Navigator: September 2016

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Principal’s Corner: A New Year
On behalf of all of us at Xavier, I want to say, “Thank you,” for the outpouring of support and sympathy to the Kramer
family following the sudden passing of one of the truly great Catholic educators we have ever experienced, Mr. Justin
Kramer. Justin provided a model of Christian faith, loyalty and integrity that all of us should emulate. God blessed us
with his presence in our schools for over 50 years. He has called Justin home and we take comfort in knowing that
Justin will remain in Our Lord’s loving arms through all of eternity.
It’s hard to believe that by the time you receive this issue of the Navigator, we will have a month of school under our
belts. Our halls are filled with energy and the “Xavier Spirit” can be felt throughout the campus. Our new staff mem-
bers have joined with our experienced faculty to offer our students the faith-based, high level academic education to
which our students and their parents have become accustomed.
The beginning of the year tends to be the busiest and it’s important that all of us keep an eye on the calendar. Activi-
ties, meetings and information sessions tend to be heavy at this time of year. The Xavier calendar is available on our
website and is updated daily.
Speaking of meetings, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who were able to make it to our
parent meetings as well as “Back to School Night.” These meetings serve as an opportunity to begin the
very important communication process between you and Xavier High School. Hopefully you learned some
valuable information about what we do to guide your students through their academic year. We also hope
you felt the sense of community we are continually striving to build. The turnout for these meetings so-
lidifies my belief that one of our most valuable assets is the extent to which Xavier parents are willing
to be involved in their students’ education. Our partnership with you, your students and our parishes
is a winning combination.
The fall, of course, is full of opportunities to watch our Saints perform on the field, on the stage,
in the gym, as well as on running courses and golf courses. I invite all of you to take time, in addi-
tion to attending activities your student may be involved in, to also attend an activity that your stu-
dent is not involved in. Whether it is a game, a play, a concert, a meet, or a half-time performance,
I think you’ll be impressed by the talent level displayed by our Xavier students. They have truly
worked hard to develop the gifts God has blessed them with.
(Continuned on next page)
Tom Keating
Xavier Principal

3 333
Principal’s Corner (Continued)
Sept. 24 & 25 – Parish Appeal Kickoff
Sept. 26-30 – Homecoming Week
Sept. 29: Homecoming Pep Rally &
Coronation (7 p.m.)
Sept. 30: Homecoming Mass (9:50 a.m.)
Sept. 30: Football Game (7:30 p.m.)
Oct. 1: Homecoming Dance (8 p.m.)
Oct. 1 & 2 – Parish Appeal Week 2
Oct. 2-5 – Kairos 25 Retreat
Oct. 3 – In-Service (No School)
Oct. 6 – Class level change deadline
Oct. 10–14 – Respect Life Week
Oct. 14 – Picture Retake Day
Oct. 26-28 – Parent-Teacher Conferences
Business Office News:
Magazine Sales
The annual Xavier magazine drive is currently underway. This year,
all sales will be made online. Fifty percent of the net proceeds from
the sale of magazines go directly to the student’s tuition account.
Getting started with selling is easy:
Step 1: Go to APMags.com/Campaign
Follow the prompts to participate in this online sale.
Step 2: Create Your Personalized Storefront
You will be able to upload a selfie and create Me2, an avatar that
looks like youandcantalk! As you move through the simple steps,
your avatar will earn virtual rewards for his/her locker; and you will
be creating your own personalized storefront for friends and fam-
ily to see!
Step 3: Send Emails and Share on Social Media
Send emails and share with your friends and family and they will
see your student’s picture, goal, and special message while they
shop online and support your school or group.
Step 4: Get Your Personalized Code
After sending emails, you will receive your own personalized
unique code. Write your code in the space provided on your“cata-
log.“Easily print personalized flyers or business cards with your
code on them. Share with family and friends you want to contact
in person. Your code will allow them to easily shop your personal-
ized storefront.
Online sales will conclude on September 29. Half of the proceeds
raised by that student will be applied to that student’s tuition ac-
count in October.
If you have questions, please contact Jacquie Buschette at jacquie.
buschette@xaviersaints.org or 319-739-7308.
3
As I write this Navigator piece, we are already preparing
for our annual Homecoming celebration. Our students will
dress for special theme days, participate in a “Penny War”
to raise funds for Metro Catholic Outreach, “Chalk the
Sidewalk” and paint their class squares in the stadium. On
Thursday, September 29 the Xavier community will gather
in the Ron Thillen Gym for our Homecoming Pep Assembly,
Coronation and Bonfire at 7:00 p.m. On Friday, the Xavier
Saints will host Independence in a District Homecoming
game. We also will welcome “home” Fr. Aaron Junge (X08)
to celebrate Homecoming Mass on Friday, September 30
at 9:50 a.m. The week will conclude with the Homecoming
Dance (a lock-in) on Saturday from 8-11 p.m.

