A magazine for alumni, parents, students, faculty and friends of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Vol. 8, No. 1, Summer 2012
news
Keeping the Faith PREP ALUMNI PRIESTS DISCUSS TODAY’S CHURCH AND OFFER HOPE FOR THE FUTURE page page 88
IN THE NEWS
PERSPECTIVES
2012 GRADUATION
REV. ROB CURRIE ’58 JUSTICE
page 2
page 28
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Dear Friends of the Prep, When Prep grads gather their recollections very oen involve the idiosyncrasies of the Jesuit priests and brothers whom they met at the Prep when they were students. One could write a history of the Prep based on clerical characters from Fr. Barbelin, the founding president of the school that is now the Prep and Saint Joseph’s University, down to the present day. Such a Prep history, of course, would ring false without an emphasis on the contributions of lay men and women especially over the last 50 years, but this issue of the News highlights Prep grads who while Prep students began their interest in serving Christ in the clerical and religious state. I am happy to be part of a group of Prep grads from the class of 1959 who are now serving as, let me use this word, “mature” spiritual directors, pastors, counselors and educators. Among us are six Jesuits, a Diocesan priest, and a Franciscan priest. e Holy Spirit never tires of calling Prep graduates to this state in life. Still today, men who graduated in the 1930s continue their religious commitments, men like Father Terrence Toland, S.J. ’39. is summer, two young men, one from the Class of 2008 and another from the Class of 2003 will join seven other recent Prep grads in preparation for Jesuit priesthood. In addition, another Prep grad, Christopher Moriconi ‘01 will soon be ordained for the Philadelphia Archdiocese, following in the footsteps of a great number of Prep grads who have served the local Church and other Dioceses. e most accomplished of these is the late Cardinal John Foley, a member of the Prep class of 1953. It gives me courage and hope to be a member of this energetic group of men who strive to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ alive in this challenging world. Please continue to pray not only for us who have made the choice to be priests but also for our present students, especially several who understand this choice as a possibility for them. Pray that we all hear more clearly the call of the Spirit. AMDG,
EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Readers, The idea for this issue’s feature story, “Church in Crisis,” was based on something I saw at a conference. A college magazine had a cover shot of a minister with his hands folded in prayer that read: “Keeping the Faith.” While the story inside was very different than ours and focused on their theology program, the seed for this issue had been planted. It has been a rough time for many of us Catholics, particularly here in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It got me thinking, how do the men who have been called to the religious life keep the faith in trying times? During their interviews, I found a common theme: the Gospels and prayer. That’s pretty simple, of course, but not easy as we continually find out. I am grateful to the men who agreed to be interviewed and share some personal observations. Hopefully, you will read the articles and feel a sense of hope for our future. I believe that there is another sign of hope in these pages…in the sidebars to the article, you will read about a few of the recent Prep grads who are in formation to become Jesuit priests. I was pleased to learn that nine alums are currently studying to be priests, eight in the Jesuit order and one at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. I wanted to know what called them to choose that life, especially in light of the negative stories that have surrounded the priesthood. This past June, we welcomed back the Class of 1962. This 50th Reunion had a very personal moment for me as I had the privilege of being here as my uncle, Jack Irwin ’62, came back to the Prep. Growing up, Uncle Jack was a hero of mine…I wanted to be just like him and attending the Prep was part of that. Thank God that he helped steer me here as my experience at the Prep had a profound effect on me as a teenager and continues to do so. If it weren’t for Uncle Jack, who knows where I’d be today. I am grateful that he was always willing to let me tag along and was like a second father to me. I’m proud that we – with my Uncle Pete Lucarini ’63, cousin Christian Lucarini ’90 and “cousin” Rob Irwin ’90 – can all say we are Prep grads. To all of you who read The Prep News, thank you! Let us know what you think of this issue!
Bill Avington ’90 Editor, The Prep News 00
George W. Bur, S.J. President
The Prep News Magazine St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Vol. 9 No. 1 Summer 2012 Rev. George W. Bur, S.J. ’59, PRESIDENT Jason M. Zazyczny ’90, PRINCIPAL Russell Gartz, CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Rev. Bruce A. Maivelett, S.J., DIRECTOR OF IGNATIAN IDENTITY Richard J. Scanlan, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Editor, Bill Avington ’90, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Designer, Maridel McCloskey, MCCLOSKEY DESIGNS Class Notes Editor, Kevin Gilbert ’02 Editorial Staff, Maryellen Anastasio, Ceal Biello, Audra Brady, Beth Missett, Nancy Moule, Al Zimmerman ’73 Photography, Maryellen Anastasio, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Bill Avington’90, Boston College, Rev. Robert Currie, S.J. ’58, David DeBalko, Phil Humnicky/Georgetown, Maryland Province Jesuits, Frank Raffa Writers, Maryellen Anastasio, Bill Avington ’90, Susie Cook, Tom Lyons ’60
The Prep News is published twice a year. Please send comments or contributions to: Attn: Editor The Prep News – St. Joseph’s Preparatory School 1733 Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130 or e-mail to: bavington@sjprep.org For additional information, check our website www.sjprep.org/prepnews
THE PREP NEWS
inside: feature story
news
prep community Perspectives
8
2
20
church in crisis
6 7
graduation
hawktion
26
Class notes Births Weddings
athletics
Prom 2012
28
Justice for all
The life of Rev. Rob Currie, S.J. ’58
PREP NEWS
Academic Awards Perfect Attendance, K-12 Perfect Attendance, 9-12
Colin A. Sawyer J. Brian Carden, Jr. Dante J. Gleason Louis T. Vassallo, Jr. Andrew J. Walters Scott C. Hannum The Charles E. Barton Ignatian Service Award Connor R. McCloskey The Students’ Mothers’ Club Award Evan T. Wescott The Scholar-Athlete Award Colin A. Sawyer The Edmund A. Cassidy General Excellence Award Maguire L. Herriman Timothy M. Koenig Kevin J. Oberlies Evan T. Wescott The Reverend Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Award William A Hartz, Jr. The Prep Spirit Award Timothy M. Koenig The Bernard E. Kueny, Jr., ‘53 Alumni Award Kevin P. King The Jesuit Secondary Education Association Award Patrick D. Romano The John McShain Award Kevin J. Oberlies The Saint Joseph Award Nicholas William Norberg The Richard B. McCloskey Loyalty Award Alexander J. Abell The Joseph L. Walsh Memorial Award for French Kevin P. King Silver Medal for French Aidan G. Collins Gold Medal for German Daniel J. Buhalo
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2012
Silver Medal for German Paul Michael Gennaro Gold Medal for Spanish Andrew J. Walters Silver Medal for Spanish Michael J. Williamson Gold Medal for AP Spanish Patrick D. Romano Silver Medal for AP Spanish Kevin C. Dlugos Gold Medal for Honors Spanish Anthony M. McDonnell Silver Medal for Honors Spanish Gannon C. Killion Gold Medal for Mandarin Chinese Murphy J. Smith Silver Medal for Mandarin Chinese Mackenzie L. Collison Gold Medal for AP European History Justin M. Smallwood Silver Medal for AP European History John V. Brenner Gold Medal for United States Government John R. Dodderidge Silver Medal for United States Government Brian C. Hecht Gold Medal for AP Government Michael A. Giangiordano Silver Medal for AP Government Paul Michael Gennaro Gold Medal for Religious Studies Patrick D. Romano Silver Medal for Religious Studies Paul Michael Gennaro Gold Medal for AP Biology Maguire L. Herriman Silver Medal for AP Biology Daniel J. Buhalo Gold Medal for Biology Gerald S. Orlando Silver Medal for Biology Kevin P. King Gold Medal for AP Chemistry Kevin P. King Silver Medal for AP Chemistry Tucker J. Collins Gold Medal for Chemistry Matthew T. Gliatto Silver Medal for Chemistry Shane P. McKenzie Gold Medal for AP Physics Ryan T. Barker
Silver Medal for AP Physics Paul Michael Gennaro Gold Medal for Physics Maguire L. Herriman Silver Medal for Physics Timothy M. Koenig Gold Medal for Computer Science Coleman C. Stavish Silver Medal for Computer Science Justin M. MacIntosh Gold Medal for Calculus Matthew T. Gliatto Silver Medal for Calculus Maguire L. Herriman Gold Medal for Statistics Timothy M. Koenig Silver Medal for Statistics Paul Michael Gennaro John L. Himes Medal for Mathematics Matthew T. Gliatto Gold Medal for Fine Arts Evan X. Bryson Silver Medal for Fine Arts Bridson M. D. Wallace Honorable Henry J. Bender, Jr., Gold Medal for Latin John J. Donnelly V Silver Medal for Latin Matthew F. DelSignore Gold Medal for Classical Archaeology Colin A. Sawyer Silver Medal for Classical Archaeology Kevin J. Oberlies William F. Ford Memorial Award for Greek Tucker J. Collins Silver Medal for Greek Joseph W. Pooler Gold Medal for English Aidan G. Collins Silver Medal for English John P. McGovern Gold Medal for AP English Kevin F. Kane Silver Medal for AP English Patrick D. Romano Gold Medal for AP Psychology Maguire L. Herriman Silver Medal for AP Psychology William A. Hartz, Jr.
THE PREP NEWS
PREP NEWS
Baccalaureate Awards Black and Latino Culture Club Award Justin M. Smallwood Student Council Awards Joseph Domenic Anzur: President Alexander J. Abell: Vice President Timothy E. Browne: Vice President Timothy M. Koenig: Treasurer Matthew C. Smith: Secretary Gold Medal for Concert Band Nicholas J. Endo Silver Medal for Concert Band Paul Michael Gennaro Gold Medal for The Chronicle Literary Magazine Loren G. Braxton Gold Medal for Vocal Performance Soonthtvong T. Lanctot Silver Medal for Vocal Performance Timothy M. Koenig Community Service Award (Joseph P. Hauck Award) Kevin P. King Gold Medal for Dramatics Patrick D. Romano Silver Medal for Dramatics Andrew L. Staub Fine Arts Service Award (Julia Rogers Award) Andrew L. Staub Gold Medal for Forensics Evan T. Wescott Gold Medal for Jazz Band Matthew J. Kasper Silver Medal for Jazz Band Louis T. Vasallo, Jr. Pre-Prep Award Johntel B. Ogden Gold Medal for Yearbook Nicholas J. Endo Silver Medal for Yearbook William A. Hartz, Jr. Activity of the Year Award The Cape and Sword Drama Society Taggart Memorial Award Mr. Michael E. Dougherty ‘93 Phi Beta Kappa Book Award Sean P. Considine Gregory Joseph Wolf Memorial Award J. Brian Carden, Jr. Gregg Ciarrocchi Memorial Award Salvatore J. Avena
SUMMER 2012
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PREP NEWS
“ I’m thrilled for the opportunity to serve the school that I love in a different way.” ED TURNER ’00, DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION
O’BRIEN RETIRES FROM THE CLASSROOM After more than 40 years in Prep classrooms, English teacher Mr. Jim O’Brien ’62 announced his retirement at the end of the 2011-12 school year.
