A very special...

Fr. Terry with the ladies of PE pointing out an amazing...

... day for a great friend of Steds. Yes, today marks the 20th anniversary of ordination for Fr. Terrence Ehrman, C.S.C., botanist, theologian, and Gentlemen's Monthly guest contributor. If you ever listened to his classroom lectures or heard him speak about the flora and fauna of campus, it becomes evident that Fr. Terry has blended his two passions, theology and love of all things living, to praise God. In a very real way, Fr. Terry is a "missionary of God's wonder" showing the presence of God through every thing that lives and breathes. On Fr. Terry's anniversary, Fr. Ralph said, "When we go for a walk about campus or around the lakes, I never know how long they will last as Fr. Terry is always seeing something 'amazing'. While I see an empty nest, he sees something else... causing him to pause for several minutes taking way too many pictures. It's just an empty nest! Some might say 'to each their own,' but I would say, 'I wish I could see the world and God's awesome wonder as he does. Congratulations and God bless you Fr. Terry!"

...empty nest.

Kids in...

Napping 101: a very popular class 

... quarantine. These are serious times, and the epidemic that grips our nation and world should not be taken lightly. Currently, the kids are away from Steds and the University. The spring semester has come to an abrupt end, but life continues. Tonight, we hear from Nick Sansone, Steds freshman, brother to Steds senior Patrick Sansone, and resident Virginian, who had some time to speak just before he took a mid-morning nap.... after his on-line classes were over of course. Enjoy.

St. Ed: With the University's residence halls, including the oldest and most storied, St. Ed’s, shut down, where are you these days?

Sansone: I am spending my days in Alexandria, Virginia, which is not a safe-zone these days like it was in The Walking Dead.

St. Ed: As in-person classes have been nixed for the rest of the semester, how have you found on-line classes?

Sansone: If you had told my high school self that I could spend all day in my pajamas, have three home cooked meals, and watch lectures....  wherever, I would have been thrilled. Alas, Notre Dame has changed me... online classes are not really enjoyable, but that's only because Notre Dame is so great.

St. Ed: Clearly, you have more time on your hands than ever before. So, what are you doing these days to pass the extra time?

Sansone: After I mourned the loss of the semester, I began to revert into a past form of myself. Two activities, basketball and video games (outside of sleep and coursework, of course), have consumed the majority of my time. I can't wait to show off my refined skills to the Steds brotherhood in competitions both friendly and competitive.

St. Ed: During your sojourn away from Steds, do you miss anything?

Sansone: As the time I spend away from campus grows, I find myself missing more and more things that I never thought I would miss - such as the frequent, ill-timed fire drills and the nights spent bonding with my brothers over our yearning for air conditioning. When I return in August, I will make sure not to take these little things for granted.

It's happening...

Room picks: Every room at Steds is a great room

... over the next three days. What is it? Room picks! One thing that every hall was unable to do before  the quarantine was hall room picks, the selecting of next year's room assignment. Well, if everyone is gone from campus, how can room picks happen? Simple. The internets. Yes, thanks to the internets an on-line room picks will conducted over a three day period. Leading the way will be our rising seniors with rising juniors next up to choose. Finally, following in their wake, rising freshmen will select their rooms. Word on the street is triples are in high demand. On participating in his first room picks, Tommy Gallagher, Steds freshman and native Indianan, said, "Participating in the first ever virtual room picks is surely going to be the most exciting thing that’s happened since we left campus. In a way it’s just like the NFL draft; we’re all making picks from our remote locations. The excitement for room picks has been building, and in the end, I hope I am remembered as the person who picked the best room and not the person who couldn’t pick on time because of WiFi failures!” 

Moms Weekend...

Zoom, Zoom, Zooming: Steds Moms and sons 

... must go on, and it did! Here is another story of Steds moms gathering together from across the country to gather together and do their part their to bypass the Corona virus. Thanks to Zoom, these Steds moms and sons were able to virtually keep quarantine AND create an evening of reminiscing, laughter, and much more. Once again, never underestimate the resolve of Steds moms for their special weekend!

