Br. Declan Murray passed away in his sleep on February 14th, 2011. He was a Marist Brother for 60 years, a teacher for 55 years, and an exemplary role model for generations of Stanners. He began his work for the Marist community at St. Helena’s High School in 1954. After brief transfers to Massachusetts and Miami, Br. Declan found his way back to St. Helena’s where he taught religion through the mid 70s. Despite not teaching at Molloy during that time, he developed a relationship with the school through Br. James Maher and the Marist camp at Esopus. Br. Declan was a strong proponent of student retreats and helped coordinate St. Helena’s visits to Esopus in the early 70s. Through his friendship with Br. James, Br. Declan encouraged Molloy to begin a retreat program that would take advantage of Esopus, much like St. Helena’s and other Marist schools did at the time. With that, Molloy’s retreat and encounter programs began. Br. Declan would make his transition to Archbishop Molloy High School in 1975, where he would continue teaching religion and co-running the retreat programs at Esopus. By this point fewer Marist schools took advantage of the camp grounds, but Br. Declan was passionate about keeping it vibrant with student activity. In this vain, Br. Declan pioneered freshman camp, a tradition that has had a lasting impact since its inception in 1977.
Whenever students or alumni think about what makes their Molloy school experience so special, often times the first thing they think about are days with their friends and the Marist Brothers at Esopus. According to Br. James Maher, “Freshman camp is a wonderful orientation program set in a recreational environment. It allows incoming students to make new friends, including upper classmen. It lets them get comfortable and diffuses some of the anxiety that comes with arriving at a new school. Ask any kid that went to freshman camp and they’ll tell you how great it was.” Similarly, the encounter program has inspired thousands of Stanners over the years to be more comfortable in their own skin, to open up to their peers, and to find a deeper spiritual presence in their lives. These revelations often inspire upper classmen and alumni to come back and volunteer at Esopus to help guide younger students in discovering themselves. None of this would be possible without the contributions of Br. Declan Murray, who perhaps spent more time with Stanners at Esopus than anyone else.
“Declan was exceptionally intelligent, articulate, and witty. When he spoke, people listened,” said Br. James, one of Br. Declan’s closest friends. It’s no surprise that he could hold court with students on retreats, but he was not only important in the scope of education; he was also an important Marist Brother. Early in his career as a Brother he was elected for at least three terms to serve on a special council that discussed issues under the direction of the Marist Provincial. He was also a founding member of his local Marist provincial chapter in 1968, a position he would be re-elected to every 3 years until his retirement. There is no doubt Br. Declan was highly regarded amongst his fellow Marist Brothers, but beyond the logistics were his passion for encouraging smiles, for education, for guiding young people, and for inspiring them to look deep within themselves.
In speaking about Br. Declan, Mr. Jim Sheldon said, “He was a lovable, gentile character who I can honestly say the kids loved.” Close friend Mr. Lou Santos shared, “He was ‘Deccy’. He was unassuming and personable, but deeper still. I worked with him at St. Helena’s in the Bronx, and when he transitioned to Molloy he brought me with him. More than 30 years later, I’m still here. I owe a lot to Br. Declan.” Lou also mentioned a celebration that was held for Br. Declan’s 55th year as a Marist educator. Many people associated with both Molloy and St. Helena’s attended, a testament to just how long he has been a beacon of inspiration. When asked to say a few words, Br. Declan said, “I just want to say that it all went exactly as I wrote it. Thank you very much.”
Br. Declan loved to teach, loved working with children, and insisted on maintaining friendships with his students well after graduation. He was, is, and will continue to be part of the substance that makes Archbishop Molloy High School what it is today. He was truly one of a kind, and he will be missed.
Around the School
Science Olympiad Team
Archbishop Molloy High School is proud to announce that it placed second among a field of 44 teams in the New York City Championships of the Science Olympiad held at Grover Cleveland High School on Saturday, February 5, 2011. This qualifies Molloy for the State Championship to be held on March 18 and 19th at West Point Military Academy. The top five schools included first place Benjamin Cardozo followed by Molloy, Collegiate, Townsend Harris, and Stuyvesant. Molloy was the highest ranked Catholic school in the competition.
