the World is Jamie Georgeson?

Transcription

A Benedictine Community Publication Including St. Andrew Svorad Abbey and Benedictine High School
Fall 2007
Where in
World is
Jamie Georgeson?
the
Also Inside...
• Martin White Named Mr. Benedictine
• Frank Mauceri’s Green House
• Roger Celebrates Golden Commitment
• Alumni News
Editor’s Notes
Are You Benedictine?
I
f you are reading this, chances are you have some
affiliation to Benedictine High School. In fact, this
issue of Ora Et Labora will hit the mail box of about
18,000 homes, a staggering number if you consider our
total alumni base is just over 9,000. So, the statement
that “WE ARE BENEDICTINE” does not only apply to
alumni, but the countless other friends, parents, benefactors, teachers and staff who volunteered to help at a
spaghetti dinner; cheered you to victory on the athletic
field; bought a Bengal Bonus raffle ticket; or had a Mass
said at the Abbey. These “other” 9,000 continue to give,
and their contributions cannot be ignored or forgotten.
“WE” cannot succeed without you!
As you will read in this issue of Ora Et Labora, we
have taken the new marketing theme “WE ARE BENEDICTINE” to heart. The new-look Ora Et Labora will
focus on what WE in the Benedictine community do
that impacts others. You’ll read about the global success
of Jamie Georgeson ’78; the vision and creativity of
Frank Mauceri ’83; the curiosity and impact of Nick
Alflen ’09; and the commitment of Bishop Roger ’54.
It’s in these stories you will see how this theme comes to
life, and why we are excited to bring them to you in this
new format. If you have story idea, comments or just
wish to be involved, please send an email to bennyora@
yahoo.com.
Stevens’ marketing firm was retained by the board to
help implement a strategic plan to increase the visibility
of the school to prospective students and pave the way
for partnerships within the community. “The board
has been totally supportive of the campaign. They are
involved with the many committees needed to succeed.
They have charged us with the goal to enroll 150 students in our 2008 freshman class.”
“We also will refine our strategic partnership with
the Cleveland Clinic,” added Stevens. “And, we will
involve EVERYONE in the effort to make the region
aware of Benedictine High School as the all-boys Catholic school renown for Discipline--Tradition--Academic
Excellence.” – ORA
The theme “WE ARE BENEDICTINE” is one that
came from extensive research and fact finding. “We
are Benedictine” is our theme because it is a
reflection of the input from our survey,” said Ed Stevens, president of Stevens Baron Communications of
Cleveland and a former member of the Benedictine High
School board. “We learned that so many different people
associated with Benedictine wanted to help in many
different ways. Together, ‘we’ can accomplish more than
any one of us can achieve alone.”
Nick Alflen ’09 (above) is a man on mission while Jamie Georgeson ’78
(right) is a man on the move. Check out their stories in this issue.
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B E N E D I C T I N E
What’s Inside
Columns
Editor’s Notes................................................... 1
Abbot Clement.................................................. 4
Fr. Albert........................................................... 4
Mr. Miroglotta.................................................... 5
Bengal Briefs
Martin White - Mr. Benedictine 2007................. 6
The newest members of the BHS family............. 7
Villa in Tuscany Winner...................................... 8
Graduation 2007.............................................. 10
Features
13 Forensic Fascination
CSI Benedictine? No, they haven’t added a
new show to the CBS Schedule. BHS was the
host of a crime scene and forensics camp this
summer created by Danny Winterich ’92.
14 Where in the World is Jamie?
No matter what part of the world Jamie
Georgeson ‘78 is in, he is always close to
Benedictine.
Athletics
Fall sports review.............................................. 11
Charity game photos......................................... 12
Abbey News
Cloister Clippings.............................................. 24
Living with St. Benedict Retreats.............................24
Oblate Corner..........................................................25
18 Real Men Wear Pink
One person can make a difference.
Just ask junior Nick Alflen ’09 and he will
show you how.
20 It’s Easy Being Green
Frank Mauceri ’83 discusses his “green”
building.
Alumni News
Class Notes and Profiles................................... 27
Deceased Alumni.............................................. 31
26 Golden Celebration
Bishop Roger ’54 celebrates 50 years of his
Benedictine vows.
The Ora Et Labora is published three times per year by the Benedictine
Order of Cleveland, Benedictine High School and its Alumni Association.
Abbot Clement Zeleznik, OSB ‘50
Chancellor
Rev. Albert Marflak, OSB ‘65
President
Mr. Sal Miroglotta
Prinicipal/Director of Education
Mary Reilly
Marketing Director
Kieran Patton
Admissions Director
Lori Conley
Alumni Coordinator
Tony Russ ‘66
Athletic Director
Joe Marino ‘78
Advancement Director
Ora Staff
Randy Loeser ‘91
Editor
Joseph Kalinowski
Art Director
Bendictine Order of Cleveland
Benedictine High School
2900 M.L. King, Jr. Drive
Cleveland, OH 44104
(216) 421-2080 • www.cbhs.net
Contributors
Rev. Michael Brunovsky, OSB - Abbey News
Wally Mieskoski ‘71 - Alumni News
Carol Kenney
W W W . C B H S . N E T
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Abbott’s Letter
The Effect of Being Benedictine in Today’s World
I
Abbott
Clement
Zeleznik,
OSB ’50
4
W E
t does not take a great amount of research to notice
the human condition in today’s world. Marked
with all kinds of violence, humanity feels the
breakdown of community and personal life. The
violence of terrorism is the most obvious example in
which people’s sense of security is consciously and
unconsciously impacted. Many are quick to give their
opinions about what to do about the situation. But
there are other forms of violence that break down relationships and are tendencies that come from within:
abortion, euthanasia, greed, power struggles, inability
or unwillingness to really listen and hear the other
person’s views. These and other behaviors cause havoc
in our societies and nations. Yet, we have continued
societal demands for human rights and respect for
human dignity. We also find a hunger and thirst for
spiritual ground, to live a life that is centered, peaceful
and lasting in value.
St. Benedict lived in a world very similar to ours.
The chaos of his time was caused by barbarian invasions
that destabilized communities and left people at the
mercy of fighting nobles. Benedict attracted followers
to live by his rule filled with wisdom, a way of life that
brought an oasis of peace, security, and developmental
unfolding that slowly began to transform Europe. Its
gentle, moderate persuasion penetrated the monastery and
began to reshape gothic society into men with changed
life and a new horizon. Each monk began to see life in a
different light. The people who came into contact with
the Benedictines recognized something different and
transforming in their interactions. Monks became supported and formed by living a distinctive philosophy, not
so much by personal direction as by participation in the
common life, common work, and a network of common
relationships that shaped community. They absorbed a
common identity. Through time and grace, they were
reaching their fullest human potential, not in isolation,
but in relationship with others.
The cluster of monastic values and virtues expressed
in the Rule of St. Benedict became the focus. Christ and
the Gospel, as lived in the monastic life, transformed the
oasis of the monastery into a center of new life, creativity
and learning that, in turn, became a new leaven for the
whole of Europe.
A R E
Each Benedictine community is, therefore, a replica
of its origins, shaping and transforming those who come
to live under its influence and gentle formative character.
The Benedictine way of life flows from the monastery
into the various ministries of the community. Here in
Cleveland, the dedication and transformation of the
monks flow into our work with Benedictine High School.
Now 80 years strong, this ministry of the monastery
and its professional staff continue to challenge and guide
students to become who they are called to be. Although
much has changed in our society, in family, in students,
in technology and in educational expectations since the
1920s, the goals of Benedictine High School remain the
same. Providing opportunities for a first-class education, Benedictine pushes young men to reach their fullest
potential, to utilize and discover talents that can reach
beyond the stars in making dreams come true in the present and for the future. Developing a healthy body and
a sound mind makes for a blossoming spirituality as the
young men come to meet Christ and discover his presence
in their lives. By walking with Christ and encountering
Christ in the faculty, staff, their fellow students and community outreach they begin to unfold that unique image
of God in them that all of us are called to discover and
develop in union with grace.
Just as St. Benedict and his early monks were an oasis
of peace, learning, and culture in a violent and dangerous world, the Benedictine tradition still continues today,
providing an oasis of scholarship, service, and spirituality
in a world that often values the opposite. Yes, WE ARE
BENEDICTINE, the embodiment of those monastic
values in education in the Cleveland area for today. We
invite you to journey with us and to support our continuing efforts to provide the best experience for our young
men. The Benedictine experience of the past has provided a firm seed-bed for education. Continued efforts in
curriculum development, improved educational facilities
and faculty education nourish what has been entrusted to
us. With hard work and determination, the body, mind
and spirit unite and grow into a garden that is delightful
to behold and fruitful for the nourishment of others: the
true men of Benedictine.
President’s Letter
We Are Benedictine...
I
Father
Albert
Marflak,
OSB ’65
President
s an initiative we have created to express the current
and future character of Benedictine. Benedictine represents a way of life rooted in the collective experience
of people. Out of this common experience a culture is
created and values are learned and handed on. The Benedictine experience affirms the primordial essence of the
human person as one who lives in community; therefore,
Benedictine’s experience is expressed as “We” not “I.”
We are further developing this “We Are Benedictine”
initiative in the declarations: “We Are Catholic;” “We
are Tradition;” “We Are Excellence.” The initiative invites
all to participate on a personal level, to reflect on our own
experience of Benedictine and its shared meaning. “We
Are Opportunity,” “We Are Champions,” “We Are ...” are
part of the meaning of “We Are Benedictine.”
“We Are Benedictine”
must be rooted in the real
experience of Benedictine
otherwise it is nothing
more than a façade. “We
Are Benedictine” is “We
Are Urban,”“We Are Diverse.”
