LEARNING IN THE SPIRIT
of St. Dominic
Teaching Scholars with a Soul
The Big Picture ...
New Field, New Coach, New Season!
This fall, Spartan football took to the gridiron on new field turf! Joining the team on the sidelines was new head coach, Nick Lopez '00. Soccer teams and the band will also benefit from the updated surface. The project was fully funded through the generosity of alumni and alumni parents who recognize the value of the Marian Catholic experience on and off the field.
Who are we...really? One of the greatest challenges facing Catholic education right now is our ability to maintain our identity in an increasingly secular world and in schools with fewer and fewer religious.
As a Catholic, Dominican, college preparatory school, Marian Catholic has a unique identity. In this issue of Marian Matters, Sister Judine Hilbing, OP, and Sister Judith Hilbing, OP, (yes, they are Sisters and sisters) take us on an inspiring journey of how six young women from Kentucky established the Dominican Sisters of Springfield 150 years ago. We also celebrate today’s Spartans, especially the Class of 2022; and introduce two new roles to our community, the Vice President of Ministry and Mission and the Dean of Community Life, both intended to deepen our connectedness to one another and strengthen our faith-filled community.
When we started the school year, I challenged our faculty and staff. I told them our goal was not to get back to where we were before the pandemic, but to exceed it. As Sister Mary Paul McCaughey OP '67 said when presenting at our back-to-school meeting, we do not just want to “put the train back on the tracks,” we want to “move it to a launchpad.” To advance that train will require a renewed focus not only on academics, athletics, and the arts, but also on our mission.
Marian Catholic High School is a Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory high school within the Dominican tradition of study, prayer, community, and preaching. Marian Catholic students seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service.
How do we embrace our Catholic, Dominican identity? How do we teach our students to preach from the pulpit of their lives, as St. Dominic did? How do we pass on the Catholic faith and the Dominican charism at this moment in our society?
These are important and difficult questions. The hurdles we face as an independent Catholic high school can be great, but the faith and charism handed down to us is far greater. With your prayers and support, we will continue the legacy given us, strengthen our ministry to our young people, and look forward to an exciting, albeit it uncertain, future.
Thank you for your continued commitment to our mission,
Vincent J. Krydynski '81
CELEBRATING for the Life of the World
Continuing the Legacy of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield
By Sisters Judith and Judine Hilbing, OPWhen taking a tour of Sacred Heart Convent, the Motherhouse of the Springfield Dominicans, one invariably encounters the photographs of seven elderly sisters whose youth and vitality have been erased by years of hardship, poverty, and the ravishing illnesses of the late 1800’s. These are the women to whom the title Foundress or Pioneer is affectionately given; and these are the women who gave their youth and vitality, their gifts and talents, to answer a unique call to ministry.
In 1873, in response to an urgent request from the Diocese of Springfield, six young Dominican women left the rolling hills of Kentucky on an incredible journey to the wind-swept prairies of
Illinois. Under the leadership of Sister Josephine Meager, the sisters carried the culture, hospitality, and community spirit of their beloved St. Catharine, Kentucky, to the children of immigrants, miners, and day laborers living in the Irish settlement of Jacksonville, Illinois.
In both the good times and those of challenge, the sisters taught and interacted with the people of Jacksonville until their growing numbers prompted their relocation to Springfield. A steady stream of women joined the ranks of dedicated educators, health care personnel, social workers, and pastoral agents striving to be vibrant preachers of the Word.
THE JOURNEY OF 150 YEARS
1873
Six Dominican Sisters answered the call for a mission in Jacksonville, Illinois and moved into what is affectionately known as “The Cottage.” Their initial Convent was described as “…a low, one story, ill-lighted, brick cottage, so very plain that its only redeeming ornament was a small front porch, or portico, which gave one the impression of a hand extended in welcome to the approaching Sisters.”
1893
In August of 1890, at the request of Father Hickey, “Vicar General of the Alton Diocese,” eight Sisters journeyed to Springfield to begin a teaching mission at St. Mary’s School. Limited space soon prompted the Sisters in Jacksonville to seek another home. In 1893, with the encouragement and support of Father Hickey and benefactor Charles Routt, the community relocated to a new motherhouse in Springfield.
1958
In 1955, in response to a call from Cardinal Stritch of Chicago and the support of Msgr. Walter Croarkin, of St. Agnes Church, the Sisters accepted the staffing and financial responsibilities for a new high school in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Marian Catholic opened with Sr. Mary Mannes Kern, OP as principal in September of 1958.
The sisters operated hospitals in Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi, cared for the elderly in Colorado, ministered within the prison system, and cared for dependent children in Illinois. They became involved in health care ministry, adult education, catechetical instruction, and the arts. They worked with immigrants, prisoners, and native Americans. They served as canon lawyers, educational consultants, campus ministers, and directors of literacy centers. In their search for justice and peace, they embraced insertion, collaboration, and social responsibility. Jubilee Farm flourished as their center for ecology and spirituality.
The assignment of sisters to ministry was always in response to the needs of the time with a view of doing all things in the light of Gospel values. During the late 1950’s, the majority of sisters were serving in the field of education. With a congregation grown to almost 600 in membership, there were sufficient sisters to staff 60 elementary schools and expand Catholic education at the secondary level. In was in this spirit, that the Dominican Sisters engaged in plans to build Marian Catholic High School which was proudly established in 1958.
During the 1960’s, there was another new and urgent call, this time from Pope John XXIII, who asked Catholics to send ten percent of their personnel to Latin America to walk in solidarity with and educate those whose Catholic faith was being threatened by the political turmoil of the times. In 1963, the Dominicans of Springfield answered that call and once again sent pioneers to minister in a place of great need. The sisters left their footprints with creativity, courage, and energy in a
land called Peru, living Dominican promises in the name of the congregation, inviting young women to join them in mission.
There are no longer North American faces to be found within the walls of the convents in Peru. The ministry for which the sisters were sent in 1963 is now carried out by sisters born in the Andes Mountains and supported by Dominican Associates. Committed to prayer, study, community, and ministry, the journey of growth and commitment remains vibrant.
1968
An increased interest in religious life led to the necessity for a new motherhouse. Thanks to the enthusiasm, generosity, and sacrifice of the Dominican Sisters, their relatives, friends, and donors, the congregation moved into the “Promised Land” on Good Friday, 1968.
1963
Four pioneer Sisters established a mission in San Juan de Jarpa Parish, a remote Andean village in the Archdiocese of Huancayo. Peruvian members of the congregation continue to minister in Lima and the mountain communities of Huancayo Province.
2022
On another tour of Sacred Heart Convent, one might visit the infirmed sisters; and a cursory glance would reveal the same elderly countenance that was viewed in the photos of the foundresses. A deeper look into the aging faces of the sisters would uncover the youth and vitality that sustained each of them throughout their history of living the vocation to which they were called. It is this commitment to Gospel values, this call to be always for The Life of the World, that allows the
spirit of the past to sustain the present and give hope to the future.
On August 19, 2022, Founders Day, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki celebrated Eucharist with the Dominican Sisters and Associates as the first of many events to mark the opening of a year-long celebration of 150 years as Dominicans of Springfield. Quoting Pope Francis who urged the faithful “to look to the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion, and to embrace the future with hope,”
Bishop Paprocki expressed gratitude for the commitment of the sisters who have lived and worked, ministered and flourished, in every age and to each place they have been called.
The physical structures housing the Dominicans of Springfield have changed over the years from a tiny house in Jacksonville to the large complex currently situated at 1237 West Monroe Street. The ministries embraced by the sisters have also changed. They have grown and expanded and have frequently been passed on to the care of others, always responding to the needs of the time.
History refuses to stand still, to become fixed in time; rather it urges us forward to be founders and pioneers of whatever lies before us. The mission of Marian Catholic High School, in tandem with the mission of all the ministries established by the Dominicans of Springfield, grows ever more deeply dependent upon a shared vision with the Dominican Associates and the many capable lay persons called into service by the same Spirit of God. It is to each and every member of the Community of Marian Catholic, that the call goes out to be grateful for the blessings of a rich history; to commit with passion to living Gospel values in today’s world, and to be unafraid of a future that is held in the loving embrace of our Provident God.
Scan the QR code to view the Opening Eucharist Remembering the Dominican Pioneer SistersAll are invited to join the Dominican Sisters in their yearlong celebration through one of the commemorative events listed below and on their website at springfieldop.org/150Years.
Save these Dates!
FEBRUARY
2, 2023
Candlelit Taizé celebration of music, scripture, and prayer in observance of World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. Sacred Heart Convent Chapel. Public celebration; livestreamed.
APRIL 22, 2023
Celebrating Our Mission festivities in Jacksonville, original Home of the Dominicans of Springfield
• Jacksonville Area Museum Exhibit
• Proclamation by the Mayor
• Calvary Cemetery Prayer Service and Placement of Wreaths on Graves of Four Sisters Who Died before the Move to Springfield
• Eucharistic Celebration and Reception at Our Savior Parish
AUGUST 19, 2023
150th Founders’ Day Celebration. Public liturgy and agape festival, Sacred Heart Convent; livestreamed.
