SHC Magazine Spring 2023

A Message from Dr. Skrade

This spring, we enter into our school’s 171 st year of existence, filled with both pride and awe as we continue the legacy the Daughters and Brothers started so long ago educating the finest students in San Francisco. Through earthquakes, war, and pandemic, our Lasallian Vincentian foundation has held firm, nourishing the mind, soul, and heart. As Pope Francis recently said, “The head, the hands and the heart is a circle that must always be kept open and dynamic and must always interact in the school, as they are connected in the person, in the journey of life.” It has been a time of celebration and reflection, and now we move forward as we look ahead to the upcoming Easter resurrection and the renewal of our faith.

The academic year has been a time of renewal on campus as well, our frosh in the Class of 2026 settling easily into their new school home, while our Class of 2023 seniors look toward a life beyond the walls of Sacred Heart Cathedral. Eager eighth graders around the Bay Area have received their acceptance letters to become members of the Class of 2027. With gratitude in our hearts, we continue to be inspired by our community’s blessings.

As this issue of SHC Magazine goes to print, our student performers prepare fervently for the spring production of the classic comedy Sister Act , our outstanding athletic teams bring pride to our school community, and all the while elite colleges and universities compete for our seniors. It is truly humbling to “connect the dots,” from the school we experience either as parents, students or alumni today, back to the humble beginnings of both the Daughters and Brothers in the City, fulfilling a pressing need to educate those youth who needed the help most.

So, it is with great joy that I present to you this issue of SHC Magazine. Within these pages we harken back to the history of the Christian Brothers in San Francisco, the SHC Brothers’ House and its future. We celebrate one of the giants of the school’s history, Sr. Joan (Audrey) Gibson, D.C., and hold dear her memory. We profile the work and gifts given to the school by the Gellert Foundation and Executive Director Jack Fitzpatrick as they sunset their organization. Finally, we take a look at the emergence of artificial intelligence in education and its implications through the eyes of our faculty and students. As we will see, the educational and spiritual mission of SHC has never been more vital.

Please enjoy this issue of SHC Magazine

Sincerely,

Melinda Lawlor Skrade, PhD President

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Mark Pardini ’88

Creative Director

Giselle Palacios-Delmundo ’94

Communications & Marketing Graphic Designer

Lucie Duffort

Communications & Marketing Associate

Thai Chu

Photography Manager

CONTRIBUTORS

Kevin Buckley ’13; Madison Cashin ’24; Thai Chu; Club Soda Productions; Lucie Duffort; Mona Fowler; Jorge Guerzon (jGuerzonPictorials); HKit Architects; Chelsea Kwan ’24; Library of Congress; Brian Ong; Orange Photography; Giselle Palacios-Delmundo ’94; Mark Pardini ’88; Prestige Photography; Isabella Rinaldi ’24; Sergio Sazo ’18; Dabney Standley; Jennifer Sturm, De La Salle District Archives; United States Geological Survey; Lauren Wild ’99

FRONT COVER: Brian Ong

BACK COVER: Mona Fowler

SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL MAGAZINE is a publication of the SHC Office of Communications & Marketing and is published for alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students, investors, parents of alumni and friends.

SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL PREPARATORY 1055 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 415.775.6626 • ocm@shcp.edu

Do you receive more than one copy of the magazine? Do you need another copy? Please contact the SHC Office of Advancement at advancement@shcp.edu or 415.775.6626 ext. 564.

irish factoids

Former SHC Alumni Director and Warriors Hype Man

Franco Finn ’95 was chosen to host some of the festivities at this year’s NBA All Star Game in Salt Lake City. Go to bit.ly/FrancoFinn to read more about this honor. Way to go, Franco!

SHC Principal Gary Cannon, EdD took a break from his busy schedule this winter to coach two CYO basketball teams to their championship games! This picture is after his son’s Notre Dame de Victoires 8th grade team unfortunately lost in the final at SHC’s Brother Arnold Stewart Gymnasium. His other NDV 8th grade team won the championship! Can’t win ’em all, but great try, Dr. Cannon!

For the second consecutive year, SHC took over Chase Center as the Irish community assembled to watch the Warriors take on the L.A. Clippers. The band played outside the arena, the choral group sang the national anthem, our Dance Team took the floor, and hundreds of SHC families enjoyed the NBA experience to the fullest. Go Dubs, and Go Irish!

SHC alum Katie McFadden ’19 was selected the “San Francisco Rose of Tralee” this January. An extraordinary honor, Katie earned the title “The 2023 San Francisco Rose" and will be flown to Ireland to participate in the Rose of Tralee International Festival, which features Roses from all over the world. Congratulations, Katie!

SHC Celebrates at the Palace Hotel

Sacred Heart Cathedral gathered in force on January 14 at the Palace Hotel to celebrate the close of the school’s 170th Anniversary celebrations. Over 230 guests dined on filet mignon, Pacific Northwest Steelhead, kabocha squash and rainbow chard tamale as SHC announced a major gift from the Gellert Foundation as well as the establishment of an endowment in the name of former Principal and President Br. Chris Brady ’70, FSC

Ethics Hosts Symposium on Death Penalty

SHC marked the halfway point of Catholic Schools Week on February 1 by hosting Archbishop Cordileone on campus for a panel discussion on the death penalty with 11th grade Ethics classes.

MADDAN’S CORNER

The feeling of floating — of my body disappearing, of having a tranquil mind, and being completely at peace — is a practice I learned in high school. I first experienced the power of meditation as a student at SHC. On a retreat, we were guided through a breathing and grounding exercise that gave way to a deep sense of relaxation. The ability to slip into a calm state has been invaluable throughout my life.

Meditation has been around for thousands of years, but it has become increasingly popular in the United States as people seek relief from the stresses of life. It is optimal for teenagers because it is a free, simple practice that can be done anywhere. All it requires is the ability to be still, focus on the breath, and reflect.

“Meditation is offered during finals week and incorporated in the yoga classes that we have every other Monday afternoon,” said Nathan Villanueva ’06, who is Wellness Department chair at SHC. Composed of eight teachers, the Wellness Department’s curriculum includes physical education and a health course that focuses on mental well-being, drugs and alcohol, and sex education. Meditation is also infused in spiritual wellness offerings from religion classes to campus ministry programming, which includes Kairos, a multiple day off-campus retreat on spiritual grounds in Sacramento.

“I view SHC from a different lens,” Villanueva said. “I relate to the kids because I’ve been there. I’m passionate about teaching students healthy practices that they can take with them.”

Heather Maddan-Dowdell ’95 is a fifth-generation San Franciscan. She met her husband, Dan, at a high school party. They have three children — Sicily ’22, Asher ’25, and Jackson, 12.

home is where the heart is

By Mark Pardini ’88

The Brothers former residence on Franklin & Ellis, 1950

Parlor of the previous Brothers' residence, 1920

When the various administration offices of Sacred Heart Cathedral move into the Brothers’ House at some point in the near future, it will mark only the latest transformation of the SHC campus. In addition to the new structures built and added via the merger, the agreement between the Christian Brothers and SHC to move professional school offices into the bottom two floors of the residence is only the latest change in the surprisingly malleable physical footprint of the school, particularly, the Sacred Heart side. Those who know both their San Francisco history as well as the history of the Brothers in the City will be familiar with the journey that they have taken to Ellis Street, but a good story is always worth retelling. Regardless, this recent development signals only the latest chapter in the story of the Brothers, a mission now being reimagined for the 21st Century.

HISTORY LESSON

Due to the resounding success of the work of the Brothers at the old Saint Mary’s College site on Mission Street, the people in San Francisco were interested in expanding this relationship to educate the City’s youth:

“So effective for good among their pupils had been the work of the Brothers at St. Mary’s College, then situated in an outlying district of the City, that in 1871, scarcely three years after the Brothers had come to California, the people of San Francisco petitioned the late Archbishop Alemany and Brother Justin to establish day schools nearer the center of population, where Catholic boys could more readily take advantage of the educational methods that were producing such note-worthy results at St. Mary’s.”

Courtesy of the SFNO District Archives of the De La Salle Institute

On December 15, 1872, a cornerstone was laid at Eddy and Larkin Streets marking the spot for the construction of the first Sacred Heart College, a combined grammar and high school for boys. The lot itself cost $25,000, the building $85,000, and the “furnishings” for faculty and staff $10,000. On the school’s first day in 1874, there were over 700 students, and a faculty of 15 Christian Brothers and four lay teachers. It’s unclear from the archival records whether the Brothers were living at the facility at this point or were coming in from Saint Mary’s but, regardless, the Brothers had made their initial beachhead in downtown San Francisco, spreading the Catholic faith and teachings of St. John Baptiste De La Salle.

Over the next 30 plus years, SH thrived at this location. On April 18, 1906, however, the earth shook and the sky burned, engulfing much of San Francisco in flame, including Sacred

Heart’s school building the day after the quake. Within a year, though, the Brothers reached an agreement with the old Sacred Heart parish on the south side of Fell between Fillmore & Webster (later location of Sacred Heart Grammar School and now home to the San Francisco Schoolhouse & the Church Of 8 Wheels) to resume school operations in their facility. This arrangement proved only temporary, however, as the building proved too small to even accommodate a reduced student body of 300, and the Brothers had to look elsewhere.

Aerial of City Hall, 1906. Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Looking northeast from City Hall, 1906. Courtesy USGS

SH Picture Day, 1912

brothers’ house (cont.)

Working in conjunction with Archbishop Riordan, the property at Franklin & Ellis was purchased from the mesdames of the Sacred Heart for $85k in 1914. The building on the corner formerly used as the schoolhouse by the mesdames was turned into the Brothers’ House and a new three-story school building was built next to the residence for $150k. Due to the popularity of the school and soaring enrollment, a fourth story was added to the school building in 1919, a period coinciding with the school becoming solely a high school. The campus remained unchanged until 1952 when the Brothers’ House was demolished, the site becoming the current gym, with a cafeteria, classrooms and a wood shop, and the current Brothers’ House was built to the west of the then school building, now the Student Life Center.

For the last 70 years, the Brothers’ House has served not only as a home for countless Christian Brothers teaching at SH and then SHC, but also as an integral outpost in the District of San Francisco New Orleans for visiting Brothers. Despite its significance, though, times have changed. As numbers of religious across all orders have declined over the years, spaces such as the Brothers’ House, which once housed up to 20 men, are increasingly becoming repurposed to meet the needs of their respective school communities. The House on campus currently houses only four Brothers, and the student space issues identified in the 2017 Master Plan (more meeting space, study/ conference rooms, etc.) have only become more acute as enrollment has grown. Two of the past four freshmen classes have been the largest in school history.

The agreement reached recently between the Brothers and the school transforms the residence into a dual-use space: the bottom two floors will be converted into SHC offices, conference rooms, and event and meeting space to support the Office of the President, including the Offices of Advancement and Development, Communications and Marketing, and Finance and Business. The move of these administrative school offices to the Residence

will open up campus spaces to be reconfigured into innovative learning spaces and classrooms, expanded spaces for student services, and collaborative spaces for faculty and students. The Brothers will continue to occupy the top two floors of the building, with cooking and laundry facilities added as well. “The Brothers know all too well how ever-increasing enrollment is impacting available educational space at Sacred Heart Cathedral,” reflected Brother Director V. Kenneth, who also serves in the school’s Religious Studies Department as a teacher of Scripture and Ethics. Longtime SHC faculty member Brother Joseph Fabiano, FSC, agreed. “For the Brothers, the dedication to the presence of God in the house and school is a cultivated preoccupation and an alive issue. Continuity in our Mission has its roots in this perspective, while Sisters, Brothers, and our Lasallian Vincentian colleagues operate to touch the hearts and minds of the students.”

Brothers' House demolition, 1952

Sacred Heart chemistry lab, 1923

LAY PARTNERS & THE LA SALLIAN CHARISM

Still, given these new realities of decreasing numbers and reduced spaces, it may lead some to envision a pessimistic future ahead for the Christian Brothers and the Lasallian charisms. To the contrary, though, this change at SHC only mirrors the movement in Lasallian education that is prioritizing the partnership with lay teachers and administrators to continue the work of the Brothers. This work takes place in the cohorts of the Brother John Johnston Institute of Contemporary Lasallian Practice (JJI), a two-year Regional formation program focusing on deepening the participants’ understanding of Saint John Baptist de La Salle’s story and vision, Lasallian pedagogy, and the Lasallian promotion of justice and Lasallian spirituality.

Named for Brother John Johnston, FSC (1933-2007), this program is designed for Lasallians (Brothers and Partners) who exercise mission influence and/ or show potential for such in the future. “Partners” are defined by the program as people who are dedicated to serving alongside the Christian Brothers in the Lasallian mission. In recent decades and with an eye toward the future and sustainability of the mission and charism,

the Brothers have invited these Partners to share responsibility for the mission and charism.

