A magazine for alumni, parents, students, faculty and friends of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Vol. 3 No. 1, Winter 2007
news • Fr. Byron Returns • Lynch and Primick • Mr. Roberts
• “Patrick’s Dreams” • Murray Wins 500th • Reunion Weekend
RRREV. EVV.. E
W W IILLLLIIA A M M JJ.. WILLIAM J. BBYRON, B YRRO Y ON N,, S.J. S..JJ.. ’45 S ’’4 455
Priest, Leader and Evangelist
president’s letter
Welcome to another issue of The Prep News!
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THIS ONE TELLS YOU A BIT MORE ABOUT ME than you may ever have wanted to know, but it also introduces you to several notables from our faculty and student body and you will surely enjoy reading about them. You’ll also get an update on English Department offerings, which, not surprisingly, get better every year. Nancy Primick and Paul Lynch are outstanding teachers; Chris Whitney and James Gallagher are unusually talented members of our student body. We are proud to be able to present them to you in these pages. If you think “swing on along” when you hear from the Prep, be sure to go right into action by reading the recaps of the Communion breakfasts and alumni reunions, noting the dates for next year and signing up accordingly. Those events will be all the better for your presence. Spring Semester is well underway. February 25th will mark the kickoff of the public phase of our capital campaign. More information has been sent concerning all that. Let me just say thanks for your enthusiasm for all that happens here. Thanks, indeed, for helping to make it happen! Yours gratefully,
William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 President
inside:
school news
s c h o o l f e at u r e s
Mission Renewal
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Fr. Byron Returns
Forensics
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Faculty Profiles
Mr. Roberts
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Communion Breakfasts
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Reunion
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Alumni Profiles
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Student Profiles
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Class Notes
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English Profile
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Calendar
31
Sports
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Perspectives
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President Principal Vice President for Development Executive Vice President/ Chief Financial Officer Rev. Bruce A. Maivelett, S.J. Director of Ignatian Identity Albert J. Zimmerman ’73 Director of Alumni Relations
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Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 Michael Gomez John T. Anderson Timothy Klarich ’71
alumni news
editor Bill Avington ’90
interns Director, Marketing and Communications
Lauren Puglisi, Kathleen Smith
photography
designer Maridel McCloskey
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McCloskey Designs
Terry Connors, David DeBalko, Ann Iannocone, Mike Monti, Brendan Murphy ’01, Frank Raffa, University of Scranton The Catholic University of America
class notes editor Angie Falcone
Development Services
editorial staff Bonny Barry Beth Missett Nancy Moule H. Carton Rogers '00
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Director, Annual Giving Director, Hawktion and Special Events Development Services Development Services
The Prep News is published three times 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: afalcone@sjprep.org For additional information, check our website www.sjprep.org
school news
AS A WELCOME TO PHILADELPHIA, PRINCIPAL MICHAEL GOMEZ threw out the first pitch at a Phillies game over the summer. (Right) He stands with his wife Sarah at the game. (Above) A scoreboard photo of Mr. Gomez with Prep alum, Tom Burgoyne ’83, inside the persona of the Phillie Phanatic.
Nawn finds “Vocation” at The Prep ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MR. JOSEPH NAWN IS THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM and he brings a lot of experience. At The Prep, Mr. Nawn fills a newly created position after serving as principal at Klinger Middle School in the Centennial School District and as assistant principal at Beverly Hills Middle School in the Upper Darby School District. For Mr. Nawn, the public to private school transition is a significant one. “There is truly no sense of family within public schools,” he says. “Here it is warm and personal. The Prep is about caring for the whole person.” During the short amount of time that Mr. Nawn has been working at The Prep he has already found a sense of comfort within the school’s atmosphere. “For me it was a sense of coming home,” Nawn says. “I am from the area and have always enjoyed working in a Catholic environment. It’s like family here.”
Just three months into the school year, Mr. Nawn has become an essential part of The Prep, especially to faculty and the student body. And the long hours needed in the new position haven’t affected Mr. Nawn at all. “I am very happy here; every day I wake up with a smile on my face,” he says. “I never feel like I am dragging to go to work.” There has always been a sense of belonging at The Prep; upon walking through the front doors, many people feel as though they are immediately accepted. Mr. Nawn can now be added to that group. “At The Prep everyone is welcoming and has accepted me for me,” he says. “That closeness has made working here more about the right fit instead of the right job. For years I had an occupation. Now I feel like I have a vocation.”
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school news
Men and Women for and with others Men Women Men and and W ome n for with for and and w ith others others IN KEEPING WITH THE SCHOOL’S MISSION, ST. JOSEPH’S PREP STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE: Prep students were a great support to Philadelphia Insurance Companies’ (PHLY) fight against Pediatric Cancer Awareness Week 2006. Students, led by the Student Council and Dan Kaufmann ’07, [below with Debbie Sutton, senior VP at PHLY] organized a pretzel sale that raised over $1,100 for pediatric cancer research. The fundraiser was sponsored by PHLY and held in conjunction with The Parkway 5k Run and Family 2k Fun Walk. The Community Service Corps’ annual Thanksgiving Food Drive collected enough food for 150 families in the neighborhood directly surrounding The Prep. Each homeroom then delivered the food directly to the homes. [Pictured above] More than 2,000 pounds of food were delivered to Nutritional Development Services of the Archdiocese after being collected at the Catholic League Championship football game between The Prep and La Salle. Terry Materese, President of Our Community Works and a member of La Salle’s Fathers’ Club, said, “While the outcome of the game did not favor St. Joe’s, the outpouring of students, alumni, families and friends who contributed to the collection brightly reflected The Prep’s continuing traditions of social justice.” The very successful Prep Book Drive, organized by Mr. Joe Coyle, was completed and, once again, The Prep community was extremely generous. The final tally was 15,620, beating last year’s total of 15,100. The drive received 3,700 books on the last day alone. Each year the drive has collected more books than the year before (5,700 in 2003, 11,200 in 2004, and 15,300 in 2005) for a total of 47,170. The books were donated to PhillyReads and needy schools in the Philadelphia region. The Prep and Merion Mercy Academy swim teams recently completed its first “Breaking the Waves” Swim-A-Thon. The event – which took place on Sunday, January 14 and Monday, January 15 – raised more than $6,000. The swim-a-thon was designed to raise awareness of adolescent depression and suicide. In addition, mayoral candidate Michael Nutter ’75 spoke to the swimmers about the importance of community service. In conjunction with the Counseling Department, Breaking the Waves kicked off The Prep’s Mental 3 Health and Awareness Week.
Prep Community embarks on Renewal Process Currently, the entire Prep community is taking part in Apostolic Discernment and Mission Renewal, a process initiated last summer to make the community more effective in the education and formation of young men. The goals of the on-going apostolic discernment and mission renewal are: • to achieve greater clarity and a shared understanding of our mission; • to instill a deeper commitment to mission; • to communicate our mission more effectively among all members of the Prep community and beyond; • to achieve an increased ability to connect our everyday attitudes, decisions and actions to our mission; • to achieve a deeper sense of belonging to an apostolic community dedicated to the Ignatian education and formation of young men. One of the first tasks undertaken during this renewal was a revision of the St. Joseph’s Prep Mission Statement. The new statement, which was approved by the Board of Trustees at its September meeting, now reads: “The mission of St. Joseph’s Prep as a Catholic, Jesuit, urban, college preparatory school is to develop the minds, hearts, souls, and characters of young men in their pursuit of becoming men for and with others.”
Each member of the Prep faculty and staff spent time discussing the mission of the school, enumerating the ways that he/she can be a part of it in their particular role. Currently, parents, alumni and students are having their chance to be a part of the process. For more information on the discernment and renewal process, please go to www.sjprep.org/news/missionrenewal.
school news
Forensics Update As always, The Prep forensics team has gotten outstanding results this year, competing in prestigious tournaments at Yale, Penn, Princeton and Saint Joseph’s University. Here are some top results: YALE UNIVERSITY INVITATIONAL Extemporaneous Speaking: Luke Reilly ’07 - Semifinalist Original Oratory: Andrew Matas ’07 - 7th Place [Finalist] Student Congress: Bill Woody ’07 - 6th Place [Finalist] UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA LIBERTY BELL CLASSIC Extemporaneous Speaking: Luke Reilly ’07 - Semifinalist Dan DuPont ’09 - Semifinalist Lincoln Douglas Debate: Ryan Zehner ’08 - 2nd Place; Michael J. Smith Speaker Award Matt Angiolillo ’09 - Quarterfinalist Oral Interpretation of Literature: Jeffrey Kubiak ’07 - Semifinalist Student Congress: Ed Phillips ’07 - 4th Place [Finalist] Bill Woody ’07 - Super Session, Finals Presiding Officer Alex Rulon ’07 - Super Session SAINT JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY VILLIGER TOURNAMENT Lincoln-Douglas Debate: Ryan Zehner ’08 - Double-octafinalist Oral Interpretation of Literature: Jeffrey Kubiak ’07 - Quarterfinalist Student Congress: Bill Woody ’07 - (1st place); Maria Pia Carusi Outstanding Speaker Award Ed Phillips ’07 - 6th Place PRINCETON UNIVERSITY CLASSIC Extemporaneous Speaking: Luke Reilly ’07 - 4th Place Dan DuPont ’09 - 5th Place Lincoln-Douglas Debate Matt Angiolillo ’09 - Double-octafinalist Original Oratory: Andrew Matas ’07 - 1st Place Student Congress: Bill Woody ’07 - 4th Place; Final Round Presiding Officer Andrew McAuley ’08 - 7th Place Ed Phillips ’07 - Super Session Fred DeRitis ’10 - Super Session
New N N eew w Faculty Fa F ac cu ullt ty y
NINE SENIORS QUALIFY AS NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS Nine Prep seniors—Jake Braithwaite, David Campbell, Kevin Crenny, Matthew Diener, Brian Dillon, Ross Drueding, Peter Dugan, Andrew Matas, and Luke Reilly—have qualified as semifinalists in the 2007 National Achievement Scholarship Program. They join approximately 16,000 semifinalists from around the country in meeting the criteria for this honor. The initial screen for the semifinalists was determined by taking the 2005 Preliminary/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Semifinalists represent less than one percent of the U.S. high school seniors, including the highest scoring entrants in each state. To become a Finalist, a Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal and earn SAT scores that confirm the students earlier qualifying test performance. Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists from this group will advance to the Finalist Level where the Merit Scholarship winners will be chosen. The National Merit Scholarship Program is a not-forprofit organization that operates without government assistance. Founded in 1955 to conduct the annual National Merit Program, it offers talented high school students the opportunity to compete for Merit Scholarship awards. The awards are worth $33 million and will be offered next spring.
Below are the new members of the faculty and staff for 2006-07: [Standing]: Tim Klarich ’71, Joe Nawn, Dennis Hart ’95, Matt Kelly ’02, Pat McKenzie ’02, Michael Gomez, Kathleen Sullivan, Mike Damiano ‘02, Greg Connors ’02, Andrew Davis ’02. [Sitting]: Patrizia Clerico, Gina Steinberg, William J. Byron, S.J. ’45, Tayla Hammer and Leslie Ryan.
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Gannon wins JAG Award Christopher Gannon ’07, a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Program, completed JAG Training and was selected as the Honor Grad. Gannon participated in and staffed the JAG Legal Academy held last summer at the Naval War College in Newport, RI. The program is an academically intense training in which students were required to read and brief several appellate cases each evening, were called on and expected to participate in class, and were required to make arguments or conduct questioning during the mock trial. As “Honor Cadet” Chris was cited for having the highest grade in the class while serving in the dual capacity as student and staff. Chris has been a cadet in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet program since 2001 and is currently the Assistant Division Officer for the Aegis Division which drills at Ft. Dix, N.J. Chris was promoted to Chief Petty Officer, the highest level in the program, in early 2006 and was selected to participate in two International Exchange programs in the UK and Canada the previous summer.
Settle qualifies for National Vocabulary Champions Samuel Settle ’08 is one of 50 high school students who won a trip to the Finals of the National Vocabulary Championship (NVC). Settle qualified for the Finals by earning among the highest scores in the nation on a vocabulary exam created and administered by The Princeton Review. The championship will be held in March and televised on the Game Show Network. The Grand Prize is $40,000 toward college tuition and the title of National Vocabulary Champion.
Hawktion Celebrates Its Silver Anniversary
Plans are well underway for this year’s 25th anniversary celebration of Hawktion. Co-chairs Joann and Bob Duff and Sheila and Jim McGlone ’79 are creating a James Bond themed night to celebrate the big 2-5. For the first time this year, Hawktion kicked off the celebration with a Gift Gathering party on February 23 at the Gillin Boat House. All Prep alums, family and friends are encouraged to visit http://hawktion.sjprep.org to find out the latest and greatest about our upcoming gala event! So mark those calendars for April 28 and plan on attending The Prep’s own “Casino Royale.”
