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, Marie Antunes, at marieantunes@christendom.edu.
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.
July
2009 edition of The
Grapevine Online
Class
Notes / Calendar of Events / Links
to Stories / Prior
issues
Class
notes
Derek
and Bethany Rogers (along with their band Grey Sled) are
currently recording in Forestville, NY. They also took the
opporunity to record a song while visiting Bethany's family
in California at the beginning of June! They are excited to
finally be working on a project with all new material! They
hope to have the CD ready this fall! Check out their website
http://www.greysled.com
for pics and updates!
Catherine
Mary Hambleton was born May 22, 2009 to Thomas and
Mary (Akers) Hambleton ('07). She was 8 lbs and 20 1/2
inches long. Her older brother Gabriel (19 months) shown on
the left, is very excited to have a little sister.
The
O'Connor siblings - Siobhan ('05), Flannery ('08)
and Tom (Class of His Own) - returned to their homeland
last month and had an absolutely amazing time! Ireland was
incredibly beautiful and they had lots of awesome adventures
including bike riding on the Aran Islands, climbing Croagh
Patrick, experiencing the Cliffs of Moher (see photo above),
praying at the Apparition Chapel in Knock, exploring Belfast
& Derry, loving the music of Galway's pubs, surviving
the craziness of Irish roads in a rental car, and soaking
up the incredible 10-day stretch of beautiful sunny days!
We prayed for all Christendom Alumni at Knock and hope everyone
is having a great summer!
Several
Christendom alumni were recently spotted with the rich and
famous, i.e. the alumni being Joseph Meza, Candice Meza
('03), and Jake and Jessica (Morgan) Meza ('05),
- the rich and famous person being Mat Kearney, a very talented
singer/songwriter. They had their moment in the spotlight
alongside the singer at his "City of Black and White"
tour in early June. The foursome were said to have had a blast
at the concert, and this phenomenal photo was taken while
the artist asked detailed questions about the core curriculum
offered at Christendom College.
Sam
Phillips and Katie Fitzpatrick (both class of '08) were
married at the Christendom chapel on May 2. Their first two
months of marriage have involved A LOT of traveling, including
a two week honeymoon to Ireland and a trip up to Canada for
the baptism of their godson, Isaiah Jalsevac (son of John
and Cassidy Jalsevac, also class of '08). When
they're not traveling, Sam and Katie reside in the Tysons
Corner area in Virginia, where they love having visitors,
especially Christendom alumni! (photo credit: Craig Spiering)
Jim
& Michelle (McCoy) Hoeper welcomed Blaise Benedict
Hoeper on June 3, 2009. Blaise joins siblings Cecelia (6-1/2),
Victoria (4-1/2), and Kolbe (will be 2 on July 29). All are
doing well and keeping warm in 80-90 degree Minnesota weather!
Ted
King ('93) has recently written a book on tobacco policy
and how it effects government policy into all our lives. The
title of his book is The War on Smokers and the Rise of
the Nanny State. It can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes
and Noble, Books a Million and IUniverse.com. Here is a review
written by Walter E. Williams, Ph.D., a Professor of Economics
at George Mason University: "Theodore
King has done a yeomans job assembling evidence that the success
of tobacco zealots has become a useful template for those
who want to use health issues to control our lives. The War
on Smokers and the Rise of the Nanny State is not only a story
about the attack on tobacco users but a story about how decent
Americans can be frightened, perhaps duped into accepting
phony science, attacks on private property rights and rule
of law. One need not be a smoker to be alarmed by the underlying
hideousness of the anti-tobacco movement."
Katrina
Ruminski ('05) and Michael Lauzon were married June 13,
2009 in a beautiful ceremony in Laurel, Maryland. They reside
in Odenton, Maryland, and Katrina welcomes any nearby alumni
to keep in touch via email at coiledrose1@gmail.com
Fr.
Thomas Longua ('92) has moved to Dallas, Texas- look him
up if you are there! His contact email is: father.longua@gmail.com
Four
new missionaries from the Christendom Family have joined FOCUS
- the Fellowship of Catholic University Students - in Champaign,
Illinois for the 2009 New Staff Summer Training. Dean Reineking
('09), Thomas Francis ('09), Becca Harris ('09), Danielle
Lussier ('07) and former Admissions Associate Lauren Clark
joined as first year missionaries. Becca Harris recenlty
made her alma mater proud by stumping the socialists in the
campus quad, Thomas Francis is still falling asleep
while serving Mass and being one of the best listeners around,
Dean Reineking has run on just about every path on
the Illinois campus, Danielle Lussier did back-flips
for the talent show, and Lauren Clark is still full of smiles!
In many ways FOCUS and Christendom have much in common. The
missionaries are all rock-solid in their faith, first year
missionaries are not supposed to date, and this weekend there
will be a goat slaughter and roast. Sounds a bit like Christendom
to me... the similarities extend further than that though.
