Summer 2018
MaryFair Chairs begin planning
Page 1
Deacon Andy Kmetz’s Ordination
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Naming the Tom Padalino Auditorium
Youth Intern Kennedy Starsbarger returns
Quarterly Newsletter
Twenty-nine students graduate
AT A GLANCE:
from the School of Saint Mary
OUR GRADUATES
The graduating Class of 2018 is ready for the future. They’ve turned in their last papers and have taken their finals. They have received their awards and their diplomas. While all of them are eagerly anticipating high school, every member of the Class of 2018 is bonded together through their shared
experience. The foundation of their education is laid at the School of Saint Mary. Twenty-three of them progressed from Kindergarten at the School of Saint Mary to this year’s graduation. Many of them (Continued on page 6)
LEAH AMES & EMMA NGUYEN RECEIVED THE SAINT MARY ACADEMIC AWARD AT THE END-OFTHE-YEAR AWARDS ASSEMBLY. CHARLIE DIONISIO WAS AWARDED THE SAINT SEBASTIAN AWARD FOR SPORTSMANSHIP. ELLIE ARMSTRONG EARNED THE SAINT FRANCIS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE.
churchofsaintmary.com
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Summer 2018
Tennis Tournament 2018 : Summary 8th Annual Saint Mary Tennis Classic was held Monday, April 16, at Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park
84 players entered this ladies’ doubles tournament
in three combined divisions – 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0
approximately $4,700 was raised through entry fees, donations, and sponsorships
approximately $2,300 net profit will be given to the tournament’s benefactor, the School of Saint Mary Home and School
Association
Golf Tournament 2018 : Summary 22nd Annual Saint Mary Parish Golf Tournament was held Monday, May 14, at Oaks Country Club
Sarah Launchbaugh, Jan Munn, and Courtney Leonard begin to plan the MaryFair Dinner.
Parishioners plan MaryFair events MaryFair is the annual weekend celebration of our parish and school community. Both Saturday evening’s Dinner and Auction and Sunday’s Picnic require careful organization and strong leadership. Development Director Jennifer Wood says, “I am so excited to be working with this group of parishioners who have been ‘all in’ from the day they accepted their roles as MaryFair chairs.”
102 men and women participated, matching our previous record number of golfers
Jan & Frank Munn, Sarah & Kevin Launchbaugh, Courtney & Tyler Leonard have agreed to chair 2018’s MaryFair Dinner & Auction.
& Brandon Anthamatten, Peggy & Tom Padalino are chairing the 2018 MaryFair Picnic. Maria is the daughter of Peggy and Tom. Maria said, “I’ve been a parishioner at the Church of Saint Mary since I was little and I’m excited to give back to the church by chairing the picnic with my husband and parents. I worked on the picnic committee last year so I know the time commitment that will go into the planning and I’m delighted to do so. I’m also looking forward to meeting other parishioners with this opportunity.”
approximately $23,000 was raised through entry fees, donations, and sponsorships
approximately $4,600 net profit will be given to the tournament’s benefactor, the School of Saint Mary
Sarah said, “It is such an honor to help with MaryFair! MaryFair is an incredible weekend for our community and a celebration our family looks forward to each year. I enjoy getting to work with the entire committee to bring the event to fruition.” This year’s Picnic is a family affair: Maria
Both groups of leaders have begun preliminary work on planning the schedule, the meals, and the theme. Jennifer enjoys working with both groups of chairs. She said, “I have complete confidence that this year’s leadership will provide our Saint Mary community with another amazing and memorable weekend.”
Summer 2018
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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Discerning a Vocation
First Communion
Donald Cardinal Weurl ordained Andy Kmetz to the diaconate last month.
Andy Kmetz professes vows and is ordained It’s rare enough that one family member discerns a religious vocation. It’s extraordinary when two siblings join the same religious order.
Late last month, Donald Cardinal Weurl ordained Brother Andy to the transitional diaconate in anticipation of his priestly ordination next year.
Early in May, Church of Saint Mary parishioner and graduate of the School of Saint Mary Andy Kmetz professed his final vows with the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), a religious order founded in Argentina in 1984. The religious order focuses on the Marian devotion taught by Saint Louis de Montfort. Brother Andy’s biological sister Angela joined the women’s Deacon Andy, his parents Carol and Andy, and his sibling community of the same Sister Servant of the Cross smile after the ordination. order. She made her final profession in September of 2016 and was given the name Sister Servant of the Cross.
Sister Servant of the Cross and other members of her convent made a stole by hand for Deacon Andy. The stole bears the IVE logo, an image of Our Lady of Lujan (the order’s patroness), as well as the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Deacon Andy will be ordained to the priesthood in May of 2019.
Eighth Grade Ribbon Mass
Diaconate Ordination
Deacon Andy’s discernment grew from an early and active faith life. The prayerful support of his parish helped too.
Institute of the Incarnate Word ive.org
churchofsaintmary.com
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Summer 2018
Thoreau’s Tom Padalino Auditorium named after Parishioner Thoreau Demonstration Academy principal and Church of Saint Mary parishioner, Tom Padalino, received a surprise last month. At the school’s eighth grade promotion ceremony, he learned that Thoreau’s Auditorium would be named after him.
