During the Welcome Assembly to kick of the 24/25 school year, the leprechauns, Mary Murphy and Dana Hyde, lead the senior section in a cheer. There was slight competition between the classes during the cheer, but the majority of the assembly brought the entire student body together to celebrate what will be a great year.
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On the back cover
The results of TPing the Hill. The Class of 2025 took part in a yearly tradition in which the seniors TP the Hill the night before the official first day of school.
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Olivia Uskert '25 Sports
Ben Kauffman '26
Kate Albaugh '27
Yackelin Castro '27
Julie Napier '28
Levi Funches '25
Marc Quaranta
Julie Barthel
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Educator Shapes Hearts and Minds
Students and educators reflect on Ms. Pivonka’s impact on Cathedral during her absence from campus
BY OLIVIA USKERT
College and Career Coordinator Ms. Kathy Pivonka has worked at Cathedral since 2004; this year marks her 20th year on the Hill. In 20 years, Pivonka has dedicated her life to guiding students through the college process.
Throughout her numerous roles at Cathedral, Ms. Pivonka has been a bright light to both students and educators alike.
School counselor Mrs. Jodi Monroe has known Pivonka for 20 years and described her as “a genuine, authentic, and loyal friend.” She said, “Not many people know this, but in my first couple of years of being a principal at a small school, [Ms. Pivonka] would come up twice a year to meet with my students about their college plans . . . She cares about ALL students and helping them achieve their college dreams. [Ms. Pivonka] has a servant heart... she is the real deal!”
Student Records and Academic Coordinator and Freshmen Experience Co-Director Mrs. Megan Schmidt met Pivonka when she began working at Cathedral seven years ago. Upon meeting her, Schmidt, recognized how “kind, extremely hard-working, devoted, loyal, passionate, and supportive” she was. "I can speak as both an educator and a parent that [Ms. Pivonka] has made a huge impact at Cathedral. All of the data, stats, awards, successes, academic rigor of courses, pre-requisites and pathways to graduate — have been touched by her. She knows the history, embraces the future, and holds our traditions and values tightly as she equips students for success.”
As her job requires her to focus on posthigh school plans, Pivonka is heavily involved with each and every student on campus. For many, this relationship is — and has significantly changed their lives. Several graduates from the class of 2024 were more than happy to reach out and share the impact that Ms. Pivonka had on them.
Louis Murray ‘24: “Applying for college,
or essentially just filling out the Common App, was one of, if not the most, daunting thing about my senior year when it came to looking ahead at college. Ms. Pivonka managed to not only walk me through it, but any senior who was willing to find her and let her help, no matter how daunting that task may have been for her.”
Johnny Beauchamp ‘24: “I think what I enjoyed most about working with Ms. Pivonka is how accommodating and supportive she was through the whole admissions process. She was always willing to listen to students regarding their goals and preferences for the next chapter of their lives and that helped me feel genuinely heard through a chaotic time in my life.”
Josh Griffin ‘24: “Ms. Pivonka was a tremendous help when I was planning for college. I felt very lost in the process of applying for college and everything that comes with it. Ms. Pivonka made that feeling of stress and anxiety when taking the next step in my future much more manageable. Whenever I came to her with a problem or a question, she showed so much kindness, patience and understanding for whatever situation I was in and comfortably guided me through it. All of this and more has made the news of her recent diagnosis a hard pill for me and
others to swallow. My first year of college has been improved greatly by her hard work and assistance, I'm sure any other alumni that had the honor of working with her would say the same.”
Sarah Lowe ‘24: “For me, Ms. Pivonka was my light in a very dark, confusing tunnel. She not only helped me with the application process of college, but took the extra time to help me actually choose the school that was best for me. I was really stuck between two, and she helped me work out all the pros and cons and how I felt about each one. I truly never felt like an afterthought with Ms. Pivonka. When you were in her room, you were her main priority always. Without her, I definitely would not be where I am right now, studying what I love at a school that I know is best for my future.”
Although Ms. Pivonka is not able to be on the Hill due to her recent leukemia diagnosis, she is still beloved by everyone on campus and in their hearts, thoughts, and prayers.
Mrs. Schmidt said, “Ms. Pivonka exudes our Holy Cross Values — she is Excellence, she is Family, she is Hope and she has had her hand in the success of every student at this school. She is a Gift to Cathedral and I am so thankful to call her my friend.”
