S T. S EBASTIAN’S FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
MAGAZINE
2021-2022 Board of Trustees Seán Cardinal O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap. Chairman William L. Burke, III P’95,’97,’00,’04, GP’23 Executive Officer, Headmaster James L. Elcock ’77, P’08 President Patrick J. Hegarty ’89, P’23 Vice President Kathleen A. Murphy P’21 Secretary David M. Calabro ’78, P’16 Treasurer Members: Rev. John M. Borders, III P’03 Casey M. Condron ’94, P’23,’24 Timothy J. Connelly P’17,’19 Barbara E. Connolly P’10,’12,’17 John G. Cox P’22,’25 Catherine C. Daniel P’15,’18,’20 Timothy P. Doherty ’87 P’17 Rev. Michael E. Drea Stephen M. DuFour P’14,’18,’21 William B. Evans ’77, P’17 Dana W. Fulham P’14,’24 John W. Hueber ’71 Kathleen F. Ix P’22 Susanne C. Joyce P’20,’23,’26 Carolyn M. Lemone P’16,’18 Shawn D. Martin P’17,’18,’19 Peter J. McLaughlin ’55, GP,’13,’19,’24,’24 John E. McNamara ’81, P’14,’18 James F. Mooney, III P’18 Michael P. Muldowney P’12,’16,’22 John A. Piccione ’76 Randall P. Seidl P’17,’19 Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. Troy L. Stanfield P’21 Kurt R. Steinkrauss ’91, P’19 Brian S. Strachan P’11,’14 Stephen P. Ward ’96, P’24,’25,’27 Andrew A. Wasynczuk P’14,’17 Julie G. Mulvey P’17,’21,’26 President, Guild of St. Irene Michael R. Frisoli P’17,’19,’21,’22,’26 President, Men’s Association Peter A. Galligan ’74 President, Alumni Association Trustees Emeriti: David F. Gately ’73 J. Brad Griffith ’58, GP’19,’23
FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
S T. S EBASTIAN’ S M AGAZINE
FEATURES Headmaster Burke’s remarks on “Harmony,” the one-word theme for the academic year
24 Boundless Devotion Jack Doherty ’62 retires as Business Manager after 42 years, leaving an unsurpassed legacy
32 25 Years of Service David Wilbur, George Morelli & Paul Tremblay join St. Sebastian's Wall of Honor
50 Reunion 2021 Alumni from the classes of 0’s & 5’s and 1’s & 6’s celebrate a historic combined Reunion
Assistant Headmaster Michael P. Nerbonne Director of Advancement Richard F. Arms P’14
IN EVERY ISSUE
20 Our Year of Harmony
Headmaster William L. Burke, III P’95,’97,’00,’04, GP’23
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Headmaster’s Letter
3
Around Campus
14
New Faculty
16
New Trustees
17
Event Highlights
30
Hockey Campaign
40
Fine Arts
44
Fall Sports
49
Alumni Events
55
Class Notes
64
In Memoriam
Editor and Designer Christine Y. Robertson, Director of Communications Principal Photographer Brett Crawford, Visual Media Coordinator Contributors Michaela Chapman, Communications Associate Editorial Advisor Michael Deschenes, Director of Library & Information Services
St. Sebastian’s Magazine is published three times a year by the Communications Office.
Alumni Dinner Correspondence concerning the magazine should be sent to: communications@stsebs.org St. Sebastian’s School 1191 Greendale Avenue Needham, MA 02492 781.449.5200 www.stsebs.org
An Adventure to Remember
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St. Sebastian’s School Mission Statement A Catholic independent school, St. Sebastian’s seeks to engage young men in the pursuit of truth through faith and reason. By embracing Gospel values in an inclusive, nurturing community and by inspiring intellectual excellence in a structured liberal arts curriculum, St. Sebastian’s strives to empower students for success in college and in life. The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life-long learner who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor.
COVER: Jack Doherty '62 wears the #11 jersey retired in his honor, paying tribute to Jack’s contributions to Arrows hockey, and more importantly, his invaluable impact on St. Sebastian’s as Business Manager.
INSIDE COVER: Students launch a rocket on the West Campus fields during physics class.
From the desk of the headmaster Wi llia m L . Bu r k e I II
KNOWN AND LOVED I am blessed to begin every school day by listening to and commenting on student speeches. This morning, in Chapel, I was blessed to hear four members of the Class of 2023 stand and deliver their exceptionally well-written speeches with supreme equanimity, exquisite sensitivity, and passionate eloquence—much to the great benefit and delight of their classmates, their parents, the teachers who were present, and our extended family members tuning in from afar. One young man spoke concretely and lovingly of his two sisters and of all that they mean to him. After years of having been driven by his older sister in the family’s grey Subaru, he has taken his turn behind the wheel and chauffeurs his younger sister. We now know his siblings’ names and a whole lot about their many strengths and kind-hearted goodness. Another expressed the love he had and will always have for his now deceased grandmother, who always snuck him mints and cherished every opportunity to bring joy to others, a penchant she has passed on to her children and grandchildren. Every time he sees a blue jay, his grandmother’s favorite bird, he feels her in his heart. Another shared his love of computer programming and celebrated the invaluable lessons he has learned about teamwork, collaboration, leadership, and the St. Sebastian’s brotherhood through his wholehearted engagement in Robotics. Another took us on a journey through 4:30 AM alarm rings, breakfast on the fly, Red Bull fueling, and bone-wearying work that he hated at a summer job on a golf course. After days of napping the day away after work, he swore off the Red Bull and spent his afternoons at Planet Fitness, lived a healthy, harmonious life, and, importantly, honored his commitment to his job to the end. As I shared with their parents afterward, these young men have grown exponentially in their ability to write and to orate, and they have also strengthened community. The more we know about one another, the more we love, and we know more because our students speak the truth of their hearts. And they care and dare to do so because together they have created and continue to build up our culture of trust, of courage, of respect, of acceptance, of brotherhood, of love. There may be people on this planet who wallow in despair about the future of our youth, but those people aren’t members of our St. Sebastian’s family, for here we receive daily booster shots of faith, hope, and love simply by listening to what our young men have to say and by watching what they do. We come to know and love them and their families ever more in our God-centered, student-centered, family-centered School. Love God, work hard, and take good care of one another—’tis a beauty to behold! I thank you all for your prayers and for your tremendous generosity of spirit. Your support provides the resources our gifted, devoted faculty and staff need to call our beloved students to ever rising peaks of excellence in body, mind, and spirit, and do we ever love you for it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for more gifts and blessings than I can count! May we connect soon and often, and may God continue to bless you and your loved ones every sacred step of the way. With love and gratitude,
William L. Burke III Headmaster 2 |
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News & Notes from Our School Community FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022 | 3
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FOUNDER’S DAY 2022
John Piccione ’76 Reflects on His Time as an Arrow
Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne with members of the Debate Team who participated, by debating or serving as a judge, in the Roxbury Latin School Invitational Debate Tournament.
Debate Team Delivers Outstanding Performances
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uring the first several months of the academic year, our Debate Team participated in four virtual tournaments hosted by St. Sebastian’s, Roxbury Latin, St. Paul’s, and Buckingham, Browne & Nichols. Our debaters delivered impressive individual and team performances in both the Novice and Advanced Divisions at these competitions, with several students also serving as judges. The following Arrows earned Individual Speaking Prizes and/or Team Prizes: Jack Flynn ’22, Eddie Ryan ’23, Michael Kalinichenko ’23, James Joyce ’24, Owen Connors ’24, Brendan Fulham ’24 and Ben Goffredo ’24. Congratulations to these students and the entire team for continuing St. Sebastian’s tradition of excellence in the art of debate.
In recognition of St. Sebastian’s founding by Cardinal William O’Connell in 1941, the School celebrated Founder’s Day on September 29, 2021—80 years, to the day, after it held the first day of classes. Keynote speaker, trustee John Piccione ’76, shared memories of his time on the Nonantum Hill campus and gave accounts of how the faculty had a great impact on his life during his years at St. Sebastian’s. He encouraged the students to grow their relationships with faculty as it will pay dividends forever. Piccione went on to highlight how much the School has grown since he was an Arrow, noting: “One thing that hasn’t changed through all the years is the concern for the student.”
John Piccione ’76 shares memories of his days on Nonantum Hill on Founder's Day.
Dr. Shawn Copeland Speaks at Summer Reading Assembly
Dr. Shawn Copeland delivers a speech on the All School Read, Thea’s Song.
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On September 20, Meyer Chambers opened the Summer Reading Assembly in song before giving a brief story of how he once met Sister Thea Bowman, the protagonist of this year’s All School Read, Thea’s Song: The Life of Thea Bowman, by Charlene Smith and John Feister. After his account, he introduced the assembly’s keynote speaker, Dr. Shawn Copeland. Copeland, a Black Catholic theologian, and professor emerita of systematic theology at Boston College, addressed St. Sebastian’s students and faculty on the book. She talked about who Sister Thea was and how she had a love for culture, her people, and all people. She was immersed in her African American culture. She learned it, questioned it, and challenged it and shared it with others and was committed to help people of different cultures to come together. Copeland left the audience with something Sister Thea had said to a graduating class— “Your education gives you a power nobody can take away from you. Use your power to make a better world.”
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Seven Seniors Recognized as National Scholars ongratulations to our seniors who have been recognized by the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Charles DeMatteo was named a Semifinalist, with his performance placing him in the top 1% of those who tested nationally. Charlie also received an Award for Excellence in Academic Achievement from the National Hispanic Recognition Program. The following six Arrows were named as Commended Students, placing among the top 3% of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2022 competition: Thomas Cronin, Jack Flynn, Cooper McCann, William McInerney, Maxwell Surprenant and Kevin Wakakuwa.
Watts 2 Boston Provides Opportunity On October 8, Julie Mulvey P’17,’21,’26 addressed the St. Sebastian’s community, sharing how her family is making a difference for youth who have not been given equal opportunities in their lives. The Mulveys founded the Watts 2 Boston Foundation (W2B), a non-profit inspired by the work of LAPD officers who mentor kids from Watts, a poor area of Los Angeles plagued with heavy gang violence. The goal of W2B is to pair students with a police mentor, send them to a private school and give them access to opportunities and resources they wouldn’t have otherwise. W2B also facilitates a Family Mentor Program where a family in Boston is paired with a student in Watts, providing them monetary, educational and occupational support. During the assembly, students heard from LAPD Lieutenant Ryan Whiteman who spoke about what life is like in Watts, and encouraged them to look at their opportunity of education to not just help themselves, but also others. A Boston College graduate, Jennifer Alvarado, who is from Watts, also shared her success story of how she was helped by W2B, providing her with the opportunity to attend an all-girls Catholic school and then BC.
Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne, Headmaster Bill Burke and Dean of Students Brendan Sullivan with Julie Mulvey P’17,’21,’26, Jennifer Alvarado, and LAPD officers involved in W2B.
62 Students Inducted into
the National Honor Society This fall, 62 St. Sebastian’s students were inducted into the Sr. Evelyn C. Barrett, O.P. Chapter of the National Honor Society. The National Honor Society aims to create an enthusiasm for scholarship, stimulate a desire to render service, promote leadership, and develop character.
CLASS OF 2022 Timothy R. Browne
Joseph T. Santosuosso
Andrew P. Hassey
Johannes C. Vigener
Ryan N. Kazmouz
Matthew B. Williams
CLASS OF 2023 Charles A. Bacon Landon J. Bailey Alexander J. Baynes Kyle M. Bilezerian Connor D. Bragdon Luke G. Brassard William L. Burke V Matthew N. Choumenkovitch Christopher M. Condron Joshua A. Corbett Robert T. Craven John Q. Daly Matthew P. DeAnzeris Scott G. Doherty Kellen P. Donovan Ryan P. Donovan Colin J. Dowdle Connor R. Dumouchel John D. Faggiano Ryan J. Fay Benjamin N. Garrity Theodore H. Gleba Lars R. Gubitosi William S. Hansen John K. Hayes John D. Heeney Charles H. Hoffman Peter J. Hunt
Noah C. Janchar Michael J. Kalinichenko Jack R. Lordi Alexander J. Lysko Alexander G. Maalouf Matthew R. Malloy Thomas D. McAuliffe James X. McGuire Reid M. McInerney Andrew B. McNeill Ethan L. Merithew Trevor S. Mullin Harrison W. Nash Brett E. Porter Dhaniel A. Ramos Matthew R. Rohatgi Alexander R. Roth Edward T. Ryan Mark E. Saradjian Patrick R. Sliz Ryan D. Steele Matthew J. Swirbalus Caspar T. Touloukian John M. Volo Hagan W. Ward Edward T. Weiss Ryan S. Williamson Alex W. Yang
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St. Sebastian’s Celebrates Unity Day
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FROM LEFT: Sedale Threatt '03 delivers a powerful speech; students participate in a fishbowl exercise; Stefan Cressotti performs "This Little Light of Mine."
t. Sebastian’s students and faculty gathered on November 5 to celebrate Unity Day, with a focus on “Unity in Diversity” and on this year’s theme, “Harmony.” The purpose of this annual St. Sebastian’s tradition is to heighten our awareness of every person’s dignity and to strengthen the bonds that unite us so that all may grow in our capacity and resolve to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor. The day started off in Ward Hall with a presentation from actor Sedale Threatt Jr. ’03, who served as St. Sebastian’s varsity football quarterback coach this fall. Sedale touched upon one of the most difficult days of his life, while he was a student, and how the brotherhood at St. Sebastian’s, a group of young men from different backgrounds, stood by him in support. On the St. Sebastian’s
campus that day, he found his family, his brothers and unity. Students then broke off into small groups to discuss Sedale’s speech together. Highlighting the theme of “Harmony” was a performance of “This Little Light of Mine” by Classics teacher Stefan Cressotti who played the harmonica and his homemade banjo. The song was a favorite of Thea Bowman, the subject of this year’s All School Read, Thea’s Song. Cressotti talked about his love of music and how he was in a band in college that was made up of a diverse
group of people from different races and nationalities that was brought together through the commonality of music. During the last part of the program, students gathered in the wrestling room and both gyms for a fishbowl exercise in which a small group of students would tackle a subject and discuss it amongst themselves while the rest of the group sat around and just listened. After a few minutes, the “fish” and the observers would swap positions. It was an enlightening way to close out the morning’s events.
“It doesn’t matter where you come from. It doesn’t matter how bad of a day you’ve had. Together—this is everything.” —Sedale Threatt Jr. ’03 Juniors Tour Our Nation’s Capital The Class of 2023 spent the weekend after Veterans Day on the annual junior class trip to Washington, D.C. Over the course of three days, they visited inspiring national monuments, impressive museums and historic government buildings. Highlights included the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the Smithsonian Museums, and a night tour of the monuments. During a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, class officers Edward Ryan and Peter Hunt took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The trip was a great experience and one this class will always remember.
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Honoring Our Veterans On November 11, Kristian Nordby ’22 delivered an eloquent speech at the Needham Veterans Day Ceremony at Memorial Park to thank and honor those who have so bravely defended and sacrificed for our country. Inspired by his grandfather who served in World War II in the Norwegian underground, Nordby is interested in attending a Service Academy or enrolling in an ROTC program. Assistant Headmaster Michael Nerbonne, who selected Nordby to speak, shared, “Kristian did a spectacular job representing St. Sebastian’s by honoring with his words the assembled veterans and their families.” The following day, November 12, St. Sebastian’s was delighted to welcome home US Army Captain (Ret.) Andrew Maxwell ’06 to deliver his Veterans Day Speech, continuing an annual tradition of inviting a veteran to address the school community in observance of the holiday. A West Point graduate, Capt. Maxwell began by outlining his distinguished career in the military, including his deployments to the Middle East and his entry into US Special Forces where he became a Green Beret. The focus of his speech offered powerful reflections on the topics of teamwork and leadership, using his experiences as a military commander to help students to see and to sharpen their own contributions to any teams to which they belong.
