Belen Jesuit Magazine | Summer 2019

Belen Jesuit Alumni

SUMMER • 2019

MESSAGE FROM THE

DIRECTOR OF THE ASSOCIATION

The Alumni Office has been focused on executing the 4th pillar of the Strategic Plan of the school - Enhancing Our Brotherhood. We continue to increase or improve our communication with alumni by ensuring that we are sending out information in a timely manner and posting information where our alumni are most likely to see it… on social media and in their inbox. With technology evolving constantly, we knew we had to kick it up a notch and improve the platform we use to communicate. We did that with the launch of BConnected.

On April 2nd, the Belen Alumni Association officially launched “BConnected” on www. belenalumni.org. This new platform provides our alumni the ability to network and connect no matter where they are around the world. BConnected is the place for all alumni needs: from the ability to register for events, stay up-to-date on Belen news, to job search and/ or post job opportunities and to connect with your professional section or classmates.

In the short time our new platform has been “live”, over 1,700 alumni have registered. The potential is extraordinary! The registration process is simple and takes only a few minutes. Once connected, you’ll be able to inquire about new job opportunities, internships, mentorship, or simply find a little bit of “home” wherever you may be. BConnected allows us to have the feel of social media without it being open to the public. On the main feed you can share career updates or nostalgic pictures from back in the day. This platform is content driven and for it to succeed it

needs alumni participation. Each class is encouraged to create its own group and share content specific to them. This is especially important during reunion years. The alumni professional sections also have their groups, allowing content to be shared between members.

This brotherhood of alumni is the ultimate extension of student formation and the school’s mission after graduation. Knowing that, the Alumni Tour has become an instrumental factor in reaching out to alumni scattered throughout the country. This year our alumni tour took us to the Midwest to visit Chicago, South Bend, and Ann Arbor. In October we went to Atlanta followed by our Florida tour in February where we visited Orlando, Gainesville, Tallahassee, and Tampa. We finished off the tour in March in New York, where alumni from all over the country joined us for a weekend of fellowship. These tours allow us to re-engage alumni and update them on the vision and plan for Belen Jesuit. It also allows alumni within those cities to connect with each other and potentially help one another. This is especially important for our alumni in colleges and universities so that they know they have brothers nearby they can count on. Next year, we will be traveling to New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. and Boston. So if you happen to be in those cities, be on the lookout for more information.

Also, the “Beyond Belen Mentorship Program”, where Belen seniors are paired with alumni will be back this coming school year. This program is intended to help guide these students by giving them an opportunity to experience their desired professions first-hand through alumni interactions within their chosen fields. The program will provide networking and shadowing opportunities with professionals that may lead to internships and/ or job opportunities down the line.

It’s a great time to get involved and “BConnected”!

Yours Truly,

Carlos Bravo ’86

Fr. Guillermo Garcia-Tuñon, SJ ‘87

Belen Jesuit School President

Carlos Bravo ‘86

Alumni Association Director

Roberto Borbolla ’56

Alumni Content Editor

Felipe 'Phil' Fernandez '94

Executive Director for Advancement and Alumni Relations

Teresa Martinez Belen Jesuit Director of Communications

Sujayla Collins Belen Jesuit Journalism Teacher

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Antonio Castro '86 – President Crescencio Ruiz '76 – Vice President

Tomas Pla '00 – Treasurer

Alberto Paradela '11 – Secretary

Antonio Abella '59

Javier Mariscal '86

Julio Jimenez '06 Peter Montadas '76

Manuel Garcia-Linares '87

Ramon Branger '92

Jose A. Garrido III '99 Orlando Puente '71

Alberto Gutierrez '88 L.J. Rodriguez '93 Francisco "Paco" Ruiz ’73

Fr. Pedro Cartaya, SJ ‘54 - Alumni Association Chaplain

Fr. Juan Manuel Dorta-Duque, SJ ‘40 - In Memoriam

BELEN JESUIT ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published biannually. Circulation: 10,000

Please address all correspondence to the Alumni Office. Periodicals postage paid at Miami, FL and additional mailing points.

Postmaster: Send address changes to:

Belen Alumni Office

500 Southwest 127 Avenue Miami, Fl 33184

Phone: 786.621.4674 Fax: 786.621.4662 E-mail: alumni@belenjesuit.org

community

By: Anthony Abinader ‘19 Echoes Editor

• Fr. Eddy Alvarez, SJ '63 with MAGIS Chairman Crescencio Ruiz '76 and alumni at the 2018 Reyes Magis Thanksgiving Luncheon Event at Gesu Catholic Church.

• The varsity baseball team and coaches gather for a photo during the blessing of the new Indoor Baseball Facility.

• A total of 54 students and 5 chaperones travelled to Washington D.C. to participate in the Close Up Program. Belen alumni were on hand to meet the students and answer questions. Below, from left to right, Professor Pat Collins, Patricio Gonzalez Richardson '05, Francisco Menendez '17, Eduardo Abascal '15, Alejandro Carriazo '17, Honorable Carlos Trujillo '01, Cpt. Jason Burrows '01, Col. Armando Fiterre '86, Edward Acevedo '01, Moderator Dr. Rolando Diaz '87 and Assistant Principal Ramon Nicosia.

• Members of the class of 2019 with their alumni fathers pose for a picture with Belen Jesuit President Fr. Willie Garcia-Tuñon SJ '87 at the Senior/Parent/Faculty Banquet.

• Fr. Willie Garcia-Tuñon, SJ '87, Alumni Director Carlos Bravo '86, Exhibit Curator Ricardo Pau-Llosa ’71, Director of the Ignatian Center for the Arts Luis Dulzaides and members of the BEAMS Executive Board with artists Adriano Buergo, Piki Mendizabal, Alexander Morales and Rigoberto Rosales Jalil at a reception in the Ignatian center for the Arts at Belen.

• The graduating class of 2019 gathered at Gesu Church the day before their commencement ceremony to receive their official alumni pins from the Alumni Association. The graduates were able to choose the alumni who would give them the pin during this traditional event.

• Belen alumni who came out to support the MAGIS Helping Hands event packing meals for Burkina Faso in West Africa along with students from Belen Jesuit, Lourdes, Carrollton, St. Brendan and several parochial schools.

• Andres Jimenez '60, Carlos Saladrigas '68, Julio Lago '60, Fr. Willie '87, Carlos Garcia '65, Carlos Alvarez '65 and Alfredo Andrial '74 San Ignacio-Caracas attended the Grandparents Mass and Breakfast.

