2004-12-20 - Union Catholic Regional High School

1 December 20, 2004 

PROPHET 

T 

H 

E 

UNION CATHOLIC REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL 

December 20, 

2004 

In this issue: 

Mrs. Schurtz’s 

Christmas 

message 2 

UC’s charitable 

clubs 3 

Faculty college 

guide 4–5 

Honor roll 8–9 

Sophomore Day of 

Recollection 10–11 

Sports 13–15 

Christmas, Christmas, 

Christmas! 16–28 

Movie reviews 29–30 

Calendar 

December 22 

Early dismissal 

December 23– 

January 2 

School closed for 

Christmas 

Vacation 

December 25 

Christmas Day 

January 1 

New Year’s Day 

January 3 

School reopens 

September 11 Memorial 

Dedicated 

ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, THE UNION 

Catholic September 11 Memorial 

was dedicated. The memorial has 

been an ongoing project of UC alumnus 

Teddy McKeown ’04. “Ted’s 

perseverance in pursuing his project 

had left a lasting legacy for Union 

Catholic, said humanities teacher 

Mr. Cahill, “and a great way for our 

students to remember the September 

11th tragedy.” 

The ceremony began with Boy 

Scouts of McKeown’s troop presenting 

the colors. McKeown spoke 

about what made him decide to start 

this project, which took him almost a 

year to complete. “Those who died 

represented each of us, for they 

came from every walk of life,” he 

said. “Like us, they had dreams.” 

McKeown explained that the project 

was part of this Eagle Scout requirement. 

Even though he did not know 

anyone directly affected by September 

11, he wanted to make an “everlasting 

mark” on UC. 

The stone, which reads “In loving 

memory of those lost on the tragic 

day of 9-11-01. God bless America,” 

was blessed by Deacon Lynch, and 

the memorial was accepted for the 

school by Principal Sister Percylee 

Hart, R.S.M. More than forty teachers, 

students, and Boy Scouts attended 

the moving ceremony. “I was 

Expressions and Momentum 

Take First Place 

Laura Mortkowitz, Katelyn Primich, and Karen Rivera 

Nicole Straffi 

(continued on page 6) 

UNION CATHOLIC’S EXPRESSIONS AND 

Momentum received first place 

awards in the American Scholastic 

Press Association’s (ASPA) annual 

competition for last year’s literary 

magazine and yearbook. The ASPA 

receives entries from high schools 

around the country and awards 

points in certain categories: content 

coverage, organization, design, presentation, 

and creativity. 

Expressions’ success was very rewarding 

for its new moderator, English 

teacher Mr. Leib, and three coeditors, 

Cheryl Ritter ’05, Ewa Hausbrandt 

’05, and Lauren Moore ’04. 

“It was hard last year because there 

was a new moderator and new editors,” 

said Ritter. “Over the last year 

we’ve learned from mistakes and 

been able to improve Expressions. 

We hope to make it better.” Returning 

co-editors Ritter and Hausbrandt 

(continued on page 7)

The Prophet 2 

To the UC Community: 

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. Growing up in 

Bethlehem (Pennsylvania), it was almost impossible not to love 

the holiday. A huge Christmas tree was prominently placed on the 

bridge connecting the north and south sides of town. Trees adorned 

all of the posts on the bridge and at the four corners of intersections 

around town. Wreaths of four red candles marked the four 

weeks of Advent and were placed on each of the three bridges 

spanning the Lehigh River. Candles shone in the windows of 

Moravian College and in the homes of the townspeople. A life size 

crèche was located outside the library. Last and, clearly, not least 

was the star. Atop the mountain sat the illuminated Star of 

Bethlehem. When the scene was transformed by snow, it was a 

scene out of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” magical and miraculous. 

Memories of Christmases past! 

Christmas is still my favorite holiday. I am still awed by that Star. 

The Star of my birthplace reminds me of the star that shone in 

Bethlehem, Palestine, two centuries ago. The celestial star heralded 

the dawn of a new age, an age of peace and good will. It was a 

beacon to wise men looking for their way. It provided hope and 

direction. It gave light where there was darkness. It proved that 

miracles do happen to those who believe. May the light and hope of 

that star shine in your life during the Christmas season reminding 

you of the love of Jesus. 

Mrs. Schurtz, Director of Campus Ministry 

The Prophet is a publication of Union Catholic Regional High School, Scotch Plains, New Jersey. 

Letters to the Editor 

Want to share your opinions in The Prophet 

The Prophet accepts letters from all members 

of the Union Catholic Community. Letters to 

The Prophet must be signed. However, we 

may withhold your name upon request. The 

Prophet reserves the right to edit letters for 

clarity and length. Letters may be placed in 

The Prophet mailbox in the main office or 

given to any editor. 

Contributions (articles, photographs, 

cartoons, etc.) are also accepted. Please see 

Mr. Leib in Room 206 or an editor for details. 

Editor-in-chief: Laura Mortkowitz 

News Editor: Megan Stahlberg 

Features Editor: Liz Colombo 

Amanda Arciero 

Sara Backof 

Kaitlin Butler 

Lee Comeau 

Toni Anne Corsi 

Kristin Davie 

Nicole Desiato 

Jillian Hernandez 

Jasmine Marshall 

Ashley Martin 

April McKee 

Stefanie Messercola 

Amanda Parker 

Johnna Plunkett 

Katelyn Primich 

Karen Rivera 

Merissa Rose 

Marisol Ruiz 


Ryan Wallace 

Ally Walls 

Faculty Advisor: Mr. Philip Leib


The Spirit of Charity in UC Clubs 

Marisol Ruiz 

IN THE PAST MONTHS, UNION CATHOLIC CLUBS 

have been hosting and participating in a 

variety of charitable events. Various clubs 

serve those around them, whether they are 

classmates or strangers. 

The Environmental Club 

The Environmental Club, based on students’ 

responsibility to “act in harmony 

and interdependence with all creation” 

as stated in its mission statement, has performed 

several acts of charity since the 

beginning of the school year. On Saturday, 

October 16, the club directed “The Union 

Catholic Litter Pick-Up Day.” Fifty-one UC 

students and faculty took part in the day’s 

activities, picking 

up litter on 

school grounds 

and recycling. 

The Department 

of Environmental 

Protection’s Clean Communities Program 

contributed $6 to the club for each 

student who participated. In turn, the club 

will donate the money to families in need. 

The Environmental Club also held a 

fundraiser sponsored by the Human-i-Tees 

Company. Each item sold resulted in the 

conservation of ten square feet of rainforest. 

The club received $5 for each t-shirt 

sold and 50% of the profit for other items. 

Students who sold at least 

one item contributed to the 

preservation of an additional 

100 square feet of rainforest 

and received a personalized 

reward certificate. All the 

money raised by the club 

will be donated to the 

Christmas drive “Toys for 

Tots—Coats for Kids.” “If we train our students 

to be environmentally conscious, we 

are helping them to take care of the earth, 

even if it’s just by planting a tree,” stated 

Sister Mary Raymond, moderator for the 

Environmental Club. 

SMAC 

The Student Movement Against Cancer 

(SMAC), a new club at UC, has taken part 

in many acts of charity this school year. 

The club’s first fundraiser, Denim Day, was 

held on Friday, October 8. Megan Dyckman 

’07, the executive director of SMAC, 

stated the fundraiser was held to participate 

in the Lee National Denim Day, “a 

national fundraising day, where companies 

around the country collect $5 from employees 

who wear denim.” Similarly the group 

hosted a UC Denim Day, collecting $1 from 

anyone who wore denim. More than $800 

was collected, including donations by 

freshmen who were not required to pay 

since it was Freshmen Field Day. The 

money was donated to the Susan G. 

Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. 

The club plans to hold a dance in early 

March, with the funds raised being used as 

donations for cancer research and institutions. 

The club also is planning a fundraiser 

called Tape a Teacher for the spring 

pep rally, where three or four teachers will 

be taped to the wall and students will buy 

tape to see which teacher will last the longest 

stuck to the wall. 

SMAC was founded with the intent to 

raise money for cancer research and treatment 

centers, and making students aware 

that they can make a difference. The most 

important fundraiser for SMAC will be The 

Relay for Life, an overnight event to raise 

money for the American Cancer Society. 

Teams of people will come together at 

schools all around the country and take 

turns walking or running laps. Cancer survivors 

will run first; for the remainder of 

the day the objective for each team will be 

to try and keep at least one team member 

on the track at every moment. “The Relay 

for Life represents the hope that those lost 

to cancer will never be forgotten,” according 

to the American Cancer Society’s 

website, “that those who face cancer will 

(continued on page 6)

The Prophet 4 

UC’s Faculty College Guide 


THANKS TO ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MRS. 

McCoid, Union Catholic students pressured 

for college decisions have a new resource 

to turn to. Called “Union Catholic 

Faculty and Staff College/University Resources,” 

the Faculty Resource (available 

soon on the UC website) lists staff members, 

their colleges, majors, degrees, and 

other extra information. The list will be 

updated frequently as the information 

changes or expands. 

“The guide is a resource for students so 

they can talk to teachers and learn what 

their schools were like,” said Mrs. McCoid. 

When students discovered that she attended 

Boston College, they were more 

likely to approach her with questions that 

could not be answered with a college brochure. 

Mrs. McCoid found that other teachers 

shared her experience and thought that 

this information should be more accessible 

to students. “Students can learn about the 

schools through UC faculty,” said religion 

teacher Mr. Tanyag. 

Both seniors and juniors can benefit from 

the Faculty Resource and all students can 

learn a little bit more about the faculty. 

Even extra eager sophomores and freshmen 

can look through the list and pick up a 

few ideas. “We could relate to our teachers 

better,” said Edward Sagendorf ’07. “Now 

we can learn even more about them and 

what they were like.” 

Institution Faculty/Staff Member Major(s) Degree(s) earned 

Assumption College for Sisters Mr. Wright 

Adjunct Professor 

Bloomfield College Mr. Venezia Sociology, Criminal Justice BA 

Boston College Mrs. McCoid Elementary and Moderate Special Needs 

Education, Psychology 

BA 

Caldwell College Miss Scutieri Computer Science BS 

Miss Piasecki Social Studies, Elementary Education BA 

Chestnut Hill College Mrs. Lubin Chemistry BS 

Clark University Miss Webber English MA 

College of Saint Elizabeth Mrs. Andrews Educational Technology MA 

Mrs. Vogt Elementary Education in progress 

DeSales University Mr. McManus Liberal Arts BA 

Florida State University Mrs. Addison Acting MFA 

Hamilton College Miss Webber English, Psychology (minor) BA 

Hiram College Mr. Leib English, History BA 

Kean University Mrs. Andrews English, Secondary Ed BA 

Mrs. Doherty Mathematics BA 

Mrs. Caffrey Political Science, History BA 

Mr. Wright Holocaust Studies 6 credits 

Mr. Bruno 

Secondary Education, English, Philosophy 

LaSalle University Mrs. Schurtz Psychology BA 

Montclair State University Mrs. Carolan Speech and Theatre BA 

Mrs. Addison Acting BFA 

Mr. Frio Music BFA 

Mr. Gresco Exercise Science MS 

Mrs. Dellanno English, Philosophy (minor) BA 

Muhlenberg College Miss Eger Dance, Religion BA 

New Jersey City University Mrs. Hofmann Geoscience BA 

Mrs. Nunes Math Education BA, MA


Institution Faculty/Staff Member Major(s) Degree(s) earned 

Northwestern University Mr. Leib Law JD 

Rowan University Mr. Cahill History BA 

Mrs. Dixon Psychology MA 

Rutgers University Mrs. Tomshe History, Political Science BA 

Douglass College Mrs. O’Donnell Health, Physical Education BS 

Salisbury University Mrs. Dixon Psychology, Sociology (minor) BA 

Seton Hall University Mrs. McCoid Education Administration MA 

Miss Piasecki Education Administration MA 

Mr. Wright Religious Studies BA 

Mrs. Ferraro Psychology, Secondary Ed English BA 

Mr. Mariano PreMedicine/Biology BS 

Mrs. Vogt Marketing, Business Administration BS 

Mr. Fay 

Math; Science Comprehensive Education 

BS 

Mr. Wright Theology, Scripture MA 

Sr. Catherine 

Social Studies, English, Religious Studies, 

Moral Theology 

BA, MA 

Springfield College Mrs. Whitehead Physical Education BS 

Mr. Gresco 

Health and Fitness, Physical Education BS 

St. Francis University Mme. Brennan French BA 

St. Peter’s College Mr. Reagan, Jr. Education Administration and Supervision 

MA 

Stevens Institute of Technology 

Mr. Fay Telecommunications Engineering ME 

Trinity College 

Mrs. Caffrey 

University of Delaware Miss Wood English, Journalism BA 

University of Mary Washington Mr. Marino English BA 

Mr. Reagan, Jr. Mathematics BS 

University of Maryland Mrs. Mullin Family Studies BS 

University of Scranton Miss Berlinghieri Mathematics, Philosophy (minor) BS 

University of Wisconsin—Madison 

Mrs. Hofmann Geology Some graduate credit 

Walden University Mrs. Carolan Curriculum and Instruction MA in progress 

Therefore the Lord 

Himself will give you 

this sign: the virgin 

shall be with child, and 

bear a son, and shall 

name him Immanuel. 

