News

The Dean’s Office at the College of the Holy Cross is pleased to invite all members of the Holy Cross community to see the exhibition Hope and Healing: Painting in Italy in a Time of Plague, 1500-1800 at the Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St.

The exhibition, which opened April 3 and continues through Sept. 25, represents an unprecedented collaboration between Holy Cross, Clark University, and the Worcester Art Museum. The exhibition explores art’s role in envisioning hope and healing in an age marked by outbreaks of plague. Bringing together 37 works from more than 30 different lenders in the United States and from abroad, the show includes works by major artists such as Tintoretto, Mignard, Van Dyck, Tiepolo and Canaletto.

Students, faculty, staff and administration have unlimited free access to the museum during the first two months of the show, April and May 2005, by showing their College ID.

Fr. Thomas Worcester, S.J., associate professor of history at Holy Cross and one of the four curators and organizers of the show, has been part of planning the exhibition since 2000. The three other curators and organizers of the show are: Gauvin Bailey, associate professor of art history at Clark; Pamela Jones, associate professor of art history at UMass-Boston; and Franco Mormando, associate professor of romance languages at Boston College.

These faculty also served as the editors of the exhibition catalogue, published by the museum and distributed by the University of Chicago Press. Copies are available in the Holy Cross bookstore.

“The exhibition examines, in an interdisciplinary fashion, how painting offered hope in a time of epidemic disease – specifically plague,” Fr. Worcester says. “The show sheds light not only on historical questions for the late Renaissance and Baroque periods, but on a much broader range of critical issues regarding fears and hopes, life and death, religion and society, art and suffering, in many eras, including our own.”

Among the events scheduled around the Hope and Healing exhibition is the Annual New England Renaissance Conference on April 23. Titled “Piety and Plague in Renaissance and Early Modern Europe,” it will bring together eight speakers for this scholarly conference of Renaissance specialists. Although there is no fee to attend the conference, it is necessary to register as seats are limited and a buffet lunch will be served. Registrations are first-come, first-served. To register contact the conference secretary, Susan Pfeiffer, at spfeiffe@holycross.edu.

This year’s International Word and Image Conference will also reflect on the Hope and Healing exhibition. Holy Cross, in an ongoing collaboration with the University of Paris 7 Denis-Diderot, will host the conference, “Illness: Representations in the Arts and Literature.” The conference, held June 27 – 29, 2005, will feature as its plenary speaker Professor Elaine Scarry, the Walter M. Cabot Professor of Aesthetics and the General Theory of Value at Harvard University, and author of The Body in Pain (1985); On Beauty and Being Just (1999); and Dreaming by the Book (1999). Thirty-two scholars representing major research universities from France, French Guyana, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Spain, Argentina, and the United States will be in attendance.

The exhibition and associated events have been made possible, in part, by generous support from Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about the exhibition and these events, please visit the following websites:

Related information:

# Hope and Healing feature in Holy Cross Magazine

As part of the Visiting Writers Lecture Series, Susan Brind Morrow will give a reading on April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Levis Browsing Room (Dinand Library). The event is free and open to the public.

Morrow has translated contemporary Arabic poetry and ancient Egyptian folktales into English. She has worked on an archaeological survey in the Western Desert of Egypt, and was a fellow of the Crane-Rogers Foundation in Egypt and Sudan. Her first book, the critically acclaimed, The Names of Things: Life, Language, and Beginnings in the Egyptian Desert (1997) was one of three finalists for the PEN/Martha Albrand Award. She has recently completed a second book – Wolves and Honey: A Hidden History of the Natural World (2004) – about the Finger Lakes Region where she lives on a farm.

As part of the Visiting Writers Lecture Series, Alicia Erian will give a reading on April 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Levis Browsing Room (Dinand Library). The event is free and open to the public.

Erian is the author of a short story collection called The Brutal Language of Love (2001), and a new novel, Towelhead (2005). Her work has appeared in Playboy, Zoetrope, Nerve, The Iowa Review and other publications. She teaches at Wellesley College.

