Admiral Chris Grady asks Graduates: What Would You Fight For? His Answer? Trust and Truth

After listening to Derek Jeter’s commencement address at the University of Michigan, I started wondering which other sports legends—past and present—might be speaking to the Class of 2025. As it turns out, this year’s lineup is impressive: Simone Biles (Washington University—St. Louis), Mia Hamm (University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill), Katie Ledecky (Stanford University), Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse University), and A.J. Brown (Ole Miss), to name just a few. Who would you want to hear?

I’m not sure why a search like this hasn’t been a regular part of my work in Sports and Spirituality. Every year, I check to see where the President is speaking—this year, it's the University of Alabama—and I never miss Notre Dame’s commencement. I’ve written about athletes like Roger Federer, Harrison Butker, and Haley Scott DeMaria when they’ve crossed my radar. From now on, a full search will be part of the routine.

When I read that Admiral Christopher Brady '84 was speaking to the Notre Dame Class of 2025, I took note. As an alum and Vice Chairman and Acting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I understood why the graduation committee asked him to give the address. With 41 years in the Navy, he said "I have been forged by the sea. But it really started right here — I believe I was forged at Notre Dame first." While a career in the armed forces is much different than one as a professional athlete, I had to wonder Would he? Could he? make a connection to Sports and Spirituality? I am pleased to report that he did. He was inspiring, interesting and his words still sit with me.

Like many speakers, Adm. Grady sought to create a connection with his audience. As someone who once sat in their shoes (albeit not inside Notre Dame Stadium, but the Joyce Athletic Convocation Center) he asked the graduates to pledge their allegiance. While choosing between South vs. North dining hall isn't new material, when he asked the class to declare Who is our number one rival: Ohio State? Clemson? Michigan? or USC? I was utterly delighted in by their response. Go Irish. Beat Trojans (we did). He made reference to all the sports I would need. So what of spirituality?

Grady said that "trust is a precious commodity." I heard those words and the spirit moved me. I leaned in. I listened hard. He said, 

As a young officer, I learned that building and maintaining trust is essential to effective leadership, and that trust is built on a commitment to truth.

When I took command for the first time, I quickly learned that trust is a precious commodity.

First-time captains, as with any leader, have to learn to trust those around them, because no person can do it all, especially on a warship with over 300 people.

And first-time captains, especially, have to get over themselves as the only answer.

For me that came from trusting my command master chief, the ship’s senior enlisted sailor, who pulled me aside and said, “Look, captain, you’re good, but we can be great as a team if you trust the crew … we will speak truth to power if you let us.”

Now, we can debate whether trust is given or earned. But I can tell you trust is difficult to maintain, easy to lose, and — once lost — nearly impossible to get back.

And trust is built through the ruthless commitment to and pursuit of truth.

We ask, “What would you fight for?” and I answer, “truth” — truth is worth fighting for.

During every football game, the University runs an ad that asks that questions: What would you fight for? Students and professors share stories of their work, study, preoccupations that they find worth fighting for. Past responses have been: religious liberty, our country's mental health crisis, rare diseases and education reform. No part of their quest exists without trust and truth. It's integral to the fight.

As much as I love athletes and their contributions to society—art, entertainment, joy and awe, I was humbled by the work of Admiral Grady. Jeter spoke of failing his rookie season. It was challenging; it was real. But adversity, challenge and even failure have a different face in the Navy. He said, 

In my line of work, that means that no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

My best days in command were not when everything went right, but when things went wrong, and the crew — the team — responded.

Like on a beautiful day off the coast of Bahrain when a routine voyage was interrupted by a catastrophic engineering failure, and the crew responded safely, expertly and swiftly.

Or when I was a strike group commander and we had to adjust to changing enemy tactics as we sent the air wing over the beach during the fight against ISIS.

The enemy was a learning adversary, but we learned and adapted faster.

You must do the same.

I turned to my friend and said "he just dropped ISIS on us. Not sure it gets more real than that." Or should I say truthful.