As the excitement of the early school year begins to subside
and the reality of “routine” sets in, I ask that you continue to
partner with us in helping make 2016-17 Xavier’s best ever!
Above all, let’s commit ourselves to this year’s challenging
theme: “Make me an instrument of Your peace.”
God bless you and your family!
Sincerely,
Tom Keating, Principal
tom.keating@xaviersaints.org
@Phillyboy14

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Remembering Justin “Mick” Kramer | 1939-2016
“The Greatest”
“Justin Kramer was my varsity boys’ basketball assistant coach
from 1977-1997 at Regis High School. He was the calming
influence during those years. It was a ‘good cop/bad cop’
scenario. He served in that same capacity alongside me from
2002-2007 here at Xavier. I could not have done what we did
without him on the bench beside me.
Other than the basketball friendship we had, we spent a lot
of time with the Kramer family on vacations to St. Louis and
Cherokee Village in Arkansas.
Justin was a very kind and generous person ... and I’ll miss him
very, very much.”
-Dick Breitbach
Former Regis & Xavier High School Administrator/Coach
“Justin was one of the
most gracious men.
He would come in my
room with a huge bag of
Skittles to replenish my
snack drawer and catch
me up on his Yankees
(which I knew nothing
about) and beam about
his grandkids. He was
so proud of his grand-
children. I admired how he was completely present in
each moment and always made you feel like you were
the most important person in the world to him when
you were with him.”
-Jaclyn Richmond
Xavier High School Faculty
“This year during Teacher
In-Service each teacher
shared a little information
about themselves. I was
struck by the pride in Jus-
tin’s voice when stood and
said, ‘This is my 52nd year
of teaching!’ He was full
of joy and had the biggest
smile on his face. He loved
Xavier, our students, and
most importantly his Catholic faith.”
-Sue May
On Sunday, September 4, 2016, the Xavier community lost
one of its greatest supporters and advocates in Mr. Justin
“Mick” Kramer. Mr. Kramer served at Regis and Xavier High
Schools for 52 years before his passing. He was a beloved
teacher, coach and friend to many and will certainly be
missed. The following include short reflections about how
Mr. Justin Kramer impacted them and the legacy he leaves
behind...
4

5
“The Greatest”
Good morning. I have been asked to speak to you for a few minutes about my friend Justin
Kramer. After being asked to do so, I wondered why it would be me to speak to you this morn-
ing. There are others who have worked with Justin more closely than I did, and others who
knew him longer than I did. It’s not like I was his best friend.
But that’s where I was wrong. I was his best friend. And so was everybody who ever taught
with him, any student in his classroom, and any driver in his driver’s ed car. Any one of his
thousands of driver’s ed students that he had, and some of them are your parents, will tell you
that he called them the best driver he had ever seen. I never heard Justin Kramer say a dis-
couraging word about anybody. In many ways, he was the kind of person we all tell ourselves
that we will be one day. But that was his every day.
Before I taught at Xavier, I taught for six years at Regis High School, and that is where I met Justin. Except nobody who
knew him ever called him Justin. They called him Mick, a reference to the legendary baseball player Mickey Mantle. The
story has been told to me that Mick’s greatest day in baseball was in his teenage years playing in Dyersville. For years,
Mick’s dad had not seen him play, and one day he showed up, possibly on a tractor, and watched Mick from beyond the
outfield fence. That day, Mick hit two home runs over that outfield fence. I have heard that story from a few people, but
never from Mick himself.
He cared deeply about his family, his Catholic faith, and Catholic schools. He cared deeply about you. For well over 50
years, he served Catholic schools. Just imagine that. Over fifty years. He could have retired years ago. But there was always
another grandchild to teach, always another class that still liked Latin. Perhaps it is most fitting that in the weekend we honor
St. Mother Teresa for working selflessly and considering heaven to be her only retirement reward, that Mick is called home.
I also went to high school in Dyersville, the same as Mick. Where we come from, they don’t tend to give fancy speeches
when somebody dies. The ultimate compliment comes at your wake and funeral, where you overhear a familiar phrase
among those who are speaking: “He was a good man.” There are many good men, but among them all, Justin was the
best we had to offer.
I pray God our heavenly father welcome this good man home.
Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine,
et lux perpétua lúceat eis.
Requiéscant in pace. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen
-Mike Goldsmith
Reflection from Prayer Service on 9/6/16
“Every day they
served spaghetti,
Coach Kramer
would say ‘Should
not’ve worn a white shirt.’”
-Tom Lilly
Xavier High School Faculty & Coach
5

6
“The Greatest”
Hello. For those of you who do
not know who I am, my name is
Connor Miller and I’m a senior. I
took two years of Latin from Mr.
Kramer and am eternally grateful
I had the chance to. You are the
greatest. My first day of Latin class
freshman year, I remember vividly.
Mr. Kramer had introduced him-
self and then walked over to the
cupboards in the back of the room
to unearth a dusty old cassette tape almost worn through
because it had been played so often. As he plugged it into
the radio at the back of the room, a song started to play that
I would come to fall in love with even though it was country.
It was the 1999 Kenny Rogers song, “You Are the Greatest.”
For those who aren’t familiar with the song, it revolves around
a little boy who is playing baseball by himself. He throws the
ball up three times, and misses three times but keeps at it
with great determination. Afraid he is the worst batter in the
world, he comes to realize that he is the best pitcher.