ways. He is known for the best homemade hats in the city of Philadelphia, and can often be seen donning a special homemade hat or tie to celebrate a Prep event. It is this same enthusiasm “Though we are excited for that permeates through his Mr. O’Brien and his wife Jo as they classroom lessons and is infectious start the next stage of their lives, to his students. Mr. O’Brien’s we are sad to be losing such an energy pushes students to the amazing educator from inside and edge of their thinking and beyond, outside of our classrooms,” says and has been a constant over his Dr. Michael Gomez, former many years at the Prep. His work principal. with the Chronicle Literary Magazine, Student Assistance Program Mr. O’Brien was at the Prep for and golf moderator give him the seven decades, starting as a opportunity to reach out to student in the 1950s, graduating students outside of his classroom and returning to teach in the 1960s where he can share his insights and serving faithfully ever since. and care for the whole person.” He arrived at the Prep after a few years teaching at Scranton Prep Mr. O’Brien and Jo are proud and has dazzled generations of parents of three daughters and Preppers with his engaging now very active grandparents. In teaching style and his enthusiasm the summer, “Pop Pop Obie” is the for the material. Mr. O’Brien has primary babysitter for the kids, a the gift of passionately teaching labor of love that he relishes. students to articulate their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. In typical fashion, Mr. O’Brien He has motivated them to bring summed up his retirement their ideas to life. In addition, decision very well: “After some Mr. O’Brien has also passed on a consideration over the last few love of theatre to many students; weeks, Jo and I have become for many, his class trips and extra comfortable with this decision credit opportunities lead them to and are ready to move on to life the theatre for the first time. together in retirement. This is a big move, for the Prep is and will In a nomination for Philadelphia’s always be a big part of my life. I “Teacher of the Year” program, plan now to retire from teaching, which O’Brien won, Dr. Gomez but I will never put the school summarized O’Brien this way: “he behind me. I am a Prepper for is always more than willing to life.” express himself, quite often in the most creative and eccentric
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Ed Turner ’00 [second from right] takes over as Director of Admission. Here he is with the Admission Staff: [l-r] Brian McCloskey ’91, Director of Financial Aid; Bethanne Mascio, Admission Counselor; and Andrew Kelly ’08, Alumni Service Corps
Turner Named Admission Director Ed Turner ’00 was named the next Director of Admission and began working in the position in June following graduation. Turner took over from Jason Zazyczny ’90 who became the new principal this summer (see pg 15). “Ed embodies the mission of the Prep and is a dedicated alumnus,” says Zazyczny, who headed the search for his replacement. “Ed, who has served the Prep in many ways over the years, is committed to the Prep and our students. I believe that he will be an excellent representative to our prospective students and families as they go through our competitive admission process. I admire Ed’s compassion and attentiveness and look forward to working closely with him.” Turner was an all-Catholic in football and baseball at the Prep and then went to the College of the Holy Cross, where he was captain of the baseball team in 2004. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in Classics. Since then, he has taught in the Classics Department at the Prep, first as a member of the Alumni Service Corps and then a full-time member of the faculty. In addition, Turner has served as an assistant football and baseball coach and was a teacher for the school’s Camp Magis program for talented students from Catholic elementary schools in North Philadelphia and Camden. “I’m thrilled for the opportunity to serve the school that I love in a different way,” says Turner, who also holds a Master of Arts in Classical Studies degree from Villanova University. “I am enjoying the work so far and am excited to be working with our new principal as well as the talented and committed admissions staff.” THE PREP NEWS
PREP NEWS
C l a s s o f 1 9 6 2 50
th
Reunion
SCANLAN NAMED CFO
In June, Richard J. “Rick” Scanlan began his tenure as the next Chief Financial Officer, taking over the position vacated by Tim O’Shaughnessy, who left in March to become the CFO at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Scanlan was selected by President Rev. George W. Bur, S.J. ’59 and a committee consisting of members of the Prep Board of Trustees. “Talented individuals, like Rick Scanlan, with great experience, continue to step forward to assist the Prep,” says Fr. Bur. “I am excited to welcome Mr. Scanlan, who already lives out the Prep motto by being a man for and with others, to his role at the Prep as our Chief
Financial Officer. I am deeply grateful to him for his energetic commitment to our mission.” Prior to his arrival at the Prep, Scanlan spent 20 years with Dopaco, Inc., an Exton-based manufacturer and distributor to the foodservice industry. During his time there, Scanlan began as a Corporate Controller before ascending to Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Finance. While there, Scanlan developed and managed a staff with efficient operations, sound insight and strong business skills. During his tenure, sales at Dopaco increased from $119 million to $450 million. Scanlan was also responsible for preparing strategic plans and helping the company expand. “I’m really excited to be part of an organization that not only has a great history but also has a bright future,” says Scanlan. “I see my
role as being able to help ensure that future by making sound financial decisions today.” Scanlan also appreciates the Prep’s Jesuit mission, saying that “working at a place with a mission like the Prep’s is very important to me at this stage in my career.” A resident of Ridley Park, Scanlan and his wife Bethann have three children (two daughters Lindsi and Maura and a son JB). A graduate of St. James High School in Chester and Penn State University, Scanlan is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of Certified Public Accountants and is on the Board of CADES (formerly United Cerebral Palsy of Delaware County). The Scanlans are members of the St. Madeline’s Parish in Ridley Park and their youngest daughter Maura will be a freshman at Saint Joseph’s University in the fall.
O’Shaughnessy Moves to Archdiocese Timothy O’Shaughnessy left the Prep in the spring after nearly four years as the school’s chief financial officer. In April, O’Shaughnessy became the new CFO for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “Administrators and trustees alike relied on Tim’s expertise and good judgment,” says President Rev. George W. Bur, S.J. ’59. “While we will miss him and the Prep is indebted to him for his service to us, I wish him well in his position with the Archdiocese.” Tim came to the Prep in 2008 after 18 years with Aramark. In his three and a half years at the helm of the Prep’s finance office, Tim brought stability to the department and re-inspired confidence in its performance. During his time here, the Finance Office was restructured and a new software system was implemented, making records more readily available. “I loved my time here at the Prep,” says O’Shaughnessy, who remains a member of the Prep community because his son Aidan is part of the Class of 2016. “I have often said that this has been the favorite job I’ve had but, right now, there’s a need there and I feel pulled to help with that need.” SUMMER 2012
5
HAWKTION 2012
2012
MOTHERS’ CLUB FASHION SHOW 2012
6
THE PREP NEWS
PREP NEWS
FALCONE TAKES OVER BASEBALL PROGRAM Joe Falcone ’91, chairman of the Prep math department, was named the new baseball coach, succeeding Chris Rupertus, who stepped down in May after 11 seasons and two Catholic League titles. “I’m excited about the opportunity to take over for Chris and build on the success that we’ve had,” says Falcone, who served as an assistant with the program for two years. “My goal for this program is to continue to strive for excellence every season.” Prior to returning to the Prep to teach in 2007, Falcone had been a member of the faculty and the baseball coaching staff at La Salle College High School for nine years, including being part of the Explorers’ 2005 Catholic League championship team.
Honoring Morris [2nd from right] with a game ball are Rev. George Bur, S.J. ’59, Dr. Michael Gomez (former principal) and Jim Murray ’59 (Athletics Director) .
MORRIS WINS 900 This season, basketball coach Bill “Speedy” Morris recorded the 900th win of his career in a win over his alma mater, Roman Catholic. Morris has had an outstanding career. In his 43 years of coaching at the high school and college level, he has compiled a record of 904-388. He holds the most wins in the history of St. Joe’s Prep (235-73) and La Salle University
“With his experience, I am confident that Joe
(239-202) and best winning percentage for Roman and
is very qualified to take over our baseball team
La Salle women. His eight Catholic League titles rank him
and look forward to many years of success,”
at the top of the record books and last year he became the all-
says Athletic Director Jim Murray ’59. “
time winningest high school coach in Philadelphia history.
Falcone, who was a first-team all-Catholic selection as a senior, played his college ball at Holy Cross, where he was the starting second baseman for three seasons. He also played eight seasons for the Narberth Tribe in the Delco Semipro Baseball League.
This year, Morris added a City Championship to his resume as the Prep won the District XII championship after advancing to the Catholic League championship game.
Joe's brother Nick was a member of the Prep's Class of 1995 and his mother Angie was a longtime member of the school's Development Office. Murray also paid tribute to Rupertus. “I am grateful to Chris for all of the work that he put into our program over his tenure,” says Murray. “He brought two Catholic League titles after 80 years without one and he deserves a lot of credit for that.” In his 11 seasons at the Prep helm, Rupertus compiled a record of 151-112, was
St . Jo s eph ’s Pr ep 235-73 (11 yrs.) 2 league championships 1 city championship 4 division titles Winningest coach in SJP history R om a n C a t hol i c 347-82 (14 yrs.) 6 championships 8 division titles Best winning % of any RC coach
twice named Catholic League Red Division Coach of the Year (2007, 2008) and was named Southeastern PA Coach of the Year by The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2007. During his tenure, the Prep won two Catholic League titles (2007 and 2008), four
Pe nn Ch ar t er 41-14 (2 yrs.) 1 Inter-Ac Championship
La Sa l le Wo m en 43-17 (2 yrs.) 1 MAAC Championship 1 NCAA Appearance Best winning % of any La Salle women’s coach L a S a l le M e n 239-202 (15 yrs.) 4 MAAC Championships 2 NIT appearances 4 NCAA appearances Winningest coach in La Salle history
division titles (2006-09) and the 2009 PIAA AAAA District XII Championship.
Follow the Prep Online!
The team and Morris Family celebrate
Visit us on the web at: www.sjprep.org Follow St. Joe’s Prep on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sjprep Become a fan: www.facebook.com/sjprep SUMMER 2012
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FEATURE STORY
KEEPING
the Faith
BY
BILL AVINGTON ’90
THE CHURCH
IN
DISASTER.
SCANDALS, SCHOOL AND PARISH CLOS-
SEX
2012
SEEMS ON THE BRINK OF
INGS, INVESTIGATIONS, LOW ATTENDANCE AT
MASS
AND DWINDLING VOCATIONS ARE ALL HEADLINES IN THE NEWS.
IT
SEEMS AS IF THE FAITHFUL ARE HIT
WITH NEGATIVE NEWS STORIES ON A DAILY BASIS.
Is this all new? Hardly, according to Rev. Otto Hentz, S.J. ’55, who quotes an English Dominican who said, “crisis in the church is la specialite de la maison, it is the specialty of the house.” Fr. Hentz points to stories in the Acts of the Apostles that detail early church disagreements. “Controversy started, it seems, on day one, for obvious reasons,” he says. “We are talking about deep stuff, the mystery of God, the possibility of salvation. It’s not a surprise that it gets to people.” The questions are difficult…what are the challenges facing the Catholic Church and how can we keep the faith? To answer, we went to a few Prep grads who are also well-respected priests and theologians. (cont., p. 10)
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THE PREP NEWS
FEATURE STORY
A
IN FORMATION: LONGSIDE OUR MAIN STORY, WE ARE
FEATURING
PREP GRADUATES
CURRENTLY
IN TRAINING FOR THE PRIESTHOOD.