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school news
Mr. Roberts LAST FALL, THE CAPE AND SWORD DRAMA SOCIETY hosted sellout crowds to its performances of “Mr. Robert’s.” The show — directed by Tony Braithwaite ’89 and starring Kevin Ryan ’08, Jake Braithwaite ’07, Steve Wood ’07 and David Cullen ’08 — is based on a 1946 novel by Thomas Heggen about his experiences aboard the USS Virgo, a navy cargo ship positioned in the South Pacific in the waning days of WWII. Many alumni members of the Cape and Sword were invited to attend the show, which was dedicated in memory of those Prep alums who died in service to their country in WWII.
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Alumni/FatherSon Communion BREAKFAST The Alumni/Father-Son Breakfast took place on Sunday, October 22. Mass was celebrated by Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ‘45 and several awards were presented, including the Alumnus of the Year Award to John Paul ‘66, the Rev. Charles Schnorr Service Award to Dr. L. Stewart Barbera ‘50 and the Rev. David A. Sauter Award to Chris Whitney ‘07. David Mingey ‘88, [at left] head of Olympic Marketing for Johnson & Johnson who formerly worked for Nike and Sirius, was keynote speaker.
Mother-Son Communion BREAKFAST The Mother-Son Breakfast was held on Sunday, October 1. The keynote speaker was Pete Cipollone ’89 [above], the former editor-in-chief of The Hawklet who has participated in three Olympic Games and holds a gold medal as the coxswain of the men’s 8 boat in the Summer Olympics in Athens in 2004.
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c o v e r s t o ry
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THE LORD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS and looking at the life and career of Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 is a good way to prove that old adage. A different move here or
REV.
WILLIAM J.
there could have resulted in him going in a very different
BYRON, S.J. ’45
direction and the Society of Jesus (along with many genera-
Priest, Leader and Evangelist
tions of students, teachers and staff) would be the lesser for it, having lost an outstanding priest, leader and evangelist. One thing was certain: young Bill Byron was headed to St. Joseph’s Prep. A native of East Germantown, Byron was a big fan of the school, much of that was due to the fact that legendary Prep football coach Ank Scanlan was his mother’s cousin. “He was like an uncle to me and I was going to Prep football games when I was six years old,” Fr. Byron says. “I never thought about going anyplace else but The Prep.” In high school, Byron played football and rowed. He also harbored dreams of following his grandfather and father into the medical field. “I came from a medical family and I really thought about becoming a doctor,” says Byron. “Bill Quain, a classmate of mine, had an aunt who worked at Jefferson Hospital and she let us go down there and watch operations anytime we wanted. It was like that famous painting, Gross Clinic, where we would all sit there and watch the procedures.” Byron also considered working with an uncle who ran an engineering firm. But first, World War II pressed him into duty and Byron became a
paratrooper. It was after his time in the Army, while a junior at Saint Joseph’s College, that he felt the call. “I was still thinking about the possibility of engineering but I decided that I was being called in the direction of the priesthood,” he says. Eleven years later, Byron was ordained a priest, sending him on a life of spirituality and leadership. PRIESTHOOD During Fr. Byron’s early days as a Jesuit, it was common for priests to earn doctorates in varying areas to “fill the trenches” of Jesuit colleges and universities. Fr. Byron decided to get a Ph.D. in economics, an area that he felt matched his interest in social justice. “I felt that economics played such a pivotal role in social science and I could relate it to a lot of the problems in contemporary society, such as unemployment and economic development in less developed areas,” he says. “To me, there was a nice balance between social science, economics and ethics.”
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[Clockwise from top left of previous page] As President at Scranton, Fr. Byron met with President Gerald R. Ford and Senator Edward Kennedy; at Catholic University, Fr. Byron helped raise funds but also served as a spiritual leader, marching for life with members of the CUA for Life group; one of the best days in the life of a president is Commencement and the chance to hand out diplomas.
Fr. Byron figured that he would spend time teaching undergraduates and he did do some of that at the University of Maryland, where he received his Ph.D., and at Loyola College in Baltimore, where he also helped to start the school’s MBA program. However, higher administrative leadership roles soon became available and the Society turned to him to fill them. He moved to New York City, where he oversaw the Woodstock Theological Seminary’s relocation from Woodstock, Md., to Morningside Heights. He also taught social ethics to the seminarians and set up a field education program for them in New York City. His star continued to rise quickly as he became the dean of arts and sciences at Loyola University in New Orleans for two years before ascending to the presidency of the University of Scranton in 1975. “I would have stayed longer in New Orleans but the Jesuit President at Scranton became disabled and I was urged to make myself available for the position,” he says. “I had taught at Scranton Prep as a scholastic so I was quite willing to do it.” In his seven years there, Fr. Byron helped the school build into a 9
regional power. He is especially proud of the work that led to the city closing a thoroughfare that ran through campus. After announcing the end of his tenure at Scranton in 1982, Fr. Byron landed an even bigger opportunity, the presidency of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. It was not the first time that Catholic’s board had approached him for the position but Fr. Byron had not felt the time was right. Now, with Scranton behind him, he could pursue the new job and become the first Jesuit to lead CUA. “It’s the national Catholic university so there was a lot of work to do,” he says. “It was a research-oriented university with a high powered faculty and a high quality of students. They were interested in raising their national profile and I thought I could help them in that area.” Fr. Byron spent a decade leading Catholic University and then became rector of the Jesuit community at Georgetown University, where he also taught and wrote. At Georgetown, he led the effort to build a new living space for the community, which had been spread over several properties in the area. After a successful tenure there,
c o v e r s t o ry
Fr. Byron became pastor at Holy Trinity Parish, just outside the gates of Georgetown. “Working in a parish was a nice opportunity and I am glad I had it,” he says. “No matter where you go as a Jesuit, there is always a pastoral dimension to your life, but I was glad to have a chance to serve a parish.” Looking for a more predictable life writing, Fr. Byron moved back to Baltimore, agreeing to help the provincial on a project and serving as a research professor at Loyola College. However, circumstances again changed his plans as Loyola University in New Orleans needed an interim president and he filled that void for 2003-04.
Although he was not there during the catastrophic days of Hurricane Katrina, Fr. Byron says he wishes he were. “All the time, people would say, ‘boy, you must be glad to be out of there,’” he says. “I really wasn’t. I had been involved with many people in the city during my year there and thought I could have helped them manage that recovery, which was an enormous challenge and fraught with political complications.” Fr. Byron returned to Baltimore and settled into a time of writing and teaching. But again, in the summer of 2006, circumstances upset those plans a bit. “I got a call from Fr. Tim Brown (Provincial of Maryland Province)
while I was on retreat and he told me about what was going on here at The Prep and would I be willing to come here and do what I had done in New Orleans,” he says. “I said sure because I figured I could help. I had some experience in areas that The Prep needed and it would have been selfish on my part to say no.” Since arriving in August, Fr. Byron has set upon finding a permanent president and completing the capital campaign. He also sees working
LOOKING AROUND Educating Boys to Become Men for Others (first appeared on the Catholic News Service wire)
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Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 Novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote, “You Can’t Go Home Again,” but my Jesuit provincial didn’t get the message. He’s asked me recently to move from Baltimore to Philadelphia to serve for the next year or two as president of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, where I spent my high school years from 1941-45. The students, who can certainly do the arithmetic, will undoubtedly see this as the return of Methuselah. But through my eyes it all looks new and exciting.
I realize that it is not a literal return home. Most of the physical plant I knew was destroyed in a fire in the mid-1960s. The decision to rebuild on the same site in a decaying North Central Philadelphia neighborhood was an act of courage on the part of the Jesuits and their lay colleagues who had brought into being one of the city’s finest high schools. It was easily accessible from all points on the metropolitan map. Many outsiders simply presumed that the Prep would take this opportunity to escape what were referred to euphemistically as “inner-city problems” and relocate to the suburbs. But they didn’t. They now enroll nearly 1000 boys whose academic and athletic attainments are remarkable, and this is being done in the new Jesuit model of educating them to be men who are “with and for others.” “For” others means proper consideration of classmates, of course, but it prompts volunteer community service in the neighborhood as well. It also means in-class analysis of the causes of the poverty, racism, violence, addiction, joblessness, homelessness, and despair that are in view on the way to and from
school. Encouraging youngsters to be “with” as well as “for” others, is an affirmation of the “solidarity” they enjoy by virtue of a shared human nature with those less fortunate and “different” in so many other respects. Moreover, solidarity is explained as an ethical category that makes the promotion of justice an evolving responsibility in the lives of these young men. Never dreaming that I’d be running a prep school this year, I’ve said in past columns and in many lectures that there is no more important work being done anywhere in America than what dedicated teachers are doing every day in high school classrooms. I’m now part of that, not in the classroom, admittedly, but in generating support for faculty and staff and organizing a schoolwide approach to the formation of character and the shaping of young potential in the direction of competence, compassion, and conscience. If adolescence is “where it’s at,” as is so often remarked, then the high school classroom, along with scholastic venues for sports, dramatics, debating, publishing, and other extra-curricular activities, is the meeting ground for generous professionals and youngsters in need of affirmation, instruction, encouragement, and direct contact with models of maturity who can motivate them to develop their potential. Only great teachers can do this. Everyone knows how peer-pressure can push youngsters in the wrong direction. My job now is to build a student body of positive peers who welcome the influence of great teachers and coaches. I’ll also be looking for ways to come up with the financial resources needed to attract and retain great mentors in our high school classrooms.
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with the Board of Trustees as a priority. But, more than that, it is good to come back to his old school. “It wasn’t anything I counted on doing but it’s the alma mater and the home province and it feels good to do what I can,” he says. “Being here, I feel that The Prep can fill some of the gaps that exist in Philadelphia, economically, sociologically and physically. You look around and see real challenges, acres of urban decay, but there are opportunities to make some real progress in the development of the city.” AGENT OF CHANGE In all of his stops, Fr. Byron has worked to make a difference in the economic and social atmosphere. “Every place I went, I got involved in the community, things like the United Way or local Chambers of Commerce,” he says. “There is a great demand on your time if you get involved in off-campus service but I see a great benefit, not only to the community but to whatever institution I am with.”
state dinners at the White House, that sort of thing,” he says. “But more importantly, I had the chance to articulate positions on a variety of public policy issues. Although I was not an official spokesperson, I had the opportunity to explain positions to members of Congress, the national media and others.” Fr. Byron testified in front of Congress on many occasions. He also made contacts that would be helpful in spreading his message of social and economic justice. “I now know a lot of decision makers and still get calls from people interested in getting a feel for the Catholic position or looking to share some ideas,” he says.
Guidelines for Managing Setbacks in Work and Life and Jesuit Saturdays: Sharing the Ignatian Spirit with Lay Colleagues and Friends. He also edited The Causes of World Hunger and Take Courage: Psalms of Support and Encouragement. His current book, The Power of Principles: Ethics for the New Corporate Culture, is a guidebook for companies to avoid the ethical problems that beset companies like Enron, WorldCom and Arthur Anderson. Through a new voice publishing company (NowYou KnowMedia.com), Fr. Byron put together a series of 36 lectures that answer questions about Catholicism. He is also working on a project to turn his A Book on Quiet Prayers into a CD that is not just an audio book but a series of lectures to go along with it.
In the late 1970s, the Scranton area was trying to pursue economic development. Fr. Byron was among a high-powered team that turned a watershed area into a ski area that became Montage Mountain. “At the time, it was 421 acres of land that was no longer used due to a change in federal legislation,” says Fr. Byron. “We created a not-forprofit development corporation in cooperation with the county to put a ski slope there that would help shift the image from an old coal town to more of an upbeat place.” For Byron, the successes had many repercussions. “I got involved with the project foremost because I believed in the need for economic development in the region,” he says. “But, it was also very good for the University. We not only won friends in the city but we were also able to offer prospective students a ski slope just 10 minutes from campus.”