Some of you may have only known Mr. Kramer as the old Lat-
in teacher, but to me, he was a lot more than that. Mr. Kramer
personally believed that each of us was the greatest. He
would often tell his classes, even on occasion in frustration,
that there was no one, nor there would ever be anyone like
us. We were each our own person and we should value our-
selves at a higher standard because we were the only “we.”
He would never settle for less than your best. He would do
anything in his power to help a student to reach their full
potential. He would be willing stick around for hours after
school until you’d get something right or finally understand a
concept. This all came out of his great love for teaching.

His love for teaching was extremely evident and something I
had great admiration for. On days I would be at school until 9
or 10 o’clock at night, I could often find Mr. Kramer wander-
ing the halls or in his classroom grading papers. One night
after a show choir performance, he offered to go over one
of my tests with me, even though it was 8:00 at night. He
dedicated himself entirely to his profession and his students
and cared immensely about each. He greeted each student
he saw in the halls with a smile and a friendly greeting and
showed a genuine interest in those around him. His genuine
care and concern radiated across all those he encountered
and gives us all someone to look up to.

Not only did he exude a great love for teaching and for his
students, he showed a deep love for God. He would always
start class off with a prayer, led by a student, and encourage
them to use their “lector voice.” Having been a lector and ac-
tive in his church for many years himself, he knew how to do
it and would often give us a sample of how we should sound
when praying and proclaiming. Not only did Mr. Kramer
lector at his own parish, there has not been one school Mass
that I’ve attended/can remember where he hasn’t been the
minister to walk the ciborium from the chapel. He provided
us a great faith role model whether that be through prayer
or his involvement in the celebration of the Eucharist and is
someone I look up to in this regard.

In conclusion, Mr. Kramer was so much more to me than
just my Latin teacher. He is a role model that has given me
a great example to live by. His great passion for God, those
around him, and for his profession have been far outstanding.
Thank you Mr. Kramer, tu es summum, you are the greatest.
-Connor Miller (X17)
Reflection from Prayer Service on 9/6/16
“Almost ten years ago I took over the Saints Boys Golf Program from Justin and his son,
Joe. Justin was so kind to me with his time and helping me make a smooth transition as
the boys golf coach. One fond memory I have of Justin, was definitely him telling his
favorite joke: ‘Why does a golfer always have to wear two pairs of pants to the course?
In case he gets a hole-in-one.’”
-Tim O’Brien
Xavier High School Faculty & Coach
6

7
“The Greatest”
“Although Jesus doesn’t walk with us like he
did with them so many years ago, he is still
very much with us - just in a different way. I
know I would always see the face of Jesus in
a man I worked with for the past ten years,
but who impacted me during my formative
years at Regis High School. Mr. Kramer (as I always called
him - I could never bring myself to call him Justin) made a big
impact in my life, and it’s because of him I’m the best driver
I know. Not only was he passionate about his teaching and
coaching, he was even more passionate about his relation-
ships. No matter what, you were going to leave a conversa-
tion with Mr. Kramer feeling better than when you started.
He embodied Mother Teresa’s quote: “Peace begins with a
smile”...he always wore a sweet smile everywhere he went.
While he may not be one of the Twelve, Mr. Kramer is truly
keeping Jesus’ company in Heaven.
Dear God, please help us to be aware of the callings of the
Lord, and strive for positive interactions with each other. We
may never know how much of an impact we have on other
people, so always keep it positive. Thank you, Mr. Kramer, for
continuing to teach us the value of a smile. Amen.”
-Emily Moses
Xavier High School Faculty - All-school Prayer from 9/6/16
“Justin was one of the kindest
people I’ve ever met ... among young
and old alike. He was an outstanding
role model for us all through the way
he lived.”
-Mike Winker
Former Xavier High School
Activities Director
“Justin was my next door neighbor in this building
for my first two years here at Xavier. My favorite
memory of him is how he treated the freshmen at
Discover Xavier Night - he was so full of joy
simply from the opportunity that he could meet
every single new potential Xavier Saint. It’s obvious
that he cared for teaching, he cared for coaching,
but he made it known that he cared for people.”
-Stacy Mickelson
7

