Belen Jesuit Magazine | Winter 2014

Belen Jesuit Alumni

mAgAzine

Close Up: 40 years

MESSAGE FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION

Dear Alumni,

On September 20th, over 500 Belen Alumni, their wives, family, friends and other members of the Belen family came together to celebrate our first ever Alumni Night.

And what a night it was! Many of the recent grads gathered around the big screens, cheered on their favorite college teams, and tried their luck at the “Casino” - while the “less recent” alums – many of whom had not seen each other in over 30 years - shared stories and reminisced about the good old days of the Belen in Havana, Dolores in Santiago, and the Belen at Gesu and 8th Street.

While we will not be able to honor the request of some to hold a monthly alumni night, we are glad to welcome the annual Alumni Night into the tradition of AA events including the Tailgate at the Belen Columbus football game, Reyes Magis Toy drive at Gesu, Golf Tournament, the Monthly Alumni Luncheons, the Downtown Lunch and the weekly basketball games.

Less than a month later, we celebrated the annual Belen Gala, honoring three true “Men for Others”: Father Pedro Cartaya SJ '54, Coach Carlos Barquin and Mr. Patrick Collins.

Father Cartaya, with his legendary humor, educated and

served as spiritual advisor to over forty years of Belen students and graduates, and founded and maintains the Belen Observatory. Coach Carlos Barquin led teams to state championships, taught us how to win with honor and learn from our losses, started the Belen summer camp, and is in his forty six years of service to the school, its students and its alumni. Patrick Collins, almost every Belen student’s “favorite teacher” since he started in 19 71 instilled a sense of civic duty through his history and government courses. Many of us were also fortunate enough to implement and see what we learned in these by participating in Close Up – and for some of us, the Close Up trip served as an inspiration to study, live or work in our nation’s Capitol (see the story on Close up – page 14). The passion for government, civic involvement, and the law no doubt inspired countless Belen students to pursue careers in communications, politics and the law. So much so, that Mr. Collins is often told that he is responsible for the majority of the lawyers in Miami-Dade county.

Mr. Collins was also an inspiration for and is the unofficial mentor to the Belen Alumni Lawyers Section. BALS was the first of the five professional sections (BALS, SAFE, BITS, ACRES, and BASH see page 34). The professional sections have provided an additional venue for Belen graduates to come together to serve the community, help each other succeed, and share their passion for the school.

We at the AA thank you for your participation in the professional sections, look forward to your continued participation in future alumni events, and remain committed to helping Belen graduates fulfill their mission as Men for Others.

Carlos Batlle '80 President of the Belen Alumni Association

ALUMNI MAGAZINE belen jesuit

Fr. Pedro Suarez, SJ ‘58 Belen Jesuit School President

Fr. Ernesto Fernandez-Travieso, SJ Vice-President and Editor-in-Chief

Mariano Loret de Mola ‘58 Alumni Association Director

Roberto Borbolla ’56 Alumni Content Editor

Teresa Martinez Belen Jesuit Director of Communications

Sujayla Collins Belen Jesuit Journalism

Carlos Batlle ’80 – President Antonio Castro ’86 – Vice President

L. J. Rodriguez ’93 – Treasurer

Jose A. Garrido III ’99 – Secretary

Antonio Abella ’59

Tomas Pla ’00

Rober to Colon ’04 Alvaro Cosculluela ’61

Hector Formoso-Murias ’82 Jose A. Garrido, Jr. ’72

Alberto Gutierrez ’88 Reinaldo Ramos ’58

Peter Montadas ’76

Crescencio Ruiz ’76

Francisco "Paco" Ruiz ’73

Fr. Juan Manuel Dorta-Duque, SJ ‘40 - Spiritual Director

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

BELEN JESUIT ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published biannually. Circulation: 6,000

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

L – NO. 2

On the cover: Students, faculty, and alumni pose in front of the US Capitol in 2013.

Photo credits: Official photographer of the House of Representatives.

community

By: Gabriel Abril ‘16 Echoes Editor

• Lock-in is a tradition at Belen where the senior class and the sixth grade class come together in a welcoming and bonding environment. Among the events of the night, there was laser tag, a video game station, a basketball game, and a guest speaker.

• Grandparents' Day was a special day for seventh graders who had a chance to bond with their grandparents. Both generations got together to play dominoes and bingo.

• During Father and Son Day, eighth graders spent time with their fathers while playing a variety of games such as basketball, football, dodgeball, and trivia persuit.

• On Family Day, freshmen and their families came together to play games and spend some precious time together. They also made sandwiches that were later passed out to the homeless.

• Located inside the Ignatian Center for the Arts, the Fr. Arrupe SJ Garden was dedicated by Belen Jesuit President Fr. Pedro Suarez

• Belen came together to fundraise for Breast Cancer Awareness by selling pink ties and socks, and putting together a 5K that collected funds for cancer awareness. Earlier in the year a group representing Belen Jesuit and Baptist Health South Florida gathered to celebrate the joint efforts of both institutions in raising awareness and funds for Breast Cancer. Belen Jesuit presented a $12,000 check for the Baptist Health Breast Center and in appreciation, they presented the school with a butterfly and plaque that will be displayed in the surgical area of the Breast Center.

• The ring ceremony was held in October in the school's gym. A total of 228 seniors received their rings from Father Pedro Suarez, SJ who blessed them during the ceremony.

• The Belen Jesuit Humanities Department and Troupe 4666 of the International Thespian Society came together to perform Oscar Wilde’s play “The Importance of Being Earnest.” The play ran for four days.

A large number of Alumni attended the Belen

on November 1st. 2014

• Open House took place in October and allowed potential new students to get a feel for the school and its faculty. The Alumni Association was on hand to speak to parents and students. Pictured below: Eusebio Garcia '81, Paco Ruiz, 73, Rick Raimundez '90, Crescencio Ruiz '76, and Jose Zarraluqui '91.

• Students from Belen and other schools traveled to the Dominican Republic during the summer to take part in the Youth Mission Program. The students built a bridge at Hoyo de Perez to help the local villagers travel from their town to the next with ease.

• Members of the Wall of Martyrs Committee at the May 20, 2014 Induction Ceremony at the Belen Jesuit Administrative Building.

NEWS

Students travel abroad

By: Jonathan Garcia ‘16 Echoes Staff

A simple summer trip that was started in 1994, has now become an annual tradition and continues to happen every summer. Every year, the overseas trips allow for new places to be discovered and explored, expanding the knowledge of the students beyond the classroom environment. During the summer of 2014, the students had a choice of two adventures, either China or Europe. The graduating class of 2014 also had the exclusive opportunity to travel to Machu Picchu in Peru.

The Overseas Study Program (OSP) creator, Mr. Charles Cleveland, led the OSP China, which went on their first trip this past summer. Mr. Cleveland, along with a group of students and some teachers, traveled to Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai. The group met up with school alumni that were either working or studying in Beijing. They also learned calligraphy in Xi'an, visited the Jade Buddha Temple and even saw first hand the Terra Cotta warriors.