Finance Academy Speaker Series Three St. Sebastian’s parents delivered fantastic presentations to members of the Finance Academy as part of the club’s popular speaker series. On November 2, Mark duBose P’24 spoke on the fascinating world of cryptocurrency. DuBose is the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of Centre, which governs the technology, policy, compliance, audit, and reserve standards for USD Coin (USDC), the fastest growing dollar-based digital currency in the world. After explaining the basic principles of cryptocurrency and its growing prevalence as an alternative form of money, duBose shared his view on its future and its effects on traditional currencies. On November 9, Munish Grover P’22, Director in the Financial Institutions Group at Lazard Asset Management, provided insight into the asset management business. He explained his role and the different vehicles—mutual funds, ETF’s, hedge funds, separate accounts, and private investment—used to access the market, as well as how those vehicles are used depending on the type of investor. Grover’s presentation also touched upon hot topics such as the growing Environmental, Social and Governance focus (ESG) and how data science has changed the game for making predictions.
TOP: Kristian Nordby ’22 with his classmates, Headmaster Burke and Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne at the Needham Veterans Day Ceremony at Memorial Park. BOTTOM LEFT: US Army Captain (Ret.) Andrew Maxwell ’06 with his parents, Steve and Helen, his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Rosalyn; BOTTOM RIGHT: Capt. Maxwell gives the keynote address to the St. Sebastian’s community during the Veterans Day Assembly.
On December 6, Jay Carroll P’22,’25, Senior Portfolio Management Director at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, spoke about his role as well as the daily workings of his company. Carroll’s presentation gave the many potential future financial advisors in the room an idea of what the job is like. He emphasized what he enjoys about his job and why it is important to have a job that makes you happy, a valuable life lesson for every student in the room.
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BC Hockey Coach Jerry York Meets with Arrows Captains Boston College Hockey Coach Jerry York, along with his three captains, Marc McLaughlin, Jack McBain, and Patrick Giles, visited St. Sebastian’s on the evening of September 29, thanks to Headmaster Bill Burke, who has been a longtime friend of Coach York. The four guests imparted their knowledge to Arrows captains from our varsity sports about leadership and team building. Coach York is college hockey’s all-time winningest coach with 1,091 career wins, and he explained that his success at BC is the result of how well he gets his players to function as a team. Captains McLaughlin, McBain and Giles shared their personal experiences as to what it takes to be a captain both on and off the ice, answering numerous questions from the Arrows captains.
BC Hockey Coach Jerry York addresses the Arrows varsity captains during a visit to campus.
A Joyful Christmas Program
O
n December 17, the St. Sebastian’s Community kicked off Christmas Break with a festive Christmas program that showcased the School’s musical talent. During the first part of the program, Fr. John Arens provided the Prayer for the Lighting of the Advent Wreath, students read scripture and the St. Sebastian’s Schola, Mass Ensemble and Faculty Chorale performed several traditional Christmas pieces. A highlight of the program was a wonderful faculty performance of “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by faculty members Kera Wiggin, on vocals and guitar, and Stefan Cressotti on banjo. The second half of the program continued with performances by the Jazz Pop Chamber Ensemble Combo with special guest musicians from the Ursuline School Ensemble, including a riveting performance of “Christmas Eve / Sarajevo.” The students and faculty joined in singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” always a crowd favorite.
Time to Recharge & Reflect From November 14 to November 16, fourteen members of the Class of 2022 gathered at the Craigville Retreat Center on Cape Cod for their Senior Retreat. Led by Chaplain Fr. Arens and faculty members, Joe Cressotti, Stephen Salomone, Ryan Patrico, and Chris Lynch, the senior Arrows enjoyed time in reflection, contemplation, prayer, and recreation. Whether it was attending evening mass, waking up early to watch the sun rise, or playing frisbee on the beach, the Arrows made the most of their time together. 8 |
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Serving
Our Neighbors
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ntegral to the St. Sebastian’s mission, our Service Program lives the order of the day of loving God, working hard, and taking good care of one another. Below are just a few of the many ways our students have served our neighbors recently.
Backpack Drive Supports San Miguel This summer, the Classes of 2024 and 2025 purchased school supplies and backpacks for students at the San Miguel School in Providence, RI, continuing a tradition that began 15 years ago. In addition to all of the usual back to school items, this year’s donation also included Brotherhood t-shirts designed and donated by the members of the Class of 2026. All of these items, including the backpacks, were donated by St. Sebastian’s families to ease the financial hardship faced by our brothers at San Miguel. Special thanks to Jennifer Walsh P’22,’24 for her excellent leadership of this project and the many students and parents who contributed.
National Honor Society Hosts Two Successful Drives The National Honor Society sponsored St. Sebastian’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive and Christmas Warmth Drive to benefit Catholic Charities. Both drives were a huge success due to the generosity of the St. Sebastian’s community, helping to restock shelves for those in need of food in the days following Thanksgiving and keeping our neighbors warm with donations of hundreds of gloves, hats, scarves and socks.
Arrows Volunteer at the Miracle League On Saturday, September 25, members of the 9th and 10th grade volunteered at the Miracle League, a non-profit that gives children with disabilities a chance to play baseball. This was the opening day of the season, and the first game since October 2019, for the Miracle League. Current Arrows were joined by St. Sebastian’s alumnus and Holy Cross pitcher Pat McGowan ’15, who was the designated pitcher for all the games. Arrows also helped out at the last game of the fall season on October 23, witnessing the first steal of home plate in Miracle League history!
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7th graders participate in a team-building activity alongside faculty member Mark Pohlman during orientation at Hale Reservation.
A GLIMPSE
along Greendale Avenue
Arrows race in the annual Monster Mile, a friendly competition run on campus.
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Matty Swirbalus '23 prepares his mousetrap car to be judged.
ACADEMIC WORKSHOPS Students participate in a pumpkin carving competition.
Writing | Math | Debate
Summer 2022
Sessions run from 9am-12pm for either one or two weeks. Open to all boys entering grades 5–9 These three distinct workshops, run by our experienced St. Sebastian’s faculty, are an enriching learning opportunity for students looking for a challenging and fun summer experience.
Karl Grohmann gives a lesson on the keyboard during class.
For dates and to register:
stsebs.org/summer FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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AN ADVENTURE
to REMEMBER
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t the end of August, the Class of 2022 embarked on a two-day adventure they will never forget. In place of the traditional Senior Leadership Day, the seniors instead took a trip to the Kennebec River in Maine before beginning their final year at St. Sebastian’s. After missing out on the milestone trip to Washington, D.C. during their junior year, the expedition served as an opportunity to make special memories and bond as a class. The first day of the trip involved a series of team-building activities and games that provided both physical and mental challenges for the seniors. The high ropes course in particular pushed students to test their personal boundaries, while also working together. They encouraged each other from the ground as they took turns walking across a log high up in the air and taking the “leap of faith” jump. “It was great seeing everyone cheer each other on, especially those who were not too comfortable with the activity and who probably wouldn’t have tried it if not for the encouragement,” shared faculty member and chaperone John Ryan. “These activities that put just about everyone in new and scary situations really can bring a group together.” The seniors spent the second day navigating the rapids of the Kennebec River in boats of six, along with an experienced guide. Most of the boys had never been white water rafting before, so they were all learning together as the guide instructed them when and in which direction to row. There were some exhilarating moments, including the raft holding faculty chaperones tossing them into the river, and more relaxed moments where the boys enjoyed floating along the scenic waterway on inflatables. Even the simplest of activities like eating meals and playing four square during free time were not taken for granted. “My favorite part of the trip had to be when a bunch of the guys were in a cabin and were simply just talking and telling hilarious stories about moments from Sebs,” recalled Mark Newell ’22. The seniors were simply grateful for the chance to bond with classmates after missing many activities due to the pandemic. “This trip meant a lot to us because we had been looking forward to going on the trip to D.C. for years,” shared Brendan Melley ’22. “In some ways, it was nice to have a trip right before senior year because it gave us a couple days to take in that this would be our last year together.”
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New Faces
ON CAMPUS St. Sebastian’s is pleased to welcome its newest faculty and staff members, a talented group who are already making an impact in the classrooms and on the School community.
MICHAEL CARPINO Assistant Athletic Trainer
Michael comes to St. Sebastian’s from Brandeis University where he was an Assistant Athletic Trainer. Previously, he worked as a Resident Athletic Trainer at Boston College. In his time at BC, he also completed his master’s degree in Leadership and Administration. Michael earned his undergraduate degree from Lasell University where he studied Athletic Training. While he was a junior at Lasell, he was a Student Athletic Trainer here at St. Sebastian’s for the fall season of 2012. Now he is proud to be the Assistant Athletic Trainer and physical education teacher for the Arrows. Outside of work, he loves freshwater fishing and traveling with his fiancé, Santina.
PAULA BARBOSA Faculty, Spanish
Paula graduated from Providence College in 1993 with a degree in Education. She then joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Costa Rica, where in addition to learning Spanish, she worked with the community of San Jerónimo de Moravia to open a preschool. After completion of two years of Peace Corps service, she returned to PC and earned a master´s in Special Education in 1998. Since then, Paula has taught Spanish at Marian High School and Natick High School and has also spent a number of years at home raising her four children in Medway. She is thrilled to join St. Sebastian´s where she is teaching Spanish to 8th graders and sophomores.
FREDERICK DASHIELL Faculty, English
Rick, a native of Boston and graduate of Roxbury Latin, comes to St. Sebastian’s from the International Leadership of Texas Charter School in Arlington, TX, where he spent five years teaching high school English to all grade levels. Prior to ILTexas, he taught English and writing at Mountain View Community College. Rick has a M.S. in Journalism from Boston University and a B.A. in English Language & Literature from the University of Chicago. In addition to teaching Freshmen Writing and 9th grade Honors English, Rick helps coach JV soccer. In his free time, he enjoys reading, movies and speaking French.
MICHAEL CALABRO ’16 Faculty, Mathematics
After graduating from St. Sebastian’s in 2016, Mike earned a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College. In addition to his studies, he played a variety of club sports throughout his early years in college, and he spent his final two years competing as a midfielder for the varsity lacrosse team. Mike teaches Precalculus and Statistics at St. Sebastian’s, where he uses his love for sports analytics to inspire his teaching. He also brings his love for sports onto the fields after school when coaching young Arrows on the varsity football and baseball teams. Outside of coaching, Mike enjoys proctoring the St. Sebastian’s Cooking Club—the fastest growing club at the school!
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PAUL KEADY ’16
Faculty, Religion & Classics A proud member of the St. Sebastian’s Class of 2016, Paul is excited to return home. He graduated from Georgetown University with a double major in theology and economics, and is now pursuing his master’s in theology part-time at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. Paul teaches sophomore Scripture classes as well as an introductory Latin course. Outside of the classroom, he coaches squash and golf. In his free time, Paul enjoys golfing, running, reading, and exploring Boston. He is happy to say that his alma mater that he loved so much as a student has been just as great from the other side of the desk.
JOHNNY MCNAMARA ’14 Faculty, Mathematics
After graduating from St. Sebastian’s in 2014, Johnny went on to attend Boston College and earned his B.A. in Mathematics in 2018 and his master’s in Secondary Education in 2019. Johnny quickly found himself back in the ISL postgrad, teaching at St. Mark’s School for two years before finding his way back to St. Seb’s in 2021. Alongside his teaching responsibilities, Johnny helps coach 8th grade football and JV lacrosse. Outside of school, Johnny enjoys traveling, watching movies, cooking, and outdoor activities like hiking and snowboarding.
DAVID RIEDELL Business Manager
David brings over 15 years of experience in financial operations and management in both the public and private sector. Prior to assuming the role of Business Manager at St. Sebastian’s, he spent seven years as Director of Finance for the Charles River School in Dover. He previously served as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust and as Finance Director for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He has also held leadership roles in Business Development for Cabletron Systems and Sonus Networks. David graduated cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Economics and earned his master’s degree in Finance from Boston College’s Carroll School of Business. He lives in Needham with his wife and twin daughters.
JOSEPH SCORDINO Faculty, Religion
Joe comes to St. Sebastian’s after 35 years in the private sector. He earned a B.S. from Boston College, an MBA from Northeastern University, and is pursuing a master’s in history from Arizona State. He has been teaching religious education for many years and is currently active in the Confirmation program at St. Bartholomew’s parish. Joe and his wife, Stephanie, live in Wellesley, have six children, and eight grandchildren. They are also proud Seb’s parents (’20 & ’22). In addition to teaching religion, Joe coaches 7th grade soccer and basketball and he enjoys golfing with Stephanie and their younger sons in his spare time.
NICHOLAS SOIVILIEN ’98 Faculty, English
After graduating from St. Sebastian’s in 1998, Nick attended the College of the Holy Cross where he received a B.A. in History and Philosophy and played football, serving as captain senior year. Following Holy Cross, Nick worked for the Boston Public Health Commission before attending Boston College Law School. He then practiced law for a large international firm in Boston, focusing on corporate litigation and labor and employment disputes. Most recently, Nick spent five years working as an Assistant United States Attorney where he prosecuted some of Massachusetts’ most violent gang members and drug dealers. He is currently teaching 8th grade English and Freshman Writing and is also helping coach freshman football and 7th grade basketball.
KERA WIGGIN Faculty, English
Kera graduated Wellesley College with a B.A. in English and in Psychology, and with a teaching license. She received her M.A. in Literature from Middlebury College and earned her C.A.G.S. in School Administration and Leadership from Fitchburg State. Kera taught for 13 years at Braintree High where she also coached the varsity boys cross country team. The order of the day attracted Kera from Braintree High School to St. Sebastian’s where she now teaches 10th and 11th grade English. She resides in Needham with her husband, Jamie, and twins, Jack and Declan.
ED ZADRAVEC, PSY.D. Consulting Psychologist
A product of Jesuit high school education, Ed graduated from Brown University in 1986 and received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (now William James College) in 1993. Ed is married to Holy Cross alum Kerry Fagan, and they have three daughters. For most of his career, Ed has worked as a therapist and clinical consultant in public and private schools across Massachusetts. When not attending to the healthy growth and development of students, Ed can be found growing things in his vegetable garden or otherwise communing with nature. Ed has a private practice in Concord and is serving as a part-time consulting psychologist at St. Sebastian’s. FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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Welcome to Our New Trustees St. Sebastian’s is very fortunate to have an exceptional group of parents, alumni, and friends of the School who give generously of their time and share their wisdom as members of the Board of Trustees. We are pleased to welcome the three new members of the board.
Peter A. Galligan ’74 President, Alumni Association Peter and his wife, Meg, live in Needham. They are both graduates of Boston College. They have one daughter, Cori, who is also a Boston College graduate. Peter, the youngest of the five Galligan boys, attended St. Sebastian’s along with his brothers—Tom ’62, John ’65, Chris ’69, and Marty ’73. Peter spent his career working in the banking industry. He retired from Citizens Financial Group as Group Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer for Global Transactional Services for the Americas. He now serves as Vice Chairman and Commercial Advisor for Paramount Financial Technologies based in Quincy, MA. Peter has been affiliated with the MS Society for many years, serving as the immediate Past Board Chair. He currently serves as a board member of the National MS Society, the MS International Federation based in London and the Brae Burn Country Club. Peter has been a long-time class agent and has served on the St. Sebastian’s Alumni Association Board for more than a decade.
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Julie G. Mulvey P’17,’21,’26 President, Guild of St. Irene Julie and her husband, Brian, live in Westwood with their five children. They have three boys, Cameron ’17 (Wake Forest University ’21), Aidan ’21 (Vanderbilt University ’25), Quinn ’26, and two girls, Jocelyn (Boston College ’23) and Jillian (Newton Country Day ’23). Julie has a BA in Communications from Stonehill College and an MA in Elementary Education from UMass Boston. She is the Founder and President of The Watts 2 Boston Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the Los Angeles Police Department by providing resources to underserved youth and victims of crimes. Julie has been a very active volunteer in her community.
Robert V. Wallace, Jr. ’89, P’25 Rob and his wife, Katy, live in Wellesley. Their son, William, is in the Class of 2025 and their daughter Lilah attends Newton Country Day. A St. Sebastian’s graduate of the Class of 1989, Rob has served on the Alumni Steering Committee, as a class agent and on his Reunion committee. He has co-chaired the Alumni Fund for the past few years and has also served on the Alumni Association Board. Rob has been actively involved in the real estate industry since 1993. In 2000, he established Wallace Capital and Wallace Property Company in Boston. Wallace Capital is a private finance company. Wallace Property Company is a real estate investment, development and management company. Rob is a graduate of Georgetown University.