TIM CASEY
’99
Tim Casey ’99 will take his vows this year to become a Jesuit scholastic. The process leading up to this has been deliberative, full of prayer and reflection and eagerly anticipated. Tim, more than anything else, wants to be a Jesuit and “find God in everyday life.” His experience at the Prep was very positive; he was drawn to the academic, athletic, and spiritual regimentation. Although his vocational calling didn`t come until his mid 20`s, in retrospect the influence of priests such as Rev. David A. Sauter, S.J., and Rev. Joseph Michini, S.J., men he greatly admired, had a subliminal effect. Upon graduation from the Prep and Holy Cross, he taught Latin at Scranton Prep. After getting his Masters in Classical Languages from Boston College, Tim had a seminal experience that redirected his life. A close friend from Holy Cross, who was now in the Society, asked Tim to accompany him on a missionary trip to Jamaica. While working at St George`s College in a youth summer camp with other Jesuits, he began to see the good work of the Jesuits and the meaningful results that these efforts produced. Reflectively, Tim began a three-year discernment talking with vocational counselors and spiritual directors. Having experienced many aspects of life – dating, college, starting a career – he felt mature enough to make one of the most important decisions of his life. At the age of 28, he entered the Jesuit Novitiate in Syracuse, NY. His most meaningful experience to date has been the six months spent in Micronesia. He worked alongside three other Jesuits who had just recently started a Jesuit high school on the island of Yap located about 1,000 miles northeast of the Philippines. It is a fishing society with minimal exposure to the outside world. In Tim`s words, “this is the most significant experience of my life. The kids of Yap really have touched my heart.” His last two years have been full of “richness. They have been prayerful, abundant in spiritual development, and inspiring,” Casey says. “I have had many opportunities to be with people at their happiest and saddest moments. Over the course of the novitiate, I have worked as a nurse’s aide in a hospice center in the Bronx, went to Bolivia to learn Spanish, and taught and coached high school students in Micronesia. This summer I am doing an eight-day retreat, and then to Chicago to study philosophy.”
Casey with students in Micronesa
“It’s a long road but I am confident that God is calling me to be a Jesuit priest,” Casey says. “Although these are troubled times for our world and our church, we know that God is with us and inspires us to respond creatively to the needs of our world.” Referencing the intellectual curiosity that he developed at the Prep, Tim has never stopped questioning the “whats” and “whys” of life. No doubt, this was his first step on his priestly journey. – Tom Lyons ’60
Tom, the father of three Prep grads (T.J. ’87, Drew ’89 and Sean ’93), is the author of You Can’t Get to Heaven on the Frankford El (magispress.com).
SUMMER 2012
9
PREP NEWS
Keeping the Faith (continued)
DISCONNECT
IN FORMATION:
CHRIS GERAGHTY
’03
By the time you read this, Chris Geraghty ’03 will be part of the new class in the Jesuit Novitiate in Syracuse. Were it not for former Prep President Rev. Bruce Bidinger, S.J., Chris’ path may have been different.
For Fr. Hentz, a theologian at Georgetown University, the issue most challenging to the church is a disconnect between church officials and the laity. “The main challenge is the clerical culture,” he says. “All of the decisions and moves are made by the bishops. We need to get inside their conversations with one another so they have a strong sense of legitimate disagreements on the issues.” Decisions are reached by church leaders – bishops and priests – with varied levels of input from the laity. Fr. Hentz thinks that is a mistake. “We need to broaden the conversation and realize that people can agree on moral judgments but disagree on public policy.”
“Just out of the gate, I was probably leaning towards the (St. Charles) seminary and stay based in Philadelphia,” says Geraghty. “Through spiritual direction with Fr. Bidinger and him having me over weekly for dinner with the other Jesuits, getting to know the community, that was the final piece that solidified the call to the Jesuits for me.” Geraghty has spent the past five years searching for that calling. After graduating from John Carroll University, he spent two stints in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. First he was a financial crisis case manager with Catholic Charities in San Antonio. When he found that kind of work unfulfilling, he did his second year in Syracuse. Again he worked with Catholic Charities but this time he worked at a neighborhood center in an impoverished section of the city. The round-the-clock work there, ranging from a food pantry to pre-K classes and after-school recreation, was exactly what he wanted. Not that his experience in San Antonio was worthless. It was there, living on the property of a Jesuit parish with only Jesuits as neighbors, where he first began to think about becoming a priest. Geraghty then came back to the Delaware Valley, starting a Master of Education program at Cabrini College while working for Education Works (partner of Americorps) as a teacher’s aide in Southwest Philadelphia. He then taught 8th grade social studies and math at Our Mother of Sorrows in West Philadelphia. Last winter, he began actively seeking out information about the priesthood, reaching out to the vocation director at St. Charles and the vocation office for the Society of Jesus. Though he originally thought the diocesan seminary was for him, spending time with Fr. Bidinger and the other Jesuits convinced him of where to go to follow his call. “After my time in San Antonio and the more time I spent with the Jesuits at SJU and at other formal events, I saw myself living that life,” he says. “They brought the society to life and made it very attractive.”
While Fr. Hentz acknowledges the dwindling numbers at Sunday Mass, he thinks that those who leave do so reluctantly. “There is an erosion of trust but I feel that it has come with great reluctance,” he says. “I don’t believe the faithful are anxious to dismember the church. However, I feel that we sometimes have an authority that seems more concerned with the church as an institution than as a faith community.” When students approach him about leaving the faith, he tells them to keep their focus on the real mission of the church. “I use a baseball analogy and tell my students to keep their eyes on the strike zone,” Fr. Hentz says. “In the beginning and the end, it’s about the love of God and neighbor. Our liturgy celebrates the Gospel, reminds us of the messages of Jesus Christ and challenges us to live our lives differently.” Fr. Hentz points to Fr. Otto Hentz ’55 many successful missions rooted in the Gospel. “The church is involved in all sorts of social justice activities, adoption agencies, issues of war and peace, health care, relief services,” he says. “These are all remarkable ways that we, as a church, implement the values of the Gospel in our world.” Giving Fr. Hentz hope for the future are the students he works with at Georgetown. “I find that students today are very reflective people and are very much interested in issues of spirituality,” he says. “The challenge that we have is to tap into it, to awaken it and have them be self-conscious about it.” And he has ready advice for them. “I always encourage my students to celebrate the Eucharist, listen to the Gospel and pray,” says Fr. Hentz. “The Gospel is good news and supports us, embraces us. The Gospel centers us, like music. There are a lot of notes in our lives and it can become a racket. The Gospel is our melody. You can handle life’s complexity if you have a centering vision.”
And his days studying at the Prep helped him too. “There is definitely a strong Ignatian identity at the Prep, everywhere from the academics to extracurricular activities such as athletics and drama,” says Geraghty. “But, for me, it is really reflected in the men of the Society who have been there, men like Fr. (Bruce) Maivelett and Fr. (David) Sauter and Fr. Bidinger. Their presence and involvement set the tone. For me, even if it wasn’t something I felt called to, it is something that was instilled in me during those years.”
MAINTAIN “GOSPEL AUTHENTICITY”
Geraghty has felt overwhelming support from his family, including his father Paul who is the chairman of the Prep’s Board of Trustees. “I told my parents and brothers pretty soon after I started the discernment process and they were extremely supportive and my close friends are the same way,” he says. “I know that I am fortunate.” – Bill Avington ’90 10
Rev. James Conn, S.J. ’66 spends much of his time educating priests and sees the current church crises through that prism. Fr. Jim Conn ’66
THE PREP NEWS
PREP NEWS
IN FORMATION: “While I would say that the church in the United States has done a good job in teaching the faith, it is really in governance where mistakes have been made,” says Fr. Conn, Ordinary Professor of Canon Law at Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and a Visiting Professor of Canon Law at Boston College. “I feel that people who are falling away over the latest crises are not repudiating their faith but are really abandoning the Church over governance errors.” And that makes little sense to him, a boy raised in Northeast Philadelphia who would never have considered such a thing. “My formation was strong and I would never dream of abandoning the faith,” he says. “I think it’s a terrible shame.” Though he acknowledges the problems in the church (“if the church had been less concerned with sullying its reputation with the abuse cases and taken the proper disciplinary steps to resolve them, we could have already recovered from this”), he urges Catholics to differentiate between matters of faith and matters of governance. He encourages those questioning their faith to look for role models within the Catholic community. “I ask them to identify people in the church who were important to their faith formation,” he says. “That can help them remember what is central about their faith and give them something to hold onto in times of distress.” While others question those in authority in the church, Fr. Conn is often uplifted by the priests, bishops, seminarians and lay Catholics he meets and works with in Rome and at BC. “If I ever had a crisis of confidence in the church, it would be remedied through my work,” he says. “I don’t care about the numbers of Catholics as much as perhaps others do. If people want to leave, I hope they inform and follow their conscience. For those who remain, however, we may emerge as a stronger church.” Fr. Conn points to a secular atmosphere that makes faith in the church difficult. “We live in a world that is more secular and critical of all religion,” he says. “What the world promotes often runs up against gospel principles, and Catholics may be too inclined to compromise their faith for secular values.” “Church policy is not democratic but that does not mean that everyone shouldn’t exercise his or her particular role,” he adds. “Not everything is a matter of principle. There are ways to govern that are sensitive to the concerns of those who want to be heard.” For Fr. Conn, the biggest challenge to the church is “maintaining the authenticity of the Gospel message and doing so in a way that makes sense to the people of the church.”
“THAT DOESN’T MEAN MY FAITH IS NO GOOD” Recent governing decisions have forced people to lose their faith in the Catholic Church and that saddens Msgr. Paul DiGirolomo ’75, Pastor of Old St. Mary’s Church in Old City Philadelphia and a Judicial Vicar for the Metropolitan Tribunal of the Msgr. Paul DiGirolomo ’75 Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “If a person at Morgan Stanley makes a mistake, it doesn’t mean that we should lose our faith in the financial system,” he says. “I feel the same way about the church. If a person within the church hierarchy makes a mistake, that doesn’t mean that my faith is no good.”