Is. 7:14

The Prophet 6 

Charitable Clubs 

(continued from page 3) 

be supported and that one day cancer will 

be eliminated.” The event will take place 

on May 20 at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High 

School and UC will be joined by Scotch 

Plains–Fanwood and Westfield High 

Schools. The Relay for Life raised a total of 

$100,000 last year. “It feels great to be able 

to help people who work so hard every 

single day to try to find a cure to a disease 

that affects everyone in some way or another,” 

said Dyckman. 

Latin Caribbean Club 

In October, the Latin/Caribbean Club 

held a two week clothing drive for poor 

people in Nicaragua. Mrs. Serioux, moderator 

of the Latin/Caribbean Club, began 

the clothing drive when she received a 

newsletter from El Centro Hispano Americano 

in Plainfield, a nonprofit organization 

that helps immigrants and raises funds 

annually to send two shipments to Nicaragua, 

one in October and the one in May. 

The center asks for items such as clothing, 

office equipment, toys, tools, and bicycles. 

The center was able to send a large shipment 

of donations. About ten students 

from UC participated, including five members 

of the club. An orphanage for teen 

girls in Nicaragua sent back pictures of 

themselves with the items that were sent in 

gratitude for the donations. 

In December, the club will have a water 

project for Ecuador. Students will build a 

large water container in the shape of a 

whale providing water for eighty needy 

families in Ecuador. “Last year was not too 

great, but this year we are trying to improve 

and do at least three charitable 

events,” said Mrs. Serioux. “Acts of charity 

teach students to give and share with the 

poor. Charity helps them understand that 

there are people who are willing to wear 

donated clothes, even if they are already 

used.” 

Health Club 

The Health Club, which “encourages 

students to be active in community 

projects,” plans on having two blood 

drives, one on December 7 and one on 

April 5. Students must be at least seventeen 

years of age, and must weigh at least 110 

pounds to participate in the drive. Blood 

donations will be made to people in shelters, 

or anyone else who may be in need of 

blood. 

On November 18, the Health Club encouraged 

students to give up smoking as 

part of the Great American Smoke Out. 

Students signed up with a buddy in the 

nurse’s office and made the decision to quit 

smoking. Club members also urged students 

to participate in nonsmoking activities 

during the day, and ignore the urge to 

smoke by chewing gum. For World AIDS 

Day, December 1, the theme was “Women 

and AIDS.” Club members made and sold 

pins to students, and the proceeds were 

donated to a local AIDS organization. Although 

the club has already helped a lot, 

Mrs. Ball, the school nurse and club moderator, 

feels more needs to be done. 

French Club 

On November 22, the French club hosted 

a bake sale during lunch. French 4 seniors 

ran the sale, though all members helped 

with the baking. The club earned more 

than $300, which was matched by an anonymous 

donor. All of the proceeds go to the 

Bed and Blanket Campaign of Covenant 

House, New York, a refuge for runaways. 

Before Christmas vacation, the club will 

host the Christmas Luminaria, a Christmas 

liturgy, during which the members of the 

club present luminaria, fashioned after 

French lampions. 

September 11 Memorial 


very proud of Teddy and his accomplishment,” 

said Amanda Bleka 05. “It will 

touch many people, and will be something 

for everyone to enjoy for a long time.” 

“Members of the class of 2005 were 

freshmen on 9-11,” said Director of Development 

Mrs. Thorton. “It’s nice that before


they graduate they have a memorial they 

can visit.” Since the seniors experienced the 

tragedy while at school, this event was especially 

important to them. “I clearly remember 

exactly where I was when the attacks 

happened,” said Kelly Rapolas 05. “It 

was the first time I felt like I belonged at 

UC because of the way that everyone 

bonded together.” 

Expressions and Momentum 


intend to lead Expressions to another first 

place award this year. “They did a wonderful 

job [last year],” said Mr. Leib. “I’m hoping 

they’ll do even better this year. I’ll be 

giving them more responsibility, but I’m 

sure they’ll be up to the job.” 

Receiving 940 out of 1000 points, Expressions 

won its first place award and finished 

just ten points short of first place with special 

merit. Moderator Mr. Leib’s goal for 

this year’s magazine is to “make up those 

ten points somewhere.” 

Mrs. Dwyer had moderated Expressions 

until her retirement in 2003. For several 

years the magazine has won a first place. “I 

was worried,” admitted Mr. Leib. “Mrs. 

Dwyer had set a very high standard. I was 

very pleased with the results.” 

The school yearbook, Momentum, received 

a first place for the ASPA’s annual 

yearbook competition, with 850 points. For 

the last four years the UC yearbook has 

received first place under English and 

yearbook teacher Ms. Webber. “The editing 

by the students really helped,” said Ms. 

Webber. This year’s goal for the yearbook 

staff is to “once again come in first”; however 

they would like to score higher. 

Laura Cash ’05 and Ali Steinbach ’05, coeditors 

and the only returning staff members, 

hope to lead the yearbook to another 

first place. “Organization and getting this 

done by the proper deadline is what made 

last year’s yearbook such a success,” said 

Steinbach. “Creativity is definitely an important 

factor in making the yearbook successful.” 

The angel went 

on to say to her: 

“Do not fear, 

Mary. You have 

found favor with 

God. You shall 

conceive and bear 

a son and give him 

the name Jesus.” 

Lk 1:30-31

The Prophet 8 

400 Make Honor Roll 


ON NOVEMBER 30 AND DECEMBER 1, 400 STUdents 

were acknowledged for making the 

Honor Roll: 27 seniors, 32 juniors, 40 sophomores, 

and 43 freshmen made First Honor 

Roll; 61 seniors, 78 juniors, 46 sophomores, 

and 77 freshmen made Second Honor Roll. 

“The trend has been that the largest number 

of students make honor roll in the first 

marking period,” said Assistant Principal 

Mrs. McCoid. 

Because of the large number of students 

honored, the first marking period Honor 

Roll Breakfast was held on two days. Students 

and their guests gathered to listen to 

Principal Sister Percylee Hart, R.S.M., Assistant 

Principal Mrs. Andrews, and Junior 

Guidance Counselor Dr. Jakubik. “We 

want to honor those students who’ve 

walked the walk and attain their Honor 

Roll status for the first marking period,” 

Sister Percylee said during her speech. 

Freshmen Guidance Counselor Sister M. 

Eloise Claire said a prayer and congratulated 

the freshmen on a job well done in 

the first marking period. Lastly, there was 

the traditional reading of the names by 

Assistant Principal Mr. Reagan (seniors), 

Dr. Jakubik (juniors), Assistant Principal 

Miss Piasecki (sophomores), and Guidance 

Counselor Mrs. Dixon (freshmen). 

This year, the administration changed 

the requirements for achieving Honor Roll. 

Last year, the requirements for getting 

onto First Honor Roll were a GPA of 3.6 

and no grade below a B. Second Honor 

Roll requirements were a GPA of 3.0, no 

grade below a D, and only one C or C+. 

This year the requirements are a GPA of 

3.75 and no grade below a B for the First 

Honor Roll, and GPA of 3.25 no Ds, and 

only one C or C+ for the Second Honor 

Roll. 

With the new requirements, getting on 

the honor roll will be more prestigious 

than it was before the change was made. 

“It’s good because it’s supposed to be an 

exclusive thing, and if everyone gets into 

the Honor Roll, then it’s not,” said Victoria 

Deresz ’06. When applications for college 

are sent, a profile of Union Catholic is also 

sent, showing colleges what it takes for a 

UC student to make Honor Roll. 

“We changed the honor roll requirements 

to reflect the change in grades being 

achieved by our population,” said Mrs. 

McCoid. “We want to make it more rigorous, 

but people of all levels can still make 

the honor roll.” Since many UC students 

will meet the higher standards of a 3.75 

and 3.25 GPA, the difference in the number 

of students making the Honor Roll is insignificant; 

therefore the same students are 

being honored at a higher level. 

The first marking period Honor Rolls: 