8
Campus Ministry Update
Submitted by Jody Esker
XHS Campus Ministry
The Campus Ministry Team is excited
about the 2016-17 school year! We have
already celebrated at Mass together on
the first day and cried together at the
prayer service for Mr. Kramer. We are
a community of believers who come
together in the joyful times and in dif-
ficulty. We turn to our Lord for guid-
ance, support, direction and love. We
respond to each other as instruments of
peace.
The words of the beautiful prayer
of St. Francis...“Make me an
instrument of YOUR peace”
comprise our theme this school year.
The full prayer is as follows:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your
peace. Where there is hatred, let me
sow love; where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith; where there
is despair, hope; where there is dark-
ness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to
console; to be understood as to under-
stand; to be loved as to love; For it is in
giving that we receive; it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned; it is in dying that
we are born again to eternal life.
We will spend the school year living this
theme and understanding it more fully
with all our activities.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Xavier TEC – March 11-13, 2017
Click here to register or for more infor-
mation. There are a variety of TEC dates
and locations. See the link for which
one best fits your schedule. All seniors
are highly encouraged to attend TEC.
REMAINING CLASS
RETREATS (1ST SEMESTER)
Sophomore Retreat – Friday, Oct 21
Kairos Weekends for Juniors
K25- Oct 2-Nov 5
K26 - Feb 2-5, 2017
K27 - April 27-30, 2017
The Kairos weekends are currently ac-
cepting applications on a waiting list.
We are making every effort to ensure
that everyone who wishes to attend gets
the opportunity. We are constrained by
retreat house availability and transporta-
tion limits. If your student is interested
in going, please place them on the wait-
ing list so as things change we can be in
contact with you. To place a student on
a waiting list, email Jody Esker at
jody.esker@xaviersaints.org.
Kairos leader applications can be ac-
cessed here or are available in the
Campus Ministry Office. Seniors who
have attended a Kairos and interested in
being a leader please apply!
JOIN US FOR MASS!
Please see school calendar for all school
mass dates. All are welcome to join
us at liturgical celebrations. Our next
all-school mass will be Sept 30, which is
homecoming. The liturgy will begin at
9:50 a.m.
The tradition of Friday 7 a.m. liturgy
and all-day Eucharistic Adoration will
continue this year. Students attend
Adoration with theology classes and the
chapel is open to anyone who would
like some quiet time with Jesus. If you
are interested in a permanent time slot
at adoration please contact Mary Parrish
at mparrish47@mchsi.com.
MARY’S MEALS
Xavier welcomed Magnus MacFarlane-
Barrow on Sept 23. Magnus is the
founder of Mary’s Meals. Mary’s Meals
provides daily meals in some of the
world’s poorest communities to school
children who would otherwise be out of
school or forced to beg for food. Today,
over one million children receive Mary’s
Meals every school day.
Click here to learn more about Mary’s
Meals. The title of his book is “The
Shed that feed a Million Children”.
There are copies in the Xavier LMC.
Xavier student, John Pape, is coordinat-
ing the collection of funds to support
Mary’s Meals. Starting on Monday,
September 12th, made donations in the

Campus Ministry Update (Continued)
blue Mary’s Meals cups located in theology classrooms.
If every Xavier student contributes $1.00, a classroom of
35 students could be fed for an entire year!
CHRIST OUR LIFE CONFERENCE
The Christ Our Life Conference is Sept 24 & 25 in Des
Moines. This is the LARGEST Catholic conference in the U.S.
You can attend all or part of the conference. Please click here
for more information about the conference. It is well worth
the time and cost of a ticket to attend. There are many famil-
iar speaker such as Mark Hart and Jackie Francois Angel. The
conference has special teen sessions, focusing specifically on
youth. If transportation is an issue, there is limited availability
on a bus that will depart Xavier at 6:30 Sat Sept 24 and return
at 10pm Sat evening. For more bus/ticket information contact
laurenhammerberg@gmail.com.
Please call Jody Esker, Erica Ireland or Fr. Vu in the Campus
Ministry Office at 294-6635 Ext. 350 or 384 if you have questions
about any of the spiritual programs being offered this year.
CAMPUS MINISTRY MISSION STATEMENT:
Through worship, service and Christian leadership, the
Xavier Campus Ministry Department strives to assist each
student to reach a deeper understanding of our Catholic
faith and a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
“The times we live in do not call for
young ‘couch potatoes’ but for young
people with shoes, or better, boots laced.
It only takes players on the first string,
and it has no room for bench-warmers,”
--Pope Francis at WYD 2016
Saints
Give
Change
to Make
Change
Collection cups for
Mary’s Meals have
been in place in XHS
theology classrooms.
Saints have given
$798.78 in change as
of 9/22/16.
This amount will help
feed an entire class-
room of 35 students
for a year!

Campus Ministry Update
Submitted by Lynn Jump
Xavier Foundation Annual Fund Director
The Xavier Foundation’s largest annual appeal, the 2016
Parish Appeal will kick-off September 24, 25 and October 1,
2 at all metro-area parishes. The goal is to raise $500,000
for Xavier High School. The Appeal chairs, Doug (R82) and
Diane (Fagan) Ropp (R85) and Ron (R72) and Peggy Detweiler
met with pastors and the volunteer leadership teams from
each parish to help prepare for a successful campaign. The
campaign chairs challenge all Xavier parents to be involved in
this most important fund raiser for Xavier by giving their time,
talent and treasure to ensure the campaign exceeds the goal.
These Xavier parent volunteers agreed to lead the Appeal at
their parish: All Saints: Mike and Tabby Barnes, Bradley and
Kay (Johannes) Hess (R78); Immaculate Conception: Matt
and Dana Pieper; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: Dan and Connie
Bartels, Jeff and Lynn Kramer; St. John XXIII: Dave and Nancy
Olberding, Mark and Karla Guastaferro; St. Joseph: Douglas
and Michele (Kueter) Brock (R93), Bob and Julie Schmitt;
St. Jude: Blaine and Marlana Miller, Jay and Donna Fields; St.
Ludmila: Justin and Jennifer Jordebrek, Nick and Erin Cook-
son; St. Matthew: John (R86) and Jodi (Simpson) Venteicher
(R87), Denny (R73) and Diane (Rozek) Flynn (R77); St. Patrick:
Bernie and Jackie Walther, Trent and Heather (McCauley)
Buenzow (L96); St. Pius X: Jeff and Jennifer Frieden, Pete and
Molly Iversen; St. Wenceslaus: Dave Martin, David (L87) and
Julie (Lefebure) Skala (L89). Please call your parish leadership
team to volunteer today.
The Xavier Foundation Board of Directors and staff are grate-
ful to all volunteers that help with this most important cam-
paign for Xavier High School.
Parish Appeal Kicks Off!
make your donation securely online at:
XavierFoundation.org/Donate
10

