As I celebrate my 50th anniversary of Investiture, I reflect on all the good things the Lord has done for me. Through my life, there have been gifts that have directed me to go down the paths I have taken.
God began guiding my journey with my adoption by my loving, religious family. Grammar school with the nuns and high school with the Brothers at De La Salle Collegiate in Warren MI (DLS), planted the seed of a vocation. Although I was in the fledgling College Contact Program, it was not until a chance encounter on the Notre Dame campus with two Brothers from DLS, Tony Flynn and Gabe Fagan, that God’s call became clearer. I always wanted to teach, to give back what I had been given by God; the Brothers provided the fraternal setting—not that it was an easy path. My first years of teaching were highly unsuccessful. My career was rescued by Br. Brice Patrick, my principal, who said I just needed some confidence.
The years passed in a blur. I have enjoyed working with students on the college level at Manhattan College and Bethlehem University. I have relished working with high school students, notably at St. Joe’s in Buffalo NY (SJCI), and DLS in Warren. I have had the opportunity to teach college level classes to high school students, and remedial classes to college students.
God also led me into administration, and gave me the strength to lead La Salle Academy in downtown Manhattan during the 9/11 crisis. Of course, the road has had much fun in it: coaching baseball, basketball, lacrosse, golf, and fencing. Most notably, it gave me great joy to start the SJCI robotics team.
So here I am, “retired” in Homestead Florida, where I am Director of Administration, gardener, tutor, CFO, chief cook, and caretaker of a ten-acre avocado farm at our mission school, La Salle Educational Center.
Where will God lead me next?