Senior 

First Honors 

Judy Ann Adan 

Kara Beaufort 

Amanda Bleka 

Jessica Bonafide 

Laura Cash 

Thomas Childers 

Elizabeth Colombo 


Katherine Czado 

Alexis Dedousis 

Elyssa DiGiovanni 

Lisa Marie 

Fedorochko 

Jennifer Feeley 

Jo-Arabelle Flores 

Ewa Hausbrandt 

Darryl Jon Lasin 

Karina Linares 

Mark Manuel 

Lauren Maseda 

Thomas Mintel 

Laura Mortkowitz 

Vincent Napolitano 

Patricia Niziolek 

Kelly Rapolas 

Cheryl Ritter 

Alison Steinbach 

Andrew Timmes 

Marybeth Tran 

Junior 

First Honors 

Dawn Aliparo 

Jacqueline Arce 

Louis Caruso 

David D’Apolito 

Gina DiCosmo 

Amy Dooley 

Kazimierz Filus 

David Fordham 

Meaghan 

Geislinger 

Bradley Gelles 

Courtney Harris 

Lesley Hendricks 

Kristina Hoover 

Norah Janson 

Alexandra Johnson 

Melanie Kelliher 

Justin Klosek 

Matthew Kolar 

Marissa Mavroudas 

Katherine McGhee 

Ashley Meyn 

Michael Mirza 

Carolyn Moran 

Ashley Mujica 

Danielle O’Brien 

Nicole Palumbo 

Angela Richardson 

Marisol Ruiz 

Alexandra Slomko 

Olutomi Sodeke 

Christopher Varga 

Mark Vyzas 

Allyssa Walls 

Sophomore 

First Honors 

Melissa Barat 

Katherine Bernet 

Laura Rose Biondi 

Andrew Brothers 


Michael Cacoilo 

Steven Cardadeiro 

Alison Carulli 

Elizabeth Casserly 

Charles Defendorf 

Brianna Dugan 

Megan Dyckman 

Estuardo Erazo 

Sara Ferreira 

Kelly Gallucia 

Heather Heaney 

Erin Hughes 

Danielle Kania 

Olena Lyashchenko 

Bryan Marques 

Rebecca Mehringer 

Dianne Navoa 

Christina Palumbo 

Amanda Parker


Cintia Pereira 

Erica Patela 

Stephanie Rigor 

Julia Rivas 

John Rotondo 

Kimberly Schanz 

Rakhi Vyas 

Freshman 

First Honors 

Colleen Anderson 

Stephanie Arrojado 

Sylvia Balabusta 

Justin Cogoan 

Kristin Cassidy 

Reina Castro 

Kristen Colletti 

Michael DiPaolo 

Jacqueline Dworak 

Taylor Fields 

Gabrielle Geller 

Sedona Horning 

Nicole Johnson 

Christopher Jones 

Michelle Kus 

Tony LaRocca 

April Llamas 

Melanie Magella 

Michael Mastrola 

Julie Mohammed 

Hosam Morsy 

Gabriela Moura 

Alexander Niziolek 

Monica Opliac 

Alicia Palmieri 

Prapti Patel 

Catherine 

Paternostro 

Elizabeth Peach 

Monica Picca 

Cynthia Ritter 

Marissa Rondinone 

Jillian Roth 

Stephanie Savino 

Elisabeth Scherer 

Angela Sessa 

Nicole Siano 

James Trollo 

Nicholas Vislocky 

Allison Whitefleet 

Christopher 

Wytenus 

Kaitlyn Zofcin 

Keith Zukowski 

Senior 

Second Honors 

Kenneth Abel 

Denise Aliparo 

Sara Backof 

April Ann 

Bacunawa 

Beth Ann Bodek 

Justin Brennan 

Danielle Chapla 

Joseph Cicchino 

Jenner Cole 

Chanel Collins 

Cristin Collucci 

Megan Conheeney 

Danielle Cooley 

Vanessa Cruz 

Kristin Davie 

Brian De Oliveira 

Casandra DePalma 

Raquel Dominguez 

Juliana Dos Santos 

Alexis Duca 

Kristine Eppinger 

Kimberly Feil 

Melissa Ford 

Jeanine Freitas 

Kristy Glavasich 

Leana Gonsalves 

Louise Gonzalez 

Paul Goscicki 

Monica Grabowski 

Stephen Grabowski 

Steven Holts 

Natalia Ikheloa 

Oliver Joszt 

Lindsay Keogh 

Natasha Larrinaga 

Jasmina Marshall 

Sophia Rose 

Mavroudas 

April McKee 

Stefanie 

Messercola 

Katelyn Murray 

Caitlan Norton 

Erin O’Conner 

Stephanie Pego 

Amanda Pitts 

Karen Rivera 

Alex Rodriguez 

Gabriel Rojas 

Merissa Rose 

Rachel Rota 

Kyle Schoendorf 

Kyle Simons 

Oliver Solano 

Jason Stafford 

Megan Stahlberg 


Ashley Styranec 

Robert Tandoc 

Ann Jaclyn Te 

Regina Topping 

Brian Vasquez 

Mark Vislocky 

Nichole Zoller 

Junior 

Second Honors 

Milton Aguirre 

Carlange Aimé 

Andrew Ballate 

Kristin Barko 

Nicole Battaglia 

Angela Belotta 

Michael Bento 

Julianne Berger 

Kevin Blaha 

Jasmine Bolton 

Mary Bricki 

Brandon Brown 

Tarrell Calloway 

Jonathan 

Cardadeiro 

Jessica Catananzi 

Alexander Cicchino 

Nicole Cousins 

Thomas Creanza 

Shannon Curry 

Carlos daCosta 


John Digilio 

Gregory Dorilus 

Christopher 

Esperon 

Gabriel Faria 

Caitlin Feeley 

Thomas FitzGibbon 

Gabriella Gomes 

Jamal Gordon 

Bryan Gray 

Lauren Hahn 

Kimberly Hannam 

Pamela Heaney 

Jackelyn 

Hernandez 

Angela Homs 

Daniel Hudak 

Katherine Hudak 

Steven Jacques 

David King 

Nicole King 

Brian Kratky 

Paul Latham 

Jill Lee 

Alyssa 

Lewandowski 

Brianne Lojo 

Bradley Lord 

Jennifer Loureiro 

Kevin Lubin 

Carl Luongo 

Caitlin Mahler 

Katherine Martinez 

Joseph Massaro 

Stephanie Mateiro 

Cassandra McLean 

Jessica Moise 

Hugo Moras 

Nicholas Morrisey 

Christopher Noble 

Obiajulu Nwizugbo 

Matthew Oliveto 

Melissa Patterson 

Matthew Peters 

Konrad Piatkiewicz 

Genna Pinto 

Stephen Popek 

Jessica Pribush 


Alexia Regman 

Steven Reis 

Paige Rusnock 

Joanne Schurtz 

Marc Seemon 

Michelle Simpson 

Sabina Soto 

Victoria Spellman 

Meredith Spera 

Anna Vicci 

Jillian Volkert 

Danielle Zoller 

Sophomore 

Second Honors 

Aerielle Belk 

Christie Brid 

Ashley Broderick 

Elizabeth Capriola 

Samantha 

Carbonaro 

Kevin Cassidy 

Sophia Cheung 

Bo Chu 

Kristian Cortizo 

Patricia Costa 

Edgar Cruz 

Philip D’Apolito 

Timothy Deegan 

Danielle Dimperio 

Kaitlin Eppinger 

Nicholas Ferreira 

Marvin Flores 

Matthew Flynn 

Kaitlin Foster 

Sean Gaynor 

Katherine Gigl 


Jennifer Holtz 

Mitsu Illionet 

Katherine Kaczor 

Stephanie 

Kakaletris 

Andrew Kardach 

Ana Krawetz 

Edward Kuspiel 

Matthew Madurski 

Sherri-Nichole 

McLendon 

Jamie Mills 

Joseph Mintel 

Dwight Mitchell 

Regina Nicoll 

Darryl Parchment 

Angelica Poon 

Katelin 

Reaney-Perrotti 

Ruth Reviriego 

Kaitlyn Ryan 

Edward Sagendorf 

Aileen Salle 

Scott Sinclair 

Renee Tandoc 

Danielle 

Washington 

Kayla Zoleta 

Freshman 

Second Honors 

Jonathon Abel 

Stefani Acquisto 

Kenya Allen 

Jessica Ballate 

Christopher Bass 

Reginald Belcher 

Kaitlyn Bennett 

Michael Bowlby 

Christina Broderick 

Tiara Brown 

Michael Buczynski 

Alexandra Burns 

Amanda Caraher 

Kevin Cascone 

Jordan Colon 

Thabo D’Anjou 

Jaime-Leigh 

Dedousis 

Nicole DePrimio 

Mitcha DeSilmar 

Garrett DiGiovanni 

Mariangela DiPaola 

Aaron Doherty 

Caitlin Dugan 

Madeline Dulanto 

Marcus Dyson 

Charles Eke 

Eugenio Esquivel 

Danyla Frazier 

Jessica Gavilanes 

Natalie Geacintov 

Olivia Gerlitz 

Jeffrey Hand 

William Hannam 

James Harbison 

Samantha Hogan 

Victoria Hudak 

Asheem Jacob 

Robert Jacques 

Keyana Jones 

Jennifer Kelliher 

Ryan Kilkenny 

Michele Klimowicz 

Andrew Kocur 

Christopher Lau 

Sara Leso 

John Liguori 

Margarent 

Lowenberg 

Nicholas Marcketta 

Sara McDermott 

Megan McHugh 

Michael McKeown 

Trevor McPherson 

Marcella Naguib 

Jennifer Novle 

Brian O’Donnell 

Christopher Obara 

Aissa Oliva 

Carlo Palencia 

Milan Patel 

Xavier Pineda 

Jessica Riddick 

Theresa Rodrigues 

Deanna Rodriguez 

William Rosselle 

Rachael Scarola 

Kiersten Schiller 

Khristina Schultz 

Maggie Segotta 

Elissa Smart 

Christopher Smith 

Kevin Smith 

Samantha Solomon 

Michael Suarez 

Ivonna Thompson 

Eric Vandenberg 

Katlin Vargo 

Joseph Weresow 

Danaia Williams

The Prophet 10 

Sopohomore Day of Recollection 

Amanda Parker 

ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, THE SOPHOMORE 

Day of Recollection was held at the Nazareth 

Center of the Immaculate Heart of 

Mary Church. Days of Recollection are 

held annually for each grade, and focus on 

the students learning “about themselves, 

both as individuals and as a group.” 

Mr. Marino, religion teacher, took charge 

of the day, aided by the Peer Ministry. Also 

assisting were Assistant Principal Mr. Reagan 

and faculty/staff members Mr. Cahill, 

Ms. Eger, Ms. Matthews, Mrs. Palenik, 

Mrs. Schurtz, Mr. Tanyag, and Mrs. Thornton. 

The theme for the day, Chutes and 

Ladders, proved to be a rather straightforward 

premise, emphasizing 

the daily ups and 

downs of life as a teenager. 

The day began with 

Peer Ministers attacking 

the sophomores during 

homeroom, defacing the 

students’ hands with 

their initials in order to 

designate which Peer Minister’s group they 

were in. “I was kind of confused as to why 

we were being attacked by Sharpies,” 

Marvin Flores reflected. 

Following this traditional opening, the 

sophomore class gathered in the gym, 

where the class participated in some ice 

breaker games. One game involved splitting 

the grade into two groups, each one 

forming its own massive circle. In the center 

of each circle, students stood and 

shouted something they have never done 

to their peers. Upon hearing this, the students 

either remained 

where they were (if 

they also had not done 

the proposed action) or 

bolted across the circle, 

frantically searching 

for a new seat if they 

had done it. The student 

bringing up the rear was then designated 

as the one in the center, and the 

game continued. 

Following this game was a humorous, 

twisted version of the classic loved by all: 

Charades. Students who volunteered to act 

out in front of 

the entire class 

were escorted 

out of the gym 

where the Peer 

Ministers dictated 

their assigned 

performance. 

However, the volunteers had not 

been informed that in the next room, the 

entire sophomore class was being informed 

that what was about to be performed was 

supposed to be the volunteers’ bathroom 

habits. Concluding the morning gathering 

with a “pop” was a contest between two 

sophomores, Jamie Mills and Matt Madurski, 

who faced the pop rocks and soda 

challenge, during which each participant 

was required to maintain the largest 

amount of the mixture as possible (without 

swallowing!) longer than his or her opponent. 

Madurski claimed victory, while 

Mills casually sat back in observation. 

Following the short game session, Peer 

Ministers and faculty members escorted 

the students across the street to Immaculate 

Heart of Mary, where the remainder of 

the day took place. After receiving some 

food for thought, the sophomores retired to 

their designated discussion groups, and 

took part in a joint game of Chutes and 

Ladders. This version, yet again, was altered 

for the sheer enjoyment of the stu-


dents. Rather than individually oppose 

each other, the game was played as a team, 

requiring teamwork and group effort from 

the team members. 

At times throughout the day, students 

divided into their assigned groups and 

participated in various discussions and 

activities covering diverse topics with their 

Peer Ministry leaders. One activity advocated 

the recognition of positive and negative 

qualities of each member of the group. 

A ball of yarn was tossed about the room, 

and each student who caught it was required 

to say one positive and one negative 

trait of whomever threw it. In the end, the 

tightly grasped yarn formed an intricate 

web, representing the bond among the 

students. 

One of the most moving episodes of the 

day was Mr. Marino’s speech to the class. 

Spanning a wide range of topics, Mr. 

Marino began with a reflection of his time 

spent in college, progressing to the tragic 

events of September 11 and the impact it 

had on his life. Captivated students hung 

on Mr. Marino’s every word as he delivered 

“some very valuable messages,” recalled 

Brian Major, such as “do things that 

you are comfortable with.” 

To conclude the day, the sophomore 

class filed into the Immaculate Heart of 

Mary Church and joined together in Mass 

to reflect the day’s events as well as its 

newly gained knowledge. Father Worth 

and Deacon Lynch led the Mass along with 

alter servers Brian Major and Michael 

Shields. Bringing the day’s events full 

circle, the sophomores exited the church to 

Green Day’s “Poprocks and Coke.” 

Sophomores recalled their previous Day 

of Recollection as “boring” and not very 

helpful. This year’s Day of Recollection for 

the sophomores was marked a success by 

Mr. Marino. “It seemed like the sophomores 

really got into it and had a great 

time,” explained Mr. Marino. “We learned 

things that worked and things that didn’t 

work.” Matt Pollock stated that the best 

thing he got out of it was that it “helped 

mend a hurting relationship.” Mr. Marino 

concluded, “We did accomplish everything 

that we wanted to. The day went great 

from top to bottom.” 

For a child is born to us, 

a son is given us; upon his 

shoulder dominion rests. 

They name him Wonder- 

Counselor, God-Hero, 

Father-Forever, 

Prince of Peace. 

