In This Issue - Detroit Catholic Central High School

WINTER 2006
In This Issue
Boys’ Bowl Weekend 2005
Novi Campus Dedication
Interview With
Fr. Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B.
WINTER 2006
Editor:
Fr. Marvin LaBute, C.S.B.
Editorial Contributions:
Al Athvale ’08
Ray Brennan ’55
Paula Bullington
Tim Burke ’86
Nick Sharkey
Photography:
Mike Rossi
Design & Production:
C.O. & Company
Detroit Catholic Central High School
Administration:
President - Rev. Richard Elmer, C.S.B. ’46
relmer@catholiccentral.net
Principal - Rev. Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B.
rranalletti@catholiccentral.net
The Aluminator is published three
times every year by the Detroit Catholic
Central Alumni Office.
Articles should be addressed to:
The Aluminator
Detroit Catholic Central High School
27225 Wixom Road
Novi, MI 48374
To reach the Alumni Office:
(248) 596-3838
Fax: (248) 596-3839
For Information:
Vice President - Ed Turek ’85
(248) 596-3838
eturek@catholiccentral.net
Director of Alumni Relations and
Development Associate - Tim Burke ’86
(248) 596-3835
tburke@catholiccentral.net
Director of Admissions
and Public Relations - Dan Collins Jr. ’84
(248) 596-3874
dcollins@catholiccentral.net
Or visit us on the Web:
www.catholiccentral.net
On the Cover:
One of the most beautiful features of
Catholic Central’s new Campus in
Novi is the Grotto – a tranquil place for
prayerful reflection graced with flowers,
benches and statues of Jesus and Mary,
Alma Mater.
2
9
10
Features
Sept. 11, 2005 - The Novi Campus Dedication
Chatterbox
2
3
C.C. Profile
A Bit O’ Blarney From Ray Brennan ’55
4
Feature Story
Interview With Rev. Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B.
16
Alumni Association
Chapel Blessing And Mass
Boys’ Bowl Weekend 2005
Reunions
Calendar Of Events
Young Alumni
9
10
12
18
21
John Donovan ’04
Family Fest 2005 - Novi Style
22
The Bells
Wedding Bells
Baby Bells
In Memoriam
23
24
25
School News
Sports Schedule
School Bells
Sports Update
15
29
32
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results for printing. Please send the “raw” or “uncompressed” original file –
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Sept. 11, 2005 - The Novi Campus Dedication
N
ew Home, Same Tradition. These four words represent the Catholic
Central spirit that has taken us to our fifth home in Novi, Michigan.
They also embody 77 years of teaching young men Goodness,
Discipline and Knowledge. On Sept. 11, our CC family prayed
together with the Novi community and celebrated the opening of our
new Campus and the excellence that we are dedicated to uphold.
Over 1,500 people comprised of the Basilian Fathers, students, faculty,
parents, children, alumni, community officials and other distinguished
guests joined Bishop Earl Boyea, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit,
in blessing the magnificent Campus that is our CC home. The
Honorable James Ryan ’50 eloquently guided all in attendance
through the dedication ceremony. Rev. Richard Elmer, C.S.B. ’46,
President of Catholic Central, gave a brief history of CC and the
“Live and Die for CC High” Campaign. His love and devotion
towards our Blessed Mother and CC made this day possible. Rev.
Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B., Principal of Catholic Central, gave an
overview of what was happening at CC today and what the future
has in store for our beloved Alma Mater. His knowledge, insight
and love towards our Blessed Mother helps guide CC today.
Patrick Nesbitt ’62, one of four Honorary Campaign Chairmen,
shared his passion for CC, and spoke specifically about commitment
and current needs that will enable Catholic Central to uphold its
spiritual, academic and athletic excellence. Pat has been a powerful
force in making our fifth home a reality. The Honorable Lou
Csordas, Mayor of Novi, graciously welcomed Catholic Central to
the community, and in doing so – while proudly wearing a white
CC cardigan sweater – he became a member of our CC family.
The Dedication Ceremony included blessings of the stadium, religious
sculptures, the Mary Garden, the main doors of the front entrance,
and the inside of the School building. The CC Band played School
songs and various arrangements – again demonstrating their talent
and proving they are second to none. The Alumni Glee Club sang
“Mansions of the Lord” and “Mary, Alma Mater.” How wonderful
it was to hear their harmony, and how grand it was to hear all the
Alums join them in singing our prayer and tribute to the Blessed
Mother, “Mary, Alma Mater.”
There were so many good people who made this day possible and
a blessed celebration: the Basilian Fathers; Greg Normandin ’78
and the CC Band; the Alumni Glee Club; Kevin Walters; the
Student Council; the Dedication Committee; and all the Alumni
and friends of CC who contributed their time, talents and treasures
so that the mission of Catholic Central will continue to develop
boys into Christian men.
A special “thank you” to Frank and Coleen Pellerito, and John
Argenta ’58, for their love and commitment towards CC.
We are off to a great start in our new home at 27225 Wixom Road.
Fr. Donoher already has a couple of new cheers! ■
“A banner on display at our new stadium states, ‘New Home, Same Tradition.’ Those of us
who attended Catholic Central at other sites are proud that we were part of establishing our
tradition. We now look forward to seeing that tradition enhanced as the current generation of
students establishes themselves at our beautiful new Campus in Novi.”
Bob Rosowski ’58
Alumni Board Past President
2
C H AT T E R B O X
to make Lauderdale-by-the-Sea a better place in which
to live. Ron volunteers for the arts and crafts shows,
Taste of the Beach, the Chamber Fish Fry, Valentine’s
Day and Halloween parties at Jarvis Hall, the Fourth
of July celebration, the Chili Cook Off, the Easter Egg
hunt and almost daily at the Commerce/Visitors
Center. Congratulations Ron!
The Swell ’40s
1940 – RICHARD CHAPMAN turned 83 in April and
is living in Brighton. He writes: “Did you know that
there was never a First Annual Prom at CC? Fr. James
Whelan was Principal and died just prior to graduation.
Prom was cancelled.”
1945 – WALLACE SERYLO enjoyed the performance
by the CC Band at the Senior meeting. He was very
thrilled to be present as he played in the band in 19411943. It brought back fond memories.
1956 – DICK GIUFFRE, of the Conroe, Texas Noon Lions
Club, recently received the past District Governor’s
Distinguished Achievement Award recognizing his 17
years of service to Lionism and the community. He was
named “Volunteer of the Year” by the Conroe YMCA,
and “Lion of the Year” and “Citizen of the Year” by the
Knights of Columbus Council 6456. He says he is still
most proud to be a Shamrock!
The Nifty ’50s
1950 – REV. ALBERT CYLWICKI, C.S.B. writes: “For 15
of the past 17 summers, I have been able to do substitute
parish work for 6 or 7 weeks during odd-numbered
years in San Diego and even-numbered years in New
Jersey. In addition to my summer parish work, this
year, I am starting another ministry as a part-time
chaplain in the Indy Racing League.” The IRL has
scheduled him for 9 of its 17 races this season.
1952 – RON PIERSANTE was voted Home Town Hero
by the 150-member Property Owners Association of
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. Cindy Geesey, the President
of the Association, said the association votes for any
resident they believe has gone above and beyond duty
C H AT T E R B O X
1958 – BILL MATTHEWS has been appointed for a
three-year term by the Michigan Supreme Court as
one of three lay members to the State of Michigan
Attorney Discipline Board. The Attorney Discipline
Board is an adjudicative arm of the Michigan Supreme
Court to discharge its constitutional responsibility
to supervise and discipline Michigan attorneys. The
Board consists of six attorneys and three laypersons.
The Psychedelic ’60s
1960 – ANDREW PERRIE retired from the Computer
Science Department at the University of WisconsinOshkosh in June 2005, after 36 years of teaching.
A Special Invitation
1966 – PAUL VAN DORPE is the proud father of
Alexander who won First Place in the Iowa State
Fair Talent Contest. Alexander completed his music
education at the Rochester School of Music and is now
teaching music students at Oberlin College in Ohio.
When you have a moment to reflect, I ask that
you think about what Catholic Central High
School can do for the future of your sons,
grandsons, nephews and friends’ sons. Our
greatest ambassadors have always been alumni
like you. Your endorsement and recommendation
to others are essential to our future. I invite
you to contact me at anytime to inquire about
CC. I maintain a list and mail a newsletter to
all prospective students three times a year. It’s
a great way to introduce CC and offer a small
sampling of what the CC spirit is all about.
Disco-Down ’70s
1973 – PAUL DIRKES retired from private practice
in dentistry. He is now Dental Director for the Poarch
Band of Creek Indians, Muskogee Tribe, in Alabama.
The Techno ’80s
1984 – KURT WEIGLE has his hands full this year.
As Executive Director of the Downtown Development
Sincerely, Dan Collins ’84
Director of Admissions and Public Relations
(248) 596-3810 • dcollins@catholiccentral.net
(Continued on Page 7)
3
☞
C.C. P R O F I L E
W
e just completed a longawaited, eight-day trip to
Ireland with our good friends
Ron and Lana Miersen. We
traveled in Ireland in a
Volkswagen van and had a
driver supplied by Terry Flynn
Tours, a package deal which
included overnight accommodations and full-menu breakfasts
that were purchased through our local travel agent.
A Bit o’ Blarney
from
Ray Brennan ’55
We toured the Kilkenny Castle
and had lunch at Kytlers Inn,
in Kilkenny, the city’s oldest
pub. The next part of our
journey took us to the city of Waterford, the oldest settlement
in Ireland. Of course, we toured the Waterford crystal manufacturing plant, which we all thought was quite interesting.
It takes 10 years for a person to become a master craftsman at
this profession and they tell us that it is difficult to get new
recruits. It seems like young people of Ireland are drawn to
the computer-and-software industry, which is the second
largest of its kind in the world, and the pay is more than
that of the crystal industry. Only the U.S.A. has a bigger
computer-and-software industry.
Monday We began our trip on the fifth of September,
2005, by flying out of Detroit, to Chicago, and
then on to Dublin, Ireland, arriving on…
Tuesday …around 10:00 a.m. their time. A Tour driver
PROFILE
met us at the airport and drove us to our hotel.
After lunch, we checked into our rooms at the Mont Clare
Hotel, which is located in the heart of Dublin. After a jetlag
nap, we took a walk through the shopping center and found
a restaurant to have dinner. An early night’s rest was in store
after a very long day of flying.
C.C.
difficult in some areas to see
the landscape from the typical
two-lane road because of the
high and thick plantings roadside.
After the Waterford crystal tour, we checked into our Bed
and Breakfast named Sion Hill House, which is located at
the edge of town, overlooking the city of Waterford and the
River Suir. What a spectacular view.
Wednesday after a great Irish breakfast which was part
of our amenities, we took a “hop-on/hop-off”
doubledecker bus tour. One of the “hop-off” stops was at
the Guinness brewery and the highlight of the tour was
lunch and a pint of Guinness. To our delight, we found all
the public buildings and public places, such as department
stores, pubs and restaurants, are no-smoking facilities.
Damien had a room at the same “B & B,” and we invited
him to join us for dinner. We loved to hear him talk about
Ireland’s history and his family.
