The Devon Dialogueproudly publishing for five decadesDevon Preparatory Schoolvolume iv, issue iii | march 2013

Clash of MusiciansDevon Prep’s annual Battle of the Bands was a blast. See Page 3.

Au QuébecDevon Prep French students take a trip to Quebec.See Page 2.

Father Aguado Visits DevonThe Superior General of the Piarist Order visits Devon Prep.See Page 3.

Protesting Roe v. WadeDevon Prep joins in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.See Below.

Marching for LifeSoham Bharne ’15

On Friday, Januar y 25, more than one hundred sixt y students, facult y, and guests took part in the annual Rally and March for Life in Washington, D.C., to voice their opinions on the 1973 Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion throughout the United States.

Preceding the March for Life was the annual Baby Drive in which students brought in approximately $2500 in baby products. These items, consisting of diapers, food, and wipes, were donated to the Catholic Relief Ser vices of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which will give these products to needy mothers and children in the Philadelphia area. Before commencing the bus ride to Washington, D.C., Fr. James Shea ‘66 delineated the the rules of the trip and blessed the baby products that the students collected.

After a three-hour bus ride in four buses, the students rallied and then began their march toward the United States Supreme Court Building. Freezing temperatures and snow did not slow the students down. They marched past the Capitol Building to the Supreme Court Building, while listening to stories and chants that the protesters told or yelled. “We were able to voice our opinions on the court case that legalized abortion and have fun with our friends,” said one student about his experiences at the March for Life. “It was a great t ime and I hope to do it again next year.” Together, Devon Prep students, facult y, and guests proclaimed with a myriad of other students and adults from all around the United States their belief in the sanctit y of human life.

The annual Rally and March for Life has been one of Devon Prep’s many traditions for almost t went y years, and will stay one until Roe v. Wade is f inally overturned.

Carefully Choosing CollegesRyan Shannon ’13, Associate Editor for Sports

It ’s t he t i me of yea r w hen sen ior s c rowd t he ha l l w ay out side M r s. E l i z abet h E s h lem a n’s of f ic e to look at t he s he et s on her bu l let i n boa rd. T he s he et s d i splay t he c ol leges eac h

st udent ha s be en ac c epted to i n add it ion to a ny sc hola r s h ips eac h sen ior m ig ht have be en of fered. A s Ma rc h rol l s a long , t hese l i s t s w i l l ke ep get t i ng longer a nd longer. T he C la s s of 201 3 i s proud to a n nou nc e some of t he ac c ept a nc es so f a r.

Si nc e Aug u st , M r s. E s h lem a n ha s sent 3 1 1 appl ic at ion s to 10 7 c ol leges a nd u n i ver sit ies . T h re e st udent s have be en ac c epted w it h bi nd i ng ea rl y de c i s ion let ter s . A nton io Mu sc a rel la w i l l be at tend i ng t he Un i ver sit y of Pen n s y l v a n ia, Br ia n Koz a k w i l l be at tend i ng P rov idenc e Col lege, a nd Nate Sa ker s w i l l be at tend i ng H ig h Poi nt Un i ver sit y. A side f rom ea rl y de c i s ion s, Mat t he w D i Donato ha s a l read y m ade h i s de c i s ion to at tend Not re Da me Un i ver sit y, a nd Re ese Bowden w i l l be at tend i ng Ha r t w ic k

Col lege. O t her c ol leges t hat t he sen ior

c la s s ha s re c eived ac c ept a nc es f rom i nc lude Ca se Wester n Reser ve Un iver sit y, D re x el Un iver sit y,

Ford ha m Un iver sit y, L oyola Un iver sit y Ma r y la nd, a nd St . Joseph’s Un iver sit y.

D u r i ng t he ne x t fe w mont h s, t he sen ior s w i l l be m a k i ng t hei r la st c ol lege v i s it s a nd w i l l beg i n de c id i ng w here t he y w i l l at tend c ol lege. L oc at ion, d i st a nc e, a nd t u it ion a re on l y some of t he f ac tor s t hat i n f luenc e t h i s l i fe-c ha ng i ng de c i s ion. A s t he de c i s ion s a re m ade, t he boa rd i n side M r s. E s h lem a n’s room w i l l be f i l led w it h c ol lege logos. T h i s boa rd i nd ic ates w here eac h st udent w i l l s t ud y i n t he f a l l of 201 3.

Col lege c a n be t he most re w a rd i ng but a l so t he most c ha l leng i ng pa r t of a s t udent ’s l i fe. De von ha s prov ided a n env i ron ment w here eac h st udent i s prepa red to e x c el at t he c ol lege le vel a nd be yond.

The board in Ms. Eshleman’s room is waiting to be filled as the members of the Class of 2013 make their college decisions.

2 Dialogue News

Devon Prep Mock Trial, arguably the most time-consuming activity this school has to offer, has finally reached its stunning conclusion. Months of time and effort have culminated with the team earning second place overall in Chester County, an accomplishment many are quite proud of. So how did they do it? What goes into becoming a championship-caliber team?

Twelve dedicated students, along with alumni coaches Brandon Mitchell ’08, Mike Dokas ’08, and Mike Hill ’03, as well as head coach Mr. Michael Collins ’68 would meet in the Old Library every day after school, week after week. Practices lasting up to six hours were what they had to look forward to, poring over the case materials, learning the rules of evidence, or developing new case theories. Even their weekends weren’t safe, as the team would often practice on Saturdays and Sundays. But ask any member of the 2013 Mock Trial Team and they will tell you it was worth it.

This year’s case centered on construction project owner Tatum Zillias, on whose site a crane fell and killed two people. The prosecution argued that the pace at which Zillias forced the project to move and his disregard for the safety of his workers warranted a charge of third-degree murder. However, with homeless men sabotaging the construction site and federal officials failing to do their job, the defense can make a strong case as well. As part of the rules of the competition, teams must have a case prepared for both the prosecution and defense. Which side of the case each team competes as is totally random and is usually decided by the Pennsylvania Mock Trial Association one or two days before a match. Therefore, both sides must be sharp and ready to go at all times. During an actual match, teams are scored from one to five on such criteria as poise, case theory, effectiveness, and knowledge of the rules of evidence; there are also individual scores for witnesses and attorneys. At the conclusion of a match the scores are added up and the team with the highest total score wins.

The Devon Prep team played a total of four matches. They earned their first victory against Bishop Shanahan and then a second against Kennett High School the following day. These two victories solidified their spot in the semifinals where they played and won a hard-fought match against Villa Maria Academy, their longtime rivals. This major victory advanced them to the Chester County Championship where they faced the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School. The trial initially seemed to be an easy victory for Devon, so when the jurors returned with a verdict for the opposing team everyone was stunned. The Devon Prep team, however, contented themselves with the runners-up title but are determined to come back strong next year, with even more skills and knowledge than before.