Is 9:5

The Prophet 12 

PAC Prepares to 

Honk 


THE UNION CATHOLIC PERFORMING ARTS 

Company will present Honk! as the annual 

spring musical this March. Leading the cast 

of 55, under English teacher Mrs. Carolan’s 

direction, are Andrew Timmes ’05, Katie 

McGhee ’06, Vinny Napolitano ’05, Alex 

Rodriguez ’05, Sophia Mavroudas ’05, 

Lauren Maseda ’05, Joann Tavares ’05, Jason 

Brubaker ’05, Natasha Larrinaga ’05, 

Kaz Filus ’06, Katie Czado ’05, Allie Slomko 

’06, Brian DeOliveira ’05, and Victoria 

Spellman ’06. 

Honk! is a retelling of the story of the 

ugly duckling. The show chronicles the 

misadventures of a duckling known as 

Ugly. Due to his unusually large size, he 

attracts the unwanted attention of Cat, 

whose motivation is supper. One day, at 

Cat’s suggestion Ugly wanders away from 

the lake during feeding time, leaving behind 

a frantically worried mother. For the 

rest of the play, Ugly tries to escape Cat 

and find his way back home, enlisting the 

help of several animals along the way. 

Honk! differs from last year’s Pippin in a 

number of ways. While Pippin featured 

darker themes and a more stylized form of 

dancing, Honk! has more lighthearted 

themes as well as generic musical dancing 

with “duckage.” “It’s so different than last 

year,” said religion teacher Miss Eger, the 

play’s choreographer. “Last year we had 

one intact ensemble. This year the parts are 

more individualized.” 

Auditions were held in September and 

rehearsals began the second week of November. 

During rehearsal, cast members 

undergo “boot camp.” Practices begin with 

100 jumping jacks, 50 crunches, 30 pushups, 

and arm circles. This training schedule, 

however, is merely the beginning; at 

the end of the year, the numbers of repetitions 

will double. “I love boot camp!” Miss 

Eger said. “It’s my favorite thing ever. We 

really bond as a cast and everyone gets in 

shape. It’s a great energy booster.” 

Mrs. Carolan said she looks forward to 

the performances this year. “The script was 

the only one we read that actually made us 

laugh out loud. It’s a different kind of 

show than Pippin, but I think it’ll be really 

enjoyable.” 

UC Gives 

Thanks 

Kristin Davie 

ON NOVEMBER 22, THE UNION CATHOLIC 

community gathered in the gym for the 

annual Thanksgiving Mass. Principal Sister 

Percylee Hart, R.S.M., reminded students 

that “where two or three are gathered in 

his name, Jesus is in their midst,” and introduced 

Father John Gloss of the Metuchen 

diocese, a former high school principal, 

to preside over the Mass. John Leustek 

’06 delivered the First Reading, Gabe Rojas 

’05 the Responsorial Psalm, Jasmine Kelley 

’07 the Second Reading and Deacon John 

Lynch the Gospel Reading. 

In his homily, Father Gloss asked UC 

students to say “thank you” and said that 

everyone is “called to be thankful so we 

can be a service to others.” Jasmine Long 

’07 read the Prayer of the Faithful. Bryan 

Gray ’06, Meaghan Geislinger ’06, Jessica 

Bonafide ’05, Brian DeOliveira ’05, Joe 

Varvara ’05, Jessica Espinosa ’05, and Rich 

Hernandez ’05 presented the gifts: a statue 

of Mary, a basket of food, and the American 

flag. Altar servers Joe Massaro ’06, 

Zach Davis ’06, and Brian Major ’07 presented 

the bread and wine. 

During Communion, the Gospel Choir 

performed, accompanied by Mr. Frio at the 

piano. Patricia Niziolek ’05, Monica Grabowski 

’05, Alexis Dedousis ’05, and Albert 

Diaz ’05 served Communion as the Eucharistic 

Ministers. Father Gloss said the Final 

Blessing and the students returned to class. 

Peer Ministry coordinated the Thanksgiving 

Mass with a theme of gratitude in 

mind. “We tried to make it different with 

the Gospel Choir,” said Natasha Larrinaga 

’05. “They were awesome and really 

brought it to life.”


Fall Sports Wrap-Up 

Ashley Martin and Stefanie Messercola 

UNION CATHOLIC WITNESSED ONE OF ITS BEST 

fall sports seasons ever this year. Boys and 

girls varsity soccer, boys cross country and 

varsity volleyball and gymnastics teams all 

competed very hard. Director of Athletics 

Mr. Reagan, Sr., could not have asked for a 

better season from all of the UC players. 

“I’m very proud of all the kids; they did an 

amazing job representing Union Catholic,” 

he said. “It was a very busy and exciting 

season for all of us here in the community.” 

The varsity boys soccer team, crowned 

Mountain Valley Conference champions, 

reached the semifinals in the NJSIAA State 

Tournament. Team co-captains Marco 

Messercola ’05 and Brian DeOliveira ’05 

agreed that this year’s fall soccer season 

was one to remember. “It was great to have 

such a successful season,” DeOliveira said. 

“It was a pleasure to play my last year with 

this team.” 

“The team this year was one of the best 

UC has ever seen,” said Messercola. “We 

all really came together as a family, and we 

can be proud of our accomplishments.” 

The varsity girls soccer team, led by cocaptains 

Amanda Pitts ’05 and Ashley Styranec 

’05, competed as a sectional finalist 

in the state tournament. “A lot of people 

didn’t think we’d make it this far, but we 

proved everyone wrong.” Pitts proudly 

said. “We had an amazing year and I’m 

very proud to have been a member of the 

team.” 

“Our team really grew as a whole and 

became closer,” noted Styranec. “I believe 

that helped us to play better and allowed 

us to have such a great season.” 

The boys cross-country team won the 

Mountain Valley Conference, and placed 

fourth in the Parochial B division in the 

NJSIAA State Tournament. Brian Guterl ’07 

was ranked fifth in the NJSIAA state meet 

and was also named a Meet of Champions 

qualifier. “I was very proud to represent 

UC and make it this far.” 

The volleyball team reached the semifinals 

in the county tournament and 

reached the Group II semi-finals in the 

state tournament. Over the past few years, 

UC’s varsity volleyball has created a respected 

name for themselves. Team cocaptains 

Louise Gonzalez ’05 and Megan 

Conheeney ’05 could not have asked for a 

better fall season. “I was really happy,” 

said Gonzalez. “I’ve been waiting since 

freshmen year to be a captain. Looking up 

to the other seniors felt good, and it was a 

responsibility I could handle.” 

The gymnastics team competed as a sectional 

finalist in the state tournament. Cocaptains 

Cristin Colucci ’05 and Jessica 

Bonafide ’05 were pleased with the results 

of their last season at UC. “We had a promising 

season,” Colucci said. “I’m sad to be 

leaving it behind, but I know the other girls 

on the team will continue to do great.” 

Bonafide seconded that feeling. “We did 

well as a team and individually we did 

even better,” she said. “I loved doing gymnastics 

for UC. It will be a memory I’ll 

never forget.” Team member Alyssa Lewandowski 

’06 placed fifth in the NJSIAA 

sectional meet. 

Soccer Coach Joe DeOliveira was 

named Star-Ledger Coach of the 

Year. In his eleventh season, he 

guided UC to its best record in 

history, a 16-2-1 mark. DeOliveira 

credits his assistants, Coaches 

Guzman, Lacson, and Ryan for much 

of the team’s success. “They have 

been a big help to me and as coaches 

we’re all on the same page,” he said. 

Michael Seamon ’06 captured the 

Union County scoring title this year 

with a 31-goal, 11-assist output. 

Brian Osbahr ’06 and Matt Cunha ’05 

(eight goals) and Chris Varga and 

Chris Chaban (eight combined 

shutouts) were all also named 

top juniors.


Winter Sports 

Preview 

Ally Walls 

THE WINTER SPORTS SEASON IS ALREADY IN 

full swing as the holidays approach. Officially 

beginning on November 26, the 

weekend after Thanksgiving, the winter 

sports season includes varsity bowling, 

varsity winter track, varsity swimming, 

girls’ varsity and JV basketball, and boys’ 

varsity, JV and freshman basketball. The 

athletes, coaches and fans are all looking 

forward to another exciting and successful 

season. 

Bowling 

The bowling team is anticipating another 

winning season under new head coach 

Ms. Jacques. The team defeated Immaculata 

in its first match on December 13. 

“Our biggest competition is usually Roselle 

Catholic,” noted captain Judy Adan ’05. 

“This year our main goal is to get back the 

Mountain Valley Conference Championship.” 

Winter Track 

The winter track team looks bright as 

they prepare for a busy season. Under 

Coach Guzman, the team has been growing 

each season. “This season should be 

much more successful than last season,” 

said Jon Pais ’05. “My personal goal is to 

get a half-mile time of two minutes or less, 

but as a team, one of our main goals is to 

put together a strong relay team for the 800 

meters.” The winter track team opens their 

season on December 19 at the West Point 

Relays. 

Swimming 

Both the co-ed swimming team and the 

individual teams look strong as they seek 

to improve on last years’ successes. Under 

head coach Ms. Marybeth Koza, the team is 

working hard at every practice to get better. 

“This year we have a lot more strong 

boys, which will help us succeed at the 

boys’ meets,” said Tom Creanza ‘06. “We 

should also be strong during girls’ meets 

and co-ed meets.” 

Boys’ Basketball 

The boys’ varsity basketball team is 

enthusiastic about the upcoming season 

as they prepare for their season opener 

against Arthur L. Johnson High School on 

December 18. “Our younger players have 

grown up now and gained a lot more experience,” 

explained Chris Esperon ’06. 

“Our schedule should provide us with a 

lot of competition this year, especially 

against New Providence and Brearley.” 

The team has been working hard so far 

and is determined to have a winning season 

and make it far in the country tournament. 

Girls’ Basketball 

The girls’ varsity basketball team is 

one of the strongest in UC’s history. Following 

three consecutive trips to the Union 

County Finals, the Lady Vikings hope to 

return this season. “We lost a lot of our 

height this year after graduating our two 

starting post players, Lauren Huber and 

Ashley Whittemore,” said captain Katelyn 

Murray ’05. “This year we will definitely 

have to use our speed to our advantage 

and beat teams by running the ball up the 

floor more.” The girls open up their season 

on December 17 at Jonathan Dayton High 

School in Springfield. They encourage all 

UC fans to come out and support them as 

they look forward to another successful 

season. 

Cheerleading 

The varsity cheerleading team looks forward 

to supporting another great season of 

winter sports. “This year we are looking to 

compete more,” stated Michelle Holland 

’05. The cheerleaders will compete at 

Rahway in February. They want to wish all 

of the winter sports teams good luck this 

season.


UC’s Sporting 

Rivals 

Ally Walls 

IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL, IT IS THE YANKEES 

and the Red Sox. In college football, Michigan 

and Ohio State. In college basketball, 

North Carolina and Duke. Sports rivalries 

arouse passion in both the players and the 

fans. High school rivalries seem to create 

an ardor in athletes, students, and staff that 

is an indispensable aspect of the high 

school experience. 

Most Union Catholic students know that 

our school’s number one rival is the Roselle 

Catholic Lions, but most are not aware of 

just how long this rivalry has existed. The 

rivalry between UC and RC is fairly new, 

according to Athletic Director Mr. Reagan, 

Sr. “We never played against Roselle 

Catholic, with the exception of chance 

meetings in tournaments, until about eight 

years ago,” said Mr. Reagan, who has been 

involved with the Athletic Department for 

the past seventeen years. 

Before joining the Mountain Valley Conference 

eight years ago, UC was a member 

of the Watchung Conference. In that conference, 

some of our school’s main rivals 

included Elizabeth, Linden, and Westfield. 

Once UC joined the Mountain Valley 

Conference, RC became a “natural rival,” 

explained Mr. Reagan. “Since both Union 

Catholic and Roselle Catholic are regional 

schools, students who come to UC from 

Catholic grammar schools usually know a 

lot of kids from their class that go to RC.” 

Though RC is considered our school rival, 

many individual sports have additional 

rivalries as well. “Even though RC is 

our main school rival, Rahway is our biggest 

soccer rival,” said Chris Varga ’06, 

goalie on the boys’ varsity soccer team. 