Cathedral educators gather in the MIMMS Gymnasium to take a picture to send to Kathy Pivonka. The educators were called to the gym unexpectandly to be told the news of Pivonka's diagnosis.
Photo by Mrs. Megan Schmidt
Bridging Cultures Through an Exchange Trip
Saress Marshall and Nohemy Rodriguez, Class of 2025, traveled to France over the summer on an exchange trip.
At Cathedral, students are provided with countless opportunities to harness their skills and talents. One of the most sought-after programs includes an exchange trip, something two students at Cathedral participated in over the summer.
With its cobblestone streets, stunning scenery, and intricate architecture, France attracts many, particularly those eager to immerse themselves and experience French culture and life. Exchange trips are common in high schools around the United States, as they help learners gain cultural experience, improve linguistic proficiency, and provide them with a global perspective.
Cathedral welcomes students from countries such as Guatemala, Germany, and France; however, few recognize that Cathedral students also have a similar opportunity to embark on this sort of program. Although not for a full year, students can go abroad for about a month to a country that correlates with the foreign language they are studying.
Provided by the State of Indiana and its IU Honors Program for Foreign Language, the program focuses on language and cultural immersion for high school students who have completed their sophomore or junior year. Students must be enrolled in their 3rd year of a language, such as French, German, or Spanish, and then go into the 4th year of the specific language or higher if they wish to participate. Students are encouraged to turn to their foreign language teachers for more information.
To apply, they must submit an application, write a letter in their foreign language, go through an interview process, and gather letters of recommendation. While the process is not exceptionally difficult, it is quite lengthy, beginning with the sign-ups in October and the response regarding an acceptance or deferral in January. Once accepted, one must complete addition-
BY CAMILA JACKSON
al forms that will determine what host family they would be paired with for a full month. In these host families, students will engage in daily conversations, meals, activities, and weekend outings creating lifelong memories and bonds. These host families provide students with a home away from home and are vital teachers of the language and culture.
Saress Marshall and Nohemy Rodriguez, both of whom study France at Cathedral, were the two seniors who participated in this incredible retreat to France. While in France, Rodriguez and Marshall enrolled in a wide range of French classes such as Culture, Grammar, Literature, Communication, and Linguistic classes in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the French lifestyle. Unfortunately, Marshall and Rodriguez were assigned to live in separate cities in France.
One of the oldest locations for the IU Honors Program includes the small town
of Saint-Brieuc, located in the region of Brittany in northwestern France. Known for its water views, beaches, and rock formations, it provides an authentic French experience away from the all the tourist crowds. For Rodriguez, it would be her home for a month, as she lived with her host family which included twin daughters and a son. Meanwhile 200 miles away in western France in Saumur, a place known for its rich history and stunning castles, Saress Marshall stayed with a French couple and another exchange student from Indiana.
While in her host city of Saint-Brieuc, Rodriguez was able to go on many different excursions and community engagement days, some of which included visiting Le Mont Saint Michel, an island commune situated by the coast, creating, what Rodriguez detailed, the most stunning scenic views. A few other excursions included Saint-Malo, a port city distinguished by its old towers.
Saress Marshall (4th from left) and a group of other exchange students gather for a photo in front of the Château de Chambord in Chambord, Centre-Val de Loire, France, one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinctive French Renaissance architecture. Being a part of the program offered many different chances for students like Marshall to make significant strides in mastering their target language and growing in their knowledge and understanding of their host cultures and communities.
Photo by Saress Marshall
The program allows students to be able to take part in activities to engage with the culture and community. Ranging from sports, choir, or art to visiting museums or volunteering with community groups, the IU Honors Program does an exceptional job of finding opportunities for students to grow in their knowledge of their program site.
Rodriguez spent time with the kids learning how to play typical French games, make crepes, and learn how to play bagpipe instruments found in French folk music. Though she visited many places in France, Rodriguez was also given some downtime, much of which was spent going to the town center and exploring the shops there. She recalls, on her last day in France, how she and her friends decided to interact with some people also walking around in the town centers. She said, “We came up with the idea of playing arm wrestling, which the locals then taught us the name in French, bras de fer. We had so much fun and began having more conversations with those who would agree to play along.”
Living in Saumur, another IU Honors location, students like Marshall could explore the Cadre Noir, The National School of Horsemanship, the Armored Branch and Cavalry Training School, and underground caves extending for 312 miles. For Marshall, living in Saumur for about a month she was able to talk to many native French speakers. She said, “I think that getting the opportunity to be immersed in the community and exclusively speaking French improved my communication skills.”