Other Ways to Participate
• Opportunities to join sisters and associates in service activities such as Christmas Blessing Bags for the homeless in Springfield. Each bag will include necessary items, a Christmas gift, and a Christmas greeting made by retired sisters.
• Tours of Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, in person or remote at springfieldop.org/arm-chair-chapel-tour
• Multimedia presentations, videos, and stories about community history at springfieldop.org
• Special episodes of F.L.O.W.cast, the Springfield Dominican Sisters’ podcast at flowcastlisten.org
• Exhibit at the Jacksonville Area Museum, April 22 to July 30, 2023
A Prayer for Life of the World
Holy Mystery, ever ancient, ever new, we, the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, come before You, aware of our interconnectedness in the cosmos, and in solidarity with the rostros concretos* of the marginalized.
We come with deep gratitude for our common call. Draw us into communion with You and all creation. Living with intentional awareness and openness to change, we seek to expand the expression of our vows, inviting others to walk with us in sharing our charism. Free our hearts to recognize and attend to Christ in hidden and unexpected places.
We renounce our participation in the sin of racism and reject the societal barriers created by the misuse of power. Through our contemplation, transform us to listen deeply to one another and to the brokenness of the world. Bless our efforts to be the holy preaching.
Christ, You are expansive. We journey in that truth, offering our testimonio de vida AMEN.
*Rostros concretos literally means “specific faces.” Nevertheless, it is a concept which includes all those in oppressive situations, creation, anything placed on the margins.
PRAY WITH THE SISTERS
The Sisters will post a prayer written by a member of the congregation for use on the 19th of each month (because their mission For the Life of the World began in Jacksonville, Illinois on August 19, 1873.) Each prayer focuses on a unique expression of the Sisters preaching ministry. You are invited to print it out, pray it with them, and share it with others. Scan the QR code for monthly prayers.
NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES
Embrace Catholic Traditions, Dominican Charisms, and Community
By Kathy GuarinoDO WE PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH?
This is a question that members of Marian Catholic’s leadership teams continuously ask themselves. As a Catholic institution, we believe that a rich faith life is essential for all students and staff. To that end, we continuously discern and assess where we are in helping our community members grow in their relationship with God, specifically through the Dominican charism of Prayer, Study, Community, and Preaching.
“To be true to Marian Catholic’s spiritual mission, we felt it was important to have dedicated staff members whose main responsibility is to look at everything we do through that Catholic Dominican lens. And that’s what led us to establish and hire for two new leadership positions.”
“We have the potential to more fully live out our mission at Marian Catholic,” Linda said. “This includes further integration of service opportunities to get our students actively involved in their faith lives, helping to build community both within and outside our walls. I am excited to bring us back to our roots while also living out our mission in the modern day.”
–Vince Krydynski '81, Marian Catholic PresidentReintroducing Linda Hansen as Vice President of Ministry and Mission
In July, Mrs. Linda Hansen was selected as Marian Catholic’s first Vice President of Ministry and Mission. While this is a new position for Linda, she is no stranger to the Marian Catholic Community.
For more than 30 years, Linda has served in Marian Catholic’s Theology and English departments, as an administrator for the Bracha Center, and a lead teacher in Marian’s Understanding by Design (UbD) program. Additionally, Linda’s two children, Robert '13 and Ruth '21, attended Marian Catholic, another demonstration of her strong commitment to the school.
In addition to earning a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary English from Loyola University, and a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from the Catholic Theological Union, Linda received Catechist Certification from the Archdiocese of Chicago, and a Certificate in Lay Ecclesial Ministry from the Diocese of Gary, Indiana. She assists Marian Catholic with Masses, senior Kairos experiences and retreats, and is very active in her parish, St. Michael the Archangel in Schererville, Indiana.
“Linda is a strong woman who puts her faith into action. She possesses the energy, passion, skills, and experiences to develop and initiate the programs necessary to meet the demands of the position,” President Krydynski said. “She is a tremendous addition to the school leadership team and will provide the necessary focus on our ministry and mission.”
“God has a purpose for each student and has given them unique gifts to use to build His kingdom here on earth,” Linda added. “My hope is that while our students are at Marian Catholic, they will identify the gifts God has given them and say ‘yes’ to using those gifts for His plan.
Reintroducing Linda Hansen and Welcoming Curtis CrossleyTo enforce the school’s disciplinary code in a way that not only embraces our mission but also encourages a spirit of order and respect for the rights of others, Marian Catholic welcomed Curtis Crossley to its leadership team as its first Dean of Community Life. In this new role, Curtis oversees our disciplinary practices through a lens that focuses on our student’s mental and emotional health. He is responsible for the overall safety, health, and welfare of each and every student.
“In a world that has been profoundly impacted by a global pandemic, many young people are struggling and now more than ever need an educational environment that concentrates on their spiritual, social, and psychological needs, as well as their academic success,” Curtis said. “I am really excited to connect with the students to continue fostering a culture of belonging that is rooted in the teachings of Jesus. I want to help our students overcome obstacles so they can realize their own strengths and develop into future leaders from the inside out.”
The Dean of Community Life is a consolidation of the Dean of Men and Dean of Women positions. It focuses on fostering an atmosphere in which both the individual and the educational process can flourish.
As Dean of Community Life, Curtis partners with students, teachers, school counselors, social workers, and other school personnel to ensure that our students encounter a strong sense of community, academic achievement, and spiritual and personal growth. Community life is an integral aspect of Marian Catholic’s Dominican heritage, which values personal relationships and emphasizes that what we do together as a community is stronger than our individual endeavors.
“Curtis has extensive experience in mentoring young people and will help our students to grow and mature into the citizens that God calls them to be,” said Marian Catholic Principal Steve Tortorello. “He has a profound commitment to Catholic education, and I know his guidance, example, and energy will help us unify our community to maximize every student’s potential every day.”
Mr. Crossley has nearly a decade of experience in education and comes to Marian Catholic from Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee, where he was Vice Principal and Dean of Students. A long-time resident of Kankakee, he holds an MBA from Olivet Nazarene University and a bachelor’s degree in communications from Northern Illinois University.
“While our academic courses develop our kids as students and thinkers, these two new leadership positions are specifically focused on developing our kids as people,” Principal Tortorello added. “Linda and Curtis provide programming, counseling, and support that encourages our students to grow as good citizens who foster a joyful Christian community in our halls and to be great community members who serve one another and our world.”
As a Catholic School, Marian Catholic accepts its mission to “teach as Jesus did.” As a Dominican school, we model St. Dominic who dedicated his life to the pursuit of truth in a spiritual, intellectual, moral, and social dimension.
THE WALL THAT HEALS Marian Catholic Hosts
By Allen Marazas '64The Vietnam War divided Americans much as our 19th Century Civil War. The division was not geographical as then, but generational, and it set our political landscape into the 21st Century. A significant part of this division came from the treatment of returning American service personnel during and after the war by many of those who opposed the war. Veterans were sometimes subjected to public vilification for their role during the war. These veterans fought for America in the same way that “the Greatest Generation” fought in World War II, but they were not treated the same way because of such widespread American opposition to the conflict in Vietnam. The Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., designed by architects Maya Lin and David Osler, was established in 1982 to honor the more than three million American veterans who served in that war by listing the over 58,000 names of those who gave their “last full measure of devotion” in service to their country. The Wall That Heals honors these veterans for their patriotism, loyalty, and courage despite the political turmoil surrounding the war.
This past July, The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. came to Bloom Township and was placed on exhibit at Marian Catholic High School. Marian Catholic President Vince Krydynski '81 was initially contacted by Bloom Township Supervisor TJ Somer in late 2021 about hosting The Wall That Heals during the summer of 2022. President Krydynski, along with the rest of the administrative team, as well as the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, enthusiastically agreed to host the exhibit.
The Wall That Heals arrived at Marian Catholic on July 5; set up began the following day with a host of volunteers from Marian Catholic (including a number of Marian Catholic football players) and others from across the Chicago Heights community. The 53-foot trailer that carried The Wall That Heals transformed into a mobile Education Center featuring a timeline of “The War and The Wall” as well as additional information about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Accompanying exhibits give visitors a better understanding of the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the collection of items left at The Wall.
Unveiled on Veterans Day 1996, The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is 375 feet long and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. The Wall honors the more than three million Armed Services Personnel who served in Vietnam by listing the more than 58,000 Americans who died in the conflict. Included in that number are those classified as MIA. The names of those service members declared dead are marked with a diamond and the MIA by a cross. There are still 1244 Americans unaccounted for in Vietnam. The names of eight servicewomen who died in the war are listed as well.
