Fall 2012 - Cistercian Preparatory School

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FORMATIVE YEARSBritt McCormick grew up in Beaumont, TX, the second of Rita andFloyd McCormick’s three children.But Fr. Paul followed his heart, and his faith in God.“I was thoroughly convinced that since these men were indeeddoing God’s work,” Fr. Paul emphasized, “then certainly, Godwould make sure that it continues to get done.“I’ve learned our job is not to worry too much about how Godwill move the mountain, but rather focus on doing the particularsmall tasks he asks of us each day. And trust in Him.”10 THE CONTINUUM • FALL 2012Youngster and little leaguer (above). EagleScout in July 1985 (left) at the Philmont HighAdventure Camp. Valedictorian, president ofthe student body, editor of the paper in 1986at his 5A high school in Beaumont (below,pictured as vice president of his senior classwith the president left, and treasurer, right).With his dad in 1990 (bottom), having justgraduated from the University of Dallas witha 4.0 average (economics and finance major).A FALL OUTING at Lake RayRoberts in the fall of 1999,” said Brenda Welch(mother of Eric Welch ’05, who had startedCistercian that fall). “The boys started playing rollerhockey.”“IREMEMBER“Fr. Paul jumped in and started playing goalie! Ithought to myself, ‘This is going to be great.’”Volleyball, baseball, paintball, you name it, Fr. Paul wasinvolved in the activities of both his forms (2005 and 2013, thecurrent seniors).Yet, outings were not only about sports, games, music, andconversation. Once the guys got into upper school, Fr. Paul wantedthem to take responsibility for preparing and grilling their ownmeals.And, he would be right there with them, cooking and servinghomespun delicacies from fried turkey and smoked duck to boiledcrabs and crawfish with his unmistakable Cajun flair (including lotsof Tabasco). Vegetables were included for Hindu students PrasanthPattisapu ’05 and Vimal Konduri ’13.“It was fun,” Fr. Paul explained, “introducing them to disheswhich for them were totally new, but that I had taken for grantedgrowing up.”But for Fr. Paul, the classroom, sports, and outings alone didnot suffice. He introduced them to another kind of outing — oneintegral to his life, vocation, and mission.At the beginning of Form I, Fr. Paul’s forms adopt a family insome far away place, where even the smallest donations make a bigdifference. During their weekly Mass, the boys pray for the familyand pass around the gray adoption bag, contributing whatever theywished. (To date, the two forms have contributed around $6,000.)“Each year, we also adopt two families here in Dallas forChristmas,” smiled Karen Garnett, mother of Johnny Garnett ’13.“This is not just about collecting items. Fr. Paul schedules a timefor everyone in the form (along with the parents to drive them) todeliver the presents to the families and spend some time with them.”“Everyone can see how serving others just delights him,” sheadded. “He has a heart as big as Texas.” In between, there were classtrips to nursing homes and to make sandwiches for the homeless.“When we’d bring the gifts to families for Christmas,”emphasized Harris McGee (13), “Fr. Paul was always so friendlyto them. Looking back, I can just see it made him happy to makepeople happy. He genuinely cares for people.”He especially focused on his sons, the members of his forms.“He seemed to have a baseline understanding that we wereyoung and immature,” said Sam Maclin ’05. “We had so manyconversations and interactions with him. He never judged us. So wenever had that innate fear of him.”“Fr. Paul is not afraid to love,” Andres Ruzo ’05 added.“Fr. Paul definitely disciplined us out of love rather than anger orfrustration,” said Weston McBride ’05.“Everything was built on love,” he added, “even when he wasBoy Scout photo courtesy of Glenn Cummings; other photos courtesy of Fr. Paul McCormick