11111111
Mark your calendars...
1.14.17
Stay Tuned for Ticket, Voting Information.
XavierSaints.org/DWTS
DoubleTree Hotel | 350 1st Ave NE, Cedar Rapids, IA
Second Annual
A special event to support the
students of Xavier High School.
11

12
France: A Trip of a Lifetime
Submitted by Jane Constant
XHS Faculty Member
This past June for two weeks, five
Xavier students – Joe Constant (X16),
Eva Deegan (X18), Lauren Meyer (X18),
Abby Pisney (X18), and Ella Schrader
(X19) traveled to France. Our time was
spent in Paris and the regions of Nor-
mandy and Brittany. We were in cities,
in the countryside and on the beach.
This was a unique, once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity unlike any other for these
students, and they were all excited and
eager to experience everything.
When I think of taking a trip, I think of
the trip to Emmaus in the Bible. And
behold, two of them were going that
very day to a village named Emmaus,
which was about seven miles from Jeru-
salem. And they were talking with each
other about all these things, which had
taken place. While they were talking and
discussing, Jesus Himself approached
and began traveling with them (Luke
24:13-15). You might wonder why Em-
maus comes to mind when I travel. One
of the retreats I went on in college was
called ‘Journey.’ We ended our week-
end with our own ‘walk to Emmaus’.
I hadn’t thought before about travel-
ing in the context of an opportunity to
meet and experience Jesus everywhere
I went. That retreat made travel for me
more than a destination and a series of
things to see. I came to understand that
travel could be approached as a way to
see interesting things, or it could be a
deeper experience. It made travel a per-
sonal journey and, as much as possible,
a pilgrimage, and this is the approach I
bring into each trip I take with students.
In our case, instead of the two traveling
to Emmaus, there were a total of six of
us, including me, on this trip, and, in our
case, we traveled to Paris to begin our
trip. Before heading out, we spent the
school year in preparation for what was
to come. Students researched various
places we would visit and shared what
they had found. There was a family stay
portion that helped focus us in on our
language abilities and the personal con-
nection to the culture we were about to
experience. We had a full itinerary.
Although we saw many famous land-
marks in Paris, the city has an amazing
spiritual history woven into its tapestry
of famous and not-so-famous landmarks
that everyone can see and experience.
One of the most meaningful places
we saw was the Chapel of the Miracu-
lous Medal. This happened to be the
first place on our first day. This was a
wonderful way to begin our trip in the
spirit of a pilgrimage. The Chapel of
the Miraculous Medal is where Mary
appeared to Saint Catherine Labouré
three times in 1830. During the final
apparition, Mary revealed the medal of
the Immaculate Conception, which is
known today as The Miraculous Medal.
Mary wanted this medal to be made and
devotion to it to be spread. The image
of Mary on the medal is surrounded by
the original French: “O Marie, conçue
sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons
recours à vous.” The English version: “O
Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us
who have recourse to thee.” Knowing
the background to the medal, the Xavier
students were also in awe to then see in
person Saint Catherine Labouré’s incor-
rupt body laid to rest in a glass reliquary
at the front of the chapel. The incorrupt
heart of Saint Vincent de Paul is also in
a reliquary at the front of the chapel,
but it cannot be seen. Because of our
preparation before visiting the chapel,
we truly appreciated our time there
venerating Saint Catherine, in particular,
and it deepened our faith and awe of
God with the experience.
What a great beginning! In Paris, we
also went to the Sainte Chapelle (Holy
Chapel), which Louis IX had built in
1246 to house the Crown of Thorns, a
piece of the True Cross, and many other
relics. During the French Revolution with
the attempt to stamp out religion, these
relics were scattered and some were
not recovered. What was recovered is
now in the treasure of the Notre Dame
Cathedral. The chapel itself is absolutely
amazing with stained-glass panes on
practically every inch of every wall in the
Upper Chapel. It is breathtaking. On the
walls is the full biblical story of human-
ity, from the Creation to redemption
through Christ; Genesis, Exodus, Num-