The College of the Holy Cross celebrated a Mass in memory of His Holiness Pope John Paul II on Monday, April 4, in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel.  Rev. William Campbell, S.J., one of the College Chaplains, presided.  Memorial pictures of the Pope have been enshrined in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel and in the lower chapel by the baptismal font.  Books of remembrance have been placed by these memorial pictures in the chapels for reflections, thoughts, and expressions of sympathy that members of the community may wish to write.

Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., President

The news of the death of His Holiness Pope John Paul II brings great sadness to our community.  Pope John Paul II was a great leader who had a profound impact on both the Catholic Church and world events.  His deep and genuine faith, his unwavering moral courage, his relentless advocacy for the poor, the neglected, and the defenseless, and his unprecedented outreach to people of other faiths were an inspiration to us all. As we mourn him, we are also deeply grateful to God for his life and leadership, and we celebrate his commitment to humanity, justice, peace, freedom, and love.

Katherine M. McElaney, Director, Office of the College Chaplains

Although much of the world accompanied Pope John Paul II in prayer during the last days of his life, it is still very hard to believe that this extraordinary man has gone home to God. His presence has always seemed larger than life. He communicated God’s love with surpassing joy and energy. His leadership was courageous and prophetic. In particular, I thank God for his dynamic efforts on behalf of reconciliation and justice, his solidarity with the poor, and the remarkable ways he reached out to youth during the whole of his pontificate.

Rev. James M. Hayes, S.J., Rector, Jesuit Community

I had the pleasure of seeing John Paul II in Toronto, in Uganda, and in Jamaica.  He had a great gift in touching people and reaching out to the young, the sick, and the poor.  I admired his zeal and his energy, and marveled at his linguistic skills and his extensive writings.  He gave us all a lesson in dying and his repeated message was “Do not be afraid.”  I feel privileged to have witnessed his papacy during my adult years.

Holy Cross junior Karin Campbell has been selected by the College’s Center for Interdisciplinary and Special Studies as the 2005 spring semester’s Maurizio Vannicelli Washington Semester Away program award winner. She will present her thesis, “The Message of the Museum: Studying Exhibitions in Washington, D.C.” on April 4 at 4 p.m. in Rehm Library.

While in Washington, D.C., Campbell interned in the External Affairs (Communications and Marketing) Department at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Smithsonian’s museum of modern and contemporary art.

Campbell’s talk will discuss how museums design fine arts exhibitions and whether the design effectively communicates what the artist had intended to express.

“While in D.C., I studied six exhibitions,” Campbell says. “I will briefly talk about all six, but I will focus primarily on a show called Ana Mendieta: Earth Body, Sculpture and Performance 1972-1985. This exhibition, a survey of the work of Cuban-born earth body artist Ana Mendieta, opened at the Hirshhorn. My lecture will include an overview of Mendieta’s work and a discussion of the potential problems associated with displaying her art in a museum setting. I will then consider the exhibition design elements that the museum professionals at the Hirshhorn utilized to communicate to visitors. Additionally, I will be discussing a survey that I designed and administered to people viewing the Mendieta show.”

Campbell is an art history and political science double major from Pittsburgh, Pa. At Holy Cross, she is a member of the women’s varsity rowing team and runs publicity efforts for the Jesuit Volunteer Corp and other post-grad volunteer opportunities through the Chaplains’ Office.

Campbell hopes to go into museum curatorship at a modern/contemporary art museum. She enjoys watching the Food Network and cooking in her spare time. She also loves going to museums – naturally.

The Vannicelli Prize is awarded each semester in honor of the late Holy Cross political science professor and Washington Program director, Maurizio Vannicelli, for the best research paper produced in the Washington Semester Away program. The recipient of the prize is accorded the opportunity to give a public lecture at the College on his or her thesis. In addition, the winner receives a bound copy of the thesis and is presented with a book award during Commencement exercises.

If you like public speaking, here’s your opportunity to participate in a Holy Cross tradition—and compete for cash awards.

Sign-ups for Fenwick Debate Society’s Annual Debate Competition are being held now through March 31. The tournament will be held April 3 from 12 to 5 p.m. in the Hogan Campus Center, Room 519.