VINNY MARCHIONNI, S.J. ’04 The Chapel of St. Joseph on the SJU campus is a gorgeous place with windows that bring in natural light. The feel is modern with a reverence for the spirit. It is also the place where Vinny Marchionni ’04 heard his calling. About to enter his sophomore year at St. Joe’s, Marchionni was not considering a vocation to the priesthood. As a student at the Prep, Marchionni often questioned his faith, even going so far as to consider himself a deist, believing in a God who “was like a clock master, winding everything up and letting it go. I didn’t believe that God had an active part in my life.” Until that summer day in the Chapel of St. Joseph, when Rev. Gerard McGlone, S.J. ’75 spoke about the University’s Jesuit ideals and mission. It was not aimed at vocations. Fr. McGlone does not remember it being all that inspiring. But God was speaking to Vinny that day through Fr. McGlone. “I had a major religious experience right there in the middle of that talk,” says Marchionni. “Fr. McGlone was giving a talk on, what I like to call, the ‘Jesuits Greatest Hits,’ about Ignatius, the Spiritual Exercises, etc., and I realized that I wanted to be a part of this, that I wanted to be like these guys who get it so well. I got very excited and was filled with peace.” From there, Marchionni sought out other Jesuits, including Rev. Rick Malloy, S.J. ’73, Rev. Phil Florio, S.J., ’83 and Rev. Al Jenneman, S.J., all of whom were teaching and working at the University then. “Fr. Malloy, in particular, gave me good advice,” Marchionni says. “He asked me about my prayer life and I told him that I didn’t really have one. He said, ‘if you want to be a part of the Society of Jesus, then you have to know Jesus.’ He also encouraged me to read the Gospel, any Gospel and see what happens.” Marchionni picked the Gospel of Luke and it changed his life. “My mind was blown,” he says. “I was reading it through a fresh set of eyes and I read it cover to cover.” He entered the Society right after college and is now in his fourth year, having completed the second year of philosophy at Saint Louis University. All of a sudden, the guy who at 16 was questioning his faith was now a Jesuit. “My faith was screwy in high school but I owe a debt of gratitude to the Prep’s religious studies department,” he says. “They helped my faith mature. It wasn’t just answering catechism questions but we studied the history of the faith, the scriptures, to question and to probe. Without that, I doubt that I would have been ready to hear my calling in college.” Marchionni is unsure of where his vocation is headed. Though he entered anticipating a career in education, either at the high school or college level, he has experienced many other things during his four years, especially during the novice experiments. Still, he believes that high schools are such an important place for the Order. “The most important thing that schools can do is to help students figure out their vocation, whatever that is,” he says. “We need to find the place where God is calling them to use their talents.” When reminded that the Prep currently has nine men in formation, he laughed. “Obviously the Prep is doing a very good job of that.” – Bill Avington ’90
SUMMER 2012
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Keeping the Faith (continued) PREP NEWS
IN FORMATION:
SALVATORE PROFACI ’06 As a young altar server, Salvatore Profaci ’06 never felt called to the priesthood. His parish priests were Trappist monks and their quiet, reserved nature did not appeal to him. That all changed when he met the Jesuits at the Prep. While most students try to stay out of the principal’s office, Sal and some friends actually chose to hang out in the office of Rev. Thomas Clifford, S.J., the principal during Sal’s final two years. “What kids go to the principal’s office after school,” Profaci asks with a laugh. “But the Jesuits were different, so charismatic and engaging.” Profaci has finished his first year of studies with the Jesuits and has enjoyed so much of it. “I have liked the exposure to many different ministries, many different aspects of life in the order,” he says. Already, in just a short time, he completed a 30-day silent retreat of the Spiritual Exercises, went to Boliva to study Spanish at the Maryknoll Language Institute, worked twice a week at a food pantry in Syracuse and recently spent time in New York for a ministry with cancer patients. Prior to his time in the Jesuits, he taught English as a second language and worked in Campus Ministry. All intrigue him. “I can see myself doing almost any of these things.” During his time at the Prep, Profaci’s faith matured thanks to interactions with Jesuits such as Fr. Clifford but also laymen such as Sam Deitch, Director of the Ignatian Service Office. “I saw the Jesuits and those who worked with them as people who constantly engage others and also ask questions. I feel as if Jesuits live out the gospel message in a very real way.” Profaci took to the Prep’s mission of being a man for and with others with gusto. Since graduation, he spent time in Burma working with the Jesuit community there before having to leave the country because it was too volatile. He also attended a vigil at the School of the Americas, an event that made a huge impression on him. “When I was there and saw the names of all of the Jesuits killed in El Salvador, I thought about what would I die for and who would I die for, what did I want my life to be,” he says. “More and more, that meant the Jesuit life.” He believes that seed was planted at the Prep. “There is something very special about the Prep, that dedication to civic engagement and community service,” Profaci says. “The Catholic identity there is so strong and acted upon in a realistic, worldly way. The teachers and staff at the Prep are so welcoming and nurturing. It is not a coincidence that so many Preppers are currently studying for the priesthood. I know that I would not be here if it weren’t for the Prep.” Profaci says that the priests he met changed his life. “The Jesuits at the Prep and at Saint Joseph’s University helped to show me that there was a way to lead a strong Christian life but one different than I had originally imagined,” he says. “Despite all of the challenges and all of the obstacles, it became very realistic to me. They gave me the chance to put my money where my mouth was and truly live my faith.” – Bill Avington ’90
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Like Fr. Conn, Msgr. DiGirolomo sees the creeping in of secularism affecting the church. “Fifty years ago or so, there was more of a Catholic culture and religion was valued in our society,” he says. “As our world becomes more secular, oftentimes that support system has changed.” Though some see the current church as very top-heavy, with a few making decisions for the many, Msgr. DiGirolomo thinks that lay involvement in the church has never been stronger. “In many ways, people play a greater role in church life than ever before,” he says. “Because of that, especially at the parish level, their voice and opinion are coming through more often.” But he also cautions that faith is not a democratic ideal. “Faith is not a consensus statement, it’s a matter of creed,” Msgr. DiGirolomo says. “The important thing is to remind all of us what is essential in the faith and put things into perspective.” As a pastor, especially at a classic Old City church like St. Mary’s, Msgr. DiGirolomo is heartened by seeing young couples utilizing the church for important events in their lives such as weddings and baptisms. “It’s always a confirmation for me that so many people are doing the basics and doing it well,” he says. “These couples come together, date, fall in love and want to build a life together and they want that marriage to start in the church and in their faith. I am inspired by it.” Msgr. DiGirolomo worries that those who leave the church are now adrift. “Our faith grows and nourishes by dealing with the faith of others,” he says. “We need each other and no one is alone in this. Our modern world makes us think that we are alone but we are truly interdependent. What we say or do affects others. In some ways, we’ve lost the sense of a common good for the benefit of the all.”
“A LACK OF CIVILITY”
Fr. Charlie Currie ’48 [above and right]
Rev. Charles Currie, S.J. ’48, former President of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities who currently works with the Jesuit Commons Initiative, sees both the church and society as missing something very important. “The lack of civility in the church mirrors the lack of civility in our politics,” he says. “We lack the ability to disagree agreeably. That makes it difficult to address a lot of our serious problems.” Fr. Currie says this lack of dialogue is a hindrance to solving problems. “If you automatically dismiss an idea different from your own, you lose the opportunity to learn and engage in a constructive dialogue,” he says. “In dealing with the serious problems of today we need the best ideas from many different perspectives.” And he says that the recent sex abuse scandal and cover up have compromised trust, authority, and leadership in the church. “The church has a real credibility problem here, and the difference between exercising authority and practicing effective leadership is often obvious. Equally problematic are the perception and sometimes the reality that the church is not a friendly place for women, especially strong, intelligent women,” Fr. Currie says. “The church has to find better ways to incorporate the gifts, talents, and voices of women.” But, he advises against “painting ourselves into a dark, black corner where everything is wrong with the church. There are some wonderful things
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PREP NEWS happening.” Fr. Currie points to the increase in lay leadership in schools, parishes and organizations. Currently, 9 of the 28 Jesuit college/university presidents have lay presidents in a new century often described as the “century of the laity.” There is also a real hunger for spirituality. “Both developments relate back to Vatican II and its insistence on every Christian, by virtue of his/her baptism, having a role to play in the life of the Church.” Fr. Currie says that he can still identify strongly with the ideals of the church and the Society of Jesus. “The ideals are still important to me,” he says. “They are not always practiced, but they can continue to inspire us to do better.” He agrees with Msgr. DiGirolomo about the need for community. “I feel fortunate that I have always had kindred spirits with me on my journey and have never felt alone,” Fr. Currie says. “I think it is very difficult for anybody to practice a solitary faith. We have to have a community of sisters and brothers in the faith.” Like many of his fellow priests, Fr. Currie finds inspiration in the Gospels where abstract ideals come alive. He also values role models in the faith. “We Jesuits have been blessed with role models for superior generals like Pedro Arrupe, Peter Hans Kolvenbach and now Adolfo Nicolas. Since 1975, we have had close to 50 Jesuits give their lives for a faith that does justice. We have the great witness of American nuns as evident in the extraordinary exhibit, Women and Spirit. We have been inspired by Archbishop Romero, Cardinal Bernardin, and so many others. You can even go back to Ignatius himself. The church he had to deal with was pretty awful, but he never lost sight of the ideal.” He also finds inspiration on today’s campuses. “For all of the challenges and controversies, there are many more good things happening: various forms of the Spiritual Exercises, student concern for careful stewardship of creation, immersion experiences linking developed and developing worlds, generous commitments to service and to justice, as for example, in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and the Ignatian Solidarity Network,” he says. “A great antidote for discouragement or pessimism is to spend some time in our schools or on our campuses.”
IN FORMATION:
A.J. RIZZO, S.J.
’99
In some respects, A.J. Rizzo, S.J. ’99 becoming a Jesuit is no surprise at all. After all, he has felt connected to them since he was 12 years old. “The first time I met them, in seventh grade, I knew I wanted to be like them,” says Rizzo. “I don’t know that I would have said that I had a vocation to be a Jesuit back then but I definitely wanted what they had.” And he is following that path. Since graduating from college, Rizzo has immersed himself in the Jesuit world, first as part of the Alumni Service Corps at the Prep and then as a teacher at Loyola Blakefield. He loved that life but wanted more, even though the path he was considering was counter-cultural. “We live in a time when people think that someone who takes a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience can’t be happy,” he says. “But the more I was around men like (Rev. Joseph) Michini and others like him, I realized that was exactly what made me happy.” That is not to say that life cannot be difficult. Rizzo is only halfway through a journey that will take 10 or 11 years to complete. That, combined with the almost daily negative headlines about priests and society’s distrust, can make it hard but Rizzo knows that he is on the right path. “A very wise Jesuit once told me that there have been nights when he questioned his calling but never a morning,” says Rizzo. “Life can be hard but that’s true whether you are single, married or a Jesuit. While being a Jesuit can be hard sometimes, that is no reason to run away from it. I love the Society, I love the church and I love my life.” For now, Rizzo is teaching English and religion at Scranton Prep. It is work that satisfies him. Support from his family and friends sustain him. “I really feel blessed to have family and friends who just want me to be happy,” he says. “So many of my friends are still my Prep friends and they understand it immediately, mostly because they have the same point of reference with the Jesuits that I do.” And Rizzo hopes to be inspiration for a new generation of high schoolers, just like men such as Michini and Rev. Ryan Maher, S.J., were for him. “Looking back, all of the adults in the building were great role models for me and I draw upon that every day,” he says. “I know that there are young men and women that I work with who are called to religious life. It’s really just a matter of paying attention and believing that it is possible. That is the shared responsibility for all of us, to help our students hear the call of God to whatever vocation they choose.” – Bill Avington ’90 Mr. Rizzo with students at Scranton Prep
SUMMER 2012
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PREP NEWS
FAREWELL Dr. Gomez BY SUSIE COOK
boss, my mentor, and my friend, and it is time for him to move on. Soon we are looking at one of the six black appointment books that he pulls from a box. There’s the week of June 19, 2006, and a lot of white space. Then there’s the week of June 26, 2006, and no white space, just the blue ink of appointments, interviews and meetings that marked Gomez’ new life as Principal and a new Prep era.
