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PRIORY saint louis priory school winter 2010 issue
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Saint LouiS Priory SchooL 500 South Mason Road Saint Louis, Missouri 63141-8500
Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDSt. Louis, MO
Permit NO. 2618
McCabe Field DedicationFriday, May 7, 20104:00 p.m. Dedication5:30 p.m. ReceptionBaseball Field/Athletics Complex
Alumni PicnicSunday, May 16, 201010:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Grant’s Farm
Saint Louis Priory Golf ScrambleFriday, June 11, 201011:30 a.m. Activities BeginGateway National Golf Links
A formal invitation will follow for each event
PRIORYsaint louis priory school winter 2010 issue
Save the Date!
Letter from the Headmaster
Acknowledgements:
editor:Michael Turco
designer:Shelly Kurtz
director of development and public relations:Julie Lohr
photography:Bobby DonnellySam Fentress PhotographyNim FrostBrother Cassian Koenemann, OSBShelly KurtzJerry Naunheim PhotographyRico SalmonJeanne SwaneyMichael TurcoFrank Van Bree
contributors:Sean BussTrey ErbsMichael HaueisenKevin KerwinGregg MuenchDeacon Tom MulvihillJohn NotterAris SevastianosRick SuarezMichael TurcoFather Augustine Wetta, OSB
headmasterFather Michael Brunner, OSB
associate headmasterJoseph Gleich
alumni president
Philip Willman ’71
Priory Magazineis published three times a year by the Office of Development and Public Relations for alumni, parents, students and friends of Saint Louis Priory School. We welcome reader contributions and encourage submissions. Questions or comments may be addressed to Michael Turco at [email protected].
Please Visit Our Websites:http://www.stlprioryschool.orghttp://www.stlprioryalumni.org
Address Changes and Correspondence:Development and Public Relations OfficeSaint Louis Abbey/Saint Louis Priory School500 South Mason RoadSt. Louis, MO 63141Telephone: 314.434.3690 ext. 326E-mail: [email protected]
On my first visit to Priory in 1993, I met my first Priory alum-nus, long before I ever met a Priory student. Fr. Miles, who was then vocation director, took me to a varsity football game at Lutheran North, and there was Jim McAtee ’64 leading the cheers. His son, Kevin ’97, was on the field crushing the Lutherans’ football faith with his good footworks.
Consequently, when I think of alumni, Jim stands out in my mind for what alumni do and mean for Priory: a cheerleader, supporter and counselor. I have seen him working on our advisory board, supporting his wife Pat’s work on Xanadu, sending his son to Priory, and opening his home to orphan monks on New Year’s. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of other things he has worked on and ways that he has helped that I don’t even know about.
No, this Priory Magazine issue is not all about Jim McAtee. It’s about our alumni who help us continue our mission of education, service and evangelization. We are blessed that there are so many alumni like Jim who keep us going in so many ways. Once a member of the Priory family, always a member—like that indelible mark on the soul we learned about in the Baltimore Cat-echism.
I look forward every year to homecoming, at which our Alumni community—led by chefs Tom Plunkert ’70 and Steve Nangle ’67—feeds us well because it brings back so many indelibly marked friends to our campus. Rebel Rendezvous, when the young alumni come back to share their wisdom, begins each new school year.
Nothing has spoken more loudly to me about the power of our alumni than the wake and fu-neral of Denny Yemm ’73, who had served as our Alumni Board president. His schoolmates turned out in force and showed the real meaning of the Priory family. In the same way, they all stood be-hind Iggy Yuan ’74, who endured the terrible shooting in the Kirkwood City Council chambers.
Our alumni do so much for us. The senior retreat, which we just finished, wouldn’t be the same without them. They have joined the monastery and the lay faculty/staff, injecting new life into our 1500 year old Benedictine bones. They have become both institutional friends and personal friends. The monk’s smiles would not be so bright without Drs. Allan Link ’73 and Steve Willibrand ’76, and Father Timothy has often reflected on the irony of falling into the surgical hands of Dr. Frank Merenda ’61. For me, the high point of my priesthood occurred last summer when I officiated at the weddings of two alumni students of mine, Dave Binz ’01 and Jeff McGovern ’03.
Neither Priory nor the world would be the same without our alumni. They are doctors, law-yers, educators, actors, musicians, leaders of business, soldiers, striving to use their full potential as children of God to build up His kingdom.
There are many benefits to being at Priory, but I think the best is that the friendships made here last for life.
Laus Tibi Domine.
On December 12, 2009, The Luke Rigby Award was presented to Peter Benoist ‘66 at the Abbey Society Dinner.
Xanadu celebrated in Mardi Gras style on February 6, 2010. Again, the Mothers’ Club pulled off a fabulous Xanadu led by Chair Mary Reitz and Co-Chair Dawn Thomas.
winter 2010 issue 1
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HIGHLIGHTS:
Priory Pulse ........ 2News from the High School
Rebel Spirit .........4Winter Season Summary
Jr. School News ....9Seven/Eight Tell it Straight
How it Works ......18Admission Process
8 10
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Completing the CirCuit:Saagar Desai ’10
Keep up with this soon-to-be graduate in this trimester’s Student Profile, as we look into the life of a future engineer.
from the grounD up:An Architect’s view
From the recent Capital Campaign additions to the new Monastery, Kevin Kerwin ’78 opens your eyes to the opportunities and challenges of Priory’s campus.
Alumni profileS:finding opportunities to give back
Whether dentists or lawyers, Priory’s alumni find opportunities to share their lives with the community. Explore some of the unique ways they help make Priory a better place.
priory firStS:Alumni evenings in California
Follow the Alumni Outreach program to sunny Newport Beach and San Francisco to learn more about our out of town communities in California, and the future of Priory’s alumni growth.
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[priory] magazine22
Student AchievementsCoca-Cola Scholar
This scholarship is awarded to those who have dem-onstrated extraordinary “academic excellence, school
leadership and community involvement.” Out of 70,000 students who applied, 2,200 were named Semi-
Finalists, and 250 are Finalists. Congratulations!
Matthew Menendez
U.S. Presidential Scholars CandidatesThis program is sponsored by the Office of the President of the United States. Priory’s two “candidates” are among
3,000 nationwide that have been selected to compete for this honor, out of a pool which includes all high school seniors in the United States. 500 will be selected as Semi-Finalists, and from there 141 will be named as U.S. Presidential Scholars.
Douglas Hall Matthew Menendez
National Achievement Scholarship Finalist:
Craig Boyce II
Form VI National Merit Finalists: Robert Becker L. Clayton Dahm Douglas Hall Bennett Krack Matthew Menendez Luke Schmerold JeffreySwaney,Jr. Filip Swat Alexandre Todorov
Form VI National Merit Commended Students:
Eric Anderson Craig Boyce II Nicholas Fosko James Fuller Bryan Hercules Sean Lamb C. Patrick Mulvihill Charles Peterson Matthew Rhodes Jon Van Breusegen
Priory Pulse
Back Row: (from left) Hall, Krack, Dahm, Hercules, Peterson, Rhodes; Middle Row: Swat, Menendez, Becker, Mulvihill, Boyce; First Row: Swaney, Schmerold, Todorov; Not Pictured: Anderson, Fosko, Fuller, Lamb, Van Breusegen
winter 2010 issue 3
Veteran Returns HomeA special welcome back to System
Administrator Nick White, who has re-cently returned home from deployment in Afghanistan, where he has spent the last year. With his expertise in technol-ogy, he kept in touch through the hairy moments of his deployment, but we are all glad to have him safely returned. We wish him well in getting back into civil-ian life. Stop by the Technology Office to say hello.
Alumnus Back in the Classroom
Welcome back to alumnus Jay Voss ’03, who is currently teach-ing English for Mr. Cavanaugh and helping with the senior elective Research Course. He finished his master’s work in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2009, and looks forward to starting work on his Ph.D. this fall. We’re happy to have another alumnus back on campus, and hope he enjoys his brief stay with our community.
Priory Rebels Rocked for UrbanFUTUREOn Saturday, February 27, the Saint Louis Priory School held its
second annual Rebel Rock a battle of the bands competition which raised money for UrbanFUTURE. UrbanFUTURE is a non-for-profit agency working in partnership with families, schools, and com-munity groups to help urban youth reach their potential through character formation, academic growth, and career planning. “What a great opportunity for UrbanFUTURE students to work side-by-side with students from Saint Louis Priory to produce this show for a sec-ond year,” said Frank Van Bree, CEO of UrbanFUTURE and Executive Producer of Rebel Rock. “We are thankful to Priory for allowing our kids the opportunity to learn about the production side of the music industry.”
Rebel Rock ’10 featured seven student bands and a band lead by faculty member Timothy Bussen which featured teachers, students and monks. Malcolm Briggs, President of ICR Construction Services and former KSDK Channel 5 sportscaster, emceed the event. John Peckham ’85, Vice President of Logic Systems, provided sound and lighting for the show. Each group “rocked out” for a panel of judges with student band Wavelength winning a cash prize of $500 and a recording session in Webster University’s Studio A. Rebel Rock was conceived by Priory students Charlie Friedman ’09 and Mitch Van Bree ’13 in 2009 with the aim of showcasing student talent in a positive, community oriented spirit. Rebel Rock ’10 was sponsored by Logic Systems and Cissell Mueller Construction with all proceeds going to UrbanFUTURE.
[priory] magazine4
VARSITy BASKETBALLCoach Rick Suarez
This year, six Form VI players Conor Ahlering, Ragen Frost, Matt Jones (Captain), James Kopfensteiner (Captain), Michael Puettmann, and Matt Rhodes gave the Rebels high hopes for a solid season. In addition, Form V members Jon Gower, Matt Keating, Andy Schwartz, Andy Streiff, and David Taiclet all contrib-uted as the season progressed.
Two wins in the Valley Park Tourna-ment got the year off to a good start. Unfortunately, injuries to Puettmann and Jones and some difficult opposition lead to an up-and-down first half of the year.
However, during that stretch, the Rebels, with a big boost from Jack Taiclet ’12, rode a scoring spree by Kopfensteiner, to the championship of the Affton Tournament. Kopfensteiner and Keating were name to the All-Tournament Team.
Two wins over a good Lutheran South team highlighted the second half of the season, which saw the team struggling to win games, with Andrew Rhodes ’12, join-ing the varsity squad late in the year, but playing very well. The season record for the Varsity Rebels was 8-11.
The statistical leaders this year were:Scoring – James Kopfensteiner at 360 (avg. 14.8 points per game)Rebounds – Matthew Keating with 243 Assists – David Taiclet with 47Steals – James Kopfensteiner with 42Free Throw – Jack Taiclet at 79.2%Blocked Shots – Ragen Frost with 15
Kopfensteiner, with his 62 three-point field goals, moved into second place on the Rebels single season list, and third on the career list with 111 field goals. Jones moved into ninth place on the three point career baskets with 61 field goals.
In the final game of the year, the Rebels played hard and gave Duschesne a real battle before falling in the first round of District play. Though the record was dis-appointing, the team’s attitude remained positive all season, which made for an en-joyable season nonetheless.
C BASKETBALLCoach Gregg Muench
The C Basketball team had an out-standing season, finishing with a 20-1 record. In an odd turn of events, the team had three forfeits this year. Early on, there were two close games in the ABC league tournament, but the team was able to win the championship. With those wins under their belts, they took wins against a very good St. Dominic team and St. Mary’s.
After Christmas break, the team came back to the season without skipping a beat. They won 15 games in a row until running into an inspired team from Lutheran South. Down by 12 points in the third quarter, the
boys closed to within three points before a tough loss by only four.
After the disappointment of their first loss all season, they were able to regroup and win their last two games, but not without a great deal of effort. Principia led the entire game until the final minute and a half, where they scored eight points to snatch victory.
In the last game of the year, the team trailed MICDS by ten points at half-time. Once again, the defense took over, and rallied to outscore them 21-6 in the final quarter.
The depth of talent on the team car-ried them throughout the year. In 18 games, the Rebels had seven different leading scorers, with an average margin of victory of 17 points per game. Both Coach Ham and I appreciate all of the effort the kids put forth during the year, and look forward to next season.
WRESTLINGMichael Haueisen ’10
Over the past seven or eight years, the Priory wrestling team has seen limited success. For example, when the current Form VI joined the high school squad, the team had seven Form III wrestlers, but only two from Form VI. Without those older athletes, it was impossible for them to win a duel meet. However, those same Form III students, now members of the class of 2010, have produced the best wrestling team that Priory has seen in al-most a decade.
Driven by the success of Form VI cap-tain Jeff Swaney, whose qualification for state in 2009 was the first in a decade, and returning Form VI captain Drew Link and Mike Haueisen, the team entered the 2010 season ready to win. Priory, a team
winter 2010 issue 5
that had been written off for many years, stuck out the season, finishing 6-3 in duel meets, and taking second place in the Priory Invitational.
The first duel meet of the season was a double-duel against Roosevelt High School and Westminster Christian Academy. The Rebels defeated Roosevelt handily, but were unable to pull through against the Westminster Wildcats. Still motivated and ready to surprise, the Rebels hosted Brentwood, who had beat-en the Rebels four years running. The Rebels dominated the Eagles, pulling away with a decisive 54-24 victory.
The Rebels had two more double-duels against Trinity, Missouri Military Academy (MMA), The Principia, and Clyde C Miller Academy. The Rebels lost to Principia but beat MMA, Trinity, and Clyde Miller. The Rebels closed out the season with duel meets against Lutheran St. Charles (LSC) and Clayton High School. LSC was stacked, and while the Rebels wrestled tough, they lost a se-ries of close matches, ultimately losing a very close meet.
In their closing match, the Rebels headed to their third face-off with Clayton. Priory took the lead early, and
never let up.
The Rebels beat Clayton 45-15, finishing the season with an extremely impressive 6-3 record.
Despite the fantastic duel record, the highlight of the season was the Priory Invitational. The Rebels, used to finish-ing with low team scores and not placing, came into the tournament ready to prove themselves. Placing over half the lineup, the Rebels pulled away from the rest of the field, along with Lutheran St. Charles, finishing in second place.
It was a truly great moment for the program, and especially the seniors, as Form VI wrestler Eric Anderson took first, along with fellow classmates Mike Haueisen, Drew Link, Jeff Swaney and Tony Hayes taking second, and Form IV’s James Merenda, Van Thomas, Nicky Sarai and Zack LaVallee taking third individually.
The Rebels continued their success at the ABC meet with LaVallee and Thomas, earning Second Team All-League, while Hayes, Link, and Merenda won First Team All-League honors. The season ended at the District Tournament, where after a rough first day of wrestling on Friday, the team responded with an exceptional effort on Saturday, in their quest to qual-ify. LaVallee and Merenda, along with
Hayes, all came within a match of qualifying.
The Rebels are already looking ahead to next year. Although they will see five Form VI wrestlers graduate, the team is extremely deep and will undoubtedly fill the holes with even better wrestlers, making for a great team next year, and years to come.
PRIoRy HoCKEyCoach John Notter
The Hockey team finished the regular season with a 12-7-2 record and played into the quarter finals of the Wickenheiser Cup Playoff bracket, beating Rockwood Summit but loosing in the “Elite Eight” round to Oakville for a playoff record of 2-2.
The team says goodbye to the six Form VI members who have had a tremendous impact on this year’s program. Combined, they have played 552 games, scored 134 goals, registered 175 assists, and have been whistled for 308 penalty minutes. They were freshmen when Dr. Mark Faron led the team that won the Wickenheiser Cup in 2007, and also played in the Wickenheiser final against MICDS in 2009. Dedication to the team and the school were trademarks of this group, as they did whatever the coaches asked of them.
Four of them, including Sean Lamb, John Notter, Colin Barry and Andrew Halenkamp, earned a place in the ranks of the top 20 highest scoring players in the history of Priory hockey. In addition, Scott Horan dressed for all 103 possible games in his Priory career, never missing a game, while Patrick Moley was a physi-cal presence on the back line.
The seniors’ impact on the team is reflected by the year end team awards, where Lamb was elected co-MVP, Halenkamp was honored with the Most Dedicated award, Horan picked up the Most Improved award, and Barry and Notter were the co-recipients of the
Rebel Spirit Award. Priory says goodbye to these fine young
men as student-athletes at Priory, but welcomes them to the Alumni community,
where they can continue to reach their potential.