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Being at Catholic University, in the heart of Washington’s power base, put Fr. Byron on an even larger stage. “As President of CUA, you get pretty well known around town and on Capitol Hill with invitations to
EVANGELIST Today, much of Fr. Byron’s work is in spreading the word of God. And although he is now 79 years old, there is no communications medium that scares him. “You don’t have to be intimidated by the media,” he says with a laugh. “You handle what you can handle. There are so many new opportunities to reach out to people. Fr. Byron is a prolific writer. He pens a bi-weekly column (“Looking Around”) for the Catholic News Service [see p.10] and is a columnist for Catholic Digest. He has also written several books including Toward Stewardship, Quadrangle Considerations, Take Your Diploma and Run!, Finding Work Without Losing Heart, The 365 Days of Christmas, Answers From Within: Spiritual
Fr. Byron has reached into other technologies as he is involved in a weekly series on Sirius Satellite Radio and possibly another on XM Satellite Radio. He is also one of the featured bloggers on the Washington Post/Newsweek Website called “On Faith.” “I am happy that I have the opportunity to do the writing and other forms of communications,” he says. “I just hope I stay clear enough to get good results. As long as the knuckles are nimble and I am clear between the ears, I will work to get the ideas out.” If, as Fr. Byron has said, you read the call by measuring the talent of the person, it’s obvious that while medicine may have lost out on a great doctor, the world gained an outstanding priest and leader.
faculty profile
Nancy Primick “The Prep values academic rigor; when you challenge our students, they step up to meet that challenge...” —Nancy Primick
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CLASSICS TEACHER MRS. NANCY PRIMICK BELIEVES THAT TEACHING AT ST. JOSEPH’S PREP WAS MEANT TO BE. After all, just days before accepting a position at Harriton High School, The Prep came calling. The rest, as they might say, is ancient history. When Primick came to The Prep in 1996, she was just getting back into teaching after staying home to raise her three sons. Prior to having children, she had taught at Harriton for three years and, while they had an excellent Latin program there, there is something different about teaching at The Prep. “It is a real privilege to work in a Catholic environment,” says Primick, who serves on the parish council at Sacred Heart Church in Manoa. “I don’t have to be careful of what I say and can reveal more of myself to the students. My faith is so much a part of who I am.” Along those lines, Primick embraces The Prep’s Ignatian mission and identity. “The Prep values academic rigor; when you challenge our students, they step up to meet that challenge,” she says. “Also, our Ignatian mission compels us to educate and form the entire student in all the dimensions of his being: intellectual, social, physical and spiritual. This mission allows me to share not only what I know but also who I am.” Another advantage to working at St. Joseph’s Prep is the school’s commitment to Classics. Primick is perplexed that so many schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have dropped this
discipline from their curriculum. “It’s a ‘classic’ example of throwing the baby out with the bath water,” she says. “The advantages of studying Latin are so numerous that I think it’s downright criminal to deprive students of the opportunity.” It is especially sad for Primick because her love of Latin began at an Archdiocesan High School, West Catholic High School for Girls, under Sister Marie Michelle. “She inspired me, not only to study Latin but to teach,” says Primick. “She showed me what an inspired teacher could mean to students.” Nancy and her husband Pete have three sons (Peter ’01, Greg ’04 and Tim ’08). In addition to her duties on parish council, Nancy sings at the Saturday Vigil Mass, works on the Development committee of the elementary school and serves with Pete as instructors in the parish’s Pre-Cana program. At The Prep, she is the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, a position she values because it gives her a chance to “work with people who care so much about The Prep that they devote a considerable amount of time and effort to make a great place even better. I also feel privileged to bring the perspective of the faculty to a Board that is willing to listen.” All in all, Primick uses her skills to the benefit of many, a trait that St. Ignatius would have applauded. “You don’t live in a vacuum,” she says. “Our talents are meant to be shared.”
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faculty profile
Paul Lynch
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IN MANY WAYS, MR. PAUL LYNCH IS THE EPITOME OF A TEACHER. NEVER ONE TO LOOK FOR THE SPOTLIGHT, Lynch instead thrives on educating his students. And he earns their respect. The soft-spoken Lynch, chair of the history department, rarely raises his voice above conversational tone, even in the classroom. But that has not hindered him from getting his point across to his students. “My personality is one that’s more relaxed and open,” he says. “I think students see that and are comfortable with it.” For Lynch, history is not just about memorizing key dates or facts. It is also about discussion and using your knowledge to talk about current events. “There are always lessons to be learned in history that you can apply to events happening in the world today,” says Lynch. “For example, a conversation on the Vietnam War can lead to a discussion about the current situation in Iraq. Students who learn history can form their own opinions and criticisms of events of today.” This belief, melded with his style of teaching, make discussions flow. “I think I challenge students to think and speak freely,” he says. “In the classroom, I try to look at issues from all sides and not just give my personal opinion.”
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A history teacher also trudges through a difficult road, having to overcome stu-
dents’ beliefs that they know enough after years of American history in elementary school. Lynch says that is a special challenge.
was why he stopped coaching high school basketball and he recalls handing St. Joseph’s Prep diplomas to his sons as one of his great memories.
“A lot of students have a pre-conception that they already know their history,” he says. “However, I have found that most of that knowledge is names and facts, not in-depth knowledge. That is the part I want them to understand.”
After 30 years, Lynch still sees great things at The Prep. “There is a school spirit, a camaraderie, a quest for academic excellence and a tradition that has been here for my entire time,” he says. “Before I got here, I had always heard great things about The Prep and I have found that those things are still true today.”
Many alumni from the late-1970s until mid-1980s will remember Lynch as the head basketball coach as his two tenures spanned eight seasons (1977-81 and 1985-89). He also served as an assistant coach to his brother Tom from 1975-77. “That coaching experience was my first time spending time at The Prep and I really enjoyed it,” he says. That first interaction has now lasted more than 30 years and Lynch says that he still loves his work. “I continue to enjoy the challenges and my friendships with colleagues,” he says. “I am fortunate to have a job that I like going to each day.” Lynch recognizes the great responsibility that comes along with the trust placed in him. “These parents send their sons here and trust us to do our best with them,” he says. “Because of that, you have to take pride in what you do every day.” Lynch is also extremely proud of his family. He and his wife Regina have three children, Colleen (26), Paul ’04 (20) and Michael ’06 (19). Wanting to spend time with them and coach their sports teams
Profile on Chris Whitney ’07
IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 2003 WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGED FOR CHRIS WHITNEY ’07. In June, his father, Rich, lost his battle with lung cancer. Just prior to his dad’s passing, Whitney’s mom Margaret moved the family from Overland Park, Kan., back to the Philadelphia area to be closer to her family. That changed Whitney’s high school plans as well. Now, instead of following in his older brother Rich’s footsteps at Rockhurst High School, Kansas City’s Jesuit high school, Whitney headed to St. Joseph’s Prep, a new school in an unfamiliar city. But, characteristically, Whitney took it all in stride. “It was difficult but I used school and football as a way to get away from it for a while,” he says. “The nice thing is everyone welcomed me right away, the teachers and the students. Plus, I wasn’t the only person here who was new and didn’t know anybody.” Although perhaps better known for his prowess on the football field, Whitney is a standout in the classroom, maintaining a 3.9 grade point average and challenging himself with a demanding course load. He credits his parents and football coach Gil Brooks ’75 for his academic success. “It’s hard to do all of the work but you have to find the time,” he says. “Growing up, my mom and dad let me know that schoolwork was important and that I needed to do my best. And Coach Brooks always talks about how important it is to achieve in the classroom.”
Whitney has started at free safety and quarterback for nearly three years now, winning a Catholic League Red Division title in 2005 and the division MVP award in 2005 and 2006. In addition, he earned a spot on the AP all-state team and in the prestigious “Big 33” game that pits the best of Pennsylvania against the best of Ohio. It’s hard to imagine now, but he was not originally slated for stardom here. “My sophomore year, I didn’t start and really did not have a spot here,” he says. “When I got my chance that year, I didn’t want to let it go by so I worked really hard to get better.” That hard work led to much success and that was where Whitney was hit by the loss of his dad. “Going to the junior college days, I would see other guys there with their dads and I realized how much I missed him,” he says. “That was when it really hit home for me.” Whitney, who has committed to playing at Villanova, is lucky to have adults who have made a difference in his life. His mother and brother remain role models while his grandmother (Maryanne) and grandfather (John) and a large extended family have lent their support. “My mother went through a lot but she was always there for me and my sister and brother,” says Whitney. “It was great having my family around to support us.” Two more adults who have meant a lot to Whitney have been Brooks and assistant football coach Steve Devlin, the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach who has been a mentor to Whitney.
“Coach Brooks can be demanding on the field but when it comes down to it, he will do anything for you, football or otherwise,” Whitney says. “And Coach Devlin has always been there for me, in football and outside. He made me into the quarterback I am today and he is one of the people I can talk to about anything, even my dad.” It was fitting that Devlin presented Whitney with the Rev. David A. Sauter, S.J. Award at the annual Alumni/Father-Son Communion Breakfast. The award is presented to a student who had to overcome a great obstacle to complete his high school education. In his introduction, Devlin said: “I have developed a great relationship with Chris and people ask me all the time, ‘What type of kid is he?’ I give everyone the same answer, he is a winner. He is admired and respected by his fellow students, teachers, teammates and coaches. I believe in my heart that we are all better people for knowing Chris and having him in our lives.”
“My sophmore year, I didn’t start and really did not have a spot here...When I got my chance that year, I didn’t want to let it go by so I worked really hard to get better.” —Chris Whitney ’07
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student profile
Profile on James Gallagher ’07 IT WAS LIKE ANY OTHER DAY AT THE PREP FOR JAMES GALLAGHER ’07, until he got called down to the main office. Happily, though, he was not in trouble; actually he was being congratulated on earning a prestigious academic award, the 2007 National Achievement Scholarship Program. “I was shocked,” he says with a smile. “They wanted to congratulate me and handed me a five-page packet of papers to fill out in hopes of advancing as a finalist. It was a bit overwhelming.” Gallagher is one of only 1,600 Black American high school seniors from around the country who met the criteria for the prestigious award. Gallagher and his family take pride in the honor that he describes as a “huge win.” The privately financed National Achievement Program was initiated in 1964 to honor academically-promising black youth throughout the nation and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding participants. More than 27,000 young men and women have received Achievement Scholarship awards worth about $86 million. The initial screen for semifinalists was determined by taking the 2005 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. All Achievement Scholarship winners are selected from the Finalist group on the basis of the abilities, accomplishments, and potential for success in college. Academics have always played a major role in Gallagher’s life. Prior to attending The Prep, he studied at Our Lady of Good Counsel grade school in Moorestown, N.J., where his mother also works. “I’d like to think that my mother is a great force in my life,” James says. Attending The Prep was a decision that came to him at a relatively young age. Throughout his time spent at OLGC, he was constantly being told positive things
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about The Prep. “My school was like a feeder school for The Prep,” he says. “We would always have people visiting our school telling us how great The Prep was. When I visited I saw for myself how great it is. I really liked it.” As a contributing academic member of the school, Gallagher is confident that he made the right decision selecting The Prep. Since his experiences have been positive, it is hard for him to choose one specific aspect that is his favorite. “The Prep Pride at sporting events, the experience here and the people, it’s just a different atmosphere,” he says. In his mind, Gallagher has transformed from a quiet, nervous freshman whose main goal was just to make it through to a confident senior who achieves excellence in academics. “Freshman year was about meeting friends and finding my way around the school, he says. “Now I have a close group of friends, I know where everything is and I can drive to school now, which is a plus.” Outside of school Gallagher is like many high school seniors; he spends the majority of his spare time with his friends and guitar. “Playing guitar is a big part of my life,” he says with a smile. Gallagher is focused on filling out applications and awaiting responses; he has applied to Georgetown, Penn, Boston College and Loyola and admits that the whole process can be a little intimidating. “Right now it’s all about the applications,” he laughs. “After I graduate, I will enjoy my summer and then head off to college.” But while great things are likely in store for Gallagher, he is understandably emotional about leaving St. Joseph’s Prep. “I will really miss The Prep; it has truly become a second home for me.”
department profile
Profile on English Department
A
ALUMS OF A CERTAIN VINTAGE MAY REMEMBER STANDING IN FRONT OF AN ENGLISH CLASS TAUGHT BY JIM O’BRIEN ’62 AND RECITING THE
FOLLOWING VERSE FROM MACBETH: “Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.” Well, happily, that moment (or those like it) still happens regularly in English classes at St. Joseph’s Prep. But English classes have changed, becoming even more challenging and giving students a chance to write more and also to select classes that appeal to them. In 2000-01, the English curriculum was changed to include electives for seniors and some juniors. These classes, designed and taught by faculty with a strong interest in the subject, allow students to gain a deeper understanding of a certain area of English while also learning from someone passionate about the topic. “We wanted to try and engage the students in new ways,” says Ms. Judith Christian, who was then the chair of the department. “We had a very traditional curriculum but we wanted to offer solid courses that would also pique their interest. People were very excited about the idea of electives but the only way to do that was to realign the curriculum.” The changes moved American literature and British/World literature up a year to sophomore and junior years
respectively. That allowed students in the senior year to take two electives, one for each semester. Each elective, which is designed by the teacher who will then present the material, is approved before a faculty committee before being added as an option to students.
“Compared to my own high school experience, this department is very lively,” he says. “Teaching electives is interesting for me as a teacher because when I stand in front of the class, I know they have chosen to be there. Immediately, that changes the dynamic from a regular survey class.”
“There are teachers here who have various areas of expertise and can teach at a deeper level than you can in a survey course,” says current chair Mr. Chris Rupertus. “Our electives are a testament to the creativity of the faculty to develop courses, to do more than just what is expected.”
For Whelan’s courses, more technology is needed, especially in film and literature. He thinks that it is important to recognize the presence of technology. “It is unrealistic and irresponsible to deny the fact that technology is a huge part of the students’ day- to-day lives and what part it is going to play in the future,” he says. “They love it when we use technology in the classroom. Their minds pop like popcorn when they get the chance to work with new technologies or with old technologies in new ways.”