“We get psyched up to play against RC, 

but we haven’t beaten Rahway in the past 

nine seasons.” 

Girls’ soccer also has several rivals, including 

Governor Livingston and Scotch 

Plains–Fanwood. “GL and SPF are our 

main rivals because they are our best competition 

in the conference,” stated Ashley 

Styranec ’05. 

“When it comes to school rivalries in 

general, RC is our rival, but in the state 

tournament, Caldwell is our number one 

rival because they’ve beaten us three years 

in a row,” said Louise Gonzalez ’05, cocaptain 

of the volleyball team. “When we 

play our rivals, we just get psyched up; we 

psych each other up.” 

Mr. Reagan reminds students that while 

rivalries are fun, exciting, and competitive, 

they should never be taken “past the point 

of good competition.” As representatives 

of UC, it is important for all fans, players, 

and coaches to behave in a sportsmanlike 

way at all athletic events. 

She gave birth to her first 

born son and wrapped him in 

swaddling clothes and laid 

him in a manger, because 

there was no room for them 

in the place where travelers 

lodged. 

Lk 2:7


UC Students 

Take a Break 


FROM DECEMBER 23 THROUGH JANUARY 2, THE 

one place Union Catholic students will not 

be found is in the classroom. As the Christmas 

season once again rolls around, UC 

students spice up their breaks by spending 

it in a variety of ways. 

“Sleep, it’s all about the sleep,” said Jessica 

Pribush ’06. Though not having to 

wake up to the blaring sound of an alarm 

each morning is a highlight, others find 

traveling is the best way to spend their 

break. “Every Christmas break I go with 

my family to New York State,” said Sedona 

Horning ’08. “It’s a great way to spend 

time with the people who really matter and 

just get away from the aggravation and 

hassle of home.” Whether going away with 

family or friends, sometimes a change of 

environment is a way to relax and really 

enjoy the Christmas spirit. “Over this 

Christmas break, I’m going to Florida for 

swim training camp,” said Erin O’Connor 

’05. “It’s a really good way to stay in shape 

and it’s nice to relax in Florida with a 

change of weather and atmosphere.” 

Sometimes just slowing down and 

spending quality time with the people who 

matter is truly the best gift received in December. 

“Hanging out with my friends and 

family and enjoying their company is definitely 

the best part of Christmas break,” 

said Jon Cardadeiro ’06. 

For those who are not as lucky to go 

away, break can be a time to make some 

extra money. “Christmas break is the culmination 

of my December job of selling 

Christmas trees,” said Dave Fordham ’06. 

“It’s a nice way to pick up some extra 

money right when you need it the most.” 

Though working may not seem like a vacation 

to some people, for others it is still a 

step up. “Anything is better than school,” 

said Stephanie Guterl ’05. “At least at work 

you get paid to be miserable.” 

Whether spending time with friends and 

family, or hopping on a jet and flying to a 

summer paradise, by December 23, students 

all have one thing in common–they 

definitely need a break. 

Semi a “Merry” 

Time for All 

Stefanie Messercola 

UNION CATHOLIC’S ANNUAL WINTER SEMIformal 

dance, “Christmas in the City,” was 

held on Friday, December 10. Students 

danced all night long to the music of DJ 

Pros and enjoyed a variety of food from a 

hot and cold buffet. Approximately 450 

people were present at the dance, making 

this year’s semi one of the largest UC has 

ever seen. Many students were pleased 

that the dance was held in the gym, beautifully 

decorated for Christmas, accented by 

a black, white, and silver color scheme. 

Sister Ann Sullivan, Student Council moderator, 

said that the move from the cafeteria 

to the gym was inevitable. “Attendance 

has been growing for the semi, and the cafeteria 

was becoming too crowded,” she 

said. “The gym gives us more space to 

spread out. We were also able to use the 

balconies.” 

The Student Council, assisted by Sister 

Ann, Ms. Wood, and members of the Development 

Office, worked hard to make 

the evening such a success. President Brian 

DeOliveira ’05 was pleased with the outcome. 

“Student council members did everything 

from selling tickets to decorating 

the gym,” he said. “I’m glad that everyone 

enjoyed themselves and had a good time at 

the dance.” 

Humanities teacher Mr. Cahill enjoyed 

being a chaperone for the night. “I always 

like coming to the semi-formal,” he said. 

“It is a really fun event and all the students 

always have a great time.” 

“This semi was definitely one of the best 

ones by far,” said Alex Rodriguez ’05. “Everyone 

enjoyed themselves, especially the 

seniors.”


Seniors Trim 

the Tree 


On Monday, December 6, the class of 2005 

attended the annual Senior Tree Trimming 

Party. The invitations promised “carols to 

put you in the Christmas spirit. Games, 

food, and lots of fun decorating the ‘tree.’” 

For most seniors the night lived up to its 

expectations. 

Seniors arrived at the cafeteria at 6:15, 

where they saw the eight-foot tall Christmas 

tree. Students ate subs for dinner, 

played games, and won many door prizes. 

“I really enjoyed the games,” said Allie 

Whittle. “It made the night for me; it was a 

lot of fun to spend sometime with my 

friends to celebrate Christmas.” 

Each senior was given a Christmas ball 

to decorate and make his or her own, to be 

placed on the tree. A special prayer was 

read, and the tree was lit. The seniors and 

faculty joined together in singing “O, 

Christmas Tree.” “I’ve always liked Christmas 

trees,” said Gabe Rojas, “and the event 

itself was a lot more fun then it originally 

sounded like.” 

“This has been a tradition at UC for the 

past eight years,” said senior class advisor 

Sister Irma Gazzillo, who was in charge of 

organizing the party. “I think the seniors 

really enjoyed themselves and the night 

was a success. It was a great way to start 

the Christmas season.” 

As the seniors prepared to go home, 

many realized that this event would be one 

of the last times the seniors were together 

as a class, and their last Christmas at UC. 

“It was a beautiful thing to have the senior 

class together, because soon enough we 

will be going our own separate ways,” said 

Richard Hernandez. “This night will be 

remembered by all of the seniors who attended 

it for a very long time.” 

UC Decks the 

Halls 


UNION CATHOLIC CONTINUED ITS ANNUAL 

tradition of each class decorating its hallway. 

However, this year many students 

seem less than enthused about the project. 

While some feel that decorating the hallway 

is a great idea, others feel that it is not. 

“Some of the hallways are very cliché and 

over done,” said Leana Gonsalves ’05. On 

the other hand, “I think that it is really festive 

and everyone is very innovative,” said 

Michael Brown ’07. 

The sophomore hallway tried to recreate 

New York City during the Christmas holiday 

season. The senior and freshmen 

wings used the theme Christmas town/ 

Winter Wonderland and the juniors were 

creative and fun with the Christmas lights. 

The planning for the hallway decorations 

started before Thanksgiving. Some classes 

waited a lot longer, causing some students 

to feel that the work was not distributed 

properly. “I think that hallway decorating 

is a very bad idea because Student Council 

for the most part did everything,” said 

Destiny Blair ’06. “Everyone else just walks 

around tearing everything down.” 

While UC students were divided on 

what they thought about the decorations, 

most of the faculty thinks that it is a great 

idea. “It’s a good opportunity for students 

to work together and put together decorations 

so that everyone can enjoy it,” said 

biology teacher Miss Meg Nuwer. 

The hallways were judged by several 

faculty members and the senior class won 

the competition, followed by the sophomores, 

freshmen and juniors. “I was really 

excited that the senior wing won,” said 

religion teacher and senior class advisor 

Sister Irma Gazzillo. “A lot of work went 

into it and I was proud to be a part of it.” 

The seniors will receive a free tag day on a 

date to be announced.


The Roots of 

Christmas 

Marisol Ruiz 

ALTHOUGH CHRISTMAS MAY HAVE STARTED 

with Jesus’ birth, the celebration of Christmas 

did not begin until the fourth century, 

hundreds of years later. But the holiday 

evolved from various pre-Christian cultures, 

some as old as 4000 years. 

Early Christians only celebrated Easter 

and did not consider Jesus’ birthday a holiday. 

However, during the fourth century, 

church officials decided to make the birth 

of Christ a holiday. Pope Julius I chose December 

25 as the day for observance, in an 

effort to replace the pagan Roman celebration 

of Saturnalia. Beginning December 17, 

Romans held a week long festival in honor 

of Saturn, the god of agriculture. During 

Saturnalia, all businesses and stores were 

closed, the people would exchange gifts 

with one another and slaves would be 

freed for the week. At this time, Romans 

also celebrated the birth date of Mithras, 

the Persian sun god, on December 25, in 

gratitude for the extra daylight given to 

them after the winter solstice. Juvenalia 

was another holiday observed by the Romans 

who held a feast in honor of Roman 

children. 

Once the birthday of Jesus became a holiday, 

Christians made it a tradition to attend 

church every year. The celebration of 

Jesus’ birth was first known as the Feast of 

the Nativity, but was later named Christmas, 

a word derived from the old English 

cristes mœsse (Christ’s Mass). Centuries 

later the expansion of Christianity throughout 

Europe and the Middle East led to the 

spread of the Christmas ritual around the 

world. As a result, Christian traditions and 

beliefs mixed with the already celebrated 

pagan feasts and changed into the traditions 

that have continued to live on since. 

Christmas’ popularity continued until 

the Reformation, a religious movement of 

the 1500s that started Protestantism. Protestants 

criticized the Catholic Church, arguing 

that it still took part in pagan practices 

such as exchanging gifts and the 

hanging of mistletoe. In the 1600s, Oliver 

Cromwell and his Puritan followers took 

over the government of England and rid it 

of Christmas. After the restoration of 

Charles II, the English restored the observance 

of Christmas. 

The pilgrims who immigrated to America 

in 1620 were even stricter than Cromwell. 

For a limited period of time in the 

seventeenth century, the celebration of 

Christmas was prohibited in England and 

much of English North America. In some 

areas anyone who celebrated the holiday 

would be fined five shillings for disobeying 

the law. 

When the celebration of Christmas 

spread to North America, the celebration 

was not as popular as it is today. The majority 

of the people considered the day to 

be a workday, though there were some 

areas which celebrated the holiday with 

special feasts and reunions. Some communities 

would also celebrate by giving small 

presents to people dressed in costumes 

who went from door to door in search of 

gifts. The exchanging of presents among 

families was very rare during the period. 

In the nineteenth century the industrial 

economy brought about a new middle 

class, based on the home and special relationship 

among families. Thus, with the 

intention of bringing families together, 

Christmas began to turn into a popular 

domestic holiday. It was not until June 26, 

1870, that Christmas, in America, was officially 

declared a federal holiday, on which 

people had the opportunity to stay home 

and celebrate with the family.


The Evolution of the Man in the 

Red Suit 

HE IS THE ROTUND MAN IN THE RED SUIT AND 

has his very own North Pole workshop. He 

enjoys milk and cookies and loves to give 

gifts. This jolly old man is the legendary 

Santa Claus. 

Santa Claus was not this widely loved 

man’s name from the start. The legend of 

Santa Claus can be traced to a monk named 

St. Nicholas. Born around A.D. 280 in Patara, 

in modern-day Turkey, Nicholas was 

admired for his kindness and piety. Legend 

tells that he gave away all of his inherited 

wealth and traveled the countryside 

helping the poor and the sick. Nicholas’s 

popularity spread and he became known 

as the protector of children and sailors. His 

feast day, December 6, the anniversary of 

his death, was traditionally a lucky day to 

get married or make large purchases. 

Toward the end of the eighteenth century, 

St. Nicholas began to make his way 

into American culture. A New York newspaper 

reported in 1773 that groups of 

Dutch families had gathered to honor the 

anniversary of St. Nicholas’s death. The 

Dutch Sint Nikolaas was often called by his 

nickname Sinter Klaas. 

John Pintard, a member of the New York 

Historical Society, gave out woodcuts of St. 

Nicholas at the society’s annual meeting in 

1804. The engravings contained images 

such as stockings hung 

over a fireplace, filled 

with fruit and toys. In 

1809, Washington Irving 

further popularized 

the Sinter Klaas stories 

in The History of New 

York, referring to St. 

