The Mount Fall 2008 - Mount Saint Joseph High School

theMount
FA L L 2 0 0 8
The future of the Xaverian
Brothers looks bright. An influx
of young African Brothers opens our
eyes to the providence
of God and his work
with the Xaverian
Brothers.
A picture of Theodore
James Ryken, the
founder of the Xaverian
Brothers, adorns the
alter of the Mount’s
chapel. Story on page 3.
Message From Brother James Kelly
My Dear Alumni, Parents and Friends of the Mount:
Whenever I want the boys to stop what they are doing
and listen to what I am saying, I begin with, “Get the
wax out of your ears, boys, and pay attention.” I can’t
say that to you, but you see the general drift. There
are two things I would like to discuss with you in this
letter. The first is the Alumnus of the Year Award, and
the second, the Annual Alumni Communion Breakfast.
In the past we have received very few nominations
from the alumni for the Alumnus of the Year which
I find somewhat discouraging. With our long and
glorious history and with our 15,000 living alumni,
we should have a plethora of nominations every year.
I have to believe that we have thousands of alumni
who represent in their lives the values that they
learned at Mount Saint Joseph. In many schools they
give the Alumnus of the Year Award to someone who
has been incredibly generous to the school. I have
never agreed with that philosophy. I want the Alumnus
of the Year to be a man whom I can hold up to the
boys as an incarnation of Xaverian education at Mount
Saint Joseph, a man who has lived in his life the
values that this school has been teaching since 1876:
humility, zeal, compassion, simplicity, and trust. In our
current terminology, we say that the Mount is trying to
build men who matter, men who have made a difference in their world. Please think about Mount men
you know who fit this description and consider nominating one of them for Alumnus of the Year. There is a
form on the school’s website (www.msjnet.edu/awards)
for nominations for Alumnus of the Year.
We bestow the Alumnus of the Year Award at the
Annual Alumni Communion Breakfast which this year
will be held on Sunday, March 15th. Attendance at
the Breakfast has been, at best, pathetic. It should
be one of the biggest alumni events of the year.
Mr. Fitz tells me that at Roman Catholic High School
in Philadelphia, their annual Alumni Communion
Breakfast draws over 600 men. And they are a much
younger school than the Mount. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had to hold the Mass in the Monastery
because of the number of alumni attending? We are
a generational school with grandfathers, fathers and
sons all having attended. Perhaps we could make the
Annual Alumni Communion Breakfast a family affair
where fathers, sons, uncles and cousins, all Mount
alumni, attend. What a beautiful incarnation that
would be of the Mount spirit. Check your calendars.
You will be hearing more from the school as the date
approaches. Take the time to join us in honoring the
Alumnus of the Year and thanking God for all the
blessings He has bestowed on the school.
All that having been said (that’s an ablative absolute in
English for those of you who had Brother Ricardus for
2
Latin), we had planned
the dedication of our new
stadium as a Homecoming
event. As the day approached, the weather
reports became more and
more ominous, and I feared that our dedication would
be washed out. The rain held off in the morning, and
at the reception we held for donors just before the
dedication, Mrs. Phyllis Plevyak, wife of John, after
whom the stadium is named, told me that she had
prayed to John to hold off the rain until we had rededicated the stadium in his name and honor. I should
have known from that point not to worry, but I kept
looking at the clouds as they rolled in. At precisely
12:30, flanked by the soccer team who had just won
their game and by the football team who was about
to win theirs, Mrs. Plevyak and her family, Barry
Fitzpatrick, our Principal, Father Mike Murphy, our
chaplain, and I, with Emily Rollins our Development
Director as Master of Ceremonies, dedicated the field.
Moments after Father Mike said Amen to the final
prayer, the skies opened and the wind roared. John
kept us dry through the dedication!
As we dedicate the stadium, I need to thank all of
those who made it possible. The stadium, the bridge,
the track and the field are close to a $5 million investment on the Mount’s part, all of which was given to
us by the alumni and many friends of the school. I
particularly want to thank Brett Plano ’89, Chairman
of the Plant Committee of the Mount Board, Dan
Peddicord, ’72 our Facilities Director and Chris
Sapienza, our Business Manager, for overseeing the
construction of the new stadium. They made sure
that every t was crossed and i dotted. Now to raise
the money and complete Phase II of our athletic
master plan, something I’d like to accomplish before
I am sent to the old Brothers’ home!
We are in high recruiting season for the Class of 2013.
Given the economy, we need your help more than ever
to recruit that class. If you know any 8th grade boy for
whom you think the Mount would be a good fit, please
encourage him to apply. Our entrance examination this
year is on Saturday, December 13, 2008, at 8:30 a.m.
Think about candidates for Alumnus of the Year, mark
your calendars for the annual Alumni Communion
Breakfast and more than anything else, remember
every day to say a prayer for the Mount.
Sincerely,
Brother James M. Kelly, C.F.X. President
The Mount
theMount
The Mount
is published
quarterly by the
Mount Saint Joseph
Development Office.
Brother James M. Kelly,
C.F.X. President
Barry J. Fitzpatrick
Principal
Emily Wilson Rollins
Executive Director
of Development
Brad Shearer '03
Director of
Alumni Relations
Erin Van Bavel
Director of
Annual Giving
James A. Poisal ’03
Director of
Communications
and Events, Editor,
The Mount
Cathy Steffe
Development
Office Manager
Brandy Fefel
Development
Office Assistant
Upcoming Alumni Events
ALUMNI ICE HOCKEY GAME
Letters in the Mount Mailbag tell
the story of Mount Saint Joseph
Saturday, December 20, 2008
4:00 P.M. at the Mount’s home rink,
The Gardens Ice House in Laurel, MD
The
Mount
Mailbag
according to you, the Mount
community. If you would like to
submit a letter that could possibly
appear in the Mount Mailbag, please
e-mail it to [email protected]
or mail it to Mount Saint Joseph at 4403
Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21229, care of James
Poisal ’03. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.