• Ignatian Week was a different experience than those of

other years. The entire school faculty took a day to visit different places throughout the city such as Notre Dame d’Haiti Catholic Church and the JCS Kosher Food Bank.

• As it is customary, the Lenten season was kicked off with a school wide mass on Ash Wednesday. Lent was celebrated around the school with the weekly Stations of the Cross, grade level days of reconciliation, and the live Stations of the Cross in the evening.

• The Ignatian Center for the Arts showcased the students' artistic talent in the spring play "And Then There Were None". This was a murder mystery written by renown author Agatha Christie, and included eight Belen students as part of the cast. This was Christie's most produced play out of all of her writings, and the only one written specifically for the stage.

• Senior prom was held for the first time ever at the Frost Museum of Science. Seniors and their dates dressed up for the event that took place May 18th.

• Baccalaureate Mass was held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church May 15th. During this event, the senior class celebrated the Eucharist with their mothers and reflected upon their time at Belen.

• Graduation took place at the James L. Knight Center May 22nd. Two hundred students walked across the stage to receive their diplomas and become official Belen alumni.

ACADEMICS

GRADUATION AW ARDS

Gerard M. Hopkins, SJ English

David Meza

St. Francis Xavier, SJ

Andrea

Julian Zulueta

Pierre T. de Chardin, SJ Science

Jacob Wutzler

John Carroll, SJ Social Studies

Karl Rahner, SJ Theology

NEWS Where Are They Going?

Abella, Tyler: Indiana University at Bloomington

Abilahoud, Alfredo: Florida International University

Abinader, Anthony: Loyola University Chicago

Abreu, Dominic: The George Washington University

Aguilar, Ignacio: Miami Dade Honors College

Aguzzi, Cesar: University of Notre Dame

Albert, Armando: Rutgers University

Arazoza, Alberto: Santa Fe College

Ariza, Carlos: Florida State University

Artaza Roca, Miguel: Miami Dade College

Arteaga, Gabriel: Florida International University

Baella, Orlando: Florida International University

Balerdi, Joseph: Santa Fe College

Balerdi, Luis: Santa Fe College

Barquero, Rodrigo: Rice University

Becerra, Manuel: University of Central Florida

Benitez, Giancarlo: Loyola University Chicago

Bermudez, Ryan: University of Florida

Bettocchi, Luciano: Florida State University Honors Program

Bissessar, Sion: Florida Gulf Coast University

Blanco, Lucas: Florida State University

Bruzos, Manuel: Florida International University

Bustos, Daniel: Florida International University Honors College

Bustos, Jose: Loyola University Maryland

Buzaneli, Bruno: Boston College

Buzaneli, Pietro: University of Florida

Caballero, Julian: Loyola University New Orleans

Cadima, Guillermo: Gator Engineering at Santa Fe Program

Caicedo, Martin: Loyola University New Orleans

Calas, Julian: Tallahassee Community College

Cantens, Daniel: Florida State University

Casariego, Nicholas: Florida State University

Castano, Aramis: John Carroll University

Castro, Felipe: Georgia Institute of Technology

Cerrate, Xavier: Nova Southeastern University

Cil, Jose: University of Pennsylvania

Collins, Jacob: Valencia College

Corzo, Daniel: Florida International University Honors College

Curbelo, Robert: Bates College

de la Hoz, Lucas: Florida International University

de Zendegui, Gabriel: Santa Fe College

DeFelice, Gianpaolo: Johns Hopkins University

Deiters, Andrew: Florida International University

Delgado, Brandon: Florida State University

Delgado, Erik: Miami Dade College

Diaz, Eric: University of Central Florida

Dominguez, Jorge: University of Florida

Echenique, Carlos: University of Florida

Escapil, Lukas: Miami Dade College

Esteban, Daniel: Florida International University

Feal, Brian: University of Miami

Fernandez, Lucas: Manhattanville College

Fernandez de Castro, Gabriel: Florida State University

Fernandez-Riera, Mario: Florida International University

Ferraz, Victor: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Frallicciardi, Martin: Universidad de Navarra

Gallardo, Gabriel: Brown University

Galliano, Christopher: Florida State University

Gallinar, Gregory: The University of Alabama

Garcia, Lucas: Florida State University

Garcia, Orlando: The University of Texas, Austin

Gonzalez, Carlos: University of Miami

Gonzalez, Daniel: Miami Dade College

Gonzalez, Donato: New York University in Shanghai

Gonzalez, Patricio: Pratt Institute

Gonzalez, Roberto: Valencia College

Gonzalez, Sebastian: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Gonzalez Irigoyen, Santiago: Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey

Hall, Andre: Duke University

Hart, Seth: Florida International University Honors College

Hector, Giovanni: Florida International University

Hickey, Sean: Florida State University

Horta, Diego: Florida International University

Huembes, Alejandro: Loyola University New Orleans

Huembes, Carlos: University of Miami

Huynh, Kyle: University of Central Florida

Jimenez, Jean-Franco: Florida International University

Jimenez, Jorge: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Jimenez, Ryan: Florida International University

Jimenez, Zachary: Loyola University New Orleans

Kurzan, Thomas: The Catholic University of America Honors Program

Lamela, Charles: Loyola University Maryland

Lanz, Marco: University of Central Florida Honors College

Lara, Andres: Florida State University

Larrea, Andres: Florida State University

Lezcano, Sebastian: Florida International University

Lobato, Nicholas: University of Miami

Lopez, Michael: Florida State University

Lopez, Robert: University of Miami

Lopez-Cabrera, Jorge: Georgetown University

Lopez-Ibanez, Sebastian: Wake Forest University

Lozano, Federico: Florida International University Honors College

Lugo, Gabriel: Marquette University

Madiedo, Rodrigo: Babson College

Mariscal, Javier: Florida State University

Marquina, Javier: Northeastern University

Martin, Matthew: Miami Dade College

Maza, Christopher: University of Arizona

Mejia-Bird, Manuel: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Menendez, Alexander: Florida International University

Menendez, Christopher: Tallahassee Community College

Menendez, Michael: Florida State University

Meneses, Ricardo: University of Pennsylvania

Meza, David: Northwestern University

Micali, Jonathon: University of Florida

Miguez, Juan: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Miguez, Lucas: Wake Forest University

Molero, Guillermo: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Montero, Christopher: University of Central Florida Honors College