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t’s the Wednesday after graduation, and this time I am in the Principal’s office not to talk to Mike Gomez about my classes, my next Ignatian retreat, or my summer A.P. workshop. This time, Staples storage boxes surround his desk. It’s been six years here at 17th and Girard for my
Since then, countless students, faculty and staff have listened to Gomez talk about our call to set the world on fire, and then see him ignite it himself. Coffee in hand, he was a man on a mission—and it’s no small mission to renew a school and community’s sense of self. He wasted no time. Just after the June of his arrival, members from across the Prep community discussed and revised the school’s mission statement, which was soon framed and mounted in every classroom. That September, we learned there would be a new school-wide morning prayer over the loudspeaker in homeroom to begin the day, when everyone in the building – everyone – stopped what they were doing. Gomez also
asked the faculty to begin each class with prayer—most likely Ignatius’ Prayer of Generosity. At first, some didn’t know what hit us with this mission so in front of us. To develop the hearts, minds and souls of young men – and to do so in the spirit of cura personalis, striving for the magis – this was the ever ancient and ever new St. Joe’s Prep. This was Gomez time. Today, I am the one asking him the sorts of questions he often asked me. The simplest questions are the most profound. How are you? What’s on your mind? So I ask him how he felt in his first few days here, and now, six years later, how he feels in his last. “I was never a boss before,” says Gomez, 38, the Prep’s infamous Mets fan. “I didn’t know the culture of the school, so I was experiencing a double socialization, learning to manage people and learning the culture. I was 32 years old and idealistic and had a lot of anxiety about leading a place so well-known and revered. I prayed a lot. I prayed for courage, commitment to doing it 100 percent and never letting up. And I prayed for gratitude that people were willing to take a chance on a 32-year old. “Now, the gratitude piece is still there. I think the one thing I could say now is that I did my best. I love this place, I love the people, I love the history; I would say there’s no way I could take a leap of faith in creating a school like Cristo Rey if not for here.” Gomez pauses. “There’s a sadness to it. It’s
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I always felt blessed to have Michael as Principal for the first four years of my tenure as President. His commitment to our boys and his tireless work to ensure a top-notch education was a comfort to me. He acted prayerfully and carefully through the many decisions he faced. I am excited for him as he embarks on his new endeavor at Cristo Rey and wish him the best. The Prep is better for having had him with us for these years.” – REV. GEORGE W. BUR, S.J. ’59, PRESIDENT
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THE PREP NEWS
PREP NEWS hard to say goodbye to people you love.” In his tenure, Gomez worked tirelessly to sustain mission-driven education and formation. If your plan fueled the mission, he supported it. On his resume, you will see that he completed a Middle States Interim Evaluation, successfully led a revision of Policies and Procedures and launched a much-needed (and ongoing) curriculum review. Translation: he expected professional excellence and helped us help ourselves get there. The sense of community cultivated among faculty and staff will remain palpable. And there’s more. Gomez also worked towards his doctorate from Penn and led the faculty and staff softball team to a championship in 2009. And he and his wife, Sarah, have two beautiful children. Tessa is now 4. Peter is 2. These are all special accomplishments, but not the one Dr. Gomez wants to note as a stand-out on this sunny Wednesday. “Meeting one on one with the students stands out. There were a lot of kids who needed someone to talk to, who needed encouragement, who needed to be pushed, so the cura personalis part of the job is what I truly loved. I got to see the story behind the student and on the other side, he saw me as a person who cares about him. He didn’t just see my title. “I went to a Jesuit high school and had a Jesuit telling me that it’s my job to change the world. At 14 years old, I believed him. My job here was to convince our guys that they could do that, too.” Six years ago, in mid-June, I had just finished my first year of teaching at the Prep and was somewhere between London and Budapest, backpacking with two dear friends to discover Europe—the cathedrals and catacombs in Paris, the canals of Venice, the ice caves near Salzburg. I saw new horizons, labyrinths and depths, and felt moved and inspired by this unfamiliar territory. I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but this trip would be an apt metaphor for my next six years at the Prep, when a new boss would call me to discover an awesome and new geography, a self beyond my own powers of vision. Because of Gomez’s leadership, I have explored my own leadership vistas in JSEA seminars and conferences, I have attended retreats and forums to discover the powerful utility of Ignatian spirituality, and – dare I say – I have felt truly loved by a boss who, early on, told me it was my job to change the world. When I heard that, by the way, it sounded preposterous, so I laughed. When he didn’t, continued on page 16 SUMMER 2012
HELLO MR. Z!
Zazyczny takes reins of alma mater In September 1986, Jason M. Zazyczny ’90 walked into the Prep front doors as a freshman. Twenty-six years later, he walks through those same doors, this time as principal of the school that he loves. Zazyczny, 40, was named principal of his alma mater by President Rev. George W. Bur, S.J. ’59 in January after a three-month search to replace Dr. Michael Gomez, who completed a six-year tenure in June and will be the founding principal of Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School. The search, chaired by Rev. Bruce Maivelett, S.J., was a national one. Dozens of resumes were examined and several were interviewed. It all turned out to be moot…the perfect candidate already had an office just a few feet from where the principal sits. “We are very excited to have Jason here and for him to lead us for years to come,” says Fr. Bur. “Jason’s enJASON ZAZYCZNY ’90 thusiasm and knowledge of the Prep will be a great help to him as we move forward.”
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That familiarity makes Zazyczny a perfect selection but don’t expect Zazyczny to just try to keep the status quo. “I know the Prep and its people,” he says. “I understand its traditions and I take pride in its history. However, I understand the need for flexibility and change.” Though there have been brief forays outside of the school (a year working in Residence Life at the University of Scranton, a semester teaching at Devon Prep and 16 months in the Jesuit Novitiate), Zazyczny has been a stalwart at the Prep. He started as a replacement for then ailing Rev. J. Vincent Taggart, ironically his freshman homeroom and history teacher who once asked all students how to spell Zazyczny as an extra credit question. After a few years in the classroom, he moved into Ad-
I know the Prep and its people. I understand its traditions and I take pride in its history. However, I understand the need for flexibility and change.”
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Zazyczny is a man of great loyalty who doesn’t stray far. He still lives in Port Richmond, in the house that was his grandmother’s, just a few blocks from the childhood home he shared with his parents and five siblings, including twin brother Justin ’90. And he is still at the Prep, serving an institution that means everything to him. “I grew to love the Prep very quickly as a student and have continued to cherish it as a teacher and administrator,” says Zazyczny. “I cannot think of another institution or community that I would choose to work with and serve.”
missions, first as an Assistant to longtime Prep administrator Al Zimmerman ’73 and, for the past eight years, as Director. It is there where Zazyczny has made the biggest difference. “I had an amazing experience teaching here and I feel that made me a good administrator,” he says. “It gave me a sense for the type of student who would do well here.” And his middle class roots give him a unique perspective. “I know how important it was for me to have the chance to come to the Prep and I never want to lose a student because his family is unable to pay,” he says. “Having an economic diversity is so important. It really makes the Prep what it is and I don’t want us to lose that.” – BILL AVINGTON ’90
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STUDENT PROFILE
PAUL JOHNSON ’13 There is one overwhelming image of Paul Johnson ’13 from this year. As part of the Prep student section at the Palestra during the Catholic League championship game, Johnson proved indispensible. As the Neumann-Goretti foul shooter stepped to the line, the students all sat. Standing alone was Johnson wearing a wrestling singlet, a mask of George Bush and a sombrero. His dance distracted the shooter who proceeded to miss both free throws. “I was afraid that Palestra security wasn’t going to let me in when they looked through my backpack and saw all my masks,” Johnson said with an easy laugh, something that goes along with his good nature. “I know nothing about basketball. My friends had to tell me when to get up and start dancing. From that moment on I was known as the dancing foul shot guy and named the unofficial Prep basketball mascot.” Don’t let that scene fool you. There is much more to Johnson than simply being a funny man, distractor of foul shots. He is also a defensive tackle on the football team, a top heavyweight wrestler and, most impressively, was voted to be Student Council President for 2012-13. To accomplish all of this, Johnson has had to work hard, something he learned after playing football his freshman year. He had a goal to make varsity as a sophomore. “After freshman year we had a new coach coming in (Gabe Infante),” Johnson said. “I knew I had to work hard to secure a spot so I got myself to the weight room anytime it was unlocked.” His strategy paid off and he secured a varsity spot. Johnson says the coaching transition and adversity that it created made him and the team better. “We learned how to come together and adjust to the situation as a team,” he says. Johnson is also one of the top wrestlers in the area. As a heavyweight, he was the first Prep wrestler since 2006 to win the Individual Catholic League Championship. Johnson also went on to win the District and Regionals and he was the first Prep wrestler to qualify for the PIAA State Tournament. Despite a first round defeat in the state tournament, he has high hopes for this year and the work ethic to propel him to accomplish his goals.
“I was frustrated not to place in states this year but, I had a great experience.” Johnson said, “Next year I want to place. My ultimate goal is to win the state championship.” After being so heavily involved with sports, Paul decided he wanted to become involved even more; he chose to run for student council president. Year after year students stand in front of their classmates reciting campaign speeches full of promises for better cafeteria food, pencil sharpeners in every classroom and the list could go on. This year Johnson’s campaign speech was written to make his classmates laugh. It started off like something out of a comedy starring Vince Vaughn: “Gentlemen, I love the Prep and all of you; just as much as I love a nice slice of chocolate cake, slightly heated and served with a delicious scoop of ice cream on top, preferably cookie dough.” Again, his work ethic and good nature paid off and Johnson will represent the Class of 2013 as President. Johnson is excited to get started and be a part of an organization that can make a difference in the school. With confidence, a strong work ethic and a sense of humor, Johnson is ready to lead his classmates and the Prep. “I feel like I’m a good person for the job because I can relate to a lot of different students,” Johnson said. “My plan for next year is to improve activities and after school programming for students who have to wait till 5 p.m. to catch the bus.” As he enters his senior year Johnson has a lot to look forward to: football, wrestling, student council and searching for a college that fits him best. “I would like to continue to wrestle and play football in college,” Johnson said. “But, most of all I’m excited for my senior year and the rest I will play by ear.” And maybe some more courtside dancing. Catholic League opponents beware! – Maryellen Anastasio
FAREWELL Dr. Gomez continued from page 15
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when Mike Gomez kept a straight face, when I realized he was serious, I started to believe him. I was 26 and adrift. Now I am 32, filled with purpose. Now it’s time to go and open new appointment books across the city at Cristo Rey. For Gomez, it was one of the toughest decisions he ever had to make, and from the struggle in discerning to leave the Prep was born the first Principal of a brand new school that will form its own men and women for others. Mike Gomez’s office and desk will be a quarter of the size it is today. His influence will not. When Cristo Rey High School opens its doors in the Logan section of Philadelphia this fall, 125 freshmen will enter—and make history.
In this moment in Prep history, I am one of many who is grateful the Prep took a chance on a 32 year old. To use Gomez’s words, there’s a sadness to it. It’s hard to say goodbye to people you love. Yet, to say hello to the Prep’s new Principal, Jason Zazyczny, feels right. Thanks for all you did for us, Dr. Gomez. Be in touch. Go Prep. 16
Mike is sharp, charismatic, and compassionate, and has been exactly the kind of leader we needed when he joined us in the fall of 2006. Mike's enthusiasm for all things Prep – academic, spiritual, athletic, social – has been infectious, and his warmth and humor have enriched the Prep experience for our parents, our faculty, and most importantly, our students.” – CHRIS RUPERTUS, ENGLISH TEACHER THE PREP NEWS
PREP NEWS
This year’s Prep Classic moved to Philadelphia Country Club and was a huge success, selling out early and raising a record amount of money. This year, Frank Quattrone ’73, one of the most generous donors to the Prep, was honored.
Many members of the Class of 1973 were in attendance to celebrate their classmate. Former Prep Classic teacher Dr. Henry Bender ’63 [front, center] was invited to join the photo.
