Crossroads Issue 2

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2024 | VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2

CROSSROADS a community of faith-filled PVI students and staff collaborating at the intersection of inspiration and information

a Writer’s Block Club Production

We’re Soaring!

Welcome to the 2nd issue of Crossroads! Like our first issue, this month’s publication is also overflowing with a wonderfully-disparate collection of fiction and nonfiction content. The Writer’s Block Club is excited to share with you everything, from — Fr. Ramon’s reflection on the commencement of the Lenten season, a peek into Dr. Oetjen’s library of favorites, and Seabass’s feature on the 2008 Basketball Senior Night against Bishop O’Connell High School, to — senior Hans Sirotniak’s awesome selection of inspirational hip-hop and Christian pop music, senior Brian Revor’s creative and intriguing screenplay, and senior Julia Snyder’s very personal and insightful piece in search of a wizard. This issue also features content on Groundhog Day, reflections from an altar server, the National Charity League, and more! Enjoy reading through the countless Valentine’s messages and be sure to check out if you are one of the winners of The Writer’s Block Club’s Valentine’s Raffle!

In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light.”

Now, we say, “Happy New Year!” Calendars are changing, seasons are switching, and the number behind all the moments we document and everything we do has now advanced to 2024. At the onset of a new year, we live in a time of endings and beginnings. The old things from 2023 have been winding down and ending, while the new things in 2024 are beginning to spring forward. I’d like to focus especially on those ending moments, as I believe that somewhere present in the stories of time there have been opportunities time and time again to find a way to experience a joy-filled ending. At the end of a day, the finale of an event, the conclusion of an activity, or the passing of a period of time — no matter what happens, there is always something to be joyful about. With God as our guiding light, we can always find a reason to embrace joy because we have survived spiritually.

No matter how seemingly-moonless the dark night may seem, in every moment of every day, in every encounter, and in every experience, we always have the choice to choose joy, to choose light, to choose optimism, to choose hope, to choose spirituality, and to choose God.

Researched, compiled, and written by Hans Sirotniak ’24

Radiance Road

We live in a world where darkness exists and where often it may seem like there couldn’t possibly be a reason for joy. In an introduction to Christian music in the December issue of Crossroads, we discovered how Christian music is here to encourage us, comfort us, and remind us that we are loved.

However, there’s another, more advanced, purpose for Christian music, one that might not always seem as obvious on the surface. Christian music inspires us to realize and be grateful for the fact that we are strong spiritual survivors — with life in abundance.

We have seen the impacts of good and evil all around the world. Some souls are in spiritual warfare, in a fight against the forces of evil and temptation.

In order to steadfastly win over evil and in spiritual battle, we have to fight on our knees — allowing the all-powerful God to do the fighting for us. It’s the prayer, the surrender, and the connection to God that really makes the difference. When shifting to God’s perspective, what happens is that the victory comes not from what someone can do or achieve but rather from what God’s love has already done from an action in the past: Jesus dying on the Cross and then — resurrecting.

Thank you very much for choosing to spend some of your time on the Radiance Road. Throughout the next few Crossroads publications, I hope to walk you through some of the best songs to help you fight on your knees and become the survivor, with a focus on the Christian subgenres of pop, hip-hop, rock, and gospel. We will learn through concepts from the Bible, homily-style reflection passages, and brief reflections on individual Christian music songs. I look forward to sharing some special songs focused on the theme of God’s love, waiting, and Easter, in accordance with Valentine’s Day, Lent, and the Easter season. If you can stick around for the final article this spring, look forward to the unveiling of a special “map” that can help you get to the “secret weapon” that you need to be the survivor in this spiritual fight!

If you’re willing to let good always win over evil throughout the moments of your life, I recommend checking out the pop and hiphop songs on the following pages. They might inspire you to keep fighting on your knees — surrendering to God to fight that battle against evil.

Pop and hip-hop Christian songs focus on the messages of the Gospel, God’s love, forgiveness, hope, encouragement, and the presence of God in the artists’ lives. With the catchy lyrics, you’ll find yourself singing along; with the great rhythm and beats, you’ll find yourself dancing. It’s even better when you get those lyrics stuck inside your head because they actually might be helpful somewhere along your journey. It’s likely that you might find some Christian hip-hop music mixed in with pop music.

Hip-hop and rap songs allow artists to put personal stories into their songs in a rhythmic way, making the songs enjoyable while also getting the message across.

The following songs are copyrighted by their respective owners. I attempt to mention songs in accordance with fair use guidelines for commentary and educational purposes.

“Up” (Pop)

by Tauren Wells & Erica Campbell If you’re feeling like giving up on anything, I recommend this tune. With the purpose of being encouraging, this song does a great job of helping listeners not give up. In scary situations, the best reminder is that good things come from times of pressure.

“Desert Road” (Pop)

by Casting Crowns & CAIN Sometimes you might feel like you are walking on a desert road, not seeing any hope in front of you. In this statement of belief, Casting Crowns and CAIN sing about having hope in God no matter what pain people might have to go through in life.

“Camouflage” (Pop)

by Joseph O’Brien This song is about being addicted to other people’s opinions — living by a standard that tells people they will never measure up. In the last line of the song, we hold a hand out for help in letting those unfulfilling things go.

Let’s not let our lives be defined by the standards of the world but rather by the standards of God.

“After Party” (Pop)

by ONE HOUSE & Sam Rivera This believer thought that his life was about to be over, but it wasn’t.

Finding God in that moment, the believer realized that there was another choice — a choice for good, after all of the bad ones. This song is a celebration of the Christian life. It is a confirmation that following God can make people feel more alive, fulfill their seeking, and let them find the joy that they’ve always wanted.

“saints and sinners” (Pop)

by STANLEY You might be a saint, always making the best decisions and never doing anything wrong. You might be a sinner, someone who always falls short of the right path.

You might act both ways from day to day. No matter the path that you are on, remember that Jesus is always inviting you to come to Him and become spiritually stronger.

“Thank God” (Pop)

by Stars Go Dim “Time to turn the sad songs off...” are the opening lyrics to this rockin’ song.

Those moments of prayer and singing to God aren’t just something that we do because we have to. They are actually moments of deep gratitude, realizations that God has saved us from evil, and without Him, we wouldn’t have the great lives and the great opportunities that we do.

“God Gave Me Freedom” (Pop)

by Anthem Lights

“Happy” (Hip-Hop)

by NF

This is a happy song about a celebration of something very important. It’s like the Fourth of July over and over again. Having that dream in your life and seeing it being fulfilled is an amazing sight. Celebrate the freedom.

You know that a serious prayer is going on when a song starts with the lyrics “Dear God, please…” In this personal reflection, NF tells the story of his life and the things he has done to make himself fall short of happiness. It opens up the window to reflect on all of our lives and ask ourselves, “Are we happy?” and “Who would we be if we were happy?”

“God Of My Tomorrow” (Pop)

by Branan Murphy This song resembles someone taking a step, putting one foot in front of the other. The song mentioned the word “economy,” but it was not in the sense of money. It turns out, looking at it a little bit deeper, the reference to the economy is referring to the economy class, like that on a plane. If God is leading your life like a pilot flies a plane, would you, as a passenger, want to go into the cockpit and tell the Pilot where to go? Or would you just sit and trust someone who is much more skilled than you?

“Something Greater” (Pop)

by Jordan St. Cyr When people tell you that there’s nothing to be afraid of, they might be wrong. Many times, there are things to be afraid of. Their real message is that there is no reason to be afraid.

No matter what bad things happen, God is still present, and there is no need to submit to fear.

“Unstoppable” (Hip-Hop)

by Social Club Misfits & Ryan Ellis Coming back after hitting the ground is the main focus of “Unstoppable” by Social Club Misfits & Ryan Ellis.

A spiritual comeback requires God’s love, a motivation for getting back up after falling down.

“All Good” (Hip-Hop)

by Benji & Taylor Hill When someone says that things are all good, what does that mean to you? To Benji and Taylor Hill, it means that there is beauty in the difficult things in life. Even if the situation was not what they expected, they still chose to look on the bright side and to find things working for their good.

“Vibrations” (Hip-Hop)

by Derek Minor, Oswin Benjamin, International Show, & DJ Mal-Ski This song offers a great mindset in the spiritual journey of life. With God in control, each day starts with each individual person being ready for a new moment to see what good things God is going to present.

“on my own” (Hip-Hop) by gio.

If we realize that we can’t live our lives through our own way, we need to let go of those bad influences that try to tell us to turn away from God, and we need to see our lives in a bigger way by following God in faith.

“if i tried” (Hip-Hop)

by Henrik, LOGE, & gio.

In this song, Henrik, LOGE, and gio. reveal the powerful love of God: continuing to bestow new opportunities and graces even after we mess up and fall short of God’s plan.

“No L’s” (Hip Hop)

by Bizzle, Miles Minnick, and Fatman Scoop This loud, energetic song is about putting God first over things — like money — that alone won’t help us to live a faith-filled life.

“Altar” (Hip-Hop)

by Hulvey & Forrest Frank Think about all of the ways that you can glorify God. This song is proof that hip-hop is also a wonderful way to sing lyrics that give glory to God the Father.

A Reflection on Ash Wednesday Written by Fr. Ramón Domínguez, Youth Apostles (YA)

Dust, dirt, grit, and grime…

Who likes being dirty? Who likes seeing dust all over your room and things?

In fact, dust usually means that you are not using your things.