Morales, Matthew: Loyola Marymount University

Morales, Peter: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Moran, Brandon: University of Tampa

Moreno, Gabriel: Loyola Marymount University

Moreno, Juan: Babson College

Moreno, Matthew: Indiana University at Bloomington

Morera, Michael: Tallahassee Community College

Muniz, Nicolas: Florida International University Honors College

Naos, Thanasi: University of Miami

Navarro, Diego: Rochester Institute of Technology

Nieto, Rodrigo: Stanford University

Novoa, Joaquin: Florida International University

Paz, Christian: University of Chicago

Pena, Alejandro: University of Miami

Perera, Gerardo: Florida State University

Perez, Carlos: Fordham University

Perez, Juan: Florida State University

Perez, Nicholas: University of Notre Dame

Perez, Ricardo: Fordham University

Perez, Sebastian: Florida State University

Pinto, Stefano: Miami Dade College

Planos, Daniel: University of Florida

Polo, Gabriel: Florida State University

Ponce, Christopher: Fordham University

Prieto, Sebastian: Florida International University

Puello, Andres: Gator Engineering at Santa Fe Program

Puente, Benjamin: Miami Dade College

Quintero, Guillermo: Vanderbilt University

Quintero, Nicholas: University of Central Florida

Raez, David: University of Miami

Rafuls, Sebastian: Florida State University

Ramirez, Aaron: Miami Dade College

Ramirez, Ethan: Miami Dade College

Repine, Jayson: Niagara University

Reyes, Bryan: Auburn University

Roa, Sebastian: Emory University

Rodriguez, Alec: Fordham University

Rodriguez, Edward: New York University

Rodriguez, Jorge: Cornell University

Rodriguez, Julien: University of Delaware

Rodriguez, Michael: University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Rodriguez, Michael: Fordham University

Rodz, Andre: Florida International University

Romero, Manuel: University of Hartford

Rubio, Joseph: Florida State University

Ruiz, Rafael: University of Miami

Sabathie, Luis: Miami Dade College

Sague, Raul: Northeastern University

Salandy, Joshua: State University of New York Albany

Salas, Alejandro: Babson College

Salazar, Christian: Wake Forest University

Salvat, Nicolas: Florida International University

Sanchez, Virgilio: The American University of Paris

Sanchez, William: Pennsylvania State University

Sangles, Damian: Florida International University

Sanguino, Francisco: Florida International University Honors College

Sendra, Josep: Purdue University

Silva, Eric: University of Central Florida

Souza, Henrique: University of Florida

Suarez, Alejandro: Florida State University

Suarez, Eric: Stetson University

Suarez, Jorge: Miami Dade College

Suarez, Nicolas: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Sueiro, Daniel: Florida International University

Todywala, Stefan: Miami Dade College

Torres, Alejandro: Florida International University

Toyos, Waldo: Spring Hill College

Trastoy, Christian: Loyola University New Orleans

Trippetti, Patrizio: Florida International University

Ulloa, Beltran: Loyola Marymount University

Vadell, Anthony: Purdue University

Vasseur, Daniel: Florida International University

Garcia, Sebastian: Florida International University Honors College

Garcia-Chirino, Jose: Florida International University

Garzon, David: Miami Dade College

Gil, Manuel: Purdue University

Giorgini, Victor: Florida International University

Gomez, Andres: Florida State University

Ortega, Gabriel: Saint Anselm College

Otero, Lucas: Loyola University Chicago

Paez, Jorge: Valencia College

Pardo, Alejandro: University of Miami

Pardo, Andres: Marquette University

Pardo, Gabriel: University of Miami

Patricios, Nicholas: The University of Texas, Austin

Vila, Brandon: Florida Institute of Technology

Villarreal, Alejandro: Loyola University New Orleans

Watkins, Matthew: Santa Fe College

Wutzler, Jacob: Georgia Institute of Technology

Zulueta, Julian: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Zuniga, Daniel: Florida International University

School prepares for block schedule for the 19-20 year

By: Roberto Gonzalez ‘19 Echoes Editor in Chief

With the usual onset of changes that will be made to the next school year, one of the biggest will be going from regular schedule to block schedule. With block schedule, class time is doubled and students see their teachers less frequently, more like the college classroom setting. In reality, block schedule is not new to the Belen community. It has been a topic that has been brought up many times for discussion and even voted on by the faculty and administration over the past 20 years. It is a change that affects everyone in the community, and therefore it required that everyone be on board with the plan .

The new schedule will include four blocks a day with an hour and a half time periods, while also keeping the A/B flipping of the last period. Also it will include one day of a regular schedule during the week when students see all their teachers in shorter classes. The new schedule will also include one day every week that will be free of any assessments so that students can take a breather and the school can arrange for activities that will not interfere with testing.

into the books, practice writing, and work on vocabulary all in one day. Electives such as yearbook or broadcasting would have more time to create their products at a much higher quality. Semester classes such as Economics and Philosophy will remain the same by having one of the classes per semester.

Another positive change is that the teachers have been instructed to not give more homework, but instead focus on giving more dedicated class work that will efficiently engage the students. Essentially, this schedule gives teachers more options for teaching the material, and students more time to learn it.

The main purpose for the change is to reduce the stress level for all students as there will be only four classes per day. Stress for teachers would reduce as well as they would have more time to prepare for lessons, have a longer time frame to teach the lessons, and have the opportunity to engage the students for a longer period of time.

"This schedule will give both teachers and students more time to learn the lesson and to dive deeper into it,” said school Principal Jose E. Roca '84.

The administration plans to have a meeting for the parents when they will release the new schedule and discuss any questions parents may have.

With this change come many positive things. For example, science lessons can now include the complementing lab, all in the same class time. English classes will have the ability to dive deeper

"I remember my time here in Belen and how stressful the fast schedule would be. This would have been the schedule that I would have loved to have while I was at school,” said Mr. Roca.

As with all changes there are also many concerns such as teachers who will struggle with the concept of breaking up the time to teach two to three lessons per block, or those who might attempt a class-long lecture. To avoid any potential problems, the entire faculty has been undergoing professional development sessions after school that are geared towards teacher training in block schedule. The training sessions have been led by a group of faculty members who have taught in block scheduling previously in their careers.

"I think the block schedule will help with all the homework we are given and it will give me more time to prepare for tests," said eighth grader Aiden Suarez.