Though graduation speeches can be controversial, formulaic, biased and limited—I learn something from every one of them. At Notre Dame, we have the privilege of a second speech—from the the recipient of the Laetare Medal. This address is 100% spiritual in nature. It is the most prestigious award given to American Catholics by the University of Notre Dame in recognition of outstanding service to the Catholic Church and society. It had been conferred on saints, selfless leaders, men and women in religious life, lay people and more. This year's honoree—Kerry Alys Robinson is the president and chief executive officer of Catholic Charities USA. She spoke a lot of sports, especially football.

I had to wonder if next year, the University might recognize a priest from the South Side of Chicago who has become the first American Pope. Stay tuned and rest assured I will let you know. It's part of my routine.

Blessings to the Class of 2025, to Admiral Grady and Kerry Robinson and all those who have helped these graduates and honorees in their search for truth and in building trust. Go Irish.

Photo Credits
Coach Free
Commencement Speaker

A Graduation Message from Derek Jeter at The Big House: Silence Made Me Better

It's graduation season. queue up "Pomp and Circumstance." We teachers dust off our black robes and hoods. Students are measured for their own. I was in the academic dean's office at school when three girls stopped by to confirm how to correctly pronounce their surnames. I know this assistant principal takes great pride in doing that right. She should!

At this time of year, one question I enjoy asking my colleagues at lunch is: Who gave the commencement address at your graduation? Many don’t remember. Some can give a general idea or share a few details. But I have a feeling the University of Michigan’s Class of 2025 won’t forget theirs. He is the 2020 MLB Hall of Fame inductee, five-time World Series champion, and legendary shortstop for the New York Yankees: Derek Sanderson Jeter.

Born in New Jersey, Jeter grew up in Kalamazoo, MI . Given that "The Captain" was a Wolverine for one year before turning pro, I wasn’t surprised by the University’s choice. I’m not a Yankee fan. I like Michigan even less, but he hit it out of the park (sorry! I couldn’t resist). I laughed. I cried. I watched it twice.

As a baseball player, I suspected he would address the importance of failure—as a mechanism for personal growth, humility and more. He did. 

If I can promise you one thing for certain: You will fail.I failed publicly. I failed miserably. There were days I literally cried because I was so bad. My first season as a professional, I made 56 errors. For the non-baseball fans, that’s hard to do intentionally.

The important thing, is to see disappointment as an opportunity to learn, not as a reason to quit.

It’s your job to make sure that a speed bump doesn’t become a roadblock.

Surrounding yourself with the right people will also help buoy you after a failure — and make your chance of success greater.

Easy for a baseball player to say, right? But to me Jeter's message had added nuance and depth. I couldn't help but think of his time with the Miami Marlins. Three years after retiring from his work on the field in baseball, Jeter became CEO and part of the ownership group. In 2022, he left his position of overseeing business and baseball operations; the Marlins had a mixed record under his leadership. To say he failed might be unfair. He faced a series of speed bumps. The road took him elsewhere.

Jeter has always spoken about the importance of his parents—the expectations they held, the way they challenged and supported him. As written in The University Record:

While you may fail on your own, Jeter said, it’s nearly impossible to succeed alone.

For Jeter, the right people included his parents. 

“I’d walk onto the field to warm up before a game, and I’d look up into the stands. People thought I was looking around and not focusing. I was really looking for mom and dad,” he said.

“It gave me comfort that I wasn’t alone, even when they physically weren’t present, I knew they believed in me, were rooting for me, were supporting me.” 

Jeter’s words remind me that true greatness comes from both within and beyond. Simone Biles — who, fittingly, spoke at St. Louis University’s commencement — has expressed the same truth. Before every competition, she would look to the stands for her parents. But during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, COVID restrictions kept families away. Biles cites this absence as a key factor in her mental health struggles.