Court is in SessionMichael Knudson ’15

T h i s w i nter, se vente en st udent s jou r ne ye d nor t hw a rd to Q uébe c C it y, Ca nada for t he Frenc h f ield st ud ie s. T he y spent fou r day s i n Q uébe c a nd Mont réa l . T he y were led b y De von’s ver y ow n Mada me L au r a Mondon a nd sc hool nu r s e M r s. Den i se Gav i n.

Q uébe c i s a n i nc red ible c it y, bu i lt on blu f f s above t he enor mou s St . L aw renc e R iver ; i t prov ides a n i nc red ible v ie w of t he su r rou nd i ng mou nt a i n s a nd c ou nt r y side. Q uébe c i s one of t he oldest c it ies i n Nor t h A mer ic a, fou nded b y Sa muel de C ha mpla i n i n 1608. T he old se c t ion of t he c it y i s su r rou nded b y stone w a l l s a nd t he older bu i ld i ng s a re e x c el lent e x a mple s of Frenc h a rc h ite c t u re. Ju st out side of t he w a l l s of t he old c it y a re t he Pla i n s of A br a h a m w here t he Ma rqu i s de Montc a l m a nd Ja me s Wol fe bat t le d for c ont rol of Ca nad a i n 1761 .

De spite f r ig id weat her, t he st udent s pa r took i n m a ny e x c it i ng outdoor ac t iv it ie s suc h a s t he w i nter c a r n iv a l , snow t ubi ng , ic e f i s h i ng , v ie w i ng t he f roz en Mont morenc y Fa l l s , a nd most e x c it i ng of a l l , dog s ledd i ng. T he dog s le dd i ng took plac e on a f a r m i n t he h i l l s of O rlea n s Is la nd, a la r ge i s la nd on t he St . L aw renc e. T he t h r i l l of g l id i ng t h roug h t he f roz en wood s powere d on l y b y a tea m of eager dog s, w it h t he f rost y a i r n ippi ng at one’s f ac e, w a s u n r iv a led . Sa id Mat t Frene y ’1 5, “My f avor ite pa r t s of t he t r ip were dog s le dd i ng , ic e f i s h i ng a nd tou r i ng

Old Q uébe c be c au se t he y a re t h i ng s we wou ld ne ver do at home.”

A f ter t h re e day s i n Q uébe c C it y, t he st udent s d rove t h re e hou r s sout h to Mont réa l . I n Mont réa l t he y tou red t he “Under g rou nd C it y,” a m a l l bu i lt s i x s tor ies i nto t he ea r t h, a nd took a n i nterest i ng w a l k dow n Rue Ste.-Cat her i ne. T he ne x t mor n i ng , t he De von boy s f i n i s hed of f t hei r t r ip w it h a Frenc h Ma s s on t he mou nt a i n i n St . Joseph’s Ba si l ic a i n Mont réa l . O ne of t he st udent s e ven met up w it h relat i ves l i v i ng i n Mont réa l at t he Ma s s!

A ltoget her, t he De von t r ip to Ca n ada w a s a n i nc red ible e x per ienc e. It prov ided a f u n a nd c u lt u r a l educ at ion for a l l se vente en st udent s.

Vive le QuébecMichael Lawrence ’14

Students who went on the Québec trip had the opportunity to go dogsledding.

W hen Jesus Christ preached the Sermon on the Mount, He gave to humanit y a new set of ideals that focused on love and compassion rather than force or fear. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the k ingdom of heaven.” This is one of the eight beatitudes given to us by Christ, which have become central to Christ ian life. On December 9, 2012, several students from Devon Preparator y School, led by Mr. Joseph Lew is, devoted their busy Sundays to help those less fortunate in Norristow n, PA. Helping the Missionaries of Charit y, Devon students prepared and ser ved meals, and provided emotional and spiritual support to the homeless and hungr y.

The Missionaries of Charit y were established in 1984 by Mother Teresa to provide food, basic clothing, and spiritual support to those in need, while also providing asylum to mothers and children. The local convent of the Missionaries of Charit y is located on Dekalb Street in Norristow n. Operating mainly through donations, the Missionaries of Charit y have

become a shining beacon of hope and love to people l iv ing in povert y and despondency.

Devon students were eager to put the corporal and spiritual needs of others before their ow n. They w itnessed f irsthand the needs of their immediate communit y and were left w ith a last ing impression. As Andrew Bright said, “The people in need were truly thank ful for our help. One man shook my hand and sincerely thanked me for tak ing the t ime to do this.” Devon students also gained important insight from their experience. “Helping those in need gives students a greater appreciation for what they already have and a greater awareness for the needs of others,” explained Mr. Lew is, the director of the trip.

Overall, the Devon students were happy to give to the poor as Christ had instructed. The trip left those involved w ith an important lesson: it is our dut y to spread hope to those who have lost theirs, to give peace to people of all nations and religions, and most of all, to love one another as Christ has loved us.

Making Meals MerrilyAndrew Bright ’14

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From t he da rk ness a nd mur mur of voices comes t he sole sound of a c y mba l, tapping away a rhy t hm st ra ig ht f rom t he 1960s. A f ter four repet it ions, a g uita r rock s a t welve-ba r blues prog ression in D m inor. “Come Toget her” by T he Beat les ta kes for m.

On Febr ua r y 9, eig ht ba nds competed in f ront of a crowd of music-hung r y pa rents a nd teens at t he f i f t h a nnua l Devon Prep Bat t le of t he Ba nds. T hese eig ht ba nds — Minor Setback s, Sk itch, T he Element, Egocent r ic Plast ic Men, T he Vita ls, Moder n Apol lo, Keepers, a nd A ndor ra — foug ht a f ierce bat t le for t he posit ion of best ba nd a nd a g ra nd pr ize of a $250 Sa m Ash g i f t ca rd. A f ter play ing t wo songs, each ba nd was judged on t he prof icienc y a nd master y of t heir mater ia l by professiona l ly t ra ined musicia ns a nd

music ex per ts. T he t hree ba nds who demonst rated t he most competenc y of mater ia l t hen competed aga inst each ot her for t he t it le of w inner, as voted by t he audience.

