A Letter FROM... THE PRESIDENT

“The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created spring,” said Sir Bernard Williams. It’s springtime and the world wakes up in springtime! In San Antonio, it’s also fiesta time and our city surely wakes up during fiesta time. Wow! Springtime and Fiesta With each celebration of life, each deepened experience of faith and family, each demonstration of brotherhood, let us allow spring’s positivity and the joy of Easter wash over us, elevating our outlook, enlivening our hope and bolstering our gratitude for every blessing.

In this issue of the Blue and White, I wanted to relay a simple story that seems to represent the hope our Lord created and the legacy of brotherhood at Central Catholic. The story illuminates the blessings of spring and the responsibility of living the Easter message.

A few weeks ago, a meeting was arranged with a family seeking admission into Central Catholic High School. The mother and her son wanted us to know how important it was for them to be a part of Central. The son communicated how he has been dreaming about attending Central Catholic since his early years in grade school. The young man described how his father was seriously injured in a car accident and needed constant 24-hour care, and the son said, “I know I’ll make my father proud by attending Central Catholic.” His mother added that she has been working three jobs cleaning hotel rooms to make ends meet; and expressed how extended family and friends will help pay for tuition. The mom pleaded for her son’s admission into our school and she pledged her dedication… it was humbling.

The son assured us of his commitment to Central Catholic, his willingness to work hard in all of his classes, his desire to participate in clubs and teams and be active in serving the San Antonio community. When asked why he chose Central Catholic, he said, “I want to be closer to God.” The son proclaimed, “If I am accepted, you will not have any regrets.” The son’s middle school records and his performance on the High School Placement Test were both impressive.

Already humbled by their honesty and candidness, I was especially struck by their next request. The mom leaned forward and with complete focus, described the need for her son to be influenced by our brotherhood. She expounded on the need for help in raising her son and requested that we ensure her son get matched with a terrific big brother. She implored that her son participate in the father/son retreat and events, and then her son respectfully interjected, “How soon can I meet the alumni?” And, yes we accepted this young man into the class of 2022.

Although this story is being told in 2018, it is a common story that has been told over and over again throughout the years. The details and decades may vary, but Central Catholic and the legacy of the brotherhood, developing family spirit and growing closer to God, always remain constant.

This interaction challenged me to take inventory of my actions, reflect on how well I embrace the Easter message and share that message with others. As we adapt and change to the times, let us also be attentive to our foundation revealed in the first disciple, Mary. Modeled by these two people seeking to become members of our Central Catholic community, we are reminded of the gift of community and the importance of remaining vigilant in our pursuit to love genuinely and live abundantly.

God bless our Central High!

Sincerely,

Paul Garro President of Central Catholic High School

At our annual Central Catholic Gala in February, we kicked off the Our Time Capital Campaign. This campaign will change the future of Central Catholic with the addition of a brand new Convocation Center and the Mother Adele Chapel & Meditation Garden to our campus.

The Convocation Center will feature a 1,200 seat gymnasium; locker rooms for every sport, including our CCHS Cheerleaders; a state of the art weight room; and a new 150 seat chapel honoring Mother Adele.

Recent Updates:

The Convocation Center’s construction will begin THIS summer – June 2018. We anticipate the completion of the project to take 12 months, with the doors opening to the facility no later than September 2019.

In addition, JOERIS was the winning general contractor in a blind bid process. This project has become somewhat of family affair! The approved sub-contractors include several alumni & friends of Central Catholic. These businesses have already contributed discounted rates totaling a little more than $55,000.

However, we are still not done. We need a little over $2 million to finish the job. With the support from all of our alumni & friends like you, together, we can meet our goal!

Your contribution will help us leave a legacy for future generations of Central Catholic students and will help us honor our Marianist foundations and clergy. Our time is NOW.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN - VISIT OUR WEBSITE HERE!

For questions about the campaign or if you would like to inquire about naming opportunities please contact: Mr. Jason Longoria ’96 Director of Advancement jason.longoria@cchs-satx.org 210.225.6794 x 246

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What are your fondest memories of Central Catholic High School?

Thinking back on the four years I spent at Central, one of my fondest memories comes from the unique freshman lock-in experience my classmates and I attended. Unsure yet as to how high school would be, the lock-in provided a bonding experience that became the base our brotherhood would be built on. Not knowing many people outside of middle school relationships yet, the lock-in was where everyone first started to get to know each other and I know it is where I first made a lot of my best friends.

Why did you choose Saint Louis University (academics, stellar reputation, faith, extracurricular programs, etc)? What are you getting your degree in and why?

Coming to Saint Louis University (SLU) had a lot to do with my desire to explore living in new places. While San Antonio will always be home, I realize that there is a lot more the world has to offer, and I want to see as much as I can.

I knew I wanted to continue my education in a fashion similar to one I have always known; smaller and religiously affiliated. When I came and toured our campus here, I knew I had found a place that provided a mixture of everything I was looking for. Saint Louis University offered on-campus activities, education emphasizing the Jesuit tradition, a large metro area, highly regarded academics, and honestly, having a Major League Baseball team one Metro stop away from campus was an added bonus.

I chose to get my degree in Economics through the Chaifetz Business School because it has become a passion of mine. Studying economic data allows you to understand the world in a clear and concise way, free from all of the noise and agendas that most information is disseminated through. When you drill down through data you can