A Special Time of Thanks
When Hurricane Sandy hit our shores on October 29th, many of our lives were disrupted. Basic essentials such as electricity, clean water, transportation, and even our homes were stripped away in a matter of hours. Some of us are still recovering, and we may be doing so for months, or even years to come. Still, despite these hardships there remain many reasons to feel blessed. Possessions, cars and buildings can all be replaced or rebuilt in time, but our lives are most precious. As we come upon this season of Thanksgiving, we truly have more to be thankful for than ever.
Thanksgiving is a time for family. It is an opportunity for friends and loved ones to come together to celebrate each other, the bonds that we share and the memories that we have still yet to make. Our Stanner family is no different. We return to our alma mater because Molloy remains an important part of our lives. There are always friends here, and in the face of the recent devastation, 
many of us returned to Manton Street seeking a respite from our hardships. Today, our community came together once again for the annual Thanksgiving Liturgy. Those that arrived early, however, had a bit of a different experience, as the Walk-A-Thon led off the day’s events. A very important annual fundraiser for the school, the Walk-A-Thon needed rescheduling following Hurricane Sandy. In light of the storm’s devastating impact, the school asked those who pledged for the Walk-A-Thon to redirect their generosity to Molloy’s Storm Recovery Fund. With this in mind, and the need to get our entire community involved in this effort, it made all too much sense to combine the Walk-A-Thon and the Liturgy this year. This allowed alumni to not only visit for the Liturgy as they always do during homecoming, but to also walk in solidarity with students, administration and faculty to raise awareness for our Stanners in need.
Upon returning to Molloy, our community gathered in the Jack Curran Gymnasium for the Liturgy. Stanners and friends prayed for those that continue to recover from the storm, and for those who sadly lost their lives. In addition, celebrant Fr. Frank Shannon ‘76 gave a special blessing to first responders who helped people not only during the storm, but in the weeks that followed as well. Several first responders were in attendance to receive the blessing, but we want to extend our thanks and prayers to the many of you reading The Beehive who were not able to make it to Molloy today. Following the Liturgy, our alumni stuck around a bit longer to speak with available Faculty members, which is always a special part of their homecoming.
It is comforting for many to know that there is always a second home to visit on Manton Street. In the meantime, we will continue volunteering and help our neighbors who are recovering. We will continue to help each other and to live out the Marist tradition each day. Then we will once again return to Molloy where the spirit of family is more prevalent with each passing day. We have much to be thankful for. As Brother Terence Jones ’36 once said, “God Bless All Stanners.” View a full gallery from today’s Thanksgiving Liturgy and Walk-A-Thon by clicking on the link below.
Storm Recovery Week
The Walk-A-Thon and Thanksgiving Liturgy marked the kickoff of “Storm Recovery Week” here at Molloy. Carrying over into next week, students will begin collecting donations in the form of many basic essentials, which will then be distributed to families who need them most. These items include winter clothing, non-perishable food items, bottled water, various cleaning supplies and medical/hygiene products. Money will also be raised when Molloy hosts St. Anthony’s in a basketball triple header on Friday, November 30th. All proceeds from admission and concessions, including a bake sale, will be directly contributed to the Storm Recovery Fund. Other long-standing initiatives such as the Toy Drive and Operation Christmas Child will go on as previously scheduled, assuring that dozens of children will have a merrier Christmas this year. Molloy students do a fantastic job in organizing and carrying out these service projects, and they deserve much applause for their work. In addition, our Administration and Faculty have stepped up to outline and moderate many of these activities and donation drives, and they deserve many thanks as well.
Twitter, Facebook, Email and Texting Play Role in Storm Recovery
During Superstorm Sandy, the Molloy campus was fortunate to never lose power. With many faculty and administration members hit hard by the storm and power out in many neighborhoods, phone lines and telephones were largely ineffective. Even calls to Manhattan proved fruitless. Texts, emails, Facebook and Twitter proved to be the most reliable form of connection for Molloy’s administration. Updates on faculty and student families were transmitted from smart phone to smart phone. Molloy’s IT department managed to keep the school’s email server and website up and running so information from the school could be sent through texts and announcements at www.molloyhs.org. “We had many student and alumni events planned that week, but all of our normal routines were disrupted. With phone lines down everywhere, mobile-to-mobile connections and the web were the only ways to communicate,” said President Richard Karsten ’81. “It was important to communicate with our community during the chaos.”