The importance of family support and the lessons we learn from failure are important but standard remarks for graduates. What I found particularly poignant was his recommendation for silence. He said, 

I spent my entire career playing in the biggest media market in the world. The glare was constant. The attention was relentless. Many called me mysterious, amongst other things — but we'll use 'mysterious' — because I kept things private. In reality I was just listening to the voice in my head. It was my dad's voice. He kept telling me, 'Be patient.' Listen more than I spoke. So I looked. I listened. I learned. Silence made me smarter. Silence made me better.

Catholic writer Matthew Kelly would agree. He says we must all spend time in the classroom of silence. This is where Jeter found his way. You won't find a singular faith tradition or world religion that underestimates the importance and the power of silence. It's restorative. It's generative. It's where the Lord comes to us.

Though I have heard the band play "The Victors" many times, I never knew the actual words to the Michigan fight song (*I am familiar with an alternate version). Awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree, his message has addition meaning. "After all, that Michigan degree that you are receiving today gives you an edge. And so do the words of our fight song: Hail to the victors, the conquering heroes, the leaders and best."

Thank you, Captain for these lessons—even about the fight song. Congratulations to all the graduates in Ann Arbor and throughout the country. Enjoy your moment and live the message.
Go Irish ;-) 

Photo Credits
Commencement
Biles
Silence

An Open Letter to Harrison Butker—Thoughts on Vocation and Staying in One's Lane

Dear Mr. Butker,
Congratulations on your second Super Bowl championship. On Super Bowl Sunday, I went from mass to a friend's house where I watched every minute of Super Bowl LVIII. I remember telling another Niners fan that like me, your Catholic faith is an important part of your identity. I learned this from my students who were tasked with researching the faith lives of six players on each team for a group assignment in my Sports and Spirituality class. Given your faith-filled conviction and success, I was not surprised that you were chosen to give a commencement address at Benedictine—a Catholic college in Kansas. 

I just completed my 24th year of teaching Religious Studies in a Catholic secondary school setting. I love graduation, baccalaureate mass and more. In fact, I  make a point of watching the commencement address at my alma mater, The University of Notre Dame every year.  Graduation at a Catholic institution allows us to publicly celebrate, profess and share our faith. I value that faith and reason, tradition, and ritual are longstanding, important components of Catholicism.

It is with this context that I came to watch and listen to your speech. I am aware that you received a standing ovation from the Class of 2024 and that 15 women did not join in this enthusiastic gesture. I can assure you I would be one of the fifteen. I would sit and perhaps I would have written what you have before you: this Open Letter. 

One of your themes was a call for graduates to Stay in your lane and accept that lane—a phrase you mentioned four times. You said, "Being locked in with your vocation and staying in your lane is going to be the surest way for you to find true happiness and peace in this life." You prefaced this message by admitting, "I never envisioned myself nor wanted to have this sort of a platform but God has given it to me so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths about accepting your lane and staying in it." 

This message confounded me as I have yet to hear a graduation speech reference this trope. While I think graduation is a time to consider vocation, the notion of staying in one's lane seems contrary to how I understand one's calling. No one gets there alone. We learn from the wisdom, encouragement and example of others. Does that mean I might walk or run in someone else's lane? Maybe.

Graduation is an act of hope. A school confers diplomas with the hope that its graduates will change the world—for the good! I'm not sure I want or need them to "stay in their lane" from that moment on. I also found it confusing that you would offer a message to women, about women, given this lane. 

You said,

For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you, how many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you’re going to get in your career. Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world. But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.

On my graduation day, I was not thinking about promotions or future job titles. Nor was I thinking about marriage and children. I know exactly what I was thinking. 

For a few weeks leading up to graduation, I didn't know if I wanted to go to the ceremony. Those who know me will find this quite surprising, for Notre Dame alumna is an outstanding characteristic of my identity. I bleed blue and gold—sometimes, loud...always proud. I thought What difference would my presence in a class of 1800 people make?  I don't know from whence this cynical sentiment came. I am not proud of it. Though honest, this limited view was quickly shattered.

