Welcome
to Christendom's Alumni E-Zine. If you have information that
you would like to share with your fellow alumni, send it to
the Grapevine Editor, Tom McGraw, at tvmcgraw@yahoo.com.
The editor reserves the right to include or exclude any information
submitted for publication in The Grapevine.
The
Grapevine Online is uploaded on the First Friday of 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.
January
2006 edition of The
Grapevine Online
Class
Notes / Calendar of Events / Links
to Stories / Prior
issues
Class
notes
Anna
Laudiero, daughter of alumna Linda Kerin Laudiero and
husband Lino, had the pleasure recently of running into none
other than pretty boy Ryan Seacrest of Amerian Idol fame.
She immediately started to sing him a song and begged to be
on the show, but Seacrest, in a Simonesque manner quickly
dismissed her and concluded by telling her to get "out."
But she will continue to keep her feet on the ground and reach
for the stars.
Ryan
& Lori (Omann) Meyer '03 are expecting their first
baby at the end of April. Besdies expecting a baby, married
life is great, says Lori, and she's finally used to living
in the boondocks an hour away from her work.
Honorary
alumna Christina Lundberg married Michael Chapman on
November 26. Alumnus Fr. John Heisler was the principal
celebrant of the Nuptial Mass. Concelebrants included Fr.
O'Kielty, and Fr. Ramon Baez, a newly ordained Arlington priest,
and friend of the family. Christina's brother, Reverend
Mr. Deacon Bjorn preached for 30 minutes, and received
the vows, having been duly delegated by the Rev. Pastor Hathaway.
Nobody is sure who was more nervous: the couple or the deacon.
Mike & Christina now live in Maryland, where Christina's
two cats are torturing Mike's cat in a hostile take-over of
the Chapman family townhouse. The newlyweds flew to their
Honeymoon in Naples, Florida, where Dr. O'Donnell sent them
to spy on Ave Maria University. Deacon Bjorn Lundberg is now
in the last five months of the deaconate year, returning to
St. Charles Seminary for the last semester of six years in
the seminary.
Here's
the lastest from two of our very special alumni. In fact,
they are so special that they just go by one name. Zakers
and Paulmeter traveled West to visit with Mike Freeman,
twin of Grant Freeman, in Montana. They were on a quest
to try and break a Guiness Book of World Record by having
two people ski down the tallest mountain in Montana on the
same pair of skis. Needless to say, with their brains and
athleticism, they were unsuccessful in their venture. But,
as a consolation prize, the ski resort awarded them lifetime
passes to ski on their mountain and a bonus check for $2000
a piece. Zakers is pictured following the conclusion of the
run where he's having a little problem controlling his blood
flow.
Quinn,
Lisa, and Xavier Beekwidler headed up to the great white
north to celebrate Christmas with Lisa's family. They enjoyed
a few games of driveway hockey, sleigh rides, and sledding.
They also relaxed with some Christmas cheer and good company
(with the 34 family relatives that were all in attendence
and sleeping in the same house). They celebrated the new year
in Sacramento and are looking forward to the new year.
Alumnus
Dr. Michael McFadden wants to promote a new idea amongst
the alumni ranks. Here is his proposal: "It
occurred to me that alumnus Joseph McFadden should
be entered into the running for the IML title, for the following
reasons: 1. He now has approximately 22 countries under his
belt with plans to visit at least 3 more by year's end (i.e.
very international). 2. While in recent times noted for hard
work, including a Meritorious Promotion to to Marine Corp
Sargent in service to his country in Iraq, he has often been
noted for being *exceptionally good* at leisure (i.e., a man
of leisure indeed). These two qualities correlate with the
well-reasoned Abernethy Criteria featured in the June
'05 issue of the 'Vine. Furthermore, he also meets the
somewhat more spurious third condition, being a student. photo:
Takin' it easy in the Virgin Islands."
David
E. McBee, KCHS (Class of 1983 - pictured left) has been
appointed Secretary for the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy of
the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The
Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy is comprises the Archdioceses
of Baltimore, Washington, and the Military and the Dioceses
of Arlington, Charlotte, Memphis, Nashville, Richmond, Wheeling-Charleston,
and Wilmington. The Order supports schools, hospitals and
churches in the Holy Land.
