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Farewell to One of Fenwick’s Biggest Football Fans

The Friars’ championship football run in November brought great joy to a loyal alumnus and American hero on his final days.

Friar alumnus Vernon Breen ’44 passed away on December 14, 2021. A year ago in the Fenwick Alumni News (FAN e-newsletter), we wrote about then 95-year-old Mr. Breen, who had been recognized by the Chicago Bears as part of the NFL’s “Salute to Service” in 2020. Sgt. Breen served in the U.S. Army during World War II, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and helped to liberate the Dachau concentration camp — receiving a Bronze Star for his heroics.

LISTEN TO THE LATE SGT. BREEN DESCRIBE SOME OF THE ATROCITIES OF WAR IN THIS ORAL HISTORY ACCOUNT FROM THE NATIONAL WWII MUSUEM.

Vern Breen’s 1943-44 yearbook photo.

On December 13, 2021, one of Mr. Breen’s grandsons wrote via email to Head Football Coach Matt Battaglia:

Dear Coach Battaglia,

Congratulations on a very successful season and winning the state championship. Our grandfather, Vernon Cecil Breen is an alum of Fenwick high school, he graduated in 1944 and is still a die hard Friar fan. After graduation, Vernon was drafted to serve in WWII. After his service he returned home and worked at Central Ink Corporation and moved to Glen Ellyn.

Your team’s football season brought much joy to him this year. He keeps us up to date on the Friar’s athletics, though his main love is the football team. The last couple of months his health has declined, but was still able to watch the Friars win the state title game. My father in law said after the game was over, our grandfather was humming the fight song. 

We wanted to share how much he still cares about the school and football team. Thank you for bringing him some much needed enjoyment. Best of luck in the future and again congratulations on a tremendous year. Go Friars!

Jeff Spears 

P.S. – Vernon has the flag proudly hanging in his bedroom! (See below.)

The coach’s response that same day:

Mr. Spears,

Thank you for sharing! This is such a great story and really humbling for me as a coach to realize something as simple as a football game can bring so much joy to those around us.

I hope Vernon is continuing to feel better! Could you please share with me a mailing address? I would love to send him a note signed by the team.

Thanks,

Matt

Then, on December 15, Vern’s daughter, Maureen, followed up with this note:

Dear Coach Battaglia,

I would like to add my congratulations to you and the Friars as well.

The state championship did bring a lot of joy to my dad. Sadly, he passed away yesterday. But we are so happy for him that one of the last things that he was able to enjoy was the state championship. You mentioned in your email that something as “simple as football” could bring so much joy. Sports is always about so much more than a simple game, something I learned in 1960, when at 5 years old, my dad began bringing me to Fenwick football games.

We attended several games a year, and those were treasured moments that I will never forget. I remember the first game I attended, taking in the stadium, and the excitement of the crowd. I had never seen a football game before and I had a million questions. I can still see that sunny fall afternoon in my head and the very moment when he explained to me what a first and ten was.  From that day on, football, the Friars and sports in general was something that I loved sharing with my dad. I think that my family is not alone with that concept.  Football and sports creates bonds, not just among teammates, but among the fans as well.

Again, congratulations. My dad was always proud to be a Friar.

Maureen Breen Barunas

Rest in heaven, sir.

Before Fenwick, Mr. Breen attended Horace Mann School and was a St. Giles parishioner. For four years, he was an avid participant intramural athletics while he was a Friar student.


	


	





		

		
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Learning to Trust in God’s Plan
	


			

			
							
		

	
	

		

Fenwick student preacher reflects on how he found extra stamina to finish strong in the biggest cross-country run of his life last month.





By Lee O’Bryan ’22 (La Grange, IL)





Today we celebrate mass in honor of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This feast is about the unique way Mary was born, without original sin. This was necessary for her to be the Mother of Jesus. This sinlessness is why she was so open to and trusting of God’s plan. Mary understood what it meant to trust God. She lived that way throughout her entire life.





While I am not sinless, I have learned how to trust in God’s plan. A little over a month ago is my best example of this. This was the State Championship Race that Cross Country won. At the time we did not know if we would win though. All we did know was that we had trained extremely hard and consistently for the last nine months. And, as you could imagine, I was nervous. Our team was ranked number one — and had been for a while — but that didn’t mean we would win state. All it meant was we could win state. We would have to perform to our max on November 6th if we wanted the win. 





Then I heard something in Theology class that comforted me. It was a Hindu quote that said, “You have the right to the action, not the fruits of the action.” I thought about this and how it applied to my life. My teammates and I had done all of the training we could, and now we had to let go and let God’s plan take over. I was less nervous once I trusted in God because I knew, whether we won or lost, it was what God meant to happen.





Lee and his state champion Friar XC teammates in Peoria, IL, on November 6, 2021.