The next morning, we sat down to another delicious
breakfast cooked to each of our specifications by our host
Antoinette Kavanagh.
The streets of Dublin are very narrow and full of traffic. The
bus, with a convertible top, comes so close to the buildings in
some areas that if you stuck your arm out, you could touch
the building. The Irish are a very patient people, traffic jams
are normal, and you seldom hear the sound of a car horn or,
for that matter, siren of police or ambulance vehicles. We
really were impressed with the age and condition of most
buildings and the comments our tour guides had about its
history. Here’s an example of one of the bus guide’s sense
of humor: He noticed an old woman standing on a street
corner, yawning, and commented that the last time he saw
a mouth like that, it had a hook in it.
Friday …The only time on our journey it rained as we
traveled west to a harbour town called Cobh. It’s
pronounced “Cove.” Cobh is the last call for the Titanic and
it’s been the main emigration point from Ireland throughout
the ages. The luxury liner Lusitania was sunk by a German
U-boat in 1915, off the coast of Kinsale’s Old Head, Ireland.
Over 1,100 people – of whom 127 were Americans – were on
that ship that drowned that fateful day.
26th Annual
Athletic Alumni
Golf Outing
Renovation of buildings was everywhere. Huge cranes dotted
the skyline. The construction industry is extremely good all
over Ireland.
Monday, May 8, 2006
Thursday morning was the start of our guided tour journey
going south towards Kilkenny. Our driver’s
name was Damien Patrick Michael Kiernan, who lives in
Greystone, County Wicklow, which is less than ten miles from
our downtown hotel in Dublin. To be at our doorstep by 9:00
a.m., he had to leave his house by 7:30 a.m. Damien is a whitehaired gent, born in 1940. He has a typical Irish brogue coming
from that part of Ireland, which is better understood by us
Yanks than his southwestern countrymen who speak very fast.
Oak Pointe Country Club
Brighton, Michigan
New Day/New Location
Same Fun!
The Irish are very territorial: stone fences, wooden fences,
rock and soil brims, trees and bushes line their properties. It’s
For information, call
the Alumni Office
at (248) 596-3838
4
We continued to
Blarney and stopped
to climb the over-onehundred steps up a
very narrow staircase to
kiss the Blarney Stone.
When we got to the top,
I was the only one in
our group to kiss the
stone that bestows the
gift of eloquence. Ron,
Lana and Lori said they
already had that gift –
Ray Brennan ’55 positions himself carefully with assistance before
after they saw how
difficult it was to kiss
kissing the famous Blarney Stone.
the stone.
Our next stop was Kinsale, the renowned gourmet capital
of Ireland, where our guest house, the Pier House Bed and
Breakfast is located. Like all the other cities that we visited in
Ireland, the streets of Kinsale are narrow and the sidewalks
are crowded with people. Your life was in danger if you
crossed the street in mid-block. An interesting observation
was at the crosswalks. To cross the street at every stoplight,
you pushed a button, and when the light changed, a sound
like a Morse-code dash came from the button to let you know
it was safe to cross – and you only had 10 seconds to cross
the street before it stopped.
This journey was very
scenic and we were
able to see much of the
countryside from our
seats in the van. We
stopped at a peat moss
farm, a typical tourist
stop with a restaurant,
souvenirs and tour.
Ron and Lana took the
tour while Lori and I
looked for souvenirs.
My highlight of our
trip is our next stop
which is in the village
of Caherciveen.
Caherciveen is situated in one of the most beautiful parts of
Ireland: the Ring of Kerry. It is surrounded by mountains,
and borders on the Atlantic Ocean and Dingle Bay. It is part
of the Iveragh Peninsula, and has a rich historical, religious
and archaeological heritage.
It’s also the place where John Sullivan married Joanna
Clifford and gave birth to a son in 1837, and named him
John Clifford Sullivan.
And now the rest of the story.
John Emmet Sullivan married Marie Iantha Paradis in
Detroit on Aug. 25, 1892. They gave birth to five children:
Russel John, Adele Marie Frances, Gertrude Isabella,
Jeannette Frances and Emmett Edgar Sullivan.
Jeannette Frances Sullivan married Joseph Terrence Brennan
in Detroit, Mich., on Oct. 8, 1925. They also had five children:
Joseph Terrence Jr., Thomas Emmett, Sally Joan, Raymond
James and Mary Agnes Brennan. Now you know the rest
of the story.
After our visit at Fort Charles, we began a long picturesque
ride toward Killarney.
We checked in at the hotel Killarney Plaza around 1:00 p.m.
I must say our accommodations had been very nice up to
this point, but the Killarney Plaza is the ultimate in gracious
luxury. The rooms are spacious, air-conditioned and bright.
Only the finest wood, fabrics and marble have been used in
their décor. Our stay here was Saturday and Sunday nights.
We visited the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church of the
Holy Cross in Caherciveen. This is the only Roman Catholic
Church in Ireland not named after a Saint. The church was
built between 1886 and 1892, which was after the Sullivan
clan immigrated to the U.S. However, I believe this was the
parish the Sullivan family were members of and the parish
where my great-grandfather was baptized. We met Father
John Dennehy at the rectory and told him my story. He in turn
directed us to Tim Casey, who takes care of the books at the
church. To my disappointment, the baptism records only went
back to the 1860s. However, I did discover that parents’ names
of the babies baptized included the surnames Sullivan and
Clifford. Of course, Tim did hit us up for a donation for the
renovation of the Church which I gladly gave. Before we left,
we took several pictures of the Church, and Lori and I had
one taken in front of a palm tree that was on the grounds.
The Plaza is located within walking distance to all parts of the
downtown area. Downtown Killarney is alive with people
shopping, eating and drinking. It’s a great place to visit.
We walked to St. Mary’s Cathedral to attend Mass Saturday
evening. The Church is very old, like most churches in
Ireland, but attached to the pillars were flat-screen monitors
and sound speakers so everyone could see and hear the priest
at Mass. We noted that St. Mary’s takes advantage of Ireland’s
technology. They also have a huge complex to house a school,
convent, soccer field, rectory and administration building
with large parking lots surrounded by masonry and steel
fencing. We all were impressed by these facilities.
From Caherciveen, we stopped at Waterville for lunch at the Bay
View Hotel. Waterville is famous for visits from Hollywood
stars Charlie Chaplin and Bing Crosby. There is a statue of
Chaplin at the roadside park overlooking Ballinskelligs Bay.
Sunday after an early breakfast, Damien drove us around
the Ring of Kerry.
(Continued on Page 20)
5
PROFILE
and served by our hosts Pat and Ann Hegarty,
after which we met Damien at the front door to begin our
journey to nearby Fort Charles. Fort Charles is shaped like a
star, having guard posts at every point of the star to observe
the enemy from all directions. In Ireland, at the time – my
great-grandfathers John Clifford Sullivan and Michael Brennan
were born around the 1830s – Irishmen joined the British army
to keep from starving during the potato famine. Many of
them served at Fort Charles.
C.C.
John Clifford immigrated to the U.S., settled in Grand Rapids,
Mich., and married Cynthia Jane Long on Jan. 29, 1863. They
gave birth to a son in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 29, 1864, and
named him John Emmet Sullivan, the oldest of nine children.
Saturday morning again started with a breakfast prepared
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6
The Happening ’90s
WANTED
Lacrosse Coaches
1992 – BILL RUSHFORD is developing a private
practice while working as a contract occupational
therapist and medical coordinator for Trailwind
Enterprises. He competed in the First Triathlon for
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Bill is a resident
of Center Line, Mich.
T
he CC Lacrosse Program needs Assistant Coaches
at all levels and a Head Freshman Coach (new for
2006).
General Lacrosse knowledge is required but coaching
experience is not. Please contact Kelly Kroll ’85 at
(248) 344-1754 or coachkroll@yahoo.com for more
information. Please help us as we grow the program
and resolidify its place as a leader in the state. ■
1992 – KERRY ZAVAGNIN has thrived during his
eight-year career in Major League Soccer, the past six
with the Kansas City Wizards. He is also a member of
the U.S. national team.
1993 – ERIC JUSTICE is General Manager of Target in
Grand Rapids, Mich. Eric, his wife Angela and three
children, Madison, Tyler and Regan, live in Kentwood, Mich.
District of New Orleans, Louisiana, he was working
on a project which was about to be launched when
Hurricane Katrina hit “The Big Easy.” Now, he will
work with city officials and contractors on a cleanup
strategy. He says he is confident that in 24 months,
New Orleans will be ready to rock and roll again. His
job is a formidable one but he has all the confidence in
the world that New Orleans will rise again to its original position of prominence in tourism.
1995 – KEITH McDONALD was named Observerland
Coach of the Year. He is Coach for the Livonia Churchill
Girls Track Team.
1986 – DAN CARLSON is currently enrolled at Ave
Maria Law School in Ann Arbor, Mich. While at
Kalamazoo College, he started a College Republican
organization. From the Bush 2004 campaign to
the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, Dan and the
Kalamazoo College Republicans fought for conservative
values on a liberal campus. He hopes to help build
the Michigan Federation of College Republicans into a
powerful force for the 2006 campaign in Michigan.
1999 – BOBBY MALEK is playing baseball for the
Binghamton Mets’ as a right fielder. He was drafted
out of Michigan State University by the New York
Mets in 2002.
1986 – JAMES E. ROBERTS and his family have relocated
to Fort Wayne, Ind., where he has accepted an offer
to become a Field Sales Manager for
Pitney Bowes Inc.
1.
Go to www.catholiccentral.net
which is CC’s Home Page
2. Click on “Logon/Get Connected”
under “Alumni Association”
3. Follow the steps
Register On The Alumni Website - It’s Easy As 1-2-3!
More information is coming your way via the Alumni
Website. To stay connected with fellow alums, receive
the Shamrock News e-newsletter, keep current with
activities and events, as well as to update your personal
profile,“logon/get connected” today! If you haven’t
already done so, it’s easy to do, and it’s free.
This will get you registered on the Alumni Website.
Again, there is no cost, and it is a great way to stay in
touch with fellow alums, the School, and receive the
Shamrock News e-newsletter. Over 3,000 alums have
already registered on the site. Update your personal
profile today – it only takes a minute.
7
C H AT T E R B O X
1997 – JOE KOHN, a staff writer for the “Michigan
Catholic,” received First Place in Feature Writing from
the Catholic Press Association for “A Time to Live.”
The story is about the faith-filled poetry and art of
Kiel Lazich, a young man from St. Sebastian Parish in
Dearborn Heights who died of cystic fibrosis.
1988 – TIM McDONALD* graduated from the Air
Force Academy in 1993. He went into pilot’s training
and flew both jets and multi-engine planes during the
The Virtual ’00s
2000 – SEAN BELL* is manager of a Domino’s Pizza
store in Washington, D.C.
2001 – MATTHEW DAVEY received his Bachelor of Arts
degree in Business from the University of Notre Dame
May 15, 2005, and attended the University of Tulane
Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Matt was
able to get out two days before hurricane Katrina hit.
Although the University was damaged, the Law School
is scheduled to reopen in January, at which time Matt
plans to return – his apartment near downtown is on
the 13th floor, so he’s hoping for minimal damage.