“We Are Benedictine”
evokes the enduring value of our tradition. Yet, it is meant
to be more. “We Are Benedictine” is a challenge to see and
celebrate who we are today. It is a call to create the kind of
Benedictine experience in the future that will be worthy of
our celebration. The future of Benedictine is for each one of
us a choice of yes or no. It is in our collective experience to
choose to create the Benedictine of the future.
Principal’s Letter
T
Sal
Miroglotta
Principal
here is something about summer, that part about
the long, lazy days, that has never quite arrived at
Benedictine. It’s the subject of frequent conversations with my friends and family who are continually
amazed that I report to the office daily, all summer long.
Except for two brief respites for a vacation and an education
law conference, I have found my days at the office productive and hectic.
And with good reason. We do not stand still. As we
prepare to begin another school year, we are looking at
changes in that will make real differences in the education at Benedictine. We now have seven courses that are
nationally authorized Advanced Placement classes. These
classes can now carry the official AP® designation on our
transcripts. It means that the syllabi for these courses were
“reviewed by experienced college and university faculty,
who have confirmed that they outline how the courses
provide a college-level learning opportunity to students,”
according to The College Board.
The enrollment for these courses and our other
honors classes is booming, with more than one-third of
the school enrolled in one or more of them. It’s an example of how the men rise to the occasion and respond
to the challenges before them. In this case, rigorous
classes and superbly trained teachers become a real attraction for students seeking the best of what Catholic
education can offer.
Overall, enrollment looks great. A ninth-grade class of
nearly 120 combined with the lowest attrition rate in years
means that we are attracting the best of a generation and keeping them here for their high school careers.
We’ve added a new position to the religion staff, a new
teacher who will oversee our service program. We hope to
see the men extend their service efforts locally and beyond
as the service program grows and expands.
And with the start of school, we’ll begin to use the
more than $200,000 in new textbooks, technology, and
classroom equipment that we purchased as the last school
year ended. We are assured that the resources available
to our students and faculty will support their efforts and
their excellence in the coming school year.
You’ll read in this edition about our new “We Are
Benedictine” marketing initiative. I think the real key to
this slogan is not just that we are, but that we are the best
Benedictine we have ever been.
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Bengal Briefs
Martin White named 55th
Mr. Benedictine
M
artin White, a Cleveland Heights
native and product of St. John
Lutheran grade school, has been named
Mr. Benedictine for the Class of 2007.
Patton, editor-in-chief of The Bennet, came to Benedictine from
Solon public schools. He participated in basketball, baseball,
football, and he has two letters from the bowling team. Patton
was the Key Club treasurer, Film Club vice president and sophomore student council treasurer.
Pecoraro, a football and baseball team
captain hails from Strongsville public
schools. He earned five letters, two in
football and three in baseball. Pecoraro
was the senior Student Council treasurer,
and a member of the Key, SADD, Italian
Heritage, and Culinary Clubs.
White was a four-sport athlete, lettering
and being named team captain in basketball, as well as running track, crosscountry and playing football.
Since its inception in 1953, “Mr. Benedictine” is given to a senior with an
exceptional record of achievement and
participation and has set an example
for the student body to follow. Students
must meet certain academic, disciplinary,
athletic and participatory requirements
to be considered for the award. Gerald
Bush was the first winner of the Mr. Benedictine award.
“Martin was great to be around for the
past four years, both in class and sports,”
said head basketball coach Rob Stricula.
White is also heavily involved in other extra-curricular activities including writing
sports for The Bennet, being a member
of the Culinary Club, a junior mentor,
and also the National Honors Society
(NHS). White was also a Stronger Men of
Benedictine retreat leader, as well as his
junior and senior class vice president.
Martin White
“Being named Mr. Benedictine means the world to me,” said
White. He added, “Mr. Benedictine is the best award to receive.”
Mr. Benedictine Runners-up
White competed against four other deserving seniors as a finalist
for this prestigious award. The other finalists were Chris Chounet, Mike Filippo, Bryan Patton, and Cory Pecoraro.
Chounet, of Richmond Heights and St. Felicitas grade school,
was the captain of both the hockey and the lacrosse teams, an
all-division hockey player.
Chris Chounet
Mike Filippo
Filippo, a South Euclid native and St. Gregory the Great graduate, was named the class valedictorian, and owns 12 varsity letters spanning four different sports, including: soccer (four), track
(four), wrestling (two), and cross country (two). Filippo was also
awarded the St. Michael College Scholarship and Service Award,
the Greek I Award, and the Honors Physics Award, among others.
Filippo was a NHS officer, Pro-life Club officer, Italian Heritage
Club officer, and a member of the Key Club.
Bryan Patton
Cory Pecoraro
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Mr. Mike Fink is a familiar face to almost everyone here.
Mike stepped in and subbed for three quarters in Social
Studies while Father Dominic recovered from surgery. Mike
also coached our first-year lacrosse team with great success.
Mr. Fink has been hired as a full-time Social Studies teacher
for next year, and he will continue to coach lacrosse. Mr. Fink
received his degree and educational training from Wheeling
Jesuit University, where he also played lacrosse. It’s great to
have him as an official faculty member!
And we will happily welcome Father Dominic back in the
2007-2008 school year. He continues his recovery this summer back home at the Abbey. In the fall, he will be part-time,
teaching two classes in Social Studies. Father Dominic has
our continued prayers as he completes his recovery this summer. We have missed you Father Dominic!
Welcome new teachers and
professional staff
W
e are honored to welcome the following new teachers to
the Benedictine teaching and professional staff.
Mr. James Goodman has a B.A. in History from the University of Dayton, an M.A. in Educational Technology from
Baldwin-Wallace and an additional 40+ hours of study. He
is licensed in both AYA Math and Social Studies. He taught
at the University of Detroit High School and Academy as
part of the Jesuit Alumni Volunteer Corps, and he was an
adjunct faculty member at the University of Dayton. Using
one of our new high-tech classrooms, Jim will teach Probability and Statistics, Honors Pre-Calculus, and AP Calculus.
He will also be assistant coach for the swim team.
Mr. Nick Kuhar comes to us from John Carroll University
with a major in Religious Studies and minors in Philosophy
and English and will teach 10 and 11 grade Theology and
Creative Writing. With a part-time teaching schedule, Mr.
Kuhar will also serve as our service coordinator, exploring
ways to improve and broaden service experiences for all
students. His office will be located on the first floor next to
the nurse’s office and directly across from the dining hall.
Nick gained valuable experience working for both the Campus Ministry and Cardinal Suenens Center at John Carroll.
Mr. Brit Reeser is a graduate of Earlham College in Richmond,
Indiana and received his post-baccalaureate education training
at Notre Dame College of Ohio. Mr. Reeser will teach American
and British Literature to juniors and seniors. He replaces Mr.
Dino DeGirolamo, who is pursuing other opportunities and
considering positions in the Washington, D.C. area.
Mrs. Mary Reilly joins our staff as director of marketing. She
will work to continue our upward trend in enrollment, focusing on the school’s marketing efforts and outreach to future
Men of Benedictine. The mother of Dan Reilly ’07, Mrs. Reilly
is a graduate of Ursuline College. She assumes the role held
by Mrs. Carol Kenney, who is leaving to pursue a position in
industry.
Xtreme Open House
On May 18, 90 grade school students saw the “Xtreme” side of life as a
Benedictine student during the first Xtreme Open House. This event was
organized by over 100 student volunteers including Gordon Cameron ’07,
here with “Bennie” and Jennifer Branisel, mom of Taylor ’10.
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You could not have asked for a
better week to be a part of the
Bengal family.
C
oming off the 21-7 win over former rival Notre Dame
Cathedral Latin, the positive momentum continued as the
Benedictine Alumni Association’s Villa In Tuscany Raffle raised
over $25,000 for Scholarships.
Pam Hayes, a North Royalton resident, was the winner of the Villa in
Tuscany raffle, as her ticket was the last of the 999 to be picked at
the live drawing at Primo Vino restaurant in Cleveland’s Little Italty
neighborhood. Over 40 BHS alumni, friends and even graduates from
St. Ignatius and Chanel enjoyed an evening of networking, story telling
and laughter. As of press time, Hayes was deciding if she should take
the $5,000 cash or trip. Her ticket was sold by Tony Raffin.
The Bishop Roger, Joe Rufus and Augie Bossu scholarships
are all active and serve to fund needy students who qualify for
scholarship based on guidelines for each award. To learn more
about a scholarship opportunity, contact the alumni or admissions office for more information.
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On his first day of Director of Institutional Advancement, Joe Marino ‘78
presents BHS President Father Albert Marflak a check for $25,000 on behalf
of The Alumni Association.
The Villa in Tuscany Raffle is held every other year. The winner of
the first drawing was Richard Connelly, a 1951 graduate of Benedictine. Richard and his wife Carol live in Westlake and donated
the entire $5,000 to an area hospice center.
We Are Benedictine...
for the O’Connor Family
B
enedictine has a former student, Seamus
O’Connor, who was forced to withdraw
this year because he is fighting brain cancer.
He has just started an aggressive treatment of
chemo that, because of an insurance company
switch, is at a hospital that is no longer on his parents’ plan. The
parents, therefore, will be facing out-of-pocket costs that may
well reach $20,000.
The students here at the school are starting to consider some
things to do for Seamus to raise money for his family. Dress
down, bake sale, and so on.
We are Benedictine for this young man, and we would really like
to help him by encouraging anyone to visit his website and to
donate to his cause. Please go to http://seamusoconnor.org for
more information.
Congratulations To Our
National Merit Students!
B
enedictine High School is
pleased to announce that senior
Stephen Dober has been named a
National Merit Semi-Finalist. Additionally, seniors Chris Heckman and Donal
McGinn-Moorer have been named
National Merit Commended Students.
All three are pictured above. This means that all of these student
had PSAT results in the top 5% of the more than 1.4 million test
takers nationally. For Stephen, it means that he tested in the top
half of 1% of that group nationally. Impressive by any standards!
We are proud of their work and congratulate them!