Dust and ashes call us to remember from where we came and the limitations of our human existence. “Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Gen. 2:7 (NABRE)) As we reflect on the Catholic season of Lent, we begin on Ash Wednesday. It is at best a curious way to begin a church season. To be marked with ashes, to be reminded of our mortality, to be grounded in our limited existence that depends on God. Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return. (cf Gen. 3:19 (NCB)) These words and the mark on our foreheads call us to think deeper and to be a witness to the reality of our faith and of our source and origin from God. These ashes mark the path of human history all the way back to the first moments of creation. The moment when “the Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Gen. 2:7 (NABRE)) God created us out of nothing, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1 (NAB)) But as God continued to create, on the sixth day “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Gen. 1:27 (NASB)) From our humble beginning out of the dust of the earth, God created us in his image and likeness, and God found us very good. He set us into the Garden of Eden to enjoy his creation and to walk with Him in the beauty and harmony of all created things. But through our own pride, and the temptation of the Evil One, we fell from grace. Our lives were now to be marked with toil and suffering. But while the mark of the ashes reminds us of our origin it also points to our destiny. It reminds us of how the difficulties of life in this world are but a passing moment compared to that of eternity.

I have worked with children for many years. When they are told that they need to wait an hour or wait until after dinner (or, God forbid, wait until the next day), they react as if we are putting what they want into a long range plan that will take an eternity to arrive. As one advances in years, one begins to sense time accelerating and what we want to do tomorrow gets overtaken by time and we wonder where the time went. continued

Lent is a time to pause and to give God the opportunity to speak to us and to look at how we are living our daily lives. We know that Lent prepares us to celebrate Holy Week at the end of which we celebrate Easter, the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ! That moment is the great destiny to which God is calling us. But along the way, Lent affords us the opportunity to examine those areas of our life that impede that movement towards the Lord. I look at it somewhat like a runner. They train, do exercises, practice, eat right and do all sorts of other things so that they are at their best for the race. But what if they strapped a big boulder to their wrist? What if they put on a blindfold? What if they did not eat correctly? Each of these images would be one that we would wonder what the athlete was thinking.

Unfortunately, we do this very thing in our spiritual lives. We can grow so attached and accustomed to the boulder of our own choosing that it seems so hard to imagine life without it. One example of a boulder is the cell phone or smart watch. We all know that one friend who is checking their device every five or ten minutes even during conversations. Or when they have a small break in action, they immediately start to browse their feed, emails or other news streams.

But why is this a boulder? It is such because it blocks our ability to see the reality that lies beyond it. It tires us, so we cannot run or move as far or as fast as we would like. Even worse, it can drag us down the slippery path of sinfulness if we are not careful.

Boulders and ashes – recalling that the liturgy of Ash Wednesday calls us forth to “repent and believe in the Gospel” we are invited to examine our lives and practices to identify areas of growth or areas that we need to leave behind and heal from. When King David sinned by taking the wife of Uriah (2 Samuel 11), he knew what he did was wrong, but he sought to cover it up with his own rationalizations and other sinful actions – even to the point of handing Uriah the letter that would ultimately become the instrument of his death. It was not until the prophet Nathan confronted King David with the parable of the rich man who took a poor man’s beloved pet sheep to have for his dinner, that King David finally realized his depravity and sinfulness and repented by fasting and laying on the ground in the dirt and ashes. (cf 2 Samuel 12).

God awaits our return to him with the eagerness of a newlywed. His love for us is so unbounded, that He will do anything for us if we ask. But we must ask for the right things. We must also ask to have the graces to let go of those things that hold us back.

And so, I would invite you during this Lent to reflect and examine those areas of your life that might be a boulder, to acknowledge our human frailties and weaknesses through the mark of the ashes. May the outward sign of the ashes to the world be a beacon of hope to you and to all that our God is one who seeks to embrace and strengthen all those who invoke His Holy Name. May our Lenten journey truly prepare us to celebrate with the Risen Lord the joys that his grace affords us in our daily pilgrimage toward our eternal home in heaven.

Lent 2024 is the six-week period leading up to Easter.

It starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, March 30, 2024 — this totals 46 days. If the six Sundays during Lent are excluded during the six weeks, there are 40 days of Lent.

Yarnville A Knitting and Crocheting Club Written by Amelia “Mia” Sampilo ’26

Interested in crocheting or knitting? If so, then Yarnville is the perfect place to start. Here, you get to learn all about how to crochet and knit — skills that you can use and share with others throughout your life. In addition, Yarnville is the perfect club to complete acts of service to give back to the community. You can make different items, such as beanies and scarves, while earning service hours in the process. Many boys and girls who started knitting or crocheting in the club have grown to be fantastic at these skills. This club is also a very good place to make friends easily. I highly recommend stopping in at a club meeting. We meet every Monday in Room 2210 after school.

Moderator: Mrs. Gott lgott@paulvi.net Yarnville is a weekly club meeting where members learn and practice various knitting and crocheting skills. Completed projects for donation (scarves and hats) can be considered for service hours.

No experience is necessary — you don’t even have to know how to spell crochet!

Life and Dreams Written by Keyon “Key” Johnson ’26 With life I see a future to achieve.

God at the forefront aspirations peak.

I just do not think crazy but believe.

My dreams are feet but not oblique.

Times sometimes do feel rough, but I never feel like giving up.

I stay resilient. I stand my ground.

I have made it a long way coming up.

There are no excuses to go around.

A destiny that is within reach of me: Surely would not change but remain constant.

God’s mercy and plans all in line for young Key: Goals and success approach abundantly.

Life is a huge gift from God that comes once.

With that gift comes no blind inconsequence.

Dr. David Oetjen, Math Department

A Peek Into Dr. O’s Personal Library

If manga count as books, One Piece

by Eiichiro Oda is my favorite by far. The worldbuilding is very well-done and on a thematic level, the portrayal of the world is so accurate to real life — despite the fact that on a surface level, it is entirely fantastical and ridiculous.

For nonfiction, my favorite book is Democracy: The God That Failed by Hans-Herman Hoppe. Viewing things from the angle of time preference as he does is so insightful for analyzing the decline of society. The book is full of philosophical insights that as far as I know were pretty much unknown before this was written.

continued

My favorite book for fiction is The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. What I find interesting about it is the way the characters talk to each other; they very often say things that no one would ever have the courage to say in real life. Everything is so exaggerated despite the fact that, on the surface, the book is about something as seemingly mundane as architecture.

I don't really watch very many movies, but if I had to pick one it would probably be Batman: The Dark Knight. I like how it portrays the idea of corruption and how people who have good intentions can turn evil.

Dr. David Oetjen, Math Department (and B-BALL Player Extraordinaire)

Crossing Into Community Service Panthers Making an Impact

PVI junior Emily Mitchell volunteers much of her time outside of school to the National Charity League (NCL) as president of the Virginia Orchard Chapter’s 2025 class.

National Charity League is a mother-daughter organization that completes a multitude of community service initiatives in collaboration with local nonprofits. NCL strives to connect hearts, hands, and minds so that every community thrives while fostering the mother-daughter relationship through an ongoing commitment to philanthropy, culture, and leadership.

Written by Carter Casagrande ’25

“I believe that people focus on the fact that we live in one of the wealthiest areas in America, while sometimes disregarding that there are still a plethora of needy people around us. That is why I love volunteering and helping others that are less fortunate.”

Emily Mitchell ’25

Emily began her involvement with NCL in seventh grade and has since been elected by her fellow members as the president of the Virginia Orchard Chapter’s Junior class. Her role as president includes scheduling meetings, planning and creating meeting agendas, and emphasizing NCL’s core goal of philanthropy.

She balances a rigorous schedule of school and volleyball commitments, while still carving out time for these philanthropic projects that are very important to her. Emily often works with organizations such as Women Giving Back, Mobile Hope, and JK Farms. Each of these organizations caters to major categories of need in ways such as providing weekly meals consisting of staple shelf items, supplying families in need with clothes and shoes for work, and growing fresh produce that some may lack in their diet. Throughout her NCL year so far, Emily has accumulated over 50 hours of service!

A Good Death

Written by Brian Revor ’24

EXT. MEDIEVAL SLUMS - NIGHT Small buildings are squeezed together. Mud streets separate the houses with sticks and rocks dotted throughout. Peasants lay in the street. Some people are piled in a home.

Sounds of fighting are in the distance. Smoke is seen rising in the air a few blocks away. A young man, HOFFER, in rags wakes up and looks up at the smoke. A concerned expression is shown on his face.

Raiders rush around the slums, burning everything around them. Dead bodies are seen along the sides of buildings and in the middle of the roads. Some raiders are riding horses and cutting anyone they see. Arrows are raining from the sky from farther beyond.

Hoffer sees the raiders ravaging the slums and starts to run, but is shot in the leg by a stray arrow. He falls onto his face and turns around just as a sword descends into his head.

INT. OFFICE - PURGATORY Hoffer is standing in a short hallway. Behind him are black and gold gates and in front is a round, dark office. Along the sides of the walls are paintings with gold frames depicting angelic like figures descending over the earth. There are tables with different objects including: a ship in a bottle, a skull with candles in the eyes, a chess board with half the pieces on it, a cuckoo clock, and a apple with a bite in it. Towards the back end of the room there is a big mahogany desk with a massive cushioned chair behind it. Papers are cluttered all over the desk, chair, and the floor. DEATH is standing with his back to Hoffer as he leans his hands on the desk seemingly troubled.

Death is wearing dark blue pinstripe pants and a vest.

Underneath is a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair is messy.

Hoffer wanders into the office, clearly confused as to where he is. Death hears him and turns around. He has a simple mustache and his face is tired and overworked.

DEATH (exhausted) Welcome mortal.

Death straightens up and fixes his vest and shirt. He then gestures to Hoffer with open hands.

DEATH (CONT’D) Welcome to my humble abode. I am Death. You have just passed away from the mortal world and are now in my office (though many consider it to be Purgatory).

HOFFER Death? I’m dead?

DEATH Correct. Now normally I would go through the process of sending you to the next life but I’m sick of all the paperwork.

Death gestures towards the scattered papers around the room.

DEATH (CONT’D) And so I am going to have you do something a little different.