Dear Faculty and Staff of Mount Saint Joseph,
Talent is never sparse at the annual Alumni Ice Hockey
Game. This is always an entertaining event to play in
or just to watch and socialize with your fellow alumni.
Be on the lookout for registration forms mailed to you
soon. For more information, call Brad Shearer ’03 at
410-900-1208.
BULL & OYSTER ROAST
My son received an excellent education at MSJ. Without
a doubt, his experience at the Mount helped prepare him
for life beyond high school and his career. He left the
Mount and received a B.A. from Syracuse University then
an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Saturday, February 21, 2008
6:00 p.m. in the Memorial Gymnasium
*Please note that all tickets for this year’s
Bull & Oyster Roast will be sold in advance.
There will be NO tickets sold at the door!
Visit www.msjnet.edu/BullRoast for more information.
I sincerely thank all of the Mount’s faculty and staff for
their dedication and hard work.
— A Grateful Parent
Attention All Alumni!
Nominate Someone for an
Alumni Association Award
There are three Alumni Association awards for which you
can nominate those who have given of themselves to serve the
Mount and the surrounding community. Please take some time
to think about some good candidates. Email the candidate’s
name, class year, and reasoning for why they deserve to win
the award to Brad Shearer ’03 at [email protected]. All
nominations must be submitted no later than January 31, 2009.
The winners will be honored at the Alumni Association
Communion Breakfast in March. Here are the descriptions
of the Awards:
Knight of the Tower Award – Given to alumni for their
service and dedication to the Alumni Association
Board of Directors.
Al Shields Service Award – Given to someone who has
given an exceptional amount of service to the Mount.
Alumnus of the Year Award – Given to an alumnus
who performs an outstanding deed or service.
Please visit www.msjnet.edu/awards to submit a nomination.
Summer
Fall 2008
2008
3
Congolese Brothers pose for a photo with Brother Lawrence Harvey, the General
Superior of the Xaverian Brothers, and Brothers Phillip Revell and Roger Demon.
Four Kenyan Brothers dancing during a dinner for the Xaverian
Brothers General Council
On the Providence
of
God
Xaverian Brothers
and the
F
orty-three years ago when I entered the Xaverian
Brothers, the Congregation was at its high point in
terms of numbers. I was the 325th Brother in the New
England Province of the Congregation, and there were actually
more than 325 Brothers in the Baltimore Province. We also
had active provinces in England and Belgium with missions in
Bolivia, Uganda, Kenya and the Congo. In the United States
alone, there were over one hundred young Brothers in training
when I began at Catholic University in 1967. Then came the
late sixties, the early seventies and all the turmoil associated
with those years both in the world and in our Church.
Vocations began to decline, and many Brothers left the
Congregation. The Xaverian Brothers, however, are a tenacious
group, and we have hung on even though our numbers were
seriously depleted. I like to think of us as the Marines: The
Few, the Proud! We made a conscious choice to maintain
control of our schools with the assistance of the many lay men
and lay women who now populate our boards and our faculties.
I suspect by the mid-seventies we all wondered what the future
would bring. Then our God decided to do something new,
just as he had decided to do something new when our founder,
Theodore James Ryken, began the Congregation in 1839.
When I entered the Community in 1965, there were a few
African Brothers already in profession, but they were very few.
We had decided to close our formation program in Kenya, but
we limped along in the Congo. Then, almost miraculously,
vocations in the Congo began to increase, slowly but steadily.
We began formation again in Kenya, and the increase continued. In the Congo we now have thirty African Brothers, sixteen
of whom are in formation. Among the finally professed
Brothers, there are two who are older than I, Brother Placid
and Brother Victor. In Kenya we have nineteen African
Brothers, most of whom are still in formation, but five of
whom have graduated from college and are now working.
In light of this increase in vocations, we actually began to
reopen schools and missions in the Congo. In fact, the largest
Xaverian school in the world is Saint François Xavier School
in Kikula in the Congo. We had lost control of that school at
the Congolese independence from Belgium, and it was given
back to us in a shambles years later. American friends of the
Brothers gave us the money to rebuild it. Mount Saint Joseph
supports this school annually with one of our “dress down”
days. We were recently able to send to Brother Roger Demon
in the Congo $1000 to be used in a program to tutor the boys
and the girls in the 8th grade for the entrance exam to our high
school, the Institut Tutazamie. Over the years the Mount has
also helped to buy text books in French and arithmetic for the
students at Saint François Xavier.
The Xaverian Brothers
General Council poses
with Brothers Ward
and John Collins and a
few of the Congolese
Scholasticates.
At the moment we have one school in Kenya, Saint Kevin’s
Secondary School, a day school for six hundred young men and
young women. The headmaster of Saint Kevin’s is my novitiate
classmate Brother Louis Camel who has served in Africa now
for almost twenty years. He has two young Kenyan Brothers
on the faculty with him. Saint Kevin’s is in the Turkana Desert
in the north of Kenya. Not a comfortable place! Right on the
equator, Turkana experiences daily temperatures at noon of 115
degrees Fahrenheit.
When the General Council met in Kenya, we had conversations
with one Bishop who very much wants us to open another
school in western Kenya. While that cannot happen immediately, we do have hopes for the future. Brother Michael Foley
is now working at a school in southern Sudan where we may
also be sending young Brothers.