Though Rodriguez made some friends in France, she wishes she would’ve connected more with the people there, such as her host family. She said, “Though I lived with my host family for a month I do think that my timidness limited my ability to connect with them a bit more.” As for Marshall, she wishes she could’ve done more sightseeing in Saumur, as she only saw the downtown area of the city and the castles.
The financial aspects of this study abroad process require students to pay a specific fee. However, there are opportunities for scholarships and financial assistance, as well as the opportunity for those students
who are accepted to the program to do some fundraising.
Cathedral teachers and administrators fully support this opportunity from Indiana University. For the last 50-plus years, Cathedral has had many students who have participated in this once-in-alifetime opportunity through the Indiana University Honors Program in Foreign Languages.
Gary Spurgen, French teacher, who helped Marshall and Rodriguez apply for the immersion program, believes that both students were adequately prepared to adapt to the change in language, as well as being able to adapt to speaking, learning, and living the language. However, he warns that it may be somewhat of a shock as students are bound to a no-English rule while they are in France.
Mr. Spurgen said, “This can be very rewarding, but at the same time very tiring. However, I know that both Saress and Nahomy received excellent reports from the program upon their return home to Indiana.”
As the last few days in France approached and their family, friends, and of course Dear Old Cathedral awaited their return, Rodriguez and Marshall said goodbye to their home away from home and the countless memories they made there. Their exchange trip offered them a life-changing experience, as what they learned became more than just interactions in a different language, but a way to have better insight in a different way of life. Living with their host families and sharing their everyday experiences, they practiced a lot of French, skillfully built their communication skills, and most importantly formed memories.
Although both Marshall and Rodriguez went through many different obstacles throughout their stay in France, all of them reveal the enormous impact of such programs on a person's growth as well as their appreciation for different cultures. As Cathedral continues to support these sorts of opportunities, students are urged to research more into the IU Honors Program and embark on this life-changing journey.
Saress Marshall and some of her classmates have a group discussion in one of their many French classes. Students like Marshall can participate in weekday classes that range from the French language itself to its culture and much more, which are taught by skilled instructors who travel with the students to and from the host country.
Photo by Saress Marshall.
Semester on the Hill
Cathedral's Administration team breaks down the first quarter of the 2024-2025 school year.
BY YACKELIN CASTRO
As the halls are filled with laughter and conversations, Cathedral is nearing the end of the first quarter. So much has taken place in the few quick months since school started which is influencing the future of Cathedral High School.
September 8th was Cathedral’s first official day of the 2024-2025 school year. New traditions were established this year, also accompanied by many accomplishments and events. From small acknowledgments to school-wide growth, Cathedral strives in passion every day to set a remarkable future for the Fighting Irish.
The senior class of 2025, for the first time ever, chose Zeal as their Holy Cross Core Value of the year. Shannon Braun, Academic Operations Manager, said, “I think it is one of the most misunderstood Holy Cross Values, so I love that we are shedding light on the importance and meaning of Zeal.”
This Holy Cross Core Value has proven to have a remarkable impact on everyone on campus. As Zeal is shown and used around campus, Mrs. Braun said, “The idea to live your life to make God known, loved, and served is something that will bring us all closer to Heaven”.
With faith and prayer being the backbone of everything Cathedral does, religious tradition began this year. Every day as lunch period approaches, a prayer is said over the intercom blessing students and the food they are to receive. Julie Barthel, Cathedral’s Principal said, “Because we can pray together, we must!” This new approach towards gratitude has gone well, has allowed students, staff and teachers to connect with Jesus, and find some peace despite all the commotion taking place around the school.
Ignite the Irish is a yearly fundraiser that is used to kick off the school year. This certain fundraiser has always been a huge success. Donations are made digitally
through students' personal online pages and is meant to help aid Cathedrals tuition assistance program. A portion of the money raised is used and spent towards clubs, sports and student activities. Cathedral raised over $200,000.
Starting this year, Cathedrals coffee house, Johnny Mac's, partnered with a non-profit organization, Village of Merici. This partnership has led to many changes at Johnny Mac's, including a change in their schedule, menu items and their overall expansion. Village of Merici helps keep student staff organized including inventory. This partnership has been impactful as Johnny Mac's is now open every day, from 8am to 1:30pm.
