Aquila Alumni Magazine - Winter 2023

WINTER 2023

Aquila ROCHESTER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

A MEETING

of the

MINDS

KTTC’s Caitlin Alexander '08 sits down with visionaries behind Lourdes High School’s state-of-the-art campus celebrating a decade of continued excellence!

PRESIDENT'S LETTER God give you peace! This is our theme for the 2023-2024 school year. The phrase is taken from a letter that St. Francis of Assisi wrote to his early followers, in which he called Franciscan brothers and sisters to greet those they encountered saying “God give you peace.” What a profound call for us all to consider as Christians today.

This year we are rediscovering our Franciscan roots – and they are deep! The Sisters of St. Francis founded the first Catholic school in Rochester in 1877. Since then, so many of the Sisters have served in our schools as teachers, administrators and volunteers. They laid the incredible foundation that has become Five Schools, One Mission today. With the end of the pandemic, we are thrilled to welcome Sisters from Assisi Heights back into our schools.

The legacy the Sisters started in 1877 not only lives on in our classrooms today, but also in the over 8,000 living Lourdes alumni around the world! We had a blast celebrating with you at Homecoming. From the 10th anniversary Mass to the football game, Lourdes pride was palpable in our community. It’s a great time to be an alum and part of the RCS family!

The biggest challenge of our mission continues to be maintaining affordable tuition for families while working toward compensating our teachers justly; however, our community continues to step up. Thank you to everyone who answered the call this past year to give of their time, talent and treasure. Your support is critical to ensure Catholic education in Rochester for years to come!

May the peace of Christ accompany your family this Advent season.

God give you peace, Annemarie Vega President Well, it looks like I didn’t get everything done last year that I wanted to, so the Lourdes Foundation Board elected me to another one-year term! Thank you for placing your trust in me. I look forward to continuing in this role for the coming year.

For those of you who may not be aware, Lourdes Foundation, Incorporated, supports Rochester Catholic Schools through student scholarships and estate gifts to our schools. Assuring the future of Catholic education in Rochester by improving access and affordability was the intent of the founders and continues to guide Lourdes Foundation today.

This year, we have awarded scholarships to 86 Rochester Catholic Schools students.

We are grateful for the amazing support from families, alumni, area businesses and friends who have so generously given the gift of a Catholic education. We could not have done it without you; but, there is so much more that we can do!

We kindly invite our community to consider starting a family scholarship. All endowed scholarships must reach $10,000 before they are awardable. In lieu of starting a scholarship, the Lourdes Foundation accepts any level of gift toward their mission or an already established scholarship. To learn more, please reach out to RCS Vice President of Advancement, Mindy Reeder, at mreeder@rcsmn.org, or call 507.424.1817.

If anyone would like to learn more about Lourdes Foundation, don’t hesitate to contact me at 507-259-7003.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the very popular Foundation Fish Fry, set for March 8, 2024!

Kenneth (KC) Reed '72 President, Lourdes Foundation On the Cover: KTTC’s Caitlin Alexander ‘08 sits down with Monsignor Jerry Mahon, Bishop Emeritus John Quinn, Mary Spring, Denny Nigon ‘64, Sr. Ramona Miller, and Gene Eiden the visionaries behind Lourdes High School’s state-of-the-art campus!

Cover Photo Credit: Bekah Johnson, Bekah Johnson Photography

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Table of Contents Cover Story: Meeting of the Minds: KTTC’s Caitlin Alexander '08 ....................... 4 sits down with visionaries behind Lourdes High School’s state-of-the-art campus.

Building a Brighter Tomorrow: How Robert M. Conway '62 .................................. 8 Continues to Shape Lourdes’s Future Lourdes’s 10-Year Anniversary Homecoming Celebration....................................... 9 Pics and Posts.......................................................................................................................... 10 Class Notes................................................................................................................................ 12 Join the Eagle Family, and Get Ready to Believe and Read at RCS!.................. 14 Recent and Upcoming Community Events.................................................................. 15 In Memoriam............................................................................................................................. 16 Reunions..................................................................................................................................... 17 Thank you to our RCS Benefactors!................................................................................ 17 End of Year Financials.......................................................................................................... 18

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A MEETING of the

MINDS

KTTC’s Caitlin Alexander '08 sits down with visionaries behind Lourdes High School’s state-of-the-art campus celebrating a decade of continued excellence!

