It's official...

Fr. Ralph with Mr. & Mrs. Schmitt....

...they're married! With Fr. Ralph witnessing and with fellow Stedsmen in great numbers in the pews, Madison Rohfols of OSU and Kevin Schmitt '18 were married at St. Mary's Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. With the torrential rainfall of the day before having past, the happy couple's wedding day was a bright, sunny day with nothing but blues sky. And the day was made only more glorious by the beaming couple. So radiant were they that sunglasses were needed by those in attendance. Having dated since kindergarten, Madison and Kevin's nuptials came with not only great anticipation but also a great sigh of relief from many. Finally! On Madison joining the Steds family, Jake Wittenberg '18, Stedsman and groomsman, stated, “Maddy, as many of us have grown to know you over the last 10 years, two things have come to stand out: her generosity is unparalleled and her love and patience with Kevin is a model for us all!”

Best wishes and congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Kevin and Madison Schmitt

P.S. While Fr. Ralph offered his services as personal baggage handler and interpreter, the Schmitts respectfully declined his generous offer when honeymooning in Norway and the Canary Islands. A raincheck for sure.

... and the Schmitts taking a ride at their reception! 

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It was a

At the center of it all: Caden 

... big day! Indeed, it was a big day for Caden Ryan, son of Connor '13 and Ellie '13 Ryan, as he was baptized at the Log Chapel. Called the cradle of the University, the Log Chapel is not only the resting place of the first priest ordained in the United States, Fr. Stephen Badin, but also the place where Fr. Sorin and the Holy Cross Brothers lived when they first arrived to the area. It was from the Log Chapel that Fr. Sorin made his dream for a great university come to be. And now the history and lore of the Log Chapel has been extended with the baptism of Caden, who wearing a family heirloom gown, who became a part of the household of God.

On his son's baptism, Ryan shared, “We are overwhelmed by how special it was to have Caden’s baptism in such an intimate and special setting, surrounded by family, and performed by Father Ralph. Neither of us had ever been to a mass or any event at the Log Chapel previously, but for the rest of the evening the whole family could not stop talking about how unique and special it was. It was another reminder of how blessed we are to be a part of this amazing Notre Dame and St. Ed’s family.” 

Still yet, Caden Grami, Debbie Ryan, said, "For our family, there could be no better place for Caden’s baptism - than in the log chapel at Notre Dame, the birthplace of Our Lady’s University, and no better priest to preside over the ceremony - than our dear Father Ralph. It was a day filled with much love, happiness, and gratitude."

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Your Sunday picture...

I saw the sign!

... from Notre Dame. Last week saw the meteorological start of spring, but there are other indicators that spring is springing. One of those unique indicators is Witch Hazel, Hamamelis, on God Quad. A flowering bush located to the east of La Fortune Student Center, Witch Hazel is always the first deciduous shrub to bloom, and the one at Notre Dame is blooming. Many passing by it not noticing its red orange blooms, but if you looking for it and see it, well, you'll be rewarded that Mother Nature is sending you a message that winter is over! Enjoy, and enjoy your Sunday wherever you may be!

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Saturday's Squirrel.

A Deep Dive

Just like the mailman, who will not be stopped by the weather from making his appointed rounds, so too for our furry friends. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will keep them from making their appointed rounds to the various trash cans of campus. This was clearly evident as a squirrel popped out of a trash can outside of O'Shaughnessy Hall. There had been on and off again showers, some being torrential, but the rain did not stop this squirrel from doing a bit of diving in the trash. Perhaps he has looking for a bit of shelter from the deluge, but more likely than not, he was looking for a nibble of something. On being spotted out and about on a rainy day, this squirrel non-verbaled, "It may be raining, but hey, a squirrel gotta eat!"

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The washing machine wars...

Matt Vawrinek: winner today, but what about tomorrow?

... continue. It's a weekly, sometimes daily, battle for residents. Finding a working washing machine and drier! Why is happening? How did it come to this? You see, Steds, like all other residence halls, has washing machines and driers whose usage is free of charge. Several years, at the prompting of Student Government, the University partnered with Wash, a company whose focus is campus laundry. Gone were the pay machines, and with great fanfare, smiles, and even a few tears, new and free Wash machines appeared in laundry rooms across campus. But the honeymoon was not to last as those who do laundry experienced malfunctioning and even broken machines. Sadly, the rate of broken machines is now higher with Wash than with our previous partner, ND Campus Vending, and the rate of repair is slower now than it was before. As the situation continues to deteriorate, some frustrated residents have considered doing laundry down by the lakes. On the battle to find a working washing machine, Fr. Ralph said, "As the Italians love to say 'it was better when it was broken.'"

Watch this video, click HERE.

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Bengal Bouts...

Williams (left) in the ring

... semi-finals took place in the Dahnke Ballroom, and the Stedsmen were there. The Gentlemen were present to cheer on their boxer, Steds senior, Josh "More of a lover than fighter" Williams. Defending champion, Williams got into the ring and faces off with another boxer from Knott Hall, and as Williams did so, there was a bit controversy, as Williams had been bumped into a higher weight bracket. William's competition was not only heavier but also a bit taller, giving the just enough edge to take down our Gentleman Boxer. It was crushing for the fans and even more so for Williams. Still, all of Steds is proud of Williams, for he has done more and went further than any of them! On the fight and William's journey for a second championship, Michael "Hendy" Hendrickson, Steds senior and fellow Bengal Bouts boxer, shared, "It was a close fight, Josh finished strong in the third round, but it wasn’t quite enough to sway the fight in his favor. Josh is truly a warrior, and although his epic Bengal Bouts career has come to an end, he is truly an inspiration to all Stedsmen. I couldn’t be prouder of him for his effort Monday night, and all the work he has put in over the past four years."

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It's feels...

Carroll: Soaking it all up in the Park

... like spring! With the mercury hitting the low sixties and with bright sunshine, it was feeling a lot like spring. As you can, imagine, St. Edward's Park was the place to be. Now, some will point out that spring is a couple of weeks away with the Vernal Equinox. Indeed, it is, but if you want to get technical, it is actually spring today. Yes, March 1st is not only Nebraska Statehood Day, so Happy Birthday 156th Nebraska, but also meteorological spring. Yes, spring has not one but TWO starts... meteorological, which happens to be today, and astronomical, which is the Vernal Equinox. Take your pick, but today technically IS the start of spring. On the warm weather, Patrick Carroll, Steds sophomore and official Hall photographer, declared, "It's spring. I always listen to the meteorologist."

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