While change can be scary and difficult, the faculty and administration are embracing the new schedule and looking forward to the positive aspects of a longer class.

"We have always been a school to face change head on and welcome adversity," said Mrs. Ana Suarez. “Once we adjust and it gets rolling, the students will benefit tremendously from this both inside and outside the classroom.”

Fr. Izquierdo Golf Tournament

For the last 20 years, we have honored and remembered Fr. Jose Maria Izquierdo, SJ with a Golf Tournament at the International Links Miami Melreese Country Club. The mission of this event, to raise funds for the Belen Financial Assistance Program, provides aid to over 300 students, to give young men the opportunity to attend Belen Jesuit. We would like to thank our sponsors for their participation and support.

TOMBOLA 2019

50 years of BARQ

Alumni Association President Tony Castro '86 and Alumni Association Executive Director Carlos Bravo '86 presented Coach Carlos Barquin with a Belen Jesuit graduation ring to recognize his 50 years of service to the Belen Jesuit Community. He was also named the first ever Honorary Member of the Belen Alumni Association.

WHY I GIVE BACK

By: Carlos Padron '83

Carlos Padron '83

Vila, Padron and Diaz, PA

Coral Gables Law Firm

When asked to write this testimonial, my reaction was, why me? Initially, I thought, there are others who have given back more. However, giving back for me has not just been about making a financial contribution to Belen Jesuit -which I have done - it has also been about giving my time and sharing my insights.

Since my first day at Belen as a student, I remember being told that giving back is our responsibility. It is a lesson that has been instilled in every Belen student. There are many reasons why someone chooses to give back, such as, to fulfill a need, to help someone less fortunate, and/or to help a cause about which one feels passionately.

Even though there are many reasons to give, people come up with many excuses to not give. The reasons can stem from, I don’t have time, I don’t have money and the organization that’s asking already has a lot of money. The truth is, sometimes those reasons are valid and other times they are just excuses. My family and I have found that these reasons, for the most part, can be overcome. Those hurdles can be cleared by asking questions that would clarify any doubt regarding the validity or need to make a donation. For instance, at Belen you can designate your gift to the Annual Fund if you want the school to choose the best way to use the money, or you can designate it to one of the existing scholarships. You can also become involved and have a more in-depth understanding as to the need and learn how donations are used.

I began at Belen in the ninth grade - the first junior class of the school at its current location. Our total class size was 56. Until this day, my classmates are my brothers. I usually speak to most of them and even those from the class of 1982 on a weekly basis. My son Carlos graduated in 2010, and although his class size was larger than mine, they are a tightly knit bunch. Like me with my classmates, he speaks to his own classmates frequently. That bond that Belen creates among its students, is reason alone to give back to Belen.

However, the truth is that this brotherhood goes beyond our graduating class. The teachers, coaches, and priests of the school made a much bigger impact on me than any of the other teachers I had in college and law school. When people come together and realize that they have a Belen connection, it usually leads to a new friendship or business deal. Again, this alone is invaluable and yet another reason that validates giving back to Belen.

Truth be told, for as wonderful as Belen is and how amazing it has grown since my time as a student, it relies on the generosity of others (alumni) to give back. Without our time and/or money, Belen simply cannot accomplish its goals of advancing its strategic vision. When you analyze the finances of the school, tuition simply doesn’t cover it all. If we want state of the art facilities and top notch teachers for our kids, grandkids and great grandkids to enjoy.... WE have to do our part. In my opinion, Belen has identified various ways to give back and has developed a system and procedures to clearly define necessities and goals. Additionally, the opportunity to give your time and talent is always valuable.

Simply put, Belen created the foundation for many of us, and that alone is probably the best reason why I give back.

FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY IS A KEY PART OF THE VISION OF BELEN

Belen’s endowments support three key areas: financial assistance, professional development and physical plant maintenance. This year, the endowments that support our Financial Assistance Program have grown from one to three, with an additional three endowments currently in the works.

Funded Financial Assistance Endowments:

- Goizueta Scholars: This endowment has been active for many years and was made possible by the generosity of The Goizueta Foundation. In 2018, The Goizueta Foundation gifted Belen with an additional 100K.

- Father Juan Manuel Dorta Duque, S.J.: This endowment was made possible by a significant initial gift from the Belen Alumni Association and the Garrido Family Foundation in February of 2019. Since then, the alumni association has made additional contributions to further bolster the endowment.

- Father Willie García-Tuñón, S.J.: This endowment was founded by members of the class of 1987 and has received donations from key members of the community. Special thanks to Jorge Domínguez ‘87 and Jose López-Varela ’87 who are consistently working with their classmates to bolster this endowment on an annual basis.

In Progress - Financial Assistance Endowments:

- Carola Calderín: This endowment was created after longtime employee and Belen mom Carola Calderín passed away in 2018. Special thanks to Carlos Apillaga ’90, who single handedly came up with the concept, made the founding gift and rallied support between members of his class, as well as the class of 1992. Together they successfully secured commitments in excess of the 100K, which is needed to establish a formal endowment.

- Llorente Family: This endowment was established and funded by Marcelo Llorente ’94. He presented this idea in 2016 which helped to give priority and focus to the building of our endowments as part of our Vision for the future.

- Carlos Barquín: In appreciation of his 50 years of service at Belen Jesuit, this endowment was created in 2019 and will be fully funded by the end of this summer.

A full accounting of our endowments will be made available in the President’s Report which will be published this fall.

MAGIS

POWER IN silence

By: Fr. Patrick Kokorian, '93 M.M.A.

“How do I know if I’m called to be a priest?” I was in the ninth grade and we had just listened to a talk on the priesthood; part of the annual vocation day schedule. I had never thought about the priesthood, now I wondered how one received the call. Did I have it? How could I tell if I did? My attempts to answer these questions met with little success, so I pushed them aside, quickly forgetting about the whole thing. Thankfully, it would not be the last time they arose in my life.

When I graduated from Belen in 1993, I thought I knew my path in life. I was on my way to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to study aerospace engineering in hopes of one day working in the space industry. Five years later, I graduated with my degree and, by the end of that year, was hired by Telespazio, a partner of Iridium and their new satellite cell phone. It was all very exciting! However, before my contract was up, Iridium filed for bankruptcy. So, in 2000, I began a new job at Lockheed-Martin. Exteriorly, my life was good; I had a small apartment in North Virginia, a satisfying job that paid well, loving family members and friends, and even a fervent parish run by faithful priests. Interiorly, on the other hand, I was not doing too well.

