by admin | Feb 1, 2022 | President’s Pen
My close friend and colleague, Fr. John P. Foley, SJ, retired last week. What “retirement” actually means for a guy like John is something that both he and we will discover over time. The biggest initial change is that he moved from his rooms in Chicago to the Jesuit retirement community in Clarkston, MI. What was a 45-minute drive is now a 4 ½ hour trip. So, spontaneously grabbing a beer or meeting for lunch is out of the question. Of course, he is still just a phone or Zoom call away for touching base.
We hatched a plot to see John off in style: 1) As he left Chicago, the person driving him to Michigan would casually suggest they drive by the original Cristo Rey school in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago on the way out of town for “old time’s sake.” 2) Meanwhile, we secretly invited friends, family, alumni, and old co-workers to be on-hand to cheer him on. 3) Cristo Rey Jesuit High School administrators adjusted class schedules for the day so that hundreds of current students could join the crowd. 4) We collected noisemakers, made posters, and ordered giant photos of John to distribute among the throng. 5) Through clandestine text messages and tracking applications, we monitored when John’s car would arrive in Pilsen. 6) As John passed Cristo Rey, the car stopped, and he was greeted by a throng of well-wishers giving thanks and sending him on his way to retirement feeling truly loved!
If you say to John that he is THE Founder of the Cristo Rey movement, he will invariably decline the moniker and point out that he was merely part of its Founding Team. His humility is certainly part of the reason there are now 38 Cristo Rey schools around the country and more coming. John has always said, “This thing (meaning the Cristo Rey movement) is bigger than all of us!” In a way, I think that was John reminding us all (especially those of us in leadership roles) that our schools are not about us. He led and leads by example.
We need to check our egos at the door and remember that the mission of Cristo Rey is about empowering our students to become agents of positive change in the world. We are not here for us; we are here for them. We are called to be persons for others and they, too, are called to pay-forward the opportunities Cristo Rey opens for them by making the most of those opportunities and using their new-found upward mobility and influence to improve the lives of others. As one of John’s fellow “founders,” I cannot overstate how important his passion and compassion were to the success of Cristo Rey. The funny part about working toward selflessness is that it is the most personally rewarding experience you can have.
As we gathered old photos and made posters for John’s drive-by, I found an old picture of a billboard we rented in Pilsen to recruit students before the original Cristo Rey school opened for the first time. John came up with a great byline: “Cristo Rey Jesuit High School – ¡Una nueva pasión en Pilsen!” Really brilliant. The school was a cause for passion – enthusiasm and excitement – in the ‘hood, but the phrase also invoked a deeper concept of the passion of Christ the King, walking with our savior in good times and bad – the lynchpin of our faith, accompanying the ultimate “person for others.”
Passion is Cristo Rey’s secret weapon. How many people will tell you that the reason they joined Cristo Rey locally or nationally was because of how passionate people are about our shared mission? Who doesn’t want to be part of helping improve lives and make the world a better place? Not our world but the world we bequeath to successive generations.
Isn’t that love? Giving your all, giving yourself so the world is just a little more just? So that the playing field of life is just a little more level, not just for me and you but for all?
In the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius talks about the “Call of Christ the King.” It’s an imaginative, immersive prayer where you fantasize about some charismatic world leader. What if Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates showed up at your doorstep saying they had an idea that would feed the planet, or alleviate human suffering on a global scale, or cure cancer but that he or she needed YOU to make it happen? Would you turn them down or would you get excited about the possibility of being part of something profoundly transformative? Then, take the meditation to the next step: what if instead of one of those prominent influencers, what if the person inviting you was Jesus?
John Foley is a messenger. His entire vocation has been (and is) about inviting us to join in a truly wonderful undertaking – a movement that is not about him but about something bigger than all of us. It’s about a deep and abiding, passionate and compassionate, love. In the bible (1 John 4) it says, “God is love.” And more, “No one has ever seen God but if we love one another then God lives in us and his love is made perfect in us.” That is the Call of Christ the King, that is the invitation of John Foley, and that is the heart of the Cristo Rey movement.
