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.
December
2004 edition of The
Grapevine Online
Class
Notes / Calendar of Events / Links
to Stories / Prior
issues
Click
here for the
Print Edition - for spouses at home to read
Class
notes
NB:
The next Grapevine Online will be the special Christmas
Family Picture edition. Email or mail your family Christmas
(or otherwise) pictures to Tom McFadden at tmcfaddenjr@yahoo.com
or 134 Christendom Dr., Front Royal, VA 22630. Please do so
by January 4, 2005 in order to be included.
Donald
Patrick Goodman IV (called Patrick to avoid confusion) was
born on November 8, 2004 weighing 8 lbs 10 oz to Don '03
and Cathy (Garrett) Goodman '03. At his two week check-up
he already weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz! He is so cute! Also, alumni
in attendance at the Baptism of the baby at St. Joseph's in
Richmond, included Bill and Meghan (Bratt) Doran, Dane
Weber, Christine Collins, Pat Scanlon, Laura Henderson, Mike
Powell, Megan Anderson, Theresa Fer, and Chris Lane.
IML
spent
384 days outside of the country from 2001-2004...talk about
leisure.
Mary
(Corcoran) Biros is having a baby boy in February, not
a girl as previously suspected. Plus, she is very fat.
Peter
and Alex Ringle wish to announce the birth of their first
daughter, Claire Marie. Born Friday, November 26, 2004, she
came into this world at 11:45 PM, at 6 lbs. 12 oz, and 21
inches long. She joins her 3 brothers: Anthony (7 yrs), Francis
(5 yrs in December), and Dominic (2 1/2 yrs). All are excited
at her arrival, and mother and baby are doing well.
Alumnus
Jim Grumblatt and wife, Lorrie Lyn celebrated their 11th
wedding anniversary recently on the feast of the Miraculous
Medal- Nov. 27. They've kept a Catholic pace with an even
half-dozen little ones to date. Interesting thought- Jim will
be 50 years old in less time than it's been since his first
semester at Christendom.
Andrew
Thomas McFadden was born on Sunday evening, Nov 21, at 10:07PM
to George ('84-'86) and Agnieszka McFadden. Pictured
on the right, he was 9lbs 3oz, 21.5" long. He has a full
head of dark hair and one fantastic set of lungs and vocal
cords!
Robert
Brown (02) and Kristin Starcher (02) got married
on November 20, 2004.
Greg
Settducati (Such-a-Hottie) got engaged recently! The object
of his engagement request was Zane' Maria Allen, and they
are tentatively setting the wedding for May 2006.
Kerry
Hanisch Boyne(95) and her husband Craig are happy to announce
the birth of their third child and first daughter, Gemma Therese.
Her brothers Andrew and Peter can't keep their hands off of
her and love her dearly. Friends who would like to contact
Kerry can email her at cboyne5398@aol.com.
Sarah
(Webster) Vitellaro '03 and William announce the arrival
of Raffaello Joseph Vitellaro on Monday, November 29. He weighed
in at 8lb 3oz and is 20.25 in long.
Kevin
and Laura (Hibl) Clark (both '86) are proud to annouce
the arrival of baby #8, Matthew Thomas Kennedy Clark on November
8, 2004. He weighed in at 7 lbs, 12 oz. This brings the breakdown
of Clarks to 4 boys and 4 girls, keeping things even. No picture
yet, we'll send one with the Christmas cards!
Olivia
Tautkus '96 and Christy Williams '99 want to let everyone
know about two worthy charities: The non-profit Viet Toc Foundation,
through covert missionary trips, assists with the spiritual,
material, and educational needs of children in the remote
highlands of Vietnam. Many of these "montaignard"
children come from families who are affected by leprosy. http://www.viettoc.org/htmls/greetings.html.
Life Ministries, Inc. is a non-profit in the Hampton Roads
area of southeast Virginia. Their mission is to save mothers
and children from injury and death caused by abortion. They
accomplish this through placing teams of Christians at local
abortuaries to offer help, warn the mothers, and speak up
for the children. Years of experience have resulted in hundreds
of changed hearts and lives saved. http://www.lifemin.net.
