(Justin '16 and David Pastilha in performance/photo by Xavier Campus Ministry) 

​Xavier Acoustic Coffeehouse Raises Over $1,200 for CFX 

Campus Ministry hosts its famous Acoustic Coffeehouse twice a year to fundraise for the Companions of Xavier (CFX) Service Programs, which, over the last decade, have served countless families in the United States, Mexico and Ecuador. Together, with the help of over 30 volunteers and countless other performers and faculty who spent long hours ensuring that the night would be a success, particularly the Campus Ministry Team—Ms. Kaija DeWitt, Ms. Dee Kittany, Fr. Ralph Rivera, S.J., Mr. Paul Wendel, and Mr. Matthew Hayes—the fall coffeehouse had a fantastic turnout, raising over $1,200 to benefit Xavier’s service ministries.

There was a wide range of performers at the coffeehouse, including students, faculty, alumni, friends and even parents. The performances were also varied; while each differed in terms of genre and overall style, they were united together by the talent of each performer or group, the positive reactions from audience members and the desire to benefit service at Xavier.

Some of the most acclaimed performances included JD Pastilha, the father-son pairing of vocalist Justin Pastilha ’16 and guitarist Mr. David Pastilha, The Derivatives, a group composed of faculty members Mr. Steve Iannuccilli and Ms. Jen Velazquez, alumnus Phil Casano ’14, and current student Eric Krebs ’17, who rocked the stage with their formidable music chops, and Our Place in Time, a foursome composed of students Luis Arias ’16, Jed Cole ’16, and John Petito ’18, and friend Kiara Ortega, whose love of all things George Michael, led to a memorable performance of Careless Whisper. Most performances were music-oriented, though the one that was not, the poetry of Bedlam (also known as William Corsi ’16) left the crowd in stiches.

Over 80 people attended the Acoustic Coffeehouse this fall. All ticket sales went directly to support Xavier’s CFX program. The next Acoustic Coffeehouse will take place in the spring, so stay tuned for future updates. But for now, check out the Campus Ministry webpage for more information on the transformative opportunities offered within Xavier’s CFX program.

The next Acoustic Coffeehouse will be in the spring, so stay tuned for future updates. For now, please visit Campus Ministry for more information on the transformative opportunities offered within the CFX program.