HOMECOMING
A
lumni, students, parents and faculty gathered with great enthusiasm on October 16 to celebrate St. Sebastian's Homecoming and to cheer on the varsity football and soccer teams after last year's Homecoming was cancelled due to the pandemic. Before kickoff, the Arrowheads sang the National Anthem and recently retired, long-time St. Sebastian's Business Manager, Jack Doherty ’62, tossed the coin at center field. It was great to see our sidelines filled with so many Arrows fans!
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS 24th Annual Boston Business Breakfast
Leadership donors gather under the tent on the West Campus fields.
Headmaster’s Leadership Reception
Current parents, alumni, parents of alumni, and friends of St. Sebastian’s gathered at the Boston College Club for the 24th annual Boston Business Breakfast on November 23. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to network and reconnect after last year’s event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Dr. Ed Ryan P’23, Director of Global Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, gave the keynote address. Dr. Ryan presented facts and predictions about the pandemic and gave things he is thankful for during this time, including healthcare workers. St. Sebastian’s is grateful to Dr. Ryan for sharing his valuable insight with everyone who attended this year’s Boston Business Breakfast and for his ongoing guidance during these challenging and uncertain times.
The Headmaster’s Leadership Reception on September 23 brought together more than 150 current and past parents, grandparents, alumni and friends to recognize and celebrate Leadership donors for their tremendous, continued support of the Annual Fund for St. Sebastian’s. During the reception, Board President Jim Elcock ’77, P’08 highlighted the success of the recently completed Spirit & People Campaign and described new projects on the horizon.
NEW PARENT DINNER On September 30, we had the pleasure of gathering under the tent with two sets of parents—those who joined our community in fall 2020 and those who became part of our community in this fall—for the New Parent Reception. Along with a faculty/student musical performance, the new families had the opportunity to hear from Colin Boland ’22 and several of our parents about their experiences at St. Sebastian’s.
Class of 2027 parents, Megan & Milo Mistry, Ceci & Paul Fleming and Ross Woodbury & Theresa Gallagher.
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TOP: Dr. Ed Ryan P’23, Director of Global Infectious Diseases at MGH, gives the keynote address. BOTTOM: Michael Mackintire ’16, Eric Jeremiah ’17, George Barrett ’15, Christian Reenstierna ’15 and Colin Connolly ’15 catch up at the breakfast.
A Joyful Auction
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he Annual Christmas Auction & Dinner was held at the InterContinental Hotel in Boston on the evening of December 4, 2021. Guild of St. Irene President Julie Mulvey P’17,‘21,‘26 and Auction Co-chairs Grace White P’18,‘22 and Susan Weiss P’23 did a fabulous job of leading a huge army of St. Sebastian’s moms to plan, assemble items, decorate and create a festive night. Special thanks to our auctioneers, Marty Kane ’84, P’22 and Joe Amorosino P’24 for keeping the evening fun. Several students were in attendance to sing, assist with set up and in the case of Gianluca Centola ’24, to introduce and showcase the dartboard he made in the Innovation Lab as a live auction item. The biggest highlight of the night came when the dream of constructing The Oratory—an outdoor prayer space on campus—moved closer to reality when all of the necessary funds were committed during our Raise the Paddle. The entire night was filled with joy, providing a wonderful opportunity for parents and friends of the St. Sebastian’s community to gather during the Christmas season. We are eternally grateful to all those who contributed to making this evening a tremendous success, from the donors, sponsors and advertisers to those who attended and bid.
TOP ROW: Parents bid on dozens of St. Sebastian’s customized items, from clothing and ornaments to home goods, including an “Arrows” jean jacket; n Auctioneers Marty Kane ’84, P’22 and Joe Amorosino P’24 keep things lively during the live auction; n The final group of contestants in the Heads or Tails game. n BOTTOM ROW: Munish and Athena Grover with their son and student volunteer, Nicholas ’22; n Guild President Julie Mulvey P’17,‘21,‘26 (center) and Auction Co-chairs Grace White P’18,‘22 and Susan Weiss P’23; n Patty and Bill Burke share details of The Oratory during Raise the Paddle. FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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OUR YEAR OF
September 14, 2021 / Opening remarks for the academic year BY HEADMASTER WILLIAM L. BURKE III
G
ood morning! We offer a special welcome to our outstanding Board of Trustees President, Mr. Jim Elcock ’77, father of our beloved Arrow and fabulously gifted musician Jimmy ’08, and to our new trustees who are engaged in their orientation program. Trustees are exceptionally bright, talented, devoted people who, like you and your families and our faculty and staff, devote themselves to advancing our School’s mission. In governing our School, the trustees hire and support the Headmaster, they oversee the School’s strategic planning, and they maintain ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the institution. Largely unsung, they are our true heroes. Let us express our tremendous gratitude to them. I often proclaim that I have the easiest and the best job in America—serving a Catholic independent day school for boys with a clear, important mission, a unified, focused board, a gifted, devoted faculty, a talented, dedicated staff, a loyal, engaged alumni, and truly great young men from wonderful loving families. Each of us plays a vitally important part in this symphony of love we call St. Sebastian’s School. We are one. We exist for the glory of God and for you students and your families. The rest of us are here to serve. And what an honor and a joy it is to do so!
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Our mission: A Catholic independent school, St. Sebastian’s seeks to engage young men in the pursuit of truth through faith and reason. By embracing Gospel values in an inclusive, nurturing community and by inspiring intellectual excellence in a structured liberal arts curriculum, St. Sebastian’s strives to empower students for success in college and in life. The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a lifelong learner who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor. Our order of the day: Love God. Work hard. Take good care of one another. My purpose this morning is to help us launch our 20212022 academic year, which we plan on making the best year of our lives—until next year, when things will just keep getting better—and to offer some reflections on our year’s theme, Harmony, which I have selected at the suggestion of
my colleague and friend, Mrs. Helen Maxwell, mother of four wise, just, balanced, and brave Arrows from the Classes of 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2015. But before we swing into harmony, let me tell you a little story, which I heard two weeks ago during our new faculty orientation. Mr. Chris Lynch, who runs this program exceptionally well, told us about his day number one as a first-year student at the College of the Holy Cross. After leaving his Economics class in which the professor droned on and on and on about every minute detail of the syllabus, Mr. Lynch proceeded to his Calculus class, which was taught by an elderly Jesuit priest, who simply offered this advice: “Say your prayers and ask for help.” I don’t think any of us can improve upon that wisdom. Say your prayers. A favorite definition of prayer appears in The Cloud of Unknowing, an extraordinary book written by an anonymous fourteenth century mystic. Here it is: In itself, prayer is simply a reverent, conscious openness to God full of the desire to grow in goodness and overcome evil. That really is our job here and everywhere today, tomorrow, and forever and ever. To grow in goodness and overcome evil. And may we do so in harmony. Say your prayers and ask for help. I recall us gathering in the Church twenty years ago in the somber wake of 9/11 and praying together. And I remember sharing the last sentence of St. Paul’s 12th letter to the Romans: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” In those days immediately following the murderous terrorist attacks on our nation, a Jesuit priest named James Martin found himself ministering to the rescue workers in New York City. In a recent newspaper article, Father Martin shares: “My experience at Ground Zero was one where the Holy Spirit was present. It was a place of generosity and love, community and union, charity, concord, and service. I believe the Holy Spirit impelled those people to listen to their conscience. ‘Go and help,’ it said. And they listened. That’s the active spirit I’m talking about. The sense of the Holy Spirit drawing people together.” What a great example of responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and cooperating with grace! May we continue to pray for the victims and their loved ones, may we thank God for inspiring so many heroes to seek and to serve those in need, may we resolve to overcome evil with good, and may we embrace the truth that we always and forever have access to the two most powerful loving forces in the universe: God and people of good will through whom our Lord works. And, praise God, our St. Sebastian’s family is filled with such people. Say your prayers and ask for help. Earlier in that 12th letter to the Romans, St. Paul offers these words: “Live in harmony with one another.”
Doesn’t that sound nice! Isn’t the word harmony beautiful! Harmony… harmony…harmony. Euphony. Poetry. Harmony. So comforting. Nary a negative connotation. All good, true, and beautiful. All charm. Only harm is in the first four letters of the word. Harmony comes to us from the Greek word harmos, which means joint, and from the Latin harmonia, meaning joining and concord. Dictionary definitions include: the combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing sound…a pleasing combination of elements or arrangement of sounds… agreement, accord, tranquility, balance, coherence, consonance, symphony, unity. And how jarring the antonyms: discordance, disunity, imbalance, asymmetry, cacophony, violence. No thank you. Give me peace. Give me joy. Give me harmony. I came across this translation of a sentence in St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor 13:14): “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the harmony of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” In other translations of this sentence, the phrase harmony of is replaced by these phrases: fellowship of, communion of, communing of, and joined together by the Holy Spirit. Harmony is all about joining, adding to, being in sync with, enjoying togetherness, living in the zone. With harmony is agreement, bonding, community, joy, order, peace.
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As I mentioned on Friday, in describing our community, I often use the image of a tapestry with each member of the St. Sebastian’s family weaving his and her unique thread into our fabric. Harmony moves me to opt for the image of a symphony with each person contributing notes that only he or she can add to the music. Remain in constant harmony with nature commands ancient stoic philosopher, Epictetus, who along with fellow stoics such as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, believed that all of the forces in the universe call us to live in harmony with nature and with one another. And the stoics believed, as we do, that every human life has purpose. Marcus Aurelius asserts: “Your purpose is to be a good human being. Get straight to doing what nature requires of you, and speak as you see most just and fitting—with kindness, modesty, and sincerity.” He adds: “Good fortunes are a well-tuned soul, good impulses, and good actions.” And he asserts: “Kindness is invincible.” All of which is consonant with our faith which informs us that we are made in the image and likeness of our gracious and loving God. We are made to seek and inspire all that is good, true, and beautiful. We are made for love. May we forever strive to live in harmony with God and with one another. We have shared that Tommy Amaker, head men’s basketball coach at Harvard, has hung a banner in his locker room emblazoned with these words: Good teams have good players. Great teams have great teammates. The best teammate might be the manager or the last person on the depth chart. What matters is not a player’s athletic ability, not minutes played—if any, but heart, soul, attitude, positive energy, total commitment to the greater good of the team’s harmony. Such a person is invaluable. May each of us strive to be a great teammate, to be a great friend, to be a great person of faith and honor. If we choose it, we will have it. Say your prayers. And ask for help. In the sport of crew, the highest form of harmony is called swing. I’m about to share how swing is defined in The Boys in the Boat, which was our All School Read a few years ago. Settle your spirits, pay attention. This is great stuff coming at you. Here we go:
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It only happens when all eight oarsmen are rowing in such perfect unison that no single action by any one is out of synch with the others. It is not just that the oars enter and leave the water at precisely the same instant. Sixteen arms must begin to pull, sixteen knees must begin to fold and unfold, eight bodies must begin to slide forward and backward, eight backs must bend and straighten all at once. Each minute action—each subtle turning of wrists—must be mirrored exactly by each oarsman, from one end of the boat to the other. Only then will the boat continue to run unchecked, fluidly and gracefully between pulled oars. Only then will it feel as though the boat is part of each of them, moving as if on its own. Only then does pain entirely give way to exultation. Rowing then becomes a kind of perfect language. Poetry, that’s what a good swing feels like. Wow! Talk about being in the zone! Give me swing. Give me harmony. Let me see our offensive line fire off at the snap in harmony. Let me see our shortstop scoop up the ground ball and fire it to second. Let me see our second baseman appear at the bag and in a dance of elegance catch, pivot, and hurl. Let me see our first baseman stretch and catch. Bang. Bang. Double play. Poetry in motion. Harmony. Let me see our debaters alternate, each seamlessly offering his well-planned gift at just the right moment. Harmony! Let me see a stage full of actors speaking and moving in time and space in natural grace, stirring us with words and motions they have rehearsed so well. Harmony. Let me hear our drummer drum, our trumpeter trumpet, our singer sing in harmony! Let the band play on. Let me hear a student offer his brilliant insights and elevate the class. Let me see our Arrows serve the young, the old, the challenged and all who need them most. Let me see and hear all of us laugh and cry over the same things together in perfect harmony.
In his wonderful book, A River Runs Through It, Norman Maclean, channels his father, a Presbyterian minister preoccupied with humankind’s unredeemed state since our fall in the garden of Eden. He writes: “Well, until man is redeemed, he will always take a fly rod too far back, just as natural man always over-swings with an ax or a golf club and loses all his power somewhere in the air.” Do I ever know the devastating results of over-swinging a golf club! And I’m often guilty of under-swinging, too. I am perpetually hungry for advice on how to improve, as I devoutly wish to feel, on a much more consistent basis, the harmony of a well struck ball. Many years ago, I played golf with a most gracious southern gentleman who had only one leg and no prosthesis. He would move up to his ball on crutches, toss them aside, and, standing on one leg, draw back and drive through with the most gorgeous sweeping swing every single time. On the greens, he would tuck both crutches under one arm to brace himself and stroke a remarkably beautiful putt. The man was an artist, and the club was his brush. He shot in the 70’s that day on a very difficult course. I kept asking him for tips, but he demurred until, toward the end of our round, he acquiesced: “As long as you got the tempo, you’re never going to hit one real bad.” And that was it: tempo, timing, rhythm, balance to achieve
“Harmony is all about joining, adding to, being in sync with, enjoying togetherness, living in the zone. With harmony is agreement, bonding, community, joy, order, peace.”
harmony! Best advice on a golf course I’ve ever received. The gentleman’s name is Bob Montague, Sr. Years later, I took a phone call from a young man who wanted to work with us. He gave me his name and told me that he had heard about me from his father, a man I might remember from having played golf with him, a man with one leg. Well, I was sure feeling the tempo that day, as we soon hired Bob Montague, Jr. to be our Director of Technology. He worked harmonious wonders for us for many years, and we all love him for it. Eventually, the call of the South beckoned him home, but we remain in close contact. The essence of life is in relationships, and ours are eternal. We don’t lose anybody. Arrows forever. Sister Thea Bowman, the beautiful subject of our All School Read, Thea’s Song, shares this thought on harmony: “…differences should not cause conflict; they should complement each other. And so it is wise that we do not destroy what is good in Negro culture, but develop it, harmonize it with other traditions. In that way we could build a new and better way of life.” And she challenges us with this rhetorical question: “Cannot Americans, many and different, join hands in unity, live in celestial harmony, establish a new and better world?” Our answer must be a resounding YES! It’s a tall order. But we can do it. Let us choose to join hands in unity. Let us choose to live in celestial harmony. Let us choose to establish a new and better world. It really does come down to choice. Leo Tolstoy shares: “Everything is in heaven’s power except our choice of whether to serve God or ourselves.” As I ponder this assertion in this year of harmony, a line from a song made famous by Frank Sinatra comes to mind: “I did it my way.” I believe the song we should sing—in harmony with God and with one another—is not “I did it my way,” but, rather: “We did it thy way.” We shall grow in goodness and overcome evil—if we obey this message of St. Paul: “Put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:4). It really is all about love. Know that we love you, that we’re here for you, and that we will be forever as together we strive to achieve happy, healthy, holy, harmonious lives of love and service in this world and eternal joy in heaven. Say your prayers. Ask for help. May God bless us all. FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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Boundless
DEVOTION Celebrating the Retirement of Jack Doherty ’62, P’86,’87, GP’17,’25
“Jack is just simply the best in everything that he does.” This sentiment, shared by Jack Doherty’s wife, Kathy, captures his immeasurable contributions to St. Sebastian’s. For the past 42 years, he has served our school as Business Manager with wisdom, integrity and heart. An alumnus, hockey captain, coach, father and grandfather, and loyal Arrows fan, his love for St. Sebastian’s is boundless. Retiring at the end of the fiscal year in June 2021, Jack leaves behind an unsurpassed legacy that has helped to shape our school, its mission and its spirit.
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LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: Jack on the bench as a young Arrow; n Jack (far right) with his teammates Kevin Burke ’61 and Tim Ladd ’63; n Coach Lane at the end of the undefeated 1961 season with captain Ed Downes ’61 (left) and Jack, captain-elect (right); n Jack and Kathy on their wedding day in 1966.