Dr. Carrol, while speaking to a Christendom FOCUS missionary
said that the FOCUS mission "To know Christ Jesus and
fulfill His Great Commission by first living and then communicating
the fullness of life within the family of God, the Church,"
is the mission of all Christendom alumni. . . or something
to that affect. Anyway, these particular recent graduates
turned FOCUS-Missionaries will be dispersed to campuses countrywide
(the Naval Academy, George Mason University, University of
Kentucky, and the University of Florida.) They join Sarah
Akers ('00), Trish Metzger ('05), Andy Day ('06),
Mary Bergida ('07), and Danni Ampi ('07) for
some evangelical adventures! All the Christendom folks are
having a blast and can't wait to fill you in on the exciting
happenings from their campuses! You can contact them at: rharris@focusonline.org,
tfrancis@focusonline.org,
dreineking@focusonline.org,
dlussier@focusonline.org,
lclark@focusonline.org,
tmetzger@focusonline.org,
aday@focusonline.org,
dampi@focusonline.org,
mbergida@focusonline.org,
sakers@focusonline.org
The
day after Colleen (Mead) and Adam McSheffrey's (both '08)
wedding on June 6th, Bobby Lancaster ('08) decided
it was time to start planning another wedding and totally
surprised Flannery O'Connor ('08) with a beautiful
proposal! Flannery recovered from the shock very well and
was thrilled to accept Bobby amidst the lovely setting of
Glen Falls Park in Buffalo, NY. Bobby had remembered Flannery's
stories about the O'Connor kids spying on couples who were
getting engaged at the park so it was very appropriate that
Flannery's engagement would occur at the same place! This
awesome shot of the glowing couple and gorgeous ring was taken
by Tom O'Connor, who conveniently always has his camera
nearby!
It
took a special dispensation, but Matt and Jan (Kuznia)
Akers ('03) allowed their two eldest daughters to enter
the Teresian Order of the Very Little Flowers, after repeated
requests from the girls. The two young sisters took the names
of Helena and Ivy of the Many Fields, which just happened
to be their names outside the convent as well. Both are doing
very well, and though they have not been allowed to cook meals
for the community yet (they are too short to reach the stove
top and they only make double fudge brownies and chocolate
chip cookies) they have been cleaning the rafters in the cloister
due to their levitational skills. No formal vows have been
taken, but news of it is expected any day. The picture on
the left was taken the day they joined, sometime in the recent
past.
Emily
Griswold('07) and Joseph Sparks were united in
Holy Matrimony on June 15. The Solemn High Traditional Nuptial
Mass took place at St. John the Baptist in Front Royal, VA.
Among the bridesmaids and groomsmen were Sylvia Smith ('07)
and Draper Warren ('08). The choir was directed by
Christine Collins ('04) and Anthony Smitha ('05),
and included alumni Paul English ('08), Michael
Collins ('07), Michael Powell ('04), Peter Donohue
('09), Anna Svendsen ('08), Elizabeth Black
('07), and Emma Fritcher ('07). Numerous other
alumni attended as guests. A lovely, fun reception was held
at the nearby Skyline Ranch and Resort. The couple headed
off to their honeymoon and married life in a balloon filled,
streamer covered car. May God Bless Mr. and Mrs. Sparks!
The
very handsome Jacob Andrew Oligny, pictured on the right,
has finally joined his parents Nicholas and Heidi Oligny
('06) and his big sister (Rachel, 2) on May 4 weighing
5 lbs. 2 oz. He has yet to meet his wonderful (and very excited)
godparents, also known as Uncle Adam ('07) and Aunt Therese
Wilson ('08), but will be very soon.
Patrick,
Niki (Calio) and little Marie MacDougall are doing
well - Marie turned 1 in May and they have been busy chasing
her around while getting ready to move from Virginia to Texas
this summer! Patrick is still employed at All Covered, Inc.,
a technology consulting company, but he is being transferred
from the DC office to the Dallas office . They bought a house
in Frisco, TX, just north of Dallas, and will be moving at
the end of July. They would love to meet up and network with
any Christendom grads in the area, and can be reached at nmc621@gmail.com
Ron
('01) and Alex ('04) Klassen, pictured on the left, just
returned from a family holiday out to the Midwest. Although
their love for adventure has been somewhat dulled due to the
craziness of having three small children, Ron and Alex opted
to drive the 3500 miles roundtrip. As a result, they decided
to make the effort to visit with several Alumni friends on
their way to and from their ultimate destination, the very
hot and humid state of Kansas. The first stop was in Indianapolis,
IN, where the Klassen's overnighted at Joe and Mary Theresa
Sayler's home after enjoying a few beers and a good dinner.
From there, they traveled to the ultimate land of cornfields,
Omaha, NE, where they relaxed for 3 days and thoroughly enjoyed
the hilarity that is Tim and Leah Coffey- thanks guys!
While in Kansas, Ron and Alex spent a pleasant evening in
the company of John and Maria O'Brien who were also
visiting friends in the area. On the way back to VA, the Klassen
family popped in on Andy and Mindy McDonald in Evansville,
IN, for a brief visit and Alex's first taste of raw goat's
milk and kohlrabi (both were very yummy!!!). Lastly, the Klassen's
made their annual drive through Nashville, TN, to spend a
few hours with Matt and Tricia Coffey. The two families
enjoyed eating out at the Rainforest Café (quite a
feat when that includes six small children combined!) and
then briefly touring the gorgeous Grand Old Opry Hotel. The
last stop on the trip should have been with Quinn and Lisa
Beekwilder (catch you next time, guys!) in Charlotte,
NC. Unfortunately the Klassen's had to cancel last minute
and put an end to their journeying in order to drive back
home to Front Royal, VA. Their 8 month old, Marya, developed
a fever and a heavy case of the grumps (the joys of teething!)
en route from Nashville to NC. Thanks everyone for the visits
and good times - they were a blast!!! Check
out the pictures below!
Mary
Theresa and Joe Sayler
Matt
and Tricia Coffey
Mindy
and Andy McDonald
Calendar of events
July
12-24, 2009: Experience Christendom Summer Program Session
III (two weeks)
July
12-18, 2009: Latin Immersion Program Session I
July
19-25, 2009: Latin Immersion Program Session II
August
21, 2009: New Students arrive on campus
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