The team will turn over leadership to current Form V
[priory] magazine6
players Sal Revetta (Defensive Player of the Year), Niall Caparon (Offensive Player of the Year) and Liam Ware (Co-MVP), who worked hard starting last summer to become a very good goaltender. The team will need consistent play in all zones from current Form V players Hunter Salmon and Nick Thompson both of whom have gifted offensive talent.
Look for Kyle Hill ’11 to have a break-out on defense, similar to Horan this year. The current Form IV members, including Brendan Thomas, Alec Atkinson and Colin Kopsky, should continue to improve, as there is a strong work ethic in these up-and-coming players. The team looks for huge improvement from current Form III forward Jack Rourke and Rookie of the Year Chris Pilcher ’13, to join Revetta and Thomas as an-chors on the defense.
Leadership by example will be crit-ical for next season as the team may welcome as many as seven Form III students. The key for next year’s team is commitment, discipline, sticking to game plans and hard work as many in the Priory hockey program have done over its 12 year history. Sean Barry ’00, Mike Croghan ’06, Ryan Atkinson ’07, Christian Herbosa ’09 and so many other alumni (including our seniors in the class of 2010) have set a standard for which all
future Priory hockey players must work to achieve.
KWAI Nyu RuGBy CLuBFatherAugustineWetta,OSB
The Priory Rugby Club celebrated its last Winter season with five wins, two losses, and a tie. Handily defeating rugby clubs from Fox, Kirkwood and
Parkway, the Kwai Nyu Ruggers thrived under the inspired leadership of Form VI captains Joe “Fancyfeat” Altepeter and
Craig “Buldozer” Boyce, who kept the play positive and focused. They placed second of five teams in the 510th Annual Tin Can Tournament, racking up over 50 points in the process. Returning Form V veterans McCarthy “Terminator” Grewe and Will “Stealth Bomber” Hellmuth lead the team in scores. An infusion of talent from Gateway Academy boosted
team membership to 31, making this the largest rugby team in Priory history, and the team looks to be very strong next year, when it will begin its first Spring season as a full member of the Missouri Rugby Football Union.
Special Note: The Priory Rugby Club made the front cover of “Get in the Game Saint Louis,” a magazine featuring local high school sports programs. The ac-companying two-page article was entitled “Tradition,” and high-lights the unique nature of Priory’s Rugby team. Congratulations to Father Augustine and his team on this distinctive recognition! To read the full length article, visit www.stlprioryschool.org and click on the link, and a special thanks to the “Get in the Game” staff who
generously gave us permission to use their cover image and host the magazine online.
winter 2010 issue 7
From the Associate Headmaster
“Good luck, Luke! See you at the rendezvous.” (Wedge Antilles to Luke Skywalker shortly before the Battle of Hoth)
A little more than a dozen years ago, Priory initiated a program designed to connect our recent graduates with our upperclassmen. This program, aptly named Rebel Rendezvous, has since generated so much interest that almost 50% of our first and second year graduates return to Priory on the first Monday in January to reconnect with the school, their teachers, their classmates and mem-bers of their advisory group. Like the swallows’ return to Capistrano, the return of alumni is eagerly awaited by fac-ulty and students.
At first glance, the connection between this event and young alumni interests might seem tenuous. But, for those of us who have taught for decades, the connection is imme-diate and powerful in rather unsuspecting ways. As parents know first hand, adolescents need new voices from time to time, since they tend to tune out those that they hear too often. Rebel Rendezvous gives our recent graduates the opportunity to “present themselves” (the literal translation of rendezvous) in a format that gives them a real voice. Through their sharing of first-hand college experiences, they achieve a credibility that parents and faculty members are often unable to realize. Boys listen to what they have to say, weigh the diversity of their experiences, and put a lot of stock in the stories they have to tell.
The watershed that occurs from the connection is quite impressive and goes well beyond the original intent of this event. Faculty reconnect with their students and their ad-visees; Forms V and VI open their minds to new colleges they never considered and reconsider others they thought were their first choice; the college counseling department receives valuable feedback about the changing landscape of the college selection process, as well as advice on how they might do things differently; and recent alumni experi-ence the camaraderie and fellowship of reconnecting with their peers and the Priory community. Beyond another “get together,” this event results in alumni feeling wanted and valued, even though they have moved on to a new level within our community.
Our Rendezvous is all about sharing. There are no scripts, no long speeches and no dress code. Alumni come because they want to and because we want them to. The event happens at a time when juniors and seniors are open to their advice and eager to have a follow-up chat in the lunchroom. The feedback that we receive from both our alums and our upperclassmen, tells us that the con-nections that occur are like ripples in the pond—subtle but lasting. Rebel Rendezvous provides the foundation for a lifelong connection to the Priory family. It leads to many forms of giving that allow alumni to share their lives with their alma mater.
Rebel Rendezvous
[priory] magazine8
Completing the CircuitSaagar Desai ’10Michael Turco ’04
Friday, February 26, mid-morning: Saagar Desai shows up at my office in sweatpants and a fleece, only to discover I’m not in. He looks over to Julie Lohr’s office, where she and I are having a dis-cussion about our upcoming magazine. He gives a little wave. Like most Priory students, Desai is very polite. He let’s me finish my conversation, even though this is his day off. And, he still has four papers to write. But, if his patience is any clue, he’ll probably get them done in no time.
As we sit down for our conversation, he’s obviously a little nervous. After all, the whole article is going to be about him. So we start easy, starting with what made him choose Priory. “I liked the over all feel of Priory and how the teachers helped the students, whenever they needed help, even coming in on weekends...I found that very true myself.” Especially in his AP Chemistry course, where he works very closely with Mr. Gleich to persevere. “The whole thing about senior year being easy isn’t true,” he remarks—he spends a good portion of his time on three AP courses.
Not surprising for a future Purdue engi-neer. While undecided between electrical and computer engineering (but leaning towards electrical), he’s pretty sure about the engineering part: “When I was little, I always heard ’You’re going to be an en-gineer when you grow up. You’re going to be an engineer when you grow up’” jokes Desai. He blames the LEGOs.
Perhaps that’s why he’s been involved in the Robotics club for most of his high school career. “This year I did a little pro-gramming,” he states, never mind having just completed a major AP Computer Science project, ”but in the past I’ve done a lot of work on the wiring and the frame.”
While he doesn’t quite commit to 12 hours a week as in years past (he’s a student first), he still holds the distinction of being Co-President of the club.
But Desai is not just another really smart guy trapped in a lab. Outside of school, he volunteers at the Saint Louis Science Center, where he works with chil-dren in the special exhibits during the summer. Desai just beams when talking about the kids, “There were lots of arts and crafts. I get to draw with them, and help them play with model magic—it’s really a lot of fun.” No wonder he’s a two year recipient of the Presidential Community Service award. You can tell right away that he’s the kind of guy who’s happy to share his time with you. After all, he could be sleeping in instead of talking to me. Or working on those papers.
The only child of his family, he’s also unique for being a first-generation American. His family hails from Mumbai, which sits on the west coast of India. “So, are you Catholic?” I ask with a chuckle. He smiles and replies, “No, I’m Hindu.” Though after six years at Priory, he’s got-ten used to the Catholic tradition. “But, on the first day,” he relates “it was like, ‘What am I supposed to do?’” Having been to several Hindu temple pujas as an undergraduate, I know the feeling. But, those experiences have helped him share his tradition with others. “I get asked lots of questions, and people are pretty un-derstanding,” he says.
He’s very humble, too. When I asked what he wanted everyone to know about him, he quickly responded, “Well, I think my classmates know everything about me. There’s nothing to hide.” His eyes slightly widen when I laughingly point out that thousands will be reading this. He thinks for a minute. “I work re-ally hard—I’m possibly one of the hardest workers in our class.”
And he’s not kidding. “I make ri-diculously long study guides...” he sighs, describing his “classic example” of a 68 page guide he wrote for a Biology exam. And he’s dedicated. “I never give up once I start something. That’s something Robotics has taught me,” he shares. And that’s one thing that’s helped him nego-tiate everything else at Priory. Especially Geometry. I had to sympathize. Geometry is a killer.
That gets me thinking. I knew we were friends for a reason, but how did I meet him? Oh, that’s right. He’s everywhere. As Priory’s Photography Editor for the yearbook, Desai attends more social func-tions than President Obama holds press conferences. He’s kind of like Priory’s “Where’s Waldo?” except with a camera
instead of a cane. When you consider the rest of his workload, it’s an impressive commitment to make. And speaking of commitments, it’s time for him to get back to his work.