Quattrone with classmates Al Zimmerman, Director of Alumni Development, and Rusty Lamberto
Coach Jack Branka ’55 with his son Gerard ’87 and Phil Gentlesk ’87
Nattily attired Prep religion teacher Joe Donahue ’63 [2nd from left] with [l-r] Tom McKeon ’50, Charlie Gallagher ’65 and Ed McKeon ’47
Members of the Class of 1987: [l-r] Tim Irvine, Tom Lavin, Bill McKernan and G.J. Sucher
[L-r] Tony Hayden, Jr. ’95, Tony Hayden Sr. ’62, Jim Maguire and Eustace Wolfington
Frank Quattrone ’73 [middle] and his wife Denise with [l-r] Henry Bender ’63, Armand DellaPorta ’73 and Rev. George Bur, S.J. ’59
SUMMER 2012
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PREP NEWS
Make a gift that lasts forever! Tom McParland ’52, a retired partner of KPMG, and his wife Marge are proud members of the Magis Society, which honors those who have made legacy gifts in their will to the Prep. “Marge and I are supporters of the strong academic and moral values that Catholic schools like the Prep offer. The Prep is a source of our future leaders and it is very important to keep this great institution vibrant for the good of the individuals who attend but also for society as a whole. By including the Prep in our wills, we are saying thank you and continue with your outstanding work.” For more information on making a forever gift to the Prep, contact Russell Gartz at 215-978-1035 or rgartz@sjprep.org.
Tom McParland ’52
Would you LIKE TO USE YOUR PENNSYLVANIA BUSINESS
TAX DOLLARS TO HELP PREP STUDENTS? The Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) allows you to do just that by providing tax credits up to 75% of your contribution to the Prep, up to a maximum of $300,000. This increases to 90% if your business agrees to provide the same amount for two consecutive years. Keep in mind that this is money you already pay in taxes. By submitting a 1-page application, your company can direct all of these designated state taxes to the Prep! • • • •
Corporate Net Income Tax • Capital Franchise Tax Bank and Trust Company Share Tax • Title Insurance Companies Share Tax Insurance Premium Tax • Mutual Thrift Institution Tax Personal Income Tax of S Corporation shareholders or partnership partners
All EITC donations are scholarship gifts to the Prep Fund and can only be used for scholarship purposes as regulated by state law. On average, over 36% of our student body receives approximately $3.2 million annually in both need-based and merit-based financial aid. Each year, EITC contributions average over $150,000 in aid.
“The EITC program is like free money from the state. My brothers and I, along with cousin Peter [below], are lucky enough to own our own business and have an annual tax liability to the state. It's a no-brainer from a business standpoint.” – Jay Bellwoar ’80, VP Colonial Electric Supply Co.
Additional information can be found at www.sjprep.org/EITC Have questions? Contact Ceal Biello at cbiello@sjprep.org Below is a list of companies who have supported the Prep in 2011 through the EITC Program: Advanced Network Products, Inc. Beneficial Savings Bank Bravo Foundation Bruno's Inc. Casaccio Architects LLC Colonial Electric Supply Co. Inc Connor, Weber and Oberlies DNB First Driscoll Construction Company Elkay Manufacturing Corportaion, LLC Evercrest, Inc.
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First Niagara Geppert Bros., Inc. Gordon E. Conwell Associates, Inc. Henkels Foundation Herman Goldner Company Inc. Kildare Capital MCS Group, Inc. Millennium Insurance Company Mohawk Tile & Marble Mulhern Electric Company, Inc. Neutronics, Inc. Nihill & Riedley, P.C.
Norman, Spencer McKernan Philip Rosenau Company Inc. Procacci Brothers Republic Bank Thomas J. Paul Inc. Topaz Kessler Meltzer & Check, LLP ViroPharma Incorporated VJG Enterprises Limited Wilmington Trust of Pennsylvania
THE PREP NEWS
Reunion 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
THE FOLLOWING CLASSES WILL HAVE REUNIONS THIS SEPTEMBER
1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002 & 2007 4 – 4 : 45 p . m .
5 – 7 p.m .
Mass of Remembrance (Front Lawn; Rain option: Gesu)
Wine/Beer happy hour and Philly Beer Tasting
5 – 6 p.m .
7 – 1 0 p . m.
School Tours led by popular former and current Prep teachers such
Taste of Philly buffet
as Charlie Kling ’61, Jim O’Brien ’62, Bill Conners ’80 and
Campo’s cheesesteaks/hoagies/roast pork, soft pretzels, Tastykakes,
Leo Vaccaro ’05
Philly microbrew tasting, and more. 1 0 p . m. – Mi d n i g h t
Offsite post reunion gatherings at local Prep bars
FATHER-SON COMMUNION BREAKFAST [1] J. Michael Farrell, Esq. ’70 gave a moving keynote address. [2] The honorees: outgoing Prep Principal Dr. Michael Gomez (Schnorr Award winner), J. Michael Farrell, Esq. ’70 (keynote speaker), Hasani Allen ’12 (Sauter Award winner), President Rev. George W. Bur, S.J. ’59 and Chris Tretta, Esq. ’71 (Alumnus of the Year) [3] Hasani Allen ’12, the Sauter Award winner, with two of his mentors, Tony Braithwaite ’89 and Justin Hopkins ’02 [4] Members of the Class of 1971 gathered to congratulate Chris Tretta, Esq. ’71 on winning the Alumnus of the Year Award
SUMMER 2012
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CLASS NOTES
1940 William Hodges ’41 is celebrating 20+ years as executive director of Holy Name Society.
1950 Bill Seeger ‘54 was presented with the Medal of St. Joseph by the Archbishop of Hartford at a ceremony in March. The medal honors those who have given generously of their time and talent in their home parish. Over the years, at his parish St. Dunstan’s in Glastonbury, Ct., Bill has served as a catechist in the religious education program, as a lector and an Extraordinary Ministry of Communion, visited the sick and homebound, staffed the parish office and coordinated their Men’s Retreat League. Rev. William Hanley ’56 retired as pastor in 2010 but still helps at local churches in Palm Bay Florida. Rev. Francis Nash, S.J. ’56 is alumni chaplain at Loyola University Maryland. William Springfield ’56 is working and traveling as manager, patient safety and pharmacy compliance for Complete RX, LTD, a hospital pharmacy management company based in Houston.
Bro. Edward Samanns ’60 reports that he continues to be a monk at Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. He does refrigeration and air conditioning work on the side and still is an avid fan of the Phillies and Eagles!
Dan Mankowski ‘64 retired from teaching in the public schools in 2003. Now, as Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre at Holy Family University in Philadelphia, Dan earned a Doctor of Education degree from St. Joseph’s University.
Stephen Kearney ’61 has retired as a Major General after 32 years in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard. He currently serves as a volunteer fireman in St. George Island, Fla.
James Comey ‘65 has released Uncommon Glory, a coming of age e-book through the Amazon Kindle Bookstore. Set between 1957 and 1960 in Drexel Hill and Atlantic City, this “American Graffiti” meets “A Prayer for Owen Meany” story centers upon Christopher McCarthy, an Irish American altar boy. Jim is the Writer-in-Residence at Stages of Imagination, an award winning, nonprofit, entertainment and learning organization that he cofounded. He retired from education after 37 years and holds a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Michael Higgins ’62 was recently appointed treasurer of The Philadelphia Golf Association Henry Horstmann ’62 retired in June 2010 following 41 years of law practice, the last 26 with AAA Mid-Atlantic’s litigation law dept. Pat Anthony Lannutti ’62 is Vice Chairman in the Department of Medicine at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Andy Costello ’63 is enjoying retirement and spending time with his two grandchildren. Thomas Kay ’63, a proud grandparent of six, is Founder, Board Chair and Chief Medical Officer of Regional Women’s Health Group, LLC., consisting of 85 OB/GYNs and 40 midlevel providers. He is also on the board of trustees of Virtua Health. Robert Barchi ’64 was named the 20th president of Rutgers University. In a meeting of the university’s board of governors, Barchi, 65, was given a 10-year appointment to head the state university in a unanimous vote. Barchi, who served eight years as president of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Joseph Dunn ’65 wrote “After 100 years: Corporate Profits, Wealth, and American Society” which was published in December 2010. John J. Skiendzielewski ’65 received the James D. Mills Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medicine Award from the American College of Emergency Physicians. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to emergency medicine. William Strowhouer ’65, after working for the FBI for seven years and serving in the Army Special Forces (Green Beret), attended SJU and then PCOM for medical school. He currently serves as Medical Director for Physicians Weight Control and has seven medical offices. Joe Canuso ’66 is director of “A Behanding in Spokane” at Theatre Exile, where he is the founding artistic director. Robert Clothier ‘66 has spent the last 38 years teaching at Archbishop Ryan High School.
John Raniseski ’58 is enjoying active retirement in California.
Alfonse Pizzica ’67 is proud Pop Pop of four beautiful grandchildren: Madeline, Adam, Grace, and Alaina.
1960
Stephen White ’68 retired after 39 years as a police officer with the last 24 years as Chief of Police in Doylestown Township.
Jerry Madden ’60 played with the Old School Legends, a 70-plus age division 5-on-5 basketball team, at the 2012 Masters Basketball Association National Senior Games in Coral Springs, Florida. Wali Jones, a member of the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers NBA title winning team, was point guard for the Old School Legends which took third place out of five teams in the division with a record of four wins and one loss. Rich Moore, who played with Wali Jones at Villanova University, and played in the American Basketball Association, was also an important contributor to the team’s performance. [Below]
1970 Richard Wisniewski ‘64 was ordained as a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of Hartford. [Above]
Mark Rupsis ’71, Chief Operating Officer of Chester County, was presented with the prestigious J. Larry Boling Innovation & Excellence in Local Government Award for establishing excellence in their jurisdiction in the administration of government, through economy, efficiency and introduction of sound business practices. [Below]
[L-r] Jones, Moore, Madden
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THE PREP NEWS
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Old Class Pic: An early Prep homeroom shot
Prep Baseball circa 1920s 1938
interior from stiles street entrance
1970
1950s
kickline: cheerleaders from 1970s, including actress kim delaney, sister of john ’76
1977
John salera ‘78 scores a touchdown at the 1977 city championship game vs. lincoln at the vet
1989
from the fr. taggart collection, commencement 1989 on gest lawn at SJU
SUMMER 2012
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CLASS NOTES Roger Bruno ’72 is celebrating his 30th year in business as a self-employed accountant.
Larry Arrigale ’77 is the author of Philadelphia’s Golden Age of Retail, which was published by Arcadia Publishing.
Joseph Mancano ’72 was elected President of The Saint Thomas More Society of Philadelphia, an association of Catholic lawyers, judges, and law professors organized to promote the ideals of St. Thomas More. He is a partner in the law firm of Pietragallo, Gordon, Alfano, Bosick & Raspanti L.L.P. and is vice chairman of the firm’s white-collar criminal defense group and a member of the firm’s commerciallitigation group. [Below]
1980 David Cox ’80 has resided in Atlanta, Ga., since graduating from the University of Georgia in 1984 and is currently a sales ambassador for First Quality Consumer Products. He has been married to Page Elizabeth Carlsen for 16 years and they are the proud parents of son Brennan and daughter Hollis. Jim Arimond ’81 is in his sixth year of teaching at YMCA Triad North, a second chance school in Sarasota, Fla. Last summer, Jim participated in various NASA Academies for teachers and students and recently earned certification to teach biology from the Florida Dept. of Education. John Bodalski ’82 recently became a supervisor at Securitas Security Services, Inc., and is working towards an advanced degree at SJU in accounting John Kearns ‘82 wrote a poem “The Transmigration of Soul” which appeared in the North American Review in 2012. His play, “In the Wilderness,” was performed on stage in the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity in New York in June. He has accepted a new position as Senior Technical Communicator with Medidata Solutions and has recently been named Treasurer of Irish American Writers and Artists, Inc. Matthew Horvat ’83 moved to Seattle in June to become head of school at Overlake School in Redmond, Wash.