Second Cleanup Day Scheduled
O
n August 11th, over 40 students, faculty, alumni and
parents rolled up their sleeves to get the school ready for
the start of school. We have scheduled another Clean-Up Day
for Saturday, November 10th from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Please
join us for this fun and productive day to make our school shine
even more. If you are able to help for all or any part of the day,
please call Genna Zagorski at 216-421-2080, x 424.
Benedictine Booster Club 2007
Magazine Drive
O
ur Booster Club is again
conducting its annual
magazine fall fundraiser. We are
asking all families and alum to
participate in this sale by either
renewing their current magazine
or purchasing a new subscription by visiting www.qsp.com
and entering our code 425021021. You will be given an opportunity to purchase your magazine at a discounted price. All profits
generated through this sale go directly to the Booster Club.
We thank you for all your support. Go Bengals!
Phonathon Connects
W
hen you receive this issue, the
Annual Alumni Phonathon will
have concluded. This year, the phonathon was scheduled for two consecutive
weeks and no weekends. This allows
more days for callers to choose from,
and keeps our weekends free.
A report on the results will be presented in a future alumni
newsletter. The early stages of the phonathon were a success.
A mailing to alumni before the actual phonathon resulted in
donations in excess of $50,000. This was an increase of
$20,000 over last year’s pre-phonathon drive. These early
returns through the mail allow us to contact more alum during the actual event.
The phonathon callers received a unique alumni gift for their
efforts. They were also treated to food, refreshments, raffles
and fellowship.
The Alumni Association thanks all the callers and donors
to the 2007-08 Phonathon. If you haven’t yet made a
donation, you may still receive a phone call or a request
in the mail. The Phonathon donations are the life blood of
the Alumni Association budget, which allows us to award
academic scholarships, grant endowments to future “Men
of Benedictine,” enhance the quality of school life for present students, and fund alumni social and religious events.
Please be a part of this Benedictine tradition.
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Graduation 2007
A
rmed with over $5.5 million in scholarships and awards,
the class of 2007 left Benedictine prepared to tackle
the challenges of college and life in the real world. The senior
class graduated 91 students, with over 85% staying in Ohio
for college. The University of Akron lead the way with 12
students, followed by Cleveland State with nine, University of
Toledo with eight and John Carroll University with seven.
The senior class valedictorian was Mike Fillippo and Alex
Khrestian was salutatorian. Commencement exercises were
held at Gesu Church in University Heights.
Pete O’Hare is welcome to the Alumni Association by President Lenny Toth ’70.
Nick Overholser receives his diploma from
Abbot Clement ‘50 and Fr. Albert ’65
Above: Chris Carey smiles for the camera and
proudly shows off his diploma.
Left: The diploma of Chris Gibson.
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Athletics
Benedictine Cross Country
W
ith nine returning veterans, the Benedictine Cross Country team is optimistic about its chances to return to local
dominance as it looks to build off of a disappointing 2006 season.
Senior Stephen Dober will pace the Bengals. He will be joined by
Aledx Dureiko, Chris Heckman, Matt Hallah, Phil King, James Simoncic, Jerrod Wilhite and promising sophomores Conner Ratycz and
Danny Sudetic.
1st Row: Chris Heckman, Alex Durieko, Andrew Douglas, Matt Hallal, Stephan
Dober, Nate Szabados, Matt Fink 2nd Row: Mike Patacca, Connor Ratycz,
Dan Sudetic, Dan Kuerbitz, James Simoncic Phil King 3rd Row: Tony Colo,
Brian Barnes, Jarred Wilhite, Brandon Shrewsbury, Fabio Falzone
4th Row: Head Coach Cy Levcanich, Coach Greg Langjahr
Benedictine Golf
T
he Bengal golf team finished 3rd in the Sectionals advanced to the
Division II District. Senior Greg Elber was the medalist shooting a
one under par, 71. Senior Joe Deitrick had an 80, Junior Mitch Wilcosky
an 83, Sophomore Taylor Brainsel an 84, and Freshman Alex Myrick had
an 88. This is the first time a Bengal golf team qualified for the District
since 1991. This will be Senior Greg Elber’s third consecutive trip to the
district. For details on how the Golf Team preformed at districts, go to
our website at www.cbhs.net.
1st Row: Mitch Wilcosky, Matt West, C.J. Spiccuza, Alex Myrick, Chris West
2nd Row: Coach Jim Ledosil, Greg Elber, Clay Bacevice, Charles Eppright,
Joe Deitrick, Taylor Branisel, Head Coach Tom Erzen
Benedictine Soccer
J
ohn Royer’s Bengals return a strong core of veterans to the field this fall,
including senior sweeper Mike Pesoskey, a third-team All Greater Cleveland
selection last season. He will be joined by a talented and battle tested group of
seniors looking to build off of last seasons’ 5-7-3 record and section loss to West
Geauga. Nate Trimboli will be at goalie, with Dan Williams and Mike Friel (both
all-Greater Cleveland honorable mention selections) on offense, David Bertsch
at fullback or midfield, and Nathan Szabados and Aaron Haynesworth working
into the rotation. Underclassmen include juniors Brett Mulligan & Tom Conkley,
honorable mention selections on the All-Greater Cleveland team, Raul Rozman
and Matt Onorato, as well as sophomore Mike DiGeronimo. Look for freshmen
Nicholas Filippo and Joshua Doerer to be called upon during the season.
1st Row: Mike Pesosky, David Bertsch, Dan Williams, Nate Szabados, Nate
Trimboli 2nd Row: Nick Filippo, Brett Mulligan, Joshua Doerner, Mike Friel, Tom
Conkey, Matt Onorato 3rd Row: David Rozman, Paul Rozman, Luke Szabados,
Michael DiGeronimo, Jason Mancuso 4th Row:Coach Kyle Gracious, Joshua
Myers, Zack Male, Coach Mike Mivsek 5th Row: Head Coach John Royer
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Rivalry Renewed
W
ith the Ghosts of Joe Rufus and Larry Zelina in the air,
the Benedictine football team began its 2007 season
where many Bengal seasons of the past ended - at Cleveland
Stadium in the annual Charity Football Game. While the names
of the players, as well as the rival, have changed, the outcome
was something all Bengal fans and those familiar with the Charity Game came to expect - a Bengal victory.
The Bengals defeated Notre Dame-Cathederal Latin 28-7 to
take a 23-22-1 all-time lead in a fabeled rivally dating back
to the days when Benedictine and Cathedral Latin ruled the
East Senate.
Under a heavy downpour that began just before kick-off and
continued through much of the first half, the Bengals used its
rushing attach to control the tempo of the game and timely
passing to change momentum. The Bengals were led by standout junior Anthony Urbania, who finished with 138 yards on 22
carries, and Charity Game MVP Romel Dismuke added 70 yards
and two rushing TDs. Urbania also connected on a half-back
option to junior Josh Dunleavy for a 44-yard touchdown while
Dismuke hit junior Marty Sweeney for a 43-yard touchdown.
As of press time the Bengals are 4-3 with impressive wins
against Division III rival Lake Catholic, Holy Name and
Freemont Ross.
All Hail Benedictine 28-7 winners over NDCL
and Champiions of the 2008 Charity Game.
Najee Goode captures state
crown in Discuss
T
SAVE THE DATE!
Booster’s Club
Annual Reverse Raffle
February 16, 2008
Patrician Party Center • Eastlake, Ohio
All proceeds will benefit the BHS Athletic Department
More details to come!
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he legend of the Goode Family continues. Najee Goode won
the Division II state title in the discuss with a school record
172’.01”. Goode, a West Virgina football recruit, was the starting
quarterback and linebacker
on the football team, the
son of legendary Bengal
and former NFL’er John
Goode ‘80 and the brother
of Bengal standouts Tariq
‘02 & Wakeem ‘05. Goode
was also named the MVP of
the Cuyahoga County EastWest High School All-Star Charity Football Game, throwing three
touchdowns and running 77-yards for a forth score in route to a
28-21 victory for the east squad.
Forensic
Fascination
I
t looks so glamorous; a $300 pair of Italian leather shoes
slowly emerges from a Hummer gleaming in the morning
sunlight of a tropical locale. Following the shoes is a custommade designer suit, a pair of $200 sunglasses and the ability
to, within a matter of minutes, find enough evidence to solve a
heinous crime. No one sweats, no one gets dirty, then it’s out for
a self-congratulatory drink with the partner. Such is the life for a
TV crime scene investigator (CSI).
But back in the real world, it is a different story. During the
week of July 23-27, Benedictine hosted a week long forensic and
CSI camp for students in grades 7-12. Fourteen future supersleuths were immersed into an extensive program to learn real
forensic techniques and to distinguish between
fact and fiction in the context of a crime scene.
The camp was the idea of Danny Winterich,
a 1992 graduate and a career law enforcement
professional who works as a special agent for
the Attorney General’s office in the Bureau of
Criminal Identification & Investigation and as an
adjunct professor of Criminal Justice at Bowling
Green State University. With the popularity of
such shows as CSI, Cold Case and Forensic Files,
Winterich wanted to help students understand
the real-life side of this demanding profession.
“If this camp did nothing else, I tried to give them enough information so they could make an early decision if they want to do
this as a career. I also wanted the campers to learn the difference
between real-life and TV,” said Winterich.
Winterich structured the camp with lectures that defined the type of
crimes, duties at a crime scene and responsibilities of the investigators. Campers quickly put the lessons to practice as they dusted for
fingerprints, cast shoe impressions, reconstructed shootings, collected DNA evidence and analyzed bloodstain patterns.
“I was amazed at how quick they took to the advanced concepts,”
said Winterich. “I was able to move from teaching this at a beginner’s
level to teaching this as I would to police officers. I think it says a lot
about their educational background and interest in forensics.”
Freshman Luke Szabados summed up his experience at the
camp as positive, saying, “If I were training to become a real CSI,
this camp would be the first place I would go.”
