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Lighting the torch The
For family, friends, and alumni of Cistercian Preparatory School
For family, friends, and alumni of Cistercian Preparatory School
March 2006
March 2006
Peter Rose 74
with one of his
autistic students
at North Dallas
High School.
Lighting
the torch
From teenagers in Belize to
undergrads at Harvard, alumni
teachers are improving lives 2
The CONTINUUM
The Memorare Society was established for members of our community
who wish to include Cistercian in their financial plans through
bequests, trusts, wills, or other means. Its a wonderful way for people
to include the school as part of their long-term financial planning.
As a member of the Memorare Society, youll enable us to continue
educating Cistercian students and the Abbeys young monks
for many years. All while ensuring your legacy with Cistercian for
generations to come. After all, Memorare means remember.
To find out if the Memorare Society is right for you and your family,
simply contact Jennifer Rotter in the Development Office today.
All enquiries are welcome. Call 469-499-5406, or send an email
to jrotter@cistercian.org. March 2006
3
Cistercian Preparatory School was founded with the aim of preparing talented boys for the colleges of their choice by
challenging their minds with excellent academic programs, molding their character through the values of Catholic
education, and offering them guidance with both understanding and discipline. Cistercian Preparatory School does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational practices, admissions,
scholarship programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
departments
School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Sports News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
On Prayer
by Fr. Roch Kereszty
. . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Afterthoughts
by Smokey Briggs
. . . . . . . . . . . 20
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
I
nspiration whether you think of biblical
inspiration or the inspiration for which Homer
prays at the beginning of his epics is a divine
gift to an individual who in turn uses his gift to
compose a text that
inspires others. Speaking
of St. Benedict, Pope St.
Gregory the Great says
that the Holy Spirit also
inspires individuals, saints,
so that their very lives
become a text that
speaks of Gods marvelous
deeds in our world today.
You can read the life
of a saintly person, such as
St. Benedict, and learn of
Gods justice, his provi-
dential care, his care, his
forgiveness, and his desire to share His life with
us all.
In this issue of The Continuum, you will
read the lives of alumni, teachers, and current
students. Each of the stories about an inspired
teacher or student should in turn inspire us.
In our lead feature, David Stewart 74 intro-
duces us to a number of alumni teachers who are
going to extraordinary lengths to improve the
lives of others. Peter Rose 74 left a cushy cor-
porate sales job in 2001 to begin helping autistic
high school students in the Dallas ISD make sig-
nificant strides. Evan Cleveland 97 teaches
writing to children in Houston ISD elementary
schools. But he also teaches young cancer
patients at the MD Anderson pediatric oncology
unit, helping them learn how to read their own
lives and respond to those lives with joy.
Form III English teacher and Department
Head Jackie Greenfield uses the Mock Trial to
inspire Third Formers to conduct research, build
an argument, weigh a moral dilemma, and evalu-
ate their ability (as well as the ability of their
classmates) to perform under pressure.
Our sports section offers glimpses into
inspired and inspiring efforts by our basketball
players, swimmers, and soccer players.
So many Cistercian students, alumni, and
teachers have been inspired to improve the lives
of others. I hope that the good they are doing will
inspire us all to similar acts of love in our lives.
CISTERCIAN
PREPARATORY
SCHOOL
Rev. Peter Verhalen 73
Headmaster
Rev. Bernard Marton
Assistant Headmaster,
College Counselor
Greg Novinski 82
Dean of Students
Robert J. Haaser
Director of Admissions
Christine Medaille
Director of Studies
Jennifer Rotter
Director of Development
and Alumni Relations
Dan Lee
Director of Athletics
Oscar Arras 78
President, Cistercian
Alumni Association
School Board
Rt. Rev. Denis Farkasfalvy
Rev. Julius Leloczky
Rev. Robert Maguire
Rev. Bernard Marton
Rev. Benedict Monostori
Rev. Peter Verhalen 73
David C. Haley
James J. Hartnett
Dr. Robert J. Henderson
James M. Moroney III 74
Peter P. Smith 74
Jere W.Thompson, Jr. 74
The
CONTINUUM
David Stewart 74
Editor & Art Director
Tom B. Pruit
Copy Editor
Sally L.Cook
Assistant Copy Editor
Jim Reisch
Photography Editor
The
CONTINUUM is
published three times a year
(December, March, and June) by
Cistercian Preparatory School.