Through the years, interesting electives have included journalism, film and literature, censorship, Shakespeare and poetry of lyrics. “The teachers have to do a lot of research when developing the course,” says Rupertus. “They have to find appropriate books to read and do much more than a normal survey course would require. However, anyone who has created an elective has found that the rewards far outweigh the work.” One teacher who has become very popular on the elective circuit is Mr. Andrew Whelan. Whelan joined the faculty in 2001-02 to teach film and literature and became a full-time member of the department the following year. He also teaches a journalism course and in the past a course on personal writing in addition to a few sections of sophomore American literature. This spring, he has developed a course on public speaking and will present it for the first time.
“Teaching electives is interesting for me as a teacher because when I stand in front of the class, I know they have chosen to be there. Immediately, that changes the dynamic from a regular survey class.” —Andrew Whelan [Standing l-r]: Joe Coyle, Judith Christian, Matt Kelly, Greg Connors, Joe Griffin. [Sitting l-r]: Andrew Whelan, Jim O’Brien, Chris Rupertus, Susie Cook. Missing: Kathleen Sullivan.
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Ms. Susie Cook, in just her second year at The Prep, has her students working at a high level as well. Although her content matter is a bit more traditional than those found in electives, she brings a different bent to it and, according to Rupertus, “the breadth of material that she covers is incredible.” “I teach books that are a part of the canon, but do it with a different lens, to bring a new approach to the subject,” she says. “Maybe we will choose to look at a book from the feminist approach or a transcendentalist’s viewpoint. Each work has multiple interpretations and it is important to consider different points of view.” She credits Rupertus for inspiring the faculty to adapt the material to their own personality. “Jesuits have always had an open mind in education and
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Chris has asked us to take what others have created and make it our own,” she says. “To me, that is good because we have to read the work and understand it but resist conforming to old interpretations and think creatively. That trickles down to the students.”
tives and poetry to create more effective communicators.” O’Brien has been on the English faculty for more than 35 years and is in his sixth decade of Jesuit education. He sees the English curriculum of today even more challenging than
“I teach books that are a part of the canon, but do it with a different lens, to bring a new approach to the subject...” —Susie Cook With these new approaches, it is important not to lose sight of the fundamentals of English. “I think that we complement the classical approach,” says Rupertus. “We still teach grammar, do a ton of reading and a lot of critical writing. However, we have infused the curriculum with more public speaking, personal narra-
when he was a student or when he first started teaching. “The sophistication of the department has changed and our courses have gotten richer, more content oriented,” he says. “I think that our students are better for the opportunities they are provided.”
prep sports
Profile on Jim Shields FOR JIM SHIELDS ’07, running comes naturally. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Shields is from an athletic family. His mother has run marathons and played basketball at Saint Joseph’s University and his sisters (Kerri, 16; Erin, 14 and Shannon, 13) play basketball and run cross country and track. Still, running cross country requires a special discipline, an inner push. That appeals to him. “I like the idea of being secluded when I run,” says Shields, a resident of Drexel Hill and a member of St. Bernadette’s Parish. “It’s all mental. It’s me against the guys I am running against. I played a lot of sports growing up but I never gravitated towards one until I ran cross country.” At a cross country meet, most of the event happens far from spectators’ eyes. It is only at the beginning and end when the crowd can make a difference. “That last mile, you
have people cheering you on when you really need it,” he says. “You can’t run like that all the time though because you would lose all of your energy but at the end you need that extra push.” This year’s cross country team, under the direction of Curt Cockenberg ’71, had success, winning the Jesuit Schools Championship, finishing second at the Independent Schools Championship and third in the Catholic League. Shields says that it has a lot to do with Cockenberg. “Coach has been here a long time and knows what he is doing,” says Shields. “We listened to him and trusted him and it worked well.”
have always gotten me back on track when I needed it,” he says. His parents were also the main reason he came to The Prep. “They talked about it a lot, that The Prep was the best school around,” he says. “They were right and it has been great for me. The academics are tough but the classes are interesting and I know that I am ready to go to college.” Right now, the college choices are still wide open. Shields is considering Penn State, Fordham, Villanova, Boston College, Saint Joseph’s, Pittsburgh and Penn. Wherever he goes, he hopes to run. “I’m not sure I will do it if I’m not on the team,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t love it that much.”
Shields says his parents, Renie and Jim, have been great support. “I’ve had some times when I hated running but my parents
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prep sports
MURRAY EARNS 500th WIN BY
Vince DiGregorio ’77
When St. Joseph’s Prep soccer coach Jim Murray ’59 was asked to comment on becoming just the second coach in Pennsylvania history to reach the 500-win mark, he pointed to a plaque that honored him for his 100th coaching victory.
“I kept bugging (the athletic director) even when I was (still) at Friends Central,” Murray recalled. “I said, ‘You’ve got to start a soccer team.’ He kept saying, ‘No, no, no.’”
“I remember the 100th victory especially because of the date,” Murray said. “It was 10-10-80. The three numbers added up to a hundred. I remember the bus ride out to Archbishop Carroll that day. I said to the team on the bus ‘It’s in the bag today, guys.’”
Things changed when that athletic director and the principal left The Prep. Murray assumed the role of Dean of Students and the following year, 1971, also became the new athletic director.
I shouldn’t have been surprised since I had been one of many Prep students who had Mr. Murray for a probability/math course. So coming up with a numerical reason made sense.
“When I became the athletic director, I sat on one side of the desk and said, ‘May I start a soccer team at St. Joseph’s Prep?’” Murray said. “I shot around to the other side of the desk and said, ‘of course’ with my AD hat on, so that’s historically how it started.”
“If I were an English teacher, I might have never noticed it,” Murray said. “If you coach long enough, I guess eventually the numbers are just going to add up.” The numbers are impressive for the man who also happens to be the Prep’s athletic director. Since Murray began coaching at The Prep, the soccer team has won or shared 25 Catholic League Southern Division titles and made the playoffs for 32 consecutive years. Murray’s overall record currently stands at 508-238-72, including four years at Friends’ Central. But the success story can be reflected in this mathematical equation: St. Joseph’s Prep Soccer equals Jim Murray. Murray established the Prep soccer program back in the early seventies, when the term “soccer mom” wasn’t a part of the American lexicon. Even the great Pele hadn’t yet signed to play for the New York Cosmos of the defunct North American Soccer League. Building a program from scratch is tough enough, but even more so when it’s a sport which at that time was played mainly in ethnic communities and other select areas. However, Murray had to deal with an obstacle even before the first ball was ever kicked. He had to convince the Prep hierarchy to agree to begin a soccer program.
Profile on Jim Murray
“I knew it would be a struggle, because there were probably not that many true soccer players here and there weren’t. We were 0-13 in our first year. I think we scored two goals and gave up about 50 or so. “As you moved into the eighties and the nineties, you were getting more and more boys who were playing the game,” Murray said. “Today, you couldn’t go on to a college campus and walk up to the soccer coach and say ‘Hey, I think I’d like to try this sport.’
I couldn’t resist asking my former math teacher one math question pertaining to sports. How many college basketball games are played among the Big Five teams with a round-robin schedule? Without hesitation, he said 10. Don’t believe it? Just do the math.
The only remaining challenge for Murray, a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University (B.S.) and Villanova University (M.A.), is getting that elusive first Catholic League championship. The prolonged success of the Prep program should not be limited to quantitative numbers, however. The number of quality people that have passed through is equally impressive.
This article first appeared in the dinner program at the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association (PSWA) banquet, held in January. At that time, the association honored Murray for his 500th win and his outstanding career. A special thank you to the PSWA and to Vince DiGregorio ’77, who works as a stringer for SportsTicker.
“What I find I’m frequently thinking back upon are the players,” Murray said. “Many of the Prep players have stayed in touch. Some have come back and coached. Once (our program) got up and rolling, I would almost invariably have a former Prep player as an assistant.”
“What I find I’m frequently thinking back upon are the players.” —Jim Murray
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reunion
Reunions 2006
Class of 1956
Class of 1961
Class of 1966
Class of 1971
Class of 1976
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Class of 1981
Class of 1991
Class of 1996
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Class of 2001
Class of 1986
alumni profile
John Paul ’66 At the Communion Breakfast in October, John Paul ’66 was presented with the Alumnus of the Year Award for his unselfish efforts which have brought honor to St. Joseph’s Prep and his fellow alumni. His friend John Meehan ’66 presented the award and here are his remarks: John Paul and I have been close friends for 44 years now! We first met in 1962. To put the years in perspective, back then, gas cost 24 cents a gallon and a mug of beer cost 15 cents. Oh and the Phillies had a 24 game losing streak. I guess some things never change. Not knowing a soul at The Prep, we got to know each other in a summer session before freshman year. It turned out to be an academic year that stretched into the following summer. As smart as he is, he didn’t have a clue about first declension Latin nor did he know how to apply the “side angle side” theorem in geometry. Don’t get the wrong idea; here was a guy who was smart as a whip. He knew every word to every Motown song recorded in the sixties. He can say “hello” and “thank you” in 20 languages and he could do the best “Bristol stomp” you ever saw. At 14 years of age, what more could you want in a friend? I promised to say only nice things about him so, I will not be recounting a few of my favorite memories about our times together at the Prep. I can’t mention the time John: • Received JUG for “driving without a license” in history class. • Nor can I mention the time John’s poor aim with a water pistol that claimed Mr. Delclose’s glasses and textbook with an errant shot. Early on and evident to everyone, John excelled at being the guy to go to if you wanted to get things done. Maybe this trait is due to the fact that John is the eldest son of eight children in his family. Always willing to be part of a team, you could count on John. His particular talent is that of the consummate wordsmith. He could fill up a bluebook with more Jesuit philosophy than anyone. His ease with the written word served him well after college with resumes. In his early working days, it was reports and analysis. Today, he is skilled in preparing sophisticated marketing strategies for Fortune 500 companies. If there is a problem, hand John a pen, give him an hour, and watch him work. What you get back are well thought-out strategies, complete with tactics.
Today, John is the president of the firm that bears the family name. Along with his brothers Jim and Jeff who are also Prep grads and executives at the firm, they employ over 100 professionals engaged in marketing, package design, and communications strategies for some of the largest companies in the world. Unknowingly, you have no doubt experienced the Paul firm’s work with products from Mars Candy and Kraft Foods, Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceuticals, just to name a few of their clients. Having graduated from St. Anselm’s College in 1970 and busy building his business career, John had the good fortune to marry his wife Judy and became the father of Christopher and Laura. And, it is through his growing family that John experienced his call to the infamous Jesuit mantra to become a “man for others.” Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, John did not hear it correctly. John thought the phrase was to “be a man for brothers-with a “B” and so it was while his son was attending LaSalle College High School that John began “pitching in” for the Christian Brothers. His tireless work with the Fathers’ Club there led to positions on the LaSalle board of trustees and culminating as the chairman of a capital campaign that raised a record amount for the school. As you can imagine, he experienced a fair amount of mostly good-natured ribbing from both the Prep and LaSalle sides. And when the rivalry became a bit too serious over the recent years, John saw an opportunity to bring alums from both schools closer together in a bond of friendship by launching a most enjoyable golf tourney, “The War at the Shore.” This friendly competition has given each school’s alumni a better understanding of the true meaning of a private Catholic education and along with an understanding of the need to sustain and nurture both schools’ traditions. John’s work for the community does not stop there. Having previously been a trustee at Holy Redeemer Hospital, Mount St. Joseph’s Academy and others, John currently serves on the board of directors of St. Anselm’s College in New Hampshire, and Rosemont College locally. In addition, John now serves on the Prep’s board of trustees, having joined in 2005 and currently co-chairs the capital campaign. Today I have the pleasure of introducing a man who does not know how to say no when it comes to “pitching in” for his community and his faith. This year’s alumnus of the year is my oldest and dearest friend, your Prep brother, John T. Paul.
Paul [center] receives award from Fr. Byron and Meehan
Evidence of his talent is that many of the largest branded companies in the world have come to rely on his work. Early in his career, John worked in marketing for such brands as Bachman pretzel and Drakes cakes. He used this experience to take the next step in business when he joined with his father in developing the very successful marketing firm, Thomas J. Paul Incorporated. 22
former Superior General of the Society of Jesus…the care for your patients and the science of medicine seize your imagination, it is what amazes you and fills you with joy and gratitude.
Dr. Barbera [right] receives award from Fr. Byron and son Stew.
