Good Friday as Observed at a Catholic University

The religious tradition of Lent began this year on Feb. 22 with the holiday known as Ash Wednesday. Practicing Catholic students on Sacred Heart University’s campus proudly spent the day adorned with an ash cross on their forehead. There was also a mass held on campus for students who wished to attend.

Being a Catholic university, Sacred Heart makes such religious services open to students who wish to participate. It is great for students who follow the Catholic faith and it is also respectful of students who may not be Catholic or simply do not wish to participate. However, April 6 is the holiday of Good Friday, a day where Catholics are supposed refrain from eating meat. In response to this tradition, no meat (other than fish) can be found on campus at all that day. Why is the practice of this holiday forced upon the student body while a practice such as Ash Wednesday is not? Is there something fundamentally wrong with this occurrence? The answer is, yes.

When this question has been posed to students, both Catholic and otherwise, a shrug is usually given and then the excuse of: “Well, Sacred Heart is a Catholic university.” However, other than Good Friday, no other practices surrounding a Catholic holiday are imposed upon the student body. Sure, a solution could simply be to just not eat on campus during Good Friday if you want meat. But, that is undermining the point. Why should this tradition be forced upon students when others are not?

If Sacred Heart made a majority of the annual Catholic traditions mandatory it would certainly attract a very different student body. Students who are not Catholic would have less of an interest in attending Sacred Heart and only those dedicated to their faith would bother applying for admission. Therefore, the number of students would likely diminish. This option would not be good for Sacred Heart as acquiring a constant and generous amount of students to the university is the goal of every college. So, if it’s not going to impose every tradition why do so with just one?

The suggestion could be that it really isn’t that big of a deal because it is only one tradition. However, it is a concern because, first of all, it is the only practice students are made to follow on campus. Then in doing so, it is forcing a tradition that is supposed to be choice. Those who are true to their religion are expected to identify that faith by choosing to abstain from eating meat. Once you take that choice away are you are undermining the reason for the tradition in the first place. The faithful are supposed to prove their faith through maintaining the practices upheld by the church. By not providing meat on campus for both non-Catholic and Catholic students alike, Sacred Heart is removing a student’s ability to express their dedication to their faith because when choice is no longer available, one is simply being forced to comply.

Sacred Heart is a Catholic university. It proudly celebrates the holidays that are associated with the religion and a majority of the student body enjoys being able to participate in these practices. However, faith is an expression of choice and dedication. No tradition, no matter how small, should be expected from those of a different faith nor should they be forced upon the faithful and deny them the ability to express their belief willingly.

 -Melissa Cole

Asst. Social Media Manager

Winter Ways to a Summer Ready Body

Adding a few extra pounds during this chilly season is not unusual for many. Even though this winter hasn’t been as harsh as prior years, some people probably snacked a little more then they had wished and are looking to shed a couple of pounds before they have to strip down into bikinis and short shorts. Instead of crash dieting, where the weight being lost can be put back in a matter of two days, starting a healthy diet and exercise routine can be very beneficial and results will definitely be noticeable in time for summer if you start soon. You know what they say, slow and steady wins the race!

As far as healthy eating goes, students should realize that there are plenty of nutritious options here at Sacred Heart. One for that matter is at our own cafeteria, Chartwells. Instead of getting chicken fingers and french fries, mozzarella sticks, or any of those other tempting greasy foods, make your way over to the salad bar, and if that’s too boring for you, add a piece of grilled chicken on top. Be careful with the dressings though. You don’t want to have unnecessary calories from the excessive use of ranch dressing, so only use a little and mix it well! Chartwells also offers daily soups, which pair up well with the salad. If you’re in the mood for a pizza, go for it. But remember, moderation is the key to loosing weight. If your running late for class, which does happen to many of us, instead of grabbing an unhealthy bag of chips, go for a cup of fruit, hummus, or even some sushi. These are items you can take on the go that do not have that many calories and are actually good for you! Mondo Subs has a lot of options as well. Try to stay away from the foot long doughy breads, and choose a wrap instead.