Written by Caitlin Alexander, Lourdes graduate '08, KTTC Anchor

Talk about a meeting of the minds.

On a crisp, sunny Monday this fall, a KTTC crew pulled together six chairs in the Lourdes High School chapel. The people who sat in those chairs were puzzle pieces in Lourdes’s history–each with unique gifts and perspectives that led Lourdes to its new home at 19th Street and Valleyhigh Drive in northwest Rochester.

• Monsignor Jerry Mahon (Pastor at Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Lourdes graduate '63, RCS Board of Trustees) • Bishop Emeritus John Quinn (Serving the diocese at the time of the move) • Mary Spring (Lourdes Principal since 2020, Lourdes teacher since 2003) • Denny Nigon (Lourdes Principal '87-'07, Lourdes graduate '64) • Sr. Ramona Miller (Franciscan Sister) • Gene Eiden, (Lourdes Band Director '57-'93)

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(L-R) - Gene Eiden, Sr. Ramona Miller, Denny Nigon '64, Mary Spring, Monsignor Jerry Mahon '63, Bishop Emeritus John Quinn, KTTC Anchor, Caitlin Alexander '08, KTTC Photographer, Chuck Sibley '72

The group gathered to look back over the past ten years in Lourdes’s exquisite new building. The big question–how did we get here? That story begins at Lourdes’s first home–at 6th and Center Street in downtown Rochester.

“My first feeling was that it was daunting,” said Nigon of initial discussions to leave the school’s original location.

“There was really, I recall, many meetings about the facility issues, and it would be better, cheaper. That was all debated, of course,” Msgr. Mahon agreed.

The question was whether to refurbish Lourdes’s existing building or look to expand elsewhere. The original structure dated back to 1941 and needed to address many issues, including roof work and capacity concerns.

“I can just say, as I was bishop here at the time, and I was told, you know, we had this donor who was willing to provide for us a brand new high school,” Bishop Quinn recalled.

Longtime Catholic education supporters Jack and Mary Ann Remick came forward with the generous offer of land and site development at 19th Street NW and Valleyhigh Drive.

“Certainly Jack and Mary Ann were the front line on that,” Nigon said.

The actions that followed were swift. A capital campaign with a $15 million goal began soon after.

Countless families contributed, even some who were already sacrificing a great deal to afford a Catholic education for their children. Additionally, the Remicks forgave Rochester Catholic Schools’ remaining debt to make the building a reality–and soon.

Rochester Catholic Schools celebrated the groundbreaking of the new building in fall 2012. Bishop Quinn had the honors of taking that first scoop.

“When I was a little boy, that’s when people would ask me, ‘What are you going to do when you grow up?’ I’d say I’m going to run a steam shovel. So, it took until after I was a bishop,” he said with a laugh.

Weis Builders completed the state-of-the-art facility that boasted a gym with seating for 1,500, classrooms, lecture halls, a two-story library/media center, onsite chapel, and a performing arts auditorium with rehearsal rooms and stage preparation space. It opened to students in fall 2013.

The dedicated space for the performing arts was something that tugged on the heartstrings of longtime band director and Minnesota Music Hall of Fame Inductee Gene Eiden.

“The first room [in Lourdes’s original location] was just a big room next to the cafeteria,”

Jack and Mary Ann Remick

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A Meeting of the Minds continued from page 5

Eiden explained. “When I see where that’s come from, then ‘til now, my jaw just drops, because the Fine Arts Department is just fantastic.”

“Being able to be outside, you know, we can take kids outside and sit in the courtyard and read literature,” Spring said.