In the spiritual life, if you are not moving forward, you are going backwards; there is no standing still. When I left Belen, I left a world animated by the Catholic faith and entered the world of Secularism. Although I continued to go to Mass on Sundays and to pray a little each day, I was quietly living two conflicting lives, trying to get the best of both

worlds: the spiritual and the secular. I had become like many others who try to walk a fine line between pleasing God and the World, ignoring the words of Scripture that “whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (Jas 4:4) There was little joy in such a life, for I was turning down pleasures of the world out of fear of offending God and losing the happiness of an intimate friendship with Him by running after worldly pleasures. Thank God, this state of affairs did not last long.

I will never forget the day of my conversion. It was September 13, 2000, I was 25 years old and restless. No matter where I looked, nothing seemed to satisfy me. On that day, I came face to face with my misery; I felt despicable in my eyes and the eyes of God. I will not go into details, only to say that, at that point, I felt I had lost God’s friendship; never did I feel more alone. Yet His grace was working in me and gently leading me back to His Fatherly embrace. I hurried to confession and poured out my heart, leaving the confessional with a deep peace and the joy – never more felt – of knowing I was forgiven. That night, I drove home from church crying tears of happiness. Then and there I promised God that I would do things His way from now on, resolving to change my life for the better. It was not an easy resolution to keep, but God’s grace was there for me, especially in the sacrament of confession. Before the year was up, my life would change more drastically.

That December, I was reading Thomas Merton’s autobiography, The Seven Story Mountain, which tells of his life as a Trappist monk. When I got to the part describing

life in the monastery, my heart cried out, “YES! That’s the life for me!” It took me completely by surprise! Fear then came over me at the thought of abandoning my dreams of marriage and family life. Yet, I could not go back on my promise to God; if this was where He was leading me, I had to follow. So, for months I prayed, researched, and contacted monasteries and religious orders, hoping to discover whether I had a vocation. By Divine Providence, I heard about Most Holy Trinity Monastery while on retreat at a Jesuit house in Maryland. Having been raised in the Maronite Catholic Church, one of the Eastern Rites in union with Rome, this monastery caught my eye. That it was also contemplative and centered on Eucharistic Adoration, urged me to find out more.

I visited the monastery in Petersham, Massachusetts for the first time in May of 2001. Any hope that either an angel or the abbot would reveal if I was called to join quickly disappeared before the end of my retreat. If I have learned one thing about discerning a vocation, it is that nobody can discern your vocation for you; you have to do it yourself. True,

God gives signs that help – attraction being one of them – but it is rare that He gives a soul a 100 percent certainty of its calling. Yet, as I left the monastery’s silence and made my way back to Virginia, I felt a growing longing to return. This longing became a deeper desire to join and, two years later, having paid off my student loans, I said goodbye to everything that was dear to me and plunged into monastic life. Nonetheless, the question whether I was called to the

priesthood continued to follow me.

I entered the monastery thinking I would stay a brother. After all, both priests and brothers live nearly identical, cloistered lives dedicated to Eucharistic Adoration, the only discernable difference being the dispensing of the Sacraments. Later, an article in the Rule opened my eyes to the deeper reality of the monastic priesthood, saying that, “Priesthood is primarily a configuration to and union with Jesus Christ, the one Priest and Mediator, who offered Himself in obedience to the Father as a victim for the life of the world.” In other words, the priesthood adds a new dimension to the apostolate of prayer and reparation, so necessary for our world today.

Since the question of priesthood kept coming up, I decided to take some time to discern God’s will. I soon learned that the first step to discernment is indifference, that is, being equally happy to do God’s Will whatever it may be. Until then, I had lacked this but now, as I let go of selfish fears and desires, I discovered the great beauty of the priesthood and, more amazing still, that God was indeed inviting me to share in it. It is hard to put into words how humbled and happy I felt when, after several months of discernment, I received my answer. Yet this paled in comparison to the graces poured out on the day of my ordination, October 27, 2013.

Once, a retreatant at our monastery asked me why I would leave a successful career as a rocket scientist with Lockheed-Martin and enter the silence of the monastery. Without any hesitation, I answered that it was because I wanted to go higher! All for the greater glory of God and the good of souls. Please pray for me.

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF OSP

By: Mr. Patrick Collins Belen Professor

China

Who wouldn’t be impressed? Only a high school sophomore and already he could boast of seeing the Eiffel Tower, St. Mark’s Square, Japan’s Horyuji Temple, and the Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an. How lucky for that Belen globetrotter to tour so much of the world during a family weekend at Epcot.

Once upon a time, an automobile trip to central Florida was as good a travel experience as it got for our students. The Social Studies Department came to realize its mission necessitated creative learning to counter the lure of the virtual reality that is Disney World. The long-line simulations at the Magic Kingdom do have their place in Florida tourism. However, civic education at Belen needed

to do better than the Hall of Presidents. When the Close Up program to Washington, DC, was initiated in 1975 and the Model United Nations program launched in 1993, the Social Studies Department declared that Miami and Orlando were not going to be the limits of learning lessons. Then came in 1994 the most daring of proposals from the most unlikely of ancestries.

Ms. Leanez

He became a Belen Social Studies teacher in 1990 as a descendant of the conservative icon in the nineteenth century, the 22nd and 24th United States President Stephen Grover Cleveland.

Foregoing a career in politics, Mr. Charles “Charlie” Cleveland majored in history, with a minor in religious studies, at St. Thomas University for a life in education. There was one noticeable gap in Mr. Cleveland’s education. His

Tokyo

entire world travel resume was limited to one visit to Canada.

“My love for travel didn’t begin until I married in 1990. My wife is a Delta Airlines flight attendant. She made it possible for us to see the world. My eyes and heart were opened to travel,” the blessed husband recalls.

While in graduate school at Nova Southeastern University, Mr. Cleveland created a practicum for his Master’s Degree in Social Studies and Educational Leadership that involved researching his newly found love of travel. He wondered, “What would be the effect in high school students with an increase of geographical and cultural awareness through world travel?” With the enthusiastic endorsement of President/Principal Fr. Marcelino Garcia, SJ, the “Overseas Study Program (OSP)” at Belen was born. What started as a one-year research project with 17 pioneer travelers is now celebrating its 25th Anniversary of providing 1,254 travelers in the Belen community the joys of being in 32 nations on four continents.

