Welcome to Christendom's Alumni E-Zine. If you have information that you would like to share with your fellow alumni, send it to Tom McFadden at tmcfadden@christendom.edu.

The Grapevine Online will be uploaded, depending on the amount of information sent to the editor, every month. It will have a couple of sections (when information is available), namely, Class Notes (your basic information on alumni babies, weddings, jobs, etc.), Calendar of Events, and Links to various recent stories about Christendom College and/or the Alumni of Christendom.

April 2004 edition of The Grapevine Online

Class Notes / Calendar of Events / Links to Stories / Prior issues

Click here for the NEW Print Edition - for spouses at home to read

Class notes

Alphonse Pinto and Niall O'Donnell met Jim Caviezel while Caviezel was in Rome. "He was incredible, so mild mannered, humble, and so Catholic," says O'Donnell. "He believes so much in the good that the movie can do and has a real patient fighting spirit against the secularism that pervades the media today. He said, 'If this movie [about Christ] wasn't controversial would it be good?'We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles... All in all it was an incredible experience. He was so not 'Hollywood.' So meek."

Alumni Dan Zwick, Sarah Akers, and Wonderboy Jalsevac visited Niall and Alphonse in Rome recently.

Angela Torzala '02-'03 and Stephen Hambleton '01-'03 got engaged on Saturday, March 13, 2004. The wedding date hast not been set yet.

Michael McFadden ('96-'98), pictured left with pal Tiger Woods and Bon Jovi, informs us that his dissertation proposal was accepted by his PhD committee last month, ratcheting him to the level of PhD candidate. He is pursuing his doctorate in the area of electrical and computer engineering, and has an unusual affinity for "lasers." He hopes to graduate next January, once he defends his dissertation entitled "A Multiscale Free-Space Optical Interconnect System for Intrachip Global Communications." Quipped Bon Jovi, "I hope his idea for using free-space optical interconnects between modules on chip to relieve the communication burden on long metal wires is better than his sense of style!" Adding, "Man it's lousy!" Hey Tiger, look at the camera, buddy!

In case the Christendom Grapevine is not as fast spreading as anticipated, Molly Becker '03 wanted everyone to share in her joy. In early March she went down to visit Justin Smith '03 in Okalahoma City for some law school functions. While there, Justin asked her to marry him! He got down on one knee amidst orchids, butterfiles, and waterfalls at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. "It was incredibly beautiful and we have set the date for July 23rd, 2005 in Sioux Falls, SD," says Becker.

Daniel McGuire '03 received a full scholarship from Ave Maria Law School, so unless the sky falls he'll be going there next year. "Teaching at Holy Family Academy in Manassas is a great way to spend a year after graduation, and a great way to meet other Christendom alums: probably half of my students are children of Christendom alums," says he.

Mark and Danielle Rohlena ('00 and '01 respectively) recently found out that they are parents with a scheduled arrival of a little one in early August! Your prayers are greatly appreciated. They also moved into a new house (see above) just before Thanksgiving near Denver, Colorado where they hope to be able to live for a very long time.

John Curran '91 made the NY Times the other day...read the article until you find his name (it's near the end).

And here's a little something about alumnus Bjorn Lundberg that was seen in the April 1st issue of The Arlington Catholic Herald.

And now we come to the story of Big Red, or Mrs. Jensen. Knowing that four of her children were recently seen with celebs, Big Red has felt the need to put her own brushing with fame and fortune out there for the Christendom world to see. I guess the old saying is true: An apple (rotten or not) never falls far from the tree" or something like that. So it is with the Jensens, apparently.

Daniel and Agnes (Curley) Penny (both Class of '97) are happy to announce the birth of Athanasius Michael, who was born on his due date, February 28, weighing 8 lbs, 3 oz. Athanasius is welcomed at home by his three adoring older sisters: Maria, 4 years old; Loretta, 3 years old; and Victoria, 18 months old.