2001 – WILLIAM GLAAB graduated from the
University of Detroit-Mercy in April. He earned his
degree in Business Administration with a major in
Accounting. He plans to continue at the University
to earn his MBA.
next 11 years. Tim was based in Colorado Springs,
Colo., for the first five years, then in Special
Operations with the Air Force in Florida. After flying
in Afghanistan and Iraq, Tim gave up the pilot’s life
when he was admitted to the University of Miami
Florida Medical School in the fall of 2004.
Subsequently, he received his pin and white coat
where his parents, Pat ’54 and Peg (see photo), joined
him for a celebration.
C H AT T E R B O X
2001 – BRYAN KONTRY has graduated cum laude
from Albion College and was accepted into Wayne
State University’s Law School.
2001 – ERIC TOMKIEWICZ graduated from Michigan
State University-Broad Business College with a degree in
Marketing. He is working for William Wrigley Jr. Co.
as a Sales Manager for the Northern Michigan territory.
1989 – CAPTAIN MARC D. HUDZINSKI is deploying to Iraq with the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, as the
Forward Air Controller.
1997 – CAPTAIN JOHN FAUNCE* is currently training
for 3rd Special Forces Group at Ft. Bragg, N.C.
2002 – SCOTT BOWLING received the Eric A. Becher
Scholarship for Tuba in The University of Michigan
Marching Band. This scholarship honors former
Director Becher, who, at the age of 23, took over the
Marching Band as the youngest director in the country.
He led the band in the ’80s and introduced the glide
step to the band. Scott plans to use this scholarship
towards his graduate work in Law.
1999 – ALAN MARDEGIAN* and his wife Nikki are
living in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Alan is a Lieutenant
Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy. ■
2002 – JOE LAFFERTY is in his fourth year at Holy Cross
College in South Bend, Ind., and will graduate in May
2006. He is the Student Body President of the College
and is assisted by Vice President Mike Flaherty ’02.
Please Do Not Trash ...
2002 – DAVID MOSS recently signed a contract to
play hockey for the Calgary Flames of the National
Hockey League.
... A
ny old memorabilia you were considering
discarding. The Archive Department is interested in
just about any kind of Catholic Central souvenir, from
old programs and photographs, to sports items, etc.,
and especially yearbooks.
2004 – TOM GRANT was recognized with the Coach’s
Award as a Junior at the University of Detroit-Mercy.
He was the Horizon League 110-Meter-High Hurdles
champion (15.04 seconds) and the Long-Jump champion
(23 feet, 2 inches).
Please contact Dan Collins ’84 (248-596-3810 or
dcollins@catholiccentral.net) or Tim Burke ’86
(248-596-3835 or tburke@catholiccentral.net)
to make arrangements for pick-up or delivery
of your items. ■
2005 – TREVOR STEWART earned distinction as a
“Wrestling USA Magazine” High School All-American.
He was named for the 160-Pound Class in Class A. ■
* Further information in “Wedding Bells” and/or
“Baby Bells.”
8
A
ugust 12 was a day of
new beginnings at our
Campus in Novi. The CC
faculty and staff gathered
for its yearly retreat prior to
the beginning of the school
year. It was good to see
everyone and meet a couple of new, friendly faces.
The following features
were blessed with holy
water, incense and holy
oil as part of this special
Mass in our Chapel:
The Processional Cross
Chapel Blessing And Mass
With the many traditions
that CC has developed
and cherished over the
years, it was perfectly appropriate that this day started
with one of the most important – Mass. The focal point
of our Campus and new building is the Chapel. How
wonderful this blessed space is to gather, honor and
worship our Lord.
The Doors of the Chapel –
“Bless all who enter in
the holy place to be nourished by the Eucharist.”
The Walls of the Chapel
The Presidential Chair – “Bless those who through the
ordained ministry will lead and shepherd us in our
spiritual growth.”
The Baptismal Font
On this day, Most Reverend Bishop
John Quinn, Auxiliary Bishop of the
Archdiocese of Detroit, and the Basilian
Fathers blessed our Chapel as we celebrated Mass for the first time in our
new home. Bishop Quinn recalled
gathering as a member of the Catholic
Central family on Sept. 7, 2003, at the
groundbreaking ceremony, and how
this day completed one journey, while
at the same time, was the beginning
for more to come.
The Ambo – “Blessed are those nourished by hearing
God’s Word.”
The Altar – “Blessed are those who gather around and
are nourished by His Body and Blood in the
Eucharist.”
The Tabernacle ■
Novi Campus architects John Argenta ’58
(left) and Steve Flickema of CDPA
Architects, Inc., pose with sculptor Ed
Chesney ’41 (right) in the Mary Garden.
9
A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N
BOYS’ BOWL WEEKEND
N
the rafters of the gymnasium. The Alumni Glee Club sang
“Mary, Alma Mater.” The unveiling of the Boys’ Bowl
Mural, painted by Doug Best, Ryan Chartier, Tony Cosme,
Richard DelaGarza, Brian Hehir, Bryan Kopeck, Rob
Ortopan, Matt Yakel, and Mark Zylla – all from the Class
of ’06 – took place with the cheers of the assembled students,
faculty, parents and alumni. The five Ladywood Seniors who
were running for Homecoming Queen were introduced;
Merideth Bartolo was crowned Queen, and in her court
were Brittany Andrews, Jenna Hansen, Venessa Misukanis
and Kasey Shelton. Meredith bravely addressed the student
body and did a fine job. The band continued to keep spirits
high as they played the School and fight songs, as well as
raised it a notch with a drum core performance written and
prepared by the percussion section. Coach Tom Mach talked
about his team and Justin Cessante ’99, one of the Junior
Varsity Football Coaches, gave the team and student body
an inspiring message. The Student Council smoothly organ-
ew Home, Same Tradition… These words symbolize our
new Campus in Novi, 77 years in the making. From our
days on Harper Avenue, Belmont Avenue, West Outer
Drive, Breakfast Drive – and now Wixom Road – Catholic
Central has developed boys into young men in the virtues
of Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge; while at the same
time, nurtured a spirit which is upheld in the many traditions
at CC. Boys’ Bowl Weekend is one of these spiritual, defining
traditions uniquely CC.
It all started Friday morning, Sept. 16, with the annual
Shamrock Shuffle. Students ran while raising money for the
Make-a-Wish Foundation. This was followed with the Boys’
Bowl Assembly. The CC Band and students’ cheers rocked
ALUMNI
A S S O C I AT I O N
Yes, Boys’ Bowl Weekend has come and gone, and an
exciting, fun-filled weekend it was. Students, parents,
alumni and friends of CC have historically made this
a homecoming weekend.
New Home,
10
ized and ran the assembly. A special thanks for the efforts of
Janice Sharkey and Amy Nanni. The assembly ended with
the Boys’ Bowl skit which was prepared by the students.
Part of the skit was taped and part was live.
and Fr. John Wheeler, C.S.B. ’57; Billy Downs III ’84 and
Tom Fullington of BD’s Mongolian Barbeque; Michael
Fallone ’97 and Family of Cantoro Italian Market; the Dads’
and Mothers’ Clubs; Gary Zalewski and the Maintenance
Staff; Ben Herman ’98; and the CC Alumni Office.
Friday evening, Varsity Soccer played their hearts out in the
new stadium, and some teachers and students sat on the Dunk
Tank as part of the festivities. All were dropped into the water.
Breakfast was followed by the 61st Boys’ Bowl Football Game
against long-time rival, Brother Rice. The Marching Band
did a marvelous job before the game and at halftime. The
students cheered their hearts out as 10,000 people witnessed
a hard-fought game that left the Shamrocks short on the
scoreboard, 28-7. The Queen and her court were introduced. Special recognition at halftime of Coach Mike
Rodriguez and CC’s seven State Wrestling Teams was an
additional highlight to the day and weekend.
Saturday, Sept. 17, was a fantastic, full day. Alumni from
many generations gathered at the School for a reception to
reminisce about the past, to see old friends, and to walk
through the new School. The stories get better as the years
go by. Overall, 10 reunions were held over Boys’ Bowl
Weekend, making it truly a homecoming for so many great
alums and families.
The weekend was topped off with the Homecoming Dance
that evening at School.
The Boys’ Bowl General Chairpersons Mike Konkel and
George Fish; the Boys’ Bowl Co-Chairpersons Susan Heise
and Lisa Bodin; Mothers’ Club President Tammy Morris;
and the Dads’ Club President Charles Nemes, are to be
thanked for the work they did to make Boys’ Bowl 2005 one
that will be remembered for many years to come. ■
ALUMNI
Sunday, Sept. 18, was the long-expected day. At Ford Field,
Fr. Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B., Principal, and a number
of Basilian conferees concelebrated Mass. Breakfast was
then prepared and served by the staff of BD’s Mongolian
Barbeque to the 500 guests. Special thanks go to Gerry
Di Ponio ’65, Chairman; Bill Downs Jr. ’61, Honorary
Chairman of the CC Alumni Board of Directors and Alumni
Boys’ Bowl Mass and Breakfast Committee; Brian Convery
’84; Bob Hathaway ’43; Scott Hauncher ’89; Carmine
Palombo ’70; Bob Rosowski ’58; Stan Targosz ’67; the CC
Alumni Glee Club, under the direction of Bob Schikora ’65
A S S O C I AT I O N
S ame Tradition
11
A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N
1950
ALUMNI
A S S O C I AT I O N
Reunions
The Boys’ Bowl game has been a proud
CC tradition for 61 years. It has always
been a great time for the Catholic
Central family to gather and celebrate.
Over the years, dinners, charity events,
parades, pep rallies, assemblies,
Masses and breakfasts, reunions and
Homecoming have all been associated
with the football game. Here are a few
photos from some of the class reunions
held over Boys’ Bowl Weekend and
throughout the Fall.
The Class of 1950 - 55th Reunion at Embassy Suites
in Livonia.
1953
Some of the Boys from the Class of ’53
gathered for lunch at Peabody’s in Birmingham.
C
Harper-Belmont Boys Mass and Luncheon
atholic Central would not be where it is today if it were not for the great classes
of 1929-1951. These years represent the Harper Avenue and Belmont Avenue decades
of the rich CC tradition of teaching young men Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge.
Over 110 Alums and guests from these proud and honored early years gathered to
celebrate Mass, and enjoy reminiscing and catching up over lunch at our new Campus in
Novi. Some of the boys noticed that the Library is a bit larger at the new Campus than on
Belmont Avenue – and that they did not have to go outside to get to the cafeteria. There
were great stories told and many laughs had by all. Fr. Dick Elmer, C.S.B. ’46
celebrated Mass and was joined by many of his Basilian brothers in concelebrating the
Mass. These “men of CC” represent the best of who we are at Catholic Central. They
exemplify the CC spirit. Welcome home, gentlemen. ■
12
1955
1960
The Class of 1955
held its 50th
Reunion at
Meadowbrook
Country Club
in Northville.
Two alumni at
the Reunions
Reception over
Boys’ Bowl
weekend view
some of the
School’s new
graphics.
1965
1995
Fr. Ned Donoher and some
scenes with ’95 grads at
the Reunions Reception.