On Sunday, May 19, 1996 I walked into the JACC and I was overwhelmed. The entire atmosphere conferred in me a sense that I had achieved something quite remarkable. I saw my parents and my two siblings. I waved and smiled. They actually have a picture of this moment. To this day, I don't even know how I managed to see them! (pre-cell phones). I am so grateful for that memory because their joy became my joy. Thank you Mom and Dad, Mark and Sarah for being there.

From that moment forward, I remember holding  gratitude in my heart as the Father President, Monk Malloy greeted my classmates and the audience. As I sat and listened to the speeches, I remember feeling sad that this chapter of my life had come to a close. I thought of how much I would miss my friends and professors. I didn't want to leave the campus community I loved so much. I was excited to start in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE)  teaching program, but it was at the expense of bidding farewell to what I had known. I did think about vocation, as I had a sense that teaching was my calling. It still is. But according to your message, I am an outlier. I was not among the purported majority who were thinking about my vocation as a wife and a mother. With all due respect, Did I miss my lane? 

Twenty-eight years later, I am still not a wife or a mother. Had you asked me on graduation day if that is something I desired, I would have said "yes." In or around graduation no one at Notre Dame asked me about those aspirations. In no way do I feel slighted, lied to or even misled by this community for not asking that question. 

I have always wanted to get married, I still do. And with the desire to be married, yes, I wanted to be a mother. A friend once asked me, Do you feel called to marriage?  I said "yes." I have always felt called to marriage but I am not married. I get asked why I am not married. I am told that I seem like someone who would be married. I have been told I would be a great mom. Thank you. Others think something is wrong with me because I am not married—I have wondered about this myself. All questions aside, I don't have an answer—for now—to this question. It is a mystery.

Mystery however is a component of our faith. God's ways are not our ways. I accept what is with humility and yet I live in hope. And still, I have felt fulfilled in my career and in my life as an unmarried person. I am not waiting for my life to truly begin. This is not a message that Jesus preached—to the woman at the well, to Mary or Martha, Mary Magdalene or to me.

My sense is that other women share this sentiment. Those include the "founding institution and sponsor of Benedictine College, the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica." Via Facebook, these sisters "responded to the controversial remarks of Harrison Butker as commencement speaker." They wrote

One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman. We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God's people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years. These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship, and their careers.

Their message reminds me that for women and for men, there are many paths to holiness. There is no singular call, no certain path to fulfillment. I don't even think there is a your lane or my lane. So why stay in it?

To me, a commencement speaker ought to build rapport with the audience. They should familiarize themselves with the campus community—its traditions and what makes it special. They can offer insight into what they have learned in their lives and share their story. I would have loved to hear  your thoughts on what makes for a great placekicker. How has this role helped you be a better husband, father, brother, son and friend? What are the life lessons that football offers you, your family and the world. Think Sports and Spirituality! (See Roger Federer at Dartmouth for more). For many, the disappointment in your address is as the sisters wrote: "Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division,"

Given your passion for your wife's vocation, it would have been interesting to me to hear how having a college degree has made her an excellent homemaker. What did she learn in college that prepared her for the demands of motherhood? With but 2% of the world holding a college diploma, how are the women of Benedictine College endowed with a special responsibility to do what Ignatius of Loyola preached: Go and set the world on fire. Motherhood is a source of fulfillment for countless women—praise God that it is! The world needs wonderful, loving and holy parents—but they are not neceesarily "the fulfilled." I think the Beatitudes speak to who is.

Though your speech was given in mid-May, I felt the need to pen this letter because I recently returned from a service immersion trip to Jerusalem Farms in Kansas City, MO. This week long adventure included chores, urban farming, community building (read: playing cards), prayer, reflection and conversation. Because of the setting, the conversation turned to the Kansas City Chiefs and because J-Farm has religious roots, your commencement address resurfaced. What began as an ardent desire for me to understand how or why his speech resonates with so many people has led to this letter. I wrote it with a sincere desire that you listen to a different point of view. 

Given your lane, I find it ironic that you went after the Bishops in our church. You said, "These men who are present day apostles, our bishops once had adoring crowds of people kissing their rings and taking in their every word, but now relegate themselves to a position of inconsequential existence."  As you know, in today's society, Super Bowl champs are the men who wear rings that people kiss. As you know, many, many people take in your every word. Many will stand in response to that. Others do not—they can't. I wouldn't.