Dr. L. Stewart Barbera ’50 At the Communion Breakfast in October, Dr. L. Stewart Barbera ’50 was presented with the Rev. Charles A. Schnorr Award for his having exemplified in his devotion to the Prep those virtues of loyalty, service, and Ignatian mission so amply demonstrated during and fondly remembered of the tenure of Fr. Schnorr as Moderator of the Alumni Association. His son, Dr. L Stewart Barbera ’86, Chair of The Prep’s Counseling Department, presented the award and here are his remarks: I am truly grateful and honored to have the opportunity and privilege to introduce this year’s Reverend Charles A. Schnorr Award, to a recipient who is one of the Prep’s finest graduates…a person who has literally transformed the lives of thousands of children and their families through his distinguished career in pediatric medicine…a career that spans nearly four decades and vibrantly continues today…a man whom I respect and love … my father Dr. Stew Barbera, a member of the class of 1950. This award commemorates the life of Father Charles A. Schnorr –a Jesuit Priest whose life was animated by a deep loyalty to The Prep, a life marked by service for others, and one that reflected the Ignatian values that we strive to impart to our students each day at The Prep. My father is likewise an exemplar of these same Ignatian values. He is a person who personally and professionally embodies these qualities and whose life is a shining example of the core characteristics that comprise a Jesuit education - namely the life long pursuit of being Open to Growth, Intellectually Competent, Religious, Loving and Committed to Doing Justice. I’d like to focus my remarks this morning on six Ignatian Values – Values with which we are all familiar and which I think capture and eloquently convey dad’s spirit and approach to life – his Way of Proceeding as the Jesuits would say. These values are: Discovering God’s Will, Finding God in All Things, Faith, Generosity, Gratitude and Service.
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As a physician, my dad has discerned, discovered and faithfully followed God’s Will - his work is truly a ministry and a vocation. To paraphrase the poem that is attributed to Pedro Arrupe, the
Secondly, he has the gift of living each day with a profound awareness of the Presence of God in the ordinary and the extraordinary. As St. Ignatius wrote, through prayer—such as the Spiritual Exercises— and grace, we can find God in all things. He is keenly aware of God’s presence and it is easily recognized in the conversations he has and the expert medical care that he provides. He always said that it is a great privilege to serve his patients and their families because he has come to recognize God in faces of the children whom he cares for each day. Whether it was serving as the medical director of the Drueding Center located just a few blocks from The Prep - where he volunteered his time and talent on Tuesday evenings for more than a decade so that the children and families living there could receive excellent medical care, as well as the support and the means necessary to improve their lives—or visiting with a newborn child and her mother shortly after delivery at Holy Redeemer Hospital, he takes the time with these young families, to listen to their hopes and ease their worries through his gentle, genuine and reassuring care – he has helped us all become more aware of God’s presence and the miracle that is the gift of life through the perfection of his bedside manner. His is a life of steadfast faith rooted in prayer. My dad’s life of service and his very being is fueled by a deep prayer life and devotion to daily mass that is centered in the Eucharist. No matter how many calls he takes throughout the night or how busy and long the day ahead may be – he begins each day with mass - at the Table of the Lord seeking His Spirit, His Grace and His Love so that he can serve and love more effectively and more fully. Lastly, his is a life of Generosity, Gratitude and Service– a life which is other-centered, a life of love that as St. Ignatius said is best shown in deeds rather than words. Whether it is making sure that we are doing well, taking care of mom, teaching the Penn medical students, caring for a child who is seriously ill, advocating for the unborn, chairing a board committee meeting at the Bank or the Hospital – he has a tireless spirit of Generosity – all of which is suffused and marked by gratitude and joy which is conveyed by his optimism, his sense of possibility and wonder. Dad, thank you for being such a good steward of the gifts that you’ve been entrusted, thank you for sharing your gifts so generously and so effectively with all of us and for truly transforming the world. Thank you for your example, your kindness, integrity, and leadership, but most of all thank you for your legacy of love – and for being such a great father and role model. You are a tremendous ambassador of the Prep and a graduate who embodies the mission and values of our school – you are a man of competence, conscience and compassion, a person who, as it is written in the book of Micah, loves goodness and walks humbly with God – you truly are a man for and with others.
alumni news 1930s
Robert Riethmiller ’31 and David Ladd ’10
Robert Riethmiller ’31 has 21 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. His grandson, David Ladd ’10, who is a freshman, is his only descendent to attend the Prep. John Callahan ’39 and his wife Peg have been married for 62 years and have 10 children. They live on a golf course in Florida and spend their summers in Ireland. Rev. John Deeney, S.J. ’39, who wrote and published a Ho-English dictionary in 1978, has just revised and enlarged a second edition. The Ho language belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family, which comprises languages spoken in Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Burma and parts of India. Almost all of the Ho speakers in India live within the areas of Singh hum and Orissa, which are in the Jesuit Jamshedpur Province. Approximately 25,000 of those are Catholic. The Jesuits in India have developed a full liturgy for Mass and the sacraments in the Ho language. Fr. Deeney was granted honorary Indian citizenship for his pioneering work on the Ho Munda tribal language and customs.
1940s Harry Byrne ’40 and the late Joseph Donaghue ’40 both have grandsons in the current freshman class at The Prep. Kevin Byrne and Joe Madsen, who are very good friends, will graduate 70 years after their grandfathers. Rev. John Conlin, S.J. ’40 is now retired and living at Manresa Hall at Saint Joseph’s University. Fr. Conlin was a parish priest at St. Aloysius Church in Washington, D.C., and former Tertian
Instructor for the Province. His past assignments also include teacher and counselor while Rector at The Prep as well as Rector of Scranton Prep, directing retreats during summers.
Rev. Edwin Sanders, S.J. ’47 is retired but continues to serve at St. Mary’s Church (Lebanon, Pa.), and the Berks County Jail, in various ecumenical endeavors as well as spiritual director.
William Hodges ’41 is a Eucharistic Minister at his parish, Our Lady of Grace Church. He also is the longtime President of the Holy Name Society and a Pastoral Care Volunteer at Virtua Hospital in Voorhees, N.J.
Peter Sigmund ’47 is proud of his grandson Joseph, Jr., who can speak English and Russian at 3 1/2 years of age.
James Carbine ’42 recently celebrated his 60th anniversary of graduation from the United States Military Academy and completed his third year as president for his class. He is also responsible for raising $360,000 as a 60th Reunion class gift.
Leo Robb ’51 recently celebrated the arrival of his 10th grandchild, Colin Robb. His oldest grandchild, Zachary Certa, is a Prep senior.
1950s
Rev. Raymond Schroth, S.J. ’51 writes a monthly column on the media for National Catholic Reporter. He is now finishing The
Louis Duffy ’45, Senior Vice President Emeritus and International Consultant at LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, was recently honored by John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, for his continued support to the Historical Society of the Supreme Court and his ongoing work with the legal profession throughout the world.
Rev. Joseph Feeney, S.J. ’52 continues as Professor of English at Saint Joseph’s University. Last summer, he gave lectures in Ireland and Spain.
Thomas Reilly ’45 and his wife Nancy live in an adult community in Harleysville. Their eight children and their spouses have made them the proud grandparents of 23 grandchildren.
Bernard Grimes ’52 has been retired for four years but has been kept busy with being an IRS volunteer, a tutor for first grade English and helping teach medical students Physical Diagnosis.
Archbishop Francis Schulte ’45 recently celebrated his 25th anniversary as a bishop.
Thomas Jennings ’53 married Deborah Naulty in May 2006. All 13 grandchildren, ages 2 to 15, were in the wedding party. After a two week trip to Italy, they will split their time between Ocean City, N.J., and Lighthouse Point, Fla.
Gordon Cavanaugh, Esq. ’46 is an Adjunct Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School and Commissioner with the District of Columbia Housing Authority. Rev. George Wilson, S.J. ’46, a priest for the past 47 years, has published his first book, Patches, a memoir about the life of the Catholic church of the past 60 years. A theologian, organizational consultant and quilt maker, Fr. Wilson shows how the pieces of one’s life, like a quilt in progress, can reveal unexpected patterns and are always in flux. Patches can be purchased through Long Dash Publishing. (www.longdash.com)
American Jesuits: A History for New York University Press.
John O’Leary ’53 has been busy since his retirement in 1984 as President of Burroughs Corporation. He started ll Mac, Inc., took it public in 1995, sold it in 1998 and retired. Since then he has been financing the building of hospitals in Kenya, Africa. They now have a warehouse in Nairobi, the Capitol of Kenya, where 40 containers of hospital equipment and medical supplies have been sent and distributed free to 56 hospitals and clinics run by the Archdiocese of Nairobi. The Archbishop Raphael Ndqmi is a close friend of Archbishop John Foley ’53, a classmate of O’Leary’s. Dr, Robert O’Donnell ’54 has retired from teaching in the Psychology Department of Wright State University. However, he is still working as President and Chief Scientist of NTI, Inc., a cognitive neuroscience research firm. He recently welcomed his 19th grandchild. Francis “Hank” Raucci ’54 and his wife Sandra took time out on their trip to Philadelphia to visit The Prep and the Gesu. Pictured below with Hank and Sandra [center] are friends Michael and Jackie Strosnider [left] and Lloyd and Judy Strosnider [right].
The Class of ‘46 celebrated their 60th reunion on Thursday, October 19 with a luncheon at the Overbrook Country Club. Special thanks to Tom Brady ’46, class agent, for bringing this group together. [Standing, l - r] Tom McCreesh, Dick Stranix, Tom Brady, Jim Markham, Paul Niedringhaus, Joe Farrell, Ed Bradley, Bob Allen, Paul Corr, Dan Begley, Marty McKenzie. Ray Joson, Ed Coll, Paul Sigmund, Charlie McCue. [Sitting, l - r] Jim Connor, Tom Dowd, Bill Hemp, Bob Klinges, Joe Crilly and Fr. Joe McGovern, SJ.
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Robert Wombwell ’63 has started a new company which opened its doors recently in the Philadelphia area. Wombwell, who has more than 30 years of management experience, is the principal of The Roberts Organization which is dedicated to providing custom fundraising solutions to nonprofit organizations. William Conway ’64 is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for University of Detroit Jesuit High and Academy. He was awarded the 2006 Michigan Hospital Association’s Safety and Quality Leadership Award.
At the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association banquet, some former players came to support Murray. With Murray [middle] are [l-r] Jim Wallace ’81, Fenton Fitzpatrick ’80, Fernando Mendez (Prep teacher and assistant soccer coach) and Dr. Ed Burnetta ’80. John Salera ’56 and his wife Ann Marie have recently been blessed with their first grandson, Jace Ronan Cocola. Rev. Stephen Garrity, S.J. ’57 continues to be pastor of Holy Cross Church in Durham, N.C., where the parish is preparing to move and build a new church which will open in December 2007. Anthony Stevens-Arroyo ‘58 has retired as Professor Emeritus of Brooklyn College. He joins Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 as a panelist on the “Faith” page of NewsweekWashington Post. Dr. Albert Chinappi ’59 is the recipient of the 2006 University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine’s J. George Coslet Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Chinappi practices in Marlton, N.J., and Philadelphia and specializes in orthodontic care for children and adults.
Dr. Gerald Madden ’60 has joined Central Michigan University as a Visiting Finance Professor for 2006-2007. His paper, “Asset Allocation and Retirement Planning,” appeared in the Spring 2006 issue of the Journal of Investment Consulting. Gene Pasymowski ’60 recently presented a paper on “Econometric Solutions of Real Estate Valuation” at the 23rd Pan Pacific Congress of Real Estate Appraisers in San Francisco, Calif. It was selected as the best paper presented at the Congress by a panel of real estate experts and econometricians representing countries from the entire Pan Pacific Rim.
Joseph Canuso ’66, Founder and Artistic Director of Theatre Exile in Philadelphia, recently directed “The Philly Fan” by Bruce Graham as well as “Killer Joe” by Tracy Letts, which was nominated for seven Barrymore Awards including Best Director and Best Play. Thomas Dolan ’66, President of Dolan Media Management, won a silver medallion and second place in the Interactive Media/Business Web Site category at the Broadcast Industry’s Marketing Convention Awards Ceremony in New York City. He spent over 25 years in TV news before developing a company that builds management teams for TV stations.
Gordon Conwell ’61 works with his son, daughter and wife in an insurance/investment business. He and his wife Nancy have four grandchildren.
Eugene Gillin, Esq. ’66 was presented the 2006 Distinguished Estate Planner Award by the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council. This award honors an individual for outstanding contributions in the field of estate planning.
Col. Patrick Heaney ’59 is retired and living in Cibolo, Tex. He and his wife Sylvia keep busy being full-time grandparents to their two granddaughters, ages six and three.
Edward Devlin ’61 is employed as a real estate agent in Ocean City, N.J. He and his wife Patricia have been married 37 years and have two sons and two granddaughters.
Terence Gurley, Esq. ’66 has been a lawyer for 30 years. He lives in New Mexico and serves as Director of Administration for the Legal Aid Society on a Navajo Indian Reservation.
Stephen Heumann ’59, an Arden Theatre Company Board Member, attended every rehearsal of the company’s recent production, “A Prayer for Owen Meany” and has created the company’s first-ever blog. The blog tells about his experiences observing the rehearsal process. “The Heumann Blog” can be found at: http://blog.ardentheatre.org/
George Pradel ’61 is enjoying his retirement in Arizona after spending 37 years with the Dept. of Defense (NSA) as a communications and information technology specialist/manager. He provides IT support to two non-profits: the Friends of the San Pedro River and the Volunteer Interfaith Caregiver Program. Pradel notes that St. Andrew’s, the parish he attends, was named by his mother’s uncle, Daniel James Gerche, who was the Bishop of Tucson.