While our Congolese and Kenyan Brothers have Swahili as a
common language, the language of instruction in schools in
Kenya is English, and in the Congo, French. We now have an
international novitiate in the Congo where both Congolese
and Kenyan Brothers are formed. The Congolese have to learn
English, and the Kenyans, French. We have two houses of
study, one in Kenya and one in the Congo. This summer the
semi-annual meeting of the General Council was held at our
scholasticate in Nairobi, so I was able to meet many of our
young Kenyan Brothers. What a beautiful experience it was
for me to be in a room with young Brothers. That has not
happened since I was a young Brother myself. Brother Ward
O’Connell, a long-time teacher at Mount Saint Joseph, is one
of the scholastic masters in Nairobi. Brothers William Griffin
and Daniel Conaghan, both former Mount Saint Joseph teachers, have also served both at the Scholasticate and at St Kevin’s.
As part of our visit to Kenya, the African Brothers provided for
the General Council a two day seminar on African tribalism. It
was fascinating. For the first time in my life, I was confronted
with a culture and a way of thinking that are so foreign to my
own that I was really taken aback. I began to realize how very
little I understand Africans and African culture. In Kenya we
have Brothers from two tribes, the Luo and the Luhya.
In 1858, because of a disagreement with Archbishop Spalding
over the salaries of Brothers, our founder withdrew from the
United States all but two of the Brothers and brought them
back to Belgium. Brother Stephen Sommer and Brother
Francis Xavier Dondorf were left behind in Kentucky because
they were the least educated of the Brothers and, therefore, the
most expendable. Common sense would have told them to
give up and join an American order, but they didn’t. They held
on. In 1860 the new Superior General, Brother Vincent, sent
reinforcements to the United States, and the rest is history. In
1868 we came to Baltimore at Saint Mary’s Industrial School,
and in 1876 we founded Mount Saint Joseph. In 1859 things
had not looked very hopeful for Brother Francis and Brother
Stephen, but the two of them had a profound faith in the
providence of God and in the Xaverian Brothers. From their
fidelity, God did something truly wonderful, and it appears
that God is doing something truly wonderful again. As our
holy founder Brother Ryken once said, “The ways of God’s
providence are often inscrutable but always adorable.”
Please pray for all of our African Brothers particularly for those
young Brothers who are in training. As part of the traditional
Xaverian prayer life, we used to say a prayer every day to Saint
Joseph which concluded with a prayer for our novices. For
the longest time we didn’t have any novices for whom to pray.
Maybe God and Saint Joseph are giving us a hint that we need
to put that prayer back into use, and thank God for that.
— Brother James Kelly, C.F.X.
President
The 26th Annual Alumni Association Golf Outing
S
eptember 22, 2008 marked the 26th Annual Alumni
Association Golf Outing which was held at the Rolling
Road Country Club in Catonsville, MD. In
appreciation of his endless energy, passion, leadership and
generosity to The Mount, The Annual Golf Outing, The
Annual Fund and The Capital Campaign, Mount Saint
Joseph High School’s Alumni Association recognized Joe
Fields ’74 as the honorary chairman of the 26th Annual
Golf Outing.
Joe was presented with a plaque, which affirmed that his
6
efforts have “…helped numerous young men obtain a quality
Xaverian education.”
Due to the extraordinary efforts of the Golf Outing
committee, Chaired by Charles Gilbert ’70, the outing was a
huge success, raising more than $34,000. The Alumni
Association, which is dedicated to supporting Mount Saint
Joseph High School, announced that all proceeds from the Golf
Outing would go to the Alumni Association Endowment Fund,
which provides tuition assistance to students who would
otherwise not be able to afford a Mount education.
The winning team of the 26th Annual Alumni association Golf Outing
poses for a quick photo. From left: Matt Bassler ’04, Charles Gilbert ’70,
Bill Metz ’67 and Mike Dooley ’66.
Pictured here, the Booth family enjoys a great day of golf. Thank
you to Tom Booth and Booth Properties for your Corporate
Registration sponsorship!
From left: Mike Dooley ’66, President Brother James Kelly, C.F.X, Joseph J.
Fields ’74, the Honorary Chairman of the 26th Annual Alumni Golf Outing,
and Charles Gilbert ’70, Golf Outing Chairman.
The Mount’s faculty and staff team thoroughly enjoyed the golf
outing. Standing, from left: Christopher Sapienza, Dan
Peddicord ’72 and Brian Murphy. Kneeling: Dave Adams.
The Mount
Golf, Tee and
Green Sponsors
Asbestos Specialists, Inc.
Bare Bones of Ellicott City
410-461-0770
Basciani Foods, Inc.
610-268-3044
Basslers Billy '69, Matthew
’04, and Michael '06
Centric Business Systems, Inc.
410-902-3300
The Class Produce Group
Jessup, MD 410-799-5700
Coucilman Sam Moxley '77
G.L. Shack's Catonsville
Hearn Kirkwood
410-712-6000
Holly Poultry, Inc.
410-727-6210
Instant Whip
Kunzler Meats
800-233-0203
LMTS / L&M Transportation
Logan Transportation
M&T Bank
410-964-6821
Madison Mechanical, Inc.
410-461-7301
Marlin Moon Grill
410-744-9101
Mechanical Sales / Dennis
Kelehan, Jim Hanzsche
410-964-0841
www.mikethelawyer.com
410-869-3400
Paradise Produce
Ship's Café & Pub
410-744-1838
TA Engineering, Inc.
410-747-9606
St. Agnes Hospital
410-368-6000
Tony Vitrano Company
410-799-7444
Summit Harvest
Trinity Homes
410-480-0023
Pete Pappas & Sons, Inc.
MSJ Alumni Association
MSJ Varsity Golf Team Coach
Mike Dooley '66
Nick's Sausage Company
301-927-5388
Overhead Door Company
of Baltimore, Inc.
410-636-6300
Plano-Coudon, LLC
410-837-2570
Rossman-Hurt-Hoffman
410-465-4300
Sun Rich
443-577-1200
Thanks to Billy Bassler '69 and
Rolling Road Golf Club
Superior Dairy
800-683-2479
Sal Cimbolo '57 and F.O.G.
