St. Bernard holds Alumni Reunion 2009

St. Bernard recently held Alumni Reunion 2009 for the alumni of St. Bernard College, Junior College, High School and Prep School the weekend of June 26th , 27th and 28th. Alumni from Puerto Rico to California gathered for the weekend to renew their friendships and remember the stories of their time at St. Bernard.

The weekend began with an Alumni Golf Scramble held at Chesley Oaks Golf Course with over 40 players participating. Tee time was at 9:00 am on Friday, June 26th and golfers were on the course will early afternoon. A luncheon was served at the club house of the golf course during which the winners received their prizes and recognitions.

At 9:30 am on Saturday a reception for the alumni was held in the newly renovated Ave Maria Grotto gift shop and gardens. The gift shop displayed an expanded sales area as well as a porch veranda and new exhibits and displays. Several alumni expressed delight in seeing the newly erected bronze statue of Br. Joseph placed across from the main altar in the Grotto garden.

A town hall meeting conducted by Fr. Marcus Voss and Abbot Cletus Meagher was held in the Switcher Classroom Building to update the alumni on the life and activities of St. Bernard Abbey and School. It was reported that the Abbey continues to grow and recently receive five new candidates into its formation program. The students in the school continue to excel as is evident from the $3 million in scholarship awarded to the thirty-three seniors who graduated this year. The economic downturn has had a negative impact on the investments for both the abbey and the school. Both Fr. Marcus and Abbot Cletus underscored the important role the alumni play in helping the Abbey and School meet the current financial challenges. Immediately following the presentation, a question and answer session followed. At the conclusion of the meeting, lunch was served in the Dining Hall.

The Alumni Mass was celebrated at 4:30 pm in the Abbey Church with Abbot Cletus as the main celebrant. In this homily, Abbot Cletus spoke of the life of faith that we all share and expressed his thanks for the blessings we all have received.

The Alumni Reception and Banquet, which was held in the Fazi-Richard Athletic Center, followed the celebration of Mass. Anniversary classes had their pictures taken as the alumni gathered for a delightful evening of good food, long conversations and dancing.