The Dialog

By Joseph Ryan

Dialog Editor

Every step toward the legal profession seemed like a natural progression to Mark Reardon, a long-time parishioner at St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Wilmington.

“I can’t remember a single moment when I considered doing anything else,” said Reardon, 53.

Mark Reardon discusses a case with paralegals Jennifer West (left) and Susan Brown. (TheDialog/www.DonBlakePhotography.com)

There was a family connection to the law through his grandfather, the late Family Court Judge Francis Reardon.

“He was a great Irish storyteller and I was really captivated by his tales from the courthouse,” Reardon said. “I definitely was drawn into the romanticized impression of lawyers and the justice system. By the time I was in law school, I realized he seriously embellished many of those stories, but by then I was hooked.”

But the actual work of practicing law “is the perfect melding of my own interests and talents — to read and write, to strategize, to be an advocate for causes I care about, and to work with bright ambitious people,” said Reardon, a partner at the Wilmington office of Eckert Seamans.

“And I get to argue,” he added. “I feel naturally drawn to litigation, the competitive nature of presenting and defending cases, working through facts and the law to put the client in the best possible light.”

Much of the litigation Reardon has worked on for the last few years included cases involving his church institution clients, such as the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Salesianum School, the Franciscan Capuchins among them.

It’s a client list that grew naturally out of Reardon’s personal involvement in Catholic activities (he’s the president of the board of Ministry of Caring) and he sees little difference between his faith and career.

“The notion of being a Catholic and being a lawyer, I don’t really see those vocations as being different or distinguishable,” Reardon said.

A graduate of St. Edmond’s Academy, Salesianum School, Boston College and Widener University School of Law, Reardon said, “There’s not a thread of difference between the grade-school catechism and the Delaware Lawyer’s Rule of Professional Conduct.

“Like any other occupation, it’s a daily challenge to do the right things. In 27 years or so I’ve found the surest way to practice law ethically is to make honesty a habit on the job and off.”

In addition to being inspired by his grandfather, Reardon said his notion of practicing law isn’t a Catholic one, so much as one inspired by “what my local heroes were doing. I wanted to be like them, highly respected lawyers, highly principled men with active faith lives.”

Reardon said a few of his personal “Mount Rushmore” of Catholic attorneys includes Justice Joseph Walsh, Jim Kipp, Fran Truzskowski, Tom Sweeney, diocesan attorney Tony Flynn and the late Jim Collins.

“They probably don’t know the impact they have.”

Reardon also credited his wife, Megan, the volunteer business manager at Nativity School in Wilmington, with helping him through the sex abuse crisis that rocked the church and impacted so many of his Catholic institution clients.

“With the help of others, but mainly Megan, I was able to distinguish my faith life, my core set of beliefs, from the institutional church,” he said.

“By the end of it, my faith life was actually rejuvenated because of my very close association with men and women in current church leadership. … They didn’t create the problem. They were the cleanup committee. They totally grasped the importance of healing, reconciliation and penance.”

Reardon represents the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales’ Wilmington-Philadelphia Province. The order’s provincial, Father James J. Greenfield, who, said Reardon, emulates St. Francis de Sales, who was both a civil and a canon lawyer. The saint preached “direction of intention” as a way to focus daily activities for the good.

“Mark has taught me, no matter what’s out there, there’s always something you can do to turn it to good,” Father Greenfield said.

“I believe our faith is more than a religion of rules,” Reardon said. “It’s a matter of heart, it’s a matter of action and it’s a matter of service.

“Prayer yields faith and faith yields love and love is service. From the fulfillment of service comes the inner belief that you’re meant to be in that place at that time and God’s work on earth is our own.”

By The Dialog

Adult religious ed classes at 12th annual event add Salesian spirituality to the Year of Faith   

A day of classes on adult faith topics, ranging from the Year of Faith to moral decision making, will be offered at the 12th annual Salesian Adult Christian Religious Education Day (SACRED) on Feb. 23 at Salesianum School in Wilmington.

Tom Vresics, chair of religious studies at Salesianum, said the adult religious education day is the only diocesan-wide catechetical event currently planned for the Year of Faith.

Ten sessions on faith topics in the morning will be repeated in the afternoon at the SACRED sessions opened to everyone interested in learning more about their faith through the perspectives of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales’ Salesian spirituality.

The Year of Faith, declared by Pope Benedict XVI that runs until November, will be a prime topic at a session led by Oblate Father Michael Vogt that will include resources to understand the year, readings and the year’s goal of renewal.

“Talking to Teens About Sex” will be addressed at SACRED by Sallies’ teacher Dolores Ballintyn, with a look at the myths of the stork and safe sex.

