Crimson Circle
Encyclopedia
The Crimson Circle is an all-male service organization
composed of 35 sophomore, junior, and senior men from Loyola Marymount University
and follows Jesuit principles. The Crimson Circle has served the university and surrounding communities in Los Angeles since its founding in 1929. Their crimson sweaters have been passed down from member to member for over eighty years.
. Since its inception, The Crimson Circle has been guided by the Jesuit values of service, loyalty, brotherhood, faith, and tradition upon which it was founded.
For decades the Crimson Circle was the judiciary branch of the school. It held public trials and inflicted punishment (sometimes physical) on the students who violated the rules of the school. The Circle was also in charge of interpreting the ASLU Constitution and holding ASLU officers in check. Up until the early 1980s, at least a portion of the members were voted into the organization by the student body.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Crimson Circle began its first work off campus. It oftentimes worked with the Office of the (Cardinal
) Archbishop of Los Angeles. More significantly, these two decades marked the first time Crimson Circle began promoting the education of local children throughout Los Angeles. Crimsons served as tutors and mentors at both parochial and public elementary schools. It has a long established relationship with St. Columbkille Elementary School and for many years volunteered at Loyola Village Elementary. It was also during these years that The Crimson Circle began to resemble the organization it is today. It became the first service organization on campus and committed itself to promoting programs of ASLU, the President's Office, University Relations, the Jesuit Community, and Admissions. Upon the Belles creation in 1960, the Crimson Circle and its new sister organization began working in tandem to be the face of the University for public relations—members of the Belles where drawn from Marymount College, Mount St. Mary's College
, Immaculate Heart College
, St. Vincent's School of Nursing, and Queen of Angels School of Nursing. In the spring of 1968, Marymount College created the Gryphon Circle in order to have an equivalent organization before it began it official affiliation with Loyola University.
The Crimson Circle experienced its most controversial years in the late 1970s and early 1980s when several women attempted to join the Circle. The student newspaper, the Loyolan, was filled with editorials and letters to the editor from faculty, students, Crimsons, and then moderator Fr. Alfred Kilp, S.J., about the all-male aspect of the organization; even the Los Angeles Times covered the story when Gloria Allred
was set to represent a group of women attempting to join. The Crimson Circle would allow the women to interview, but did not select them for final membership. One woman was voted into the organization by the student body and was a member for one academic year in 1979-80.
Following the controversy, the co-ed Ignatians service Organization was created to balance The Crimson Circle and the all-female Belles and Gryphon Circle Service Organizations. The Service Organization Council was also created as a governing body of the campus’ service organizations to prevent any claims of discrimination against the single sex organizations. In 1992, Sursum Corda, a co-ed service organization, was founded by students who had been denied membership to the Crimson Circle.
In 1999, when Fr. Thomas P. O'Malley, S.J., left the university, he had Crimsons serve as the color guard in the Mass. In 2003, Magis, an all male service organization was founded, again by students who were not granted admission to the Crimson Circle.
The Crimson Circle continued its mission by winning Service Organization of the year back-to-back years to begin the new millennium. In the 1998-99 academic year, Charity Ball was created in conjunction with the Belles to raise money for local charities. In 2007, Charity Ball raised $9,000 for St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, CA. In 2008, the event raised $12,000 for Break the Cycle, a non-profit organization committed to ending domestic violence.
The men of the Crimson Circle are present, in their sweaters, at every major university event. In addition to its continuous service to the university community, its members volunteer at several sites throughout Los Angeles. Members tutor elementary school students at St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, Dolores Mission School in Boyle Heights, and Good Shepherd Women and Children’s Center in Lennox. Furthermore, the men of Crimson Circle have maintained a healthy relationship with Loyola High School by tutoring inner-city students in preparation for their entrance exam at Loyola.
In the 2009-2010 academic year, The Crimson Circle held an 80th Anniversary Alumni Reunion. Over 180 alumni from as early as 1950 gathered for a Mass, dinner, and reception. Moderators of Crimson Circle have included: Fr. Lorenzo Malone, S.J., Fr. Al Kilp, S.J., Fr. James Erps, S.J., and Fr. Wayne Negrete, S.J.; Fr. Richard Robin, S.J., has served as moderator since 1995.
The uniform colors remain crimson and grey, reflecting the school colors of Loyola University.
Service club
A service club or service organization is a voluntary non-profit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined first by its service mission...
composed of 35 sophomore, junior, and senior men from Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
and follows Jesuit principles. The Crimson Circle has served the university and surrounding communities in Los Angeles since its founding in 1929. Their crimson sweaters have been passed down from member to member for over eighty years.