The Science Olympiad is an interscholastic competition among public, private and parochial schools. It covers the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and engineering with competitions held at regional, state and national levels. Molloy has won five New York City Championships and has qualified for the state championship 20 times in the past 25 years. This year, Molloy placed first in the Mission Possible Competition, where Seniors George DeMarco and Serge Ostrowski and sophomore Christopher DeMarco built a fully functional Rube-Goldberg device. The device begins by dropping a quarter onto a mousetrap to cause a number of chain reactions, and it must operate automatically for as close to one minute as possible. Each stage triggers another event which ultimately ends with the raising of the school flag.
Other individual highlights for Molloy students included placing first in MagLev Vehicles and Experimental Design, second in Ecology, third in Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry Lab, and Optics and Tower Building, fourth in Ornithology, and fifth in Microbe Mission. In addition to the Mission Possible team, seniors Mary Rooney, Jovi Rodriguez, and William Vista, juniors Alexandra Woods, Thomas Hackimer, and Jennifer Hwu, and sophomores Joseph Ingrassia, Marion Galvez, Shibin Mathews, and Derrick Adam competed at an incredibly high level under outstanding Molloy teachers and coaches Mr. Michael DeMarco and Mr. Michael Nadeau.
National Merit Scholarship Program Finalists
Archbishop Molloy High School seniors Karen Zhou, Mary Rooney, and Judy Li (pictured left to right) have met all requirements to advance to finalist standing in the 2011 Competition For National Merit Scholarships®, an important achievement as they prepare for their college careers. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition established in 1955 which, according to NMSC, seeks to “identify and honor academically talented U.S. high school students, stimulate increased support for their education, and provide efficient and effective scholarship management for organizations that wish to sponsor college undergraduate scholarships.” The Molloy trio entered the prestigious program by completing the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT ®) and displaying exemplary performance in critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills. Judy, Mary, and Karen hope to be among the 8,400 Merit Scholarship® award winners chosen from 15,000 Finalists, a select group narrowed down from some 1.5 million initial entrants. Merit Scholarship awards receive support from at least 450 independent sponsor contributions and by NMSC funds.
Sports Update
Senior Night
Students, players and faculty took the time to thank the senior members of the mens’ and ladies’ Varsity basketball teams as their season begins to wrap up. Having given their all for Archbishop Molloy High School’s basketball program, seniors were presented with photos and posters representing their Varsity careers. Receptions were held for each group of seniors with many family and friends in attendance. On the season Boys Varsity is 13 – 11, JV is an outstanding 15 – 7, and the Boys Freshman team is an incredible 21 – 1. Girls Varsity has played to a 10 – 11 record while JV is 14 – 3.
Pictured below left to right: Chris Garcia, Thomas Pfeiffer, Chris Dorgler, Stephen Kelly, Tourron Whitfield, Marissa Puzino, Kim Trotta, Angela Contorno, Taylor Conroy, and Elizabeth “Gurt” Lynch.
Upcoming Events
The 25th Anniversary Jim Kinnier Stanner Golf Classic
The 25th Anniversary Jim Kinnier Stanner Golf Classic is scheduled for Monday, May 16, 2011 at two prestigious courses on Long Island, Plandome Country Club and North Hills Country Club. The honorees this year are Jim Kinnier and Joe Smith for their commitment and tireless effort in making this outing one of the most successful. Over the last several years, the outing has sold out, so register early!! Proceeds of the event will be contributed to the John Gibbons Memorial Scholarship, Jim Kinnier Scholarship and the newly established Joe Smith Scholarship. Watch the promotional video for the Golf Classic or download the invitation and mail it to the Stanner Alumni Center. For more information call Maria Ford at (718) 943 3186 or email mford@molloyhs.org
Tommy Ashton Basketball Tournament
The Tommy Ashton 3-On-3 Basketball Tournament is scheduled for Friday, April 8, and Saturday April 9, 2011 at the St. Sebastian Parish Center in Woodside, Queens. Tommy Ashton, class of 1997, was a lifelong resident of Woodside who lost his life on September 11, 2001 while working as an electrical apprentice for Local 3 IBEW. A proud graduate of Archbishop Molloy HS, Tommy was a Peer Group Leader. He also swam on the Varsity Swim team for 4 years and was captain of the team in his Senior Year. A basketball tournament was established to collect donations for those in need in Tommy’s memory. This year’s proceeds will be donated to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and a project at St. Sebastian School. For more information on this event, please click here.