Adult Cath-olic moral decision making, including such questions as deciding on care for elderly parents or allowing children to go to Senior Week, will be addressed by Salesianum religious studies teacher Tom Cleary.

Father J. Christian Baretta, Salesianum’s principal, will speak about “full conscious and active participation in the liturgy.”

Vresics will lead a session on “praying with each member of the Trinity.” And Father Michael Connolly is set to lead a morning-only class on “Vatican II: 50 Years Later.”

Father James J. Greenfield, the Oblates’ provincial, will lead an afternoon course called “Young and Catholic: Strategies for Making Christ Vividly Present to Youth.”

Other topics during both morning and afternoon sessions include: a look at contemporary issues through the works of Early Church Fathers, why social justice matters, Catholic marriage, and “Ten Moments of Faith in Church History” and what they teach about the church.

Salesianum’s SACRED program will include a hot lunch and there will be an opportunity for reconciliation at the close of the event after 3 p.m.

Every course at SACRED is essential during this Year of Faith, Vresics said, adding he hopes people sign up for one that deals with them most directly.

Registration information, with choices for the morning and afternoon courses at SACRED, is available online at sacred.salesianum.org.

The fee to attend is $35 before Jan. 31 and $40 after. The snow date for SACRED is March 23. Fees can be paid online using a Pay Pal link and completed registration forms should be mailed to Salesianum SACRED, Attn: Tom Vresics, 1801 North Broom Street, Wilmington, DE 19802.

Elementary and high school catechists and youth ministers will receive credit for two contact hours by attending SACRED’s morning session and an additional three contact hours for attending both sessions of SACRED. There will be no paper requirement to gain credit for these in-service contact hours. Participants must remember to obtain their certificates from their SACRED presenter at the end of both the morning and afternoon course session.

By Mike Lang

Staff reporter

DOVER – Once the disappointment of a loss in the state championship wears off, the Salesianum football team may recognize what it accomplished this season. The Sals went 10-2, defeating highly touted Dover, state semifinalist Caesar Rodney and St. Mark’s – twice. However, that was not enough to hide the dismay following Saturday night’s 27-0 loss to Middletown in the Division I final at Delaware State University.

Still, Sals coach Bill DiNardo said his team had reason to be proud. Read more »

By TheDialog

Christ the Teacher

School steps up

its technology

GLASGOW — Christ the Teacher School has new interactive whiteboards. The new system allows the school to replace its SMARTBoards, televisions and DVD players.

Inger Cerniak, the school’s new technology coordinator, said the 25 Epson BrightLink 480i interactive projectors contain the functionality of SMARTBoards at a significantly lower cost and can use the interactive software of several manufacturers. The digital document cameras allow words from a book to be projected to a 62 inch-by-32 inch whiteboard.

In addition, the projectors are centrally controlled, which allows for the broadcast of pre-recorded and live events from any room to every room.

Mount Aviat is now

powered by the sun

CHILDS, Md. — Mount Aviat Academy has installed a solar array that will produce enough energy to power the entire campus in Childs, Md., said the principal, Oblate Sister John Elizabeth Callaghan. The ground-mount system comprises about 3,700 solar panels.

The project was made possible by an investor who covered the cost of installation. In return, Mount Aviat will buy the power produced at a reduced rate, Sister John Elizabeth said.

In addition, the school has retrofitted its lights with a reflector that allows it to use half the bulbs in some light systems, she said. That initiative was funded almost entirely through a power company incentive.

Holy Angels opens

resource lab

NEWARK — Students with diverse learning styles will benefit from the new resource lab at Holy Angels School. The lab will address the needs of students who require further academic assistance as well as those who are accelerated, principal Barbara Snively said.

Two computer-based programs will be used to monitor and assess student progress. Students in third through eighth grade who are in need of assistance in reading and math will be able to work with a facilitator, Snively said. Ten computers, most of which were donated to Holy Angels, will be used for this purpose.

Also at Holy Angels, graduates created a flower garden with a bird sanctuary and compost area for the school’s recyclable materials. The green efforts at Holy Angels have been expanded with the compost area and with the addition of bins to collect plastics and paper.

The graduates who created the garden and compost area completed the project as part of their service work for their Gold Award, one of Girl Scouting’s highest honors. It was funded by a grant from the University of Delaware.

Ursuline students attend leadership conference

WILMINGTON — Sarah Berg and Brenna Williams, both rising seniors at Ursuline Academy, attended the 2012 Ursuline Educational Services Leadership Conference in Dedham, Mass., in June with the student council moderator, Meg Kane-Smith.

Students spent the four days in academic, social and cultural activities.

“Of all of the opportunities that we had throughout our trip, the most meaningful and enduring was the opportunity to share ideas and thoughts that we are now able to bring back to each of our respective schools. Throughout the upcoming school year, Brenna and I are planning to work together with our fellow student council members as well as the administration to make some of these ideas a reality,” Berg wrote.

