1.  Which of these Seton teachers became college professors:   A.  Mr. Brown;     B.  Miss Summers;     C.  Miss. Sullivan

2.  Who guarded a future WNBA star in a tournament semifinal:  A.  Mary McFadden;   B.  Kathryn Jeans;     C.  Michelle Hadro

3.  What after school activity was held in Mr. Scheetz’s room in the Old Building:   A.  Clogging;    B.  Drivers Ed;     C.  Jazz Band recording led by Mr. Montelioni

4.  What play was performed in the Old Cafeteria:   A.  Harvey starring Mark Seelbach;     B.  Pride and Prejudice starring Miriam Van Scott;    C. You Can’t Take it With You  starring Laura Angsten

5.  Who was the winner of the 1st ever Seton Chicken Raffle:   A.  Mary Fegan;   B.  Brendan Hilleary;    C.  David Wheeler

 

Part III of THE LAST JOURNEY

   For 17 years I had been a priest and had never before known any great temptation against faith.  The veil had never seemed too thick, and then suddenly for no apparent reason, it became obscure, impenetrable, black.  I choked as I said the “Hoc est enim Corpus Meum,” and my hands were trembling visibly as Father Aloysius pulled the bell signaling the in of the Elevation.

   After the words of the Consecration,  the choir, kneeling, turned toward the altar, took up the “O Salutaris Hostia,” O Saving Victim!   And the words roared in my mind; Had anyone been saved?  Was there anything there that was able to save men?  Twenty-five years as a monk and had this bread done anything for me?  I was still the same Marty Holloway who had grown up in Brooklyn.  There were still the moments of anger and impatience, and the same vile images rushing through my mind.  There were the grumblings and murmurings at the disagreeable things I had to do.  And pray?  My mind still wandered all over he United States, and I could stay in Brooklyn for hours.  A contemplative?  Far from it.

   Mechanically I dragged through that terrible Mass.  “A holy victim…a spotless victim…a piece of bread…in the sight of Thy Divine Majesty…as many as shall receive the most sacred Body and Blood of Thy Son…Through Him and with Him, and in Him…deliver by this Thy most holy Body and Blood…deliver me by this piece of flour and water…I will take the Bread of Heaven.”

   And finally it was over.  It was ended, and I was back in the sacristy staring dully at the bare crucifix.

   The days droned on.  Weeks went by, and summer had come and gone.  There was no relief; no movies or recreation to ease the strain.  I was all alone with God, and God was not there.  That year I was in charge of the library, and there was not even the relief that manual labor could afford.  The huge tomes of theology were my companions, and they had their share of taunting me.

   A year went by.  The most painful year that I had ever known.  Marty Holloway would be Brooklyn’s Martin Luther, only I would go Martin one better and protest against God’s existence.  No one could help me.  Slowly though, I became accustomed to the trial, and each morning at two o’clock I would accept again the numbness of feeling of despair and futility.  As I put on my shoes I would try to form a smile and murmur, “Thanks, Jesus,” but I gagged on the word “Jesus,” for that meant God, and there was no God.

 

  1. A & B.   Mr. Brown went to Christendom to teach philosophy; Miss Summers taught at Montgomery Community College and Marymount University before going into government work full-time.  Miss Sullivan did not go into college teaching after she left Seton.  She became a nurse and then a full-time mom.  She recently had her third child, Declan, who joins Nora and Liam in the Young household.  There are other Seton teachers who have taught college:  Mrs. Hickson, English at Christendom; Mr. Cross, psychology at Steubenville;  Mr. Donahue in the Great Books Program at Magdalene and Mr. O’Herron, philosophy and doctrine at Christendom.  
  2. C.  Michelle Hadro drew the honor at a tournament Seton played at in Greenville, South Carolina.  Seton won its first game and in that game Mary McFadden scored Seton’s first 4 points. Kathryn Jeans was also on the team. The Parade All-American and future WNBA star Seton faced in the next round was Alison Feister who went on to Harvard and led the only upset of a #1 seed by a #16 seed in NCAA history when they beat Stanford.  She  then played for several pro teams.  Seton lost badly to her high school team, but Feister was not their leading scorer.
  3. B.  Drivers Ed was held for years in Mr. Scheetz’s classroom after school and the driving students got to sit in the Little House on the Prairie desks.  Many Seton students learned the rules of the road there.  Clogging was held in the Old Cafeteria. Sort of amazing that the bouncy floor survived that rough treatment. The Jazz Band did make a recording, but it was produced in Teresa.  Warm ups before the Seton musicals were also held in that classroom because it had a piano. It was one of my favorite things about the musical – hearing all those singers jammed into that classroom singing the songs of the musical. 
  4. B.  Pride and Prejudice.  Miriam Van Scott played Elizabeth.  Her leading male counterpart was expelled from Seton shortly before the first performance.  I became a quick understudy for Darcy, learning lines between classes at Christendom.  My favorite line:  “I wish you every happiness.”  I thought the students did a great job with that play.   Mark Seelbach’s memorable performance in Harvey was performed in the Carpeted Gym as was Laura Angsten’s equally impressive characterization of Grandpa in You Can’t Take it With You. 
  5. A.  Mary Fegan was the lucky winner after a mysterious contest was held to name the chicken.  The students did not know why they were being asked to name a chicken. I remember Miss Roltgen telling the rest of the teachers how confused the poor junior high students were about the whole thing.  Poultrygeist was the winning name submitted.  The chicken was donated by the Hibls.  The 2nd Chicken Raffle was held many years later.  There were a number of chickens that time provided by Mrs. Strasser.   Most of the winners didn’t want their chickens, so the Hillearys took them and began a little chicken farm.  I don’t remember the winning names for the chickens the 2nd time, but the name I thought was best was one thought up by David Wheeler:   Johannes Bach Bach.  Famous during the 2nd Chicken Raffle was the appearance of many Tom Turkeys around the school thanks to the Delgadio family. 

 

Jezu, ufam Tobie.

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