HOFFER Oh... well, I wasn’t expecting to die, but... so far this place seems better then my life before and hopefully the afterlife is too. If this ‘different’ way is faster then I will do it.

Death tilts his head up and narrows his eyes.

DEATH (mumbles to himself) Of course he hated life, just my luck (to HOFFER) I’m afraid it is quite the opposite actually.

HOFFER (concerned) What do you mean?

DEATH Well, see I have been overworked with the sheer amount of premature deaths due to humans killing other humans.

HOFFER Ah yes, I witnessed the destruction of the slums I called home and all the peasants within it.

DEATH Exactly! And so I thought, ‘why not let the next death live a fulfilling life and have a fulfilling death.’

HOFFER That would be very generous for that person.

Death gives him a blank stare, slightly annoyed.

DEATH You are the next person! I am sending you back to the living world and you will have a fulfilling death.

Hoffer gives Death a scared, concerned look.

HOFFER (scared) I do not want to go back. My life was horrible, I was in the slums and had nothing to my name. There is nothing for me to go back to.

DEATH Oh don’t worry about that my little mortal. You have all of eternity to have a good death.

Death then flicks his hands and Hoffer is shot backwards towards the black and gold gates in the hallway. The gates open up and Hoffer disappears into a darkness.

Death starts cheering as he throws stacks of paperwork around and he punches the air. Then he calms down and rests his back onto his desk DEATH (CONT’D) (quietly) Finally, someone will have a good death.

EXT. SLUMS - DAY Hoffer finds himself laying on the floor where he died. Dead bodies cover the ground around him. All the buildings are destroyed or burning. He stands up and starts wandering in an aimless direction.

EXT. CITY GATES - DAY Massive walls surround a stone city. A hill rises in the center of the city with a towering castle observing all below. The entrance is blocked by massive steel gates with knights guarding it. Four guards are up on the wall of the gates, bows and arrows in their hands. On the ground four more guards stand, spears in their hands ready for any attack. They are clad in silver armor with a blue cloth, bearing the symbol of king, over top.

Hoffer slowly walks toward the gates, with the slums seen behind him. As he moves closer the guards cross their spears.

GUARD 1 Halt! Who goes there.

HOFFER I am a simple peasant. The slums have been attacked. Everyone is dead. I seek asylum.

GUARD 2 (surprise) A survivor! The order said to leave no one left. Kill him!

The four guards charge at Hoffer with their spears pointed.

Arrows fire from atop the gate, striking Hoffer in the legs.

He falls to the ground and turns towards the guards HOFFER (anxious) Not again! This world is too cruel!

Hoffer’s stomach is pierced by the spears.

INT. OFFICE - PURGATORY Hoffer stands panting and looks into the room. Death is sitting in his chair, in the middle of taking a bite out of an apple. He stares at Hoffer in surprise and spits out the apple DEATH (surprised and confused) You’re back already! I just sat down!

HOFFER Spears.

Why!?

DEATH

HOFFER I told you, my life is horrible.

Please I beg you let me pass on.

Irritated, Death stands up and struts around the desk.

Walking back and forth in a line. Deep in thought.

Suddenly, Death slams his hands onto the desk and leans towards Hoffer.

DEATH Well... this is certainly a surprise. But I refuse to give up, I’m sending you back.

HOFFER (panicked) Wait! Do not sendHoffer is cut off as he is flung back through the gates and into the darkness.

EXT. CITY GATES - NIGHT Hoffer wakes up back where he died. The city is now lit up with lights as nightlife begins. He stands up and drifts away from the gates.

MONTAGE Hoffer roams across the land. He is stabbed in the back by a hooded figure on a dirt road. On a mountain trail he is shoved off by a hand and tumbles to his death.

Death’s office appears again with a bewildered Death.

Hoffer boards a boat and plays with a little girl, but is then thrown off by angered adults and drowns in the ocean.

He finds himself in a forest, building settlements and smiling at colonists. He is then seen running through the forest, terrified when suddenly he is shot with an arrow from the shadows. Hoffer is laying on the ground as angry colonists (the ones he was with) place rocks on him until he is crushed to death.

Death appears again, angered and sending Hoffer back. He slumps into his chair with his hand covering his forehead.

Hoffer finds himself in an angry mob in a city, with British soldiers pointing guns at them. He is shot. He befriends a fishermen, but he learns he is a pirate and drowns. He is now in a massive city, motor vehicles have just been created. Hoffer is hit by a one of the vehicles as he was on a bicycle.

Death waves Hoffer away again barely even looking at him, dismayed.

Hoffer is in trenches as explosions surround him and he watches as soldiers near him die. He holds a body as he cries until a mortar hits him as well. A grim building is shown with a line of prisoners walking into it. The clothes and equipment have improved from the previous war. Hoffer looks up at shower heads as he dies to gas.

Death has his chair turned around, a single hand waves Hoffer away.

Futuristic buildings are all around with bright neon lights and flying cars. Hoffer is running on a roof, caring a small child, as gangsters chase him. A laser hits his leg, throwing him off balance, sending him and the child off the roof. The sky is raining explosions, the ground is covered in craters, mushroom clouds dot the horizon.

Death and Hoffer reside in the office.

INT. OFFICE - PURGATORY Hoffer is sitting on a stool next to a table, messing with chess board pieces. His face solemn. Death is sitting in his big chair, tossing a half eaten apple in his hand.

DEATH (defeated) Well... I didn’t expect the apocalypse so soon.

HOFFER Are you not one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

DEATH Oh that, that’s just something a human made up. But either way, it wasn’t supposed to happen until at least a thousand years from now.

HOFFER Oh... Then does that mean there might be some survivors?

DEATH (pondering) Possibly. (mocking) But what does it matter to you? You want to die don’t you?

Hoffer puts down the chess pieces and turns to Death. He looks around, thinking to himself until he stops and looks at Death

HOFFER Originally, yes. But after witnessing so many time periods and the tragedy that exists, I feel... well I feel bad.

DEATH (laughing) Hahahaha, you ‘feel bad’? That’s golden. I’ve given up on humanity.

Those fools ended themselves before I did. And I’m DEATH! HOFFER (stern) Send me back.

DEATH (surprised) What? You want to go back? Well sure, but if you go back now you will have a swift return.

HOFFER (determined) I will survive no matter want!

DEATH No you literally will die again, the air is not breathable. Wait like a couple of hours (two years).

HOFFER Oh... well in the mean time. Chess?

Hoffer and Death quietly play a game of chess.

The cuckoo clock reaches the second hour and rings loudly. A raven jumping in and out of the clock over and over screaming ‘caw’. Death immediately waves his hands and Hoffer disappears into darkness.

EXT. DESOLATE WASTELAND - DAY The horizon is flat with no hills, mountains, or buildings anywhere. Craters dot the landscape. Hoffer solemnly looks around, and then sets off to find survivors Hoffer continues to wander until he sees a cave in the side of one of the craters. Making his descent he sees signs of life around the area. The ground was leveled out and a man-made trail lead to the top of the crater. As he got closer he heard sounds of people. Excited he starts running towards the cave.

EXT. CRATER CAVE - SUNSET Hoffer sprints to the entrance and slides to a stop. He looks inside and sees a group of people. An old man and woman, four middle aged adults, a younger couple, and multiple kids running around. They all stop and stare at him as he is panting.

HOFFER (panting and excited) Hey (pant) hello (pant) I can’t believe (pant) I found people!

OLD MAN (surprised) Another person! We thought we were the last ones!

INT. CRATER CAVE - NIGHT Hoffer is surrounded by all the children and is brought farther into the cave. He sits around a rock that they use as a table and has a long conversation with them, using his hands to describe all sorts of things from before the apocalypse. Everyone’s faces is amazed.

MONTAGE Hoffer helps the survivors build tools and houses, grow a farm, and play games. He sits on a rock outside as all the children sit around him listening, his face is older. Hoffer now has a beard and overlooking a small village. White hair and a longer beard covers his face as everyone stands and sits around him singing a song and having a celebration. It is raining and the community is gather solemnly around a hole. A name reads above the hole: Hoffer INT. OFFICE - PURGATORY Death is sitting at his desk, holding an apple core in his hand. He looks up at Hoffer who is standing there, smiling.

DEATH Well, well, well, look who finally had a good death. You proved me wrong ‘old man’.

HOFFER (laughing) Hahaha, and how did this ‘old man’ prove you wrong?

DEATH (smiles) By having a good death.

HOFFER Ah, well... you did force me to.

DEATH I am... well I’m not sorry per se, but don’t worry. I won’t do that to any human again... maybe. It was nice to have a buddy...

HOFFER (smiles) I’m glad I was a good buddy. But will you let me experience the afterlife now?

DEATH Of course!

Death moves his chair to the side. Behind it is a fireplace.

Death gestures to Hoffer to step in. Hoffer stands in the fire, disappearing into the flames, smiling.

###

A Magnified Look at the Beauty in the Seemingly-Mundane Written by John Murray ’24

It's 6 in the morning and I have just been woken up by my father for school.

I can imagine anyone’s first urge in this common early morning scenario is to fall back to sleep, but it’s the second thought that comes to my mind and intrigues me: “It's cold!” That utter first blast of morning coldness is indiscriminate, abrasive, and suffering.

Just like the I’m-not-ready-to-get-out-from-under-my-warm-comforter-yet sleeper, in the morning the cold air beyond that warm comforter is also sluggish; it possesses a lingering property that is unimaginably effective at eating away at a sleeper’s motivation to rise and shine. Nonetheless, it is completely unavoidable. That is the miserable side of the state of the mornings, yet as the hours slip by that lingering cold seems to take on a new identity.

In the afternoon hours, the low degrees seem to cause the opposite experience. Where the morning cold dulls the senses, the afternoon cold sharpens them, and where the morning cold saps motivation, the afternoon cold reinvigorates. In the morning, going outside is something to dread, but by the time the afternoon graces us with its presence, venturing outdoors is something to relish and bask in.

