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
2007 edition of The
Grapevine Online
Class
Notes / Calendar of Events / Links
to Stories / Prior
issues
Please
continue to pray for the Boyne Family
The
Boyne family was struck with tragedy as they were coming home
from dinner on Saturday, September 30, 2006. On the highway
they were hit head on in a fiery crash by a driver who was
under the influence of drugs and alcohol, which took young
Andrew Boyne's life at the tender age of six. The other family
members were injured to varying degrees but miraculously were
spared. Naturally this has been a very difficult time for
the Boyne family. Andrew was an exceptional child, very intelligent,
an avid reader and was blessed with an angelic nature. Now
his family believes they have a saint in heaven but that doesn't
diminish the loss felt by his brother, sister, parents and
hosts of relatives. Their family would be most grateful for
your prayers.
Class
notes
Here's
the biggest news yet on Jess Ciesla and Nate Schuetz.
They are engaged. Nate proposed Christmas Eve in front of
her family and . . . 17 minutes later, yes... it took him
17 minutes, Jess accepted. Here is one of their engagement
photos. Who would have ever thought it would finally happen?
All that time at boot and then off to Monterey without his
wonderful girlfriend inspired Nate to take action.
It's
a girl! Jeremy and Mary Sheiko were surprised by the
six-week-early arrival of their daughter, Colette Frances
Mary, on January 2 at 11:35 pm. Colette is currently at the
NICU at Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia, but will
be coming home sometime this week due to her excellent recovery.
Mary is also recovering well from her c-section. The Sheiko
family extends great thanks to their friends and family for
their prayers and support. Here is their baby website where
you can see photos, read journal entries, and more: www.babysites.com/sites/marysheiko/
Kelly
Mulhern '06 is currently living in Jacksonville, FL and
working with FOCUS at the University of North Florida (the
only state university in FL that no one has ever heard of
despite the fact that they recently joined Division 1 sports
and have over 15,000 students). She is having an amazingly
wonderful time working with the students there and loves that
she can do evangelization for Our Lord and get a great tan
at the same time!
Ryan
'00 and Angela (Formolo) Jones '01 received an
early Christmas present by the birth of their first son, Dominic
Michael, who was born two weeks early at 2:37 am on December
21, 2006. He weighed in at 7lbs 14ozs and was 21 inches long.
He was welcomed home by his two older sisters, Lily (3) and
Ava (21 months).
Ron
and Alex Klassen have a blessing they'd like to announce!
Christopher Ronald Jude Klassen was born on November 28th
– one week earlier than his actual due date. The home
birth went really well and both mom and baby are doing superb
(easy labor and quick recovery always helps). Christopher
weighed 8lbs. 2 oz. at birth - more than a pound less than
his big brother!!! Sebastian (the big brother) loves his little
sibling – sometimes a little too roughly - and can’t
wait for Christopher to grow up quickly so they can play outside
together.
Eryka
Bukowski '05 and John O'Herron '06 were married
on November 18, 2006 in Front Royal, VA. The wedding party
was made up of old and young Christendom alum's. Rumor has
it the mass was beautiful and the reception was the greatest
in all of Christendom. The O'Herron's now reside in Richmond,
VA where John attends the 
University
of Richmond Law School. Eryka continues to support the family
as a full-time nurse while leaving time to wash the dishes,
bake the pies, clean the laundry, vacuum, knit while rocking
in a chair, and doing other wifery activities. John, in his
spare time, hammers the nail, pulls the rope, widdles the
chairs and changes the oil on the cars. The O'Herrons have
plans to write a book on how to have a successful marriage
(forthcoming from Christendom Press).
Cait
Turner '06 was
also married on November 18th at the Chapel of Christ The
King, to Lt. Michael Marchand. Mike's sister Allana graduated
from Christendom in 2004. Mike and Cait met at Christendom's
Summer Camp five years ago and their bridal party was a mini
reunion with Jess Ciesla '06 and Olivia Hudson '06
two other friends of theirs since that camp, as bridesmaids,
and David Jaquith another camper who didn't end up attending
Christendom, as a groomsman. The wedding was a lot of fun,
with tons of Christendom grads down for the weekend. Between
Cait's wedding and John O'Herron and Erica's the same
day it was practically a homecoming weekend!
Joannie
Watson has decided to submit her life story, if only to
keep people from putting stuff in for her (and so no one thinks
she has the Trojans and the Spartans confused). She loves
her classes at Franciscan University, where she is about to
start her second semester working towards her masters in theology.
She is also working part-time for Dr. Scott Hahn at a non-profit
organization he has founded, the St. Paul Center for Biblical
Theology. (www.salvationhistory.com)
The
past few months have been busy ones for the Ross family.
Jax was born just a couple weeks before their first wedding
anniversary. And just after that, they moved to Wichita, KS.
They spent a wonderful Christmas and New Years back east with
family and friends. Currently, James is working at Apex Engineering
and is a pilot in the Army Reserves. He will be progressed
in late January (flying in order to become "deployable").
Laura has stayed busy caring for Jax, now 4 months
old, and has recently taken up some new hobbies - antiquing,
collecting depression glass, and baking. They hope in the
new year to buy a house and do a better job of keeping in
touch with everyone.
Here
is a picture of Sr. Mary Patricia Wolpert '04 with
her father in the Philippines. After being in the Philippines
for over a year, Mary will return to the states in mid-January
and will be temporary professed in March (possibly the 19th).
Her profession will include her receiving a veil, a new name,
and the profession of her vows. If any of you would like to
attend this wonderful occasion (in Sioux City, IA) please
contact Anne Wolpert '05 via email annabelle511@aol.com
so that a proper invitation can be sent. God bless!