Above: Danny Winterich lectures his campers on the duties of a crime scene investigator.
Below: The CSI Camp was open to boys and girls in grades 7-12. Winterich conducts an
evidence search.
The CSI camp is tentatively planned again for next summer. If you are interested in more information about this
camp, or on an adult CSI weekend camp, call 216-534-1475
for more information.
13
Where In the
World Is
Jamie?
By Wally Mieskoski ’71
14
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T
he life of Jamie Georgeson ’78 has been described
as a mix of the fictional characters James Bond and
Forrest Gump. He’s had enough real-life experiences to last a dozen lifetimes. He’s seen just about every corner of the globe. But most of all, he’s proud
of being a family man as well as a loyal “Man of Benedictine.”
The former Bengals quarterback and Mr. Benedictine lives
with his family in Plymouth, Michigan. “It’s like Chagrin Falls
(Ohio), without the Falls,” he said.
Since 2002, he’s been a partner and an executive vice-president, global sales and operations for Optier Systems, an Israelibased firm in the business software industry.
Because of his frequent travels to that country, Georgeson
receives special security clearances. It seems that he’s on a firstname basis with most customs officials around the world.
Traveling has been even more hectic as Georgeson is setting
up the company’s Asian operations in 2007.
He travels about 150 days a year, which
includes an international trip about every four
weeks. “It’s hard on the family,” he admitted.
“That’s life. That’s what I do for a living. I do it
by choice. I’m trying to provide for my family as
best as I can, especially for my children.”
Georgeson estimates that in his 20-plus year
business career, he’s completed sales totaling $250
million (a quarter of a billion dollars!) in business
software technology.
While he was ringing up his sales, he posted
some other impressive numbers. Georgeson has
traveled to 44 states, 40 countries and six continents. He just became a member of Northwest
Airline’s 3 million-mile club.
Not bad for an Ohio Wesleyan University student
who flunked COBOL computer class once and barely
passed it the second time. Georgeson earned his bachelor’s degree in 1982 in Economics. He never thought
that his career would take him to a computer technology field.
Prior to joining Optier, Georgeson was a senior
vice-president, worldwide sales with Expand Networks.
He has called on almost 300 of the Fortune 500
companies where the annual sales are at the low end of
about $10 billion.
When his company is fighting for a piece of business
against such corporate giants like IBM, Microsoft and others,
Georgeson says that some of the lessons learned at Benedictine
help him in crunch time.
“I don’t know exactly how we learned about competing at
Benedictine, but it just happened. The best example I can give is
when we played Massillon in football. They had so many players,
so many fans cheering for them, the best facilities, and a football
stadium that looked like a pro stadium. They had everything going for them. But yet, we competed strongly against them. Even
though we lost, we gave them a good game,” he said.
“I’m in the most difficult business opportunity in America,”
said Georgeson. “Outside of the entertainment business, I don’t
think there is a more competitive business. For instance, if you
made a movie 10, 20 or 30 years ago, it’s probably out now on
DVD. A cell phone from that time ago is practically useless and
is probably in the Smithsonian.”
Georgeson continues, “The technology changes. Man’s appetite for new innovations, technologies and advances doesn’t stop.
It’s an unquenchable thirst. A consumer can
use a cell phone easily for five years. In the
corporate world, it’s a throwaway after a year.”
“Our company helps larger companies improve their competitive edge over
their rivals, even if it’s just for a year or two.
That could dictate into millions of dollars
and maybe even billions of dollars of sales,
revenues and profits to a company,” he said.
Above: It is apparent that Jamie’s leadership skills helped him to be
successful in business, however his classmates recognized this first by
naming him Mr. Benedictine in 1978. Right: Jamie at the Taj Mahal.
15
Georgeson was in New York City on the tragic morning of
Sept. 11, 2001. He was on his way to a 10 a.m. meeting with
CitiGroup on the 70th f loor of the World Trade Center,
Tower 2, which was the first to implode. He was in a taxi
and saw the smoke arising from the falling buildings. The
building was hit at 8:54 a.m. and then at about at 10:15
a.m., the building collapsed.
“It was a surreal experience, and surreal is not a word I
thought of before that day,” said Georgeson.
The city was shut down - people could not get in or out
of the city. He was lucky enough to reach a former business
colleague to stay in his 21st-floor penthouse. Overlooking the
World Trace Center site. “I was facing the death clouds of the
crash. They were rolling and billowing. It was really an eerie
feeling,” he said.
For Georgeson, it was even more eerie. The previous day, on
Sept. 10, he was in the subway station at the World Trade Center.
As the city struggled with the turmoil, Georgeson stood in
line to give blood to help those victims. He waited nine hours
at the Red Cross Center on Sept. 11 but the lines were so long
that he never got the chance on that day. Undaunted, he came
back the next morning at 6 a.m. and finally was able to donate
at about noon on Sept. 12. If his business plans had gone as
scheduled, Georgeson would have been at an appointment on
Wednesday, Sept. 12 in Washington, D.C. at the Pentagon,
another target of the terrorist attacks.
Naturally, that got postponed. The meeting with the Army
general was moved to early October. To attend the meeting,
Georgeson was subjected to a nearly four-hour thorough interrogation to finally get clearance.
Georgeson was told that he was the only person on record
who was to be in both the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the same 24-hour period. His passport is filled with so
many international stamps from a number of Communist and
Middle East countries that it made security officials extremely
cautious.
He’s had other near-experiences, especially in Israel. A series
of bombings of Israeli restaurants brought a chill to Georgeson.
“I know where all of those are located. I’ve had meals in just
about all of them.”
Not all of his episodes have been scary.
“Jerusalem is a special place. Actually, anywhere in Israel is a
special place,” said Georgeson.
In one day, Georgeson swam in the Sea of Galilee and
bathed in the Dead Sea. “To think that I was immersed in the
same water that Jesus walked on is an incredibly humbling feeling,” he said.
He also lists the Roman Colosseum as a special place. “It’s the
home of competition. Back then, it was win or die... literally.”
He’s also been to the Taj Mahal and Red Square.
Next to the religious experiences in Israel, Georgeson said
that the most exhilarating thing he’s ever done was a two-day
African safari. He was in a jeep just 25 feet away from a lion
devouring its prey.
Above: Jamie in Rome at the Colosseum.
Left: Jamie is a man of both style (as seen by his choice of attire for the class officers
photo for the BHS yearbook) and substance who continues to put faith and family first.
16
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Travel may take Jamie to all corners of the world (Jamie at the Kremlin), but it is the time with his wife Jill and daughters
Baille, Olivia, Gabrielle and Miranda that matter most.
On the domestic front, he’s humbled to
have won the title of Mr. Benedictine in 1978.
“It’s a very meaningful title for me to wear,
especially when you consider that of all the
Benedictine graduates, there are only 55 Mr.
Benedictines. It’s the highest honor a senior
can win - and that makes it more special,”
he added. While at Benedictine, he was class
president for four years and played quarterback
on the Bengals varsity football team.
It was through the Kniola family that
Georgeson got interested in Benedictine. “I
knew Mr. (Norm) Kniola (Class of ’48) and
his four sons Keith ’72, David ’73, Bruce ’76,
and Christopher ’78, all graduates of Benedictine. Actually, at that time as a student at
St. Gregory the Great in South Euclid, I was
more of a fan of Cathedral Latin and I grew
up just a few hundred feet from Brush High
School.”
After that initial contact, there was no
doubt where Georgeson would attend high
school. It was Benedictine all the way.
“Benedictine is an extension of our family - a fabric of life.
It touches your heart and your spirit,” he said. “The choice to
attend Benedictine was the best decision I
ever made as a young teen-ager.”
He recalled some of his favorite and
inspirational teachers while at Benedictine.
“Fr. Damian was the best teacher
I had. Coach Bossu led by his example.
Teachers like Fr. Dominic, Bishop Roger,
Mr. Palsa, Mr. Russ, and Mr. O’Shaughnessy
made it better for me. They got that extra
foot or extra mile out of me that I did not
know I had in me. They are my heroes of the
hallway,” he added.
The heroes of the Georgeson family
include his wife, Jill, and their daughters
Bailee age 11, Olivia age 9, Gabrielle age
7 and Miranda age 5. Jamie and Jill were
married 20 years ago on Aug. 9, 1987.
“That was the best ‘sale’ I ever
closed,” he smiled. “I was persistent and
had to work hard to get a date with Jill,”
said a grateful Georgeson.
17
Real Men
Wear Pink
What makes an eigth grader think he can change the world?
S
ome might say it’s the ignorance of youth, others the innocence of being in a sheltered
environment, protected by family and
friends. For Benedictine junior Nick
Alflen, his curiosity and desire to
change lives for the better was all he
needed to know he could make a difference.
While Nick was an 8th grader at
Sts. Peter & Paul in Garfield Heights
(now John Paul II Academy), a conversation Nick had with his mother
Fran, a secretary in Benedictine’s
Guidance Office, opened his eyes and
heart.
“My mom said she had a doctor’s appointment and she was
going to get a mammogram. I had never heard of that before so
I asked what it was. She explained about the procedure, but I
still wanted to learn more. We spent a lot of time at the library
and on the Internet learning more about breast cancer.”
Armed with this newfound knowledge, relief that his
mom’s test was negative and an impassioned desire to do
something for the millions of women who weren’t as lucky as
his mom, Nick decided it was time to do something
for others.
As he wrote in an essay for the Bishop Pilla Scholarship
Award, “This year God came knocking on my door. He provided me with direction as He encouraged me to participate
in the charity event ‘Race for the Cure.’ I had never participated in a charity event of any kind before, or at least never
understood the importance of doing something for someone,
especially people I don’t even know. For some reason God
wanted me to participate; I wondered why I wanted to do
this because I didn’t even really know someone who was
close to me with breast cancer. “
18
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With the backing of his fellow students and teachers, Nick participated
in his first ‘Race for the Cure.’ His
team raised over $1,000 and Nick was
interviewed on the local news broadcast about his choice to be in involved.
