Irish Insights

With the season of Advent offering preparation for the birth of Christ, Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School students and faculty have been reflecting on the greatest gifts they have been given and the people they are thankful for. 

March’s Robe
 Theology teacher Tom March said other than God’s infinite grace, his wife is credited with       giving him the greatest gift he has ever received. The gift, a robe, he said, showed him how       much his wife really knew him. 

 “There wasn't actually anything special about the robe except that it was the exact robe I wanted,” he said.

March added that it mattered to him that his wife paid enough attention to give him a gift that she knew he wanted rather than a gift that she wanted to give him.

“She took the time to figure out and listen and know what I wanted,” March said.

Westphalen’s Shoes
 Senior Hudson Westphalen said his greatest gift was a pair of shoes from his girlfriend last     year for Christmas. At the time, Westphalen said his shoes were in rough shape and he didn’t     have the money to buy new ones.

  “It was expensive, and she knew I needed it,” Westphalen said. “It was a thoughtful gift.”

The shoes, black Adidas Sambas, were well loved throughout the year.

“Those are the shoes I wanted, and she knew my shoe size,” Westphalen said. “I just really needed them, and it was expensive.”

Nguyen’s Family
  Junior John Nguyen said his greatest gift is his siblings. 
  “They’ve helped me through my ups and downs,” Nguyen said. “They’re my support.”

  Nguyen said his younger and older brothers are always reliable and that he’s thankful for his    “travel companions” and the fun they have together.

Allen’s Book
 Campus minister Kelly Allen said her greatest gift was given to her and her siblings when 
 she was 8 years old after the death of her father. The gift was a handwritten and illustrated      picture book of stories from her father and aunt’s childhood. The books included stories  
 from her aunt’s earliest memories to the time when he met Allen’s mother.


 “Dad died in March, and that year at Christmas, she gave one to each of us, and it was really sweet,” Allen said. “There were spots you could see where there were tear stains on it, like when she was writing these out.”

Allen’s aunt told her and her siblings that she wanted them to know their father through the books, along with stories their mother told after she met their father.

“I mean, as I got older, I got to talk to her about it more, and she said, ‘I was just afraid you'd never get to hear these stories and you’d never get to know those things,’” Allen said.

As she’s gotten older, Allen added that she’s thankful for the gift and getting to know her father’s life.

“It's still one of my most treasured and prized things,” Allen said.

Taylor’s Bat
  Junior Molly Taylor said her greatest gift was a softball bat she received for Christmas in          2022 from her mom. The first time she used the bat, Taylor hit a home run that kept her 
  team  from being shut out in a game against Blanchard. 

  “I was so shocked that I had hit the home run that I was literally trotting around the bases,”     Taylor said.
 
Taylor still uses the bat today.

“Not only did I hit my first home run with it, I used it for the whole season and hit five more home runs and it really helped my batting average,” Taylor said.

Taylor said the part that makes the bat special is the fact that later that night, Taylor’s best friend’s father passed away and that bat brings back memories of him. Taylor still holds the bat close to her heart, and she does the sign of the cross every time she hits a home run with it.

“Using the bat was sort of a tribute to him,” Taylor said. “Every home run I've hit with that bat has been meaningful.”

Lomoro’s Adoption
 Junior Courtney Lomoro said her greatest gift was her and her siblings' adoption at the age  6.  After living in the foster care system for three years, Lomoro, her younger sister and       older brother were adopted into a loving home.

 Lomoro credits the life she has to her parents and the opportunities they have given her.

“I wouldn’t have the life I have without them,” Lomoro said. “I wouldn’t be here at McGuinness. I wouldn’t have my Catholic faith without them. I would have anything without them.” 

Ryan’s Tickets 
 Church history teacher Sue Ryan said her greatest gifts were airplane tickets to New York      from her children.

 “It wasn’t the ticket gift, which was very, very, nice, as much as them wanting to spend       time with us,” Ryan said. “That meant a lot to me.”