13
bers, Deuteronomy, Judges, Isaiah, the Tree of Jesse, Saint
John the Baptist, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Tobias, Judith
and Job, Esther, the Book of Kings, and the History of the Rel-
ics follow one to the next. Again, we could have just appreci-
ated the craftsmanship and the pain-staking work it took to
create such an architectural and artistic marvel, but we went
deeper into the reason the chapel was built in the first place.
On a personal level for each of us, the most important cultural
experience was the family stay. Each student stayed with a
different family in Rennes, a charming city in Brittany that was
named France’s most livable city. Everyone got to know each
other through email, Twitter, and Instagram prior to meeting
in person. The students communicated in French with their
host brother or sister and came to understand how important
their previous study of French had been up to that point and
were very interested in learning more. Understanding how
another language is put together helps you to understand the
thought process of the people who natively speak it. People
look at things in different ways and approach things in differ-
ent ways in different cultures, and it is through the language
and daily life that we have a window into their world. The
Xavier students all said how impactful the six days they spent
with their families were.
These were just several of the myriad of experiences we had.
With France’s rich depth of possibilities, we had so many op-
portunities to increase our understanding and appreciation
of its culture and its people. From the Musée d’Orsay to the
Louvre…from mass at Saint Sulpice in the Latin Quarter to the
towers of the Cathedral of Notre Dame… from the Hard Rock
Café in Paris to shopping on the Champs-Élysées…from the
Arc de Triomphe to the Château of Versailles…from the fabu-
lous, fresh crêpes with the crêpe vendor on a street corner of
Paris on our way to the Bâteaux-Mouches ride to the Canadi-
an woman whom we met on the train on our way to the Eiffel
Tower…from the famous Berthillon ice cream to the plethora
of pastries that we tried…from Clos Lucé – the final home
of Leonardo da Vinci – to the château of Chenonceau in the
Loire Valley…from the American Cemetery and the beaches
of D-Day to the beaches of historic Saint Malo…from the real-
ity of the bloody battle and against-all-odds American victory
at Pointe du Hoc in WWII to the Tapestry of Bayeux which
depicts French victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066…from
the story-telling, light show at the Château d’Amboise to the
city-and-abbey-on-an-island Mont Saint Michel…we experi-
enced more in two weeks than many people experience in a
lifetime.
We made many human connections along the way – like
those who traveled to Emmaus, who helped us to see that
people are people in such a good way wherever you go.
Bottom line: The Xavier France trip was truly a life-changing
experience.
France: A Trip of a Lifetime (Continued)
A portion of the walls of
stained glass at Sainte
Chapelle.
Ella, Lauren, Eva, and Abby in the historic
city center of Bayeux.

1414
Xavier Parents for Xcellence (XPX) and the Saints Shop would like to
thank all of our customers for your support of our store. We do not
know if you realize how valuable your support of the Saints Shop is
to Xavier High School. Every purchase you make from the shop helps
support the mission of XPX and projects at Xavier. For example, this
past year we have been able to fund the following projects at Xavier:
A $10,000 donation to the school to fund the TEAL room
as part of the LMC renovations. The money was used to
purchase 6 student tables with 5 chairs per table, a
teacher’s station, TV monitors and storage. If you haven’t
done so yet, go check out the LMC and TEAL room, the
changes will amaze you.
• $4,000 in monetary awards for teachers and staff, years of
service awards and retirement gifts.
• $4,000 for teacher and staff Christmas party and gifts.
$2,000 to help fund the school trip to see the Pope, bring
spiritual speakers to Xavier and keeping our beautiful
Chapel decorated for each season.
• $2,500 to host meals throughout the year for our staff
and teachers as a small token of appreciation for all they
do everyday for our school and students. Meals are
offered during the first day of school, conferences,
Catholic schools week, teacher appreciation day and the
last day of school.
• $500 to purchase upgrades for the two staff lounge areas
at school.
$500 to host Grandparents day, which has become one of
the most memorable days of the year at Xavier.
As you can see, without your support of the Saints Shop, XPX
wouldn’t be able to carry out our mission of supporting the staff and
students of Xavier High School. So please keep shopping and help
us make Xavier an even better place to send our kids every day
See You at the Shop!
The Saints Shop is open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Fridays (unless
otherwise noted on the Xavier calendar). The Saints Shop is the
official seller of fully-licensed Xavier apparel, gear and accessories.
How Your Saints Shop
Purchases Support the Students
of Xavier High School...
A Message from
Xavier Parents
for Xcellence (XPX)
14

1515
September Gallery
The Marching Saints perform the National Anthem outlined against a fiery sunset sky prior to the Xavier-Charles City football game on
September 16, 2016.
15
Xavier Golf’s
sophomore
Matthew
Koopmann
poses with his
ball and
certificate after
sinking a hole-
in-one at the
JV golf meet at
Airport National
Golf Course on
September 13,
2016.
Under new head coach, Austin Filer, the Xavier
Volleyball team is off to one of its best starts
in school history and is currently ranked 6th in
the state.
Mr. Kramer’s portrait stands lit by
candles at center court in the Ron
Thillen Gymnasium during a prayer
service on September 6, 2016.
The XHS Senior Service
Committee plans 28
various community
service projects/events
for the first semester
alone.
Coach Duane Schulte advises Xavier running backs,
Maliki Wilson and Erik Rodriguez, on the sidelines
during the Linn-Mar game.

