Gentlemen, what can I say. It was a very good time Friday and Saturday night. I wish all of you peace in your hearts and in your lives. I spoke with Father Gelsomino today, and he still could not get over last evening. He was so very proud to see so many Men of Stepinac come together to be with one another. He says Thank you so very much for honoring him and for remembering him all these years. The Sweat Shirt and Year Book really touched him. He will keep us, the Class of '76 as well as all his former students in his prayers. He once told me that for the occasion of his 50th ordination that I was proud to be invited to, that he had so many former students that he had a committee help him come up with the final guest list. The initial cut got it down to more than 2,500 guests. He literally went through every yearbook from his 35 years at Stepinac, plus all of the wedding masses, baptizms, funeral masses etc., from every parish that he served. It took months just to do that. I think that the final tally of people was in the neighborhood of over 1,000. He said that he will never, ever forget last night and what we did to honor him, and we will certainly never ever forget him. He had not had the strength to blow the substitute trumpet even though he had tried for several weeks. Right before he blew the Sound of Charge last night, he asked God to please let him do it. And He did and so did Father Peter. So remember this as something Father Peter said to me a very long time ago when I had hit a rough patch in my life and was really at a crossroads, Carl, he said, Always have Jesus as the Center of your Life and you can get through anything. I have always remembered this and have tried and not very successfully I am ashamed to admit, do this. Father Peter has given us his Greatest and Best Lesson that he ever could. God Bless each and everyone of you and your families, and God Bless the Bigger Family of ArchBishop Stepinac High School! S-T-E-P-I-N-A-C!
