Keenan Knights are a brotherhood of men
By LOUBEL CRUZ
Scene Writer
It seems appropriate that a dorm whose mascot is the "Knight" has the hall motto "Fratres in Christo," Latin for "Brothers in Christ." But, that is exactly how the men of Keenan Hall view themselves and their dorm — as a place where togetherness can be developed through Christian service and brotherhood which is obvious in their dedication to serving both their own hall and the entire Notre Dame campus.
"We attempt to be a Christian community of fellowship where each person is treated with dignity and respect and where each resident strives to be as concerned for the needs of others as he is for himself," said Father Gary Chamberland, Keenan's rector.
The dorm was built in 1957 through a donation given by the Keenan family of Fort Wayne, Ind., in memory of their son James Keenan, Jr. The cinder block building was a freshman dorm until the late 1960s and consists of nearly all doubles. Keenan is now the home of nearly 300 men who take great pride in the strength of their dorm spirit that is evident when visiting the hall.
"There is a sense that you are entering a community where everyone knows each other," said Aaron Osland, a resident assistant inf Keenan. "Evidence of this can be found when one sees that, in most places in the dorm, you find entire sections where all of the doors are open, and Keenanites are standing out in the hall talking to each other or playing some sort of hallway sport. It is a very social atmosphere that is very welcoming to others."
"Because of the `cinder block' appearance from the outside and small rooms on the inside, Keenan guys bond together to make life in the dorm interesting," said Ben Stauffer, also an R.A. "It makes it easier for people to get together and participate in group activities and sports. I don't think you would find this kind of unity in many other dorms on campus."
Keenan men take great pride in their commitment to service work that their residents do to enhance their Christian spirit, and especially the work they do as a dorm. This stress on community service was emphasized by their former rector Brother Bonaventure Scully, who began the Notre Dame Experience (NDE) shortly after coming to Keenan in 1984 and retired at the end of last school year.
"Brother Bonaventure often told us to see Christ in one another and to do at least one thing per day, no matter how small, in service of someone else," said Osland. "And this message is something Keenanites take to heart."
This commitment to service is now being continued by Keenan's new rector, Chamberland.
"We attempt to look beyond the borders of our walls to address the needs of the Notre Dame and South Bend communities," he said. "[The service activities] shows that Keenan men understand their Christian commitment to love God through the service of their neighbor."
Some of the service work Keenan does includes funding and building lockers and tables at El Buen Vecino, making a weekly dinner and purchasing a television for Dismas House and having a weekly collection at mass which is donated to various charities. Keenan also began the Great Pumpkin Contest, an annual Halloween event, when students take children from the South Bend Boys and Girls Club around campus to go trick-or-treating and have also started their own Diversity Week which has now become a campus-wide event.
"Keenan's service is unparalleled," said Stauffer.
But the most popular Keenan activity, both in the dorm and throughout campus, is by far the Keenan Revue. This annual entertainment showcase is put on by Keenan residents for Notre Dame students free of charge and entertains nearly 5,000 people every spring.
"Until someone witnesses how the show is put together in a matter of two weeks, it is impossible to truly appreciate the amount of work that goes into producing our annual gift to campus," said Osland.
Keenan's sense of humor does not end with the Revue. They consider Zahm as one of their "sister dorms" (along with Cavanaugh) and claim their little brothers live in Stanford.
Keenan also is noted for their great success in interhall sports. They have two undefeated football seasons in 1997 and 1998 and numerous championships ranging from cross-country to volleyball. Last year, they were the RecSports recipient for best all around dorm in interhall sports.
Some famous former Keenan residents include Joe Montana, basketball player Ryan Humphries and former basketball captain Derek Manner. Keenan was also named Dorm of the Year in 1996 and 1998.
"Although we may not be the prettiest dorm to look at, we more than make up for it with our spirit," Osland said.
"We strive for dorm unity through service to the community and togetherness in all our activities," Stauffer said.
"Fratres In Christo." They prove successful.
All Scene Stories for Wednesday, March 22, 2000