After the first four years touring traditional European destinations, a high-risk decision was made to go to Russia. The memory of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was still fresh in Little Havana. The possibility of a boycott was real. When the largest group to date signed-up for Moscow and St.

Poland

Rhodes

OSP By The Numbers

Years in service: 25

Continents: 4

Countries: 32

Cities: 114

Languages: 21

Currencies (pre-Euro): 17

Visas: 6

Travelers: 1,254

Teachers: 34 from all 8 departments

Jesuit Priests: 7

Bible: Philippians 4:8

Dresden

Petersburg, we knew the reason for OSP in Belen had taken root.

One of the most potent moments in our tour of St. Petersburg took place in Palace Square in front of the Hermitage, the Winter Palace of the Czar. We stood quietly contemplating being on the grounds of the Russian Revolution of 1917. The outcome of that event led to the birth of the USSR that led to the Soviets sustaining the Cuban revolution of 1959. Two years later, the expulsion of Belen. We attend Belen in Miami because of what happened where we were standing in Russia. Experiences as powerful as that come from being there. It was not long afterwards other exotic places as China and Japan became OSP destinations.

Rome

Seville

On September 11, 2001, travel plans around the world changed forever. OSP was in the initial stages of preparing a trip to Egypt. Instead, for 2002 we toured USA patriotic landmarks in Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, and Ground Zero in New York City. For the following summer, a small but sturdy group toured the Aloha State including the USS ARIZONA and USS MISSOURI in Pearl Harbor. By 2004, OSP was back on the road to Europe.

In 2014, the Overseas Study Program expanded to offer two trips each summer. Mr. Cleveland sensed the emerging need to concentrate on Asia and the Pacific. Mr. Collins, with Humanities Department Chairperson María Inés Leáñez and Fr. Christian Saenz SJ ’95 as OSP Chaplain, continued offerings to European destinations with no shortage of distinctive sites yet to be experienced. Expanding the focus of travel beyond the social

Fr.Saenz,SJ

studies to include the Humanities and Theology departments would become the bedrock of OSP. Memories abound at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club of Wimbledon, Prado Museum, Normandy American Cemetery, Mont Saint Michel Abbey, St. Malo, Chartres Cathedral at night, Marquis de Lafayette gravesite in Picpus Cemetery, Belem Tower in Lisbon, Christopher Columbus Tomb in Seville Cathedral, Rock of Gibraltar, Peace Wall of Belfast, and Edinburgh Castle.

The enormous interest from students and families in Asia inspired Mr. Cleveland to expand again the spirit of OSP. He created

Normandy

Barcelona

the Matteo Ricci Club, launched a student exchange program with St. Ignatius High School in Taipei, and forged a partnership with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Miami under Deputy Generals Philip Wang and David Chien, and Vice Consul Adolfo Sun. The gift from TECO to Belen of Jesuit Br. Guiseppe Castiglione’s 18th Century painting “One Hundred Horses” is a tribute to the solidarity of common purpose. To further educate Belen students with the tool of language, the World Languages Department now offers Introduction to Chinese and Mandarin Chinese levels 1, 2, and 3. Belen is most fortunate to have the classes taught by Mrs. Hsiao Chi Chiu from Taiwan who also provides invaluable assistance for travel in Asia with OSP.

OSP gave rise to other like-minded programs. International education travel opportunities at Belen such as the Latin American History class trip to Peru and the newly created World Languages’ French class trip to Canada can only lead to a more meaningful view of God’s good Earth.

The Overseas Study Program for 25 years has enabled students to leave home to know others, themselves, and home better.

Edinburgh

For the goals of understanding, appreciation, a commitment to justice, and a world of memories with classmates and families, may OSP continue its mission! Next stop in 2019, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. In 2020, the Overseas Study Program travels for the first time to the Holy Land and Kingdom of Jordan.

The Great Wall

Top Sites in OSP Travels (alphabetically)

All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

Brandenburg Gate

Catacombs of Priscilla

Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres

Church of the Gesu

Cologne Cathedral

Concentration Camps in Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Dachau

Dome of Filippo Brunelleschi in Florence

Emperor Qinshihuang Mausoleum in Xi’an

Great Wall of China

Hagia Sophia

Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Islands of Greece

Lion Monument

Louvre Museum

Maori Tribe in New Zealand

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey

Mount Pilatus

Neuschwanstein Castle

Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial Palace of Westminster Palace of Versailles

Parthenon

Peace Wall in Belfast

Piazza della Signoria

Picpus Cemetery

Prado Museum

Red Square

St. Ignatius Cave in Manresa

St. Ignatius High School in Taipei

St. Peter Basilica

Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

Seville Cathedral

Szechenyi Thermal Bath in Budapest

Tokyo Stock Exchange

USS ARIZONA in Pearl Harbor

Wieliczka Salt Mine

10 QUESTIONS FOR 1 ALUMNUS

By: Xavier Cerrate '19 Echoes Editor

Vicente Fernandez '10

Fernandez is the co-founder and CEO of SportsManias, the real-time, personalized app for diehard sports fans and fantasy players, ranked as a Top 10 Sports App in the App Store. A University of Chicago graduate, he is an award-winning digital media innovator, and has been named to Forbes 30 Under 30, Magic Johnson’s 32 Under 32, Inc.’s 20 Young Entrepreneurs You Need to Know, Entrepreneur’s 50 Inspirational Entrepreneurs to Watch, and as a White House Emerging Global Entrepreneur.

Q. What was your experience like at Belen?

My time at Belen was an ideal high school experience. I made great friends, explored my academic and creative interests, and was able to play on a football team that made a run for a State Championship. Belen was like a second home and I was genuinely excited to go to school every day by the time I was a senior.

Q. What type of student were you?

As a student, I was trying to be successful in all aspects. I cared a lot about my grades, but also explored my interests, like football and writing. Belen gave me the opportunity to balance and go after everything I wanted to pursue, for which I am incredibly thankful. I wanted to be involved in as much as possible at Belen. Whether it was being the sports editor for the school newspaper, being part of the leadership for different clubs, or playing on the football team, I devoted the majority of my days to Belen, especially in the classroom and on the field.

Q. Can you describe one funny moment while you were a student?

We had a good friend who always made us laugh, especially

with his dancing. In classic Belen fashion, we had a mariachi band playing at a school assembly in the central patio, which itself seems like it would only happen at Belen. We got our friend going and he got so into the music that he cha-cha’d his way down the long aisle of seats and got on-stage with the mariachis dancing as only he could, off-beat. The crowd loved it.

