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Belen JesuitAlumni MagazineWINTER 2013
MESSAGE FROM THEASSOCIATION PRESIDENTDear Alumni,Without question, the most exciting news toAlumni of Jesuit institutions this year, was the electionof a Jesuit Pope. This news was received enthusiasticallyat Belen, where classes were cancelled and the schoolclosed in celebration of the historic event. In the fewmonths since his election, Pope Francis has exhortedCatholics to serve the lessfortunate, in effect to livethe Jesuit motto of “Men forOthers.”Over the years, Belen’sAlumni Association has donejust that. Through Magis, theAlumni Association’s servicearm, Belen Alumni andtheir families have collectedfunds to feed the elderly atThanksgiving and Christmasat Gesu Church. The Toy drivethat began at Santa AnnaMission and now is at Gesu has become an annualAlumni Association tradition.Belen Alumni also provided significantassistance thru Yoyo’s Fund to Father Willie’s project inthe Dominican Republic. The small school near theHaitian border has a new classroom, computers and abasketball court.Belen graduates also revamped Gesu’s websiteand together with current Belen students, repainted thehistoric Church.Alumni continue to help the school throughpro-bono legal services and pro-bono architectural,engineering and construction assistance.Perhaps the most exciting project undertaken bythe Alumni Association is the Yearbook Project. A teamof Belen Alumni , with the help of their dedicated officestaff, has scanned and uploaded all of the Belen existingyearbooks in our office, dating back to 1914. With thisproject, every Alumni Association member will be ableto view their yearbook through the school’s website,based on their class’s commitment to the Project.Belen Alumni also contributed financiallydonating over 1 million to the school in 2012 and2013. The school’s buildings and grounds bear witnessto the generosity of the alumni; to mention some: theGoizueta Athletic Center, the Saladrigas Art Gallery , theGarrido Family Plaza and more recently the HernandezFamily Field. Smaller contributions, when aggregated,are also critically important. Some classes such as the1960, 1985 and 1987 collect funds annually to help theSchool Scholarship Program for needy students.But we can do so much more. The service effortsare grand but more alumni are always needed to makethose projects more successful. And while the financialcontributions are significant, they come from a mere11% of the alumni. Think how much more can be doneif the other 89% chips in. Every donation, no matter howsmall, makes a difference. The possibilities are endlessand the dream of a new cafeteria, chapel and fullyfunded scholarships would become a reality with yourhelp.Let us be "Men for Others" and follow our Pope’sexhortation.Yours Truly,Carlos Batlle '80President of the Belen Alumni Association2 . Belen Jesuit
CREDITSbelen jesuitALUMNI MAGAZINEExecutive CommitteeFr. Pedro Suarez, SJ ‘58Belen Jesuit School PresidentCONTENTFEATURESA NEW ADDITIONThe new statue of St. Ignatius is unveiled5METEOROLOGY TRADITIONStudents follow the footsteps of influential Jesuit6Roberto Borbolla ’56Alumni Content EditorCARLOS DIHARCEAn example of a man for others8Teresa MartinezBelen Jesuit Director of CommunicationsMAGISJose Ignacio Rasco '4514COVER STORYThe Catholic community celebrates their new leader1610 QUESTIONS FOR 1 ALUMNUSCesar Conde '9120A TASTE OF THE FUTUREA look at the cafeteria renovation plans23Fr. Ernesto Fernandez-Travieso, SJVice-President and Editor-in-ChiefMariano Loret de Mola ‘58Alumni Association DirectorSujayla CollinsBelen Jesuit Journalism TeacherALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORSCarlos Batlle ’80 – PresidentAntonio Castro ’86 – Vice PresidentL. J. Rodriguez ’93 – TreasurerJose A. Garrido III ’99 – SecretaryFr. Juan Manuel Dorta-Duque, SJ ‘40 - Spiritual DirectorAntonio Abella ’59Julio Bertemati ’99Roberto Colon ’04Alvaro Cosculluela ’61Hector Formoso-Murias ’82Jose A. Garrido, Jr. ’72Alberto Gutierrez ’88Rene Medina ’05Peter Montadas ’76Crescencio Ruiz ’76Francisco "Paco" Ruiz ’73BELEN JESUIT ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published biannually.Circulation: 6,000Please address all correspondence to the Alumni Office.Periodicals postage paid at Miami, Fl and additional mailing points.Postmaster: Send address changes to:Belen Alumni Office500 Southwest 127 AvenueMiami, Fl 33184Phone: 786.621.4674 Fax: 786.621.4662E-mail: alumni@belenjesuit.orgYEAR IL – NO. 2DEPARTMENTSCOMMUNITY NEWSATHLETICS NEWSCLASS NOTESANNOUNCEMENTSGALLERY OF REUNIONSLETTER FROM SCHOOL PRESIDENTCALENDAR OF EVENTS4102426283536On the cover: Pope Francis.Photo credits: Glaucia Helena via JMJRio2012/Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)WINTER 2013 . 3
