Category Archives: Spirit and Community

Catholic Schools Week Comes to an End; Three Employees are Honored

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Middle school students making blankets at SHINE Faith Sharing Lunch. Photo by Instagram @campusminnadems

Another successful Catholic Schools/Marianist Heritage Week has concluded at Chaminade College Preparatory. Students on both campuses enjoyed fun-filled, mission-driven activities. Middle schoolers enjoyed Dr. Seuss-themed special dress days and celebrated the week with an NJHS Bake Sale, Mix It Up Lunch, Faith Sharing, house picnic, and energetic Faith Rally.

High school students on a service trip with Habitat for Humanity. Photo by Instagram @nadeactivities

High school students commemorated the week with Random Acts of Kindness Lunch, an Instagram contest, the annual Fr. Chaminade Contest, a service trip with Habitat for Humanity, and an exciting Formation in Faith Rally.

Marianist Educators honored three fellow employees with the Blessed William Joseph Chaminade Award: Kelly Benning and Paul Sauter from West Hills, and Oscar Perez from Chatsworth. Each recipient was nominated by his or her peers for demonstrating one or more of the Characteristics of Marianist Education: integral, quality education; family spirit; adaptation and change; formation in faith; and service, justice, and peace.

Pictured left to right: Luis Guerra, Kelly Benning, Paul Sauter, and Bro. Adam Becerra, fsp. Photo by Pam Liceralde

Kelly Benning is the librarian at the West Hills campus. She makes the library an innovative learning space for discernment, reflection, and academic research. Under her leadership, the library is a gathering place where students are challenged to consider how they can contribute to society with their gifts and talents. 

Paul Sauter, biology teacher and science department chair on the West Hills campus, demonstrates compassion, humor, and love in all he does. Paul serves through the Kairos retreat every year and has coached in the past. He is always willing to give of himself to serve his students.

Pictured left to right: Nikki Russ, Oscar Perez, and Fr. Josephraj Rymond, S.M. Photo by Tommy Smeltzer

Oscar Perez is on the facilities staff at the Chatsworth campus. With a positive attitude, Oscar imparts warmth, understanding, and generosity in all he does, from setting up for Masses and rallies, to finding solutions to complicated campus problems. His work is precise, accurate, and done with a smile. Dedicated to helping students, faculty, and staff, Oscar has a hand in everything on the Chatsworth campus.

Four Alumni to be Inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame

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On Saturday, February 2, 2019, President Rob Webb and Chaminade College Preparatory will honor four alumni at the third annual Alumni Hall of Fame.

Mary McDonough ’79 Mary is an actor, activist, and author. She is most well -known for her role as Erin Walton on The Waltons. She has written three books, one memoir, and two novels. She is an advocate for women’s body issues and plastic surgery education and safety regulations. Mary also offers life coaching and workshops to provide tools for body image management to those in the entertainment industry.

Brittany Solis ’13 Brittany was a multi-sport athlete at Chaminade, playing varsity volleyball, soccer and softball. She continued her softball career at the University of Central Florida where she played all four years, starting every game and helping her team to win the American Athletic Conference Championships two times. Brittany is passionate about community service and hopes to work for the Dodgers. 

NetflixScott Stuber ’87 Scott is a film producer and currently heads Netflix’s original film department. He has produced over 30 films and 7 television series throughout his career. Scott was the vice chairman of worldwide production for Universal Pictures, producing films like Couples Retreat, The Fast and Furious Series and Role Models. Netflix expects to roll out 55 original films per year under Scott’s guidance and has already seen great success with Bird Box and Roma. 

Mathew Troupe ’11 Mathew was an all-around player on the varsity baseball team at Chaminade and later emerged as a talented pitcher. He played baseball for the University of Arizona where he pitched the final innings of the 2012 National Championship clinching the win against South Carolina as a freshman. He continued his career at CSUN as a player/coach. In 2017, Mathew was hired as the pitching coach at Emory University and he is currently the Director of Baseball Operations at the University of San Diego. 

Tickets are available online for this event at www.chaminade.org/Alumni_HOF.