Q. What is one thing that you will never forget that you learned in the school?

I will never forget to have faith. Not just spiritual faith, but faith in yourself and those around you, especially when you’re putting the work in. We weren’t supposed to make States my senior year. There were more talented teams, but we really believed we could do it even when things didn’t start well. That communal belief and the effort that came with the belief, let us accomplish a goal that seemed near impossible to those around us. At Belen I learned that it’s not always about being the smartest, the most athletic, or even being the most studious. Understanding your environment and working well with those around you are just as important. I have friends who are just now learning the importance of their relationships and how to leverage them together strategically. I knew that from high school, thanks to Belen.

Q. Who made an impact in your life?

I think there were three people who impacted me most, in different ways. The first is Mr. Maza, who I really looked up to as his student and as a writer. His classes and mentorship helped me hone in on my voice and my writing style. The second is DQ, who impacted the way I carried myself and interacted with others, with care and professionalism. Lastly, Coach Stuart and his staff, including Coach Delgado, shaped my competitive spirit, showing me the rewards of dedication and grit. Coach Stuart was actually the person who connected me with the University of Chicago, where I eventually went to college.

Q. What is the difference between a Jesuit education and other forms of education?

There is something about Belen students and graduates that is immediately recognizable when you meet and interact with them. I think that comes from the Jesuit education. You learn to express yourself well, interact with others in a way that is genuine, but professional, and you have a level of focus, on all things big and small. Men for Others is engrained in who we are.

Q. What prompted you to go into the media industry?

I’ve known I wanted to go into the media industry for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid I was even featured in a TV commercial stating that I wanted to be a sports broadcaster. As I explored that sports media interest at Belen and UChicago, my path formed in a way that I did not anticipate, but I am very excited about and grateful for.

Q. How do you make a difference in that industry?

There are 2 billion people using messaging apps and many of their texting conversations are about sports. We are giving those fans a way to better express themselves with animated

emojis of their favorite teams and players. That difference that we are making in the industry is being validated through our partnerships with leagues, players associations, major brands, and broadcasters. As our society's way of communication has evolved, we’re paving the way for a new type of media for sports, complementing the artificial intelligence we created for the curation of sports journalism. These innovations have garnered us recognition in Forbes and by the White House, and we plan to continue to be a part of the changing industry as our company grows.

Q. What do you hold most dear?

What I hold most dear are my passions—my family, football, and creating content. That is what I’ve devoted the majority of my time to since I was a student, and is still true today. As much as I get excited about a new partnership, I get equally excited about watching a Belen football game where my brother is playing.

Q. What advise do you have for the current students?

The Belen community is there for you. That is the main message I’ve learned over the years. Of all the business and personal networks that I am a part of, Belen is the most valuable. Alumni and people within the Belen family will answer your call and they’ll give you support as a professional and as an individual. That powerful Belen loyalty will continue to be passed down.

Vocation to Marriage announcements

• Isabel Blanco and Emilio Rangel '86

• Dawn Kaldahl and Michael Morejon ’87

• Emily Lancaster and Rafael Romero '07

• Kemelly Figueroa and Reinaldo Mouriz '07

• Natalie Marques and Jose Gomez '08

• Natalia Juncadella and Victor Verdeja '08

• Jessica Gelman and Anthony Kanelidis '09

• Carolina De La Pedraja and Andrew Orozco '09

• Elisa Cantero and Jose Moreiras '10

• Natalie Agramonte and Edwin Pagan '12

• Jorge Fernandez-Ceballos and family celebrating Christmas

• Paulina, daughter of Frankie Ruiz '96

• Ramon IV, son of Ramon Usategui III '96

• Alexandra, daughter of Ramon Usategui III '96

• Elliott Neftali, son of Jonathan Alfonso ’99

• Leonardo Gabriel, son of Jorge Conforme '00

• Penelope Marie, daughter of Santi Iturralde '04

Vocation to Family

• Gabriel Alejandro, son of Alejandro Gravier '88

• Lucas Alain, son of Nestor Machado '91

• Michael Patrick, son of Daniel Jacobson ’96

• Eloise Margot, daughter of Carlos Corral '05

• Margaux James, daughter of James Fenton '05

• Lucia Elise, daughter of Julio Jimenez '06

announcements

In loving memory of our alumni friends In Memoriam

Family and Friends

• Luis R. Sosa ‘44

• Cesar Blanco '47

• Carlos de la Torre ’48

• Elio Martinez ’48

• Narciso Gelats '48

• Dr. Jose Ignacio "Nacho" Marquez '48

• Rafael Valle '52

• Jose Gutierrez '54

• Cristobal "Tobita" Martinez '57

• Jose Rodriguez Soria '60

• Pedro Duarte Cancela ‘61

• Ignacio Gallarreta Otheguy '61

• Carlos Fernandez-Rocha '64

• Pedro Cosculluela '65

• Jacinto Perez '68

• Dr. Pedro Mencia ‘72

• Alejandro Duarte ’08

• Madeline Fernandez-Raña, wife of Victoriano FernandezRaña '54

• Florangel Morejon-Gonzalez, wife of Carlos Gonzalez ‘Sagua

• Doris Gengler, wife of Hans Gengler '56

• Olga Atienza, wife of Jose Ignacio Gonzalez Tellechea ‘56

• Asis Gabriel Lopez, son of Asis Lopez '07

• Dulce Barrios Iturralde, mother of Edward Iturralde '82, aunt of Fr. Eduardo Barrios, SJ '60 and Jorge Cabrera '72

• Aquiles F. Suarez Sr. father of Aquiles F. Suarez '79

• Zenaida Fernandez, sister of Rodrigo Fernandez '60

• Silvia Dominguez Puig, sister of Manuel A. Dominguez '48, aunt of Jorge '63 and Manuel G. Dominguez '75

• Pedro A. Hernandez, grandfather of David '98 and John P. Hernandez '03 and father of Belen Science Department

Chair Dr. P.A. Hernandez

• Magda Serafim Arrieta Guzman, mother of Victor Arrieta '95

• Benito Millares, father of Boris Millares '90

Class Notes

1940s, 1950s, 1960s

Dr. Paul V. Montesino, PhD '55 was inducted as a member of the Academia de la Historia de Cuba en el Exilio at a ceremony in Cambridge College.

1970s

Members of the Class of ’56 at their monthly luncheon at Casa Paco in Miami.

