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Spes Unica: A reflection on leading a retreat and a call to others

By Gabriel Ibarra · Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022

I’ve been missing from the pages of The Observer for a while, but I am back and refreshed after a great weekend Spes Unica retreat. As the 50th retreat in this biannual series, Spes Unica retreats are a hidden gem among the many retreats that happen around the tri-campus community. Though I was a leader this time around, this retreat was still one I actively participated in as if I was living it out. For context, this was my first official Spes Unica retreat, but my third spiritual retreat at Holy Cross. The first was at Sophomore Anchor Day, an overnight retreat that served as a spiritual check-in for those in their second year of Holy Cross. After this, I did not go on any Spes Unica retreats, but I did attend our Marian Pilgrimage. During this pilgrimage, we traveled around from Indiana to travel to Illinois and Wisconsin, visiting holy sites centered around Mary. Highlights include going to Marytown in Libertyville, the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein and the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion. This was a multiple-day trip that introduced Mary to several students in new and exciting ways. But, these were not Spes Unica retreats, also known as SPES. 

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How misinformation/ disinformation on social media is destroying our democracy 

By BridgeND · Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022

Social media has given a platform for individuals to share their voices faster and to a broader audience than ever before. At our nation’s founding, it would have been unimaginable to predict that anyone would be able to speak at any time from anywhere. This phenomenon has lent itself to the creation of a new type of speaker, a bolder ego unafraid of sharing what is on their mind. In reaction, our government is stuck with a thought-provoking dilemma of what “free speech” truly entails in this day and age. The oratory vehicle that social media has become provides several cultural stresses on the democratic structure, such as an overload of information, the creation of a hive mind and radicalization. Perhaps the greatest threat to democracy, which works in tandem with the aforementioned, is the growing misinformation and disinformation online.

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Christmas starts now

By Caitlin Brannigan · Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022

I love looking out my window and being greeted by a winter wonderland. I love curling up in my bed with a book and a cup of hot chocolate. I love making snow angels and flailing around on the quad, hurling snowballs at my friends until our fingers are numb. 

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Kill your darlings: Notes on letting go

By Kate Casper · Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022

Letting go has never been easy for me. In fact, it’s one of my least favorite things to do — because, often, letting go feels like losing. Whether it’s letting go of a person or a feeling, a place or a sense of normalcy, things will change, and change can be dreadful.

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Sibling rivalry

By Isabelle Kause · Monday, Nov. 14, 2022

As twins, my brother and I have spent most of our lives together. We attended the same grade school and high school and could very easily relate to one another when it came to the joys and stresses of everyday life. People have occasionally asked us if we have “twin telepathy, ” and while our answer is always no, we do share a close bond with occasional moments of competitiveness. 

The Observer

Rain on the just and unjust

By Andrew Sveda · Monday, Nov. 14, 2022

The Sermon on the Mount is full of startling claims, many of which, for various reasons, we fail to appreciate.  One such statement is this: God “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45 ESV). Jesus uses these words to show how much God loves His enemies, and it serves as a glorious example that Christians are called to emulate.

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Observer Editorial: Now what? Activities for post-football season

By The Observer Editorial Board · Friday, Nov. 11, 2022

Fall can be quite an overwhelming season in college. School, club activities, job applications and social events make a week fly by. Football season makes the weekend almost as tiring as the week, leaving you with even less free time to diversify your schedule. With just one home football game left, you might be wondering: What is there to do when Notre Dame’s most famous sports season is over? Well, look no further because here’s a guide to all the happenings around the tri-campus — from sports to art to music and everything in between — so you can really explore everything this community has to offer. 

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The words unspoken

By Makayla Hernandez · Friday, Nov. 11, 2022

Sometimes, I wish I could fly. Because to fly would mean to be free, and that is something my body desperately yearns for. I often dream about what freedom would taste like. Would it be a sweet nectar, smooth against my cheek? Or would it be bitter, dark and earthy — something that gets stuck in between your teeth? I want to fly. To fly away from the sorrows of today and to soar past the clouds and grasses in which I pray. I want to swoop along riverbanks and dangle my feet against the roaring currents. But I ... I cannot fly. I can barely even find it in me to pray at times. I walk along the shores of life and ponder about my purpose, and even then do I wish I could just escape. From school, from life, from family … from me. 

The Observer

Political polarization, identity politics and social media

By Grace Sullivan · Friday, Nov. 11, 2022

In modern-day politics, political parties are more polarized than ever. This division between Democrats and Republicans has prevented bipartisan legislation from being implemented to address critical issues in the United States. However, American politics were not always so divided. This begs the question, what caused political polarization in our democracy? The answer is simple: identity politics and social media. 

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Racial experiences of neurodivergence: An introduction

By Jack Griffiths · Friday, Nov. 11, 2022

Being a white man, I fit within the general population’s preconceived idea of what an autistic person looks like. When asked to picture an autistic person, many people will automatically conjure images of young white boys playing with trains. This conception overshadows the perspectives of those who do not fit this expected mold; in an earlier column, I focused on women as people who are negatively impacted by this trope-reliant view of neurodivergence. This week, I’d like to observe how neurodivergent people of color also face unique challenges, as they must overcome grisly intersections between racial stereotypes and stereotypes of the neurodivergent. 

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An appeal to reason and civil discourse in the wake of our election

By lettertotheeditor · Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022

The Washington Post famously advertises the phrase, “democracy dies in darkness.” Undoubtedly this is a commentary on our unique ability in America to say what we wish, and believe it has meaning. And so today, in the face of a changing federal landscape, I see an opportunity for all of us on this campus to come together to say what we wish, and say it civilly. 

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Antisemitism and the abortion debate

By Blake Ziegler · Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022

A common feature of the abortion debate is employing religious rhetoric to justify one’s position. This is especially true among the Religious Right, who frequently reference Christian values and religious teachings to support their position against abortion. However, the Religious Right doesn’t hold a monopoly on religious rhetoric. Although some religions hold a firm stance against abortion, there’s a wide variety of positions on the topic among different faiths. Like many issues, not every religion agrees on abortion. 

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‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’: Disney’s most underrated masterpiece

By Marcelle Couto · Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022

After acquiring a copy of Victor Hugo's “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” during fall break, I was suddenly in the mood to rewatch the Disney animated musical. Doing so made me realize, not for the first time, how criminally underrated this adaptation is. Not only was it not as successful as other Disney films, but it is also significantly inconspicuous compared to the more widely-acclaimed classics. I believe part of the reason may stem from the fact that many of us did not watch it in our childhood, and understandably so — the film's darker themes might not have been favorable to parents. However, I would argue that “Hunchback” is not so much a movie for children as it is a wonderful work of artistry, and it should be revisited and appreciated today.

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Riding the No. 2 bus

By Dane Sherman · Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022

The No. 2 Bus is the route in Seattle that slices right through the city’s heart. Flying over the high hills of Queen Anne, winding through the tight one-way streets of the city center and crawling next to the thriving bike paths.

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What's the path forward?

By Pablo Lacayo · Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022

As I write this column, I find myself in a slightly uncomfortable position. It is currently on track to be printed after the conclusion of this week’s midterm elections, but will be written before the United States goes to the polls. Since I could not find any crystal ball to accurately predict the future in Notre Dame’s bot-ridden Sales and Giveaways GroupMe, the following column has no choice but to be a mixed bag of predictions I hope will turn out to be at the very least slightly correct, and an analysis that will hopefully not fall flat once the results of the midterms are known. 

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