The letters we publish here are edited for space and are representative of those we receive. We print only those letters referring to an article in the most recent edition of the magazine, not those responding to letters or commenting on issues not addressed in the recent edition.
The deacon goes to jail
Thank you so much for publishing Abigail Pesta’s “Serving Time.” I am currently in my second year (of five) in the diaconate formation program in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. I loved hearing about Deacon John Cord’s unexpected journey to ministering to those incarcerated in prisons and jails. What a blessing he is to them!
The article also did a great job of highlighting how deacons serve in various ways and how they should expect to do things they never expected. God’s plan always beats our plan.
After I forwarded the article to him, one of the heads of our program forwarded it to all my brothers in formation here. I’m sure they will find it equally enjoyable and encouraging. Thank you, Abigail, for highlighting such a wonderful example for us all.
Matthew Gries ’91
Berkeley Lake, Georgia
Thank you for the inspiring story of John Cord. Like John, at 79, I am well past conventional retirement age. When asked why I am still working, I tell folks that in my career I did everything pretty well except retire, despite trying three times. Each week I drive 250 miles each way between Palm Beach and Ocala, Florida, where I work full-time as senior psychologist at the largest women’s prison in the United States. In truth, I do it to complete my career goal — starting as an apprentice funeral director in my family’s funeral business during the summers while I attended Notre Dame — of making a significant professional impact in all seven corporal works of mercy. Eleven years as CEO at Miami’s Camillus House system of care left me with “visiting the imprisoned” as my final goal. My next career focus will be on “consoling the sorrowful,” a spiritual work of mercy.
Paul R. Ahr ’66
Lake Worth, Florida
Too many men
I enjoyed the articles in this edition very much. All were beautifully written and interesting. I especially enjoyed Abigail Pesta’s story because I knew her at Notre Dame. But there were seven features in this edition and only one written by a woman. In the CrossCurrents section were six stories, one written by a woman. It’s been a long time since men dominated the campus, and it seems a significant oversight to have them dominating the pages.
Karen Pillar ’92
Seattle
Still unable to deal with women after 50-plus years of coeducation. Shame! There are 27 men, one cat, and one bird portrayed on the cover of the most recent issue. Of the seven features, six are about men, and six are written by men.
Tim Kochems ’76
Newton Centre, Massachusetts
A touching tribute
The Summer 2024 issue of Notre Dame Magazine was full of fascinating articles and interviews. Of particular interest to me was “Raffaella, Aloft.” The parents of this beautiful human being who passed at such a young age are tireless in their efforts to memorialize her with a new ballet. In doing so, they are revitalizing the world of ballet and helping to heal themselves and their family and friends. What a touching tribute; it nearly brought me to tears. I truly hope to have the chance to see the performance someday. Thank you for sharing this incredible story.
Hilary Calce
Carmel, Indiana
Blocking and tackling the KKK
Concerning the “Notebook” news item about students fighting the Ku Klux Klan in 1924: As it turns out, my classmate Mark Harmon ’78 had an uncle, Joe Harmon ’25, who played for Knute Rockne on that Four Horsemen team immortalized by Grantland Rice. Joe Harmon was with the football players who rumbled with the KKK. He said Rockne came down there and told all the students to get back to campus, and he told the players to not go back to town while the Klan people were there. Joe Harmon was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame and died in 1988.
Paul Coppola ’78
Washington, D.C.
Our architectural heritage
Your article, “Grand Designs,” about the book City and Campus: An Architectural History of South Bend, Notre Dame, and Saint Mary's by the late John W. Stamper inspired me to purchase a copy which I just finished reading. I have been interested in the history and architecture of South Bend since I lived off campus as a Notre Dame student. My wife, Laura, and I took an architectural walking tour of downtown South Bend a number of years ago. I am also a Studebaker Corporation fan and past owner of a Studebaker Commander, so this book checked a lot of boxes for me.
City and Campus is a well-researched and very readable book that goes through the evolution of architecture in South Bend plus the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College campuses starting with crude wooden structures and ending with the Modernism of the late 20th century, including Notre Dame’s Hesburgh Library and South Bend’s Century Center. Stamper uses plenty of historic photos to illustrate the book. He goes into detail about the philanthropic contributions the Studebaker and Oliver families made to the architecture of South Bend in the form of churches, theaters, opera houses and an elegant hotel. Yet it is a bittersweet book in many regards as so much of the gorgeous commercial architecture of the late 1800s and into the 1920s was torn down in misguided attempts at urban renewal in downtown South Bend in the 1960s and 1970s, as Stamper documents.
I walked by many of the buildings Stamper wrote about on the Notre Dame campus as a student as did my father before me (Jerome Burke ’58). I regarded them as attractive, old buildings at the time. Now I know their architecture styles and the stories behind them.
Tom Burke ’83MBA
Fox River Grove, Illinois
All Manor of embarrassment
Thank you for another wonderful issue of Notre Dame Magazine. On page 10, I believe Morrissey Hall is pictured, not Howard Hall as stated in the photo’s caption.
Land Anderson ’96
Scottsdale, Arizona
Editor’s note: Ouch, yes. Apologies to all and gratitude to the readers who pointed out the error, each of them mercifully in Mr. Anderson’s charitable spirit.