Students Celebrate the Feast Day of Our Founder
Barb Dawson • April 9, 2024

and The Feast of the Annunciation

Montini Catholic students and faculty welcomed Father John Lindsay from Visitation in Elmhurst and Brother Chuck Gregor, FSC from Christian Brothers Midwest District who joined them for Mass on Monday, April 8th in celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation as well as the Lasallian college preparatory high school's Founder, St. John Baptist De La Salle's, Feast Day (April 7th).


St. John Baptist de La Salle, a French cleric, founded the Brothers of the Christian Schools in the late 17th century. Named the Patron Saint of All Teachers, St. John Baptist de La Salle dedicated his life to providing a well-rounded, Christian education to students of all faiths.


Montini Catholic students are part of a Lasallian community spanning 80 countries and currently educating over one million students worldwide. Locally, Montini Catholic is a member of the Midwest District of The De La Salle Christian Brothers, which includes three
universities and fourteen high schools.


Sophomore Michael May provided his personal thoughts on what being a Lasallian student at Montini Catholic means to him. "As Lasallians, we have a calling, a calling to focus our attention and action on the needs surrounding us. St. John Baptist De La Salle had a clear focus and calling. My favorite quote from him is 'You can perform miracles by touching the hearts of those entrusted to your care.' De La Salle was truly inspired by and called on by God to dedicate his life to education. His deep faith and belief in serving others as Jesus did guided him to create schools for the poor and marginalized, providing them access to quality education."


Lasallian education centers on five interlocking values which are:
• Quality education
• Inclusive community
• Faith in the presence of God
• Concern for the poor
• Respect for all people


"By following our faith and values, we can strive to create positive change and help others," added Michael. "We can apply God’s guidance in our daily lives by seeking to live out our faith through our actions and interactions with others. This can be as simple as showing kindness, compassion, and understanding those around us. By staying true to our values and beliefs, we can reflect God’s love in our daily routines and make a positive impact on the world."