I give him my card. “Email me when we can take pictures for this article. And good luck on those four papers,” I say as he walks out. He replies, “Oh, I finished three of them already, so I just have one to do,” before heading to the door. I watch him leave with a smile. Priory student, indeed.
student profile
winter 2010 issue 9
Seventh Grade ReviewAris Sevastianos ’15
You might be wondering “How are the ‘Sevies?’” Well, from my perspective, the Form I year has been going great. Everybody has really gotten to know one another, and become a part of the Priory family. And the thing is, we first year students have also gotten to know and interact more with the Form II students, through sports, and of course, ping pong and foosball.
For the most part, we have been doing well academically. Throughout the year, we have helped each other get through all those tough obstacles. That’s what friends are for. We have also been learn-ing a ton. While we might have a huge
amount of responsibility in our hands right now, we are realizing that learning to handle it will pay off. That’s why we are at Priory.
All year, sports has been a blast. In the fall, the Form I football team learned more about the sport, and started tack-ling near the end of the season. The cross country team, in both Forms I & II, was on fire. They placed second in a St. Charles race, with everybody working together to achieve that goal.
Winter sports were awesome, too. The wres-tling team did great, winning multiple medals and learning new strate-gies for pinning down the opponent. The soccer team also had a great time, playing each other in individual games and tour-naments. The Form I basketball team has won more games than they have lost, with everybody working hard together in their games, that and...having a ball.
Overall, the first year of the Class of 2015 has been phenomenal. We thank everybody who has made it possible. We will always help each other, and be friends for life.
The Robotics ClubSean Buss ’15
The Robotics club is an awesome club! In it, the members get to use high-tech power tools to build a robot, to partici-pate in a competition hosted by the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Organization. It teaches leadership, teamwork, and tool skills. The FIRST Organization was founded by Dean Kamen to get kids from 12 to 18 interested in robotics. The FIRST competition now has member schools from Japan to Israel, all of which com-pete in the organization’s international competition.
This year’s competition is simple: it’s essentially a game of soccer, but with ob-stacles There are three zones, divided by “bumps.” The “bumps” are at a 45 degree angle, with a foot-long plateau on top. The objective is to have the robot use soccer balls to score points in two des-ignated goal areas. A goal results in one point, but if your robot manages to do a pull-up on a bar suspended over one of the “bumps,” you get two points for that, and three if another robot is suspended on your robot after that!
Our robot is well de-signed this year. It has an extremely powerful “kicker,” capable of clearing both bumps. It shipped on February 22, but the com-petition will be happening right around the time you’re reading this. In be-tween the shipping and the competition, we worked on our pull-up mechanism, and we will bring it to the competition to mount it if we choose. With this robot, we’re sure to win!
The Juggling Club: The Junior School’s Own Flying Fettuccine Brothers Trey Erbs ’15
Every Tuesday on B weeks, students come to the new Junior School commons to begin the transformation from normal students into jugglers. There are many who are juggling masters, like the Junior School President Michael Herman ’14, who can juggle fire while having a spin-ning plate in his mouth. Then there are the Form I students and newcomers who do not know how to juggle. Fr. Augustine, our leader and teacher, teaches us how to juggle and do tricks.
Everyone has fun in the juggling club. “Playing with the knives are fun!” says Bobby Onder, from the class of 2015. Obviously, he hasn’t tried to juggle with them! As a juggler myself, I find it fun, too...though I normally don’t play with the knives. However, I am trying to learn how to juggle three balls.
In conclusion, the Juggling Club is better than any other club.
Junior School NEWS
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winter 2010 issue 11
Priory From the Ground up:
An Architect’s Viewby Kevin Kerwin ’78
As an alumnus, I have always hoped to give back to the Priory community which had given so much to me. Through my profession as an architect, I have sought to achieve this goal by working with the monks on improvements to the campus.
While I have completed several projects at Priory in the past 20 years, I want to mention the recent additions and renovations to the Junior School and Athletic Facility, be-fore delving much more deeply into the Monastery, since the design principles used at the Monastery form the basis for subsequent work on the campus. My hope is to provide an understanding of the process and meaning of the proj-ects on which I have been involved, while sharing some of the joys that have come from my passion for Priory and architecture.
As an architect, I want to create meaningful places for my clients. I have found that buildings are valuable when they are relevant to their owners and users, and only through this relevancy do they have potential for beauty. By putting the goals of the people using the building at the forefront, rather than our own design preferences, we are able to be true advocates for our clients and their needs.
To facilitate this, we use a process called Discovery be-fore beginning design. It is a method of learning about our clients, their goals, the physical environment, and the opportunities and immediate difficulties surrounding the project. While it differs between assignments, the objective remains constant: to understand as much as possible about what will make a successful project for our client.
Today’s projects are very complex, requiring the involve-ment of many different disciplines to succeed. Projects are rarely, if ever, able to be credited to one person. The Priory projects are no exception. The monastic community, Martin Fitzgerald (Director of Administration and Facilities), the contractors and the design teams all worked together at their highest level to make these projects successful. With that, let’s begin with an overview of the unique place that is Priory.
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[OBServAtiOnSABOutPriOry:thePlAce]
1. The physical environment, along with the people that live there and use it make the place. Without this combina-tion, Priory would not be a place.
2. The church is the physical and sym-bolic center of the campus. It is special in its form, color, character, and use. The church has more of a relationship with the sky and light. It stands in stark contrast to its earthly surroundings. Because of this uniqueness of purpose embodied in its architecture, nothing else on the campus should compare or compete with it.
3. Other buildings on campus are built with brick, which is a modest building material when used simply. It is highly durable, formed from clay and connected to the earth. Since the church is related to the sky and light, it makes sense that the other buildings on campus be made from brick and rooted in the earth.
4. The land forms a park like setting with large vistas, over-story trees, and spatial zones. The first spatial zone frames the church, bounded by the main entrance
road, the monastery, and the high school. Radiating outward are the lawns connect-ing the High School, Science Wing, and Junior School. This spatial zone connects the major academic locations on the cam-pus, and beyond that are the components of the Athletics Program, including the Athletic Complex and playing fields.
[cAPitAlcAmPAignimPrOvementS]Junior School
Our objectives for the Junior School encompassed a few key points: make the space durable for a growing student body, give a sense of openness which would improve lighting and quality of sound as well as reducing congestion, and unify and connect the students to the greater campus in an environmentally respon-sible manner.
With this in mind, our program for the building included adding space for a new common room, a full science laboratory, two classrooms, a fine arts expansion, and faculty offices. In addition, the existing structure needed classroom and handi-capped accessibility improvements, as
well as infrastructure improvements such as new roofing and fire safety systems.
Athletic ComplexThe athletic facilities have been built
and added onto over a period of 50 years. While the structure and function of the buildings were good, the materials and finishes were worn. Because of the piece by piece additions, the building lacked unity and all visibility of purpose.
For a facility whose function was to support physical activity, the invisibility of that activity was not just ironic, it was ugly. And, as some of you may know, the lack of air conditioning, dehumidifica-tion, and fresh air flow made for a potent combination that needed serious work.
Our goal was to create a connection to the activities held within, while also invit-ing teams, fans, and visitors to a functional and modern facility. Thus, the program consisted of additional space for a weight and exercise area, an athletics instruction room, more handicapped accessible en-tries, and locker room enhancements.
In addition, we needed to add roofing, air conditioning, and sprinklers, as well
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as upgrading some of the materials and finishes throughout the facility.
An InvitationAfter learning about the design prin-
ciples embodied in the Monastery, walk the campus and tour the new facilities. The ideas you will read about in the Monastery section—form, materials, simplicity, and daylighting—were also incorporated in these recent projects.
[themOnAStery]“This place is a constant reminder
of who we are” – Abbot Thomas Frerking, OSB
ReflectionThe monastery is the most com-
prehensive project on which I have been involved. While the architecture deserves explanation, it was the experi-ence of working closely with the monks that must be shared. At the time, I was a Principal at Fox Architects. I was lead-ing the design effort at the firm and had been working to develop the design pro-cess described earlier. When I started the Monastery project, I did not foresee the gifts that would follow from my desire to do something for the monks.