Here at Cathedral, many alumni have exceeded through the roof with their athletic career. Cole Hocker ‘19, Jackie Gillum Anderson‘10 , Samantha Peszek ‘10 have been a prime example of going for gold. Husband of Cathedral alumni Jackie Gillium Anderson, competed in his fourth Men’s National Indoor Volleyball Team at the 2024 Olympics.
Cole Hocker ‘19, set out to Paris and competed in the 2024 Olympics. Cole competed in the 1500m race, winning the gold medal. Crossing the finish line, Cole officially set an olympic record on August 6th with a time of 3:27.65. Staff, educators, board members, parents, and alumni gathered in the dining hall to show love and support but most importantly to reflect off the core values of family and zeal. In an interview from NBC Sports, Hocker said, “I just felt like I was getting carried by the stadium and God.”
On September 11, Cathedral hosted a special Mass honoring and showing special appreciation for firefighters, police officers, and all those who have served the country. This honorable Mass allowed students to engage in the telling of a historical event that impacted the lives of all Americans. Students were spiritually lifted and learned why specifically they should show appreciation for all who partake in serving the community and country.
Student workers prepare for customers during the first lunch on Monday September 30th. Johnny Mac’s opened up every day of the week this year to accommodate students and staff throughout the day and partner with the organization Village of Merici.
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September 13, 2024 marked the special celebration of Cathedrals 106th Birthday. In a traditional way of showing appreciation, students, teachers, and staff spent the day with their Core groups and did service. This year students of all Core groups stayed on campus and hand crafted gifts. Core groups made items such as blankets, rosaries, bracelets, charms and bookmarks which were gifted to a variety of Catholic grade schools.
The Core Value of Family is often shown around campus which is especially shown on Little Siblings Day. Students of all grades are allowed to bring a younger sibling if that sibling is in 7th or 8th grade. The younger siblings are allowed a chance to see what a day in high school looks like, creating a central idea of what they should expect and look forward to. Essentially this is a shadow day, allowing students to tour and spend the day with their younger sibling, therefore exemplifying the Core Value of Family.
Two projects to look forward to this school year are happening on the Hill and at Brunette Park. On the Hill, a Grotto is soon-to-be completed for Our Lady and is expected to be fully constructed by
January. Cathedral President Dr. Robert Bridges said, “It will transform our campus into a place of beauty and prayer for all to see and enjoy.” Over at Brunette Park, a soccer and lacrosse field are expected to be ready by next school year.
From the start to the end of the quarter a main goal of Cathedral is to influence change in a variety of ways. Change is good, change empowers people to improve and develop into who one is meant to become. Dr. Bridges dives deeply into what it means for students to experience change and said, “I have already seen our students grow. The seniors finally are grasping the reality that they are the seniors, and therefore role models, and our juniors are deep into the college and career search and discernment process, or they should be, and sophomores are glad they aren't freshmen anymore, and the frosh are getting the hang of it in terms of classroom locations, how to pace passing periods, and how to be Cathedral students. I can see these things everyday, and it is a good thing.”
A program that has been around but is new in name this year is the Peer Ministry Program. This program sets the seniors up to act as leaders as seniors are to mentor, and minister the freshmen. The Campus Ministry team and Dave Neeson are currently arranging the enhanced retreat experience, which is targeted for the sophomore class. Mrs. Braun said, “I think this experience is going to help bond and unite our sophomores!”
Thanks to the Brothers of Holy Cross, Cathedral is overly delighted to have been gifted a one-million dollar donation to help with Mission Integration efforts. The full donation is expected to be invested into the corpus of the gift. Each year Cathedral is to take 5% of the one million dollars, which is $50,000 per year, and is expected to help set a base structure for the mission integration work.
In the perspective of Cathedral President,
Dr. Bridges said, “This is really fantastic news for us, as our mission is what gives us purpose and meaning. And with Mr. Matt Gring joining us as a new Chief Mission Integration Officer, this gift will support him in his work, ensuring that our mission is present in all facets of life at Cathedral.”
Staff and students attend an all-school Mass held on 9/11. Cathedral and its students including firefighters and heroes of 9/11 attended a special Mass and remembrance to show special respect and honor.
Photo by Amyia Bell
Cathedral students outside of Cathedrals main entrance on little siblings day. Siblings in 7th or 8th grade accompanied their older siblings throughout the school day.