The auditorium is lined with stunning, colorful stained glass windows–a generous gift from some of Rochester’s most famous and long standing philanthropists.

RCS is celebrating its 10 year anniversary with the theme, “Building Our Future Everyday.” That is something the group agreed is possible due to Lourdes’s incredible building–but mostly the people who fill it.

“I was in leadership when the capital campaign started for Lourdes High School, and I thought, oh, I think we can offer a big contribution here, not only visually, the beauty of these windows, but the legacy of the Franciscan spirituality with both Francis and Claire in that auditorium,” Sr. Ramona Miller said.

The new location also offered greenspace–something that was unavailable in the heart of downtown.

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“We’ve got great kids here,” Spring said. “They are receptive and polite and kind, and in a lot of ways, they know what they have here, which is pretty spectacular.”

“It’s distinctive what takes place here,” Bishop Quinn said. “There’s certainly the literature and history and science and technology. They are given really quality instruction in all those

academics, but there’s also an imparting of values here about who we are as human beings. What distinguishes us?”

Quinn explained that producing graduates infused with the Catholic faith shapes the next generation of community members and leaders–quite literally building our future.

Outside of this conversation, others agreed.

“The best part is getting to grow closer in your relationship with God. I feel it also kind of, like, helps everybody grow together,” said senior Becca Cook.

“I’ve heard it said that what makes Catholic schools different is that they have souls,” said RCS President Annemarie Vega. “While the look is updated and different, when our students today walk through the courtyard to Lourdes they feel the same, wise soul that Lourdes students first felt in 1941.”

Alumni know a Lourdes education opens up all sorts of pathways. Four graduates have entered

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A Meeting of the Minds continued from page 7 the priesthood or religious life in the past 13 years. Other alumni have gone on to become doctors, nurses, athletes, business owners, and filmmakers. Heck, that KTTC crew we mentioned earlier? Both Lourdes eagles.

Back now to that meeting of the minds in the chapel… the focus shifts to what’s next.

“I think what’s happening here at Lourdes High School is to create a future full of hope with people who are really conscious. I have a responsibility for my brothers and sisters,” Msgr. Mahon said.

“This campus allows us to have greater possibility with that culture and opens up a world that we didn’t have before,” Spring said. “So, I think, at the heart of who we are, we’re always going to be those people inside of here. It’s just the outside that provides something new for us.”

Building a Brighter Tomorrow:

How Robert M. Conway '62 Continues to Shape Lourdes’s Future Thanks to a remarkable gift made by Robert M. Conway, '62, Lourdes students will continue to learn and innovate in a best-in-class facility for generations to come.

One of six Lourdes graduates in his family, Robert was deeply passionate about education and philanthropy throughout his lifetime.

Upon graduating from Lourdes, he completed his studies in government and international studies at the University of Notre Dame, where he remained steadfastly connected to his roots, carrying the spirit of Lourdes with him throughout his journey.

Robert generously gave of his time and treasure by volunteering on boards and committees, and establishing endowed positions and scholarships.

Even from overseas, Robert never lost touch with Lourdes, maintaining a special connection with the football team.

In 2011, he left an enduring mark on his alma mater, making a substantial pledge to the “Lourdes Building Our Future” Campaign. This set the stage for the establishment of the Lourdes Foundation “Conway Building Our Future Fund” after his passing. His contribution to the campaign will total over $1.1 million.

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RCS Celebrates Lourdes’s Anniversary During

Homecoming Week!

The RCS community came together during Homecoming Week, Sept. 24-Oct. 1, for several special events in celebration of Lourdes High School’s ten-year anniversary of the opening of their new campus!

We kicked off Homecoming Week with a special Anniversary Mass/Brunch at Lourdes on Sun., Sept. 24, where Fr. Tom Manahan, S.J. '72 led us in a beautiful service before families enjoyed brunch, tours, and a bounce house!

Photo Credit Thom Belda

On Tues., Sept. 26, the 2023 Homecoming King and Queen were crowned!

