Matt McGinnis '85 inducted into Abbot's Society

Matt McGinnis, Saint Bede Academy Class of 1985, was inducted into Saint Bede’s Abbot’s Society during a ceremony and gathering on Sunday, Nov. 24, in the Perino Science Center.

Matt exemplifies the Spirit of Saint Bede through his remarkable leadership, heartfelt generosity and unwavering dedication to his alma mater.

Matt’s connection to Saint Bede runs deep, rooted in a proud family tradition of alumni. His parents, Philip and Joan, instilled in him a profound appreciation for the value of Catholic education and the importance of giving back.

Matt began his career at Maze Nails before joining American Express in Minneapolis. It was there that he met his wife, Erica, and together they started a family. Their careers with American Express took them to Arizona, where he worked as Vice President in Technology. After retiring to support his wife’s career and spend more time with their family, Matt found himself reflecting on ways to give back. He wanted to teach his children the importance of serving the people and places that matter most.

It was at that time the opportunity to spearhead Saint Bede’s Legacy Campaign came into sight. Knowing the business skills, he had gained working at American Express could help the campaign, he jumped at the opportunity. It wasn’t an easy task - Matt worked to rekindle relationships with donors, restore their trust in Saint Bede, and inspire them to believe in the Academy’s vision following a previous campaign that did not end in construction. Through countless conversations and a shared sense of purpose, he motivated others to dig deep and make a transformational impact. He successfully raised over $6 million to fund the construction the Perino Science Center. We are honored today to be inducting him into our Abbot’s Society here in this very center.

The construction of the Perino Science Center was a pivotal moment for Saint Bede. Donors could see firsthand that it was capable of achieving ambitious goals, which reignited a sense of confidence and pride in the community. The success of this project spurred further renovations, including the refurbishment of the Academy’s first and second floors.

In addition to the Legacy Project, Matt’s creativity and enthusiasm led to the founding of BruinsJam in 2017. After countless calls, meetings, and conversations with alumni, Matt realized the wealth of musical talent among Saint Bede graduates. He envisioned an event where alumni, parents and students could remain on campus to celebrate reunions. Bands could gather and perform during the event, creating a vibrant, multigenerational celebration of community and fellowship. Since its inception, BruinsJam has grown each year and has become a cherished tradition, bringing alumni together to reconnect and celebrate their shared bond with Saint Bede.

Matt’s long-standing contributions also include years of service on the Alumni Association Board, and he has continued to bring innovative ideas, energy, and support to the Development Department. Whether selling raffle tickets or brainstorming new initiatives, his dedication to Saint Bede remains steadfast.

Matt McGinnis is a shining example of leadership, service, and faith. His work has not only transformed the Saint Bede community but has also inspired others to use their time and talents to make a difference. His legacy is one of vision, generosity and a deep commitment to ensuring the future of Saint Bede Academy.

New gymnasium restrooms are now open

Saint Bede is thrilled to announce the completion of the new ADA-compliant restrooms in the Abbot Vincent Gymnasium.

This marks an exciting milestone in Saint Bede’s ongoing commitment to improving its athletic facilities. Next time you’re on campus, we invite you to check them out!

On Thursday, Oct. 24, this accomplishment was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. In attendance were student-athletes, Athletic Director Mike Armato, Project Contractors Mike Diaz of Vissering Construction and James Brady of JB Contracting, St. Bede Site Supervisor Ron Barnes, Auction & Special Events Coordinator Bonnie Prokup and representatives from the organizations whose generous contributions helped bring this project to life.

This project would not have been possible without the incredible support and belief of the Bruin community in the 2024 Auction Fund-A-Need generating $178K. Saint Bede extends its deepest gratitude to The Bedan Club and the Miller Group Charitable Trust for their generous lead contributions. A heartfelt thank you also goes out to the Class of 1974, who chose to honor their Golden Bedan reunion by supporting this project with an added $34K as their class gift.

BECAUSE OF YOU we made this vision a reality!

A gift for the freshmen

October is the month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, which Fr. Dominic observed by giving each freshman a handmade rosary in school colors, made possible by a long-time Saint Bede family.

In 1984, Fr. Dominic learned to make rosaries as a young novice from Br. Thaddeus, an elderly monk who made over 29,000 rosaries for the missions after his retirement from the abbey farm operations. Once he was made chaplain for the Academy, he wanted to use this skill to benefit his students.