Present at our first Moms Zoom Weekend were Mothers Magner, Sansone, Simone, Swift, and Susco, and here is what they had to say.

On the zooming, Jackie Magner, mother of Patrick, said, "We were so sad to have missed our 3rd Mom’s Weekend - it’s such a special time with our boys, their friends, and mothers.  Like everyone else these days, we figured out a way to enjoy time together on what would have been Saturday night of Mom’s Weekend! Thanks to Mrs. Simone for our #zoomlikeachampion!”"

Joey Simone's mom, Tammy, said, "God. Country. Zoom" while X Susco, mother of Chris, shared, "Social distancing like a champion today!"

Patrick Sansone's mother, Tina, said, "Although we couldn’t be at Steds for our traditional Mom’s Weekend due to COVID-19, we improvised and had a Zoom gathering of moms and sons!  Quarantine Like a Champion Today!" 

Finally, Melinda Swift, mother of John, said, "Loved joining John’s STEDS brothers and their moms for our Mom’s Weekend! Stay safe everyone!"

Kids in...

Grealish: All dressed up and no place to go

... quarantine. These are serious times, and the epidemic that grips our nation and world should not be taken lightly. Currently, the kids are away from Steds and the University. The spring semester has come to an abrupt end, but life continues. Tonight, we hear from Keegan Grealish, Steds freshman and resident Virginian, who had some time to speak from his home outside of D.C.... after his on-line classes were over of course. Enjoy.

St. Ed: With the University's residence halls, including the oldest and most storied, St. Ed’s, shut down, where are you these days?

Grealish: Currently, I persevere in Herndon, Virginia, a quaint town about 30 minutes outside of Washington DC. You may ask yourself what makes Keegan so caring… well, as asserted in our state slogan, “Virginia is for Lovers.”

St. Ed: As in-person classes have been nixed for the rest of the semester, how have you found on-line classes?

Grealish: I’ve found on-line classes to be extremely thought-provoking and inspiring. The looks on my peers’ faces as we vigorously learn through zoom reminds me of why I chose to attend the University of Notre Dame. The constant battle through Wi-Fi disturbances and unchecking the mute button tests the true character of a Notre Dame student.

St. Ed: Clearly, you have more time on your hands than ever before. So, what are you doing these days to pass the extra time?

Grealish: With so much extra time, I’ve taken on a number of new hobbies. First, I’ve transitioned from regular Catan to the online Catan universe, a digital multiplatform realm. Here, I escape the troubles of today’s world and spend my time building cities and forming armies. Also, countless hours in the driveway have allowed me to perfect my basketball shot so that I never miss within 18 feet.

St. Ed: During your sojourn away from Steds, do you miss anything?

Grealish: I count down the days until I’m able to return to St. Edward’s Hall. I can’t go much longer without Ed’s paninis (available on Sunday and Monday nights only) or the Sunday evening masses. I reminisce about the good old days when I was surrounded by mullets and ran through the reflection pool. On a more serious note, I truly miss St. Edward’s Hall and all the Stedsmen, and I hope everyone stays safe and healthy.

Your Sunday picture...

Looking good...

... from Notre Dame. Here is a familiar view of one of the most beautiful sights on Notre Dame's campus... a spring time view of the oldest and most storied residence hall... St. Edward's! While we cannot be there in person, we will just have to enjoy it from afar. Enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

Moms' Weekend...

Virtually together through Zoom, but...

... must go on, and it did! Here is another story of Steds moms gathering together from across the country to gather together and do their part their to bypass the Corona virus. Thanks to Zoom, these Steds moms and sons were able to virtually keep quarantine AND create an evening of reminiscing, laughter, and much more. Once again, never underestimate the resolve of Steds moms for their special weekend!

Present at our first Moms Zoom Weekend were Mothers Bennis, Collington, Foley, Kelly, and Rahill, and here is what they had to say.

