hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected to update personal contact informati

hudsoncatholic.org/btl for past issues of this digital magazine

Hudson Happenings

Gala/Hall of Fame, Campion Tribute, 'Chicago' Theatre Production,

Tuition Raffle, CYO Championships

on Tap for Busy Spring Season

A Lenten Message From The Prez

For Lent, the Church gives us almost a slogan—Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving—as the three things we need to work on during the season.  The Diocese of Phoenix put out a wonderful document on Lent and I wanted to share some of it with you in the context of your relationship with Hudson Catholic.  

Lent is essentially an act of prayer spread out over 40 days. As we pray, we go on a journey, one that hopefully brings us closer to Christ and leaves us changed by the encounter with him.  It’s tempting to make Lent some ambitious period of personal reinvention, but it’s best to keep it simple and focused. There’s a reason the Church works on these mysteries year after year. We spend our entire lives growing closer to God. Don’t try to cram it all in one Lent. That’s a recipe for failure. Of course, even when we set simple goals for ourselves during Lent, we still have trouble keeping them.

When we fast, we realize we’re all just one meal away from hunger. In both cases, Lent shows us our weakness. This can be painful, but recognizing how helpless we are makes us seek God’s help with renewed urgency and sincerity. When we’re confronted with our own weakness during Lent, the temptation is to get angry and frustrated. “What a bad person I am!” But that’s the wrong lesson. God is calling us to be patient and to see ourselves as he does, with unconditional love. As we experience weakness and suffering during Lent, we should be renewed in our compassion for those who are hungry, suffering, or otherwise in need.

The third part of the Lenten formula is almsgiving. It’s about more than throwing a few extra dollars in the collection plate; it’s about reaching out to others and helping them without question as a way of sharing the experience of God’s unconditional love. Giving of ourselves in the midst of our suffering and self-denial brings us closer to loving like Christ, who suffered and poured himself out unconditionally on the Cross for all of us. Lent is a journey through the desert to the foot of the Cross on Good Friday, as we seek him out, ask his help, join in his suffering, and learn to love like him.



I can’t help but notice the connection between Lent and De La Salle’s Life of Service directive.  Each of us who has walked through the halls of Hudson Catholic has been touched by the call of service to others.  Thank you for your servant leadership and thank you to all who have shared their time, treasure and talents with our community.  Lent may last 40 days within the framework of the church, but it seems to last a lifetime for the Hawks! -- Terry

Here We Go Again.......

Hawks Meet Prep for the County Title

8th Time in 12 Years

But Title Defense is Unsuccessful, 61-46

While our Hawks came out on the short end in the title game this year, it isn't often that that occurs, in fact, this is the first time ever that Hudson lost in a county title game to Prep! Prep gained revenge for last year's defeat at the hands of the Hawks (although they ousted us in the State playoffs to exact some revenge, but it did not have any title implications).

The all-time record between these schools in Hudson County Championship Games is Hawks 7, Marauders 1. The Hawks conquered the Marauders in the seven title games of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, when we won seven consecutive titles (the other one vs. Marist), and again in 2021.

Of course, we'll never know if this outcome could have been reversed, had the Hawks been able to enjoy the talents of their two Division 1-bound but sidelined stars having to watch season-long action as a result of pre-season injuries. Of good note, however, Elijah Gertrude and Tahaad Pettiford will still be attending the University of Virginia and University of Auburn, respectively, on full athletic scholarships. A shout-out to the rest of the Hawk roster who worked so hard to save their season and get back to the Title game, and to Coach Nick Mariniello for another stellar coaching job in the face of adversity.

Event-ful Schedule for Hawks of All Feathers

March 9th

Tickets cannot be sold online

By phone, email, or in person at the Office of Advancement

March 30th

April 15th

April 28th

Tickets, testimonial ads, sponsorships at our event page https://hudsoncatholic.org/campion

May 18th - 21st

The Continuing Story of the Added Value of a Hudson Catholic Education

Five Hawk students were recently invited to attend a pre-college program at Stevens Institute of Technology, where they took two college classes.