Congratulations to Mardoche and Bronwyn!

Throughout the week, students across all five campuses participated in various themed dress up days!

On Fri., Sept. 29, the RCS community came together for several events!

Photo Credit Jay Peters

The RCS community celebrated the annual Homecoming parade! RCS clubs, activities, athletics teams and each campus decorated a float and threw out fun spirited swag to the crowd.

We were blessed with a beautiful day and an incredible turnout!

RCS was featured in a special KTTC broadcast, which was recorded LIVE at RCTC Field prior to the varsity football game.

Our RCS Community Rally took place at the Eagles Club, where we welcomed many alumni and parents. Attendees enjoyed great food and even better company before heading to RCTC to cheer on our Eagles to a Homecoming victory over Red Wing!

On Sun., Oct. 1, we presented the 16th Annual Lourdes High School Sports Hall of Fame! Congratulations to our 2023 inductees: Elissa (Wente) Zeman '76, Jim Ohly '82, Chelsey (Turner) Fox '06, Coach Tracy Reilly, Adam Lentz '11 (deceased), Glenn Amundsen (deceased), and the 2010 State Champion Football Team. We continue to hold the families and friends of Adam Lentz and Glenn Amundsen in our hearts and prayers.

Photo Credit Thom Belda

Congratulations to all inductees on your outstanding contributions to Lourdes, and a special thank you to Mr. Gene Eiden who surprised the audience with a beautiful trumpet performance at the event!

We are grateful to all who made our Homecoming celebration a great success!

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SCHOOL YEAR

Pics and Posts

Students, faculty, staff and families from Lourdes High School showed their support for former teammate, student and friend, AJ Quimby, at the football game vs. La Crescent-Hokah and at the NAMI SE MN Walk. Together, we continue to hold his family in our prayers.

Emily Heydon '09 of St. Pius X School and Laurie Keller of St. Francis of Assisi School embarked upon the Franciscan Leadership Pilgrimage in October! This amazing trip began in Rome with highlights including the Sistine Chapel and the Pope’s Cathedral, where they were blessed to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis! They also visited Assisi and celebrated birthdays before heading back to Minnesota!

The Nest at RCS won “Best Preschool” in Rochester for the fourth consecutive year, a testament to the unwavering commitment of our Nest staff to creating a nurturing environment for our littlest Eagles. To commemorate this milestone, a special delivery of Shining Light Saint dolls was arranged to surprise our Nest employees, used as part of our Religion curriculum as we explore the lives and stories of saints. Additionally, two of our excellent preschool educators, Margi Newkirk and Robin Erickson, accepted the award at the prestigious Best of the Best Awards Gala!

We had an AMAZING turnout at Cheer Camp at Lourdes High School with over 100 Eagles joining the cheerleaders to support the varsity football team! Students and families braved the weather for the football game as the campers performed a routine at halftime and students in grades K-6 were invited on the field for a quick scrimmage. Lourdes came out on top of Zumbrota-Mazeppa with a final score of 42-8!

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Jaci Jurgenson, Nancy Gaudet, Andrew Markert, and Katherine Rieck of St. Francis of Assisi School made the most of an amazing opportunity in September as they attended the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. There, they learned about RCA’s house system, learning and leadership communities for students, from some incredible education professionals!

Mrs. Berg’s Kindergarten class at Holy Spirit Catholic School had a blast at the apple orchard! Students learned about apples and enjoyed a memorable, fun and TASTY learning experience.

St. Pius X School faculty, staff, students and families “Packed the Pews” on Oct. 17th as they celebrated their last school Mass with Fr. Russ. Attendees wore Twins or Vikings apparel in support of Fr. Russ’s favorite teams. Students were excited to give him gifts at the end of Mass, not to mention many emotional hugs and high fives as they exited church! Fr. Russ was a true blessing for our RCS community and we wish him the best on his journey ahead!

The Lourdes High School marching band had another amazing season! They placed in the top three in all competitions leading up to Youth in Music Championships where they placed 7th!

We celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month at RCS with our Bilingual Story Walk! This outdoor activity encouraged students and families to walk along the path while reading Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister printed in both English and Spanish.

6th and 7th graders from CoCathedral of St. John the Evangelist Middle School visited the Rochester Civic Theater to support local artists performing in RDC's production of "The Odyssey!"

After an incredible season, the Lourdes High School girls tennis team finished SECOND at the State Championships!

September 15th was an unforgettable day at Lourdes High School, made extraordinary by a surprise visit and inspirational speech delivered by NBA legend LeBron James.

LeBron shared the incredible moment to his social media channels, catching the attention of local and national media including CBS News, Sports Illustrated, The Today Show, WCCO-TV, KARE 11, and the Post Bulletin.

We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to LeBron for serving as an inspiration both on and off the court!

To see ALL of the fun from this school year, us on Facebook and Instagram! @ROCHESTERCATHOLICSCHOOLS

follow

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ALUMNI Class Notes We are excited to feature the following RCS alums as part of our Alumni Class Notes feature section! To share your story with us, email alumni@rcsmn.org.

Alyssa Ustby '20 is a superstar both on and off the court!

She is currently in her senior year at the University of North Carolina (UNC) where she is the starting Guard/Forward for the Women’s Basketball Team.

In August 2023, she hosted a Youth Basketball Camp at Lourdes High School which appeared in several Rochester media stories.

“I was inspired to host my own basketball camp to give back to the community that has supported me throughout my athletic career. My goal is to educate and inspire the next generation of girls to not only become great basketball players but to go after their dreams with confidence,” Ustby said.

She also represented the U.S. on the 2022 U23 3x3 Team in the Dominican Republic and in Romania.

Off the court, she is majoring in Advertising and PR as well as minoring in Business Administration!

Matthew Chestolowski '16 continued his education at Georgetown where he studied accounting and became a certified public accountant!

During his time there, his love for music and faith continued to grow.

“At Georgetown, God worked through my campus ministry and my growing love for music

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ministry to continue building a faith foundation,” he shared.

Throughout his journey, his high school dream of working for Disney someday continued to pull at his heartstrings. This led him to make a move to Los Angeles, California, where he currently works in EY's audit practice. At EY, he was an instrumental part of the team to successfully bring a major tech company public through a SPAC transaction.

Chestolowski notes the great impact RCS has had on his life, where he says he learned how to think, write, developed a strong work ethic and built his spiritual foundation. To this day, he says he still leans on what he learned at RCS to communicate confidently, professionally and effectively.

In addition to singing and playing piano at his parish, he loves going to the beach and hiking around LA during his freetime. He is still dreaming of working for the magical company of Disney!

Mr. Connor Belda '15 has always had a lifelong love for learning!

After graduating from Lourdes High School, he attended St. John’s University where he concentrated on Hispanic Studies and minored in Secondary Education.

Upon graduating from St. John’s, he was accepted into the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Masters program at the University of Notre Dame. While in the program, Belda was placed at Archbishop Shaw High School in New Orleans, where he served for four years.

During his time there, he was honored as Teacher of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year! He also coached football and basketball for the Shaw Eagles.

as a substitute teacher before teaching fourth and second grade at various schools.

Christy’s journey led her back to the RCS community where she currently teaches second grade at St. Pius. Her commitment to education and her love for the RCS system shine brightly as she inspires and nurtures young minds.

Belda is now back in Minnesota, sharing his passion with his students as a Spanish teacher at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis! He is grateful for his time at St. Pius X School, Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Middle School, and Lourdes for providing him with “a close knit group of lifelong friends and the ability to build meaningful relationships in many different contexts.”

She says she is excited for her four-year old daughter, Audrey, to join the Eagle family next year!

Dan Smith '02 credits his teachers who instilled strong moral values and ethics during his time at RCS. He is also appreciative of his graduating class at Lourdes and the close-knit relationships that they formed.