A STANDOUT ON THE ICE Jack formed a connection to St. Sebastian’s before he was ever a student. Growing up in Newton, he spent his winter days on Crystal Lake, where long-time hockey coach and athletic director Henry Lane ’49 also used to skate. In the warmer months, Jack served as the unofficial bat boy for Henry and his buddies who played baseball on the field adjacent to his backyard. Jack’s uncle, who was a priest, knew many of the faculty at St. Sebastian’s and thought it would be a good place for him and his older brother, Neil ’59. The two boys lost their dad when Jack was just six months old and with so many father figures at the School, his mother agreed. In the fall of 1956, Jack began his days as an Arrow on Nonantum Hill. By 10th grade, he was playing varsity hockey under the expert guidance of Coach Lane. Jack starred on backto-back undefeated hockey teams in 1961 and 1962—a remarkable run of 36-straight victories over two seasons. He captained the 1962 team
before going on to Providence College, where he served as hockey captain in his senior year and studied business administration. During his years on Nonantum Hill, Jack established friendships with his teammates and classmates that continue to this day. In fact, two of his fellow Arrows became brothers-in-law when Jack married his high school sweetheart, Kathy—sister of Joe Tomasello ’63—and Kathy’s sister, Ann, expanded the Arrows dynasty further by marrying John O’Hearn ’57.
A FINANCIAL WIZARD WITH A BIG HEART When Jack heard that St. Sebastian’s was looking for a Business Manager in the spring of 1979, he seized the opportunity to work for a place that meant so much to him. After coming on board that April, he quickly became an instrumental member of the administration amidst changes in leadership and financial challenges. Every day since, Jack has given 100% effort to make St. Sebastian’s operate as efficiently and successfully as
possible, and always with the School’s best interest in mind. “Working at St. Sebastian’s was never a job for my dad, it was a way of life,” observed his son, Tim ’87. A few years after Jack assumed the Business Manager role, St. Sebastian’s moved its campus from Newton to Needham—a massive event that served as a pivotal point in our school’s history. “There aren’t many places where you can find two different organizations and have a school building owned by one of them and a gym and field space owned by the other one when you’re trying to move and put a school together,” noted Jack. “The stars were aligned.” Renovations were made to both the St. Bartholomew school building and the YMCA property in only three months and the move took place in the course of just one week over the 1982-83 Christmas break! Every detail of the entire operation was coordinated by Jack. Behind the scenes, the move was no small feat, but thanks to a great deal of planning and effort, it appeared seamless to the students.
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Jack applied that same attention to detail to every aspect of his job, from overseeing the school’s cash flow and budget, to building strong relationships with all of our vendors. “Jack knew where every dollar was coming from and where every dime was being spent,” shared former Board President David Gately ’73. “Every board member had complete confidence in the financial reports because of his detailed knowledge of the numbers.” Rob Wadsworth P’10,’15, former Chair of the Board’s Finance & Endowment Committee shared this same trust, calling Jack “the most reliable, buttoned-up, forward thinking financial officer and operating officer I have ever had the pleasure of working with... In short, Jack has been a ‘pillar of financial stability’ that enabled St. Sebastian’s to grow and thrive during his entire tenure.” Jack’s competence and skill were integral to the success of three major capital campaigns, while continuing to manage an increasingly complex budget and the day-to-day operations of the School. He took charge of the bidding of each project and the
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oversight of the construction, ensuring the projects were completed on time and under budget. Over the course of three decades, the campus was truly transformed, from the renovation of the Birmingham Academic Building and Henry T. Lane Rink to the construction of the Art Building, new athletic fields, Math, Science & Library Center and West Campus Center. “When I look at an aerial photo of the campus today, I’m amazed,” shared Jack. “I don’t think anybody visualized what we have now back in 1982.” Jack also played a critical role in the magnificent growth of St. Sebastian’s endowment from $30,000 in 1990 to $60 million today, working closely with the Finance & Endowment Committee and managing relationships with banks and investment firms. Building the endowment is not only a strategic priority for the administration and Board of Trustees, but has given Jack greater flexibility to take care of what matters most: the people. From financial aid for families to salaries and benefits for the employees, he lives the St. Sebastian’s motto, “Love God, work hard and take good care of one
another.” As his son, Jed ’86 noted, “St. Sebastian’s is family. You couldn’t possibly care more for a community than my dad does.” Over the years, countless families facing unexpected financial challenges have been touched by Jack’s kind gestures, from sending an oil truck to fill up an empty tank to working out a longterm tuition payment plan. “Being in charge of the finances, Jack has always understood that those finances are only important in so far as they support the mission and the culture of the school,” shared Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne. “As steward of the school’s money, he was always careful, but would find money when seemingly there was none in the budget in order to do the right thing.” Fittingly, the Business Office was dedicated in Jack’s name through a gift to the Spirit & People Campaign by Jay and Carol LaMarche P’91,’93. The plaque that hangs outside the Doherty Business Office reads, “His intelligence, energy, integrity, diligence, dedication, discretion and love will be the gold standard for St. Sebastian’s Business Managers of the future.”
“St. Sebastian’s is family. You couldn't possibly care more for a community than my dad does.” —Jed Doherty ’86, P’25
A TALENTED & COMPASSIONATE COACH Outside of his duties as Business Manager, Jack somehow found time to coach the game he loves, guiding Arrows on the ice for many years alongside varsity head coach Dan Williams ’64. During this era, the Arrows won their first two consecutive ISL Championships in 1991 and 1992 and several players went on to play professional hockey. “My dad’s greatest strength as a coach beyond his hockey intelligence was that his players knew he cared about them while they played for him, as well as beyond their years at St. Seb’s,” noted Jed, assistant coach of the team for the past 26 years. In addition to countless college and NHL games to watch former Arrows compete, Jack tried to never miss a St. Sebastian’s game, including
when his grandson, Jack ’17, became a third-generation captain of the team, following in the footsteps of his father, Tim, and grandfather. Jack combined his love of hockey and sense of compassion to make a difference for worthy non-profits over the past several decades. As Tim noted, “My dad had this unique ability to find opportunities to honor special people and causes that were close to him.” For several years, Jack sacrificed countless hours of his time to hosting youth hockey tournaments to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. In 1994, he created the Kevin T. Mutch Cup, an annual match-up against Catholic Memorial, in memory of Kevin Mutch ’80, a talented hockey player who had returned to St. Sebastian’s to coach in 1991 and was killed in a tragic car accident the following year. A couple years later, the
LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: Jack at his desk on Greendale Avenue in the 1980s; n Jack (far right) with Coach Dan Williams, Coach Henry Lane and his son, Tim, captain of the 1987 hockey team; n Jack checks out the work being done outside the Administration Building, overseeing every detail of the School's move from Newton to Needham; n Jack celebrates St. Sebastian's 50th Anniversary with his 1962 classmates; n The ISL Championship 1992 hockey team with Coaches Williams, Mutch and Doherty; n Jack (far right) with his son, Coach Jed Doherty, Travis Roy, and his grandson, Jack at the Travis Roy Cup; n Eric Ludwig, Rich Arms, Jack and Headmaster Bill Burke don hardhats to check out the construction of the West Campus Center.
Arrows hosted Tabor Academy for the first Travis Roy Cup, an annual event Jack created to honor Travis Roy, a promising Boston University freshman hockey player who suffered a paralyzing injury eleven seconds into the first game of his college career. In 2015, the Jack Doherty Award was fittingly established to honor a St. Sebastian’s varsity hockey player who possesses the qualities of commitment, teamwork and outstanding attitude. FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: Jack and Kathy at the 75th Dinner in 2016; n The Doherty family gathers around Jack's grandson, Jack '17, at the varsity hockey Senior Night; n Jack and Kathy, along with Jed, Laura, Makayla and Matty '25 (on the left), and Jack '17, Tim, Rose, and Sally (on the right) at the dedication of the Doherty Business Office in 2019; n Headmaster Burke gives Jack a warm handshake at the end-of-year faculty dinner in June 2021.
“Jackie celebrates your accomplishments, but more importantly, he comforts and cares for you during hard times.” —Ann Rourke P'15,'20
grandfather and uncle. His niece, Ann Rourke P’15,’20, captures her uncle’s essence, calling him a superfan: “He celebrates your accomplishments, but more importantly, he comforts and cares for you during hard times. He has a humble presence, but he is an incredibly strong anchor of support; never needing or expecting recognition. Jackie’s generosity and thoughtfulness to others is his unique talent.”
A ST. SEBASTIAN’S LEGEND A FAMILY MAN & SUPERFAN For Jack, St. Sebastian's is family in more ways than one. Along with his brother, two sons, two grandsons, and two brothers-in-law, several nephews and grandnephews have become Arrows as well. His sons continue the tradition of serving St. Sebastian's— Jed is a history teacher, along with coaching varsity hockey, and Tim is a trustee. “St. Sebastian’s is in our blood. It’s been a great way to spend my life. I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” said Jack. As someone who lost his own dad as a baby, Jack has been an amazing father, 28 |
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On October 16, 2021, Jack’s family, friends and colleagues gathered for a special retirement celebration to recognize his 42 years of devoted service to St. Sebastian’s. The evening was filled with heartfelt expressions of gratitude, awe and love, including live tributes and a fabulous video featuring Jack’s classmates, his teammates, his former players, current and past trustees, current and past colleagues, and family members. “Serving our great School with Jack Doherty has been one of the truly great joys and honors of my life,” praised Headmaster Bill Burke during his speech. “I love
him and respect him and admire him beyond all telling.” A highlight of the night—a complete surprise to Jack—was the presentation of a #11 jersey by the current varsity hockey coaches and captains. Headmaster Burke announced that for the first time in our School’s history we are retiring an athletic uniform number. No St. Sebastian’s varsity hockey player will ever again wear #11, paying tribute to Jack’s contributions to Arrows hockey, and more importantly, his invaluable impact on St. Sebastian’s as Business Manager. “It was a beautiful night,” remarked Kathy. “I’ve never felt so much joy in a room before.” We will never be able to thank Jack enough for all he has done for the school he loves with all his heart. As David Gately shared in his tribute to Jack at the dinner: “Your efforts have made an enormous contribution to the quality of the education and the daily experience of every student and to the pride that every alumnus has when we come back and see what St. Sebastian's has become. We will be forever in your debt, no pun intended.”
“I hope as you look back at this night, you’ll always remember the love and admiration for you in this room.” —Tim Doherty ’87, P’17
TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT: Jack receives a round of applause at his retirement celebration on October 16, 2021; n The varsity hockey captains and coaches present Jack with his #11 jersey; n Jack with his former player, Joe Hulbig '92; n Jack's niece, Ann Rourke P'15,'20, delivers a heartfelt speech about her uncle; n Jack is surrounded by some of the many friends and family who came out to celebrate his retirement.
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HENRY T. LANE RINK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
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n December 2019, we embarked on the Henry T. Lane Rink Improvement Project, to breathe new life into a facility so central to the heart of our school. This multifaceted project will revitalize our rink facility for players and spectators, improve player safety and honor the Arrows Hockey legacy. To date $2,650,240 in gifts and pledges have been raised toward a revised goal of $3.02 million. The project is moving forward on schedule and will begin by April 1, 2022, and be completed by the end of August, 2022. One of the highlights of the project is a new ice level warming room featuring muraled walls with photographs and plaques celebrating the rich heritage and history of Arrows Hockey, as well as honor the memory of Henry Lane ’49, P’77, longtime teacher, hockey coach and Athletic Director at St. Sebastian’s. The Henry T. Lane Rink Project will ensure our hockey players have the best experience possible and will elevate the fan experience for the legions of students, alumni, parents, and faculty that pack Henry's Corner for home games.
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Campaign Committee John J. Doherty '62, P'86,'87, GP'17,'25 Timothy P. Doherty '87, P'17 James L. Elcock ’77, P’08 Michael J. Grier ’93, P‘22 Noah P. Hanifin '15 Joseph G. Harney '92, P’21,’24,‘27 Joseph A. Hulbig '92 Stephen P. Maskell '74, P'09 Peter J. McLaughlin '55, GP'13,'19,'24,’24 John A. Murphy P'17,'20 John B. Sullivan, Jr. '66, P'00 Joseph L. Tansey, Jr. '69, P'03
Project Scope • •
•
•
• • • • •
New state-of-the-art boards and glass shielding system with flexible glass to improve player safety New permanent bleachers and viewing platforms to improve the experience for spectators and fans; The first row of the bleachers will be level with the height of the boards, ensuring our fans won’t miss any action on the ice New main level warming room decorated with muraled walls highlighting Arrows Hockey history, player and team achievements New pipes and concrete rink floor, replacing the current sand floor; the surface will allow flexibility as a multifunctional space during the off-season West wall improvements featuring the St. Sebastian’s logo, a new scoreboard and banner display East wall improvements featuring a new scoreboard, banner display, and prominent display of the American flag Installation of infrastructure for livestreaming and recording of games New skate-proof interlocking floor tile throughout the rink Restroom renovations
Gifts and Pledges (as of December 31, 2021) $3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 0
Campaign Goal
Total Gi s & Pledges
Potential additional work • Improvements to the existing second level overlook viewing area with seamless glass spanning the length between the blue lines, giving St. Sebastian’s spectators a much-improved view of the game
87%
raised towards
$3.02 MILLION GOAL
OPPOSITE: The new warming room will include murals highlighting Arrows Hockey history, player and team achievements. ABOVE: Improvements will include new permanent bleachers and viewing platforms and a state-of-the-art boards and glass shielding system with flexible glass to improve player safety.
To learn more about the Henry T. Lane Rink Improvement Project, please visit henrylanerink.org or contact Rich Arms at 781-247-0116 or Lesley Day at 781-247-0120.
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OF SERVICE Faculty members David Wilbur, George Morelli and Paul Tremblay join the Wall of Honor in recognition of their 25 years of service to St. Sebastian’s School
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DAVID WILBUR Dave Wilbur brings positive energy to everything he does. As a physics teacher and coach, he has inspired Arrows in the classroom and on the field to be better students, innovators and teammates. A natural leader, as Chair of the Science Department he’s played a key role in the growth of the science program and its stateof-the art facilities. For 25 years, he has served St. Sebastian’s with dedication and enthusiasm, acting as a magnetic force that touches everyone around him and leaves a lasting impact. FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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ne year after graduating from WPI with a degree in physics, Dave spotted a tiny ad in the newspaper promoting an open position in the Science Department at St. Sebastian’s. He had dabbled in teaching as a substitute in a public school and decided he wanted to pursue a job in education. Encouraged by a friend who knew of St. Sebastian’s and its Dean of Students Morris Kittler, Dave applied for the job. After the interview, he just knew that this was the right fit, turning down another offer as an astronomy teacher in New Jersey. “The people I met were high energy, compassionate and totally invested,” recalled Dave. “I could tell throughout the day that there was a great rapport between the teachers and students, and between each other as colleagues. Everything about the school was genuine.” In the fall of 1994, Dave joined the faculty as a science teacher, along with Brendan Sullivan. Guided by Lea Mannion, the Science Department Chair, and Pat Colton, Director of 7th & 8th Grades, Dave took on the responsibilities of teaching physics and 8th grade science, as well as coaching football and lacrosse. Those first couple years were full of challenges as he learned the ropes, but it was clear he had found his vocation. As Headmaster Bill Burke noted at the Faculty-Trustee Dinner, “Dave is called to teach. He’s a naturally gifted educator and the quintessential professional born to be both a teacher and a mentor. He’s also a worker, an earnest, honest, hardworking man of faith and honor. He digs deep and he shares his treasures freely and fully earning the highest levels of respect, admiration, and affection of all.” Indeed, Dave’s students and colleagues alike adore and admire him for his positivity and passion for teaching. “I hope every day I have as much, if not more, energy as my students do,” shared Dave. If you
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TOP ROW: A faculty headshot of Dave from the 1995 yearbook; At the Faith & Future Campaign celebration dinner in October 2013, Dave speaks to campaign donors about the impact of the new science facilities. BOTTOM ROW: Dave gives a physics lesson.
can match or exceed their energy, they’re going to rise to it and it makes for a fantastic classroom.” A martial arts expert who loves heavy metal music and wears crazy ties, Dave makes learning fun and exciting, from conducting experiments in the lab to building mousetrap cars—a favorite annual tradition. He brings that same enthusiasm to his roles as a coach and the moderator of the Robotics Club and Engineering Club, encouraging students to strive for excellence outside of the classroom as well. In 2000, Dave took a hiatus from working at St. Sebastian’s, moving to Pennsylvania with his future wife, Holly, to be near her family. Thankfully
for St. Sebastian’s, he returned to Greendale Avenue just two years later, and in 2007, became Chair of the Science Department. Dave invested himself fully in this new role, now looking out not only for his students, but for the teachers in his department as well. “He showed that he is just as good at this leadership role as he is in the classroom,” observed science teacher John Ryan. “He wants to know what is going on in his department and is a mentor for new faculty, no matter what science they teach.” As an example, Dave stepped back into teaching 8th grade science after primarily teaching juniors and seniors, simply so he could revisit the middle school curriculum and support those teachers.