To get a toned up body for the beach, you can’t just eat healthy, but you have to workout somewhere between three and five days a week. The gym on campus is open everyday, and during the week it is open until midnight, which means that you will most likely be able to find at least an hour in your day to workout. At the gym, cardio is definitely a must. One machine in particular that works out most of your muscles and is not that difficult is the elliptical. Just make sure you put the incline up to five or 10 depending on how often you work out, to get the best results. Instead of running on the treadmill, try walking at a high incline. It tones up your legs and tightens up thighs a lot quicker than running would. There are also many workout classes the school offers such as Zumba, spinning, yoga, pilaties, and strike fit. You can find the schedule online.

Summer is going to be here before we know it, so study hard, eat right ,and workout, and things will be looking good!

 -Jaclyn Giuliano

Asst. Advertising Manager

World Loses Star, Daughter Loses Mother

Whitney Houston’s explosive career lasted for three decades. Within these years she earned two Emmys, six Grammys, 22 American Music Awards, and 30 Billboard Awards.

Sadly, this “musical dream” came to a tragic end on Feb. 11, when the iconic singer passed away at the age of 48. According to Sky News, the singer was found dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel. Houston’s hairdresser and bodyguard discovered her body when they went to check on her because she was late for an interview.

Police found prescription drugs used to treat anxiety in Houstons’ room. These drugs included Xanax, Valium, and Lorazepam. In addition, according to TMZ, she had beer and champagne with her last meal. Consequently, there are many rumors and speculations circulating which are attributing Houston’s death to a mixture of these substances.

The world found out about Houston’s passing in a very “21st century manner.” According to CBS News, the first time the singer’s death was shared with the public was on Twitter through Whitney’s hairdresser’s niece’s tweet.

Houston leaves behind an 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. Brown has been hospitalized for extreme stress twice since her mother’s death. Additionally, according to the Hundustan Times, Brown is now on suicide watch. It is reported that she is inconsolable and has been conveying that she no longer wishes to live.

Although Houston’s death has made news headlines for days due to her stardom, it is important to remember that at the end of the day, she was a mother. This fragmented family is now forced to mourn with the eyes of the world upon them.

 -Kim Nania

Social Media Manager

#LoveIsLouder Brings Attention to Anti-Bullying Movement

There is a new movement flooding the social networking world. #LoveIsLouder is a phrase that is starting to trend in the Twitter world. Actress Brittany Snow, MTV, and The Jed Foundation, started the program. Hundreds of thousands of people are joining this movement to raise awareness against bullying, negative self-image, discrimination, loneliness, and depression.

Anybody can join the movement, tweeting positive tweets and using the “hashtag” #LoveIsLouder to show support in the fight to end these issues. Pictures of celebrities are trending with the phrase #LoveIsLouder written on their hand. The overall message is that love is louder than any voice that brings you down. You can even shop #LoveIsLouder gear at their website. Joining the movement is as easy as clicking a button, you can follow the foundation at https://twitter.com/#!/LoveisLouder.

If Twitter isn’t the social networking site of your choice you can like the foundation on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/#!/joinloveislouder, along with 109,798 people already. The strategy behind the movement is simple. According to the site, “The Love is Louder movement is all about taking action. Some actions are simple like reading positive messages that remind us we aren’t alone or uploading our photos or artwork.”

We have all been through tough times and have looked for the support of others to get through it. This movement is working to fight the words that hurt and bring us down. The foundation asks for your help, saying, “With your help, we are getting even louder.”

 -Brittany Mezzancello

Asst. Sports Editor

10 Guilty Pleasures

When living in a house with six girls, you can imagine the effort behind making time for the gym and stocking our refrigerator with organic food from Trader Joe’s.

Eating healthy has always been important, but it has recently become a “cool trend” among students as opposed to just a necessity. I personally will never be able to completely give up a fountain soda of Sprite and an order of cheese fries, which is why after the end of a long week full of stress and an even longer weekend full of hangovers, nothing is better than ending it with a Fat Sunday.

It is a day that used to be considered Sunday Funday, but has reinvented itself into another new ‘cool trend’ around campus. It consists of doing absolutely nothing but camping out on the couch with some friends and eating anything and everything that is unhealthy. It allows even the biggest health freak to indulge in their guilty pleasures.

Below are my top 10 recommended guilty pleasures that will be worth every penny even on a tight college budget. Enjoy!