It was during this interview that his
story caught the attention of Admissions Director Kieran Patton.
“My wife was a participant at the race
and saw this kid being interviewed,”
said Patton. “She called me and told
me where he was from. I was so taken
by his story and impressed with his
spirit. I called his school, asked for his
name and I sent him a letter. I thought
to myself, ‘This is a Benny kid’ and I
asked him to consider Benedictine as his high school choice.”
Nick has made the most of his Benedictine experience. A
solid student carrying a 3.1 grade point average, he not only
is a charter member of the lacrosse team, but he was selected
to participate in a Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program (HOBY), held this past May at Mount Union College.
Founded in 1958, HOBY’s mission is to provide life-long
leadership development opportunities that empower individuals to achieve their highest potential. HOBY programs are
conducted annually throughout the United States, serving
local and international high school students.
“We listened to inspirational/motivational speakers; we
collected books, used eyeglasses and canned goods, all to be
distributed in the area. We did some role-playing, and basically
shouted out ideas of how we, as just a bunch of 10th graders,
can try to serve others in our community and world. To tell
you the truth, it was quite fun to be a part of. It was like we
were totally all alike.”
Nick believes he is called to help others and hopes to study to
be a psychologist.
“Everything changed for me with the events of 9/11. I wanted
to know what is the mind of a person to make them do something so horrible. I also saw what happened at Virginia Tech
and I wanted to understand what makes the mind think that
way; why they do what they do? Maybe I could help.”
Helping others is contagious in the Alflen family.
“My sister, Emily, donated 14 inches of her beautiful long
hair to Wigs for Kids and she’s growing it out again to do it
again! I can’t do that because I’d get in trouble at school! It’s
not just me in my family helping others.”
Race for the Cure
A
ccording to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Foundation, an estimated 178,480 new cases of
breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women in
2007 alone.
More than 100,000 volunteers and activists work
through 125 Komen Affiliates to mobilize more than 1
million friends and neighbors every year through events
like the Komen ‘Race for the Cure’ - the world’s largest
and most successful awareness and fundraising event
for breast cancer.
Nick collected close to $4,000 in his four ‘Race for the
Cure’ events, and thousands of dollars more from the
family, friends and students Nick is able to recruit each
year. He is looking for your help.
Above left: Nick’s strong relationship and ability to openly communicate with his mom
Fran has led him to be a champion for this cause. Above right: Nick after completing his
first race. Above: Nick is interviewed on WKYC-TV3 after the race.
The 2007 Race for the Cure was Saturday, Sept. 15. If you
would like to be a part of Nick’s race team or make a donation on his behalf for next year, please send your check to
Nick at 13716 Woodward, Garfield Heights, OH 44125 or
you can send it directly to the school. Donations are gladly
accepted throughout the year.
19
It’s Easy
Being Green
In his own words, Frank Mauceri ’83
Frank Mauceri is founder of Smog Veil Records, a record label
focusing on local, indie and punk rock bands. Mauceri and his
wife, Lisa, recently renovated a former old stone corner bar located
in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, making it the first residence
in the United States that is LEED certified-a green building system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council. His home/office generates its own electricity through the use of solar panels and
wind turbines, and using geothermal heating and cooling.
Ora ET Labora sits down with one of Benedictine’s “greenest” graduates
F
rank Mauceri is a true pioneer. He is a man with 20 years experience working in the music industry, and an intense passion
for the environment. He is serious about making an impact.
He has recently finished work on a revolutionary “green”
construction project in Chicago. The building has been outfitted
with such eco-friendly gear as solar panels, electricity generating
wind turbines, geothermal heating and cooling, and reclaimed
lumber, just to name a few.
Ora: How did you decide that the time was right for a
“green” construction project?
FM: It always bothered me that the music industry I have
been working in for nearly 20 years was the least green of all the
entertainment industries. It became obvious to Lisa and me that
applying some sustainable principles to our business would not
only benefit the environment, but it would help the bottom line
and would make our fans happy.
We needed a new live/work space and planned to move to
Chicago, after researching New York and San Francisco. So, it
really just made good economic sense to build the space “green”
and the impact upon the environment is obvious as well. It’s really a no-brainer in my book.
Ora: What drove you to complete this project as you
imagined it, even under the pressure of higher material and
construction costs?
FM: Actually, I didn’t find the costs to be that much more
than conventional building. Some things obviously cost more,
simply because you don’t put wind turbines on a conventionally constructed house. But, other items, big-ticket stuff in any
construction project, were the same cost as conventional, or free.
20
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For example, we used drywall made of 100 percent recycled
materials versus low recycled content regular drywall. The price
is the same; it just took a little research to source the material.
We constructed stairways and landings from reclaimed f loor
joists and roof trusses reclaimed from the original building.
That material was free versus reclaimed lumber purchased
from a wholesaler at a high cost. The challenge wasn’t in the
cost, instead it was finding creative solutions that reduced or
eliminated costs.
Ora: Do you think this project will send a message to
the construction industry that this type of work can be
done with only marginal cost increases?
FM: I hope so. What the industry will really want though
is a showing that the extra cost, if any, can be recouped with
a healthy profit. I think that will be shown to be the case once
these practices become more commonplace.
Ora: Hybrid cars have come under fire for taking up-
Above: Frank Mauceri
Right: Mauceri home/office is
completely powered by a wind
turbine and solar panels.
Below: Frank and Lisa Mauceri
inspect the construction of the
home/office where they run their
record label, Smog Veil Records.
Opposite Page: The home office
of Smog Veil Records.
wards of nine years to balance out the
cost of fuel saved and the premium
you pay for the car. Is green building
the same, or is there legitimate value
through larger energy savings?
FM: Lisa and I calculated the time
needed to recoup the cost of the solar panels and wind turbines. We originally calculated the time to be 10 years, but since
we’ve made the calculation, electric rates
have increased 25 percent, and will probably continue to rise. That being the case,
we think 10 years is too long, and we’ll
cover the costs in about five or six years.
But, during that time, our electric bills should be near zero, and
since we heat and cool the building with electricity, those costs
should be minimal as well.
Ora: Do you drive a Hybrid?
FM: No, we ride a Vespa ET4 scooter or take the bus or subway.
Ora: Though they have existed for hundreds of years, your
building is the first in Chicago to receive electrical power
from roof-mounted wind turbines, and the project has even
prompted a permanent change in the zoning laws to allow
wind turbines to be used throughout the city. Do you get the
feeling that you are a pioneer, or just taking advantage of an
underutilized energy source?
FM: Both, but we’d rather just be an example of what can be
done applying some creative thinking. It’s
nice to be the first, but it would be better if
these technologies were everywhere.
Ora: What are your memories
of Benedictine High School and what
influence(s) did it have in your choices
throughout your life?
FM: Critical thinking skills are what I
took from Benedictine, which, I think more
than anything else, I use all the time.
That skill came many different ways
though, whether from Fr. Gerard’s Theology
class, Fr. Joachim’s art class or Mr. Francioli’s
English class, or the dozens of other challenges that the school presents.
Ora: What are practical ways for the school to be more “environmentally friendly?”
FM: I think the best solutions are the cheapest. These
will have the biggest impact versus the cost: making sure the
lighting is energy-efficient f lorescent and recycling wherever
possible.
For the lights, I suggest people switch when the old bulbs
burn out. That way, the cost is no more than what would have
spent anyways on new regular bulbs. As for recycling, only a
third of the country does that now. Imagine the landfill space
that can be saved and the resources that will be made available
if we can get the number to 40 percent. Those two things are
the simplest solutions.
21
Admissions
Help us promote this great school! Looking For Hidden Treasures...
Can You Help?
s the 2007/2008 school year begins there will be 115
A
new “Men of Benedictine” in the Class of 2011, with a
school population over 400. We are already gearing up for the
recruitment process for the Class of 2012.
“We Are Benedictine” will be our new marketing campaign,
promoting all that is Benedictine.
Open Houses
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
12:00 - 3:00pm
6:00 - 8:00pm
Entrance/Placement Exams
(Please register through our website - $20.00 testing fee)
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Saturday, January 5, 2008
9:00am - 12:00 noon
9:00am - 12:00 noon
6:00pm - 9:00pm
9:00am - 12:00 noon
9:00am - 12:00 noon
You can help by simply wearing some BHS apparel, talking about
your experiences here or forwarding information about a young man
who you think would be a great future Bengal. Please forward the
young man’s name, address, school he’s attending and current
grade to Admissions Director, Kieran Patton at admissions@cbhs.
net or to our Marketing Director, Mary Reilly at [email protected],
or call us at ext. 356 or 156. We will be happy to add them to our
database and keep them updated with activities, events, and news
on the “Home of Champions.”
Help us celebrate all that is Benedictine. Spread the word on our rich
traditions, excellent academics, outstanding athletics, and the many
clubs and activities that challenge our students many talents.
Together “We Are Benedictine.”
A
s you know, the value of a Benedictine education is
priceless.
The real world cost of a Benedictine education is prohibiting
some fine young men from the opportunity of becoming a “Man
of Benedictine.” We are looking for hidden treasures to help
make dreams come true!
Are you a member of a civic, parish, professional or parish group that offers scholarships? Are they offered only to
students going into college? Can you ask if funds are available
for students and families who would like to pursue or continue
a private high school education? Can you ask if they would like
to support a scholarship specifically for a young man or several
young men at Benedictine?
There are many civic, parish, professional, and religious groups
that have funds available for scholarships. Many of these are
for students going into college. We are asking for help in learning of scholarships available for students going into high school,
as well as college, or any that have the potential of being created to help families and young men attend Benedictine.
Please forward any information or knowledge you have regarding available scholarships or funding available to Mr. Kieran
Patton, Admissions Director, at 216.421.2080 ext. 356 or email
[email protected] . Please include contact information.