At the opening ceremony on July 7, several veterans and/or their families were present giving a quiet solemnity to the event. In addition, an impressive list of local area leaders were present including Bloom Township Supervisor TJ Somer, State Representative Anthony Deluca, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, Glenwood Mayor Ron Gardiner, Bloom Township Committee Person and Cook County Commissioner District 5 Candidate Monica Gordon, Chicago Heights Alderwoman Kelli Merrick, and Bloom Township Highway Commissioner Joe Stanfa. The ceremony opened with a prayer offered by Chief Apostle Dr. William McCoy of Brothers Keeper Church in Chicago Heights. Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez was unable to attend but was represented by his wife, Carmen Sendejas who addressed the assembly saying, in part, “There is a saying that a man does not die until he is forgotten. The Vietnam Memorial Wall That Heals is a monument to ensure that we will never forget.” Her comment perfectly captures the essence of the Wall.
Also speaking at the ceremony was Vietnam War veteran and retired Cook County Circuit Court Judge Reginald Baker who nearly wept as he recalled his first visit to the Wall in Washington, D.C., finding the names of men he knew and the battle in which they fought. The morning after that battle he had to step around the bodies of the men whose names he recognized on the Wall. He said, “There is no color or political party in a foxhole.”
After three full 24-hour days of public viewing, the closing ceremony was held on Sunday, July 10. The Wall That Heals then moved on to its next destination to remind others of the heroism of the American service personnel who served our country in that controversial war, and to spread its healing legacy across the country.
This past July, The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. came to Bloom Township and was placed on exhibit at Marian Catholic High School. The Wall That Heals arrived at Marian Catholic on July 5; set up began the following day with a host of volunteers from Marian Catholic (including a number of Marian Catholic football players) and others from across the Chicago Heights community.
–President Vince Krydynski '81
“
Dominican Veritas Award
Marian Catholic’s Dominican Veritas Award, the school’s highest non-academic award, recognizes the senior boy and senior girl whose lives embody the best of the Dominican Pillars of Prayer, Study, Community, and Preaching. This year’s recipients, Isaiah Beamon '22 of Matteson, Illinois, and Roisin Walsh '22 of Tinley Park, Illinois truly strive to preach the Truth in word and action.
ISAIAH BEAMAN“ Sometime in August 2018, we came into this school as works in progress. Together we all took a leap of faith, and look where it got us…I believe the most important lesson Marian has taught me is that even the smallest acts of kindness can have the greatest impact on someone’s life…Wherever you go next in life, I want you guys to take one of the four Dominican Pillars with you, be that Prayer, Preaching, Community, or Study...Let us thank God for bringing us here together as we celebrate our accomplishments and ask Him to guide us through our lives as we take the next leap of faith.”
ROISIN WALSH
Marian is more than a building where we went to class to earn our high school diploma…And we weren’t just learning Bible facts or literary devices, or geometry proofs. We were learning life lessons. In math, we learned that the absolute value of a number is not about where you’ve come from, but how far you’ve gone. In economics, we learned that no matter how messed up we are in the short run, we will always return to equilibrium in the long run. And in history, we learned that many great individuals met failure and disbelief from others before they met success. Take these examples with you as a reminder that failure is not the end of the road, and you only need yourself to believe in you for your goals to be accomplished.”
“So as you walk across this stage tonight, cherish the feeling. The feeling of pride that you have made it. The feeling of joy that you have a bright future. The feeling of love that your family, friends, and teachers are here to support you. Know this feeling that you are loved.”
–Principal
Steve Tortorello '04God of our beginnings and endings, thank you for the gift of these graduates, their excitement, awesome wonder and curiosity, their open speech and encouraging words. Their contributions have blessed and challenged us at Marian Catholic, and we have become a richer and more diverse community because of them.”
U.S. Air Force
Kyle Scott
Beloit College Cole Palmore
Bemidji State University Isaiah Johnson
Benedictine University Demetrio Chavez Bradley University Kennedi House Lindsay Kreger Donovan Traywick
Butler University Anthony Ruggeri
Calumet College of St. Joseph Richard Redding
Chicago State University Rayvon Shelley-Phillips
Clark Atlanta University Ajay Bell
Cleveland State University Conner Bailey Colorado School of Mines
Jade Davis Columbia College Chicago Logan Driver Gerardo Esparza Jordan Perdue
Creighton University
William Sullivan
DePaul University Megan Boykins Robert Briggs II Kirstyn Collins Jocelyn Ferreira
Joshua Herlin Aiden James Diana Lara-Velasco
Zion Nelson Joshua Zarco
DePauw University
Angel Manrique Guoqing Evelyn Anne Tuohy
Elmhurst University Anna Kleszynski Nyah Moustakas
Florida A&M University Myles Davis Ray’anna Harrell George Mason University Rasean Boyd
Governors State University Jaden Adams Isaac Sanchez
Grand Canyon UniversityTraditional Campus Charlie Brown
Hampton University
Ariane Lee Samariah White
Howard University
Alisia Johnson Oyinlola Nelson Kennedy Washington Illinois Institute of Technology
Louis Gray
Stephanie Gutierrez-Ibarra Illinois State University Brianna Edwards Chris Forson Meghan Mick Theodore Seese Jaedon Walker Aaron Wells
Indiana State University Aamaiya Adebayo Jeremiah Powell Jaedon Walker
Indiana Tech University
Christian Ramirez
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Julisa Alcantar Jack Foster Maria Montgomery Kendall Winters
Indiana University
Bloomington
Joshua Bell Cierra Bradford Jovan Okoro Ana Palmer Qingqing Yang
Iowa State University John Curran
Judson University Veronica Aguirre Kalamazoo College Dasia Lopez
Lawrence University Margaret Keith Lewis University Anela Nametak Lindenwood University Trinity Rodgers
Loyola University Chicago Isabel Correa Warner Ferry Kyla Flint Fred David Flores Jack Mulvihill Kennedy Spencer Talicia Stringer Nikko Valdez
Marquette University
Faith Hoover
Lauryn Taylor Middleton Grace Ogunlana Ana Tumacder
Michigan State University Sydney Cooper
Deron Murphy Max Rado Sarah Segarra
Middle Tennessee State University
Eddie Barrett
Millikin University Alexiana Jackson
Morehouse College
Zion Horn
North Carolina A&T State University Isaiah Beamon Aaron Hudson
North Central College Demarcus Jackson Akinwande Oluwibe Dylan Ross Correll Young
Northern Illinois University Kayla Booker
Gabriella Calderon Emanuel Gutierrez Natalia Taylor
Class of 2022: It is your time to go forward and transform the world!
Ohio State University
Kennedy Pennington
Olive-Harvey College
Alexander Las
Olivet Nazarene University Anna Grill
Oregon State University
Amari Carter
Pennsylvania State University
Kainaat Mazhar
Prairie State College
Jarell Burston
Sydney Crout
Dominique Emery
Sebastian Isidoro (Trade School)
Rachel Krupowicz
Anthony Mangano
Christina Piattoni
Jaden Reichert
Kevin Whitehead
Prairie View A&M University
Aniyah Booker
Purdue UniversityFort Wayne Victoria Francis
Purdue UniversityLafayette Andrew Barajas
David Helsel
Robert Kain Jr.
Stephanie Rose
Amaiya Torian Brooke Waddle
Purdue University Northwest Eleanor Anderson
John Bonczek
Ismael Hounnou Jacob Medina Jack Pfeifer
Karlie Pruim
Andrew Zamudio
Radford University Sara Johnson
Saint Louis University
Margaret Polewaczyk
Abigail Yock
Saint Mary’s College
Vanesa Barajas
Evelyn Puntillo
Gianna Rivera
Cordelia Vazquez
Saint Xavier University
Haley Evenson
Angela Gonzalez
Gabriela Lopez
James Ng
Chaylan Palmer
Madison Wilcox
Savannah College of Art and Design
Zhangpinyue (Ethan) Feng
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Aaliyah Merrick
South Suburban College
Lucas Seymour
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Alexander Bertucci
Jayson Evans
Spelman College
Camryn Mitchell Jade Mitchell Taliyah Rice
St. Olaf College
Roisin Walsh
Tennessee State University Necei Love Jani Trammel
Texas Southern University Khalia Conerly
Dariya Smith
Trevecca Nazarene University Eddie Barrett
Triccoci University of Beauty and Culture Michelle Johnson
Trinity Christian College Wynter O’Sullivan
University of Alabama Danielle Crockett
University of Delaware Tien Le Nguyen
University of Florida Seoyeon Son
University of Illinois Chicago
Adir Aguirre
Valerie Cruz Hana Kyla Kionisala Jenna Moore
Oluwadamilola Ogunyoye Arlette Orozco
Stella Pfeifer
Nathan Rotimi Ian Ross Tongco
University of Illinois Springfield Erica Sledge
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Taylor Bullock Johari Cole McKenzie Glass Kiernan McSwiggan
Zikora Okonkwo
Lysette Valdez
Najah Terrell-Walker
Ohahuru Yejekwe
University of Iowa Chris Ormsby
University of Kentucky
Mia Dabrowski
University of Louisville Coty Jones
University of Mary Noah Deabel
Jeremiah Jones
University of Memphis Bryan Johnson
University of Miami Etienne Atangana
University of New Mexico Andrew Felder Gia Mele
University of Notre Dame Miguel Jose Maninang
University of St. Francis (IL) Ethan Fetzer
University of Toronto Shiya Gong
The University of Tulsa Derek Marin-Martinez University of Wisconsin-Madison
Maya Correa
Vanderbilt University Mia Lockett
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Tyler Belton
Virginia State University Caleb Hines
Washington University in St. Louis
Precious Osigbeme Western Illinois University Tatyana Bruce-Garnder
Western Michigan University
Logan Apt
Sierra Schassburger
Xavier University of Louisiana Alicia Spight
Career Education or Trade School
Amari Blackwell Leonardo Mendez Ernest Tetter
Patrick Wegrzyn
Gap or Service Year Kailin Avila
Jaelin Brown Nico Calkins
Cameron Lynch Undecided Chantelle Belcher
Austin Butterfield-Johnson Gabriel Delgado Michael Gonzalez Jalen Jordan Joshua Lawson Wayman Sanders Jr. Weiyi (Karina) Tian
Eternal God, bless these graduates who have completed their time at Marian Catholic and now begin a new part of their lives. Let them not be troubled about the past, nor anxious about the future, but let them be concerned about the moment they must live now. Strengthen their faith and ease their fears that they may courageously follow Your Spirit and live fully the life you give them. When doubt and confusion about their purpose surround them, light their way and give them peace in your plan for them. Let them use the gifts they have received in their studies, that they may become a source of inspiration and blessing for the world. And when each day is ended, give them delight in knowing that the good work You have begun in them shall come to completion in You.
EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY
By Ariel Anderson '131,430 BOOKS
Congratulations to the 94 Marian Catholic scholars who were inducted into the following National Honor Societies last May: Mu Alpha Theta (Mathematics), Spanish National Honor Society, National Junior Classical League (Latin) Honor Society, and the National Honor Society!
In April, Marian Catholic’s Robotics Team participated in the Southside Engineering and Robotics Olympics. Max Cash '23 and Martin Leedy '25 came in 2nd place out of over 20 schools in the Sumo Survivor ring competition, where the goal is to push your opponent out of the ring.
An example of the Dominican Pillar of Community in action, Josie Guzzo '24 and Sophia Ponnezhan '24 proposed the idea of sponsoring a book drive during National Reading Month. With the help of Mrs. Denise Iggins, Josie and Sophia coordinated the drive from March 16 until April 13. Thanks to their efforts and the Marian Catholic Community, 1,430 books were donated to Share Our Spare, an organization dedicated to helping families with the stressful and challenging endeavor of raising children!
Marian Catholic welcomed this year’s freshman class with an induction ceremony that included presenting them with Class of 2026 pins to wear with pride. As we focus this year’s theme on the Dominican Pillar of Community, we are grateful for our newest members. We hope they will come to know that the Marian Catholic High School Community is here to support them and inspire them to use their gifts to help others.
Led by the English Department, Marian Catholic introduced a One Book, One Marian reading initiative in the summer of 2018 with the intention of cultivating connection, communication, and discussion throughout the school community and across content areas. Books are chosen based on what the school community needs the most. This year’s selection was The Midnight Library In Matt Haig’s enchanting blockbuster novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.
HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER BREAK – TEACHER EDITION!
For the fifth year, social studies teacher Stacy Lombardo represented Marian Catholic as an AP Reader at the AP Government Reading and Learning site in Salt Lake City, Utah. Readers score student responses to Free Response Questions on College Board exams. While in Utah, Ms. Lombardo had the opportunity to cheer on the Salt Lake Bees, which by coincidence, sport the same colors as Marian!
Marian Catholic social worker Faye Johnson and her family enjoyed part of their summer abroad! Pictured at Trevi Fountain, Roma, Italia are (left to right): Kevin Johnson, Sara Johnson '22, Faye Johnson, and Kevin (KJ) Johnson Jr. '20.
Mike Carlson, Marian Catholic’s Director of Networks, and his family headed to Florida this summer for vacation. They spent time at Universal Studios and visited Cocoa Beach.
Marian Catholic’s Director of Library Services, Victoria Keller and her family traveled to the Hill Country of Texas where they visited the Missions of San Antonio (including the Alamo), and watched antelope walk by their cabin! They also stopped in Waco, Texas and a garden in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
In July, Marian Catholic Spanish teacher Sarah Grauvogl and Bracha Spanish Tutor Denise Iggins completed the last 115 km of the Camino de Santiago, or the Walk of St. James. They were finally able to fulfill the trip originally planned for 2020!
The Walk is a pilgrimage through northern Spain, ending at the Cathedral of Santiago where it is believed that the remains of St. James are held. The Camino is the subject of many cultural and religious books and was featured in the movie “The Way,” (2010) starring Martin Sheen. Both Sarah and Denise have taught about The Camino in their Spanish 3 classes over the years!
“It was a beautiful (yet physically challenging) journey of the body and the spirit. We were lucky to have mostly good weather along the way as well as the prayers and support of our friends, family, co-workers, and many former students to keep us determined,” said Sarah.
Do you ever wonder what teachers do over summer break?
STUDENT FEATURE:
Martha Pierre-Louis '23
This summer, Martha Pierre-Louis, Class of 2023, was chosen for the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP) at Northern Illinois University. ACAP was created to provide minority high school students with early exposure to career opportunities within the business and accounting professions. Pierre-Louis first learned about the program during Marian Catholic’s Career Day, applied, and was selected.
Over the five days that Martha was on the NIU campus attending the program, she participated in accounting classes, met with representatives from major accounting firms, and even visited the local Coca-Cola site. “Each day we did something productive and fun. I really loved it,” said Martha.
Towards the end of the program, the students were divided into teams and given a project about an embezzlement case. The winning team won a scholarship and that team was Martha’s!
Martha is really interested in the accounting field, especially after ACAP. “I learned that accounting is not just about numbers. It’s also about communication and how you can fix a problem using words and gathering information. It’s a fun field and flexible!”
Members of the Class of 2023 transformed Marian Catholic’s parking lot once again through the traditional senior parking spot painting event. Students were able to reserve a space and paint it with their own design. Rain delays couldn’t dampen the spirits of students and their families who were finally able to come together to create some amazing artwork and memories!
Marian Catholic was fortunate enough to sponsor a baby formula and diaper drive to help the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Infant Jesus of Prague, St. Irenaeus, and Lawrence O’Toole parishes in their efforts to support Aunt Martha’s, an organization committed to social justice, health equity, and access to quality services for all.
After more than two years of nothing being truly normal in the lives of high school students, Marian Catholic held its first All-School Mass on September 9. Students, parents, faculty, and staff gathered as a community to seek the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit for the 2022-2023 school year.
CANCER
Marian Catholic’s volleyball teams and Becky’s Warriors have partnered to host Spike Out Cancer The ongoing event was organized to raise awareness for Becky’s Warriors and to admire Marian Catholic cancer survivors, support the fighters, and honor the taken. The men’s volleyball program faced off in a balloon-and-ribbon studded gym in April with the women taking to the court on October 20. In conjunction with a bake sale sponsored by Marian Catholic’s Service Club, a total of $3,000 was raised to benefit Marian Catholic families who are fighting cancer.
Marian Catholic was the host site for the Illinois Regional College Fair on October 3, providing students and their families the opportunity to meet with admissions representatives from
colleges
to discuss entrance requirements, campus life, application deadlines, majors, and financial aid questions.
Taylor DuBose '23, donated a signed copy of her book to the Marian Catholic High School Library. Published in 2020, Stepping Over Puddles of Pain: A Teen’s Journey Through Grief, examines Taylor’s experience of coming to terms with her father’s death with a view toward helping others who are coping with the loss of a loved one.
Coralie Humbert '23, recently received a special honor. Coralie participated in the Lake County Indiana 4H program, completing many projects, three of which were selected to go to the Indiana State Fair. More specially, her Rabbit Poster not only went to the State Fair, but also earned Sweepstakes, the highest honor possible. As a side note, Coralie also earned Lake County’s High Point Award for earning the most points with projects and activities.
The Dominican Pillar of Community recognizes the dignity of all people, celebrates our connectedness, and calls us to serve others to make our shared home a better place. Each month, students who have truly lived out the Marian Catholic mission are presented with a Mission Medal that bears the image of a torch representing the Dominican call to bring light to darkness. Recipients are a wonderful example of our community figuratively “setting the world on fire.”
In addition, one staff member is crowned the Staff Champion of Marian Catholic each month in recognition of their efforts to ensure that students are able to grow and learn in a joyful Catholic setting. Awardees are presented with the Marian Catholic Championship Belt, which they keep until a new champion is crowned the following month.