Nicholas as the patron 

saint of New York. Sinter Klaas began to be 

described in numerous ways, including as 

a rascal with a blue three-cornered hat, red 

waistcoat, and yellow stockings. 

Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal 

minister, wrote a Christmas poem for his 

three daughters in 1822. Entitled A Visit 


from St. Nicholas and beginning with the 

line, “’Twas the night before Christmas,” 

the poem is largely responsible for the 

modern day image of 

Santa as a portly man 

with the ability to ascend 

chimneys with the 

nod of his head. The 

poem helped popularize 

the idea of a Santa 

who flew from house to 

house on Christmas 

Eve in a sleigh led by 

eight flying reindeer. 

Moore also named the 

reindeer and spread the idea of gifts being 

left for deserving children. 

Thomas Nast, the famous political cartoonist, 

depicted Santa in the 1881 Christmas 

issue of Harper’s Weekly as a rotund, 

cheerful man, with a white beard, holding 

a sack of toys for lucky children. Nast created 

the Santa with a bright red suit 

trimmed with white fur, a North Pole 

workshop, elves, and a wife, Mrs. Claus. 

Stores began advertising Christmas 

shopping in the 1820s and newspapers 

were creating separate sections for holiday 

advertisements by the 1840s. The advertisements 

often contained images of Santa 

Claus. Thousands of children visited a 

Philadelphia shop in 1841 to see a life-size 

Santa model. Later, stores began to attract 

children and parents with the opportunity 

to see a “live” Santa Claus. 

To raise money to pay for the free Christmas 

meals they provided to needy families 

in the early 1890s, the Salvation Army 

hired unemployed men, dressed them in 

Santa suits and sent them into the streets of 

New York to solicit donations. The bells of 

the Salvation Army Santas have been 

heard ever since in American cities. 

Although the idea of a gift-giving Santa 

Claus is a pleasant one, Jesus is truly the 

reason for the season and the best gift ever 

received.

The Prophet 20 

Christmas Music 

Fills the Halls 

Kristin Davie 

EVERY DECEMBER, FAMILIAR SOUNDS FILL THE 

air—children’s laughter, the ringing of 

bells and, of course, Christmas carols. But 

even a true Christmas carol connoisseur 

might not know that carols are centuries 

old. 

The word carol originally referred to a 

circle dance with singing until it later became 

associated with Nativity hymns. In 

the Middle Ages, town watchmen sang 

as they worked. At Christmas time, these 

men, who patrolled the street and called 

out the time, would form into musical 

bands and sing Christmas carols. At each 

house, they received rewards such as ale, 

cakes, and money. Eventually, people assumed 

that carolers brought luck to each 

house they visited and welcomed them. 

The custom, known as “wassailing,” soon 

flourished and eventually became the tradition 

enjoyed today. And so, The Prophet 

presents a history of some beloved Christmas 

carols and songs: 

“White Christmas”: Undoubtedly one of 

the most famous Christmas songs, “White 

Christmas” was written by Irving Berlin in 

1942 and originally featured in the movie 

Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby. The lyrics 

became popular among soldiers fighting in 

the Second World War and their families 

back home. 

“Jingle Bells”: This song was actually written 

in 1857 for Thanksgiving by a minister 

named James Pierpoint for children in Sunday 

school. The song became so popular, it 

was repeated for Christmas and reprised 

over the years. 

“Little Drummer Boy”: The lyrics contain 

21 “rum pum pum pums.” The most notable 

interpretation was created by Bing 

Crosby and David Bowie, and was Crosby’s 

biggest hit since “White Christmas.” 

“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”: It 

was actually a poem created by advertising 

executive Robert May. The marketing gimmick 

sold more than 2.5 million Rudolphs. 

In 1949, singer Gene Autry recorded a musical 

version composed by Johnny Marks. 

“The Twelve Days of Christmas”: First 

published in 1780, the song dates back to 

the sixteenth century. It beings with Christmas 

Day and finishes with the Eve of the 

Epiphany on January 5. Each of the twelve 

days has a religious significance. 

“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”: Said to 

be one of the oldest carols, it dates to the 

fifteenth century. The lyrics are traditional 

old English, and it is believed town watchmen 

who earned additional money during 

the Christmas season originally sang this 

carol to the town citizens. 

Popular 

Christmas Gifts 

Merissa Rose 

WITH CHRISTMAS ONLY DAYS AWAY, SHOPPERS 

everywhere are gearing up to shop and 

putting in special requests for their own 

wish lists. Stores across the country have 

put their Christmas decorations up and are 

ready for the crowds of shoppers. So what 

merchandise has that “must have” appeal 

Christmas ’04 is going to be all about the 

electronics when it comes to gifts. Digital 

music players and other electronics sales 

are projected to reach $108.8 billion this 

year, an eight percent increase from 2003. 

The Apple i-Pod is in high demand. A 

20GB i-Pod holds up to 5,000 songs and the 

40GB i-Pod holds up to 10,000 songs. Digital 

cameras will be found under millions of 

Christmas trees this year, overtaking DVD 

players as the top-selling holiday item in 

the wildly popular consumer electronics 

market. Cell phones, PDAs, and Sirius satellite 

radio are also popular items that consumers 

are picking this holiday season. 

Of course many of the electronic products 

being sold are quite pricey, but there 

are plenty of hot sellers to buy for your 

friends and family that won’t break your 

bank. A Halo 2 for X-box would be a great 

gift for any video addicts.


Worst Holiday 

Jobs Ever 

Karen Rivera 

As the Ball 

Drops 

April McKee 

MANY STUDENTS FEEL FRUSTRATED OVER THEIR 

jobs, or are looking for new ones this holiday 

season. The Prophet has compiled a list 

of the worst holiday jobs to avoid. 

Worst holiday job, hands down, is retail. 

Whether it be in a mall, a department store, 

or a specialized store, these places are the 

worst for working at this time of year. Topping 

off the reasons is longer hours. “My 

job requires me now to stay officially until 

ten at night,” said Alex Quesada ’05. Stores 

now require more time from employees to 

help out with the holiday rush, especially 

on the days off from school, most notably 

the Friday after Thanksgiving (known to 

retailers as Black Friday). Most stores open 

on that day at insane times, often requiring 

employees to set up before the doors open. 

And then there are the customers. 

“There are lot more customers coming to 

the store and they ask questions one after 

the other,” said Oliver Joszt, ’05. “They can 

never seem to find anything!” Customers 

are often rushed and tend to be more frenzied 

during the holiday season. 

Dressing up as Santa Claus is another 

bad job. Mall Santas deal with immature 

little kids who cry and wail, parents who 

press for more picture time and elves with 

ornery attitudes. It is not a job for impatient 

people. 

IN 1904, THE OWNERS OF ONE TIMES SQUARE 

began hosting rooftop celebrations to ring 

in the New Year. Who would have thought 

that one hundred years later, Times Square 

would be the New Year’s capital of the 

world and more than one million people 

worldwide would tune in via satellite to 

watch the infamous ball drop 

The ball has become a symbol of the 

New Year for people young and old, which 

isn’t too surprising, considering that the 

ball has been lowered almost every year 

since 1907. The original New Year’s Eve 

ball weighed 700 pounds and was five feet 

in diameter. It was made of iron and wood 

and decorated with 100 twenty-five watt 

light bulbs. The only years that the ball 

wasn’t lowered to ring in the New Year 

were 1942 and 1943 because of the World 

War II. Despite the absence of the ball, 

crowds still gathered in Times Square and 

celebrated with a minute of silence followed 

by chimes, which rung out from an 

amplifier truck parked in Times Square. 

Since 1907, the ball has changed drastically. 

The latest ball, a geodesic sphere, 

measures six feet in diameter and weighs 

in at a whopping 1,070 pounds. It is covered 

with 505 Waterford crystal triangles, 

696 multicolored Philips light bulbs, 96 

high-intensity strobe lights and 90 rotating 

pyramid mirrors. This year, the crystal triangles 

that cover the ball, which travels 77 

feet in 60 seconds, will be engraved with 

the names of those lost their lives in the 

tragic events of September 11, 2001. 

The angels said to [the shepherds]: 

“You have nothing to fear! I come to 

proclaim good news to you—tidings 

of great joy to be shared by the 

whole people.” 

Lk 2:10


Christmas Movie Reviews 

Kaitlin Butler, Nicole Desiato, Amanda Parker, Lee Comeau 

CHRISTMAS: TIME FOR CELEBRATION, GENEROSity…and 

movies. If you have already celebrated 

and already been generous, use 

these reviews as a guide to the fill the movies 

quotient at Christmas. Some movies are 

easily recognizable while some might become 

new favorites. Just pop in the video, 

pop on your Santa hat, pop some popcorn 

and settle down for some festive films. 

The Muppet Christmas Carol 

The Muppet Christmas Carol is the classic 

Charles Dickens story, The Christmas Carol, 

with a very Muppet twist. Michael Caine 

stars as the grim, miserly Ebenezer 

Scrooge, the businessman who believes 

Christmas is “humbug.” Visited on Christmas 

Eve by the ghosts of Christmas past, 

present, and future, Scrooge is urged to 

change his ways on Christmas and during 

all the year, especially towards employee 

Bob Cratchit (the delightfully-green Kermit 

the Frog). Scrooge learns lessons about his 

life and what money is really worth in this 

movie that is as fun for kids as it is for parents. 

The Muppet Christmas Carol also has 

some great songs and music, as well as 

some cool puppet humor. Directed by 

Brian Henson, and starring Michael Caine, 

Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, the Great 

Gonzo, Rizzo the Rat, and Fozzie Bear. 

1992 

Beauty and the Beast: 

The Enchanted Christmas 

Another chapter in the classic Beauty and 

the Beast story from Disney. Beauty and the 

Beast: The Enchanted Christmas has fun, music, 

dancing household items, and great 

animation just like the original. This movie 

shows the story of the Christmas during 

the winter of Belle’s stay at the enchanted 

castle and introduces some new characters 

within the festive plot. As usual, the Beast 

is not happy about anything, and he especially 

does not want to celebrate Christmas. 

Of course, Belle is determined to make 

Christmas a special and happy time for 

everyone. However, the Beast’s scheming 

pipe organ, Forte, wants the Beast to be 

angry about this Christmas plan and will 

do anything to stop it with the help of his 

misguided sidekick Piccolo. Belle enlists 

the aid of the Christmas tree ornament 

Angelique to bring Christmas to the castle. 

Not a bad sequel to the original. Starring 

Tim Curry as Forte, along with Belle, the 

Beast, Lumière, and Cogsworth. 1997 

It’s a Wonderful Life 

It’s a Wonderful Life is the “must-see” 

classic favorite on any Christmas. The feelgood 

film with a moral tells the story of 

George Bailey (James Stewart), a young 

man living in the early 1900s in the town of 

Bedford Falls. He grows up to marry his 

childhood sweetheart Mary (Donna Reed) 

and have a great family. However, when 

he takes over his family’s building and 

loan company, George has trouble keeping 

it from the filthy-rich hands of the horrible 

Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore in a really, 

really good role as a nasty old man). Doing 

good for so many people has cost him 

much financially, and in despair George 

nearly ends his life until he is stopped by 

his bumbling guardian angel, Clarence 

(Henry Travers), who shows George just 

how much of a difference one man can 

make. Clarence tells George “Remember, 

no man is a failure who has friends….” It’s 

a Wonderful Life is actually based on the 

story The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren 

Stern. For some humor, keep close watch 

for the swimming pool sequence. Directed 

by Frank Capra. Starring James Stewart, 

Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, and Henry 

Travers. 1946 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas 

Sweet and charming, How the Grinch 

Stole Christmas is Dr. Seuss’ truly unforgettable 

masterpiece for kids and parents who 

may have forgetten what Christmas really 

means. Straight from the “Seussical” 

storybook, this movie stars the unbeatably


mean “Mr. Grinch.” The Grinch lives atop 

a snowy mountain over Whoville, the 

happy town of fun-loving folk called the 

Whos who take Christmas to heart. The 

Grinch hates Christmas and decides that 

the best way to break the spirits of the poor 

Whos is to steal every holiday treat so that 

there can be no Christmas. Finally, little 

Cindy-Lou Who does something special to 

show the real reason to celebrate Christmas, 

and the Grinch will never be the 

same. Also has the classic song, “You’re a 

Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Directed by Ben 

Washam and Chuck Jones. Starring the 

voice of Boris Karloff as the Grinch. 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas 

Ah, a remake! From the 1966 cartoon 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas and ultimately 

the Dr. Seuss book comes this 2000 

live-action version starring the very green 

and rather mean Jim Carrey as the Grinch. 