Thank you for your efforts in helping young men and their families realize the real meaning of being a “Man of Benedictine.”
How does BHS compare to other private high schools in the Cleveland area?
School
Tution
Enrollment
Benedictine* Clev. Central Catholic
Gilmour Holy Name Lake Catholic NDCL Padua 401 students 500 students
420 students 775 students
820 students
760 students
985 students
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$7800 $6000
$19,350
$6700
$6850
$7850
$7800
Student/
Teacher Ratio
11/1
14/1
10/1
16/1
14/1
14/1
16/1
School
Tution
Enrollment
St. Edward*
$9250
900 students
St. Ignatius*
$9970
1430 students
Chanel
$7950
345 students
Trinity $8350
450 students
VASJ $6900
525 students
Walsh
$8650
940 students
Student/
Teacher Ratio
13/1
15/1
17/1
14/1
12/1
14/1
*All Boys
23
Oblate Column
New Beginnings, New Opportunities
W
Fr. Michael
Brunovsky, OSB,
Director
ith the beginning of another school year
and another oblate season, it would be good
to reflect on the role that renewal has in
our spiritual lives. A new beginning, a fresh start, has
tremendous power to energize us for challenges ahead.
Sometimes our human experiences can get stale, we find
ourselves in a rut, and almost feel that there is no way out.
We need some fresh ideas, new opportunities for growth,
and perhaps some help at seeing things from different perspectives. No matter where we are in life, it helps to rejuvenate our interest in things. Personal review might also
help to redirect our lives and help prepare a better focus
for the future, or at least evaluate our present direction.
There is no better place to start this redirection than
chapter 4 of the Rule of Saint Benedict. Known as the
“tools for good works,” this listing of the virtues that
should be found in the Christian life is a good place to
start when reflecting on our lives. Many have used its
contents as an “examination of conscience” when preparing for the sacrament of reconciliation, or just as a reflective assistant at the end of the day. However it is used, it
bears meditating upon this text for it’s challenges us to
new beginnings, a refresher for our spiritual lives.
St. Athanasius, in his spiritual biography of St.
Anthony the Great, the reputed founder of desert monasticism, writes that Anthony “began again daily” in his
monastic commitment. It obviously worked well, not only
spiritually, but also physically, since he died at age 105! But
Anthony’s reputation as a wise teacher in the ways of the
spiritual life has echoed through the centuries with the call
to rejuvenate one’s interest in God and how God is active in
life. New beginnings call us to be open to new perspectives.
Those who think they know everything are neither well liked,
nor followed as role models. The sins of pride and arrogance
make us stumble on our spiritual journey and stifle any
growth that could be possible. Only openness to the grace of
God active in new ways within and around us can rejuvenate
our spiritual perspective and call us to a deeper relationship
with God and others.
New beginnings are great for all of us. They are opportunities to understand forgiveness, to let go of the baggage
of the past, to see things anew, and to develop who we are
physically, emotionally and spiritually. May we find new
opportunities in our lives to begin again. Start with chapter
4 and reflect on how God is calling you to new challenges
and renewed relationships. Have the courage to pray for the
strength to move in these new directions and go for it!
Cloister Clippings
L
ongtime social studies teacher and former principal Fr.
Dominic Mondzelewski, returned to the abbey in midJune after extensive recovery following knee replacement
surgery and a subsequent infection that kept him out of the
classroom for most of last year. Fr. Dominic returns to the classroom this year on a part-time basis and thanks many for their
kind expressions of support during his recovery period.
Latin and Greek teacher Fr. Bede
Kotlinski traveled with former
English teacher Gary Ricketts to
sites in Quebec including Montreal and Quebec City. He enjoyed
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touring many religious shrines as well as battle monuments from
the French and Indian War. The “old world” flavor of Quebec was
certainly attractive. Fr. Bede also kept his language skills sharp
by studying classical Greek at John Carroll University.
Father Anselm Zupka
Celebrating his 40th anniversary of ordination,
Fr. Anselm Zupka had a busy time this summer on the travel circuit. From June 11-20, he
led a group of 25 for a tour of Italy, Germany
and Austria, including 15 BHS students and
history teacher Jack Whaley. In Rome they
toured the catacombs and participated in a
general audience with Pope Benedict XVI. In
Munich, they met up with Felix Schmidt, one of our German exchange students from this past year. From June 25-29, he led a
mini college tour with seniors Mike Bova, Nick Glasier, Roibin
McAndrew, Will McConnell and Peter Wright. They toured
Marquette in Milwaukee, St. John’s in Collegeville, MN, toured
Chicago with a view from Sears Tower and took in Northwestern
and DePaul universities on their way back. As moderator of
the Travel Club, Fr. Anselm led his annual trip to Myrtle Beach
from July 21-28, sharing a house at the Ocean Lakes Family Campground. Helping chaperone this trip was guidance
office secretary Fran Alflen with her family including current
junior Nick Alflen.
A much-sought-after director of retreats, Fr.
Gerard Gonda has been busy for the last few
months. He directed a pre-diaconate retreat
for several Cleveland diocesan seminarians at
a camp on Little Hawk Lake north of Toronto,
Canada from June 18-23. He also traveled twice to Los Angeles and the Carmelite
Father Gerard Gonda
Sister’s retreat house in Alhambra, CA. He
preached a married couples’ retreat from May 25-27 and returned for the celebration of community jubilees in early July.
Fr. Michael Brunovsky attended the 19th Jefferson Symposium at the University of Virginia July 29 – Aug. 2. It was a
great opportunity to hear lectures on primary source material
concerning Jefferson’s philosophy on slavery, race relations,
republican responsibilities, the role of the Constitution,
and the principles of the Declaration of Independence in its
original draft form. Being able to stay in one of the rooms
Jefferson himself designed in 1819 was just one of the perks
of this symposium. Tours of Monticello, Jefferson’s home
and James Madison’s home in Montpelier also added to the
experience. After the symposium, Fr. Michael paid a visit to
Catholic University of America and Fr. George Fenik, who did
an internship at the abbey as a seminarian in 1998 and is
completing his doctorate in Sacred Scripture for the diocese
of Kosice, Slovakia.
Living with Benedict Retreats
Weekend retreats with the Benedictine Monks
of Saint Andrew Abbey.
The Benedictine monks invite young men who are interested in personal spiritual growth and in seeking Divine
guidance for their life and vocation to participate in any or
all of the following retreats:
November 2-4, 2007 “Hasten to do now what will profit us for Eternity.”
January 18-20, 2008
Common Themes: Saint Benedict and Pope Benedict
March 20-22, 2008 Holy Week Retreat: Reflections on the Sacred Triduum
June 19-23, 2008
Vocation Pilgrimage to Quebec for the 49th International
Eucharistic Congress and closing Mass with Pope Benedict XVI (over 18 only/cost TBD)
For further information or to register, please contact
Fr. Gerard Gonda, OSB at (216) 721-5300 x210.
Slovak seminarians Dalibor Ondrej and Martin Chovanec,
from Kosice and Roznava respectively, both completed their
pastoral experience here at the abbey and in the Cleveland
diocese in early June and returned to Slovakia. Seminarian Martin Trojan from Roznava is scheduled to begin his
pastoral year 2007-08 beginning the October. Arriving at
the abbey in mid-June, John Soung Lee, a seminarian from
South Korea, stayed at the abbey for six weeks while studying English and energetically interacting with the monastic
community. John is now studying at St. Mary Seminary in
Cleveland.
25
Golden
Commitment
Bishop Roger Gries marks 50 Years as a Benedictine Monk
T
he May 21, 1954 issue of The Bennet
featured a story on the second page
with the headline “Chaplain Announces Honor Students Plan Entering St.
Andrew’s Abbey.” The story described how
BHS Chaplain, Fr. Jerome Koval was smiling
a lot because four seniors had indicated to
him their intention of becoming Benedictine
monks. All four eventually did enter the
monastery and one of those students, Bill
Gries, has persevered as a Benedictine monk
for 50 years.
Now known as Bishop Roger, the second
“Mr. Benedictine” and captain of the 1953
Bengal varsity football team, professed his
first vows as a Benedictine monk on July
11, 1957 in the presence of Abbot Theodore
Kojis. The young monk had received his
first year of monastic training under Fr.
Placid Pientek, who served as novice master
at the time.
To mark his golden jubilee of profession on Wednesday, July
11, 2007, Bishop Roger joined the monks for the abbey’s morning
prayer, conventual Mass and breakfast in honor of St. Benedict,
whose feast as patriarch of western monasticism is celebrated on that
day. Interestingly, one of the concelebrants at prayers and Mass that
day was Fr. Placid, now 89 years old and retired.
As Fr. Roger, Prior Roger, Abbot Roger and now Bishop Roger,
our jubilarian has used his many talents and gifts to serve Jesus
Christ and his Church through many important assignments. After
ordination as a priest in 1963, he joined the faculty of Benedictine
High School as a math teacher and football coach. Within two
years, he joined the administration of the school as the assistant
principal and then served as principal from 1968-1977.
His term as principal coincided with many difficult challenges
facing Benedictine High School due to radical demographic changes
in the Buckeye-Woodland neighborhood. Yet, he was able to stabilize the enrollment through development of the Benedictine transportation department, which enabled students in outlying suburbs to
have convenient access to BHS. As principal, Fr. Roger even drove
one of the busses himself.
Serving as the fourth abbot of St. Andrew Abbey from 1981
until 2001, Abbot Roger led the community through a major
26
W E
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capital campaign that resulted in construction of the first Abbey church, a new wing
housing an infirmary, guest rooms, the
community dining room and calefactory and
physical improvements to the high school.
