Digital Commons Network^™

Priest, Writer, Mentor, Misfit: Understanding Henri Nouwen, Michael W. Higgins

Mission Integration & Ministry Publications

Two decades ago, on September 21, 1996, while on the way to St. Petersburg to shoot a documentary based on his acclaimed spiritual meditation, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen—priest, writer, professor, and pastoral mentor—died of a heart attack in his homeland of the Netherlands. His friends and countless admirers were stunned. Prolific author of more than three dozen books, and a much-called-upon speaker and preacher, Nouwen was a large presence in Catholic circles and a growing influence in Protestant ones as well. His loss was felt not only in his immediate community but around the world.

The Sisters Next Door, Alyssa Paolillo

Writing Across the Curriculum

Watching YouTube videos about the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church, makes me feel proud and happy that there are women willing to commit their life to God and taking care of others. The Sisters teach, nurse, pray and live in a community together.

Faith And Reason, Stefanie Guglielmo

Writing Across the Curriculum

The authors Augustine, Aquinas, and Dante represent the Catholic Intellectual Tradition claim that human reason and faith are compatible. Augustine struggled to find God because of his sinful behavior during his youth. On his journey to converting to Catholicism, Augustine reasons through his questions regarding God to find the truth. Aquinas writes about how humans do not have the capacity to ever reach the full knowledge of God. After Dante describes his journey through hell and purgatory, he finally reaches heaven and is incapable of describing God because it is beyond human comprehension. Augustine, Aquinas, and Dante each embody the …

Musical Sound: A Mathematical Approach To Timbre, Timothy Weiss (Class Of 2016)

Writing Across the Curriculum

What is the mathematical reasoning behind the ear’s ability to distinguish two completely different musical sounds? In answering this question, one must call to mind a fundamental term with regards to music: timbre.

From The Perspective Of Eternity, Robin Mcallister

English Faculty Publications

This is a partial history of the literary topos “sub specie aeternitatis”. The Latin phrase means “from the perspective of eternity”. Eternity is the way God sees the universe, not as a succession of moments in time from past, to present, to future, but as a simultaneous present which includes the past and future as if they are already and always present. This temporal simultaneity is accompanied by a spatial totality and simultaneity. In both Chaucer and Dante the protagonist ends life’s wanderings and struggles by being carried up into the heavens and looking back on earth from the point …

Poor, Pitiful Monsters From Homer To Borges, Robin Mcallister

English Faculty Publications

This article reviews famous monsters in Western literature that reveal a hidden humanity or affinity with the hero that elicits compassion or emphasizes their bestiality in surprising ways. Their monstrosity is often a distorted mirror image of the hero’s humanity. Shakespeare’s Caliban is a famous example of the affinity between monster and protagonist. Homer’s Polyphemus, the first monster in Western tradition establishes certain traits that persist through later literature: lawless, barbarian, cannibal, and giant. Polyphemus hates men, but loves his old ram. Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon in Beowulf are giants, lawless, cannibals. The dragon Beowulf dies fighting anticipates …

The Politics Of Religion In Early Modern France, By Joseph Bergin (Book Review), John B. Roney

History Faculty Publications

Book review by John B. Roney.

Bergin, J. (2014). The politics of religion in early modern France. Yale University Press.

The Lewis And Clark Journey: Burning Bridges And Building Empires, Sean T. Ferguson (Class Of 2016)

History Undergraduate Publications

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the expedition of Lewis and Clark from 1804 to 1806 as they crossed the territory of Louisiana. Their journey has become one of the most important symbols of American history and its memory has been far reaching. More specifically, this paper aims to examine more closely the interactions that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark had with the Native Americans. Thomas Jefferson had an extensive list of requests and instructions for the two explorers. While this paper will not analyze all of Jefferson’s requests, there are two that will be featured in this …

The Trouble With The Death Penalty, Abigail Hood

Writing Across the Curriculum

For almost as long as the death penalty has been used, it has been a subject of debate.

The Fourth Chief Justice Of The United States, John Marshall, Meagan Schantz

Writing Across the Curriculum

The fourth Chief Justice of the United States, John Marshall (1755-1835), served thirty-four years (1801-1835) in the United States Supreme Court. During his term, Marshall established a stable foundation for the United States Judiciary, which in turn increased the role and scope of the federal government. Marshall’s life and achievements are documented in the biography, The Great Chief Justice: John Marshall and the Rule of Law by Charles F. Hobson, the editor of The Papers of John Marshall.

Hedrick, Joan D. Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Life: Biography Paper, Alexandra Padalino

Writing Across the Curriculum

This essay explores the significance of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s life with the use of the biography, Harriet Beecher Stowe: a life by Joan D. Hedrick, along with three primary source letters that further argue her importance in the 19^th century as an abolitionist.