“Dave is what we want our teachers to be for our students—he cares about them more as men than he does as physics students. He will teach you physics, but he will teach you how to be a good person even more.” —John Ryan, Science teacher
Under Dave’s leadership, the science program continued to grow, but the school simply did not have the facilities to match the increasing interest expressed by new families. All the classrooms had been retrofitted as science spaces and there weren’t enough of them, stretching the department to its limits. At a Board of Trustees meeting in 2009, the question was raised: what would be needed to put St. Sebastian’s science program on the map? Under Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne’s direction, Dave spearheaded the Science Department’s internal and external review, the conclusion of which was obvious: build a science center. With the approval and support of the Board, the state-of-the-art Math, Science & Library Center became the central feature of Phase II of the Faith & Future Campaign. Dave and the School’s architect, Rob Olson, visited local independent schools and colleges who had recently completed new science buildings to help crystallize what they did and didn’t want, all of which they shared with the members of the Science Department. The careful research and planning behind this project paid off, resulting in eight dedicated science labs and five
project rooms when the new Center opened in 2013. As Headmaster Burke noted, “When all was said and done, every science teacher enthused: ‘We got everything we asked for.’” Five years later, the facilities were further enhanced with the opening of the Innovation Lab, with Dave once again devoting himself to researching and visiting schools to determine the best combination of equipment as well as the physical set-up. The impact of these new facilities on the science program and across disciplines has been tremendous, but for Dave it was always about the faculty and students and getting it right for them. “As good as he is with the administrative stuff, it is in the classroom where Dave wants to be and where he belongs,” shared John. “He is what we want our teachers to be for our students—he cares about them more as men than he does as physics students. He will teach you physics, but he will teach you how to be a good person even more.”
The number of Arrows who return to St. Sebastian’s to visit Mr. Wilbur when they’re home from college, greet him fondly at Reunions or call him up out of nowhere for advice encapsulate the lasting impact he’s made on so many alumni over the years. A testimonial from his former student, Will Barnard ’12, says it all: “He is the greatest mentor I have ever known, and his guidance formed the foundation of my entire career and the man I am today.” While the campus has been transformed over the years, Dave notes what has stayed constant: “The quality of the people and values and work ethic have all been here the whole time I’ve been here.” From the Board of Trustees, to the administration, faculty, students and families, he feels blessed to be part of this community. “My dad was in the Air Force, and those communities were great, but they were just stops along the way. This place has never been that for me.”
LEFT: Dave measures the velocity of a mousetrap car, one of his favorite Science Department traditions; RIGHT: Dave with his wife, Holly, and daughters Ashley and Amanda at the Faculty-Trustee Dinner on November 10, 2021.
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GEORGE MORELLI Math teacher George Morelli believes in the power of making connections, and since he stepped foot on campus in the fall of 1994, he’s been doing just that. Whether it’s getting to know his students, fostering their growth as scholars and athletes, or collaborating with colleagues, he strengthens those connections in a way that demonstrates caring and dedication. An amazing teacher, coach and mentor, George has encouraged many an Arrow to exceed expectations, and been by their side along the way. 36 |
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hen George interviewed for the open position in the Math Department, he was not familiar with St. Sebastian’s, but discovered connections before even leaving campus that day. He met with Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne, who had been George’s Latin teacher when he was a student at BC High, and bumped into Brendan Sullivan, his BC High classmate, who also happened to be there for an interview. Even the Math Department Chair, Jim Sullivan, had a connection to his father, as the two men coached basketball in the same league. With three offers on the table, including BC High and a public school, George was drawn to St. Sebastian’s by the people he met and decided that was where he wanted to be. A Villanova grad, George had just earned his master’s degree in math education from Boston College before launching his teaching career on Greendale Avenue. George recalls being surprised by the facilities during his first tour, expecting something more from an independent school campus. But he soon realized it wasn’t about the buildings; just as his intuition had told him, it was about the people, from the Math Department faculty to legends like Henry Lane and Bob Souza. As George navigated the unique challenges of being a new teacher, he sought to find the right balance between pushing his students and giving them the support and tools needed to succeed. Enthusiastic and quick-witted, he makes math more approachable by weaving stories into his lessons and building a rapport with his students in the same way he would around the lunch table. The Class of 2021 captured his essence in their yearbook dedication: “Mr. Morelli’s passion in the classroom was evident every time you stepped into his room as he strove to make his math students the absolute best they could be. His style of teaching was the right amount of fun, but, most importantly, always had an emphasis on learning.”
George has taught several different math courses at various levels, but his niche has been AP Statistics. Recognizing 18 years ago that St. Sebastian’s ought to offer this as a class, he sought professional development to be able to teach the specialized curriculum and until this year, he has been the only AP stats teacher. He is currently mentoring new faculty member Mike Calabro, one of his former students and basketball players, who is teaching a section of the increasingly popular course. George makes the material relevant to his students by bringing in real world examples: “Unlike trigonometry, where you may never see a sin curve again, you’re going to be dealing with stats in some way, shape or form for the rest of your life.” He also strives to teach the class in a way that’s very inclusive. “George is willing to take a risk on students who might have otherwise struggled in a class like this,” noted Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne. “They stick it out, learn a ton from him, and go on to thrive in business schools where they have to know statistics.” As Math Department Chair Jim Rest observed, “George’s door is always open. Students know they can always go to him for extra help.” Embracing the teacher-coach model, George has also spent much of his time at St. Sebastian’s coaching nearly every sport offered, with
particular focus on basketball and golf. From 2004 to 2020, George served as the head coach of the varsity basketball team, bringing his passion and talent for the game to build upon the strong foundation put in place by previous head coach John Borden. “George loved it, not only as a coach, but as a fan,” shared Jim, who assisted coaching the team for several years. “He was always looking for ways to create team unity and make things fun.” There were some great teams and players, but it was about much more than winning for George: “I feel very lucky to have coached the kids that I was able to coach, no matter what the records were.” In addition to the connections made with his students and players, George feels blessed to have worked with his fellow math faculty in a department with little turnover. “The students keep you feeling young, but when you’re going through it with the same people for so long, it just makes everything easier. You come to work knowing people are there to help you and constantly bouncing ideas off each other. And if something comes up, you know your classes will be covered.” Indeed, it was this camaraderie that drew him back to St. Sebastian’s during a one-year departure in 1999-2000 when he worked in a public school with the potential for an administrative role. As much as George loves teaching, St. Sebastian’s has helped him to
“Mr. Morelli’s passion in the classroom was evident every time you stepped into his room as he strove to make his math students the absolute best they could be.” —Class of 2021 yearbook dedication
practice what’s most important in life— “God, family, job”— the well-known ethos espoused by Headmaster Burke. Since arriving at the School, his faith has grown much stronger and along with the support of the community, carried him through tough times. “Having faith and being supported by people of faith helped me get through in ways that can’t be measured,” shared George. “Fr. Arens’ quote, ‘grief shared is divided and joy shared is multiplied,’ is very, very true.” When reflecting on the past 25 years, George notes that all his favorite memories have faces attached to them. “My colleagues and students enriched my life in profound ways.” For faculty, as well as many Arrows, they feel equally fortunate to count him as a true friend.
FROM LEFT: A faculty headshot of George from the 1995 yearbook; A snapshot from 2001 of George going over a lesson with a student; Members of the 2016-17 varsity basketball team gather round as George goes over plays. FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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PAUL TREMBLAY When Paul first arrived at St. Sebastian’s as a math teacher, fresh out of graduate school, he still felt more like a student as he stood at the head of the class. Twenty-five years later, he continues to live life as a student, always learning and growing. A talented educator and coach, as well as a masterful novelist, he has empowered Arrows to challenge themselves in the classroom and on the court, while striving for excellence in his passions as teacher and writer. 38 |
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ired just a week before the school year started, Paul launched his tenure at St. Sebastian’s in the fall of 1995. With a master’s degree in Mathematics from University of Vermont, he had an inkling that a math teaching job would be a good fit and without the state certification, the private school setting provided the perfect opportunity. The product of a fairly big public school, Paul was immediately impressed by the feeling of community at St. Sebastian’s, from the people he met during the interview process to the small class sizes and the atmosphere of the School itself. Without any formal training, during that first year Paul was buoyed by the support and care of everyone in the community as he found his bearings. “Of course, I learned from the students, and I was unbelievably fortunate to be surrounded by incredible teachers and people, mentors and role models and friends,” recalled Paul. “Within my own department I had Jim Sullivan, Donna Atwood, and Jim Rest. If there was a hall of fame for teachers and people, they would be first balloters.” As well as veteran faculty, he leaned on those who had only started a year or two before him and just tread the same path. Over the years, Paul has taught several different classes, primarily focusing on geometry and calculus. As a teacher, he holds high expectations for all his students, while also finding ways to engage them in understanding challenging math concepts. The first two chapters of geometry—a course he’s taught every year—often proves to be a hard transition from the equations and formulas of algebra to working with objects and shapes. “It’s almost like learning a new language,” observed Paul. “I still get a charge in seeing kids who really struggle with the course in the beginning and then watch them build that confidence later in the year that carries throughout the rest of their math career. It’s what’s exciting to me as a math teacher.”
Invested in his students’ success, Paul frequently collaborates with his colleagues in the Math Department to find ways to breathe new life into the curriculum. He’s been instrumental in helping to create special materials to give students additional practice beyond what was provided in the text books. “Paul always has a plan; he’s never caught unprepared and gets things done,” shared Math Department Chair Jim Rest. “He’s a standard bearer and holds up those standards in everything he does.” His students are well prepared, reflected in his track record of AP Calculus scores, but he also tries to make learning fun and interesting. One of his fondest memories is playing the strategy game Mafia with students in his calculus class. Even when they graduate, students want to come back to play, reflecting the lasting connections he’s made with Arrows over the years. As a coach, Paul is as welldisciplined and organized as he is in the classroom. Since his arrival in 1995, he’s served as the head coach of the junior varsity basketball team and also assisted coaching middle school and freshmen football teams. Grateful to be coaching alongside his colleagues, Paul notes, “I learned so much from people like John Borden, Bob Souza, George Morelli, Dave Wilbur, Kern Fitzgerald, and Shaun Stanton.” Whether boys are serious players or just looking to play a game they love, Headmaster Burke notes: “Paul has embraced the John Wooden dictum that you haven’t taught until they have learned. He targets his coaching to every young man and it gives each what he needs.” During faculty pick-up games and student-faculty games, Paul earned his reputation as a great shooter, throwing in one three-pointer after another. When he’s not teaching or coaching at St. Sebastian’s, Paul is writing— switching gears from numbers and drills to harnessing his vivid imagination to pen psychological suspense novels. After falling in love
TOP ROW: A faculty headshot of Paul from the 1996 Arrow yearbook; Paul checks the clock while coaching a JV basketball game. BOTTOM ROW: Paul with his son, Cole ’19, at the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony; Paul with his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Emma, at the Faculty-Trustee Dinner on November 10, 2021.
with reading while he was in graduate school, he developed an itch to start authoring his own stories around the same time he started teaching at St. Sebastian’s. “Writing and teaching have always been very intertwined; I’ve never done one without the other.” Initially experimenting with short fiction before moving onto longer works, his true breakout came in 2015 with A Head Full of Ghosts. Drawing the attention of Stephen King, the chilling thriller earned him the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel that year. He has since published four more riveting page turners, going on to win British Fantasy and Massachusetts Book awards, with two of his novels currently in development for movies. Add devoted husband and father to the list of Paul’s accolades. When his son, Cole ’19, became an Arrow, Paul considered it a gift and opportunity to be able to come to school with him every day during the six years he attended St. Sebastian’s. During Cole’s freshman year, Mark Rogers, Chair of the Fine Arts Department, recruited him for the winter play, helping him to
discover that his true passion was in the arts and to form life-long friendships. “I am eternally grateful to everyone here who helped, encouraged, and cared for Cole,” noted Paul. “Of course, I already knew how hard everyone here worked, but now I got to see it from the parent side, which brought an even deeper appreciation of the faculty’s level of commitment.” Experiencing St. Sebastian’s as a parent also provided a fresh perspective on what it’s like to be a student and informed Paul’s teaching. The phrase “life-long learner,” incorporated into the attributes of an ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate in our mission statement, is one of Paul’s favorite phrases. “These last few years have driven home that I remain a student. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that being a student of people is what we should aspire to be. Whether you’re a teacher, a novelist, an administrator, or any job or vocation I could name, we should aspire to continue to be students of people, always listening and always learning through empathy and kindness.”
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FINE ARTS
FINE ARTS
d by Ben
ate Mug cre
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ART & INNOVATION In a collaborative project with the Innovation Lab, 7th and 8th grade ceramics students created slab-built texture mugs. Each student drew a unique pattern which was then laser cut onto a wooden roller using the laser cutter and engraver in the Innovation Lab’s machine room. The students pressed the roller into clay to add their design and then formed the textured slab into a mug. To complete the project, the mugs were glazed and fired, resulting in truly one-of-a-kind works of art that can also be used to enjoy a hot beverage!
FINE ARTS
RECENT WORKS FROM
ARROWS ARTISTS
SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEER The student artwork featured on St. Sebastian's Christmas card was created by Rui Do Rosario ’24 (back) and Ethan Merithew ’23 (front). Both pieces highlight the spirit and harmony of brotherhood at St. Sebastian’s. The artists also aimed to capture the energy in the church during the Christmas performance each year, especially when everyone sings “Hark the Herald Angels Sing!”—an Arrows favorite!
IMAGES WITH IMPACT Award-winning photographer and director,
Eric Melzer, visited the AP Photo and Digital Photography classes on December 16 via Zoom. Melzer's mission is to create imagery that helps build sustainable brands using still, time-lapse, video and drone imagery. He has worked in and traveled to over 50 countries, producing work for leading corporate brands such as Flex and NRG and publications including the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, and the Asia Times.
THE MANY COLORS OF MAIZE The Studio Art Foundations class did a watercolor study of corn. Indigenous people in Mesoamerica domesticated corn around 10,000 years ago! (Artwork: Neal Carlson ’24)
BREAKING PATTERNS Using a drawing technique known as Neurographica, art students were asked to choose a word to meditate on while they made lines as a way to express their thoughts and emotions. Developed by Russian psychologist Pavel Piskarev, this unique art and stress reduction method helps to redirect habitual thought patterns. A new line; a new neural pathway! (Artwork: Jay Liu ’27) FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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FINE ARTS
Twelve Slings & Arrows Players present
Angry Men
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St. Sebastian’s drama club delivered a gripping performance of Twelve Angry Men in the West Campus theater on November 5 and 6. Adapted from the Reginald Rose Emmy award-winning television movie by Sherman Sergel, the play follows twelve jurors who are deciding on the fate of a 19-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing his father. What appears to be an open-andshut case turns into a tense negotiating session, where tempers become short and arguments grow heated. Under the direction of Mark Rogers, the actors did an excellent job of portraying their characters as they deliberated the verdict. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew!
