A couple of parents of college freshmen post about orientation:
Anthony Esolen posts at Mere Comments about the experience at Providence College, which is also where he teaches. Some of the normal, diversity, college life business, which prompts some of Esolen’s typically thoughtful meditation and then some good news:
On the other hand … The President of the college gave a brilliant and beautiful homily today at Mass for the freshmen, attended by probably around 3000 people, identifying the primary goal for the new students at the school to discover the Law God has given us, to help us forge a more intimate relationship with Him; and the Man who has revealed that Law to us is Christ, by his teachings of course, but most powerfully by his life. Christ is our Law and our life. We are fighting the good fight here, but not everybody is engaged in the battle, or is even aware that there is one. But we are not going down without a fight. Let everything I have said about the college be taken in that context; I’m disappointed that we are sometimes inconsistent, when I should rather be deeply thankful that we have donned the uniforms and strapped on the bayonets.
Having deposited my one and only child last weekend at Gtown (premed, Gtown Class of 2010, double major in biochemistry and philosopy, with sights set on an MD/PhD in bioethics (or, so he thinks—-it is a long way from ‘here to there’!!!!) (and a grad of Regis HS, Class of 2006),and having sat through a weekend of orientation and welcomes, I must say I was very impressed with the outstanding emphasis on Ignatian principles throughout the orientation weekend. The Jesuits with the office of Mission and of Ministry were stunningly impressive (and I am not easily impressed). The few questions from parents about the current issues re: the Protestant component of the C. Ministry were direct, and were handled with great insight and decency (or so it surely seemed to me).
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