And this summer, Stevens will offer three Hudson Catholic students the opportunity to attend a Summer Workshop on full scholarship, a $4,800 value.

Hudson Catholic beams with pride that Stevens Tech chooses to partner with our school, over and over again. We take this as a reflection of what our students have accomplished, and about our alumni who have attended and graduated from Stevens over the years.

One of those alumni is Rick Roscitt ’69, who will be entering the Hudson Catholic Hall of Fame on March 30^th. “I am thrilled that several Hudson Catholic students will be able to participate in this amazing opportunity that is the Stevens Summer ACES program!” Rick most recently helped current Stevens Freshman Naomi Fernandez '22 navigate the landscape for entry and financial aid, which helped her settle on Stevens, her first choice all along.

President-Principal Terry Matthews added that we are already promoting events around the program. Stevens held an ACES School-sponsored Taking Care of Business event two Saturdays ago, which we advertised to our families, enabling Hudson Catholic to grab five of the 13 spots opened to Hudson County schools.

Programs like these are great examples of the many opportunities our students are afforded to stoke their interests, excel in the classroom, and explore opportunities for their career studies once their Hudson Catholic days are behind them.

Calling all Hawks who are Stevens alumni: let us know at hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected

CYO Alive and Well

……and coming to Hudson

In mid-January, President-Principal Terry Matthews received a communication from Vic Pianese ’75. “When I retired from Unilever four years ago, the Archdiocese of Newark approached me to assist with the resurrection of CYO sports. Through COVID and budget cuts, I am no longer "assisting"... but coordinating all CYO sports across Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union Counties. I have a particular soft spot for Hudson County. I directed the youth sports program at St. Anne's in the Heights for almost 25 years... when Hudson County was the pinnacle of CYO sports.”

“The CYO championships are run in early March. The finals are hosted at Catholic high schools in Bergen County (Paramus Catholic), Essex County (Mt St Dominic) and Union County (Union Catholic). and we would very much like to have Hudson Catholic host the Hudson County games. The possible schools involved are St Aloysius JC, OLC JC, St Nicholas JC, St Joseph JC, St Francis UC, Hoboken Catholic, and All Saints Bayonne.”

In what seems like a no-brainer actually takes a great deal of logistical planning, but it made sense to make a home at 'Catholic' for our Catholic Youth Organization. We are happy to report that the Hudson County CYO will play their championship games at The Hawks Nest, as follows, made possible by an inquiring alum and an enthusiastically receptive Prez.

Sunday, March 12

3:30 PM Grade 3-4 Boys Championship

5:00 PM Grade 3-4 Girls Championship

6:30 PM Grade 5-6 Girls Championship

8:00 PM Grade 7-8 Girls Championship

Monday, March 13

6:30 PM Grade 5-6 Boys Championship

8:00 PM Grade 7-8 Boys Championship

Bringing the Hall of Fame to You

Inductees 0f 2016

Brother Tim Ahern, Mr. Tim Eigo, Mike O'Koren '76, Jack Curry '82, Larry Basinski '70, Tom Clark '76

In the lead-up to the induction of new Hall of Famers on March 30^th, we will bring you the profiles of those who are installed in the Hall of Fame on display in the main lobby of the school.

For those of you not able to visit in person, this will give you an opportunity to dwell on the many significant contributions of our Hall of Famers to Hudson Catholic, their communities, and professions.

While the Hudson Catholic Hall of Fame is a visual centerpiece in the school lobby, we realize that not everyone can visit the school to see it. Consequently, we are in the process of digitizing the Hall and presenting it on hudsoncatholic.org/hof for all to see ‘the best of Hudson Catholic’ on display.

Brother Timothy Ahern, FSC

Distinguished career as an educator, coach, and administrator at Lasallian schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey * A de LaSalle Christian Brother for 30 years / 15 years total service to Hudson Catholic * Holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from La Salle University and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame * Began his FSC career in 1971, for 8 years with West Catholic in Philadelphia, where he taught and served as Athletic Director * Arrived at Hudson Catholic in 1979 as a teacher and became Assistant Principal, from 1983 to 1988 * Served as Assistant Baseball Coach under Rocky Pope * In 1988, returned to the Keystone State to teach at LaSalle College High School for the next 11 years * Returned to the Hawks Nest in 1999 as teacher and Principal, a position he held until 2005, then back to West Catholic as Principal * Crossed the Delaware River one more time in 2012, to serve at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, NJ, where he ahs taught U.S. History, along with a seminar course on the American Civil War * Also served as Assistant Baseball Coach, working with the CBA freshmen team.

