InFormation (2021) Moments in Time 

Moments in Time...Many, Many Years Ago


Brother Charley's sketch of the author This site began in 2004 as a means of capturing pictures, memories, and events of an era, 1965-1970, in the lives of many men who attended Mother of Good Counsel Preparatory Seminary (Normandy and Warrenton, Missouri), the Passionist Novitiates in St. Paul, Kansas, and Detroit, Michigan, Sacred Heart Retreat in Louisville, Kentucky, St. Meinrad's in Indiana, and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

And now it's 2021. Many reunions have taken place since 2004. Among the Passionist Alumni of the 1960s, there has been a renewal of interest in our shared past. The original website had gotten "long in the tooth" so I decided to upgrade some of it to reflect the almost two decades that have passed. Perhaps it takes this long to recognize the superior education we received, the strong bonds of mentorship (harsh at times), and the long-lasting friendships that developed.

Newly Professed, 1965. Click to enlarge.I did not anticipate my level of emotion as I sought out the obituaries and memorials of many who have passed. I'm not a big fan of immortality. I do know that perusing these pages led me to appreciate something: When I take a moment to think of these classmates and mentors, I bring them back to life. So decades later they come alive; I chuckle at their images; I miss them; I remember the good and not-so-good events that surrounded us. Perhaps some immortality has been achieved. I hope that the same thing happens to you who may take the time to navigate these Moments in Time.

InFormation, Moments in Time takes you through a mural and the memories that abound in it. But that is just the beginning. Photos are everywhere.

A reunion took place in Louisville on July 25-26, 2004 which brought more than 60 people back together after 35 years. Because of the experience of that reunion, we are opening these pages to any person whose life experience fell under the direction of the priests and brothers of Holy Cross Province of The Congregation of Discalced Clerks of the Most Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ or better known as The Passionists. Look around.

2017 Reunion Be stimulated. Be thoughtful. Be amazed. If you wish to contribute your stories, please do. Your memories enrich all of us who lived this time of formation and growth. There are many ways to make your contribution. You will find them as you peruse these pages. Don't hesitate to add your Moments in Time.

2019 Detroit Reunion There have been many more reunions since this time. This site is not big enough to address these newer reunions. Suffice it to say that that they have been well-attended, especially by many men who came before and after to Mother of Good Counsel Prep. All of you are more than welcome to peruse this site and, perhaps, even add your personal information on our People pages. A Google Group, Passionist Prepsters, has been created which you are free to apply for membership.

Download a PDFOn a 2010 trip through St. Paul, Kansas, I spoke to Felix Diskin–a contemporary of ours– who is the curator of the Osage Mission Neosho County Museum, that had sprung up across the highway from the now-razed monastery. He asked that I create a story about what life was like for a novice in St. Paul. He said, "We had no contact with any of you during your stay in St. Paul. It would be an interesting addition to the history of this area." After much effort, you see an image to the left of the monograph I wrote. Clicking on the image will get you a download of that essay. (PDF, 3Mb).
Steve's Signature