communityBy: Michael Chang ‘14Echoes Editor The sixth grade Lock-In took place Friday, November8th. During this event, the sixth grade class stayed overnight at the school. They also participated in numerousactivities such as laser tag, watching movies, listening toalumni speakers, pizza, and breakfast. Also that evening,parents of the sixth grade class got together for the firstever Sixth Grade Gathering. The gathering, much likethe Lock-In, allowed the participants to get to know eachother better. During Grandparents' Day, the seventh graders andtheir grandparents come to the school and participate ina number of different activities including bingo, a tourof the school, dominoes, poetry reading, live music, andlunch. The event took place September 28th. The school's open house took place October 5th. Anestimated 400 families toured the school buildingsand learned more about the education and cultureof the school and its community. The alumni had abooth to inform parents and potential students of theirassociation. The entire community got together October 10th tocelebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Students and theirModern Language teachers created the decorationsthat adorned the central patio. Students also broughtHispanic foods to share with everyone. The ring ceremony took place October 22nd in theschool gym. All 222 seniors received their graduationrings and later celebrated in a reception in the centralpatio.Senior Robert de la Hoz with his dad Jorge '80 , and senior William Candela withhis dad William, Sr. '80 immediately after the ring ceremony. Father and Son Day took place November 23rd. Duringthis event, eighth graders and their fathers come to theschool to participate in different sporting events such asbasketball, flag football, dodgeball, sports trivia, and afather vs. son knockout. The event was a huge success. The freshman class and their families participated infamily day November 16th. The families had a great timeparticipating in events such as kickball. They also madesandwiches for the needy in the school cafeteria. The Wolverine 5K was a new event that took placeOctober 12th on the school grounds. Participants rana 5K around campus to raise funds for breast cancerawareness. Students also wore pink ties and bow tiesduring the month of October. Over 12,000 were raisedfor the cause over the month of October.Belen Director of Communications Teresa Martinez, Science Teacher LidiceLascano, Tony Lascano ’11 and Community Programs Coordinator of BaptistHealth South Florida Daniel Rodriguez ’05 at the “Battle like a Wolverine 5K”event to promote the importance of early detection.4 . Belen Jesuit
NEWSA New AdditionArchbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated the first schoolwide Mass of the year at Belen Jesuit September 11th. Followingthe solemn Mass, the archbishop blessed and unveiled a newstatue of St. Ignatius Loyola the Teacher located at the entrance ofthe school."The Mass of the Holy Spirit is Belen Jesuit's tradition forkicking off the academic year and is core to the Jesuit, Ignatianvalues from which the school was established," said Jesuit FatherPedro Suarez, '58, school president. "This annual Mass is held at thebeginning of the year to welcome the grace of a greater Being intoour hearts and community as we journey through the experiencesof the new academic year." He added, "We are honored thatArchbishop Wenski has shared this important time with ourstudents and faculty."The statue of St. Ignatius was donated by the Zaldivarfamily whose son, Miguel Zaldivar, is currently a senior at theschool. The statue was bronzed by local sculptor Lazaro Valdez."The statue is strategically located at the entrance of theschool in order to inspire and motivate the students and educatorsin the Jesuit philosophy of education and social justice," said FatherSuarez. "Everyone that walks through those gates will now begreeted by the founder of the Jesuits who believed that througheducation we can make the world a better place for the greaterglory of God. This gift will be an inspiration for the entire Belencommunity and we are grateful to this family for their generosity."Standing next to the new statue, Mr. and Mrs. Zaldivar, Lazaro Valdez,Archbishop Thomas Wenski, and Father Pedro Suarez, SJ.WINTER 2013 . 5
Students follow meteorologytradition established by a JesuitBy: Robert VanScoy ‘14Echoes Editor-In-ChiefThe science of meteorology has been a Jesuittradition that spans centuries. Recently, the Father ofMeteorology himself, Father Benito Viñes, SJ was honoredfor his scientific findings in the area of hurricane studies.September 12 marked the day that the cornerof 6th street and 128th avenue became Padre Benito Viñes,SJ Way. This was a tremendous moment in the schoolhistory. It not only recognized Fr. Viñes, but also honoredthe meteorology program and what it has brought to Belensince its inception.Being one of the few schools in the entireUnited States that has a state of the art observatory andmeteorology center, the foundation of Father Viñes' work isstill impacting the school and its students today. Evidenceof his work can be seen through the astronomy andmeteorology clubs that have been active for many years,and are still thriving even with the younger students."I am very excited