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Filling The Cleats of a Record Breaker
Cathedral's new Quarterback Cameron Koers begins his journey as QB1
On November 11, 2023, an era of Cathedral football came to an end. An era that saw 2 state titles and the first ever 6A regional. An era that saw 7,786 passing yards and 98 passing touchdowns along with 27 rushing touchdowns. Danny O’Neil’s time at Cathedral was successful but it had to come to an end, moving on to San Diego State. As his time ended, a new chapter began with Cameron Koers as the starting quarterback.
Junior Cameron Koers has been the backup quarterback for Cathedral football since his freshman year, but now it’s his position. This hasn’t been something that has just happened, this has been a dream of his for years.
“It’s awesome knowing that I’ve grown up in the program and seeing all the other quarterbacks before me, watching how they performed and being able to take what they did and put it into my own game,” said Koers.
Being the quarterback for Cathedral not only is a personal honor for Cameron but means a lot to his family, who has strong ties with Cathedral football. Cameron is one of many in his family that have played on Friday nights as he said, “all of my uncles and my dad played and started here so, it means a lot.”
Quarterback may be the most important position in sports and Cathedral is one of the winningest programs in the state that not only has had some of the best teams in the state but in recent years has been one of the best programs in the country. With the Quarterback being such a stand-
BY BEN KAUFFMAN
out position, quarterbacks can constantly be under a microscope of criticism.
Head Coach Bill Peebles 98’ knows that and said, “There’s always a lot of pressure on Cathedral quarterbacks. It’s a high profile position at a high profile school and we run a quarterback centric offense. We don’t just hand the ball off or chuck the ball down field. They have to make college level decisions.”
Koers is confident in himself as the QB saying “I don’t feel any pressure.”
Cathedral has had a great history of quarterbacks, which has made it easy for backups to learn before taking the starting roles themselves. Peebles said “Danny
had a good mentor in Nate McCahill who is the starting quarterback at DePauw University and Cam has had a good mentor in Danny who’s now starting at San Diego State University. I think that always, anytime you can learn how to do things the right way, it’s gonna help you make decisions and help you manage your own emotions and other people's emotions when things fall apart in a game. And things always fall apart in the game.”
Cameron echoed his coach’s idea that being the backup under a great quarterback can help tremendously saying, “I learned a lot from Danny in how to prepare for games, and ultimately get ready to make plays in the game.”
Koers makes a one legged throw, while escaping the pocket. Koers has thrown 4 passing touchdowns with a 63% completion rate.
Photo by Ryan Helmen '26
Cameron Koers has been a quarterback most of his football career and his whole career at Cathedral High School. He was the starting quarterback for the freshman team his first year then the starter for the JV team his sophomore year. Now it’s his time to lead the Irish out on Friday nights.
Cathedral football has started the 2024 season very well with Cameron leading the offense. Cameron’s first year as starter has started off with a 3-2 record throwing for 4 touchdowns in the first 5 games. Coach Peebles, Cameron, and his teammates have been impressed with his play so far.
Peebles happily said, “He’s done an incredible job filling in Danny’s spot. He’s been a great decision maker, moving the chains for us and making sure that we haven’t gotten behind the chains moving our offense back. Most of his interceptions have come at the end of a half or game when we’re chucking the ball downfield so his touchdown to interception ratio is better than it looks. So far I’ve been very impressed with him.”
Class of 2026 receiver Jackson Harvey believes in his QB and said, “I have confidence in him that he’s gonna get the job done and lead us to victory.”
Half of Koers’ touchdown passes have been throw to Harvey, with Jackson catching 42 yards per game from his QB. Jackson went on to say, “Our chemistry is at a 100% and we always seem to find each other on the field.”
Cathedral's schedule is going to continue to get harder as they begin playing some top teams. The Irish will have to be ready for the challenge which Coach Peebles is excited for. “ We have an opportunity to make a really good run in the tournament and have 2 of the top 4 teams in the state at the end of the regular season and in the sectional, Lawrence North is currently ranked ahead of us. So 3 of the next 4 games we might be underdogs in, so we just have to focus on week to week,” he said.
Cathedral's new era at Quarterback has started off as a success with high expec-
tations and a bright future. Koers said, “I think our season so far has been an upward climb, and we’re going to win games. And all I'm looking forward to is winning state championships.”
Jackson, just like his quarterback, has the same mindset saying that his and Cameron’s goals together were “to win, simple as that.”
Cathedral will continue its march this season for state championship number 15 under its new era at QB1.