"The OSP China far exceeded my expectation as I was able to witness firsthand how all the participants came face to face with a culture very different from their own, and yet were able to come away with a perspective and admiration for the people of China that no textbook would ever be able to convey," said Mr. Cleveland.

Similarly the seniors, for the first time, had the opportunity to go on a senior exclusive trip to Machu Picchu, Peru. They traveled to Cuzco, Lima and Machu Picchu,

while visiting museums and palaces, walking the streets of local villages, and learning about the Inca culture. The mecca of the trip was of course, reaching the peak of Machu Picchu were many have claimed to have felt a strong spiritual presence.

"The senior trip was an overall amazing experience," said trip leader Dr. John Gustavsen, who teaches Latin American history. "So much so that not one student came back displeased or disappointed."

Not to be outdone, the original OSP trip last summer included a visit to Europe. Students, teachers, and parents stopped at Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. On this 21st anniversary of the OSP, many students accompanied by chaperones and veteran moderator Mr. Patrick Collins, visited the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Pergamon Museum, Hungarian Parliament, and many other locations.

"By far, out of all the places we have visited, the most impacting moment was in the Aushwitz Concentration Camp because standing in the gas chamber, with the bad history that took place in that exact location, we were left breathless," said Mr. Collins.

Overall, the trips allowed the students to experience first hand what they had learned in classes throughout the year. They were also able to expand their knowledge of the different cultures that make up the world. All three trips were a tremendous success, and accomplished the purpose for which they were intended: creating a sense of consciousness about the world we live in, and its inhabitants.

ACADEMICS

NEWS New writing center opens

By: Justin Rodriguez ‘16 Echoes Editor

To further emphasize the concept of the Cura Personalis, a new writing center was developed at the start of the academic year. The Father Arrupe Writing Center provides a very unique one-to-one service for all Belen Jesuit students.

I t is no secret that effective writing is an integral part of the world today; from emails to concept papers. The Father Arrupe Writing Center allows students to sit with teachers from the English Department and edit and revise any written work they may have.

" The center was a great idea to bring to the school because it can help us students in so many ways and benefit us in all of our classes," said sophomore Lucas Pola.

This new service is not just for students in English classes. I t offers help with all the writing needs of students across the disciplines. If a student is interested in going to the Writing Center, he can simply ask his teacher for an appointment and a pass to visit the center. He may also go to the Writing Center during the lunch period and after school without a written pass from the teacher.

" The writing center was a great idea. It helps me tremendously to go to the facility and ask one of the teachers to read over one of my assignments," said junior Mario Robaina.

The Writing Center is located inside the Ramon Guiteras Memorial Library in the school. It is equipped with computers, and a quiet place to review papers and edit them. It is open throughout the school day, and after school for anyone who needs it.

" We are very excited about the Father Arrupe Writing Center because it provides the students with an additional resource beyond their English classroom to receive assistance with their writing. A student can receive one-on-one mentoring throughout the entire school day and after school, The writing coaches also visit the classrooms to provide support to teachers and students who may be working on a writing assignment in a different subject," said Maria D. Alonso, Chair of the English Department.

The center is available for all students from middle through high school. As the day goes by, students make their visits to improve their writing, and receive the personal care for which the school is so well known.

By: Carlos Jimenez ‘15 Echoes Editor

ATHLETICS

• The Varsity Football team had an amazing season, making it to the district playoffs by a tiebreaker.

• The Junior Varsity Football team had a strong season this year, ending the year with a 6-1 record. They look forward to working hard in order to make it into the highly successful varsity team next year.

• The Middle School football team showed a lot of potential and dedication this year. They look forward to a long offseason to get better for next year as most will be moving up to high school.

• The new sixth grade football team showed that they too could work efficiently to be contenders in the future. They are excited to be moving up with the big boys in the middle school level.

• The Varsity Cross Country team came in 1st place at the Regional Championship. At the State Championship they came in third place.

• The Middle School Cross Country team had a remarkable season, ending the season undefeated. They presented that they are devoted to becoming state champions in the near future.

• The sixth grade Cross Country team had a great season. There was a lot of potential for next year, which is good because a lot of runners will be moving up to the high school level.

• For the first time in the school’s history the Varsity Golf team won first place in the District Championship. They displayed their dedication and focus throughout the season.

• The Middle School Golf team had a strong season this year. They are dedicated to becoming better golfers and to be the best they possibly can for next year.

• The Varsity Swimming team came in second place at the State Championship. Their 200 Medley relay won the State Championship.

• Middle School Swimming had a terrific season. The young team won several meets and learned from their from their losses. They look forward to moving up to the next level of competitions as many of the young swimmers move to the high school level.

• The Bowling Team still being a new sport in Belen had a strong season. They came in 8th place in the District Championship.

NEWS

Many people do not understand the point in playing baseball. Why would someone swing a stick, hit a ball, and try to get back to where they started before the ball returns? What pleasure is there in that? Why not participate in a sport like wrestling or track where there is an obvious level of individual improvement? But for Texas Rangers pitcher, Nick Martinez '08, it is solely for the love of the game.

Nick Martinez has practically been playing baseball ever since he can hold a bat and ball at the age of three. At the mere age of five, he joined the Perrine Khoury League.

“ The most memorable moment at the Perrine Khoury League was the year when my coach was Hall of Famer Andre Dawson,” said Martinez.

The last year Martinez played for them was at the age of eleven. This was at the end of fifth grade and the moment he found out he was accepted to Belen Jesuit Preparatory School.

Martinez went through Belen like any other student, studying hard from 8 am to 3 pm and playing baseball from 3 pm until sunset. He played baseball every year since sixth grade. From eleventh to twelfth grade, Martinez had the opportunity to play for the Varsity Team with Head Coach Meilan. He

ready for the majors

played shortstop.

Senior year for everyone was an unforgettable time in their lives. For Martinez the most memorable moments at Belen were finishing lunch fast to play stick ball in the central patio, hanging out with friends in class retreats, watching the senior skit, and jumping in the pool with friends on the last day of school.

Nick Martinez is currently pitching for the Texas Rangers. He played Aug 20, 2014 at the Marlins Stadium in Downtown, Miami. This was the first time he had played at this park.

“ The moment I walked out to the field was the most surreal moment in my life. I looked up at the stands and saw over one hundred of my family and friends cheering with the rest of the crowd,” said Martinez.

People always wonder how it must feel to be on the field with hundreds of people cheering or yelling at you. Surprisingly, Martinez says that he focuses on the game and blocks out all the sounds to the point that he cannot

By: Carlos Jimenez ‘15 Echoes Editor in Chief

hear anything. The moment he releases the ball from his fingertips is the moment he realizes there is a crowd.

Martinez speaks highly of his years in Belen and the people who have helped him along the way. Father Willie Garcia-Tuñon, SJ '87 was one of those many who have influenced him. Father Willie helped Martinez get into Fordham University in New York. He taught him about loyalty and what it is to be a Man for Others.

Father Willie and Nick have continued to communicate over the years and it is Father Willie who will actually be performing Martinez’s marriage with his fiancé.