FINE ARTS
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FALL SPORTS
Varsity Football BY COACH DAN BURKE
Coming off of the COVID-19 alteration to 7 on 7 the previous season, the Arrows were all grateful to be able to play real football again. An off-season of hard training and workouts was led by the senior captains, Ben Frisoli, Cormac Wright, and Ryan Donovan. Once the team came together in the late summer, they were more than just happy to be able to play; this 44 |
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was a team with the goal to compete for an ISL title. At the same time, with only one returning starter from 2019, many players needed to step up and get ready for their first varsity action. With two tough games right at the outset on the schedule, some of the inexperience showed, but more importantly, the team’s toughness and competitiveness against some of the top teams in the league showed even brighter. Even though the team started 0-2, the record could have easily been flipped if a couple of plays had gone the other way. In one of those games
versus the eventual undefeated ISL Champions, Milton Academy, the defense played outstanding, one of only two teams all season to keep Milton’s offense to three scores or fewer. The offense moved the ball well too, but had trouble scoring, leading to a 21-7 loss. As discouraged as the team was by the final scores, they knew how close they were to victory and grew as a team through the adversity. While the Arrows were 0-2 and their opponent was 2-0, there was no doubt that the Arrows were confident and excited heading into their night
FALL SPORTS
game vs. Nobles, and what a night it was for football and for St. Sebastian’s. Seeing so many St. Seb’s parents, alumni, and fans there was a great reminder that everything was back closer to normal and that the Arrows have the best fans and overall support in the league. The offense got to work early with two huge touchdown passes to Wright and a long touchdown run by QB Braedan Donovan ’22. Andrew Hahm ’22 was a beast on the ground and the defense was outstanding as usual. In fact, only one team in the ISL 6 gave up fewer points per game than the Arrows defense did this season. Celebrating that 27-6 win vs. Nobles with family, friends, and alums was such a great experience for the team. After another convincing 33-0 win over Roxbury Latin, Lawrence Academy visited for the Homecoming game. After honoring Jack Doherty ’62 at the coin toss, the Arrows played an exciting game in front of a large crowd against a very good team, coming up
short in a 42-27 loss. The Arrows also had great fan support for their other night game at home vs. BB&N. While they were undefeated and the Arrows were 2-3 at the time, both teams knew the Arrows were just a few plays away from being undefeated themselves. Dominating early and holding onto a lead into the fourth quarter, the Arrows couldn’t stop a late surge from BB&N, losing 18-14 in the end. While certainly upset from another close loss, the team and fans remained undeterred as they travelled to Belmont Hill the following weekend. After a scoreless first half of that game, a TD dive for Landon Bailey ’23, two TD receptions for Aidan Maguire ’22, and one more by Jack Boyle ’23, had the Arrows celebrating a 28-7 victory with the fans against their rivals. While the team did not close out the season as well as they would have liked against Thayer, the signature fight within the team was evident again as they came back from being down 14 to lose by one point.
Football and sports in general are about a lot more than wins and losses. To be sure the goal is to win, and the team did not reach that goal as often as they wanted to. However, there were teams this year with better records who did not display the same level of spirit and unity that the Arrows did. The Arrows also had two players who led the league in offensive categories: Braedan Donovan led all quarterbacks with 16 touchdown passes, and Aidan Maguire led all receivers with 8 touchdown receptions. The Arrows had outstanding leadership from their 23 senior players and five senior managers who will all be missed next year. The 2022 Arrows football team will return many talented players and selfless leaders as well, and they are looking forward to a great season when they return under the leadership of captains Landon Bailey, Ryan Donovan, and Zion Simmons.
OPPOSITE: Captains Ben Frisoli ’22 and Cormac Wright ’22 lead their team on to the field with flags for a game against Governor’s Academy during Reunion Weekend. n LEFT: Andrew Hahm ’22 runs the ball for a touchdown during the Homecoming game against Lawrence Academy. n RIGHT: Quarterback Braedan Donovan ’22 looks to throw the ball during the game against Governor’s Academy.
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FALL SPORTS
Varsity Cross Country BY COACH JOSEF CRESSOTTI
St. Sebastian’s Varsity Cross Country continued its upward climb in the ISL for the 2021 season. The team increased its win total from the 2019 season by five wins and, for the second time in a row, finished the ISL Championships in the top half of the league. After a COVID-restricted season in 2020, the Arrows returned to normal competitions this year. The team was led by captains Ryan Albertson ’22 and Sam Hinman ’23. The senior corps of the team included Hans Vigener ’22 and new runners, Brian Luppy ’22 and Thomas Scordino ’22. Will Hansen ’23, Matt Choumenkovitch ’23, Michael Kalinichenko ’23, and Eddie Ryan ’23 all returned to the team as juniors. They were supported by sophomores Jack
Connors ’24, Jonathan Demosthene ’24, Liam Gavin ’24, and James Joyce ’24. The Arrows also welcomed to the team new runners Jack Faggiano ’23 and Thomas Devlin ’23. After a loss to Milton to open the ISL season (33-25), the Arrows bounced back with a convincing win at Brooks (21-36). Over the next two quad races, the team picked up wins against Tabor (24-31), BB&N (2136), and Dexter (28-29), while losing close races with Nobles (31-28) and Thayer (29-26). In each of these races, either Connors or Hinman came in first among the Arrows, with Vigener consistently finishing in third place. On Friday, October 15, the Arrows returned to the Rashi School for the annual Homecoming race. With a packed Henry’s Corner lining the fence along the finish line, the Arrows bested BB&N by the wide margin of 21-36. Hinman set a course record at 17:51, followed by Connors at 17:52. Vigener was not far behind at 18:29. Hansen and
Luppy rounded out the top five with times of 19:57 and 20:19 respectively. As always, our home fans provided a fantastic race atmosphere, unusual for cross country races in the ISL. Henry’s Corner modeled the best fan behavior by supporting both teams, high-fiving Seb’s and BB&N runners alike as they cruised the home stretch. The following week, the Arrows traveled to Middlesex for another quad meet. On a crisp sunny day, the fall colors at their peak, the team won two of their three races. In a rematch against Thayer, St. Sebastian’s came out victorious with a tiebreaker win (2828). Joyce’s time of 20:49 for sixth place made the difference, earning him his varsity letter. The team also defeated Rivers (27-28), though it lost handily to Middlesex (37-22). In their perpetual duel, Connors (17:40) crossed the line ahead of Hinman (17:51). They were followed by Hansen (19:38), Luppy (20:15), and Scordino (20:23).
LEFT: Captain Ryan Albertson ’22 runs during a meet on Homecoming Weekend. n RIGHT: Hans Vigener ’22 receives high-fives from fellow Arrows as he races to the finish line.
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FALL ATHLETIC AWARDS The last league race of the regular season took place on a rainy Saturday, October 30, at St. Mark’s School in Southborough. Along with the home team, the Arrows faced Roxbury Latin, Governor’s, and Dexter. On a muddy and challenging course, the Arrows earned a big win against Governor’s (20-41) but lost narrowly to St. Mark’s. Connors once again surpassed Hinman, clocking in at 17:52, and placing 6th overall in a talented pool. The 2021 ISL Championship Race was held at the Wrentham Development Center on Friday, November 5. On a cool, sunny day, on a very fast course, all 18 Arrows runners ran personal records. They included the 15 varsity runners along with three runners who came up from the Lower School team to compete. Hinman led the way with a blazing time of 17:01, with Connors only yards behind him at 17:05. Vigener came
in third for the team at 18:04, with 7th Grader John Joyce at 4th (18:14) and Hansen at 5th (18:35). 8th grader Seb Culleton came in 9th overall in the JV race with an impressive time of 18:27. With their top five runners averaging 17:48, the Arrows came in 8th place of the 16 ISL teams. Hinman received a medal for 15th place, the first time an Arrow medaled since Mike Buckley in 2003. Connors came in 21st place. For their consistently fast performances this year, both runners earned All-ISL honors. With the 2021 season behind them, the Arrows look forward to an even better 2022. Losing only four seniors, and gaining talented runners from the lower school, the Arrows aim to compete with the elite teams of the ISL. They will be led by a trio of captains, Hinman, Hansen, and Connors.
The following student-athletes were recognized for their performance during the fall season at an Athletic Awards Assembly on November 29.
FOOTBALL ISL All League Award Braedan Donovan '22, Aidan Maguire '22, Quincy Pickett '23, Cormac Wright '22
ISL Honorable Mention Jordan Atkinson '23, Landon Bailey '23, Andrew Hahm '22, Jake Mulrey '25, Zion Simmons '23
Ennis Award Presented to a senior who displays the qualities of commitment, teamwork, and dedication to the football program. Matt Noone '22
Big Hit Award Presented to the player who makes a positive impact on our opponents. Cormac Wright '22
ATHLETIC CLINICS SOCCER | BASKETBALL | LACROSSE FLAG FOOTBALL | WRESTLING
SOCCER ISL All League Award Will Adams '22, Aidan Noonan '22
ISL Honorable Mention Aidan McCarthy '22, Brendan Schmidt '24
Peter Kerr Award Presented to the soccer player who displays sportsmanship, dedication, and commitment to the soccer program. Aidan McCarthy '22
CROSS COUNTRY ISL All League Award Jack Connors '24, Sam Hinman '23
These one-week clinics, run by our experienced St. Sebastian's faculty, are designed to sharpen the skills of student-athletes. Grade-based sessions open to all boys entering grades 4-9 For more information, include dates & rates:
stsebs.org/summer
Coaches Award For the Runner who in his performance, leadership, and example best contributes to the success of the St. Sebastian's Varsity Cross Country Team. Sam Hinman ’23 FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022
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FALL SPORTS
Varsity Soccer BY COACH WOODY REDPATH
The 2021 varsity soccer season experienced some extreme highs and lows. It started out at the bottom, with a tough 8-0 loss against reigning New England Champion Worcester Academy. However, through steely resolve, the Arrows responded nicely, beating Pingree 4-1 the very next game. In the first match of the ISL season, the team came away with an all-important
win over Nobles with a late 2-1 victory in front of a frenzied crowd. Nobles took the lead early in the second half on a penalty kick, only to see Matt Malloy ’23 equalize five minutes later! With two minutes remaining in the game, Oliver O’Donnell ’23 volleyed in a bouncing ball at the top of the box into the upper right-hand corner of the net to send the team and the crowd into pandemonium. The Arrows welcomed Belmont Hill to campus for Homecoming. The seniors, on their last homecoming game, showed up to play! Down 1-0
TOP ROW, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Captains of the varsity soccer team— Aidan Noonan ’22, Will Adams ’22, and Aidan McCarthy ’22—in action. n BOTTOM ROW: The starting eleven gather together before the start of a game.
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going into the second half, captain Will Adams ’22 turned his defender expertly and slotted the ball home to knot the score at 1. Ten minutes later, captain Aidan Noonan ’22 headed in a chipped cross at the back post to score the go-ahead, and ultimately, the game winning goal. Brendan Schmidt ’24 added an insurance tally late in the game to seal the victory for the Arrows. At the halfway point of the season, the boys travelled to Lawrence Academy for a mid-week tilt, only to come out flat and lose 3-1 to a wellorganized Spartans team. This game turned out to be a pivotal moment in which the captains and the rest of the team changed their mentality and approach to the season. No longer were the Arrows going to be an “ebb and flow” team, but instead faced each game with objectives, determination, and purpose. During the last seven games of the season, the Arrows went 6-0-1 with five shutouts coming from the two senior goalies, Ryan Gallant ’22 and Cooper McCann ’22, and a +18-goal differential! On the one hand, the boys were playing “beautiful soccer” (Joga Bonito), breaking down teams with their ball movement, and on the other hand, they were finding ways to win through gritty defensive performances. The defensive players, anchored by captain Aidan McCarthy ’22, should be applauded for their efforts throughout the season, but especially during this amazing run of games. What a defensive display. The season ended with a 3-0 home win against Thayer Academy. Nick Grover ’22 patrolled the midfield confidently; Kevin Cummings ’22 and Alex Hartman ’22 locked down the defense and thwarted any offensive chance had by Thayer; and a perfect ending to a historically strong season came when Adams assisted Noonan’s goal in the 88th minute to close out their St. Seb’s careers!
ALUMNI GATHERINGS Receptions in DC & NYC
Arrows from the Class of 2021 pose with Headmaster Burke at the Yearbook Reception.
On November 15, the Class of 2023, while on their Junior Class Trip, joined alumni and members of the extended St. Sebastian’s family at the annual Washington, D.C. Alumni Reception. Following an address by Headmaster Burke, the Class of 2023 received advice and inspiration from an outstanding lineup of speakers, including Jonathan JonesBooker ’21, a freshman at George Washington University, and Ryan Lee `15. St. Sebastian’s alumni were hosted by Mark O’Friel ’79 at the Harvard Club for this year’s New York Reception on November 16. As always, a good crowd was in attendance to hear an update on their alma mater and enjoy the company of fellow Arrows.
Yearbook Reception Reunites Classes of 2020 and 2021
Thanksgiving Eve Social
While home from college for Thanksgiving, the Class of 2021 returned to St. Sebastian’s on November 24 for the annual Yearbook Reception in Martin Hall. Our most recent alumni received their copy of The Arrow yearbook which was dedicated to faculty member George Morelli. For the first time, the most recent graduating class was joined by the preceding class since the 2020 Yearbook Reception was held virtually. Between the two classes, nearly 70 alumni were welcomed back to campus. A pizza lunch was enjoyed by all as the Classes of 2020 and 2021 spent time reminiscing with old classmates and catching up with faculty.
Over 50 alumni gathered for the first Thanksgiving Eve Social at Shenanigan’s in South Boston on November 24. In what is expected to be an annual event for all alumni going forward, Arrows from the Classes of 2007-2017 stopped in from 4:00-6:00 PM before they headed home to family events. It was a great opportunity to share their brotherhood on this family holiday.
Alumni Sports Day In keeping with the Thanksgiving-week tradition, the St. Sebastian’s School Alumni Office hosted its annual Alumni Sports Day on November 27. Alumni returned to campus for a great day of athletic competition and camaraderie on the hockey rink and basketball court.
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REUNION 2021
Alumni from the classes of 0’s & 5’s and 1’s & 6’s came back to campus to relive their days as students and reminisce with their Arrow brothers.
T
he long-awaited Reunion for the Classes of the 0’s & 5’s and 1’s & 6’s finally took place on the beautiful weekend of September 24-25 after being postponed for both sets of classes due to the pandemic. Nearly 200 alumni attended events throughout the weekend and 40% of our graduating classes were in attendance for this historic combined Reunion. In a St. Sebastian’s first, Reunion events were held outdoors in tents erected on the West Campus fields and the Class of 2017 Courtyard outside of Martin Hall. In honor of their Reunions, the 0’s & 5’s made gifts totaling $136,306 and the 1’s & 6’s contributed $261,247. In both cases, the 50th Reunion Classes of 1970 and 1971 led the way with gifts of $108,670 and $103,450 respectively. The Classes of 2015 and 2016 topped the leaderboard with 76% and 83% participation in the Alumni Fund for their reunion years. On Friday night, the Classes of 1961 and 1971 gathered for their 50th and 60th Reunion dinners. This served as an opportunity to reconnect away from the larger celebrations of the weekend. On Saturday, the Golden Arrow Luncheon welcomed back alumni from as early as 1950 through 1971. The Golden Arrow Society is open to all alumni who have achieved their 50th Reunion and beyond. The newest 50 |
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members were presented with a Golden Arrow lapel pin. As Headmaster Burke told them, “This School stands on the shoulders of giants, and the Golden Arrow Society recognizes the critical role that every alumnus has played in getting us to the point where we now stand.” Five members of the Class of 2022 addressed the alumni, sharing their current experiences on campus. Following the Luncheon, alumni had the opportunity to see some action on the gridiron as the varsity football team played Governor’s Academy. The annual Alumni Memorial Mass took place in Martin Hall after the game. Fr. Arens was joined by Congregation of the Holy Cross seminarian, John Ryan ’15, on the altar. Greg Cronin ’71 read the litany of fallen Arrows from the Reunion classes for which this mass is offered each year. As more and more alumni arrived on campus, the cocktail hour grew into a dull roar. Old friendships were renewed, and faculty members were on hand to greet our alumni. Deacon Paul Coletti ’75 led Grace before everyone enjoyed the traditional Reunion Clambake. Thank you to all of the alumni who returned to campus to be a part of this special Reunion weekend!
REUNION 2021
Cocktail Reception &
CLAMBAKE Alumni, family and friends enjoyed reconnecting and reminiscing at the Cocktail Reception & Clambake under the tent, with the backdrop of a beautiful evening sky, rainbow included!