16
Congratulations Homecoming Court!
Congratulations to the following members of the Xavier High School 2016 Homecoming Court:
Queen: Gwen Cataldo, Emiko Coffey, Emma Erner, Allie Morrow, Kayla Seymour & Hannah Zwanzier
King: Zach Barish, Nick Drahozal, Josh Gerke, Sam Martin, Sam Rohret & Jackson Schuster
The king and queen coronation will be held at Xavier’s Homecoming Pep Rally/Bonfire next Thursday (9/29) at 7 p.m. in
the Ron Thillen Gymnasium. All are invited to attend this event!
16
Homecoming 2016
XHS Seniors Named National
Merit Semifinalists
Two Xavier High School seniors have qualified as semifinalists in the presti-
gious National Merit Scholarship competition. Congratulations to XHS se-
niors, Jackson Schuster and Megan Korbel, who were named Semifinalists!
Last fall, nearly 1.6 million juniors across the country entered the 2017
National Merit Scholarship competition by taking the Preliminary Scholastic
Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Based on their
scores, approximately 16,000 were chosen as semifinalists.
Of those, nearly 15,000 students are expected to advance to the finalist
level in February 2017, and about half will win scholarships from either
the National Merit organization, cooperating corporations or colleges and
universities. The number of semifinalists is proportional to each state’s
percentage of the nation’s total graduating class of 2017.
16

1717
Keep up with the
Saints on
Social Media!
17
facebook.com/XavierSaints
@XavierSaints
ALUMNI HALL OF FAME
NOMINATIONS!
Did you have a classmate who excelled in academics, athletics or
fine arts? Do you know of a LaSalle, Regis or Xavier alum who has
made an outstanding contribution through their career or service
to their community? Did you have a coach or teacher who made a
significant impact on you and your classmates?
Nominate them for induction in the LaSalle-Regis-Xavier Hall of
Fame at www.xavierfoundation.org.
Deadline for nominations for the 2017 induction is October 31, 2016.
The 2017 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place at halftime
of the boy-girl basketball doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017.
17

Join the 2016-2017 Xavier Booster Club
The Xavier Booster Club is a volunteer organization dedicated to supporting Xavier academics, athletics and fine arts. We help
facilitate, promote, and provide funding for all school related activities. We provide hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of
dollars a year to enhance the high standards and success of Xavier High School and its students.
The Booster Club assists in many volunteer capacities to support the Xavier students and staff. Each year the Xavier Booster Club
allocates thousands of dollars to various programs, including: Band, Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Choir, Cross Country,
Drama, Football, Golf, Mission Trip, Poms, Post Prom, Show Choir, Soccer, Softball, Speech, Student Activity Clubs, Swim Team,
Tennis, Track, Trapshooting, Uniform Fund, Volleyball, Wellness/Fitness Center, Wrestling, and X-Country.
The Booster Club has committed approximately $60,000 for the 2016-2017 school year. This ambitious donation cannot be achieved
without your active participation! We encourage you to join the Booster Club and become involved in its many activities. For further
information on the Xavier Booster Club you can visit our website at: www.xaviersaints.org.
Please get involved in your school through the Booster Club!
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES: $50.00
How do I join the Xavier Booster Club?
Complete the attached membership form.
Enclose a separate check for $50.00 (annual membership dues), payable to “Xavier Booster Club”.
AND Mail to Xavier Booster Club Membership at Xavier High School: (6300 42nd
Street N.E., Cedar Rapids, IA, 52411).
(RETURN BOTTOM PORTION WITH MEMBERSHIP DUES.)
2016-2017 Xavier Booster Club Membership Form
Name___________________________________________________________________________Phone___________________
(Please print your name the way you would like it to appear in the Navigator and the Activities Program.)
E-mail Address___________________________________________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________ City________________State______Zip__________
Xavier Student(s) __________________________________________________ Yr(s) of Graduation ____________________
Parent volunteers are needed to continue the strong support shown to Xavier activities.
Please consider this, and indicate below your volunteer interests:
BOOSTER CLUB OFFICER: _____ President _____Vice President _____Treasurer _____Secretary
CONCESSIONS COORDINATOR: _____ (Circle which season: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer)
WORKING AT THE CONCESSIONS: ___ Fall Season ___ Winter Season ___ Spring Season ___ Summer Season
_____ Fine Arts Representative _____Golf Outing Coordinator _____Membership Coordinator
_____ Activities Program Coordinator _____Volunteer Coordinator _____ X-Game Ticket Coordinator
I AM A PARENT OF A STUDENT WHO IS INVOLVED IN: Athletics
Fine Arts
Both the above
INCLUDE WITH THIS FORM YOUR CHECK FOR $50.00 PAYABLE TO XAVIER BOOSTER CLUB.
FORWARD IT TO XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL ATTENTION XAVIER BOOSTER CLUB MEMBERSHIP AT:
OFFICE USE ONLY
Date Rec’d __________________
Cash ________ Check # _______
18