that Father Viñes is receivingthe credit that he deserves. He was definitely ahead of histime," said Father Pedro Cartaya, SJ, '54.The event also provided an opportunity toremind the surrounding community that it was Father Viñeswho, through research and dedication, was able to predict astorm that struck Havana, Cuba September 12, 1875. Had itnot been for Father Viñes' work, the storm would have takenthe country and its citizens by surprise, and many lives couldSenior Guillermo Saade reports the weather for CNN Latino Miami in the WBLN studios.have been lost.Just recently, CNN Latino called in housemeteorologist Pedro Añon because they were aware thatthere was a meteorology center in the school and theywanted to work with students. Añon approached currenttelevision adviser Johnny Calderin '92 about the technicalaspect of this endeavour. The school administration,Calderin, and Añon met with the CNN producers, and thisled to the daily production of the weather report for CNNLatino in Miami.It was agreed in this meeting that Belenstudents would record Monday through Friday a minutelong report of the local weather. The students would do thisin Spanish since this station caters to the Hispanic market,and they would also be responsible for the content."It is nice to be given the opportunity tonot only study broadcasting but to actually have real lifeexperience broadcasting for a national network," said seniorGuillermo Saade.Meteorology students as swell as TV productionstudents volunteered for this once in a lifetime experience.Every day, these students gather in the WBLN studio toproduce the daily weather report. It is then sent to CNNwhere it is later aired during their noon news hour.The students have gotten the hang of thisproduction and have even reported on neighboring tropicalweather that could affect the nation."It has been very important to the broadcasting kids because it gives them a real life experience to produce something for a news channel. As for the meteorologykids, it has given them an outlet to be able to report on theweather that they study," said Calderin '92.(Top) Julian Perez-Corzo '54, Father Pedro Cartaya, SJ '54, Alberto Li '72, Father Pedro Suarez, SJ'58, Jose Garrido Jr. '72, Mariano Loret de Mola '58, Charlie Torres '72, Thomas de Quesada '94, andMario Martinez Malo '55. (Right) With Jose 'Pepe' Diaz at the street naming ceremony.6 . Belen Jesuit
Jose Ignacio Rasco ‘45. Their legacy at Belen is the lovethat they shared for the institution which was such animportant part of their lives.New projectsfor a new leaderBy: Thomas De Quesada ‘94Director of Development and Alumni RelationsBelen has been an integral part of my life for the last24 years, and I have always been proud to be a part of thisgreat community. Over the course of the last 16 years I wasblessed to carry out my vocation in assisting in the formationof the students at the school. A strong sense of gratitude hasalways driven me to serve Belen Jesuit, because I rememberthe Jesuits and members of the faculty were very supportiveof my family during my years as a student. Now I am incrediblygrateful to Father Pedro Suarez, SJ for giving me theopportunity to lead and positively affect the school in a newway.Belen has always been my home, and the alumni andfaculty, an extension of my family. In my short time workingin this new capacity, I have had the opportunity to gatherwith classes to celebrate their reunions, visit with alumni whoreturn to campus, and commemorate the lives of men whohave given so much of their time and passion to the school.The most impactful experiences have been the recent funeralmasses of our distinguished alumni Aristides Martinez ‘59 andOur charge is to continue the efforts of thosewho came before us as we work as an association tosupport the school and the administration. Only the facesof the students have changed in our hallways. The history,spirituality, tradition, and spirit remain the same. It isan incredible honor to be working with a group of menwith such a strong vocation to a cause. When we werestudents at Belen we all benefited from the time andgenerosity of the alumni who came before us. It is nowour time to help the school continue fulfilling its mission.Our priority this year will be to support theschool administration in its efforts to facilitate a newDining Hall for the students, faculty and alumni. Mysincere hope is for the alumni to be the driving forcebehind this project as we seek to positively affect theschool’s culture. In pledging our support, the AlumniAssociation stands to help the school meet its mostpressing need, provide an opportunity to give backto the school family that gave us so much, and mostimportantly, inspire future generations of alumni withour commitment to serve. Our association’s energyis contagious and our love for the school will help tomotivate others to invest in the future of the school aswell. This goal can only be realized with your help. Iam excited about leading this effort, which will help tomodernize one of the most important parts of the school.The role of Director of Development and AlumniRelations is one that I accepted with great enthusiasmbecause of my strong desire to continue the tradition ofimproving the facilities, providing financial assistancefor families in need, reaching out to and supporting thealumni, and ensuring the future of the school we loveso much. I am excited about our plans as we build forthe future, and I feel honored to be working with themembers of the Alumni Association who have dedicatedthemselves to supporting the school. I look forward to anexcellent school year, and seeing you all on campus andat our events.WINTER 2013 . 7