In the later hours into the night, the glacial repository held by the evening air rears its ugly head once again to bash our now-sensitive, sleepy selves which have been worn down by the trials of the day. This suffering, reminiscent of the morning bog, is strangely bipolar in its nature. For yes the experience is agonizing just like the morning, but that dynamic shifts once you enter the confines of your home. As you lay in bed for the second time that day, ready to enter your time of rest, you realize how different the other side of the coin really is. Taking reprieve in your ever-so-comfortable-and-comforting down comforter, the unceasing arctic assault slips away into a distant memory. This feeling that so thoroughly seems to soothe all the senses simultaneously is relief — like an iced beverage on a summer day, or that first bite of your favorite food after a day of fasting. Of course the cold itself doesn't care what time of day it is, or what you are feeling, so where is the origin of these vast discrepancies?

The answer is simple. The origin — in everything — is perspective. It is a universal experience that there is no deeper suffering than a fall from the peak of joy and that there is no greater pleasure than the relief of monumental pain or burden. To gain an awareness of perspective, our mindset, and how we choose to look at things, is to gain a great appreciation for everything we have — from the bed and blanket, hearing dad (attempt to) wake us in the morning, and the ability to feel the morning air, to being able to rejoice at night, once again, in our coveted cozy bed.

This issue’s featured Seabass memory:

Basketball Senior Night 2008: Paul VI vs. Bishop O’Connell I was blessed to join the PVI faculty in 2001. I have seen a lot of great sports memories in these years. I am glad my co-advisor Ms. Fassinger asked me to share a few in our school paper.

This month I recall Basketball Senior Night in 2008. We were playing DJO and the gym was sold out. O’Connell brought a ton of kids and took up half of the bleachers. The VI Man would never be outdone and took up the other half with many Panthers in standing room only by the emergency exit.

PVI Memories with Seabass Written by Mr. Sebastian, Theology Department

Seabass on the other hand, almost didn’t attend. I was at home and the weather was bad. I figured I would not venture back up to our Fairfax campus on this cold, rainy winter night. At the time my colleague and friend, Mrs. HG (Rest in Peace), had started a prayer commitment where we would offer one mystery of the Rosary every day for PVI. As I prayed that late afternoon I felt a peaceful inspiration that I should go to the game. I was glad to do it, as my advisee Adrian Mills was a senior and I was excited for him. I sure am thankful that I made it to the game.

The DJO kids were dressed in white and brought an impressive energy. But the VI Man would not be outdone in our house and was enthusiastic about every possession. In the final seconds, the legendary Kendall Marshall made a jump shot to put DJO up by a point. The Panthers did not flinch. Adrian pushed the ball up the floor quickly and pulled up at the free throw line. He made a great pass to Wesley Ford (Mr. O'Brien's advisee) who made a lay up at the buzzer. The whole school rushed the floor and celebrated the awesome Panther victory.

My favorite part of the night then occurred. The entire PVI family — faculty, students, staff, and alums stayed on the court celebrating for an hour after the game. Everyone just hung out and shared the victory; and we also shared the joy of being a Panther and a part of the PVI family. It was a memorable night indeed.

On Being an Altar Server

By Gabriel Herrera ’25

On Being an Altar Server Written by Gabriel Herrera ’25 Pope Francis said that being an altar server is “a call to prayer and a mission,” like a miniature vocation. For me, it was a chance to do whatever my brothers did. Since my two older brothers, Nicolas and Jackson, had already been altar servers for four and two years, respectively, I decided to join the altar boys as soon as I was old enough.

My parish, St. Theresa Catholic Church in Ashburn, invites boys to become altar servers when they get to fourth grade (I know other parishes allow girls to be altar servers, but mine does not). The priest, Father Thomas, led a special training session where he taught me and several other boys how to prepare for the Mass, how to execute the Mass, and how to ensure everything is properly back in order afterwards.

He showed us all the equipment: ciboria, chalices, cruets, everything else that can be seen in the sanctuary, and more. He showed us all the steps in the process of serving, how to bring the equipment to the priest, and pretty much everything one needs to know to help the priests run the Mass.

continued

The first ever Mass I served came as a surprise to me. In 2016, my uncle got married.

Upon arriving at the ceremony, my brothers and I were told to get ready and help with the Mass. No prior warning had been given to me.

Naturally, I was beyond nervous to serve for the first time that day. The wedding and the Mass both went well, quite unlike the next Mass I served.

My elementary school, St. Theresa Catholic School, let the altar servers serve the school-wide Masses, and I became a part of that a few weeks into the year. All I remember from that experience was that it was a disaster, filled with many mistakes and embarrassments. I could say some cliche like serving in front of so many people helped me to build confidence, but it didn’t; I still get nervous before every Mass I ever serve to this day.

What I can say is that being an altar server has greatly strengthened my relationship with God and my parish community. When serving the Mass, it’s important to pay attention; this has allowed me to really listen to the prayers, readings, and homilies without getting distracted — as distractions would lead to messing up, which might lead to public embarrassment. I try my best to avoid that!

On a serious note, paying such close attention to the Mass really allows me to deeply understand the words and prayers better. As a server, I’m supposed to set an example for the congregation by praying and singing out loud, as opposed to allowing my mind to drift. This allows me to genuinely pray and sing out loud, which has helped me grow closer to the Lord. Overall, altar serving has been a wonderful experience for me in a spiritual and social sense, and it is a path that I recommend everyone to pursue.

Julia’s

Finding the Wizard Written by Julia Snyder ’24

o Please D

ch Not Tou

The carpet that I used to love so much, with its faded design of blocks with the alphabet, was there to witness my first taste of shame of being cursed with the disorder of ADHD. There I was, sitting on this carpet, with tears welling up in my eyes because this awful substitute teacher in my third grade class had ripped my notebook from my hands. The notebook that I treasured was tossed onto the desk with scorn.

This woman demanded that I pay attention to her lecture on the Great Wall of China. As my regular teacher neglected to leave a note explaining the reason behind my notebook, this woman didn’t know that my notebook, with its beautiful pink spirals, was a common occurrence in class.

With tears streaming down my face, I begged that she’d return my beautiful notebook to my hands. I attempted to explain to this teacher that my notebook allowed me to be like the rest of my classmates: well behaved, quiet, and capable of sitting still. Despite my pleas, she refused to give it back, and told me to stop making such a big deal over some insignificant notebook. At these words, I felt the world crumble around me. There was no way that my notebook, with its smooth black cover, was reduced to the definition of being insignificant. This notebook was anything but insignificant, as it contained the evidence of my teacher’s patience, who, in my eyes, was a saving grace.

That day was the first time I had ever felt ashamed of not being normal. However, this shame wasn’t to be a one time thing; no, this shame continued to haunt me throughout my school years. I always knew I wasn’t normal like my classmates; however, I never understood what set me apart from them. I never understood why no matter how long I observed and studied them, I couldn’t perfect this seeminglymagical technique of being able to sit still. I used to wonder if maybe all of my classmates went to a wizard who granted them this magical power and that all I would have to do was find this wizard.

I was ashamed deep in the core of my very being; I had never wanted to be abnormal. I was so ashamed that I’d rather be put on medication that turned me into a zombie; all for the chance of being normal.

But it wouldn’t work. I’d sit there and cry because I knew it wasn’t working, but I just couldn’t understand why. I was put on Adderall, Ritalin, and Strattera, all of which either wouldn’t do a single thing or would do too much. Eventually, my dad pulled me off of the medication, and told me that he refused to see me turn into a zombie to please others. Honestly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone told me that I was just stupid, and that because of my stupidity, I was never going to advance, and I would have to watch all of my classmates graduate elementary school while I would be the oldest kid in third grade. I grew resentful of my inability to be like my classmates. I was so ashamed of myself that I decided to do something to rid myself of my shame. continued

Well, how do you do something that not even your teachers, parents, or doctors could teach, much less books? When you’re that ashamed of yourself, I suppose it makes things much easier. I learned how to force myself to sit still and to complete things that I hated. Imagine that, watching a 7-year-old dedicate herself to putting a 1,000 piece puzzle together, refusing to stop unless told by her parents. Was that really because I was eager to see the scenery of trees? No, but I think at some point, I learned to love it.

I learned that if I could stay focused, I could have a beautiful end result.

At some point, my dad came across a Rainbow Loom, and he must’ve thought that it would be something useful to teach me the skills that I needed extra time to learn. My dad wasn’t oblivious; he saw everything, and he saw my shame as if it was stamped on my face. I was fascinated with all of the bright rubber bands, and was so excited to start using it. However, Rainbow Loom wasn’t as simple as just putting a piece in a certain spot. No, I had to retain memory of how I was supposed to move these beautiful bands in order to create a bracelet. Trust me when I tell you I’m sure my neighbors heard my screams several times. I hated those rubber bands with all of my soul because no matter how hard I would try, the memory of those patterns always managed to slip from my mind. I would throw the rubber bands on the floor and my dad would patiently watch as I eventually picked them back up to try it again. Finally, the patterns seemed to get easier, and I had made a multitude of bracelets with ease, and I felt immense pride over it.