Michael O'Koren '76

All American and Professional Basketball Star, 8 years of NBA playing experience, TV Analyst, and 10 years of NBA coaching experience * Also a member of Hudson Catholic’s Wall of Honor and the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame * Honed his basketball skills on the asphalt courts of St. Joseph’s schoolyard and other Jersey City courts * All County and All State Basketball star at Hudson Catholic * Four-year Varsity Basketball starter and all time school leading scorer and rebounder *Under legendary hoops coach, Rocky Pope, starred for the 1972-73 Basketball Team (North Jersey Parochial A Champion), co-led the 1974-75 Basketball Team to our first Hudson County Championship, defeating St. Anthony’s, and led the 1975-76 Basketball Team to the school’s first State Championship * Earned a full scholarship to the University of North Carolina, playing four years for another legendary coach, Dean Smith, earning All America Honors three times * Named to the ACC’s 2011 Legends Class, he is the only North Carolina player to record 1,500 points, 800 rebounds, and 300 assists * During his tenure, the Tar Heels participated in four NCAA tournaments and the 1977 national title game * Co-captained the Gold Medal USA Basketball Team at the 1979 Pan American Games * Selected 6^th overall in the 1980 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets * Played eight seasons professionally for the Nets and the Washington Wizards * Served as Assistant Coach with the Nets (1999-2003) and Associate Head Coach with the Washington Wizards (2004-2009) and Philadelphia 76ers (2009-10) * Named an NBA All Star Game Assistant Coach in 2002 and 2007 * Also served on the men’s basketball coaching staff at Rutgers University * Has volunteered his time to support the basketball team and program at Hudson Catholic over the years.

Mr. Timothy Eigo

Taught at Hudson Catholic for a third of a century * Grew up in a progressive, moral household filled with journalists, artists, diplomats, and civil rights activists, giving him a lifetime interest in social issues and world affairs * After high school, spent eight tumultuous years in political and social activism, graduating from Arizona State University in 1977 with a BS in Radio & Television * Worked for eight years as a radio reporter and announcer, and part-time for nine years at NBC Sports, as part of an Emmy-winning baseball pre-game show * Pursued the Graduate Education Program at St. Peter’s College, leading to a referral to Brother Kevin Stanton by the Program Director, and was hired days before school opened in 1984 * Taught nearly every Social Studies course the school offered * Mentored countless students * Served many years as the Moderator of the Philippine-American Club, and the Mock Trial and Model UN Teams * Professed that “the work of Hudson Catholic is of great importance and worth the incredible energy and devotion the mission requires.

Jack Curry '82

Emmy Award-winning baseball analyst for the New York Yankees’ YES Network, the largest regional sports network in the country, since 2010 * Appears on Pre and Post Game Shows during the season, offers analysis and commentary on the Yankees’ Hot Stove Show in the offseason * Baseball writer at the NY Times for 20 years * Covered 18 World Series, 11 All Star Games, 2 World Baseball Classics * Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for a series about the demise of high school sports in New York City * Co-authored a book with Derek Jeter, The Life You Imagine, a New York Times Best Seller * Began his career as a reporter for The Commentator, later its Sports Editor, featuring Curry’s Corner * Because the first paragraph in his first article was edited, he has spent his career in pursuit of crafting the perfect ‘lede’ * His love of baseball started as a player, for the Hawk Varsity under Coach Rocky Pope, delivering a game winning hit vs. Prep in senior year * At Fordham, joined the school newspaper, becoming Sports Editor, and radio station, becoming Assistant Sports Director of WFUV, and pursued sports journalism * Interned at The Jersey Journal for three summers, covering more Little League games than he cares to remember, which groomed him for covering Major League Baseball * With a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, he covered high school and college sports at The Star Ledger * Joined the New York Times in 1987, covering college football and basketball, moved up to New Jersey Nets writer, then to New York Yankees beat writer in 1991 * Elevated to National Baseball Writer in 1998, holding that position through 2009 * Holds a Baseball Writers of America vote for the annual elections to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame * Credits the start for all his interesting sports coverage to another Hawk, his journalism teacher at Hudson Catholic, Mr. James O’Donnell ’69, who set him loose in the hallways of Hudson Catholic.