Anthony Pedicino ’73 recently became a founding member of the American Academy of Oral-Systemic Health, an organization of healthcare professionals dedicated to increasing public and professional awareness of the mouthbody health connection. Michael E. Scullin ’75 has been elected President of the Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia, the oldest consular corps in the United States. [Below]
Mike Downey ’85, Owner/Executive Producer of HERO Content, produced his second film, “Roadie.” Frank Stepnowski ’85 received a teacher all-star award and is also a well-documented writer with a number of books published on teaching. Bill Zsembik ’85 and his wife Mary co-chaired a Jingle Ball to benefit Toys for Tots. Three hundred guests attended the event and over 1,100 toys were collected. The Zsembik’s co-chaired the event with Mary Jean and Chris Carabello, La Salle’s Director of Marketing, Communications and Public Relations. [Below, far right]
Dr. Robert Giuntoli ’86 was appointed interim head of the Department of Gynecology Oncology at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Md. Dominic Comperatore ’88 played Monsignor Lauro Ferrara in the Tom Selleck TV series “Blue Blood.” Gerard Guertin ’88 received Chartered Financial Consultant designation (ChFc) in November through the American College in Bryn Mawr
1990 John O’Callaghan ’90 is serving as production designer and First Assistant Director for a short film that began shooting in early April. John is also developing a TV pilot and directed a play this summer. William Benner ‘91 is the Executive Chef at Blackpoint Inn in Prouts Neck, Maine. Joseph Ingemi ’93 of Hammonton, N.J., was appointed to the Atlantic County Improvement Authority’s Board of Commissioners. Ingemi is a business analyst for IBM. Louis Pauzano ’95 is a pharmacy executive team leader for Target Corp. Brian McMicken ’95 is engaged to Rebecca Knab. A September 2012 wedding is planned. David Palilonis ’95 is presently in the US Navy, Submarine Service. He is a Lt. Commander and was just assigned as Executive Officer on the USS Louisiana SSBN based in Bangor, Wash. Brendon Crowther ’96, Joe DeCamara ’96 and Bob Herpen ’96 are co-founders of the Philadelphia Association of Sports Trivia and co-authors of What Do You Know...About Philadelphia Sports? Michael Nguyen ‘97 has been promoted to the rank of Major in the United States Army.
Richard Smith ’76 recently moved to Wisconsin where his wife is a market analyst. Rev. John Cecero, S.J. ’76 recently completed his fifth year as rector of the Fordham University Jesuit Community and proudly serves on the board of trustees at the Prep.
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THE PREP NEWS
Philip Tinari ’97 is director of the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in the 798 Art Zone in China. Philip Gravinese ‘99 was recently the recipient of Marine Biology Outstanding Graduate Student of the year at Florida Institute of Technologies Honors Convocation. Additionally, he was awarded a $27,000 grant from MOTE marine laboratory’s “Protect Our Reef” program to spend the summer evaluating the effects of ocean acidification on the embryonic development and larval morphology in two of Florida’s most lucrative crustacean fisheries, the spiny lobster and the stone crab. His proposal will pioneer ocean acidification research in marine crustaceans. Paul Sizer ‘99 was recently promoted to Director of Finance, Healthcare Division at Aramark Corp. Paul oversees financial planning and analysis for a $1.5 billion business. Paul and wife Stacey also welcomed their son Sean Andrew in January 2010. Pictured in photo: Sean Andrew Sizer, Michael Sizer ‘06, Stephen Sizer ‘03, Charles Sizer ‘70, Paul Sizer ‘99 at Prep Thanksgiving game 2011. [Below]
Brendan Quinn ’01 joined the Knoxville News Sentinel in June as the University of Tennessee basketball beat writer and backup football writer. Kevin Gilbert ‘02 is excited to announce that he is engaged to Melissa Donovan. He has also been named Associate Director of Annual Giving at the Prep. William (Liam) Moriarty ‘02 was admitted to the New York Bar in September. Liam graduated from Columbia Law School and is an associate at Gibson, Dunn, Crutcher LLP in New York. Mark Smith ’02 is teaching at Abington Friends and working towards a post-graduate degree at University of Pennsylvania.
Michael Panna ’05 and Greg Owens ’07 will be a part of America’s first professional ultimate league, the American Ultimate Disc League. Panna and Owens were selected for the roster of the Philadelphia Spinners. Since helping begin the ultimate program at the Prep, Panna and Owens have played in two National Championship tournaments together for their club team ‘Southpaw,’ placing seventh and sixth places in the past two seasons. Alan Guffanti ’05 graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in August 2011 with an MSN in Acute Care and is now a Nurse Practitioner. Warren Raiti ’06 is attending law school.
2000
J. Anthony Foltz ’03 graduated from Temple Law School in May 2011. He was given the Crossen Award at graduation for overcoming adversity and demonstrating perserverance in obtaining a law degree.
John Bloor ’01 and Ed Griffis ‘01 as Mummers. [Below]
Will Smith ’05 is a third-year medical student at Jefferson Medical College.
Daniel Ramspacher ’06 is presently an employee at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center as an aerospace engineer and resides in Washington, D.C.
Richard Johnson ’05 had the Center for Anti-Violence at Saint Joseph’s University dedicated in his memory.
Salvatore Profaci ’06 has joined the Jesuit Novitiate in the Maryland Province (see pg 12).
Patrick Byrne ‘06, a student in the Ph.D. program at Johns Hopkins Medical School in Molecular Biophysics, was featured in the Penn State alumni magazine.
Bradley James ‘11, Patrick Farrell ‘11, Christopher Farrell ‘07, Connor Dent ‘11 and Fenton FitzPatrick ‘11 [above] marched in the Mummer’s Parade dressed in their 2012 Jolly Jolly Comic costumes
John Paul DiJulia ’01 has started his own construction business, JP Custom Home Construction, LLC. Paul Durrant ‘01 was awarded the Mark Twain Award by the Associated Press at a ceremony this past month in Pasadena, Calif. This award was for excellence in feature editing. Paul, who received his third Emmy Award last October, is the Chief Photographer at the CBS affiliate in Tucson, Ariz., and is currently working on directing/producing another independent film. [Right]
SUMMER 2012
Matthew Campanella ‘07, recipient of the 2006 Ignatian Service Award and a Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, California) Jesuit High School scholar, recently led a dozen students in an Alternative Spring Break service trip to New York City, where they worked on the issues of homelessness and HIV at Project Hospitality in Staten Island. Prior to the trip, Matt arranged speakers and programming for the students to learn about homelessness and the special needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Matt recently was inducted in LMU’s M.A.G.I.S. service organization, which is built on the three pillars of service, diversity, and spirituality, and he works for the University’s Center for Service and Action. Chris Gannon ’07 is a lieutenant in the Army National Guard, currently on active duty at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri attending the Military Police Basic Officer Leadership Course. In June, he graduated after four months of training ranked fourth in his class with Commandant’s List Honors (top 10% of the graduating class). He is returning to Philadelphia to begin his term of service in AmeriCorps working with the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces program in Philadelphia.
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CLASS NOTES Thomas Moran ’07 graduated from Neumann University with a degree in Political Science. William Woody ’07 has entered the Jesuit Novitiate in the Maryland Province.
Ernie Menold ’08 accepted a position to work as a Teacher’s Aide at St. Gabriel’s College in Bangkok, Thailand. St. Gabriel’s is a Jesuit all male private school grades K-12 with about 400 in each grade. Ernie will be helping to teach math to grade school students. Martin Connor ‘08, a music major at Duke University in Durham, NC, composed a piece entitled “Haitian Requiem” in memory of the victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti for his Senior Thesis. More than two years after the devastation wreaked by the earthquake, the Haitian people continue to struggle for basic human needs including shelter, health care and potable water. Chris Smith ‘08 broke the Ursinus College swim record in 100 and 200 fly at Centennial Conference Championships.
Samuel Settle ‘08 graduated with High Distinction, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from Pennsylvania State University in May. He authored an honors research thesis, Partisan Ideology and Electoral Pressures, and earned Honors in Political Science. Samuel, in the first graduating class of Paterno Undergraduate Liberal Arts Fellows, received Penn State’s 2012 Partisan Award, the 2012 Gene Bloch Memorial Award from the Department of Political Science, and was a finalist for the 2012 Rock Ethics Institute Stand Up Award. Samuel was also a candidate for Alternate Delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention, winning over 16,000 votes. Stephen Codella ’08 graduated from Fordham University and is attending Jefferson Medical School.
John Pedicino ’08 is a finance, communications, and media management major at Fordham Univ. and interns at ABC television.
Christopher Raimondi ’08 graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Finance. In September, he will begin working for KPMG in New York City after he sits for the CPA exam this summer.
William Palombi ‘08, a senior at the University of Virginia, was elected President of the UVA Engineering Student Council and selected to be on the class of 2012 board of trustees.
Joseph MacDonald ’10 placed second in the University of Pittsburgh’s 12 hour design project for the Swanson School of Engineering’s honors program.
Tyler Dewechter ‘08, a cadet at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, was presented a Tomorrow’s Leader Award by Aviation Week at a black-tie gala held in Washington, D.C. Each year, Aviation Week’s Laureate Awards are the aviation, aerospace and defense industry’s premier honor, recognizing the exploration, innovation, and heroism of current and future leaders, including Cadet Dewechter. [Above] Sean McChesney ’08 has accepted a position in Citigroup’s 18-month development program and began work in the firm’s Philadelphia office after graduation.
Joe Glaser, Jeff Schneider, and Joe Mayer of the class of 1960 got together in San Diego this past spring for a mini class reunion.
Several members of the 2009 Prep Football team (Class of 2010) got together over the Christmas break at the home of Dennis and Sue Donavan (P'10)
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Help the Prep ... keep our database current. The Prep wants to know more about you. In an attempt to maintain our database appropriately we are asking everyone to go to http://my.sjprep.org/updateinfo and make sure we have your most up to date biographical information or mail this completed form to: SJP Development Office, ATT: Kevin Gilbert ’02, 1733 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130 or fax to 267-515-6000.
