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Sr. Mary Fran McLaughlin, BVM - Footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola Award honoree - Remarks at King of Hearts 2020

Added Jan 28, 2020 •

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go forth and set the world on fire those words from st. Ignatius are her daily it Christ the King they are both encouraging and a challenge but beyond mere words also know that the faculty staff corporate work-study sponsors the owners and their families are all their to walk alongside them Sister Mary Francis McLaughlin embodies that love and location to Christ the King she was born and raised in Chicago in St George Winn Parish and attended the Immaculata High School she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1960 dedicating her life education Sister Mary Francis High School in St Louis and Dubuque Iowa sure does director of BBM admissions spent 16 years in campus ministry at Augustana College Bill and Loyola University Chicago before landing at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein as president for 10 years during her tenure the school build a state-of-the-art science center and receive the US Department of Education Haitian Blue Ribbon award for the fourth time that's quite a career and she hasn't even set foot in Christ the King yet but after retiring from Carmel and taking a brief and well-earned sabbatical to study in Belgium return to Chicago the search for her next challenge quickly presented itself when her brother Bill told her I told her about a new Crystal Ray School in the Austin neighborhood called Christ the King College Prep that was just getting started she immediately fell in love with the mission in signed on as the development officer for major gifts the year was 2008 sister Mary frann seems to know every Catholic in Chicago and she quickly put her Rolodex to good use to spread her enthusiasm for ctk and to build a strong base of support she became she quickly became a mentor for the younger staff member a wise counselor to the school's leadership and a friend to all relationships are important to Mary Fran and she looks for the potential in everyone she meets and she usually finds it along with her delightful sense of humor she also has an uncanny ability for bringing in homemade cookies or her famous scones at just the right time lower the stress level and cheer everyone up Sister Mary Fran retired from Christ the King at the end of 2012 school year but was quickly pulled back into service at Carmel Catholic High School as interim president for the better part of two years then in 2014 Sister Mary Fran return to Christ the King as a member of the board of directors where she continues as passionate and valuable contributor to this wonderful school on the westside of Chicago we have come a long way in 12 years and we all lot of thanks to Sister Mary Fran for helping us get where we are day st. Ignatius also said love is showing more Indies than inwards and sister Mary's friends Deeds speak volumes it is now my honor and great privilege to introduce the first honoree of the footsteps of st. Ignatius of Loyola Ward and my good friend Sister Mary Francis McLaughlin thank you thank you so much I am honored to receive the footsteps of Saint Ignatius of Loyola award and I am so grateful and humbled to be the first recipient when I learned about this award I wondered if I followed in the footsteps of Saint Ignatius of Loyola but then I know this is ignatian spirituality took root in me during my early years as a BVM sister the principal from the spiritual exercises that I have steadily carried with me is that a finding God in all things reflecting on their principal I often find God speaks to me through the people who have been a part of my life my family and my BVM sisters who are here tonight my lifelong friends and acquaintances and yes sometimes even stranger my 12 years of association with Christ the King has certainly awakened within me a deep sense of God's work Among Us especially in the various ways and I mean this thousands of people have taken on the mission of the school each one of you support that's in some way through gift of time talent and treasure and some of you like me can even recall our first Gala at the Garfield Park Conservatory in August 2008 the Chicago Detroit province of the Society of Jesus made a decision to establish a Cristo Rey school on Chicago's West Side we spent our opening year at Martin de Porres School a temporary low station on Washington Boulevard in LeClaire I remember how often Jesuit schools and communities throughout the province rallied to our doorstep in those early days Jesuit sponsorship continues today in keeping us authentic and on track to carry out our mission we are blessed an hour early Argo board of directors set ctk on a strong foundation and took on the construction of a new school on Jackson Boulevard I considered our board members Giants turnover has occurred but the Giants remain with different names and faces expertise and backgrounds bringing new energy and skills to our board and solving challenges the first group could not have even imagined we are blessed an African proverb reminds us said it takes a village to raise a child and we know that it also takes a village to educate one being a school in the Cristo Rey network what is the perimeters of the village to include the workplace imagine yourself at the age of 14 spending an 8 hour day in professional workplaces like a law firm a bang a hospital or a local church we are so grateful for the job partners that we have for our students but we always need help in sign Seymour for our future growth we are so blessed the ctk faculty and staff go the extra mile and giving students their Best in Class instructions encouraging students to do more reaching out to those who are struggling or experiencing just a bad day also from Judge would volunteer to members of the ignition violin your Corps volunteers at ctk bring job experience and life experience to our students they are awesome president Clement Martin and Prince Temple pain are exceptional leaders providing stability and leading Christ the King to New Growth and Excellence during the last six and a half years we are my favorite event at ctk is the annual College Signing Day in May when seniors announce where they will attend college what they play to study and what advice they would give to the underclassmen they give advice like work hard don't give up persevere and don't skip an assignment our students are extraordinary in overcoming obstacles and setting themselves on Pathways to success with a lot of help from the school and for work study Community their parents and families have placed a great deal of trust in Christ the King and hold fast to their dreams and hopes for their chill we indeed are blessed thank you for coming to King of heart tonight and thank you for this honor I am so grateful for the past 12 years let us celebrate tonight in the company of one another enjoy a delicious meal and conversation with students Among Us and let's and let's raise our paddles as we continue to go forth and set the world on fire

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Sr. Mary Fran McLaughlin, BVM - Footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola Award honoree - Remarks at King of Hearts 2020

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