“Looking back at my years at Belen I would not change anything. I have formed so many friendships in my years at the school. They are still the friends I play golf with, watch games with, and share stories with, even today,” said Martinez. "My favorite part is coming back to talk to the current students; they have the stories that I had at that age."

In 2014, Belen celebrated 160 years of continuous Jesuit education. Throughout the history of our school, we have been in two countries and five campuses, but our mission has never wavered. The Jesuits and the faculty give their lives to the school so that young men can receive a strong Catholic formation in the tradition of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

Over the years, there have been so many people and stories that have helped to shape the school’s culture and foster the camaraderie it is known for. We now have a unique opportunity to celebrate our story, which is told in the newly published book, Men for Others: The Belen Jesuit Story. The author Zeida Sardiñas recounts the school’s incredible story, features over 600 images and recognizes the individuals who served it and its students. The book recounts the history of the Jesuit order and how El Colegio de Belén began and grew in Cuba and then the eventual exile of the Jesuits from the island. The book predominantly features the history of Belen Jesuit in Miami from its establishment in 1961 to the end of the 2012 -13 school year.

There are a limited number of books available now just in time for Christmas! The full book release is scheduled for January 2015. For more information including viewing a list of chapters, seeing if your name appears in the book or to purchase a copy visit, www.belenjesuit.org/thebelenjesuitstory or purchase it in person via the Alumni or Development Offices.

Scan to purchase

Yearbooks contain the stories and memories of every year. From the old haircuts and school photos to numerous quotes and stories; they have it all. Yearbooks are testaments to the greatest wins, funniest moments, class activities and the lifestyle of the year. They have captured every year since Belen's inception in 1854.

In this age of technological advances, Mr. Peter Montadas '76 alongside the BITS alumni section have already begun to publish the yearbooks online. Helping Mr. Montadas with this project were the members of the subcommittee, comprised of Mr. Crescencio Ruiz '76, Mr. Javier Mariscal '86, and Mr. José Lopez Varela, '87. This project has been going very well and they have already put all of the available yearbooks online. In addition to digitizing and posting these books, the group has also devised a system in which the yearbooks for the years to come can be added easily to the database.

Currently the yearbooks from 1854 through 1954 special edition have been published. The digital library also holds the yearbooks of 1913, 1914, 1931 and those from 1937 through 2013 continuously. The group is currently working on updating the most recent yearbook: the 2014 volume.

“ The Online Yearbook Project was an Alumni Association dream that thanks to the dedication and effort of a group of alumnus became a reality for the benefit of future alumni generations,” said Loret de Mola.

This painstaking project has not yet been completed. Yearbooks from the years of 1914 through 1931 have still not been added. The BITS alumni section reported that they knew for sure that the yearbooks from 1932 through 1936 were definitely missing; they believe that many of these still reside in Cuba. Alongside the search for the missing yearbooks, the group has also been working on some other features such as

Alumni yearbooks go online

By: Rodrigo Bustamante ‘16 Contributing Writer

reprinting certain volumes.

Yearbooks provide a tremendous legacy for our community. They have become more than just books and into something more profound. The yearbooks unite families and school graduates of many generations. Students, parents, alumni, and teachers are able to view and search for every yearbook that is available online. Each one has been converted to a format that makes it searchable by using a keyword. Thus, anyone can easily browse through an available yearbook and find what they sought to find with ease.

The yearbooks utilize the same software viewer as the Vincam Magazine, which is very simple and user-friendly. Alongside these capabilities, one has the ability to crop, email pictures, create bookmarks, add notes and just go through the yearbooks one page at a time.

Peter Montadas and BITS had tremendous cooperation and support from the Alumni Association's office, specifically from Mariano Loret de Mola '58 and Rick Raimundez '90. In addition, they received tremendous help from Mrs. Carol Vila, Mr. Agusto Venegas '85 and the Technology Department.

At the pace the project is moving, alumni from just about every graduating class will have these priceless memories at the touch of a finger. To access these yearbooks, simply click on the alumni tab of the school's main web site, log in as an alumnus, and enjoy those unforgettable moments.

Commitment

MAGIS for life

By: Andres Marquez ‘16 Contributing Writer

On any given day you can find Father Francisco PerezLerena, SJ '44 walking around the school campus, or behind a desk in his favorite place, the school library. An extremely wellknown person in the school community, Father Perez-Lerena was born in Havana, Cuba on December 27, 1924. Growing up in Cuba, a young Perez-Lerena grew fond of his surroundings and of his life in the tropical island. He attended El Colegio de Belén in his very own hometown and graduated from there in 1944. He was skilled in mathematics and science related fields, and hoped to study engineering in the future. Post-graduation, Perez-Lerena attended La Universidad de La Habana and pursued his interest in engineering. After a few years, however, he discovered that God had a different plan for him and became active in the religious community, most notably, the Society of Jesus.

The then layman Perez-Lerena began his higher spiritual Catholic formation in the Agrupación Católica Universitaria (ACU), a congregation that assisted university students in their professional tracks in becoming Catholic leaders of society. At the time, the ACU was located in Havana. Today, however, it is stationed in Miami, Florida. The head of the ACU was then Father Felipe Rey de Castro, SJ, the actual founder of this institution. It was the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola directed by Father Rey de Castro that put the affirmation stamp on Perez-Lerena’s desire to continue his journey in his formation to become a Jesuit.

This journey began, like all other prospective Jesuits, in the novitiate stage studying humanities; he decided to become part of the Jesuit order in 1947 with fellow friend and companion Fr. Jorge Sardiñas, SJ; he completed the novitiate stage in Havana as well. Being then transferred to Santander, Spain, Perez-Lerena completed his first studies in the area of philosophy, also a requirement in the Jesuit formation process.

After completing these, the now-Jesuit finished his three year regency in Puerto Rico at the Colegio de San Ignacio. The regency period is usually, but not limited to, a time when prospective Jesuit priests worked for some time at a school in order to promote their active Jesuit ministry. Upon leaving Puerto Rico, the soon-to-be Father

Perez-Lerena was transferred to Insbruck, Austria where he studied theology for four years. At the completion of this checkpoint, PerezLerena was finally ordained a priest in Austria July 26, 1956. Following his ordination, Father Perez-Lerena, SJ went on to Belgium where he completed his tertianship in nine months concluding with his final vows.

Still having a desire to continue his education in the engineering field, Fr. Perez-Lerena enrolled in New York University where he stayed for a year. He then travelled down to South Florida where he spent a year helping to set up the first Belen school in Miami, as well as teaching on the 4th floor of Gesu Church in Downtown Miami.

After this year came to a close, the Antilles Province of the Jesuit Order offered Father Perez-Lerena the position of Master of Novices in the province. He accepted and began the mandatory studies of Ignatian Spirituality at the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. After completing his preparatory studies in Rome, the priest was put in charge of the new Novitiate in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republican on August 15, 1964, the new center of the Antilles Province of the Jesuit Order. Beforehand, the Novitiate was located in Havana, but due to the Castro regime taking power, it was promptly moved to Santo Domingo. During his time in the Dominican Republic, Father Perez-Lerena also became the Director of Seminarians who were philosophers in the Universidad Madre y Maestra in Santiago de los Caballeros.