Cameron steps into a throw against St. Xavier. Cathedral has started the season 3-2 with a tough game against Center Grove coming up on October 5th at Marian University.
Photo by Ryan Helmen '26
The Construction of Faith
The
awaited
will offer opportunity for student prayer life and new tradition.
BY KATE ALBAUGH
Cathedral students know all to well of a stress-filled life as many juggle athletics, jobs, clubs, and their social lives; all with two tests the next day. Serenity and peace of mind is hard to come by for these students, but many of them turn to the prayer aspect of their faith to find it.
Peer minister Isabelle Lyons '25 expresses her crazy life and how overwhelming it can get, especially in the later years of school. Lyons said, “Most of the time when I’m looking for peace, I find it at church or the Mary area by the Innovation Center, but Mass is hard to get to more than once a week and the Mary area gets crowded and hard to focus on. School Mass is always an option but my schedule doesn’t let me have much time for anything but academics.”
It is easy for her to let her prayer life get away from her, she wishes “there was an organized time or place purely dedicated to prayer. As a Peer Minister, I think it would especially help the younger students decompress and incorporate their faith at the same time.”
Prayer life on campus consists of the monthly Mass in the gym, the morning announcement prayer, and the occasional Hail Mary at the beginning of a class. Prayer is such an important yet underplayed piece of being a Catholic and often not utilized to its full potential. Similar to homework, when not particularly focused on prayer and just going through the words or motions of it, its hard to understand what the prayer means, or what the word is teaching.
This type of unintentional prayer is not true prayer, and just a memorized response. Too often do people stray away from prayer in general because it becomes more of a task then an opportunity to be with God. The best way to prevent this from happening then is to create a space where these students can be with God, in intentional prayer, and for it to be readily accessible, but how?
Grottos have been prominent symbols to Catholics and Christians throughout the history of time. According to the Bible, Elijah discovered God's presence in a cave. St. Bernadette also had an experience in a cave. She saw a vision of the Virgin Mary. Today, Grottos can be found
all over the world and some very close like the one at Notre Dame.
Mr. Dave Neeson, the Director of Campus Ministry at Cathedral and a driving supporter for Cathedral's Grotto, details his story behind the Notre Dame Grotto. He felt that his Grotto visit was a breakthrough. He said it was “the first time I felt like my faith was really mine and not my parents.” Neeson hopes that is what other people are able to find as well, a place where “kids can go to quiet their hearts and minds, where they can hear and feel something bigger than themselves That’s the big goal.”
The professional design that was created to show Cathedral administration what their future Grotto would look like. Educators of Cathedral were shown this at an educator meeting last year and gasped at its beauty.
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long
Grotto
When thinking about a grotto for Cathedral, it was a great choice for so many reasons. Neeson said, “Cathedral is dedicated to Mary, and the Grotto was an opportunity to build something that allows us to pray with her.”
The construction of the Grotto began over the summer and is expected to be done around the end of the first semester. Despite the Grotto only being half-built, it has already started to mean something to some like Mr. Matthew Cannaday, Religion teacher. Cannaday, an active Catholic, said, “It means that it makes the Cathedral school motto come to life, ‘with her leading, we shall not tire.’” He emphasizes that though Jesus will always be the ultimate leader, our school’s leader is Mary, and the Grotto will help people to see that.
To Isabel Lyons, the Grotto will be “not only a place where the students can escape to for peace of mind, but a place where they can be with God. I think it’ll help them understand that those two thing can be one in the same, that praying doesn’t have to be a task but a resource. I think that if the Grotto can teach that, then it served its purpose.”
The Grotto will not only help the individual student but will create a new sense of unity among students that hasn’t been found before. Canaday said, “Bernadette, she wasn’t exactly well educated, she was just this poor farm girl, she wasn’t the type of girl that would’ve been the one that witnessed Marys revealing.”
Grottos are a place where race, class, gender, and popularity doesn’t matter. The Grotto will be a place that Cannaday thinks “everyone can be active in a real way, to celebrate Mass and offer prayer with all.”
Once the Grotto’s construction is done in December, not only will it be utilized for personal prayer, but for so many other things related to Campus Ministry. Neeson sees it as “a place our athletes can visit before an away match, but it could also be a place that could hold a class Mass.”
Neeson explores the endless possibilities to a place like this, it’s “a new tradition, a blank slate, and so many new traditions can start almost immediately.” The Grotto could become a place where students find clarity, but they can find what their looking for as one Cathedral family.
