Out & About: Saint Vincent College ushers in Chinese New Year

Shirley McMarlin | Monday, February 11, 2019 1:30 a.m.

Kim Stepinsky | For the Tribune-Review

From left: Shanshan Luan of Pittsburgh, a Saint Vincent College alumna, joins Brother Norman Hipps, O.S.B., president of Saint Vincent College, Brother Francis Jin, and seminary student Andrew Yan for a photo Feb. 5 during the Saint Vincent College Chinese New Year Party, held in the Robert S. Carey Student Center at Saint Vincent College in Unity Township.

Maybe we should reconsider the lowly image we have of the pig. That was one takeaway from the 2019 Chinese New Year Party at Saint Vincent College in Unity.

The event was held Feb. 5 in conjunction with the holiday that ushers in the Lunar New Year in China. This year is designated as the Year of the Pig. (In case you didn’t know, in Chinese astrology, each year in a 12-year cycle relates to a different Chinese zodiac animal.)

Americans often associate the word “pig” with greed, gluttony, dirt and other unattractive qualities, said event organizer Doreen Blandino. In China, the pig is associated with such things as wealth, good fortune, generosity, sincerity and kindness.

That’s one good reason for studying another language and another culture, she said — it opens the mind to other ways of thinking and living.

The celebration opened with a series of performances by Chinese language teachers and students from Valley School of Ligonier, Cardinal Maida Academy, Mountain View Elementary School, St. Joseph High School, Saint Vincent and Pitt-Greensburg. Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School students joined in via video.

The entertainment included song, dance, poetry reading and short plays.

Saint Vincent student Briana Huff and Pitt-Greensburg student Stephen Aulerich introduced the acts in both Chinese and English.

Afterward, attendees gathered for a buffet of Chinese-style foods, including noodles, rice, chicken, egg rolls, dumplings and almond cookies. Chinese cultural activities such as painting, paper-cutting, calligraphy and games also were available.

Joining Blandino in organizing the annual event were Tina Johnson and Chunhui Che. It was sponsored by the SVC James and Margaret Tseng Loe China Studies Center and the University of Pittsburgh Confucius Classroom at SVC.

Seen: Alec Barlock, Amy Jones-Barlock, Bill Barlock, Mark Morris, Richard Morris, Mary Beth McConahey with daughter Matilda, Bill Vana, Gertrude Tesar, Judd and Jennifer Dunbar, Bill and Glenda Dickson, Cheryl Wood, Carl and Kathy Bartolomucci, Chris and Christina Clawson with daughter Abigail and Brother Norman Hipps, president of Saint Vincent College.

Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Shirley at 724-836-5750, smcmarlin@tribweb.com or via Twitter @shirley_trib.