Winter 2011

RatioVi

rtus

Fides

Continued on page 2

families so desperately need. Their friendship has all the marks of true friendship for it involves no self-interest -- and I think we can all say for certain that there is no worldly prestige or distinction involved in attaching oneself to such a small and fledgling enterprise as ours was just a few years ago.

St. Monica Academy owes much to the friendship of Maria and Richard. Richard went the extra mile to secure our recognition by the Archdiocese. He has listened to our concerns and always been available to give us sage advice. Maria has been one of our biggest fans , evangelizing everywhere for us. I have been at banquets for other good institutions and I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on Maria who a table away was extolling St. Monica Academy to those a r o u n d h e r. And she has not stopped there. She has taken our high school students through art

Comments by Andrew Zepeda, President, St. Monica Academy Board of Directors

Tonight my friends, we wish to honor and celebrate friendship, especially the friendship Richard and Maria Grant have shown St. Monica Academy. The ancients, Socrates, Cicero and St. Thomas Aqu ina s , wro t e much on friendship because friendship is the source of so much of human happiness. They distinguished true friendship from what they called the friendship of utility – where the friends are useful to each other and the friendship is predicated on that usefulness and not much more. But true friendship is practiced even where there is no material benefit that results from the friendship. In Richard and Maria we have a couple who had nothing to gain from St. Monica Academy since their own daughters were grown. Nonetheless, they have become such generous friends of St. Monica Academy, because they saw in it what our Chur ch, our nation, and our

True Friends to St. Monica Academy & 2011 Ostia Award Recipients –

Richard and Maria Grant

Save the Date A Masquerade Ball!

Please Join us for St. Monica Academy’s11th Anniversary

Auction and Dinner!Saturday, February 18, 2012At the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

museums – most recently the Norton Simon -- to share with them her love of the beautiful. Through their own family foundation, Richard’s and Maria’s financial support has been very generous. And their support for St. Monica Academy at the Dan Murphy Foundation has been of critical importance to us. In all respects, Maria and Richard are true friends to Catholic classical education and to our school.

At the inception of our school, and following the example of our sister school, St. Augustine Academy in Ventura, we instituted the Ostia Award which from time to time is bestowed upon those friends without which our school might not exist or would be very much diminished. The Ostia Award

Winter 2010Page Two

Mr. Andrew Zepeda PresidentMr. Martin Boles Vice PresidentMr. Khushro Ghandhi TreasurerMr. Donald Harrahill SecretaryMr. Alan ArnallMr. Daniel CollinsMr. Len GolbransonDr. T. Murphy GoodwinMr. R. Scott Turicchi

Board of Advisors

Board of Directors

Mrs. Laura BerquistDr. Don J. Briel Dr. Thomas E. Dillon†Dr. John C. EastmanRev. Ernest L. Fortin, A.A.†Dr. Robert P. GeorgeProf. Mary Ann GlendonMr. Nicholas H. Healy, Jr.Dr. Alice von HildebrandDr. Charles R. KeslerRev. Matthew L. LambRev. Paul Mankowski, S.J.Msgr. M. Francis MannionMr. Nicolas MartinDr. Ronald P. McArthurDr. Ralph McInerny†Dr. Timothy O’DonnellMr. Peter M. RobinsonRoy S. Rohter, S.F.O.Dr. Kevin RyanRev. Michael Scanlan, T.O.R.Mr. William Simon, Jr.Mr. James StensonDr. Michael WaldsteinMr. Paul M. Weyrich †

takes its name from a port city near Rome. It was in Ostia in the fifth century where St. Monica and her son Augustine were conversing as friends, sharing what was in their hearts. So elevated were they by their conversation that they were granted to see heaven in a vision, a most glorious dream together where they shared in the friendship of the Trinity. That vision in Ostia was the culmination of many years of faithful prayer by a mother to secure her son’s eternal happiness. It ended happily with arguably the most famous conversion of all time and the ultimate friendship of mother and son wrapped in a profound friendship with God. So Ostia is a most fitting name for a tribute to friends of St. Monica Academy, those faith-filled, generous, and true friends who have helped it flourish and grow. Tonight we are so honored to bestow the Ostia Award on Richard and Maria Grant, our true friends.

A distinguishing trait of St. Monica Academy High School is the parallel tracking of the History and Literature classes. While students study Ancient History, they are also reading ancient literature such as Homer’s Illiad. During the Medieval History year, they read literary classics from that era such as Dante’s Divine Comedy. The American History year coincides with the study of American literature.

Literature illumines the historical period of its author. Studying literature in its historical progression reveals the evolution of culture, morals, and ideas over time. Literature can also be a powerful force in shaping history. Sir Thomas More, a great proponent of classical education, “considered literature, not law, to be the primary civilizing force… .” (Wegemer, Thomas

More: Portrait of Courage.) Literature at St. Monica Academy

High School is also intertwined with the History curriculum in a second way. Students read literature about various historical periods that is written by great modern authors. These modern works are selected not only because of the pertinence of the subject matter to the History class, but also because of the power and beauty of their style. Students read Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Winston Churchill’s narrative of the War of the Roses, Mark Twain’s Joan of Arc, and Teddy Roosevelt’s gripping account of the Battle of Vincennes, to name a few. The St. Monica Academy High School Charter of Principles directs that our students should be steeped in the beauty and power of great poems, speeches, and literary classics, memorizing their