The following competitions will be held:

The Frank D. Comerford Medal and Check (Seniors Only)
Here is your chance to win $600, which is given every year to the fourth-year student who demonstrates the best debating skills and presentation.

The Joseph J. O’Connor Purse (First and Second Year Students Only)
This debate is for excellent debating based on performance. The recipient will receive $100.

The Patrick F. Crowley Purse (Open to All Students)
This award is for proficiency in oratory and debating. The recipient will receive $660.

The Fallon Debating Purse (Open to All Students)
This award was founded in 1901 by the Rev. John J. Fallon of the Class of 1880. The recipient will receive $100.

The William E. Leahy Award (Open to All Students)
This award is in memory of William E. Leahy of the Class of 1907. The award is given to the outstanding debater in the B.J.F. Debating Society. Nominations for this award come from the debate society. The recipient will receive $100.

The Fenwick Debate Society is Holy Cross’ oldest debate group.

For more information and to sign up for your preferred competition, visit the Office of Student Affairs in the Hogan Campus Center, Room 109.

The Reverend Joseph J. LaBran, S.J., a beloved presence on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross for more than 40 years, died on Wednesday, March 23 at Campion Center, in Weston, Mass. He was 89.

Fr. LaBran – with his trademark stetson, walking stick, and exuberant greeting “Yahweh” – was a familiar and popular figure among students and the extended Holy Cross family. During his career as teacher and Chaplain, he led thousands of students as Director of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola.

“All of us here at the College are deeply saddened by the news of Fr. LaBran’s death,” said Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J., President of Holy Cross. “His exuberant faith and warm and devoted care for others made him a major influence on generations of students, faculty and staff, enriching their lives and bringing many closer to God. Now we send him forth with our heartfelt prayers, that he may find the eternal rest he longed for at his Savior’s side, while praying also for the comfort and consolation of all those who will feel keenly the loss of their dear pastor, counselor and friend.”

Born August 19, 1915, in Lynn, Mass., Fr. LaBran was a student at Holy Cross from 1934-1936, leaving to enter the Society of Jesus in 1936. He studied philosophy and theology at Weston School of Theology in Boston. During World War II, he taught mathematics and English at Holy Cross in the Navy V-12 program. He was ordained to the Roman Catholic Priesthood in 1947. Beginning in 1948, he taught religion, English, and mathematics at the Jesuits’ Baghdad College, and was the official Iraqi delegate to the International Congress of the Lay Apostolate in Rome. The Catholic Free Press reported that it was Fr. LaBran and other Jesuit teachers’ defense of their Jewish students’ rights in Baghdad that led to the Jesuits’ expulsion from Iraq in 1968. He returned to Holy Cross as a teacher, priest, and Chaplain in 1958. In 1961, he received the Pro Deo et Juventute Award from Bishop Flanagan for his spirit of dedication to young people in the diocese of Worcester. He was also was committed to racial, social, and civil justice, and his activism in these areas led to several arrests, including, in 1973, when he was among 32 priests, brothers, and sisters arrested in Fresno as they picketed in behalf of the United Farm Workers Union of Cesar Chavez.

In 1999, at age 84, a group of alumni admirers presented Fr. LaBran with a customized golf cart (emblazoned with Yahweh to port and Holy Roller at the bow) allowing him to continue his rounds on campus with ease.

He received an honorary degree from the College in 2001.

Funeral services will be held at the Campion Jesuit Community in Weston. Calling hours: Tuesday, March 29, 3-5 p.m., and 6-8 p.m. Funeral: Wednesday, March 30, 10 a.m.

Fr. LaBran will be buried at Holy Cross. Arrangements for a memorial service at Holy Cross will be announced in the near future.

The music department invites you to a spring concert by the Holy Cross College Choir on April 7 at 8 p.m. in St. Joseph Memorial Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

The choir, directed by the College’s Pamela E. Getnick, will feature the Pinkham Wedding Cantata as well as the blissful Fauré Requiem with the St. James Chamber Orchestra.

