The Vagina Monologues

Image c/o http://www.mansibhatia.com/

It's better known at Fordham as the Dialogue About the Monologues. The Vagina Monologues, a play written by Eve Ensler that deals with women's sexuality, was performed at Fordham this past weekend under the support of our Women's Studies Department and but not Student Affairs. On the upside, the play is associated with V-DAY, a charity that raises awareness about and funds to prevent violence against women. On the raunchy side, it deals explicitly with sex, masturbation and, in one particularly startling moment, child molestation. And it makes no apologies for its content, which is exactly why this Catholic school is reluctant to promote it.

The controversy over the play has taken campus by storm, culminating in lots of conversation, multiple articles in the Ram, and even an on-campus debate. And it seems that people are talking well beyond Fordham with recent headlines like "Students succeed in getting “Vagina Monologues” on campus," "More than a Show," and "193 Campuses Reject Monologues."

No doubt, the controversy is valid for a school that feels it has a strict moral mandate to protect. However, the performances in the Monologues --all by current Fordham students-- are outstanding; for the sake of performance art alone, the show is, in my opinion, worth keeping.

High Bridge and Soul Food

Alas, I haven't had time to write precisely because I've been doing cool things. Like taking a twelve mile walk with my roommate through the Bronx and Harlem that culminated in super cheap Soul Food at Jacob's.

c/o googleimages

What's that? Not classy enough, you say? Well, when I have collard greens, roasted turkey, yams, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, bbq ribs, banana pudding and iced tea in front of me, I simply don't care about class.

I also didn't care about class as I moseyed home and took in awesome Bronx/Upper Manhattan sights. Such as the Croton Aqueduct, which distributed water in order to make the construction of New York City possible in the early 1800s. We also saw the super cool (but unfortunately closed) High Bridge and Highbridge tower. Our fingers are crossed that the tower and bridge will be open to pedestrians soon!

c/o googleimages

Yes, I am now in (intense) pain. But a weekend well-spent is always worth it.

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything

Yes, it’s meant to be provocative. In fact, during his recent visit to Fordham, James Martin, S.J., one-upped himself when he recalled a favorite prospective title for his upcoming book: “Jesus: That’s Funny.” He chose a different title for the book, but the moral of the story, that is, his passion for uniting joy and religion, still illuminated his visit.

“We’ve lost the element of joy in Catholicism,” he told us, noting that people often sit in church stone-faced. At first the message sounds overly obvious; yet, it could be radical for Catholics of our generation. What if we dared to combine humor and religion? What if we were surrounded by smiling statues instead of solemn ones?

Father Martin at Fordham

It feels strange and heretical just writing it. However, it might just be the key to a brighter future for Catholics, a vision to which Catholics of our generation are especially privy. Read on for more about Father Martin's visit, info on his new book, and videos of him.