It’s awards season at Saint Ignatius. Across all departments—academic, athletic, artistic and otherwise—graduating seniors are receiving accolades for outstanding achievement throughout their four years at West 30th and Lorain.
In the world of service, however, the Christian Action Team chooses to present students with honors that recognize their commitment to Christian service. It’s less about a plaque and more about holding up some of the most selfless students as models for others.
This year, 17 members of the Class of 2019 were honored at the final C.A.T. Meeting of the year on Thursday, May 9.
Nick Bishop, Grant Gottschalk, Ryan Grace, Matt Hutchinson and
Alec Stimac were presented with the Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Service Award—the highest honor granted by C.A.T.—for outstanding leadership through selfless, generous service. Each of these five young men dedicated himself to the motto
Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam through commitment to the people they ministered to across a variety of initiatives. Their involvement spans Arrupe after-school programs, the Labre Ministry to the Homeless, the pallbearers, Friends with L’Arche, Christmas Food Drive, and Spring Into Action.
In the presence of these recipients’ parents, C.A.T. Moderators John Gill, Dan Galla, Pat Valletta and Connor Walters each offered remarks acknowledging the way these students were formed in faith through the relationships they built with people on the margins. Indeed, these are model Men for Others.
Furthermore, 12 seniors received the St. Peter Claver, S.J. Service Award for their outstanding work in service, especially in specific C.A.T. initiatives.
Dillon Bangasser, Danny Brennan, Ryan Cummins, Jude Horning, Zach Houde, Nathan Hubbard, Ethan Keller, Kevin McIntyre, Ethan Richards, David Patrick Ryan, Andrew Passow, and Matt Zassick all were recognized at the meeting.
Jim Brennan ’85, Theology teacher and father of senior Danny Brennan, offered a powerful keynote address about the Eucharistic nature of the work of C.A.T. He spoke about the presence of Christ in each of the people ministered to, as well as in the Eucharist that precedes so many C.A.T. initiatives, from prayers before the tabernacle on Sunday nights to the annual Christmas Food Drive Mass.
Indeed, the work of the Class of 2019 has brought Christ’s light into some dark corners of the world. May it continue to do so.
Good luck and God bless, Class of 2019!