Let us pray that no one in this life be rendered inconsequential. Let us hope that we find fulfillment in many expressions of vocation. Let us love one another, serve one another, and pray for one another, Amen.

Photo Credits
Commencement
ND
ACE
Stay in your lane

Sports and Spirituality Icebreaker: Thank you, Polar Bears

It's graduation season. A moment for our schools and families to pause and participate in a time-honored tradition known as commencement. I love the components that characterize this rite of passage: the pomp and circumstance, academic regalia, baccalaureate mass, the valedictory address and more. Schools give extraordinary awards, extend diplomas and invite leaders, celebrities, authors, athletes, and alumni to impart inspiring messages, words of wisdom and even a call to action to a graduating class. 

Do you remember the person who spoke at your commencement ceremony? And if you remember them, what was their speech about? Did they quote Plato or Socrates? Jesus or a Jesuit named Greg Boyle? Perhaps they referenced a work of art or architecture. Did they share the story of a winning team or the lessons learned from defeat? Or, did they offer lessons from a polar bear. Probably not—which is the purpose of this. No motor board and robe required. 

I found this message on a graduation card, and figured "Advice from a Polar Bear" might serve a nation divided quite well. Though this Arctic animal is not expected to offer the address, we can learn from it just the same. Maybe this is an appropriate message for the kindergarten or eighth grade graduations. But wisdom never shows its age. It's is acquired by time, reflection and living life and meant to be accessible for all. Here's the message from our fury friend:

• Live Large
• Be thick-skinned
• Sniff out opportunities
• Learn some good icebreakers
• Be fearless
• Keep it cool!

In my capacity as a leader in the Office of Adult Spirituality, I have come to see a lot of people dread or fear icebreakers. And yet, we still lead gatherings with them. Why?! I think they are important for tone setting and getting the attention and focus of the community. The polar bear is right. I think leaders—school administrators, teachers, board chairs can benefit from good icebreakers. I suggest collecting them as you go. Hold on to those that energize you and let go of those that do not. 

I created Sports and Spirituality Bingo with the intention that participants would get up and out of their seats to ask questions and get answers from their colleagues/peers. One can fill all squares or a line of five in a row—vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. I offered a general Bingo for the faculty of St. Ignatius College Prep to commence our retreat. Truth be told, the room was buzzing and I got some great recommendations for future reading.

I doubt that a college or university is going to offer an icebreaker at their commencement exercises. And in today's world, we know that colleges and universities must be careful—deliberate and discerning—about the one who is to offer a commencement speech. He or she is given a high profile platform and it's public.This person ought to espouse the values and guiding principles of the institution. Time and again we have seen this go right and seen it go wrong. You may live by the understanding that even bad press is good press. I have wondered Benedictine College's stance on this axiom. Their 2024 speaker, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker spoke as someone who claims to be "authentically and unapologetically Catholic." His message has garnered a wide-spectrum of responses.  I invite you to watch for yourself. (NB: I watched about the first 12 minutes. That was sufficient for me.).

I make a point of watching the University of Notre Dame's commencement address every year. I still remember a few ideas that Dr. Mary Ann Glendon offered to the Class of 1996. However, the speech and stories from the Laetare medal winner, Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ are seared in my memory. Though she was honored for her work with individuals on death row, we left feeling as though we were the honorees—honored by her presence, her prayers, her humor and example. Thank you, Sister Helen!

Odds are your speaker won't give lessons learned from a polar bear....but this message is worth considering. Maybe that's your next icebreaker: Which one of these points do you find most important? challenging? appropriate for you?!

Congratulations to the Class of 2024—live large! 

If you want the Sports and Spirituality Bingo file, please send me a note and I'll share the document.

Photo Credits
Laetare

Graduation Day Rituals: Pomp, Circumstance, Highs and Lows

At graduation, I make a point of extending congratulations to every student, parent and grandparent I see. This year, I found myself saying those very words to my colleagues too.