MISSION MEDAL HONOREES
SEPTEMBER
National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 - October 15, celebrates the stories, culture, and contributions to the history of all those with Hispanic heritage. Marian Catholic’s Head Chef, Mario Reyes, and his wonderful crew dressed in traditional Mexican outfits and served burritos with chorizo potatoes to kick-start the festivities. In celebration of Mexican Independence Day, the Latinx Student Coalition (including Stephanie Suarez '23 and Alexa Reyes '24, above right) sold Mexican bracelets during lunch periods. The red, black, and blue bracelets featured a charm of either the Cross
The excitement of Homecoming 2022, Dancing in the Dark, filled the halls the last week of September! Monday started off with Album Cover Day, followed by Disney Duo Day, What’s That Meme Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, and Friday Night Lights/Anything But a Backpack Day! Seniors won the hallway decorating contest with their all pink neon theme. Friday’s pep rally included a glow-inthe-dark dodgeball tournament, recognition of the football team, and a performance from the cheerleading team. Even Sparty made an appearance! At the Homecoming football game, seniors Jaidyn Bush and Tariq Cotton were crowned Queen and King.
Seniors Peter Cavalieri, Ariana Espinosa, Tariq Cotton, and Mrs. Nancy Voll OCTOBER Seniors Jayla Davis, Hannah LeCocq, Tommy Walsh, Xavier Buford, and Mr. Jeremy Turner '09 Freshmen Robyn Carroll and Isabel Cavazos joined the Cooking and Baking Club to make Kopytka, polish potato dumplings, during the first Community Period of the year. Theology teacher Mr. Nicholas Filipiak assisted students with the cooking lesson.SOFTBALL
// Marian Catholic’s softball team gave a hint of its potential by finishing just a game out of second place in the highly competitive East Suburban Catholic Conference. However, the Spartans would still need to rely on postseason success to achieve a record above .500.
Led by ESCC All-Conference selections Isabel Alvarez '23, Gracie Jensen '25, and Katie Pollock '23, this group of Spartans proved to be the ultimate example of peaking at the right time.
Seeded just sixth in its IHSA Class 3A Sub-Sectional complex, Marian began its upset parade with a regional victory over ESCC rival Joliet Catholic Academy. The magical journey extended for two more victories and a place in the IHSA Sweet 16.
“ Last season, our varsity squad was incredibly resilient. They grew in both their athleticism and camaraderie as a result of exceptional senior leadership. I am so proud of the entire team, and their commitment to this school and our softball program. Their hard work resulted in a legendary finish. We brought home the regional title against Providence in an exciting and challenging game, and continued to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in almost two decades.”
NORA ZERANTE '11, MARIAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL COACHProvidence, who represented the top seed in the Sub-Sectional, earned an earlier 13-0 conquest of the Spartans. But in its own regional final, Marian Catholic jumped to an early 8-0 command and held on for an 8-7 victory, as hurler Katie Pollock earned a unique win and save in the contest.
Spurred by seniors Danielle Crockett, Dasia Lopez, Sarah Segarra, and Brooke Waddle, Marian next rolled to a 9-0 victory over Oak Forest in the Joliet Catholic Sectional semifinals. Only eventual state champion Lemont could turn back Marian in the sectional final with a 5-0 decision. Pollock held Lemont on even 0-0 terms into the sixth inning.
“We often talk about the word ‘legacy’ in the program,” explained head coach Zerante, whose squad finished 18-17. “Being on a team gives us a unique opportunity to make an impact in our school community far beyond just one season. I know that theirs is a story we will tell for many seasons to come.”
TENNIS
// Men’s tennis had four athletes make the state grade from a squad that finished tied for second at May’s IHSA Oak Forest Class 1A Sectional. Both Marian Catholic doubles teams advanced to IHSA State, including Nick Kirsch '23 with Jonathon Bolton '24, and David Helsel '22 with Matthew Jenkins '24.
// This fall, Marian Catholic also made the IHSA state grade in women’s tennis, where the senior doubles team of Clare Smith and Jaidyn Bush achieved the honor. As a team, the Spartans notched third place in the 10-school Marian Catholic Sectional.
TRACK & FIELD
// The Spartan men’s and women’s track squads were well represented at the IHSA state level last spring. For the women’s team, two returnees to the IHSA State meet turned in impressive finishes.
Mia Rodriquez '24 timed 57.59 to capture second place in state in the 400-meter-run in Class 2A, while Danielle Crockett '22 earned fifth place in state in the Discus with a toss of 39.05 meters. Rodriquez and Crockett also won ESCC championships in the same events, as Crockett broke her own ESCC record in the Discus with a winning hurl of 128-1.
// The men’s team sent four entries to the IHSA State meet, including a pair of top-six finishers. Braydon Waller '23 timed 10.70 to capture third place in the Class 2A 100-meter dash. Marian placed sixth overall in the 400-meter relay behind the foursome of Austin Alexander '24, Michael Van Hootegem '23, Myles Davis '22, and Waller.
Distance standout Daniel Kasperan '25 was 22nd at state in the 1,600 meters with a clocking of 4:48:88. The Spartan 3,200-meter relay team also earned 22nd place with the quartet of Ryan Tuley '23, Noah Deable '22, Kasperan, and Bryan Johnson '22.
After longtime strong leadership in the track program from head coaches LaVon Burks and Bob Kingery, new Marian Catholic Dean Curtis Crossley will take over the track programs for the 2023 season and looks forward to several key returnees and continued success in both programs.
NICK LOPEZ '00 NAMED 10TH FOOTBALL COACH
Seeking to build on his success as a Spartan athlete and a sterling reputation as an assistant coach and program builder, Nick Lopez was called to lead Marian Catholic’s football program in November 2021.
Serving most recently as Offensive Coordinator for the Spartans, Lopez also owns eight years of experience on the football staff at Bloom Township. In both cases, he helped guide the programs out of long IHSA playoff droughts.
“Nick possesses a tremendous knowledge of what it takes to move a football program to the next level,” according to Athletic Director Kevin Kelly '80. “His background and experience reflect that he will bring improvement to all aspects of the program, in particular through organizational expertise and off-season strategy. “With deep roots in the tradition of Marian Catholic football, Nick owns the perfect demeanor and motivational skills to bring out the best in Spartan athletes.”
A product of the late Dave Mattio '66 and one of the state’s most successful football programs, Lopez’ playing career saw a Chicagoland Prep Bowl championship game appearance and a visit to the IHSA Class 5A state championship game in 1999, his senior year.
“Marian Catholic is a very special place for my family and me,” said Lopez, who also served as a student assistant at Eastern Illinois University. “I’m excited to be given the opportunity to restore our rich, historical football program.
“Just as legendary Coach Mattio guided us, I want our student-athletes to experience what it is like to make deep runs into late November. Also, I want to make everyone associated with our program from the past, present and future, proud to don the Black, White, and Gold of Marian Catholic.”
Lopez succeeds Erick Middleton '98, another Marian Catholic product. In four seasons at the helm, Middleton led the Spartans to two CCL-ESCC Red Division championships and Marian’s first IHSA playoff appearance in nine years in 2019.
“Erick has had a strong hand in helping Marian Catholic begin to turn the corner,” Kelly praised. “Much like Nick and the Lopez family, the Middleton family has left an impressive multigenerational impact on the Marian community. With continued building enhanced by a 6-2 freshman-sophomore team, the current and future Marian staff has things pointed in the right direction.”
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
// Battling one of the area’s toughest schedules, the Marian Catholic women’s volleyball team had its ups and downs during the campaign – but proved to peak at the right time. Seeded fifth in the Joliet Catholic IHSA 3A Sectional, the Spartans topped Hinsdale South to open postseason play and then stunned a 29-win and third-seeded Morris squad to win the Morris Regional crown.
Marian eventually fell to ESCC rival Joliet Catholic in the JCA Sectional semifinals in a tough, three-game decision, as the Angels avenged a regularseason setback for the second straight year. The Spartans were led this fall by senior ESCC All-Conference selection Mila Popovic, who will take her talents to the University of Texas-El Paso next fall.
MEN’S SOCCER
// The men’s soccer team advanced to an IHSA regional championship match, courtesy of a 5-4 victory over ESCC rival Marist. The soccer Spartans were paced this fall by senior goalie Parker Knueppel and all-ESCC selections Antonio Ferreira '25 and Jalen Williams '24.
FOOTBALL
// At press time, the Marian Catholic football team was preparing to take on Saint Patrick in the Chicagoland Prep Bowl after concluding a 4-5 regular season with victories over Thornwood, Leo, Bloom, and De La Salle. All-Division members in the CCL-ESCC Purple included senior quarterback-receiver Kyle Thomas (bound for Northern Illinois University), juniors Austin Alexander, Kaleb Isom and Kaiden Jensen, and sophomore running back Tyler Lofton.
GOLF
// In an extremely competitive field at the Marian Catholic IHSA 2A Regional, the men’s golf squad qualified for sectional play. Led by senior Casey Taylor’s individual third-place finish, the Spartans scored a third place finish as a team to earn their spot. Team members contributing to the regional score included seniors Jack Kirsch, Paul Arquilla, and Frankie Piunti. On the women’s side, junior EveLynn Carlson qualified for sectional play with an eighth-place finish at regionals.
CROSS COUNTRY
The Marian Catholic cross country team has been “Running the Heights” for 30 years. That makes the accomplishments of sophomore Daniel Kasperan all the more impressive.