Eventually, he was named Provincial of the Antilles Province of the Jesuits in 1974, a big responsibility that required much work.

"When I made the assumption that being named Provincial was somewhat of an honor, the priest quickly corrected me and made it clear that it is not necessarily an honor, more of a duty and responsibility to make the Province run smoothly and effectively," said Perez-Lerena.

From 1977 through 1980, Fr. Perez-Lerena assisted as Provincial in the process of moving the Belen Jesuit of 8th St. and 7th Ave. to the current campus which is significantly bigger.

“ The Jesuit community in Miami had to expand and grow, even in the adverse conditions of little money and fund raising,” said Fr. Perez-Lerena.

At the initiation of the current Belen in 1980, the priest was named rector, or president, of the school. In addition to being rector of Belen, he also taught psychology, theology, and Spanish.

I t is very clear that upon looking at the early events of Father Perez-Lerena’s life, he was quite the busy man as well as world traveller. He was most impacted in his travels by the different cultures, languages, and realities that he encountered. Within each city, he would learn of a new way to view the world from a new people.

“Upon getting to know different people around the world, you very soon realize that you do not hold the absolute truth,” explained Perez-Lerena. “Truth and reality are relative to where a person is located, has grown up, and other factors that have great influence. The only absolute truth that we have is God.”

In 1984, Fr. Perez-Lerena founded Regis House, an institution geared towards helping the youth, anywhere from the ages of 13 to 19, with their substance abuse and drug addictions. A project of such magnitude surely required an amazing inspiration or driving force.

Father Perez-Lerena's motivation is a simple story about a young man named Kelvin Mimmick who came to confess to him one day. During the confession, he asked Father if he could speak with him afterwards and later told him about his addiction to cocaine and heroine. Seeing that this young man was in need of professional

help, Father Perez-Lerena went around Miami looking for places where Mimmick might have been placed to receive the attention he needed. To their disappointment, all of the houses were full leading to Mimmick's release into the streets from where he came.

A few months later, Father Perez-Lerena received a telephone call from Mimmick's mother notifying him of the boy's death. As a priest and Jesuit, Father Perez-Lerena felt that it was his duty to help these kids in need of help with their substance abuse problems, and therefore opened the Regis House. Geared towards youth and targeting low income families with Latin American backgrounds,

Regis House has been serving the community for thirty years. To this day, Father Perez-Lerena still plays a very active role in Regis House, dedicating two days of the week at the center while also taking care of behind-the-scenes work.

"At Regis House, we try to get the kids to see that there are other ways to get high not using drugs," said Father Perez-Lerena. "The best method of remedy for these kids is to get them to see that doing good to others can give you a better high."

Now, even at the age of 89, Father Perez-Lerena is always involved in some sort of project, research, or other activity.

"I loved to be involved in things. I don't want to be locked in a room all day doing nothing," said the priest with much enthusiasm. He is always in some sort of research, explaining why he spends a good part of his time during the day in the Ramon Guizeta library. It is safe to say that Fr. Perez-Lerena goes beyond exemplifying the Magis in his daily life. From the time he began his Jesuit formation, Fr. Perez-Lerena was set out for a life dedicated to this one core value of the faith. In his travels, positions held, and founder of such a charitable institution like Regis House, he is never complacent with the way things are. He wishes to go out in the world, make a change in any way that he can, even if it's only giving Mass on Sundays at San Lazaro Church in Hialeah. He does his part to serve his community and has tried to be the actual hands and feet of God on Earth through not only his words, but actions and ideas.

Cover Story

A look CLOSEUP

In the early years of Belen beginning a new era in Miami, we were struggling with limited resources, a tiny campus, and a cultural transformation. The clubs and sports were few, the curriculum largely revolved around text book material, and the opportunities for field trips were rare. Traveling to Washington, DC would have seemed unreal; the chance to witness the inauguration of presidents, meet with congressmen, and visit a number of prestigious universities seemed impossible.

A single phone call in 1975 from the Close Up Foundation forever changed that. Close Up was founded by Stephen A. Janger in 1971 to promote civic knowledge, responsibility and patriotism. His goal was to bring students and teachers "close up" with legislators, lobbyists, and DC insiders over a one week visit to our nation's capital.

"Belen Jesuit was one of the first schools in Miami to participate in Close Up and we have been proud to watch it grow over the last 40 years into such a rich tradition. Each year, we are excited to welcome a new class of young men from Belen who are prepared, engaged, and ready to make the most of their Close Up

By: Matthew Murphy ‘15 Echoes Editor

experience. It is truly impressive to watch Belen students on Capitol Hill Day each year as they meet alumni, many of whom are also Close Up alumni, and hear about the experiences and opportunities that brought them to Washington," said Timothy S. Davis, President and CEO of the Close Up Foundation.

Each year for the last four decades, Belen juniors and seniors have had the privilege of visiting Washington, DC through the Close Up program. For Belen's Close Up debut in 1975, one student, Miguel "Red" Ares, was accompanied by the then twentysix year old U.S. Government teacher Patrick Collins for the first Close Up trip. Since then, the number of Belen Close Up alumni has steadily increased to 1,505, with over 100 students attending each of the last two years.

"Many thousands of high schools from every section of the country have participated in Close Up's Washington program since its inception. But the Belen/Close Up partnership - with its unparalleled 40 year continuity of participation and education leadership - stands unique in Close Up history," said Close Up founder Stephen Janger.

Each day during the trip, students and their teachers get the opportunity to visit the monuments, museums, libraries, landmarks, universities, cemeteries and neighborhoods throughout the DC area. On a more profound level, students have had the opportunity to meet and speak directly with Members of Congress from South Florida, as well as journalists, agents, Belen Alumni that now work or go to school in the area, and even President Ronald Reagan in 1984!

"My Close Up week culminated with one of the most unforgettable days of my life. In 1983, the White House extended an invitation to one student from each of the schools that participated in that week's Close Up Program to attend a question and answer session with President Ronald Reagan. I remember Mr. Collins' quandary in having to decide which Belen student would have the opportunity to attend the session with President Reagan. In the end, Mr. Collins let lady luck decide and it was my name that was picked out of a hat. I would have the privilege of being in the same room with the President of the United States. To this day, I vividly remember the excitement of walking into the Executive Office Building and meeting the President. I remember the warmth of President Reagan's voice; with just a few words he put us all at ease. He took questions from various students and spoke to us casually and openly about the questions we raised. President Reagan then pointed toward me and gave me a chance to ask him a question. I simply could not have scripted a better Close Up experience, one I will never forget and have been proud to tell to my children," said Roberto Pupo '85.

The range of favorite highlights among the alumni is diverse. For some it is that Belen has witnessed the inauguration of every president since 1981. During the 2009 trip, Belen students had the privilege of witnessing the inauguration of President Barack Obama, with silver tickets provided by Representatives Ileana RosLehtinen (R, Fl) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R, Fl).