1996 classmates celebrate their 25th Reunion (from left): Greg Madden, Stephen Ward, Jason Spiegel, Nick Young, Justin Harney, Doug Carlson, Ned Cleary, and Rich Smith. n Members of the Class of 2016 gather for their Reunion class photo. n Tyler Wiik, Jimmy Mitchell, and Cam Quirk enjoy lobster with their 2015 classmates. n Richard McGoldrick ’75 and Larry Burke ’80 fill their baskets in the buffet line. n Alumni from consecutive class years— Robert Kelly ’80, John McNamara ’81, Joe Lawler ’81, and Ricardo Jeremiah ’80—enjoy the unique opportunity to be at Reunion together. n Gleason Gallagher ’71, Headmaster Bill Burke, and Bob Hennessy ’71, wearing sequin jackets in recognition of 1971’s “golden” Reunion.
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REUNION 2021
50th Reunion
CELEBRATIONS
’70
The Class of 1971 celebrated its 50th Reunion on Friday, September 24, gathering for a reception and dinner under the tent to reconnect and reminisce. A few weeks later, on the eve of Homecoming, the Class of 1970 followed suit, 17 months after their original Reunion date! ABOVE: 1970 classmates gather for their class photo on the Class of 2017 Courtyard on October 15, 2021. From left: Jay Harrington, Mark Brennan, Ray Sullivan, Billy Thompson, Joe Duffy, Ted Curtin, Gil Carney, Jim McManus, Patrick Tracy, Matt McNally, Fred Daly, Mark Birmingham, Pat King, Joe Abely, Paul Bardelli, John Romano, and Bill McClory. n LEFT: The 1970 Arrows enjoy catching up at the cocktail party during their long-awaited 50th Reunion dinner, postponed multiple times from its originally scheduled date of May 15, 2020, due to the pandemic. This group of Arrows was determined to celebrate their milestone Reunion!
’71
1971 classmates gather in Martin Hall for their class photo (from left): Gleason Gallagher, Bob McGuane, Bob Hennessy, John Hueber, Tom Whalen, John Noonan, Rich Hoy, Jay Harney, Mark Bergin, Brian Campbell, Greg Cronin, and Vin Quealy. n Gleason Gallagher ’71 receives his Golden Arrow Society pin from Headmaster Burke. n The sun sets behind the West Campus Center during the cocktail reception.
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REUNION 2021
Golden Arrow LUNCHEON Spanning the first three decades of St. Sebastian’s graduating classes, alumni from 1948 through 1971 gathered for the Golden Arrow Luncheon on September 25. This annual tradition includes all Arrows who have celebrated their 50th Reunion, with the newest members receiving their Golden Arrow pin.
Alumni Memorial Mass
Arrows from across the decades assemble in Martin Hall for a mass in remembrance of their deceased classmates.
Brian Campbell ’71, Mark Bergin ’71, Pat Tracy ’70, Bob Hennessy ’71, Ted Curtin ’70, Joe Abely ’70, and George Morrissey ’71 at the Golden Arrow Luncheon. n Senior class speaker Aidan Noonan ’22 shares his experiences as a student with the alumni. n Paul Kirk ’56, Peter Ablondi ’56, Tim Daly ’56, and Ed O’Donoghue ’57 catch up at the luncheon. n Sheldon Daly ’54, Sully Sullivan ’54, John McKinney ’53, Owen Dugan ’51, Dick Schiffman ’50, Tim Daly ’56, Peter Ablondi ’56, Sen. Paul Kirk ’56, and Ed O’Donoghue ’57 represent their classes at Reunion 2021.
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ALUMNI DINNER
St. Sebastian’s hosted its Alumni Dinner on October 28, bringing Arrows from across the decades together. During the event, two of our loyal Arrows, Peter McLaughlin ’55 and Andy Bartlett ’03, were honored with alumni awards.
A
Andy Bartlett ’03 reflects on his years as a St. Sebastian’s student and staff member; n Andy with his wife, Kim, as he holds the Recent Alumni Service Award. n Peter McLaughlin ’55, GP’13,’19,’24,’24 (sitting) and his wife, Honey (to his left), are surrounded by their children and grandchildren, including three of the four Arrow grandsons, Nico ’24, Max ’24 and Jake ’13 (missing: Peter Blake ’19). n Peter talks about his rewarding and satisfying experience as a member of the Board of Trustees.
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n annual tradition, the Alumni Dinner, returned to campus on October 28, as two of St. Sebastian’s favorite sons were honored with alumni awards. Gathering in Martin Hall, alumni and family came out to recognize the contributions of Peter McLaughlin ’55, GP’13,’19,’24,’24 and Andy Bartlett ’03 to the wellbeing and success of their School. Alumni Board President Peter Galligan ’74 presided over the event attended by alumni representing nearly 70 years of our collective history. The Recent Alumni Service Award, now in its second year, was presented to Andy Bartlett for his ongoing commitment to St. Sebastian’s and the Class of 2003. Headmaster Burke thanked Andy for the many ways he has been involved as an alumnus, including Class Agent, Reunion Committee Member, and Alumni Board Events Chairman. In addition, Andy worked in the Alumni Office from 2009-2016. Congratulations to Andy on this welldeserved honor. Peter McLaughlin’s lifetime commitment to St. Sebastian’s dates back to 1950 when he arrived as a freshman. His life is one that truly links St. Sebastian’s past to its future as his pride in his School has only grown since four of his grandchildren have gone on to attend his alma mater. Peter’s roles as Class Agent, Alumni Board Member, and Reunion Committee Member have served him well in bringing the alumni perspective to the Board of Trustees. On the Board, Peter has been a leader on the Development Committee, playing active roles in both the Spirit & People Campaign and the Henry T. Lane Rink Improvement Project and serving as Chairman of the McInnis Society, St. Sebastian’s planned giving effort. In recognizing Peter with the Alumni Service Award, Headmaster Burke thanked him for embodying the final lines of our mission statement, “The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life-long learner who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor.” Congratulations and thank you to Peter, an Arrow forever!
CLASS NOTES
1955 class officers Justin O’Connor (President), Michael O’Connor (Vice-President), Peter McLaughlin FALLand 2021John / WINTER 2022 | 55 (Treasurer) Powers (Secretary).
CLASS NOTES
WHAT’S
NEW? Keep your classmates up to date on your accomplishments, family members, travels, or anything else new in your life. Send us photos, too!
Submit class notes and photos online at:
stsebs.org/classnotes Deadline for next issue:
JULY 1, 2022 Photos will be published based on quality and available space. Please be sure to send the highest quality image possible and identify everyone in the photo.
1960
Richard (Doc) Nelson and his wife, Annabelle, celebrated a convalidation of their wedding vows on August 20, 2021, at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Brandenton, FL. They have been married 30 years and have two children, Joanna (29) and Christopher (28).
1968
Gavin Viano competed in the Head of the Charles Regatta in October 2021. This was the 50th anniversary of Gavin's first Head of the Charles race. (see photo)
1993
Marc Rosenfeld writes: “Proud to share that my company, CommCan— The Commonwealth Cannabis Co., opened its third dispensary and now employs over 180 full time workers in Massachusetts.”
2003
Ryan McLean shares: “I am still teaching music in Dorchester and recently moved to Scituate, which has been great so far. In the past 6 years, I have become an uncle twice as my sister Danielle and her husband Spencer now have a 6-year-old daughter, Sadie, and a 3-year-old son, Tucker. I am about to become an uncle for the third time as my other sister, Kellie, is expecting a boy in May! Being an uncle has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I cannot wait to continue experiencing that joy. In August of 2019, I traveled to Germany with a group of adults from all over the world through the Order of Malta, which was an incredible experience. I have not been able to travel as much due to the pandemic, however I have been able to travel to Naples, Florida, as my mom and her husband live there during the winter. It’s been nice getting together again in person with family and friends and I look forward to doing that more in the times ahead.”
’48 LEFT: Jack Boyle ’48, captain of the 1947 football team, with his grandson, Jack Boyle ’23, and members of the Boyle Family following the final game of the Arrows football season on November 13, 2021. n RIGHT: Jack (far left) with his teammates, Frank Renaud and Bob Joyce, after the Arrows win a game in the fall of 1947.
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CLASS NOTES
ARROWS ’96
CONNECT
Looking for an internship, industry contacts, first job, next job, or career advice? The Arrows Connect network is the place to start.
’58
’68 ’62
Arrows Connect is our own networking directory connecting members of the St. Sebastian’s community to each other. Your profile has already been set up by the Alumni Office. Just upload your LinkedIn profile to the site, answer a few short questions and your profile will be complete. As a member of Arrows Connect, you can access an extensive directory of professionals, find qualified candidates to hire, post job offerings, volunteer to be a mentor, and more. Register today to make the most of your St. Sebastian’s network!
Jason Spiegel ’96 and his wife Jill, celebrated the baptism of their daughter, Madison Mae Spiegel, on October 23, 2021. The baptism was performed by Fr. John Arens. n From left: Brad Griffith ’58 and Phil Driscoll ’58 celebrated the 80th birthday of Fil Bonica ’58 on July 10, 2021, in Falmouth. n Gavin Viano ’68 (in the 4th seat of the boat from the top), rows back to the Newall Boathouse after the Head of the Charles race. n Michael Gwynn '74, Senior VP of Corporate Partnerships for the Worcester Woosox, greeted Ed Davis '65 and his family at the new beautiful Polar Park in Worcester at a game over the summer. n 1962 classmates gathered for a Christmas lunch at the Stockyard in Brighton. Seated: Fred Corcoran and Tom Galligan; standing: Ed Kirk and Paul Murphy.
arrowsconnect.org
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CLASS NOTES
MARCH RECEPTIONS
in Florida
If you live in Florida or are looking for a great excuse to head to warmer climates, join us! All members of the St. Sebastian’s community are welcome, including alumni, parents, and grandparents.
3/11 Jupiter 3/14 Naples For more details and to RSVP, visit stsebs.org/jupiter, or stsebs.org/naples.
Andy McAuliffe ’48 Honored for His Athletic Prowess
Save the Date April 19, 2022
St. Sebastian's 6th annual giving day will take place on Tuesday, April 19. On Arrows Forever Day, we ask our alumni and other members of the St. Sebastian's community to give in support of the Annual Fund. We hope you will help us make Arrows Forever Day a success again this year. Every gift counts!
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On October 19, St. Sebastian’s honored one of its longest tenured alumni, Andy McAuliffe ’48, P’75,’78,’79,’81,’86, GP’09,’15,’16,’21,’23. Wearing a St. Sebastian’s clerical stole from the 1940’s, Fr. John Arens, joined by nearly 50 of Andy’s family and friends, blessed a plaque that is now permanently installed in Arrows Hall in recognition of Andy’s athletic prowess, as well as his lifelong commitment to St. Sebastian’s. In a remarkable feat, Andy earned 14 varsity letters from 1945-1948. Competing in football, hockey, and baseball for four years and basketball for two seasons is impressive in any age, but is unfathomable in today’s era of athletic specialization. Andy’s brother, Lawrence ’48, graduated with him, beginning a long line of McAuliffes to follow as Andy’s five sons and five of his grandsons all went on to attend St. Sebastian’s. Andy is truly an Arrow Forever!
REUNION
2022 MAY 20 & 21
CLASS NOTES
Calling all 2’s and 7’s!
Reserve your seat for Reunion weekend. Mark your calendar now and help us fill your class table! If you would like to be involved in the Reunion planning, please contact Mike Melley in the Alumni Office at michael_melley@stsebs.org. We can’t wait to see you in May!
Register online at:
www.stsebs.org/reunion
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CLASS NOTES
2005
Alex Doten married Erin Foley on October 3, 2021, at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA. Two of his oldest friends and classmates, Brian Daly and George O’Toole, served as groomsmen. (see photo) John Lynch married Mary-Kate Ganssle on October 9 on Peaks Island in Maine with several Arrows in attendance, including his brother and best man, Ryan Lynch ’08. (see photo)
’07
2007
Jack Doherty married Kathryn McCarthy on June 26, 2021, in New Hampshire after waiting a year from their original wedding date of June 27, 2020. (see photo)
2008
On August 21, 2021, Charlie Tangerini wed Sarah Matthews at a beautiful church ceremony followed by a reception at Josias River Farm, a 250-year-old Maine farm owned and operated by his parents, Charlie ’62 and Laura Tangerini. (see photo)
2015
John Ryan shares: “On July 31, 2021, I (along with 4 others) professed first vows in the Congregation of Holy Cross after completing a year-long Novitiate in Cascade, CO. My family (including physics teacher John Ryan and Arrows Jimmy ’16 and Patrick ’18) and several undergraduate friends made the trip to Colorado to be present at the Mass, while others joined the celebration via livestream. I am now back at Notre Dame working on my Masters of Divinity and continuing formation at Moreau Seminary.” (see photo)
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’15 n Jack Doherty ’07 married Kathryn McCarthy on June 26. Arrows in attendance included (from left): Kenny Csaplar ’07, Pat Twomey ’96, Charlie Tangerini ’08, Dave Ryan ’07, the bride and groom, Eddie Doherty ’99, Tim Cintolo ’07, Emilio Tangerini ’07, and Scott Doherty ’23. n John Ryan ’15 is surrounded by his siblings, including Arrows Jimmy ’16 and Patrick ’18, and his parents Jean and John, following a Mass in which he professed his First Vows in Cascade, CO, on July 31, 2021.
STAY CONNECTED Follow us on Instagram @StSebastiansSchool Like us on Facebook /Stsebs Follow us on Twitter @StSebsNeedham Connect with us on LinkedIn St. Sebastian’s School Alumni, connect with us by joining our Facebook Group! facebook.com/groups/stsebastiansschoolalumni
CLASS NOTES
’05
’05
’05 ’05
’08 Pat Chambers ’05 and his wife, Molly, welcomed Beau Edward on December 29, 2021. n Brian Daly ’05 (left) and George O’Toole ’05 (right) served as groomsmen at the wedding of Alex Doten ’05 to Erin Foley on October 3, 2021. n George ’05 and Ashley O’Toole welcomed Rose Margaret at 5:57am on December 20, 2021. Rose Margaret was 8lbs11oz and 21in. n Charlie Tangerini ’08 married Sarah Matthews on August 21, 2021. n John Lynch ’05 married Mary-Kate Ganssle on October 9, 2021. Arrows in attendance included (from left): Bill Zrike '05, Jon Consalvo '05, Mark Flaherty '05, Pat Chambers '05, Marc Federico '05, Jack O’Hurley '04 (tall one in the back), John Lynch '05 (groom), Drew Tuckett '05, Conor Joyce '05, Chris O’Hurley ’06, Shawn Lynch '15, Ryan Lynch '08 (groom's brother and best man), and Jim Lynch '83.
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CLASS NOTES
’18
’21
Three Arrows ended up in the same flight at the Thorny Lea CC Member-Guest in August: Peter Arnold ’78, Dan Murphy ’89, and Mark Chapman ’95. n Cadets Will ’18 and Tim ’18 Kiley caught up with faculty members Steve Salomone (a 2000 graduate of West Point) and Joe Cressotti at the Army-Navy Game at MetLife Stadium on December 11, 2021. n Kristian Rosario ’20, Mike Van Flandren’20, Sam Frisoli ’21, Teddy Daniel ’20 and Jack Hodgson’20 at a Middlebury vs. Tufts football game in Middlebury, VT. n Louis Hansen ’21 and his Michigan teammates won the Big Ten Championship game on December 4, 2021. Pictured with the trophy are Louis’ dad, Mike Hansen, Louis, and Dan Burke ’97, St. Sebastian’s varsity football coach who traveled to Indianapolis to be at the game. n OPPOSITE: Matt Choi ’22, Joey Hamilton ’21, Isaiah Stanfield ’21, and Jack Bresnahan ’21 congratulated Brady McCabe ’21 (center) after he completed the 125th Boston Marathon on October 11, 2021.
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CLASS NOTES
(2015 continued) Matt Blue writes: “If you remember my senior year Chapel Speech, you remember my love for movies and my desire to pursue a career in Hollywood. Well, I wasn't lying! I moved out to Los Angeles after graduating from Boston College in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in Film Studies & English, and now work at Royal Ties Productions, the production company of Oscar and Emmy-winning actress Regina King. The company is in their third year of a first look deal with Netflix, and recently began production on a biopic about Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to be nominated for a major party for president. King will be playing Chisholm. I still stay in touch with my friends from St. Sebastian's -- Danny Beam, Chris Haley, Anthony Canavan, Kevin Murray, Will Supple and Seve Mustone, all Class of 2015.”