Finally called to the office of bishop
by Pope John Paul II in 2001, Bishop Roger
has had to sacrifice his love for Benedictine by
living away from the monastery while serving
the urban region of the diocese as auxiliary
bishop, first to Bishop Anthony Pilla and now
to Bishop Richard Lennon. Once again God
has called upon Bishop Roger’s many gifts at
a time when it is a challenge to serve in the
ministry of bishop.
He does maintain both historical and
practical contact with St. Andrew Abbey by
having his office and residence at St. Andrew
Parish rectory on East 52nd Street and
Superior Avenue. This parish was the location of the first priory
of Benedictine monks when they first came to Cleveland in 1922
and was the site of Benedictine High School form 1927-1929.
Bishop Roger lives with Fr. Ronald Mahnke, who serves as administrator of the parish. The monks of St. Andrew Abbey honored
Bishop Roger on the occasion of his golden jubilee with a private community reception at the monastery on Wednesday, Aug. 29.
Top: Bishop Roger with Abbots Jerome and Theodore on the day of his Blessing.
Above: Bishop Roger lends a helping hand to Carol Fyfe and Rosemary Lucas at the
Italian Heritage Dinner.
Alumni News
Benedictine History Project Donations
CLASS NOTES
n response to the article in the last issue of the Ora et
Labora, the Alumni Office has received several historical
items for the archives. If you have any historical items that you’d
like to donate to the Alumni Office, contact Lori Conley at
216-421-2080 ext. 342 or at alumni @ cbhs.net. We thank
everyone for their donations and encourage others to consider doing the same.
I
1944
Sign up for the Alumni Email Newsletter
Since 2003, Lawrence H. Hohman has illustrated and authored
three children’s alphabet books on 1) “Birds” 2) “Beasts” and 3)
“Botanicals.” He is currently working on a fourth book “Butterflies.” Hohman is also working on a 2008 calendar on birds. He
is retired and lives in Olmsted Falls with his wife Evelyn and are
members of St. Mary of the Falls Parish.
I
f you want to keep up-to-date about the school and the
Alumni Association, then you’ll want to subscribe to the free
Alumni Email newsletter. The newsletter comes out periodically
and will keep you posted on alumni events and other activities
of the school. To subscribe, send your email address to HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]” [email protected] with a simple
request to be placed on the mailing list. You don’t have to be a
graduate to subscribe.
Naming Opportunities
Y
ou still have a chance to purchase a name plate on the
composite class photos that are hanging on the first floor.
Several years ago, the Alumni Association paid for the remounting and reframing of these class photos. The cost is $200 for
the name tag that will display your name, or you can memorialize someone. If you want to stand out in your class, contact
the Alumni Office at 216-421-2080 ext. 342 or at HYPERLINK
“mailto:[email protected]” [email protected].
Football Memories
W
ith the 50th anniversary of the Bengals 1957 state
football championship, the Alumni Office is collecting
football memories from any era of Benedictine football whether
it was as a player or as a fan. Send us your recollections. Do you
have a funny anecdote? A story behind the story of a great play?
A memorable pep rally or half-time speech? A great game? A
great performance?
Send your football memories to:
Benedictine High School, Alumni Office
2900 M.L. King Dr., Cleveland, OH 44104
Nicholas Blasko is enjoying retirement with his family. He lives
in Maple Heights with his wife Helen. Their daughter Karen and
her husband Jeff gave the Blasko’s their first grandchild, Kaitlyn
Ann in 2002. Nicholas pointed out that his wife’s birthday is
April 22 and his granddaughter’s birthday is April 21.
1949
1950
Commander Frank Evans, U. S. Navy (Ret.) visited Benedictine and took a tour of the school in May. He recalled those days
when he lived as a boarder at Benedictine with Fr. Jerome and
Fr. Damian as Proctors and was a member of the Varsity football
team for three years including that remarkable first undefeated
team in school history in 1948. Evans received a bachelor’s of
arts degree in Journalism from Ohio State where he also served
as Sports Editor and later earned a masters degree from University of Northern Colorado. After serving on the staff of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf during the Gulf War, he retired from the Navy
as a Public Affairs Officer in 1991. He is a Blue and Gold Officer
for the Naval Academy.
1951
Joseph J. Hornack has been serving as assistant director of
the Slovak Institute since 2002. This Slovak Institute & Reference Library has been located in the St. Andrew Abbey building
since 1952, and before that was known as a Slovak Library. It is
an appropriate site since the Abbey was founded by the Slovak
Benedictine monks from the Abbey in Lisle, Il. in 1922. Since 2002,
the Institute has maintained its own website which has opened
operations to the world audience where there is much interest.
This year the International Community Council of Cleveland,
within the Cleveland Plain Dealer website, created a blogging
site for all participating nationalities of the city. The Slovak
Institute has agreed to maintain the blog for Slovakia. Events as
they happen are reported in brief on this website: www.cleveland.com/mosaic
27
In 1984, Hornack started along this road of interest in his paternal
lineage, publicly advertising for those wanting to share interest in
their Slovak nationality. Born and raised in Cleveland, where both
he and his wife, Dolores, belonged to and were married at St.
Benedict Parish church. Since 1965 they have lived and worked
in Independence, Ohio, raising their six children and now enjoying
their six grandchildren. Joe has continued his interest in Benedictine High School since graduation in all phases of alumni affairs,
reunions, fund raisers and Abbey religious services.
1952
John J. McNally retired from Local #120 Pipefitters 11 years
ago. He currently works for the Probate Court as a deputy assistant. He’s been married to his wife, Sheila, for 48 years and
lives in Westlake, Ohio. They enjoy their 16 grandchildren and
are proud to report that their second-oldest grandchild, Kealy
McNally received a full scholarship to the University of Detroit
Mercy for basketball.
Bob Mantz was highlighted in The Plain Dealer feature, “My First
Car” on July 1, 2007. Just before he returned home from the
armed forces, he ordered a brand-new 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix
so that he could enjoy it not long after stepping off the airplane.
“I will never forget that year and day when I landed at Hopkins
Airport (home for good!) and my father and mother were there to
greet me in my beautiful, brand-new Grand Prix,” he said. “The
great times and memories I have of my first summer in that car
will be forever with me. Hopefully so will the car, because after
that first year I began taking painstaking care of it, and I still
have it today.” He knew exactly what he wanted – a model SJ,
428 cubic inch engine with 400-horsepower. The color was midnight green with black interior and black vinyl top. “My first car, a
1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, has meant a lot to me and is really the
only thing I have had longer than my loving wife, Jeannie.”
1967
Joseph B. Volter lives in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland. He and his wife, Virginia, attend daily Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland.
Tom Ahern, physician assistant in Denver, has retired from the
Veterans Administration, Navy and Kaiser within the last year
and is now full-time faculty at the University of Colorado Medical School. He sends his regards to his classmates for fun times
with friends at BHS 40+ years ago. You may contact him at
[email protected]
1964
1969
1955
Leonard M. Calabrese was elected as secretary of the
Cuyahoga County Public Library.
1965
Clinton Simmons, vice-chair of Benedictine Board of Trustees
has been elected to the Executive Committee of the Sisters Of
Charity of St. Augustine Health Care System. Clint is one of nine
entrusted with governance of the system, which includes St. Vincent Charity, St. John West Shore, and Canton Mercy hospitals,
in addition to facilities in other states.
Linda and John Vargo celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary at St. Gabriel Church in Mentor. After the blessing by the
church community, John and Linda received a wonderful round
of applause. Some Bengal alums noted that this was one of the
few times John was not wearing some Benedictine apparel.
1966
Jack Billick joined the law firm of Littler, Mendelson, LLC in
January 2007. Littler is a national labor law firm that represents
companies throughout the United States and employers in several
foreign countries. Jack is also an adjunct professor at Kent State
University and teaches a business course in restaurant, hotel and
Hospitality Law. Jack and his wife, Marge, live in Hudson, Ohio and
celebrated 37 years of marriage in June. They welcomed their second grandchild, a grandson, into their family in May.
28
W E
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Michael T. Piascik, Ph.D. is a professor at the University of
Kentucky. Dr. Piascik’s research involves the regulation of cardiovascular function by the alpha1-adrenergic
receptor subtypes. He has also collaborated
with the Lerner Research Institute at the
Cleveland Clinic. He lives with his family in
Lexington, Kentucky. After reading about the
recent BHS alums in the military academies
in the last issue of the Ora et Labora, Piascik sent the Alumni
Office a note saying that his son, Christopher Piascik, is in the
same class at the U.S. Air Force Academy as Cadet Frank Mercurio ’06.
1974
Clifton Mason is currently vice-president of marketing at ADP
Dealer Services and has been with the company for the past 10
years. He and his wife, Robyn, make their home in Aurora, Illinois,
not far from Benedictine College. They thoroughly enjoyed hosting
the abbot during his recent visit to the area earlier this year.
1982
Rick King achieved a rare CYO coaching double. In May 2007,
he coached the St. Gregory the Great girls track team to the
Cleveland CYO city championship. The previous year, he led the
boys team to the Cleveland CYO city championship.
1983
Martino Harmon is serving as the director
of the African-American Student Enrichment
Office, a new office he created three years ago
to assist African-American students at The
University of Toledo. He is currently working on
a Ph.D. at UT and is active in the Toledo community and with his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha.
Harmon has two daughters; Adrianne (15) and Sydni (12) who
have heard all of his stories about the great Cleveland Benedictine High School.
John Zajc is the executive director of the Society for American
Baseball Research (SABR) located in Cleveland. He began working at the organization as a part-time clerk in 1990. Since
its founding in 1971 in Cooperstown, N.Y., SABR has grown
from 78 members to more than 7,200. The non-profit group
has 50 U.S. chapters and international chapters in London,
Tokyo, San Juan, Toronto and Montreal. Zajc and SABR were
featured recently in The Plain Dealer sports pages.
1984
Brendan Walton owns A. J. Rocco’s on Huron Road in downtown Cleveland near Quicken Loans Arena. It’s a great spot to
meet friends before and after Indians and Cavaliers games.