A f ter a f ierce compet it ion, Sk itch ca me out v ictor ious. Compr ised of Col in Ba rker a nd Devon’s ow n Tim Crowe ’13, Mi ke LaBel la ’13, a nd Just in Ba rker ’13, Sk itch played a n impeccable per for ma nce of t he Black Keys’s “Gold on t he Cei l ing,” wow ing over t he judges a nd t he audience a l i ke. “Sk itch was by fa r t he best ba nd t here a nd deser ved to w in,” sa id Michael Law rence ’14.

However, t he nig ht was not complete unt i l t he fa mous Devon ba l loon drop lef t ever yone in a state of joy. Ever yone enjoyed t he nig ht of g reat music a nd f un. Overa l l, t he Bat t le of t he Ba nds was a nig ht to remember.

Musical MeleeAndrew Bright ’14

On March 1, 2013, the Most Rev. Pedro Aguado informed Devon Prep that sometime soon, we will have a day off from school. More importantly, he spoke of the close, almost intrinsic link between the Piarist mission and education; that without the students and faculty, Devon Prep would not have come into existence. Obviously, students, faculty, and staff are needed to create any school, but there is so much more to Devon Prep, a Piarist school. At Devon, along with a great education, comes an instilled religious fidelity. Not only is this what Saint Joseph Calasanctius intended to establish, but Fr. Aguado, the Father General, as well.

Their presence in several third world countries is a step toward the future that the Piarist Fathers envision, such as schools established in the cities of Bogotá, Medellín and Pereira. Fr. Aguado’s trust and faith in not only God but in the poor, and abandoned is truly a hallmark of his actions and charismatic mien. Even after his speech during Friday Mass, he decided to personally go to classes and ask if anyone had any questions concerning the Piarist

Order or himself, even though he does not speak English.

Thanks to Fr. Javier Renteria’s excellent translation, this linguistic barrier quickly crumbled as the students understood Father Aguado’s perspective on piety and education: that happiness is at the core of the Piarist Order, built upon the foundations of education and Christianity, and that Devon Prep students get a day off from school.

A Visit from the Superior GeneralJefferson Toro ’14

Fr. Aguado and Fr. Shea during Friday morning Mass in the gym.

The 2013 Middle School Up for a Cause on Friday, Februar y 21 was a blast. The night was f i l led with games, fun, and, most importantly, food. The night began with students f i ling into the g ym, one by one, as they arrived. Some started shooting hoops, others went on the moon bounce, and those remaining rushed for the food table.

Throughout the event, the students competed in tournaments such as basketball and dodgeball. The team of Connor Ryan ’17, Riley Monahan ’17, and Andrew Knaus ’17 emerged victorious in the tournament. Ever yone who participated in the tournament had a lot of fun. The f inal game was an intense batt le bet ween the middle school and upper school students who volunteered to help out at the event. It ended in a draw after about t went y minutes of throwing, catching, and dodging.

The Middle School Up for a Cause raised $4,235 in total for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. All in all, it was a night that ever yone will remember, and all who were involved can’t wait until next year’s event.

Staying Up for a CauseTyler Keough ’17

T his yea r over one hund red Devon Prep st udents pa r t icipated in t he 2013 Model United Nat ions Conference in Hershey, Pennsylva nia. Here, t hey met w it h over one-t housa nd ot her h ig h school st udents. Dur ing t he course of t he weekend, t he st udents d iscussed issues a nd cha l lenges which a f fect ma ny count r ies t hroug hout t he world.

Upon a r r iva l, t he st udents went to t heir respect ive com m it tee sessions. T here, each person represented a sovereig n nat ion a nd d iscussed problems f rom his or her nat ion’s point of v iew. The topics were diverse, rang ing f rom pover t y to huma n t ra f f ick ing. A f ter discussing t hese issues a nd t heir ef fects on t heir count r ies, t he st udents created resolut ions t hat solved t hese issues. Upon complet ion of t he resolut ion, t hose opposed objected, a nd debate ensued. A f ter wa rds, t he st udents voted as to whet her or not t he resolut ion wou ld solve or a l lev iate t he issues.

Over t he course of t h ree days ma ny insig ht f u l resolut ions were presented a nd debated. Ma ny resolut ions were passed which solved inter nat iona l problems including pirac y, world hunger, a nd chi ld labor. At t he end of t he conference, Devon Prep was honored to receive t he Prem ier Delegat ion Awa rd.

Dur ing t he t r ip, t he st udents lea r ned indispensable publ ic spea k ing, debat ing, a nd leadersh ip sk i l ls. One st udent, Soha m Bha r ne ’15, sa id, “Model U N was a g reat ex per ience a nd I wou ld love to do it aga in nex t yea r.”

Point of Parliamentary ProcedureShyamal Patel ’16

Mike LaBella ’13 and Justin Barker ’13 playing at the Battle of the Bands in their band Skitch.

4

This year marks the beginning of the newest club at Devon Prep, the Chemistry Club. Founded by Rafael Suero, Antonio Muscarella ’13, and Christopher Clayton ’13, and proctored by Mrs. Annette Loutrel, Devon Prep’s Chemistry Club is sanctioned by the American Chemical Society and works in close conjunction with the Devon Prep Environmental Society. The American Chemical Society requires the club to take part in a social project, titled “Coins for Clean Water.” This project collects spare change to fund water-purifying packets. More children die from lack of clean drinking water than they do from AIDS and malaria combined. A single packet costs 3.5 cents and treats 2.5 gallons of water. The goal this year is to raise enough money to purify over two million gallons of water. The packets will be distributed through Children’s Safe Drinking Water, a foundation created in 2004.

The club will have meetings every other Wednesday at about 3:00 p.m. Due to the nature of the club, it will be exclusive to high school students. The ACS suggests experiments and demonstrations for chemistry clubs to do. One of the first demonstrations performed was the melting of various substances with thermite, a specific mix of iron (III) oxide and aluminum. The high melting point of the substance requires ignition by another material, such as magnesium, to initiate the reaction. Once the reaction started, the liquid formed reached temperatures of up to 2500°C (4530°F). The reaction is incredibly difficult to stop due to the large amount of heat released. Due to the dangerous nature of this substance and other substances used, proper lab attire and safety equipment will always be used. The Chemistry Club is off to a great start and looks forward to a year of exciting experiments.

Devon’s Explosive New ClubRafael Suero ’13, Assistant Photography Editor

At the Speed of SunlightRussell Emery ’15

The Devon Panel, Devon Prep’s solar car team, is one of the things that sets our school apart. The solar team was founded by Jacob Riedel ’13 and Antonio Muscarella ’13 when they were sophomores. According to Jacob Riedel, the idea for the club was inspired by environmental conservation projects he worked on in middle school. When he started high school, Jacob wanted to build something using alternative energy. He bounced the idea off his friend, Antonio, and the solar car club was born. Although the two began working to start the team during freshman year, they had to obtain funds to turn the idea into reality.

