A Visit to St. James by Tom Severo

 

(inspired by “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” by C. Clement Moore)

 

‘Twas the week before Christmas and on Mt. Saint James

Crusaders competed in holiday games

Their jerseys of purple they donned with great pride

Secure in the knowledge that “God’s on our side!”

 

And yes, there were finals- exams and reports

But a welcome distraction was Holy Cross sports

See here on the hill, we’re a spirited crowd

And we make it well known, rooting hearty and loud

 

Sometimes up at the Hart we can cause quite a clatter,

When showing support for our dear alma mater

As our rec center, that’s where the madness ensues

High on top of the hill, near the statue of ‘Cooz

bob
photo by John L. Buckingham

 

Where Division I athletes fight hard for their school

On the court, on the ice, in the weight room and pool

It’s potent, this passion our campus asserts

Student bodies adorned with “HC” on their shirts

 

We’re a small enough school, so we know all the players

(And Catholic, so cheering comes often with prayers)

Our super-fan crowd puts opponents to shame

As we scream and chant loudly for each sport by name:

 

“Go Baseball! Go Football! Go Field Hockey, too!

Go Soccer! Go Tennis, Cross Country, and Crew!

Let the hockey games end in a bench clearing brawl!

Let our basketball team never give up the ball!

Capture
photo by Thomas Rettig

Let us fight till the end, never fail or fatigue

And prove who’s the best in the Patriot League.

It’s Cru-Sader Nation. It has been for years

With true adoration from pundits and peers

 

Track program’s so fast, they make Fios seem slow

And the crew team will beat you six times in a…… “row”

Our baseballers do it with K’s and with ease

And the golfers get through it with their expert-tees.

 

Holy Cross! Whoa, lacrosse! Your strong rep is deserved

Played our volleyball team? Then I guess you got served!

The same goes for tennis, a team that we….. “love”

And cause quite a racket when speaking thereof

 

Our skaters can keep up with any Cannuck

Not since Robin Goodfellow’ve I seen better Puck!

Think you’re besting our divers? Pft, don’t hold your breath!

They oust podium spots like they’re Lady Macbeth

hockey
photo by Mike Malyszko

Your swim team’s all wet, ours is running amok

Only stroke that could beat em’s a stroke of dumb luck

Football here’s in the bag, other teams in the sack

Bet two bits that we’d win and got my quarter-back

 

And basketball? Please. Now don’t get me started

That’s a legend round here, our support is whole-hearted

I remember a game, about this time of year

From centuries past……….as an undergrad here

 

The Hart was electric (acoustic, the band)

And just before things really got out of hand…

The clock, it expired. And with it, the din

The match-up had ended (of course with a win)

 

The bleachers grew quiet, the stands stopped their shake

The students went home for their holiday break

But I heard them exclaim as they walked to their cah

“Crusaders forever!” and “Chu Chu Rah Rah!”

Capture
image, author’s own

Student Post: A Kickoff to winter events

by Catherine Phelan, ’18

tree lighting 1
photo by Thomas Rettig

Winter is here on the hill! For Holy Cross students this season is filled with fun activities. As a sophomore on campus, I am excited for the events that will take place this winter. One of my favorite activities took place last week on December 3rd. The annual Tree Lighting Ceremony is hosted by the Purple Key Society here on campus. There are tables with cookies, hot chocolate, and coffee to get all of us in the holiday spirit.

This year my friends and I headed to the O’Kane porch and where we were greeted with carolers and joyful Christmas music. The Holy Cross Marching Band performed various Christmas songs and the Holy Cross Chamber Choir sang. Santa also made a guest appearance! Many students, faculty, and members of the Worcester community took pictures with him. While the different groups sang, my friends and I created some homemade cards for American soldiers abroad. The crowd sang along with the Nativity School of Worcester’s performers.

One of my friends is in the acapella group Fools on the Hill and it was great to see her group perform. After choir sang Silent Night, a prayer was said, the tree was blessed, and then there was light!

tree lighting 2
photo by Thomas Rettig

The tree was lit and the nativity scene was glowing under the lights. This is one of my favorite winter activities because it brings together the Worcester community and the students of Holy Cross. There is a sense of unity as we all sing along to the songs we all know and it gets us all into the holiday spirit.

I am also looking forward to the following holiday activities:

‘Tis The Season: Holy Cross Dining from Dec. 7-11 welcomes winter with a variety of our favorite seasonal flavors. Visit any Holy Cross Dining location to celebrate with us.

Holiday Decorating Contest: Inter-House Council celebrates the Holiday season with their annual Hall Decorating Contest. The event will be judged by a team of faculty and administrators!

Winter Weekend Carnival: On December 12th students can take a study break and come to Crossroads for CAB’s annual Winter Weekend Carnival, featuring stuff your own bears, festive holiday treats, your favorite holiday music, and much more!

Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols: On December 10th the College Choirs and Chamber Orchestra in collaboration with the chaplain’s office present the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols, a Holy Cross classic.  The evening features nine biblical readings that tell the Advent and Christmas story, anthems by the choir and orchestra that will illuminate the readings, and carol singing.

 

Repost from 2014: Thoughts on Applying Early Decision

(initially posted by Meghan Body ’17 on Friday, November 21st, 2014)

With only two weeks until our Early Decision deadline, I thought it prudent to re-post a great piece from one of our current students about her admissions experience.  Enjoy!

When I became a high school senior, I knew Holy Cross was the college that I wanted to attend. Because I was so sure, I applied Early Decision to Holy Cross.  Early Decision seemed very attractive to me; if accepted, I would know where I was going by the end of that fall.  ED is, however, a huge commitment. If you know Holy Cross is the school for you, then go for it! That being said, do not feel obligated to apply ED, as it is a decision for which one has to be ready. It was the right decision for me, but it is not the right decision for all.

About a month after I had submitted my application, I was deep into an American Government paper when I heard my phone ring.  The caller introduced herself as a Holy Cross Admissions counselor, and I immediately worried that I had forgotten something on my application. Before I had the chance to react, the Admissions counselor told me I had been accepted to the Class of 2017!  My initial confusion switched to happiness, delight, and pride.  I excitedly thanked the woman on the phone a million times, and then called my family and friends to share the great news. It is a moment I will never forget.

Despite my elation, it is important to recognize how applying Early Decision impacted the rest of my senior year. Although I enrolled in Holy Cross in late December, and I felt relieved of a tremendous amount of stress regarding my college choice, I did not let this affect my academics. If anything, it inspired me to continue to prove that I belonged at Holy Cross.  With that, I worked to finish my senior year on a high note.  If you are accepted ED, please do not let “senioritis,” “the senior slump,” or whatever you may call the lack of focus during senior year of high school get to you!

On the back of the Sader Nation T-shirts for the Class of 2018 reads the following quote, “From this point on, there is no turning back, no copping-out.” Spoken during the 1970 Commencement by Father Swords, the President of the College, these words symbolize the commitment I made to Holy Cross and my personal growth when I chose to enroll here.  Never do I regret my decision to come to Holy Cross, and I believe that if you make the same commitment I did, neither will you.

Rainbow over Holy Cross
photo by Tom Rettig