CALIPIN
scores
"" GAME
WINNER
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young
COMMONS
SETS THE
STAGE
Dance students
perform in
“Dance in the
Landscape,”
PAGE 13
New Yoga studio brings
relaxiation and peace of
to Burlington
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IHE PENDULU
ELON, NORTH CAROLINA | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER
30, 2009 I VOLUME 35, EDITION 24
www.elon.edu/pendulum
Area students
take pride in
DIVERSIT
of cx)mmunity
J, SARAH CHAFFEE | Photographer
North Carolina Pride Parade was held on Duke University’s East Campus last weekend.
Hundreds of people from diverse backgrounds marched together to demonstrate their support of gay pride
and acceptance.
Sarah Chaffee
Reporter
A man dressed as Jesus strapped
on roller blades and skated down
the main quad at Duke University’s
East Campus last Saturday. This
man was joined by several local
church members, all marching
to show their appreciation of the
hundreds of people that came out
to celebrate the 25th annual North
Carolina Pride Parade.
Churches from every
denomination accompanied this
roller-skating “Jesus” down the
road, some holding signs that
read, “I’m Baptist and I’m gay!” The
demonstrators were attempting to
showcase pride and acceptance of
both their sexuality and faith.
People from several ethnic,
religious and socioeconomic
backgrounds walked down the
streets of Durham, passing
along smiles and hugs as they
marched.
“We’ve been going to this
parade for eight years, and this
year we have a great turnout," said
Frank Cotton of Saint Francis of
Assisi, a Catholic Church located
in Raleigh with a gay and lesbian
outreach ministry.
“Our church provides social
and spiritual retreats for the
gay and lesbian members of our
community,” said Chuck Small, a
fellow member of the church.
Several members of Elon’s own
gay and lesbian group. Spectrum,
strolled the streets, flashing
huge smiles of excitement as the
people lining the streets cheered
them on.
“Pride is for everyone,” junior
Madeleine Mejean said. “It made
me really happy to see people
united.”
Mejean said everyday should be
Pride is for everyone.
It made me really happy
to see everyone united.
- Madeleine MeJean
ELON JUNIOR
IS
filled with this kind of acceptance
and that people should try to
attend a pride parade whenever
they get a chance.
Sophomore Rhiannon Clark
said she felt the parade made
being different feel acceptable,
something people should
constantly feel.
“It's great to see support from
churches and parents," Clark said.
“It’s good to see everyone being so
open and not scared.”
Impressed with the outcome,
Clark casually pointed out the
lack of protesters. A few protestors
silently held signs that stated,
“Homo sex is sin.”
Sophomore Brittany Moore
attended the parade with a car
full of friends.
“I thought it was so much fun,”
Moore said. “Everyone was happy
and we got to dance with all the
people in the parade.”
As the parade came to an end,
Sen. Ellie Kinnaird (D-Orange)
gave a speech celebrating the
progress of gay rights in the
South. Kinnaird emphasized,
that even though the progress
has been significant, there is
always more work to be done.
She thanked the community for
showing its support and making
the event possible.
“Everyone should experience
the love and excitement," Mejean
said.
Catholic leader visits Elon, blesses Newman Center
^stin Feeney
of hours of planning, countless prayers
(j collaboration of many came to a climax last
Catv, r ^ "'hen Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the
olic Diocese of Raleigh visited Elon to celebrate
t)less the university's new Catholic Newman
Cam°" in the Holland House on South
Catholic Newman Center is the sixth
New ^'^PPorted by the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh.
Car Centers already exist at Duke University, East
University, North Carolina State University,
L Hill and UNC Wilmington,
a hi 'hi honor of John Henry Cardinal Newman,
and r X ‘"f'^iential 19th-century British priest
'• Newman Centers are residences and
■ ministry centers at non-Catholic universities
Catholic
fraditf^^'^ "'orld. The blessing ceremony is a
the facility ^ accompanies the official installment of
Presem'^ri*’ “^®®ociate University Chaplain Phil Smith
ted the welcome. President Leo Lambert gave
the introduction and reflection for the blessing.
Burbidge offered the official blessing of the Diocese
of Raleigh, and The Rev. Gerry Waterman and senior
Justin Sposato, president of Catholic Campus Ministry,
reflected on the gratitude of the program.
The blessing marked the first time an Elon religious
organization has received a house of faith.
“This is the first of several houses (at Elon)
affirming faiths,” Lambert said. “There's a reason
why the Catholics are first and that reason is the Rev.
Gerry Waterman. He was the visionary who convinced
us all.”
Waterman is the Diocesan representative who has
been serving Elon Catholic Campus Ministry for the
last four years. He regularly presides over Sunday
night masses as well as the Wednesday night Catholic
mass. , . , ,
“I am an external shepherd of the Diocese,
Waterman said. “Having Bishop Burbidge come to
campus shows our universality ... it connects the
Catholic community at large.” , .
At the blessing ceremony. Waterman thanked the
many benefactors who made the Catholic Newman
Center a reality.
“There’s a saying that when it is in your power to do
good, do not hold back ... your support and dedication
have not gone unnoticed,” he said.
Sposato echoed Waterman’s gratitude.
“It’s a pretty big thing to have the president of your
university and the bishop of your Diocese at the same
event," Sposato said. “It’s a blessing to have that kind
of support.”
Twenty-five percent of Elon students, roughly
1,200-1,300 of the overall student body, are Catholic.
Two hundred students regularly participate in Mass
and 40-50 are actively involved in Catholic Campus
Ministry programming, Sposato said.
The blessing of the Catholic Newman Center opens
a new chapter for the Catholic Campus Ministry and
its role on Elon’s campus.
We really do appreciate this amazing opportunity
we have, Sposato said. “We have a lot of programming
in the works. From Monday Night Football fellowship
to small group discussion, we have a lot in store.”
Catholic Campus Ministry invites all students to
come and visit the Catholic Newman Center.
As Lambert said in his closing remarks, “the best
purpose (of Holland House) is yet to come.”
FOR THE LATEST
.ELON.ED