It takes a lot of work and organization to build a car and make it competitive. Despite placing an impressive second in last summer’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, the team now has new problems to tackle: increased fundraising needs and modifications to the car.

The team is gathering funds for a road race from Dallas, Texas to Los Angeles, California. It will be a 1500-mile trip with accommodations needed along the way for sleeping arrangements, drivers and equipment. So far, the team only has raised about 20% of the money necessary for the race, which will cost $10,000. Sponsorships and donations are key and are very much appreciated. According to Jacob, funding has been much more

difficult. Participation, fundraising activity, including a pancake breakfast fundraiser, and work on the car intensify during the spring.

Currently, the solar car has a battery capacity of 4.8 kilowatt-hours using four large twelve-volt batteries. The solar array is 1100 watts, and outputs forty-eight volts. The car weighs approximately 850 pounds. The new batteries, which added 1.2 kilowatt-hours, increased the weight by one hundred pounds. The fastest speed the car has been pushed to is forty-six miles per hour, but it is usually raced at twenty to twenty-five miles per hour.

The main focus of improvement for the car this year is reducing its weight and rolling resistance. One of the problems encountered this year are the dimensions of the rollcage. Because the road race has different requirements for cars, the chassis needed to be modified to accommodate a larger interior space for the driver. Gears need to be set up so they can easily be changed to adapt to different road grades during the long race.

Devon Prep could achieve national recognition if the Solar Car Team is successful in this cross-country road race, but the team must raise funds in order to compete. Anyone who knows of a company or firm willing to donate should contact Jacob or another member of the team.

Rafael Suero ’13 experimenting with dry ice at a meeting of the Chemistry Club.

A Shakespearean Classic

Ryan Mattox ’13, Associate Editor for Entertainment

Sha kespea re’s A Winter’s Tale has been enjoyed by t he sophomores, ju n iors, a nd sen iors of Devon P rep. T he play w r ig ht ’s scr ipt is ac ted out beaut i f u l ly by t he cast, t ha n k s i n no sma l l pa r t to t he space a nd work shop prov ided by t he People’s L ig ht a nd T heat re.

Fa mous for t he stage d i rec t ion [Exit A nt igonus, pursued by a bear], A Winter’s Tale i s a stor y of jea lous y, hea r tbrea k , love, a nd redempt ion. T he play centers heav i ly on t he concept of w i nter a nd t he bu r n i ng of t he w i nter w itch t rad it ion. T houg h w i nter t i me is long a nd cold, spr i ng w i l l a lway s replace it i n t he end w it h new l i fe a nd new cha nces.

T he per for ma nce centers a rou nd t he k i ngdoms of Sic i l ia a nd Bohem ia, whose respec t ive k i ngs a re L eontes a nd Pol i xenes. Two best f r iends when t he play sta r t s, L eontes’ jea lous y leads h i m dow n a road of suspicion a nd cr uelt y t hat w i l l cost h i m much more t ha n just h is f r iendsh ip. He acc uses h is preg na nt w i fe, Her m ione, of adu lter y w it h Pol i xenes, a nd d r ives away h is cou nselors, f r iends, a nd fa m i ly as he spi ra ls i nto mad ness. Ever y at tempt to assuage h is a nger i ncreases h is cer ta i nt y of bet raya l, c u l m i nat i ng i n h is rejec t ion of h is new bor n daug hter. A s Sici l ia u n ravels, a n u nw i l l i ng adv isor must aba ndon t he g i rl , Perd ita, on some fa r-of f shore, leav i ng her to t he element s a nd t he good g races of fate.

Un for t u nately, t he People’s L ig ht a nd T heat re ra n t he show on ly u nt i l Ma rch 3, so it is too late to see t he show. For a l l who went, t houg h, it was a g ra nd a nd encha nt i ng ex per ience f u l l of sad ness a nd joy. T he superb scener y, stag i ng , a nd ac t i ng had ever yone laug h i ng a nd cr y i ng.

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Perplexing PuzzlesPatrick Shields ’14, Associate Editor for News

Beginning this month, The Devon Dialogue will transcend the boundaries of ink and paper and become something more than simply a newspaper. It will become an online publication, and take its rightful place in the pantheon of media behemoths including Fox News, The Huffington Post, and Russia Today. This apotheosis of The Dialogue, marked by its entrance into the vast series of tubes known as the Internet, will completely and utterly change the future of all Devon students. No longer will they have to indulge in such menial tasks as turning physical pages. Instead, ever y article of The Dialogue will be readily available on the World Wide Web, easily accessible on any device with an internet connection.

This new website will allow students to access any article published in The Dialogue, ranging from sports articles to opinion pieces; access to archives of some editions will also be available. Users will also be able to generate their own content to be posted. Aspiring journalists and prolif ic writers will be able to post their works for all to laud or to crit icize. The Dialogue will no longer be just a quarterly publication, but a constant source of new and creative materials.

This website is a project of the newly established Mobile Application and Website Development Club. It is only one of many projects this societ y of extraordinarily talented individuals, under the charismatic leadership of Chairmen Andrew Bright ’14 and Kevin Sheng, plans on completing. Also coming soon are Devon Prep apps for both iOS and Android.

Currently in the early alpha stages of development, the website is st il l far from complete. Parts of it are up and running, though in this four-paragraph piece of publicit y propaganda the actual address has yet to be mentioned. After off icial school approval, v isit w w w.devondialogue.com to witness the progress of the web page, render copious amounts of praise upon its creators for its exquisite craftsmanship, and charitably bestow upon them precious advertisement dollars.

Dialogue Goes DigitalKevin Sheng ’14

New to Devon Prep this year is the Alfa-Bits Club, started by Dr. Edgar Nicolas, a Devon parent and published puzzle developer. Members of the club try out new, educational, and fun non-commercialized puzzles and games. One of the great things about the club is that it’s open to all grades.

Dr. Nicolas agreed to speak about the Alfa-Bits Club after one of their meetings. “I want to have these games where the middle-school kids playing against the older kids are on even ground,” Dr. Nicolas said. “I don’t think

there are too many activities in which you can have that.” This idea was made readily apparent in his game of Wabbits, in which each player is given a number of two-letter tiles, and he must then proceed to make a given number of four-letter words before his opponent. The number of words that each player has to make depends on his skill level, and each time a player wins, he has to make one more word than before in the next round. This allows more-skilled players to play with less-skilled players, while keeping the game fair.

