Thank you, Father Planning

For the past ten years, Father Planning has served as President of Gonzaga, leading the community with a deep President of Gonzaga, leading the community with a deep commitment to our Jesuit mission, an inspired vision for commitment to our Jesuit mission, an inspired vision for the future, an even hand, and a good sense of humor. the future, an even hand, and a good sense of humor. During his tenure, the school has gone through tremenDuring his tenure, the school has gone through tremendous growth and changes—both physically to the campus dous growth and changes—both physically to the campus as well as in terms of our curriculum and technology. as well as in terms of our curriculum and technology. We have experienced great losses and wonderful triumphs. And through it all, Father Planning has triumphs. And through it all, Father Planning has led with compassion and grace. We invited several led with compassion and grace. We invited several colleagues, parents, alumni, and past students to colleagues, parents, alumni, and past students to refl ect on his tenure.

“F ather Planning is leaving Gonzaga better than he found it. The top of the list of his accomplishments during his decade of service would be the school’s improved fi nancial position. He has been a tireless advocate for Gonzaga in many ways, but the most signifi cant moment of his impact for me, personally, occurred overseas. Father joined the rugby team on trips to Santiago and Barcelona. On the journey to Spain, we traveled to Manresa, the Jesuit order’s cradle city, where Father delivered a beautiful Mass in the historic St. Ignatius chapel. In it, he articulated the mission of Gonzaga: ‘We want our students to fi nd moments when they can experience Christ on Eye Street.’ It was a profound and inspiring statement. I had never heard the school’s mission stated so simply and clearly. It caused me to refl ect about my own time on Eye Street and how the mission connected with me. Father helped shape Gonzaga into the school it is today and has always stayed true to its core mission. Thank you, Father!” —Paul Sheehy ’81 (P ’15, ’16, and ’18), Gonzaga Board of Trustees

“More than a few times, Fr. Planning and I have found ourselves in a hospital room visiting a sick

or injured member of the Gonzaga community. I have always been in awe of the manner in which Father can put people at ease, even at the most stressful of times. In a space where I admittedly feel awkward and not sure what to say or how to say it, Father can immediately get people smiling and laughing as if they were old friends. Also, sadly, he has had to deliver many a homily at a funeral of a member of our community and, in a member of our community and, in each instance, his words are deeply each instance, his words are deeply personal and moving. His ability to personal and moving. His ability to console is a true gift from God and console is a true gift from God and has been a gift to our community has been a gift to our community these many years. Personally, we've these many years. Personally, we've shared quite a few laughs and shared quite a few laughs and countless conversations about the countless conversations about the kinds of things that happen ‘behind kinds of things that happen ‘behind the scenes’ that only the Headmaster the scenes’ that only the Headmaster and President will ever know. It is a and President will ever know. It is a comfort to me to know that I'll have comfort to me to know that I'll have his friendship long after he moves on his friendship long after he moves on to his next adventure.” to his next adventure.” —Thomas K. Every II, Headmaster

“Fr. Planning has literally embod “Fr. Planning has literally embodied the promise that Gonzaga will ied the promise that Gonzaga will be there to support its students and be there to support its students and graduates at their highs and lows. A graduates at their highs and lows. A year after my graduation from Gonzayear after my graduation from Gonzaga, he attended my fi rst professional ga, he attended my fi rst professional event, a benefi t play for an immigrant event, a benefi t play for an immigrant community in Northern Virginia. community in Northern Virginia. Unfortunately, the performance he Unfortunately, the performance he attended faced technical and production challenges that were extremely embarrassing to me, but in an email he sent the next week thanking me for the invitation to the show, Fr. Planning encouraged me to ‘remember the characters you worked with more than the characters in the play,’ proceeding to emphasize that the communities I will serve are vastly more important than any production I will create. I've saved this email to reference whenever I face a diffi cult project in my professional life, and it constantly re-orients me to what really matters at the end of the day. For his many lessons, homilies, and especially his off-camera humor, I am profoundly grateful.” —Andy Carluccio ’16

“Fr. Planning will always be dear to the hockey program. Following the death of Dominik Pettey in 2014, Father was instrumental in the healing of the Gonzaga community, the hockey players, and Dom’s closest friends. His words of faith and understanding were genuine and meaningful. While no one has the answers to why Dom died so tragically, he gave us the answers of why we have faith to know that life is eternal. He comforted us with his genuine love and sincere care for all affected. I will always be grateful for the guidance he gave me during such a diffi cult time.” —Bill Slater (P ’13 and ’15), Director of Gonzaga Hockey

“Fr. Planning has a terrifi c sense of humor and I’ve loved seeing him share it with our supporters. I've thoroughly enjoyed our travels together to champion our school with our benefactors. His ability to laugh at himself signifi es a genuine man who demonstrates humility and dignity as the director of the sacred work of Gonzaga. Fr. Planning is a true Jesuit by any measure, devoted daily to his vows and deeply committed to further our Catholic, Jesuit mission. Thank you, Fr. Planning, for your humble and remarkable run on Eye Street.” —David Dugan ’98, V.P. of Alumni and Advancement

“It is no mean feat to come into an institution as storied and successful as Gonzaga, and leave its pillars of future success even stronger. Fr. Planning has done just that, while powerfully reminding us that our Gonzaga spirit is only meaningful to the extent it serves others. “Over my years on the Board and most recently as Board Chair, I have seen fi rst-hand that whatever the context—fi nancial decisions, admission processes, the construction of a parking lot, overseas trips for the boys, COVID-19—Fr. Planning feels a

heavy responsibility for the welfare of each and every Eagle. “Father, thank you for your tireless watch these past ten years! Please make the short trek from Georgetown to Eye Street frequently, to visit with your many friends here and refl ect on the enormous impact your presence has meant, and will continue to mean, for so many.” —Michael Tierney ’70, Chairman, Board of Trustees