Social media, not surprisingly, perhaps played the most important role in the days leading up to and following Hurricane Sandy. In the aftermath of the storm, websites such as Twitter and Facebook provided a way for users to let their family and friends know that they were safe, or if they were in need of aid. When the true degree of destruction became known in the days after the storm, the first reaction of people across the country was to begin helping those in need. As a result, various relief efforts have been established across the web – and our community has followed suit. Tom Dreyer ’12 took the reins via social media by creating a public Facebook group titled “Molloy Hurricane Relief Fund.” Tom’s effort to rally members of the Molloy community together has already been astounding, as the group has recruited roughly 1,000 members in just 7 days. The Facebook group provides a central location for members to find out about the different initiatives our alumni and friends are involved in, along with information on how to get involved with such efforts. A posting in this group can be as simple as expressing a desire to volunteer, and within minutes a unit can be forged and ready to meet and start helping. We are proud to say that the Molloy community has put people in need at the forefront this Thanksgiving season. If you would like to join this Facebook Group, simply enter “Molloy Hurricane Relief Fund” in the Facebook search bar and request membership. Remember, your efforts, no matter how big or how small, go a long way in helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Join the Facebook group and find your way to help.
PRESS RELEASE — New Chapel at Marist Brothers Center in Esopus
On October 7, 2012, more than two dozen Marist Youths and Adults gathered at the Marist Brothers Center in Esopus, New York to build the new Chapel in the woods and to dedicate the chapel in memory of the late Brother Raoul Molnar. This “chapel in the woods” calls to mind our early foundations as Marists:
From the Life of Champagnat by Brother Jean Baptist: “Right through the time of construction (of the Hermitage), the Brothers rose at four o’clock in the morning. Father Champagnat himself gave the rising signal and, when necessary, lit the lamps in the garret. Having risen, the Community gathered amongst the trees, where Marcellin had constructed a small chapel in honor of the Blessed Virgin. A chest of drawers served as both vestment press and altar; for bell tower, there was an oak tree on whose branches the bell was hung. All prayed there, before an image of the Mother of God. Such was the fervor that they seemed oblivious of all else, and the only noise was from the rustling leaves, the murmuring of the waters a little way off and the song of the birds.”
Sports Update
Congratulations to our Boys Varsity soccer team, who captured the City Championship after a strong regular season and dominating playoff performance. Congratulations also to our Girls Varsity and JV track teams, who both secured Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan Championships this Fall.
Upcoming Events
Inaugural Molloy Finance Alumni Network Event
Register Online Now! The Stanner Alumni Center is proud to introduce the Inaugural Molloy Finance Alumni Network Event. On Thursday, December 13th, all alumni working in various sectors of Financial Services will be invited to the offices of our proud sponsor UBS (200 Park Avenue, 18th Floor) beginning at 6:30pm. The evening’s program will feature a discussion led by Michael P. Ryan, Chief Investment Strategist and Head of the UBS Wealth Management Research Americas. Mr. Ryan’s presentation will focus on market outlook following the recent presidential election. Preceding and following this discussion, refreshments including adult beverages will be served. This event will be a wonderful opportunity to get acclimated with our new professional finance network, meet other alumni working in financial services, and perhaps pick up a few new business cards. Admission is FREE. Please RSVP for this event by registering online, or contact Alumni Development Director Craig Katinas ’93 at ckatinas@molloyhs.org or call (718) 441-9210. Please spread the attached event flyer to friends and classmates and help us make this inaugural event a huge success!
Attention DC Area Alumni!
Archbishop Molloy High School is back in town! Jack Curran’s Boys Varsity Basketball Team will be competing in the upcoming Gonzaga/DC Classic Tournament this coming December 7th through 9th. Taking the court against hard-hitting teams including Gonzaga (DC), Archbishop Carroll (DC), Bullis Prep (MD), Germantown Academy (PA), Sidwell Friends (DC), Mount St. Joseph (MD) and Roman Catholic (PA), Molloy’s Varsity boys will have to bring their “A game.” It might help to have some support in the stands, and that is where our alumni come in. Representing the Stanner Alumni Center, President Richard Karsten ’81 and Alumni Development Director Craig Katinas ’93 will be in DC to meet with alumni during a special DC Alumni Chapter reunion. Alumni are invited to meet at the Dubliner Restaurant (Number 4 “F” Street, Washington, D.C. 20001) at 5:45pm on Saturday, December 8th. The Dubliner is just 2 blocks from the Gonzaga High School venue where the first two days of the tournament will be played. Richard and Craig are looking forward to connecting with alumni in the DC metro area and cheering our Stanners to victory as a community. The reception will be compliments of the Stanner Alumni Center. Tickets for the tournament will be $10 for adults and $5 for youth. We hope to be able to secure a group package for our alumni, so if you are interested in attending, please contact Craig Katinas at ckatinas@molloyhs.org to RSVP an. We look forward to reuniting with our DC alumni!