Although
she did manage to escape Christendom itself after Graduation,
Christine Collins didn't make it very far; in fact,
not even so far as the railroad tracks! That's o.k., she says,
because she's taking it slow, working at Seton, and living
in Front Royal with fellow alumna, Sarah Hibl, and
current student Carissa Braun. Her favorite occupation these
days is attending other people's weddings (She made it to
10 this past season...you know...the wedding season?), but
she's decided to spice things up this year. So she is planning
a trip to Europe, where she hopes to visit Christina Denton
in Rome on her way to Salzburg, the city of music and of her
dreams!
Christen
Tedrow has finally decided to come clean and tell everyone
about her engagement that happened last May 28th. Her future
spouse, Colin, proposed (after asking the permission of her
parents, of course) on top of Mt. Soledad, which was proceeded
by the surprise arrival of their two families with champange
and smiles! They will be married on Saturday, August 5th,
2006 in San Diego, Ca at Founders Chapel at the University
of San Diego Campus.
And, not
to be outdone with surprises, Mary Wathen too wants
to let the world in our her great joy and happiness. She and
alumnus Mike O'Herron are planning a wedding for December
30, 2006 (after she graduates from nursing school, which will
be around
December 5or 6).They are very excited, and of course hope
to see a lot of Christendom faces in Kentucky! Pic to the
right.
Gwen
Adams ('01) has quit her job as Director of Youth Formation
at that fabled outpost St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church
in Lafayette, IN. Funnily enough, she has been replaced by
Grant Freeman ('04), twin of Mike Freeman, who is not
only engaged to St. Boniface born-and-bred Claire Schafer,
but who actually came with Fadi Auro ('03) and Fred Fraser
('03) three times back in the day to give retreats at
St. B.'s. Gwen Adams is still looking to found a school and
now it has taken her north to pursue a Masters in Catholic
Studies at the University of St. Thomas. This is an incredible
program and well worth a look. There's a host of good courses,
cultural and intellectual lectures, and good professors--Fr.
Michael Keating and Dr. Mary Reichardt being ones to look
for. Adams is looking for someone who lives in Rome or can
recommend a good place to live for the year of 2006-2007--an
added bonus for this M.A. is the opportunity to study at the
Angelicum for 1-2 semesters. Any Christendom students out
there who know a place to stay? A family would be great--Email
her at this great new school email: gmadams@stthomas.edu
Sister
Mary Lazarus (formerly Liz Hibl) will make her first vows
with the Community of Saint John on January 15, 2006 in Saint-Jodard,
France. Her parents and some of her sisters will be going
to celebrate the event with her.
Grant
Freeman ('04), the new and excellent Director of Youth
Formation at St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church in Lafayette,
IN toasts to Christ the King. 
our
full basement that one day we will finish)! On November 26th,
our third son, John Thomas (Aquinas, of course), was born
to us at 9:20 a.m. He weighed 9 lbs., 9 oz and measured 21.5
inches long. In only six weeks, he has gained almost 5 pounds
so he is doing quite well! The other boys, Peter Augustine
(4.5 yrs) and Stephen Ignatius (2 years) love him dearly and
enjoy comforting him during fussy times! Shawn is still working
at the Andersons, Inc. in Maumee, Ohio in the IT department.
He enjoys creating web pages and programs in his spare time
(ha ha!) and is great at it, by the way (or so says his adoring
wife!). Kathy remains at home with the children and is presently
preparing lesson plans to begin homeschooling Peter. She is
very excited about this new position and is looking forward
to getting started! She also has a home-based business called
Xango, which she loves! She just obtained her very own webpage!
Take a look to see what she's doing!!!! (
The
yearly update on the life of Andrew and Julie (Fox) Fier
(2001). Andrew is currently working in sales for Aarcee
Party Rental and is in hs 8th year with the company, as he
worked there through college too. Julie is just about to reach
her year with the family she is nannying for, 21 MONTH OLD
TRIPLETS! Yeah, it is a lot of work to take care of 2 boys
and 1 girl all the same age, but it has gotten easier over
the past 4 months as they become more self-sufficient. They
still live in the house that they built a year ago in Woodbury,
MN and have found awesome friendships in a few of their neighbors.
Their Christmas was spent with Julie's family (The Fox Family),
which was together for Christmas for the first time in years.
All the Fox children, in-laws and grandchildren were in WI
from 4 different states to celebrate Christmas together. Here
is a picture of Andrew and Julie on Christmas Day 2005!
their
vaction over Christmas and New Year's packing Kristy's stuff
and moving her into an apartment in Halethorpe, Maryland so
that she can at least be local to the wedding plans (and local
to her groom too).