This “partnership” with lay Lasallians, exemplified in the sharing of the physical space of the SHC Brothers’ House, acknowledges recent demographic trends while at the same time ensuring that the Lasallian teachings continue into the future. The Brothers’ House at 1075 Ellis Street will always stand as a symbol of education, mentorship, and friendship to thousands of alumni of Sacred Heart and SHC, and incorporating some school functions within its walls seems to be an organic fit.

Brother Antonio and Brother Joseph

The i2 Scholar Program at SHC isn't just all robots, STEM, and STEAM. This infographic shows the myriad activities outside i2 that these scholars participate in at school. From clubs to VPA to Athletics, this program is characterized by a diversity of interests and passions, and the number of participants in each group is impressive as well. NOTE: Relative sizes of circles below correspond with numbers of participants.

Sr. Joan (Audrey) Gibson, DC

By Mark Pardini ’88

Sr. Joan (Audrey) Gibson, DC was born outside Chicago in Oak Park, Illinois in 1935 and passed away on August 19, 2022 in Los Altos Hills, California. In the 87 years lived in between, this incredible woman of faith transformed the lives of countless young men and women, through both teaching and school administration, during her almost 70 years as a Daughter of Charity. “Sister Joan was a woman of simple but deep prayer which enabled her to relate to the many levels of humanity she came in contact with,” shared Sr. Frances Meyer, DC, a friend for 70 years. Carol Carney Collins ’86 remembers “What made Sr. Joan special in my eyes was her great way of relating to people … she was a compassionate, kind, and caring individual. She took the time to not only talk to you but to listen to you.”

Br. Chris Brady ’ 70, FSC recalling her unique qualities, said she “evidenced those qualities specific to a Daughter of Charity: her genuine concern for those who are marginalized by our society and not seen by others, her love for her religious life vocation and the women with whom she lived and worked, and finally, her openness to forgive others because of their weaknesses and human transgressions.”

Joan went to high school at St. Vincent School in Perryville, Missouri, and got her BA in Social Studies and History from Marillac College in St. Louis, MO. She would later travel west to Mount Saint Mary’s College in Los Angeles to attain an MS in Education and Supervision and later, an MA in Religious Studies from Immaculate Heart College in Southern California. She would then follow her immense faith and enter the Community of the Daughters of Charity in 1954, also in St. Louis. Despite her advanced education, Joan stayed humble. “Sister Joan was one of the most down to earth people I have ever met,” Sr. Frances continued. “There was no air of superiority about her. She told it like it was … and helped others to see things like they were.”

What made Sr. Joan special in my eyes was her great way of relating to people ... she was a compassionate, kind, and caring individual.”

CAROL CARNEY COLLINS ’86 FORMER SHC REGISTRAR

Audrey's Angels 1982

An Appreciation

Former SHC Principal and long-time English Instructor Ken Hogarty ’66, EdD shares some personal reflections on Sr. Joan (Audrey) Gibson, DC.

Though they flocked uncaged around her office, nobody can ever claim that what Sister Audrey Gibson did for Sacred Heart Cathedral was for the birds.

She and Brother Philip Clarke made the ideal leadership team as Cathedral and Sacred Heart merged to become the first San Francisco co-ed Catholic high school.

Philip was a visionary, Audrey a grounded, practical person; Philip was a cheerleader, Audrey a nurturer; Philip was an institutional risk-taker, Audrey a people risk-taker. Both had big hearts and touched the lives of all with whom they had contact.

They set the model for all future collaboration between the Daughters and Brothers that resulted in miracles such as the creation of De Marillac Academy in the Tenderloin. Further, they modeled for the school’s administration, faculty, staff, students, alums, and families the collaboration that would make their reimagined school the jewel in the Archdiocesan, Lasallian, and Vincentian crowns.

A very patriarchal view of the Daughters and Sister Audrey among some males at the time of the merger would have branded their world-view as “simple.” In fact, Sister Audrey and the Daughters saw simplicity, in the best sense of the word, as a virtue, and taught others, including me, to embrace it too.

The purpose in life, the purpose of a school, the workings of a school were all simple. Surely, “the charity of Jesus crucified compelled Audrey.” All purpose, all workings, all decisions emanated from the motto of the Daughters for her and for those she led.

My favorite educational theorist, the Brazilian Paulo Freire who railed against the banking system of education where teachers make deposits of knowledge and students are expected to spit them back out like ATM machines, emboldened teachers to believe that “everyday in the classroom has the possibility of Easter Sunday.”

Audrey saw the SHC community she helped fashion as holding within it a continual possibility of Easter Sunday for all, and especially the poor.

A Vincentian at a workshop meaningfully characterized an ideal school community for me: It should be relational, service-oriented, and joyful. Those characteristics, all with underpinnings in the New Testament, epitomize Audrey’s school culture creation and even Audrey herself. In sharing those three points, I’ve always added one more. A community should also be narrative-rich.

Certainly, Sister Audrey enriched the narrative of all of us whose hearts she touched. Wonderfully, and a bit like a glimpse of eternity, she is even now touching the hearts and minds of students, administrators, staff, and families now part of the school community, even if they didn’t know her.

Modeling Audrey’s actions and persona, I often repeated a mantra to myself when things ate at me as principal: “It’s not about me; it’s about the students.”

Audrey was the living embodiment of that mantra. For her, it was always about others.

Ken Hogarty ’66

sister joan (cont.)

A true “teacher’s teacher,” Joan taught at Vincentian schools in New Orleans, Dallas, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, St. Louis, Carson City, Los Angeles, and finally at San Francisco’s Cathedral High School. From 1982 to 1983, Sr. Joan taught religion, becoming Principal in 1984. Collins remembers “Her belief and faith in humankind was certainly evident in how she treated us girls at Cathedral High. She kept a pulse of what was going on and would check in on some of us who were dealing with challenges, or not.” She would meander through the groups of girls during lunch and say, ‘hey!’ She tried to connect with us in different ways and approaching us from a teenager's point of view was valuable.”

During this time, Cathedral and Sacred Heart students from across the intersection began having more and more classes together, sharing resources, faculty, and ideas, and this cross-pollination triggered discussions between Sr. Joan and Br. Philip Clarke, FSC, her counterpart at SH. “Sr. Joan was absolutely pivotal in the merger between Sacred Heart and Cathedral High Schools,” Clarke shared. “She saw that the future of both schools was precarious in a time of declining enrollment but very solid if they merged into one school. She saw that the centuries-old legacies of the Daughters of Charity and the Christian Brothers was a determining element in receiving Archdiocesan support.” In addition, Clarke said, the school achieved a unique “marketing niche” as the only co-educational Catholic high school in the City, a path soon followed by other schools. Sr. Frances added, “If she saw a difficulty that needed a remedy, she would work tirelessly to make it become a positive outcome. When the student bodies of Cathedral High School and Sacred Heart High School were declining in enrollment, she worked with Brother Philip Clarke to seek a remedy for the situation, resulting in the merger of the two schools. What we see today is the fruit of their labor.”

After the merger and creation of SHC in 1987, Sr. Joan first became Vice Principal with Principal Br. Chris, then continued as Assistant Principal for Mission Effectiveness until leaving the school after the 1997 school year. Brother Chris shared, “As the Assistant Principal for Mission, Sr. Joan believed that the charisms of both the Daughters of Charity and the De La Salle Christian Brothers should be visually present and a focus of teacher and staff formation programs. She took a particular interest in the Religion Department course offerings and in our Campus Ministry Program. She was an active

proponent of our student retreats! She was practical, in a very real sense, when a challenging decision needed to be made by reminding us that we needed to do what we believed to be best for the student, regardless of what others may think, including faculty, staff, students or others." She would later serve the Daughters on their Provincial Council as both counsellor and Assistant Provincial. In many ways, Sr. Joan’s kind, authentic personality has become that of the school she helped found. “She brought her natural warmth and personality to the new school,” Clarke summarized. “The result was a stronger and more confident SHC with a joint mission that was authentic and visionary. Her place in history is assured.”

Br. Chris Brady ’70 and Sr. Joan

Philip Clark

Carol Carney Collins ’86

Sr. Frances Meyer, DC

FAMILY AFFAIR

By Lucie Duffort

To hear Instructor of Religion

Julia Rinaldi tell it, TeeJay Miller Church ’11 walked into this year’s Block 2 Search for Human Meaning class with a 5,000-watt smile. She and her husband Kyle Church ’11 were there to share their stories about their relationship, lives, and faith journeys during and after their time at SHC. “I brought them in as they are authentic faith-filled changemakers and soul-searching alum who have a gift of inspiring and connecting people,” Rinaldi says.

They also brought evidence of how relationships can build and grow beyond high school, proof of connection to service, family legacy, and also a reminder of SHC’s powerhouse athletic tradition.

TeeJay was a core member of the 2007-08 National Champion girls basketball team. She and Kyle met as friends in their first year and Kyle went on to excel in football. They started dating before attending college, where they both continued to play. TeeJay later returned to our campus to help Coach LyRyan Russell ’97 lead SHC’s Girls’ Basketball to another state title as Program Assistant from 2015-17. The first of three siblings at SHC, TeeJay was followed by her sister Jerzee Breiz ’21, a talented dancer and choreographer, and now the youngest Miller, RL ’23, is finishing his senior year. RL is co-San Francisco Player of the Year (along with SHC teammate Jerry Mixon, Jr. ’23), an all WCAL linebacker, and Fresno State signee. The day TeeJay and Kyle spoke to Ms. Rinaldi’s class, students responded not only to their story, but also to the fact that RL was in the room, and he showed obvious pride and appreciation for his sister and brother-in-law.

Whether due to the spirit of sportsmanship, of family, or the community-minded atmosphere she experienced, TeeJay says that it just feels natural to come back and continue to participate, to speak to a new generation of students. She told SHC Magazine, “It’s funny, when we were in high school we were taught

the motto ‘Enter to learn, leave to serve’, and here we’re living it! Kyle is a member of the SFPD, so he’s doing his service as a police officer. I’m an accountant and a mother.”

“The reason for my service here is that I love my community. SHC is literally my family. Why not give back and continue what I started?” For TeeJay, “community” didn’t stop on her and Kyle’s graduation day. “Our three year old was at the Bruce-Mahoney game the other day, cheering on the girls team. Sister Frances, my number one fan, was there. She waved us over for a picture. It’s a family atmosphere. Once Irish, forever Irish.”

Teejay credits the foundation provided by SHC for fostering relationships that have developed and created an ongoing network of support for her and her family to this day. The friends she met every day in the cafeteria are the same that she saw at her and Kyle’s wedding, and continues to see at holiday celebrations and in group texts today.

Connection and preparation for life, she points out, goes beyond grades and scoreboards. “There were times in high school where I didn’t get an A on the test, or I didn’t have a good game. Faculty members would help you focus on how you were going to respond. Do you cry about it or do you study harder, go back and get that A, or make more shots so you can get that win? That’s about life. At times in life, you may not be satisfied. You think you’re working hard, but someone else is working just as hard to get that promotion. Sacred Heart Cathedral teaches you that your current situation is not your permanent situation. Your future is up to you. What are you going to do to fix it?”

Teachers and staff played a key role. They “prepared us for facing adversity, and kept it real. Even now, I’ll say to myself, Oh, I remember when Ms. (Erin Diner) Kayser ’93 told me this in history, or when Mr. (Pete) Gresh ’72 told me this in my algebra class.” Through the years, TeeJay continues to ask herself, “How do I use those qualities that they showed me in college and at work and being a mom and being a wife and all those amazing things?”

For current students, being able to interact and connect with alumni like TeeJay and Kyle gives them another tool for shaping their perspectives. It is a true vision into how their lives will carry forward after graduation. In Rinaldi’s class, their visit prompted one student to write, “I loved hearing from an alum as I think about leaving the safety nest of SHC. I know I can do it too!” For another, it was comforting and inspiring to hear about “their focus and love of family, and how much SHC is still a part of their family.” Modeling these ongoing connections and the gift of service and return is part of the cycle that makes the idea of community at Sacred Heart Cathedral so strong.

TeeJay and Kyle speak to students

Kyle, RL, and TeeJay

Artificially Intelligent?

Note from SHC Magazine: In this expanded version of SHC Roundtable, faculty and staff members address the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in academics. From the development in 2021 of DALL-E, an open access, algorithm-based image creation platform to the release last year of ChatGPT, a model producing arguably human-level writing, SHC teachers are confronting the intersections not only of education and technology, but of morality, human thought, and the increasing power of machines in our daily lives. Responses were shortened in some cases for brevity. Let’s listen in!

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT AI AS A TEACHING TOOL?

Joan O’Neill: SHC faculty and students are already exploring what they can create with AI and, by recognizing what AI cannot do, understanding how AI can help us “define what is so cool about being human,” in the words of author Austin Kleon, a recent speaker at SHC. Our teachers are discovering how to create lessons with AI and imagining ways for students to use AI effectively and ethically. They are also talking with our students about the temptation to overvalue the efficiency of machine learning at the cost of developing their own thinking skills.