¡VIVA CRISTO REY!
by admin | Jan 31, 2022 | Campus Ministry
For more than 10 years, Fr. John Milton, CVS, generously shared his vast knowledge in physics and became a spiritual companion to the CRSM community. We mourn his passing on Jan. 24th, and celebrate the legacy he leaves, which will be carried on in our AP physics and science courses.
A retired physics professor at De Paul University and founding member of the science staff at Saint Viator High School in Arlington Heights, he commuted for more than 10 years to Waukegan to serve as advisor to Kumkum Bonnerjee, physics teacher. Viatorians were among the founding religious communities to back Cristo Rey St. Martin when it opened in 2004, and they continue to support its mission of providing a college prep education to students of limited means as an endorser.
“Fr. John was also a spiritual companion to many at CRSM,” said Jim Dippold, Director of Campus Ministry. “For many years, he celebrated Mass with staff during our annual week of professional development before the start of the school year. His reflections on his own teaching years and the ways in which we are called to walk with our students, to do ministry as teachers, was an inspiration. His calm, reassuring and peaceful presence was what was often needed most at the beginning of a new year.”
For years, Fr. Milton was the first person to greet CRSM students during monthly trips to the Viatorian Province Center for Taize prayer with students. “He always made a point to stay after each prayer service, listen to students to make sure their needs were being met,” said Dippold.
In recognition of his service, the physics lab is named in his honor.
“We will miss his gentle presence but trust that he continues to watch over and want the best for the CRSM community,” said Dippold.
by admin | Jan 31, 2022 | Campus Ministry
Forming peace and brotherhood was the theme of this year’s annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. CRSM’s own Dean Edmonds, an ordained minister and pastor of Eternal Flame A.M.E. Church in North Chicago, directed the hour-long service focusing on the ways CRSM students, faculty, staff, and the larger community can emulate Dr. King’s call to knock down the walls of oppression and injustice and work together to find the dignity in each other.
“At CRSM, we believe in the collective success of the community, and that we belong to each other as brothers and sisters of God. Helping build peace is a win-win for us all. Dr. King calls us here today to create unity, diversity and respect for all.”
Pastor Eugene Roberson from First Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in North Chicago called on students to strive for excellence in everything they do. “You are the future, the future doctors, lawyers, coaches, teachers and parents. Remember, life isn’t about how many friends you have, the clothes you wear, what color hair you have or how much money you have. Life is about who you love and who you hurt. Martin Luther King was a visionary and knew that life’s calling is to touch each other’s hearts. I ask you today to make a commitment to being true leaders, to hold onto God and to never settle for less than you deserve as a human being. You are here to plant the seeds of love.”
Musicians included: Donna Dallas, Brother Khalid Jernigan and Rev. Tyrell Winfrey from First Corinthian Baptist Church in North Chicago. Senior Amaya presented a deeply moving poetic dance.
by admin | Jan 31, 2022 | Alumni Spotlight
At 15 years old, Samantha Bahena made a pledge: “I want to be that one out of 10 students in Waukegan who goes to college,” which at the time was the trajectory. The 22-year-old CRSM Class of ’17 grad recently was named “Rookie of the Year,” at Advanced Resources where she works full-time as she completes her final semester at National Louis University. She is certainly poised to be the first in her family to graduate from college in June.
Balancing a full-time job and college is not an easy feat, but Samantha is no stranger to hard work.
When she graduates this summer, she will already have six years of recruiting experience, specializing in the placement of temporary and contract-to-hire office operations professionals. Since she was in high school, she began as a Staffing Coordinator intern, then transitioned to Recruiter for their Northbrook-based firm as part of her Corporate Work Study program. Today, she’s a full-time employee as a Consultant Engagement Associate. “Confident, well-spoken, very determined,” these are all words chosen to describe her since she joined the firm.
“Since coming into our organization, as a Sophomore at Cristo Rey, Sam Bahena has been an incredible asset to her team,” says her boss, Brian Brooke, Managing Director. “Sam has a desire that cannot be taught. She has taken that desire and has been humble, determined and extremely hard working in her progression at Advanced Resources. Starting as an intern, she earned the opportunity to do more complex and important tasks before finally becoming a recruiter in early 2021.”
