April 10, 2008

Memphis Catholic Plans Run and Spring Festival April 27

The first annual Memphis Catholic "Education That WORKS OUT" 5K Run/Walk and Spring Festival will be held on April 27 at Memphis Catholic Middle and High School.

The race begins at 2 p.m. with the Spring Festival on campus to follow. Festivities will feature food, music, and games for all ages.

Proceeds will benefit the school which offers a work-study program that provides students the opportunity to gain valuable corporate work experience that will motivate them to pursue careers in college and return to Memphis to become valuable members of the work force.

Registration for the race can be completed online at www.racesonline.com or by contacting Dani Ray Barton at 901-276-1221 or via email at drbarton@memphiscatholic.org. Sponsorship and volunteer opportunities are also available.

CBHS Hall of Fame Adds New Members

By John Morris

The Christian Brothers High School Hall of Fame celebrates its 40^th anniversary with the election of 11 new members, who were inducted in ceremonies on the CBHS campus January 27. Candidates are chosen by the Hall of Fame membership on the basis of their personal accomplishments, civic and public contributions and support of or involvement with activities of interest to the school. CBHS grads must have graduated a minimum of 20 years prior to selection. The CBHS Hall of Fame was established in 1968. Since then, more than 450 men, living and deceased have been elected into the organization by their peers. Most, though not all, are CBHS graduates.

Below is brief biographical information on each inductee:

CARL O. BROCK, (CBHS '71), is a teacher and coach at Christian Brothers High School. After graduating from CBHS, Coach Brock served in the Army. Coach Brock then attended Memphis State University and began student teaching at CBHS in 1978 and remains there today. He and his wife, Nickie, have two children.

KEVIN F. CALLAHAN, (CBHS '79), was born in Memphis in 1961, the fourth son and grandson of Brothers Boys. Upon graduation in 1979, Kevin went on to attend Memphis State University, followed in his father's footsteps and went into the automobile business. He is vice-president of the Greater Memphis Automobile Dealers Association and is a founding member of the Blue Streak Scholarship Foundation, which benefits the Jubilee Schools. Kevin and his wife, Pamela, have two children.

DAVID M. COOK, (CBHS '69), is shareholder and president of The Hardison Law Firm, PC since 1995. A graduate from CBHS in 1969, he received his Bachelor of Arts, History from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1973 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis in 1975. His legal field is in medical malpractice, hospital and professional liability defense, and alternative dispute resolution services.

L. ANTHONY DEAL (CBHS '64 - deceased), was born in Foggia, Italy in 1946. His family moved to Memphis in 1949. He grew up in Memphis, attended Christian Brothers High School and graduated in 1964. He attended Memphis State University and graduated in 1968. he graduated from Memphis State University School of Law, now Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1972. He passed away in 2002.

H. LANCE FORSDICK, JR., (CBHS '80), is owner and president of Grace Construction Company and Kenlan Development Company. Lance attended St. Dominic School and graduated from Christian Brothers in 1980. He subsequently went to work for his father's (H. Lance Forsdick, Sr., CBHS '57) development and construction business in 1982. Current and past projects include schools, churches, retail centers and office buildings from various clients including St. Agnes-St. Dominic Schools, Christian Brothers High School, Christian Brothers University and the Catholic Diocese of Memphis. Lance has served on the Board of Directors of the CBHS Alumni Association, as well as serving as a volunteer coach. He and his wife, Mary have three children.

REV. ROBERT W. MARSHALL, JR., (CBHS '77), is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis and has served as the pastor of the Catholic Church of the Ascension since 2004. A native Memphian, Father Marshall is the son of Robert W. "Spider" Marshall and Margaret Anne Martin Marshall. A graduate of St. Michael School in 1973 and CBHS in 1977, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History (summa cum laude) from Christian Brothers College in 1980 and completed his Juris doctorate in 1983 at Memphis State University. Father Marshall practiced law for 12 years in both St. Louis, Missouri and Memphis. Discerning a call to priesthood, he entered Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. Father Marshall was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 2000. He currently serves as a diocesan Master of Ceremonies, and is a member of the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors, the Priests' Personnel Board, the Vocations Committee and served as Chairman of the 2005 and 2006 Bishop's Appeal.