“I designed what might be called a ‘school rosary’ with dark green beads and a medal of Saint Benedict as the centerpiece,” he said; “The crosses came from a big box of crucifixes I found in Br. Taddy’s room after he died.”

For many years the rosaries given to our freshmen were purchased online, through the generosity of James Arkins, a St. Bede parent and grandparent who wanted to promote our students’ spiritual growth in the Catholic tradition. After his death, Fr. Dominic reached out to his family to see if they wanted to continue his legacy. They enthusiastically agreed, and the chaplain got to work crafting the custom rosaries last May.

"Our grandfather, Jim Arkins, passed away in 2021 at the age of 102,” said Eric Arkins ’95. “His faith and his family were the most important things to him.  He was a kind and generous man who always found a way to do God's work.  It wasn't until his passing that Fr. Dominic shared with us that Grandpa had donated rosaries every year to the incoming freshman class at St. Bede.  As St. Bede alumni, we knew how important it was to carry on our grandfather's tradition and share both the spirit of St. Bede and our grandfather's memory with the newest members of the Bruin family."

 In each of the freshman religion classes, Fr. Dominic gave a short history of the rosary, its origins in scripture and tradition, and how it is used to meditate and pray.

“Some of our non-Catholic student are unfamiliar with Marian devotion,” he explains. “When Catholics pray to Mary or other saints, we are asking them to intercede with God on our behalf, in the same way that we would ask family and friends to pray for us when we have a personal problem or tragedy. We often ask other people to pray for us because we assume that they are close to God, as Mary is.”

 After the blessing, the students prayed the rosary with the special intention of healing for Mr. Hejmanowski’s mother who had been recently hospitalized, as well as for other friends and family members who are ill. 

 Many freshmen expressed how meaningful it was to receive a special school rosary.

·       “It felt special because it truly set in that I am a part of St. Bede.”

·       “It showed me people around St. Bede care.”

·       “I have not had a rosary for a while and I am especially happy to have a St. Bede one.

·       “This means a lot to me because it will be a memory for me in the future, and because Father Dom gave it to me.”

The Arkins family is enthusiastic about continuing to fund the freshman rosary project, and Fr. Dominic says he has already started working on next year’s batch.

DONORS

Christine (Arkins) Joyce, Class of 1994
Eric Arkins, Class of 1995
Susan (Arkins) Parikh, Class of 1999
Emily (Arkins) Balestri, Class of 2002
Jack Arkins, Class of 2004
Tommy Arkins, Class of 2007
Hayden Arkins, Class of 2023

St. Bede seniors earn DAR & SAR Good Citizenship awards

Phillip Gray (left) has earned the DAR award, sponsored by the Princeton-Illinois Chapter NSDAR and Jake Migliorini (right) has earned the SAR award, sponsored by the Captain Zeally Moss Chapter for Bureau County.

PERU - The faculty and students of St. Bede Academy have selected seniors Phillip Gray and Jake Migliorini as the 2024-25 winners of the DAR (Daughters of American Revolution) and the SAR (Sons of American Revolution) Good Citizenship awards.

Gray is the son of Jeff and Jan Gray of Streator and a graduate of Tonica Grade School. He was selected for the DAR award based on his ability to show courtesy to others, loyalty, truthfulness and self-control; with the ability to assume responsibility. The DAR award is sponsored by the Princeton-Illinois Chapter NSDAR and presented annually to an outstanding senior based on dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.

Gray has been involved in golf and is a four-year athlete in football and basketball at the academy. He has received certificates of excellence for freshman Spanish and junior AP US History. Gray earned the honor of College Board Rural & Small-Town Award his senior year. In athletics, he has earned both the Hustle Award and Most Improved Award in basketball junior year. Gray is a member of both Student Government and Student Ambassadors, while also volunteering for the concession stand, scorebook keeping, youth sports camps and landscaping work. Gray plans to attend a four-year college to study business and further his education by pursuing an MBA. He is interested in working in finance and management as a career.

Migliorini is the son of Mike and Angie Migliorini of Granville and a graduate of Putnam County Grade School. He was selected for the SAR award based on his ability to display a cooperative spirit, politeness, sincerity, respect for others and academic excellence. The SAR award is sponsored by the Captain Zeally Moss Chapter for Bureau County and is presented annually to an exceptional senior based on dependability, leadership, service to their school and community, evidence of personal values and patriotism.