He says he plans to remain in the education field, and to learn from and grow with the people who surround him.

Christy Cameron '06 has a heartwarming story that has brought her full circle, returning to the RCS family!

Her love for education was always evident in all that she did. During her high school years at Lourdes, Christy was not only a member of the swim team but also a varsity letter winner. Additionally, she engaged in extracurricular activities including yearbook club, choir, and a season of softball.

After graduating from Lourdes, Christy pursued her passion for fashion and art at St. Catherine University, where she majored in Apparel Design and Art; however, her career trajectory shifted when she made the decision to transition to her true passion: Education. Christy earned her Master of Arts in Teaching (Elementary Education) from Hamline University in 2017 and obtained her K-6 Minnesota teaching license.

She then embarked upon a fulfilling teaching career, starting

He attended St. Francis of Assisi School, St. Pius and Lourdes, where he developed several passions including chess club, football, hockey, and baseball (he also admits, he enjoyed the occasional nap on the locker room bench!)

After graduating, Smith attended Deerfield Academy, Amherst College and St. Mary’s University.

He played hockey for four years at St. Mary’s, where he was an All-Conference athlete during his Junior and Senior years. Currently, he is working in Psychology Research at Mayo Clinic. His goals are “to try to move up the ranks at Mayo, win the Powerball, and live my best life!”

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with RCS during the 2024-2025 School Year!

Now Accepting New Student Applications Our priority enrollment application window for the 20242025 academic year, spanning from Early Preschool (Age 2) through Grade 12, is now open! Apply today at rcsmn.org/ admissions! No enrollment fees required. Priority application deadline closes Feb. 1, 2024.

PIGGY-BANK

Financial Assistance Financial assistance is available for K-12 students!

Apply by Feb. 1 via your RCS Portal or the application link on our website.

Announcing NEW Early Bird Kindergarten Tuition Scholarships!

Applying for kindergarten? Through our Early Bird Kindergarten Scholarships, your kindergarten student will receive a $500.00 tuition discount if enrolled by Feb. 1!

Learn more at rcsmn.org/admissions!

Get Ready to Believe and Read, RCS!

We are thrilled to announce an exciting new collaboration between Rochester Catholic Schools and best-in-class literacy initiative, Believe and Read, setting the stage for a game-changing journey towards academic excellence and a lifelong love for reading!

As part of the program, our elementary schools are joining together with the 60 Catholic elementary schools across the state that will partner with a national literacy expert to help transform our literacy instruction through Believe and Read.

All students who participate in the program will benefit — struggling readers become proficient and good readers become great ones! Assessment results comparing fall 2021 to winter 2022 progress show that 92.9% of Catholic school students using Believe and Read were above the average improvement rate in oral reading fluency, an essential indicator of growth.

“Academic excellence is a long-standing pillar of RCS. In the spring of 2022, 67% of our K-8 students were reading at or above grade level, which far surpasses their peers locally and nationally. Nevertheless, our aspirations reach even higher, aiming for nothing less than 100%!” said RCS President Annemarie Vega.

Generously funded by the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE), Believe and Read is a proven initiative that will bring the LETRS from Lexia methodology (based in the “science of reading” or structured literacy) to our elementary schools through outstanding professional development and teacher coaching. To make this a reality, our K-5 educators have committed to on-going seminars and coursework outside of their regular school day.

We invite you to share this transformative program with families you know, empowering all to embark on a journey of literacy and learning excellence! Learn more on our website.

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Recent RCS Community Events RCS Heads to the St. Paul Saints!

On July 28, the RCS community headed to the St. Paul Saints baseball game, where attendees enjoyed a night out at the ballgame, showed their RCS (and Saints!) pride, enjoyed catching up with old friends, and celebrated the Saints’ win with a fantastic fireworks show! Thank you to all who joined us!

Koo Koo Kanga Roo Wows the Crowd!