In qualifying for the IHSA Class 2A state meet, Kasperan finished third in the Metamora Sectional, the highest sectional finish in Spartan history Marian also qualified for the sectional as a team after taking third place in the Morris Regional, led by Kasperan’s second-place finish. Other scorers on the sectional-qualifying squad included seniors George Partin and Ryan Tuley and sophomores Matthew Tuley and Jayden Downs. Ignited by another second-place finish from Kasperan, Marian also captured third place in the East Suburban Catholic Conference meet.
The Marian men were joined in sectional competition by junior Lydia Casillas, who qualified with a 26th place overall finish in the Morris Regional.
Kasperan went on to place 28th out of 236 runners at the state cross country final, the highest finish by a Spartan runner in school history.
Fine Arts
VISUAL ARTS
// At the beginning of the year, students in Marian Catholic’s Advanced Art and AP Studio Art courses explored lines as one of the elements of design. They were challenged to create an abstract design based on the lines they observed on the palms of their hands. Featured are the Life Line works of Julian Mendoza '23, Abigail (Rose) Wozniak '25, and Kamori Scott '23.
BAND P.R.I.D.E.
// In September, several music educators from Indianapolis Public Schools and central Indiana schools traveled to Marian Catholic for a professional development site visit with Director Greg Bimm. Visiting teachers observed Mr. Bimm as he taught the marching band and engaged in a roundtable lunch discussion afterwards to debrief on the rehearsal. They also saw the band’s acclaimed peer leadership program in action with upperclassmen leaders modeling exemplary behavior and music and visual fundamentals for each other and their younger band members.
// Following stellar performances at Plainfield, Downers Grove South, and Lincoln Way competitions, the band captured the Class 3A Title at state, receiving the highest scores for Music Performance, Visual Performance, and Effect. The band has remained undefeated in Class at ISU Championships since 1980. Their 2022 winning show, “Shadows of Things to Come,” is a cautionary tale based loosely on Charles Dickens’s classic “A Christmas Carol.” Next up, the Bands of America (BOA) Grand National Championship November 10-12 in Indianapolis.
THEATER
// Following the summer production of The Wiz, Marian thespians staged their fall play, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee where an eclectic group of six spelling champions learn that winning (and losing) isn’t everything. Directed by Laura Hilger '14 and Joshua Cash, the show featured Chip Reed '24, Delcena Sawyer '24, J Van Beest '23, Arron Yock '23, Candace Berman '23, Anjelica Soto '23, Trinity Slaughter '25, Marcus Bobbit '23, and Morgan Beamon '23. Behind the stage, Abby Urban '23, Allison Melvin '23, Anthony Claxton '25, and Coralie Humbert '23, along with a talented tech crew helped bring the play to life by building sets, organizing costumes and props, and managing sound and lighting during the show.
CONGRATULATIONS
Several members of the Class of 2022 are continuing their fine arts careers in college, a reflection of the quality of Marian Catholic’s fine arts programs.
Ajay Bell (Band) Matteson, IL
Clark Atlanta University
Major: Commercial Composition and Studio Production
Taylor Bullock (Visual Arts)
Lynwood, IL
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Major: Studio Art
Noah Deabel (Band)
Chicago Heights, IL
University of Mary
Major: Computer Science Minor: Music
Maggie Keith (Band)
St. John, IN
Lawrence University
Double Major: Biology and Musical Performance
Minor: Mandarin Chinese
Aaliya Merrick (Visual Arts) Chicago Heights, IL The School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Major: Painting & Drawing Minor: Creative Writing
Jordan
Columbia College Chicago
Major: Photography Minor: Fashion
Roisin Walsh (Band)
Tinley Park, IL
St. Olaf College
Major: French Horn Performance
Perdue (Visual Arts) Dolton, ILENDOWMENT GOLF CLASSIC 33RD ANNUAL
Founded in 1989, by a group of dedicated parents and alumni, the mission of Marian Catholic’s Endowment Golf Classic is to generate the financial resources to ensure more students have the opportunity to receive a quality Catholic education. Their foresight set in motion something that has changed the lives of hundreds of students.
Over the past 33 years, the Endowment has grown to over $4 million and has provided scholarships for over 890 students, enabling them to take advantage of all of the opportunities Marian Catholic has to offer. The support that these students receive, allows them to pursue interests that lead to bright futures and impactful careers.
This year’s outing took place on August 29, 2022, with 150 golfers playing at both Idlewild Country Club and Flossmoor Golf Club. Together, golfers and friends of Marian Catholic raised a net profit of $130,153 for the Golf Classic Endowment, Marian Catholic’s largest endowed scholarship.
Thank you to everyone who came out! Mark your calendars now to join us for the 34th Annual Endowment Golf Classic on August 28, 2023.
Education is a top priority of mine and my wife’s. Marian Catholic gave my two kids a superior education. I remain involved in the Endowment Golf Classic because I have chosen to make Marian Catholic my charity of choice. I am most proud of what we have grown the Endowment Fund to become. I hope we can continue to help as many students as possible.
–Greg UnderwoodPlatinum Premier Event Sponsor
$35,000 Sage Foundation
Gold Premier Event Sponsor
$20,000
Tony & Mary Ann Pasquinelli Family Foundation
Golf Ball Drop Sponsor
$5,000
Timothy & Eileen Bergen Lansing Sport Shop Schiller, DuCanto & Fleck, LLPTim '78 & Eileen (Gallagher '78) Daw
Cocktail Hour Sponsor
$2,500 Jones & Cleary Roofing Marquette Associates
Gift Sponsor
$2,000
Boston Common Asset Country House
Course Refreshment Sponsor
$1,500
Anonymous BeautyGuard
Mi-Jack ProductsJimmy Lanigan '94 Savant Investment Advisers, Inc.
Lunch Sponsor
$1,000
Anonymous
Bonell Manufacturing Co., Inc. and Greg & Mary Underwood Congress Asset Management Company LLP
CS McKee Asset Management James Fuehrmeyer Family Kennedy Capital Management, Inc
LSV Asset
Morgan StanleySamuel A. Sesto '78 Peter Shannon & Co.
Ryan and Juraska
The Cary Company
Hole Sponsor
$750
Jim '80 & Cathy Dee Family
Flossmoor Animal Hospital
Carlo Gozzi '00 / Gozzi Family Alumni
Denny & Cathy (Schulze '68) Coll Segall Bryant & Hamill
Tee Sponsor
$500
American Sale
Arnie Bauer Buick GMC Cadillac
Bloom Township Center Bridgeview Mfg
Country FinancialTim Perchinski
Dan & Kelly Murray
Greg & Mary Underwood HHH Inc.
Mike '80 & Jackie Kennedy
Proven IT - Phil Faso '79
Southland Smiles
Summit Animal HospitalDr. Tracee L. Friederich '97
Driving Range Sponsor
$250
Giselle Beebe '14
Geraldine Burke
Homewood Dairy Queen HUB International
Al Inwood
Ryan D. Brothers Scholarship Sportsfield, Inc.
Sandy & Torrie '05 Sweeney
THE ENDOWMENT CLASSIC GOLF COMMITTEE
Thomas Beebe Eileen (Gallagher '78) Daw Tim Daw '78
Dillon Domke '12
Robert Gromala '97
Paul Jenkins Chris Lilek '04
Colleen Peabody '05
Tim Perchinski
Crystal (Redmond '94)
Phillips-Pierce
Mark Piefer '81
Carol (Burke '81) Swanson
Sandy Sweeney
Greg Underwood
Joe Zagone '74
Pictured left
1
MARIAN 2022 WAS A SUCCESS!
Thanks to the generosity of the more than 340 donors who made a gift to 4Marian, we raised over $83,000 to benefit our Scholars with a Soul ! Because we exceeded our goal of $75,000, Principal Steve Tortorello '04 spent a day in May working on the roof of the school!
Scan the QR code to watch Mr. Tortorello make his way to the roof.
A special thanks to our challenge sponsors who helped inspire others to make gifts in celebration of Marian Catholic: Anonymous
Jim Beese '81
John Bracha '79
Jay Carr '65
Joe '67 & Kathy D’Amico Mary Jane Doerr '70 Dan Donahue '82 Joe Hamann '79 Chris Hanson '81
Jeff & Kathy (Slattery '85) Keith Tony Zagotta '84
Top Influencers for the day were: Dan Murray
John Melone '85 Hannah Krydynski '10
We’re also grateful to all of our alumni who stepped up to show their Spartan Spirit!
Top honors go to: Class of 1967 $8,267 Class of 1984 $8,170 Class of 1986 $4,950
Leaders in the team challenges were: Women’s Basketball Speech Team Men’s Volleyball
/ Ben Hart, Casey Lilek '09, Chris Lilek '04, and Adam Zebrowski
2 / Susan Van Etten '80 with her son Jack Ziltz '12
3 / Tony Lenhart, Mike Decorte, Faye Johnson, Kevin Johnson, and Larry Fairris
4 / Michelle McManus and Vince Krydynski '81
LET’S GO, GO-GO WHITE SOX!