As part of the Visiting Writers Lecture Series, Chris Forhan will give a reading on April 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Levis Browsing Room (Dinand Library). The event is free and open to the public.

Forhan has published two award winning books of poetry: Forgive Us Our Happiness (1999) won the Bakeless Prize judged by Ellen Bryant Voigt (1999) and The Actual Moon, The Actual Stars (2003) won the Samuel French Morse Prize (2003). He has also published two chapbooks, x (2000) and Crumbs of Bread (1995). His poetry has won a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in Poetry, Ploughshares, New England Review, Parnassus and many other magazines. He teaches at Auburn University, Ala. and in the Warren Wilson M.F.A. Program, N.C.

When the NCAA released scores from its new system for measuring academic success for student-athletes and teams, Holy Cross far exceeded the national average.

Additionally, new analysis of NCAA graduation rate data – and subsequent coverage in the New York Times, Boston Globe, and other media – gave prominent play to the Crusader women’s basketball team: Of the 64 women’s teams competing in NCAA Division I tournament in March, Holy Cross was one of only three teams with a 100% graduation rate.

That analysis was released by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida. The study, “Keeping Score When It Counts: Graduation Rates for 2005 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament Teams,” compared graduation rates for all student-athletes to basketball student-athletes in general and African-American basketball student-athletes in particular. The graduation rates are from the 2004 NCAA report, which showed whether a scholarship athlete graduated within six years after entering school between the 1994-95 and 1997-98 academic years

Earlier this year, the NCAA unveiled its new academic measurement. The Academic Progress Rate (APR) is based on the academic eligibility, retention and graduation of student-athletes at Division I schools. A perfect score is 1,000.

Holy Cross’ total overall score of 987 was higher than the average for Patriot League schools – 978.63 – and far higher than the Division I average of 948. In addition, 14 of Holy Cross’ 26 varsity sports had perfect APR scores of 1,000. The teams are: men’s basketball, men’s cross country, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men’s outdoor track, women’s rowing, field hockey, women’s ice hockey, women’s lacrosse, softball, women’s indoor and outdoor track, and women’s volleyball.

The reports did not startle Director of Athletics Richard Regan ’76.

“The priority of academics is an overriding principle in our conduct of athletics at Holy Cross,” he said. “I am not at all surprised at how high our scores are in the Academic Progress Rate calculation and in our graduation rates.”

The APR is calculated by awarding two points each term to student-athletes who meet academic-eligibility standards and who remain with the institution. A team’s total points is then divided by the total points possible to come up with a number.

The NCAA has established a “cut line” of 925, which is equivalent to an approximate graduation rate of 50 percent. Those schools falling below the cut line will be subject to penalties in the future. The scores are based on data collected for the 2003-04 academic year. For more information, visit www.ncaa.org.

Last fall the NCAA announced graduation rates, revealing that the Patriot League was top among Division I conferences for the sixth year in a row.

Holy Cross is tied (with Bucknell, Colgate and University of Richmond) for sixth place out of 316 reporting institutions with an 88 percent graduation rate.

Related information:

# www.ncaa.org

As participants in the 2005 Mexico Meal Auction fundraiser, Holy Cross faculty and staff have agreed to prepare meals for students in their homes, or take them out to dinner in Worcester. Don’t miss this great opportunity to get to know your professors (and other Holy Cross staff) outside of the classroom, and support a great cause in the process!

The annual Mexico Meal Auction is the primary fundraiser for the Mexico Immersion Program, a two-week, faith-based, reverse-mission program that provides students with an opportunity to walk with the poor of Mexico and experience the reality of life for many people in Latin America. The program is run through the Chaplains’ Office, and is currently in its 15th year.

The Meal Auction is March 30 at 8:30 p.m. in Crossroads. Bidding starts promptly to ensure a speedy auction. Cash, credit cards and checks are accepted. All proceeds from the auction enable students to participate in the Mexico immersion trip.

For more information, contact student coordinators Kathleen Seltzer ’06 and Alison Quinn ’06.