However, my hard work didn’t stop people from commenting on my behavior. People will always have something to say, even if they don’t know the full story. I tried my best, I swear I did, but it wasn’t easy to keep the fidgeting at bay, to stay focused on the task at hand. The comments I experienced were cruel. You know how, as a child, you’re told that you can be anything you want to be as long as you worked hard enough? Yeah, well, unfortunately, only my parents believed in that future for me. Society believed that I was just going to fall behind and that I would never be on the same level as my peers. I was constantly told that I wouldn’t be able to do things that others could, because in some way, shape, or form, I wasn’t cut out for it. However, my mom believed in me, constantly repeating “You can do so many things if you put your mind to it.” continued

My hard work, unfortunately, will never be enough to cure me of my disability. Even now, at the age of 17, I still struggle to sit still. My legs are constantly swinging while sitting down on a chair. If I’m given the chance to sit on a spiny chair, I’m unable to resist the urge to constantly turn. I’m unable to easily sit through lectures that bore me because I just can’t. My mom will have to gently explain to me that I’m being too loud and try to protect me from the harsh stares of those who don’t know that I’m struggling to blend in. These people only see the fact that a 17-year-old doesn’t understand how to regulate the level of her voice, which is abnormal, because shouldn’t she have learned this by now?

Even though I’ve lived with ADHD for 11 years, I’m still ashamed of myself. So, I pretend to be normal. I pretend that I found the wizard who cast the spell that will allowed me to sit still. I pretend that I don’t struggle to stay on task and that it’s easy to do things that I find boring. I do all of this because I’m scared to see the judgmental eyes of society who will pick me apart and classify me based on my disability. Because that’s what ADHD is classified as — a disability that will never leave my side, and that will always bring me shame. And to those who think it’s not real or that ADHD is just something quirky, it’s not. It’s a nightmare that some of us are cursed with. We’re cursed with society putting us down because they refuse to give us a chance to prove that we can do great things, because who in the world would believe that a person with a disability is destined for great things?

I was, and still am, ashamed of my diagnosis, and it will always be my embarrassment. I still feel shame when I see the ugly, fat, pale yellow pamphlet in my house that has Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in bold letters. I’m still ashamed that every year at my physical, I’m asked if I need to be put back on medication. And I’m ashamed that no matter where I go, there’ll always be some record that proves I’m not normal according to society. I was a child, no more than 6, before I started being defined by a diagnosis. I was young when I found the first thing that I hated about myself, and I didn’t need the help of social media. I’m 17 now, and I’m still desperately chasing after that wizard, begging it to give me a chance. Begging it to please take this ugly curse so I can be what society sees as acceptable. However, that wizard won’t listen to my pleas anymore than that substitute teacher would in third grade. So, here I am, pretending to be someone who I’m not, because I want to fit in. Here I am, pretending that my brain is wired correctly, because that is the only way I won’t drown in embarrassment. If you ever see the wizard, please relay that I’ve been desperately looking for it for years so that I can beg for my curse to be lifted.

I was, I am, and always will be, looking for the wizard.

The Return of Catholic Culture: Groundhogs and Candles Written by Roy Wulf ’26 On February 2, four years ago, my family and I were in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for the Groundhog Day celebration. This magical event starts in the wee hours of the morning with thousands gathering in the woods to await the appearance of the famous rodent Punxsutawney Phil. A legend says that if Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather, but if he does not see it, there will be an early spring. This quirky holiday was featured in the 1993 comedy movie “Groundhog Day,” in which Bill Murray portrays a cynical weather forecaster who says to his TV audience, “This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.”

It may come as a surprise to many that this off-beat holiday is actually the secular version of a Christian, especially Catholic, holy day known as Candlemas. This Church celebration, held forty days after Christmas, commemorates the presentation of the infant Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem. Candlemas has also been called the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Presentation of the Lord. On the eve of Candlemas, the Faithful traditionally took down their Christmas decorations. On Candlemas, there would be candlelight processions and the blessing of the candle to symbolize how Jesus is the light of the world. The biblical events celebrated at Candlemas are found in the Gospel of Luke 2:22-40. The Presentation in the Temple is also the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary. continued

Candlemas February 2, 2024

However, Luke makes no mention of a groundhog at the Temple, so how did Punxsutawney Phil come into the picture? In much the same way that flying reindeer and Santa Claus gradually entered into the cultural traditions surrounding the holy day of Christmas, a groundhog came to be associated with Candlemas. For most of human history, the work that most people did focused on farming.

This agrarian lifestyle only started to disappear with the coming of the Industrial Revolution and other technological revolutions that followed. However, when most people were still involved in planting and harvesting crops, holy days in the Christian world were often used to mark times of the year when the weather might change and, therefore, have an impact on farm work. There was, for example, this English saying about Candlemas: “If Candlemas be fair and bright, come, Winter, have another flight! If Candlemas bring clouds and rain, go, Winter, come not again.”

People also looked to other signs of the changing seasons, such as the behavior of animals that hibernate. In Germany, many noticed when badgers came out of hibernation, often around Candlemas.

When German settlers immigrated to Pennsylvania, they brought this tradition with them. However, because there were more groundhogs around in Pennsylvania than badgers, the weather forecasting importance was passed over to groundhogs.

Punxsutawney Phil is just the most famous groundhog at Candlemas, rather like Rudolph is the most famous of Santa’s reindeer at Christmas.

In fact, there are many holy days which have accumulated popular cultural traditions that, though lots of fun, have obscure connections to the holy days themselves. For example, Valentine's Day is the feast of a third-century bishop and martyr named Valentine. Just before he was led off to his execution, he penned a letter expressing Christian love and signed it “Your Valentine.”

Over time, a feast day celebrating Christian love came to be associated with romantic love, and we typically think of a small greeting card when we think of a “Valentine,” not a Christian martyr.

continued

Similarly, on St. Patrick’s Day, more thought is devoted to leprechauns, pots of gold, and green beer than to the heroic life of the saint who converted Ireland to Christianity. Mardi Gras is an opportunity to have a wild party even by those who will not be observing Lenten fasting (and who may not even know about Lent). Easter, as we know, is associated, on the one hand, with the Cross, but on the other, with another rodent, this time bringing colorful eggs. Halloween, or All-Hallows Eve, is the eve of All Saints Day, remembering all the saints in Heaven and then, on All Souls Day, the holy souls in Purgatory. Having kids dressed up as superheroes and getting candy from the neighbors is a fairly recent cultural tradition.

Let me clearly say that I am not at all opposed to the weird and wonderful traditions that have established themselves around many Catholic holy days. Such traditions at least make everyone aware that something different is happening at particular times of the year. However, just as Christians at Christmastime often say that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” the Faithful have a duty to try to uphold the holy days that are often buried underneath strange cultural practices. I love Santa Claus, but I also want to remember the historical St. Nicholas. I also do not want Frosty the Snowman to obscure the Nativity of Our Lord. Although I had a wonderful time with Punxsutawney Phil and hope to attend that celebration again some day, this year I have decided to make a point to attend Mass on Candlemas and sing with the choir. In conclusion, let me take this opportunity to wish you all Happy Candlemas, with a groundhog for fun and a candle for your blessing!

God-Guided Serendipity and Church Doors: How Mr. Keane Met His Mrs. Keane

God-Guided Serendipity and Church Doors: How Mr. Keane Met His Mrs. Keane (VF)

While celebrating the holidays with colleagues, family members, and friends at PVI’s staff party at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club, I was delighted when Theology teacher Mr. Keane and his wife, Anne Marie, joined our table. I share a classroom with Mr. Keane and always look forward to seeing him and catching up with him between classes. Though I knew he was a 2011 graduate of PVI and was funny, friendly, and family-oriented, I had no idea of the wonderful story about how he met his wife.

As they shared the details with us that evening — and how serendipity and God’s guiding hand brought them together, I couldn’t help but think of that famous quote: When one door closes, another opens. You see, while they were each on their own life’s journey traveling and living their seemingly-separate lives, there came a moment when they were both literally standing on opposite sides of the very same church door at the very same time — one trying to open the door to enter the church, and the other trying to open the door to exit the church! (VF) Here’s their unique story: Ann Marie (AM): Brendan and I happened to work for the same missionary organization after college. Our crossroads intersected for the first time in January 2019 while we were both in Mexico being trained for directing mission trips.

Brendan Keane (BK): It was the last night of this training and I was pretty tired from the late nights of socializing and meeting new people. I wanted a chill night with some guys, and so I asked my buddy, Ben, if he wanted to snag one of the only small tables still available.

AM: My friend, Erin, and I were also pretty tired from socializing. Most of the dinner tables were for 8-10 people, but I saw a friend, Ben, sitting at one of the last few small tables. I had met Ben that week and knew he was easy to talk to and also married, and — since neither Erin nor I were looking for any budding romance on this venture, I thought joining Ben would be perfect.

BK: Anne Marie and her friend came up and asked to sit with us, and my boy, Ben, said “Sure!” I was pretty annoyed at him at first, but I got over that quickly when I realized how cute Anne Marie was. As dinner went on I started thinking about making my move...that is, until I found out she was living on the West Coast in Washington State!

AM: The dinner was a bit of a blur for me. I remember the generic missionary small talk and the fact that Brendan had a man bun. After dinner, we both went our separate ways and didn't stay in touch. About nine months later, Labor Day weekend, we both happened to move to Seattle, Washington! I had been moved to be a missionary at a college there and Brendan moved there for graduate school.

BK: It was my first weekend in Seattle and I decided to head over to the church that was across the street from where I lived — to pray. There was no one around and I was pulling on one of six front doors of the church. As I was pulling, someone was pushing and coming out. We did that awkward dance and I said "after you."

AM: The first thing I noticed was his man bun, and I asked him if we had met before. After a few minutes we realized that we had met over dinner in Mexico 9 months earlier. Neither of us were quite aware of the door that the Lord had just opened that day.

BK: We kept running into each other at events and parties over the next few months. Each time we would end up talking to each other for hours and something was starting to develop.

After a weekend of several of these conversations, it was Monday morning. I remember very clearly that I couldn't stop thinking about her and I was teaching geometry for the second period. I literally stopped class to run over to my desk and text her to get beverages that night.