On the day of the race I prayed to God for him to help me be strong, help me to never give up, and to let me accept whatever the result was. As it went on, the race did not go how I imagined it would. I went out fast, as I planned, but after the first mile, I was drained; for almost the next two miles, I tanked. I was supposed to be way faster if we were to win. I was even passed by my little brother. I didn’t feel physically or mentally strong enough to finish with a fast sprint. All of these people kept slipping by me. When two runners passed me from the schools that were most likely to beat us, I tried my hardest to go with them and I held on for about 30 seconds and then I faded away.





With about a quarter of a mile left in the race, something I don’t fully understand happened. Suddenly, it felt like someone pushed me to start sprinting. My thinking rapidly changed. I was now saying in my head “this is worth it;” “I can do this.” Every second after that I was passing other racers. I noticed those rival runners from earlier, and I decided I was going to pass them, no matter how much it hurt. I did catch them and, although one of them resurged to pass me back, he was the only person in that last stretch to pass me at all.





I trusted God’s plan that day and it allowed me to relax and not focus on the outcome, but rather focus on giving my best. I also believe that I had opened myself to God and allowed him to give me a boost of confidence when I needed it the most at the end of the race.





Being open and trusting in God’s plan is something we all can do as Friars. Whatever sport or club that you are in, you can do just what Mary did throughout her whole life. Focus on doing your best, not on what will happen at the end. Because, whether in the moment you are happy with it or not, it will be beneficial for you in the long run. It is the same thing with academics: Study until you truly know the material and, when you are tested, try your hardest. This may take you on a path that you didn’t plan to go on, but it will be the one God wants you to take.





God’s plan has taken me to places I never expected. He can do the same for you. You just need to follow Mary’s example. That is, if you do your best and are open to God, he will take you where you are meant to be.

	


	





		

		
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Alumnus Spotlight: Mike Kelleher, M.D. (Class of 1975)
	


			

			
							
		

	
	

		

A Friar student-athlete turned pediatrician reflects on the ‘formative influence’ of Fenwick’s teachers and coaches.





By Mark Vruno





In the fall ’21 Friar Reporter (page 16), we reported that alumnus Dr. Tord Alden ’85 was hired into informatics at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital (Chicago) by fellow Fenwick Friar Dr. Michael Kelleher ’75, a pediatrician who spent 17 years at Lurie (Children’s Memorial).





In 2020, Dr. Kelleher became the chief medical officer of Amita Health (Mercy Medical Center, Aurora, IL). For 11 months he chaired the COVID-19 Vaccine Steering Committee, which administered more than 50,000 doses to area health-care workers, first responders and patients.





“I had Roger Finnell for four years,” remembers Dr. Kelleher. “Roger [Fenwick Class of ’59] was a young man when I was at Fenwick. He is a wonderful math teacher and a great human being! I still remember what ‘e to the pi I’ equals.” [Euler’s formula: e^(i pi) = -1]





Kelleher also ran track and cross country for Coach John Polka for four years. “Mr. Polka was my biology teacher, too. These two men had a formative influence over me,” he notes, adding that, in the early 1970s, he was taking “regular and honors classes, which they now call AP [advanced placement], I think.”





Sneezing into med school










Graduating in three years from Northwestern University (Evanston) with a B.A. in biology, Kelleher went on to the University of Minnesota to earn a master’s degree in ecology. His study emphasis was on population genetics and statistics, but severe allergic reactions forced him to change his mind. “I had terrible allergies and couldn’t do the field work,” the doctor recalls.





Kelleher had thought about pursuing medicine in the past, and he received his M.D. in 1986 from the University of Illinois College of Medicine (Urbana and Rockford, IL). His post-graduate training took place at Wyler Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago, where he competed a residency, became chief resident and was a Pediatric Critical Care Fellow (1990-93). He also served for five years on U of C’s faculty.





Before coming home to Chicago, Dr. Kelleher spent five years in Iowa City as the head of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Once at Lurie (Children’s Memorial), he progressed up the ranks, first handling electronic medical record implementation and ascending to chief medical officer from 2003-19.





“My values were formed at Fenwick High School,” Dr. Kelleher insists, citing the service ‘mission’ of Catholic education as being integral to his experience. “There, our teachers inculcated us to provide service to others. They said that it should be a goal in life.” It’s no coincidence, he says, that several of his ’75 Friar classmates also went into the medical field.





Read the Full “Friar Med” Story

	


	





		

		
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Giving Thanks for Fenwick
	


			

			
							
		

	
	

		

In November, Friar alumni, faculty, parents and students were asked why they are thankful for Fenwick High School. Here are some responses.





A few current students chimed in, as did a Fenwick parent: “I am thankful for the wisdom and knowledge that is shared at Fenwick … [and] that, even though we may come from different backgrounds, we all share in the love of Christ,” writes Cybelle Miranda, mother of Alejandra ’25 of Chicago. “May God continue to bless us all!”





