful,” Grant said.
Grant and Theisen also shared their thoughts on the experience of being Catholic at Skidmore, especially with the openness of their faith during the walk. “It was different to walk through campus with the cross. I didn’t want people to think we were evangelizing; it’s of course fine if that’s what other people feel called to do, but it’s not what I vibe with, so I was conscious of how we were making people feel around us, and in turn I felt a nervousness myself,” Grant said.
Grant calls for more discussion around faith on campus: “I wish there was more discussion on campus about the religious practices and events happening, less so for the people that want to come because they’ll find us anyways, but more so to promote community and understanding of everyone’s different practices and beliefs, whether it be religious or non-religious/practicing or non-practicing.” Nonetheless, the event was moving for those in attendance, and it brought a sense of community and spiritual reflection.
“It’s a powerful experience to pray the Stations outdoors and experience the physical nature of walking and carrying a cross,” Theisen said. “It’s especially powerful to do so on our college campus, since it both gives witness to others and reminds us that our spiritual lives and our ‘secular’ lives as college students are not separate from each other, instead our faith guides us as we walk around our campus and the world.”
In the evening of Good Friday, members attended the Passion of Our Lord liturgy at St. Peter’s.
“[It’s] a beautiful liturgy remembering Christ’s Passion and providing the faithful an opportunity to venerate the Cross,” Theisen said. The members have been going to St’ Peters every Sunday, and they have developed warm relationships with the parish. “Going downtown for Masses and Liturgies is always nice because it gives us the chance to be a part of a larger Catholic community, and interact with parishioners, clergy, and other members of the Skidmore community outside of campus,” Theisen shared.
On Saturday, April 16, members attended the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Peters. Finally, on Easter, April 17, members attended the Easter Mass and the Easter brunch that followed. They gathered together to celebrate and to meet new friends.
“To me, Holy Week is a time of new life and hope,” Quinn Stoddard-O’Neill ‘23, a member, said. “It was great to see Easter Mass and lunch full of many familiar and unfamiliar faces, who all give me hope during this time of uncertainty that together we can overcome anything.” The e-board members assembled colorful Easter baskets filled with easter eggs, candies, bookmarks, and inspiration cards about friendship and God and gave them to club members.
Holy Week is a time of reflection and celebration, and the Newman Club members were grateful to spend time with each other and God. “I loved the on-campus events and especially being part of our Catholic community on campus to participate in one of the most celebrated holidays in the liturgical year!,” Kaitlyn Maurais ‘22, a member, shared. “I hope moving forward that Skidmore students and faculty are encouraged to engage with one another and recognize the Easter traditions that are most meaningful to them and learn from those who are special to one another.”