AM: He took me out to a local Seattle hotspot, Rachel's Ginger Beer. I was so nervous, so much so that when we met up, I gave him a hug and bumped right into his head! I was so embarrassed. All I could think about as he asked to pursue my heart and go on dates was, "I can't believe I just hit him in the head!" We went on a couple of dates after that and quickly realized that our friendship was growing into something special. We made our relationship official. We both felt God inviting us to take this next step, thought we didn't know where it would lead. Fast forward four months and the pandemic begins. We continued to date and get to know each other through a very uncertain time in the world. It became clear to us where God was leading our relationship.

BK: Honestly, I was way more nervous to ask her dad for his permission than I actually was to propose to her. I picked the feast day of the Queenship of Mary to propose. Mary's intercession was a huge part of our story. We met in Mexico at Our Lady of Guadalupe. We bumped into each other at the church on the feast of the Nativity of Mary (and then of course, thanks to Anne Marie, we literally (and physically) bumped into each other again at Rachel’s Ginger Beer!) We also got married on the feast day of Our Lady of Knock. Our blessed Mother guides us to love. She guides us to her Son whose love is poured out for us on the Cross. Mary guided us and attended to every detail of our lives in order to bring us together into a union of love. photo of Anne Marie by: Connor McCauley

AM: We have been married for 2 years now. Jesus and Mary continue to teach us to love each other more deeply every day.

Valentine’s Messages

Valentine’s Messages To: Vivian Lee, Thank you for being my best friend in the whole world.

You are the best. ~ Lauren Thompson

To: Ander Kurtz Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ James Hogan

To: Liam Happy Valentine’s Day Liam! ~ Leo Badolato

To: Mia Happy Valentine’s Day, Mia! Thanks for being awesome! ~Emily Dombovary

To: James Hogan Happy Valentine’s! ~ Anderson Kurtz

To: Carter Happy Valentines Day Carter! ~ Ronan McMahon

To: Ella Happy Valentine’s Day Ella!

Thanks for being my best friend. ~ Gaby DiMasi

To: Ms. Provost Thank you for being my World History teacher! ~ Matthew Degano

To: Mrs. Gurley Thank you for carrying my middle school grade. ~ Dimitri Anderson

Ms. Long, Happy Valentines Day! Sorry for always being late to History class. I’m working on improving! ~ Jordan Qualie

Valentine’s Messages To Mrs. Gurley: Thank you for being a chill and awesome teacher this school year. Happy Valentines day! ~ Kiera Fuller

To: Ms. Prince Best class for real! ~ Alex Sumner

To: Mom + Dad Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks for sending me to PVI!! ~ Clare Bolton

Hi Aiden! ~ Catherine Richards

Dr. Burkat & Mrs. Mee: Thank you for being the best advisors! Happy St. Valentine’s Day! ~ Kaitlin Darrow

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mr. Williamson! Sorry for being late to your class!

-your favorite late student, ~Parker Leudemann

Mady, I luv u so much.

Thx for being U. ~ Kayleigh Clements

Dear Ms. Bielaski, Happy Valentine’s Day! I am sorry for always being late to advisory and always goofing around. ~ Your favorite student, Arian Damick

Dear Mr. Campbell, Happy Valentine’s Day. From your student that will always be on time from now on! ~ Anya McGillycuddy

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom and Dad…Thank you for everything. ~ Elena Palaza

Valentine’s Messages Dear Sydnee Geary, Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks for being such a great friend! ~ Clara Wach

Dear Lyla, Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Cameron Gerhard

To: Blair, my sister Happy V-Day! Love you. ~ Zoey Long

To: Hema Ravi I <3 Hema Ravi ~ Ava Stezin

To: Andy Geiser Andy Geiser is a very helpful and caring person. ~ John Martin

To: Ava Stezin I <3 Ava Stezin ~ Hema Ravi

To: Joe Wheatley You are a funny guy. You have a nice toy car collection. You are good at lacrosse and football. ~ Ben Edmonds

To: Eva O’Hanlon You are a good bestie :) ~ Gabriel Bergstrom

For Ben Edmonds, You are a funny guy. You are decent at basketball. Have a jolly Valentine’s Day! ~ Joe Wheatley

To: Anya Thank you for being a great friend. You’re the best. ~ Kennedy Casagrande

Valentine’s Messages Dear Andrew, Thank you for being my friend. ~ Josh Cumello

Dear Sanaa, Thank you for being such a great friend and for never failing to make me laugh. <3 ~ Chloe Afable

Dear Kiera A, Thank you for putting up with me. I love your sarcasm. ~ Maryn Arseculeratne

To: Gia Happy Valentine’s, Gia! I hope you have a good one :) ~ Rose Tumma

To: Matthew Happy Valentine’s Day, Matthew. Thank you for saving me on defense every game! ~ Reece White

Dear Mrs. Fentress’s Advisory, Happy Valentine’s Day. Advisory is my favorite class. ~ Teddy Montgomery

Dear Maryn A., Happy Valentine’s Day! Love your energy and sarcasm. ~ Kiera Aufiero

Dear Annie, Thank you so much for being a great table partner... you’re the GOAT <3 ~ Chloe Afable

Dear Josh Cumello, Thank you for being a good friend. ~ Andrew Livingstone

Dear Mrs. Siegried’s Advisory, You are all chill. It’s nice. ~ Justin Myer

Valentine’s Messages To: Chloe Happy Valentine’s Day, Chloe! Thanks for helping me in Spanish! Wait...you’re goated. Ok bye. ~ Annie Graham

To: Mrs. Brinker Happy Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Brinker! You are amazing and so helpful <3 ~ Ainsley Love

To: Khoi Happy Valentine’s Day to Khoi, my favorite freshman! ~ Will Kovacs

For Benjamin Edmonds: You are quite the friend. You always light up my day.

Thank you for lending me that Lambo. You are so awesome. ~ Tanner Wiles

Dear Jackson Roberts, Happy Valentine’s Day. I appreciate you. ~ Brady Britsch

To: Mady Love you, my galentine, fr. ~ Kayleigh Clements

To: Aubrianna Culligan Thanks for being an amazing friend!!! ~ Alexandra Krepinevich

To: Rebecca Roses are red, blueberries are blue. Fruit is sweet, just like you. ~ Chris Madden

To: Genieveve Kaminski You have amazing hair :) ~ Maryn Arseculeratne

To: Alexandra Jordan You’re an amazing friend and I’m so happy I got to meet you last year! ~ Alexandra Krepinevich

Valentine’s Messages To: Vincent Happy Valentine’s Day, Vincent. ~ Boston Fries

Dear Quinn Caputo, Happy Valentine’s Day and birthday!~ Ryan Liggins

To: Hailey Hailey, you are the best person ever. You even get the gift~ <3 :) ~ Bree Hornbecker

To: Troy Tomlin Troy Tomlin is very good at basketball ~ Nick Heisler

Hey Iain, Thanks for being a great friend and being so welcoming, and thanks for just being great. ~ James Skees

For Tanner Wiles, You’re such a nice fella. You always help me when I need it. You bought me my first car. I will be forever grateful for you, my friend. ~ Ben Edmonds

To: Mr. Williamson Thank you, Mr. Williamson. ~ Zach Choi

To: Emma Salgado Dear Emma Salgado, Happy Valentine’s Day (heart) ! ~ Laura Mcgovern

Dear Mrs. d’Aleio, Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Kiera Aufiero

To: Dinh Happy Valentine’s Day, Dinh. We just became friends this year and we are already so close. ~ Noah Anastacio

Valentine’s Messages Mrs. Boyle, Thank you for always being so kind to me!

I enjoy talking with you! :) <3 ~ Erin Griffiths

To: Ms. Bielaski <3 ~ Emma Salgado

Dear Mrs. Gurley, I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Keira Aufiero

Hi, Abigail Moran! ~ Ashton Hargus

Dear Mrs. Gott, Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Keira Aufiero

Dear Katherine, Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Keira Aufiero

To: Lyla Happy Valentine’s Day, Lyla! ~ Boston Fries

To: Lori Lori is pretty like the sun Her smile can brighten anyone’s day ~ Ava Quintas

Dear Mrs. Siegfried, Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Keira Aufiero

To: Eric, Christian, and Luke — Eric’s a good friend; so are Christian and Luke! ~ Connor Hunt

Valentine’s Messages To: Jazz Happy Valentine’s Day, Jazz. ~ Derek Thomas

To: Mr. Salgado Happy Valentine’s Day, Tony Salgado. ~ Boston Fries

To: Conway Family I love you. ~ Greysen Conway

To: Noah Happy Valentine’s, Noah.