Larry Basinski '70

“Mr. Hudson Catholic’ * Has enjoyed a successful career in show business and theatre, attributed to receipt of an incredible gift from a passionate teacher, Mr. Jack Campion, along with the Christian Brothers, who introduced him to a set of skills that would become his livelihood, in working with the Hawk Drama Club during his school days * In turn, has shared and taught those same learnings and skills, over many years, to many Hudson Catholic students, through school stage productions, school and alumni events, and campus facility projects * Works tirelessly for Hudson Catholic, a great example of a ‘volunteer’ of time, talent and treasure, as one of our all-time top donors, with investment of countless hours in upgrading the school’s technical infrastructure, and making innumerable and invaluable contributions in-kind, for example by securing equipment and curtains for our stage from the likes of, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, and Madison Square Garden * Served the school and its alumni through dedicated service, in its fourth decade, with the Alumni Association, as its President, Vice President, and Treasurer * Sparked the ‘Save Our School’ effort in 2008, while serving as President of the Alumni Association, with a Paul Revere-like midnight ride, along with Brother Patrick King, that sounded the alarm to hundreds of alumni, calling for an effort that concluded in propelling Hudson Catholic forward to where and what it is today.

Tom Clark '76

Ivy League-educated scholar-athlete, graduating fifth in his class at Hudson Catholic * Promoted to starting guard on the varsity basketball team in the final eight weeks of his sophomore season * Held that role as a junior and helped the team win the 1975 Hudson County Championship, defeating St. Anthony’s * As a senior, named tri-captain, and the team won the Parochial A Group State Championship * Named Hudson Catholic Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1976 * First Hawk to attend and graduate Princeton University * Law Degree from Fordham University, graduating cum laude * Career in law as a Criminal Prosecutor for the United States, and New Jersey Attorney Generals, and Senior Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Banking Committee and Investigations subcommittee * Served many years on the Executive Committee of the Hudson Catholic Alumni Association, including four years as Association President * Assisted in drafting the Constitution and By-Laws for the Association and Hudson Catholic Hall of Fame.

Alumni Spotlight

To the oft-asked question, "How do I get in Alumni Spotlight?", the direct, Jersey City response is: 'you send me your stuff'. To: gferrari@hudsoncatholic.org

The Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man. Tony Monte ’78 started a music industry career at an independent marketing and promotion company in 1986, leading to tenures at both the RCA Music Group and Capitol Records, as VP Promotion & Marketing. Throughout those years, he contributed to projects from The Rolling Stones, U2, Paul McCartney, Dr. Dre, Madonna, Christina Aguilera and more.

Leaving the corporate world in 2009, he created a long form conversation series called New Music Director, which became the first nationally distributed video series for radio. Over 75 markets featured NMD as exclusive content for its websites, leading Tony to a career in television. He created, owns, writes and produces Celebrity Taste Makers, airing on PIX 11 for seven years and NBC's NECN for a year, earning three Emmy nominations.

Tony expresses his gratitude to Hudson Catholic for the education, life lessons and friendships he carries with him to this day and fondly recalls learning from teachers like Mr. Ferro, Mr. Pawlak, Brother Pat and Brother Al...among many others. His parents, Tony & Angelina, were dedicated to our school -- his father in the Men's Club and his mother directing theater productions with Mr. Campion. Tony resides at the Jersey Shore and considers himself a reflection of Hawk Pride.

A Taste of Hudson Catholic. Michael Sangi '07 is Assistant General Manager & Banquet Manager at Battello in Jersey City.



