St. Francis High School Magazine
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SUMMER 2015 THE FOCUSST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL MAGAZINE Committed to Christian Service ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL COLLege Preparatory Faith • Academics • Tradition ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL 3 THE FOCUS LETTER FROM PRESIDENT THE FOCUS ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL MAGAZINE Contents SUMMER 2015 SCHOOL BOARD 4 Finding Themselves, Tom Bednar Tom Bednar, SFHS President Changed for the Better President, St. Francis High School Ray Reid ’61, Chairperson Service is at the heart of our Ed Jensen, Vice Chair community. Hear these stories Yvonne Scholl, Secretary 4 of service and personal growth. “If we read the signs of the times, young people today have a very Brad Ament special approach to the ultimate religious reality, which is union with God. “For Dave Behnke 8 Make Way for The Gateway HR Imaging We, in our day, realized this by the sacramental approach. They have Tom Boler and Mobile Learning Initiative! discovered a new sacrament—service to the poor and disadvantaged. it is in Michael Carbery Why disparage their desire to find in service to others a new form of Lawrence Carroll Exciting new facilities and technology giving prayer?”—Fr. Ted Hesburgh, 1979 Eric Deaton driven education programs are coming for this next school year. that we Kevin Flood What Fr. Hesburgh noted in 1979, St. Francis of Assisi realized in 1204 Sue Harsa as he chose to dedicate his life to be one with the poor and disadvantaged. receive.” Scott Kilrea 12 Alumni News (Updates, Francis’ vision inspired many of his peers as he formed two new religious Nicole Lacy News & Events) —St. Francis of Assisi communities, “The Poor Clares” for women and “The Lesser Brothers” Charles McKenna Find out all the Alumni News Maxwell Miller that you are looking for including for men. The Prayer of St. Francis, “Lord Make Me an Instrument of Bart Murphy updates, news, reunions and Your Peace,” continues to guide our Faculty/Staff and students today in Fr. Jim Murphy upcoming events. discovering how we are called to serve in our world, so that our prayer Alex Rechenmacher 8 moves us to action. ALUMNI BOARD 3 Letter from the President I am always happy and grateful to see our students discover the joy of OFFICERS serving others whether it be our neighbors at Marian Park or at a summer 4 Feature Article Joe Buchholz ’84, President work camp in another state. It is edifying to know that so many of our Matt Gorski ’04, Vice President 10 Achievements teams and clubs volunteer at Feed My Starving Children and the Northern Ann Murray ’73 Harazin, Secretary Illinois Food Bank or organize food and toy drives for local agencies. Len Paolucci ’62, Treasurer 12 Alumni News Over the past 11 years we have celebrated the selection of so many DEVELOPMENT & 13 In Memoriam of our students to the Daily Herald Leadership Team which recognizes ALUMNI RELATIONS the ten seniors from the twenty-nine high schools in DuPage County Questions? Call (630) 668-5800. 15 Activities for their service in the community. Tom Bednar (ext. 1102) 16 Athletics SFHS President / Director of In this issue, we highlight the response to God’s call to service in Development 18 Gifts & Giving the lives of some of our alumni, faculty, students, parents and friends. Matt Abernathy ’03 (ext. 1140) WCS Photography 20 School Event Calendar Although we might not be involved in one of the traditional fields of Director of Int’l Student Program service to the poor and disadvantaged, we are all called to be of service Nick Hall (ext. 1120) to our spouses, families, neighbors, friends and clients. All of us can Director of Admissions Visit our website and social media sites to update be instruments of God’s peace forging a greater union with God and Peg Kopec (ext. 1129) your contact information and ‘like’ our pages. 12 each other. Development Associate ALUMNI Contact Update Form: sfhscollegeprep.org/update Megan Jamen (ext. 1144) May God bless you and your loved ones in your endeavors. Administrative Assistant Facebook: SFHS Alum Twitter: @SfhsAlumAssoc Mike Lynch (ext. 1193) Tom Bednar Director of Alumni Relations SCHOOL President Greg Purnell (ext. 1125) Facebook: St. Francis High School Wheaton Director of Annual Fund / Development Officer Instagram: sfhsspartans LinkedIn: St. Francis High School Wheaton IL James Quinn (ext. 1115) Twitter: @SFHS_Spartans Donor Information Manager Zak Burke ’18 in Ghana at the Village of Hope, Debbie Quirk (ext. 1143) where Dreams for Orphans is building a nursery. Parent Relations / Events Coordinator ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL 5 THE FOCUS FEATURE ARTICLE Pat Virtue and Carol Lee ’69 Virtue Griffin Hardy ’12 with Sr. Jean Prejean, CSJ Finding Themselves CHANGED FOR THE BETTER Those