History
The Crimson Circle was established at Loyola University on September 29, 1929 to assist the Jesuit Dean of Students with the enforcement of the Student Conduct Code at student assemblies and athletic events by administering punishment on infractors and interpreting the ASLU Constitution. It is a tradition as old as the Westchester campus itself. The first group of Crimsons included the top upper classmen of Loyola University with honorary positions held for the President of ASLU, the editor-in-chief of the Loyolan, and the president of the no longer existing Block L Society. In this group was Wil Von der Ahe who took over for his father in running the Vons CorporationVons
Vons is a southern California and southern Nevada supermarket chain and a division of Safeway Inc. It is headquartered in Arcadia, California, and operates stores under the Vons and Pavilions banners.-Beginning:...
. Since its inception, The Crimson Circle has been guided by the Jesuit values of service, loyalty, brotherhood, faith, and tradition upon which it was founded.
For decades the Crimson Circle was the judiciary branch of the school. It held public trials and inflicted punishment (sometimes physical) on the students who violated the rules of the school. The Circle was also in charge of interpreting the ASLU Constitution and holding ASLU officers in check. Up until the early 1980s, at least a portion of the members were voted into the organization by the student body.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Crimson Circle began its first work off campus. It oftentimes worked with the Office of the (Cardinal
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
) Archbishop of Los Angeles. More significantly, these two decades marked the first time Crimson Circle began promoting the education of local children throughout Los Angeles. Crimsons served as tutors and mentors at both parochial and public elementary schools. It has a long established relationship with St. Columbkille Elementary School and for many years volunteered at Loyola Village Elementary. It was also during these years that The Crimson Circle began to resemble the organization it is today. It became the first service organization on campus and committed itself to promoting programs of ASLU, the President's Office, University Relations, the Jesuit Community, and Admissions. Upon the Belles creation in 1960, the Crimson Circle and its new sister organization began working in tandem to be the face of the University for public relations—members of the Belles where drawn from Marymount College, Mount St. Mary's College
Mount St. Mary's College
Mount St. Mary's College is a private, independent, Catholic liberal arts college, primarily for women, in Los Angeles, California. The college was founded in 1925 by the Sisters of St...
, Immaculate Heart College
Immaculate Heart College
Immaculate Heart College was a private, Catholic college located in Los Angeles, California.The college was established in 1916 by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ten years after they had founded Immaculate Heart High School on the property....
, St. Vincent's School of Nursing, and Queen of Angels School of Nursing. In the spring of 1968, Marymount College created the Gryphon Circle in order to have an equivalent organization before it began it official affiliation with Loyola University.
The Crimson Circle experienced its most controversial years in the late 1970s and early 1980s when several women attempted to join the Circle. The student newspaper, the Loyolan, was filled with editorials and letters to the editor from faculty, students, Crimsons, and then moderator Fr. Alfred Kilp, S.J., about the all-male aspect of the organization; even the Los Angeles Times covered the story when Gloria Allred
Gloria Allred
Gloria Rachel Allred is an American lawyer noted for taking high-profile and often controversial cases, particulary those involving the protection of women's rights.-Early life:...
was set to represent a group of women attempting to join. The Crimson Circle would allow the women to interview, but did not select them for final membership. One woman was voted into the organization by the student body and was a member for one academic year in 1979-80.
In 1999, when Fr. Thomas P. O'Malley, S.J., left the university, he had Crimsons serve as the color guard in the Mass. In 2003, Magis, an all male service organization was founded, again by students who were not granted admission to the Crimson Circle.
The Crimson Circle continued its mission by winning Service Organization of the year back-to-back years to begin the new millennium. In the 1998-99 academic year, Charity Ball was created in conjunction with the Belles to raise money for local charities. In 2007, Charity Ball raised $9,000 for St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, CA. In 2008, the event raised $12,000 for Break the Cycle, a non-profit organization committed to ending domestic violence.
The men of the Crimson Circle are present, in their sweaters, at every major university event. In addition to its continuous service to the university community, its members volunteer at several sites throughout Los Angeles. Members tutor elementary school students at St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, Dolores Mission School in Boyle Heights, and Good Shepherd Women and Children’s Center in Lennox. Furthermore, the men of Crimson Circle have maintained a healthy relationship with Loyola High School by tutoring inner-city students in preparation for their entrance exam at Loyola.
In the 2009-2010 academic year, The Crimson Circle held an 80th Anniversary Alumni Reunion. Over 180 alumni from as early as 1950 gathered for a Mass, dinner, and reception. Moderators of Crimson Circle have included: Fr. Lorenzo Malone, S.J., Fr. Al Kilp, S.J., Fr. James Erps, S.J., and Fr. Wayne Negrete, S.J.; Fr. Richard Robin, S.J., has served as moderator since 1995.
The uniform colors remain crimson and grey, reflecting the school colors of Loyola University.