The Case For Using Duolingo As Part Of The Language Classroom Experience (Duolingo Como Parte Del Curriculum De Las Clases De Lengua Extranjera), Pilar Munday

Languages Faculty Publications

This article explores the idea of using an already existing language learning app, Duolingo, to complement traditional college level Spanish as second language courses. These types of apps use adaptive learning technologies, which are able to tailor the tasks to the level of each student. In the case of this study, Duolingo was used as part of the program of studies in two Spanish university courses, one a beginner’s Spanish course (level A1) and the other an advanced intermediate course (B2). The students used the app online, either in its mobile version or in their web browser. I will describe …

#Instagramele: Learning Spanish Through A Social Network, Pilar Munday, Yuly Asencion Delaney, Adelaida Martín Bosque

Languages Faculty Publications

Social networking (SN) tools have the potential to contribute to language learning because they promote linguistic interactions in person-to-person communication, increasing the opportunities to process input in the L2, engaging learners in negotiation of meaning and requiring learners to produce L2 output, as proposed in the interactionist theory by Long (1985, 1996). These virtual personal connections with other learners and language experts around the world could provide a rich environment for sociocultural language exchanges (following the principles of the sociocultural approach proposed by Lantolf, 2002, based on the work of Vygotsky, 1978) that may increase motivation for learning, develop L2 …

The Shanachie, Volume 28, Number 2, Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society

The Shanachie (CTIAHS)

Neil Hogan and Patrick J. Mahoney have co-authored a book that commemorates the role of Connecticut in Ireland’s long struggle for independence: ‘From a land beyond the wave,’ Connecticut’s Irish Rebels, 1798-1916.’

Also in this issue a couple of fascinating family trees: Traceys, an Irish doctor's dynasty in Norwalk and The Fords: 85 descendants rediscover clan roots.

The Shanachie, Volume 28, Number 1, Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society

The Shanachie (CTIAHS)

This issue is titled Ireland, Connecticut and the Easter Rising.

Review Of "Between Apocalypse And Eschaton: History And Eternity In Henri De Lubac" By Joseph S. Flipper, Daniel A. Rober

Catholic Studies Faculty Publications

The Jesuit Henri de Lubac is almost universally recognized as one of the preeminent twentieth-century theologians, influencing thinkers and ideas in diverse and sometimes opposed schools of thought. For both Catholic and ecumenical theology, his numerous contributions—in Patristic exegesis, the relationship between nature and grace, and ecclesiology—have rightly been hailed as transformative for academy and church alike. The same kind of recognition, however, has not typically been extended to his work on eschatology or politics, particularly in the English-speaking world. This is especially true insofar as de Lubac is frequently read as a Communio thinker whose opposition to political and …

Emerson On Plato: Literary Philosophy, Dialectic, And The Temporality Of Thought, Jesse I. Bailey

Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

For Emerson, Plato is the quintessential philosopher. I will argue that, to the extent that Emerson wanted his essays to have philosophical depth, he considered his work to be an extension of the work found in Plato’s dialogues.

Visigothic Spain And Armenia: Masonry Consideration, Anahit Ter-Stepanian

Art & Design Faculty Publications

Visigothic monuments display architectural and sculptural features which are hard to explain in 7th c. Western Europe. These features include high level of stone craftsmanship, cruciform plans, tall and narrow sprayed windows, horseshoe shaped arches, vaulted spaces, monumentality combined with small size, figural, geometric, and floral ornamental motifs applied to unusual areas for Western Christian architecture. Since many individual Visigothic features can be traced to Roman, Syrian, or Byzantine monuments, these traditions are considered instrumental in creation of Visigothic architectural vocabulary. More recently, a growing number of studies point to Islamic art as a possible source of influence and thus …

Building The Patent Knowledgebase With Life-Size Patent Models, Barbara J. Hampton

Librarian Publications

Teasing out the evidence from inventors’ drawings, descriptions, and claims in patent records is something librarians at Patent and Trademark Resource Centers do with expertise and pride. Another important source for our understanding of inventions, the patent models illustrating the function of an invention, were created and submitted with patents between 1790 and 1880.1 The models show the invention in three dimensions (maximum size allowed: 12” x 12” x 12”) and even include some working parts.

Open Educational Resources Textbook List, Zachariah Claybaugh, Chelsea Stone

Librarian Publications

Discipline specific OER textbook list for departments at SHU, compiled by Zach Claybaugh and Chelsea Stone.

Truth, Justice, And The Common Good: Core Capstone Final Essay, Valentina De Santis (Class Of 2016)

Writing Across the Curriculum

The course Truth, Justice, and the Common Good brought awareness to themes of the environment, common good, and social issues. Environmental justice is the involvement of the society to respect and care for environmental laws and regulations. It is a part of the common good to appreciate and respect the natural world. The common good is customized toward every individual and it is the decision of the human being to recognize the common good daily. From the readings and presentations in class, a correlation was formed between beliefs and values towards topics in religion, justice, and community.