Non scholae sed vitae
Inaugural Badges Alumni Association Event
On February 4th, 2011, Archbishop Molloy High School hosted its inaugural Badges Alumni Association Event in the Capt. Anthony Marsloe Gymnasium. Many distinguished badges came out to reconnect with their classmates, make new friends, and create new networking opportunities. The evening began with a reception in the Marsloe gym, which included light refreshments and cash bar. Molloy’s Pipes & Drums band, led by Br. James Norton and Mr. Ed Cameron introduced Ed Shannon ’84. Ed welcomed the Badges and thanked them for coming back and helping to build a new tradition. Following Ed, Molloy President Richard Karsten echoed similar sentiments, encouraging our distinguished badges to stay in touch with the Stanner community. Alumni were treated to a delicious dinner and an exciting men’s Varsity basketball game between Molloy and Bishop Kearny. Although Molloy lost in the final seconds it had those in attendance on the edge of their seats. Overall it was a fantastic first step toward establishing a new tradition for our alumni badges. Ideas are already stirring for the next badges event. Special thanks to Ed Shannon, the entire Badges Committee, Alba’s Restaurant, and to our badges alumni for making the event a success.
Class Updates
William Ludwig ’75 informed us that his middle son, Andrew, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America. He joins his older brother, Thomas, who finished his scouting career as an Eagle with triple palms (Bronze, Gold & Silver). William’s youngest, Michael, is closing in on the award next.
Kevin Tennant ’69 took in the mens’ Varsity basketball game between Molloy and Rice on Senior Night with Mr. Diorio and several other alumni including Pat Gorman ’69, Kevin Raftery ’70, and Mike Contino ’68. Focus was mainly on the game as Molloy battled hard in the 4th quarter to make up a 12 point deficit. All were happy to be in attendance, catch up, and talk sports during and after the special game.
Bill Ziehl ’81 stopped by the Stanner Alumni Center and let us know he is participating in a fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer charity that raises money to fund research aimed at finding a cute for childhood cancers. Bill is raising money in memory of Aiden Binkley, a the child of a good friend who succumbed to cancer while making headlines as he received support and well wishes from Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. Bill plans to shave his head at St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s event at Trinity Restaurant in Floral Park, NY, on March 8, 2011. For more information, search Bill Ziehl on www.StBaldricks.org
Patrick Contino ’01 and wife Rachael announced that they are expecting their first child in September. Patrick is brother of Ryan ’96 and son of Mike ’68. This is Mike and wife Judy’s second grandchild. Congratulations to the Contino family!
Sarah Toth ’06 visited the Stanner Alumni Center told us she graduated Cum Laude from Iona College with a degree in mass communication and journalism. She also enjoyed participating on Iona’s rowing team. Sarah is currently subbing at Francis Lewis High School and will begin pursuing a graduate degree in school counseling in Fall 2011. Sarah misses Molloy and the close friends she made there, and praised the education she received at Molloy. Sarah credited Ms. Gannon and Mr. Auer for influencing her success. She hopes to work either in school counseling or in communications.
As we shared earlier, please pray for the soul of Brother Declan Murray, FMS. Br. Declan was a wonderful man and part of the substance that built Archbishop Molloy High School into what it is today. For information on his wake and funeral , which take place tonight, please click here.