We just became friends and we’re already best friends. ~ Dinh Dao

To: Ms. Fassinger Happy Valentine’s Day, Ms. Fassinger. You are a great English teacher. ~ Landon Ling

Dear Grace, Happy Valentines Day; love you so much, best friend. ~ Laura McGovern

To: Mrs. Provost Mrs. Provost is an amazing teacher. ~ Fernanda Roberts

To: Hailey Hailey is the funniest person ever!!!! :) !!! ~ Ryan Billak

To: Lunch Staff Message: to the lunch ladies, Happy Valentine’s Day! Thank you for the food for lunch :) ~ Phoebe Montgomery

To: Mrs. DeBruyne, My message is to Mrs. DeBruyne. She is the best <3 ~ Emma Salgado

Valentine’s Messages To: All Teachers Good luck next year! ~ Julia Hogan

To: Everyone I love everyone. ~ Gianna Hayken

To: PVI Community PVI is the best school in the DMV. ~ Abby Drever

To: Mrs. DeBruyne Mrs. DeBruyne is the best teacher ever! ~ Abby Drever

To: Fernanda Roberts Fernanda Roberts is a great, loyal friend! ~ Abby Drever

To: Mrs. Zimmerman Mrs. Zimmerman is so smart & an amazing teacher. ~ Abby Drever

To: John Martin John Martin is a very helpful and caring person. ~ Andy Geiser

To: PVI Staff PVI has the world’s best staff. ~ Abby Drever

To: S.H.A.C.K.A Happy Valentine’s Day to S.H.A.C.K.A! You guys have made high school so easy for me and I am so thankful for you guys. ~ Kylah Soles

To: My Dog My dog is very stubborn, but she’s still cute. ~ Ryan Guild

Valentine’s Messages To: Mady You’re the best. Luv u boo! ~ Kayleigh Clements

To: Lori & Delaney I love Lori <3 Richardson and Delaney Asquith <3 ~ Jessica McCarey

To: Jess & Delaney I love Jess McCarey (heart <3 + Delaney Asquith <3 ~ Lori Richardson

To: Mrs. Long Mrs. Long, you make history interesting and your class is the highlight of my day. ~ Kaitlin Darrow

To: Sebi Sebi is a great friend :) ~ Collin Madden

To: Lori & Jess I <3 Lori Richardson + Jess McCarey ~ Delaney Asquith

To: Mr. O’Brien Mr. O’Brien is the best teacher. ~ Fernanda Roberts

To: Laurie I love you soooooo much, more than words can describe. ~ Vivian Lee

To: Henry Henry is nice to the teachers. ~ Andrew Culipher

To: Usef Happy Valentines day to my bus driver, Usef. ~ Cruz Liu

Valentine’s Messages To: The Teachers Throughout the school -Thank you for being such amazing people and sacrificing your time and energy to help others. ~ Jack Ladowicz

To: Tobi Tobi is the best ~ Sebi Gloukhoff

Dear Mom and Dad, Thank you so much for all you do for me. I know I don’t say it enough but I love you. ~ Kendall Taylor

To: PVI PVI is the best. ~ Troy Tomlin

To: Addy Faas You make me laugh. Thanks.

Smiling right now thinking of you. ~ Katie Lutz

To: Troy Tomlin Troy Tomlin, my son. ~ Matthew Underwood

To: My Mom I love my mom. ~ Shaun Peratt

To: Lily Pileggi I love listening to your silly stories; they teach valuable life lessons. I don’t know what I would do without them. ~ Julia Hogan

To: Sarah Sarah I have a blank space, and I’ll write your name <3 ~ Kaitlin Darrow

Dear Kayleigh, ILYSM and you’re my bff <3 Mady Lloyd

Valentine’s Messages To: My Mom Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom. ~ Boston Fries

To: Catherine Richards Hi, Catherine Richards. =3 ~ Aiden Zywan

Dear Mady and Taylor, I love y’all! ~ Mia Pattison

To: Mamie Mamie, thank you for being such a good friend! ~ Alaina Cemelli

Dear Mia, ILYSM and you’re the best!

Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Mady Lloyd

To: Ashton Hargus Hi, Ashton Hargus! :) ~ Abigail Moran

To: My Mom I love you mom <3 ~ Matthew Underwood

To: Alexis Alexis is pretty like the moon. Her light shines even in the darkest times. ~ Ava Quintas

To: Aiden Aiden is a cool dude (free him). ~ Michael Ian Heaney

To: My Mom Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom! Love you! <3 ~ Bryson Pickeral

Valentine’s Messages To: My Mom Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom! ~ Vincent Randanne

To: Troy Troy is nice. ~ Henry Coney

Dear My Advisory, Thank you for always being there for me. <3 ~ Mia Pattison

My Advisory Happy Valentine’s Day. I love Advisory. ~ Matteo Hopkins

To: Blaze (My Dog) Happy Valentine’s Day to my dog Blaze <3 ~ Abigail Moran

To: Ian Ian is Santa. ~ Nick Heisler

To: My Mom I love you. ~ Sammy Taylor

To: Brady Britch, Roll Tide brotha. ~ Quinn Caputo

To: My Advisory Happy Valentine’s Day, advisory. You guys are too cool!! ~ Tony Sarmiento

To: My Teachers Happy Valentine’s to all my teachers! ~ Bryce Hart

Valentine’s Messages To: My Friends I love my friends. ~ Fernanda Roberts

Hey, Laura!!

Happy Valentine’s Day to the best big sister. <3 ~ Lee Williams

To: Alex Tapia Happy Valentine’s Day, Alex Tapia. It is so great to be your friend. ~ Holden Colio

To: Christian Rutland You’re almost as fast as me, but not there yet!

Happy Valentine’s Day. ~ Keyon Johnson

To: My Biology Class Happy Valentine’s to my bio class. You are all amazing and that class is very fun and engaged. ~ Grayson Woo

To: My A.P. Latin class Gratias vobis ago, classi optimae hac in schola. ~ Mr. Stulac

To: Mrs. Gombo Happy Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Gombo. I’m glad that you are my advisor and my PE teacher. ~ Brent Barlow

To: Holden Colio Happy Valentine’s Day, Holden Colio. I hope you have a good year. ~ Alex Tapia

To: Mrs. Mee Happy Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Mee! Sorry for being late so often; I promise I’ve been working on it. ~ Katie Lonseth

To: The Softball Team I can’t wait to have an awesome season with y’all. ~ Kaitlin Darrow

Valentine’s Messages Dear Laura, Thank you so much for being my best friend!

Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Grace Swisher

Dear Mom & Dad, Thank you for being there for me and showing me how much I’m loved. I love you! <3 ~ Erin Griffiths

Dear Kayleigh, Happy Valentine’s Day! You’re my BFF. ILY! ~ Madison Lloyd

To: Mrs. Gurley Mrs. Gurley, thank you for being the most kind and loving teacher! Happy Valentine’s Day!! ~ Taylor Layne

To: Mrs. Valli & Mrs. Alfaro Mrs. Valli and Señora Alfaro are amazing teachers! ~ Bree Hornbecker

To: Ava Thompson Ava Thompson is so good at swimming! She loves to do the swan! ~ Kendall Nast

To: Elle Happy Valentine’s Day, Elle. ~ Boston Fries

To: Fr. Schultz I am praying for you. ~ Greysen Conway

To: Ms. Fassinger Happy Valentine’s Day, Ms. Fassinger. Thank you for being a great teacher. ~ Princeton Porterfield

To: My Dog Ozzie Happy Valentine’s. I’m happy you’re always happy to see me, my dog, Ozzie. ~ Nathan Masterson

Valentine’s Messages To: Ian Ian is funny. ~ Andrew Culipher

To: Zion I will never hang up on you, my glorious pookie bear Zion! ~ Chris Jacobs

Dear Maya, I know for a fact we’re best friends in other universes, but I’m so glad you’re my best friend in this one. ~ Cassady Adamson

To: Seth Tebbe Seth Tebbe still likes Olive Garden breadsticks. ~ Liam Cannon

To: My Friends Happy Valentine's Day to all my amazing friends and my boyfriend. I love you <3 ~ Maya Habib

To: Charles Thom Charles Thom is an excellent sonnet writer. He’s such a king. ~ Molly Bozell

To: Sebi Sebi is a really funny guy. ~ Connor Wightman

Dear Andrew Trunzo, Thank you for playing Pal World with me. ~ Jahan Kabadi

To: Kayleigh Kayleigh, you’re the funniest person ever! ILY! ~ Mady Lloyd

Dear Brady Britsch, Happy Valentine’s Day, my Pookie. Thanks for being a good hugger. ~ Jackson Roberts

Valentine’s Messages Dear Jahan, Thank you for playing Pal World with me! You are the nicest person in my life. ~ Andrew Trunzo

To: Hannah Hannah, you are a “Jewell.” ~ Kaitlin Darrow

To: Katie Lutz Katie Lutz, you’re perfect.

You geek. ~ Addy Faas

Dear Lizzie, You’re the best twin! Happy Valentine’s Day! ILY <3 ~ Alexandra Reback

To: Ethan Mills Ethan Mills, thank you for carrying me through Spanish in freshman year. ~ Trey McKinney

To: Evie Message: Happy GALentine’s, Evie!! ~ Ellen Perkins

To: Mrs. Ciavarro Message: Happy Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Ciavarro. Thank you for being such a great advisor. ~ Landon Sirois

Dear Kielan, Good luck at your dance comp. ~ Alex Engles

To: Ellen Happy GALentine’s, Ellen! ~ Evelyn Rennolds

Dear Quincy, Keep your sugar level stable. ~ Chase Keller

Valentine’s Messages Dear Clara Wach, Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Dymphna Wilson (Panther for a Day)

To: Everyone God is good! ~ Nick Heisler

To: Everyone Luke 3:1 ~ Anthony Iskenderoglu

To: Everyone PVI is a very good school. ~ Fernanda Roberts

To: Everyone Do everything with love! ~ Luis (Red Coats, Inc. Commercial Cleaning Team/PVI Building)

To: Kendall Nast Kendall Nast is so good at basketball. I love watching her play! ~ Ava Thompson

To: God Message: I love Jesus. ~ Jack Sumait

To: My Parents You have influenced me so much, and I could not be more grateful to be your daughter. ~ Lilia McKinley

To: Abby Drever Abby Drever is my queen!

Love her! ~ Fernanda Roberts

To: My Kings To my glorious kings Ian Safa, Gus, Jack Cochran, and Evan Green. You make school fun!! ~ Harrison Fink

Valentine’s Messages To: Everyone Love is a journey. ~ Chris Gaston

To: Laraun Happy Valentine’s Day, Laraun. Thank you for being a great host. ~ Ryland Klosner

To: Everyone Gotta love love... ~ Angela Benedict

To: Everyone Love yourself and the people around you. ~ Michael Heaney

To: The World Happy day of love to the whole world. Today, everyone deserves to celebrate love. <3 ~ Maya Habib

To: My Cat, Nayla Thank you, Nayla, for being the best cat ever. You are almost 18 and I pray you will keep pushing forward!