Recently, Christy and Olivia did some campaigning; attended
a Vietnam Vets Rally; befriended squids; listened to French
rap; and saw Margaret Luckey. They are currently assisting
the newly consolidated Hampton Roads Virginia Chapter of Protest
Warrior: "Fighting the Left, Doing It Right". Those
interested in publicly denouncing Socialists, terrorists,
and pinko-Commies, please consider joining your local chapter
at http://www.protestwarrior.com
. The next big event is planned for Inauguration Day, January
20 in D.C., the week prior to the March For Life. For more
info or to tell us you'll be there, write eliza72000@yahoo.com.
A
couple of weekens ago, Mary Clare Almeter '97 and Maggie
(O'Reilly) Ciskanik '84 went to Brooklyn, NY. They wrote
graffiti on walls and hung out with people who carry scissors
in their belts and wear pins in their clothes...WHERE in Brooklyn
did they go? To the new Carmelite cloister that is being established
there by the Carmelite sisters from Buffalo, NY. (This is
the Carmel that has 6 CC graduates! It all began when Mary
Anne Peek was professed in 1985!) Because they were not
formally enclosed yet (but became so on Nov. 13-14), they
were allowed to work along with the sisters and pray with
them while they were there. It was a wonderful and unique
opportunity to be able to see Sr. Mary Immaculate (Bernadette
Almeter '98) and Sr.Agnes Marie (Teresa Gallagher '98--she
was accompanying Mother Miriam from Buffalo who was needed
to restore some crucifixes) and to witness first hand the
daily life of a cloistered sister. They work extremely hard,
are very poor materially, but are incredibly rich in joy,
hospitality and love of Jesus. They really did write on the
walls with brown paint...but quotes like: (in the kitchen)
"Count yourself worthy to be able to serve with Martha";
(by the elevator on each floor): "The elevator which
must raise me to heaven is Your arms, O Jesus." ;(in
the refectory): "Come to the table as to the Cross; come
to the Cross as to the table." !! The old part of the
building, the Governor's mansion many years ago, was taken
over by the Franciscans who used it as a seminary, adding
a modern wing right out of the side of this lovely old house.
It was closed several years ago and given to the Sisters a
few months ago by the Diocese. The old gym has been miraculously
transformed into a beautiful chapel by the sisters. They are
still in need of Stations of the Cross and a ....Bell tower!
Anyone with any connections to such items should be sure to
contact them, but Maggie would like to make a further suggestion.
How about sending a donation as a" housewarming gift"--say
$50 -$100--to a fellow graduate who could truly use the help?
Because of their vow of poverty, they rely on the generosity
of people in the world--like you! This would be a spiritual
work of mercy, as well as a way of showing Sister Mary Immaculate
that you have not forgotten her! She, I know, prays for all
of us from Christendom College every day. Here is the address:
Monastery of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Joseph,
361 Highland Blvd., Brooklyn, New York 11207
Ken
Baltrinic '93 is engaged to the girl of his dreams, whom
he met online at Ave Maria Singles. Her name is Blanca Requierme
Winner and she is a native of the island of Bohol, Philippines.
After a year long online courtship and numerous trips to the
Philippine Islands they will be wed February 5, 2005, in Santo
Rosario Church in Cebu City, Philippines. After the marriage
Ken must return to his new job as a consultant at InfoReliance
in Fairfax while Blanca must remain in the Philippines until
her immigration paperwork completes. This will take six to
nine months after the wedding. They will be offering up the
very trying time for all those married persons who are experiencing
difficulties with their marriage but they are also asking
for everyone special prayers for them, as this will be a very
trying first year for them. Once Blanca has her visa they
will reside at their new home in Centreville, Virginia. Anyone
wishing to contact them may do so at kenneth@baltrinic.com.
They hope to have a second reception celebrating their first
anniversary in Virginia once Blanca has arrived.
Alumnus
Joe McFadden is heading for Iraq at the end of January.
He is doing pre-mobilization training 6th - 19th Dec and will
be active in January to Camp Lejeune...again. 30-45 days training
and then he is off to join alumnus Steve Freshour in
the big sand box.
Like
Father, Like Son. Niall O'Donnell is trying to take
over his father's title of "Man who met the Pope the
most." Niall shook hands once again with the Holy Father
while Dr. and Mrs. O'Donnell were in Rome for the Assembly
of the Pontifical Council for the Family.
Ben
and Anna Hatke are expecting their second child in March.