Padua restructures leadership program

WILMINGTON — The student leadership program at Padua Academy has been restructured for the upcoming year.

The program will have three elements. One group of students will be responsible for identifying volunteer opportunities and managing volunteers for those. Another group will coordinate fundraisers and service-oriented events such as the DeSales Leadership Conference for middle-schoolers. The final element is a course on leadership and philanthropy, which will be implemented next year.

Salesianum School grad receives McDonald’s award

Justin Gregg, a 2012 graduate of Salesianum School, was one of five students from Delaware to receive a college scholarship from Ronald McDonald House Charities and the McDonald’s Owner/Operators of the Greater Philadelphia Region.

Gregg and the other students were awarded a $1,000 grant. His was through the RHMC Scholars program. Winners were selected based on academic achievement, community involvement, financial need and plans to attend a two- or four-year college.

Archmere busy over the summer

CLAYMONT — The summer was anything but quiet on the campus of Archmere Academy in Claymont. Two projects involved renovations to the Student Life Center and St. Norbert Hall, and modifications to the Patio.

At the Student Life Center, renovations created a meeting and lounge area for student council, and a snack shack has been moved from the field house to the center. At St. Norbert Hall, an oratory was completed with new worship space large enough for an entire class to attend Mass together.

This year, the Patio returns to its roots as an academic building with the creation of a classroom on the first floor. When the building was the home of industrialist John J. Raskob, the room had been his children’s play room. Spaces on the second floor that were once bedrooms have been converted to offices.

Elkton school will

observe Year of Faith

ELKTON, Md. — Immaculate Conception School plans to open the “door of faith” this year in recognition of Pope Benedict’s upcoming Year of Faith, which runs from Oct. 11, 2012, to Nov. 24, 2013.

According to principal Mary Kirkwood, the school will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the building of the current parish church in October.

In addition, after a successful fundraiser, the school has installed a science lab that includes equipment to meet current needs, and funds have been raised for the final order of SMARTBoards.

St. Peter website adds functionality

NEW CASTLE — The website of St. Peter the Apostle School in New Castle has undergone an extreme makeover, with easier navigation and a version for smartphones or tablets.

The ability to view the site on a mobile device was the most requested feature, said Victor Fisher, who designed the site for the school.

Parents can now see an enhanced calendar, which is also available through popular messaging programs. Also, they can sign up for email or text notifications, which, for example, will allow them to see when a homework assignment is updated.

The site is at school.stpeternewcastle.org.

 — Compiled by Mike Lang

By The Dialog

St. John the Beloved band ‘superior’ in national festival

WILMINGTON – The advanced band at St. John the Beloved School received a rating of “superior” at the National Catholic Band Festival, which was held April 21 at Villanova University.

About 40 bands participated, according to Ray DiVirgilio, the band’s instructor. Each band was given 15 minutes to perform, which was followed by comments and suggestions from a panel of judges. The panel follows the score as the band plays to see how well it is followed in terms of tone production, tempo, blending and articulation, he said. Ratings included good, excellent and superior.

There are 11 members of the St. John the Beloved band. It includes a flute, bell player, clarinets, drummers, French horn and also sax.

 St. Mark’s students earn first at Delaware History Day

WILMINGTON – St. Mark’s High School juniors Haley Schweizer, Mary White, Jaclyn Harkins and Tara Zdziech were honored for their work at the 2012 Delaware History Day competition, which was held April 21 at Delaware Technical and Community College. The quartet earned both the Hagley Museum and Library Special Prize for Business and Technology in History and first place in the group documentary category.

Schweizer, White, Harkins and Zdziech were recognized for their work, “Revolution, Reaction & Reform of the Telephone. The first place award makes them eligible to attend the Kenneth E. Behring National Contest, which will be June 10-14 at the University of Maryland.

Juniors Katie Kempski, Carleen Krajewski, Jessica Pivonka, Annie Reidinger and Shaina Sutton also were honored in the group documentary category, earning third place for their entry, “Prohibition.”

Ursuline hosts lacrosse tournament

WILMINGTON – Students from four Ursuline schools gathered April 20-21 in Wilmington for the sixth annual Sister Schools Lacrosse Tournament at Serviam Field. The tourney included the host school, along with Ursuline Academy of St. Louis, the Ursuline School of New Rochelle, N.Y., and Ursuline Academy of Dedham, Mass.

During the visit, the students accompanied their counterparts from Ursuline Academy in Wilmington in classes.

The tournament began in 2007 in St. Louis and rotates to a different city each year. There are 24 Ursuline schools across the country.