Will Kelly's mom, Jill, shared, "We are all so sad not to be together with you this weekend. I just wanted you to know that we are all so very grateful for Steds bringing us together four years ago. Our sons have made a bond that will last a lifetime.  We can’t thank Steds enough for the guidance, support, love and lots of laughter that has been shared with them. Oh, yes. We had on a virtual toast with all our boys and Moms this evening to keep our tradition alive!"

Denise Foley, mom of Chris, said, "Ok, not gonna lie. A bit teary eyed right now."

Mary Rahill, mom of Dan, said, "We buoyed your spirits just as you have buoyed all of ours! If it weren’t for St. Ed’s Moms' Weekend, we would not have the wonderful friendship we now share. Many blessings on Steds!"

Andrew Bennis' mom, Ruth, said, "This is getting me a little teary too. It just reminds me why Saint Edward's is such a special place.  Father Ralph, we are even planning on getting this group together once a year. Hope you can join us!!!!"

Next, Sam's mom, Jennifer Collington, added, “When we raised our glasses we toasted not only to Mom’s Weekend but to the Yacht Dance, Founder’s Week, Mullets, Father Ralph, our sons, and all of the wonderful experiences shared at the oldest and most storied residence hall at Notre Dame, St Ed’s!”

... but remembering happier times...

... and the REAL Moms' Weekend!

Kids in...

Kolodychak: the picture of an on-line scholar 

... quarantine. These are serious times, and the epidemic that grips our nation and world should not be taken lightly. Currently, the kids are away from Steds and the University. The spring semester has come to an abrupt end, but life continues. Tonight, we hear from Alexander Kolodychak, Steds freshman, who had some time to speak from his home Erie... after his on-line classes were over of course. Enjoy.

St. Ed: With the University's residence halls, including the oldest and most storied, St. Ed’s, shut down, where are you these days?

Kolodychak: With the closing of the one and only St. Edward’s Hall, I am now left to attend “Zoom” University from my hometown of Erie, PA. If you are familiar with the city of Erie, you know that I have absolutely become bored out of my mind and have gone borderline insane. Nevertheless, while public health concerns remain a high priority, I wish to return to our “Home Under the Dome” ASAP.

St. Ed:  As in-person classes have been nixed for the rest of the semester, how have you found on-line classes?

Kolodychak: After beginning online classes through the infamous “Zoom” platform, I have found it exceptionally difficult to remain motivated. The option to either wake up early and do work or sleep in until two has resulted in my choice of the latter much too often recently. Furthermore, I have to say that sitting in an uncomfortable desk in my room while looking at my laptop all day has been exceptionally uncomfortable and monotonous. However, I have high hopes for the remainder of the semester.

St. Ed:  Clearly, you have more time on your hands than ever before. So, what are you doing these days to pass the extra time?

Kolodychak: With an immense surplus of free time, I have essentially been hibernating over the past several weeks. Regardless of the fact that school is technically back in session, I refuse to leave the 50 foot radius surrounding my bed. While this newfound hobby has been exceptional for my mental health, I fear the future consequences of this behavior on my GPA.

St. Ed: During your sojourn away from Steds, do you miss anything?

Kolodychak:  While away from our beloved hall, I absolutely miss being surrounded by my fellow Stedsmen. I enjoy family time as much as anyone, but this extended break has made me appreciate the St. Ed's community to a much more significant degree. Even with higher quality meals, someone who helps do my laundry, and a bed that isn't 8 inches away from the ceiling, I would go back to the Steds experience in a heartbeat.

Happy Easter!

Spring has sprung

Resurrexit sicut dixit. He has risen as he said! Alleluia! Here's a picture of a narcissus daffodil resplendent in glory fitting for Easter . A very Happy Easter to you and your families wherever you may be!

Never underestimate...

