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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Class of 1953 Gathers For Reunion at Saint Patrick School
August 21 , 2018 | The Valley Catholic
The rich history of Saint Patrick School came alive on Saturday , June 30 as 20 members of the Class of 1953 came together in the School ’ s Flanagan Hall to celebrate their 65th class reunion .
Bob Marchant , a member of the Class of 1953 , has been a catalyst for these reunions over the years . He is quick to note that there is something special about his class . “ We have always been close .”
Flanagan Hall is a place that attendees remembered as their gym – as the site of the dances and basketball games of their junior high school years – and as such it was a special place to gather . What made it special as well is that Flanagan Hall serves today as a place of prayer , where both Saint Patrick School students and the parishioners of Our Lady of La Vang worship following the
Members of the Saint Patrick School Class of 1953 gather outside the school during their 65th reunion on June 30 .
fire that destroyed the church several years ago .
Daughters of Charity Sister Fran Ciluaga , a counselor at Saint Patrick , invited all the visiting alumni to return to pray with the students and faculty during the academic year .
“ Come celebrate the Eucharist with us .” she urged . She reminisced about the call from Bishop Patrick J . McGrath in 2004 that moved the Daughters to save Saint Patrick School from closing and begin their spiritual and financial sponsorship .
The returning alumni were greeted by Saint Patrick Principal Olga Islas , who presented an overview of the Drexel Initiative , and noted with pride that 28 of the 32 members of the Saint Patrick School Class of 2018 will begin at area Catholic high schools in the fall .
Father Peter Loi , Pastor of Our Lady of La Vang , also addressed the gathering , celebrating the great progress that has been made toward the rebuilding of the church , and providing a bridge between the Italian and Irish immigrant communities of 1940s San Jose with the experience of today ’ s Vietnamese-American community .
Programs Continue for Sacred Heart Nativity Students over the Summer
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Continuous summer programming at Sacred Heart Nativity Schools students is one way to combat the summer slide . For six weeks , students attend summer classes at Bellarmine College Preparatory taking classes in English Language Arts , Math and enrichment . This provides students an opportunity to continue to work on their reading , writing and math skills on a larger campus while making new friends too .
In addition to summer school , all rising seventh and eighth grade students welcome the incoming sixth grade class at Nativity Summer Camp . As is tradition at Nativity , an outdoor education
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experience is provided to students with nature hikes , games , songs and fun ! On a sun-filled weekend in June , students along with Nativity staff and parent volunteers camped at Little Basin in Boulder Creek . It was a fun time for all with students learning to pitch tents , work in teams and bond with their classmates .
Outdoor education was provided by staff from Latino Outdoors and Web of Life School ( WOLF ). Parent volunteers made the delicious food and joined the campers and staff on the hikes too ! “ Volunteer parents woke up between 4-5 a . m . in order to
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Sacred Heart Nativity Schools students participate in Nativity Summer Camp at Little Basin in Boulder Creek .
have breakfast ready for students and staff . Parent involvement is key in our
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school community and we are grateful that parents collaborated with our school in order to make summer camp unforgettable .” Thelma Valdadez , Nativity staff member .
Highlights of the camp included a dance under the stars on Saturday night and a community day in which campers were joined by their families to celebrate Mass with presider , Father Tom Allender , S . J . whose message of “ Be a Giver ,” resonated throughout our community ! A delicious potluck followed the outdoor liturgy bringing the entire community together . Summer is never boring at Nativity !
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This fall , Archbishop Mitty High School ( AMHS ) will host its annual gala : Black and Gold ! The glitzy evening will take a “ New York State of Mind ” theme and feature actor and comedian Colin Quinn , who is well-known for his appearances on “ Saturday Night Live ” and is listed on Comedy Central ’ s list of the top 100 stand-up comedians of all time .
“ The Black and Gold gala provides an opportunity for Archbishop Mitty to celebrate our wonderful community and to generate essential funds for our programs and facilities ,” said Mason Kimont , the AMHS Executive Director of Advancement .
Mark your calendars ! The 27th annual gala will take place on November 3 , at the Fairmont Hotel in
Comedian Colin Quinn to Headline Black and Gold Gala
downtown San Jose . Before the comedian takes the stage , the school ’ s best and brightest performing arts students will entertain the crowd with an hour-long show featuring iconic songs about New York City . Students from Pardon My French , the school ’ s sketch comedy troupe ; Jazz in the AM , the jazz band ; Exodus , the school ’ s liturgical rock band ; The Royals , the school ’ s dance team ; and Kind of Blue , the jazz choir will sparkle under the stage lights in a performance that is sure to charm the audience .
Hosted by the Archbishop Mitty Board of Regents , the evening includes pre-event receptions for alumni , underwriters , and guests ; a gourmet dinner ; on-stage entertainment ; and dancing after the show . This year , Board Member Cheryl Durzy will be the gala chairperson .
This event is sure to sell out , so buy your tickets soon . All proceeds will benefit the Archbishop Mitty General Endowment Fund . To learn more about how you can participate in this event , contact Director of Special Events Sarah Janigian at sjanigian @ mitty . com or ( 408 ) 342-4224 . For more information , or to purchase tickets , visit mitty . com / blackandgold .
For more information regarding Catholic Schools in The Diocese of San José visit , www . dsj . org .