Construction on the Grotto is underway and hitting the halfway point of completion. The Grotto's expected completion date is early December.
Photo by Kate Albaugh
It Takes a Village
He’s been working hard at Johnny Mac's, roaming the halls on one of his missions, or just hanging around watching HGTV. While he’s only been here a few short months, he is already making his impact on the Hill. Meet Jason Renie.
Jason Renie has quickly become a favorite face on the Hill. He is stationed at the beloved Johnny Mac's Coffee House Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Although he has only been around for a couple months, Jason has become a “go-to” guy. If help is needed making a drink or finding something around the shop, Jason is the person to ask.
Jason has greatly enjoyed his time here on the Hill. His favorite drink to make is 'Barbie Dream’ or the Vanilla Cappuccino which coincidentally is his favorite thing to drink. Jason has set many goals said, “I hope for the company to be successful. I will add to the success by being patient and working well with everyone else.” He also aims to make more orders than the previous shift's total. Jason is all in for his role at Johnny Mac's. He said, “Johnny Mac’s is my favorite job I've had because it is much more peaceful, relaxing, and I enjoy all of the people I work with.”
Jason is one of five workers at Cathedral’s Coffee shop from an organization called ‘Village of Merici’. ‘Village of Merici’ is a non-profit organization that provides residential and community opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Cathedral partnered up with the ‘Village of Merici’ for the 20242025 school year in hopes to bring some working opportunities to those adults.
Jason has been a part of ‘Village of Merici’ since its beginning. His mom, Coleen Renie, started the organization with ten others in her dining room. ‘Village of Merici’ has been around for ten years and is stronger than ever. Jason said he enjoys being a part of ‘Village of Merici’ because, “it's a good environment for people that have simple disabilities and everyone is so
BY MARY MURPHY
nice that works there and is involved.” The people from Merici came to Cathedral to volunteer and aid in helping run the coffee shop. Without them, Johnny Mac’s being open every day would not be possible.
Jason was born on July 1st, 1978 here in Indianapolis and is the oldest of four children. He attended Eastwood Middle School and North Central High School. Although North Central was a big school and often overwhelming, Jason said that high school helped make him the person he is today.
After high school, Jason worked in construction for six and a half years before switching jobs to work at a grocery store. Now, Cathedral gets the privilege of having Jason Renie on their staff.
Jason lives on his own and enjoys being independent. A typical day in Jason's life consists of a 6:00 am wake-up call and he gets to work by 7:45 am. He works all day in Johnny Mac’s doing whatever he thinks needs to be done. Jason gets off work at 1:30 to go home and relax or run errands if needed.
Outside of Johnny Mac’s, Jason lives a pretty peaceful life. When he gets home from work, he often likes to nap, build LEGOS, or watch his favorite shows on HGTV. Jason simply loves to relax. Other things he likes to do are go on walks, go to ‘Village of Merici’ events, meet new people, and play the SIMS video game.
Johnny Mac’s worker Jason Renie smiles at the checkout counter during the middle of his shift. Jason was a key component to the success of the coffee shop being open everyday.
Photo by Mary Murphy
Johnny Mac’s Coffee House has partnered with ‘Village of Merici’ and along with it came a new friendly face.
Jason comes to work every day with his own personal Life Skills coach by his side. Lindsay Head ‘01 is a Certified health and wellness coach. She works for ‘Village of Merici’ and was paired with Jason at the beginning of the school year. Lindsay found ‘Village of Merici’ because she said she, “wanted to focus on the community that needs the most support and I found out about Merici.”
As his coach, she and Jason spend lots of time together. They’ve become quite the duo and have lots of fun together. Lindsay gets to see Jason’s work ethic firsthand everyday. She said, “His skills are in line with the needs of running a successful coffee shop. He has an eye for detail. He is so friendly, works well with a team, and is individually motivated.”
Mr. Kurt Freytag is the CEO of Cathedral 's Johnny Mac's Coffee shop, so he spends lots of time with Jason as well. As he works alongside Jason and his many special qualities, Freytag sees the future
potential of Johnny Mac’s through Jason’s eyes. Freytag said one of his favorite parts of Jason being at the coffee shop is that “he is so fun to hang out with.” Jason has many skills that stand out to Freytag but his “availability and leadership stand out the most.” Since Jason is at Johnny Mac’s everyday, Freytag said “Without him we wouldn't be open every day and all day long. He is a big help to us.” Freytag finished by saying, “Jason adds the juice to the shop.”
