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Page 10 • Thursday, September 19, 2002
News
The Pendulum
Catholic faith at Elon
grows during turmoil
Jessica Patchett
Reporter
Despite division among
Catholic students at Elon over
worldwide church issues, min
istry and outreach on campus
has grown.
Examining women’s roles in
Catholicism, priest celibacy
and the church’s stance on
social issues, some students
look to reform church poli
cy, while others stick with
traditional values.
Regardless of individual
churchgoers’ opinions on
pressing issues facing the
modern church, students
are excited about the
incri'ased attendance at
weekly Mass.
After attending World
Youth Day in Toronto this
past summer, Elon student
Luke Wake, like many
other Catholic youths, said
he realized despite their
differences, Catholics
worldwide are "all part of
the same body of the
church.”
Many students voice
strong, conflicting opin
ions over issues such as
women’s roles in the
church, priest celibacy,
divorce and the use of con
traceptives.
Amy Nussbaum, vice presi
dent of Catholic Campus
Ministries, said she firmly sup
ports the role of women in the
church. There are many ways
for women to fulfill their faith
in lay positions, as nuns, or as
sisters, while men, Nussbaum
said, “take the head role in
family and in church. Hanging
on to traditional values keeps
I the church) in check.”
Wake, a freshman in CCM,
also recognized “the great
thing about the church lasting
2,000 years is its hierarchy,”
which provides stability and
consistency for Catholics.
Like many Catholics, Luke
perceives existing Catholic
values equally as applicable in
2002 as they were in earlier
times. “Catholics believe sex
should be open to life, the most
valuable, the most sacred
[thing],” Luke said, in refer
ence to the life of unborn chil
dren. He emphasized that the
use of contraceptives would be
“basically blocking life from
happening.”
Chris Nave, president of
CCM, hopes birth control will
no longer be looked upon neg
atively. He says he looks to
other young Catholics whose
beliefs are different from the
norm and are passionate about
inspiring change. He says col
lege students look for other
changes, such as allowing
women to become priests and
allowing priests to marry at
will. The role of women is
improving in the church, but
the Catholic church will most
likely see optional celibacy
before women in the priest
hood, said Father John Ruffo,
Catholic campus minister.
Debates over the priesthood
and Catholicism in general are
prevalent and controversial,
presenting constant challenges
to practicing Catholics, Nave
said. Yet, about 130 Catholics
attend Masses on Sunday
nights led by Ruffo. Forty
freshmen participated in a
retreat Sept. 13 -15.
As 1,036 students, or 25
percent of Elon’s student pop
ulation declare Catholicism
their religion, more than
13 percent of Elon’s
Catholic stuaents are
meeting the challenge of
practicing their faith at
Mass with Ruffo, in area
churches and through
CCM.
Only 12 to 13 percent
of baptized Catholics are
practicing their faith, and
generally, college stu
dents have a lower prac
ticing population than
adults with families,
according to a statement
from Cardinal Ambrozic,
a representative of the
Catholic church.
Nussbaum has been
attending Sunday evening
CCM Mass for two years
and observing an increase
in attendance by Elon stu
dents. Ruffo said he
attributes some of this
growth to a spur in spiritual
exploration after the events of
Sept. II. Ruffo said he
believes there may be an
increased interest in finding
one’s spiritual self and becom
ing more in touch with God.
To help students explore
these aspects of spirituality,
faith and religion, CCM holds
Sunday Mass, Wednesday
Bible studies, monthly movie
nights, fellowship retreats and
participates in leadership con
ferences.
Contact Jcssica Patchett at pen-
dulum(ficUm.eiUt or 278-7247.
Sigma Chi cleans
liouse for tieroes
m
c
Lindsay Porter/Photographer
Members of the Sigma Chi fratemiiy gathered Friday to help
Eton's firefighters clean up around the firehouse and thank the
firefighters for all the work they do. The brothers were also hon
oring of the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11. In our own com
munities we should take responsibility," said junior Eric
Hansson, president of Sigma Chi. "We feel like we should give
back." Seven members of Sigma Chi fraternity at-large died in
the Sept. 11 attacks.
When the best years of your life,
aren’t...
there’s help.
Clare A. Stadlen, i^c:sw
Licensed Psychotherapist
Telephone: (336) 263-2204 e-mail: ClareCounseling@msn.com
Convenient Burlington L(x:ation
Brochure available at Student Counseling Senices.
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