Complete with a fresh, colorful set and in 

general awesome costumes and design, 

this movie gives the cartoon masterpiece a 

modern makeover and does a fair job. The 

main differences that viewers will notice 

are the huge amount of background details 

and the larger role of Cindy-Lou Who 

(Taylor Momsen). The reason for the 

Grinch’s Christmastime blues is revealed 

and his horrible childhood memories come 

to light (nope, not in the cartoon or the 

book). Cindy-Lou basically becomes the 

Grinch’s only friend and the go-between 

linking Whoville to the green menace on 

the mountain. For the last part of the 

movie, the script comes almost word-byword 

from the book in a refreshingly faithful 

display. Kids will probably enjoy it but 

it’s not sure bet for an older crowd that 

grew up with the original film. Directed by 

Ron Howard. Starring Jim Carrey, Taylor 

Momsen, and the voice of Anthony 

Hopkins as the narrator. 

A Christmas Story 

Have you ever wanted something so 

badly that you told everyone about it Every 

time someone brought up Christmas 

you just had to bring that gift up Well, if 

you have, you can relate with Ralphie 

Parker, the boy in the movie A Christmas 

Story, who wants nothing more than a Red 

Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. With every 

chance he got, he told people about that 

one specific item, but no one thought it was 

a good idea to give it to him. They all told 

him the same thing: “You’ll shoot your eye 

out!” Throughout the movie, he tries to 

convince them that it really is the perfect 

gift for a boy on Christmas. Directed by 

Bob Clark, this movie based on the novel 

by Jean Shepherd stars Peter Billingsley, 

Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Ian 

Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R.D. Robb, and 

Teddy Moore. 1983 

The Nightmare Before Christmas 

Stumbling upon something that isn’t 

understood happens to a lot of people. 

Take Jack Skellington from The Nightmare 

Before Christmas. He’s so sick of Halloween, 

that he goes for a walk and stumbles across 

Christmas Town. He’s intrigued, and decides 

to change Halloween into Christmas. 

He goes so far as to kidnap Santa and deliver 

some unwanted gifts to unknowing 

children. He gets all the goblins and ghouls 

from Halloween Town to help him, but 

nothing seems to be going right. The movie 

includes the voices of Chris Sarandon, 

Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, and 

Glenn Shadix. 1993 

I’ll Be Home for Christmas 

Ever wonder what Christmas is about A 

lot of people do. But does anyone really 

understand its true meaning Some people 

say they do, but in reality they don’t. They 

encourage the commercial image and materialistic 

views of Christmas. Kids think 

Christmas is about Santa and presents. Few 

are taught, or pay attention to, the Christian 

views of the birth of baby Jesus in the 

manger. In I’ll Be Home for Christmas, a college 

student is hurrying to get home in 

time for Christmas and, along the way, 

finds out the true meaning of Christmas 

has nothing to do with presents. And 

through this understanding, he learns a lot 

more about himself. 1998


Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer 

Rudolph is an adorable reindeer who 

was born with a red, glowing nose. Because 

of this nose, the little reindeer is an 

outcast, and not liked by any of the other 

reindeer, who find his nose a disability, an 

abnormality. They cast him out from society 

and do not let him play any normal 

reindeer games. So, naturally, he runs 

away and, along the way, finds Santa, who 

is intrigued by his nose. He asks Rudolph 

to lead his sleigh on Christmas Eve, and it 

all turns out to be a happy ending. 1998 

Home Alone 

Many parents, at one time or another, 

lose their children in a store or the mall or 

some place such as those. Most of those 

parents do not lose a son in the airport, 

resulting in them leaving him behind in a 

different country. Kevin McAllister’s parents, 

however, do. In the movie Home 

Alone, he’s left at home by accident when 

his family flies to France for the holidays. 

He learns to fend for himself and how to 

take care of himself, especially when he 

realizes he has money. Eventually, he has 

to protect his house from two robbers, 

Harry and Marv, who have set out to rob 

all the houses on his block. While all the 

drama is going on in Chicago where Kevin 

has been left, his mother, Kate, is busy trying 

her hardest to make her way back 

home from France. This movie, bringing 

out the comedy of Christmas, stars 

Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, 

John Heard, and Catherine O’Hara. 1990 

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York 

The sequel to Home Alone. As his family 

flies to Florida for the holidays, young 

Kevin McAllister gets on the wrong plane 

and ends up in New York, with his father’s 

money and credit cards. He checks himself 

into the best hotel and tries to have fun. 

But, alas, fun doesn’t seem to be an option 

this holiday season, as the burglars from 

the year before have returned after being 

released from jail, with plans to rob the 

biggest toy store in the city. Kevin, once 

again, tries to mess up their plans, and they 

too begin what they failed to do before— 

kill Kevin. Once again, his family realizes 

he’s missing and sets out to find him in this 

comedic holiday movie, starring Macaulay 

Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, 

and Catherine O’Hara. 1992 

A Charlie Brown Christmas 

Over Christmastime, Charlie Brown sees 

only the materialism behind the holiday, 

the only thing people seem to pay attention 

to. No one really knows the meaning behind 

Christmas. So, Lucy suggests that he 

become the director of the Christmas pageant. 

He attempts to do it, but struggles, 

and is eventually sent to pick out a Christmas 

tree. He picks out the smallest, dinkiest, 

most shedding tree that he can and sets 

it down on the stage, earning yells and 

screams of protest from his friends. After 

that, he enforces the work of his good 

friend Linus to help him find out what the 

meaning behind Christmas really is. 1965 

The Shop Around the Corner 

Among the staff at Matuschek’s, a gift 

shop around the corner, is Alfred Kralik, a 

likeable young man who is in love with a 

woman he has never seen before or met 

before. He doesn’t know her name; their 

love has been conducted through a post 

office box. When Klana Novak begins to 

work as a clerk at the shop, the sparks 

fly—both of them hate each other. Neither 

of them knows that Klana is the woman 

that Alfred has been writing to all along. 

This classic romance stars Margaret 

Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan, 

and Sara Haden. 1940 

Frosty the Snowman 

A washed up magician discards his top 

hat in a school yard, and some students 

that have built a snowman place the hat on 

his head and he comes to life. Realizing 

that he’s going to melt come spring, a 

young girl and Frosty jump on a train to 

the North Pole. But the magician is following 

them, planning on getting his hat back 

and letting the snowman melt. Includes the


voices of Jimmy Durante, Billy De Wolfe, 

Jackie Vernon, Paul Frees, and June Foray. 

1969 

Jingle All the Way 

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays father 

Howie Langston, in search of the holiday 

season’s hot gift, Turbo Man (Daniel 

Riordan), for his son Jamie (Jake Lloyd). 

However, to his dismay, Howie becomes 

so overwhelmed with work that he does 

not begin his search for the desired item 

until Christmas Eve, leaving him with 

nothing but empty toy store shelves and a 

hopeful child. Directed by Brian Levant. 

Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, 

and Jake Lloyd. 1996 

The Santa Clause 

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), a recently divorced 

father, inadvertently kills Santa 

Claus on Christmas Eve, leaving him with 

the duties of Old Saint Nick. Throughout 

the film, Scott must adapt to his new responsibilities 

while maintaining his sanity, 

despite the skepticism of divorced wife, 

Laura (Wendy Crewson), and her husband, 

Dr. Neal Miller (Judge Reinhold). Along 

for the ride is his son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd), 

who must not only cope with his parents’ 

divorce but also needs to bear his father’s 

secret. Directed by John Pasquin. Starring 

Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, 

Eric Lloyd, and David Krumholtz. 

1994 

To Grandmother’s House We Go 

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen star as twin 

sisters Sarah and Julie Thompson, who, in 

order to make their overly-stressed out 

mother, Rhonda (Cynthia Geary) happy, 

embark upon an adventure to their 

grandmother’s (Florence Patterson) house. 

Along the way, the twins cross the path of 

two Christmas Capers, Shirley (Rhea 

Perlman) and Harvey (Jerry Van Dyke), 

who had been stealing gifts all season! Directed 

by Jeff Franklin. Starring Ashley 

Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Jeff Franklin. 

1994 

Jack Frost 

Jack Frost (Michael Keaton) attempts to 

maintain the balance of fatherhood, marriage, 

and a musical career. In the process, 

he gets so caught up in his work that he 

frequently misses out on important milestones 

in his son’s life. When his life is cut 

short by an unexpected car accident, he 

returns as a snowman in an attempt to 

mend his suffering family, wife Gabby 

(Kelly Preston) and son Charlie (Joseph 

Cross). Directed by Troy Miller. Starring 

Michael Keaton. 1998 

Borrowed Hearts 

Eric McCormack and Roma Downey star 

as a rich businessman and single mother 

posing as husband and wife for McCormack’s 

potential business partner, who is 

very family orientated for the Christmas 

holiday. As Downey and McCormack fall 

in love, she discovers that all of the people 

that work for McCormack would lose their 

jobs, and are mostly single mothers like 

herself. In the end, McCormack realizes 

that having the perfect job and house is not 

as great as having the perfect holiday and a 

family. This movie is usually on television 

one night as part of ABC Family’s 25 Days 

of Christmas, and was released in 1999 (directed 

by Ted Kotcheff). 

White Christmas 

Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny 

Kaye and Vera-Ellen star in this 1950s classic 

about two entertainment duets who 

vacation at the same Vermont ski resort. As 

they become involved romantically, they 

decide to put on a concert to benefit the 

owner of the ski lodge, who was the army 

general of Crosby and Kaye in World War 

II. This musical includes the Irving Berlin 

including classics “White Christmas,” 

“Snow,” and “The Best Things Happen 

While Your Dancing,” and brilliant choreography 

to all of them. Directed by Michael 

Curtiz; 1954. 

Miracle on 34th Street 

This classic Christmas story is about a


young girl, Susan, living in New York City 

with her mother. Susan does not believe in 

Santa Claus, but a visit to the department 

store Santa, who might be the real Santa 

Claus, changes that. As she spends more 

time with Santa (her mother works at the 

department store), she begins to start believing 

in him and gets conflicting feelings 

from her mother, who doesn’t want her to 

believe and get hurt. Meanwhile, as Santa 

goes around claiming to be The Real Santa 

Claus, he is cited as crazy and is framed of 

a crime. On Christmas Eve, he is put on 

trial, and the judge eventually is also 

swayed to believe in Santa Claus as well. 

The original version, released in 1947, stars 

Maureen O’Hara as Doris Walker, Edmund 

Gwenn as Kris Kringle, and Natalie Wood 

as Susan Walker. The movie was directed 

by George Seaton. The remake, released in 

1994, stars Elizabeth Perkins as Dorey Walker, 

Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle, 

and Mara Wilson as Susan Walker. The 

movie was directed by Les Mayfield. 

Elf 

Will Ferrell stars as a human adopted by 

elves in the North Pole in this Christmas 

comedy. When Buddy the Elf (Ferrell) realizes 

that his huge size means that he’s not 

an elf, he decides to go to New York City to 

find his father. As he reaches New York, he 

sees the human world through as a juvenile, 

and tries to form a relationship with 

his father, who is a businessman with no 

time for family. On Christmas Eve, however, 

Buddy’s father realizes that he loves 

his son, and has been missing out on a lot 

by always working. As Buddy, his father 

(James Caan), stepmother (Mary Steenburgen), 

half-brother (Daniel Tay), and 

love interest (Zooey Deschanel) save 

Christmas and help Santa (Edward Asner) 

on Christmas Eve in Central Park, all of 

New York City start appreciating the spirit 

of Christmas a little more. Directed by Jon 

Favreau; 2003. 