Dr. Nicolas eventually hopes to market these games, preferably as apps, after testing them with students at Devon and younger kids at libraries and elementary schools. “The idea,” Dr. Nicolas explained, “is that many of the skills that the kids will pick up here will be applicable to daily life.” Overall, his goal is to make games and puzzles that promote perseverance, friendly competition, sportsmanship, and quick thinking. You can join the Alfa-Bits Club today and have a chance to be a part of optimizing these games and puzzles for commercialization.

On Monday, Ma rch 1 1, 201 3, t he Devon Mat h Ci rcle competed i n it s f i na l Mat h letes Compet it ion at Monsig nor Bon ner H ig h School. T he Devon Tea m competed i n t he Wester n Div ision aga i nst ma ny schools i nclud i ng Bishop Sha na ha n, Msg r. Bon ner, Pope Joh n Pau l I I, Not re Da me, V i l la Ma r ia, a nd ot hers. Each tea m has a f ive member “A” tea m, a nd i f t here a re ot her st udent s compet i ng for t hat school t he y w i l l eit her go onto t he “B” or “C” tea m. Each compet it ion consist s of t wo i nd iv idua l set s (fou r quest ions each) a nd a tea m rou nd (f ive quest ions each). Each compet it ion has a speci f ic topic, a ny where f rom geomet r y to t r igonomet r y.

T he Devon Mat h Ci rcle has g row n f rom bei ng solely Mat h letes i n t he 2011 – 201 2 school yea r i nto t he Devon Mat h Ci rcle i nclud i ng Mat h letes, t he A mer ica n Mat h Compet it ion, a nd P rojec t Eu ler.

L ast yea r, Devon P rep was t he new you ng club f i n ish i ng i n n i nt h place i n t he Ph i ladelph ia A rchd iocese. T he Devon Tea m has evolved i nto t he a lpha ma le of t he pack , f i n ish i ng i n close second place of t he Wester n Div ision, m issi ng f i rst by a mere t wo poi nt s. T he tea m adva nced to t he nex t level where t hey w i l l compete aga i nst ever y tea m i n t he Ph i ladelph ia A rchd iocese. T he tea m compet i ng w i l l consist of Soha m

Bha r ne ’1 5, A lex Da m ia n ’16, Kev i n Sheng ’14, A lber t-Ema nuel M i la n i ’1 5, a nd Shya ma l Patel ’16. Soha m Bha r ne ach ieved f i rst place i nd iv idua l ly i n t he Wester n Div ision, on ly m issi ng a si ng le quest ion i n si x compet it ions. A lex Da m ia n ach ieved second place i nd iv idua l ly i n t he Wester n Div ision, on ly m issi ng t h ree quest ions i n si x compet it ions. T hese t wo st udent s w i l l pa r t ic ipate i n t he i nv itat iona l meet on Apr i l 1 2, 201 3 represent i ng Devon P rep a nd t he A rchd iocese.

One mont h ago, a few st udent s chose to compete i n t he A mer ica n Mat h Compet it ion (A MC). Ni nt h a nd tent h g raders took t he A MC 10, wh i le t he elevent h a nd t wel f t h g raders took t he A MC 1 2. T hose who took t he test have received t hei r scores. Jason Sadek ’14 got t he h ig hest score i n t he school for t he A MC 1 2, closely fol lowed by A nd rew Br ig ht ’14 a nd Kev i n Sheng ’14. Soha m Bha r ne got t he h ig hest score i n t he school for t he A MC 10, closely fol lowed by A lex Da m ia n a nd Br ia n Da merau ’16. Jason Sadek a nd Soha m Bha r ne received a pi n.

T he season was successf u l t ha n k s to t he pa r t ic ipat ion of a l l t he Mat h letes: Soha m Bha r ne, A lex Da m ia n, Kev i n Sheng , A lber t-Ema nuel M i la n i, Shya ma l Patel, A nd rew Br ig ht, Jef ferson Toro ’14, Pat r ick Sh ields ’14, a nd Da n Crowe ’1 5.

Mathletic GeniusesSoham Bharne ’15

The Devon Prep Mathletes Team, proudly posing for a photograph.From left to right: Kevin Sheng ’14, Jefferson Toro ’14, Daniel Crowe ’15, Alexandru Damian ’16,

Shyamal Patel ’16, Soham Bharne ’15, Albert-Emanuel Milani ’15, Patrick Shields ’14, and Andrew Bright ’14

6 Dialogue Sports

A Hunt for Red-DemptionBrian Koskinen ’13

After a very lackluster 2011-2012 season, the Phillies are looking to reload and come back strong this season. The 2012 season, filled with numerous injuries, was a major dissapointment to fans, not only because of the injuries, but for the level of play that the players who were healthy put out when they were on the field. This year should be different, the Phillies are healthy and addressed important positional needs in this off-season, and are poised to make another World Series push.

Last year, the Phillies experienced a myriad of injuries to some of their most crucial players. Carlos Ruiz, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Freddy Galvis all spent significant time on the disabled list. With all of that in mind, the Phillies still finished at 81-81 and had a opportunity late to sneak into the playoffs. The Phillies’s main problems last year, outside of their health, were their seriously inconsistent bullpen and their mediocre offense. These problems have been addressed in this offseason, and now the have become strong suits for this team. This offseason the Phillies signed Mike Adams, an outstanding and veteran relief pitcher that will help shore up the back end of their bullpen. They also traded for Ben Revere, a dynamic center fielder with blazing speed and a great glove. Michael Young was acquired from the Texas Rangers

to replace the aged Placido Polanco. Young, now a grizzled veteran, was a dominant force in the American League, but it is yet to be seen what he can do for the Phillies. These acquisitions, along with returning healthy players, should make the Phillies move from a .500 team to the front of the race for the NL East crown.

With this team comes many questions about age of their star players. Utley, Howard, Halladay, and Lee are all entering into more than their tenth year of MLB service. This problem causes many fans to be concerned whether or not the Phillies are capable of being a perennial playoff team in the years to come. The door seems to be closing on the Phillies’ opportunities for another World Series, but they do have a lot of potential young talent that could replace these aged stars. Though it might be too early to rely on these young players such as Dominic Brown, Darin Ruf, and Freddy Galvis, their performance this season will no doubt have a direct correlation to the Phillies’ success.

This season has generated many questions, but if the team performs the same way they did in the second half of last year, and the new additions play like they have done before they got to the Phillies, there will be no doubt that the Phillies can win the NL East and push for another World Series championship.