Over 1,200 members of the Marian Catholic Community gathered on August 28 for the fourth annual Marian Catholic Night with the White Sox to watch the South Siders take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Before the game, more than 300 Marian Catholic enthusiasts met at The Patio to share good food and reconnect with friends! The entire stadium was treated to a special performance by the Marian Catholic Marching Band as it paraded around the warning track to their signature “Hey Baby” before taking center field to play the National Anthem.
Kendell Greer '07 showed off his Spartan pride as he took to the mound to deliver the first pitch! He was joined on the field by his mother, Glenda, Marian Catholic’s Vice President of Advancement, Colleen Peabody '05, and Southpaw.
Spartan fans walked away with a co-branded jersey styled after the White Sox road jersey with the Marian “M” displayed proudly on the sleeve.
Thank you to everyone who came out to cheer on the White Sox! For more information on upcoming events like this one, visit alumni.marianchs.com.
Huddle Up!
MARIAN CATHOLIC 2001-2002 WOMEN’S VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM
Save the Date for a Reunion
Friday, January 13 | 6:30 p.m.
Players and their families are invited to cheer on the 2022 Women’s Varsity Basketball Team vs. Andrean at 7:00 p.m. followed by dinner immediately after the game.
For more information contact Coach Dan Murray at dmurray@marianchs.com/ 708-755-7565 x1448 or Carol (Burke '81) Swanson at cswanson@marianchs.com/ 708-756-9775.
Marian Catholic High School
Calendar of Events
December 2
Class of 2027 Applications Due December 3
Class of 2027 Entrance Exam
December 8
Feast of the Immaculate Conception All-School Mass
December 21 - January 4, 2023
Christmas Break
January 6 College Day
January 24-27 Women’s Kairos
January 29 - February 4 Catholic Schools Week
January 30 All-School Mass
February 4 Winter Ball
February 14 - 17 Men’s Kairos
February 20 7th Grade Super Shadow Day
February 22 Ash Wednesday Prayer Service
February 24 Veritas VII Gala
March 25 Marian Madness
March 28 - 31 Women’s Kairos
April 3 - 10 Spring Break
April 17 4Marian Day of Giving
Visit www.marianchs.com for details.
Rita (Stanfa ‘69) Rohn traveled to Sicily in June where she visited with some of her wonderful relatives. Rita is pictured with her cousin, Maria (Baratta '76) Baldanza
Kathryn Gleason '92 has been a softball coach for 26 years and is entering her 7th year as the Head Softball Coach at Northern Kentucky University. She also completed the 2022 Chicago Marathon, making that her 7th marathon. Gleason is pictured with her cousin, Cristin Clifford '88
1977
After four decades in marketing and public relations, serving clients ranging from McDonald’s Corporation, JCPenney, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kathleen (Murphy '77) Bradley has embarked on a journey to help others find the perfect balance between work and leisure. An award-winning writer, her stories about mental health, relationships, and aging appear regularly on the online publishing platform Medium. Past posts include “Want to Live Long and Prosper?” highlighting the characteristics of the oldest living person and all the things about her that contribute to her longevity, “Eulogy to My Shopping Mall,” and “7 Lessons Learned from Queen Elizabeth II.”
1988
1969 1976 1992 1994 1995
Milwaukee Municipal Court Judge Derek Mosley '88, was recently named the director of Marquette University Law School’s Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civic Education. Mosley received the Robert H. Friebert Social Justice Award in June 2022.
Jeremy Guler '94 was inducted into the Butler University Athletic Hall of Fame, along with his 1998 Baseball Team. Guler was a 4-year starting pitcher and part of the 1998 staff that was ranked 4th in the nation in Team ERA.
Come back and share college experiences with Marian Catholic students, catch up with teachers, and see old classmates!
Lunch will be provided from 12:45 p.m.–2 p.m.
Register at bit.ly/collegeday2023
Jason Williams '95 and his wife, EJ, star in the new, Dallas based,HGTV show, “Flip To A Million.” EJ and Jason own the Ultimate Real Estate Group, a brokerage firm, and Ultimate Homes Chicago, an investment and development company. They focus their renovations on “affordable luxury” and have flipped over 200 homes together.Crain’s Chicago Business recently named Gia (Fonte '97) Colunga as one of the 2022 Notable Women in Law. The honor recognizes senior-level female law firm attorneys who have demonstrated professional success and notable accomplishments during the last 18 months. Gia completed her legal studies at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, and is a partner at Freeborn & Peters LLC based in Chicago providing legal services for issues involving business litigation and employment and labor.
Marian Catholic English teacher, Dr. Cindy (McGirr '97) Rousseau, recently completed her doctoral studies in reading, language, and literacy through Concordia University Chicago after successfully defending her dissertation: Reading Engagement in Online and Hybrid Secondary Literacy Instruction during COVID-19.
Tobias Ortega '98 and his wife, Yukun, welcomed their second daughter, Scarlet Rachel, on March 12, 2022.
Dr. Lauren Hecht '99 was named the winner of the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching for her work in Psychological Sciences at Gustavas Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. The award is the College’s highest award for teaching excellence. Hecht majored in psychology (with honors) and philosophy during her undergraduate experience at Albion College in Michigan. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Iowa. A member of the Gustavus community since 2010, Hecht previously taught courses at Grinnell College and the University of Iowa.
Mike Van Camp '02 was elected as the 42nd National President of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity at the University of Central Missouri. He credits this honor to the education and leadership opportunities that Marian Catholic provided to him.
Lindsay (Vrab '03) Hansen was awarded the Disney Legacy Award in September 2022. She now joins the one percent of Disney employees that are presented with the award. She was recently promoted to the role of Principal, Technical Resources at the Walt Disney Company.
Lauren Lacy Austin '04 was recently inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
During her time at Marian Catholic, Lauren scored a record 1,815 points including school bests of 697 points in a season and 39 in a game. She was a three-time all-conference player, conference player of the year, three-time all-state pick, and two-time Street and Smith All-American section. After leading Marian Catholic to second and fourth place IHSA finishes, Lauren helped the University of Minnesota reach the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, then transferred to Arizona State, where she was second-team all-Pac 10 on a 2009 NCAA Elite Eight team.
In July, 2022, Lewis University announced the hiring of Keisha (Collins '05) Newell as the new women’s basketball coach for the Flyers. Newell had been the assistant athletic director and head girls basketball coach at Mother McAuley High School since 2019. She has an extensive coaching history in the Chicago area including head women’s basketball coach at Roosevelt University, student athlete recruiter in Undergraduate Admissions at North Park University, and assistant women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at Loyola UniversityChicago. Newell competed at the Division I level at Loyola where she graduated in 2010 with a degree in business administration. She added a master’s degree in organizational development in 2018 at Roosevelt.
Brian Iggins '08 and his wife, Beth, welcomed their second child, Louise, on May 22, 2022.
Dennis Kelly '08 signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent on May 10.
Eric Federico '09 married Lexi Wozny on September 17, 2022 at Holy Name Cathedral with Bishop Ron Hicks officiating.
Brooke (Hershberger '11) Krog graduated from the University of Iowa with a master’s degree in business administration in the spring of 2022.
True Lacrosse has announced that Shelby Cosman '12 will serve as the Director of True Lacrosse Chicago Girls Division. Cosman has an extensive background in lacrosse, earning significant achievements as both a coach and a player. She earned an undergraduate degree in biology and secondary education at Augustana College and received her master’s degree in exercise science with a dual concentration in sports performance training and strength and conditioning from Concordia University Chicago. In addition to her work with True Lacross, Cosman is a science teacher, lacrosse coach, and stock exchange moderator at DePaul College Prep.
Stephen Daw '13 is a New York City based journalist who has written for many notable publications including Rolling Stone Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, and Billboard, which in August, showcased Daw’s first cover story featuring Sam Smith.
Christopher Fultz '10 and Arsela Labi were married June 11, 2022 on the campus of Butler University. The couple resides in Noblesville, Indiana.
Chris Baker '14 of the Northwest Indiana Oilmen was named to the Northern League All-Stars East Team. He was also unanimously selected as the Northern League Player of the Week in June 2022.
Disney recently announced the addition of Regina Hoyles '14 to the writing team. She will be working on a variety of shows that will air on Disney’s children’s network, Disney Junior.
Takayla Al-Amin '16 was one of eight University of Iowa students who were able to play a role in managing the fan transportation system for Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Takayla graduated from the University of Iowa in December with a master’s degree in sports and recreation management.
Matt Mulhern '16 was traded from the Gateway Grizzlies to the Lake Erie Crushers. After graduating from Marian Catholic, Mulhern went on to attend Webster University in Missouri before entering the Frontier League of Major League Baseball.
Mae Van Beest '17 graduated from Carthage College with a degree in graphic design.
Joshua Blair '17 graduated from Saint Francis University in May 2022 with a degree in business administration.
The inaugural episode of season two of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield’s weekly podcast F.L.O.W.cast featured interviews with three graduates of Springfield Dominican high schools including Amir Gazaleh '17 Listen to the impact their Dominican education and their participation in the Dominican High School Preaching program had on their lives.
Alexiss Gilmore '17 graduated from Bradley University with a degree in the music and entertainment industry.