I would argue, graduation is an important day in the life of every educator. While we may grumble about our assigned duties and the early arrival time, the pomp and circumstance affirm what we do. The joy and smiles I give and receive from graduates confirm this job is a vocation. 

After handing out sheepskins to students with last names N-P, I departed from campus in my robe and hood on a natural high. I thought about the many students I would miss and the impact they had on me and in the classroom. I love seeing them dressed up replete with robe and regalia. It is important to formally gather to bless, recognize, award and call the name of every student before we send them into the world. 

At the conclusion of each year, I partake in my own graduation ritual: I share my highs and lows of the year with a trusted colleague. My friend Kerrie and I sat down for Mimosas and I unpacked those I had as an athletic director and a teacher.

In the Classroom
Returning to school with all 30+ fully masked students was not easy. Even though I offer varied instruction and many ways to participate in group work, the 80-minute class proved to be very difficult for my seniors. I knew something needed to change.

Based on some past evaluations, I decided to create a final project called "Living Sports and Spirituality." In short, this assignment asks students to undertake a sports discipline and a spiritual one. For one month, my seniors practice a physical or health discipline related and a spiritual one of their choosing. Some are religious, emotional, mindful or holistic in nature. They research what they are drawn to and track their progress. They must report on the graces and fruits of each practice. Was it challenging? Would they recommend it to others? Why or why not? 

Part of why this project was a high for the year is because we practiced a number of sports and spiritual disciplines as a class. For example, we watched a video on how to complete a pull-up and then went outside to the track where there are 3 sets of pull-up bars. I enjoyed going to the Wrestling room to practice climbing the rope (not that I did it). Not sure how many others did, though. We meditated for 3 minutes with Depak Chopra; we prayed with an icon of Christ. Everyday brought something new.

The journey and the destination were equally enjoyable. Not only are the final projects fun to watch, they reveal much more about each student than one might expect. For any teacher who is interested in assignment please let me know and I will share it with you.

Second, it's never just the curriculum that accounts for highs and lows—relationships with students and other colleagues always find an in. Once again the San Francisco Giants found themselves in the post-season, finishing the season one game ahead of those pesky Dodgers to win the National League West title. Go Giants!

One of my more spirited and outgoing seniors is a huge Dodger fan. He came to class ready to taunt me with his Dodger blue, Pantone 294. When we realized our respective teams would battle each other in the NL Division Series, he said "game on."

I came to class on Monday after the National League Division Series resulted in a tie: 1-1. Giants took Game one and lost Game two—the one I attended. 

One of my favorite aspects of going to a game is when the big screen captures who is in the audience. At the conclusion of the third inning, the song "Danger Zone" filled Oracle Park. Then the camera zoomed in on Tom Cruise, call sign Maverick. He smiled and was met with clapping and cheers. Cruise is a great many things these days both disparaging and highly questionable....but he's also beloved. He's Pete Mitchell. He's Top Gun. He's Maverick.

The spiritual life invites us to pay attention and notice. Other times it calls us to sit and be still. If I been in the beer line or the bathroom, I would have missed this moment. I'm so grateful I had it.

My students walked in on Monday morning to the song "Danger Zone." I shared the story from the weekend and invited them of this truth. It probably was lost on them, but it was personal high for the school year. My student, the Dodger fan reminded me we lost the game. I said "it's a 5 game series." Smiles all around.

In Athletics
Working in Athletics means that I supervise a number of games. This duty means I work at number of late nights and Saturdays, which can make for long days and full weeks. However, I never felt like I was working when I was on call for varsity boys' volleyball. It's easy for me to say this team who won the WCAL, CCS and Nor Cal championships was dominant. Yes, they were incredibly talented but what appealed to me most is that they played with joy. 

Joy in sports is not a quality to be taken for granted. I will probably write more about this as it pertains to the Golden State Warriors, too. When you see it, you know it. It's contagious, it's infectious. Simply put, I watching their games. If that's work...not bad.