Fall 2008
In Memory of Ron Melvin '69,
The Lancelotta Family
Go Gaels,
The Swidersky Family
7
Class Notes
For more Class Notes, visit www.MSJconnection.org
Class of 1944
Jim Bowen recently
celebrated his 82nd
birthday, 26 years as an
ordained deacon and his
58th wedding anniversary
with his wife, Terry
Theile. Jim works in
4
Jim Bowen, ’4
Boise, Idaho for St. Mark’s
parish as the Eucharistic Outreach
program director. Jim and Terry are very
proud of their six children, thirteen
grandchildren and fifteen great
grandchildren. Jim says, “Life is great and so is Boise, Idaho! Come and visit.”
John J. Vaeth has great appreciation for
the education that he received during his
time at the Mount. He says, “My thanks
and my prayers go to the wonderful
Brothers who taught me and enabled me to
have a successful life. God bless the Mount!”
Class of 1947
Charles Hebler says, “The 60th reunion
was great! I want everyone to take their
pills and follow their doctors’ orders so we
can get together for the 70th.”
Class of 1949
Class of 1950
Charles C. McGuire, Jr.
says, “My wife and I
now have eight
grandchildren. Our
youngest grandson is
Charles C. Mc
Guire
now a sophomore at the
’50
Mount and doing well. We continue to
spend our winters enjoying the warm
weather of the Florida Keys as we have for
the past five years since retirement.”
Class of 1951
Jim Franz says, "Attention all members of
the Class of 1951! Our class meets every
three months for a casual get-together and
lunch. All Class Members are invited to
attend. We meet at 12:30 PM on the third
Wednesday of January, April, July and
October at Matthew's 1600 Restaurant in
Catonsville, MD. Also, if you have e-mail
access, please contact Jim Franz at
[email protected] so you can be
included in all the latest news about our
class and classmates.”
Dick Roeder is looking forward to
celebrating his 60th reunion next year.
Class of 1953
Ed Thommen says, “To all members of the
Class of 1949! Our 60th reunion is coming
up. Let’s meet and put together some ideas!”
Stanley C. Strauss and his wife, Carol,
recently moved from their home in
Mendham, NJ, where they lived for 35
years, to Plymouth, MA. Their new home
is in Pinehills, just four miles from
Plymouth Bay, eight miles from Cape Cod
and forty miles from Boston. Stanley says,
“If any other Mount grads are in the area,
please drop me a line at [email protected].”
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR
SICK MOUNT MEN
To submit the name of a sick student
or alumnus to the prayer list,
e-mail James Poisal ’03. at
[email protected]
or call 410-646-4700.
Robert J. Thommen, ’51
Fr. Milton Hipsley, ’56
8
Fr. Samuel Zebron celebrated his golden
jubilee of priesthood at St. Clement Church
in Rosedale, MD.
Class of 1954
Paul J. Schneider wishes the Class of 1954
well. He says, “MSJC was my backyard. I
lived only a block away on Euclid Avenue. It
took almost five minutes to walk to school!”
Paul has two grandsons who will graduate
from the Mount this year.
The
The Mount
Mount
Class of 1958
Robert Kemmer says,
“Although I was unable
to attend the 50th
reunion celebrations, I
am nonetheless thrilled
Robert Kemm
er
at being a Golden Gael.
’58
I still treasure my four years at the
Mount and the Brothers who had a
significant influence on my life.”
Jerome W. Klasmeier is completing his
fifth year as the Assistant Comptroller for
the State of Maryland. He says, “I very
much enjoyed the Golden Gael medallion
presentation at the Class of 2008
graduation ceremony. It was great to see
my classmates!”
Frank D. Tauber says, “Our 50th reunion
was fabulous. It was a great time with
beautiful fall days. It was great seeing old
friends and classmates! Many thanks to the
reunion committee for a great effort. I hope
to see everyone at the next reunion.”
Class of 1959
William F. Harrington, Jr. retired in 1999
after working 40 years at Bethlehem Steel.
He enjoys retirement, traveling and
spending time with his grandchildren.
William has been married to his wife,
Lorraine, for 46 years.
Richard V. Siejack was voted to the
post of State Deputy for the Maryland
Jurisdiction of the Knights of Columbus
on July 1, 2008. Richard has been a
Knight of Columbus since January, 1984.
Class of 1960
Bob Riley says, “We are currently planning
for a 49th reunion on Kent Island, MD, in
either July or August of 2009. Details will
follow in the not too distant future.”
Class of 1961
Edward Krieg wants to let his classmates
know that he has updated his email address
to [email protected]. Edward
says, “Sadly, my mother died in March of
Class Notes
For more Class Notes, visit www.MSJconnection.org
this year. However, on a much happier note,
my daughter gave birth to twin boys. My
mother was a blessing that I lost but I
gained two new blessings!”
Located in Carroll County, MD, IBS
works mostly on local projects in state,
but continues to support international
projects with expertise in systems
integration engineering.
Class of 1962
Allen W. Kirchner, M.D.
is a contributing author
of the recently published
CRC Press book,
Pandemic Influenza:
Emergency Planning
and Community
Allen W. Korch
Preparedness. Dr.
ner,
M.D., ’66
Kirchner has been
serving as a consultant to the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security counterterrorism program as a subject matter expert
in the medical aspects of chemical and
biological terrorism.
Michael Madden expresses his deepest
regrets for the loss of our well-remembered
classmate, Frank Del Gavio. Mike is
currently retired but is teaching as a
Professor of Adjunct Faculty in the
Graduate School of the University of
Maryland University College.
Class of 1963
John Bartkowiak says,
“Since retiring from
Northrop Grumman
several years ago, I
have enjoyed a robust
business law practice in
Bartkowiak, ’6
3
Towson. John recently
completed terms as Chair of the Maryland
State Bar Association International Business
Committee and as President of the Towson
Chamber of Commerce.