Learning About the Monks’ NeedsThe monks were very articulate
about what they thought would make a successful monastery. It needed to physically represent their mission, em-bodying the following:
Who We Are — What We Believe How We Strive To Live
• Noble, beautiful, spiritual, hospitable, visibly austere, disciplined and simple• Not grand, gracious, gentle, clean, quality, tranquil, serene• Contemplative, prayerful, not delicate, human• Proportional, airy, church exemplifies the meaning of light: i.e. both day- light and weight• The monastery is neither institution- al nor homey• Frugal, we do not want what we do not need• Understand private areas, areas for noise, areas for quiet, encourage communication, foster silence• A place to “recharge,” physically and spiritually
• Sound and permanent, long lasting, like our Community• Welcome and recognize use by all of the generations of monks.
Looking back, I can’t say when Divine Intervention started, but it had to be about this time because these objectives were a very tall order. I understood a lot of what we needed to accomplish, but beautiful, spiritual and contemplative were a challenge. I couldn’t guess what the monks considered beautiful. I knew what the word contemplative meant, but at the time, I wasn’t sure how to form architecture that was contemplative.
Early in the Discovery process, during one of our weekly meetings, Fr. Gregory asked if I would like to spend some time with the monks in the monastery. While I had done observation before with cor-porate clients, I felt this might be a little different. I agreed. They arranged for me to spend the next weekend with them, to participate fully in their schedule, prayers, activities, meals, and lives.
I arrived on a Friday evening prior to Vespers, their evening prayer. We gath-ered in silence in the church. The monks began their prayer and it was immediately
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apparent to me what the monks consid-ered to be beautiful. Their prayers are sung across the choir, with half of the community on one side and half on the other, alternating verses. Their prayer is directly connected to beauty. Their lives are devoted to this beauty—their connec-tion to God. This needed to be celebrated in the new structure.
Geometry and OpportunitiesThe existing monastery consisted of
two buildings. The original monastery (M1), was approximately 40 years old. The ground floor housed monastic of-fices and the upper floor contained the monks’ cells (living quarters). The sec-ond building (M2), was approximately 15 years old at the time and it served as the
monks’ reception parlor and common areas: the refectory, the calefactory, and the monastic chapel. While M1 would be demolished, M2 showed potential for renovation. Ideas would be developed that incorporated the partial re-use of the building within the new plan.
The new monastery would have some very specific needs in mind: the ability to support the lives of 30 monks, including comfortable and supportive spaces for the elderly and infirm, monastic com-munity space and offices, a library and teaching space for the novices, a sacristy for the church, a reception and meeting space for interaction with the world, and a place for guests of the monastery, sepa-rate from the monks’ cloistered spaces.
Because the monastery is in such close proximity to the church, it present-ed some challenges. The Priory church is timeless, austere, and pure. Its geometry is both simply and exceedingly complex. Any design considerations for a new monastery needed to be respectful of the church. And, if possible, the design should strengthen the church’s presence and purpose. This was also a very tall or-der, but there was a lot in place to draw from.
We determined that the existing monastery (M1) was as close as any build-ing should be built to the church, maybe even a little too close. It was fairly low in height, but if we needed to build higher, we might also need to put the new build-ing farther from the church, so it would
A very simple approach of perfect-ing and formalizing the geometry of the buildings around the church could strengthen the placement of the church within the campus.
Organizing the monks’ cells around a cloister courtyard could be symbolic of the unity of purpose of the monastic Community.
Creating visibility towards the church could be a way of celebrat-ing the purpose of the Community.
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TThe decision to demolish the original
monastery to build a new one was diffi-cult, as monks tend to be frugal. But upon consideration, it was clear that this was necessary for them in order to continue their mission. To do this, a few large trees would need to be cleared. This proved to be a point of contention. These particu-lar oaks had been planted by Abbot Luke when the monks arrived from Ampleforth. They now faced a sudden end after only 50 years.
I had heard stories of monks planting trees in one century for harvesting and construction in the next. Abbot Luke liked the idea that these might be used to make the new front doors, and so the trees were felled and sent to the kiln for drying. For They were mostly forgotten until about a year later when I got a call from the de-tailer over at Gravois Planing Mill.
In the construction industry, there can be very direct conversations. This was one of those times. The detailer told me that he didn’t think he could do much of anything with the wood. He kindly mentioned that “it was total ”****” and further noted that he “wouldn’t even build a tree house for his kid out of the stuff.” The wood had large
splits, open knot holes and huge discolor-ing mineral streaks. He offered to throw it out and start over with good wood.
By the time we were finishing our conversation, I was pretty sure that we had exactly what we needed to make the front doors. The imperfect becoming something useful and beautiful seemed perfect for monks on their spiritual jour-ney. Doorways are probably the single most physical architectural symbol of transformation. When I headed to the mill to inspect the wood, I’m sure that the detailer thought I was insane.
The wood was exactly as the detailer had described it. It wasn’t even structur-ally sound enough for making doors. We agreed that a core could be made for the doors out of stable, solid wood. Then, half inch thick planks of the imperfect wood could be laminated onto that core. The splits and knots were filled with resin and bronze door pulls were forged in the shape of the Abbatial Cross.
Although the entrance would be rough and imperfect, it proved to be a good fit for the design of the building and needs of the monastic community.
The Story of the Doorsnot compete with the structure. The existing monastery did not align with the circumference width of the church, so putting it into alignment with the church might actually strengthen the formal geometry.
[eArlycOncePtS]We already had thoughts about the
position and footprint of the building from the three opportunities sketches. The footprint would be driven by the layout of the second floor of the mon-astery, specifically by the arrangement of the monks’ cells. It would be laid out to align with the church, integrate the cloister shape, and attach to the main portion of M2.
Planning wise, things would come together neatly. Public spaces, mo-nastic offices, the sacristy, the senior monks living quarters, and a monastic chapel fit well into the ground floor of the new structure, and would use about the same amount of area as the monks’ cells above. M2 would still serve as the refectory, calefactory, and garage, with the new library fitting into the existing chapel space.
A Calm, Tranquil, and Contemplative Place
While addressing these issues, one question occupied our thoughts: How do we make a calm, tranquil, and con-templative place? Fortunately, I was able to look to my past experiences for some ideas.
During my studies in architecture school, I spent a semester studying in Denmark. Places such as the Louisiana Museum in Denmark and the cloister and church of Le Mont Saint Michel in Normandy struck me as particularly calm and contemplative. However, Le Corbusier’s Church in Ronchamp, France was by far and away the most contemplative place I had ever ex-perienced, and stuck with me as I considered the monks’ needs.
To conceptualize these ideas, I asked the design team to gather photographs of great architecture that they thought was calm and contemplative, with the stipulation that they not just focus on religious architecture.
They selected houses, offices, muse-ums, parks and some religious buildings that had been built over 15 centuries worth of history and style. Despite that
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large breadth of time, we agreed that each of these buildings shared a certain tranquility.
And so, we started asking questions. What was it about these places that made them feel contemplative? They all had two things in common: First, there was no artificial lighting contributing to the lighting effect, in the buildings. They were all awash with gradations of natu-ral daylight.
Second, the use of material and color was limited to very harmonious, analogous colors, which we would later discover builds lighting effect. Those two realizations were the key. We needed to be considering how natural light would help form the spaces in the new monastery. Enlightenment
With this discovery, we developed many options for the form of the mon-astery in order to understand the way natural light would enter it. We built models with light monitors and cleresto-ries, as well as a model of the church.
Initially, the design options were all too complex. They all had too much form. It was clear when the study models were placed on the site that the building would compete with the church. In ad-dition, our daylighting ideas at the time would only add to cost, without doing anything for the natural lighting of the ground floor.
In reviewing the studies, we realized that we could use the light reflecting off of the earth’s surface. Very few build-ings purposefully take advantage of this light, it would be a unique opportunity to create dramatically different lighting effects. This out of the ordinary effect could be surprisingly simple in execu-tion, to the point where many people wouldn’t notice what caused it.
Chris DeGuentz, one of the design team members, developed a concept that essentially brought a clerestory form to the outside wall of the building which, when integrated into the wall, simply made a taller glass and brick wall.
By holding the heads of the windows all the way up to the ceiling, there would be no beam or portion of wall that would obstruct the entrance of daylight across the ceilings. We could wash the ground floor and the second floor ceilings with daylight, creating a gentle atmosphere of light gradients throughout the spaces and reducing the visual contrast between inside and outside.