Jason Renie is a valuable addition to the Cathedral community. With his many skills, outstanding personality, and love for his work, Jason is someone that the Cathedral community is thankful to have because he adds the juice up here on the Hill.
Johnny Mac’s employee Jason Renie smiles alongside his Life coach, Lindsay Head. Lindsay and Jason have worked together for two months and have become quick friends. Head says, “It’s been a fun time together. We called ourselves the ‘Hotties over 40 Club’.”
Photo by Mary Murphy
Johnny Mac's worker Jason Renie smiles as he makes one of the many drinks at the shop, the Vanilla Frappuccino. Jason Renie has worked everyday this year and enjoyed making every drink but has a couple favorites.
Photo by Mary Murphy
The Growing Nose of Theatre
The story of Pinnocchio wanting to become a real boy will be brought to life on the Cathedral Theatre stage early October. BY
CaTheatre is currently working on the masterpiece of Once Upon A Pine: The Adventures of Pinocchio which is a heartfelt adaptation from Carlo Collodi collection.
According to the CaTheatre website, “Once Upon a Pine reminds audiences of the importance of love, friendship and honesty. And that's no lie.” There are 24 student cast members and multiple students in creative leadership roles such as Lighting, Costume, and Set and Design.
Sammy Moffatt, class of 2025, is serving as the Student Director and Gabi Hadad '25 is the Assistant Student Director.
The theater classes put on four shows a year and Mrs. Jordan Fox, the Theatre Director, said, “I love being able to pick the season of shows. I have a running list of 'bucket list' shows. This year our theme is very Disney or Fairy Tale- esque. Pinocchio, Peter Pan, and Hunchback!"
There are a total of over 150 students involved each year in the Cathedral Theatre program. Mr. Micheal Moffatt, the Technical Director, said, “This play was chosen by Mrs. Fox and Sammy Moffatt. They worked together to find a good children’s play and Mrs. Fox's friend happens to be a playwright who wrote this adaptation." He also noted that "we have started the last two years with a small musical, so this year we wanted to try a play instead.”
Once Upon a Pine is reported to be humorous and heartfelt. Fox said, "this show is mostly funny with a few sentimental moments. It is the story of Pinocchio becoming a 'real boy' and his journey to reaching his human form.”
She also believes the audience will love the play. In this adaptation, Geppetto, a lonely toymaker, longs to have a child
JULIE NAPIER
to call his own; but he soon gets more than he bargained for when Pinocchio—a marionette carved from an enchanted log—springs to life before his eyes. On Pinocchio’s journey from learning right from wrong, the audience will enjoy humor and the love of a father through sentimental moments.
Getting involved in theater is a great opportunity on the Hill to meet new people and allows for students to take on new challenges outside of what the typical classroom learning environment looks like.
Chase McCloud, class of 2028, has the important role of Geppetto also known as Pinnochhio’s dad. McCloud said, "I really like the play we’re doing because of how fun and memorable it is. Although, with the fun times there are definitely stressful times as well due to learning lines and keeping up.”
Chase has always loved acting, though, so going through the stress of learning and building a character like Geppetto is worth the struggle, especially once opening night arrives.
Halima Jones '28 is playing the character of Bubbles. Jones said, "It may be hard to learn new things but knowing the people acting in it makes it worth it . I didn't know what to expect when getting this part but I’ve learned to become the character I was assigned.”
Although the cast is very important, there is no production without the amazing backstage crew. Tara Johnson '28 is helping out the costume crew. Johnson said, "It's really challenging to keep up with fixing the costumes all the time, but when it's showtime, the play will look exactly like what all of us imagined.”
The stage is built and ready for opening weekend. Rehearsals were September 30th to October 4th with the first live show coming on October 5th for elementary schools in the area.
Photo submitted
The set is built and placed on stage and once the actors take their places, the whole show will feel like nothing ever experienced before at Cathedral.
Once Upon A Pine will be live on the Joe O’Malia Performing Arts Center stage on October 5th- 6th.The tickets cost $10 yet all Cathedral Students and Children under the age of 10 are Free.
The running time is 90 minutes with one 15 minute intermission. There are two performances on October 5th at 2pm and 7pm and one on October 6th at 2pm. There will be snacks and flowers available for purchase prior to the performance and at intermission.
