As a bonus, enjoy our blooper reel below:

“It is such a wonderful time of year to come together and celebrate, particularly after these last few Christmases,” Tetlow said to more than 600 members of the Fordham community at Cipriani 42nd Street on Dec. 5. “The magic of being able to come together as a community is ever more apparent—of gathering at Christmas and Hanukkah with our families, those we were born to, those we have chosen, and seeing the wonder in our grandkids’ eyes at this time of year.” 

Awaiting the First Snowfall in New York

In her speech, Tetlow said that she’s excited to spend Christmas with her 10-year-old daughter, Lucy, in New York for the first time. This weekend, they plan on seeing the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, an 82-foot-high spruce that adorns the center of the city every year. They’re also excited about something that most New Yorkers take for granted: snow. 

“We’re waiting with bated breath for snow, which she has really only seen once in her life—in a layover in the winter at the Newark Airport. We let her go outside, probably not the most sanitary decision, but to play in the snow, outside of the airport doors. And for years, she’s spoken longingly of Newark,” Tetlow said, to laughter from the audience. “So we’re very excited for snow, and to see our golden retriever experience it for the first time and what his reaction will be.” 

Remembering the Religious Meaning Behind Christmas

Christmas comes at the darkest time of year when the nights are longest, Tetlow said, but by coming together and shining the light of the Fordham family, “we pierce the darkness with the light.” 

She said that during Christmastime, it’s important that we all take a moment to breathe and remind ourselves of why we do what we do, as well as remember the religious meaning behind the holiday. 

“At this moment, we celebrate the fact that God so loved us that he wanted to be human with us, and not to come as a great glorious king bathed in splendor, but as a tiny, fragile, humble little baby born to poor parents, trying to find a place to stay,” Tetlow said. “In that humanity, God wanted to experience everything that we experience with us.”

From Students to Alumni Who Live ‘Lives of Integrity’

She thanked the Fordham community for warmly welcoming her and her family into the Ramily. At Fordham, we are not only continuing to build on the legacy of St. Ignatius, but also helping students to find their meaning in life, she said. 

“Our students today from Fordham come from every corner of the globe and join every corner of the Bronx. They have such blazing talent, which our brilliant faculty get to invest in, get to tutor and teach and mentor, and help launch them into lives that matter … And you embody them,” she said, addressing the alumni in the room. “You were them, and you have now demonstrated to the world what a Fordham education can do … in careers that matter and in lives of integrity.” 

I write to wish you and your loved ones the blessings of Easter and Passover: those of family, fellowship, and food, and the peace that comes from knowing you are a part of cultures and traditions that reach back centuries.

It is fortuitous this year that the celebrations of these two great faiths overlap on Sunday, celebrating the renewal of hope and freedom from bondage, just as the end of this yearlong pandemic is in sight.

Those of you who would like to participate in Easter services at the University may attend virtually:

Easter Sunday Masses | April 4

Rose Hill | University Church
11 a.m. (Broadcast on WFUV FM 90.7), 2 p.m.

Lincoln Center | Bl. Rupert Mayer, S.J., Chapel | 5 p.m.

Livestream:
Lincoln Center Services: fordham.edu/lcmass
Rose Hill Services: fordham.edu/UC

I wish you all a joyous Easter and Passover.

Sincerely,

Joseph M. McShane, S.J.

That was the message delivered by Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham, as he kicked off the holiday season with the President’s Club Christmas Reception on Nov. 27.

The annual reception drew some 700 members of the Fordham community to the promenade of the David H. Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center, where Father McShane called upon them to soothe the sharper moments of this past year with a celebration of gratitude for God’s love.

“Auntie Mame would say ‘haul out the holly, we need a little Christmas’—but what about that holly? Why do we deck the halls with holly?”

Rich in Christian symbolism, holly is not so innocent, he said. While the green in that little sprig marks the eternal youth of Christ, the rest evokes Christ’s sacrifice.

“Early Christians also saw spikey leaves—the crown of thorns—and the red berries as the blood [Christ] shed for us,” he said. “In this difficult moment in our history, when the world is tense and the nation is polarized, I look at holly and it reminds us of the first Christmas gift—that of God’s inexplicable generosity, absolutely astounding love for us all. And on the basis of that, we hope. Because we know that God, who loves us so much, will continue to watch over us.”

Gifts to Be Thankful For

As the evening progressed, guests shared the holiday spirit by recalling some of the more meaningful gifts they’d received in their lives and were grateful for. Christopher Knight, FCRH ’16, said he was thankful for “a Fordham education.”

For Andrew Ketchum, FCRH ’09, it was a Batman Bruce Wayne Mansion he got when he was 8 years old—but not really. “It was a really cool gift for sure …  but I’d actually have to say my wife,” he said.

The couple met at the Rose Hill campus’s Queens Court during their freshman year when, says Karen Hogan Ketchum, FCRH ’09, Andrew approached her asking if she knew how to make “easy mac”—macaroni and cheese.

“I thought, oh, here’s this poor guy who has no idea how to cook, let me take pity on him,” said Hogan Ketchum.

“And the line worked,” Andrew chimed in. The two were married last year in the University Church.