Senior Rasheed Anderson of Elmhurst believes that “the quality of education is second to none. Fenwick teachers truly care and want students [to] reach their potential. Fenwick is a positive part of my life … and has shaped me into a better man ….” Classmate Pam Martinez ’22, of Berwyn, adds: “Fenwick has challenged me academically … and helped me learn my potential.”





The biggest voices praising their beloved alma mater came from alumni, of course. Here’s what some members of Friar Nation have to say:










“I’m thankful to Fenwick because of lifelong friendships,” writes Dr. Lia Bernardi ’99, assistant OB-GYN professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. She is pictured (at left) on a 40th-birthday trip to Mexico with classmates Colleen Ryan, Katie Moore, Lauren Dillon, Rachel Fitzpatrick, Julie Wilkens and Caitlin McKiernan.





Jim Grant ’87 adds: “Fenwick exposed me to a completely different academic, athletic and social world than I had known. Every step challenged me and made me a better student, athlete and person. When I went to college, I truly felt like I had an advantage having been through the rigors of Fenwick and all the lessons I had learned. Nothing in my life, before or after, shaped me as much as my time at Fenwick did.”





Timothy Fitzpatrick ’71 says it’s “very difficult to put what Fenwick did for me into words, as reflecting on the experience brings back so many memories.” Major Fitzpatrick, now retired (U.S. Army) articulated his feelings:





“I would say first that Fenwick welcomed me into an experience of challenge from day one in a very Catholic environment,” he continues. “If you look at the Holy Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I think that is how we were approached as individuals.  If expressed as Logos, Ethos and Pathos or as the cognitive, physical and spiritual/affective aspects of human dimensions, each was challenged and deliberately developed with great care. 

“In education the classic logic and rhetoric provided a life time foundation in reason and the ability to formulate and express ideas. The emphasis on physical development provided the greater understanding of self and how the physical affected our cognitive ability and our spirit.  The emphasis on math and science further developed reason. Math developed an ability to see the world in more than its surface, but in all dimensions, which saved my and others lives later in my career. 





“Forever thankful for Fr. Aschenbrenner’s German language program and his methods. Going to Germany, Austria and Switzerland was an incredible experience that showed me a world beyond what popular culture portrayed.  The contrast between good and evil experienced at the Berlin Wall between freedom in West Berlin and oppression in communist East Berlin was stark, leading me to make the decision to join the U.S. Army in order to defend freedom.

“Finally, I am thankful for Fenwick’s emphasis on prayer, Mass and Eucharist. This has been of great comfort to me in peace, under duress and at war.”










Alumni and Faculty





Not to be outdone, alumni-turned-faculty members took time out of their hectic schedules to share some thoughts. “Fenwick has always been a prominent part of my life,” writes World Languages Chair and alumna Samantha Carraher ’96. “It all started on the sidelines of a football game when I was about five years old. It was there that I met my dad’s former teacher and a man who would become such a positive influence in my life … My dad told me, ‘You should get to know this man because you will be attending Fenwick some day, and he very well may be your teacher, too.’ And my dad was right.





“I am grateful to Fenwick for going co-ed and giving young women an opportunity to become a part of the experience and the tradition,” Ms. Carraher notes. “I am grateful to the teachers and coaches who always looked out for me and had my best interests at heart, especially … Mr. Arellano, Coach Power and Mrs. Megall. I will forever appreciate the phone call from Mr. Arellano urging me to apply for a position teaching Spanish right after I graduated college. I am now in my 21st year of teaching at Fenwick and can honestly say I love my job. I am grateful to our supportive administration, tremendous colleagues (many of whom are dear friends) and our phenomenal students who make coming to work every day such a wonderful experience. Thank you, Fenwick, for being a place I consider home.”










Learning Resource Coordinator and alumna Grace Lilek David ’08 (at right) can relate. “I’m thankful for a school that I’ve called ‘home’ for the majority of my life!” she says. I’m thankful for our students, who genuinely want the best for those around them. They support one another through the highs and lows, and it’s truly special to witness. And, I’m thankful for my colleagues who work tirelessly to make Fenwick such a wonderful place.”





“I am grateful to be surrounded by colleagues and students who have a passion for learning, a genuine care and concern for one another, and a desire to achieve at the highest level,” says Science Teacher and alumna Brigid Baier Esposito ’96.





Fellow alumni, English Teacher and Head Boys’ Water Polo Coach Kyle Perry ’01 offers a two-word reason as to why he’s thankful for Fenwick: “the pool!”





Tracy Bonaccorsi, Athletics Administrative Assistant and Girls’ Lacrosse Head Coach, concludes: “I’m thankful for Fenwick because I’m blessed to come to work each day and work with three gentlemen that I’m lucky enough to call friends, not just my co-workers. Just like our sports teams here at Fenwick, we make a great team as well in Athletics!”





COMMENT ON THIS BLOG (SEE BELOW) OR EMAIL US TO TELL US WHY YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR FENWICK (communications@fenwickfriars.com).