Mr. Bruno’s Top Ten Happy 

Holiday Flick Picks 

National Lampoon’s Christmas 

Vacation 

A Christmas Story 

It’s a Wonderful Life 

Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band 

Christmas 

A Charlie Brown Christmas 

A Christmas Carol (1951) 

A Garfield Christmas 

Scrooged 

Nightmare Before Christmas 

The Star Wars Holiday Special 

(just kidding)


Traditional Christmas Stories 

Amanda Arciero 

FROM “JINGLE BELLS” TO HANGING STOCKINGS 

and baking cookies to wrapping presents, 

Christmas seems to make people a little 

more cheery. Part of what makes Christmas 

so special is the stories we grew up 

listening to. So gather ’round the Christmas 

tree and find out where your favorite 

Christmas stories really came from. 

A long-time favorite, A Visit from St. 

Nicholas (often called The Night before 

Christmas) was written by Clement Clarke 

Moore. “The Night before Christmas is my 

favorite because it brings on the anticipation 

of Christmas morning,” said Angela 

Belotta ’06. The story tells of a young child 

on Christmas Eve who hears a noise and 

later finds out that it was Santa and his 

reindeer. There isn’t much to this story, but 

it has been passed on throughout many 

generations. 

Another Christmas story that will make 

you feel warm and fuzzy while you are 

trying to get the winter chill out of your 

socks is the ever popular Frosty the Snowman. 

“I like Frosty the Snowman the best 

because it shows how children can take 

anything and make it enjoyable,” said 

Daniel Cowan ’06. This much loved tale is 

about a group of children who build a 

snowman who magically comes to life. 

They name him Frosty and play with him 

for a whole day, until he begins to melt. 

The children are very upset when Frosty 

melts, but they know that he will be back 

again next winter. 

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was written 

for the Montgomery Ward group of 

department stores in 1939. It was written 

by Robert L. May as a promotional gimmick. 

Much different from the song written 

by Johnny Mark, the original Rudolph was 

not one of Santa’s reindeer at all, did not 

live at the North Pole, and was not an 

embarrassment to his parents. He was 

brought up in a loving environment and 

was responsible with a good sense of selfworth. 

Santa discovered Rudolph by accident; 

he was distracted by the strange glow 

emerging from Rudolph’s house while he 

was delivering presents. Santa asked Rudolph 

to be part of the team that Christmas 

Eve because the thickening fog had 

been a problem in the past, causing many 

accidents. Rudolph helped to guide the 

sleigh and was later praised for helping 

Santa, and made an official part of Santa’s 

team. 

The Gift of the Magi was written by O. 

Henry. It is a beautiful story about a 

young, poor married couple who have 

two things of great value to the both of 

them, Jim’s watch and Della’s long flowing 

hair. On Christmas Eve, Della realizes 

that she only has $1.87 with which to buy 

her husband Jim’s Christmas gift. She 

decides that her husband deserves something 

that would cost much more than 

what she has for Christmas, so she cuts 

her hair and sells it for $20. When her 

husband returns home, he just stares at 

Della blankly. He gives her the gift he had 

bought her for Christmas, which were 

combs to put in her long hair. She gives 

him the chain, only to find out that Jim 

had sold his watch in order to buy Della 

the combs for her hair. 

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is 

not your traditional Christmas story. At 

all. In all actuality, it is a song. “This one 

is my favorite because the tune is really 

catchy, and it’s really different from all 

the other Christmas stories,” said Courtney 

Ceretta ’06. This story is about a 

Grandmother that was walking home 

from her children’s house on Christmas 

Eve. According to the song, Grandma had 

been drinking a little too much and had 

left her medication behind as she begun 

her trek home in the snow. The story goes 

on to tell how Grandpa had been dealing 

well with the tragedy of Grandma’s death 

and how the family wasn’t sure whether 

to open Grandma’s Christmas gifts or to 

send them back. “This is my favorite 

Christmas story because although it isn’t 

really a story, it’s funny,” said Jessica


Burton ‘08. This story is very different from 

your normal Christmas story, but it is 

loved by many, with the exception of 

grandmothers. 

Another Christmas tale with a different 

take on things is How the Grinch Stole 

Christmas, by Dr. Seuss. “How the Grinch 

Stole Christmas is definitely my favorite,” 

said Corinne Timko ’07. “It’s different from 

the rest of the stories and it makes me 

laugh.” The story of the Grinch tells about 

a green fuzzy man who hates Christmas. 

He decides to come out of his lair and ruin 

Christmas for the people of Whoville. During 

the process, the Whos actually get the 

Grinch to enjoy Christmas. This is a personal 

favorite of many, because of its 

rhyming text or just the fun story line. 

Last but not least, and by far the best 

Christmas story, is the birth of Jesus. The 

story most often told, a combination of the 

Gospels of Matthew and Luke, tells us that 

Mary and Joseph traveled by donkey to 

Bethlehem. Upon arriving, they found out 

that nobody had any rooms for them to 

stay in. One man was kind enough to let 

Mary and Joseph stay in the manger behind 

the place where the travelers lodged. 

The Angel of the Lord appeared to the 

shepherds in the fields and told them that 

the Lord had been born. It is said that the 

Three Wise Men followed a star to the 

place where Jesus had been born bringing 

gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold. 

Christmas is a time of love and sharing 

amongst friends and families. These stories 

are guaranteed to brighten the holiday season 

a little more, whether hearing them for 

the first time as an infant, hearing them for 

the sixtieth time while stuck sitting between 

Uncle Alfred and Aunt Edna for the 

fifth year in a row, or passing them along 

to younger members of the family. Merry 

Christmas to all, and to all a good night. 

In 2005, I 

Resolve to… 


MANY MEMBERS OF THE UNION CATHOLIC 

community are beginning to think about 

their 2005 New Year’s resolutions. New 

Year’s resolutions are those promises that 

individuals make to themselves to correct 

bad habits. It may sound like a noble idea 

but people rarely keep their resolutions for 

more than a few weeks. 

The problem with New Year’s resolutions 

is that many people do not make reasonable 

ones. “I made a resolution to be 

nice to people,” said Chris Varga ’06. “That 

was a joke.” Many people make New 

Year’s resolutions knowing that they are 

not going to be able to keep them. For that 

reason, some people feel that the whole 

process is pointless. “I don’t believe in 

making New Year’s resolutions,” said social 

studies teacher Miss Kawalec. 

“I cannot even remember the New Year’s 

resolutions I have made in the past,” said 

Marybeth Tran ’05. “That goes to show 

how many of them I actually kept.” 

The key to a successful resolution is coming 

up with one that is realistic. Ask yourself 

the question, “Is it something that I can 

do” New Year’s resolutions, if done correctly, 

can help to change a person. 

They opened their coffers 

and presented him with 

gifts of gold, frankincense, 

and myrrh. Mt 2:11


THE PROPHET GOES TO THE MOVIES 

Laura Mortkowitz 

Alexander the 

Not-So-Great 

THE EPIC MOVIE ALEXANDER THE GREAT, DIrected 

by Oliver Stone and starring Colin 

Farrell as Alexander, fell very short of its 

own hyped-up propaganda. The voiceover 

by Anthony Hopkins leaves him sounding 

close to death and brings the audience 

there as well. The length of the movie 

could have been cut by an hour and a half 

to keep the audience interested. 

Despite the tedious narration the movie 

begins promisingly enough, with young 

Alexander taming a wild horse, one that 

stays loyal to 

him throughout 

the many 

wars he wages. 

Alexander’s 

mother, Olympias 

(Angelina 

Jolie), is allegedly 

a sorceress and tells Alexander his 

true father is Zeus, which makes Alexander 

kin to the gods. Alexander develops a love/ 

hate relationship with Olympias’ husband, 

Philip (Val Kilmer), who has no love for 

Olympias, remarries a younger woman 

and then is killed, leaving Alexander the 

throne. 

The next two hours are filled with wearisome 

battle after battle as Alexander conquers 

lands farther and farther east. The 

longer they stay away from home the more 

soldiers constantly second-guess Alexander 

and entreat him to go home. The movie 

becomes so boring that often times the 

viewer can find him- or herself agreeing 

with the people who just want to turn back. 

The army finally does turn back following 

a battle in India after Alexander almost 

dies from an arrow wound. 

Do not go see this film and do not waste 

money to rent it when it is released on 

DVD. Hopefully the Baz Luhrmann ver- 

sion, slated for a 2006 release, will be far 

more interesting. 

Go Straight to 

Sideways 

DIRECTOR ALEXANDER PAYNE’S MOVIE SIDEways 

is about mid-life crises, the search for 

wine, the search for women, and it begins 

and ends with a knock on a door. Depressed 

English teacher Miles Raymond 

(Paul Giamatti) takes his friend Jack (Thomas 

Haden), a washed up actor, on a trip 

to California’s wine country. Jack is there 

simply to drink wine and celebrate his last 

week before his wedding having the time 

of his life with Stephanie (Sandra Oh), a 

wine pourer he meets. 

Meanwhile, Miles, a divorced man with 

a failed writing career, wishes to start a 

relationship with Maya (Virginia Madsen), 

a waitress at the restaurant he frequents on 

his visits. Sideways can swing from being 

utterly humorous, when Jack chases down 

a golf cart yelling and swinging his golf 

club, to intensely serious when Maya 

speaks about her love for wine because it 

grows, just 

like people, 

and its taste 

grows better 

with age. 

However 

the week of 

fun turns 

sour when 

the girls find out Jack is getting married on 

Saturday, Stephanie breaks his nose with 

her motorcycle helmet, and the two crash 

Miles’ car to hide Jack’s bandages as the 

result of a car accident. 

Even though this movie is not filled with 

action, like The Incredibles or any of the Lord 

of the Rings, it delves into the human 

psyche. Payne explores relationships like


the confusing one between opposites Jack 

and Miles, and the content and understandable 

one between Miles and Maya 

that threatens to end horribly. 

Japanese 

Battle Royale 

THE JAPANESE CULT CLASSIC, BATTLE ROYALE, 

is set in an alternate universe where the 

adults, fearing the no-good youth of the 

nation, have passed the Battle Royale Act. 

The act allows one ninth-grade class to be 

sent every year to an undisclosed area to 

kill each other off, leaving only one victor. 

None of the students are aware of the 

Battle Royale Act and are brought on a 

school bus assuming they are going on a 

school study trip. However, a sleeping gas 

released in the bus knocks all the students 

out until they wake up in a school on a remote 

island. The game starts almost immediately 

after they are shown a video informing 

the students about the basic rules 

and regulations. 

Each student is given a bag with food, a 

compass, a map of the island, and a 

weapon (ranging anywhere from binoculars 

to a machine gun). The students all 

wear necklaces that check their pulse (to 

To all members of the 

Union Catholic 

community, their family 

and friends, the staff of 

The Prophet wish a 

Merry and Blessed 

Christmas and a 

Happy and Healthy 

New Year. 

see who is still alive), have a hidden microphone 

installed (to monitor that they are 

not misbehaving), and possess a nifty feature: 

they can explode. To make the game 

more interesting, every six hours announcements 

notify the students who died 

and about upcoming “danger zones.” If 

anyone is found in one of these designated 

zones during the specified time, their necklace 

will explode. 

The story shows the different reactions 

these ninth-graders have under the pressure 

of not knowing who to trust. Some 

couples commit suicide, while others try to 

call for peace, and yet others kill ruthlessly. 

One group of girls, full of suspicions, actually 

kill each other off and the remaining 

one jumps to her death. 

However, the main character, Shuya 

Nanahara, finds himself teamed up with 

the girl his close friend (the boy whose 

necklace detonated) had a crush on, Noriko 

Nakagawa. These two join up with a 

former Battle Royale winner, Shogo 

Kawada, trying to break the system. Or is 

Shogo just pulling the strings so he can be 

the last remaining 

Overall the storyline is very original and 

keeps the viewer interested from the beginning 

when Shuya remembers his father’s 

suicide, to the end when the game is finally 

concluded.

2004-12-20 - Union Catholic Regional High School

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