On February 8, The Philadelphia Wings professional lacrosse team invited members of The Devon Dialogue to take a tour of the press box, attend a Wings game against the Rochester Knighthawks, and sit in on a press conference. Four students — Patrick Kinsella ’13, Reese Bowden ’13, Dominic Nguyen ’13, and Daniel Fletcher ’13 — jumped at the opportunity and attended the game with Mr. Lawrence Theuer. When the students arrived at the facility, a gentleman who interns for the wings showed them around parts of the Wells Fargo Center. They were astounded by the view from the press box and were shown the operating room for the scoreboard. After the tour, the Devon crew was shown to their seats and the game began. Very early in the contest, an exciting fight broke out between a Knighthawks player and a Wings player at midfield. After a few right hooks, the Rochester player was defeated and the crowd was roused. However, the rest of the game was not as favorable to the Wings who lost in a rout, 20-10. Paul Rabil, widely considered to be the best player in the world, was held scoreless and had seven turnovers. Captain Brodie Merrill had three goals and former Knighthawk Jordan Hall added two of his own.

After the game, a Wings representative took us to the room in the Wells Fargo Center where all press conferences are held. The students heard from head coach Johnny Mouradian, Brodie Merrill, and Jordan Hall, who reiterated that the players’ defense must improve. Merrill, when asked about the rout, also said Paul Rabil is still getting used to the system of the Wings and his play is guaranteed to improve. After the press conference, a team representative thanked the students for coming. Even though the Wings lost, the day was a success and the Devon crew had a great time.

Watching the Wings

Patrick Kinsella ’13

A Slam Dunk SeasonPatrick Kinsella ’13

After a year of ups and downs, the basketball season has ended. The Devon Prep basketball team was not selected to the double A playoffs after a new rule put into effect this year allowed single A teams to compete even though they played a significantly weaker schedule than Devon’s. The season started off poorly with Devon going 1-3 with the only win coming at Mast Charter and losses to teams like Episcopal and Roxborough.

After that, Devon went on a run in league play, after losing to New Hope, where they beat Holy Ghost and Bristol, two of the best teams in the division. They then struggled with a crucial loss to Lower Moreland.

Afterwards Devon went on to beat Mast Charter and Sankofa on senior night. After these promising wins, Devon faltered against New Hope and Bristol.

The season ended on a high note with home wins against Lower Moreland and Friends Select. The Friends Select game was the last for Head Coach Bill Frio. It is unknown who the new head coach will be.

I would like to extend a personal thanks to coach Bill Frio, assistant coaches Matt White and coach Massimini, seniors John Kane, Ian McConnell, Mike Giampietro, Matt DiDonato, all other players, Athletic Director Mr. Mark Aquilante ’94, and Admissions Director Mr. Patrick Kane.

John Kane ‘13 and Chris Bauers ‘14 charging up the court during one of the varsity team’s home games.

A f ter a d i s appoi nt i ng 201 2 sea son plag ue d b y ke y i nju r ies a nd c oac h i ng c ha nges, De von P rep’s 201 3 lac ros se tea m i s c om i ng bac k w it h a ne w look . T h i s yea r, for t he f i r st t i me, t he De von lac ros se tea m w i l l be tea m i ng up w it h t he Delaw a re Cou nt y C h r i st ia n S c hool for a c ombi ned roster. T he ne w tea m w i l l be heade d b y ne w c oac h Greg Por ter a nd h ave a d i f ferent look w it h t hei r br a nd ne w u n i for m s. Ne w De von f ac es on t he tea m i nc lude s en ior goa l ie Joe Ha r uc h a nd t he ret u r n of t he of fen sive t h reat i n M ic hael K nau s ’1 4 w ho w i l l br i ng some G er m a n toug h nes s to t he tea m . T he DP/DC lac ros se tea m look s to have a n out st a nd i ng yea r beh i nd it s sen ior leader s h ip i n Ju st i n Hayden a nd Da n iel F letc her. T he f ut u re a l so look s br ig ht w it h you ng st a r s M ic hael L ove ’16 a nd Gabe Pa l la nte ’1 5 a l read y m a k i ng c ont r ibut ion s to t he tea m .

Lacrossing the LineJustin Hayden ’13

7Dialogue Editorials

Over the past three years, the college sports world has experienced groundbreaking conference realignment. Though not always bad, under these circumstances, the realignment has proved detrimental to all involved parties, whether they realize it or not. The realignment has not spared any conference, and has ruined or will ruin some classic rivalries that many sports fans would enjoy. The realignment decisions were made because the colleges wanted more money out of their athletic programs. The decisions were shortsighted, with only the big moneymaking programs, like football and men’s basketball, in mind. Realignment affects not only the big programs, but the small programs as well.

Rivalries make sports all that more interesting. As a fan, when you can hate a team with a passion without ever playing them, you know that such a rivalry is great. In college sports there are hundreds of rilvaries, but with realignment a lot of the more famous and most celebrated rivalries are ending. Games like University of Missouri versus Kansas University, University of Pittsburgh versus West Virginia University, and Syracuse University versus Georgetown University will not occur any longer because those colleges moved to different conferences. For each big rivalry being altered, there are many smaller rivalries that are also affected.

All of those matchups previously

mentioned were between those college’s with big time basketball and football programs. Though these programs make the most money, there are many other sports programs at a college than just basketball and football. With that in mind, having a college such as the Air Force Academy joining the Big East Conference seems rather absurd. Air Force would play colleges like the University of Connecticut, Temple University, and University of South Florida. The idea that the Air Force would travel 1700 miles to University of Connecticut for a women’s lacrosse match is baff ling. The only reason that Air Force moved to the Big East Conference was because of the automatic qualification for an BCS Bowl game if they won the conference. There are more sports programs at colleges than just football and basketball, and that should be kept in mind when these realignment and relocations occur.

Conference realignment is not necessarily a bad thing, when a team like Boston College moves from the Big East conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Instances like that, and examples like Boston College put a false idea in other colleges’ minds. Other colleges such as Air Force think it is a good idea to travel across the country for every sporting event, to make more money. Conference realignment has shaken the world of college sports, and it is destroying a much beloved pasttime for many American sports fans.

Catastrophic Conference RealignmentBrian Koskinen ’13

As a paradigm of educational systems, the standardized test has become the most w idely used tool to “properly” evaluate the prof iciencies of students. However, the name standardized is too misleading; it is a euphemism for forced conformit y. This conformit y is creating a narrow-minded ideological env ironment, penalizing students who think dif ferent ly, students who dare to challenge the dogmas of their societ y. Frederich Nietzsche once remarked “The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think dif ferent ly.”