He adds: “Sam parlayed that experience and desire into becoming the Rookie of the Year in 2021 for the whole organization. Sam has an incredibly bright future and I have no doubt that she will be successful in whatever she puts her mind to.”
“Working full-time and going to college is stressful for sure, but I know it will pay off in the long run,” she says.
It’s a lesson she learned at CRSM. “I saw that you had to put in all you can to be successful,” she says. “I’m pretty self-driven and competitive so I push myself and have friendly competitions with my co-workers. I am honored to have been recognized as Rookie of the Year. I want to thank Advanced Resources for the recognition, and for their constant support.”
As one of Advanced Resources’ 600 team members, Samantha has her eye on moving up the corporate ladder with her next win, a director’s title. In 10 years, she says she wants to be working, “have a home and two kids,” and get her Master’s degree.
Her advice for CRSM students:
“Be open to learning as much as you can,” Samantha says. “Be yourself, speak your mind and have confidence you can achieve your dreams. It’s hard for me to believe I was 15 years old working in a corporate job. But you can do anything you work hard for.”
by admin | Jan 31, 2022 | Academic
Despite the challenges of not being able to speak English, moving to a new country and the pandemic, senior Jesus T. is geared up and ready to head to one of a handful of prestigious colleges where he’s already been accepted — including Augustana, Marquette and Lake Forest College.
A College Bound Opportunities scholar, treasurer of the Student Council, member of the National Honor Society, regular food bank volunteer, admin at a charter school as part of the work-study program and a strong force on the soccer team, Jesus has traveled a long way from Jalisco, Atotonilco el Alto Jalisco, Mexico where he grew up.
A strong student in Mexico, Jesus’ parents decided when he was 14 that he would have a brighter future if he moved to Waukegan to live with his cousins and attend CRSM where they were enrolled.
For Jesus, the 2,000-mile trek was both disappointing and a new start. Just weeks after the freshman in high school moved here and applied to CRSM, his aunt told him, that though he showed lots of promise, CRSM did not have any openings in the upcoming sophomore class. His language barrier also was prohibitive. Jesus could read but could not speak English. “I was devastated,” he says. “I had left everything I knew, my family, my friends, my town, my lifestyle, to move to my aunt’s.”
Noemi,” Cuesta, Director of Admissions, says she remembers seeing “so much promise in Jesus.” She encouraged him to stay in Waukegan, attend Waukegan High School, study hard, master his language skills and reapply to CRSM.
“It was a really tough decision, but after analyzing it, I decided the best thing for me to do was to stay in Waukegan and put in a lot of effort in order to accomplish my goals,” he says.
Jesus continued to persist.
At Waukegan High School, he was thrown into a sea of sophomores who had already bonded as friends their freshman year and into the bi-lingual program where students “basically just spoke Spanish.” He pleaded with and convinced his academic counselor to put him in regular English-speaking classes. “I wanted to challenge myself, to go for it.”
Passionate about staying connected to CRSM, he volunteered many of his after-school hours in the CRSM parking lot packing boxes of food into cars during the Northern Illinois Food Bank pop-up distributions.
Armed with top grades after learning to speak English, Jesus was accepted to CRSM the second semester of his sophomore year.
Then COVID-19 hit. The dream of marching into the glitzy bright-colored former K-Mart-turned-high school was dashed and replaced by a virtual ZOOM reality from the kitchen in his aunt’s home. During this time, in addition to schooling, the soccer team and his corporate work-study job, Jesus also worked two part time jobs in landscaping and construction to pay for his room and board and living expenses.
“My father always told me ‘I want you to be someone who can do the desk job, but also comfortable at working in the fields and getting your hands dirty,” says Jesus.
This May Jesus is slated to graduate on the honor roll in AP classes. He’s also waiting to hear from Notre Dame, Northwestern University and the University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign.
He plans to major in business and someday be in management or helm his own company. He’s keenly aware that perspective is everything. “I’ve learned to never lose my focus on my final goal,” he says. “Life is not easy, but the more times you fail means the more times you are trying really hard to succeed. They’re your dreams, and you have to go for them.”
Jesus says he knows firsthand what it must feel like to be a Forrest Gump kind of guy. But like Forrest, Jesus’ mother and father assured him miracles do happen. “And I learned they do,” he says.
