The Catholic Standard and Times

Bishop Shanahan singer
got his start in church

By NADIA POZO
CS&T Staff Writer

For 17-year-old William Monahan, faith and music are interwoven.

It all began in church.

As a young child William Monahan’s parents took him to Mass at SS. Philip and James Parish in Exton where everyone was encouraged to sing.
“Singing at Mass is how my interest in music began,” Monahan said. “My fifth grade music teacher, Ms. Melissa Hickey, asked me to try out for the Academy of Music in 1999 and that sparked all that I do today.

“It’s not just about having a gift, but giving of your gift and helping others develop their gifts,” Monahan said. “I got started singing church music so I feel I should continue singing at Mass and share my gift. It always inspires me to see that although there are so many problems in the world, there are people of faith who come every week. I know that the world will be okay if there are people of faith like this.”

While his love of music was born in church, his singing skills were developed through Bishop Shanahan’s intense music program.

“Bishop Shanahan is one of the best Catholic high schools in the area, if not the best and it is well known for it’s music program,” said Monahan, a junior. “It’s an amazing feeling to say I come from Bishop Shanahan and that I belong to their music program.’

He is a member of the school’s choir and the select ensemble — made up of the top 25 choir students — and has performed at the Cardinal’s Christmas Party for Children and most recently, at the Memorial Mass for the late Pope John Paul II.

Monahan says he is inspired by the faith-filled environment of Bishop Shanahan.

To have faith “re-emphasized in a school environment is great, especially when it’s not always easy to do the right thing in high school,” Monahan said. “Sometimes people say, ‘why do we have to have religion class or go to Mass all the time,’ but that’s what Catholic education is all about. Catholic education doesn’t just develop you academically but in the faith too. I’ve noticed a change in my faith life from when I was a freshmen. At a Catholic school you are free to talk about your faith and beliefs.”

His singing has been recognized outside of the school as well. Monahan was the only high school student asked to sing a solo for the National Catholic Education Association’s Concert of Excellence in March at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where he sang the National Anthem. That experience was the highlight of his high school career, he said.

He’s also been on the All-Catholic Choir since his freshman year and has been first chair for the bass section of the choir for the past two years. He also sings with Chester County Voices Abroad — traveling to numerous countries throughout Europe to perform. This summer he’ll be heading to Italy and Vatican City with the group.

Ultimately, Monahan credits his parents for both his faith and his love of music.

“Because of faith, it brought me into music and my parents gave me my faith. They have been a great support and they have never missed a concert.”

This is a big deal considering how much Monahan does in and out of school. This year alone he’s done 12 singing events outside of school. Although the hardest part of maintaining good grades, working part-time and fulfilling all his music and theater engagements is to keep organized, he keeps going because of his desire to strive for excellence, a value instilled at Bishop Shanahan.

“You need three things at Bishop Shanahan: dedication, excellence and determination or else you won’t enjoy your time at Shanahan. I’ve had the time of my life here ”

He says his time at Bishop Shanahan can be summed up by the line of the new Broadway musical ‘Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz’, which he recently saw with his family:

“‘If you do anything in life, you always have to strive to defy gravity.’ That’s what it’s been like at Bishop Shanahan and growing up — it’s always striving to defy gravity.”

To learn more about Bishop Shanahan High School visit www.shanahan.org or call (610) 518-1300.

CS&T Staff Writer Nadia Pozo can be reached at npozo@adphila.org or (215) 965-4614.

Local student one of 13 first-place winners in Family Rosary contest

By CHRISTIE L. CHICOINE
CS&T Staff Writer

Like father, like son.

Dallas S. Scott III prays the rosary daily. His 13-year-old son, Dallas S. Scott IV, a seventh-grader at St. Madeline-St. Rose School in Ridley Park, has followed in his father’s footsteps by setting up his own rosary recitation schedule.

Dallas IV’s private devotion recently entered the public forum when he was recognized, by way of a first-place prize, for his ability to express on paper not only why he is so devoted to the rosary, but why he — and the Blessed Mother — believe everyone should be.

Dallas was one of 13 first-place winners in a pool of 2,800 entries from across the United States in Family Rosary’s 10th annual “Try Prayer! It Works!” contest. The contest encourages students to express their faith through art, poetry, prose, video and photography.