Spenser Morris: I think AI technology is not something we should fear, but rather explore … if we don't incorporate it at all, then we miss out on the opportunities this technology might create. Also, it's not going anywhere, so we might as well embrace what it's able to do.

Alicia Tapia: Having played around with some of our junior ethics research prompts, I can say that ChatGPT proves to be a useful research assistant. Like any assistant though, we should check their “work.” ChatGPT is useful in conveying points to consider, but often misconstrues statistics and can't name the source of the information they're delivering. For example, when I asked where it got a claim from,

The Roundtable brings together a cross-section of SHC community members to offer their perspectives on compelling issues. In this edition, we ask SHC faculty & staff to reflect on the emergence of artificial intelligence in academia. it gave me the name of a book that didn't exist. When I told ChatGPT that the book doesn't exist, it apologized and referred me to a library. It’s a useful thought partner but is by no means a substitute for finding primary sources of information and judging the validity and authority of the source.

ARE YOU INCORPORATING AI IN YOUR CURRICULUM?

O’Neill: ChatGPT was released just before a fellow teacher and I assigned the final essay for Senior Seminar. The prompt asked the seniors to use readings from the semester along with the Declarations on the Lasallian Mission to explore what should constitute the work of human life.

Mr. Nick Hren and I introduced the assignment by asking the students about the pros and the cons of using ChatGPT to write their final essay—and about the pros and cons of our using ChatGPT to assess their essays. Our seniors quickly identified the convenience and speed of using AI to write or to assess their essays, remarking on the quantity of data that a chatbot could search. After a bit of discussion, however, they also noted that AI could not share a personal experience, evaluate the truth of an argument, or create a relationship with a classmate or teacher.

Mariflor Medrano: Right now, I'm not planning to incorporate ChatGPT in my classroom. However, I’m thinking it might be great to use it to see if students really truly understand the material. From what I understand, the AI is great at giving generalized answers. It is not that great at being specific. Students can “correct” an AI’s work to make it better.

Morris: I have used AI technology to help generate short scripts for small activities and exercises in the theater classroom. There are pros and cons to the scripts it creates, but it helps to create basic content we can adapt for deeper-level arts exploration.

Marty Joyce: I don't yet see how AI can be used as a teaching tool and don't plan to incorporate it into any of my lessons.

Brian McHugh: It does fold into the educational process, but what I don’t want it to do is to become something that inhibits students from finding their own path and their own voice. Using reference material is unavoidable, we are always taking in material from all different sources. At the same time, though, I think it’s so directed. You are going to choose from six options [provided by a system like Dall-E for visual art], and that may seem like a lot of options to a student, and you are going to think that’s it, there are no other options.

IN WHAT WAY ARE STUDENTS RESPONDING TO AI AS A TOOL?

O’Neill: Busy, resourceful students appreciate its speed and the amount of data AI can process at the stroke of a key. At the same time, they care about grades and are tempted by the seeming-perfection of a machine-built essay. They are wrestling with the difference between using AI and any other digital resource, such as spell checkers or search engines, IXL or AP Classroom. They are curious about how AI works, aware of biases built into AI code, and worried about competing with students here or in college “if everyone else is using AI.” Students drawn to programming are playing with the open source sites, and all of us in the Bay Area are aware of the generative power of technology as well as its uneven distribution in the world.

Medrano: For all I know, they could be using it to complete their homework. However, I haven't seen it do any graphing or analyzing of data yet.

Morris: Students in my class are seeing the faults within AI as it pertains to the arts. While it can do specific things like “create a one-page horror script with three characters who have equal lines,” students have found that the scripts can read like an afterschool special for middle schoolers.

The AI provides a nice skeleton for students to build from. They noticed the scripts don't push any new boundaries as far as content because the ideas it generates all come from things that already exist.

HOW DO YOU SEE AI BEING INCORPORATED INTO THE WORLD OUR STUDENTS WILL GROW INTO?

Lauren Murray: This generation is already using AI technology such as Siri on their phones or Google Home or Alexa at home to accomplish basic, daily life functions. It’s very likely that the professional world our students enter after their time at SHC will require them to continue to carefully navigate the world of AI. Whether it's preparing for integration into workplace technology, or ways to improve their work proficiency, many professionals are currently grappling with the potential of AI, and our students have the potential to enter the workforce with the advantage of experience with this technology if we work with them to use it as a tool.

Morris: I think we are going to start seeing more AI-written content all over the place. From directions of a project/task to more nonfiction-based work where the content is based on facts. Even though AI can create fictional stories, it currently lacks the capacity to generate deep new or original ideas. Even the AI art that is being created can't really stand alone just yet. I use AI art images in some of the publicity material I create, but it still takes an artistic eye to design the overall structure and visual content needed.

IS AI LITERACY ESSENTIAL FOR FUTURE THINKERS?

Tapia: Definitely. Do we want to use the technology or be used by it? Future and present thinkers alike will have to decide if they want to be in charge, or at least critical of the technology's capabilities and cognizant of its shortcomings, or if they want to be slaves to the machine, blindly following its orders or ignorantly taking the information it's giving as truth.

Joyce: I would say that it is already a component of the AP Computer Science Principles standards, and coding is being looked at as a vital skill for future generations.

OUR PANEL:

MARIFLOR MEDRANO

Associate

SPENSER MORRIS

O’Neill: In broad terms, yes, and SHC faculty are planning for that. We know that we need to teach our students both about AI and with AI, reinforcing our students’ sense of belonging in our classrooms and their trust that their teachers care deeply for them and their learning as we do so. I see this happening all across the SHC campus.

WHAT MORAL AND/OR ETHICAL CONCERNS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT MACHINE LEARNING/AI?

Medrano: What students find acceptable and what I find acceptable are different. Some people think that copying someone else’s work is a time-saving action, while others (myself included) find it illustrates a lack of work ethic. AI completed work could be a timesaver, but the thinking through the prompt, process, or whatever the assignment is, would be gone. I just wonder how critical thinking will evolve in a world where AI exists.

Morris: We don't exactly know where the source material is coming from [with AI]. This can create an issue. In Steal Like an Artist, author Austin Kleon mentions, “If you steal from one person, that is plagiarism, but if you steal from many, that is art.” This AI technology is simply doing that...but without the sources, it's hard to say where these ideas are coming from and what is being combined in order to create the result.

Joyce: I do have concerns about bias showing up in AI. For example, on Twitter I recently saw a post where they asked the AI to write a poem about Donald Trump's accomplishments, to which it said they do not engage in partisan discussions. They then asked the same question with Kama-

BRIAN MCHUGH Instructor of Visual Art

Director of Dramatic Arts VPA Department Chair

LAUREN MURRAY Director of Learning Innovation Instructor of English

JOAN O’NEILL Assistant Principal for Academics

ALICIA TAPIA Director of Library Services

MARTIN JOYCE Instructor of Mathematics Instructor of AP Computer Science Principles

Director of the Inquiry and Innovation Program Instructor of Science

la Harris and it did create a poem praising her accomplishments. I think that it's dangerous that only one viewpoint was shown there.

I also saw an AP Computer Science teacher ask the bot to write an AP Create task for the course, and it talked about how that would violate cheating standards and instead gave out some guidelines and tips for doing it, which was a great response. I am glad that the creators have anticipated those types of issues.

Tapia: Misinformation and discrimination. We’ve seen how difficult it is for media platforms to control the spread of harmful rhetoric and misinformation online, we see countries around the world that limit and censor the information their citizens have access to ... if AI isn’t completely and constantly overseen by a diverse group of individuals, it will get out of control. As far as artistic creativity goes, I think it will only push humans to consider and embrace and relish in what a human can do that a machine cannot. If time is freed up thanks to machines and artificial intelligence, how will we spend that time deepening our awareness of what makes life beautiful?

OTHER COMMENTS?

McHugh: The other part of the conversation about AI is about the hand, and the humanity that is a part of us, could that then become more rewarded? Cherished? Hold more weight, be more desirable? I think when you actually go up to a painting, that’s the closest you get to the hand of that artist, whether they painted it five minutes ago or a hundred years ago. Brush hairs mean so much more than 0s and 1s.

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE DISCUSSION? SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!

STUDENTS TALK AI *

BILL SMITH ’25

“I think that AI bots such as ChatGPT might make it harder for students to actually learn because if they rely on the bot all the time, they will never develop their own skills … Despite how advanced the AI already is, I think it will take more time to figure out how to use it as a productive tool.”

FIG NIEMI ’24

“The reason why (AI art) creates amazing things is because it takes a bunch of art that has already been created and creating something else. If no artist had ever existed, neither would the AI art. I don’t think that’s creative as much as it is copy and pasting.”

DANIEL TABALOC ’24

“I think AI is neutral itself, and all its pros and cons come from human innovations and queries. For example, you could say a con of AI is students could have it write essays for them. But that’s not the AI’s fault, it’s the fault of the student who decided to cheat.”

ELLA HARTOGENSIS LLOYD ’23

“Although AI clearly has the frightening ability to mimic human writing, our emotional intelligence, the subjectivity of our perceptual set and our embodiment are distinctly human characteristics that give us the ability to tell compelling stories and make art. Art has always been integral to the human experience because we each have a story worth telling. AI may be able to mimic us, but it doesn’t, in itself, have a story that needs to be told.” * Quotes courtesy of the SHC Emerald newspaper.

BOARD OF REGENTS

William D. Rauch, JD Board Chair

Elizabeth Brown Parents Association President

Kase Abusharkh ’00

Sr. Adella Armentrout, DC

Stella Bialous, DrPH

Kevin Buckley ’13

Courtney Chin ’03

Br. Victor Kenneth Curley, FSC

Richard Cutler, PhD

Carol Wicklund Enright

Stefan Gartrell ’02

Miguel Guzman ’91

Sandra Gulli

Francois Hechinger

Daniel J. Holland ’79

Janet Holland ’77

Jim Jones

Monica Kelly ’06

Thomas P. Mazzucco ’78

Sister Frances Meyer, DC

Joey Nevin ’01

Margaret O’Driscoll

Jeffrey Porter ’72

James Ryan, Jr. Stacie Solt, MD ’99

Ed Wang ’90

Harold Wong ’77

EX-OFFICIO

Melinda Lawlor Skrade, PhD President

Gary Cannon, EdD Principal

John Gumina ’91 VP for Advancement, Communications & Enrollment

Shani Mahany Director of Finance

John M. Vigo ’81 Director of Stewardship and Future Giving

a constant commitment

The Gellert Foundation, led by Executive Director Jack Fitzpatrick, makes one final gift to SHC and cements its legacy of making a difference in our students’ lives

By Mark Pardini ’88

Jack Fitzpatrick is an unassuming man, quick to smile and soft-spoken. Fitzpatrick may not strike folks as an important figure in the history of Sacred Heart Cathedral at first glance. However, as the long-time Executive Director of the Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Foundation and a member of its board since 2001, Fitzpatrick and the Foundation’s Board have been instrumental in the development of both the SHC campus and the funding of the Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Endowed Scholarship Fund providing financial aid to hard-working and deserving students. Now, as the Gellert Foundation winds down its operations, they continue to take part in the life of the school in a meaningful way through a final gift. In a November 2022 ceremony, SHC received a $3 million gift from the foundation, not only providing additional monies for the endowed scholarship previously established at the school but also in assisting in the renovation project of the Sister Teresa Piro, DC, Student Life Center (SLC) entryway and Atrium. This extraordinary gift is the latest spearheaded by the leadership of Fitzpatrick and the Foundation, following substantial investments totaling approximately $2 million toward such projects as the SLC itself, the 2nd and 4th floor classroom renovations on the La Salle Campus and the Sister Caroline Collins, DC, Theater project. Explaining what makes SHC so special to the Foundation, Fitzpatrick shares, “Over the last 21 years, I’ve gotten to see what a unique institution you are, your diversity. It’s not just the diversity of the student body that impresses me, but when I look at my relationship, it’s the diversity of your families that is special.” SHC President Melinda Lawlor Skrade reflected, “These exceptional investments by the Foundation continue to be transformative for our students, and we are both blessed and excited for this next phase updating the Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Lobby to welcome our guests and SHC community into the best Catholic co-educational high school in the Bay Area.”

Founded in 1959, the Gellert Foundation has funded countless Catholic initiatives in the Bay Area, from schools to hospitals to other nonprofits. In San Francisco alone, numerous institutions and organizations have been the beneficiaries of its funding, affecting change in the lives of many children, families, and the underserved. As the Foundation sunsets its operations, now is an appropriate time to reflect on its impact, and Fitzpatrick is the perfect person to come to for information. Fitzpatrick graduated from USF in 1965 with a degree in accounting and retired as a tax partner. The Foundation became his client long before he retired and joined their board in fall of 2001. Carl had passed in 1974 and Celia followed in 2000, and the combination of their previous individual funds led to new challenges and opportunities for the Foundation’s Board, led at the time by Pete Brusati. In addition, SHC alums Andy Cresci ’58 and Mal Visbal ’48 were also members of the Foundation’s Board, holding the school community close to heart.