John McGraw ’66 retired from the United States Mint in 2003 after 37 years of service. He returned to school and received his Pennsylvania teacher certification and is currently teaching chemistry at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford.
James Murray ’59, longtime Prep soccer coach, won the 500th game of his career in a 9-1 win over Monsignor Bonner during the 2006 soccer season. For the honor, Jim received a lifetime achievement award from the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association. At the dinner honoring him, three tables attended, including his wife, children and siblings, along with principal Michael Gomez and members of The Prep athletic department. Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach ’59, head of the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and National Cancer Institute, was named by Time magazine as one of the “100 People Who Shape Our World.”
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1960s
Charles Burns, Esq. ’66 was recently appointed as Chief Counsel for District 13 of Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO.
Dr. Michael Farrell ’62 is beginning his 14th year as Chief of Staff of Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital. He recently received the Founder’s Award from Cincinnati Pediatric Society. Thomas Sexton ’62 just retired from public education after 18 years with Centennial School District in Bucks County and 22 years with the School District of Philadelphia. Vincent Curran ’63 is back working part-time at Curran Associates after a long illness. He also serves as chief operating officer for companies in Santa Monica, Calif., and Troy, Mich.
Richard Orlando ’66 is president of TDN Money Systems. Recently, he was awarded one of 12 Pennsylvania slot machine distribution licenses by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Joseph Ryan, Esq. ’66 is a partner in the law firm of Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur in Columbus, Ohio. He was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the International Association Defense Counsel. James Sheehan ’66 is executive director of the Interfaith Coalition of Food Centers of Delaware County. John Sheehan ’66 recently retired after 24 years with the Long Island Railroad. He lives in Westfield, N.J. with his wife Jane and three sons, John, Christopher and Michael.
alumni news Dr. Raymond Theilacker ’66 defended his dissertation in March 2006 and received his Doctorial degree in May. For his work, he was awarded the Presidents Award for Leadership and spent the summer of 2006 in New Haven, Ct., as a Yale Fellow, studying the art and literature of the Maya. Dr. Paul Anderer ’67 has been appointed to the newly created position of Vice Provost for International Relations at Columbia University in New York, N.Y. As Vice Provost, he will help to coordinate existing international research and education programs as well as working with the President, Provost and Deans to articulate Columbia’s international vision and academic leadership. Alfonse Pizzica ’67 retired from Prudential Financial after 27 years of service and is now with Professional Services Agency, Inc., in Marlton, N.J. He’s the proud first-time grandfather of Madeline Rosemary Pizzica, born this fall. John Dougherty ’68 received the 2006 General Electric Edison Award, which honors technologists across the company. He is currently Senior Consulting Engineer for Industrial Systems and holds 29 U.S. patents for the company. Michael Guzzardi ’68 is proud to report that his daughter, who graduated from Waldron Mercy Academy in the spring, is now a freshman at Merion Mercy Academy. Frank Kuhn ’69 is the chair of the Department of Theatre at SUNY-Brockport. Recently, in a book of critical essays, he had articles published on Othello and the Tennessee Williams Encyclopedia. This past summer, he directed “The Lonesome West” for the Stoneleaf Festival in Asheville, N.C., and “Sweeney Todd” for the Creede Repertory Theatre in Colorado. He lives in western New York with his wife and daughter.
1970s Timothy Corlies ’71 is a management specialist for the Social Security Administration. He and his wife Donna have one daughter Jennifer. Hon. Thomas DelRicci ’71 is presently completing his ninth year of service as a judge in the 38th Judicial District of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, serving Montgomery County. He was recently elected as an officer of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges. He resides in Blue Bell with his wife Carol and daughters Sarah and Anna. Thomas Devine ’71 has been working with Bill Wechsler ’71 for the past 12 years, first at Data Voice Networks and presently with PAETEC Communications. He and his wife Marianne have three children in high school and one in kindergarten. William Greenlee ’71 won a special election to replace the late David Cohen as an at-large member of the Philadelphia City Council. He will join
two other Prep graduates on City Council, Jim Kenney ‘76 and Brian O’Neill ‘67. Dr. John Hickey ’71, a Pediatrician in Burlington Twp., N.J., was named one of the “Top Docs” in 2006 by South Jersey Magazine. Dominic Vallone ’71 is the Director of Operations at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and is responsible for real estate, property management and security for the nonprofit philanthropic organization. Also, he currently chairs the building committee of the Cathedral Kitchen in Camden, N.J., which serves over 350 meals each night to the city’s neglected poor and hungry. Roger Bruno ’72 has been operating his own accounting firm for the last 25 years. Gerald McHugh, Esq. ’72 has been named one of the top ten lawyers in Pennsylvania for the third consecutive year, in the annual Super Lawyers poll, a survey of 35,000 members of the legal profession. He has also been listed again in the national directory Best Lawyers in America. Rev. John Swope, S.J. ’72 is President of the new Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore, Md. The school is slated to open in 2007. Dr. Anthony Pedicino ’73 practices restorative and aesthetic dentistry in the far northeast region of Philadelphia. He was recently certified in “Invisalign” (invisible braces) and “Imtec” implants. Dr. Pedicino and his wife Mary Jo are the proud parents of 17 year old twins, John ’08 and Maureen (Mount St. Joseph’s Academy ’08). Michael Fox ’74 plays a baseball coach in the soon-to-be-released movie “We Are Marshall” and served as equipment manager for that movie and “Invincible,” a film based on the life of Philadelphia Eagle Vince Papale. In real life, he is the equipment manager for the Philadelphia Barrage and Philadelphia Wings lacrosse teams and communications coordinator for the Temple University football team. Marc Liciardello ’74 has joined ARAMARK as Vice President of Corporate Services. In this position, Marc will be responsible for the overall leadership of the following areas: facilities and real estate services, administrative support (i.e., mailroom, distribution, maintenance, records management, etc.), fitness centers, video conferencing, air services corporate restaurants and drivers. David Betz ’75 is the Director of the Santa Cruz Newman Catholic Center that serves the University of California at Santa Cruz, California State University at Monterey Bay and Cabrillo College. Rev. Gerald McGlone, S.J. ’75 was invited to lecture at the Church Management Institute sponsored by Villanova University this past summer and to be a Plenary speaker at the sixth Annual Guest House Institute held in Minneapolis, Minn. Additionally, Saint Mary’s Press announced that
over 20 different Dioceses in the USA are using his book Creating Safe and Sacred Places in their high schools to help comply with the Bishop’s Charter for the Protection of Children. Michael Nutter ’75 announced that he was stepping down from his position on Philadelphia’s City Council to launch a run for mayor of the city in 2007. James Swope, Esq. ’75 is co-owner of Columbia Container in Baltimore, Md. Joseph Capozzoli, Esq. ’76 practices law in West Chester, Delaware County and Philadelphia. He is a local community advocate and still enjoys playing basketball and running in his spare time. Rev. John Cecero, S.J. ’76 professed his final vows in The Society of Jesus at Fordham University Church in December. Fr. Cecero is a Professor of Psychology at Fordham. Anthony Dulisse ’76 is employed with Cooper Health System, has a cleaning business and sells real estate part time. Frank Miceli ’76 was named Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Philadelphia Wings of the National Indoor Lacrosse League. Miceli also retains his title as COO of the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League. Peter Watko ’76 serves on the Diocesan School Board in Portland, Me. He and his wife Kathy live in Auburn, Me. Clifton Williams ’76 has joined the practice at Greene County (N.C.) Health Care, Inc. He and his wife Barbara and their four daughters (Lauren, Kristen, Jay and Myra) live in Snow Hill, N.C. Wadell Ridley ’77, former director of constituent services and community liaison for former City Councilman Michael Nutter ’75, has been named the new Assistant Vice President for Government and Community Relations at Saint Joseph’s University. He also is a founder of The Prep’s African American Alumni Association. William Sharp ’77 reports that sons Bill ’08 and Jon ’10 are excelling on the Rugby Pitch and Cross Country at Belmont Plateau and in the classroom. Jerry Wojt ’78 started a new career with Scottrade, Inc., in March 2006 as the Branch Manager for the Allentown office.
1980s Dr. Edward Phinney ’80 is a third year Psychiatry resident training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey. He and his wife Maryann and son Ian live in Rocky Hill, N.J. Michael Daley ’81 is a plumbing and heating contractor for Daley Heating and Plumbing in Prospect Park. He enjoys spending weekends at the Jersey shore. 26
Paul Gangemi ’81 is the President of three successful corporations: Aquatic World, Blue Planet Aquatics and BluChem. He is married to Jean and has two stepdaughters and four grandsons. Mark Kennedy ’81 and his wife Patricia live in Yardley and have three sons; Liam, Patrick and Ryan. James McGlynn ’81, uncle of Shane ’09 and Pat ’10, created a blog for the 2006 Prep soccer team. (http:/prepsoccer.blogspot.com) Cdr. Thomas McGovern ’81 recently completed a tour in Hawaii as commanding officer of Patrol Squadron 47. He is now working in the Pentagon as a manpower analyst and programmer for the Naval Aviation Enterprise. He and his wife Katie and their two daughters live in Clifton, Va. Thomas Muldoon, Esq. ’81 is the sole member of his own law office, TP Muldoon, Jr. LLC which he opened in January 2006. He practices construction litigation, real estate transactions and commercial/business transaction law. He and his wife Lisa have three children, a daughter and two sons. Joseph Nasevich ’81 is a software engineer with Northrop Grumman-Sperry Marine working on military and commercial radar systems. He is living in Charlottesville, Va., with his daughter Tasha and son Michael. He continues to play and referee ice hockey and soccer. Stephen O’Connor ’81, a Vice President at Eagle Publishing in Washington, D.C., was one of the initiators of a statue of former President Ronald Reagan that was erected and unveiled in Budapest, Hungary last year. He was also present at the dedication ceremonies. Michael Olley, Esq. ’81, a trial lawyer and partner in the firm of Coffey, Kaye, Myers & Olley in Bala Cynwyd, resides in Penn Valley with his wife Kristine and daughters Grace Ann and Mary Katherine. Olley is the President of the Saint Joseph’s University Law Alumni Association. Paul Shoup ’81 is a property tax consultant with Shoup, Causey & Horning. He and his wife Kim live in Downingtown with their son and four daughters. Rev. Philip Florio, S.J., ‘83 is working as an assistant to the Vice Presidents of Development and Student Affairs at Saint Joseph’s University. Matthew Horvat ’83 and his wife Susan have moved to Chicago where he is the principal at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. James Knowles ’83 is the head football coach at Cornell University. Clayton Carlin ’83 is his offensive coordinator. Paul McKenzie ’83 recently moved to Acton, Mass., to be Vice President and General Manager of a new Bristol Myers Squibb Large-Scale Cell Culture Facility now under construction. 27
Dr. Thomas Swope ’83 is a general surgeon at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, Md. Patrick Bradley ’84, a Latin teacher with the Rockbridge County Schools in Lexington, Va., was recently inducted into the U.S. Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. Robert Dobie, Ph.D. ’84 spent the summer of 2005 in Cairo, Egypt as a Fulbright Fellow at American University. He is a professor of Philosophy at La Salle University. Dr. Edward Higgins ’84 is a pediatrician who practices in Abington. He and his wife Marie live in Willow Grove with their two children, Patrick and Rebecca. Gregory O’Connor ’85 won an Emmy Award for Best Original Music for his work on “Mad TV.” Henry Richards ’85, his wife Elizabeth and son Henry live in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is employed as communications manager at ICDDRB, an international health organization. Lt. Col. Kevin Vizzarri ’85 recently sent home a flag that had flown with his unit in Afghanistan. Kevin’s mother donated the flag to the VFW post in Warminster which will display the flag in honor of Kevin and his unit. Vizzarri will shortly be relocating to Austin, Tex., to become a Professor of Military Science at the University of Texas. Lt. Cmdr. David Cute ’86 is currently on active duty in the U. S. Navy stationed at Fort Hood, Tex. He is Chief of the Ophthalmology Service and Refractive Surgery Center at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. John Palermo ’86 is the owner of Gavone’s bar and restaurant in South Philadelphia, where he also is a teacher at Sts. Neumann-Goretti High School. He also works in real estate development. Patrick Sweeney, Esq. ’86 was selected by his peers as one of Pennsylvania’s “Rising Stars” of outstanding young attorneys. He recently received the Community Service Award from the Defense Research Institute, a national organization of Civil Defense Lawyers. He and his wife and two children live in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. Arthur Wheeler, Esq. ’86 is an attorney with Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman and Goggin in Cherry Hill, N.J. He and his wife Kathy live in Mt. Laurel, N.J., with their two children, Elizabeth and Arthur. Anselm Richards ’88 is currently serving in Iraq as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and as a member of the First City Troop of Philadelphia. Cornelius Rightley ’88 was recently named global finance manager for FMC’s Innova Solutions Group. He lives in Media with his wife Nancy and their two sons, Nathan and Benjamin. Antony Braithwaite ’89 starred in the Arden
Theatre Company’s rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s musical comedy “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” in the spring. Tony has a real history with this show having starred in it while a student here and also producing it many years later. Timothy McKenna ’89 recently graduated from Lehigh University with a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and is the new principal of Willard Elementary School in Philadelphia. Francis Staples ’89 and his wife Jill live in Cranbury, N.J., with their three children, Jack and Drew, both five, and Tess, one.