1.     Merit Canteen’s BLT with melted cheese and a large order of French fries

2.     Chipotle

3.     Nachos with hot sauce

4.     A black and white milkshake from Coldstone

5.     Sour belts (or any candy that is gummy and sour for that matter)

6.     Five Guys bacon cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles

7.     Salt and vinegar chips

8.     Homemade rice crispy treats

9.     Penne alla Vodka

10.  Onion Rings

- Kim Rooney

 Asst. Mind and Body Editor

The Three Weeks of the Super Bowl

In reality the Super Bowl lasts for three weeks. It lasts from the last game, where we find out who is in the Super Bowl all the way up until the week after it. Why?

It gives the fans something to talk about as well as resting the players up for the big game. I know that at Sacred Heart it started right after that last playoff game, I saw students immediately wearing their jerseys and shirts around campus to support either the New York Giants or the New England Patriots.

I thought it would stop there. It definitely didn’t.

We started to receive e-mails the weeks before the Super Bowl about the party foods that Chartwells was selling, and even our professors were bold enough to ask who everyone was rooting for, which, in my classes, sparked many debates between the students. Our professors were sorry they had asked. Facebook blew up with the amount of statuses about the Super Bowl as well as individual players. Photos either bashing the Giants or Patriots circled the social media website that sparked arguments between the different fan bases.

Things almost went to a standstill the week before the game but gathered in intensity, as it grew closer. I know that my entire house was divided: Giants fans against Patriots fans. However, we came together with a common goal in mind, and that was food, commercials, and the halftime show. I live out in Stratford on the beach so it was only natural that we wanted to host the party. We made all of our food and talked about either how bad or how good Madonna was during the halftime show — not to mention had a good laugh at the commercials that were playing and even got into debates about that as well.

On game day the tensions ran high both from the teams and the fans and in my house everyone was on the edge of their seats. It is bittersweet, and pretty awesome for those of us who are Giants fans. The overwhelming joy and enthusiasm skyrocketed after the Giants won (since we dominated the house) and we even had a celebratory drink afterwards.

The celebrations continued after the Super Bowl on Tuesday with the parade in New York City, where the team was given their keys to the city. From watching the parade on TV (unfortunately, since I had class…) it was pretty obvious that the fans were going crazy for their team and that the team members were having fun while they were on their floats, or sometimes off them. Victor Cruz even had the fans salsaing.

 -Brianna Vitlo

Style Editor

Understanding SOPA

SOPA—if you have a Facebook, use Google as your go to search engine, have a blog, or just use the Internet on a daily basis then you probably recognize this.

SOPA, the “Stop Online Piracy Act,” is a bill that seeks to protect copyright material and stop any piracy of content on the Internet. This includes copying an image without properly getting permission from the source and downloading a movie or song illegally. I personally never heard of SOPA or would have even given it a second glance if it weren’t for the massive public boycott of the bill by major sites as such as Google, Twitter, Yahoo, and Wikipedia.

If you went on Google on Thursday, Jan. 19, you would’ve seen the famous Google logo completely blocked in a form of protest against this bill. Even though the bill targets copyright laws, many organizations and individuals who protest it are doing so because of the risk of censorship of the Internet. Basically, the main issue that the terms of this bill are very broad, so any website that may contain copyrighted material will be targeted by officials. In essence, it is a legal issue and the penalties of being caught are extremely serious.

Many people oppose this bill on the grounds that the Internet will become a place that is severely restricted. Bloggers will constantly be afraid of releasing information that would be deemed “stolen” by the government; therefore, they would have to be really careful about what they can put up on their blogs. It seems only right that things like movies and music should be protected, but in a lot of instances this information is not stolen but instead shared with others on the Internet. For example, if I love a TV show and find an image from the latest episode and put it up on my blog then under SOPA I could be harshly penalized because I didn’t properly get permission from the production company. Also, if SOPA were to be passed then I probably wouldn’t have even gotten access to the image in the first place.

Overall, SOPA would mean monumental changes for the type of information you can have access to and be able to share with your friends. For now, the bill has been delayed due to public opposition. Most of the Internet community fears that the bill could mean the end of freedom of speech and expression.

-Felicia Carlini

Mind and Body Editor