Sergio Gonzalez, Belen Class of 1981 and former Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Miami-Dade County recounts that "The Close Up program opened up a world of possibilities for me. It gave me a

Opposite page:

Students at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetary.

From top to bottom:

1. On Belen's ninth trip to Washington with the Close Up Program, including: First row (left to right): Carlos Muniz, Rolando Fernandez, Albert Del Valle, Eugenio Hernandez, Tom Jelke Standing: Rafael Quintana, Ted Sanchez, Robert Pupo, Francisco Argamasilla, Alfredo Consuegra, Mr. Pat Collins, Augusto Venegas, Danny Garrido, Henry Sori.

2. Senator Bob Graham with Belen students in 1988 in front of the US Senate.

3. With Congressman Dante Fascell in 1990 in front of the US Capitol.

4.Associate Justice William Brennan met with Belen Jesuit students in the United States Supreme Court during the Close Up program at the behest of the Rasco Family in 1993. Standing left to right around Justice Brennan: Antonio Garcia, Juan Rodriguez, Jose Hernandez, Jorge Fernandez-Silva, Demetrio Perez, Alex Levy, Joaquin Avino, Ramon Rasco, Humberto Reboredo, Gustavo Membiela, Jesse Pena, Javier Carreno, and Francisco Armada.

Cover Story

window to a world outside my Little Havana home that I had never experienced. It motivated me to attend Georgetown University and pursue a degree in Foreign Service. It fostered for me a life-long interest in government and public affairs."

"I felt the Korean War Veterans Memorial spoke to me the most. The monument said "Freedom is not free" and that really hit home," said 2012 Close Up Alumnus Christian Suarez.

One of the many things that makes Close Up a memorable experience for Belen students is the opportunity to meet people from all over the country. Belen students who attend Close Up have the opportunity to interact and debate with students from the Pacific Northwest, New England, the Midwest, the South, and even fellow Floridians. Not only have our Close Up alumni heard Texas twang and met Boston Blue bloods, but also that they came to understand the cultural diversity that makes this country distinctive.

A longtime suppor ter of Close Up and Belen Jesuit is veteran lawmaker Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. "It’s always a pleasure to have Belen’s Close Up students visit my Washington DC office and our nation’s Capital. Belen students and alumni are known for their active involvement in public service and work to improve our community. My office has been enhanced by many interns and staff from this respected school. The Belen faculty continues to inspire new generations of leaders," said Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen.

"In 1997, Belen and Close Up gave me the opportunity to have a unique perspective on Washington, D.C. and our government. In January, 2015, as a Member of the 114th Congress, I will have yet another unique perspective on our wonderful nation and the institution that is closest to the people. I look forward to sharing this experience with Belen students and alumni," said Congressman-Elect Carlos Curbelo ‘98.

I t is an understatement to say that the Close Up Program has been successful in sparking an interest in government and its role among Belen students. As a result, an impressive list of Belen Alumni, including Dr. Rolando Diaz ’87, now work in the DC area and have been featured as speakers at Close Up each of the last three years. After forty years, the Belen/Close Up bond remains strong, vibrant, and

21 favorite close up highlights

1. The Changing of the Guard

2. Daniel French’s sculpture of Lincoln

3. Signature of John Hancock

4. Theater Night in Washington

5. U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial

6. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

7. Dr. John Gorrie in Statuary Hall

8. The Tidal Basin and Fanne Fox

9. Liberal v. Conservative Debate

10. The Supreme Court

11. Statues of FDR and Fala

12. CU students across the country

13. Vietnam Veterans Memorial

14. The Basilica

15. Voyage of Life at the National Gallery

16. Georgetown University

17. Presidential Inaugurations

18. Snowball fights

19. The Smithsonian Institution

20. Embassy Row

21. The Watergate

Opposite page, from top to bottom:

growing.

Executive Vice President of NBCUniversal Cesar Conde ’91 summed up the opinion of many Close Up alum, "Close Up had a very meaningful impact in my life at an important stage of development. I thank Mr. Collins for his vision, guidance and motivation to involve Belen students in a program that allowed many of us for the first time to visit famous sites in Washington DC, meet with government officials and learn how our federal government works."

On Januar y 18th, 2015, 90 juniors, six chaperones and Mr. Patrick Collins will continue the tradition of civic education and travel to the nation's capital for the 40th consecutive year. As Mr. Collins enjoys putting it, “The U.S. Government course is like a cooking class. Our textbook is like a recipe book. And with Close Up, we get to go into the kitchen!”

For more information and to read more about the history of the Belen Close Up program, go to www.belenjesuit.org/cu.

1. The national Close Up Foundation-Lynda Myers Chozen Award for Teaching Excellence in Civic Education is presented by Close Up President Stephen Janger to Mr. Patrick Collins at the National Press Club in Washington in 2001.

2. Belen constituents visit their Member of Congress (MC) on Capitol Hill Day. Standing left to right: Andres Vigil ’03, Emilio Perez ’03, Congresswoman RosLehtinen (R, FL), Mario Pino ’04, Santiago Iturralde ’04. Kneeling: Arturo Sanchez ’04, Robert Leon ’04 in 2003.

3. Belen Alumni attending Capitol Hill Day (from left to right) - Dr. Rolando Diaz ’87, Alexander Sanjenis ’99, Benjamin Tyler ’10, Lt. Col. Armando Fiterre ’86, Jose Arredondo ’07, Mr. Patrick Collins, Manuel Hidalgo ’87, Fr. Pedro A. Suarez ’58, Alex Burgos ’98, Dr. Frank Mora ’82, Javier Correoso ’04, Luis Palacio ’59, and Patrick Hidalgo ’97 in 2011.

4. With Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Congressmen Mario and Lincoln DiazBalart in Statuary Hall in the House of Representatives.

5. At the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. From left to right: Alejandro Carr, Andres Rivas, Gabriel Mesa, Adrian Moya, Richard Cambo, Adam Incera, Guillermo Herrera, Gabriel Jimenez Garcia, and Fernando Guardazzi.

This page bottom, from left to right:

1. Belen students take part in a wreath laying ceremony for Sgt. Manuel Mesa '63 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

2. Students pose in Arlington National Cemetary overlooking the nation's capital in 2005.

10 QUESTIONS FOR 1 ALUMNUS

By: Alec Castillo '16 Production Club

Carlos Moreyra ‘90

A commander in the United States Navy, Moreyra has been taking care of sick and injured soldiers and civilians in the battle fields since 1993. As an orthopaedic surgeon with subspecialty in sports medicine, Commander Moreyra has found his calling by caring for the country's finest men and women in the midst of the war zones.

Q. How did Belen prepare you for your career/ life?

"I had a solid spiritual and academic preparation. Having only spent one year in Miami after moving from Puerto Rico, I was on a steep learning curve as far as English was concerned. Attending retreats, spiritual counseling, and being involved in peer ministry added to my spiritual foundation."