A Steds Moms Weekend Celebration

... the manners of a Steds Gentleman nor the resolve of a Steds mother! That's especially the case when it comes to Moms' Weekend. The most favorite weekend at Steds, Moms' Weekend 2020, fell victim to the pandemic, with all the advancing planning coming to naught. But a sad email canceling the event sent to all attending Steds moms from the weekend's commissioner, Jared Walsh, was not to be the end because the one thing that Covid-19 did not take into consideration was... one word... Zoom. Can't come to Notre Dame? No problem. We'll do on Zoom! And that's exactly what Steds moms and sons did on Saturday and had a transcontinental, virtual Steds Moms Weekend on Zoom! Over the upcoming days, we will bring you the happening from these gatherings as well as the thoughts of these ingenious Steds moms.

Our first Moms Zoom Weekend had moms and their sons zooming for some quality mother/son time. Dialing in for great conversation and libations, moms and sons were able to have that special bonding time that every mom wants and every son needs.  Present at the gather were Mothers Blossfeld, Crudele, Cyrs, Davis, Edwards, Lamb, Molyneaux, O’Donnell, Quinlan, Restic, Turk, Utley, and Youseff.

Our mothers' thoughts...

On the gathering , Diane Crudele, mother of Devin, Steds senior, and Kyle, Steds junior, said, "These senior moms missed Mom’s Weekend but decided to make an effort to unite with their sons. Many happy smiles and a few tears were had as we shared updates and had a surprise visit from Father Ralph! May everyone stay healthy and safe!"

Maureen Cyrs, mother of Steds Bengal Bouts' champ, Matt, said, "And So We Pray" as our senior sons quarantine together in off campus houses...never imagining they'd be bonding like this, while we pray for their protection.  Not allowing us to be denied the STEDS tradition of Mom's Weekend, Zoom became our makeshift platform for yet one more year of unforgettable memories... reminiscing about the past, acknowledging the current unprecedented reality of finishing their time at Notre Dame online & hearing about their futures...the next chapters of their lives."

While Jack Barrett's mom, Maggie, offered, "Mothers hold their children's hands for a little while but their hearts forever. We are so proud of our Steds gentlemen! Nothing could have stopped Mom's Weekend!"

BettyJane Blossfeld, mother of Steds senior Josh, added, "We are so lucky St. Ed’s began the tradition of hosting Steds Moms weekends, which allowed the moms of the Gentlemen to become so close. We were all sad to miss it this year, so we had a virtual mom’s weekend zoom chat, including the moms and all of our boys! Our Moms/sons group chat extended from Oregon to the East coast and from the Midwest to the South! It was fantastic to see everyone healthy and happy! Despite the pandemic, the Saturday evening Moms bonding time happened anyway! We all enjoyed “being together” - we laughed, toasted our group, gave updates, and shared our deep faith and wonderful friendships! God bless the Gentlemen of St. Edwards."

Finally, Jennifer Edwards, mother of Cole, added, "St Edward's Mom's Weekends have been so special. I was looking forward to one last memorable weekend with this fantastic group of moms and sons. Although there was great disappointment when the event was cancelled, I feel fortunate to have been able to attend the last three years. The friendships that have formed are a true blessing. Thank you to Fr. Ralph for starting Mom's Weekend! Just another reason St. Edward's Hall is so special! Even though it wasn't the Mom's Weekend we planned, it was great to be able to get the moms and some together again...virtually at least."

Beth O'Donnell, mother of Brendan shared, "We pray that life at Notre Dame will return to normal for the Fall semester, while we lament that classes and interaction have ceased and that graduation ceremonies won’t take place as originally planned. But there is hope. Lesser halls than St. Edward’s have canceled all planned activities, but the bond between the sons of Steds and their mothers was not to be denied. Despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Mom’s Weekend did happen! Thirteen sets of mothers and sons gathered virtually from across this great land to honor mothers in Steds style. Just as it takes the best to raise the best, it takes the best to fete the best – so that “she who gave you birth be joyful!”

Karen Turk, Mother of Matt, added, “God, Country, Notre Dame and of course Saint Edwards Hall Moms Weekend!☘️”

Paul Youseff's mom, Diane, said, "Seeing our sons, enjoying the camaraderie of each other during this pandemic, brought a smile and a tear to our faces... and we even got to watch Paul grill pork chops and corn on the cob!"