The C-Notes Continue Tradition of Christmas Joy for the Sisters of Carondelet

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By Tommy Smeltzer

On Wednesday, December 5, one hundred Chaminade middle school students donned formal attire, boarded buses in the pouring rain and delivered the joyful sounds of Christmas to an audience of retired nuns who live at the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet center on the campus of Mount Saint Mary’s University. The C-Notes performed this year’s Christmas concert entitled Tidings of Comfort and Joy for scores of sisters gathered in the chapel, singing a variety of sacred and secular pieces in Latin, Swahili, and English. Many of the nuns who were unable to be moved watched the concert on closed-circuit TV in their rooms. 

The concert is an annual tradition going back four years but has roots in a Chaminade relationship that dates back much further. Years ago, middle school music and choral director Kathy Rohrs led a string ensemble that would play various events. She tells us, “We had a special Sister of Carondelet that worked at Chaminade for many years named Sr. Noreen Arnold. The Chaminade “String Affair” would go and do concerts each Christmas for Sr. Noreen and all the elderly Sisters of Carondelet. It was our way of bringing joy to others and sharing our God-given talents.” She goes on to say that, “Sadly, Sr. Noreen Arnold passed away in 2011 from cancer. The String Affair group would continue to do concerts for the sisters until they went on to college to study music and film.”

The Chaminade Sting Affair pictured left to right: Noreen Kovelman, Ronnie Mansour ’16, Breanna Kovelman ’14, Alex Mansour ’15 and Kathy Rohrs with Sr. Noreen Arnold in the center. 2011

The C-Notes concerts are a continuation of this tradition, performing in the beautiful Carondelet Center Chapel. Among the attendees at this year’s event were 105-year-old Sister Anne Gertrude Fitzgerald and her “little sister”103-year-old Sister Constance. At the end of concert Sister Regina Clare Salazar took to the mic to thank the students, “When we look at these young people from Chaminade middle school, we are honored and overcome with all that has gone into this production – your staging, your presence, your attention, everything about you is classic, and we are very, very proud of you and very grateful to Sister Noreen Patrice…that you could be with us.”

“I am so proud of Mrs. Rohrs and the 100 C-Notes members who braved the rain and cold to bring some Christmas joy to the nuns,” said middle school principal, Mike Valentine” It is inspiring to me to know that we have so many educators and students who are willing to give of themselves for others.”

Sister Sharon Margaret Ninteman, CSJ Community Life Coordinator, thanked the C-Notes for sharing their talents and bringing comfort and joy to the sisters. “They look forward to it every year and continue to talk about it the rest of the week,” says Sr. Ninteman. “The students, under Kathy’s direction, provided an excellent performance …and are a real testimony to the values you teach at Chaminade…to God’s glory!”­­

A Message from the President

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Dear Chaminade family,
With so much trauma in our area, let us be of one heart and hold on to our hope. Please join me in prayer for those in our Chaminade community who have suffered a significant loss due to the fires:

Loving Father,

Today we ask Your blessing and protection for the Chaminade family, especially those directly impacted by the fire. We stand in solidarity with all victims of loss as we struggle to find ways to show others the reason for our hope.

Educating in the Marianist Family Spirit is about creating a “home away from home;” a feeling of “place” that extends the boundaries of our four walls to include our neighbors, our beloved school, and its families. With Family Spirit as our mantra, in God’s name let us pray for and comfort each other during this time of great need.

May we be hope for our families who are stretched and suffering. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Communication will continue as the overall damages are assessed. Please continue to monitor your emails, the Chaminade website, and social media for updates.

God Bless,
Rob Webb P ’18 ’20

Share your All Souls’ Day Prayer Request with the Chaminade Marianist Community

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All Souls’ Day, November 2, is a day to remember family and friends who have been called by God to that eternal life we all hope to share.  Each year during this season, the Chaminade Marianist community invites you to submit the names of your deceased family and friends (please include the class year of deceased alumni.) The Marianists will place these names on the altar in their community chapel and remember them while celebrating the Eucharist throughout November.

The Marianist community is privileged to minister to you through this on-going Chaminade tradition.

Please CLICK HERE to fill out the form with the names of your deceased loved ones.