The Spirit of Chaminade

The Spirit of Chaminade

Chaminade freshmen sat for a special presentation Thursday about the spiritual character of their school.

Still getting to know Chaminade, first-year students learned about Blessed William Joseph Chaminade and the Society of Mary – the namesake of our school and the religious order he founded. Marianists and faculty members described the overall nature of the school and what makes it different – an atmosphere of family.

"Two of my closest friends from Chaminade are now teachers here," said freshman mathematics teacher Mr. Daniel Haslbauer '11. "Another teacher sat right in front of me in homeroom. I was a groomsman in a wedding and the whole groom's party was made up of Chaminade graduates."

Mr. Haslbauer explained that he met many of his friends then, and now, through service projects and religious activities at Chaminade.

"They taught me what Chaminade taught me – to do the right thing at the right time because it's the right thing to do. Sure, it's nice to be important. But, it's more important to be nice – to be a good person."

Bros. Stephen Balletta, S.M. '74 and Peter Sennert, S.M. '11 discussed their vocations to the Marianist order and their work as teachers and stewards of the faith. They personified what Director of Campus Ministry Mr. Michael Foley '99 described as Chaminade being, "a person and a place that led people to live in a particular way."

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Ronald Winchester '97, who was killed in 2004 while serving in Iraq, brought the message home to freshmen. Interviews in a video produced after his death showed how formative Ron's high-school years were to his life and legacy.

The spirituality presentation is one of several programs tailored to bring familiarity and comfort to Chaminade's newest students. In August, freshmen began their four-year journey with the 3-C Program (3-C standing for community, confidence, and commitment) – something of a preview to the academic year and an introduction to the school's religious identity. An evening of recollection, day retreats, and homeroom nights continue to build community among members of the freshman class.