Joshua Jones '17 graduated from McKendree University with a degree in sports management and a minor in leadership studies.
Tarik Al-Amin II '18 was recognized for making the Dean’s List in Spring 2022 at the University of Iowa where he earned a degree in enterprise leadership.
The University of Iowa named Nicholas Dee '18 to the 2022 Dean’s List. He graduated from the University of Iowa in Spring 2022 with a degree in sports and recreation management.
Named to the 2022 Dean’s List, Ryan Dee '18 graduated with a degree in management from the University of Iowa in Spring 2022.
Victoria Frazier '18 graduated from Bradley University in Spring 2022 with a degree in communication and television arts.
The University of Iowa named Janina Laskowiecki '18 to the 2022 President’s List. She graduated last Spring with a degree in chemical engineering.
McKendree University awarded Darrwin Perkins, II '18 with a degree in business administration in the Spring of 2022.
Charlie Schenck '18 graduated from Miami University with a business degree in marketing in the Spring of 2022.
Jenna Vondrak '18 recently announced her re-enlistment in the U.S. Army.
Northwestern Volleyball player, Temi Thomas-Ailara '19, was recently recognized as a 2022 CHISOX Athlete. The program aims to help collegiate athletes increase their potential to receive endorsement deals. She was also named a Big Ten Woman’s Volleyball Player of the week for the week of September 19. An article in the NWI Times on September 19, 2022 shared, “Thomas-Ailara averaged 4.75 kills, 1.67 digs and 0.67 blocks per set and had a .311 hitting percentage as the Wildcats won three matches en route to capturing the Chicago Cup title. Northwestern is 11-1, its best start since 2012.” Temi also had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the Chicago White Sox game on September 21, 2022.
Millikin University College of Fine Arts awarded Emma McManus '21 the Dorothy Sellers Art Award as part of the 2022 Honors Convocation. She was also named to the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 Dean’s List.
Remembered Celebrating the lives of alumni, family, and friends
James Abby
Marle Anderson
Genevieve Atkenson
Dale Baikauskas
Rose Baikauskas
William Baikauskas
Arthur Barabasz
William Barth '67
Frances Beck
Leo Bednarczyk
Loretta Beresh
Gregory Berk
Kevin E. Beukema '97
Ryan Blackstone '96
Robert J. Bonea
Thomas Brancky '75
Harry Braun
Jack Brown
Noreen Marie Buchmeier
Rev. Richard Bulwith
Thomas Bussey
Richard G. Campbell
Daniel Caniff
Dale Capretti
Ralph Carl Barbara A. Champlain
Ann M. Chung
Rosemary Ciaccio
James Clarke
Barbara Colletz
John Concialdi
Thomas Connelly, Sr. James Corrado, Jr.
Julianne Cotton
David Cox
Donald Curran '62
James Cwik
Mary Danaher
Anna M. Davia
John Day
William F. Deady, Jr.
Victor DeGuilio
Anna DeLuca
Lawrence Derhake
Sally Des Marais
Robert Deutsch
James Di Santo
Sharon DiGiovanni
Jackie Ditzler
James A. Doyle
Mary Durkin
Philip Egan '70
Phillip M. Farrington
Rose Fitzgerald
Patricia (LeRose '64) Flanagan
Joanne Follenweider
Richard Frain '62
Robert R. Fuesel
Edward Furey
Joan Galen
Frank Galzin
Georjean Gautsch
Dolores George Barbara Golletz
Debbie Gossen
Daniel Greer '78
Patricia A. Hamann
Carie Hardesty Mary D. Harrison Dane Hartmann
Frank J. Hartmann
Janet Hickey
Dennis P. Higgins '70
Janice ( Fryer '70 ) Hopkins Clinton Horan
Tom Hudon
Thomas Huidobro '73
Leonard Ignelzi '65
John Ippolito
Bernadette Janus Mary Juraska
Tony Kaniecki
Ed Kasper '74
Marikay (King '72) Kaszubski James Klutcharch
Patricia Kmak
Walter Kowalski '65
Mary Kracik
Jean-Marc Krikorian
Josef Krozel
Betty Kubancek
Michael Kwasigroch '78
Robert LaFond Michael LaMonte
Michael Livers
Darlene M. LoBue '72
Rosemary J. Longo
Thadeusz Lukaszow
Leonard Lula '83
Barbara Maine
Mary A. Maloney
Joseph Mantoan
Grace Marchigiani
Vince Martello
Connie Marziole
Robert McCabe Patrick McCann '89
Patrick McCormack
James McDonald '66
Sr. Mary Ellen McDonald
Nancy L. McGinley
John W. McNolty, Jr.
Alexa R. Messina Maureen Milard
Maureen E. Milford
Anna C. Mitchell
Stephen Mitchell
Marie Mittelstaedt
John Mohan
Judy Mohan
Richard Moutvic
Katherine (Woodward '74) Mrozek
Robert Mrozek '71
Christopher Murray Lorretta Nacius
Thomas Nykiel '92
Robert E. O’Connor '68
Kathleen “Kay” O’Donnell
John “Jay” O’Hara
Anne V. Olszta
Patricia Fares-O’Malley
Peter Onate, Jr. William J. Onofrio
Bobb Opyt
James Pacholski
Debra Sue Page
Marian Parus
Glenn Paulok
Nancy Pavich
Margaret Pavlovich
Gerald Pelczar
Josephine Perez
Dean Perozzi, Jr. '94
Kathleen Peters '71
Francine Petrarca
Thomas S. Piscitiello
Maureen (Murphy '70) Prombo Dandridge Rayford
Timothy Reid '83
Theresa Richards
Mary Kay Riley '66
Katherine Riordan
Miller Ristich
James Rizzo
Michael Ross
Tom Roughan John Rowan
John “Jack” Ryan Carl Saccomando
Dolores Saia
Victoria Salinas
Sylvia Sarmiento
Antoinette Savickis
Robert Schmidt
Georgia Schroeder
Karen Scott-Leonard '67
JoAnn Simonetti
Louis Simonetti
James M. Sinopoli '66
Carole Hamann Smith
Howard Smith
Mary Ellen Spear
Thomas Stallings
Br. Lawrence Stewart
Fairace Stewart Rosemary Reio Stewart Geraldine Stupay
George Sundona
Helen Surjan
Antonyammal Maria Susai William Svancarek '62
Victoria (Budzinski '71) Tavallo Suzanne Taylor Mary Ann Ustian
Joe Verta
Joan Vignassi David Villaven Anastasia Waller James Walsh Florence Walters Robert Ward Rosemary Warner Alan John Weller Molly Widing Thomas Winder Judith Witkowski Isaiah Woods '09 Maribeth Woodward Alan Zeller '64
Many Marian Catholic alumni, parents, and friends do not see themselves as donors. They assume they are not in a position to give enough to make a meaningful impact. The fact is, that’s not true!
First of all, every dollar matters. Second, if you or your business pays income taxes to the State of Illinois, you have the ability to quadruple your gift while reducing and possibly eliminating your state income tax liability.
The Invest in Kids Act, passed in 2017, allows individuals and businesses to receive a 75% state tax credit for scholarship donations. The donations are made to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs), like Empower Illinois and the Big Shoulders Fund, and can be designated for middle- and low-income families at Marian Catholic.
This program has been transformational for other schools, driving enrollment and investment. It could do the same for Marian Catholic. Currently, only 14 Marian Catholic students receive scholarships through this program, but over 200 qualified students are on the waitlist. More and more students from our Catholic grade schools are receiving this scholarship and are eligible to continue doing so in high school, provided we have the funding available.
HOW DO YOU GIVE TO THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM?
We ask that you follow the steps using the QR code below or on our website. Empower Illinois (empowerillinois.org) and the Big Shoulders Fund (bigshouldersfund.org) have helpful resources, including step-by-step guides and FAQs. We also recommend that you consult with your tax advisor, as gifts to this program are not tax deductible at the federal level.
HOW CAN YOU QUADRUPLE YOUR GIFT?
Let’s take for example an individual – we will call him John – with a $3,000 state income tax liability. Typically, John makes a $1,000 donation to Marian Catholic; but this year he decided to donate $4,000 to Marian Catholic through Empower Illinois or the Big Shoulders Fund. By doing so, John gets a $3,000 state tax credit ($4,000 x 75%).
John is still out of pocket $1,000 but he has reduced his state income tax liability to $0 and increased his giving to $4,000.
Please contact your
advisor or Colleen Peabody '05, Vice President of Advancement, at cpeabody@marianchs.com
Help us go green!
If you would like to receive Marian Matters via email instead of being mailed a paper copy, please call 708-756-9745.
Contributing Writers
Ariel Anderson '13
Kathy Guarino
Julia Kapocius '16
Sr. Judine Hilbing, OP
Sr. Judith Hilbing, OP Kevin Kelly '80 Allen Marazas '64
Editor, Marian Matters Cecily Fultz / cfultz@marianchs.com
Vice President for Advancement Colleen Peabody '05 / 708-996-4652 / cpeabody@marianchs.com