Reunion V News Feeds

Guys planning to attend Reunion V:

Paul Meiklejohn, Dan Holody, Fr. Ivan Cendese, Jack Werner, John Smith, Tony Steger, Tom Vadden, Ray McCracken, Jim Gallagher, Bill Maher, Dr. Rod Tomczak, Bill Mittendorf, Dick Moore, Frank Wilderman, Pat Wright, Joe Gallen, Bro. Joe Young, Bob Elias, Frank DeMilde

Guys unsure yet:

George Hohenleitner, Greg Glatthorn, Paul Dinan, John Gussenbauer, Greg Bassett, Tom Hallan, Joe Popiel, Joe Palm, Phil Cerrato

Niagara Frontier Stories

First Story:
Jim Gallagher asks: Does anyone remember the names of the two out (houses) buildings on the property at Lewiston?

Elias says Brisson and Chappuis. Smuda says DeChantal and Aviat. Fiorelli says Chappuis and Aviat. Dinan says Chappuis and DeSales. Meloche says Chappuis and Aviat.

From the consensus so far, it looks like Chappuis and Aviat.

John Lindsay says Tucci describes Aviat - brown down the road

Chappuis across the Monin household.

causa finita est

Jim Gallagher answers: DeChantal Hall was the big house. Aviat was by the river. I lived in this one my senior year. Had a room to myself. Chappius was on the front of the property by the road. Thank you all so much for your help. A big hello to Fred Smuda, Bob Elias,Paul Dinan and  last but of course not lease Lou Fiorelli.

 

 

Don Zurack:

 

I concur w/ J. Lindsay and J. Tucci (Tucci served admirably on the landscaping of the lush lawns as well as Joe Wood's printing press operation -- not counterfeit currency --).  Somewhere (perhaps at Childs) there should be some archival evidence to document the names of the respective houses.  For now, I suppose we'll have to rely on oral history to the answer to one of life's more intriguing questions.

 

Back in the day, I would never have even remotely imagined that anyone who had been in formation in Lewiston would forget the names of those two out-houses.  My memory doesn't recall who chose the names.  I do know that Joe Woods founded and established the petite shrine dedicated to "Our Lady of Light".  Of course, "sirs", it was very tastefully designed and maintained.

 

Ah, the seasons of our lives!  They pass like the sands of an hour glass -- ineluctably.

 

Second Story:

Jim Doll:

The one memory I will share is about the rivalry (football) that the Oblates had with the Carmelites. As I remember the Carms were located in Canada and once or twice a year the Oblates and Carms would engage in a friendly game of football.The Oblates would approach the game casually. Usually with one 15 minute practice the day before the event. A usual football play would be called like this “You run out ten steps and I’ll throw you the ball”.The Carmelites, however, were much more regimented. It is said that they would have formal practices every day during their afternoon Recreation Time. They had plays, formations and even, I am told, a coach. It was big time for them.The games were competitive. I think we won some of them. They were costly though. I still have bruises, bumps and scars to prove it. 

Frank DeMilde: I'll second that story because they recruited me from teaching at Duffy and I was sore for two weeks.

Tony Simeone - 'll never forget the football/other sports games between us and the Canadian Carmelites...some of the roughest sports events in which I have ever participated. And the best part was the after game processing that took place in the "kitchen" after the games. Never have I heard such creative foul language about our cross the border and other "confreres".  When asked about my days in the seminary, I never leave out these special "memories".  And, of course, there was the second floor "study hall" led by chief J. Doll...that led to my poor grades! Love that man and still see him ever so often.

Peace to all,

Jim Adams - 

Here are two "funny moments, and remembrances" that I recall, for whatever they are worth ...

1)  After lunch one day, as everyone stood by in the refectory, Fr. Joseph Woods launched into a number of complaints he had.  He went on and on, until finally it sounded as if he were finished.  But then, he said "Oh, another thing...".  Just then, an spontaneous sigh, or maybe a groan, came from one or more members of the community, almost on cue.  Fr. Woods was not at all amused by that, so he proceeded to chew everyone out about our disrespect.  However, after we finally left the refectory, the amusement inherent in the occasion was shared by everyone else!

2)  I had mentioned to Bill Press that the planet Mars happened to be rising early in the morning sky at that time of the year.  I happened to have my 4-inch reflector telescope in Lewiston, and Bill suggested using it to take a look at Mars.  Bill and I had rooms next to each other in that wing of the building.  So, at around 3:00 AM the next morning, Bill and I climbed up onto the roof and we spent a few minutes gazing at Mars before heading back to bed.

Jim Murphy:
All I remember is how we envied Lewiston, as we called it.  I was never there but had to tolerate the cheerful stories of Woodsie and Niagra and the almost normalcy of that house overshadowed by The Gloom, DeSales Hall.  I always envied those guys.

Kevin McGonigal Yes, I have one. When I became a postulant in 1961 we were told no drinking alcohol. The only time this rule bothered me was when I was teaching at Salesianum and on Friday evenings we had a "happy hour", The cheese and snacks were great but when I saw those manhattans being mixed (not for the scholastics) my mouth watered. Well, at De Chantal Hall the rule was relaxed (that would be about 1967) and father McHugh allowed us beer and pizza parties every so often. Just sometimes it was fun being an Oblate scholastic and nothing ever tasted again as good as a frosty cold Utica Club pilsner.

Bob Schramm
Gerry McCarron became the MC for the DeChantal Hall Singers. Quite the character

Guys planning on attending Reunion VI at DeSales U.