The first, Angelica Rose, is two years old. Ben and Anna live
in the Shenandoah Shores neighborhood. Ben works as an artist/illustrator
and Angel in the Waters, the first childrens book illustrated
by him was released in mid-November. A comics story by Ben
will also be featured in "Flight vol. 2" a comics
anthology released by Image Comics early next year. For more
information about the Hatkes and their projects you can visit
www.househatke.com.
To take a look at Angel in the Waters, visit www.angelinthewaters.com
The ever-growing
Christendom community in the Eternal City gathered
to celebrate the Diaconal Ordination of Christopher
Smith '99 by SER Camillo Cardinal Ruini in the Basilica
of St John Lateran on October 30. After the Mass,
International Man of Mystery Alphonse Pinto, Niall O'Donnell,
John Gordon, Ben and Heather (Rankin) Akers, Dave Brown,
and John "bad boy" Boyden fought the Italian
crowds and a healthy contingent of South Carolinians to celebrate
the new deacon in a sumptuous reception in the cortile
of the Roman Seminary while Sr Mary Lazarus (née
Liz Hibl) was there in spirit from behind her convent
walls in France. Among the little old and big young
Italian ladies, clergy of every nationality, and plenty of
yelps from the Chaaaston crew, a good time was had by all.
Heather
Tansey '03 got engaged on November 6. It was quite impressive
how she got down on one knee and proposed to her beautiful
husband-to-be but that's a whole other story.
Dave
Greiner started his own marketing and design consulting
firm. It’s called Fiaba Creative, and they’re doing
everything from planning and market research to execution
of web, print, TV, radio, etc. He's also started his first
novel, entitled “Golf is a Four Letter Word,” which,
God willing, will be ready to shop by spring. It’s a
light little bit of nonsense about finding true love amid
the normally loveless world of the links. He is currently
looking for a literary agent, so if any alumni have decided
to trade in their humanity and become one, please let him
know. Other than that, he's living a quiet life along Lake
Michigan in Michigan (about 2 hours outside Chicago) and will
regularly be around the Front Royal area working with clients
and dining out.
Jen
Gordon wanted to supply a little more info to go with
the picture that appeared in the lat Grapevine. His name is
Nathan and he's in Iraq--in Fallujah, actually--so an all-call
for prayer from the Christendom community would be greatly
appreciated. Of course, let's pray for all of our troops,
but especially Nathan, because now that she's "finally"
got one, she'd like to keep him!
This
is from Frank O'Reilly
'83: "I would like to take the opportunity to
let fellow alumni know about a property that Petrine has under
contract and will be developing near Christendom. The 108
acre Hoskins Farm has been owned by the same family since
1858. This farm is located directly across the river from
Christendom and encompasses all the land surrounding the power
station at the Christendom Dam. The farmhouse, to be sold
with 20 to 28 acres, has barn and outbuildings which are all
usable but in need of some work. A limited amount of remaining
acreage will be sold in approximately 10 acre parcels, some
with riverfront and some without. The views of the Blue Ridge
mountains are sweeping and remarkably panoramic, as some of
the land is higher than the campus. The steeple of Christ
the King Chapel and the ringing of the bell are good reminders
of your physical proximity to the campus. Drive time to campus
is approximately fifteen minutes. Boating time is about two
minutes. It has occurred to me, and others, that it may also
be a wonderful site for a religious community, retreat center
or monastery. I would not downplay the issue of zoning or
other approvals that may need to be acquired for such an undertaking
but would like to remain open to the possibilities. Given
that this has property has not changed hands since before
the Civil War it is a rare privilege to have this opportunity.
I wanted to let the Christendom Alumni, and other member’s
of the community, know about it before it is listed for sale
to the general public. If
you have a serious interest then please contact Mark Accettullo,
Petrine’s Vice-President for Development at marka@petrine.net
or call at (540) 635-6829. Mark is a CC parent and an in-law
of the Cuddeback Clan."
Damian
and Katie Fedoryka announce the arrival of Thomas Martin
Maria, at 8 lb 13 oz. on Friday, November 26, much to the
delight of his four siblings, Felicity, 9, Damian Joseph,
7, Christiana, 5 and Angelina, 2. Mother and child doing well.
Calendar
of events
January
24, 2005: March for Life (and subsequently the Irish Times
or Dubliner)
October
7-9, 2005: Homecoming Weekend
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Press
Releases and Campus News: http://www.christendom.edu/news/releases.shtml
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