Board of Trustees member and 1969 alumnus James P. Flaherty, the founder and chairman of International Healthcare Investor, echoed Ketchum’s sentiment: “Definitely my wife,” said Flaherty, who has known his wife, Jane, since they were teens.

For architect Edward Stand, whose firm designed the Gabelli School of Business, the most meaningful thing he said he’d given was the gift of travel to his sons: “I love giving them the opportunity to go traveling internationally—Istanbul, Italy, Turkey, the Yucatan—that’s the best gift I can give to them.”

Soccer, Service, and Funding Student Dreams

Father McShane shared his own gratitude list, starting with Fordham’s historic NCAA championship win last weekend against Duke by the men’s soccer team. The Rams were the only unseeded team to reach the Elite Eight, and only the second team in University history to reach the final eight in a national championship tournament. They play No. 3 seeded North Carolina this weekend.

“We, who had gone into the tournament unseeded, unheralded, unrecognized, are now ranked No. 7 in the country,” he said to a burst of cheers.

He then thanked the University’s devoted faculty, staff, students who “spend themselves in the service of others,” and the University’s donors. “You are the angels on whose shoulders I stand,” he said. “Your leadership has made it possible for Fordham to raise $115 million as we roar toward our $175 million goal in the campaign Faith & Hope, which supports financial aid.”

“Even in this difficult year, I have much to celebrate and be hopeful about as we go forward.”

View the slideshow:[doptg id=”99″] ]]> 80589 https://now.fordham.edu/fordham-magazine/holiday-advice-be-kind-to-yourself/ Wed, 24 Dec 2014 00:50:09 +0000 http://news.fordham.sitecare.pro/?p=3389 It’s the most wonderful time of the year. But for many of us, the pressure of the holidays can snowball as the season goes on.

FORDHAM magazine spoke with family therapist Stephen J. Oreski, DSW, LCSW, GSS ’08, about what we can do to enjoy the holidays with loved ones while keeping our own stress levels in check.

It often seems that our expectations keep us from enjoying the true gifts of the season. What can we do to manage expectations, both for kids and adults?

“We have this picture in our minds about what Christmas should be and when we put our own picture next to it, it doesn’t measure up. And I think it’s the same for kids. We’ve got to work with our kids to help them understand that,” Oreski said. “And that it’s about the giving, not the receiving. It’s nice to get gifts, but what are you going to give to someone who maybe doesn’t have as much?”

He recalled going to the post office with his mother to send a Toys for Tots gift, after taking money out of his own jar to help pay for the present. “That always stuck with me,” he said.

For gift-frenzied parents, Oreski said it’s important to remember that “it’s not a win to give kids everything they want, but it’s a win to have them understand the message of the season.”

“It’s the sharing of ourselves that’s going to make the difference. Writing a card about your feelings for someone will stay with them much longer than the gloves or the scarf.”

How about time management—do we tend to overextend ourselves? How can we be better about that?

“Again, it’s about not putting so much pressure on yourself and doing what you’re able to do,” he said. “It’s the special moments and the time you connect with the people that you love that is the real gift at Christmas.”

Oreski said he treasures the time he spent as a boy with his father, who took him out to look at Christmas lights every Christmas Eve while his mother wrapped the gifts. “It’s not about doing all those things that you’re checking off a list. If you think back to what you remember, it’s probably not all those things.”

Many people will be hosting or attending family gatherings over the holidays, and as we all know, all families have their conflicts. What can we do to keep the peace and bypass the drama?

“Certainly we can’t control all these situations. I think you do the best that you can and realize everyone’s an adult” and responsible for their own actions. “Once you realize that, you can take a step back,” he said. “And limit the alcohol.” Drama, he said, “tends to happen when people loosen up.”

This time of year can be difficult emotionally, especially for those going through a tough time. What can we do to battle the holiday blues?

“A lot of times people feel like, things are not perfect, this is not the Christmas I wanted, nothing is right,” Oreski said. “For me, the end of the year and Christmas are kind of about new beginnings. There’s always hope for the new year.”

Practically speaking, he said, “Try to maintain your schedule. If you exercise, make sure to maintain that. Try not to eat too much sugar. Also, watch the alcohol because it’s a depressant.”

Above all, he said, “Be kind to yourself.”

Stephen J. Oreski, DSW, LCSW, is a psychotherapist specializing in individual, couples, and family therapy. He maintains a busy private practice in Paramus, New Jersey. He is also the director of clinical services at Healing Space, a sexual violence resource center in Bergen County. In spring 2016 he’ll be teaching a CEU course called Sexual Violence Across the Lifespan at Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Service. 

Share your holiday pictures!

Whether it’s on campus or off, when you snap a picture of that perfectly arranged centerpiece, favorite ornament, or friends enjoying good cheer this holiday season, be sure to give it a#fordham hashtag when you share it via social media.

The Office of Safety and Security will be staffed 24/7 during the holiday break, and can be reached at(718) 817-2222 in case of emergency, or for general facilities questions.

Snowflake Image on Home Page
The “snowfake” is the product of an elaborate computer model designed to replicate the complex growth of snow crystals. Created by mathematicians David Griffeath of University of Wisconsin-Madison and Janko Gravner of University of California, Davis, the model can generate all of nature’s snowflake types in rich, three-dimensional detail.
Photo courtesy of Janko Gravner and David Griffeath