W hen some of you read this, you may feel that standardized test ing is necessar y to evaluate prof iciency in math and grammar, both of which are rigid, object ive areas w ith no possibil it y of dif fering v iews. I w il l agree w ith you for these areas. However, standardized tests do not l imit themselves to simply object ive areas; they bring in “reading comprehension.” Reading, or the vague term that describes the aggregate of our l iterar y accomplishments, ideas, and philosophies has long been the medium from which new ideas come, inspirat ion f lows, and hope is forged. If we are forced to conform in our analysis of l iterature, there w il l never be any dif fering v iews.

Standardized test makers have developed an exact science in destroy ing integrit y: sl icing, measuring, and cutt ing w ith scissors and ruler in hand unti l the idea — one formulated af ter many sleepless nights w ith words brewed from experience, from pain, from anguish — f its nicely into a mult iple choice quest ion. Just ice to the idea, to the author is but one black circle in a sea of graphite.

The truth remains, however, that standardized test makers are no more qualif ied than I am in evaluating what a certain passage means. They may have college degrees, but they do not have the same experiences the authors had when they w rote their ideas. W ho is the College Board to tel l me what a word means? The pangs of sorrow, the shivers of fear, the intox icat ion of pride, and the hardships of struggle have given meaning to words. The word “pain” does not have a banal qualit y to those who have experienced it. The depths to which some have experienced “struggle” have given this word new meaning. It is plain, simple, and emotionally potent.

This editorial may seem radical to many, but to those who have experienced the power of ideas, I hope it may be worth relat ing to. Conformit y of thought is ef f icient; it si lent ly and gradually snuffs out the f lame of dissent, the f lame of inquir y, the f lame of change.

Andrew Bright ’14

On March 11, we officially reached the two-year anniversary of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Japanese coast. Higashi nihon daishinsai, as it is referred to in Japanese, left 15,880 people dead. Aside from the staggering humanity cost, nearly every aspect of Japanese life was impacted. For a time all ports were closed, an irrigation dam ruptured, an oil refinery to the east of Tokyo was set on fire, and over 4.4 million residents were left without power. However, none of these incidents compared to the danger and national attention attributed to a lone nuclear power plant at Okuma, Fukushima.

The plant, which consisted of six boiling water reactors, was one of the largest in the world. On the day of the disaster only three of the reactors were in operation; the others had been shut down for maintenance. In response to the earthquake the reactors immediately shut down via emergency protocol. The problems occurred when the resulting tsunami knocked off line the generators that supplied water to cool the reactors, leading to a three-week struggle to prevent a nuclear disaster. Despite that, explosions resulted from overheating.

The explosions released a level seven (major) amount of radiation. Evacuations were called within thirty kilometers of the plant and displaced over 450,000 people.

But now it is two years down the line. It seems that this accident is a distant memory to the world. News continues to happen, and the world turns. But what about the aftermath? What about the coming years? Generations will feel the effects of this disaster for time unknown.

Prior to this incident, Chernobyl stood alone as the only known Level 7 disaster to date. It is now, and will continue to be for 20,000 years, a site unfit for human habitation. It seems that we can be thankful that such a drastic result has not occurred with Fukushima. But it is the aftermath that now must be faced.

It is estimated that there will be up to one hundred deaths caused by cancer as a result of the Fukushima incident in the next decade. A growing number of young children have cysts and thyroid abnormalities that may become cancerous. Keep in mind that this is a result of low-level radiation. Fish and seafood caught in the North Pacific will be contaminated for years.

Fukushima-Daiichi: Two Years LaterRyan Mattox ’13, Associate Editor for Entertainment

Standardized Suffering

8 Habemus Papam: The Catholic Church and Society TodayAntonio Muscarella ’13, Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief: Antonio Muscarella ’13Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Michael Tolvaisa ’13Photography Editor: Timothy Crowe ’13Faculty Moderator: Mr. Lawrence Theuer

Assistant Photography Editor: Rafael Suero ’13Associate Editor for Entertainment: Ryan Mattox ’13Associate Editor for News: Patrick Shields ’14 Associate Editor for Editorials: Sean Melvin ’13 Associate Editor for Sports: Ryan Shannon ’13 Associate Editor for Interviews & Polls: Kevin Fulmer ’13

All photos, unless otherwise noted, taken by newspaper staff or Ms. Rose Lombardo, for Devon Preparatory School.Special thanks to Fr. Shea for his tireless assistance and guidance.

© 2013 Devon Prep

Pope Francis, in his first address to the world upon being elected.

On Febr ua r y 1 1 , 201 3, Pope Bened ic t X V I a n nou nc ed t hat he wou ld resig n a s leader of t he Cat hol ic C hu rch, ef fec t ive Febr ua r y 28. T he a n nou ncement of h i s resig nat ion c a me a s a shock to t he world: not s i nce Gregor y X I I i n 1 4 1 5 had a pope resig ned h i s post . A s u sua l, t he a n nou nc ement of t he Hol y Fat her ’s resig nat ion w a s met w it h a stor m of r u mor s a nd spec u lat ion f rom t he med ia, fabr ic at i ng idea s of sc a nda l . Howe ver, Bened ic t h i m sel f st ated t hat h i s rea son for steppi ng dow n w a s “a lack of st reng t h of m i nd a nd bod y.” At eig ht y-f ive yea r s of age, t he G er ma n pont i f f w a s faced w it h decl i n i ng hea lt h i n t he la st fe w yea r s of h i s papac y. T he st resses of t he posit ion proved too much for t he ag i ng pope, a nd he chose to resig n f rom h i s post .

Bened ic t X V I’s resig nat ion once aga i n opened t he w ay for one of t he C hu rch’s t i me-honored t rad it ion s: t he elec t ion of a ne w pope. Ca rd i na l s f rom a rou nd t he world — 1 1 5 i n tot a l — c a me toget her i n t he Vat ic a n to beg i n t he papa l elec t ion process. On Ma rch 1 2, t he door s of t he Si st i ne C hapel c losed a s t he c a rd i na l s bega n c a st i ng t hei r votes. Black smoke bi l lowed out of t he ch i m ne y of t he chapel a f ter t he f i r st fe w votes. A f ter a day a nd a ha l f of i ndec i siveness, w h ite smoke bega n pou r i ng out of t he ch i m ne y on t he e ven i ng of Ma rch 1 3, s ig na l i ng to t he world t hat a ne w pope had been chosen. Ca rd i na l Jorge Ma r io Ber gog l io, t he A rchbi shop of Buenos A i res, A rgent i na, emerged at t he ba lcony of St . Peter ’s Ba si l ic a; he had been elec ted, a nd chose t he na me Fra nc i s.