While records show the first gift from the Foundation came in 1980, their investment in SHC became truly transformational with their $1 million gift to the school in 2001 that helped fund the building of the Student Life Center. With his previous background in accounting and finance, Fitzpatrick was essential in the strategic planning and due diligence the Foundation had to adopt to maintain the level of their financial viability while at the same time continuing to fund projects in line with the Foundation’s mission. “This is what you need to do if

Jack, center, with members of the Board

Gellert directors oversee plans

Dr. Skrade pointing out plan features

you’re going to run a successful business, you need to have a plan,” Fitzpatrick continued. “You need to have input from everybody that’s on the board and make decisions looking at, and I’ve used this term before, what I consider our Foundation’s investments. That’s what I brought to our board, the idea that, “We’re investing in institutions and we need to make sure these are sustainable institutions, that they have a purpose that aligns with what the Gellerts would have wanted to have.” SHC Vice President for Advancement, Communications & Enrollment John Gumina ’91 agreed, saying “Even during the most challenging days of the pandemic, we planned for the future in order to meet the anticipated demand for a Sacred Heart Cathedral education. Jack Fitzpatrick recognized the importance of planning and encouraged us to prepare our future as educational leaders.”

While Fitzpatrick insisted on accountability and professionalism within the Foundation’s operations, there was always something different about dealing with Gellert, according to long-time SHC Director of Stewardship & Future Giving John Vigo ’81. “I never worried about reaching out to contact someone for advice or guidance at Gellert,” John says. “At other foundations, it is typically very difficult

to talk to any directors or decision makers, but we had a very direct, healthy relationship with Jack and other members of the board, which I thought was invaluable. Fitzpatrick concurred. “That’s where we were different, because our board got involved in the decision-making, as opposed to other institutions where there’s a staff that does the work and there’s a wall, and you can’t get to the directors at all.”

The renovation of the Student Life Center is a project that will not only improve accessibility, safety, and meeting space for students and families, but it will continue the transformation of the SHC campus in the eyes of the outside community, creating a more welcoming entry to the school and our campus for prospective families that don’t yet know SHC. As with the Sister Caroline Collins, DC, Theater project the Foundation helped fund, these are game-changing initiatives, seismic changes, but when asked what his favorite project at SHC was over the years, Fitzpatrick was conflicted. “That’s a tough one to answer because the Gellert Foundation has done so much for so many people … but I would think that the education side of it, the financial aid for students, for example, that’s given me the most pleasure. The capital improvement projects were great and I really enjoyed the Theater, for instance, and the new entranceway that’s coming, but those are things that will attract students and families to come to the school. I think the real impact is helping families and students afford to be able to go to the school in the first place.”

Ultimately, the legacy of the Gellert Foundation at SHC is one of generosity, undoubtedly, but a generosity without strings attached, a foundation with a soul and a personality and a true interest in improving the lives of our students and our families. Buildings are built, renovated, and torn down, campuses are re-envisioned, but the impact of SHC’s Lasallian Vincentian education and mission on the young men and women of the Bay Area is immutable, constant, and multigenerational. Thanks to the Gellert Foundation and the work of Jack Fitzpatrick, this will continue to be the case.

Reimagined Student Life Center Atrium

2 nd floor of proposed SLC renovation

WINTER SPORTS RECAP

By Sergio Sazo ’18

boys BASKETBALL

Coach Caesar Smith ’98 and his Irish boys basketball varsity squad turned a slow start into a special season, culminating with a CCS Open Division championship win. A 62-61 win in overtime over WCAL Co-Champion Archbishop Mitty flipped the script for the team, propelling the Irish to a mid-season winning streak that saw victories over Serra, Valley Christian, and Saint Francis and earned them a spot as the 7th seed in the CCS playoffs. The Irish took full advantage of the opportunity, taking down Archbishop Riordan and Menlo-Atherton on their way to the final round. The Irish capped off their championship run with a 64-59 win over Serra behind an epic 24-point performance from RL Miller ’23 and double-digit scoring efforts from season-long offensive leaders Fedrick Pernell ’24, Jerry Mixon Jr. ’23, and Michael Manfreda ’23

The varsity basketball squad concluded the 2023 season with a 16-13 overall record, while going 7-7 in league play. Pernell led the Irish in

scoring with 14.3 points per game, earning him 1st Team All-WCAL honors. The Irish 2023 assists per game leader, Mixon Jr., earned 2nd team All-WCAL, and Miller, Manfreda, and Zemaury Erfe ’24 earned All League Honorable Mention. What a season, Irish! Congratulations!

Fed Pernell ’24

Mikey Calonico ’23 drives upcourt

Mike Manfreda ’23 moving his feet

Jerry Mixon Jr. ’23 fights through traffic

MILLER & MIXON: A DYNAMIC DUO

Capping their remarkable high school football careers, RL Miller ’23 and Jerry Mixon, Jr. ’23 were named the San Francisco Region Co-Players of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle. Committed to Fresno State and Oregon, respectively, both contributed significantly on both sides of the ball. Miller, who scored five defensive touchdowns including a pick-6 and a scoop and score, was the WCAL Wide Receiver of the Year and Mixon, who had a team-best 79 tackles (12 for a loss) and 321 rushing yards and five touchdowns, was the WCAL Linebacker of the Year. Both were of course integral to last season's State Title in football, and, in a fitting conclusion to the historic athletic legacy of the duo, they proceeded to help lead this year’s SHC boys basketball to the CCS Open Division championship.

girls BASKETBALL

The Irish girls basketball program was truly dominant in 2023, with Coach Demetrius Jackson’s varsity team rolling to a 21-6 overall record and an impressive 8-2 mark in the rugged WCAL. The Irish rattled off eight straight wins to open the season, building momentum and setting the tone for league play. This streak included impressive early season victories over Carondolet and eventual Division II State Champion Central High School of Fresno. WCAL play featured more success for the Irish, including cruising over rival Saint Ignatius 54-36 to even the Bruce-Mahoney series at 2-2. Three straight victories to close out the season, including another victory over SI, would grant

the Irish the No. 2 seed in the CCS open division playoffs where they would lose in game three of the playoffs to Pinewood School.

Team captains Leilani Blecha ’23 and Reza Po ’24 were honored for their great contributions with 1st Team AllWCAL selections. Kiana Moniz ’24 and Inez Gallegos ’24 earned 2nd Team All-WCAL honors, and Malea Scobie ’23 earned All League Honorable Mention. With a standout returning core and talented players from the lower levels moving up, Coach Jackson looks to continue the program’s return to Bay Area preeminence.

boys SOCCER

A young varsity boys soccer team worked hard and improved throughout their first season with Coach Eric Nilius at the helm. The team finished 6th in the WCAL with two victories, including a dominant 5-0 shutout over rival Archbishop Riordan and a victory over Valley Christian. While the Irish didn’t qualify for the CCS playoffs, the record doesn’t tell the full story as they look to build towards next season with a stable of intriguing youth. Francisco Garcia ’25, Anthony Lopez ’25, Zhivan Khaleeli ’25, and Luke Pereira ’26 were young starters who proved themselves this season and will be key to the team’s continued success and development moving forward.

Mixon and Miller celebrating girls basketball

Reza Po ’24 takes a Cat off the dribble

Inez Gallegos ’24 in action

Leilani Blecha ’23

Coach Jackson makes his point

Captain Keelin Walsh ’23 was rewarded for his fine defensive play this season with 1st Team All-WCAL honors. Forwards Luke Wachowitz ’23 and Donte Yasukawa ’23 were awarded 2 nd Team ALL-WCAL honors as well. We will look forward to big things in the years to come for the boys soccer program.

girls SOCCER

The varsity girls soccer program under Coach Jeff Wilson tallied another successful season, finishing 6-8-5 overall (3-5-2 in league play). The season included stifling wins over Presentation, Valley Christian, and Riordan. Goalkeeper

Arianna Beddoes ’23, who had clean-sheets in each of these wins, was awarded with WCAL Goalkeeper of the Year for the second consecutive year for her tremendous play and outstanding effort, a true Irish legend in the goal. In addition to Beddoes, young defender Lucy Rios ’25 also earned a 1st Team All-WCAL selection, forward Ella Taclas ’24 and midfielder Lauren O’ Donnell ’23 were awarded 2nd Team All-WCAL honors, and midfielder Sophia Turnbull ’23 was awarded All League Honorable Mention. Great work, Irish!

WRESTLING

The Irish wrestling program thrived at a historic level in the first season for Coach Jimmy Woods ’18. The team finished 6-2 (4-2 in league) over the course of the season, matching the best league record in school history. The prowess of the Irish wrestling program was showcased with their success at the WCAL finals, with 11 Irish wrestlers winning medals and five,

Ryden Van Zandt ’23, Kai Tengco ’23, Aliana Aklilu ’24, Kate Napolitana ’23, and Naomi Van Zandt ’25, being crowned champions. Naomi Van Zandt would go on to represent the Irish at the CIF State Wrestling Championships, where she would place top 12 in her weight class.

In addition, the team had 13 wrestlers qualify for CCS, including both Van Zandts, Tengco, Aklilu, Napolitana, Julian Arnold ’24, Daniel Harad ’23, Jared Perez ’25, Enzo Prestigiacomo ’23, Oscar Castaneda ’23, Diego Orozco ’24, Antonio Campbell ’26, and Kai HingoramiIskandar ’26. Great job, Coach Woods, on a fantastic first campaign!

Keelin Walsh ’23

Logan Graves ’24 avoids a collision

Arianna Beddoes ’23

Ella Taclas ’24 showing shifty moves

Isaiah Alcayde ’23

Naomi Van Zandt ’25

Julian Arnold ’24

Federico Tevarotto ’23 using his head

all up GROWN

SHC HELPS LEAD THE WAY WITH BOYS VOLLEYBALL IN THE CITY

In the spring of 2017, CYO San Francisco offered its inaugural season of boys volleyball. In 2018, a total of 18 teams participated between the two 5th/6th grade divisions and two 7th/8th grade divisions. For a small school such as St. Monica in the outer Richmond district, always struggling to field baseball teams because of low numbers and field availability issues, this was a godsend. A school with a historically strong girls volleyball culture despite its enrollment, the offering for the boys immediately sparked interest among both student athletes and parent coaches. Two of these parents who had formerly coached their daughters at the school, Bulldog Athletic Director Sylvia Arguello and SHC Creative Director Mark Pardini ’88, now had sons interested in playing on the 5th/6th team as well. Mark, a former setter on the first boys team at SHC and one-time Sláinte Volleyball Club coach, became head coach with Sylvia as his assistant. In their first season playing the sport, the team won the division championship, and the beginnings of something special was brewing.

Fast forward to the spring of 2023, and four of the players from that St. Monica team are on the SHC varsity squad: Ethan Arguello ’24, Chamy Choi ’24, Callum McArthur ’24, and Gabe Pardini ’25. Despite missing two entire seasons due to the pandemic, CYO boys volleyball in San Francisco has exploded from its modest beginnings only five years prior, a total of 53 teams from 18 schools now participating. 5th and 7th grades have two divisions each and 8th grade has a whopping three divisions with numerous club players participating. “I am proud to have been a major influence in getting the CYO boys volleyball program off the ground,” Sylvia says. “To witness the growth and success of it has been one of my most valued accomplishments as a coach and Athletic Director.” Coinciding with this expansion in CYO has been the growth of coach Nga Tran’s SHC program, with this being the second year with three levels, a rarity in the WCAL.

In addition to the above-mentioned players and coaches, Bulldog alums Luke Devine ’25 and Miles Rafloski ’26 are currently on the SHC junior varsity squad and the frosh team counts Peme Weerayutthakarn ’26 as one of its players as well. Other notable

parent coaches involved in this pipeline were Joe Rafloski and Rob McArthur, a former college player at UC Davis who guided the 2019 7th/8th grade St. Monica team to a second place finish. “The best part of volleyball is the quality of people it attracts,” Rob shared. “It is a vibrant, welcoming community in which you are likely to develop life-long friendships.”

This tale mirrors the growth of youth volleyball both in North America as well as the world at large. Already extremely popular amongst girls, the boy’s game is expanding as well, fueled by the recent successes of both U.S. men’s and women’s national teams internationally, among other factors. “It makes me so proud to see these young athletes develop, to now play at such a high level and be on the frontlines growing the sport,” Rob continued. “Men’s volleyball is exploding, and not just in the big metropolitan areas in California.” With the continued efforts of families and the SHC program, the Irish look to be leading the pack in this sport in the City for the foreseeable future.

Championship mettle

Six years later, the crew is joined by Rob McArthur (far right)

stepping up for freedom

When Russia invaded Ukraine territory in the spring of 2022, the world was stunned. Here at SHC, we have witnessed classroom discussions, clubs coming together to run fundraising events, school newspaper articles, and a general desire to know more, to understand, and to help those impacted.