“Having chaired the search committee that recommended Fr. Planning for the Gonzaga presidency, I knew from the fi rst time I met him he was the right person for the job, and he has proven us correct. Fr. Planning’s infl uence on Gonzaga has been profound. His vision and leadership have led to many campus improvements and spiritual achievements over the past ten years. He leaves behind a legacy that will benefi t Gonzaga students for decades to come. The Gonzaga community is forever grateful for his outstanding service and the many contributions he has made on Eye Street.” —Jim Smith (P ’04),

Past Chairman, Board of Trustees

“One of Fr. Planning’s many gifts is how he is able to quickly connect through humor with each faculty and staff member, student, parent, and alumnus. During his homilies, he hooks us with his humor and then slides into the lesson. I will never forget his graduation words to the Class of 2020 connecting them to the Gonzaga graduates from the past two centuries who have graduated during a time of great adversity and sending them onward ‘in the power of God’s Spirit, as men on a mission, to serve and heal our broken world.’ “As I carefully unpack my ten years of memories of Fr. Planning on Eye Street, I am drawn to how well he has listened to me, personally, as well as to our Gonzaga community. He has listened with compassion and kindness; then observed, refl ected, prayed, and led us to be a better school community and better disciples. Thank you, Fr. Planning, for modeling how to lead others in the footsteps of Jesus. We will miss you!” —Marilynn Kelly (P ’20), Science Teacher

"It has been a pleasure and honor to serve beside Fr. Planning as a Board member, particularly during my term as Chairman. His deep commitment to the Ignatian principles that guide the Society of Jesus were primary to his approach to leadership and decision-making and were evident to all who were fortunate to hear his inspirational homilies and addresses to the Gonzaga community. “Personally, I am extremely thankful for his friendship and sense of humor over these years. Through thick and thin—including a pandemic—we leaned on each other for a laugh when it was needed. I am proud to be a part of the Gonzaga community and Fr. Planning’s successful tenure as President of our beloved school." —Sean Creamer ’82 (P ’09 and ’10), Past Chairman, Board of Trustees

“I am grateful for Father’s friendship and always appreciated his support and wise counsel as a colleague. Given the relationship between Gonzaga and Visitation— with similar missions, traditions, and the numbers of families we share— we would often talk about issues common to both. Fr. Planning (Steve) was thoughtful and always placed the needs of students fi rst. As the father of two Gonzaga grads during Father’s tenure, I appreciated his vision and steady leadership. Only

once did I question his judgement... and that was when he targeted me in the Ice Bucket Challenge several years ago! It is good to know that for the immediate future Father will be nearby at Georgetown University. I look forward to maintaining our friendship as I welcome him to the neighborhood.” —Dan Kerns (P ’15 and ’18), Former Head of School, Georgetown Visitation

“As a former Gonzaga Board member; a former McKenna Center Board member; an alumnus; as well as a Gonzaga dad, I have had the opportunity to interact with Fr. Planning in numerous different capacities. What was clear in all of those interactions was that he had Gonzaga’s best interest at heart. “He came to Eye Street under very diffi cult circumstances for the Gonzaga community—the untimely passing of the beloved Fr. Allan Novotny—and he was able to navigate the various constituencies that are Gonzaga. He not only ‘kept the ship afl oat,’ he moved the community ahead in terms of development, curriculum, and many other areas. “It is fi tting that he conclude his time on Eye Street in 2021, the school’s bicentennial year! In short, I want to personally thank Fr. Planning for his contributions to Gonzaga over this past decade.” —Walter Hill Jr. ’83 (P ’16 and ’20), former Gonzaga Board Member

“The image one has of the President of the School is someone deeply involved in fundraising, capital improvements, and ongoing planning for the school. But if we stop and think for a minute, how often have we seen Fr. Planning reaching out to a family, student, or alumnus deep in grief? It turns out, rather frequently. Fr. Planning has the gift to compassionately stand by people in turmoil or grief. I think of what the school went through when Dom Pettey died. Students were allowed to congregate on the tennis courts and just be together, tailgating and talking, and working out their grief. Fr. Planning understood intrinsically the need for young people to not go to class, to come together and talk and reminisce and to grieve the loss of a beloved Gonzaga brother. That to me is the essence of Fr. Planning.” —Carol Corgan, Religion Teacher

“Having worked closely with Fr. Planning for fi ve years, I’ve frequently heard him speak about what he views as ‘the point’ of a Gonzaga education. At its core, it’s not the camaraderie or the campus; it’s not the sports or the extracurriculars; it’s not even the academics or the critical thinking or the college prep. Those are important to Gonzaga and they’re vitally important to Fr. Planning as well. But he often boils down the Gonzaga experience to his deep hope that every Gonzaga student will, at some point during their time on Eye Street, have a personal and meaningful encounter with Christ, one that helps them realize fully how deeply they are loved by God. He frequently reminds us that that realization for the boys comes as the result of their interactions with us staff—as teachers, administrators, coaches, counselors, retreat leaders, and collectively, as lay collaborators in the Jesuit mission on Eye Street. So at a time when Jesuit schools are concerned with staying true to their Ignatian ideals in the face of declining vocations to the Society (to quote Fr. Planning, ‘poverty, chastity, and obedience aren’t the selling points they used to be!’), he leaves Gonzaga on deliberately solid footing when it comes to our Ignatian identity—and with faculty and staff who feel empowered and trusted to help deliver on the promise of a Jesuit education. Ultimately, I think that’s his lasting legacy at Gonzaga.” —Stephen Neill ’89 (P ’21), Chief Operating Offi cer