The entries depicted the contest’s theme, “Healing the world through Mary’s rosary.” (Read Dallas’ poem, “Mary’s Rosary Will Save the World” at side.)
Before he sat down to compose his poem, Dallas devised a spiritual strategy. “I thought of all the things I usually think during Mass. I talked with God and thought of all the great things He’s done for me and everyone else.”

The end result of his day-and-a-half effort on behalf of the Blessed Mother made Dallas “very happy,” he said. “I didn’t exactly think I would win, but I did think I did the best I could.”

Just last week, Dallas chalked up another victory. On May 19, he was elected president of the student council for 2005-’06.

Dallas credits his family, school and parish for helping him grow in the Catholic faith.

He added that the priests at St. Madeline Parish in Ridley Park, where he is an altar server, frequently ask him to consider a vocation to the priesthood and encourage him “to love God through everything, and to always pray in the bad times and the good.”

Dallas walks his rosary talk. He said he prays the rosary several times a week. “It makes me feel closer to Mary and all that she taught us .... that we should always be faithful and believe in God,” Dallas said.

“As boring as it seems sometimes, you’ve just go to think, God did all this for us. If we can just take a little time out of our lives to pray, that’s all that’s asked for.”

Entries were judged on content, ability to capture and interpret the theme, artistic and technical proficiency, and adherence to rules. Up to three winners are chosen per grade from kindergarten to 12th grade.

First-place winners are awarded $100, their sponsoring organization earns $200 and the runners-up win a set of Family Theater Productions movies.
Dallas’ parents, principal and religion teacher had high praise for him and his prize-winning poem.

Dallas S. Scott III said he and wife Donna are pleased and proud of their son and his first-place win.

“He’s always been one to express his faith. He has no problem ... expressing it in public. Even when he was a little kid ... at Mass ... he always seemed interested.”

Prayer corners pocket the Scott home, according to Dallas III. Shared prayer is a common occurrence for the Scott family, which also includes Ashley, 19, a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh and Brittany, 17, a junior at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield.

These days, the family is directing their prayers to Donna’s brother, Pat DiIulio, a fellow member of St. Madeline Parish in Ridley Park who was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.

For the competition, St. Madeline-St. Rose’s religion teacher Mary Carney submitted 83 poems written by her seventh-and-eighth grade students.
“His was a delight,” Carney said of Dallas’ poem.

Catholicity is a priority at St. Madeline-St. Rose School. The school celebrates a special Mass in honor of Mary and, throughout May, the students participate in an outdoor living rosary at the Blessed Mother shrine on the school grounds.

“We work very hard here on our Catholic identity,” said Mary Ann C. DiTommaso, principal of St. Madeline-St. Rose School. “Mary and the rosary play a very prominent part in everything we do.”

Holy Cross Father John Phalen, president of Holy Cross Family Ministries, which includes Family Rosary, Family Theater Productions and other ministries, said the contest enables children of all ages to creatively express how prayer is answered and healing begins with God.

In addition to the “Try Prayer! It Works!” contest in the United States, separate competitions are conducted in Mexico, East Africa, Brazil, Peru, Ireland and the Philippines.

Family Rosary was founded in 1942 by the late “rosary priest,” Holy Cross Father Patrick Peyton.

The “Try Prayer! It Works!” contest derives its name from an experience in the life of Father Peyton. While a seminarian, Father Peyton was stricken with severe tuberculosis. At one point, a frustrated physician said, “Try prayer. We have done all we can for you.” Father Peyton claimed his recovery came about because he prayed the rosary.

That experience, coupled with praying the rosary each night with his family while growing up in Ireland, inspired Father Peyton to devote his life to Mary and to the spiritual well-being of the family.

CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine can be reached at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org

Catholic News Service contributed to this article.

“Mary’s Rosary Will Save the World”
Dallas Scott, Grade 7
St. Madeline-St. Rose School, Ridley Park

Mary’s rosary is a magnificent sight,
It helps us all know what is right,
Through her eyes we will all be saved,
By this road to heaven she has paved.

Her plan is for the rosary to protect us from evil,
And all who come in its way,
We can’t have our faith go in an upheaval,
Because we need Mary to continue to pray.