EUGENE A. McDERMOTT, JR., (CBHS '56), is recently retired from Barloworld Truck Center where he was marketing manager. Prior to this, he served as president of McDermott Leasing and sales manager, Delta Ford Truck Sales. He received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame in 1960. Following graduation, he was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, Destroyer Force Atlantic. Gene has been a class representative to the CBHS alumni board and has served on the Board of Les Passees, Inc. He and wife Dale have been married for 40 years and attend St. Peter Church. They have three children and four grandchildren.

JAMES J. POHLMAN, (CBHS '72), is the president of Memphis Catholic High School and Middle School. A graduate of St. Louis Grade School in 1968 and Christian Brothers High School in 1972, he completed Christian Brothers College with a degree in religion and cultures in 1976 and a Masters of Education from Memphis State University in 1984. Jim taught at Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, OK from 1976-1980 and Christian Brothers High School from 1980-1984; principal of Marquette School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from 1984-2001; principal of Memphis Catholic High School and Middle School from 2001-2005 and named president of Memphis Catholic High School and Middle School, "Education That Works Program," in 2006. Jim and his wife, Mary, have two sons.

DANIEL T. ROBINSON, JR., (CBHS '78), is an attorney, member of The Bogatin Law Firm, PLC with a practice concentration in Private Equity transactions. Upon graduation from CBHS in 1978, Robinson attended the University of Memphis on a football scholarship and received his BBA in Finance in 1982; MBA in 1987 and subsequently his J.D. in 1987. Admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 1987, Daniel is a member of the Memphis and Tennessee Bar Associations. He is past director and president of the Memphis Heart Gala, Inc., co-founder/president of St. Dominic School Alumni Association, and a member of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd (DeNeuville Learning Center and Casa Maria ministries) Board of Directors. Parishioners at the Church of the Incarnation in Collierville, he and wife, Melanie, have three sons.

CHARLES LEE RODGERS, (CBHS '65), is co-founder of Wenco Franchise Management, one of the nation's leading franchises of Wendy's Old Fashioned hamburgers Restaurants. A 1961 graduate of St. Dominic School, Charles graduated from CBHS in 1965 and subsequently the University of Tennessee in 1969. He is founding member of Wendy's National Advertising Program. He was inducted into Wendy's Hall of Fame in 1992, a member of founding council for Wendy's High School Heisman, co-honorary chairman for Memphis Variety Club Humanitarian Award Program in 1992, and honorary chairman for the Memphis Oral School for the Deaf in 1994.

JOHN A. (JACK) WARD, JR., (CBHS '55), is head of Farrell-Calhoun, a regional paint company with operations in six states. Born September 19, 1937 in St. Louis, Missouri, Jack is the son of John and Hilda Obrock Ward and has a brother, Robert and three sisters, Carolyn Leake, Jeanette Sherman and Shirley Kennedy. He graduated from CBC High School on Parkway in 1955. He attended the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, graduating in 1959 with a B.S. degree in Chemistry. Jack and his wife, Cristina, have been married for more than 41 years.

SBA Lady Eagles Make Annual Contribution to OLS

The St. Benedict Lady Eagles Basketball Team presented a $1,000 check to Our Lady of Sorrows School at the team's end-of-season banquet.

In their pre-season fundraising efforts for camps and warm-up gear, the team reserves a portion of their earnings for OLS. Because OLS also has the Eagle as a mascot, the team has adopted the school in the spirit of their Catholic unity and their shared mascot and to recognize OLS for their commitment to Catholic education in the Raleigh/Frayser area. This is the second year for the Eagle to Eagle donation. The girls also made a $500 donation to the Kidney Foundation in memory of Cheryl Hotz, who recently died. Her daughter Allison is a member of the team.