Conclusion

Graduation day is an important day, no doubt. We didn't need the loss of public gatherings, ceremonies or shared rituals in the past few years to reveal how important they are. We got that message nonetheless. With that reminder in our hearts and short term memories, I want to encourage students and teachers to take a moment to reflect upon the past year....every year. Acknowledge the challenges They always lead to lessons and naming them through this annual ritual helps me to let them. Celebrate the graces and ask others to do the same

Photo Credits
Rope Climb

What's in a Name? What's the Story Behind the Symbol?

I recently changed my profile picture on Facebook to a snapshot that was taken from the 154th Baccalaureate Mass of St. Ignatius College Prep.  I posted a caption about the evening and thought to myself "I hope I spelled that right."  I pictured the word  "Baccalaureate" in my head and thought of what it means.  Deductive reasoning led me to associate the word with the Roman god of the harvest, grapes, fertility, the theater--Bacchus--best known as the god of wine. As much as graduation is a time of celebration, I knew there had to be more.  And there is!

Celebrating Graduation with students you have both taught and coached is a great honor. 

Origin: From baccalauréat, from baccalaureatus, from baccalaureus, an alteration of baccalarius, to resemble bacca lauri (the ancient symbol of victory). Compare Bachelor.

We had a match!  A symbol of victory was a fitting way to describe the sentiment that fills the walls of St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral where our Baccalaureate Mass is held.  Two days later the graduates will be joined by family, friends and faculty for commencement--a word that sounds like "an end" but actually signifies the opposite.  To "commence" is to begin and the use of that word for graduation is intentional.  The class of 2013 will say farewell, but they will also begin all that we have prepared them for.  

Knowing the meaning or the origin of a word transforms my experience with it. Perception is altered and understanding runs deeper.  It even awakens my appreciation for the concept, person or event.  Let the left-handed shooting guard of the San Antonio Spurs, Manu Ginobili serve as an example.  This pesky Argentine player ended the Warriors' hopes for taking Game 1 in the second round of the NBA playoffs by making a 3-point shot with 2-seconds left in double overtime.  A friend yelled out "Damn it Emanuel!" I turned to her and said "what did you say?" Manu is short of "Emanuel."  I said "damn it" in reply.  

I said that because I love the term, phrase, name "Emanuel."  And I know what it means because Matthew 1:22-23 reveals its significance: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” 

During Advent, I pray with this term as I prepare for Christmas. "God with us." That is Jesus--the Incarnation. What a beautiful word, what a great name. Knowing this changed my experience of watching Ginobili as the Warriors fell in six great games. It was a very, very subtle shift, but I have to be honest--it was a lot harder for me to demonize and detest a person when I know the significance of their name.

And that seasonal understanding is related to another one I make  a point of teaching to my students every Christmas or "Xmas."  The "X" wasn't intended to take the "Christ" out of Christmas, but you could make a strong argument that He has, but the X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters (Ch) and ρ (R) used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for "Christ").  When my students make this connection, they have the same reaction I had to what a fun-fact I read in the review of the movie "42."

It is already a treat for me to read anything written by my friend and fellow Notre Dame graduate Peter Folan, SJ but most especially when it sheds light on something I have seen hundreds of times, but never understood.  In "Taking the Field" he write

The logo of the New York Mets—a bright orange N and Y interlocking on a vibrant blue background—is instantly recognizable for many baseball fans. But the story behind it may be less well known. The Mets rose from the ashes of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, both of whom left the Big Apple for California in 1957. Five years later, when the Mets took the field for the first time, they did so wearing caps that acknowledged their ancestors: the orange of the Giants paired with Dodger blue.

Wow!  Symbols have intention and meaning.  Names stem from something more.  Reminds me a lot of a central concept to the principle of sacramentality "there is more to life than meets the eye."  Once you begin learning the story behind the symbol and the significance of a name, your relationship to it changes.  Let's put "P" back in X-mas and as long as Manu Ginobili keeps nailing those field goals, he will remain "Manu" to me.  In the meantime, I look forward to learning, seeing and hearing more.