Q. What are your fondest memories of the school?

"There are so many. Even the memory of my only detention is, in a way, a fond one (got caught jumping the pool fence in order to retrieve a frisbee). I could try to list them all (planning retreats in the Peer Ministry class with Dr. “Fefita” Chirino, sleeping only 5 minutes the morning we had to turn in the English final paper, field trip to NASA, Key Club conventions, Beta convention with Mr. Ralf Ledesma, all the different teachers and classes we had, etc), but the list would just go on and on…"

Q. Was there one person in particular in Belen who made an impact in your life?

"It’s tough to narrow down the answer to one person. There were many great teachers at Belen, some of whom are still

there. I guess if I were to narrow it down to two Jesuits who had the biggest influence on me, I would have to say that they were Fr. Jorge Sardiña, SJ and Fr. William “Bill” Kidwell, SJ. Fr. Sardiña, beloved by so many at Belen, was my spiritual counselor for my 4 years at Belen. Fr. Kidwell was heavily involved with extracurricular activities such as Christian Life Community and the Florida Youth for Life Congress, not just with Belen students, but also with students from other Catholic schools in the area. He very well exemplified the idea that ministry is a 24/7 calling, not a 9-to-5 job."

Q. What made you want to join the military?

"I commissioned into the Navy during my last year at Florida International University in 1993. At the time I was preparing to attend medical school at Temple University in Philadelphia. I decided to join the Navy primarily as a way to pay for medical school. The Department of Defense has a Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) that pays for tuition books and a small stipend to live on. In return you serve one year of active duty and one in the reserves for each year of medical school that they fund."

Q. How does it differ from being a civilian doctor?

"It’s quite different. In the Navy you have General Medical Officers (GMOs), Flight Surgeons, Undersea Medical Officers,

and other physicians who are primary care providers in an operational medicine setting. My first on-active duty I served as a flight surgeon. More recently, as an orthopedic surgeon, I would see more of sports type of injuries but not much of orthopaedic trauma. In the civilian sector you can expect a large numbers of fractures in the elderly. All that changed once I deployed to Afghanistan. The trauma we saw on deployment was very different from what you would see in a civilian trauma center. Most of the surgical cases that we saw were related to loss of limbs secondary to improvised explosive devices (IEDs). These are injuries that hardly anybody in the civilian world would see."

Q. Can you recall one defining moment during your career?

"I would have to say that the defining moment of my Naval career has been my deployment to Afghanistan. I spent a week in Norfolk for some in-processing, three weeks in Los Angeles at the Navy Trauma Training Center (in affiliation with the LA County Hospital and University of Southern California), three weeks in Ft Jackson, South Carolina for combat training, and seven months in Kandahar, Afghanistan at the NATO Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit. I arrived in Afghanistan on December 26, 2012 and didn’t leave until August 4th. The hospital was an echelon three facility, meaning that it provided the highest level of care that was available in a combat zone."

Q. What types of things did you experience on the field that impacted your life or the way you view things?

"Seeing an injured soldier coming into the trauma bay with devoured flesh and flailing bones full of dirt where normal lower extremities used to be is a real eye-opener, to say the least. We really live in a different world over here in the US. I think we take our health and our liberties for granted. I am personally bothered by the indifference sometimes shown to our Service Members or Veterans."

Q. What was a typical day on the job like?

"During my deployment, a typical day would start by taking a hike to the hospital from the NATO barracks. Once there, we

made multi-disciplinary morning rounds on all patients. After rounds, we sometimes had surgical cases of repeat wounds debridements or fracture fixations. Often these were cases on Afghan soldiers or detainees since our service members or allied forces patients would have already been medically evacuated outside of the war theater after their initial intervention. We also had regular meetings and conferences to discuss the follow-up care of patients who had previously been treated in theater. This routine, however, all changed once we got notification of an incoming patient by helicopter. The typical notification was 20 minutes prior to arrival. Usually two Black Hawk helicopters would fly in one or several patients. At least one ambulance would await them on the air field and bring them to the trauma-receiving bay. From there, they were brought in to the trauma bay with doctors, nurses, and hospital corpsmen (Navy medics) already waiting."

Q. What Jesuit teaching did you take from Belen with you and applied to your personal life?

"The concept of the Spiritual Exercises. Just like the body needs regular exercise and a good diet to stay healthy, the soul needs an active relationship with the Lord. Praying only in times of need just won’t cut it, just like exercising and eating well only during a heart attack would completely miss the point."

Q. How would you like to leave your mark in the world?

"To let my light shine before others so that others would give glory to our Father in heaven, and do what the Lord asks of me in order to hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant."

Vocation to Family Vocation to Marriage announcements

• Graziella Makdissi and Ronald Reyna '90

• Theresa Rose Crowley and Arturo Ferreira ’01

• Janie Hager and Victor White ’01

• Claudia Selva and Agustin De La Vega '03

• Claudia Medina and Carlos A. Ortega '04

• Nadia Gonzalez and Alex Sotto '10

• Celia and Juan Cañas, Dolores, celebrated their 50-Year Wedding Anniversary

• Oskar James, born to Jessika and Alex Zequeira '90

• Francis Ignacio and Sabina Elvira, born to Natalie and Carlos Carrillo '95

• Richard Ariel, born to Rachel and Orlando Guitian '95

• Edward Meyer, born to Jessica and Eduardo Gonzalez Loumiet '98

• Leo Andres, born to Catherine and Jorge Salum '98

• Simon Vincent, born to Carmen and Vincent Cartaya '99

• Alberto Jose, born to Olga and Jose A. Garrido III '99

• Octavio Jordi and Olivia Alexandra, born to Mabel and Tab Verdeja '99

• Sebastian Marcelo, born to Belen Professor Kelly Garganta and Andres Garganta ‘00

• George Frances, born to Nicole and Roger Puerto '00

• Mila Christina, born to Christy and Jonathan Leyva '01

• Addison Joy, daughter to Kristen and Javier Cruz '04

• Javier Garcia-Tuñon, son to Abbie and Javier Garcia-Tuñon '04

• Jordi Nicolas, born to Elena and Jordi Martinez-Cid '04

• Camila, born to Fransel and Wilhelm Lapica '05

• Emma Sofia Rodriguez, great granddaughter of Pablo Carreño '42

• Jon Anthony Weaver, great grandson of Pablo Carreño '42

• Alexandra Flynn Puente, granddaughter of Orlando Puente '71

• Zoe and Sloan Nicosia, born to Belen Professor Ramon Nicosia

• Gabriela Sofia Davalos, born to Belen Professor Sylvia Davalos

• Felipe Rafael, born to Belen Professor Javier Castillo

announcements

In Memoriam

In loving memory of our alumni friends

• Adriano Valle Lopez '38

• Ignacio Tamayo '41

• Jorge Camacho '42

• Manuel Oliver ‘47

• Juan Fumero '48

• Jorge Gaston '48

• Eduardo Arango ‘49

• Antonio Comella '49

• Francisco Ponce de Leon '49

• Simon Rodriguez-Remesal '54

• Manuel Fernandez-Ceballos '56

• Alberto Ferrer ‘56

• Nicolas Moguel ‘56

• Sixto Ferro ‘59

• Rodrigo Barroso ‘60

• Dr. Andres Mejides '73

• Elpidio Nuñez '73

• Jose Valiente ‘83

• Gerardo Abascal, Dolores

• Paul Castellvi, Dolores

• Fr. Gregorio Lanz, SJ Monserrat

In Memoriam

Family and friends

• Enriqueta Calderin de Rodriguez, mother of Raul and Enrique Rodriguez Calderin '63 and grandmother of Raul A. Rodriguez '98 and Adrian Rodriguez '21