Mike Scotko ’07 is a Lieutenant in the Breezy Point Fire Department and a lifelong resident of Breezy. Mike was at the local firehouse during the hurricane. He and others on his crew were featured in a People magazine article, which covered the massive devastation in southern Queens. Mike recounted some of the frightening evening for The Beehive. “At around 6:30pm, water started pouring down all the blocks in Breezy out of nowhere. Breezy went from being dry to being under 6 to 7 feet of water in a matter of 45 minutes.” Mike and the other firefighters grabbed what equipment they could. Mike returned home to evacuate his parents and the family dog from the house in a kayak. He witnessed neighbors fleeing to the firehouse, where some 40 people had crowded together as the storm ripped through their neighborhood. Exploding transformers and massive flooding even before the storm surge had people truly fearing for their lives. “The water kept rising and our Chief, a retired air force veteran, gathered everybody around to say a prayer, because at this point some people started thinking they wouldn’t make it out alive. Then the Rockaway Point Volunteer Fire Department came in two boats to help. The volunteers and firefighters rescued who they could in the area using boats, though it was a struggle against the current. In addition, power lines fell into the water while gasoline leaked in as well, making the situation increasingly more dangerous. At 8:00pm, the fire became visible. Eventually the FDNY arrived to fight the flames, but so much damage was already done. Mike and the other volunteers and firefighters continued helping Breezy residents, rescuing some from very harrowing situations. “In all this chaos, it is a true miracle that nobody was killed.” In the days following the storm, Mike has been part of the effort to help Breezy Point recover. Media coverage has also been very present, with film crews representing the Discovery Channel and PBS following Mike and other firefighters around Breezy and surrounding areas.
Last Saturday, Pat ’69 and Carol Gorman accompanied son Mark’93 to Littleton, Massachusetts with hurricane relief donations in tow. In Littleton, the Gormans convened at the house of another Molloy alum, Jim Redmond ’92, and organized donations that both families collected from their New England towns. Along with many other volunteers, the Redmonds drove a 24 ft. truck fully loaded with supplies down to Queens while the Gormans followed close behind. According to Pat, “Jim Jr. did quite a job organizing and collecting the majority of the donations, mostly through the magic of Facebook. Jim Redmond Sr. drove the truck all the way down to Rockaway early Sunday morning. It was great to see two Forest Hills Stanners, who had not seen each other in many years, link up for such a wonderful effort.”
Mount Saint Mary College recently recognized Mr. Christopher X. Dougherty, Class of 1991 at Molloy and Class of 1995 at Mount St. Mary, presenting him with their Distinguished Alumni Award. Mr. Dougherty received his BA in psychology from Mount St. Mary and his MA in social work from Boston College. Currently, Mr. Dougherty is a social worker and guidance counselor here at Molloy. Since embarking on his career, Mr. Dougherty has embraced service wholeheartedly. He has worked as a volunteer in disaster relief, in shelters distributing food and supplies, and even with Habitat for Humanity International in 1997, where he traveled to Uganda – an experience that gave him “the fire and drive” to co-found the St. Marcellin Champagnat Society, an international and domestic service program at Molloy. After benefitting from other service programs at Molloy as a student, Mr. Dougherty would surely agree that his life has come full circle in present day. He is now working alongside Molloy’s other guidance counselors to help students who have been affected by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. His counseling services will be critical to the recovery process as students look to move on from this difficult chapter in their lives. Mr. Dougherty’s work is an important part of what Archbishop Molloy High School is all about – Stanners helping those in need.
We are saddened to share news of the passing of Sister Jane Raeihle, sister of Br. John Raeihle ’61. Please pray for Sister Jane and her family during this difficult time of mourning.
We are saddened to share news of the passing of Gertrude Ferris, mother of Molloy’s Athletic Secretary Mrs. Diane Sardis. We ask that you please pray for Gertrude and her family at this time.
It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Marybeth (Kelly) Cassio, sister of teacher Brian Kelly ’94. Marybeth passed away after a long, courageous battle with illness. Brian asks that our community direct all thoughts and prayers to Marybeth’s husband Tommy, her son Matthew, and her adopted son Danny.
We are saddened to share news of the passing of Mr. William Stephan. Mr. Stephan is father-in-law to Fred Dorgler ‘81 and grandfather to Fred ‘07, Ellen ‘08, Chris ‘11, and Patti ‘13. Please keep the Stephans and the Dorglers in your prayers.
We received news that Vincent M. Jones ’57 passed away on September 30th. Vincent had been living in South Carolina, but was previously located in St. Louis for 37 years. He held fondly his memories of playing ball for Lou Carnesecca at St. Ann’s. Please pray for Vincent and his family.
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