SHC alum Marina Mezhibovsky ’21 has had Ukraine in her heart since childhood. Her parents are both Ukrainian refugees, and Mezhibovsky grew up immersed in her heritage. She is currently in London, taking advantage of a study abroad program through UC Berkeley, where she studies architecture, but she found time to speak to SHC Magazine about Ukraine, the war, and her efforts.

Can you explain your current involvement in the service to the Ukrainian people?

At the start of the war, I was very involved in political activism in terms of raising awareness within my communities. I attended and spoke at a large protest in front of the San Francisco City Hall due to my mom's long involvement with Nova Ukraine (a humanitarian aid organization). I got a lot of positive feedback and encouragement from people at the protest. This motivated me to organize a show of solidarity for the people in Ukraine and to try to get UC Berkeley to release a public statement condemning the war in Ukraine. Together with other Ukrainians I met at Berkeley, we organized several fundraisers to raise funds for nonprofits providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

What got you involved in this effort?

Both my parents and grandparents grew up in Kyiv, Ukraine, under the Soviet Union's totalitarian

regime. They were able to come to the United States as political refugees in their early twenties and met in San Francisco.

Growing up, I was often reminded of how lucky I was to grow up in a city like San Francisco, a vibrant place where anyone could be whatever they dreamed of … I was surrounded by opportunities. I felt grateful for my loving, warm, and welcoming Ukrainian home where my mom and I baked syrniki (Ukrainian cheese pancakes) and my dad wore a vyshyvanka (Ukrainian embroidered shirt). However, I struggled to explain to those around me that despite speaking fluent Russian, I was actually Ukrainian. I was often told that “Russians and Ukrainians are the same,” and for a while, I actually believed it. The war was a huge turning point in my understanding of my Ukrainian identity.

By Lucie Duffort

Do you feel that your time at SHC influenced your desire to get involved in service efforts, or is this something you have always been driven to do?

I think that my time at SHC definitely cultivated my service efforts. Although I have always been passionate about helping others, SHC’s determination to teach students to “enter to learn, leave to serve” has helped me to find ways to get involved in my community (i.e. teaching science at Up On Top or starting Ahead of the Game with Student Launch Initiative). Getting involved in service efforts in high school helped me understand the impact one person’s actions can have on a community or the world, which in turn motivated me to continue to do my best to help others.

What would you like the extended SHC community to know about the situation, and what would you recommend to those who want to help?

Ukrainians love freedom and democracy and have been fighting for it for years. Unlike Russia’s suppression of civil society and dissent, Ukraine has genuine political competition, freedom of the press, and continues to make progress in fighting corruption. (During this crisis,) Ukraine has also taught the rest of the world what it means to love freedom, what it means to be brave in the face of danger, and what it means to be a hero. Ukrainians have made it clear that they will not give up their land or their freedom. Although these freedoms are something many of us, as Americans, might take for granted, it is important to recognize and support those who continue to fight for them today despite all odds.

If you would like more information about Ukraine, Mezhibovsky recommends the following organizations and resources:

ENGin, a non profit pairing young Ukrainians with English speakers in an effort to improve linguistic skills and foster intercultural connection. (Marina’s mother, Yana Rathman, works closely with this group.)

Nova Ukraine

Ukrainian Catholic University Foundation

At SF City Hall

In front of Sather Gate

Marina

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IDEA OF AN ALL-DIGITAL SHC MAGAZINE?

In our ongoing efforts to improve communications with Sacred Heart Cathedral families, alumni, and friends, the SHC Office of Communications & Marketing (OCM) is considering the idea of turning at least one of our three yearly editions of SHC Magazine into a digital-only version. Reasons behind this consideration are many:

• Industry-wide growth in digital publishing platforms and their sophistication

• Increased cost of paper and postage due to pandemic-related supply-chain bottlenecks

• Efforts to increase the integration of digital content into traditionally print communications

• Concern over the continued environmental effects of the lumber and paper industries and amplifying SHC efforts at environmental stewardship

To help us make this decision, we are asking YOU, the SHC Magazine readership, to take a short online survey on your opinions of a digital magazine option. Please take a few minutes to scan the QR code below with your camera phone and let your feelings be known and help us make an informed and inclusive decision. Thank you, and GO IRISH!!!

CLASS OF 1970 CATHEDRAL

Barbara D’Eca graduated from Sonoma State University with a teaching credential after her time at Cathedral High School. Lovingly married for 49 years, Barbara and her husband Chuck have two children and three grandchildren together. Retired as an elementary school teacher, Barbara enjoys traveling with family, reading and visiting Lake Tahoe. Stemming from her love of traveling, Barbara and family will be embarking on a three month journey to Italy this upcoming spring. Words to live by: “Embrace every moment!”

Josephine Lucchesi is very thankful for every day. After Cathedral High School, she went on to study at San Francisco State University and University of California Berkeley to achieve her Teaching Credential. She has been both a banker and a teacher in her career, but Josephine has had plenty of time for adventures. She has traveled to Alaska, Italy and Canada to name a few places. Currently, she’s been enjoying her free time reading, walking and

visiting friends and family. She also volunteers her time with the Italian Community Services, specifically with tutoring in reading. When looking back at her time as a student, Josephine recalls plenty of laughs had by the lockers with her fellow classmates. Words to live by: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”

— Jesus

Juana Montgomery graduated from University of San Francisco after her time at Cathedral. She began at KGO Newstalk Radio in 1973 as a News Administrative Assistant and in 1975 became the station’s Director of Public Affairs, a position she filled until 1986. In this position, she worked closely with San Francisco Bay Area leaders ascertaining timely, topical current events and community affairs issues. In 1980 she began hosting a television public affairs program called Viewfinder. radio station. After this, she became the first woman and non-General Manager to sit on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Broadcasters Association.

In 1985, Juana married and moved to Washington D.C. During her time in D.C., she worked closely with the League and United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Pan American Liaison Committee

(PALCO), Partners of the Americas, and Sarah's Circle. Juana retired from the Federal Reserve System in 2016. She continues her commitment to public service as a freelance consultant.

Martha Norman is proud to be the grandparent to six wonderful grandchildren and even a great grandson, who is one year old. She attended University of Phoenix and is a retired project manager. Martha enjoys keeping fit, line dancing and playing cards. One of her favorite vacations was to Paris, France. When looking back on her time in Cathedral High School, Martha enjoyed fondly going on retreat and studying under Sister Juanita.

Deborah Perez loves to travel, with some of her favorite destinations being: Italy, Central America, Puerto Rico and Canada. After attending Cathedral High School, Deborah attended the University of the Pacific-Stockton, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. While working as a medical coding educator, Deborah also enjoys teaching and lending a helping hand in soup kitchens. A few of her cherished Cathedral High School memories include attending school dances, retreats, and being in her favorite teacher Sister Juanita’s class. Within this next year, Deborah and her hus-

band David plan on moving to the East Coast to be closer to their two children and grandchildren. Words to live by: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than spent doing nothing.” — George Bernard Shaw

Lorraine “Larrie” Perez attended City College of San Francisco following graduation from Cathedral High School. She then went on to work in Government Service for 35 years, receiving numerous employment awards from her hard work and dedication. Larrie has also dedicated much of her time to numerous charities, especially ones that work with battered women and children. When she takes time for herself, Larrie enjoys reading and crafting. One of her favorite past trips has been to the Caribbean. When reminiscing on her time at Cathedral High School, she recalls high school was a time of clicks, but despite this, she got along with everyone, both Cathedral and Sacred Heart students. She still keeps contact with a few of those classmates, some near and some far. Words to live by: “Always say I love you to all in your sphere. Forgive and move on, do not hold any grudges for life is too short.”

Linda Petrini is a proud Bay Area resident, having graduated from San Francisco State University after her time at Cathedral High School. After 46 years in banking and fraud investigation, Linda has retired and enjoys spending her free time baking home goods, reading and visiting family members. She is also an active member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church where she is a lector, and a member of their Women’s group and the Altar Society. Recalling her time at Cathedral High School, Linda loved the home economics course where she refined her sewing skills – even sewing a dress from scratch that still hangs in her closet to this day. Words to live by: “Every day is a good day.”

Gloria Zamora Ruiz has two sons, Anthony (43) and Daniel (41). Anthony has given Gloria 5 grandchildren: Christian (19), Annalysia (18); Adrien (16), Julieanna (15), and Vanessa (4). Daniel has given her two more additional grandchildren: Aaliyah Marie (19) and Tommy (15). Gloria worked for the Treasury Department at the IRS for 38 years and retired as a Real Estate Analyst doing floor plans for IRS buildings in the Western Region area. After she retired from the IRS, she went to work for the Pittsburg Unified School District as a bi-lingual

substitute and loved every minute of it. After about 10 years Gloria finally decided to really retire and enjoy her sons and grandchildren. She also loves to sew, quilt, and travel with the love of her life, also a 1970 graduate!

Alberta Sevieri has been a ballroom dance instructor for the past 40 years, and one of her favorite hobbies is putting on dance shows. She also enjoys spending her free time gardening, sewing and singing. Alberta is a cantor in her choir, helping lead liturgical songs. She and her husband Adriano celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on February 5th. Together, they have two sons and two grandchildren. Alberta and Adriano love cruising, and together they have traveled to Italy, Hawaii, Mexico and Puerto Rico. When she was a student at Cathedral High School, Alberta enjoyed the yearly Book Week monologues and being a part of the cheerleading squad. Her favorite teacher was Sister Colette, who happened to be the Book Week programmer. Words to live by: “Enjoy life — this is not a dress rehearsal.”

Alice Villagomez continued working hard after her time at Cathedral. She attended the University of California, Berkeley to earn a BA in Political Science. After this, she went on to Golden

Gate University to gain her Masters in Public Administration and Management. At Harvard University, she completed the Executive Program for Labor Relations. Although now retired, Alice worked in various Human Resources and Labor Relations Management positions. She served as the first civilian Human Resources Director of the San Francisco Police Department. Alice received a reward for the City & County of San Francisco Managerial Excellence, as well as five Mayoral Certificate of Honors. Alice has traveled all around the world, from South America to Europe. When looking back at her years at Cathedral High School, Alice enjoyed recitals during Book Week and learning under Sister Holda, Miss Williams, Mrs. Gavin and Brother Antonio. Words to live by: “Be the best You.”

SACRED HEART

Julio Borruso is happily retired, enjoying his wellearned free time with plenty of golf. He also spends a good amount of his time serving at St. Roberts Men’s Club. Julio’s greatest achievement is being the best grandfather to his three grandsons. He has traveled to Italy, Spain and New York, and his son currently lives in Madrid, Spain. However, his favorite trip has to be to Italy. When

looking back at Sacred Heart, Julio’s favorite memory is beating Wilson for the AAA Basketball Title. Brother Christopher Brady, FSC attended Saint Mary’s College of California and the University of San Francisco after Sacred Heart. Br. Christopher is currently the Director of the Saint Mary’s College Brothers Community and the Auxiliary Visitor for the Lasallian San Francisco New Orleans District. While leading a life of service, Brother Christopher enjoys stamp collecting and visiting Presidential libraries and National Parks in his spare time. One of his fondest memories at SH was the 1969 Basketball Team winning the Tournament of Champions, alongside meeting his lifelong friends. Throughout his life of service, Br. Christopher has been awarded the Assumpta Award from St. Mary’s Cathedral in 2004, the Signum Fidel Award in 2015 and the Lasallian of the Year award in 2016. He has also proudly been inducted into the Sacred Heart Cathedral Hall of Fame in 2020. Words to live by: “To touch the hearts of your students is the greatest miracle you can perform.”

— Saint John Baptist de La Salle

Tim Burke and his wife Janet are happy grandparents, expecting their fourth grandchild in February. Now retired, he has been enjoying his time golfing and going on walks. He has received the CCS Coach of the Year award and the St. Vincent DePaul Service Award. He has volunteered at the LaSallian-Vincentian Youth. Some of Tim’s favorite vacations have been to Kauai, Colorado and Yosemite. When looking back at his time in Sacred Heart, Tim enjoyed being a member of the school’s last AAA Championship and their first WCAL Championship. Words to live by: “The glass is always full, not half empty.”

Anthony Cannistraci achieved his BA in Psychology at the University of San Francisco, followed by his Master of Education from Northeastern University for College Counseling and Student Personnel. He had a 37-year career with the IRS and held positions in upper management, retiring in 2010. With his wife Loretta, he has two children and three grandchildren. Anthony volunteers his time providing technological support to Parochial Elementary School. He is also a member of the School Board of the Our Lady of the Assumption School in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Anthony has also found time to travel throughout the United States, Italy, Swit-

zerland, Montenegro, Dubrovnik, Monaco, Barcelona, Dubai, New Zealand and Australia, just to name a few places. He is currently building a home in Manchester by the Sea, Massachusetts. During his years at Sacred Heart High School, Anthony had many favorite teachers guide him through his lessons, but Brother Antonio’s words have stayed with him the most: “Do not find yourself naked in the forest.” Words to live by: “Avoid Conflict at all costs, Pursue Happiness and Be Kind.”