The building was organized and proportioned in such a way that there could almost always be light entering the spaces from multiple directions. We focused on details that would hold all of the structure for the roof and the second floor within their respective in-terstitial spaces. All of the ceilings were designed as continuous planes, with no bulkheads that would have interrupted the flow of the space and light.
Study Model for Daylighting showing ceiling lighting & gradation effect - second floor
Study Model for Daylighting showing ceiling lighting & gradation effect - first floor
Daylighting in the clois-ter walk - first floor
Daylighting in the cloister walk - second floor
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The ceilings on the ground floor were set higher and the window openings made large enough to be perceived as colonnades because the spaces would be used primarily by groups of people. In contrast, the scale and proportion of the second floor windows would be different from the first floor. They were scaled more for use by individuals, and vertically proportioned in order to create a wall with window openings instead of a colonnade.
Additionally, the ceiling of the second floor would receive more light if it sloped upward to the outside (the clerestory effect). The combination of first and second floor proportions correspond harmoniously with the lay-ering of the arches on the church. To achieve this, the details were studied to the exact brick course, with ceilings on the ground floor set at exactly 10’ 2.25” to align with the masonry openings.
[FOundAtiOnSinFriendShiP]
In the end, anything extra (build-ing form, materials, details) would stand out in the context of the church and the monks’ lives. It would feel
ostentatious, and not at all con-gruous with the purity of the church and the monks’ mission. The process of detailing the building became a reductive process, taking ev-erything out that wasn’t necessary, and constantly checking that we were not adding anything for the sake of design. The entire design team functioned with this idea guiding our activities.
Throughout the development of the monastery, and all of the projects at Priory, I have had a very close working relationship with the monks. Their devo-tion to their mission and their sensitivity
to the place is the foundation of these projects’ success. Without that relationship, our work would have never approached the final form.
That opportunity is also where the idea of “giv-ing back” takes a turn. As I got to know, appreciate, and depend on the monks’ care-ful insight, I also became the beneficiary of tremendous gifts. The monks make decisions with great care. Listening and inter-acting gave me insight, which is incorporated into much of the way we work today at HKW.
I am the beneficiary of friendships, support and knowl-edge that I could never have anticipated. Most importantly,
working with them has helped me rec-ognize the presence of the Holy Spirit among us.
We now approach all of our work in this manner. Once we have zeroed in on what is necessary and relevant for our clients and the people who will experi-ence the place, we then work to reduce everything else. This approach leads to innovation, client advocacy, and lon-gevity. Looking into history at great buildings, we see the ones that stand the test of time are recognized for this very clear focus. In some small way, my goals as an architect reflect that intention.
DAYLIGHT REFLECTING OFF OF EARTH'S SURFACE LIGHTS THE BOTTOM OF AN OBJECT. THE OBJECT WILL BE TINTED THE COLOR OF THE REFLECTING SURFACE.
OBJECT
HOW DAYLIGHT WORKS
DIRECT LIGHT
SUN
EARTH
DIRECT LIGHT
REFLECTED LIGHT
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How it Works:Admission ProcessDeacon Tom Mulvihill ’80
Prior to experiencing it with my son, Brecht ’08, my memory of the Priory Admission pro-cess consisted of a vivid recollection of my circa 1973 interview with then Headmaster Father Timothy Horner. I was escorted into his office, and the smell of pipe tobacco told me at once that I was not at Little Flower School any more, and should not expect to see a fa-miliar Dominican nun’s habit turn the corner. I was directed to a wing back chair that could have swallowed this 11-year-old whole, and as my mother waited patiently in the hall, I was asked of my interests and my own, albeit slant-ed, appraisal of my abilities.
Somewhere along the line, Father Timothy reached behind him to the overstuffed bookshelves, and, with-out looking, grabbed a copy of Virgil’s Aeneid, fanned it open to the beginning passage and handed it across the desk. “Let’s see if you can read,” he suggested. I looked at the open book and there on the left hand page it began, “Arma virumque cano…”, while on the right hand page, “Of arms and a man I sing…”
When I asked from which side he would have me read, he said, “Let’s start with the English.” For the rest of the inter-view I was petrified that we would, indeed, get back to the left side, and I would have to precari-ously stumble through those famed Latin verses written in heroic hex-ameter in the presence of someone, I could only surmise, knew quite a bit more about the lan-guage than I.
For most, unless you have had a younger brother or son admitted to Priory recently, you
may be unfamiliar with the current Admission process. Here is brief overview of how it works:
Interested candidates are invited to apply for admission to Priory in one of two ways: the Regular Admission Program is for boys presently in the sixth grade, while the Early Decision Program is for boys in the fifth grade. Both programs allow one to apply to the School, be evaluated, and to be offered enrollment for the seventh grade year, upon meeting Priory’s admission standards.
In either case, the boy visits the School for a half-day and then makes application by late January. Notification of the
Admission decision is given in mid-March and is based on as-sessment of each candidate in three main categories:
1) Intellectual Ability
Generally speaking, this is determined by both the standardized tests given in regular course in school, and the common entrance exami-nation required by nearly all independent schools in St. Louis (presently the “ISEE” test).
2) Academic Achievement
This consists of a student’s transcript and tells of a boy’s performance to date in his cur-rent academic setting.
3) Character and Citizenship
We assess the “intangible” qualities here, including ex-tracurricular interests, community involvement, teacher recommendations and the results of the interview (which now includes the parents…and does NOT require the applicant to read Latin!).
It is worth noting that while the Office of Admission co-ordinates the process, none of it can take place without the cooperation and support of alumni, parents, faculty and, most importantly, the students who escort our candidates through their visit and are truly our greatest ambassadors.
For more information on the Admission process, includ-ing numerous volunteer opportunities, please contact Deacon Tom Mulvihill, Director of Admission. (Phone: 314.434.3690, ext. 151 or email: [email protected])
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Billy Busch ’78While my life has been very blessed,
I have not only been able to experience the joy of receiving, but also that of giv-ing, instilled in me by my family and experiences. One place I learned about giving back was growing up on Grant’s Farm. There, my parents instilled in us a strong work ethic and humility. Working on the farm and caring for the animals was something in which we took pride.
There was nothing and no one for whom we were too good: our employees were some of our best friends, and hard work a way to prove ourselves. Sharing the beauty of our farm with the public was one way to give back to the commu-nity; when guests toured Grant’s Farm, there was always a sense of pride and happiness because they could enjoy this wonderful place just as our family had.
I was fortunate, also, that my parents sent me to the best schools. I attended Priory back in the seventies and have a deep appreciation for what I learned there. I grew academically, spiritually,
and physically. I realized that I had a great passion for football, which really enriched my time at Priory. I can still remember my teammates, their po-sitions, our games, and a lot of the individual plays. In fact, I still maintain relationships with some of the coaches to this day. How lucky I am to have such great memories of my high school and to have learned so many valuable lessons about giving, both in the class-room and on the football field.
Anheuser-Busch, which was started by my Great-Grandfather, is another example that helped me understand the responsibility of giving and the joy it brings. All of the Busch family mem-bers who led the company understood the importance of giving, not only to the consumer, but also to its employ-ees, community, country and the world. Under Busch leadership, the company always maintained a relationship with its employees that treated each employ-ee as a member of its family.
This relationship was based on car-ing for each other and a deep, mutual respect. My father coined the phrase “Making friends is our business,” to em-phasize just how important caring and giving back is. Anheuser-Busch was al-ways a leader in giving to our American troops in times of war and to anywhere in the world when disasters struck. In giving, you receive, and a large part of the success surrounding Anheuser-Busch was its ability to give.
I myself was blessed to have met and married the girl of my dreams. Together, we have seven awesome children. My oldest, Billy, Jr., is a senior at Priory. He understands the impor-tance of hard work, humility and passion. Academically, he has met the challenges Priory offered him. He stays humble, recognizing he has been given a lot and he un-derstands that doesn’t make him better than anyone else. Instead, he is learning that it is his responsibility to give
back. He, too, has a passion for football and was able to excel in the sport.
When the opportunity arose, my wife, Christi, my children, and I were very happy to give back by providing a football field to Priory. In giving, we enjoyed a wonderful gift when we were able to watch Billy and the Priory foot-ball team play two state playoff games on Busch Field. What a joy it was to see all the people and such great games on those sunny, fall Saturday afternoons. I believe God gave us a glimpse of the happiness that the new football field will continue to give so many boys and their families. My family and I are grate-ful to have been able to donate it.
