ALUMNI WEEKEND 2013 HUGH SUCCESS
St. Bernard again held its
4-day Alumni Celebration June 27-30, welcoming approximately 300 of its alumni and
family members back for the annual reunion.
Although many alumni return every year, this year St. Bernard honored
the classes of 1943, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1988, 1993,
1998, 2003, and 2008.
Thursday
A Golf Reception held in
the Brahma Room was the first event; golfers and friends gathered to receive
their team assignments and had the opportunity to meet other players. Traditionally,
teams “bid on a monk” at this reception, raising funds for the school by vying
for monks to become members of their team.
Registration was handled
in the Conference Center of Boniface Hall, manned by Carol and Chris Rooney
(C’63). St. Bernard memorabilia and
yearbooks were on display.
Friday
Alumnus Fred Frye (C’55),
coordinated the Golf Scramble. Fifty-four
golfers took to the greens at Chesley Oaks Golf Course to participate in the
St. Bernard Scramble on Friday, June 28. The overall winning team, with a score of 57,
consisted of members of the class of 1972, Harry Davies, Carl Kuchler, Bill McCann,
and Tom Martin. Tom Dallett, Joe Franey,
and Jim Lewis took second overall awards.
The first place College team was the Class of 1957 which included Jim Smith,
Richard Calvin, Jerry Sullivan, and Carol Rooney, as well as Fr. Jacob Amos. The winning Prep School team was made up of Wade
Knight, John Arndt, Josh Arndt, and Keith Messick. Fred Frye donated all prizes, including an
original artwork by Joe Jahraus for each winner. Jahraus
is an award-winning artist who was Hallmark’s Creative Director. A delicious lunch of BBQ, potato salad, slaw,
baked beans and cookies prepared by Carey Craig of Chesley Oaks, and was served
in the Clubhouse where awards were presented.
Festivities continued for
reunion participants on Friday evening with a Barn Hoedown held in the new
Performing Arts Center, the Abbey Byre. Julie
Butts welcomed each attendee with a souvenir bandana. Classmates and their families renewed acquaintances
while feasting on hoedown-themed hor d’oeuvres provided by Chef Allie Foster (C’2005) and
crew. Mini BBQ sandwiches, BLTs, Shrimp
Cocktail, Polenta & Mushrooms, and Strawberry Shortcake were on the
menu. Current students of St. Bernard
Prep served the alumni, while Mark Pudles and Buster Ross, both parents of
current students, volunteered to serve libations; Mark and Buster also
volunteered for Saturday’s festivities as well.
Saturday
Bright and early on
Saturday morning, about two dozen alumni plus other friends and family gathered
at the trailhead of The Trails of Saint Bernard, to brave a 5K Run/Walk,
coordinated by Roger Blaylock. Meanwhile,
less awake guests were treated to a breakfast in the school Dining Hall, presented
by Chef Allie and crew. Alumni and
families strolled around the campus to get reacquainted with their alma mater
and to revisit favorite school haunts.
Many former students were found in the Administration building, looking
at the class photos, which date back to 1890s.
Numerous stories were told of campus antics and escapades.
Mid-morning, a large
number of alumni gathered at the new Abbey Byre for the Arts (renovated Barn)
to take part in the Rededication and Blessing of this new performing arts
center. Abbot Cletus Meagher invited
everyone to join in the blessing of the “new” facility.
Fr. Marcus Voss followed
the blessing with the Annual Town Hall meeting in which he thanked attendees for
their loyal support and told about all the accomplishments St. Bernard students
and monks have achieved in the past year, as well as the progress the Abbey has
made in capital improvements. He
presented a number of materials, including the new Capital Campaign for St.
Bernard, and the Prep School Viewbook.
Abbot Cletus continued the
meeting with a presentation on the status of The Clairvaux Society, St.
Bernard’s planned estate gift program, and an update on The Columbarium. A short documentary trailer of “Brother
Joseph and the Grotto” was presented and all were invited to return on October
17, 2013 for the Film Premiere of the documentary to be held here at St.
Bernard in the Abbey Byre. Materials on
each project were made available to the alumni.
After lunch in the Dining
Hall, several alumni took advantage of St. Bernard’s many athletic facilities
including an Alumni Soccer Game and a Tennis match on the Robert Blevins
Courts. There were no takers on the
Softball game that Robert Bucella tried to organize—“too hot!” Late in the afternoon the alumni attended the
Alumni Vigil Mass held in the Abbey Church.
The culmination of the
reunion was held on Saturday evening with a plated dinner of roast beef with
all the accouterments . Joyce Nix
oversaw all the table décor which included an elegant theme of black/white with
fine china and gorgeous blue hydrangeas.
Alumni and guests were served by current students of St. Bernard Prep
School. Guests were entertained by a
special tribute slide show to the classes of 1969-1979, created by alumnus John
J. King, college class of 1973.
The prep school class of
2003 opened their time capsule, revealing old pictures, posters, class
assignments, and other memorabilia; the capsule was resealed with additional
items, to be opened at a future reunion in 2023.
The highlight of the
evening was a special presentation of The Abbot Benedict Menges Medal for
Outstanding Service that was awarded to Miles Maxted, Business Manager of St.
Bernard Abbey. Abbot Cletus Meagher also
presented Miles with a beautiful cross in addition to the certificate, given
“in recognition of his many accomplishments, commitment, and dedicated service
in financial management and in the preservation, restoration, and maintenance
of St. Bernard Abbey and Preparatory School.”
Special thanks and
recognitions were shared with several class coordinators, including Bob
“Stewart” Keighery for the Class of HS 1958, and John Wojcik for the college classes
of the late 1960s. In addition, Dr.
John King, coordinator for all the 1970 classes, and Fred Frye, Golf Scramble
Coordinator, were each given a Certificate of Appreciation for all their work
and dedication to making the Reunion a success.
The evening drew to a
close with a photo taken of each class(es) by Dorenda Doyle. All pictures from the Reunion Weekend can be
found either at the Facebook or the FlickR links on the www.stbernardprep.com website.
Sunday
Sunday morning found many
alumni saying their fair wells and
making promises to “meet again next year.”
An Omelet bar was presented in the Dining Hall by Chef Allie’s crew,
followed by Mass with the monastic community in the St. Bernard Abbey Church.
Fr. Marcus Voss, Director
of Development at St. Bernard said, “I always look forward to this weekend. It is a great time to have our alumni back on
campus, to visit with them and catch up with what is taking place in their
lives.”
