Message from the Chaplain
Stat Crux Dum Volvitur Orbis
“The cross stands firm while the world turns”- Motto of the Order of Carthusians
We are living in a world of not only constant change, but also constant division. Even for
adults, the state of the world can be disorienting and disheartening. The stresses and anxieties of life are, sadly, not restricted to those of us who have reached maturity of years. They also create burdens for our young people who are just starting to venture out into the world for the first time.
When faced with such an uncertain world, one naturally seeks out a place where they can lay hold to something firm, timeless, unchanging, and safe. For us Catholics, we find such refuge in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The cross of our Blessed Lord is our great and constant sign of hope in a world torn by strife. In the cross of Christ, death was laid low, sin forgiven and paradise opened. And this great victory, won by our Blessed Lord, continues to resound down to this very day. The cross stands before us as the tree of life, and its most precious fruit, the very Body and Blood of Christ, gives eternal life to all who receive it.
It is this great hope that I, as chaplain, strive to make present in our school. Together with the Theology Department and with the assistance of the entire Newman family, we all endeavor to make the saving power of Christ’s sacrifice present throughout our entire community. We strive to provide that steady rock which one can cling to during the difficulties of life. The proclamation of the love of God, made manifest through His Son, is central to our mission here
at Newman.
To all who pass through the gates of our campus, it is my earnest hope that you will find here a place to safely explore the Catholic Christian Faith. It is my hope that you will find a place of prayer, security, and stability, rooted in that “beauty ever ancient, ever new” (St. Augustine) which comes from the cross and shines forth through the Church. I will conclude, if you would indulge me one last time, with another Latin phrase that pithily expresses the essential mystery of our Christian Faith.
Ave crux, spes unica!
Hail the cross, our only hope!
- Fr. Christopher Girolo †
Chaplain
Chaplain's Corner
We are blessed to have a First Class relic of Blessed Stanley Rother present with us in our new chapel at Cardinal Newman. This relic will be placed in our chapel altar.
Stanley Francis Rother, born on March 27, 1935, in a small farm town in Oklahoma, made a profound impact through his life's work. Despite growing up in a farming community where everyone expected him to follow in his father's footsteps, he chose a different path by dedicating himself to becoming a Catholic priest. His journey was not without challenges, as he initially struggled with the Latin language during his time in seminary before finding success in another institution, where he was eventually ordained.
Please join us in sending our best wishes to Father Plass, who is embarking on a new adventure as chaplain for two parishes: St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Occidental and St. Teresa of Avila Mission in Bodega.
Thank you, Father Plass, for your service to the Cardinal Newman community—students, families, faculty, and staff—in this joint undertaking of moving from shadows and images to the clear light of truth.