13
A S S O C I AT I O N
Shown at top at the Embassy Suites in Livonia and
standing around the Crest outside the Chapel at the
new Novi Campus are alumni from the Class of 1960.
ALUMNI
The Class
of 1965 reunited
over a round of
golf followed by a
dinner reception at
Tanglewood in
South Lyon.
Alumni Statistics: Graduating Class Sizes By Year
T
he first class that will graduate in 2006 from the new Novi Campus of Catholic Central will bring our alumni base
to over 14,000 strong. The numbers below provide a breakdown, year by year. ■
1929
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
28
29
36
39
53
62
69
70
67
75
106
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
92
127
148
157
167
150
170
188
151
171
173
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
143
163
173
163
181
202
175
172
177
189
194
194
204
196
192
192
193
218
198
192
193
183
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
198
177
207
149
201
205
206
205
211
257
258
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
272
247
273
282
250
258
224
218
212
249
212
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
203
233
233
229
246
202
253
246
248
234
259
Total 13,972
ALUMNI
A S S O C I AT I O N
PLEASE SUPPORT THE 2005 - 06 ANNUAL APPEAL
T
he Annual Appeal Program is specifically designed to fund tuition assistance to deserving young
men and their families. Without the success of the Annual Appeal, the cost of tuition would make
CC Students”
a Catholic Central education unaffordable for many families.
As part of the Annual Appeal, the Basilian Ambassador Student Scholarship Program
Up for
provides donors the opportunity to fund full to partial scholarships at different
giving levels. For more information, please call (248) 596-3838 or go
online at www.catholiccentral.net. ■
“Stepping
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
by making a planned or deferred gift to Catholic
Central. Members of the St. Basil Legacy Society either
have included CC in their wills with outright bequests,
or have made other planned gifts such as charitable
gift annuities, gifts of life insurance or charitable
remainder trust gifts. Members who have chosen
to make a gift to provide future support for Catholic
Central often find that it also provides significant
tax, income and financial benefits to them. ■
Legacy For Leaders
Be sure to watch your mail for Catholic Central’s
Legacy for Leaders, an informative newsletter series
we publish which is filled with thought-provoking,
useful, up-to-date financial and estate-planning
ideas. This newsletter is in line with Catholic Central
High School’s goal of educating the young to be
leaders of tomorrow.
These periodicals focus on the variety of ways you
can save income taxes through charitable giving,
and also introduce planning strategies that reduce
estate taxes while benefiting those you love and the
causes that interest you.
Matching Gifts
Matching gifts play an important role by maximizing
donations. Catholic Central will handle the preliminary paperwork. Please contact the Alumni Office for
information and/or inquiries regarding whether your
employer participates in a matching gift program. ■
St. Basil Legacy Society
The St. Basil Legacy Society recognizes those alumni
and friends who have shown generosity and foresight
14
(BOLD TYPE DENOTES HOME GAME)
SPORTS SCHEDULE
Thurs.
Sat.
Sat.
Mon.
Va r s i t y B a s k e t b a l l
Dec. 9
Dec. 16
Dec. 21
Jan. 6
Jan. 10
Jan. 13
Jan. 17
Jan. 20
Jan. 24
Jan. 31
Feb. 3
Feb. 7
Feb. 10
Feb. 14
Feb. 18
Feb. 22-23
Grosse Pointe North
Notre Dame Prep
Redford Union
Divine Child
U of D Jesuit
Brother Rice
DeLaSalle
O.L. St. Mary’s
Notre Dame Prep
Brother Rice
DeLaSalle
O.L. St. Mary’s
Divine Child
U of D Jesuit
CHSL
CHSL
Feb. 26
Mar. 4
CHSL
PSL
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Port Huron Northern
6:00 p.m.
CHSL Tournament - O.L. St. Mary’s TBD
Grosse Ile - Compuware-Olympic 7:00 p.m.
MHSAA
TBD
Swimming and Diving
Tues. Dec. 6
Sat.
Dec. 10
Sat.
Jan. 7
Thurs. Jan. 12
TBD
Thurs. Jan. 26
Week of Jan. 30
Thurs. Feb. 2
Fri.-Sat. Feb. 3-4
Sat.
Feb. 11
Week of Feb. 13
Sat.
Feb. 18
Sat.
Mar. 4
Fri.-Sat. Mar. 10-11
TBD
TBD
TBD
Detroit Country Day
7:00 p.m.
EMU Invitational
TBD
Cranbrook Invitational
TBD
Grosse Pte. S. - Grosse Pte. N.
6:00 p.m.
Lahser
TBD
Ann Arbor Huron
7:00 p.m.
Brother Rice
TBD
U of D Jesuit
7:00 p.m.
Oakland County - Lake Orion H.S. TBD
MISCA
TBD
DeLaSalle
TBD
Ann Arbor Pioneer
12:00 p.m.
CHSL Championship
TBD
State Finals
TBD
Va r s i t y H o c k e y
Va r s i t y W r e s t l i n g
Sat.
Fri.
Sat.
Wed.
Fri.
Sat.
Nov. 19
Nov. 25
Nov. 26
Nov. 30
Dec. 2
Dec. 3
Wed.
Fri.-Sat.
Thurs.
Sat.
Nov. 30
Dec. 2-3
Dec. 8
Dec. 10
Wed.
Dec. 14
Sat.
Dec. 10
Sat.
Wed.
Wed.
Sat.
Dec. 17
Dec. 21
Jan. 4
Jan. 7
Thurs.
Thurs.
Tues.
Thurs.
Tues.
Sat.
Dec. 22
Dec. 29
Jan. 3
Jan. 5
Jan. 10
Jan. 14
Wed.
Sat.
Wed.
Sat.
Fri.
Sat.
Wed.
Fri.
Fri.
Jan. 11
Jan. 14
Jan. 18
Jan. 21
Jan. 27
Jan. 28
Feb. 1
Feb. 3
Feb. 10
Sat.
Jan. 21
Sat.
Feb. 11
O.L. St. Mary’s
7:00 p.m.
Liv. Churchill - Compuware-NHL 7:00 p.m.
Davison - Compuware-Olympic 7:00 p.m.
Farmington Unified - Farmington 7:30 p.m.
Gilmour Academy
7:30 p.m.
Gilmour Academy 7:00 p.m.
Compuware-Olympic
Grosse Pointe North 7:00 p.m.
Compuware-Olympic
O.L. St. Mary’s - Compuware-NHL 8:00 p.m.
Brother Rice - Compuware-NHL 7:00 p.m.
U of D Jesuit - City
6:30 p.m.
Port Huron Northern 7:00 p.m.
Compuware-NHL
Showcase-Cranbrook
6:00 p.m.
Trenton - Compuware-NHL
3:00 p.m.
Brother Rice - Oak Park
6:30 p.m.
Cranbrook - Compuware-Olympic 7:00 p.m.
Culver Military Academy
7:00 p.m.
Culver Military Academy
12:00 p.m.
Trenton
7:00 p.m.
U of D Jesuit - Compuware-NHL 7:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
Showcase-Grosse Pointe N. Trenton
Showcase-Muskegon
4:40 p.m.
Mona Shores - Trenton
Thurs. Jan. 26
Sat.
Jan. 28
Sat.
Feb. 11
Clarkston
6:00 p.m.
Solon, Ohio Tournament 4:00 P.M./11:00 a.m.
John Glenn Home Assembly 1:30 p.m.
Kent County Classic 9:00 a.m.
Grand Rapids Central H.S.
Southgate Anderson/
5:00 p.m.
U of D Jesuit & JV
Dearborn/Wayne Memorial
5:00 p.m.
St. John’s Tournament
9:00 a.m.
Clio/Dakota & JV
5:00 p.m.
Hartland & JV
TBD
East Detroit/Troy Athens
5:00 p.m.
CC Inv’l (Anchor Bay,
10:00 a.m.
Brother Rice, Davison, Fowlerville,
Holt, Hudsonville, John Glenn,
Kearsley, Oxford, Plainwell, Romeo,
Livonia Stephenson, Warren
Woods-Tower)
CC Super Dual (Anchor Bay,
10:00 a.m.
Bedford, Belleville, Livonia
Franklin, Roseville)
Adrian/Ann Arbor Pioneer
5:00 p.m.
Observerland Tournament 10:00 p.m.
Churchill H.S.
CHSL
10:00 p.m.
CC’s Home Swimming meets will be at the Livonia Recreation Center, 15100 Hubbard, Livonia (located on Hubbard and Five Mile
Road between Farmington and Merriman Roads)
15
SPORTS SCHEDULE
Fri.
Fri.
Wed.
Fri.
Tues.
Fri.
Tues.
Fri.
Tues.
Tues.
Fri.
Tues.
Fri.
Tues.
Sat.
Wed.Thurs.
Sun.
Sat.
Feb. 16
Feb. 18
Feb. 25
Feb. 27
I n t e r v i e w Wi t h
Rev. Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B.
About a month after opening the new Catholic Central High School, the “Aluminator” talked
with the Principal, Father Richard Ranalletti, C.S.B., about the reactions of students, alumni,
teachers and the Basilian Fathers. The following are excerpts from that conversation.
By Nick Sharkey
ALUM You’ve been in the new School for a few weeks
now. What’s your overall view of how the new
School has been received?
Fr. R
Nearly everyone who walks into the new
School says, “Wow!” I haven’t seen anyone
who walks into the School who does not have
a smile on their face. There’s a lot of enthusiasm.
ALUM Describe the reactions of the following groups
to the new School:
Students…
Fr. R One kid walked in the front door, looked
around and said, “Cool!” Another kid said, “I
sure forgot Breakfast Drive real fast!” Overall,
it’s been very positive.
Alumni…
Fr. R An ’84 alumnus came in, walked around the
School and asked me, “What’s it
like to be here?” I said, “The air
conditioning really makes it great.
The rugs have made it quieter.
It’s a very pleasant place to be.”
But he kept asking, “Yes, but
what’s it like to be here?” Finally, I
said, “I don’t know what you want
me to tell you. It’s Catholic Central.
It’s still CC.” And then he said
with a smile on his face, “That’s
what I wanted to hear.”
Teachers…
Fr. R They are so pleased. I was concerned that the
academic wing was going to be noisy because of
the construction methods we used. But it isn’t.
With the carpeting, the noise is down a level.
Teachers have found out that they can be enthusiastic without screaming. They are embracing
the new technology which permits them to take
what’s on a computer and display it to students
on a large screen.
Basilians…
Fr. R
They’re thrilled. From the moment we moved
into the Breakfast Drive building, it was clear
that it would be temporary. Now the feeling
is: this is it! They are pleased with the new
vestments. The Chapel is wonderful. It’s
important to us that when you walk in the
front door of the School, you see a sign that
says: “Jesus Christ, The Reason For Catholic
Central.” We have religious symbols not
just in the Chapel, but in the hallways, in
the Library and near the Football Field.
ALUM Many people in the “CC Family”
have contributed their time and treasures
to build the new School. What does that
say about the spirit of the extended CC
community?