William G. Vernetson retired this year
from the University of Florida. He plans to
remain active as a consultant in the nuclear
industry and travel to see his kids in
Colorado and New York.
Don Vore left the Mount and graduated
from the University of Maryland. Upon his
graduation, Don accepted a commission in
the Air Force. A year and a half later, he was
flying in Vietnam, where he was awarded 14
air medals and 2 distinguished flying crosses
as a Forward Air Controller. After 11 years in
the Air Force, Don took on several jobs. Don
retired two years ago from Northrup
Grumman and is now an Accredited Cruise
Counselor selling cruise vacations on all the
major cruise lines and European river cruises.
Class of 1966
Bill Fortin retired from Bell Labs in
2001 and is now serving as the CEO
of Integrated Building Solutions, Inc.
9
John Martellini says, “Hello to my fellow
classmates!” John has been a practicing
veterinarian living in Port Charlotte, FL,
for 33 years. John is married with three
children. He is looking forward to
retirement in a few years and would like to
contact any of his classmates, especially
those living in Florida.
Class of 1970
Scott Pfeifer is the
Director of Instructional
Assessment for the
Maryland State
Department of Education. Sc
ott Pfeifer, ’70
Scott accepted this job
after 20 years as a high
school principal in Howard County, MD.
Class of 1971
Dan Garvey retired in 2006 after serving
thirty-one years in the Army. Never being
one who could stay in one place too long,
Dan has taken an assignment in Mosul,
Iraq, supporting the Assistant Secretary of
the Army for Financial Management. This
past year Dan was promoted to the rank of
father-in-law and grandfather.
Class of 1974
Dennis M. Comisky is a principal at the
architectural firm PGAL in Alexandria, VA,
where he specializes in aviation terminal
facility design.
Class of 1967
Class of 1977
Michael R. Hart and his wife, Beverly,
have been married for 33 years and recently
retired to Cape Coral, FL. Mike retired as a
scientist after working 22 years for J.M.
Huber in Havre de Grace, MD. Michael
says, "I enjoyed seeing everyone at our 40
year reunion and now I'm enjoying the
southwest Florida lifestyle. I hope to join
in for our 50th reunion."
Terence Killen retired in 2005 after thirty
years as the Director of Health and Physical
Education with the Woodrow Wilson High
School in Washington, D.C. For the past
thirty-five years, Terry has been one of the
most proficient tennis-teaching professionals
in the United States. Terry and his wife,
Sandy, spend their time in Maryland during
the spring and summer and their fall and
winter in Bradenton, FL.
Winter
Fall 2008
2006
Harry Barnabae’s oldest of four boys,
AJ, is currently enrolled as a freshman at the
Mount. Alex, Chris, and Nicolas will soon
follow. Harry owns/operates Capital
Mortgage in Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Florida, and Virginia. For the past 10 years,
he has coached Rebels Junior League
Wrestling for ages five to fifteen in the
Glen Burnie area.
Class of 1978
Joseph B. Murphy recently lost his wife of
26 years, Connie, to cancer. Joe teaches law
and criminal justice.
9
Class Notes
For more Class Notes, visit www.MSJconnection.org
Class of 1979
Class of 1983
Class of 1987
Mike Kunkel says, “I
would like to say hi to
all of my classmates. I
wish them well.” Mike
and his wife, Denise,
Mike Kunkel,’7
just celebrated twenty9
one years of marriage.
Mike currently works for BGE as a
principal designer in the electric
distribution side of the business and has
been with BGE for 20 years.
Darryl Day and his wife, Kippy, have been
living in Columbia, MD, since 2005 and
have a daughter, Kennedy, who will turn
two in November. We are also expecting
another daughter in November, 2008.
Darryl is a regional director of health
services for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue
Shield. He manages Northern Virginia,
Washington, D.C. and the contiguous
Maryland counties around D.C.
Raymond O'Brocki III was recently
appointed Fire Marshal for the City of
Baltimore. He is the youngest Fire Marshal
in Baltimore City history. Raymond says,
“If you have any questions, call me on my
cell phone at 410-917-2024 or my office
line at 410-396-7547. I am also available
for career days and mentoring. Anything
I can do to help!”
James Edward Lee
celebrated the October
16, 2008, world premiere
of “Bronx Paradise,” a
film in which he co-stars
alongside Arthur
Nascarella and Dennis
Paladino, both of
James Edward
Lee,
notable fame from the
”83
HBO series, “The Sopranos.”
James recently completed an episode of a
new show for Adult Swim called
“Delocated,” which is a segment on the
Cartoon Network. Look for the show to
run in February. James says, “I can't wait to
catch up with some old classmates at the
reunion. See you guys soon.”
Class of 1989
Class of 1981
Gary Kratz is an IronMan. Gary says, “It
was a long, hot day in Louisville but I
finished in 14:45! I would like to thank all
my fellow Mount Men who helped me
raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society. Go TEAM!”
DECEASED ALUMNI
AND FRIENDS
Please remember in your prayers the
souls of all our faithfully departed,
especially our recently deceased alumni
and friends and their families.
Martin G. Vaeth ’36
Joseph C. Kreis ’37
Charles K. Hock ’40
John E. Scheihing ’40
Paul A. Stubbs ’42
Louis P. Dersch ’43
Mr. Joseph C. Engers ’43
Philip C. Gordon ’46
Paul G. Imhoff Sr. ’47
Herbert Behren ’48
Joseph A. Metzger ’48
John J. Serio, Jr. ’49
Philip M. Hayes ’54
Frank Del Gavio ’62
Michael Howe ’71
Melvin J. Kalinski ’72
Brian D. Neville ’94
William Staso ’08
10
Christopher Schneider
will be celebrating his
10-year wedding
anniversary in
December. He lives
Christopher
Schnieder, ’89
with his wife and three
children in Frederick, MD.