Personal Information Name:
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Cell Phone:
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Business Information Employer
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Business Address:
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Undergraduate Information College::
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K Alumni (Yr): _________ K Parent of Alumni
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http://my.sjprep.org/updateinfo SUMMER 2012
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1
BIRT HS
2
3
4
Lyla Hope to Shannon and Joe Coyle, English teacher [1] Cole Kiesel to Lisa and Ken Kiesel, IT [2] Cormack Richard to Kathy and Richard Bruno '88 [3] Dominic Anthony Casdia to Beverly and Anthony Casdia ’89
5
Gabriel to Katie and Mike D'Angelo '89 [4]
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Grey Keenah to Maridel and Brian McCloskey ’91, Dir. of Financial Aid [5] Bridget to Erin and Neal McGee '92 Thomas Enzo to Jen and Tom Cretella ’93 [6] Alexandra Mary to Kristen and Mike Haub ’94
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Leo Grey to Caitlyn Olsen and Rob McElhenney ’95
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10
11
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Sophia Diana to Natalie and Louis Pauzano ’95 Mark to Bridget and Mark Glanzmann '96 [7] Clara Joy to Joan and Michael Cavallaro '97 [8] Sophia Marie to Sara Lynn and Patrick DeHoratius ’97 [9] Maeve Margaret to Kate and Brian Madden '97 Ramsey Lillian to Mary and Joe Kadlec '99 [10] Susanna Marie to Karen and Michael Daley '99 [11] Julie Emma to Stephanie and Richard Cooper ‘99 Stephen Edward to Bridget and Stephen Comly '99 [12] Marra Josephine to Meghan and Phil Martelli '99 Keridan Elizabeth to Erin and Eddie Turner '00, Dir. of Admission [13]
WEDDINGS Brian Rost ’90 and Lydia Morris [1] Jim Gabriele ’93 to Jennifer Cavness [2] Marc Caccavo ’00 and Valerie Evangelista [3]
John Durham ’02 and Katheryn Gilpin [4] Jonathan C. Foley '02 to Jennifer-Lee Lenherr [5]
1
2
Matt Scannapieco ’03 and Franny Tursi [6] John Colussi '05 and Elizabeth Tobia
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4
Eric Gabor '90, Brian Rost '90, George Rost '89, Rich Moore '90
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[from top, l-r] T. Michael Muth '02, Michael J. Minetti '02, Kyle C. Logue '02, [CENTER] Groom (Jon Foley), Stephen J. Gallagher '02, Christopher M. Epright '02, Robert P. Muth '04
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[l-r] Steve Sizer '03, John Kilroy '03, Franny Tursi, Matt Scannapieco '03, Mike Scannapieco '09 and Pat Scannapieco '09)
THE PREP NEWS
PREP NEWS
IN MEMORIAM Michael A. DiGiacomo '45
John Cardinal J. Foley '53
Thomas A. Brady '46
Joseph F. Greipp '54
John L. Peranteau '34
Joseph L. Hayes '46
Ernest F. Rosato '54
William J. P. Ray ’34
Martin T. McKenzie '46
F. Gerald Callan '55
William J. MacMurtrie '36
Anthony B. Creamer '47
John Patrick Kelley '55
Joseph P. McGee '40
Thomas F. Gilson '47
Francis A. Barszczewski '58
Frederick C. Heiken '33
Joseph W. Higgins '41
George W. Little '47
Samuel I. Nichols '58
Richard T. Hughes '41
James F. Kelly '48
Joseph W. Gasiewski '59
Thomas J. McBride '41
Hugh I. Monaghan '48
Robert B. Bonner '62
James A. Dwyer '42
Bernard X. O'Reilly '48
William J. Mehlem '62
William B. Esmonde '42
Francis R. Coyne '49
Gerald A. Neri '62
William G. Filmyer '42
Ludwig A. ZurNieden '49
Edward P. Scullin '65
Joseph W. Gallagher '43
Michael J. Melody '50
James F. McCallen '69
Louis J. Alvare '44
Paul R. Abel '51
David E. Sucharski '71
James W. Kane '44
Joseph P. Bevilacqua '51
Joseph J. Connelly '75
Joseph P. Leaming '44
John F. Thompson '51
George H. Hadley '75
James A. Devereux, S.J. '45
Charles H. Diamond '53
This list reflects all alumni deaths that we have been notified of as of June 7, 2012.
Tell Us Your News... We are interested in what you are doing. Please fill out this form and mail it to: The Prep News, 1733 Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130 or e-mail hawk@sjprep.org
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SUMMER 2012
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PERSPECTIVES
Justice for All: The Life of Rev. Rob Currie, S.J. ’58 By Tom Lyons ’60
Rob with Arenal Cooperative member Tino López, Nicaragua, c. 1993
any, many times during the four years at the Prep, our Jesuit mentors evoked the words of St Ignatius and challenged us “to go forth and set the world on fire.” Some didn`t hear the message…or simply ignored it. Others heeded the directive and lit, maybe, a small match. Robbie Currie grabbed a blowtorch and ignited a bonfire. His lif e h a s m a d e a d i f fe r e n c e!
M
Rob has been in the Jesuits for over 50 years, entering the Novitiate in 1958 following his Prep graduation after turning down the opportunity to go to Notre Dame. He has been a remarkable priest, no surprise given his high school achievements. Playing both basketball (captain in senior year) and baseball for four years did not prevent him from becoming President of Student Council, an active member of the Sodality, a writer for the school paper and chairman of the Senior Prom. Voted by his classmates as the man who has done the most for the Prep, Rob then followed in the footsteps of two of his brothers, Charlie ’48 and Joe ’54 and joined the Society of Jesus. His sister Gert and brother John ’52 died in 1995 and 2009 respectively.
The class of 1958 at St Joseph`s Prep has undertaken a noble endeavor for their classmate – Rev. Robert Currie, S.J. To honor and memorialize him, the Prep class of 1958 has written a 300+ page book about Robbie’s exemplary life. The story needs to be told. It delves more deeply into his adventure and the political environments that he encountered and how he personally dealt with the many challenges, setbacks and political issues. Joe Sosnowski, as lead writer and researcher, has spearheaded this effort. In addition, the class of ’58, out of a deep appreciation and admiration for Robbie, plans to use the proceeds from the sale of the book to benefit others. An award and monetary stipend will be presented periodically to a Prep student who has demonstrated the virtues of being a “Man for Others.” The book will be available in late summer, early fall. To purchase the book, or learn more about the project, contact: Tom Prior (Project Coordinator] 7803 Pine Rd, Wyndmoor, Pa 19038 Tom.prior@verizon.net
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In his heart, he had not only a calling to be a priest but to serve the poor and marginalized people in Chicago, India, West Virginia, and Nicaragua. Rob felt his life should be a living testimony to the gospels of Jesus Christ and his commitment to truth, justice, and the love of his fellow man is sprinkled throughout the following stories. Through prayer, reflection, spiritual direction, discernment and the Spiritual Exercises, Rob composed the conclusion of his story while still in his twenties. He knew where he wanted to go! During the Theology phase of his Jesuit formation, Rob was in Chicago learning “the Saul Alinsky Community Organizing Method.” The needs of the marginalized, resonating off the project apartments on Chicago`s west side, found a home in Robbie`s heart. He was called to action. A building owned by an absentee white suburbanite landlord was in great disrepair forcing the tenants to live in sub-human conditions. Using his newly-learned organizational skills, Robbie arranged a meeting with the landlord and occupants. After heated discussions and demands, the owner agreed to all their wishes. The building was repainted, re-plastered and completely refurbished. From this experience Rob learned that the poor and oppressed can stand toe-to-toe with the rich and
THE PREP NEWS
Rob's PREP ’58 Yearbook photo
Rob with friends Carlos Mayorga and Concha Pavón and their children Carlos Ernesto and María Theresa, the ol´ reliable Toyota pick-up, Arenal, c. 1993
powerful…if they are properly organized. A lesson that became one of his life directives. In India, Rob would face a new challenge. He arrived in Chaibasa, a town populated by the indigenous people of India (Adivasi), of which the Hos were the predominant community. The Hos, for the most part, were excluded from all basic public services – education, health, employment, etc. It was here that Rob, in his assigned role as head of the college hostel, bonded with these students who were “first generation educated.” At the time, there was much political unrest in India. Rob formed a strong cadre of indigenous students to address the local community issues such as merchant hoarding of food and goods. They also held a public fast to draw attention to these injustices. The students liberated the food warehouses and distributed the food grains. The Jesuit provincial, at the urging of the local Prime Minister and Bishops, ordered Rob to leave India. His effort was not without reward; the strength of the Adivasi community had been recognized; Rob had done the Lord’s work accompanying the excluded in their struggle against oppression. His next stop was in Appalachia, one of the most marginalized regions in the United States. The local population has traditionally been held captive by large coal and oil companies. Lincoln County, West Virginia was rich in natural resources where huge profits could be gained by a [then] new method of coal mining. Rather than the traditional method of digging shafts and sending miners into the earth’s underground, a method of extracting coal by blasting and using large earth moving equipment was devised – strip mining. Strip mining literally reduced once beautiful mountains to one-fourth their size creating disastrous environmental problems. Valleys were filled with the excess dirt from the mountains causing water damage, vegetation loss, and wildlife destruction. The once beautiful mountain ranges were disappearing, a tragedy for the local population and generations to follow. West Virginia would never be the same. Rob and fellow Jesuits organized the Lincoln County community to thwart this ecological SUMMER 2012
and human onslaught. The aim was to halt the strip mining process and improve the schools and health care for the local population. Once organized, the community prevented strip mining from entering the county. But once again, thanks to a combination of lobbying efforts, corporate pressure, and weak support from the local hierarchy, Rob and his colleagues were “invited “to leave. Frustrated, but undaunted by this experience, Rob’s conviction and his love of the gospel pushed him forward.
organizing work, spending lots of time with young women and men in the community, farmers, teachers, and health workers. As a result of this work, the community formed a Solidarity Group that, over the past 15 years, has struggled to keep alive the hopes, dreams, and ideals that the community experienced during the national revolution of the 1980s. The work of this group, known as GRUDESA focuses on health, education, traditional culture, and gender issues in the community. As a result of GRUDESA`s work what once was a community leadership of predominantly male adults is now a community leadership of young women. During its 15 years of existence, GRUDESA has sponsored 86 young women and men in their university-level studies. Prior to this, no one in Arenal had left the community to study at the university level. The community now has 35 college graduates, many of whom coordinate health, cultural, economic, and transport programs in the community. GRUDESA has been a source of radical change in the Arenal community.
Rob reads to young child in Nicaragua
Arenal, Nicaragua was his next port of call. It was an instant love affair: he loved the people and the culture and they loved him back. Rob has been here for 25 years and he is now a citizen of Nicaragua. It has been the happiest time of his life. Arenal is a village of 700 people in a community of 7,000. Everyone knows and loves Robbie. From 1988 to 1997, working in the fields from 5 in the morning to noon, cutting back weeds, planting and harvesting shoulder-to-shoulder with members of a local agricultural cooperative helped convert him into “one more arenaleno.” In the afternoons, he visited folks in their homes, learning from their experience and long history of resistance. Since 1997, Rob has reverted to community
Rob is a man who has made a difference. Why? He followed his convictions and became a true “man for others”, a concept coined by Pedro Arrupe SJ, which has become the foundational element of Jesuit education worldwide. He has loved others without judgment, and embodied the gospels of Jesus Christ in his heart, mind, and spirit. He has displayed inordinate levels of courage, tenacity and sacrifice. Rob is a modern anomaly, but one that needs to be lauded. The world cries out for more men like Robbie. His life is a transitional message for all of us. If you are a doctor, accountant, lawyer, businessman, there is something you can do to make a difference….like Robbie. When challenged stand up for the marginalized, the oppressed, the unborn, the hungry, the poor and examine how you personally can live out the gospels. We all, in some small way, can make something better. AMDG!
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