John Carrington is a retired UPS worker with 30 years on the job. He has been out of San Francisco since 1974 and has four children with his wife Katherine. They are also grandparents to nine grandchildren. He enjoys bowling and traveling on cruises and to Hawaii. When recalling this time at Sacred Heart, John favors his memory of the ’68 -’69 Varsity Basketball Championship. Words to live by: “It is what it is.”

John Cavallero graduated from University of San Francisco with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. He also went on to achieve his MBA from Amber University and participated in the International Energy Institute Program at Oxford University. He worked at the Marathon Petroleum Corporation for 40 years, retiring in 2012. He enjoys spending his

time golfing and coaching at his local Youth Sports Program. In his life, John has lived in many places with his wife Sandra and their kids, including California, Utah, Ohio, Texas, Colorado and even London. He has traveled throughout the US, the UK, Europe and Middle East for both work and personal travel. John currently lives in Southern California near his kids and grandkids, but his entire family remains loyal Giant, 49er and Warrior fans. He frequently returns to the City for visits with friends and family. Words to live by: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.”

— Proverbs 3: 5-6

Michael Creedon achieved his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at San Francisco State University after graduating from Sacred Heart. He and his wife Susan have one child Ryan. Michael is retired from the San Francisco Fire Department and was a professor of the San Francisco Art Institute from 2001 to 2012. Michael is very experienced with photography; his photographs are in the collections of The Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, France and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. He enjoys collecting cameras as a hobby. Michael enjoys helping other

photographers advance their own digital printing skills. One of his favorite memories of Sacred Heart is beating St. Ignatius in baseball and winning the WCAL baseball title in 1970. Words to live by: “Hail to Sacred Heart.”

Dan Dolan is enjoying dual retirement from being a branch banker and state employee. After Sacred Heart, he attended Saint Mary’s College in California. He is also a former rotary member. He and his wife Susan have three children and five grandchildren. In his spare time, Dan enjoys RV camping, bike riding, and martial arts. One of his favorite vacations was heading over to Berkeley Tuolumne camp in Yosemite. Dan also looks forward to visiting other national parks. When at Sacred Heart, one of his favorite memories was fellow ’70 alumni Larry Urmini’s van, which seems like a story that’s waiting to be told! Words to live by: “It’s later than you think!”

Leo Dominguez and his spouse Gayle have been happily married for 42 years. After he graduated from Sacred Heart, Leo went on to attend City College of San Francisco and Golden Gate University. He worked as a hospital administrator at Sutter Health, but now he is retired. Leo has volunteered much of his time to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and

Solano, SIR Branch 8, Gardens at Heather Farms and the Walden District Improvement Association. Leo has traveled all throughout Southeast Asia and Australia with hopes to go to Central and South America. When he’s home, he enjoys hiking, wine tasting, gardening and baking bread and pizza. Leo is also part of an automobile group. Words to live by: “Be respectful, acknowledge and appreciate.”

Geoffrey Fong has been living overseas for the last 36 years and is sorry he missed his Gold Diploma ceremony!

Matthew Harrington went on after Sacred Heart to graduate from Saint Mary’s College and University of California Hastings College of the Law, the latter of which has been recently renamed to University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. He has been a lawyer since 1977 with numerous successes in the courtroom. He has also donated his services to those who were in need of legal representation throughout his career. He hopes to retire this year. Matthew and his wife Mary Lisa have three daughters, and they are also grandparents to two grandsons and two granddaughters. He has volunteered his time as a coach to his daughters’ basketball, soccer and volleyball

teams, and he volunteered at his local Catholic church in Berkeley. One of his fondest trips was his honeymoon to London and Paris in 1980, though Matthew has also vacationed to Italy and Australia. Recently, he’s come to love traveling to the Pacific Northwest. Matthew recalls the fun he had as a general reporter and sports editor for the Shamrock in his senior year. He was honored to receive awards at graduation, given to him by votes from the faculty. Words to live by: “Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.”

Mike Kerns is retired with 10 grandchildren. He is currently enjoying his free time by traveling and playing golf. Some of his favorite travel escapes include Paris, Barcelona, Ireland and Hawaii. Mike volunteers his time to Native Sons and the Olympic Club. When he was a student, Mike enjoyed playing all the sports offered to him from Sacred Heart High School. Words to live by: “Live everyday to the fullest.”

Claudio Luporini attended Golden Gate University after SH, achieving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Administrative Management. He has two children with his wife Diane and four grandchildren. He is currently the Managing Director at C. Luporini & Associates/Bella Ceramica. Claudio spends his free time enjoying

sports such as football, basketball, baseball, tennis, golf and even European soccer. Aside from that, he enjoys Renaissance art, making and eating good food and wine. Claudio loves to spend time with his family, enjoying all the trips they’ve been able to take together, from Disneyland to Italy. When thinking back to his time at SH, Claudio holds one memory every SH student cherished: beating SI! Words to live by: “Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.” — Pope John XXIII

John Mattias has two sons and four grandsons. He has been married to his wife Diane for 50 years. After Sacred Heart High School, John attended City College and joined the Coast Guard. Now retired, John spends his time fishing and watching his grandsons play sports. He volunteers his time coaching soccer and baseball in Foster City and baseball and basketball at St. Matthew's School. It is no surprise that John’s favorite memory at SH is playing football for all four years. And, of course, making friends for life. He recalls his favorite teachers: Brother Antonio and Brother Thomas. Words to live by: “Live life the best you can and don’t look back.”

William Phillips is a retired CFO, married with one child and two grandchildren. His favorite memory of Sacred Heart was returning to it after experiencing public school for the first time. After he graduated, William graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA in Accounting. He volunteers his time now as an Easthaven Baptist Church men’s ministry leader, a Bible study leader, and a counselor for Hope Pregnancy Ministry. When he’s not dedicating his time to help others, William enjoys spending time skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and enjoying off-road motorcycles. Words to live by: “This life will pass, only what's done for God will last.”

Laurence Urmini and his wife Jane Ann are grandparents to four granddaughters, with ages ranging from eight to two years old. He considers himself a hammock specialist, with the love of traveling to complement it. Laurence fondly remembers his recent trip to Eastern Canada, which was the first trip he was able to do since the beginning of the pandemic. When looking back at his time at Sacred Heart High School, he enjoyed his time most playing football and learning under Brother Antonio. Words to live by: “Be strong, be helpful, take care of yourself, then you can take care of your family.”

CLASS OF 1973 CATHEDRAL

Yvonne Berolini Busch and her husband Robert are proud parents of two children, and four grandchildren. Yvonne is now retired, and in her spare time enjoys gardening, cooking, and traveling. Her favorite escape is her home in Italy. Looking back on her days at Cathedral, Yvonne enjoyed cheerleading.

Lydia Hernandez Herrera has two loving children and grandchildren. When Lydia is not working at AT&T in the communication technology department, she loves to travel. Noting that a European Cruise was one of her greatest memories. As a student at Cathedral, Lydia’s fondest memories were spending lunchtime with her friends, and being in Sr. DePaul’s classroom. Words to live by: “Pay attention to details” — Sr. DePaul

Kathleen Marlborough

Dubon spent two years at University of San Francisco and three years at City College of San Francisco where she received the Bank of America Achievement Award in Land Surveying. She

has also won 3rd Place Jr. National Synchronized Swimming Championship; 2nd Place Germany Invitational Synchronized Swimming Championship; 1st Place SF Invitational Synchronized Swimming Championship; National Judge-US Synchronized Swimming. Kathleen raised two wonderful sons, Edward and Steven, as a single mother and has two great-grandchildren with her husband Reverend J. Toby M. Dubon. She is now retired from the City and County of San Francisco Recreation and Park Department after 37+ years in the Aquatics Division, and volunteers as a swim instructor at Garfield Pool, and on the parent committee for 8th grade Graduation at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. Looking back at her time at Cathedral, Kathleen enjoyed co-directing the Junior Tableau production of A Charlie Brown Christmas with Tamara Kumansky Chichkanoff, and her favorite teacher was her biology teacher Mr. Gary Brown. Words to live by: “Love is Love; treat everyone with respect “

Albertina Paz graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. After 35 years of service, Albertina retired from the United States Postal Service. In her retirement, Albertina enjoys driving to National Parks and gardening

in her home. While Albertina has received numerous awards for her service, her greatest achievement is maintaining a loving and respectful relationship with her husband, Dave, who has been her greatest blessing. Looking back on her days at Cathedral, Albertina loved being a part of the drill team events, being in the drama club, and being in Mrs. Reed’s classroom. Words to live by: “If it is to be it is up to me.”

Martha Razo Gonzalez and her husband, Exiquio are the proud parents of three children, and three grandchildren. After retiring from AT&T, Martha enjoys volunteering at her grandchildren’s school, and taking family cruises in her spare time. Martha is also an avid coin collector with a neat collection. Lunchtime with friends, as Martha recalls, was her favorite during her time at Cathedral. Martha proudly won the South San Francisco Unified District Schools Award for her service. Words to live by: “God’s love never fails.”

— Sr. DePaul

Grace Rodriguez Nelson graduated from San Francisco State with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and a master’s degree in Counseling. After serving as a probation officer and a victim services manager for the District Attorney’s Office, Grace proudly retired after being awarded the 30 Years of Service Award from San Mateo

County. Now, in her spare time, Grace enjoys long walks, aerobic classes, and making travel photo books. Her favorite travel destination is Italy, which she’s visited four times. Grace thinks back to her Cathedral days with great fondness for her friends, for the memories made together and for her favorite teachers, Sr. DePaul, Sr. Adele, Miss Williams and Mr. Mireles. Most notably, Grace enjoyed the co-ed classes, her Sophomore Retreat, and being a cheerleader with some of her closest friends. Words to live by: “Always enjoy today, as we never know what tomorrow may bring.”

Linda Rubel O’Rourke graduated from College of San Mateo nursing school and San Francisco State. After 40 years of service, Linda retired as a Registered Nurse in the Intensive Care Nursery at Children’s Hospital, now CPMC. Linda married Sacred Heart High School friend Kevin O’Rourke ’72 in 2006 after re-connecting with him in 2002. Linda has one son, one daughter, three stepdaughters, and four grandchildren. In her spare time, Linda enjoys painting, yoga, reading, going to the movies, and traveling. She enjoys going to Maui every March where she celebrates her birthday and wedding anniversary, and goes whale watching. Looking back on her days at Cathedral, Linda recalls

helping in the school office withSue Elvander ’62 and Mrs. Kuhn, going to Sacred Heart games, dances, and the coed classes. She remembers fondly the retreats with Grace Rodriguez and Jackie Linich and running for Sacred Heart’s prom queen. Her favorite teachers include Mrs. Reed, Mrs. Gavin, and Mrs. Kuhn. Words to live by: “Be nice to somebody sad and treat others the way you want to be treated.”

SACRED HEART

Mario Aviles served in the US Army from 1974 to 1978. He went on to work in information technology and sales until retiring. He and his wife, Mona are grandparents to three granddaughters and one grandson. Currently, he enjoys traveling and gardening. His favorite travel locations are Italy, Spain and Portugal. When looking back at Sacred Heart, Mario enjoyed the school dances and sports games. Words to live by: “Never point a finger at anyone as you have three pointing back at you.”

Joseph Bardine and his wife Bernadette are parents to two SHC alumni: Connor ’10 and Cara ’11. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Radio & Television. He

worked in office technology with Savin, TaylorMade, Ikon Office Solutions and Ricoh-USA. Joseph has received many awards and recognition for all of his work. Now retired, he spends his time playing guitar and working with computers. Of course, he also spends time with his dog, Ginger. He has spent his summers at Lakeview Haven Resort, starting in 1964. In 2021, he had a reunion with old friends who would join him in Lakeview at Pine Acres. He greatly enjoyed boating and swimming there. When looking back at Sacred Heart, Joseph liked attending all the sporting events with his lifelong friends: Rick Vallangca, Mike Roche & Rich Sayerwin. Words to live by:

“Be a lifelong learner!”

Kevin Barrett graduated from San Francisco State University with a dual degree in Political Science and International Relations, both with honors. He served in the army for four years, two of those years in Germany. Kevin has also lived in Liverpool, England for five years and Saudi Arabia for two and a half years. Since 2017, he has retired from federal government work, mainly working in IT and computers. He spends his time blogging and reading, and he is trying to learn the guitar. When he was a student, Kevin enjoyed participating in his senior choir. Words to live by:

“The honor is to serve.”

Louis Bertolini retired from A. Tarantino & Sons in 2021 after 18 years and from the wholesale food industry after 45 years. He is now living in Reno, Nevada and enjoying the retired life.

John Centurioni graduated from San Francisco State, joining the San Francisco Sheriff's Department from 1979-1983. He then joined the SF Police Department, staying with them until his retirement in 2014. He considers his greatest achievement was working on street patrol for the SFPD. John volunteers his time as part of his local Homeowners Association Board of Directors. He and his wife Julie have two daughters, and one of his fondest vacations was to Hawaii. Words to live by: “Always do the right thing.”