“By their fruits you willrecognize them”Matthew 7:16CARLOS DIHARCE:AN ALUMNUS ANDJESUIT MISSIONARYIN THE JUNGLES OF PERUFather Carlos Diharce Aguirre, SJ is a fruit of Belen.As most of our alumni he has lived his life in simplicity and insilence, doing good deeds away from newspaper headlinesand TV news. He has shown to us the boundless generosityof God, who calls us Belen alumni to be “men for others”.Carlos was born in Caibarién, Cuba. After graduatingfrom Belen in 1959, he entered the Society of Jesus inHavana. He continued studies in Los Teques, Venezuela,followed by Philosophy in Spain. After two years as a teacherat the Colegio Loyola in Santo Domingo, he was sent to studyTheology in Louvain, Belgium. He was ordained a priestin 1972 and then he was able to pursue the real vocationhe felt called by God to follow since the Novitiate: to be amissionary. He dreamt of going to Africa, but his Superiorssaw a greater need among the natives of Peru, where he hasbeen assigned since his ordination.What follows is an article especially written for theALUMNI MAGAZINE by Fr. Diharce. It is a message in whichhe describes his life as a missionary and the lives of thosearound him. He dedicates it to all the magazine readers andfellow alumni.Father Pedro Suarez SJ, '58"Maybe we should scrutinize the Scriptures not from ourcomfortable seats, but from these ancient jungles filled with waterand life."-Father Carlos Diharce, SJ '59Iarrived from Europe to the “High MarañónMission”, in Northeast Peru in 1972. I was31 years old and recently ordained. Ithink I was a typical Jesuit, deeply markedby post Vatican Council happenings,including student revolts and other signs ofeffervescence at that time. Deeply ingrainedin me was my stubborn vocation to be amissionary since the time of my Novitiatein Cuba and Venezuela, although I believethat my missionary call originated when Iwas a student at the Colegio de Belén. For a long time I wassearching for a wider horizon in which to live out my call,outside of my Jesuit Antilles Province.I arrived, I saw and I did not win, unlike the Romanmotto “Veni, vidi, vinci”. I was defeated by the surroundingsof a thick jungle in the Amazon basin inhabited by the“jibaro” ethnic group of the native “Awajun” and “Wampi”Indians.For many years, almost the only thing I did wasto share life with the jungle and its people. I accompaniedthem in their everyday chores, their joys and fears actinglike a child among grown-ups. I learned the magic ofliving in the jungle and of the jungle. I was living amongindigenous communities between the Cenepa andSantiago rivers, which are tributaries of the Marañón river.8 . Belen Jesuit
FORTY-THREE YEARS IN THE PERUVIAN JUNGLETranslated from Spanish by Father Pedro Suarez, SJThese were years of political turbulence, inand outside of the area. I could recount manyanecdotes and wild adventures that nowseem so natural, like simple memories of ayoung Cuban who was growing in age andexperience in the midst of a new world of itsown.Although living alone as a Jesuitfor years, but accompanied by extraordinaryreligious women, I experienced a realitythat was very different both from what Iknew in Cuba and what I experienced as aJesuit studying in other countries. It wasnot only a new reality, but something thathelped me simplify the ideals that I had asa human person and as a Christian. Morethan changing my values, I was experiencingthe possibility of rerouting my human andspiritual search in another direction.Indigenous producers attending a course in Santa Maria deNieva, AmazonasHow about my missionary work?Naturally, something must have transpiredfrom my cultural and religious background,especially to a group of young catechistsand future leaders, but everything was verylimited in comparison to what I was receivingfrom them, that was causing a deep changeon my inner life.I was being interiorly transformed,while keeping the external appearance of anoutsider who was sent on a mission. It wascertainly a silent process of emptying my soulof past experiences and at the same timefilling it with new likings, new preferences,a new love, new lights from the Gospel anda new way of looking at science Thesewere times with no telephone, moderncommunications or Internet. I had to burnmy ship, like Hernan Cortez did, and stayindefinitely, or leave the mission. There wasno other option!The result is that here I found mynew family, my