Robert "Bob" O'Connell from the old days '87-'88 is now in the DC area, living in Alexandria and running the development office of the Institute for Psychological Sciences (IPS) in Arlington.

John "Marine Boy" and Maria (Gaetano) O'Brien '02 have now become official members of the Catholic ghetto of Front Royal. They recently bought a house up on Blue Mountain and moved in just last week. Welcome to the party!

Tom McGraw '93 finally has a home (see left). As you may remember, last we heard, he was homeless, living day to day, wondering where he would spend his nights and weekends. At last, his wife Heather has rejoined him in their new home, located a couple of miles south of Village Royale. Everyone is now happy and living under one (very large) roof!

Gregory Burns '03 (left) was recently sighted at a gathering of people where drinks were being served. Seems a little devilish...what with the red eyes and all. Brian and Margaret (Otto) Radzik were also seen at the gathering, but were not photographed while drinking.

Tom and Amanda (Farinholt) McFadden have also moved recently. Selling their house on Adams Avenue to alumni John and Melanie Adams '00, they moved a little out to the country to a couple of acres in Middletown, VA.

Alumna Christen Maria Noelle McCaffrey will be wed to alumnus Jason Manak on May 17, 2004, at St. Alphonusus Roman Catholic Church in Baltimore, MD.

And finally, Marc-Pierre Jansen (IML) has unfortunately not checked in with the staff of the Grapevine Online this month. Hopefully, we will hear from him in the next issue. Last heard though, MP was traveling through the mountains of Utah, riding a llama, working his way toward the left coast. It is rumored that MP was interested in meeting Mel Gibson and asking him to cast him in his next feature about the Maccabees. Will he make it? Will he meet with the Gibson? Next time....

 

April's Happy Happy Birthdays.....

Rev. Michael Taylor 4/1 Miss Jordana Olszewski 4/1 Miss Julia Schmitt 4/2 Sister Peter Bodoh 4/2 Mrs. Elizabeth O'Herron 4/2 Mr. Joseph O'Herron 4/2 Mrs. Margaret Pickard 4/3 Miss Karla Kuykendall 4/3 Mr. Christopher Rohan 4/4 Mr. David Greiner 4/4 Mr. Daniel Devine 4/4 Mr. Jerome Hawley 4/5 Mrs. Alexandra Ringle 4/5 Mrs. Therese Prudlo 4/5 Mrs. Barbara McMahon 4/7 Mr. Christopher Fell 4/7 Mr. John Boyden 4/8 Mr. Dane Weber 4/8 Mrs. Margaret Summers 4/9 Miss Lisa Ferri 4/9 Mr. Michael Baron 4/9 Brother John Bowman 4/10 Mrs. Patricia Blume 4/10 Mrs. Tina Kaul 4/10 Mrs. Marianne Niksa 4/10 Mrs. Flannery Rubi 4/11 Mr. Dan Arnold 4/11 Mr. Hugh Wingate 4/12 Miss Joelle Jansen 4/12 Mr. Mark Hudson 4/13 Mr. Paul Schwenkler 4/13 Mr. Ryan Callaghan 4/13 Miss Suzanne Quinson 4/13 Miss Julie Abernethy 4/13 Mr. Timothy Brown 4/14 Mrs. Kathleen Kerin 4/14 Mr. Joseph Soos 4/14 Mrs. Elizabeth Wingate 4/14 Mr. Charles Shunk 4/15 Mr. Michael Kelsey 4/15 Mr. Jesse Batha 4/15 Mr. Stephen Hambleton 4/15 Sister Mary Agnes 4/17 Mrs. Nina Clark 4/17 Mrs. Teresa Fink 4/17