Donald Sweeney ’90 has passed away. Beloved son to Donald Sr. and Tina Sweeney (Both deceased). He attended St. Joan of Arc Grammar School, Archbishop Molloy High School, and graduated Fordham University (Class of ’94) with a degree in Finance. Don loved sports and was an avid NY Mets, Jets, & Rangers fan. A fixture in the New York Bar industry for close to 20 years, Don bartended for 13 years at Sutton Place in Midtown, Manhattan, was part owner of Alumni Hall in the Bronx & the Green Rock Tavern in Hoboken, NJ. Don always shared his deep appreciation about Molloy, the Marist Brothers, its faculty, and guidance department had such a positive impact on his life. Don was always there to lend a and or support a worthy cause. He believed greatly in helping those that needed help the most. One classmate shared, “You knew Don would always support a worthy cause no matter how many times he was asked. He gave as much as he could…always. That’s the kind of person Don was.” Don will be greatly missed by his vast array of friends and family. To honor the memory of Donald, friends, family, and loved ones have established the Donald Sweeney Guidance Department Fund at Molloy. Gifts in memory of Donald will directly impact the programs and services provided by the Guidance Department. For further information, please contact the Stanner Alumni Center at 718.441.9210, or email Craig Katinas as: ckatinas@molloyhs.org
The Stanner Alumni Center is saddened to share news of the passing of Katherine Sommers ’10. Please pray for the Sommers family as they cope with the loss of such a young life. Katherine’s wake is scheduled for Friday, February 18th at Fox Funeral Home, 98-07 Ascan Avenue, Forest Hills, NY, 11375 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM and 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Funeral services will take place on Saturday, February 19th at 10:15 AM at Saint Luke’s Church, 16-34 Clintonville Street, Whitestone, NY, 11357.
We received news from Julia Pecorino that her husband Joseph S. Pecorino ’66 of Colts Neck, NJ, passed away October 9, 2010 after a year-long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Julia of 39 years, his son, daughter, and two beloved grandchildren. Coincidentally, he was treated by a fellow Stanner, Dr. Denis Fitzgerald ’71. The fact that his oncologist was a Stanner brought Joe great peace of mind. Joe did not know him previously and only found out they had a common bond because Joe had a habit of asking everyone he met from Long Island where they went to high school. Joe’s monthly visits to Dr. Fitzgerald were always punctuated with stories of their time at Molloy, the teachers, and the values learned there that stayed with them throughout their lives. According to Julia, “Never a week went by during our married life that I didn’t hear a Molloy story, especially as our children grew up. He also lived the lessons and values behind the stories and lived to see them bear fruit in his adult children.” Joe had a varied career, first as an Air Force pilot (due to an ROTC scholarship at Manhattan College), a chemical engineer, and, for the past 10 years, a physics and chemistry teacher. Julia conveyed that they will miss Joe greatly and asks that you please pray for him and his family.
The Stanner Alumni Center learned that Robert J Rhatigan ‘64 of East Northport, NY passed away on December 28, 2010. Robert was beloved husband of Vilma, loving son of Marie, devoted father of Robert, Brian and Matthew, dear brother of William, Francis, James and Thomas, and cherished grandfather of Kerri, Robert John III and Jonathan. Please pray for Robert and his family.
We are sad to share news of the tragic passing of Miriam Mucchi, sister of Frank Mucchi ’81. Miriam had been working as the development director at Christ the King High School. Miriam’s wake is today, February 18th at Village Chapels, 67-67 Eliot Avenue, Middle Village, NY 11379, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. A funeral mass will be held at 9:45 AM on Saturday, February 19th at Our Lady of Hope Church in Middle Village.
John Michael Zaptin, father of JP Zaptin ’93, has passed away. Mr. Zaptin was always a gentleman, a heart bigger than his body, and a man of great character and compassion. He will truly be missed. Please pray for the John and his family.
Dennis Carey ’65 informed us of the death of his mother on December 19, 2010. She was 92 years of age and according to Dennis, “lived a full life and was ready to join dad.” Please keep Mrs. Carey and her family in your prayers.
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