2011 Ostia Award RecipientsContinued from page 1

The Daniel Murphy Interdisciplinary Program in History and Literature

Continued on page 4

In the season opener, St. Monica Academy (Div. 5A) muscled its way to victory over Bellarmine – Jefferson High (Div. 4A) digging itself out of a two-game deficit to win the non-league match against the much larger and higher ranked team. “This shows we don’t give up. We keep on fighting until the end,” said Caitlin Hall, outside hitter, reigning International League MVP, and three time Section All-Star. Though the Crusaders have dominated their Division V International League for the past two years, St. Monica Academy was not expected to defeat “large” schools. “When we can come back from a deficit like this to win, it definitely raises our

spirits,” said Hall of the surprise victory. In their first tournament of the year,

The Battle By The Beach (Huntington Beach), the Crusaders went 7-0 before falling in the championship match to Lake Mead Academy of Nevada; shortly thereafter they eked out 6 consecutive victories in the Desert Classic JV Tournament bringing home the championship trophy. On the way to the title, St. Monica Academy defeated Inland Empire teams from Division I, II and III schools. By the end of the season the Crusaders amassed an overall record of 27-4-1, the best record of any St. Monica Academy team to date. It was an incredible season. Two starters were voted amongst the top 14 players in the Div. 5A, the team reached the final of two tournaments, lost only one game to an in-division opponent, won their third consecutive league title (with a 12-0 record), received a #2 ranking in the playoff tour-nament, and narrowly lost a five game heartbreaker in the section semi-final - a mere one win away from a berth in the state tournament. The lady Crusaders lose only three seniors to graduation, and have set a goal to make next year’s section final and state tournament.

The Crusaders were led by three-time League MVP and CIF Southern Section All-Star , outside hitter and co-captain, Caitlin Hall of Alhambra, who averages 19

kills per match; setter and CIF Southern Section All-Star Kristen Gates of Pasadena, who averages 24 assists per match; co- captain Monica Golbranson of Pasadena; libero Gianna Halpin of Altadena, middle hitter Anna Goodwin of Alhambra, and outside hitters, Sarah Anderson and Anna McCall of Monrovia.

“Caitlin plays with such power and heart that St. Monica Academy students of all ages want to play like her,” said Darren Bradley, Varsity Crusader coach. “All the younger girls ask for volleyballs during recess the day after Caitlin plays. We now have two CYO teams and a winning CIF team. Pretty sweet for a little classical academy!”

2011 Crusader Volleyball Has Best Season Ever

Page ThreeWinter 2010

Last spring, St. Monica Academy started a high school baseball program with 13 boys from all four grades. We began in hopes of creating a positive boys’ spring sport – but it wasn’t long before we realized that we had a very talented group of players. As the team was formed, we went on to be undefeated in our league and advanced to the first round of the Division 7 playoffs. Though we lost that game, our opponents looked at our players and commented on their remarkable talents.

The team was captained by then Junior catcher Blaise Inman, who had a remarkable season both at the plate

and beh ind the p l a t e . He wa s the International League MVP, hitting .500 for the year with a .929 slugging percentage and 24 RBI in 28 at bats. Blaise was also selected to the 2011 All CIF Southern Section Division 7 Baseball Team. Manager Joseph Thompson said, “Blaise’s leadership cannot be underestimated as a driving force for St. Monica Crusader Baseball.” Senior Damien Le Berthon and Sophomore PJ Zwart were also named 1st-team All International League se lect ions and Freshman Gilbert Inman was a 2nd-team selection.

We look forward to a successful 2012 season.

St. Monica Academy Starts High School Baseball Program with Success

Blaise Inman: International League MVP & CIF Southern Section Division 7 All-Star

Kristen Gates: CIF Southern Section Division 5 All-Star

Caitlin Hall: 3-time International League MVP & 3-time CIF Southern Section Division 5 All-Star

A little miracle of grace happens every Wednesday morning at St. Andrew Church when St. Monica students quietly slip into their places, kneel, and pray. The sea of green sweaters and navy blazers barely move as the simple chant of the Schola floats across the huge space and echoes back on itself. A bright-eyed and confident teenager with a clear and beautiful voice persuades even the most recalcitrant to join in the hymn. This feast of innocence and beauty amidst the Real Presence moves the first-time visitor to sudden and involuntary tears. At Communion time the Schola breaks into Victoria’s “Ave Maria,” or Lambilotte’s

“Panis Angelicus” while students and parishioners, one in heart, receive Our Lord with such tender reverence, one is moved to tears all over again. – Headmaster Marguerite Grimm

lapidary passages and reading them out loud frequently in the classroom. It was through this kind of pedagogy that great speakers and writers such as Lincoln, Churchill, and Thomas More achieved their mastery of language.

History and LiteratureContinued from page 2

Why We Sing

St. Monica Academy301 North Orange Grove Blvd.Pasadena, CA 91103

MissionSt. Monica Academy, an independent, coeducational school for grades one through twelve, founded by parents in fulfillment of their primary responsibility for educating their children, seeks to form students in faith, reason, and virtue through a classical education in the Roman Catholic tradition.

(626) 229-0351 phone(626) 229-0343 faxheadmaster@stmonicaacademy.com e-mailwww.stmonicaacademy.com web

Faith � Reason � VirtueSt. M

onica AcademyRatioVi

rt

usFides