• Daniel Pino, son of Rafael Pino '67

• Olivia Martinez, mother of Felipe '71 and Luis Martinez '73 and grandmother of Luis Martinez '00

• Donato Arguelles, father of Dr. Donato Arguelles '73

• Julia Ruhi, mother of Joaquin Ruhi '73

• Eliecer Mendia, father of Jorge '79, Enrique '80, and Victor Mendia '83, and grandfather of Jorge Mendia '08, and Enrique Mendia '16

• Dr. Juan Rodriguez, father of Juan Rodriguez '79, and grandfather of Michael '02 and Kevin Montiel '14 and Juan Rodriguez '14, and father-in-law of Hugo Montiel '83

• Maria Pozo, mother of Robert Pozo ‘86

• Adolfo Fernandez, father of Adolfo Fernandez '89 and uncle of Robert '94 and Ivan Vich '98

• Silvia Perez, grandmother of Ricky Perez '87 and mother of Belen Professor Jimmy Perez

• Dr. Luis Mestre, father of Dr. Marcos Mestre '91

• Jesus Suarez, father of Jesus Suarez ‘02

• Maylen de la Fuente, mother of Daniel ’10 and Gabriel Garrigo ‘13

• Leonor Brown de Garcia-Tuñon, wife of Guillermo Garcia-Tuñon '40, mother of Guillermo Garcia-Tuñon '66, grandmother of Fr. Willie SJ '87, Manny '88, Eric '92, Roberto '97, Alex '01, Jose '02, and Javier Garcia-Tuñon '04 and great grandmother of Daniel Garcia-Tuñon '16

• Lilibet Warner, widow of Ignacio Warner ‘41

• Francisca Comella, sister of Manuel Comella '56

• Aida Maria Pla, grandmother of Thomas Pla '00 and William Gonzalez '08

• Marta Otazo, grandmother of Andrew Otazo ‘05

• Enrique Tamayo, grandfather of Nicholas Lorenzo '14

• Ana Sofia Vilaro, great granddaughter of Manuel Anton '50

• Mario Perez Martinez, uncle of Manny Lubian '62 and Juan Luis Flores '70

• Father Gregorio Lanz SJ, uncle of Joaquin Casajuana ‘76

America Villiers, mother-in-law of Humberto Martinez de Llano '62

• Romelia Barquin, wife of Belen Jesuit's Athletic Director Carlos Barquin

• Hilda Barrios, mother of Belen Professor Jose Padilla

• Belen Professor Rafael Fernandez

• Dr. Armando Cobelo, Director of the "Editorial Cubana", located in the Ramon Guiteras Memorial Library

• Rev. Aurelio Najarro, brother of Belen Spiritual Counselor Fr. Eduardo Najarro SJ

Class Notes

Fr. Juan Manuel Dorta-Duque SJ celebrated his 92nd birthday.

Fr. Pedro Cartaya, S.J. is the new Chaplain of the Belen Alumni Association. (photo?)

Pedro Castello visited the original 'Our Lady of Belen' statue at "La Iglesia de Reina" in Havana.

'83 '87

Members of Class of ’60 at lunch with Pedro Castello visiting from Brasil.

Roland Sanchez-Medina, Jr., was appointed Chairman of the Audit and Budget Advisory Committee for Miami-Dade County Public School System.

Julio Pastoriza has been named the new Chairman of the Belen Jesuit Wall of Martyrs Committee. In the photo with past Chairman Jorge Fernandez-Ceballos ’61

Luis Davalos, film and television editor, spoke to the members of a Film Production class taught by Johnny Calderin '92.

Fernando Aran was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boy Scouts of America, South Florida Council.

Ruben Marrero with Anthony Grant (Head Basketball Coach at Alabama) whom he coached at Belen during the 1979-1980 basketball season.

Manuel Hidalgo is the new Director of Entrepreneurship at The Corporation for Enterprise Development in Washington, D.C.

Diana Cristina, daughter of Jaime Lopez '89, was the Class of 2014 Salutatorian at Our Lady of Lourdes.

Carlos Rafael Rivera composed the soundtrack for Universal Pictures' "A Walk Among The Tombstones”, starring Liam Neeson.

Luis Suarez was appointed by Florida Governor Rick Scott to the 11th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission.

Alex Zequeira was named Chair of the Members Advisory Council for the NativityMiguel Coalition, that includes 35 schools across the nation.

Jorge Salum '98 completed the Miami Man Speedway Half Iron Triathlon.

Michael A. Montiel received his juris doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law and joined SMGQ Law as an associate attorney. '89 '90 '94 '98 '99 '02

Thomas de Quesada Belen Jesuit's Director of Development, graduated with a Doctorate in Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Frank Andollo met with Father Christian Saenz SJ ’95 on the rooftop of the St Robert Bellarmine College while in Rome making the Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage.

Class Notes

George and Justin Metcalfe completed their LL.M. in Taxation at the University of Miami.

Michael E. Chisholm graduated from the University of Miami School of Law.

Guillermo Alvarez, Michael Chisholm and Daniel Mendez and Belen Alumni Association supporter Andres Millon were sworn into the Florida Bar by Daniel's mother, Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez.

Robert Grimal was hired as Lead Analyst at McKinsey & Company.

'14

Members of the Class at the Northwestern - Notre Dame football game in South Bend, Indiana.

Madiedo III was named to the NYU Men's Soccer Team.

SAGUA

Nestor Bustamante won a student Emmy for his FSU film “To the Moon”.

Alex Cosio and Julian Mazaira ‘12, are members of the University of Pennsylvania lightweight rowing team, one of the oldest and most prestigious college programs in the United States.

Frankie Rodriguez '12, a junior at Dartmouth, was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week.

Julian Ballestas (top right) competed for Colombia in the 13th South American Swimming Championships.

We want to hear from you!

Send us your professional or personal news and achievements so that we can include them in future publications. E-mail all information to: alumni@belenjesuit.org.

Don't forget to attach your pictures.