The Lady Eagles had a successful season on the court, as well, finishing second in regular season action and advancing to Sub-State.

Hesburgh Lecture Planned for April 21

By Sharon Masterson

The Notre Dame Club of Memphis and the Catholic Schools Office will host the annual Hesburgh Lecture on Monday, April 21, from 7-9 p.m. at Christian Brothers University in Buckman Hall, Spain Auditorium. This year's speaker is the renowned Reverend Ronald J. Nuzzi, Ph.D., Director of the University of Notre Dame's Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Program.

Father Ron Nuzzi is a priest of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio. Ordained in 1984, Father Ron has taught in Catholic schools, served as a high school administrator and currently is the Director of Catholic Leadership Programs in the Alliance for Catholic Education at The University of Notre Dame. A nationally known speaker and author, he has written extensively about multiple intelligence theory in Catholic education, the spirituality of leadership, and inclusion in Catholic schools. His book, Gifts of the Spirit: Multiple Intelligences in Religious Education, published by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), is now in its second printing.

This Hesburgh Lecture is co-sponsored in Memphis by The Notre Dame Club of Memphis and the Catholic Diocese of Memphis in co-operation with Christian Brothers University. Father Nuzzi's lecture is the fourth in an ongoing series of lectures on Character and Education.

The Hesburgh Lecture Series is a worldwide program co-sponsored by more than 60 Notre Dame Clubs. The Series was founded in 1986 to honor Father Hesburgh's unique contribution to education and to the community. President of the University of Notre Dame for 35 years, Father Hesburgh leads an active life at age 91 with no thought of retirement. He holds more than 135 honorary degrees, more than twice that of any other person.

Father Ron has conducted two separate research tours at the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education and has provided original translation of church documents pertaining to the history of Catholic schooling. In 1997- 1998, he conducted an extensive research project on seminary education for the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops. He serves as editor of the research journal, "Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice," the only scholarly publication in the world dedicated exclusively to Catholic education. His books include: "Catholic Schools Still Make A Difference," a retrospective on Catholic school research; two encyclopedias-one dedicated to Catholic schools in the USA and a second on moral education; and two research handbooks on Catholic K-12 schools and Catholic higher education.

He is currently conducting a nationwide study of pastors with schools in an effort to help assess clergy needs in relation to parish schools while directing the ACE Program at Notre Dame. ACE includes teacher formation and leadership programs. The ACE teacher formation program has provided teachers in Memphis Catholic schools for a number of years.

Father Nuzzi said, "Catholic education matters because it seeks to educate the whole person, mind, body and spirit. Our Catholic Schools provide a safe learning environment where each student is nurtured and encouraged to live up to their God-given dignity. Students are challenged to learn not only for their own sake, but to help build up the world around them into the Kingdom of God." He provides a list of ten things that only Catholic schools can provide:

1. An Incarnational View of the World

Catholic School students learn that God is present and active in their lives and in the world. They learn to recognize the "footprints of God" in their daily experiences, especially in the midst of life's challenges. They develop a sense of "Sacramental Awareness." They see the signs of God's love around them, and become instruments of God's grace in their own neighborhoods, communities, and the world.

2. Immersion in the Paschal Mystery

Our lives are a series of small and not so small dyings and risings. In union with the Paschal Mystery, we realize that there is redemptive power in suffering, and in the power of the Cross. In it lies the answer to the mystery of all of life's successes and failures. In the experience of the Paschal Mystery, we also realize the need for community. Like Jesus, we encounter our own Simon of Cyrenes to help us along our way.

3. The Value of Relationships as a Reflection of the Divine

Catholic School students learn to experience God's grace and presence in their lives through their relationships with family, friends, and teachers. The loving and supportive relationships they experience are reflections of the love and life-giving dynamic of the Trinity. As a community we celebrate our successes and achievements. We share grief and downfalls. We unite together in solidarity, and even challenge each other to become better reflections of the Divine.