Chris owns a business that is certified as a
Microsoft IT Academy, providing
corporate training to businesses in the
Baltimore-Washington Area.
Class of 1990
Peter Roskovich’s business, Black
Diamond Catering, has won Best Caterer
on the Eastern Shore for three years.
John D. Willard is an adjunct instructor at
UMBC in the History Department and is
an associate director of the Martha Ross
Center for Oral History. John also works
as the Maryland History Outreach
Coordinator for the Maryland Humanities
Council. He is currently an aspirant to
Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church.
Class of 1985
Dwayne Gilliam and his wife, Melanie, are
proud to announce the June 23, 2008,
birth of their twin daughters. The Gilliams
now have four children. They currently
reside in Upper Marlboro, MD. Dwayne is
a senior auditor for the Washington, D.C.
Office of Campaign Finance.
The Mount
Ron Hawkins is currently assigned to the
U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia, as a
Cultural Affairs Officer. On September 30,
2008, the Sarajevo Embassy received an
official visit from Deputy Secretary of
Defense, Gordon England, a Mount
alumnus from the Class of 1955. Ron had
the opportunity to meet and take a picture
with Secretary England. Ron says, “It was
great to be together with Secretary England.
Both of us working for the U.S.
Government in our own respects and
sharing our fond memories of the Mount.
Go Gaels!”
Class Notes
For more Class Notes, visit www.MSJconnection.org
Matthew Hunter Jamerson is an avid
whitewater paddler and marathoner. He
graduated summa cum laude in 1995 with a
B.S. in Biology from Drexel University and
summa cum laude in 2003 with a Ph.D. in
Tumor Biology from Georgetown University.
He has served as an Officer in the United
States Navy, has published 12 peer-reviewed
scientific articles and one book chapter. He
currently resides in Alexandria, VA.
George Karatzas recently retired from the
Maryland State Police Department and is
currently employed with AAI Corp. in
Hunt Valley as Shift Supervisor for Plant
Security. George will soon complete a
degree in criminal justice.
Class of 1992
Ryan Whipp and his wife, Tammy, have
three children. They reside in Pasadena,
MD. Ryan began working in information
technology after graduating from the
University of Baltimore. He is now in his
fifth year as a named account manager for
Juniper Networks.
Class of 1993
John Maranto and his family, including his
wife, Aimee, and their two sons, moved
from Annapolis, MD, to Linthicum
Heights, MD in February of 2008. John
loves the easy commute to the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad Museum where he works as
the Curator of Archives and Small Objects.
The Marantos are parishioners at St. Philip
Neri Roman Catholic Church where John is
a charter member of Knights of Columbus
Council #14612.
Bruce Van Newkirk and his wife,
Michelle, celebrated the birth of their son,
Gregory Allen Van Newkirk, on September
19 at Carroll County Hospital. Bruce
congratulates his fellow classmate, Miles
Bianco, on becoming a father as well.
of their first child, Carson Elliott, who was
born January 24, 2008. The Byers family
currently resides in Ellicott City, MD.
Jim Black graduated from Towson
University in 2002 and became a Baltimore
County Deputy Sheriff. Jim is a longtime
member and former personal trainer at the
YMCA in Catonsville. He recently
participated in two bodybuilding shows.
Brandon Howe is proud to announce that
on September 26, 2008, Sant Ocean Hall
was opened to the public in the
Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History.
Brandon is a part of the Ocean Today Kiosk
Team, which developed all of the content
that is now running in the museum. The
Kiosk is an interactive touch screen interface
containing sound, images and video that
changes on a regular basis. This project is
the largest renovation that the museum has
taken on to date.
Class of 1998
Class of 2004
Ryan Andrew ‘98 and his wife, Stewart,
celebrated the birth of their second child
Charlotte Emerson Andrew in July, 2008.
Ryan currently owns and operates two
Nationwide Insurance agencies in
Richmond, VA.
Matthew Stetz
graduated magna cum
laude in May, 2008,
from Haverford College
with a BS degree in
Matthew Stetz
, ’04
chemistry. He was
elected to Phi Beta Kappa and is currently
employed as a medical research assistant
with the University of Pennsylvania Medical
Center. Matthew says, “Many thanks to the
science teachers at the Mount!”
Class of 1997
Scott Litz and his wife, Maureen,
welcomed their first child, Sebastian, who
was born on December 20, 2007.
Class of 1999
Jeff Mayer graduated
from The University of
Maryland School of
Medicine in May and is
a doctor in residence at
Carolinas Medical
Jeff Mayer, ’99
Center in Charlotte,
NC, specializing in Family and Sports
Medicine.
Seth Whetzel was recently engaged to
Lindsey Durbin. Seth and Lindsey met
through the University of Notre Dame's
Alliance for Catholic Education
Service/Teaching Fellowship. Both he and
Lindsey work as Catholic educators and live
in Walnut Creek, CA. Seth works at Saint
Mary’s College of California, where,
ironically he is once again a Gael!
Class of 2002
Class of 1996
Chad Byers and his
wife, Jennifer, are proud
to announce the birth
Nick Barrick and his wife, Amanda, are
proud to announce the birth of their first
son, Benjamin Patrick. He was born on
February 11, 2008.
Winter
Fall 2008
2006
Class of 2007
Gary Byers and Austin Clause
successfully completed a rigorous and
challenging Plebe Summer this past year.
They are both members of the USNA Class
of 2012. Austin spent a prep year at
Wyoming Seminary in PA after graduating
from the Mount, where he wrestled for
Coach John Gordon and finished fifth at
National Preps. Gary spent a prep year at
Virginia Tech. They have been close friends
for many years and were elated to find
themselves back together at USNA.
