Tag Archives: Bishop Feehan High School

Friends, Photo-A-Day

She Saw the Potential in Us All


Photo-A-Day #3708

Today was the wake for Sr. Pat Harrington, one of the kindest people I have ever known. She was a teacher at my high school, Bishop Feehan. However, I never had her in class but I knew her very well. She was the advisor to Student Council yet I was only on that my Senior Year. She created the retreat called ECHO – Encountering Christ in Others which I went on later in High School. But from day one at Feehan Sr. Pat began learning every freshman student’s name. She knew us all and she loved us all. She saw the potential in each and every student and she always cultivated and challenged that potential.

The wake was at Bishop Feehan High School, 3 minutes from my home. I got there at 4:30 and already there was not a single place to park and the line stretched around the building and ended near the cafeteria entrance. It was a long wait but worth every single moment to be present to pay our respects. Sr. Pat was one of a kind and in her 45 years at Bishop Feehan her kindness touched so many people. The line never diminished the whole time I was there. More and more people came to say goodbye to this extraordinary woman. I saw old friends and we talked. But mostly I was alone with my thoughts, remembering Sr. Pat’s generosity, infectious laughter, humility and open-heartedness. I continue to tear up whenever I think of Sr. Pat and how future Feehan students will never have the privilege of knowing her. I am so lucky that I did.

Photo-A-Day

What will be your legacy?

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What will be your legacy?
Photo-A-Day #1396

Tonight I went with my mom to the Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony at my High School. We are both graduates of the school. I won the young alumni service award in 2001 and mom won a distinguished alumni award a few years prior. Each year I am invited back to attend the event. I have not had a chance to get back since that year, however this year I had an important reason to go. I had 4 signed copies of Ed Gerety’s book Combinations to give to the school.

When I was in High School I was involved in many clubs and organizations, one was Student Council. I was the class treasurer and I enjoyed my role very much. It has kept me busy well beyond the high school college years too. I’ve been involved in our reunions and keeping touch with many of my classmates. The things I learned as a student leader helped me immensely as I grew up. So I wanted to give something back.

This week I reread Combinations and wrote about how each of the combinations could relate to us as bloggers. We had Gratitude, Attitude, Respect, Kindness and Believe. Each of those values were pieces of the puzzle to help unlock the combination to become a better student leader and a better blogger.

Now after putting those combinations together and seeing all of the people who received Distinguished Alumni Awards tonight I saw how each of these people exhibited great combinations of those values. I saw how an entire family has come together to use their time treasure and talents to leave a legacy at my High School. I also saw how another alumnus has used his life to expose injustices in the world. Each person I saw did something with their lives to be of service to others. They each did some amazing things and gave much of themselves in service and that is what a true leader does, they give of themselves.

Now, as far as the books, I first tried to give them to the President of the high school, he directed me to Sr. Pat who still works with the Student Leaders but now she has some additional help from the next generation. The president’s daughter also works with the student leaders.

Well, Sr. Pat and Katherine were so excited about the books and we talked about doing a workshop for the student leaders and I can be involved and help too. That made me really excited because I have wanted to get back into working with student leaders and being able to give back to my high school is very important. I am looking forward to becoming more involved in the local community as well and this will be a great start.