Mary
Claire Almeter '97 and Michael Hayes were wed on November
18, 2006 at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Augusta,
GA. Many CC alumni were in attendance. Fr. Bjorn Lundberg
'97 concelebrated the Nuptial Mass and the Schafer choir (Mary,
Denver, John Paul, Claire, and Hilary) from Lafayette,
IN sang the beautiful sacred music during the Mass. Mary
Beth (Fierek) Foley ('93-'94) and her husband Chris
Foley ('94), Kate (Murrell) Pride '98, Laina
(Wright) Hudson '00, Maggie (O'Reilly) Ciskanik
('84) and her husband John Ciskanik CC VP for Advancement,
Lydia Thigpen '03 and Mary Rose Lombard '03
also came to support the couple. Michael and Mary Claire Hayes
now reside in Alexandria, VA where Mary Claire continues to
work at St. Louis Parish, another haven for Christendom alumni.
Emily
(Price) Diaz '99 is happy to announce that Adam Xavier
Diaz was born on November 17, 2006 (his due date). He weighed
in at a healthy 9lbs 6oz. measuring 21 3/4 in. in length.
He is a very healthy and alert baby who loves to socialize
with everyone. He was baptized by Fr. Matthew Zuberbueller
on the feast of St. Francis Xavier. His daddy plans to call
him Adam X but his mommy lets everyone know that he will go
by Xavier.
Josh
Kacsir married Leslie Troutman on December 2, 2006, at
St. Bridget of Ireland, in Berryville, Virginia.
Annemarie
(Malo) Ciskanik (married to the famous candy maker Tom
Ciskanik) has made contact with the Grapevine to report that
their oldest son, Thomas, is a freshman at Seton School in
Manassas with several alumni teachers and alumni children
(Peters, Rohans, Arnolds, etc). Their son Mike is in
1st grade at St. Andrew's in Clifton (Fr. Fasano is the pastor.)
and he has a new music teacher--Miss Bissex. They are
planning on sending Lucy to the Renaissance Montessori, run
by Elizabeth Rice--as soon as she is fully potty trained.
As you can see, they are surrounded by alumni. As the former
Senior Class President, Annemarie would like to put out a
general call to alumni of--and connected to--the
Class of 1988. This September will be the 20th anniversary
of the beginning of their graduating year at Chirstendom.
Annemarie wants to start early to get the word out because
it would be great to see everybody or at least get an update
from everyone. Keep it in the back of your mind and be ready
when the time comes.
Terrie
and Matt Walz would like to announce the birth of Cecilia
Marie, born on Nov. 24. She is the baby Terrie is holding
in the Christmas picture above. Their other children are Damien
age 6), Nicholas (age 4), and Helena (age 2). As you can tell,
they didn't have a white Christmas in Southern California
this year!
The
heart of recalcitrant alumnus Dr. Michael J. McFadden
'95-'97 recently grew three whole sizes when University of
Dallas alumna Katherine A. "Katie" Mechler agreed
to be his wife for some reason. Alumnus George J. McFadden
'85-'87 theorizes that, "it was dark out so maybe she
was confused as to who was proposing." Nevertheless,
the elated couple (pictured) plan to marry on October 20th
in Bryan, TX, at the parish church of the prepossessing Ms.
Mechler's uncle, Monsignor John McCaffrey, with the anticipated
concelebration by alumnus Fr. Michael J. Ruddick '98.
Please keep the exultant couple in your prayers as they prepare
for their auspicious unification.
After
many years of creating confusion among many in the Christendom
community, and after having logged untold millions of miles
in their respective travels throughout the world, David
Wallace and Elizabeth Rice (both '05), are delighted to
announce their engagement to be married (to each other). The
fiancé (with one 'e') proposed to the fiancée
(with two 'e's) before the statue of the Child Jesus in the
piazza of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville,
Alabama, on December 29th (at 5:50pm). Wedding to follow in
the fullness of time.
This
is to belatedly announce the arrival of Raymond Fisher Hain
V, who was born on July 16, 2006. He joins his big sister
Madeleine (2 1/2). Raymond F. Hain IV and Dominique
are still in Indiana at Notre Dame where Raymond is working
on his doctorate in Philosophy; only 2 1/2 more years to go!
If you are ever around Notre Dame just drop us a line at rhain@nd.edu
The
Grapevine has recently learned that Rick Sadowski
'06 is considering a different career than politics. His decision
was made shortly after Christmas and confirmed when one of
his potential clients, a running back for the Boise State
Broncos scored the winning two point conversion against the
Oklahoma Sooners during the Fiesta Bowl. Rick had advised
his potential client that if he wanted to marry the head of
the cheerleading squad, the time and place to ask her would
be on national television, after a dramatic victory, and she
would be sure to say "yes." Rick's plan worked,
thereby giving Boise State the upset of the century, the running
back a fiancée, and the entire nation the greatest
game in college bowl history. Rick celebrated this great moment
afterwards at several local venues.
Pearse
Marschner '01 and Catherine, his bride, were joined in
wedlock bands at Happy Creek Primitivist Church of the Immersed
in Front Royal, Virginia. Standing before the Right Reverend
Calpurnia T. Washington and witnessed by the newly baptized
members of the congregation who had just returned from the
river, Pearse plighted his troth. Music was provided by the
Dismal Hollow Tribulation Gospel Choir in blessed accord with
the Happy Creek Jubilation Singers. (OK, not really, but the
photo op was too good to pass up the day after their actual
wedding in D.C. The (un)lucky lady is the scioness of an old
Houston family and manages
agriculture and education projects in Africa.)