11
The Class of 1958’s 50-Year reunion
The
Reunion
Season
Has
Begun
The Class of 1948’s
60-Year reunion
The Class
of 1953’s
55-Year reunion
The Class of
1963’s 45-Year
reunion
12
The Mount
The Class of 1968’s 40-Year reunion
The Class of 1995 Gives Back
In celebration of their 10-year
reunion, members of the class of
1995 pooled their gifts in order to
fund a project at the Mount that
was beyond the school’s budget.
Each year classmates who give
at least $250 will have the
opportunity to help choose which
project the class will help fund.
This year, the Class of ’95 decided
Biology students greatly benefit from the Class of 1995’s gift
Winter
Fall 2008
2006
to defray the costs of new
microscopes for the science
department. They contributed
$4,528.70 to pay for 23 new
microscopes.
Rob Kinnear ’95 presents students from Greg
McDivitt ’86’s AP Biology class with a brand new
microscope.
13
News from Alumni Relations
Former Mount Teachers Celebrate
Jubilees as Xaverian Brothers
T
wo former Mount Saint Joseph teachers are
celebrating this year their Diamond Jubilee (60
years) as Xaverian Brothers. Brother Kirby Boone
and Brother John Mahoney (Brother Crispin) both
entered the Congregation in 1948, Brother Kirby in January
and Brother John in September.
Brother Kirby Boone is a graduate of Saint Xavier High
School in Louisville, Kentucky, and he took his name in
religion, Kirby, from a high school classmate who had died
very young as a Xaverian Brother. Graduating from the
Catholic University of America in 1953, Brother Kirby spent
the next twenty years in Kentucky at Saint Joseph’s Prep in
Bardstown and at Flaget High School in Louisville. It was
Brother Kirby’s sad job, as principal, to close Flaget High
School. He came to the Mount in 1976 as a teacher and
became the principal in 1980 serving until 1986 in that role.
After a brief stint on the Indian Missions in South Dakota,
Brother Kirby went to Alaska in 1990 where he remained for
the next sixteen years as a pastoral minister before retiring in
2006 to Ryken House, the Brothers’ Retirement Home, in
Louisville, Kentucky. Brother Kirby would send occasional
postcards back east from Alaska, giving the temperature (30
degrees below zero) in his out house on any given morning.
During his years at Mount Saint Joseph, Brother Kirby oversaw
the building of Xavier Hall and the razing of Alexius Hall, the
last original building of the school and Motherhouse which the
alumni of the pre 1960s knew as their Mount Saint Joseph.
Brother John Mahoney (Brother Crispin) entered the
Congregation from Malden Catholic High School in Malden,
Massachusetts. After graduating from the Catholic University,
he was assigned to Mount Saint Joseph in 1954. As the two
youngest Brothers on the faculty, he and Brother Julius shared
what the Brothers affectionately referred to as the “Honeymoon Suite” in the M Building. There were not enough
rooms for all the Brothers, so the two youngest had to share a
room. Brother John helped with the boarders and prefected
the Junior Club. After he left Mount Saint Joseph, he went
to Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx and then to
Xaverian College where he served as dean. In 1989 he began
a twelve year assignment as a missionary in Haiti. Returning
to Baltimore in 2001, he is retired but continues to do
volunteer work at My Brothers’ Keeper, and Viva House. He
also takes time every week to protest the death penalty and the
war in Iraq. He is a man committed to peace and justice.
The Xaverian word for congratulations is Proficiat.
Proficiat to Brothers Kirby and John on their Diamond Jubilee.
Members of the Alumni Association along with Brad Shearer
’03, Director of Alumni Relations and James Poisal, Director of
Communications and Events, present President Brother James
Kelly, C.F.X. with a check for $95,000, the amount they raised
during the 2007-2008 school year.
LUCKY FAMILY WINS
RAVENS RAFFLE
From Left: Senior Patrick Stafford '09, Dr. Lawrence Stafford,
President Brother James Kelly, C.F.X., and William Stafford '11.
14
The 2008 Ravens Raffle was quite a success this year.
The raffle sold over 2,700 tickets which rose more than
$10,700 for Mount Saint Joseph. Dr. Lawrence Stafford,
father of senior Patrick Stafford and sophomore William
Stafford, won four tickets to every Ravens home game
this season. The winning ticket was picked by President
Br. James Kelly, C.F.X., at the Alumni Association’s
annual picnic to kick off the new school year.
The Mount
Introducing the 2008 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees!
Neil Adleberg During Neil Adleberg’s
Devan Spilker ‘99 A star athlete,
coaching career, from 1975 to 1978 at Mount
Saint Joseph, the Varsity Wrestling team won
numerous awards and accommodations.
Coach Adleberg’s Gaels won the very first
Maryland Scholastic Association tournament
championship in the Mount’s 100 year
history in 1976 which resulted in one of the
most successful U.S. high school wrestling dynasties. He is still
involved in running one of the premier high school wrestling
tournaments in the U.S. –Mount Mat Madness, as well as working on
various related projects to help MD wrestling continue to improve.
Devan Spilker played on both Varsity Lacrosse
and Varsity Soccer teams throughout his 4
years at the Mount. In lacrosse he holds
records for goals in a career season and total
points in a career for the Mount. As the 4 year
starting goalie for his Varsity Soccer team,
Devan was named All Conference 3 times and
All State as a senior. Devan was the captain of both his lacrosse and
soccer teams. After earning a business degree, he is now working as a
Senior Licensed Loan Officer for Primary Residential Mortgage in
Parkville, MD. Devan is married to Katherine and lives in Parkville.
He continues to coach lacrosse and individual coaching clinics.
Kevin Allis ’80 As a member of the
MSA Championship Golf Team from 1977
to 1980, Kevin Allis finished fourth in both
the Catholic Tournament and the MSA
Individual Championship in 1979. In 1980
the team defended their title by defeating 34
teams from 17 states. Kevin tied for third in
the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament
and was also selected to join the All-Metro
team. In 1984 he became Maryland’s State Amateur Champion, a
title only one other Mount grad has won. He is currently an attorney
with a focus on Native American Indian Law as well as Labor and
Employment Law.