We welcomed +1,000 concert-goers to our free family event on June 15 featuring the internationally-known children’s band, Koo Koo Kanga Roo! Sunshine and a show-stopping performance made for a HOPPIN’ good time in front of Lourdes High School. Thank you to all who attended!

Upcoming Events!

We invite you to save the dates for the following upcoming Rochester Catholic Schools events!

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Reunion

Revival

Information about upcoming reunions and photos from past reunions are also posted on the RCS Alumni Reunion webpage at rcsmn.org/reunions. If your class is planning a reunion, please contact us at alumni@rcsmn.org. We are happy to supply a class list, schedule a Mass and tour at Lourdes High School, and include your information on our webpage.

Class of 1993 • 30 Year Reunion • Sept. 29-30, 2023 To celebrate their reunion, the Class of 1993 showed their continued school spirit by attending the Homecoming parade, Eagles alumni gathering and Lourdes Homecoming football game! As former cheerleaders, classmates Andrea, Channa and Kiersten were especially excited to cheer on the Eagles. The group also indulged in some fun while playing pickleball and listening to their classmate, Joe Carey, perform live at Little Thistle Brewing!

Class of 1973 • 50 Year Reunion • Sept. 23, 2023 The Class of 1973 gathered to celebrate their reunion at the Lourdes Chapel, where they thanked God for their blessings and shared their faith with one another!

Class of 1968 • 55 Year Reunion • Sept. 22-23, 2023 The Class of 1968 celebrated their reunion at Willow Creek Golf Course where they shared cherished memories, renewed friendships, remembered classmates who had passed away, and learned about each other’s individual journeys.

IN MEMORIAM We are honored to remember our beloved alumni who have entered into eternal rest. We will do our best to include any recent notices of which we are made aware. Please email obituary information to alumni@rcsmn.org.

Kathleen Billington, '63 Therese Bowron, '66 Marie Brown, '48 David Brummer, '92 Cheryl Canfield, '72 Raymond Connelly, '54 Fr. Michael Cronin, '84 Emily Daly, '04

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James Felten, '65 Patrick Goodman, '60 Diane Henry, '60 James Hesse, '62 Lisa Hindermann, '94 Michael Kenning, '86 Javon Kunkel, '16 Michael McConnell, '60

Joyce Miland, '61 Betty Prigge, '50 Jane Rabine, '68 Michael (Mickey) Reed, '74 Georgene Stone, '72 Catherine Sullivan, '83 Duane Sutton, '65

Class of 1963 • 60th Reunion • April 29, 2023 A Remarkable Success: Class of 1963 Raises Over $13,000 to Support Secondary Education for Students in South Sudan The Class of 1963 held their 60th reunion at Susan and Jim Bartel’s ('63) farm just outside of Rochester on April 29, 2023. Of 80 surviving classmates, 30 were able to attend.

As part of their reunion, the class decided to take part in a special fundraising campaign led by the CoCathedral of St. John the Evangelist Parish for the education of students from South Sudan, presently being educated/formed in six refugee camps in Arua, Uganda.

The Class of '63 raised an impressive $13,738.00, designated for secondary education for student graduates from the six refugee camp schools.

Father Jerry Mahon, a member of the Class of 1963, initiated the idea of the class giving as a group, and the theme was picked up and enthusiastically promoted by Mike Wolfe and David Mayhood, also '63 classmates.

This effort allowed the group “an opportunity to support a very important and timely cause and to recognize Fr. Jerry’s enthusiasm and first hand engagement with the program,” Mayhood shared.

The donations served as a wonderful contribution towards the quarter of a million raised by the CoCathedral of St. John the Evangelist parish community!

We love seeing the impact made by our alums and the lifelong connections forged at Lourdes endure over time! Once an Eagle, always an Eagle!

Upcoming Reunions Class of 1964 • Sept. 20-22, 2024

Class of 1974 • Fall 2024 • Date TBD

Class of 2004 • Homecoming Week 2024 • Date TBD

Class of 2014 • Date TBD

Hip Hip Hooray!