Ernest Delli Gatti is a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, where he has been awarded various military decorations and awards for his work. During his time with the Air Force, he worked in the Rescue Coordination Center. Later on, he worked with United Airlines as an Engine Planner. Ernest also keeps aircrafts in mind during his free time. He is most interested in solving cold cases involving missing aircraft. He also enjoys cooking, traveling, and woodworking. When he was in the Air Force, Ernest lived in Niersbach, Germany for three

years. Words to live by: “You never know what you accomplish until you try…”

Kevin Dempsey is a retired sergeant of the San Francisco Police Department. He has traveled to the Greek Islands twice in his life, both times for a month each. Now, he spends his time enjoying antique cars, otherwise known as “hot rods.” Words to live by: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Ray DeRenzo is a retired tech executive with two patents for video content navigation under his name. He is currently on the Advisory Board of two med-tech startups and three social enterprises. During his career, Ray traveled and worked in 29 different countries, with his favorite locations being Italy, Switzerland and Japan. He spends his free time with golf, classic cars and fine wines. He is currently a Professor of Practice teaching graduate students at Hult International Business School in San Francisco and London. Ray still remembers his first day of school as a freshman and the challenges of finding classrooms, getting his locker open and taking the muni back and forth to school. His favorite teacher was Mr. N.T. Johnson, who apparently had quite the wardrobe. Words to live by: “Be kind … mean people suck.”

Sal DiGrande was the Editor-in-Chief for Sacred Heart’s Blue & White newspaper. Now he is retired from the manager position of Maritime Marketing at the Port of Oakland. He traveled to Asia and Northern Europe for work, but his favorite vacation was Paris with his wife Gracie and their kids. Sal’s favorite school memory was a legendary basketball game during his freshman year. It was the Sacred Heart Varsity Basketball team versus Riordan, who was ranked number one in Northern California at the time. SH beat Riordan by a score of 54-52. Sal is currently enjoying his time in Napa Valley with his family and close friends. Words to live by: “Always do the best you can.”

Joe Hession considers his greatest achievement to be watching his two sons graduate from UC schools and move on to fulfilling, professional careers. He has retired from teaching and coaching at Serra High School after 30 years, and now, Joe works as the San Francisco 49er team historian. In his spare time, Joe enjoys traveling. One of his favorite trips was to South Africa with his sons;

first, they surfed at Jeffrey’s Bay and then traveled on a wildlife safari. He recalls seeing an amazing array of animals: lions, cheetahs, elephants and rhinos to name a few. When he is in the Bay, Joe volunteers his time to helping veterans at the Palo Alto VA. Words to live by: “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.”

— Satchel Paige

Rick Landucci currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife, Karen. Together, they have two daughters and three grandchildren. He is currently retired from the parking industry in San Francisco. Rick had the opportunity to play baseball professionally in Italy for seven years. He also played baseball for SH when he was a student. Words to live by: “Treat others like you would like to be treated.”

Paul Pereira recently retired from Wells Fargo after 41 + years of service, most recently as a Finance and Accounting Manager in the Asset Management (mutual funds) group, which included holding five FINRA securities licenses. He lives in the SF outer Parkside with his wife Regina and sons, who are current SHC students: Matthew Pereira '24, and Luke Pereira '26. Paul is looking forward

to working on his golf game and seeing his SHC Class of 1973 classmates at his Gold Diploma 50th anniversary reunion ceremony in April.

Tom Robertson and his wife Kathy are grandparents to seven grandchildren. Tom is retired, having worked in the Young’s Market Company as a liquor and wine wholesaler. He won the award of Salesman of the Year in both 1989 and 1990. Now retired, Tom enjoys his time golfing and fishing, and he volunteers his time at the Moraga Food Bank. When thinking about his time at Sacred Heart, Tom recalls fondly playing football with his friends and studying under Mr. Lou Myers ’55, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Luchetti. Words to live by: “Enjoy each day since tomorrow is not promised.”

John Scudder, Jr. is currently retired, enjoying his time since being a part of Sacred Heart Cathedral. He and his wife Judy enjoyed every moment of their time in SHC. He considers his achievement to be seeing the school continue to grow. He currently spends his time golfing and traveling, with his favorite location to visit being France. His favorite memory of Sacred Heart is the lifelong friendships he made during those four years.

Pete Siragusa is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard. He is currently a San Francisco Police Inspector. He considers his greatest achievement to be married to his wife Sue for 45 years. Together they have traveled a lot in their RV and enjoy spending time in their home in Twain Harte. In his free time, Pete enjoys fishing and pickleball.

John Terrazas married his high school sweetheart Anita, and they have celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. In total, they have been together for over 50 years. He is currently retired from working at Safeway for 38 years. He spends his well deserved free time now playing cards and shooting pool.

Bob Vazquez graduated from UC Davis with a medical degree. He is currently a practicing physician with a specialty in family medicine. He was recognized as one of America’s Best Doctors from 2009 to 2020. He was also the former Chief of Internal Medicine and Family Medicine in the Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation. In his free time, Bob enjoys playing piano and learning music theory. Words to live by: “Semper Fi.”

1967

The rain didn't stop Gary Vannucchi and his Class of 1967 Sacred Heart graduates from gathering at Firenze by Night in North Beach to catch up and eat good food. It was a pleasure seeing everyone who came!

1972

With the updated info in her Gold Alumni booklet, Irene Gillogley Carroll visits the City about once a year, reconnecting with a fellow Cathedral alumna, the “delightful!” Maria Fassio Pignati. She hope to see more of the class of 1972 next March. They'll all be nearing 70 by then!!!

1975

Mary McCarthy Morales is retired and happy!

Tom Mourgos and his wife are in their new house in Kentucky. It's a two year-old patio home. The best part is, it's paid for. Go Irish, indeed.

1987

Allen Brown, Jr. is the vice president of World Wide Tech Support in Infoblox. He owns and operates his own recording studio. Currently, Allen lives in San Jose, California. Go Irish! Go Niners!

1993

Marco Cerri and David Canepa quickly catching up at the San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade, as David campaigns for a seat in Congress.

1998

Emily Giometti lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and their two children, ages 8 and 13. She works as a Special Trial Attorney for the Office of Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service, where she litigates the government's largest and most complex tax disputes. Her debut novel — On Earth as it Is on Television — will be published under the pen name Emily Jane in June 2023 by Hyperion Avenue/ Disney Books.

2015

After playing four years of Division 1 collegiate volleyball and graduating from the University of Southern California in 2019, Madison Murtagh recently graduated magna cum laude from her post-baccalaureate BSN from Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing in New York City. She will be starting her career as a Registered Nurse in NYC and hopes to pursue additional education in the coming years. Go Irish!

2022

Jesse Murphy, III has recently begun his career as Military Police for the United States Air Force as Security Forces. Currently, he is assigned to the 343rd Security Forces Training Squadron at Joint-Base San Antonio, Lackland, Texas. Jesse's first duty station will be Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota where he?ll be assigned to the 28th Security Forces Squadron, apart of MAJCOM Global Strike Command where the Air Force’s focus is nuclear deterrence and peace

through strength. Jesse wanted to share his update as the faculty and staff of SHC provided him the necessary tools to be successful in life, especially being an intercity kid where sports for him were a way out of the uncertainty of his environment. Shout out the SHC Football Team. Go Irish!

Celebratory Giving Program

Listed on the following pages are the names of SHC community members’ family, friends and loved ones who are listed in SHC’s Book of Remembrance. Melinda Lawlor Skrade, PhD, the Christian Brothers and the Daughters of Charity offer prayers and Masses for the special intentions requested in honor of members of our school community each month. Please remember them in your prayers.

This list reflects contributions made from October 1, 2022 through February 28, 2023.

IN HONOR

Class of 1970

Mike Creedon ’70 & Susan Bartholomew

Tim Burke ’70

Kathleen & Frank Charlton, Jr.

Audrey Byrne ’24

Paul Byrne

Juliet Byrne ’26

Paul Byrne

Mike Hardeman

Nancy & Shawn Kelly

Nancy Burke McCarthy

Aidan McGrath ’24

John McGrath

Ramsey Musallam, Ed.D.

Mary & Alex Petrilli, Jr.

Thomas Rowan

Marty Gent ’66 & Jane Gent

John Scudder, Jr. ’73

Margaret Coyne & Tom Paoli

Brother Arnold Stewart, FSC

Troy Nunley ’82 & Susan Lawrence

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

Donna Gray Sheehan

Barry Sheehan ’65

WELL WISHES

Dolly Braida

Carol Jones Hupke ’54 & Peter Hupke

Helen Grima ’65

Rosie Lawlor Horan ’65 & Jim Horan

Sister Frances Meyer, DC

Rosie Lawlor Horan ’65 & Jim Horan

SHC Faculty and Staff

Shawn Singleton ’88

IN MEMORY

Bob Abeling ’55 John Zeiter, Sr. ’53 & Marie Zeiter

Harvey Anderson ’74 Bob King

Winifred Anderson Bob King

Marge Ann Baker Tom Ivancich ’70 & Sandra Ivancich

Paul Arretche ’80

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

John Bardini ’82

Shirley Bardini

Ted Cercos ’77 & Jane Cercos

Brother Joseph Fabiano, FSC

Patricia Hicks

Daniel Kennedy ’62 & Claudia Kennedy

Lisa Lindsey

Frank Mazzucco ’76 & Jo Mazzucco

Pat Mazzucco

Tippy Mazzucco ’78 & Kathryn Mazzucco

Terry Oleary

Leo Patane ’76 & Marge Patane

Margaret Paylow

Marie & Jim Piccetti

Nancy & Anthony Sorth

John Barulich ’49

Nada Barulich

Heidi Berke

Rosie Lawlor Horan ’65 & Jim Horan

Dominic Berterretche ’74

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

Adolph Capurro ’49

Jeanne Capurro

Rochelle Celedon

Kathleen & Frank Charlton, Jr.

Tillie Clifford

Paula & Joe McGuinness

Michael Cunneen ’55

John Zeiter, Sr. ’53 & Marie Zeiter

Hilbert Curran

Michael Nerney ’75 & Roselle Nerney

Philip Doherty ’61

Sue Walsh

Kenneth Domingues ’50

Ron Domingues ’54 & Joan Domingues

Lorraine Etcheverry

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

Anna Ferrando

Dennis Callaghan ’71 & Carol Callaghan

Dolores Flinn

Lorraine Baptista

Sean Foley ’80

John Shanley ’80 & Dawn Shanley

Ron Gaggero ’53

John Zeiter, Sr. ’53 & Marie Zeiter

James Garvey ’88

Mark Pardini ‘88 & Petra Andersson-Pardini

Frank Grimley ’50

Carol Jones Hupke ’54 & Peter Hupke

John Moriarty

Ed Summerville ’50

Mike Hardeman

Michael Nerney ’75 & Roselle Nerney

Dan Ryan ’69

Patricia Hayes

Kathleen & Charles White

Bill Henneberry ’48

Mike Harrington ’68 & Barbara Harrington

Warren Johnston ’48 & Betty Johnston

Kevin McNaughton ’78 & Leslie McNaughton

Andres Herrera

Denise & John Branch

John Hewatt, IV

Bill Powers ’69 & Diane Powers

Elisabeth Hipp

Warren Johnston ’48 & Betty Johnston

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Clara Joost

Kaaren Alvarado

Rob Aveson ’74 & Cathy Aveson

Brother Joseph Fabiano, FSC

Diane & Gregory Gatto

Frank Joost ’81 & Sarah Joost

Susan Langbehn-Ott

Frank Lavin ’81 & Teresa Bondanza-Lavin

Carolyn & David Ledda

John Moriarty

Therese Povey

Janet Ruggiero

John Schelling

John Schoenstein

Angie Karas

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Richard Keane ’44

Dick Morosi ’61

William Keith

Melinda & Phil Skrade

Aileen Moriarty Kelly ’47

John Moriarty

Katherine King

Bob King

Mary Kositzin

Patty Shea Diner ’65 & Chris Diner, Sr. ’65

Pierre Labat

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

Richard Lapice ’70

Leo Dominguez ’70 & Gayle Dominguez

Lynn Lee

Patty Shea Diner ’65 & Chris Diner, Sr. ’65

Rosie Lawlor Horan ’65 & Jim Horan

Joe Kennedy, Sr. ’65 & Clo Kennedy

Cornelius Lyons ’54

Jean & Brian Wisecarver

Anna Machi

Peter Machi ’61 & Adrianne Machi

Lynn Maddan

Barbara O’Brien

Kay Schultz

Mike Maddan, Sr.

Barbara O’Brien

Teresa Mayes

Dennis Harrington ’67 & Tina Harrington

Catherine McDonagh

John Kelleher ’64 & Annely Kelleher

John McLaughlin, Jr.