2016-2017 Membership
Melanie Abu-Nameh
Mike & Sara Albert
Carol & Ben Ampulski
Jeff Zieser & Valerie Angerer
Kathy Arnold
Tonya Arnold
Suzanne & John Bailey
Amy & Kelly Ball
Doug Banowetz
Peggy & Jim Barish
Dan & Connie Bartels
Jodee & Brent Beck
Lynn Benkusky
Tom & Mary Beth Binder
Dave & Sue Bouska
Lora & John Breitbach
Richard & Kathy Breitbach
Mary & James Brown
Rick & Heidi Brown
Scott & Theresa Brown
Dawn & James Burns
Corinne & Thomas Butkowski
Bob & Stacy Cataldo
David & Lindy Christensen
Paul & Helen Coe
Bill & Lisa Coester
Lisha & Joe Coffey
Kristan & Joel Conrad
Lynda Cook
Susan & Loren Corrigan
Malora & Patrick Cosgrove
Richard & Kathy Curphey
Mark & Colleen Daniels
Teresa & Marc Daubitz
Karen & Mike Delaney
Anna & Rod Dempewolf
Ron & Peg Detweiler
Bill & Shannon Devereaux
Laura & David Diebold
Polly & Dave Draker
Brad & Shanna Duggan
Chad & Maria Dummermuth
Mike & Kristen Dupont
Kristie & Chad Eggleston
Lori & J.D. Erner
Theresa & Jacob Fahnle
Chris & Sarah Fischer
Dick Galligan
Mike & Mollie Gannon
Julie & Joseph Gerke
Michael Glavan
Tom & Cecelia Gustafson
Myra & Curtis Hall
Chris & Angela Hartman
Thomas & Lisa Hazelton
Tony Helmkamp
Darryl & Amy High
Lorie & Jeff Hines
Joyce & Kurt Hosch
Craig & Mary Hovda
Stephanie & Logan Hoxie
Molly & Pete Iversen
Mike & Kimberly Ivester
Tony & Laurel Janney
Kathy & Phil Jasper
Sheri Jeffery
Jeanne & Doug Joens
Julie Johnson
Jennifer & Justin Jordebrek
Beth & Ray Kamin
Tom & Jodi Keating
Maureen Kenney
Ted & Sara Kepros
Carolyn & Joseph Kirby
James & Barb Klein
Kim Kram
Bruce & Sherry Kramer
Jeff & Lynn Kramer
Mark & Jeanne Kramer
Kevin & Lori Krezek
Lee & Mary Lang
Larry & Brenda Lansing
Christine & Jim Lemke
Tom & Dee Lempka
Dan & Peggy Lengemann
Christine & Bruce Lyon
Kristine & Robert Magill
Kathy Marovets
Chris & Dawn Martin
Denny & Karen Mauss
Sharla McCarron
Mandy McCrary
Craig & Kim McDermott
Jill & Scott McDermott
Steven & Melissa Charipar-Meyers
Corinne & Matthew Miller
Jennifer & Jeff Miller
Joe & Terrie Mlodzik
Jeff & Ellen Morrow
Randy & Kris Naeve
Debbie & Greg Neumeyer
Lisa & Scott Nielsen
Angela & Ray Noonan
Bill & Michelle Noonan
Shari & Matt ORourke
Jim & Anne Pape
Mike & Mary Parrish
Robert & Jackie Perna
Jeff & Michelle Pitz
Mike & Kourtne Powell
Kevin & Denise Pudil
Doug & Heidi Recker
Dianna & Tom Richardson
Kate & Gene Ries
Mary Ellen Rogers
Doug & Diane Ropp
Pam & Tom Satern
Shelly & Eric Schmit
Geralynn & John Schneider
Julie & Jim Schnoebelen
Carla Schrad
Michael & Carol Schueller
Tom & Christine Schuster
Brian & Karen Scott
Nancy & Steve Serrot
Jessica & Brian Shoger
Jim & Carolyn Sigmon
Julie & David Skala
Max & Kathleen Smith
Tamara & Jim Smith
Kent & Sara Sodawasser
Amy & Ted Steger
Lisa Stephenson
David & Suzanne Stoltenberg
Steve & Dawn Sweeney
Anne & David Tallett
Stephanie & Kevin Techau
Joe & Donna Terfler
Scott & Renee Thompson
Kim & David Tipton
Mary & Bob Tobin
Laura & Russell Triplett
John & Amy Tursi
Carol Ann & Bryan Vester
Mary & Thomas Vogl
Karen & Joe Vondracek
Tom & Laurie Vondracek
Dennis & Tracy Weaver
Kristin & Doug Weih
Kathy & Dean Welter
Greg & Marci Wertzberger
Tami & Dennis Westhoff
Cheryl & Jeff Westlund
Sean & Wendy Williams
Jerry & Patty Winter
Michele & Todd Younggreen
Jen Zerbee
Scott & Mary Zogg
19

Xavier High School | 6300 42nd Street NE | Cedar Rapids, IA 52411 | (319) 294-6635 | XavierSaints.org
facebook.com/XavierSaints @XavierSaints
Free Halo Cross
Auto Decals!
Show your support for Xavier Catholic
Schools by displaying a Xavier halo cross
logo on your car! These decals are free
and are available at the XHS Main
Office desk during normal office hours.
20

Navigator: September 2016

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