I love you ! ~ John Williams

To: Angela Happy Valentine’s Day, Angela! You have been my friend since 1st grade and I’m so glad we are still friends in high school! ~ Grace Bolton

Dear Jack Ladowicz, Thank you for being a great guide to help me experience a full day at PVI. ~ Nate Flemer (Panther for a Day)

Valentine’s Messages To: Lizzie Happy Birthday! I hope you know how much fun I always have with you. You brighten my day whenever I see you :) Happy Valentines Day! Grateful for you always! ~ Tess McKinley

To: Tim Kim & Ethan Chisholm You’re gonna miss me next year (you will, I promise). Tell me if Wang Laoshi comes back. I’ll leave you with all my wisdom, oh, wait, there is none. (P.S. the Dolphins are better than the Bills! ~ Lily Pileggi

Dear Freshman Football (2027), Great job last season! Some of you guys are heading up to varsity next year but thank you for being my first friends at PVI. Go Panthers! ~ Jack Ladowicz

Dear Alexa, Happy Valentine’s Day. I love you platonically. Thank you for always being my sih. I will always treasure our friendship. ~ Indra Malli

Dear Indra, Thank you for being one of my best friends. You’re so kind and smart. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!! ~ Alexa Cruz

To: Bobby Schroder Bobby is such a kind soul and very good at digital art. His bright pink pockets are what makes him so unique. <3 Bobby is my king. ~ Chelsea Damian

Valentine’s Messages To: James Skees Hi there, pretty, pretty prince! My last name is Krepinevich BTW! Glad I met you this year!!! ~ Alex Krepinevich

To: My Maternal Cousins Stop calling me John Wick and BTS. I’m not even Russian or Korean, bro.

Anyway, love you all and I look forward to seeing you again. ~ Noah Alino

To: Mateo Sur Hi Mateo! Thanks for the rides and being there for me! You’ve helped me so much and I’m so thankful for you! ~ Alexandra Krepinevich

To: Ashly Ashly, so glad I met you at that football game freshman year! You are an amazing friend, and I love talking with you. ~ Audrey Culipher

To: Meagan & Isaiah Meagan and Isaiah, thanks for being the best learning partners ever, Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Rylie Hurst

To: Roy Roy, you are such an extraordinary person. The way you play so many instruments really warms my heart.

You’re so kind-hearted and I’ve never met someone like you. Happy Valentine’s Day, Roy. ~ Elizabeth Hubbard

Valentine’s Messages Dear Henry Fernandez, You are an amazing friend and a good basketball player.

Happy Valentine’s Day! ~ Nic Monroe

To: Alex Pearce Alex Pearce is so smart, so awesome, and so kind. He is weird because he only talks about Donkey and his swamp, but that makes him cool.

He’s awesome! ~ Bobby Schroder

To: Stella Kim Your smile brightens the darkness that dawns upon this school (that’s a good thing, I promise) Happy Valentine’s Day!!! <3 <3 ~ Lily Pileggi

To: Genevieve Kaminski Thanks for letting me adopt you!!!

Love you girly! (theater fam, not literally) ~ Alexandra Krepinevich

To: Grandpa Hey Grandpa, Happy Valentine’s Day. Thank you for taking me to sports and school. If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t get to sa’vicas I need to go to because Mom is so busy or at work. ~ Brayden Massimo

Dear Ciara, Thank you for all of the love you’ve given to so many grateful people, myself included. You’re resilient yet kind, and you’re a fantastic leader.

The campus ministry team loves you! ~ Rin Molnar

Valentine’s Messages To: Stella Happy Valentine’s Day! Without you, I don’t know who would listen to my stories (I don’t count Lily). Have a great day, Stella. ~ Julia Hogan

To: Hannah I am so glad that I have classes with you this year! I love studying with you! ~ Julia Hogan

To: Mateo Hey Mateo, thanks for being an amazing friend since the beginning of this school year. You have been so nice and helpful when I needed it, and thanks for all the car rides! ~ James Skees

To: PVI Community Happy Valentine's Day, PVI. Thank you for being a great school community! ~ W. Princeton Porterfield

Dear AJ Wilkins, Thank you for being a great friend to me, and I appreciate your kindness toward me. I hope you have a great Valentine’s Day and many more to come. ~ Eddie Praylo

Dear Diego, I wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day because I have known you since second grade. You have always been there as a friend and I hope you have a good rest of your year. ~ Marcus David

Valentine’s Messages Dear Mrs. Valli, Thank you for being such a caring teacher. Even though it is a lot of work in your class, I can really tell how much it’s preparing me for my future. You are an amazing teacher <3 ~ Piper Waddell To: Mrs. Valli Happy Valentines Day Mrs. Valli.

I am sorry for being a hard student to control in class. Your class is one of my favorites and I should not be taking advantage of the privileges you give us. I promise you nothing like this will ever happen again. ~ Khoi Le

To: The Celebrants I am VERY grateful to all of the priests and deacons who have ministered to PVI and helped us grow spiritually over the course of this school year, including Fr. Schultz, Fr. Ramón, Deacon Devlin, and ALL the celebrants who visited us in fall 2023.

Thank you for making present God’s tender-heartedness and mercy — what love is really about! ~ Hans Sirotniak

To: Landon Ling Happy Valentine’s Day, Landon Ling.

It’s been awesome getting to know you. ~ Charlie Carey

To: The Writer’s Block Club Happy Valentine’s Day to all of my co-members of the Writer’s Block Club.

Thank you for all of your hard work on the student publications this year! ~ Hans Sirotniak

Writer’s Block Club

Valentine’s Raffle Winners

Luis from PVI’s Red Coats Crew

#1 Please pick up your prize on the 3rd Floor; see Ms. Fassinger in the Teacher Work Station

Writer’s Block Club

Valentine’s Raffle Winners

Lilia McKinley ’24

#2 Please pick up your prize on the 3rd Floor; see Ms. Fassinger in the Teacher Work Station

Writer’s Block Club

Valentine’s Raffle Winners

Holden Colio ’27

#3 Please pick up your prize on the 3rd Floor; see Ms. Fassinger in the Teacher Work Station

Writer’s Block Club

Valentine’s Raffle Winners

Bobby Schroder ’25

#4 Please pick up your prize on the 3rd Floor; see Ms. Fassinger in the Teacher Work Station

Writer’s Block Club

Valentine’s Raffle Winners

Brent Barlow ’26

#5 Please pick up your prize on the 3rd Floor; see Ms. Fassinger in the Teacher Work Station

January-February

2024

Editors:

k Club c lo B s ’ r e The Writ etings:

Hans Sirotniak ’24 N. Packard, Teacher V. Fassinger, Moderator/Teacher

ming Me Brainstor r’s Block e it r W e h ail and T 24/7 via em Classroom on Google Meetings: n o s r e P n I s Thursday p.m.-ish 3:10-4:10 dy Lounge u t S r o lo 3rd F ! o problem N ? g in t e e a me Can’t mak Classroom le g o o G Club’s Join Our test Info a L e h t r fo paulvi.net @ r e g in s s vfa contact:

Crossroad

dedicated doers brainstorm ers photograp hers thinkers problem-s olvers writers artists graphic de signers journalist s researcher s editors proofread ers insomniacs

tech-savvy

gurus

contact: v

s is Seekin

fassinger@ paulvi.net

January-February Contributors:

g:

Fr. Ramón Domínguez, YA Fr. Stephen Schultz Dr. David Oetjen, Teacher Mr. J. Sebastian, Teacher Mr. (and Mrs.) B. Keane John Murray ’24 Roy Wulf ’26 Amelia “Mia” Sampilo ’26 Hans Sirotniak ’24 Carter Casagrande ’25 Keyon Johnson ’26 Brian Revor ’24 Gabriel Herrera ’25 Julia Snyder '24

Graphics and Layout Hans Sirotniak ’24 Carter Casagrande ’25 N. Packard, Teacher V. Fassinger, Teacher

Moderator V. Fassinger

Fr. Stephen Schultz Here are some of the many one-liners and notes I jotted down in my journal from Fr. Schultz’s daily homilies during 7:10 a.m. Mass each morning at PVI. #25 is from his most recent homily with us on Friday, September 29, 2023; during this homily, Fr. shared the miraculous story of how a U.S. Marine was saved

by St. Michael when wounded in Korea in 1950. (VF)

1. Receive the moment that God has given to us.

2. Look for Christ in everything.

3. How do I live my journey with people I don’t choose? See Christ in everyone.

4. If you want to love God today, love your neighbor.

5. Be patient with yourself.

6. If you draw away from the fire, you will get cold.

7. I don’t know if that story is as funny as I hoped it to be.

8. Only a Bishop can preach sitting down.

9. Faith is fidelity; it’s not a feeling.

10. Jesus is coming soon; you better look busy.

11. You can only do one thing at a time.

12. I am letting the Holy Spirit guide me in my virtues.

13. We can’t give someone else Grace.

14. All the angels were created at once.

15. When you arise, make an offering, “I am giving everything to you today.”

16. When Jesus heals a person, he sees and heals the whole person.

17. The psychology of spirituality - we have an innate capacity to connect with something transparent and bigger than us; we are made to be in that state of Grace-friendship.

18. God wants us to have that encouragement by the way that we live and encourage each other.

19. Be okay with things not being okay.

20. God is my stronghold.

21. We have to do something good with the suffering we endure.

22. Don’t thrive on the unhappiness. Don’t thrive on things that tear people down.

23. Respond to challenges with love.

24. Choose to love life, each other, ourselves, Him. 25. I have TWO guardian angels and an archangel!

Please continue to pray for Fr. Schultz’s complete recovery through the intercession of Blessed Father Solanus Casey.

Let Fr. Schultz know you are thinking of him and praying for him by connecting with him on CaringBridge.

Dear Fr. Schultz,

May this new birthday year around the sun be overflowing with lots of laughter, strong steps forward, and wondrous moments with your family and friends.

Love, Your PVI Family