best friends, my home, myspiritual identity. In spite of being so faraway, I feel completely happy! This is why Isaid that I was defeated. There is no religiousconquest to report, no magisterial teachingto boast about, no extraordinary works to beproud of Years went by and then I entered anera of institutional commitments. I workedwith SAIPE (Agriculture and Livestock Servicefor Research and Economic Promotion) andwith the Center for Indigenous SpiritualityTUNAANTS. Both institutions are in SantaMaria de Nieva, Amazonas, a small townwhich is the capital of the region, perched onthe junction of the Marañón and Nieva rivers.Presently I am living in a small, but charmingJesuit community of four, and my only work iswith very capable indigenous collaborators.At this stage I am trying to balancethat which is “ours” with what is “theirs.” If Icontinue in this work it is because I believewe can arrive at what is common to bothcultures. We want to make contact andenter into a significant intercultural dialog ineverything that concerns a fully human lifethat is healthy, happy and productive withinthe jungle. There is no doubt in my mind thatour Christian faith, in its essence, brings lightand is good yeast to bring it about.Personally, I have no prefabricatedsolutions. We must walk along with thepeople we serve, with the shell and theslowness of the turtle and with the patienceof our trees. They know how to wait whilethey grow I do not feel I am alone ora hero. I do not feel like an Indian either.Maybe I feel as an ordinary Jesuit who cameas a young man and is ending his journey asan old companion of the beings that live inthis jungle, doing what he can to serve histravel companions.Now, once again, I feel linked toall of you, who are extending your generoushand to reach out to me. You are allowing meAwajun Indian Childrento perform a greater service, a part of which ismy option for the Peruvian Indians, that hasturned me into one like them without reallybeing one of them. This is an unfinishedproject, as I have had no other assignmentin the Jesuit Order. I do not feel a dichotomybetween thinking and feeling, as some maythink a missionary feels. I am a realist. Thislimits me in some way, but it makes it easy todetach myself of previously accepted values,including some that present themselves as asaving paradigm. It is possible to speak of aspiritual syncretism. At times I feel alienated,sometimes uncomfortable, with my formerculture, although I do not brag about it. Iprefer to outwardly conceal this feeling, notout of hypocrisy, but because of an instinctivesense of closeness to my brothers and friendsfrom other cultures.However, my faith, woundedwhen I was in Europe, has been constantlyrenewed and strengthened, closer to natureas if it were a temple and a tabernacle,deeply Trinitarian, Marian and Ignatian,although I wonder what St. Ignatius wouldsay about this. In this sense, my faith hasbeen “globalized”, concerned with all that ishappening in our small planet.Perhaps this is the right time torestore the bridge with my friends fromBelen. Farewell, dear friends, until we meetnext summer. I cannot think of better wordsthan these to end my brief reflection: Howquickly time passes by! How little we amountto! How beautiful life is! How great is ourGod!WINTER 2013 . 9
ATHLETICSBy: Carlos Jimenez ‘15Echoes Editor The Varsity Football team went 7-4 during the regularseason and lost in the first round of the playoffs againstKillian. They look forward to working hard and returningbetter than ever next season. The Junior Varsity Football team had a lot of potentialfor what will become part of the varsity team next year.They played hard and ended the season with a 4-2record. The Middle School Football team ended their seasonwith a 4-2 record. They look forward to a long andeffective offseason to get better for next year as they willbe loosing half the team as they move onto high school. This has been the second 6th grade football team inBelen history. They finished off their season with a 2-4record. They are looking forward to be playing with themiddle school team next year. The Varsity Cross Country team had a great season,winning the state title for the fourth time consecutively.Their hard work and dedication as a team wasdemonstrated this year. The Middle School Cross Country team showed theirpotential in becoming state champions as they transitionto high school athletes. They were undefeated thisseason with a total of 10 wins. The Middle School Swimming team had a great season,with some first place individuals. They will work hardduring the offseason, trying to get stronger and fasterfor next year. The sixth grade Cross Country team had a strongcompetition but ended the season with winning 6 out of9 races this year. They showed that they too can run withthe big boys. The Middle School Basketball team started their seasonin late October and has so far been undefeated. They aregoing to work hard and hopefully be undefeated thisentire season as they transition to high school. The Varsity Golf team