Fr. R I’m overwhelmed by the people
who gave large gifts. But, I am most
impressed by the fact that there were
Ed Chesney ’41 created the “Mary and Student” sculpture which
greets visitors in the Mary Garden by the front entrance.
just another suburban, private school. The
challenge comes from the 2,000 alumni who
contributed money to build this School. They
want our students to have something more
than nice classrooms. That is, the alumni want
us to continue what they received from CC.
2,000 people who contributed. A high school
being built by the alumni, pretty much, is
extraordinary. They didn’t just add a few extra
things or sponsor a couple of rooms. Without
the alumni, we’d still be on Breakfast Drive!
I’ve taught at schools on the east coast, west
coast and here. And there are two groups at
CC that can’t be touched by other schools – the
alumni and the two parent groups (Mothers’
Club and Dads’ Club). They are outstanding!
ALUM What about the new tradition related to the
Catholic Central Crest on the floor near the
main entrance of the School?
Fr. R
I like to tell a story about the electrician who
worked in the main hallway when we were
building the School. He said to me, “I can’t
believe your alumni. They walk in and it’s
their place – even though they’ve never seen it
before!” There is a level of ownership and
involvement at CC that is unmatched at other
schools.
The Football team was in the building a week
before School opened. Without anyone telling
them, they decided – no one is going to walk
on the Crest! They picked it up as something
that made sense for them at the new School.
A number of people looked to me and asked,
“Are you going to enforce this tradition?” I
said, “No, students enforce that tradition. The
administration has nothing to do with telling
them they must do this.” It’s part of taking
ownership of the new building. Students are
taking a CC tradition of respect and finding a
new way of expressing it.
Another important part of the CC picture is
the parents. I’ve said this to both parents’ groups: if you want to know part
of the reason why CC works, it’s
because you preach to your kids
without saying anything. You
tell them that CC is important
enough to you that you go
there after working all day.
That speaks volumes to our
students.
ALUM What is your favorite
feature in the School?
Fr. R It would be wrong to pick
one feature because what
makes this School special is
that all the parts speak to
you about something. I am
ALUM The theme this year is: “New
struck
every morning when
Home… Same Tradition.”
I
come
in
the front door and
What does that mean to you?
Father (Ken) McKernan is saying
Mass for some teachers and kids. Even
Fr. R It’s both an assurance and a chalthe tabernacle sparkles when you walk in
lenge. The assurance is our comthe front door, and you say, “Wow,
mitment to transfer our past
that is the center of the School!”
traditions and not become
“One Body” by Timothy P. Schmalz
Photos by Mike Rossi
17
☞
Sculptures by Timothy P. Schmalz of
St. Patrick (left) and St. Basil (right) flank
the entrance of the new Chapel.
But the Chapel is only one part of the School.
The philosophy behind the entire School is to
provide places to build community and not to
focus on any one part. This was the direction
we gave to our architect, John Argenta ’58,
when we started planning the School.
Second, the splitting of the President and
Principal positions has made it possible for
me to be here longer than other people. This
new School would not have been built if one
person had to function as both President and
Principal. It cannot be like it was in 1945.
The Principal cannot be the final decider of all
School policies and academic issues and, at
the same time, be a fundraiser and a promoter
of the School.
In the Breakfast Drive building, we were a
community without places to gather as a community. We didn’t have a chapel that was big
enough to gather as a community. This School
has many gathering spots – the comfortable
chairs in the Library, places outside the gym
and the cafeteria, the athletic fields and the
Chapel. It’s a School that was designed to build
community.
So, it would have been impossible for me to
keep this position for more than six years if
Father Richard Elmer ’46 had not taken over
some of the responsibilities. We work well
together.
ALUM You have been CC’s Principal since 2000.
Assuming you are Principal in the next school
year, you will become the longest-serving
Principal in the School’s history. What does
that distinction mean to you?
Fr. R
ALUM How do you balance keeping the traditions of
CC with opening a sparkling, new School
building?
Fr. R
It’s one I’d be proud of. There are two ways to
look at that.
First, this School has never depended on any
one man. That is a consolation to me – the
Principal is not the “be all” and “end all” in
this School. In some places, the Principal
makes all of the important decisions. But this
School isn’t that way. The School is bigger
than any one Principal.
One reason we haven’t displayed every trophy
we have ever won and covered every wall with
photographs of past athletes is to make the
statement that this is a place for growing.
Although we have a great tradition, today’s
students must have a place in our trophy case.
This place will never be completed; it will
always be growing. This School will always
have four new classes of young men every year.
Tradition has its place, but it’s not something
that today’s students must fit themselves into.
Tradition is adapted by every generation. ■
18
C AT H O L I C C E N T R A L
2005-2006 Calendar Of Events
December
3
4
8
12
15
16-21
22
Parents’ Christmas Dinner/Dance – 7:00 P.M.
CC Christmas Concert – 6:30 P.M.
Mass – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Dads’ Club General Meeting
End of 2nd Quarter
Semester Exams
Christmas Break
School resumes Jan. 4, 2006
January
4
9
16
18
Classes Resume
Mothers’ Club Board Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
Dads’ Club General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
Senior Parents’ Meeting – 7:00 P.M.
Mothers’ Club Mass & General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
February
1
10-20
13
19
20
24
Mothers’ Club Board Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
Student Fund Drive
Dads’ Club General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
Mother/Son Mass & Brunch – 11:00 A.M.
National Honor Society Induction – 7:00 P.M.
Drive Holiday – No Classes
March
1
2
9
10
11
13
18
22
28
Mass – Ash Wednesday
Mothers’ Club Board Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
Dads’ Club Evening of Recollection – 6:30 P.M.
Incoming Freshmen Night – 7:00 P.M.
End of 3rd Quarter
Incoming Freshmen Registration Day – 8:00 A.M.
Dads’ Club General Meeting – 6:00 P.M.
Band “Night on the Town” – 7:00 P.M.
Returning Students Registration Day
Parent/Teacher Conferences – 6:00-8:00 P.M.
College Night – 7:00 P.M.
19
A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N
Alumni Association Mission Statement
The mission of the Catholic Central
Alumni Association is to provide services,
benefits and activities of interest to the alumni
and foster an alumni body which is interested
and involved in the affairs and functions of the School,
and to provide such assistance to the School
as may from time to time be requested of it.
PLEASE PRAY WITH US!
Rosary
Every Tuesday at 2:50 P.M.
SAVE THE “DEEP” DATE
Holy Hour
Every Wednesday at 2:50 P.M.
ALUMNI
A S S O C I AT I O N
4th Annual Catholic Conference For Men
CC Teacher Fr. Mike Buentello, C.S.B. will be one of the
main speakers at the upcoming “Put Out Into The Deep IV.”
Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the conference
will be held March 25, 2006, at the University of DetroitMercy. The theme for discussion is “What Legacy Will
I Leave?/What Difference Are We Making In The
World.” For more information, contact the Alumni
Office at (248) 596-3838. ■
Mass
Every morning at 7:30 A.M.
Monday - Friday
…in the new Catholic Central Chapel
Ray Brennan ’55/Ireland (Continued from Page 5)
Of course, we took a picture of us standing next to Chaplin. We
then continued around the Peninsula to the village of Sneem,
returning via Molls Gap, and taking in some of the spectacular
scenery that makes Killarney so famous. We stopped at the
Victorian Muckross House, which is a magnificent Victorian
mansion and one of Ireland’s leading stately homes. It is
beautifully situated amidst the spectacular scenery of Killarney
National Park. While we were there, we saw a wedding party
getting their pictures taken in the beautiful garden adjacent to
the mansion.
because there was no way they could have moved it into the room
fully assembled.
We arrived at the Dromoland Castle around noon, in time to
have lunch and enjoy 18 holes of golf. The Dromoland Golf
Course was a testy one for our type of game. The Irish courses
are very green even though they don’t have watering systems.
The grass is fine and lush. The tall secondary ruff makes it
impossible to find your ball. The heather was also tough to
avoid, especially on a couple of the holes, and Ron was talking
to himself. Luckily, he found as many balls as he lost, because
he only had three to start off with. I did well (for me) on the
first nine (shot 43), but the second nine did me in (53), even with
a mulligan (the Irish call that another stroke). The ladies had
a huge advantage on most holes and didn’t lose as many balls.
But we all had a great time. Dromoland Castle is a magnificent
hotel and a highlight of our tour. The rooms are large and had
all the amenities you could ask for, even robes in the room, and
complementary liquor and slippers to take back home. The
Castle is the ancestral home of the O’Briens, barons of Inchiquin
and direct descendants of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland.
I wonder if they turned over in their grave when they found
out one of their namesakes, Roy O’Brien, sold automobiles in
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. We had dinner at the Golf Course
restaurant because we were too tired to dress for a formal dinner
in the hotel’s dining room.
Returning to Killarney Plaza, we bid farewell to Damien who had
a family affair to attend the next day. He had a five-hour drive to
get back to his home in Greystone and that was via the best route.
I included four American quarters that Damien collects as part
of the gratuity we gave him. He was very grateful. He told us
Tommy Barnes would pick us up at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning.
Monday morning, Tommy Barnes was waiting at the front
door to pack our luggage in his Volkswagen van,
a newer model with more luggage space in the rear. Tommy is
from Shannon and knows his Irish history also. His vehicle is
equipped with a loudspeaker system and we all got to hear his
comments about the countryside as we traveled north towards
our overnight destination, the Dromoland Castle.
On our way, we stopped at the Bunratty Folk Park, featuring the
Bunratty Castle, which is one of the best-renovated ancient castles
in Ireland. It was built around 1425. Although there are three large
rooms – the Basement, the Main Guard and the Great Hall – the
stairwells to access them were as narrow as the ones we climbed
in the Blarney Castle. The furniture must have been built onsite
Tuesday our last day in Ireland, began with a breakfast
in the hotel dining room. Tommy Barnes transferred us to Shannon Airport, a mere eight miles from the
Dromoland Castle, for our long trip back home to Michigan. ■
27
20
CC Alum Finds Success at Notre Dame
YOUNG ALUMNI
By Al Athvale ’08
O
ver the years, our School has produced countless illustrious
alumni.
When he was hurt in football, he said, “The guys made being
injured tolerable, and the faculty also made it more like a
growing experience rather than pain.”
Many continue to maintain close ties with the Catholic
Central Family. It seems that, in most cases, a grad’s best pals
are his CC brothers.
Looking back, he reflected: “The teams I did play on made me
feel like we were all brothers rather than just teammates.”
One alumnus who has continued to retain close connections
with the School is John Donovan, class of ’04. Donovan
now attends the University of Notre Dame. He joins a
sizable group of CC alumni in South Bend. The
Shamrock contingent includes Mike Walsh, Brian
Hagan, Gabe Crawford, Paul Romine, and Joe
Lafferty (at Holy Cross), just to name a few.
His best year at School was “a tie between Freshman year and
Senior year. Freshman year, everything is new and you
are amazed at all the events from the first game to the
assemblies to all activities in between. Senior year goes
by fast, and you start to appreciate things more and
more as graduation time comes closer and closer.”
Notre Dame is certainly a challenging school, but
Donovan observed, “CC prepared me well for the
challenges at Notre Dame.”
He plans to become a sports agent or maybe to return to CC
as a part of the faculty somehow.