GALLERY OF REUNIONS

GALLERY OF REUNIONS

GALLERY OF REUNIONS

ALUMNI GATHERINGS

Kevin

Some of the alumni in attendance at this year's Feast of St. Ignatius Mass at GESU Church: Fr. Eduardo Barrios, S.J. '60, Victor Arrieta '95, Jorge FernandezCeballos '61, Tommy de Quesada '94, Tony Abella '59, Juan Rodriguez '79, Carlos Penin '73, Mariano Loret de Mola '58, Paco Ruiz '73, Jorge Perez-Alvarez '76, Alex Rodriguez '83, Jorge Hernandez-Toraño '75, Oscar Echevarria '53, Tony Castro '86, and Belen Jesuit President Fr. Pedro Suarez, S.J. '58

ALUMNI tailgate

ALUMNI NIGHT

Alumni and their families gathered on campus to celebrate

PROFESSIONAL SECTIONS

BALS: The Belen Alumni Lawyers Section Executive Committee:

Demetrio Perez ’94, Chairman, Alberto Acuña ’93, Fernando Aran ’75, Arturo Armand ’00, Alex Brito ’89, Alex Espino ’89, Jose Jimenez ’91, Javier Perez-Abreu ’78, and Roberto Suarez ‘89

Pictured: Demetrio Perez, Alex Brito and Kevin Pardiñas ’02.

SAFE: The 2014-2015 Section of Accounting, Finance and Enterprise Executive Committee:

Alejandro Sosa '05, Gaby Dieppa '96, Past SAFE Chair

Robert Colon '04, Juan Carlos Robaina '04, SAFE Chair

Aldo Cardona '90, Damian Penichet '03, Past SAFE Chair

Thomas Pla '00, and Carlos Aviño '95.

(Not pictured: Alexis Abril '89)

BITS: The following members were elected into the Belen Information and Technology Section’s Executive Committee:

Danny Garrido '85, Jose Lopez Varela '87, Ed Gross '88 and Jorge Azcuy '93.

They join Chair Peter Montadas '76, Crescencio Ruiz '76 and Augusto Venegas '85, who were selected by the Belen Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Pictured: Crescencio Ruiz, Peter Montadas, and Eduardo Gross.

BASH: The Belen Alumni Section of Healthcare’s Executive Committee:

Appointed by the AA Board: Ed Fidalgo’82 Chairman, Alfredo Hernandez ’92 and Jorge Pedraja ’82

Elected for two years: Javier Gutierrez ’00 and Orlando Puente ’71

Elected for one year: Francisco Blanco’83 and Luis Fuentes ’73

Pictured: Javier Gutierrez, Orlando Puente, Eduardo Fidalgo, Francisco Blanco, Jorge Pedraja and Luis Fuentes.

ACRES: The following members were elected into the Architecture, Construction, Real Estate, and Engineering Section's Executive Committee:

Erick Deeb '85, Fernando Portuondo '88, Eric Guerra '04 and Michael Verwey '05.

They join Chair Derek Varona '03, Rick Moreno '03, and Alex Munilla '03, who were selected by the Belen Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Pictured: Robert Grimal ’09, Michael Verwey and Derek Varona

OF THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT

Dear Alumni,

Christmas is the perfect time to remember that “everything comes from God”, as St. Ignatius said. There is a Gospel story in Luke 5: 8 in which Jesus asks Peter the fisherman to throw his nets in the Sea of Galilee after a night that Peter and his companions had failed to catch a single fish. Peter, whose knowledge of fishing surely went farther than that of Jesus the Carpenter, threw the nets anyway. The net caught so many fish that the apostles were amazed. Peter exclaimed, “Get away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Peter realized that catching so many fish was not due to human expertise, but to the Lord’s power.

At times we may experience the same feelings that Peter had: in spite of our human inadequacies and limitations, the Lord brings about so many good things that we feel blessed and undeserving. This year the Lord has made many good things happen at our school and I believe we should be thankful.

Just to name a few of good happenings at Belen, the Belen Alumni Association has successfully maintained a networking project of professional groups of alumni in various fields: law, engineering and construction, health, financial analysts and accounting and information technology. Other groups are being planned for the near future, such as a group of teaching professionals. The goal of these professional alumni groups is to facilitate information and improve communications with one another.

The Reyes Magis Christmas toy drive spearheaded by Cres Ruiz, ‘76, with the goal of bringing Christmas joy to many poor families at the Gesu parish, went very well and has helped bring the Christmas spirit to many people in need, especially children.

In 2015 the Close-Up program, sponsored by the Social Studies Department, will celebrate its 40th anniversary. The impressive number of 1,505 Belen students and teachers have participated in this annual trip to Washington, D.C. with the goal of learning about the US government and the political process. More about the program’s history and its fruits appears in this edition of the Alumni Magazine.

Our annual Tombola will be held on February 6 to 8,

2015. All alumni are warmly welcome to enjoy the festivities, rides and entertainment at this family festival for a good cause: to help the Financial Aid program that benefits 26% of Belen’s student body.

On Friday, November 21 a magnificent Nativity manger was inaugurated in the main building. Present at the blessing were all the 6th graders and many students, parents and grandparents, alumni, faculty and staff. We celebrate the sharing of God’s great love in Jesus, the gift of eternal life offered to all men and women of good will, and the model of humility offered by Christ’s birth among the poor of the world. The custom of displaying figures depicting the birth of Jesus originated with Saint Francis of Assisi, who on the Christmas eve of 1223 built the first Christmas manger. Almost eight centuries later Belen Jesuit created once again its own manger, thanks to the inspiration of Fr. Jorge Luis Rojas, S.J., Assistant Principal for the Middle School, and to the generous participation of the Belen Maintenance Department.

Many representatives of the Belen community played a part in the prayerful ceremony. Principal Dr. Maria Cristina ReyesGarcia opened the event with an introductory greeting, Music and Theology teacher Ms. Karen Ortiz conducted a student choir, maintenance crew member Mr. Raul Castro sang The Little Drummer Boy while some students carried the Baby Jesus to the crib, Ms. Yvonne von der Osten, from the Development Office, led the Prayer of the Faithful, 7th grade spiritual counselor and alum Deacon Jorge Prieto read the Gospel, and the school President blessed the manger and sprinkled the crowd with holy water.

This Christmas season may our hearts be filled with joy, generosity and gratitude to God for his marvelous love.

Pedro A. Suárez, SJ ‘ 58 Belen Jesuit School President

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

500 Southwest 127 Avenue

Miami, Florida 33184

Miami, Florida Permit No. 1277

Calendar of events

January

Jan 2 Monthly alumni mass at Gesu (Noon)

Jan 23 Fr. Izquierdo Memorial Golf Classic

Jan 30 Monthly alumni luncheon

March

Mar 6 Monthly alumni mass at Gesu (Noon)

Mar 27 Monthly alumni luncheon

February

Feb 6 Monthly alumni mass at Gesu (Noon)

Feb 6-8 Tombola

Feb 8 Annual delegates meeting/elections

Feb 27 Monthly alumni luncheon

April

April 3 Monthly alumni mass at Gesu (Noon) April 24 Monthly alumni luncheon

May

May 1 Monthly alumni mass at Gesu (Noon)

May 20 Wall of Martyrs Ceremony

May 22 Monthly alumni luncheon

May 25 Memorial Day - No School

May 27 Alumni Pin Ceremony

May 28 Graduation

June

June 5 Monthly alumni mass at Gesu (Noon)

June 26 Monthly alumni luncheon

* All other activities will be announced in the weekly eNews bulletin.