SHARE THIS POST
By Barb Dawson April 3, 2025
Under the direction of Fine Arts Department Chair and Music Director, Donnie Glowinski and Art Teacher Christiana Blatchley, Montini Catholic students were invited to participate in the creation of a beautiful mosaic of the Lasallian college preparatory high school's founder, St. John Baptist De Lasalle. St. John Baptiste De Lasalle was designated the Patron Saint of teachers by the Catholic Church in 1950.​ The artistic endeavor was an activity created as a part of Montini's celebration of Belongingness Week (March 24-28, 2025​). "Belongingness Week is designed to promote a sense of inclusion, connection, and community among students and throughout the school," said Principal Chris Tiritilli. "The purpose of this week is to enhance and emphasize an environment where each student feels known, accepted, valued and supported, regardless of their background, identity, or differences. During this week, we seek to provide several experiences and activities to celebrate the things that make us each unique and special, such as the backgrounds, experiences and traditions that we come from, all while also realizing that we come together and belong as one Montini community and family." Throughout the week, each department ​w​was asked to organize an activity to align with one of the three main goals of the week: Building Positive Relationships, Promoting Inclusion, Increasing Self-Esteem and Emotional Well-Being.​ The mural was a way for Montini students to come together through a fun and artistic activity. Each piece of the mosaic symbolized an individual, with its unique shape, color, and position contributing to the overall 'masterpiece.' The final piece will be unveiled during Montini's upcoming Mass to celebrate the Feast Day of St. John Baptist De Lasalle which is April 7th.
By Barb Dawson April 3, 2025
Under the direction of Alumni Relations Officer, Mary Albert, Montini Catholic High School is proud to continue their Lunch & Learn series throughout their spring semester as an opportunity for Bronco juniors and seniors to learn more about potential careers. This program, now in its 4th year, offers students a unique opportunity to connect with Montini alumni who have built successful careers in various fields. The informal sessions, each held during lunch periods, were developed to provide the opportunity for Montini students to explore career paths, ask questions, and gain valuable real-world advice as they plan for their futures. The first of four sessions was held on Wednesday, March 26 and featured alumni Sarah Sniegowski '14 (Senior Manager, Customer Story Development, Product Marketing at Salesforce Chicago), Alexandra Briggs '12 (Elementary School Teacher, Naper Elementary) and Mike Sullivan '94 (Managing Director & Wealth Advisor, The Wealth Management Group). Earlier in the year, students were asked to complete a career interest survey to help Lunch and Learn organizers to tailor the series to the most sought after careers. Among the careers most listed were those involving Sales/Marketing/Advertising, Banking/Accounting, Medical, Nursing, Public Service, Education, Engineering, IT/Computer Science, Political Science/Legal and Entrepreneurship/Business. Once preference information was received, Miss Albert invited those alumni holding careers in these specific areas to present at the Lunch & Learns. Montini Catholic juniors and seniors are able to register for the Lunch & Learn presentations online. The presentations are held from 12:15-1:15 PM on the designated days with pizza being served to the students as they 'listen and learn.' There is also an opportunity for students to ask questions and make connections for their future career goals. "Our first day of presentations was very successful," said Miss Albert. "Students were truly enthused and engaged to learn about their chosen careers. We are so appreciative to our alumni for graciously giving their time and for teaming up with us on this project." Upcoming Montini Lunch & Learn presentations/presenters are as follows: April 16, 2025 Finance Tom Wasilowski CFA, CPA, ‘05 – Financial Manager, Amazon Medical Dr. Megan Muscia, DO, ‘01 – Pediatrician April 28, 2025 Government & Law Enforcement Richard Starmann ‘89 –Former U.S. Secret Service April 30, 2025 Law Enforcement Guy Papa ‘94 – Law Enforcement Bureau Chief, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office Nursing Mariella Maduzia RN, ‘19- Registered Nurse, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Level IV NICU. Civil Engineering Dan Lowery, PE, ‘08 – Assistant Vice President & Construction Services Team Leader, Gannett Fleming TranSystems Image above: F​rom L to R: Mike​ Sullivan '94, Alexandra ​Briggs '12 and Sarah​ Sniegowski ​'14 - pictured here with President Kevin Beirne​ (far left in blue) and Alumni Coordinator Mary Albert (far right)
By Barb Dawson April 2, 2025
Montini Catholic is proud to announce the addition of DeAndre McCamey to their award winning coaching staff. The former Assistant Basketball Coach at Montini Catholic has been selected as the new Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Basketball Team. Coach McCamey played an integral role this past season in coaching the team to their 20-win plateau and their 4th consecutive regional championship. (The announcement followed that of former Head Coach Adam DeMong stating that he was going to be stepping away from High School basketball to pursue greater opportunities in his professional career.) "We set out to find the best individual who can build upon our recent success and continue to grow and move our program forward," said Athletic Director, Brian Casey. "We knew we wanted to find a high character individual who can not only teach the game of basketball, but can positively impact the lives of our young people. After a number of conversations with area 'basketball people', college coaches, opposing basketball coaches, school administration, faculty and staff and many of our current Montini players & families, it was very clear that our next coach was already in our building." Coach McCamey's promotion comes after serving as an Assistant Coach at Montini for the last four seasons. Prior to Montini, Coach McCamey served as an Assistant Coach at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, under the tutelage of legendary basketball coach, Gene Pingatore. Coach McCamey has also coached at Glenbard East High School, as well as on the AAU Circuit with the Illinois Wolves. "DeAndre will bring a passionate, enthusiastic energy and a vision to enhance and grow the program for even more success in future seasons," added Casey. "Being a full-time member of our Math Department, Coach McCamey will have full access to the student-athletes in our program, year round, to ensure their day-to-day development in the classroom, on the court, and in their lives. I am excited to watch Coach turn his vision into a reality!" Coach McCamey has made it evident in the way he coaches and teaches that he is passionate about building a program at Montini Catholic that instills character, teamwork and resilience. "I am genuinely thrilled about this opportunity and the chance to work with our kids. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Montini students, faculty and staff for their congratulations and support as I step into the role of Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach. Building a basketball program has always been a dream of mine. As I step into this role, I am filled with excitement and passion for the journey ahead. My goal is to not only build and develop the skills of our young athletes on the court but also to instill values that will serve them well in life beyond basketball. I believe that through hard work, dedication, and teamwork, we can build not just great players, but great young men. I firmly believe that a strong program is defined by the continued involvement and support of its community, including former players and their families." Image above: Coach DeAndre McCamey and Montini Athletic Director Brian Casey
More Posts
Share by: