VYC Exhibit

A new exhibit showcasing photographs from the first annual Viatorian Youth Congress (VYC) is on display in the Province Center through November 2010.

This past August, more than seventy teens, college students, and adult youth ministers gathered for the VYC from the following Viatorian institutions:

St. Viator Catholic Community (Las Vegas, NV)

St. Thomas More Catholic Community (Henderson, NV)

Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, NV)

St. Viator parish (Chicago, IL)

St. Patrick parish (Kankakee, IL)

St. Martin de Porres High School (Waukegan, IL)

Saint Viator High School (Arlington Heights, IL) 

The photographs capture the fun of learning, playing, worshiping and living together in the spirit of the Viatorian mission!

To learn more about the Viatorian Youth Congress, read the featured article on the Viatorian news webpage.  And... if you have an account, check out Facebook for more photos and video provided by participants and leaders of the VYC - just search for Viatorian.

St. Viator Day - October 21st

Happy St. Viator Day!  St. Viator is the patron saint of our community - the Clerics of St. Viator - the Viatorian community.  In honor of St. Viator, in the Arlington Heights/Chicago region, Mass will be celebrated at St. Viator High School in the morning, followed by a prayer service in the afternoon at the Viatorian Province Center.  The Viatorian community from this region will then gather for dinner to conclude the day.

To learn more about St. Viator, see our web link.

St. Viator Drawing

Br. Dan Lydon dropped off this framed pencil drawing of St. Viator.  It had been at St. Viator Church in Chicago.  It is signed by the artist although it is not legible (M. R---??) and dated 1970.  If you recognize it and can identify the artist or know anything about how it was originally acquired, please contact me.  I'd love to hear the story!
Joan - jsweeney@viatorians.com.

John Patrick Barry in the Columbian Guards of 1894

Elizabeth and William Kasak, family genealogists, came across the above photo in their family collection and were trying to identify their relative, John Patrick Barry, in it.  The photo had St. Viateur College printed in the right hand bottom corner and Columbian Guards 1894 printed in the left hand bottom corner, so they contacted the Viatorian Archives. 

Looking through the collection, I found the same photo (below) that identifies the boys.  It was published in the St. Viateur's College Catalogue for 1893-1894. Although labeled in a confusing manner, we believe that Barry is standing in front of the flag between the two taller boys.

But who are the Columbian Guards anyway?  According to an article in the college newspaper/journal dated  November 1893, this group was organized October 12, 1892, by Rev. George A. Williams, CSV, for the purpose of introducing sword tactics in the military circles of the college.  Shortly after their organization, the boy soldiers began to appear in public celebrations.  They were sent to the World's Fair educational exhibit - "it is there the little soldiers gained their most glorious victories."

Thanks, Bill and Betty, for making this little bit of forgotten history known to us now!

Joan

American Archives Month

October is American Archives Month.  The American record has enduring value and America’s archives – in all their diversity of form and function – serve as its memory.  Visit one this month in celebration and support!

Happy Archives Month to all archives, archivists and wanna-be's!