Summer Updates from Xavier
The summer months have ushered in reunions, celebrations, and meaningful service on 16th Street and beyond.
Xavier alumni, current families, and friends kicked off the summer on June 26 at the 4th Annual Xavier Night at the Cyclones. It was a fun, festive night on Coney Island as the Cyclones earned a win over the Connecticut Tigers. Many thanks to Xavier Executive Vice President Dan Dougherty for coordinating the event. To view images from the game, visit our Flickr page.
Our annual summer tour brought college-aged Sons of Xavier back to 16th Street for a barbecue on July 8 and featured the traditional Spring Lake and Rockaway receptions on July 7 and 9, respectively. The Spring Lake Bath and Tennis Club provided a beautiful backdrop for the well-attended Jersey Shore event, which was graciously hosted by Thom Foley ’62 and his wife, Mary. George and Joanie Clark P’16 hosted the Rockaway reception at their home in Belle Harbor, welcoming a great crowd of current and former parents, alumni, and friends. Photos from all three receptions can be viewed on Flickr. To register for our upcoming receptions on Cape Cod, Long Island, and at Xavier, click here.
As Xavier staff traveled to meet alumni this summer, Xavier students and teachers journeyed to Mexico, Tennessee, and Ecuador on our annual Companions of Xavier (CFX) trips. Peter Thomann ’16, who traveled to Ecuador, reflects on his “life-changing” experience in this week’s E-News. We are proud that Peter’s reflection is also being featured on the Ignatian Solidarity Network website.
Summer has also been a time of great celebration for many Sons of Xavier, including Rev. Nicholas Colalella ’08, who was ordained to the priesthood in June. Fr. Colalella first heard the call to his vocation when he was a student at Xavier. “I want to be a humble priest, to put other’s needs before me and forget myself,” he told The Tablet. “It’s taking yourself off and putting Christ on.” June also saw the ordination of former Xavier Regent Rev. Dennis Baker, S.J., and final vows for Xavier chaplain Rev. Ralph Rivera, S.J., and Rev. Chuck Frederico, S.J., a member of the Xavier Jesuit Community and vocations director for the USA Northeast Province of the Society of Jesus.
Now, in the waning days of July, our hallways continue to buzz with activity as the Jesuit Higher Achievement Program (HAP) enters its final week. Director Patrick Mahon ’04, who attended HAP himself in 1999 and later served a HAP tutor, office manager, and assistant director, leads a program that features 240 students, 20 teachers, and 55 tutors. Students hail from all five New York City boroughs, Westchester, Long Island, and New Jersey, a strong indication of Xavier’s reputation throughout the region. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from parents and students alike, who often express their gratitude for the fantastic high school preparation HAP provides. “For me personally, doing this program for these five weeks is just enriching and enlivening in a way that’s hard to describe,” said Mr. Mahon, whose brother John Mahon III ’99 also attended HAP. “At its roots, HAP is still a mission-based program, giving students from diverse backgrounds and means the opportunity to experience Jesuit education.” This year’s HAP graduation takes place next Thursday, July 30, and it will be featured in the Sept. 3 edition of the E-News. An article about the history of HAP will also be included in our upcoming edition of Xavier Magazine, which will be delivered in a few short weeks.
To keep up-to-date with Xavier news until our next E-News issue, please visit www.xavierhs.org regularly and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Flickr, and LinkedIn.