The joy of giving is amazing, es-pecially when giving to a worthwhile cause. The Priory alumni understand what a great school Priory is and how it prepares a student to honor God in the real world. We all know how important our kids are for our future. Priory takes this responsibility very seriously. We are grateful for the privilege to be able to help Priory continue this important work.
Allan Link ’73When I graduated high school in
1973, I could never have imagined how large a role Priory would play in my life. I had enjoyed my experience greatly, and had made a few friends. Little did I know that some of my classmates, who weren’t
AlumniProfilesFinding Opportunities to give back
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necessarily my best friends while I was a student, would become lifelong friends. Perhaps more surprising is that the monks and lay faculty, who at the time were just teachers to me, have grown to be people I admire and now call my good friends.
After graduating from Duke University and then Washington University School of Dentistry, I opened my practice in St. Louis in July of 1981. It didn’t take long before those classmates, lay faculty, and monks I mentioned started becoming my patients. By the time my sons were students, most of the Monastery was switching over to me as their dentist. Thus, I was able to use my skills as a professional to help Priory, which continues into the present day. As a result, my relationship with Priory continued to grow.
When the first of my three boys to at-tend Priory (that would be Jay ’04, later to be joined by Matthew ’07, and Drew ’10) reached Form III, I started making jewelry for Xanadu. For those of you wondering, it’s not actually as strange as it sounds. In dental school, I had done lab work with metals for extra money, so there it wasn’t much different to make imprints of the Priory ring or carvings of the church into tuxedo studs, cufflinks, and pendants in gold or silver.
In 2005, when Drew was in Form I, I started a six year commitment as Chair of the Priory Father/Son Banquet. Today, as some of you know, the Banquet is quite different from years past. Now, the students are the program, utilizing their talents in music and public speaking to make for a fun evening. In addition, we have an alumnus, a retired faculty mem-ber, or a father speak as part of the larger program. It truly has become a night full of enjoyment for all, which I don’t think I could have accomplished without the trust and support of the monks.
As my last son graduates this year and I say good-bye to chairing the Father/Son Banquet, I know my relationship with the Abbey and School is simply transi-tioning into a new phase. Currently, I’m an Advisor, and I’ll continue in that role until my term expires. And, as long as the monks are happy with my services, I’ll be honored to continue as their den-tist. In between those routine cleanings, I will enjoy making Priory jewelry for Xanadu. And, maybe someday I will be able to fulfill a dream of mine to teach AP
Economics at Priory, putting to good use that BA in Economics I earned at Duke. But no matter what, I look forward to the future, together with my friends in the Abbey family.
Jim Davis ’98With only 50 to 60 students per class,
Priory’s ability to field so many sports and academic teams never ceases to amaze me. The school’s concerted effort to encourage extracurricular exploration has successfully created class after class of renaissance men. The curriculum and activities provided me with a broad plat-form from which I could have pursued any number of fields. I fondly remem-ber participating in activities ranging from the calligraphy guild to TEAM+S to mock trial. My experiences at Priory, particularly in the areas of math, sci-ence, history, advocacy and even Latin, guided me on a path to become a patent attorney.
Ten years after I first participated on the Priory mock trial team, I was hon-ored to have the opportunity to be a part of the team again as a coach. When I graduated from law school, I found myself back in St. Louis during a two-year judicial clerkship. I contacted Jerry Miller to see how Priory’s Mock Trial Team was doing and learned that the ju-nior varsity team was in need of a coach. I spent the next several months meeting once or twice a week with a group of ten eager freshman and sophomores. We
analyzed a mock case file in much the same way law students do during trial advocacy class. The season culminated in a regional competition where the students were able to exercise the skills they had learned before actual judges and mock jurors.
The following year, 2007, Mr. Miller asked if I could coach the varsity team along with two other volunteer attor-neys: Ted MacDonald, father of Joe ’06, and Gretchen Myers, mother of Will Godar ’07. Through the season, the stu-dents attended practice after practice honing their skills and perfecting their arguments. In the end, their hard work truly paid off. After winning the state competition against several very tough teams, Priory went on to take fourth place in the nation.
Over the course of each season, I witnessed students with little to no experience in public speaking gain con-fidence not just in their ability to speak in front of a group of people, but also to formulate cogent arguments on their feet. Having had the benefit of these same experiences years earlier, I know that these skills will continue to pay off regardless of each student’s career path. The skills have helped me in plenty of areas outside the courtroom, including everything from job interviews to busi-ness meetings to simple discussions. It was an honor to be able to share what I had learned with the next generation.
As Priory continues to evolve, more and more opportunities seem to arise for alumni to volunteer their time and share their wealth of experience and knowledge
Alex Kline ’76Growing up, I did not realize that
St. Louis was the soccer capital of America – St. Louis University won about a dozen of the first 15 national champion-ships when the NCAA started awarding the title in 1959. Soccer was just part of the culture: Mike “Molloy-the-Boy” Molloy ’76 and I had these wonderful games in Shaw Park in Clayton with the Will-Wall & O’Neill family clans, dur-ing summers in the early to mid-70s, with running field commentary and great nicknames for all the regulars like “Chooch,” “The Magician,” and “Whale.”
Unfortunately, I went through a 13-year period of disabling back pain in my 30s and early 40s and thought I would
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never run again, much less play contact sports like soccer or ice hockey. However, I was able to resume them about six years ago, and soccer has become a big part of my life again. I may not be religious, but when it comes to soccer, I do appreciate the story of Lazarus.
In 2005, for my 25th college reunion, I organized a reunion soccer game for former varsity players at Stanford, and found it was a great way to reconnect and play some good soccer. I decided to try it at Priory when I came home for my 30th high-school reunion in 2006. Julie Constantino was very supportive and enthusiastic, as was coach John Mohrmann, just off his historic 26-0-0 perfect season.
My old buddy George Ahlering ’76 lives right across the road from Priory, and I persuaded him and some other St. Louis-based alums like Jim Carter ’76, Dan Sheehan ’76, Marty Cargas ’77, and John Hickey ’77 to dust off their cleats. Classmate John Geisse ’76, and Matt Hogan ’78, flew in from California, wary of the prospect of pulling half the muscles in their legs. We managed to get good turnout from other years as well, including Priory soccer legend Paul Beuttenmuller ’74. It was a perfect early fall afternoon in St. Louis, the cicadas were buzzing, I was surrounded with fa-miliar faces I might otherwise never have seen again, and the Beautiful Game was afoot. I might as well have been romping
in the Elysian Fields.
In subsequent years we’ve gotten great turnouts, with other Priory soccer legends from after my time there–it took a while before I was informed of their impressive soccer pedigrees–showing up. But my inspirational favorite is Jim Hawkins, the father of my classmate John ’76. Jim has played every year, and last year he was, if I’m not mistaken, 80 years old. He definitely makes the case that 80 is the new 50 – he’s still a very effective player.
I play in what I call Geezer Soccer tournaments that draw teams from around the world, and the oldest player
I’ve heard of was a 77 year-old Japanese man. I told Jim Hawkins he might be the oldest competitive soccer player in America. He wryly responded he was not sure he wanted to carry that burden, but I think it’s a badge of honor, and a fitting testament to the enduring soccer culture of St. Louis.
I may have my reservations about be-ing religious, but I will allow that with a little assistance from on high, I hope to maintain the tradition of the annual alumni soccer game for many years to come.
Mr. Marty McCabe gave countless hours of service and dedication to Saint Louis Priory School and its students during his 38 years of employ-ment. He held the positions of teacher, advisor, form master, yearbook moderator, admission director, athletic director, head basketball coach and head baseball coach.
It is a fitting tribute to Mr. McCabe to have his name forever associ-ated with the new Priory Baseball Field. A group of alumni stepped forward in the Building on the Promise Capital Campaign to secure this naming right in honor of Mr. McCabe. Now it is time to dedicate the field and celebrate with Marty.
McCabe Field DedicationFriday,may7,2010
4:00-4:30 p.m. Ceremony on the Baseball Field
4:30-5:30 p.m. Stay and enjoy the game
5:30-6:30 p.m. Reception on the patio on the west side of the gymnasium
Even if you are unable to attend the ceremony, celebrate with Marty at the reception.