ALUMNI GOLF OUTING May 20, 2022 / 8:00 am Shotgun Start South Shore Country Club, Hingham, MA Open to all St. Sebastian’s alumni Registration and sponsorship information:
www.stsebs.org/alumnigolf
2021
Brady McCabe achieved a goal he had set for himself by completing his first Boston Marathon on October 11, 2021. Brady, who is currently studying sports management at the Isenberg School of Management at UMASS-Amherst, had always loved running and used it as an outlet to get out of the house during quarantine last year. He trained with his grandfather, Bill, an avid runner who has participated in marathons all over the world. As his family and friends cheered him on, Brady ran the 26.2 mile course with his papa and the Boston Police Team, a group Bill has been running with for a number of years.
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IN MEMORIAM FACULTY, STAFF & TRUSTEES Daniel A. Archabal ’64
Former Faculty Member and Trustee Dan passed away on December 6, 2021, at the age of 74. During his days as an Arrow, he played football, baseball and intramural basketball, and was known for his inimitable spirit. He also proved to be an outstanding singer, actor and writer, participating in the Dramatic Society and contributing to The Walrus and The Arrow yearbook. After graduating from St. Sebastian’s, he moved onto Harvard University for his B.A., and successive master’s degrees at Boston College and the University of Pittsburgh. From 1968 to 1970, Dan returned to St. Sebastian’s to teach English, run the Admissions Office and serve as director of the 7th and 8th grade program. He also served the School as a trustee from 1976 to 1982 and was a class agent for many years, directing a hugely successful 50th Reunion in 2014. He and his brother, John ’59, funded the Archabal Family Scholarship. “Dan stayed connected to St. Sebastian’s in many, many ways and was a friend to so many of us. For a host of reasons, we’re forever indebted to this great man,” shared Headmaster Bill Burke. Dan spent thirty years at Arthur Andersen LLP, followed by several years as a marketing executive at McDermott Will & Emery LLP in Boston. He later returned to his passion in the classroom at Northeastern University’s D’Amore McKim School of Business until his retirement. He was a mentor to many throughout his career, including to his students. Dan is survived by his wife of 52 years, Victoria; his sister and brother-in-law, Fidele and Bill ’61 Malloy; his sister-in-law, Nina Archabal; three children: Pam, Sarah and Dan; seven grandchildren: Hayley, Skylar, Charlie, Jack ’26, Austin, Gus and Maisy; and three nieces and nephews and their children.
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We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the graduates and friends of St. Sebastian’s School whose deaths are reported with sorrow.
Jane P. Orr P’88 Former Trustee
Jane passed away on July 24, 2021. She was born in Champaign, IL, to Thomas Pankey and Elizabeth Sharp. At two years old, Jane lost her mother Jim and Jane Orr P’88 to complications of childbirth as her mother was giving birth to Jane’s brother. After a few years, her father married Eliza Foster whose love for reading and life helped shape Jane into the incredible woman she became. Jane grew up in Wauwatosa, WI, where she attended Elgin Academy in Illinois and then the University of Wisconsin and graduated with a degree in English Literature. After graduating from college, she moved to Boston where she attended the Katherine Gibbs School, an institution for the career education of young women. Jane began work as a secretary at Arthur D. Little, Inc. in Maynard, MA, where she met her future husband of 57 years, James Hunter Orr, Jr. Jane was a truly devoted mother and grandmother and was involved in each and every aspect of their interests and athletics over the years. She also shared her dedication to the secondary schools her children attended, including St. Sebastian’s when her son Alec ’88 became an Arrow. Jane and Jim were very involved in the School for years and were consistently and incredibly generous supporters. Jane served on the Board of Trustees for 18 years, from 1988 to 2006, was a member of the Guild of St. Irene, and co-founded the Book Club. “Jane was a very thoughtful and strong person of tremendous faith, honor, and supreme equanimity,” praised Headmaster Burke. “She was as loyal they come.” Jane and Jim were invited to join the Board of Visitors for their extraordinary devotion to St. Sebastian’s. Jane leaves her children, Alec ’88 and Christine, and grandchildren James and William.
IN MEMORIAM
ALUMNI Brian P. Burns ’53
Benefactor and Loyal Arrow Brian passed away on August 12, 2021, at the age of 85. He was the third of four Burns brothers to attend St. Sebastian’s, along with Daniel ’50, Robert ’51 and Michael ’58. Brian was an excellent student and contributed to the Debating Society, The Walrus and The Arrow. As an athlete, he played baseball, basketball and golf, serving as captain of the basketball team his senior year. Upon graduating from St. Sebastian’s, he attended the College of the Holy Cross and then Harvard Law School, where he obtained his law degree at the young age of 23. Brian was a senior partner at several leading law firms in San Francisco and accomplished more than 50 major mergers and acquisitions. He also served as the Chairman and CEO of Boothe Financial Corp. and Robert Half International, Inc., was the Chairman of BF Enterprises, Inc., and served as a trustee and advisor to the principal trusts of Joseph P. Kennedy’s family. As a third-generation Irish American, Brian’s dedication to Irish culture and history throughout his life earned him recognition as one of the “Greatest Irish Americans of the 20th Century” by Irish America magazine. In 1963, he became the youngest director of the American Irish Foundation, spearheading its merger with the Ireland Fund. His service and leadership included the Ireland-American Economic Advisory Council and the Vice Chairman of the Fulbright Commission in Ireland. In memory of his father, Brian established The Honorable John J. Burns Library of Rare Books and Special Collections at Boston College, where he also served as a trustee from 1998-2006. Brian devoted himself to building his personal collection of Irish art, ultimately becoming the largest of its kind by a private collector. Brian and his wife, Eileen, were very generous to St. Sebastian’s. As part of their gift to the Spirit & People Campaign, they established the Honorable John J. Burns Scholarship Fund and also named the History Chair classroom in memory and honor of Brian’s father. “An eminently successful, most loyal Arrow, and true philanthropist, Brian was very proud of St. Sebastian’s,” shared Headmaster Burke. Brian will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Eileen and by their eight children and 15 grandchildren. He is also survived by two of his siblings, Alice and Michael ’58.
J. Paul Costello, Jr. ’58
Paul passed away at the age of 82 in November 2021. While at St. Sebastian’s, he was an active member of the varsity football team, the Debating Society and the Dramatic Club. After graduating, he went on to Babson College. He was the founder of many successful companies, including J. Paul Costello Associates, Costello & Company, MicroTrac Systems, Restrac, and Webhire. He leaves behind his wife, Eileen, children John and Brett, grandchildren Caroline, Ashley, Andrew, Mary and Kelly, and siblings Peter and Margaret.
James J. “Jim” Cotter ’50
Jim passed away at the age of 89 on September 22, 2021. He was a member of the hockey and baseball teams for his four years at St. Sebastian’s, serving as hockey captain in his final year. After graduation, he went on to get his degree from Boston College and an MBA from Babson College (MBA). He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Jim worked for several financial and legal firms in Boston. He retired from Choate, Hall and Stewart after 25 years as the Administrative and Financial Director. He leaves behind his son, Robert, and is preceded by his son, James, and his wife, Joan.
William J. Cronin, Jr. ’73
William passed away at the age of 66 on August 9, 2021. He was an active member on the football, track and wrestling teams during his days as an Arrow. After graduating from St. Sebastian’s, he attended St. Anselm’s College. He became a police officer, working for several Seacoast communities and finally, the Hampton Police Department from which he proudly retired in 2017 after more than 25 years. He is survived by his wife, Lorraine; son Matthew; stepchildren Ronnie, Dawn, Chris and Melissa; grandchildren Hamel, Landis, Derek, Ethan, Sam, Caileb and Alivia; and siblings Charles ’81 and Tara.
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IN MEMORIAM
James “Jim” E. Devine ’59
Jim passed away on November 27, 2021. While at St. Sebastian’s, he was described as one of the most pleasant and friendly members of his class. He was an active participant in the Debate Society and intramural basketball. After St. Sebastian’s, Jim received a B.A. from St. Anselm’s College. He worked at the U.S. Treasury for thirty years and was a NH State Representative from 2006-16. He volunteered as a firefighter for the town of Sandown, NH. Jim and his wife, Georgia, had six sons.
James F. Higgins ’54
James passed away at the age of 84 on August 16, 2021. While at St. Sebastian’s, golf was his favorite sport and he was also the star of the intramural basketball team. After graduation, he received a B.A. from Boston College in 1958. He proudly served his country as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He would go on to earn his Pipefitters license and was a member of the Pipefitters Local 537. Following Boston College, Jim joined his father and his brothers at J.C. Higgins Company, a mechanical contracting firm founded by his father. He was involved in the construction of many landmark buildings in the greater Boston area including many hospitals and university buildings. He leaves behind his wife Catherine; children James and Paul; grandchildren Kathleen, Elizabeth, and John; and siblings Eleanor, Evelyn and Jack ’63. He is predeceased by his siblings Mary, Alice and Joe ’52.
Paul E. McDermott ’69
Paul passed away at the age of 69 on June 24, 2020. While at St. Sebastian’s, he was a member of the Literary Magazine, and contributed to The Walrus and The Arrow. Paul was a talented cabinet maker working in Littleton, MA, and then Westford, until physical disabilities prevented him from pursuing his passion further. Ultimately, Paul came to work at the Nashua postal distribution center where he made many friends during his time there. He will be remembered for his quick wit, his sense of humor, his love of history and his kindness to others.
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Peter J. McLaughlin ’67
Peter passed away at the age of 72 on August 12, 2021. During his days as an Arrow, he was an active member of the football team and took part in the Dramatics Club. After graduation, he went on to Harvard University and Suffolk Law School. He also earned a master’s degree in Education from Old Dominion University. Peter retired in 2002 from the U.S. Navy as a Captain in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps after 31 years of active duty. He served as the Chief Judge of the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary, then as the first Director of the National Security Litigation and Intelligence Law Division, established after September 11th, until his retirement from active duty. He went on to serve as Assistant Legal Counsel for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, where he retired in 2017, culminating in over 45 years of service with the Department of the Navy. He is survived by his wife, children Jennifer and Erin, and grandchildren Franklin, Ada, Nathan, and James.
Kevin M. O’Donoghue ’53
Kevin passed away at the age of 86 on December 27, 2021. While at St. Sebastian’s, he was a member of the varsity hockey team for all four years and was a lineman for the football team his senior year. Kevin was known for his great sense of humor. He went on to attend the College of the Holy Cross. Kevin is preceded by his wife Irma and sisters Margaret and Sheila. He is survived by his children Mary Jo, Kevin, Scott, Kelly, David and Cherie; grandchildren David, Christopher, Brittany, Dimitri, Brandon, David Jr., Ryan, Brooke and Gunnar; great-grandchild Billie; and siblings Alice and Edward ’57.
This listing contains deaths reported before December 31 , 2021. To see a complete listing of alumni who have passed away within the past 12 months please go to www.stsebs.org/inmemoriam. To report a death of a St. Sebastian’s alumnus or relative to the Advancement Office, please contact Kelsey Kane at kelsey_kane@stsebs.org.
IN MEMORIAM
Joseph V. Pati, Jr. ’59
Jay passed away at the age of 79 on July 23, 2021. During his days as an Arrow, he was an active member of the tennis and football teams, as well as a member of the Dramatics Club. After graduating from St. Sebastian’s, Jay attended Boston University and was the quintessential entrepreneur who ultimately co-created Loofah-Art. He is survived by his wife Anita; children Marco and Nicole; and grandchildren Ryan, Jenn, Tyler and Alec.
Alfred J. Wasilauskas ’61
Alfred passed away at the age of 78 on August 24, 2021. While at St. Sebastian’s, he was a member of The Walrus staff. Alfred was a long-time aide to Cardinal Richard Cushing. He was involved for many years in the heavy equipment business. He was a member of the Newton Elks and a longstanding member of the Newton Yacht Club. He is survived by siblings Ann and Richard ’59, several nieces and nephews and their children, including grandnephew Finn Mulligan ’18.
ALUMNI RELATIVES & FRIENDS Mary Jane Barry November 21, 2021 Wife of the late Henry Barry ’45 Jean Connors May 24, 2021 Grandmother of Paul ’03 and Sean ’07 Connors and Thomas Kelley ’13 William Dickson November 6, 2021 Father-in-law of John Roche ’77 and grandfather of William Roche ’17 Maura Downes December 12, 2021 Sister of Henry “Jay” Downes ’87 and daughter of the late Henry “Harry” Downes ’59 Frank Faggiano September 16, 2021 Grandfather of John ’23 and Luca ’26 Elaine D. Greene November 23, 2021 Wife of the late Jeremiah Greene ’56 Paul Kane September 19, 2021 Father of Marty ’84 and grandfather of Marty ’22
Barry Kiely October 1, 2021 Twin brother of former Trustee Very Rev. Brian R. Kiely Cheryl Ludwig August 19, 2021 Wife of Eric Ludwig, Director of Buildings & Grounds, and mother of Eric Ludwig, Maintenance staff Domenico “Domenic” Mercuri November 24, 2021 Father of Francesco ’75 Carmen Díaz de Mier y Terán October 15, 2021 Grandmother of Matthew ’16 and Patrick ’19 Barron Mary Kathleen O’Malley August 18, 2021 Daughter of Kevin ’74, niece of Grady ’65, Gene ’68, and Mark ’72 Colin O’Rourke October 11, 2021 Brother of Angus ’15 David Walker October 22, 2021 Father of Brian ’09 and Brad ’10
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From the Archives 1955
In the early decades of St. Sebastian’s existence, lunches were a “joy to behold,” according to reports in The Arrow yearbooks. Each day at 12:30, hordes of students descended into the dining hall on Nonantum Hill. Meals, served family style, were delivered and cleared from the tables by the youngest Arrows who took turns bussing tables. There was an abundance of excellent food prepared and served— as well as a boundless supply of milk. According to the 1955 Arrow, the boys would “gorge themselves on such tempting delicacies as fried chicken, roast beef, pork chops and that ‘wonder of wonders,’ shishkabab!” These days, favorites prepared by Chef Fuller and his kitchen crew include buffalo chicken, churros and, of course, pizza and fries every Friday! Regardless of the decade or the food served, lunchtime has always been a favorite part of the day for Arrows, giving them the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and strengthen the bonds between them.
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The Gift of Life Insurance There is a versatile and easy way to support St. Sebastian’s and join the McInnis Society. Most of us think of life insurance in terms of providing financial security to our spouse or children, or perhaps to business partners, should an untimely death occur. Another option is to use life insurance to support St. Sebastian’s. Most often, this gift can be arranged with a favorable charitable deduction for you, the donor. For your consideration:
Name St. Sebastian’s as a Beneficiary to a Survivorship Universal Life Policy.
Here are several examples assuming a Survivorship Universal Life Policy, insuring both husband and wife both rated as preferred non-smokers. Remember that actual policy pricing will depend on age and medical condition: $100,000 gift to St. Sebastian’s: Age 35 – $620/year (average annual premium) Age 50 - $1,000/year (average annual premium) Age 65 - $,1800/year (average annual premium) $250,000 gift to St. Sebastian’s: Age 35 - $1,000/year (average annual premium) Age 50 - $1,900/year (average annual premium) Age 65 - $4,000/year average annual premium) What your gift can accomplish: In most cases planned gifts are restricted to the endowment. Endowment gifts support all aspects of the School. • Provide financial aid directly to a deserving young Arrow • Establish a named faculty fund in honor of your favorite teacher • Establish a family endowed fund • Create a lasting legacy by joining the McInnis Society Giving through life insurance can be a perfect gift arrangement if you want to do more now, but are not currently able to make a major gift outright.
Monsignor Charles D. McInnis Society
For more information about including St. Sebastian’s in your estate plans, please contact James Barron P’16,’19, Director of Planned Giving (781.247.0158 or james_barron@stsebs.org) or Rich Arms, Director of Advancement (781.247.0116 or richard_arms@stsebs.org) or visit plannedgiving.stsebs.org.
1191 Greendale Avenue Needham, Massachusetts 02492
Members of the Class of 1971 gather with Headmaster Burke, wearing “golden” jackets in honor of their 50th Reunion. (see more Reunion photos, pg. 50)
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