getting you to plant or move logs around as penance.”“It seems like whoever was there,” remembered Scott Novak’05, “whether it was in the classroom, hallway, sporting event,or religious occasion, Fr. Paul wanted to make sure we werecomfortable, and we felt welcome.”“He is always ready and willing to talk,” Novak added, “andlisten. It is his way of staying in touch with people and what’s goingon in their lives.”Fr. Paul’s everyday activities — like his penchant for celebratingevery student’s birthday — offered an example of love, service,commitment, and community.“Once during a form master’s period,” Jess Clay ’13 notedduring his Ring Ceremony remarks in December 2011, “he broughtus a game at which various groups throw yarn at each other, in aneffort to tie the form together.“Instead, some members of the form ended up tying themselvestogether so tightly that they nearly lost all circulation to their limbs.”ASKED ME,” exclaimed the6’4”, 77-year-old Rev. Floyd McCormickin his sermon to the all-black congregation(save for Britt McCormick and hisgrandmother) at a Beaumont Baptist church“SOMEONEin March, 1985, “does it bother you that yourgrandson is Catholic?,’ I said ‘No (a multi-syllabic ‘no,’ rising intone near midway through).’“Only agreements we’ve ever had,” the preacher declared, “Itold him, ‘Son, whatever you are or whatever I am, let’s stay in theright spirit with each other. Don’t matter what comes or goes. Andhe said, ‘Paw Paw, we’ll do it.’“Well thank God he’s here today.” (Amen’s could be heard allaround from the audience.)Fr. Paul credits his paternal grandfather for “my initial love forthe Bible, a pride in my family’s heritage, confidence in speaking(he made me preach my first homily in a small Pentecostal Churchat the age of 16 and perhaps I have adopted his approach a bit), andan abiding respect of non-Catholic Christians.”In fact, McCormick spent many summers throughout his youthworking on an East Texas farm outside of Lufkin with the man hecalled “Paw Paw,” a self-employed plumber, Pentecostal preacher,and one-time candidate for public office.“He helped teach me frugality, working outside with my hands,self-reliance (with God’s grace), the value of common sense, and anappreciation of common people,” Fr. Paul said.They would spend a lot of their time going to church andengaged in biblical discussions. Preachers from churches nearby(and some from out of state) would drop by the house and enliventhe discussions.Back in Beaumont, McCormick’s early spiritual formationwas stimulated by Monsignor Henry A. Drouilhet, already in hislate seventies when they first met and an old-school, conservativeCatholic prelate.And, while McCormick’s paternal grandfather had limitedformal education (fourth grade), Msgr. graduated from Rice Institute(before it became a university) and the Gregorian University inRome (where Fr. Paul would one day follow in his footsteps).“In contrast to my grandfather who was clearly a proud populist,Msgr. was quite aristocratic,” Fr. Paul recalled. “Beyond instillinga clearer understanding of Church history and how the biblePhotos courtesy of Fr. Paul McCormickLIFE AS BROTHERBrothers in the nineties did not teach in the school, so Br. Paulspent many of his off-hours with the founders of the community.Br. Paul visits Florence duringhis two-year stint in Rome.Br. Paul grew very closeto the older Hungarianmonks, including formerheadmasters Fr. DamianSzödényi (left) and Fr.Henry Marton (above).The McCormick Family at Fr. Paul’s ordination in 1997: (l-r)sister Lisa Gail, dad Floyd, mom Rita, and brother Keith.FALL 2012 • THE CONTINUUM11
Page 1 and 2: For family, friends, and alumni of
Page 3: CISTERCIANPREPARATORYSCHOOLRev. Pau
Page 6 and 7: News & notesALUMNI AWARDTO GO TO RO
Page 8 and 9: 8 THE CONTINUUM • FALL 2012Fr. Pa
Page 12 and 13: FORM MASTER & MOREFr. Paul’s joy
Page 14 and 15: GIVINGBUSINtheThe “Burger Boys”
Page 16 and 17: Owen Hannay ‘81 (left) ofSlingsho
Page 18 and 19: Andrew Roberts ‘82 (left)and Ken
Page 20 and 21: Spring sportsWilliam Howard ’14TE
Page 22 and 23: How a Cistercian classmate saved my

Fall 2012 - Cistercian Preparatory School

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