“Fr. McKernan’s morality class was one of the best classes I took
at CC because it taught me how to really become a man,” he said.
He also said, “For me, CC was a tough school that made sure
I wasn’t ready just for college, but also for life.”
“Life at Notre Dame,” he added, “is much different from CC
life because, at Notre Dame, they don’t force you to go to
class or do your homework. They simply leave it up to you.”
During his four years at CC, Donovan was the back-up
quarterback of the Football team (who can forget his seasonending injury which left him hobbling in sweats for the
remainder of the year) and Senior Class President.
Anyone who talks to John Donovan will immediately find
out his admiration and affection for his Alma Mater.
Some of the memorable moments he had in his four years
here were the Prom, his big speech at graduation and the
Boys’ Bowl games.
Our location may have changed, but the spirit remains
the same. ■
This article also appears in the “Spectrum,” the official School newspaper of Catholic Central.
Published 4-5 times each year, the “Spectrum” can also be viewed online at www.catholiccentral.net
To ’46, ’51, ’56, ’61, ’66, ’71, ’76, ’81, ’86, ’91, ’96 & ’01 Alumni:
Your Class Needs You!
A
s our reunion “season” winds down, we would like
to take a moment to express thanks to the many alumni
who answered the call to help. Your efforts were, and are,
essential to the success of these events. Furthermore,
many classes made generous donations to our beloved
Alma Mater. Those dollars will go towards tuition
assistance for deserving students.
other classes do the same. The Alumni Office is in the
process of getting the above reunions planned for 2006.
Some of you have already shown interest in helping out
with your reunion. If you have already begun working
on your class reunion, please let the Alumni Office
know. The Alumni Office is doing more now to help
with the legwork, allowing classmates the time to concentrate on passing the word along to fellow classmates.
Please contact Tim Burke ’86 in the Alumni Relations
Office at (248) 596-3835 or tburke@catholicccentral.net
for details. ■
We just came off a successful Boys’ Bowl Weekend that
also served for many classes as Reunion Weekend and
Homecoming. Ten classes celebrated reunions over the
Boys’ Bowl Weekend. The positive response is helping
21
A S S O C I AT I O N
He added, “CC made high school seem like it was college by
not babying us and also by not having the teachers hold our
hands while we were doing our homework.”
ALUMNI
One way he has been able to maintain ties with CC
family and friends is by coming back and visiting
during his free time. Also, he says, “The Alumni
Office (where he works during the summer months
and on breaks) helps keep him in contact too.” One
of his best friends at Notre Dame is fellow Sophomore
Gabe Diaz.
Donovan is presently a Sophomore majoring in
Accounting.
Family Fest 2005 - Novi Style
The CC community gathered on Sunday, Sept. 25, to enjoy the 14th Annual Family Fest –
the first at our new home in Novi. What a delightful day it was. The fine food that our
restaurants and event centers prepared was delicious and plentiful. Everyone enjoyed
themselves and ate to their heart’s content. We would like to thank the many men
and women who gave of their time and talents to help make Family Fest 2005 such a
smashing success.
We would ask you to patronize the vendors that donated their gifts and recipes.
Participating establishments were:
Absolut Peach Vodka
Bamboo Club
44375 W. 12 Mile Rd.
Novi
(248) 347-1006
BD Mongolian Barbeque
27 locations
across the U.S.
www.bdmongolianbarbeque.com
Buddy’s Pizza
33605 Plymouth Rd.
Livonia
(734) 261-3550
www.buddyspizza.com
Ernesto’s
41661 Plymouth Rd.
Plymouth
(734) 453-2002
Merchant’s Fine Wine
(3 locations)
22250 Michigan Ave.
Dearborn
(313) 563-8700
Fonte D’Amore
32030 Plymouth Rd.
Livonia
(734) 422-0770
21034 Mack Ave.
Grosse Pointe Woods
(313) 417-0400
Hostess Snack Cakes
146 North Main Street
Royal Oak
(248) 546-7770
House of Fudge
470 Forest Ave.
Plymouth
(734) 459-1990
Mother’s Pizzeria
44675 Five Mile Road
Plymouth
(734) 207-8925
Compari’s on the Park
350 South Main Street
Plymouth
(734) 416-0100
John Cowley & Sons
Irish Pub
33338 Grand River Ave.
Farmington
(248) 474-5941
New Jade Garden
37260 Five Mile Road
Livonia
(734) 432-9770
Dukes of Highland
1200 S. Milford Road
Highland
(248) 887-8230
Joe’s Produce
33152 West Seven Mile
Livonia
(248) 477-4333
Red Lobster
5774 North Wayne Road
Westland
(734) 326-7655
E. G. Nick’s
500 Forest Ave.
Plymouth
(734) 414-6400
Laffrey’s
24201 West Seven Mile
Detroit
(313) 538-4688
Red Robin
America’s Gourmet Burgers
& Spirits
Edward’s Café &
Caterer
116 East Dunlap
Northville
(248) 344-1550
Laurel Manor
39000 Schoolcraft Rd.
Livonia
(734) 462-0770
Embassy Suites Hotel
19525 Victor Parkway
Livonia
(734) 462-6000
Thank You!
22
Tamales Express
25505 Plymouth Road
Redford
(313) 937-7970
Volare Ristorante
49115 Pontiac Trail
Wixom
(248) 960-7771
THE
BELLS
Wedding Bells
KURT M. LIENHARD ’82* and Kathy Browne (highschool sweetheart) were married March 6, 2004.
MICHAEL HAMILTON
’93 and Jessica Spear
(left) were married May
22, 2004, at Our Lady
of Victory Church,
Northville, Mich.
TIM McDONALD ’88* and Kim Murray were married
in June at the Air Force Academy Chapel. Tim and
Kim send their best wishes to the CC Family.
THE
DANIEL GALLAGHER
’96 and Shannon Smith
(below) were married
October 2, 2004, at
St. Fabian Church,
Farmington Hills, Mich.
In attendance were:
(left to right, front row)
Groomsman Brian
Gallagher ’03, Rimas Polteraitis ’96, Shannon, Best
Man Josh DelCorvo ’97, (middle row) Don Slankster
’98, Joe Jonna ’98, Paul Romanelli, Dan, Anthony
BELLS
KARL KOWALYK ’91* and Andrea Thibodeau were
married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Royal Oak, Mich.,
Dec. 27, 2003. Pictured at the event are: (left to right,
front row) Andrea and Karl, Bob McNeil ’54, Chet
“Sims” Szymanski ’40 (dec. Aug. 12, 2004), Richard
Szymanski ’42, (back row) Best Man Leo Kowalyk III
’90, Lou Mioduszewski ’65, Dennis Sinclair ’60, Keith
Hesano ’94, Len Polteraitis ’96, (back row) Richard
Daguanno ’56, Andy Slankster ’94, Andy Kummer
’94, and Groomsman Sean Gallagher ’94.
CAPTAIN JOHN FAUNCE ’97* and Gretchen Wilkins
were united in marriage at a Cross Sword Ceremony
on May 29, 2005, at the First Presbyterian Church, Ann
Arbor, Mich. Derrick Faunce ’95 was the Best Man.
John’s brother Sean served as a Groomsman and sister
Jeannine as a Bridesmaid.
Szymanski ’02, Mike Liebau ’95, Chris Barbara ’91,
Omar Hindo ’91, Leo Kowalyk Jr. ’65, Groomsman
Jeff Rees ’91, Dan Najera ’91, and Mark Buckhave ’87.
The couple resides in Farmington Hills, Mich.
* Further information in “Baby Bells” and/or
“Chatterbox.”
23
☞
ALAN MARDEGIAN ’99* and Nikki Asciutto were
married June 3, 2005, at St. John’s Center, Plymouth,
Mich. Pictured above are: (left to right, front row) Todd
Watkins ’05, Jon Luna ’01, Nikki and Alan, Trevor
Anderson ’99, John Oliver ’95, Matt Lapham ’95,
(back row) Andy Christenson ’04, Kevin Mardegian
’05, Mike Luna ’99, and Eric Kasprowicz ’03.
DAVID DANIC ’01 and Jennifer Meyer were married
June 25, 2005, in Angola, Ind. Shown above are: (left
to right, front row) Dan Danic ’97, Dave and Jen, Jeff
Haller ’00, P. J. Salter ’01, (back row) Nick Gonzales ’01,
Darren Fron ’96, Sean Lanigan ’00, Matt Champine
’01, Chris Cubba ’01, Damien Fron ’95, and Steve
Bauer ’00.
Baby Bells
KARL KOWALYK ’91* and his wife Andrea – a
daughter, Kathryn Marie, born April 24, 2005.
Kathryn is the granddaughter of Leo Jr. ’65 and niece
of Leo III ’90.
THE
BELLS
KEITH L. GARNETTMcEVOY ’78 and his wife
Dawn – a daughter, Riley
Ann, born April 17, 2005.
A sister for Rogan and
Connor.
Mia Isabella Lienhard
Thomas Matthew Scanlon
DANIEL WROBLESKI ’94 and his wife Jennifer – a
son, Andrew Daniel, born April 22, 2005. Andrew
joins his 3-year-old sister Avery.
KURT M. LIENHARD ’82*
and his wife Kathy – a
daughter, Mia Isabella, born
July 1, 2005.
KURTIS HALE ’85 and his
wife Margareta – a daughter,
Annemarie Mae, born
August 19, 2005. A sister
for Elizabeth, niece to
Kevin ’77, Craig ’79, and
Kenneth ’80, and cousin
to Brian ’07.
TOM SCANLON ’88 and
his wife Kelly – a boy,
Thomas Matthew, born
April 2005.
Amelia Louise and
Gwendolyn Jane Kocis
Left to right: Godparents Chris Dueweke ’98
and Tracie Goebel are shown with the Wrobleskis –
Jennifer, Andrew Daniel, Dan ’94 and Avery.
JERRY KOCIS ’89 and
his wife Jennifer – a girl,
Amelia Louise, born March
23, 2005. Amelia joins
three-year-old sister
Gwendolyn Jane.
SEAN BELL ’00* and his wife Brandy – a daughter,
Alexis, born July 27, 2005. ■
* Further information in “Wedding Bells” and/or
“Chatterbox.”
24
In Memoriam
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
The following members of the Catholic Central Family have passed from this life to the next.
Please remember them in your Masses and other prayers. Our sincere condolences are extended to their loved ones.
Alumni
ROY POWERS ’38 – January 21, 2004. He is survived by
his wife Anne, daughters Veronica and Denise, and three
grandchildren.
JOSHUA “BEN” MARSDEN BENNETT ’42 – June 18,
2005. He is survived by his wife Margaret, seven children
and 15 grandchildren. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at
St. Colman Catholic Church, Farmington Hills, Mich.
DANIEL G. GANNON ’43 – May 26, 2005. He is survived by
seven children, 12 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren
and his sister Mary Ellen. A Memorial Service was held at
St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Port Austin, Mich.
HARRY MELIA ’43 – July 6, 2005. He is survived by his
wife Dolores, brother James, sister Mary Agnes, and many
nieces and nephews. Harry was an avid golfer and bowler.
His body was donated to science. He remained a loyal
Shamrock to the end.
