Teacher ’ s Reflection
Dr . Patricia Morris , Mathematics / Modern Languages Department
New Yorkers are inured to the thousands of small stories they hear each day . But when that story plays out in front of St . Patrick ’ s Cathedral , even the gruffest of gothamites will pause to take in a spectacle , and might smile and join in a celebration , even for just a moment . Such was the case on June 15th as members of the Class of 2021 gathered on those hallowed Fifth Avenue steps . In this year of adversity , bringing a smile to the faces of hard-hit New Yorkers is surely a sign that God can be found in all things !
The generosity of Cardinal Dolan and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions allowed for the entire Class to be together for this grand , climactic ceremony . Graduates , resplendent in their traditional white dinner jackets , sat on the aisle edge of pews , next to their parents and relatives . Administrators , Board Members and Faculty took their places on the altar , looking out over a sea of faces of young men ready to join the ranks of esteemed alumni . After Dr . Joseph Petriello , ’ 98 declared the ceremony open and the invocation by Mr . Joseph Lorenz , S . J ., Alec Bastone , ’ 21 , the graduation speaker elected by his classmates , addressed his brothers with passion and humor . He spoke of the road leading from being classmates to brothers , the bonds forged in shared experiences in class , in athletics , in service and in retreat , “ in moments of pause and recollection .” He recalled Mrs . Rosanna Estrella ’ s reflection from the Immaculate Conception Mass his freshman year , and quoted her description of her coming reunion with God : I know I will put my hands on His , look Him in the eye and , with a twinkle in mine , I will ask , “ How can I help you today , my Friend ?” Alec spoke of the intersection of faith and service he and his brothers found in a small town in Tennessee working for Habitat for Humanity . Lastly , he quoted in a beautifully personal way St . Ignatius ’ prayer for generosity , and how his brothers taught him to be generous , to be of service , to fight , to labor and not to seek reward , and to go forth to set the world on fire .
Dr . Ernest Patti , Prep parent of Ernest Patti ,’ 20 , and Senior Attending Physician of Emergency Medicine and Director of Medical Affairs at St . Barnabas Hospital , served as guest speaker , and reflected on his experiences as a father and doctor . He urged the graduates to be humble , to seek counsel , to learn from mistakes , to always treat others with respect , to listen first , to put themselves in the shoes of others , to help without expecting reward , to be grateful , to know that “ days are long , but years are short ,” and to always give thanks to God .
Seniors then came forward to the altar to receive their diplomas from Fr . Christopher Devron , S . J . in a beautiful procession . Some seniors were accompanied by alumni fathers and grandfathers , and some by members of the Fordham community . The Cathedral statues seemed to smile as they looked down at this time-honored Prep ritual taking place in this brand-new setting .
Amid the difficulties of this year Fordham Prep has been blessed : the continued support of loyal and generous alumni and parents , the ability to hold in-school classes , the resilience of the students , faculty and administrators , to name only a few . The Graduation ceremony for the members of the Class of 2021 was yet another blessed moment for the Fordham Prep community . Exiting the Cathedral , there was , once again , a wonderful New York moment , the scene now filled with the smiles on the faces of passersby , clusters of friends posing for photographs , and the hugs and kisses of family . Walking down Fifth Avenue sometime later with a few colleagues , we were asked by a stranger if we knew who those “ kids ” were . When we answered that they were our former students , now Fordham Prep graduates , he nodded , and said , “ I hope you weren ’ t too hard on them !” I hope we weren ’ t , as the road to this night was hard enough for them . I do know that this class has proven itself ready to go set the world on fire .
Student ’ s Reflection
Nick Vianna ’ 21
Though this has been the only major graduation ceremony I have been an active participant in , I can confidently say that the event was not only a momentous occasion , but an excellent ending to my four years at Fordham Prep . The occasion had a sense of solemnity throughout , which was not hampered whatsoever by the prospect of us graduates reuniting with each other one final time . Our student speaker , Alec Bastone , delivered a relatable speech that called back to many of the best moments in his high school experience . Even if all of my peers may have different highlights from our last four years , we all shared Alec ’ s takeaways on brotherhood , leadership , community , and faith expressed while he was at the microphone . Dr . Patti ’ s address was particularly insightful , with students and parents alike nodding their heads to the morals of his numerous personal anecdotes . I am sure that as I grow older , I will be able to find new meaning in his words regarding this challenging year as well as life as a whole . Even if graduation was much different from Fordham Prep ’ s traditional commencement exercises , I found the ceremony to be anything but awkward : my expectations were exceeded from beginning to end , and I will certainly look back upon this day fondly .
10 RAMVIEW