Gavin Floyd ’01 Gavin played on the
JV Baseball team his freshman year before he
was quickly moved up to Varsity. His
sophomore year he was already clocked at
having a 91 mph fastball. His junior year
scored a 12-2 record with 1.02 ERA and 103
strikeouts. His senior year, he finished 8-2
with 1.11 ERA and 103 strikeouts; but also a
94 mph fastball and was rated by Baseball America as second closest
to the majors and having a best breaking ball among high school
athletes. Gavin’s high school career record was 30-5 with 290
strikeouts. Gavin is currently engaged and in the starting rotation for
the Chicago White Sox.
Capt. Matt O’Donnell ’96 A spectacular student athlete, Matt played baseball
and football all four years at the Mount.
From 1994 to 1995, Matt and the Varsity
Baseball team finished second to Calvert Hall
in the MIAA “A” Conference. Matt was a
starter halfway through his sophomore year in
centerfield. In 1994 and 1995, the Varsity
Football team tied for the MIAA “A” Conference Championship.
During the opening game of the 1995 season, Matt had ten catches
for 177 yards and one interception against Good Counsel High
School. During the same season Matt also had five interceptions for
the year. He is currently the company commander for the 240 man
Company E, 2nd battalion, 7th Marines serving in Helmand
Province, Afghanistan. Matt is in charge of conducting combat
operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Todd Wolters ’87 As one of the best
defenders in both football and lacrosse Todd
Wolters has won Most Valuable Defensive
Player several times. In his four years of
playing football, Todd was the Captain of his
football teams (fresh/soph, JV and Varsity) and
was rated the Most Valuable Defensive Player
each year. In his senior year on Varsity, the
Catonsville Times named him Defense Player of the Year. Todd was also
in the MSA All-Star Game as the starting Defensive Back where he led
the team in tackles. He is currently a Regional Sales Manager for Linens
of the Week. Todd is also married to Andrea and together they have two
sons; Blake and Todd “Hank”. He is playing club lacrosse and he
coaches lacrosse at Sts. Peter & Paul High School in Easton, MD.
Christopher Wright ’02 For three
consecutive years Chris was named AllConference, All-State, 1st Team AllCity/County Runner of the Year, 1st Team
All-Metro MVP, and set two MSJ records
15:29 (3-mile) and 16:14(5K) in Cross
Country alone. As the Captain of the Cross
Country, Indoor and Outdoor track teams
Chris led the team to two undefeated seasons. In indoor track he
holds the school records for the 1 mile (4:26.42), 2 miles (9:38.82)
and 800M (2:00.11). In Outdoor Track he also holds records for the
3K (8:48.73), mile (4:23.43) and 1500M (4:03). Currently Chris is
married to Sara and works as a shoe and foot specialist and massage
therapist. He has qualified for the Boston Marathon. He also
volunteers as a coach for a youth track club in Tennessee and is the
assistant cross-country coach for a local high school.
Victor Zanti ’75 One of the most
outstanding wrestlers to come from Mount
Saint Joseph, Victor Zanti wrestled for three
years. During Victor’s senior year he finished
21-1 (Dual Meets), 1st place in the
McDonough Tournament where he was
named “Outstanding Wrestler”, 1st place in the
Catholic League Tournament where he was
named “Most Valuable Wrestler”, 2nd place in the MSA Tournament
and was selected as a High School All-American. Both his junior and
senior years the Varsity Wrestling Team won the MSA Championships.
He now owns an automobile repair shop, My Mechanic in Randallstown
and serves on the Board of several non-profit organizations in Baltimore.
He has been married for 27 years to his high school sweetheart and has
5 daughters; Adriane, Allison, Hannah, Emilee and Victoria.
Fall 2008
15
First of Three Athletic Construction Phases Completed
Over $6 million raised for the Campaign.
Mount Saint Joseph High School has concluded the first
phase of The Campaign for Mount Saint Joseph: Building Men
Who Matter. The first of three construction phases began in
June of 2007 with a stadium, turf field, track and bridge, all
of which were completed by July 2008.
The new stadium, which accommodates more than
1,000 spectators, sits alongside the High School Federation-regulation track and the artificial turf field which
was rededicated in memory of John M. Plevyak at
Homecoming on October 25, 2008.
Mount Saint Joseph is working with various architecture
firms to design the second phase of the campaign, which
encompasses a renovation of Memorial Gymnasium and the
construction of a new field house. The third phase will consist
of reorienting the baseball field to include stands and dugouts
and relocating the tennis courts.
To date, alumni, parents and friends of the Mount have
helped raise $6,875,000 to the campaign. Of that amount,
$5,125,000 has been pledged for the athletic projects, and
$1,750,000 for the school’s endowment. However, the Mount
needs at least another $10 million to complete the capital
campaign’s remaining two phases.
The Mount Saint Joseph community is truly grateful to all
who have contributed to helping us build men who matter, but
as Theodore Ryken stated, we must “March On!” in order to
reach our ambitious campaign goal.
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Baltimore, MD
Permit #1
The Mount
Mount Saint Joseph High School
4403 Frederick Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21229-4199
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
16
The Mount
Alumni Association
Board of Directors
Jack Pundt, III, ’71, President
Charles Gilbert ’70, Vice President
Mike von Paris ’70, Secretary
Eric Schneider ’71, Treasurer
Pat Hall ’74, Past President
Kevin Connelly ’84
Joe Cremen ’95
John Denhardt ’82
Mike Dooley ’66
Matthew Garbark ’03
Ryan Greer ’98
Matthew Hall ’03
Paul Harris ’66
John McKenna ’48
Greg Morgan ’80
Craig Radoci ’03
Craig Sigismondi ’81
Nick Zohdi ’97
16