GEORGE F. WEILER ’44 – August 10, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Edith, five children and 11 grandchildren.
A Memorial Mass was held at Assumption Grotto Church,
Detroit, Mich.
ERNEST J. ZARB ’44 – August 1, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Terese, sons Joseph ’69, Ernest ’72, Paul ’77,
Jeffrey, and Gary, eight grandchildren, a brother and two
THADDEUS S. OWSIANY ’47 – August 19, 2005. He is
survived by his wife Beatrice, four children – Sheila Alles,
Michael ’73, Diane Manning and David ’83 – five grandchildren including Joseph Dudzinski ’04, a brother
and two sisters. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St.
Kenneth Catholic Church, Plymouth, Mich.
MEMORIAM
MICHAEL B. GLEESON ’42 – October 3, 2005. He is survived by his wife Helen, three children, six grandchildren,
three sisters, brothers John and James ’58, and many nieces
and nephews. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St.
Regis Church, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
LAWRENCE DOOLEY ’46 – August 14, 2005. He is survived by his wife Collette, five sons – including Dan ’73 –
two daughters, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas
Church, Detroit, Mich.
IN
ALFRED J. GIRARDOT JR. ’42 – March 21, 2005, unexpectedly in Maui, Hawaii. Husband of Lois Cousino.
Father of Catherine, Alfred III, Robert, Michael, Michele
Hershberger, and Christopher. Nine grandchildren and
three great-grandchildren. Brother of Walter ’44, Edward
’46, and Richard ’49. Alfred was predeceased by brothers
Tom ’41 and Frank ’51. Uncle of Gregory ’73, Bernard ’76,
and Alfred ’77. The Memorial Mass was celebrated at Our
Lady of the Assumption Church, Claremont, Calif.
sisters. He was a member of St. Thomas the Apostle
Catholic Church.
BERTRAM J. ROHLMAN ’47 – June 7, 2005. He is survived by his wife Ruth, two children, six grandchildren,
two brothers, including Jack ’44, and a sister. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at Prince of Peace Catholic Church,
Olathe, Kansas.
WILLIAM A. SHEA ’47 – October 4, 2005. He is survived by
his wife Jean, five daughters, sons Joseph ’81 and Paul ’85,
and 15 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brothers
Benjamin ’39, Henry ’41 and Ralph ’42. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic
Church, Beverly Hills, Mich.
WALTER BRZEZINSKI ’48 – March 3, 2005. He is survived
by his wife, Dorothy, daughters Cheryl and Kathleen, son
Steven, and four grandchildren. According to Dorothy, Walt
enjoyed his retirement, spending time with his grandchildren,
fishing, golfing and playing tennis. The Funeral Mass was
celebrated at St. Basil Catholic Church, South Haven, Mich.
ALDO BUTTAZZONI ’48 – August 4, 2005. He is survived by his wife Patsy, four children, 12 grandchildren,
a brother and his nephew Philip Corsi ’74. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at St. William Catholic Church,
Walled Lake, Mich.
ROBERT A. HORVATH ’48 – April 24, 2005. He is survived by his wife Shirley, four children, seven grandchildren
and three brothers. He was predeceased by his brother
John ’45. Robert was retired from Chrysler Corporation.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Owen Catholic
Church, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
25
☞
Catholic Central Loses
Rev. John Henry Menner, C.S.B.
Priest, Educator And Former Principal
IN
MEMORIAM
Fr. John Menner, C.S.B. died August 12,
2005, in his 76th year. He was a priest in
the Congregation of St. Basil. He made
his first profession of vows August 15,
1948, and was ordained to the priesthood June 29, 1958.
He is survived by his sisters Patricia
(George) Kirchner and Kathryn (Thomas)
Marshall, and many nieces and nephews
– including Kevin ’73 and Brian
Kirchner ’79, Thomas Marshall ’81,
and Matthew ’68 and Douglas Plein
’77, who loved him very much. He was
predeceased by his parents and sister
Carolyn Plein.
Fr. Menner touched the lives of many
students and parents. He had a long
career as a teacher and administrator.
He taught in Toronto, Ontario; Windsor,
Ontario; Detroit, Mich.; Houston, Tex.;
Rochester, N.Y.; Merrillville, Ind.; and
Albuquerque, N.M. He was the 17th Principal of
Detroit Catholic Central and taught at Catholic Central
from 1952-53, 1979-85 and 1990-2004.
The Funeral Mass of the Resurrection was
held at St. Gerald’s Church. Fr. Ken
Decker, C.S.B. ’56 was the main celebrant and
Fr. John Ward, C.S.B. ’59, at the request of Fr.
Menner, was the homilist. Over 30 Basilians and
priests from the Archdiocese of Detroit, including
Bishop Earl Boyer, were present, and more than a
thousand people packed the Church. Fr. Menner is
buried in the Basilian Fathers’ plot in Holy Sepulchre
Cemetery, Southfield, Mich. ■
Fr. Menner also helped with the liturgies on weekends
at St. Gerald’s Church, Farmington, Mich. He will be
remembered for his homilies and the love he gave to
the parishioners.
May they be at peace with the Lord they loved so well.
RAYMOND NEMECKAY ’48 – October 19, 2005. He is
survived by his wife of 52 years, Celine, six children, 13
grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a brother.
Ray was the owner of Ray’s Delicatessen. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at St. Clair of Montefalco Catholic
Church, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.
JOHN S. WEBER ’53 – October 16, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Dee, sons Jim and Steve, daughter Mary,
five grandchildren and his brother Charles. He was
predeceased by his daughter Sharon. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at Holy Family Church, Novi, Mich.
WALTER G. BALAVICH ’54 – September 12, 2005.
He is survived by his wife Joanna, four children, five
grandchildren and two sisters. The Funeral Mass was
celebrated at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church,
Lake Orion, Mich.
WILLIAM E. ADAMS ’50 – October 10, 2005. He is
survived by his wife Sharon, four children, six grandchildren, a sister and his brother Robert ’54. The
Funeral Mass was celebrated at National Shrine of the
Little Flower, Royal Oak, Mich.
THOMAS F. EGAN ’57 – September 30, 2005. He is
survived by his four children, four grandchildren and
a sister. He was predeceased by his brother Larry ’53.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Joan of Arc
Catholic Church, St. Clair Shores, Mich.
JAMES F. COREY ’50 – May 20, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Dolores, four children, three grandchildren,
a brother and a sister. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
at St. Bede’s Catholic Church, Southfield, Mich.
PARKER C. FINN ’50 – October 5, 2005. He is survived by his wife Eileen, three daughters, a son and
five grandchildren. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
at St. Regis Catholic Church, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
DONALD MUNCE ’57 – September 4, 2005. He is
survived by his wife Carol, two sons, six grandchildren
and two siblings. A Memorial Mass celebrating
Donald’s life was held in the Chapel of Catholic
Central High School, Novi, Mich.
26
Two Prominent Basilians
Rev. Joseph Anthony Miller, C.S.B. ’44
Priest And Educator
Fr. Joseph Miller, C.S.B. ’44 died August 23,
2005, at Marybrook Nursing Home in
Livonia, Mich. He was in his 79th year.
He was a priest in the Congregation of
St. Basil. He made his first profession
of vows August 15, 1945, and was
ordained to the priesthood June 29,
1954.
He will be remembered as a Mathematics
and Biology teacher, and Baseball Coach.
Fr. Miller was also a person that was
very handy; there were not many things
that he could not repair.
He is survived by his sister Maxine
Miller.
IN
The Funeral Mass of the Resurrection
was held at St. Genevieve Catholic
Church, Livonia, Mich. Fr. Ken Decker,
C.S.B. ’56 was the main celebrant. Father
Jack Whitley, C.S.B., a long-time friend, preached
the homily. Many Basilians and priests from the
Archdiocese of Detroit were present. Fr. Miller is
buried in the Basilian Fathers’ plot in Holy Sepulchre
Cemetery in Southfield, Mich. ■
MEMORIAM
Fr. Miller was born in Detroit, Mich. He
served the Church throughout the United
States and Canada as a teacher and retreat
leader. He was a teacher and a coach at
Catholic Central from 1949-50, 1951-52, 1955-76,
and 1978-83. He also taught in Rochester, N.Y., and
Toronto, Ontario. Father Miller returned to the
Basilian Community at Catholic Central to retire in
1997.
He was a man of faith and of prayer, and he was
always ready to help his fellow man.
Let us remember Fr. John and Fr. Joe in our prayers.
and James Kevin – his mother Anne Campbell Welch,
and siblings Kevin, Sean ’82, Jeff, Kelly Schoeppner,
Megan Petrie and Therese Welch Moyland. Tim died
in his idea of heaven on earth – Twisp, Washington –
doing what he loved the most, flyfishing in the river.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at Church of the
Resurrection, Lakeland, Fla.
MITCHELL J. DOUGLAS ’61 – July 2005. He is survived by his mother, Angeline Skorski. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Grace Catholic
Church, Dearborn, Mich.
TIMOTHY O’HARA ’61 – July 24, 2005. He is survived
by his children Brian, Maureen Kebo and Edward,
seven grandchildren, five siblings and his dear companion Cindy Suszek. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Farmington, Mich.,
by Fr. John Ward, C.S.B. ’59.
BRYCE McHALE ’82 – July 30, 2005. He died after a
courageous two-year battle with colon cancer. Bryce is
survived by his parents Raymond and Justine, brother
Burke ’84 and sister Ellen. Bryce, an analytical chemist,
was the founder and owner of Quantum Laboratories
in Wixom, Mich. A Memorial Service was held at Our
Lady of Good Counsel, Plymouth, Mich.
MICHAEL THOMAS ’61 – August 26, 2005. He is
survived by his wife Lorraine, daughter and son-in-law
Luanne and Matthew Ewald ’87, son Brian ’91 and
daughter-in-law Amy, grandchildren Maggie and Mollie
Ewald, and his mother Mary Thomas Saber. Mike
served as President of the Dads’ Club from 1989-1991.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Fabian Church,
Farmington Hills, Mich.
JOSEPH R. BUTLER ’97 – December 20, 2004. Joe
died after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer.
He is survived by his parents, Robert and Sharon, and
four sisters – Dawn, Kimberly, Emily, and Rebecca.
He was predeceased by his sister Allison. The Funeral
Mass was celebrated at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic
Church, Redford, Mich.
TIMOTHY WELCH ’72 – July 9, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Maria Hatter, three children – John, Claire
27
☞
of Clarence ’43 and the late Edward Lasecki ’40 and Frank
Kolly (Kolodzielski) ’41. A Memorial Service was held at
Boynton Memorial Chapel, Boynton Beach, Fla.
Extended Family
SARAH BRYANT – September 19, 2005. She is survived
by her husband Tom, five children, eight grandchildren,
two sisters, and brothers Jim ’50, Dan ’57, John ’60, and
Bill MacInnis ’64. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at
St. Fabian Catholic Church, Farmington Hills, Mich.
IN
MEMORIAM
GEORGE DARABAN – July 5, 2005. He is survived by
his wife Veronica, daughter Constance, son George ’86,
and three grandchildren. The Funeral Service was held at
Sts. Peter and Paul Romanian Orthodox Church, Dearborn
Heights, Mich.