1988 and 1989
Did you see the TV ads during the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA
playoff run, and now during the summer, for a new fall show on
ABC? It’s called “Carpoolers” and is a new project for Anthony
’88 and Joe ’89 Russo. It is scheduled to air this fall. Check
your local listings. The cast includes: Faith Ford, Jerry O’Connell,
and TJ Miller.
1993
Dan McNamara is on active duty in the Air Force and just received a promotion in March 2007 to technical
sergeant E-6. McNamara is currently performing instructor duty at the Technical Training
School for A-10 Armament at Sheppard Air
Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was
nominated as instructor of the quarter earlier
in 2007.
John Hlavin is board president of the Association of Neurological Physican Assistants. He lives in College Station, Texas.
Jeff Kadlub ’92
Jeff Kadlub ’92 has a career in
sports that some people could
only dream about.
M
ost recently, Kadlub had
a great view during the
Cleveland Cavaliers playoff run to
the 2007 NBA Finals. He works as
a corporate sales executive since
joining the team in July 2003.
Prior to joining the Cavaliers, he
moved to Raleigh, N.C. in January
2001 to work for the Carolina
Hurricanes as a corporate sales
executive. During the 2002-03
season, the Hurricanes played in
the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to Detroit 4-1. Last year, the
Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup and he was able to watch
it with his wife, Kathy Benander Kadlub (Regina ’92). They
were married in June 2001.
In addition, the Kadlub couple has attended the 2005 and
2006 Kentucky Derby; 2005 US (Golf) Open in Pinehurst; the
2004 and 2005 Memorial golf tournament; the 2005 Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament; and the 2006 Carb Day at
the Indy 500. Kadlub was a guest of his brother, Michael Kadlub ’89, on the Party Poker Millionaire’s Cruise in March 2006.
Michael won a free $10,000 buy-in
into this major poker tournament that
was held on the Westerdam, a Holland
America cruise ship. They met several
professional poker players and enjoyed
the week-long cruise playing a lot of
poker.
It’s been a great ride since graduating
from Benedictine in 1992. After receiving his degree from John Carroll University in 1996, Kadlub immediately went
to work for the Cleveland Lumberjacks
hockey club in the ticket sales department. The Lumberjacks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 1997-98 season.
What’s next for the Kadlub Sports Express? All Cavaliers fans
are hoping for an NBA title.
29
1998
2004
Dan Hodakievic recently became engaged to Karen Dawn
Anderson. They are planning a June 21, 2008 wedding. Dan
earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Walsh University.
He is employed by the Portage County Educational Service as a
special education teacher. He is the son of Rose and Al Hodakievic ’72, a former three-sport star and head coach of the
Bengals 1996 Division III state title football team.
In late June 2007, Mike Cornacchione posed for this photo with
his great-uncle, Sil Cornacchione, who taught and coached at
Benedictine in the early 1950s.
Among Sil’s students were
Bishop Roger Gries OSB ’54
and Nobby Lewandowski ’55.
1999
2005
Craig Szafranski graduated from the University of Toledo College of Medicine in June 2007. He has started his general surgery residency at Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix,
Arizona where he lives with his wife, Rebecca.
DeVonte Ivory now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and
earlier this summer was shot twice in the stomach when
he attempted to keep his mother from being robbed by
a thug.
2001
One of the bullets went straight in and out - the other hit
DeVonte’s spleen, intestines, colon, liver and pancreas. He’s
undergone two surgeries and is recovering remarkably well,
but is still facing serious rehab. He’s out of the hospital now
and making good progress, but still has a little numbness in
one leg. “Von” would love to hear from his Bengal alums and
friends. Even if you don’t know DeVonte, please send him a
note to encourage him on his recovery.
Justin Jakab graduated with distinction from Ohio Northern
University with a major in Pharmacy and a minor in Business
Administration.
Jeff Snitzer is now working in sales at Spitzer Dodge at
6060 Mayfield Road in Mayfield Heights. If you buy a car
from Jeff and mention that you saw this note, he will donate
$100 to Benedictine High School. Just remember: “When
you’re at Spitzer, go see Jeff Snitzer.”
2002
Fred Weiss, who graduated from The Ohio State University on
June 10, 2007 with a major in Electrical Engineering and a minor
in Computer Science, has accepted a position with First Energy.
He is engaged to Liz Malloni. A wedding date has been set for
October 13, 2007 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2003
Bill Cosgrove graduated from Miami (Ohio) University in 2007.
He will be joining the Peace Corps in September 2007 working
in the Indonesia area. He will be teaching English to third to fifth
grade-aged children while participating in community development work. He said he made this decision based on his great
experience studying abroad in Luxembourg in the fall of 2005.
Tom Zagorski (Mr. Benedictine) will be a three-year captain and
four-year starter on the Case Western Reserve University football
team. He will be graduating in December with a degree in sociology and a minor in communication disorders. Zagorski plans to
attend grad school.
30
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Here’s the mailing address to send cards or notes:
DeVonte Ivory
c/o Belinda Jackson (that’s DeVonte’s mom)
7714 Cedar Creek Lane, Apt. 203
Charlotte, NC 28210
Eric Jones is attending Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte,
North Carolina where he carries a 3.65 GPA in Computer Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. In addition, he is treasurer,
education chair and a member of the Executive Board for the
Alpha Epsilon chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. He was
an academic consultant and mentor for college freshmen during
the 2006-07 school year. He is a member of Alpha Lambda
Delta National Honor’s Society and was elected Mr. Alpha
Lambda Delta in the 2006-07 school year. Jones was recently
hired in early summer as an intern at Key Bank in the information technology department. The internship will continue until he
re-enters J. C. Smith University.
2007
Tim Loehmann will be attending Tiffin University and playing in
the marching band and concert bands.
Deceased Alumni
Leonard C. Davis ’48
L
eonard C. Davis was a military trailblazer who helped change the
perception of minorities through his service in the U.S. Army.
Suffering from complications of kidney failure and pneumonia, Davis
died on May 17, 2007 at University Hospital – Bedford Medical Center.
Born a Catholic, Davis attended St. Edward Parish School on Woodland Ave. He enrolled as a sophomore in the fall of 1945 at Benedictine High School, where he was one of the first black students. Davis
followed a college preparatory program and excelled in every subject,
especially in French and English. He achieved Honor Roll status
in each of his three years at Benedictine and ranked 11th of 217
seniors in the Class of 1948. He attended John Carroll University.
Davis made an immediate impression on George Qua, who first met
Davis in 1957. They were both assigned to the Third Battalion, 331st
Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Noting in his diary at that time about Davis, Qua wrote, “Here is a
man with outstanding credentials, a soldier who loved the Army,
and if given the opportunity, could make a significant change in how
those in the Army perceived its minority members.”
Qua later told The Plain Dealer, “We were desegregated at the time,
but prejudice in the Army was something we still had to deal with,”
he said. “His willingness to do the right thing helped change the
perception of minorities in the Army.”
Davis had finished two years of active duty in 1955. While serving
as an Army reservist, Davis was working a civilian job in the Finance
Department of the Ford plant in Brook Park, Ohio. He then went to
work full-time as an Army Reserve technician with his most significant service being with the 256th General Hospital.
He retired from the Army in 1992 as a chief warrant officer 4, the
highest warrant rank at the time. More than 350 friends and family
members attended his retirement party held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
During his time in the Army, Davis earned many honors and awards.
Among them included his Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal,
Army Reserve Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service
Medal, the Army Reserve Medal with two additional ten-year clusters
indicating over 30 years of service, and finally, the Army Reserve
Service Ribbon.
His younger brother, the late Sgt. Richard Davis, who also graduated
from Benedictine High School, served with Len in the Army Reserve.
Len had no immediate family survivors. Davis has three nieces living
in Connecticut and Kentucky.
Alumni Memorial Mass Info
O
ur thoughts and prayers are extended to the families of our deceased alumni. Eternal rest grant unto
them O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
It is not uncommon to make a contribution in memory of
a deceased classmate or friend. You can memorialize a
deceased classmate and friend with a gift through the Benedictine Alumni Association. You can earmark your gift to one
of the following: Alumni Association Endowment, Benedictine
High School endowment, Benedictine Scholarship Fund,
Bishop Roger, Augie Bossu and Joe Rufus Fund, or other.
On Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. we will celebrate the Annual Alumni Memorial Mass in the St. Andrew
Abbey Church followed by breakfast in the school dinning hall.
We will remember all alumni that have passed away this past
year. Families of the deceased are invited to attend. Guest
speaker will be determined. More information will follow.
We commend to your prayers the following alumni who
have died as notified to us since the last issue of the Ora.
Class Of
1933
1947
1947
1948
1948
1948
1948
1949
1949
1949
1950
1950
1950
1951
1951
1953
1954
1954
1957
1958
1958
1962
1967
1968
1969
1971
1972
1975
Name
Edward A. Konek
Eugene R. Anzlovar
Albert J. Bauer
Leonard C. Davis
Theodore J. Herczog
Pancratius D. Mrachko
Roman S. Galiardi
Kenneth Durrell
Michael R. Kusner
George N. Zahorsky
Robert J. Chriszt
George S. Pushpak
Richard D. Klein
Lelio Difrancesco
Richard M. Tanski
Joseph M. Gupko
Lawrence E. Donay
Edward M. Ribar
Richard Siepka
Joseph R. Demirjian
David J. Kikta
Arthur Dempsey
Samuel Laurio
Craig K. Taliaferro
Stanley B. Molenda
Lawrence E. Inman
Nicholas J. Homoky
Joseph P. Labuda
31
Nonprofit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Cleveland, Ohio
Permit No. 2090
St. Andrew Abbey/Benedictine High School
2900 M. L. King Drive
Cleveland, OH 44104 - 4898
Change Service Requested

the World is Jamie Georgeson?

Transcription

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