1990s James DeMarco, Esq. ’90 was named a “Rising Star” for the second year in Philadelphia Magazine’s Super Lawyer issue. Steven Rosso ’90 is the Associate Producer of the “Rachel Ray Show,” which was just picked up for its second season. Daniel Sweeney, Esq. ’90 is a Chief Deputy District Attorney in Bucks County. Dan and his wife Ann Marie live in Doylestown. Joseph Armstrong, Esq. ’91 is a partner in the Philadelphia law firm of Salla & Armstrong, PC. He and his wife Susan have three children and live in Philadelphia. Daniel Barry, Esq. ’91 is employed at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as deputy associate general counsel for Procurement, Fiscal and Information Law. John Cole ’91 is currently living in central Connecticut with his wife Ludmila and daughter Emma Rose. He is employed at CIGNA Healthcare in the Strategy, Product and Marketing Department. Edmund DeHoratius ’91 is still teaching Latin and classics at a high school outside of Boston where he also coaches soccer. He and his wife Elizabeth live in Worcester, Mass., with their two sons, William and Matthew. Dr. Brendan DeLacy ’91 received a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Drexel University and is currently working for SAIC as a senior scientist doing research for the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Brian DiMeo ’91 is a web designer for Rohm and Haas Company. He and his wife Stacey live in Sewell, N.J. Anthony Klarman ’91 is a managing director and group head at Deutsche Bank in New York. He, his wife Laura and son Lucas enjoy the many facets of living in the Big Apple. Timothy McDonnell, Ph.D. ’91 is the new music director at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
alumni news
Sean Moran ’91 has been named Director of Operations for Diamond Settlement Services, a full-service Title Insurance and Settlement Agency located in Newtown. Sean is a licensed Title Officer in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Alfred Yates ’91 is the practice leader of the solid waste division at Walter B. Satterthwaite Associates in West Chester. He and his wife Kathleen have a daughter, Elizabeth. Timothy E. Smith ’92 is the Advanced Placement Latin teacher at Ridgeview Classical Schools in Fort Collins, Col. His efforts to enhance the classical base of students was featured in a recent issue of The Coloradan. Brian Dubas ’93 is a Senior Branch Manager for Commerce Bank in Haverford. Timothy Hogan ’93 and Ed Carlson ’93 are currently third-year law students at Temple University studying Chinese law for the semester at Tsinghua University in Beijing. During their time there they have met up with Tim Keeler ’93, who was in town after attending the ASEAN Conference in Kuala Lumpur, and Todd Biermann ’95, who was in Beijing as Assistant Producer for a new travel show called “Trip of a Lifetime”. Timothy Keeler, Esq. ’93 has been named the new Chief of Staff to the United States Trade Representative. He most recently served as Deputy to the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the Treasury Department. Christopher Lui ’93 was promoted to Vice President/Managing Director at J. P. Morgan Chase in New York. He lives in Hong Kong and is managing Treasury and Securities Services and the Investment Bank in J. P. Morgan Chase, Asia. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Christopher Coulston, Esq. ’94 recently graduated from New York University’s School of Law. He previously received a Masters degree in the History of Science from Harvard University. He and his wife Rachel live in Wynnewood. Gregory Kuklinski ’94 got engaged to Dawn Dunbar this summer while in Italy. The engagement took place in St. Mark’s Square in Venice. Benjamin Crowley ’95 received a scholarship to the Kogod School of Business at American University in Washington, D.C., where he is pursuing an MBA. Matthew Fullmer ’95 was one of the leaders of a Saint Joseph’s University service trip to aid those affected by Hurricane Katrina. He is Immersion Programs Coordinator at the University.
John Gorman ’95 graduated from the Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) Fire Training Academy. A member of recruit Class 63, he is currently assigned to Engine 108 of the ACFD. Robert McElhenney ’95 has lots to smile about as his FX series, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” has been renewed for a third season. Rob is the creator/writer/director and star of the series which also features Danny DeVito. Brendon Crowther ’96 is a financial coordinator with the Philadelphia Parking Authority. He and his fiancée Leslie are planning a wedding in January ’08. Joseph DeCamara ’96 is host of a sports talk show on “SportsTalk 950 - WPEN” in Philadelphia with former Phillie and ESPN broadcaster John Kruk. He is also the host of Sports Talk 950’s Eagles pre-game show and the executive producer and sports update anchor for Jody McDonald’s program. People outside the Philadelphia area can listen live on the internet at www.sportstalk950.com. Robert Herpen ’96 received a M.A. in Communications last January. He has worked for several area radio stations including Sports Talk 950 WPEN with fellow ’96er Joe DeCamara. He is currently working as a writer/editor for The Sports Network, based in Hatboro. Capt. Jason McClain ’96 is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is currently a student at Expeditionary Warfare School and resides in Arlington, Va. Brad Scalio ’96 left his career as a meteorologist in 2005 to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a police officer. Since graduating from the Metropolitan Police Academy in Washington, D.C., he has been a police officer in the nation’s capital. His continued interest in the weather helped him catch a man who had allegedly kidnapped an 8 year old boy. The boy, the kidnapper’s son who is blind and a quadriplegic, was the focus of an Amber Alert, which was posted by the National Weather Service. Scalio, who was tracking a thunderstorm, found out about the kidnapping in that way.
member of SEI Investment’s mixed eight. The gold medal was for a portion of the race called the Corporate Challenge Cup-novice division. John Dougherty ’97 reports that he and 10 other Preppers (Pat McKenna ’97, Charles Fagan ’99, Chris Haas ’99, Steve Harris ’99, Jay O’Donovan ’99, Greg Cobb ’00, John Reiff ’00, Howard Riley ’00, Dennis Mahon ’00 and Patrick James ’03) all work at J.G. Wentworth, a leading specialty finance company headquartered in Bryn Mawr. Christopher Gennaria ’97 is a Registered Nurse at Abington Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department. He and his wife Anne live in Norristown with their two children, Alyssa and Christopher, Jr. Patrick Morgan ’97 and Tom Every, former Assistant Director of Development at The Prep, have started an organization called the Salvadoran Children of the Poor Education (SCOPE) Foundation. The SCOPE Foundation was created out of the University of Scranton’s Bridges to El Salvador pilgrimage program. The foundation makes a commitment to the poor through supporting education in El Salvador, specifically providing financial support to the Santa Luisa School located in the capital of El Salvador, San Salvador. Charles Ramsey ’97 and his band made their Philadelphia debut at Grape Street in Manayunk this past spring. He performed songs off his debut CD, “Something New,” which he recorded with Jake Munch ’97 and Dave Munch ’98. Charles Roman ’97 has opened Blackfish, a new restaurant in Conshohocken. Roman, who has a business degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management from Drexel University, worked at Le Bec Fin and Vetri restaurants in Philadelphia where he perfected his skills. He then started his own gourmet catering business, Charles Roman Catering, before opening Blackfish. Ryan Carney ’98 has recently become engaged. He and his fiancée Amy are planning a July 2007 wedding.
Daniel Annarelli ’97 returned in August after living in Rome for eight months. While there, he completed studies for his Masters Degree in Early Modern European History. He is currently teaching history in California at the Loyola Preparatory High School of Los Angeles.
Rev. Mr. John Donia ’98 was ordained to the Transitional Deaconate in May 2006 by Bishop Joseph R. Cistone, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, at St. Charles Seminary. Deacon Donia is assigned to Mother of Divine Providence Parish in King of Prussia, where he will assist for one year while he concludes his seminary training.
Capt. Alec Barker ’97 just completed his first year at the Johns Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at the school’s Bologna campus. He will finish his Masters in International Studies in Washington this year.
W. Sean McLaughlin ’98 was recently promoted to Senior Associate of DFI Government Services. He oversees a variety of analytical work for the Department of Homeland Security and other national security clients.
Nicholas Bucci ’97 won a gold medal in May at the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River as a 28
Peter Nocito ’98 teaches at Randolph Public School in Chicago and plays the drums for The Beasley Phillips Band which performs throughout Illinois and Michigan. Keith Ramsey ’98 wrote the music for a movie, “Consolation,” which was aired on WYBE, a local public television station. The film was aired as part of the “Philadelphia Stories” TV series, which showcases shorts from area filmmakers. Robert White ’98 is a marketing specialist for Merck’s TeleRx Division in Horsham. He markets Merck’s new Rx products and services. Michael Delaney ’99 is an electronics engineer at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center located at Edwards AFB. He designs instrumentation and telemetry systems to support flight tests for research aircraft and will be supporting flight test activities for the new manned spacecraft. James DiGiulio ’99 received a J.D. degree magna cum laude from Rutgers School of Law in Camden last spring. He is clerking for the Assignment Judge of Passaic County in New Jersey.
Robert Vogelbacher ’00 has been named the 2006 Miles Technologies Young Entrepreneur for his work with Men of Steel, a customized rebar supply company that he founded in 2004. The Miles Award is presented to a successful business owner under 30 in cooperation with the Entrepreneurs Forum of Southern New Jersey. Christopher Egoville ’01 is currently a student at Widener University’s School of Law, concentrating on Corporate and Health law. Shawn Gennaria ’01 graduated magna cum laude from Manhattan College. He is employed at Fort Monmouth as a software engineer and is currently in graduate school at Monmouth University. Jamie Kelly ’01 is a second year JD/MBA student at the University of Miami and is president of the honors fraternity, Phi Delta Phi. Toma Lazar ’01 graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and is presently employed at Medical Data Management in Conshohocken.
Michael Rady ’99 will be in three episodes of the Showtime series, “Sleeper Cell” as “Jason,” a recurring character.
William Newman ’01 graduated from the University of Scranton with degrees in Political Science and Philosophy. Upon graduation he joined the Walt Disney World College Program and recently worked at Kane, Pugh, Knoell, Troy and Kramer LLP. He is currently a first year student at the Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Del.
Daniel Thistle, Esq. ’99 graduated from Villanova University Law School and is currently working at the Thistle Law Firm in Philadelphia.
Raymond Stankiewicz ’01 is working at a strategic communications firm in Washington, D.C., as an account executive.
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Anthony Wagner ’01 is working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Washington, D.C.
Christopher O’Donnell ’99 has a recurring role as an intern on the NBC series, “Scrubs.”
Daniel Cellucci ’00 came up with the winning design in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Bicentennial logo contest. His design will be used to promote the year-long celebration of the Archdiocese’s 200th anniversary which will be observed from April 2007 through April 2008. The logo will be used on banners, posters and other printed material throughout the Bicentennial. Over 200 artists submitted entries as part of the contest. Michael Day ’00 received a Masters in Philosophy with distinction from the St. Cross College of Oxford University following graduate work in Classical Studies. He is presently attending the Weill College of Medicine at Cornell University.
Brendan Day ’02 graduated from the Schreyer Honors College of Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in science and honors in civic and community engagement. He is currently serving an internship with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Peter Franconi ’02 graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina and is currently employed at Triage in Atlanta, GA.
Daniel McMonigle ’00 and his band “Lomita” formed in the summer of 2004 are getting a lot of attention in the Austin, Tex., music scene. John Sprandio ’00 is a third year medical student at Temple University Medical School.
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visiting a small coastal town near Marseilles where the Groch’s were having lunch. Justin, who graduated from Loyola New Orleans in the spring, spent the fall semester in Los Angeles while New Orleans recovered from Katrina. He plans to perform for the Philadelphia Opera Company this fall. Thomas Kuklinski ’02 joined the Peace Corps shortly after graduation from the University of Virginia in May. He is working as a teacher’s assistant for three elementary schools in Ngwenyeni, South Africa. Matthew Duke ’03 has released a CD titled “Winter Child” that is receiving a lot of radio play. The CD is available at many local record stores and through Amazon.com. Daryl Lloyd ’03 is serving as President of the student government of Catholic University of America. David Morris ’03 has been elected to the University of Pittsburgh’s chapter of Chi Epsilon, a National Honor Society in Civil Engineering. Justin Mrazik ’03 won first place in the student division of the annual Company Magazine Photography Contest - The Ignatian View, for his photo “Tres Ninas.” The photo is in black and white and features three little girls who were students at Colegio Santa Gema in Santiago de Maria, El Salvador where they were taught English by Prep alumni including Mrazik. Mark Tartaglia ’03 and his band “Tremor” won the first-ever O’Malley Fest Battle of the Bands 2006 which was organized by the O’Malley New Year’s Brigade. “Tremor” beat out seven other local bands and won a cash prize of $1,000. Carl Engel ’04 has been elected 2007-08 captain of the Columbia University men’s lightweight crew team. Alan Guffanti ’05 is a sophomore at Fairfield University and has been accepted into Ignatian Residential College and its nursing program. Gerald Mannion ’05 was recently awarded the “golden skate” award at the U. S. Rollerblading convention in Lake Placid, N.Y., for promoting the sport in low income neighborhoods. He requested that the $5,000 grant be given to The Boys and Girls Club of America so that they can continue to promote the sport around the world.