T he ne w l y-elec ted Pope Fra nc i s add ressed t he c rowd

of people before h i m, a nd t hose w atch i ng f rom a rou nd t he world, w it h t he t rad it iona l Urbi et Orbi . “Fratel l i e sorel le, buona sera,” (Brot her s a nd si ster s, good e ven i ng) t he pope bega n. He t ha n ked t he people gat hered before h i m, a nd sa id a n O u r Fat her, a Ha i l Ma r y, a nd a Glor y Be for Pope E mer it u s Bened ic t X V I. Fra nc i s a l so a sked t he world to pray for h i m a s he beg i n s h i s papac y. He went on to spea k of foster i ng a sen se of f rater n it y i n t he C hu rch ac ross t he world, a nd u r ged t he Cat hol ic com mu n it y to pray for one a not her. He t hen gave a bened ic t ion a nd t ha n ked t he c rowd aga i n for welcom i ng h i m.

T he a n nou nc ement of Fra nc i s a s t he nex t pope sent a w ave of exc itement ac ross t he world. Fra nc i s i s t he f i r st non-Eu ropea n pope i n over a m i l len n iu m, t he f i r st L at i n A mer ic a n pope, a nd t he f i r st pope f rom t he A mer ic a s. H i s elec t ion cou ld s ig na l a ne w d i rec t ion for t he C hu rch; perhaps t he sen se of f rater n it y he w a nt s to i n st i l l i n t he C hu rch w i l l help br i ng d i scou raged a nd non-prac t ic i ng Cat hol ic s back i nto t he C hu rch.

D u r i ng t he ent i re papa l elec t ion proc ess, spec u lat ion w a s ra mpa nt a s to i n w h ich d i rec t ion t he C hu rch wou ld be headed. T he med ia e ven sug gested t hat perhaps t he ne w pope wou ld cha nge t he C hu rch’s v ie w s on ke y i ssues l i ke abor t ion or sa me-sex ma r r iages, i n order to become more “moder n i z ed.” T h i s i na ne sug gest ion demon st rates ju st how m i sg u ided ma ny people a re i n t hei r v ie w s on t he C hu rch. Un for t u natel y, st atement s f rom ma ss c u lt u re

have ma naged to d i sencha nt some Cat hol ic s f rom t he C hu rch.

Soc iet y today pa i nt s t he Cat hol ic C hu rch a s a n a nt iquated i n st it ut ion at tempt i ng to uphold a rcha ic dog ma s a nd doc t r i nes, w hen not h i ng cou ld be f u r t her f rom t he t r ut h. W h i le ou r soc iet y ’s mora l deg radat ion cont i nues at a n a la r m i ng rate, t he C hu rch at tempt s to prov ide a cou nter mea su re by rema i n i ng stead fa st to t he teach i ngs of Jesu s C h r i st . To say t hat per m it t i ng abor t ion or sa me-sex ma r r iage i s a “moder n idea” t hat t he C hu rch shou ld adopt i s absolutel y cont ra r y to t he f u nda ment a l nat u re of t he C hu rch.

W hat ma ny people don’t u nder st a nd i s w hy t he C hu rch teaches t hese doc t r i nes a nd dog ma s. T he y a ren’t s i mpl y a nc ient t rad it ion s a nd c u stom s pa ssed dow n for t wo-t hou sa nd yea r s — t he y a re mora l g u idel i nes for l iv i ng t he l i fe t hat Jesu s w a nt s people to l ive. T hese doc t r i nes foster love i n t he world: love for one a not her a nd love for G od. Soc iet y today i s not on l y becom i ng i nc rea si ng l y sec u la r i z ed, but a l so i nc rea si ng l y f u l l of hat red a nd lack of love. Sec u la r soc iet y c loud s t he percept ion s of ma ny people to t he poi nt w here t he mu rder of i n nocent u nbor n ch i ld ren i s con sidered lega l a nd ma r r iage i s con sidered a t r iv ia l or tempora r y a r ra ngement i n stead of t he f r u it f u l ref lec t ion of G od’s eter na l love t hat it w a s i ntended to be.

To say t hat t he C hu rch need s to aba ndon t hese teach i ngs i s preposterou s; t he C hu rch w i l l ne ver cha nge it s v ie w s on t hese i ssues. T he y a re f u nda ment a l mora l quest ion s t hat c a n not have a ny t h i ng ot her t ha n per ma nent, u nw aver i ng a n s wer s. C ha ng i ng t hese teach i ngs i s not w hat t he C hu rch need s to do to br i ng back fol lower s.

Ma ny a re a l so qu ick to poi nt out t he sc a nda l s t hat have rocked t he C hu rch i n recent yea r s. W h i le t hese sc a nda l s a re hea r tbrea k i ng a nd t rag ic, it ’s i mpor t a nt to remember t hat t he C hu rch i sn’t s i mpl y a hu ma n i n st it ut ion. T he C hu rch ha s bot h a d iv i ne a nd a hu ma n a spec t ; w h i le t he hu ma n a spec t i s prone to s i n, t he d iv i ne a spec t rema i n s st rong a nd cont i nua l l y g u ides t he C hu rch. T he C hu rch ha s been t h roug h cou nt less sch i sm s, refor mat ion s, a nd sc a nda l s t h roug hout it s h i stor y, yet it pre v a i l s . T h i s i s bec au se Jesu s C h r i st i s at work i n H i s C hu rch, g u id i ng each a nd e ver y one of it s member s to H i m sel f a nd en su r i ng t hat H i s C hu rch endu res to spread H i s love to t he ent i re world.

I n t he t roubled world today, ma ny Cat hol ic s a re becom i ng d i scou raged a nd d i sencha nted by t he C hu rch, w h ich t he y feel ha s ref u sed to moder n i z e it s teach i ngs. Howe ver, t he C hu rch’s stead fa st com m it ment to it s doc t r i nes a nd dog ma s helps to i n st i l l C h r i st ’s love i n t he world, love t hat t he world desperatel y need s. A s t he ne w l y elec ted Pope Fra nc i s sa id du r i ng h i s f i r st Urbi et Orbi : “L et u s pray for one a not her.” P rayer c a n help hea l t he d iv i sion s i n t he C hu rch a nd c a n br i ng ma ny Cat hol ic s back i nto C h r i st ’s com mu n it y of love. T he teach i ngs of t he C hu rch a re not a nt iquated; t he y ac t a s a n u nw aver i ng mora l compa ss, g u id i ng each per son to t he l ig ht of C h r i st ’s love.