The Tom Padalino Auditorium! That’s quite an honor. Were you surprised? How did that make you feel? Yes, I was very surprised by this great honor. I was humbled by the gesture of naming the auditorium after me. It was the 8th grade students gift back to the school along with the 8th grade parents who wanted to do this. I am very appreciative of the work they did to make it happen.
The Padalinos look up at the “Tom Padalino Auditorium” sign above the doors to the hall.
You spent the last two decades building up Thoreau. What was your role? What part the most rewarding?
Summer 2018
Page 5
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
I served for 20 years as the principal of Thoreau. We opened the school with only 177 students and now the school has over 630 students. My greatest satisfaction in completing the Thoreau Project was seeing so many students from all over Tulsa and from so many different backgrounds come and form one community of learners. They really embraced the program that was designed to serve all students from all of Tulsa. There is something different about Thoreau, something that it offers that is more than just a school. I believe that something can be credited to the specific innovations that we put in place twenty-two years ago that still work well today. The programming centered around five groundbreaking programs that were quite new and untested together at the time for middle level students. They are:
Tribes
Microsociety
Differentiated Staffing Model
Highly Effective Teaching
Extended Day Programming
You and your wife, Peggy, are both educators. How did you both find your vocations? Peggy and I came to Tulsa in 1975 because we both wanted to be teachers and there were no teaching positions at that time in our hometown of Buffalo, New York. We knew we were going to teach, just not where. We both started out at St. Pius X. What’s next for you?
Now, I am an adjunct math teacher at Tulsa Community College where I have been a part time instructor for over 41 years.
Tom & Peggy Padalino are surrounded by their children Tom and Maria.
churchofsaintmary.com
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Summer 2018
The annual Ride Around features Eighth Graders riding ridiculously large vehicles and throwing candy to younger students.
(Continued from page 1)
will continue their education together in high school.
-loving and friendly group of students who were willing to take on projects and try new things. I enjoyed my time with them and believe that they will represent Saint Mary well as they go on to high school. I look forward to hear-
ing of their continued many and varied successes.” “They will do well in high school,” Maureen Clements said. “Our prayers are always with them.”
Principal Maureen Clements said, “I’m very proud of what they have accomplished. I am happy to see the way they have matured and the way they have developed their leadership skills.” Ann Bloomfield fondly remembers them from when they were in her second grade class, “They were a great group of kids when I had them in class. They were friendly and helpful. I enjoyed their sense of humor. They were great as buddies for the second graders this year.” Suzanne Nelson spent the last year with them. She said, “There were 29 students in this year’s graduating class, many of whom had been together as a group since the Bunny Class. They were an accomplished, fun Principal Maureen Clements presented diplomas following the Graduation Mass.
Summer 2018
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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Top Five Reasons why your children should attend the School of Saint Mary
Kennedy Stansbarger returns as Youth Ministry Intern Kennedy is a parishioner who is returning to work for her second summer here as a youth ministry intern. Tell us about yourself. I’m Kennedy Stansbarger. I go to school at Saint Louis University. I’m a Bishop Kelley grad. My aunt Janet works at the School of Saint Mary. Students know her as Mrs. Griffin.
We looking this summer at the vision for Youth Ministry and what we can make better. I help with VBS, with Steubenville [youth conference], and with smaller youth nights throughout the summer.
What will you be doing this summer? What are your favorite memories from your internship last summer? Middle School Water Wars was a highlight because I got hit in the face with a water balloon. We did Middle School VBS with fifty kids. It sounds scary but it ended up being a lot of fun. With the high schoolers, we did a lot of service with them. We went to Night Light Tulsa and got to work with our homeless brothers and sisters. It was a good experience to get to work with those kids.
As an intern, what is your role? I work with Blake Lawson. I come in every day to help him with office work.
I will help with the Steubenville youth conference. I haven’t been since I was a student in high school and I’m excited to get back. It’s in a new location in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis so I haven’t been to this one and I’m really excited.
Excellent academics combined with peace, justice, and human rights, according to Gospel principles and Catholic tradition Three of the four most recent Bishop Kelley High School valedictorians graduated from the School of Saint Mary Four fairly recent graduates are living a religious vocation: Sister Servant of the Cross Kmetz, Fr. Sean Donovan, Deacon Andy Kmetz, and Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble 97% of parents say the School of Saint Mary inspires their students to pray. Many of our Graduates become National Merit top scorers.
What do you hope to get out of your internship? I’m interested in doing youth ministry in the future. I am hoping to develop skills to be a youth minister, but also to walk with these kids in their formation because they’re really incredible. They really are. They’re a good group here.
Learn more about this excellent Catholic school at schoolofsaintmary.com/visit
churchofsaintmary.com
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Summer 2018
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TULSA, OK
Church of Saint Mary
PERMIT NO. 162
1347 E. 49th Pl. Tulsa, OK 74105
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