A Special Thank You to the 2022-2023 Rochester Catholic Schools Benefactors We extend our heartfelt thanks to the +800 Rochester Catholic Schools benefactors who generously contributed to advancing our mission in 2023. As we strive for excellence in education, your gifts have played a pivotal role in making this vision a reality.

You are invited to peruse the complete list of donors, available on our website: www.rcsmn.org/support-rcs/2022-2023-donor-listing or scan the QR Code!

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our school community. Your kindness has touched the hearts of countless students, families, and staff members within our school community! I’m thrilled to begin my service to Rochester Catholic Schools and invite you to reach out to me to connect, share your story and learn more about planned giving and legacy opportunities. God’s blessings!

Mindy Reeder | VP of Advancement | mreeder@rcsmn.org | 507.424.1817

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Financial REPORTS REVENUES Tuition and Fees

$ 8,817,855.97

Government Support(1) $

290,176.73

Parish Support

$ 2,223,441.88

Philanthropic Support

$ 1,056,285.21

LFI Scholarship

$

Other(2)

$ 1,289,010.22

TOTAL

$14,027,457.01

350,687.00 Tuition and Fees Government Support Parish Contribution Philanthropic Support LFI Scholarship Other

EXPENSES Staffing and Benefits

$ 8,738,972.97

Program Expenses(3)

$ 1,250,235.84

Administrative

$ 1,426,313.09

Fundraising

$

Building Operations

$ 1,744,451.61

TOTAL EXPENSES

$13,448,102.98

Operating Profit (Loss) $

288,129.47

579,354.03

Depreciation

$ 1,356,015.48

Net Profit (Loss)

$ (776,661.45)

Staffing and Benefits

(1) Government Support includes EANS and Government funding for the hot lunch program.

(2) Other income includes fundraising revenue, hot lunch program revenue, athletics, activity and endowment investing activity.

(3) Program Expenses include supplies, curriculum, field trip expenses, activities and hot lunch expenses.

(4) Fundraising expenses are used to raise money for both RCS and Lourdes Foundation.

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Aquila | Winter 2023

Program Expenses Administrative Fundraising Building Operations

Audits of Rochester Catholic Schools and the Lourdes Foundation were conducted for the 2022-2023 fiscal year and operating statements are below. Full financial statements are available upon request by contacting info@rcsmn.org.

ASSET BREAKDOWN Scholarship

$7,687,890

Scholarship Earnings

$ 224,132

Endowed Undesignated

$ 1,465,911

Endowed Donor Restricted $ 204,332 Scholarship Scholarship Earnings Endowed Undesignated Endowed Donor Restricted Endowed Donor Restricted Earnings Board Designated

Endowed Donor Restricted $ Earnings

13,089

Board Designated

$ 110,492

Academic Excellence Fund

$ 105,290

Available Cash

$ 530,473

TOTAL

$10,341,609

Academic Excellence Fund Available Cash

CONTRIBUTION BREAKDOWN Unrestricted

$

32,465

Board Designated

$

0

Endowed Scholarships

$ 486,538

Departmental Scholarships

$ 40,000

Post Secondary Scholarships

$ 306,089

TOTAL

$ 865,092

Unrestricted Endowed Scholarships Departmental Scholarships Post Secondary Scholarships

Winter 2023 | Aquila

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NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID 1710 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE NW ROCHESTER, MN 55901

ROCHESTER, MN PERMIT NO. 182

FOLLOW US ON Facebook and Instagram @rochestercatholicschools

Contact us at info@rcsmn.org or 507.424.1817

Save the Date!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS for upcoming opportunities to support

RCS in the 2023-2024 school year! Please contact development@rcsmn.org with any questions or visit rcsmn.org/makeagift to give today!

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK (CSW) January 28 - February 3, 2024 The weeklong CSW festivities will include a special live-streamed Mass, the President’s Reception, and the chance to support RCS!

DAY OF GIVING

will take place during Catholic Schools Week on January 30, 2024.