McCabe Field Dedication
Alex Kline on right
[priory] magazine22
Just before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Father Gregory and I had the pleasure of traveling to California to visit alumni near Los Angeles and San Francisco. We spent two evenings with our alumni, delving into their lives, re-counting stories about the school, and sharing good news from Priory.
There is a certain energy that is evoked whenever the Priory family gathers, which was keenly present at these two events. You can speak to anyone, tracing some com-mon thread between your lives, though your graduations be separated by years or even decades.
While Northern and southern California maintain their own personalities, Priory cut through those boundaries.
That is an awesome testament to Priory’s ability to bind folks together in an ongoing relationship.
I’d be hard-pressed to define the spirit, but I can tell you that it pervades all of our events, whether in or out-of-town. While we’re still growing and developing our Alumni Outreach program, the joy of being able to foster personal connection to our community is at the heart of all we do.
There might be some false starts, but our first step will always be to reach out. In partnership with our alumni, I am convinced that these events are the next step in our community growth. Ultimately, the driving goal is to be personally available in meaningful ways.
NEWPORT BEACHPriory Firsts:Alumni Evenings in CaliforniaMichael Turco ’04
SAN FRANCISCO
winter 2010 issue 23
NEWPORT BEACH
Thinking about the nine alumni we hosted in Newport Beach and then 14 alumni we hosted in San Francisco, each event had varying degrees of success. Though our Newport venue was challenged by a noisy atmosphere and lengthy commute, our alumni were eager to reconnect. I look forward to the continued evolution of this event, and the strong participation and leadership of our alumni.
In a different way, our San Francisco event showed us just how deeply involved our established members want to be. In listening to them, I was excited to learn about the
tremendous opportunities to foster closer ties between them and newly minted alumni, which I will explore and develop this year.
Thanks to the valuable insight many of you have of-fered, we can hone in on your needs as professionals and as alumni of Saint Louis Priory School. Here’s to the de-velopment of our out-of-town communities —it will be our alumni who help Priory achieve this goal.
SAN FRANCISCO
[priory] magazine24
Saturday, April 17, 2010Line Up of Activities
5:00 p.m. ................ Mass in the Corley Gym
6:00 p.m. ....................... Trolley Rides Begin
6:00 – 9:00 p.m. ......... Activities at the Gym, Athletic Fields & Junior School
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. .................Wine and Cheese
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ...................Appetizer Buffet
8:30 – 9:30 p.m. ...........Dessert/St. Louis Fire and Ice Cream Truck
We recognized that there are many families who could not afford to send their sons to Priory
without some form of tuition assistance. Pro-ceeds from this event will help make it possible for one fourth of our students to attend Priory.
and Celebrate our PROGRESS! Jump on the trolley and...
• Catch a pass or kick a field goal on the new Priory Football Field with assistance from Priory football players. Or, have a Schlafly Beer and a Gus’ pretzel and watch from the sidelines.
• At the Junior School, view a video presentation, “Priory’s Progress in the Making,” shown on our new smart board featuring state-of-the-art classroom technology, enjoy a Stained Glass demonstration in the new Studio or listen to student musicians perform in the Commons.
• End the evening with a music, fire show and Ted Drewes all served up from an antique fire engine.
PR
O
GRESSIVE
P
A R T Y
Ticket Prices:$50 ....................................................... Young Alumni (Classes of 1998-2009)$75 ......................................................................................Regular Admission$35 .....................................................Underwrite a monk/faculty/staff ticketPurchase Tickets Online .......................... http://webstore.stlprioryschool.org
Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Rain or Shine | Casual Attire
For more information, call Carol Burcke at 314.434.3690, ext. 361
Letter from the Headmaster
Acknowledgements:
editor:Michael Turco
designer:Shelly Kurtz
director of development and public relations:Julie Lohr
photography:Bobby DonnellySam Fentress PhotographyNim FrostBrother Cassian Koenemann, OSBShelly KurtzJerry Naunheim PhotographyRico SalmonJeanne SwaneyMichael TurcoFrank Van Bree
contributors:Sean BussTrey ErbsMichael HaueisenKevin KerwinGregg MuenchDeacon Tom MulvihillJohn NotterAris SevastianosRick SuarezMichael TurcoFather Augustine Wetta, OSB
headmasterFather Michael Brunner, OSB
associate headmasterJoseph Gleich
alumni president
Philip Willman ’71
Priory Magazineis published three times a year by the Office of Development and Public Relations for alumni, parents, students and friends of Saint Louis Priory School. We welcome reader contributions and encourage submissions. Questions or comments may be addressed to Michael Turco at [email protected].
Please Visit Our Websites:http://www.stlprioryschool.orghttp://www.stlprioryalumni.org
Address Changes and Correspondence:Development and Public Relations OfficeSaint Louis Abbey/Saint Louis Priory School500 South Mason RoadSt. Louis, MO 63141Telephone: 314.434.3690 ext. 326E-mail: [email protected]
On my first visit to Priory in 1993, I met my first Priory alum-nus, long before I ever met a Priory student. Fr. Miles, who was then vocation director, took me to a varsity football game at Lutheran North, and there was Jim McAtee ’64 leading the cheers. His son, Kevin ’97, was on the field crushing the Lutherans’ football faith with his good footworks.
Consequently, when I think of alumni, Jim stands out in my mind for what alumni do and mean for Priory: a cheerleader, supporter and counselor. I have seen him working on our advisory board, supporting his wife Pat’s work on Xanadu, sending his son to Priory, and opening his home to orphan monks on New Year’s. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of other things he has worked on and ways that he has helped that I don’t even know about.
No, this Priory Magazine issue is not all about Jim McAtee. It’s about our alumni who help us continue our mission of education, service and evangelization. We are blessed that there are so many alumni like Jim who keep us going in so many ways. Once a member of the Priory family, always a member—like that indelible mark on the soul we learned about in the Baltimore Cat-echism.
I look forward every year to homecoming, at which our Alumni community—led by chefs Tom Plunkert ’70 and Steve Nangle ’67—feeds us well because it brings back so many indelibly marked friends to our campus. Rebel Rendezvous, when the young alumni come back to share their wisdom, begins each new school year.
Nothing has spoken more loudly to me about the power of our alumni than the wake and fu-neral of Denny Yemm ’73, who had served as our Alumni Board president. His schoolmates turned out in force and showed the real meaning of the Priory family. In the same way, they all stood be-hind Iggy Yuan ’74, who endured the terrible shooting in the Kirkwood City Council chambers.
Our alumni do so much for us. The senior retreat, which we just finished, wouldn’t be the same without them. They have joined the monastery and the lay faculty/staff, injecting new life into our 1500 year old Benedictine bones. They have become both institutional friends and personal friends. The monk’s smiles would not be so bright without Drs. Allan Link ’73 and Steve Willibrand ’76, and Father Timothy has often reflected on the irony of falling into the surgical hands of Dr. Frank Merenda ’61. For me, the high point of my priesthood occurred last summer when I officiated at the weddings of two alumni students of mine, Dave Binz ’01 and Jeff McGovern ’03.
Neither Priory nor the world would be the same without our alumni. They are doctors, law-yers, educators, actors, musicians, leaders of business, soldiers, striving to use their full potential as children of God to build up His kingdom.
There are many benefits to being at Priory, but I think the best is that the friendships made here last for life.
Laus Tibi Domine.
On December 12, 2009, The Luke Rigby Award was presented to Peter Benoist ‘66 at the Abbey Society Dinner.
Xanadu celebrated in Mardi Gras style on February 6, 2010. Again, the Mothers’ Club pulled off a fabulous Xanadu led by Chair Mary Reitz and Co-Chair Dawn Thomas.
Saint LouiS Priory SchooL 500 South Mason Road Saint Louis, Missouri 63141-8500
Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDSt. Louis, MO
Permit NO. 2618
McCabe Field DedicationFriday, May 7, 20104:00 p.m. Dedication5:30 p.m. ReceptionBaseball Field/Athletics Complex
Alumni PicnicSunday, May 16, 201010:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Grant’s Farm
Saint Louis Priory Golf ScrambleFriday, June 11, 201011:30 a.m. Activities BeginGateway National Golf Links
A formal invitation will follow for each event
PRIORYsaint louis priory school winter 2010 issue
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