BONNIE LEE DEWAN – June 23, 2005, after a courageous
battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband Patrick J.,
daughters Lisa Booth, Leanne Wisnieski, and Amy Kelley,
sons Michael ’85 and Patrick J. III ’80, 14 grandchildren,
four sisters and a brother. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
at Holy Family Catholic Church, Novi, Mich.
HAROLD PARSONS – August 17, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Hazel, three sons – Benny, Steve, and Phil ’75 –
daughter Patty Severt, 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, a brother and three sisters. Harold was an active
member of the Catholic Central Dads’ Club when his son
attended, and for years beyond. The Funeral Service was
held at the Boone Family Funeral Home, West Jefferson, N.C.
SALVATORE RODRIGUEZ – October 13, 2005. He is
survived by his brother Mike (CC Teacher and Wrestling
Coach) and nephews Steve ’72, David ’75 and Christopher
’89. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Sebastian
Catholic Church, Dearborn Heights, Mich.
EARL J. FORTUNE – September 23, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Lenore, son Daniel ’64 and three grandchildren.
The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Robert Bellarmine
Catholic Church, Redford, Mich.
JOHN F. SMOLTZ – October 13, 2005. He is survived by
two sons, John A. ’60 and James, two daughters, Mary
Rose and Joanne, seven grandchildren (including John, a
pitcher for the Atlanta Braves), and 11 great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his wife, Theresa, in 1995. John
worked as a member of the Detroit Tigers’ ground crew for
25 years. He was a devoted member of the Melvindale
Button Box Accordion Club; for his 90th birthday, his son
John hired accordion players to perform at the nursing
home where he resided. John owned and operated Dairy
Bakeries of Detroit. He delivered Awrey bakery products
house to house throughout the city. He also owned and
managed J & J Weigh Station. The Mass of Resurrection
was celebrated by Fr. Richard Elmer, C.S.B. ’46 at the Lyle
Elliott Funeral Home, Warren, Mich.
JOHN GIERAK – September 18, 2005. He is survived by his
wife Bernadine, five children – John L. ’70, Toni Seghi, Lynn
Oles, Mark, and Dina McMullin. Twelve grandchildren
including Stephen McMullin ’08, one great-grandchild
and three sisters. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at
St. Patrick Catholic Church, Brighton, Mich.
LIAM STRAKA WHITLOW – September 30, 2005. Liam
is survived by his parents Brad ’88 and Kelly, his twin
brother Luke, and sister Meghan. During his 21 months of
life, Liam touched the hearts and lives of all who came in
contact with him. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at Our
Lady of Joy Catholic Church, Scottsdale, Ariz.
WALLY A. HILKER – July 27, 2005. He is survived by
his four children – Deacon Stephen ’71, Martin ’74, Mary
Jane, and Renee Derra. The Funeral Mass was celebrated
at Gesu Church, Detroit, Mich.
CAROLYN WOZNY – May 6, 2005. She is survived by her
husband Jerome ’59, and sons Patrick and Brian.
DOLORES DOWHAN – September 10, 2005. She is survived
by children Elaine, Stephen ’68, Paul and David ’87, eight
grandchildren – including Philip ’04 and Stephen ’06 –
and five siblings. She was predeceased by her husband
Steve, and son Timothy. The Memorial Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Detroit, Mich.
WILBURN HUMPHRIES – July 31, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Marion, four sons including Eric Humphries
Sabree ’72, a daughter, three stepchildren, 19 grandchildren,
four great-grandchildren and a brother. The Funeral Mass
was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church, Detroit, Mich.
PHYLLIS A. LASECKI – March 14, 2005. She is survived
by her husband Jim ’47, three children, nine grandchildren
and three great-grandchildren. Phyllis was the sister-in-law
28
STANLEY F. WYMAN – January 7, 2005. He is survived
by his wife Cathryn, two daughters, son William ’77,
seven grandchildren, two sisters and a brother.
MARY ZELENAK – September 14, 2005. Mary was the
widow of Andrew ’31. She is survived by her eight children,
20 grandchildren, two stepgrandsons, 13 great-grandchildren
and a sister. The Funeral Mass was at St. Malachy Catholic
Church, Sterling Heights, Mich. ■
SCHOOL BELLS
Our National Merit Scholars
W
e would like to recognize and congratulate our Senior scholars. We have four Semifinalists in
the 2006 Merit Scholarship Competition. They are: Jacob Hincka, Neil Daksla, Scott Malinowski,
and Andrew Huber.
We have twelve Commended Students in the 2006 National Merit Program. They are: Blake Biddinger,
Stephen Dowhan, Andrew Fleszar, Danius Giedraitis, Jason Gilbert, Robert Guglielmo, Brian Kirkendall,
David Lopez, Joseph Maslak, Timothy Monforton, Christopher Pugliese, and Russell Zarras.
Robert Ford is a 2006 National Achievement Program Participant. ■
SCHOOL
BELLS
2006 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists:
Neil Daksla, Jacob Hincka, Andrew Huber,
and Scott Malinowski
29
25
New to Catholic Central’s faculty are (left to right) Fr. Rob Moslosky, C.S.B. (Computer); Domenic Michalik
(Theology); Fr. Jefferson Thompson, C.S.B. (Senior Theology and Freshman French); Ana Restrepo (Spanish);
and Fr. James O’Neill, C.S.B. (Biology).
Fr. Rob Moslosky, C.S.B. is teaching Computer classes and
oversees the CC website. He also helps maintain the
computer system throughout the School. He taught at
CC in the mid-’80s and was Vice Principal in 1986. He
has taught at Assumption College School in Windsor,
Ontario; St. Thomas High School in Houston, Tex.; and
Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, Calif. Fr.
Moslosky was also an assistant at St. Theresa’s Church
in Sugarland, Tex., and comes to us from Assumption
University in Windsor, Ontario, where he was treasurer.
We welcome him back to Catholic Central.
Fr. James O’Neill, C.S.B. is teaching Biology. He taught
at St. Mary’s College, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and has
been Chaplain at St. Charles College, Sudbury, Ontario.
Fr. Jim was the Vocation Director for the Basilian
Fathers, and helped in chaplaincy at the University of
Toronto. Father comes to us from St. Mark’s College
in the University of British Columbia where he was
Chaplain. He likes hiking and cross-country skiing.
Domenic Michalik comes to us from Sacred Heart School,
Dearborn, Mich. He received his degree at the Franciscan
University in Steubenville, Ind. He is teaching Theology
at Catholic Central.
Catholic Central is blessed to have a wonderful
teaching staff. ■
Ben Herman ’98 Comes Home Again
We welcome Ben Herman ’98 to the CC Alumni and Development staff. Ben is an
Alumni Development Associate. After graduating from Michigan State with a B.A.
in History, he attended Madonna University to do graduate work. He is married to
Victoria. While at CC, Ben played Football, and was Captain of the 1997 State Champion
Football Team. He is Assistant Coach for the Freshman Football Team. ■
31
BELLS
Ana Restrepo is teaching Spanish. She taught Spanish
at St. Paul’s Middle School, Grosse Pointe, Mich. She
comes to us from Holy Redeemer High School, where
she taught Spanish. Before coming to the States, Ana
was an architect for 12 years in Colombia. Her hobbies
include tennis and going to the movies.
SCHOOL
Meet the New
CC Teachers on Staff
Fr. Jefferson Thompson, C.S.B. was born in India.
He is teaching Senior Theology and Freshman French.
He taught English and was Chaplain at the University
of St. Thomas, Houston, Tex., and comes to us from
St. Michael College School, Toronto, Ontario. He lived
in Paris, France, and says he traveled around the world
to get to Catholic Central in Detroit.
S P O RT S U P DAT E
Breaking Sports News…
Golf
The Shamrocks were Catholic League and District Champions.
The team finished second at Regionals. They finished fifth at
States with a Two-Day score of 604; Senior Adam Hogue tied for
second with a one-under par (141) Individual Two-Day score.
Varsity Football
The Shamrocks were victorious against Divine Child in the
last game of the regular season, 24-19, in the Prep Bowl on
Oct. 21. This qualified the Shamrocks for the State Play-off
for the 10th time in 11 years. In the first round, the team
defeated Livonia Stevenson, 42-14. In the District Finals,
the Shamrocks lost to Highland-Milford, 31-28. The overall
record was 7-4.
Coach Salter Steps Down
As Skipper
Of Shamrock Baseball
Cross Country
CC finished third in the Catholic League, led by Senior Jason
Morad (sixth Overall) and Freshman Alex Toloff (13th Place
Overall). The team finished second at Regionals, qualifying for
States.
S P O R T S U P D AT E
A
fter 25 years as Head Coach of the CC Varsity
Baseball team, John Salter has resigned. He was
one of the most successful prep baseball coaches in
the state. He coached the Shamrocks to two State
Championships – Class A in 1987, and Division I
in 1999 – along with 16 district, eight regional and
six Catholic League crowns. While coaching at
CC, Coach Salter posted a 615-224 record.
Soccer
The Shamrocks competed and fought hard in the tough
Catholic League. The season ended with a loss in Districts.
Individual Honors
Though he has resigned as Baseball coach, John
will continue to lead in the classroom as head of
the Business Department. Also, he will continue
to keep game statistics for the Football team and
help out with the Baseball fields in the spring. ■
GOLF: State of Michigan Dream Team
Adam Hogue ’06
First Team All State
Brian King ’06
All State Honorable Mention
Mike Murray ’08
Coach Walters
To Lead CC Baseball
FOOTBALL: Academic All Catholic
Rob Forte ’06
All League & All Catholic
K
Jeremy Bednarz-Gray ’07
John Conover ’06
Mike Parrelly ’06
evin Walters has been named
Head Varsity Baseball coach starting
in the 2006 season.
All League
Coach Walters has experience coaching at the high
school level, and was an assistant to John Salter for
eight years. He is respected throughout the baseball
community. He will continue to uphold the Shamrocks’
excellence on the diamond.
Alex Campbell ’06
Chris Harding ’06
John Kinville ’06
CROSS COUNTRY: All Catholic
Jason Morad ’06
Alex Toloff ’09
Kevin is on staff at CC. He is the School Campus
Minister and Head of the Theology Department. ■
32
18th Annual
Alumni Dinner
Honoring
Patrick M. Nesbitt ’62
This Year’s Recipient of the
Fr. Canning F. Harrison Award
March 23, 2006
Laurel Manor
Livonia, Mich.
Please contact the Alumni Office
for information or advance reservations
at (248) 596-3838
or online at:
ccalumni@catholiccentral.net
“I look at my years at Catholic
Central High School as one of
the defining periods of my life.
Under the guidance of the
Basilian Fathers, a shy and
rather insecure boy was given
the education, the confidence
and the motivation to pursue
his dreams. Everything that
I have accomplished in life
can be directly traced to the
foundation I received at CC.”
If you are interested in helping to promote, organize and/or conduct
the Alumni Dinner, please contact Stan Targosz Jr. ’67 at smtargosz@hotmail.com
Detroit Catholic Central High School
The Aluminator
27225 Wixom Road
Novi, MI 48374
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