Walker Utley's mom, Nora, added, "Both my friends and myself, as well as our mothers, regard Mom’s Weekend as one of the best few days of the school year. While we had no fancy dinner nor drinks afterwards, everyone was still able to get together, which is what matters most."

Susie Restic, mother of Eric, shared, "We were amazed, quite frankly shocked, that the Senior Steds Zoom party went so smoothly! We had visions of utter chaos with twenty-six participants. It was a ton of fun to see everyone's face, and Elizabeth and Diane did a great job of keeping things orderly, tho the boys were continually messaging throughout the hour. Highlight was Fr. Ralph’s “guest spot”! Happy Easter!"

and finally....

Elizabeth Quinlan, mother of John, was so moved by the conviviality of the evening that she was left speechless!

Kids in...

Gavin: Bringing "balance' to the Shust Family

... quarantine. These are serious times, and the epidemic that grips our nation and world should not be taken lightly. Currently, the kids are away from Steds and the University. The spring semester has come to an abrupt end, but life continues. Tonight, we hear from Gavin Shust, Steds freshman, pianist, and resident New Yorker, who had some time to speak after his on-line classes. Enjoy.

St.Ed: With the University's residence halls, including the oldest and most storied, St. Ed’s, shut down, where are you these days?

Shust: Since the University shut down, I've been back in New York with my family. Although I always miss my Home under the Dome, it has been nice seeing the sun set over the barn and eating my Mother's dinners again. I am trying to convince my Mom to make southwest salads on Thursdays to help my Notre Dame withdrawals. 

St.Ed: As in-person classes have been nixed for the rest of the semester, how have you found on-line classes?

Shust: With the cancellation of in person classes, the transition to online classes hasn't been too hard. Most of my classes are graded based on in-class participation, but since literally nobody can be physically in class, my professors have dropped that requirement and moved assignments to be open book. Hopefully this gives me the nice bump that my GPA desperately needs.

St.Ed: Clearly, you have more time on your hands than ever before. So, what are you doing these days to pass the extra time?

Shust: Even with the extra time, I still find myself doing a lot of the same things that I would be doing if I was in Steds. I walk everywhere I need to go (because I really haven't left my home) and the permacloud has followed me to New York so I still am waiting on warm weather. Also, every Sunday night, I play all of the songs that we would have had at Steds mass, even though my family has a very different reaction to Wade in the Water at 10:45 at night.

St.Ed: During your sojourn away from Steds, do you miss anything?

Shust: I miss my clothes most of all. I mean yeah I miss all of my friends and stuff, but I only packed one duffel bag full of clothes before coming home. I didn't pack a pair of sneakers and I have a surprising lack of socks. But honestly I miss working in Ed's. It was a great way to see all of my friends and get my late night cravings of pizza sticks. Also my bank account always appreciated the paycheck from Ed's

Your Sunday picture...

Amazingly beautiful

... away from Notre Dame. Sent by a father of a Notre Dame senior, here's a picture of a lone palm tree in Newport Beach, California, against a setting sun. Is this scene for real? Is this a real picture, or is it a painting? For myself, seeing it reminds me how we wish we all could be Californian! Enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

A surprise...

Steds reunion: Johnson and Connaughton

... invite. Pat Connaughton, former Stedsman and ND Mens Basketball player, was always a stand out guy while at Steds and ND, and it appears that he is continuing to do so in the NBA. Playing forward and guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, Pat likes to reconnect with his ND Family while playing on the road. Recently, while playing the Atlanta Hawks, Steds senior and Atlantan, Eddie Johnson, was invited to join Pat for dinner. On having dinner with Connaughton, Johnson said, "Having been a huge fan of Pat for years, getting the chance to meet him was one of the coolest experiences I've had. It was a great night hearing his takes on ND sports, the NBA, and business. Although Pat struggled with my recommendation for dinner, southern style shrimp, it was a great evening of conversation and learning how to peel shrimp.”