Carol Jones Hupke ’54 & Peter Hupke

Ronald Mirkovich

Ron Mirkovich ’73 & Christine Mirkovich

Kevin Molinari ’77

Ted Cercos ’77 & Jane Cercos

Isako Momono

Margi & Doug Beima

Daniel Moriarty

John Moriarty

Christopher Morris ’01

Joan Abate

Barbara & Dennis Morris

Virginia Munoz

Denise & John Branch

Jim Murphy ’65

Barbara & Walter Bankovitch

Nancy & Shawn Kelly

Deborah Carlin Murphy ’71 & Eugene Murphy

Jack Nerney

Kevin Nerney ’00

Conrad Nervi

Estate of Wanda E. Nervi

Jack Noonan ’50

Frank Noonan ’52 & Lois Noonan

Gene Norgard ’73

Richard Camozzi ’73

Ray DeRenzo ’73

Salvatore DiGrande ’73 & Gracie Digrande

Joseph Filice

Matthew Graham

Rick Landucci ’73 & Karen Landucci

Paul Pereira ’73 & Regina Sung

Bert Rodgers, III ’73 & Maria Rodgers

Thomas O’Brien

Barbara O’Brien

Tim O’Brien

Barbara O’Brien

Tom O’Brien ’69

Barbara O’Brien

Ed O’Connor ’44

May & Thomas Barisone

Joseph Corvino ’52 & Carol Corvino

Tony Pulvirenti ’69 & Karen Pulvirenti

Michael Richman

Dan Ryan ’69

Deborah & Jerry Sullivan

John Palu ’65

Deborah Carlin Murphy ’71 & Eugene Murphy

Julian Pardini ’49

Mark Pardini ‘88 & Petra Andersson-Pardini

Linda Pedroni

Bill Powers ’69 & Diane Powers

Jerry Phillips

Sara Graham

Barbara Pulizzano

James Mullane ’70

Ronald Retana ’51

Leanne Chipchase-Retana

James Roddy

Kathleen & Charles White

Mariano Rosario

Kathleen & Charles White

Brother Owen Rowan

Nick Dawson ’72 & Elaine Dawson

Tom Rowan ’55

Brother Joseph Fabiano, FSC

James Mullane ’70

Tom Owen ’69 & Nancy Owen

Matthew Ryan, Jr. ’39

Larry Ryan ’65

Ray Ryan ’48

Warren Johnston ’48 & Betty Johnston

Rosine Ryan

Kathleen & Frank Charlton, Jr.

Charles Schelter

Denise & John Branch

Gilbert Schoenstein ’47

John Moriarty

Maureen Schoenstein

Therese Povey

George Sollini ’68

Ed O’Donnell, Jr. ’69 & Donna O’Donnell

Sheila Sterling

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

Joe Kennedy, Sr. ’65 & Clo Kennedy

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Marian Sullivan

Carol Jones Hupke ’54 & Peter Hupke

Emilio Tallerico

Brother Joseph Fabiano, FSC

Frank Villani-Harper ’56

Dennis Sheehy ’56 & Karen Sheehy

Toni Arditi Vincenzi ’69

Dan Vincenzi ’00 & Lia Vincenzi

Beverly Webb

Marty Gent ’66 & Jane Gent

Steve Wilson

Mark Pardini ‘88 & Petra Andersson-Pardini

Ernest Zeiter ’55

John Zeiter, Sr. ’53 & Marie Zeiter

Jonathan Zink ’69

Maureen Zink

CHRISTMAS STARS

Wayne Alba

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Antonio Alvaro

Tony Alvaro ’71 & Charlotte Alvaro

Cosme and Felicia Alvaro

Tony Alvaro ’71 & Charlotte Alvaro

Rosalinda Alvaro

Tony Alvaro ’71 & Charlotte Alvaro

Agnes Anderholden

Karen & Conrad Grass

Don Anderson ’44

Carolyn Anderson

Harvey Anderson ’74

Bob King

Philip Anderson

Carolyn Anderson

Tim Baptista ’99

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

Dan Barden ’59

James Barden ’62 & Carolyn Barden

George Barry

James Barry ’74 & Mary Ann Barry

Jane Barry

James Barry ’74 & Mary Ann Barry

Frank Bozzini

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

Richard Brady ’45

Gregory Porter ’78 & Kathy Brady-Porter

Nicholas Calabro

Pete Calabro ’64 & Victoria Calabro

Alice Johnson Callagy ’53

Ginger Fontaine ’54

Jesse Callejas ’03

Sal Callejas ’73 & Lucy Callejas

Marie & Daniel Sampior

Leon Sorhondo ’67 & Nicole Sorhondo

Charles Cherry, Jr.

Jamie Cherry & David Valentine

Edith Cherry

Jamie Cherry & David Valentine

Charles Cooley

Corwin Cooley & Maria Gonzalez

Con Corkery

Ann Corkery

Carmela Corritore

Annette Wild

Sam Corritore

Annette Wild

Danny Curran ’98

Tad Tassone ’69 & Barbara Tassone

Haydee Diaz

Dora Diaz & Louie Vargas

Luis Diaz

Dora Diaz & Louie Vargas

“Do not have any anxiety about the future. Leave everything in God’s hands for he will take care of you.”

ST. JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE

Jim Diggins ’44

Rob Aveson ’74 & Cathy Aveson

Margaret Diggins

Janet Drutz

Kimberly & David Drutz

Mike Dunne

Laurel & Roger Bross

Jim Enright

Carol & Jim Enright

Clara Estrada

Carol & Peter Quigley

Bill Farrell ’79

Annette Farrell

Mary Winifred Fierro

Diane O’Malley & Fran Finnegan, II

Carolyn Foo

Merilyn & Warren Wong

Pat Forbush

Rob Aveson ’74 & Cathy Aveson

Bob Ford ’52

Marlene Ford

Barbara Crotty Frost ’44

Mary Frost Sweeney ’75 & Jim Sweeney

Brian Frost

Mary Frost Sweeney ’75 & Jim Sweeney

William Frost ’40

Mary Frost Sweeney ’75 & Jim Sweeney

Kelly Gallagher ’95

Nancy & Lloyd Coyne

Leone Fontaine Germenis ’53

Ginger Fontaine ’54

Ernie Gomes

Jan & Tom Dennison

Nubia Gomez

Corwin Cooley & Maria Gonzalez

Katie Hallisy

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Thomas Haymond

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Tom Horan, Jr. ’40

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Brad Humphrey

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Kenneth Hupke ’82

Carol Jones Hupke ’54 & Peter Hupke

Dolores Jacobberger

Nancy & Lloyd Coyne

Betsy James

Scott Dreier

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Bobby Jones

Natalie Klinkhammer

Jean Marie Kallus

Diane O’Malley & Fran Finnegan, II

Angie Karas

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

The Kardum & Portillo Family

Kardum & Joe Portillo

Adrian Kelly

Maureen Kelly

Mary Kelly

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

Rose Kelly

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

Tommy Kelly

Mary & Jean Curutchet & Sons

Kerry Klinkhammer

Natalie Klinkhammer

Lena Koeppen

Jim Koeppen

Michael Leung

Lillian But ’10

Thomas Robert Rowan ’55

Also known as Brother Owen, FSC and Brother Thomas, FSC, Thomas Robert Rowan ’55 passed away peacefully on December 15, 2022 at home in San Bruno at the age of 85. Born in San Francisco he grew up with his brothers John “Jack”, James “Jim”, William “Bill”, and Gary. Living in the City was always an adventure for them. Tom grew up being a devoted 49er and Giants fan, and summers were spent at their home at the Russian River. He was a Christian Brother for 35 years, serving first as a teacher and Vice Principal at Sacred Heart High School, returning in later years as the school’s Director of Development. Tom spent the last 15 years as teacher, administrator, and counselor at Junipero Serra High School, San Mateo. His second vocation was as a husband and father for 30 years. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years Sarah, his son Michael as well as nieces and nephews: Annemarie (Matt), Steven, Eric (Lainie), Brian (Lori), Zackery (Erin), Ashley, Cathi, Chad, and Siobhan (Dustin).

Norman Lew

Norene & Peter dePeñaloza

Alberto Liu, Jr.

Penelope Yip & Alberto Liu, Jr.

Marie Liu

Penelope Yip & Alberto Liu, Jr.

Ann Lynch

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

George Lynch, Sr. ’35

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

Lu Ann Murtha Lynch ’74

Noelle Cirimele Cruse ’74 & John Cruse

Kevin Maguire

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

James Mattias

Cathy Mattias

Jack McDonagh

Donna McDonagh

Ed McHugh

Mary & Terry McHugh

Ursula McHugh

Mary & Terry McHugh

Isako Momono

Jo Ann Momono

Andrew Moore ’08

Joanne Moore

Gregory Morris ’01

Barbara & Dennis Morris

Vincent Morris

Florence Morris

Frank Nann ’50

Ray Nann ’51 & Barbara Nann

George Nann ’57

Ray Nann ’51 & Barbara Nann

Jack Noonan ’50

Frank Noonan ’52 & Lois Noonan

John and Catherine O’Connell

Tom O’Connell ’67 & Barbara O’Connell

Ed O’Connor ’44

Tom Callen, Jr. ’65 & Lynne Callen

Rae Fallon

Maureen Horan

Mike and Vicki O’Connor

Dennis Owen ’67 & Carolynn Owen

Candie Whooley

Edward O’Connor

Patricia Bordin

Debbie Odom

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Chizzie Omori

Sharon Yasukawa

Dick Omori

Sharon Yasukawa

Rupert Palacios

Giselle Palacios-Delmundo ’94 & Tom Delmundo

Robert Panina

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Anita Parton

Annette Wild

Joyce Pasero

Lori Parenti

Larry Pasero ’69

Lori Parenti

Dolly Patt

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Jerry Phillips

Jan Phillips

Merlin Porter, III ’81

Gregory Porter ’78 & Kathy Brady-Porter

Merlin Porter, Jr.

Gregory Porter ’78 & Kathy Brady-Porter

The Deceased Members of the Quan Family

Ken Quan

Sarah Quigley

Carol & Peter Quigley

Barbara Quilici

Frank Mazzucco ’76 & Jo Mazzucco

Ronald Retana ’51

Leanne Chipchase-Retana

Tony Ribera, Jr.

Cathy & Tony Ribera,Ph.D

Bob Roemer

Jo Ann Momono

Joan Roemer

Jo Ann Momono

Joanne Ryan

Mike Johnston ’71 & Cris Johnston

Warren Johnston ’48 & Betty Johnston

Rosine Ryan

Dan Ryan ’69

Robert Sattui ’47

Marie Sattui

Rosalie Scalise Tallerico

Theresa & William Bastida

Louise Serafini

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

Bill Shore, Jr.

Bill Shore ’52 & Jeanne Shore

Gene Simpson ’49

Joy & Ed Kimball

Ray Sleeper

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

Ruth Sleeper

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

Carin Smith-Wirt

Kathryn Ekegren & Phong Pham

Josephine Sowell

Heather Ramsey & Daniel Sowell

Francesco Spagnoli

Jamie Cherry & David Valentine

Albert Stipitivich

Pete Calabro ’64 & Victoria Calabro

Mike Symkowick ’69

Jill Symkowick

Emilio Tallerico

Theresa & William Bastida

Anne Marie Tassone

Tad Tassone ’69 & Barbara Tassone

Mary Thiel

Vido Thiel ’65

Angelina Tognotti

Dave Tognotti ’65 & Cecilia Tognotti

Rico Tognotti

Dave Tognotti ’65 & Cecilia Tognotti

Eugene Udovich, Jr. ’63

Sharon Udovich

Dorothy Vanucchi

George Lynch, Jr. ’67 & Sue Lynch

Paul Vigo

Dom Panina ’80 & Colleen Panina

Don Wild ’61

Rosemary & Carlos Rivas

Annette Wild

Madeline Wild

Annette Wild

Merilyn Wong

Merilyn & Warren Wong

We remember in our prayers the alumni who have recently passed away:

Lloyde Appleby ’60

Paul Arretche ’80

John Bardini ’82

Dominic Berterretche ’74

Joseph Bruno ’73

Ronald Castillon ’70

Kathy De Bardeleben ’73

Raoul Fanfelle ’56

Daniel Foley ’62

Paul Guardino ’70

Philip Guelfi ’73

Jim Healy ’50

Darryl Hughes ’81

Chester Jung ’61

Joseph Lagomarsino ’55

Donald Madden ’47

Kevin Molinari ’77

Jim Murphy ’65

Ed O’Connor ’44

Noel Palacios ’62

John Palu ’65

Fred Pardella ’57

Michael Passaglia ’76

Arnold Pieri ’48

Michael Radmilovich ’65

Luis Ramos ’52

Tom Rowan ’55

Mark Sheehan ’70

George Sollini ’68

*The alumni acknowledged here are only those for whom we received notification.

“Lord, help me to make time today to serve you in those who are most in need of encouragement or assistance.” ST. VINCENT DE PAUL