CORRECTION: John Groch and Justin Hopkins ’02
Justin Hopkins ’02 met up with Prep Religion Teacher John Groch, who was vacationing with his wife Mer in France this past summer. Hopkins was
In the summer issue of The Prep News, we neglected to mention that John Hendrickson ’06 won the inaugural Gregg F. Ciarrocchi ’86 Memorial Award. We apologize for the omission.
alumni news
Alumni Weddings
Alumni Births
Edmund Hennessy ‘83 and Joy Harris Robert Dobie ‘84 and Aurora Deshauteurs Christopher Coulston ‘94 and Rachel Bruenstein Michael Levins ‘94 and Carla Sanchez Kevin Smith ‘94 and Danielle Saupe Timothy Murphy ‘95 and Alexandria Hotmer Christopher Kusek ‘96 and Molly Betzhold Brian Pinter ‘96 and Jessica Altieri Jeff Glanzmann ‘98 and Patricia Quinn H. Daniel Heist ‘98 and Katie St. Clair Christopher Pauzano’98 and Denise Webster Frank Koehl ‘99 and Jennifer Miller Scott Mullen ’99 and Melissa Hamson
Daniel to Eloise and Robert Radomile ‘68 Katharine Burns to Mary Ellen and William Lamb ‘79 Grace Elizabeth to Noelle and Thomas Gilson ‘80 Ian Michael to Maryann and Edward Phinney ‘80 Nicholas James to Jennifer and Frederick Marinari ‘83 [1] Henry Anthony to Elizabeth and Henry Richards ‘85 Erin McKendry to Kelly and Edward Sweeney ‘87 Liam Patrick born to Keri Jo and Patrick McHugh ‘88 Margaret Louise to Laura and Dean Marino ‘89 [2] William Lawrence to Jessica and Walter Piecyk ‘89 David Patrick to Patricia and John Given ‘90 [3] Dolan James to Farryn and James Harte ‘90 Michael Thomas to Cheryl and Greg Kupniewski ‘90 Gabriel Michael to Anna and Dewey LaRosa ‘90 [4] Melina Maria to Effie and Christian Lucarini ‘90 [5] Angelina to Diana and John O’Neill ‘90 [6] Peter Edward to Valarie and Sean Bard ‘91 Matthew Edmund to Elizabeth and Edmund DeHoratius ‘91 Mia Cayley to Maridel and Brian McCloskey ‘91 [7] Elizabeth Diane to Kathleen and Alfred Yates ‘91 Erin Elizabeth to Renee and Wade Houlihan ‘93 [8] Thomas Jr. to Alicia and Thomas Farren ‘94 Vincent James to Nancy and Daniel Kilpatrick ‘94 Addison Anna Simone to Cibele and William Moule ‘94 [9] Catherine Loretta to Kealy and Michael Murray ‘94 [10]
Frank Raffa, Prep teacher; Brian ’96 and Jessica Pinter; John Campbell ’96, and John Gill ’96
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A large Prep contingent celebrated the wedding of Jeff Glanzmann ’98, son of former Hawktion director Maureen Glanzmann, and Patty Quinn, daughter of former Hawktion chairs Pat and Joe Quinn ’71
A number of Preppers helped Frank Koehl ’99 celebrate his wedding to Jennifer Miller.
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Calendar of Events FEBRUARY 25
Campaign Kickoff Event, Noon (snow date, Mar 11) (http://campaign.sjprep.org)
MARCH 7 Mothers’ Club Fashion Show, 10 a.m. San Francisco/Bay Area Alumni Gathering, Noon 8 San Diego Alumni Gathering, 6 p.m. 9 Los Angeles Alumni Gathering, 7 p.m. 12 Teacher Appreciation Day 14 Seattle Alumni Gathering, 6 p.m. 15 Portland Alumni Gathering, 6 p.m.
M AY 4 Sophomore Conversations 10, 12-13, 17-20 Spring Play: “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” 10 Baltimore Alumni Gathering, 6 p.m. 21 Prep Classic, 11 a.m. (Philadelphia Cricket Club) (http://prepclassic.sjprep.org) JUNE 1-3 Class of 1957 Reunion 2 Baccalaureate Mass 3 Graduation (@ Saint Joseph’s University) 25 Pre-8th Grade Program Begins
APRIL 4 Alumni Board of Governors Meeting, 5:30 p.m. 13 San Antonio Alumni Gathering, 6 p.m. 16 Houston Alumni Gathering, 6 p.m. 17 Atlanta Alumni Gathering, 6 p.m. 24 Junior Ring Mass 28 Hawktion 2007: 25th Anniversary Gala, 6 p.m. (http://hawktion.sjprep.org)
In Memoriam Rev. Martin J. Casey, S.J. ‘27 Rev. M. Francis X. Kavanaugh, OCSO ‘30 Joseph F. X. Fenerty ‘33 Frank P. Kelly ‘36 Edmund G. Dale, Jr. ‘38 Dr. Joseph E. Larkin ‘38 James F. Nelson ‘38 James J. Quinn ‘38 Norman J. Smith ‘38 (former Prep history teacher)
Matthew D. Kelley Jr. ‘39 Louis X. Lyons ‘41 A. James Ellis ‘42 C. Raymond Larkin ‘44 William J. Adams ‘45 Charles P. Doyle ‘45 George A. Hespe ‘46 Joseph E. Heffernan Jr. ‘48 Thomas E. Morris ‘48 Joseph J. King ‘49 Dr. Karl M. Meyer ‘49
Joseph F. Bushek ‘50 John S. Friel Jr. ‘50 Paul J. Geib ‘50 Dr. Vincent J. Cristofalo. ‘51 Edward J. Friel Jr. ‘51 Dr. Francis E. Rosato ‘52 Richard A. Doran ‘53 Joseph F. Gruninger ‘53 Dr. William R. Morris ‘53 William A. Verna ‘53 Dr. Ronald L. Fante ‘54
Peter E. Kerr ‘54 Capt. Edward A. Davis USN ‘57 John K. McCormick ‘58 Charles M. Mosser, Jr. ’58 John M. Uhland ‘58 Dr. James B. McGovern, Jr. ‘60 John G. Buchholz ‘63 Peter J. Scavello ‘64 Mulford E. Emmel, Jr. ‘65 Rev. Francis Joseph P. Kline ‘66 Richard T. McSorley ‘66
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 afalcone@sjprep.org
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E-mail Address:
Edward A. Onorato ‘68 Nicholas Taraborrelli ‘68 Richard C. Collins ‘71 Lt. Col. Richard J. Harrington, USA ‘72 Gene E. Otto ‘92 Allen M. Muszynski ‘04 Joseph Wright, a long time member of The Prep maintenance staff
Perspectives It’s hard to imagine anything good growing out of something as devastating as the loss of a child. Yet Frank and Suellen Monaghan have worked hard to ensure this is exactly what would happen following the death of their oldest son, Patrick F. Monaghan ’05. Here are the words of Suellen about the work of “Patrick’s Dreams.” FOUR YEARS AGO, AS WE GRIEVED FOR OUR SON – A SON SO FULL OF LIFE AND ENERGY AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE – we also wrestled with the task of finding a way to keep Patrick’s hopes and dreams alive. Hopefully, what we have achieved in the years since has not only kept Patrick alive in the hearts of those who loved him but also ensured that his dreams touched the lives of people who never even knew him. Patrick really embraced the Jesuit ideal of becoming a man for others. He often spent Saturdays serving the poor at the Cathedral Soup Kitchen in Trenton, N.J. In July 2002, he and his father traveled to West Virginia with the youth group from St. Mary of the Lakes in Medford, New Jersey, for a weeklong Habitat for Humanity trip. Patrick was not exactly a manual labor sort of guy. Traveling in crowded vans, sleeping on the floor, sharing a bathroom with 30 other people and working long shifts in the hot sun were all foreign to him – yet he loved every minute of it. Collapsing on the sofa upon his return, he informed me that it was “the best week of my life.” Since the Habitat trip had been so important to Patrick, Frank and I started there. We worked quickly to set up the Patrick F. Monaghan Foundation, a registered nonprofit organization, to sponsor a Habitat house
in our son’s name. Money poured in to a charity that soon became known as “Patrick’s Dreams.” We wanted to encourage teens to volunteer as Patrick had done, giving back to their communities and working alongside their parents. We wanted to foster a lifelong commitment to service. A whirlwind of service activity followed. A large group of Patrick’s friends and Prep classmates were present when a Habitat house called “Patrick’s Place I” broke ground in Beverly, New Jersey, in April 2003. Prep students were active participants from day one, working alongside Frank and I, our younger children Rory and Dennis ’09, members of St. Mary of the Lakes’ youth group and parents of many teens. In June ’04, youthful volunteers began working on “Patrick’s Place II,” the reconstruction of a dilapidated, long-vacant Philadelphia row home gutted down to the bricks, its roof open to the sky. The following year, Prep ice hockey players and their parents helped construct “Patrick’s Place III,” one-half of a new two-family home in North Philadelphia. Volunteers enjoyed a brief brush with fame when rocker Jon Bon Jovi sponsored four Habitat houses in Philadelphia and highlighted the organization by filming a music video in Patrick’s Place III. “Patrick’s Place IV,” another renovation in North Philly, was completed in spring ’06. While prospective homeowners were providing sweat equity on the homes under construction, “guys like me were giving bloods, sweat and tears,” recalls Alex Tarnif ’02, who calls the volunteer effort “… tangible proof of the enthusiasm and dedication of Prep students past and present.” A typical day at the worksite often felt like a Prep reunion, Tarnif says.
[Left] Patrick and Frank at a Habitat site. [Opposite, top] A group of Prep students, led by Ignatian Service Director Sam Deitch and math teacher Jennifer Lyons [seated in doorway], volunteered at a “Patrick’s Place” house. [Opposite, bottom] The Prep volunteers, including Suellen and Frank Monaghan [standing at far right] and Patrick’s siblings Rory and Dennis ‘09, relaxed at a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park.
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Patrick’s Place II hosted the first weeklong Prep service group, a tradition that continues. Patrick’s classmate Mike Sciblo ’05 was part of that first work crew and returned with friends several more times. “Service is an important part of Ignatian ideals,” says Sciblo, “and by going through an experience like Habitat, I was able to see how blessed I am, and also the impact that my actions can directly have on a family and community which may not be as fortunate.” Prep graduates continue to serve. Alex’s brother, Andrew Tarnif ’04, has helped during breaks from the University of Scranton. John Galleo ’05 and Ken Ewell ’05 also brought some college classmates from Drexel and Princeton, respectively. Michael Cunningham ’04 coordinated a service day for fellow Villanova students, and work will begin in April on a new home thanks to the efforts of those students and Montgomery County Habitat for Humanity. We have organized three golf tournaments to fund the Foundation’s projects, holding the Patrick F. Monaghan Golf Classic in the summers of 2003, 2004, and 2005. Here, again, our family worked alongside Prep students, who helped by organizing the golf groups and auction lots, taking pictures, decorating, parking cars, creating a power point slideshow, and writing thank you notes to all the sponsors. (A few also played golf.) The very successful tournaments enabled us to expand the scope of donations, funding the renovation of a room in Ronald McDonald House in Camden; providing schol-
arships for Prep students; supporting organ transplant awareness programs; and twice sponsoring teens from St. Mary of the Lakes youth group on Habitat trips to Western Pennsylvania. Teens from more than a dozen high schools and youth groups in the Delaware Valley have worked so far on Patrick’s Place houses. We get the feeling we are accomplishing our goals and helping to spread Jesuit ideals when teens shoot us e-mails asking to return … and to bring friends. That’s the rewarding part for Frank and me: The students get it, and now they are helping to spread the message. Frank Monaghan continues to wield his hammer on the Bon Jovisponsored houses while waiting for construction to begin in April on “Patrick’s Place V” in West Philadelphia and “Patrick’s Place VI” in Norristown. Information for anyone wishing to join him is available from The Patrick F. Monaghan Foundation, P.O. Box 432, Medford, NJ 08055 and at www.patricksdreams.org; e-mail to info@patricksdreams.org. -
Hawktion: 25th Anniversary Gala Saturday, April 28 see p. 5
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Rev. Bruce M. Bidinger, S.J. President St Joseph’s Preparatory School 1733 Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19130