Miss Theresa Wolfe 4/17 Mrs. Christina McCloskey 4/17 Mrs. Mary Storey 4/17 Mr. James Brehany 4/18 Mr. Alan Myles 4/18 Mr. Gregory Burns 4/18 Rev. Kevin Peek 4/19 Capt. John Bowes 4/19 Miss Ann Temple 4/19 Mr. John Pfeiffer 4/20 Mr. Joseph Hanisch 4/20 Mr. John Steffen 4/21 Mr. Diane Galebach 4/21 Sister Catherine Droste 4/21 Mr. Timothy Costello 4/21 Mr. Greg Costello 4/21 Mr. Timothy Halisky 4/21 Mr. Francis O'Reilly 4/22 Mr. Michael Collins 4/22 Mrs. Loretta Williams 4/23 Miss Kelly Corrigan 4/23 Miss Alexia Dorobek 4/23 Mr. Mark Calhoun 4/24 Miss Linde Louviere 4/24 Mr. Theodore Eidem 4/24 Mr. Sean Murphy 4/24 Mr. Michael Hofbauer 4/25 Ms. Anita Rodriquez 4/25 Mr. Andrew McCauley 4/25 Miss Robyn Lee 4/25 Miss Kristin Starcher 4/26 Mr. Michael Stein 4/26 Mrs. Margaret Ciskanik 4/27 Mr. Mark Kerin 4/28 Mrs. Christine Forsman 4/28 Mrs. Sofia Cuddeback 4/28 Mrs. Jacquelin Fetsko 4/29 Mr. Tony Hermes 4/29 Mr. James Grumblatt 4/29 Miss Laura O'Herron 4/29 Mr. Matthew Mountain 4/29 Miss Maryellen Reninger 4/30 Mrs. Mary Boryczewski 4/30 Mr. Elemer Eszter 4/30

Calendar of events

May 24, 2004: Golf Tournament at Bull Run Golf Club outside Manassas, VA.

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Press Releases and Campus News: http://www.christendom.edu/news/releases.shtml

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Stories

Alumnus Edel Finnegan '91 Helps Women and Children Live

From her youth, Edel Finnegan has had an interest in working with women facing crisis pregnancies. She attributes this interest to the example set by her parents and their friends in the pro-life movement in Havertown, PA, where she grew up.

“My Dad prayed weekly outside of an abortion clinic and my Mom volunteered with a crisis pregnancy hotline. And, for a few years, our family served as a shepherding home for unmarried women facing crisis pregnancies,” says Finnegan.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Economics from Christendom in 1991, Finnegan moved to the Northern Virginia area where she volunteered her time at a local crisis pregnancy center, A Woman’s Choice. She continued volunteering for a number of years while working full-time in other jobs. At that time, another alumna of Christendom, Mrs. Becky (Walz) Irving, was serving A Woman’s Choice as its Director. Due to the birth of her new baby, Irving left her position and encouraged Finnegan to apply. Finnegan did so and was hired as Director in early 1996.

A Woman’s Choice, Inc., founded in 1985, is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia with a Federal 501(c)(3) status dedicated to protecting the sanctity of human life as well as the dignity of marriage and of the family.

As a crisis pregnancy center, A Woman’s Choice provides free pregnancy testing, counseling, and other support services such as maternity and baby items, referrals for housing, financial and medical assistance, and referrals to licensed adoption agencies. They offer the single woman and her boyfriend counseling on chastity; for married couples, they provide information on Natural Family Planning as appropriate.

“When a woman comes to the center for a free pregnancy test and with the intention of aborting her child,” says Finnegan, “we are able to explain the various stages of fetal development, the dignity and humanity of each unborn child, as well as the damaging effects that abortion has on the health and well being of the mother. In turn, we also present the option of adoption as a possible solution to the crisis pregnancy, and direct interested clients to licensed adoption agencies.”

Funding to operate A Woman’s Choice comes mainly from private and organizational contributors, all of whom share its commitment to saving lives. Donors span the entire United States, but the majority are members of the community that the center serves. A Woman’s Choice sends out contribution letters to supporters as a means of sharing the organization’s successes and aspirations with them and telling them how their money is used in the pro-life movement. If you would like to help A Woman’s Choice, please contact Director Edel Finnegan by calling 703.538.4305 or visiting their website at www.awcforlife.org.

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