CYM brochure keeps high school grads linked to faith

Wilmington — With high school graduations around the corner, Catholic Youth Ministry is offering assistance to keep the students connected to their faith. CYM is making copies of “Eleven Suggestions for Living Your Catholic Faith After High School” available.

To order the brochure, go to www.cdowcym.org/forms/brochurepostcardrequest.

CYM is also reminding students to log on to www.catholicsoncampus.com and enter information that will keep them connected as they enter college. Those who complete entries are eligible for a weekly drawing of a $25 iTunes gift card beginning May 1 through June 30.

Ursuline class part of Wilmington Art Loop

WILMINGTON – Ursuline Academy and Salesianum School students, inspired by “word art by” Robert Indiana and Ed Ruscha, have designed their own words to depict where they are in the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Their work will be part of the school’s Word Art Exhibit, which will take place at the 23^rd and 5^th Advertising Agency on May 4 from 5-7 p.m.

The students are part of Ursuline’s Art Forum, an exchange class that includes boys from Salesianum. All 12 students are seniors, “so the words about growing up are very relevant to their lives,” teacher Erin McNichol said.

The exhibit is part of Wilmington’s Art Loop, which takes place on the first Friday of each month.

Padua junior performs Shakespeare in New York

Wilmington  — Veronica Slater, a junior at Padua Academy, performed a sonnet and monologue from Shakespeare at the annual English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition, which was held April 23 at Lincoln Center. Slater, who lives in Newark, placed as a semifinalist.

Slater was Delaware’s representative as the winner of the ESU Delaware Branch regional competition. Fifty-eight winners of regional events participated in New York.

Brick prayer garden dedicated in Ridgely

RIDGELY, Md. – A brick prayer garden is in place at St. Benedict Church in Ridgely, Md., thanks to the work of a Boy Scout.

Angus Richardson, a junior at Ss. Peter and Paul High School in Easton, Md., designed the prayer garden for his Eagle Scout project. The garden path contains more than 100 bricks engraved with memorial and honorary messages surrounding a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary that has been on the church property for many years. Father Hilary Rodgers, the pastor of St. Benedict and its mission, St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Denton, Md., dedicated the garden on April 15.

Richardson, a member of Troop 165, was assisted by Rex Landscaping of Denton, Md., and numerous volunteers.

Salesianum selected for Jefferson Award

WILMINGTON – Salesianum School has been selected the first Ambassador Level school by the Jefferson Awards-Deloitte Students in Action, which recognized the Wilmington school’s level of public works and service by its students.

The Ambassador Level was established last summer for schools that had won their regional competitions for two years and were seeking a higher level of commitment and competition, according to Salesianum.

Salesianum’s Jefferson Awards team sought to promote the Students in Action program this year and focused on the goals of the ambassador level: partnership, mentorship and collaboration. Salesianum recruited two high schools to the Jefferson Awards-Deloitte Students in Action program: Concord and Unionville (Pa.). It also partnered with Padua Academy to establish a leadership conference for middle-school students. In March, Salesianum hosted the first Students in Action Summit.

This year, the Jefferson Awards team at Sallies added a fundraiser for Nativity Preparatory School and established a mentorship program at Warner Elementary School, located on nearby 18^th Street. Thirty-one Salesianum students are on the Jefferson Awards team.

By John Knebels

Special to The Dialog

Lottery tickets. The racetrack. The casino. Friendly bets. Name anything that necessitates a whole lot of luck and rest assured that Tommy Zabielski won’t be interested. If the Salesianum School senior had any luck at all, it would arguably be a first.

“I guess I have had some tough breaks,” said Zabielski, “but I don’t really think about that or dwell on it. I just try to keep moving on.”

Read more »

By Mike Lang

Staff reporter

BEAR – St. Mark’s had controlled the pace of play throughout much of Saturday’s state championship soccer game against Salesianum, and the Spartans appeared headed to their first title since 2001. The clock was stopped, as the referee was keeping track of extra time on the field at Caravel Academy. With a 2-1 lead, the Spartans remained aggressive, and their fans prepared to celebrate.

“Come on, blow the whistle,” St. Mark’s coach Dan Swasey said to himself on the sideline.

Read more »

By Mike Lang

Staff reporter

WILMINGTON – From the reaction on the field Friday night, you wouldn’t know that St. Mark’s football season had most likely just ended and Salesianum would be moving on to the state playoffs next weekend.

Jabre Lolley’s third touchdown of the game, a 6-yard run with 42 seconds left, gave the Spartans their first lead of the game, and any hopes of a last-minute Salesianum comeback were dashed when St. Mark’s senior T.J. Yeninas picked up a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and sprinted 25 yards into the end zone, giving the Spartans a 28-17 win in the annual battle Friday night at Baynard Stadium.

Read more »