Running Man. Steve Dnistrian ’82. An accomplished Triathlete, he has taken the running thing to a new personal best. Steve recently announced a run for the New Jersey State Senate in District 11, Monmouth County. He is a former Chief Operating Officer of the Omnicom Group advertising and public relations firm, and has served on the Zoning Board and Environmental Commission in Colts Neck, NJ and on the Monmouth County Board of Taxation. Prior to Omnicom, Steve built his career at Johnson & Johnson, and as Executive Vice President and board member for the Partnership for a Drug Free America. A true Lasallian Man for others, Steve volunteered for the Committee to Save Our School in 2008, offering sage advice for crisis management, and coordinating print and broadcast media to get our story out to the public.

Promoted. Michelle Sevillano ‘13 has advanced to the role of Vice President of Client Relations at Next Capital Management.

A Grip on Life. Tom Bisanti ’74 is retiring as VP of Sales after 27 years at Bogen Communications, which followed a 15-year career as the National Sales Manager for Minolta Corp’s Radio-Metric Division, during which he had the opportunity to live in Osaka, Japan. He credits his Hudson Catholic eduction as an integral part of becoming the person he is. Dedication, high moral standards, and giving back has brought he and his wife to a fantastic time in life. In retirement, he plans to see the world a lot closer than from 35,000 feet in a plane. Additionally, Tom can now pursue his hobby of the past 25 years as a USGA certified member club fitter and designer, which also has given him some fantastic opportunities to work with PGA Sanctioned Country Clubs and their members. Tom says that none of this could have ever happened without the solid foundation from his days at Hudson.

Energetic. Mark Kahrer ’79, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Marketing, and Energy Efficiency at New Jersey Natural Gas, recently toured ExxonMobil’s Clinton (NJ) Technology Center to see how the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars is leading to breakthroughs that will improve the environment without disrupting the average person’s life. Sounds like a balancing act worth pursuing.

The Producer. P.J. Leonard ‘80’s film “Mysterious Circumstance: The Death of Meriwhether Lewis” starring Sonny Marinelli, is now showing on Amazon Prime. Classmate Rocco Filerino says he enjoyed it.

The Guerra Legacy. Matt Guerra ‘70 and sons Pat ‘93 (pictured here) and Matt ‘96.



Special Updates: Following the devastating earthquake in Gaziantep, we checked in with our only known Hawk living in Turkey, Joe Malloy '73, who resides in Istanbul, where you'll find him reciting lines from Macbeth that were ground into him in his class and stage work under the demanding eye of Sir Jack Campion. As it turns out, Joe gave us the high sign along with a geography lesson in the process, as it is 850 kilometers between the two cities. For those keeping score, 8,138 km's would be the distance from 790 Bergen to Istanbul.

At this writing, the Alabama Crimson Tide, featuring our own Jahvon Quinerly '18, is rated the overall #1-seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament by the selection committee, with a few weeks to go before the start of March Madness.

Focus on '00

Our Millennium Hawks

Memories

Principal: Brother Tim Ahern, FSC

Class President: Ivan Diaz

Outstanding Athlete: Joe Aliseo '01

Best Athletic Team: Hockey -- State Champions!

Do You Work for a Top Matching Gift Company?

Matching gift programs are the means by which companies support employee charitable giving. Such gifts are free money that are often overlooked by donors. and, in the case of Hudson Catholic, we can struggle to cultivate matching gifts due to limited information on donors' employers, or gaps in our knowledge of specific corporate giving programs.

So if you have already donated, we remind you to check with your employer, to not let easy, additional funding slip away.

The good news for Hudson Catholic, and for you as a donor, is that thousands of companies offer matching gift programs, from 65% of Fortune 500 companies to local mom-and-pop businesses. But what sets apart a company considered to be a top matching gif company? Well, low minimums, high maximums, and match ratios of at least 1.1, or higher, at 2.1 or 3.1 enable you as the original donor to make an optimal impact with your gift at organizations that mean the most to you.

From a practical standpoint, a top matching firm will provide you with the ease of auto-submission, whereby the company goes above and beyond to simplify the process for its employees. Companies that offer this functionality through their corporate giving management platforms empower their employee donors to request their matches in a single click, all by entering their corporate email addresses from the nonprofit confirmation page.

A top-notch auto-submission process will enable the employee who has made their initial gift to enter their employer name to receive applicable gift matching guidelines, then enter their corporate email address and have the matching gift request processed.

One high-scoring company in these regards is Deloitte, which offers a 1.1 match up to $3,000 and processes through the auto-submission system, Givinga. And while all these other companies do not offer auto-submission at this time, they are well-regarded for their match ratios or maximum match amounts. (And we just happen to have alumni working at these companies.)

100% Match up to $3,000

100% Match up to $15,000

2x Match up to $8,000

100% Match up to $30,000

100% Match up to $5,000

2x Match up to $15,000

3x Match up to $22,500

2x Match up to $20,000

1.1 / $5,000

1.1 / $15,000

Please submit a record of your donations made to Hudson Catholic to your employer's matching gift program, or ask us if your employer will match your gift, at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

Words to Live By

The Essence of a Lasallian Man

The recent NFL Honors event celebrated Damar Hamlin with the NFL Players Association’s Alan Page Community Award for his Chasing M foundation’s work in raising over $9 million for the causes he supports. At the same time, the first responders who saved his life were publicly thanked and recognized.

On stage, he was greeted by legendary Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, himself a survivor of tragedy and a life-threatening circumstance.

The Central Catholic graduate’s remarks: “Every day, I am amazed that my experiences could encourage so many others across the country. Encourage to pray, encourage to spread love, and encourage to keep fighting, no matter the circumstances. Sudden cardiac arrest was nothing that I would ever have chosen to be a part of my story. But that’s because sometimes our own visions are too small, even when we think we are seeing the bigger picture. My vision was about playing in the NFL and being the best player I could be. But God’s plan was to have a greater purpose than any game in this world.”

“My entire life, I felt God was using me to give others hope, and mow with a new set of circumstances, I can only say He is doing what He always has done. I have a long journey ahead. A journey full of unknowns. And a journey full of milestones. But it is a lot easier to face your fears when you know your purpose.”

Many a good Hawk has ascribed to these words in the manner in which they have lived their lives. This is the essence of a Lasallian man or woman.

Marco Poisler '88 wants to know if any Hawks are involved in Offshore Wind?

Marco works for UTC Overseas based in Houston, primarily a transport and project logistics firm that is currently focused on offshore wind projects, one being the Block Island Wind Project.

Respond to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org and we'll put you in touch.

The Changing Neighborhood

Circa 1935, the Jersey City Armory dominates the McGinley Square neighborhood,, with the distant site of what would become Hudson Catholic lying half vacant facing Mercer Street.

Public Service Announcement

Ben Senger '02, a civil engineering manager at AECOM, with home safety in mind, reminds us to "clean your dryer vent! Also clean the inside of the dryer outlet from the back and clean from the lint trap into the dryer." For further advice, send to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org and we'll forward on to Ben for expert advice!

Finding Hawk Alumnae

You might not think it would be possible, but we lose touch with some of our most recent graduates mainly because they go off to college, move around, start careers, get married, and on and on.....and near the last thing they think about is keeping alma mater up on their movements. Thus, such an appeal as this, to help us find them again and make it harder for us to lose touch.

Send them to hudsocnatholic.org/stay-connected to update their contact info, or share their email address at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org and we'll ask them to do that.

FYI

advancement@hudsoncatholic.org to:

Advertise your business card here for $25 per issue

Plan a visit back to the Hawks Nest

Obtain or donate a yearbook through The Yearbook Exchange

Purchase Hawk gear online at:

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/newjersey/jerseycity/hudson-catholic-high-school

"It's a blessing to be a blessing."

-- Damar Hamlin, #3 Buffalo Bills

Requiescant in Pace

Vita Mutatur Non Tollitur

(Life is changed, not ended)



Jack Minervini, father of Frank ’86 and Mark ‘90

We are grateful for our Mikes!

Michael Skea '74

Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor at the Jersey Shore