4. A Nuanced View of Scripture

Catholic School students are given the opportunity to explore the beauty and richness of Sacred Scripture seen through the lens of faith and lived out in daily practice. They experience the ongoing revelation of God in Scripture as the One who leads the Israelites through the Promised Land, and who redeems them through His Cross and Resurrection. They also come to view the Human Person as created in God's "image and likeness," and destined for eternal life. They learn to apply Scripture to their own lives as a tool for prayer and the true guide for virtuous living

5. Civic Engagement

In a survey compiled by a non-American, non-Catholic source, it was indicated that private school graduates are significantly more likely to actively participate in civic activities than their public school counterparts. Catholic Schools were ranked #1 in the percentage of graduates who actively participate in civic and community activities such as voting, volunteering, letter writing to legislators, Catholic Concerns Day, and donations to charity, not just for a tax write-off, but out of a sense of the requirements of justice.

6. Service for the Common Good

Catholic Schools promote service as an essential component of their curriculum. Many Catholic Schools have service programs from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Higher education programs such as the Jesuit or Dominican Volunteer Corps promote service at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Diocesan organizations such as Catholic Family Services provide resources and help to people from all walks of life. Catholic School students learn that they are in fact "their brother's keeper," and have a responsibility to respond to the need s of those around them.

7. Discipline as a Faith Expectation

Catholic Schools promote self-discipline through clarity of moral vision that is based on the Gospel. Students are challenged to be Christ-like in word and action. They are asked to examine their choices and actions in light of the Ten Commandments and the Gospel law of love. They are given a theological foundation for ethical behavior. Students are not good because they act in accord with rules and expectations. Rather, because students are good, i.e. sons and daughters of God, they are expected to act and make choices that are in keeping with this dignity.

8. The Centrality of Arts, Ritual, Drama, and Music to the Life of Faith

Through Catholic education students are exposed to the richness of the religious Tradition. Music, Art, Literature, Drama and Ritual are rooted in the rich history of the Church, and find their truest glory as an expression of divine praise.

9. The Fullness of the Catholic Identity at the Heart of the Church

Catholic education has always been at the heart of the Catholic Mission. Catholic education, and the students who are the product of it, have been called the "greatest work of the Church." They have been entrusted with the fullness of faith and have been charged with the mission of evangelization. They are to go out into the world and share the gifts they have received, as doctors, lawyers, policemen, firemen, businessmen and women, teachers, priests and religious; as Catholic School graduates.

10. Personal Excellence as a Spiritual Goal

Catholic School students learn that excellence is a response to God's blessings. Academic excellence is not a gospel value in and of itself. The Sermon on the Mount does not say "Blessed are you who get all A's." Education must have an altruistic orientation. Students learn so as to help others, and make a difference in the world around them.

Dr. Charles T. Kenny of the Notre Dame Club of Memphis, who will introduce Father Nuzzi, says our own Jubilee Schools are proof of how Catholic Schools fill the void in our urban areas.

"They illustrate great leadership and philanthropy from the donors and they are turning out educated, productive and caring citizens," he says."

This lecture is timely for our community as a whole, not only for Catholics because the majority of the students in the Jubilee Schools are not Catholic.

"Consider that in so many areas of the country, the Catholic schools are closing, while here in Memphis the inner city schools have been re-opened as Jubilee schools and new schools are being added," said Dr. Kenny. "When I tell my clients and friends around the country about these schools "…they are simply amazed. The Catholic Schools in the Memphis Diocese are providing leadership for the Catholic schools all over the country."

The Hesburgh Lecture is open to the public and is free.

For information visit www.ndmemphis.com or call Dr. Kenny at 901-753-6188 or 901-237-7048.

The Notre Dame Club of Memphis is open to all friends, supporters and alumni of the University of Notre Dame.