Too many people are falling away,
From the warm embrace of the rosary today,
Day after day, week after week,
We forget that it’s Mary’s rosary we need to seek.

It’s something we can do together,
Or something we can do alone,
It affects everyone’s life forever,
Because the seeds of love are sown.

When it’s time to go face to face with the Lord,
Like a good judge He will look at our record,
He will take into account all the rosaries we said,
And the type of life that we have lead.

So thank you Mary for this gift,
Of the rosary that could save our lives,
It gives our faith a great big lift,
Brothers and sisters, husbands and wives.

CS&T presents journalism awards
to high school students

The Catholic Standard & Times held its 22nd annual High School Journalism Colloquium and Scholastic Journalism awards ceremony on Thursday, May 12 at the archdiocesan office center. One-hundred-and-five students and advisors from Catholic diocesan and private high schools participated in the event. Awards were presented in the following categories:

General excellence
1. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review
2. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown
3. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice

Best advertisement
1. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown

Best use of art/graphics
1. West Catholic — West Catholic Correspondent/Frederick Kinglee
2. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review/Daniel Fox & Jorge Cesmegi, III
3. Roman Catholic — The Cahillite/Pat Mangold

Best cartoon humor
1. St. Pius X — Sarto Script/Nick Casey
2. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice/Tom Shakely
3. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown/Alexandra Greco

Best editorial
1. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet/Pete Crispino
2. St. Pius X — Sarto Script/Chris Chemsak
3. West Catholic — West Catholic Correspondent/Chi-Ser Tran

Best entertainment review
1. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown/Jessica Fee
2. Little Flower — The Theresian/Margaret Bateman
3. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice/Tim Osborne
Honorable Mention. St. Hubert — Tally-Ho/Vanessa Turchi

Best feature story
1. Bishop Shanahan — Shana-views/Tara Larkin
2. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet/Ryan J. Reilly
3. St. Pius X — Sarto Script/Kira Wynands

Best front page
1. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review
2. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice
3. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown

Best proclaiming the Good News
1. Little Flower — The Theresian/The Theresian Staff
2. West Catholic — West Catholic Correspondent/Chi-Ser Tran
3. Mount St. Joseph Academy — The Campanile/Maurin Walchak, Stefanie Roche, Danielle Solari

Best headline
1. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown
2. Bishop Shanahan — Shanaviews
3. Roman Catholic — The Cahillite
HM. Mount St. Joseph Academy — The Campanile

Best high school news event
1. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review/Michele Begnaud
2. Roman Catholic — The Cahillite/Bob Keever
3. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet/Matt F. McCabe, Ryan J. Reilly, Leo J. Vaccaro

Best know your faith
1. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice/Matt Kuhner
2. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review/Michele Begnaud
3. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice/Maggie Marshall

Best local news event
1. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown/Leah Hoffman
2. Mount St. Joseph Academy — The Campanile/Karleigh Rose Pettit
3. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown/Nicole Kane
3. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review/Krista Hutz

Best national/international news event
1. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review/Krista Hutz
2. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown/Salvatore Filippello
3. Bishop Shanahan — Shanaviews/John Pierce
3. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet/Mike Dondero
HM. Little Flower — The Theresian/Kaitlyn Meskill
HM. Father Judge — The Crusader/John Cooke

Best overall layout
1. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review
2. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice
3. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown

Best photo originating with newspaper
1. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet/Ryan J. Reilly
2. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review/Dennis Kennedy
3. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown/Jessica Cassidy

Best photo outside source
1. Archbishop Ryan — Ryan Review
2. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet
3. Archbishop Wood — The Viking Voice

Best personality profile
1. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet/Ryan J. Reilly
2. SS. John Neumann & Maria Goretti — The Crown/Michele Milano
3. St. Pius X — Sarto Script/Kelsey Bailey
HM. Mount St. Joseph Academy — The Campanile/Sarah Opper

Best sports story
1. Little Flower — The Theresian/Margaret Bateman
2. St. Pius X — Sarto Script/Kaitlyn Marchek
3. St. Joseph’s Prep — The Hawklet/Matt Mullen