had a disappointing season,winning only a couple of tournaments. They got fourthplace in the district meet, unable to advance to regionals. The sixth grade Basketball team was undefeated with atotal of 21 games this season. We are looking forward towhat will be next years middle school squad. The Gold and Blue Middle School Volleyball team had astrong season winning many tournaments during theirseason. The JV Golf team had a fantastic season with a 6-1record so far. They will try to finish the season on a goodnote and work hard for next year. Competing for the second time in Belen history theBowling team won 4 out 12 tournaments. They lookforward to working hard and coming back with a betterteam next year. The Middle School Golf team has a had a strong seasonwinning their first five tournaments. They will continueto work hard and try to end the season undefeated. The Varsity Swimming team dominanted once againwinning the state title for the seventh time in the lasteight years. They completed their season undefeated.2013 Varsity Cross Country Team with coaches Juan Rodriguez '79,Victor Arrieta '95, Michael Jalil '05, Rene Medina '05, Head CoachFrankie Ruiz '96, and Athletics Director Carlos Barquin.Coach Kirk Peppas led the varsity swim team to its secondconsecutive and seventh overall State Title.10 . Belen Jesuit
NEWSHall of Fame Finds Permanent HomeBy: Juan Carlos Campuzano ‘14Echoes EditorDespite its establishment in 2007, the Belen Sports Hallof Fame has not been a relevant subject to current nor formerstudents of the school. According to Director of Alumni AssociationMariano Loret de Mola '58, the Belen Sports Hall of Fame has beenlooking for a permanent home for the past three or four years.The search came to an end this year when Loret de Mola,Francisco"Paco" Ruiz '73, and John Medina '77 came together.After several discussions and much planning, it was Loret de Mola'sideas, Ruiz's coordination, and Medina's architectural expertise thatmade the dream become a reality. Additionally and proudly, theHall of Fame was paid for by loyal and dedicated members of theSports Hall of Fame."The hidden inspiration was motion," revealed Medinaabout the designs of the Hall of Fame.The original idea was to have a display that would beaccessible to all students, so that they could have something tolook forward to and strive to be a part of. Loret de Mola had inmind an electronic component to represent the future as well assome sort of interactive mode that could be updated as the yearspassed and new members are inducted.The design was Medina's idea. As you walk in, thereflecting tiles shine with blue and gold around a large touchscreen computer. Today, students and visitors can walk in andeasily look up the accomplishments of the Hall of Fame's memberswith the push of a button. Also, any passerby can look up statisticsStarting quarterback senior Jorge Pola takes a moment to lookat the new Hall of Fame wall located inside the school gym.of sports currently in season. With such an interactive display, it isnot surprising to see current student athletes admiring it as theynow aspire to be a part of it more than they ever have before.Hall of Famer Alberto Acuña '93 appreciates the newdisplay as it makes it real for current student athletes, and creates agoal for them. The overall objective of masterminds Loret de Mola,Ruiz and Medina was to maintain the legacy of Belen's greatestathletes with the expectation of future generations to carry on thisnew tradition.By plugging in the past in a fashion that is pertinent tothe twenty-first century, students are eager to add new membersto the plaques and online. For the first time, the Belen Sports Hallof Fame finally has a stable home with an exciting hope for thefuture of Belen athletics."I sincerely hope someday to be a part of this amazingdisplay," said starting quarterback for the Wolverines senior JorgePola. "It means a lot to an athlete to leave his legacy behind."Every year the Alumni Association holds a selection andinduction ceremony that begins with open nominations fromOctober 1st through December 1st. The selection committeemeets in January and the actual induction ceremony takes placeduring the varsity sports banquet in May."Our objective was always to inspire students to continuethe legacy of excellence in sports in the school for many years tocome," said Loret de Mola.Director of the Alumni Association Mariano Loret de Mola'58, Francisco 'Paco' Ruiz '73, and John Medina '77 were themasterminds of this project.WINTER 2013 . 11
TAILGATE12 . Belen Jesuit
WINTER 2013 . 13
MAGISIn MemoriamDR. JOSE I. Rasco:COMMITTED TODOING JUSTICEBy: Father Pedro Suarez, SJ '58One of our most distinguished and belove
statue of St. Ignatius Loyola the Teacher located at the entrance of the school. "The Mass of the Holy Spirit is Belen Jesuit's tradition for kicking off the academic year and is core to the Jesuit, Ignatian values from which the school was established," said Jesuit Father Pedro Suarez, '58, school president. "This annual Mass is held at the