1980s

Jose Cil ’87 was named CEO of Restaurant Brands International Inc., parent company of Burger King, Popeye’s, and Tim Horton’s.

Jose Romano ‘88 was installed as President of the Orange Bowl Committee.

Miriam and Rosendo Ferran '57 and grandson William with Bishop Osvaldo Cisneros, from the Dioceses of Brooklyn, at the Church of the Transfiguration in New York City. Bishop Cisneros is Vice Postulator of the Cause for Canonization of Felix Varela.

’76 Paul Arango, Ariel Remos, Crescencio Ruiz, Rafael Portuondo, Peter Montadas and Agustin de Goytisolo celebrated the work of The Miami Learning Experience School with Chairman Paul Arango.

Julio Barrionuevo '77, pictured with wife, Silvia, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for longtime volunteer service, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Juan Cueto '89 was promoted to Managing Director of the Real Estate Group at Rialto Capital Advisors.

1990s

Manuel Coroalles '90, Sr. Vice President at UBS Financial Services was named a 2019 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Advisor.

NBCUniversal International Group Chairman Cesar Conde '91 has been appointed to the board of directors at Walmart.

Manuel Rodriguez-Perez '93 was granted a US Patent for his technology designs at Florida Power and Light.

Fr. Christian Saenz, SJ ‘95 successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at the Gregorian University in Rome. Fr. Saenz is the new School Chaplain at Belen Jesuit.

Alejandro Usategui '97 won two gold medals, one silver medal, and broke two American Masters records at the National Powerlifting Championships in Utah and will represent the U.S. in the Panamerican Championships in Orlando.

Alexander Sanjenis '99 was named acting media advisor to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai.

2000s

Felice Gorordo '01 was featured in a recent Miami Herald article about this year's eMerge Americas Conference.

Jose Capote '03 was promoted to Associate Athletic Director at Barry University.

Dr. Gabriel Suarez '04 was featured in the Baptist Health South Florida Resource Magazine.

Bryan Lorenzo ’03 was recognized for his 15 years of service at Belen Jesuit at a feast of St. Joseph the worker mass.

Miguel Massens '04 was featured in a recent Miami Herald article about his culinary venture called Time Out Market Miami.

2010s

Federico Bregni '09 was named CFO of Quality-1 Export, Inc.

Jorge Luis Powell ’14 was the kicker of the University of Florida Gators that won the 2017 Peach Bowl.

Carlos Jimenez ’15 graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Global Communications.

Fr. Willie ‘87, Fr. Eddy Alvarez ‘63, Fr. Christian Saenz ‘95, and Br. Mike Martinez ‘09 with Deacon Julio Minsal Ruiz ‘05 at his diaconal ordination at St. Paul’s Basilica in Toronto, Canada. Deacon Ruiz will return to Belen Jesuit in the fall as a teacher.

Eric Diaz-Padron '13 was elected Commissioner of West Miami. Pictured (center) with classmates Camilo Padron, Franky Smith, Frankie Rios, Eric Diaz-Padron, Anthony Sierra, Hector Ortiz, and Brandon Almeida.

MONTSERRAT (CIENFUEGOS)

Dr. Antonio Rabassa celebrated his 90th birthday with sons, Drs. Alfredo Andres '80 and Antonio Rabassa '77

Please update the Alumni Office with any news about you and/or your family.

Contact us by e-mail at alumni@belenjesuit.org or by phone at 786-621-4667

GALLERY OF REUNIONS 1988

GALLERY OF REUNIONS

1983, 2003 & 2017

ALUMNI GATHERINGS

ALUMNI GATHERINGS

ALUMNI GATHERINGS

OF THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT

It is understandable that there is a common misconception that the Society of Jesus was founded as a teaching order. With the thousands of high schools and universities successfully run by Jesuits throughout the world, it is easy to think that the sons of Ignatius were summoned for just that reason. From Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and Sophia University in Tokyo to Belen Jesuit in Miami and Holy Family High School in Mumbai, Jesuit schools have educated hundreds of thousands of highly influential and successful people.

However, we are not a teaching order. The intention of St. Ignatius of Loyola when he founded the Jesuits was to be strictly a missionary order. In any way necessary, the purpose of the Society was the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ to every corner of the known universe. It just so happens that the classroom presents an extraordinary opportunity to do just that. So, when Juan de Vega, Viceroy of Sicily, insisted in 1548 that Ignatius open a school for the young men of Messina, the College of St. Nicholas was established as one more way to promulgate the faith.

Our charisma knows no boundaries. Jesuits are called to cross borders and infiltrate cultures so that the universal values of the gospel are taught and proclaimed as far and wide as humanly possible. Our charisma is one of dialogue, rational and spiritual exchanges of ideas that can engage people of all creeds and colors. A dialogue that has been confided to the Society of Jesus, not only by its superiors, but also by popes throughout history.

This is why Belen Jesuit’s mission, as articulated most recently in our strategic plan, insists on exposing our students to a healthy exchange with the world. Belen seeks to create opportunities for our young men to come in contact and dialogue with different cultures, traditions, and beliefs. From scaling mountains in the Dominican Republic and Peru, to sitting in classrooms in Australia and Taiwan, to walking the cobblestone

streets of Germany and Spain. Every Belen student should fit the description given long ago of the model Jesuit, “un libro en la mano y en el aire un pie.”

This issue of the Belen Jesuit Magazine highlights the work done for so many years by the Overseas Study Program (OSP). Founded by social studies teachers Patrick Collins and Charles Cleveland, OSP has taken thousands of Belen students to remote places around the world in order to experience the diversity of our planet. By doing this, OSP challenges our young men to not only understand the reality of a foreign land, but also better understand and appreciate the land they call home.

In addition, experiences such as the Taiwanese Exchange Program opens the door to spending time and living with families in Taiwan, while also bringing those foreign students to Belen. The Belen Youth Missions exposes our students to working side by side with the poor, giving them an opportunity to make a significant impact to the living conditions of those who are under resourced.

Whether it is east or west, north or south, our students’ opportunities to learn and serve should know no boundaries. There is no question that this effort falls directly in line with the vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola and adheres to the missionary spirit of the Society of Jesus.

Auspice Maria, Fr. Willie

‘87

Belen Alumni Association of Jesuit Schools from Cuba and Miami Alumni Office

500 Southwest 127 Avenue

Miami, Florida 33184