intending to help others through their charitable work and donations...find themselves changed for the better as well. One of the goals in the Mission and Vision remembers the words of St. Francis, “Start by of St. Francis High School is to promote and doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; develop students who are faith-filled, committed and suddenly, you’re doing the impossible.” While to Christian service, respectful and accepting of it isn’t always easy, he feels that people can make others, and responsible citizens of the world. a difference. “Often, when we Diane Mercadante, Director of Pastoral Ministry, Griffin jumped at an opportunity to work with hear the word said that “we empower our students to work for the woman he tries most to emulate in his work, justice and peace, and to focus on our strengths ‘service’ we think Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ. Sr. Helen is the founder and generosity, in the spirit of our namesake, and executive director of MADP, as well as author about ourselves St. Francis of Assisi.” The hope is that when of “Dead Man Walking,” a book which tells the students leave here, they will continue to use giving to others, story of her journey as the “spiritual advisor to “their gifts, talents and finances to serve as condemned prisoners.” Griffin was introduced to and [we] don’t committed Christ followers.” Sr. Helen’s work in Sr. Barbara Nelson’s religion realize until [we] When Pat ’69 and Carol Lee ’69 Virtue were class. He began writing letters to governors are in the ‘service’ students here, they didn’t know what the Mission “advocating for abolition [of the death penalty] Statement was and claim that no one really did. or requesting clemency for individual inmates,” role, that the But, the Prayer of St. Francis was something they well before ever meeting or working for Sr. Helen. people [we] are internalized. They prayed those words every day Griffin’s work with Sr. Helen includes and through those words, St. Francis High School serving will give communicating their message toward ending “I spent two hours each morning taught them how to give back and offered the capital punishment and researching cases in order [us] just as much with these little cuties who mostly opportunity to do so. didn’t walk or talk yet. It was a to stay informed on current issues. In January, as [we] give them.” challenge to carry on a one-sided Griffin Hardy ’12, a full-time student studying Hardy worked on a case concerning a man who Swahili conversation and keep the theology at DePaul University, works for an was on death row who he believed was innocent —Margie Rosmonowski ’05 kids happy.” organization called Ministry Against the Death and whose execution was scheduled for two —Kitty Finnegan ’62 Schiltz Penalty (MADP) “to support dignity and human weeks after beginning his work. Griffin’s role was rights of those on death row and those who have to communicate the details of the situation, gather lost loved ones to violence.” He said he always signatures and letters opposing his execution and 6 ST. FRANCIS HIGH SCHOOL 7 THE FOCUS FEATURE ARTICLE Kate Michel ’92 Kowalski, SFHS Margie Rosmonowski ’05, is currently teacher and co-activities director, principal at St. Cyprian School in admits that service wasn’t always a River Grove. She said she realized the part of the SFHS community, but it importance of helping others through SERVICE has been a part of her life for so long school activities at SFHS and through F that “living the Mission and Vision is volunteering at Central DuPage Hospital. natural.” As a teacher, “service has While working toward her Master’s, changed [her] life.” Whether part of Margie worked full-time at St. Matthias IRIT O IRIT Kairos or trips to Feed My Starving in Chicago as part of the LU-CHOICE P Children; or fundraisers for tragedies program (similar to Teach for America) near and far.” Kate feels a sense and was able to work with children from E S of honor when she has led these other cultures. She learned that children H projects and said it “has given [her] often just want to be heard and they Laura Byrnes ’07 Kitty Finnegan ’62 Schiltz Nicole Ouimet ’04 SFHS Girls’ Volleyball Team sponsoring a toy drive for Reach for the Moon a new purpose in this community.” really have a lot to offer. IN T IN S Kristen Ras, SFHS teacher and Alum parent Rich Coleman “learned requesting his clemency, and providing support her own volunteer efforts, Carol admires her Kitty Finnegan ’62 Schiltz also “became department chair has led mission trips the great lesson of what it means to to the man on death row. Griffin said the man’s husband Pat for his passion in respecting human interested in the world by going into it.” Kitty with students, helps with retreats and Live with Christ” when he attended a execution was stopped less than a day before the life, especially the unborn.