Photo Credits

Damn Ginobili

P and X

Mets Logo

In Memoriam of Coach John R. Wooden: Death and Commencement

Standing outside of the John R. Wooden Recreation and Sports Center located at the heart of the UCLA campus I heard a young female voice call out “Coach Stricherz! Coach Stricherz!” I stop, smile and stand in disbelief for two reasons:

1. 35,000 students attend this great university I had the good fortune of meeting a former runner.
2. I thought this athlete just completed her sophomore year. She tells me she is graduating later this week—how quickly time flies.

The vibe on campus confirmed that finals are nearly (if not entirely) complete. Graduation season is underway and even as a teacher, I love everything about it: the pomp and circumstance, the academic regalia, the inspiring words of the valedictorian, commencement speakers and more.

I am continually amazed at who various colleges and universities invite to give their commencement address and why. Notre Dame’s invitation to President Barrack Obama last year was incredibly divisive among Catholics and those loyal to ND. It sparked debate, controversy and larger questions about the role of a Catholic university. As I watched from my living room 2,000 miles away, it was obvious to me that anticipation, excitement and tension filled the air as the President entered the Joyce Athletic and Convocation Center. It lingered—two forces competing with one another—until Obama said:

I also want to congratulate the class of 2009 for all your accomplishments. And since this is Notre Dame, I mean both in the classroom and in the competitive arena. We all know about this university's proud and storied football team, but I also hear that Notre Dame holds the largest outdoor 5-on-5 basketball tournament in the world - Bookstore Basketball.

Now this excites me. I want to congratulate the winners of this year's tournament, a team by the name of "Hallelujah Holla Back." Well done. Though I have to say, I am personally disappointed that the "Barack O'Ballers" didn't pull it out. Next year, if you need a 6'2" forward with a decent jumper, you know where I live.

I leaned back into my couch and smiled as I realized, the hardwood served as neutral ground. Perhaps some folks were more open to hearing the heart of his message because of his appeal to sports and knowledge of a time-honored athletic tradition on campus; maybe they were not.

For John Wooden, the legendary UCLA men’s basketball coach who died on Friday June 4, the hardwood was seldom if ever neutral ground. More often than not, it was sacred ground. In thinking about his accolades, awards and manifold achievements—I wondered how many commencement addresses he gave in his 99 years of life. Although I did not find an answer to my question, the world of sports so riddled with stats and record keeping, I am certain someone knows. And, what might be equally impressive would be to know just how many commencement speakers have referenced the words and ideas of Coach Wooden in their speeches. As a man of tremendous integrity, he would undoubtedly be a welcome guest as well an uncontroversial choice, for any college minus USC.

Commencement serves as the door to a new beginning, a new chapter and let’s be honest—summer break. As part of my own summer travels, I ventured to southern California and decided to visit UCLA because I wanted to pay my own respects to the life and legacy of John Wooden who died three days prior. I was also curious to know how the campus community would too. 

For one, Coach Wooden retired before any of the current students were born. And, as a secular university, I was unsure what I would find. I was not disappointed. At the helm of Bruin Plaza, I encountered a two-ton bruin statue covered with flowers, handwritten letters, photographs and more. I was heartened to learn a colorful Bruins tribute will be made at the UCLA College of Letters and Science commencement ceremony, when student-athletes and scholars representing the entire class bear 99 blue-and-gold flags into the ceremony. I don’t even know if Wooden ever gave a commencement address at UCLA. Regardless, I can’t think of a better way to bid farewell to today’s UCLA students than to remember and celebrate the life of one of their greatest spokesmen—the Wizard of Westwood.

Coach Wooden, we remember your life and legacy.
Coach Wooden we celebrate what you have taught us by your worth ethic, leadership and your values.
Coach Wooden we believe.
I just wish you had made it to 100 years of age.

Photo Credits
Controversy at ND
The J-Shot of POTUS
All others--taken by Anne Stricherz