3660 Cistercian Road
Irving,TX 75039
469-499-5400
www.cistercian.org
Letter from
the Headmaster
Fr. Peter
Verhalen 73
Inspired and inspiring individuals
Alumni, teachers, and students working to improve the lives of others
Cover photography: Jim Reisch
volume 33, number 2
in this issue
An awakening
13
In Form IIIs Mock
Trial, students
grapple with the
law, moral
theology, and
preconceptions
about themselves
and each other.
Following
his heart
10
Peter Rose 74 left
corporate sales to
teach autistic high
school students.
Lighting
the torch
7
Educated and
formed for eight
years by a
devoted Cistercian
faculty, many
alumni choose to
follow in their
teachers footsteps. Land acquisition
20-acre purchase
secures future of
abbey and school
The Cistercian Abbey and
School announced in February
the acquisition of a 20-acre tract
of land adjacent to the campus.
The purchase, which had
been contemplated for a number
of years, insulates the abbey and
school from any development
that might occur between the
school and Tom Braniff Road.
The purchase also offers a
chance to expand programs at
the abbey (e.g., a retreat house)
and at the school (e.g., athletic
facilities), said Abbot Denis
Farkasfalvy.
The expected widening of
State Highway 114 served as a
spur to complete the purchase.
This purchase secures addi-
tional or alternative routes of
access for the Abbey and the
School, the abbot said in refer-
ence to some of the new high-
way plans that would eliminate
the Cistercian Road exit.
Additional development
between Cistercian and Tom
Braniff Road also could aggra-
vate flooding in the creek that
runs along the driveway to the
school. While such eventualities
are not considered imminent, the
purchase provides Cistercian
officials with flexibility to adjust
to external factors.
The purchase comes 10
years after the 1995 acquisition
of 25 acres (nine on the east and
16 between the creek and the
railroad tracks) that were
required to expand athletic, art,
and music facilities.
The purchase gives Cistercian
80 acres now, a plot of land appro-
priate for a school of 350 boys and
an abbey of 30 monks, Fr. Peter
Verhalen 73 told those assembled
at the Moroney Award Dinner on
February 24.
cistercian news
AMASSING SECURITY
The aerial illustrates the three
land acquisitions that comprise
Cistercians 80-acre campus.
Finding himself among the 100,000 or so people who
appeared in Baton Rouge after hurricane Katrina,
Rod Walter 83
can appreciate more than most the meaning of this magazines
name (continuum is a Latin word denoting connectedness, a
never-failing succession from part to part in a chain, the immedi-
ate closeness of each member to the rest).
Stuck in Baton Rouge in an empty house owned by a friend,
the Walters faced a difficult task: their street in New Orleans was
under eight feet of water; fortunately, theirs is a sturdy two-story
home, with the living area on the second floor, nine feet above
ground. Even so, all of the garage and utilities space had been
underwater for ten days, the roof and ceiling were heavily dam-
aged, and the refrigerator saga had ruined the kitchen floor.
Walters father, long-time faculty member Rodney Walter, had
already sent supplies, including air mattresses and linensRod,
his wife Paulette, and their daughters, Maria (age six) and Molly
(age three), were sleeping on the floor.
More help, however, was just a phone call away. To help his
sons family, the senior Walter phoned one of his sons classmates.
Brent Bulger 83
said that he would see what he could do. After
all, he said, if a
good friend calls
you and asks you to
help his son, you
get busy.
Bulger called
James Hartnett, (a
board member and
father of classmate
Jay Hartnett 83
);
Mr. Hartnett sug-
gested Bulger con-
tact other board
members and let
The CONTINUUM
Cistercian community unites to help Rod Walter family
KATRINAS WRATH HITS HOME (Left) The sidewalk
in front of the Rod Walter home in New Orleans is
piled high with debris after the flood caused by
Hurricane Katrina. (Above) Rod Walter with wife
Paulette,daughters Molly,3,and Maria,6,and their
dog in front of their house in February after the
repairs and cleanup.
Aerial provided courtesy of the Cistercian
Abbey
4
Cistercians
roomier
campus Outpouring of love
Fr. Henrys life
of selflessness
rememb