Migliorini has been involved in wrestling, basketball, and is a four-year athlete in football at the academy. He has received the Citizenship Award his freshman, sophomore and junior years. In addition, he earned the honor of the Hoby Award his sophomore year, and the Most Improved for wrestling his freshman year. He volunteers his time helping Fr. Dominic at the annual wrestling pizza fundraiser, Burgoo parking and Cops 4 Cancer. Migliorini plans to attend Illinois Valley Community College to study as a tool and die apprentice and a machinist. His long-term goal is working as a machinist and to continue learning more trades.

St. Bede Alumni Association selects 2024 Distinguished Alumnus

James B. Gamache ’72 will be honored during annual Bruins Brunch over Homecoming weekend

The St. Bede Alumni Association is pleased to announce that James B. “Jim” Gamache has been selected as the 2024 Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipient. 

Gamache is originally from La Salle where he attended St. Patrick’s Grade School. He graduated with honors from St. Bede Academy in 1972. While at St. Bede, he played three sports each year and was the lead in the theatrical production of, “Macbeth.” He credits St. Bede with providing him with the guiding principles and a sound world view that helped lay the groundwork for his future successes.

After graduating from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., Gamache had a successful 40-year-plus career in the transportation and logistics industry as a key executive with industry leaders, including Roadway Express, Inc., YRC Regional Transportation and CarrierWeb LLC.

Most recently, he was a partner at NexGen Logistics Capital, a private equity firm. Over the years, Gamache has held public and private board of director positions. He also received additional education and training from Columbia University, Stanford University, the University of Virginia and Case Western Reserve University. Over his career, he is most proud of the work he did in expanding diversity in the companies he worked for.

As Gamache’s career responsibilities matured, he managed to find considerable time to give back to his community. As a parishioner at Our Lady of Mercy in Aurora, Ill. he founded a ministry to assist the unemployed and underemployed. This ministry was later expanded to include the diocese of Joliet. He also supported a young college student’s missionary work through the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.

Throughout his career, Gamache has continually dedicated his support and commitment to St. Bede Academy and the Benedictine traditions. He serves on the St. Bede Academy Advisory Board and played a critical role in coordinating his class’s 50th anniversary celebration and the raising of over $140,000 for the renovation of the main stairs and entryway of the school building. He has also been instrumental in providing and raising funds for the tuition of two Ukrainian boarding students at St. Bede and is a strong advocate of the boarding program.

Probably the most amazing aspect of Gamache’s resume began by happenstance when he had an impactful meeting with a mother and her five-year-old son during a trip in September 2022 in Poland. 

As Gamache describes it, “I made the decision to go to Ukraine after I met a mother and her five-year-old son at the Ukraine-Poland border.”

After speaking with the mother and hearing her story about how she just saw her husband for the first time in five months, he was determined to return to Ukraine and help in any way that he could. He has since made multiple trips to Ukraine and has volunteered with numerous humanitarian organizations, providing food and medical supplies to civilians and soldiers. Over the course of the last 18 months, Gamache has been able to raise directly or indirectly well over $100,000 for the benefit of the organizations he has assisted through presentations at churches and social groups.

Additionally, Gamache regularly travels in Ukraine with an American freelance journalist, interviewing individuals from all walks of life throughout the country, documenting their stories of their fight for freedom.

Most recently, in March of 2024, Gamache formed Defendica Systems Inc., a military technology company with a wholly-owned subsidiary in Ukraine whose mission is to support the defense of Ukraine with Ukrainian sourced technology.

Gamache currently resides in Aurora, Ill. with his fiancé, Robin. His two sons and five grandchildren live in Oregon. He has a brother, Ken, a 1974 St. Bede graduate, and a sister, Pat Pattelli.

Given Gamache’s tireless efforts for the people of Ukraine, as well as his community service throughout his successful career, he exemplifies how one should live in accordance with the Rules of St. Benedict and the St. Bede Alumni Association is proud to honor him as the Distinguished Alumnus of 2024.

Gamache will be formally recognized for this honor during the annual Bruins Brunch hosted by the Alumni Association over St. Bede’s Homecoming weekend. The Brunch takes place on Sunday, Sept. 29, in the Perino Science Center.