Category: Opinion

New Year, New Records

2022 Ranks Fifth Hottest Year Ever Recorded The past nine years have been the hottest on record, and 2022 has proved to be no exception to this trend. According to NASA, 2022 was the fifth hottest year on record, tying with 2015 at 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit above average. NASA adds that 2022 was two degrees […]

Kaelin Ferland '23

Pope Benedict XVI: “Santo Subito”?

The late Christopher Hitchens once counted Pope Benedict XVI among “the three contemporary figures he most despised, along with Henry Kissinger and Osama Bin Laden” (Francis X. Rocca, Wall Street Journal, “Pope Benedict’s Passing Means Conservative Catholics Lose Their Leading Light”). Here, I will have to disagree with Hitchens. I do not believe that the […]

David Salzillo Jr. '24

In Defense of Harry and Meghan

After a Netflix documentary and a scathing memoir, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have certainly made their feelings about the British monarchy public knowledge. While some might find their quarrels repetitive and annoying, that does not mean the couple is lying about their experience. One only needs to read the headlines to realize how […]

Christina Charie '25

Finding Beauty in Uncertainty

Heading into winter break, I considered writing a column titled something along the lines of “Five Ways Seniors Can Make the Most of Their Winter Breaks.” I was going to write about applying for jobs, getting ahead on independent study work, and taking a break to read a novel you’ve been wanting to pick up […]

Sarah McLaughlin '23

Writer vs. Writer: Is Santa Claus Coming to Town?

Let Them Believe by Sam Dietel ’23 The magic of Christmas is once again upon us. It’s time to decorate your tree, hang the stockings, and blare “Jingle Bells.” Many of us have memories—fond ones, hopefully—of a jolly fat guy in a red suit breaking into our homes, eating our cookies, and leaving gifts under […]

Meghan Mitchell '23

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas: How to Have a Sustainable Holiday Season

I love Christmas, but I also love the planet. I won’t be the Grinch and take away your wrapping paper and plastic trees, but it’s important to consider the environmental impact of this holiday so that we can celebrate in a way that is more sustainable and less harmful to our planet. One way that […]

Kaelin Ferland '23

A Totally Unnecessary Rant About Hallmark Movies 

This article might be upsetting both to regular viewers of Hallmark movies (if such people really do exist) and to children who still believe in Santa Claus. To the latter group, I offer my sincerest apologies.   Ah, Christmastime—the season for caroling, hot cocoa, and…bad Hallmark movies. Why humanity must suffer through that last one is […]

David Salzillo Jr. '24

All I Want for Christmas is Taylor: She Belongs with Friartown

With the Ticketmaster crisis casting a sense of despair over Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and the Christmas season, there is one way the Grammy Award-Winning artist can help her fans right here in Friartown. All Friars want for Christmas is for Taylor to perform at Providence College.  Not every college student can dish out thousands […]

Christina Charie '25

Incessant Cycle: Mass Shootings Continue in America

It’s happening again and no one should be surprised. Mass shootings are nothing new, and the more we hear about them, the more desensitized we become. Late at night on Saturday, Nov. 19, another deadly shooting took place at an LGBTQ+ bar called Club Q in Colorado Springs, CO. The shooter murdered five people and […]

Samantha Dietel '23

Is Student Journalism in Peril in the Digital Age? University of Arizona Student Faces Doxxing and Harassment for Her Opinion Piece

by Sarah McLaughlin ’23 In the age of social media, it is not uncommon for young people to experience harassment from peers online. This can take the form of hurtful comments, threatening direct messages, or mass reporting of one’s account in order to get it banned from a platform. Those in the public eye—influencers, content […]

Sarah McLaughlin '23