The Knights' Pages - Bishop O'Connell High School

her brother, and sister attended Our Ladyof Good Counsel, with Robyn going on toO’Connell. It was at O’Connell that Boband Robyn met, and graduated together.After college, marriage, and startingcareers, we settled in Vienna to start ourfamily. Years later, we had the pleasureto return as active members of the DJOcommunity for another nine years as oursons Corey ’03, Casey ’06, and Colin ’08attended. It was with tremendous pridethat we were able to present our sons theirdiplomas at graduation.Robyn (Boyle) McCahill ’71 & Bob McCahill ’71Parents of Corey ’03, Casey ’06, and Colin ’08Catholic education goes back generationsin our family. Bob’s grandfather, father, anduncles were Jesuit products of Canisiusand Marquette, and the Boyles of Washington,D.C. saw Robyn’s father, aunt,and uncles attend Trinity grade schoolin Georgetown, and St. Patrick’s and St.John’s. In keeping with this tradition,Bob, his sister and his brother attendedSt. Agnes School and O’Connell. Robyn,Our whole family benefitted from theacademic programs, spiritual guidance,strong traditions, sports programs, lifelongfriendships, and so many wonderfulmemories. We were so blessed to have thisopportunity and to be able to provide forour sons. (Now the pressure is on them tokeep the tradition going!)We give to continue keeping the traditionof Catholic education and service going.We give in gratitude for all that BishopO’Connell High School has provided forour family. We give so others may share inthe experience, and form their own lifelongmemories.Terry (Turner) Iannaconi ’61So many stories of O’Connell alumni givinginclude a long list of family members andmultiple generations of O’Connell alumni. Inmy family the list is short. I have a niece whois the only other O’Connell graduate in thefamily and a brother who attended O’Connellfor a short time. Notwithstanding the absenceof multiple generations of O’Connelltradition, my solo experience filled me withenough pride to go around.As I think back over my early years, I recollectthe thousands of families in multiple parishesand the bishops, priests, nuns, brothersand others who had the vision and senseof sacrifice to pull together the resourcesto produce a regional Catholic high schoolthat a half century later is still growing andcontinuing to produce outstanding graduates.An Internet search for the term BishopO’Connell High School results in a burst ofdata that leaves me filled with pride.I recall the talks in church many years agoabout fundraising to build a regional Catholichigh school. My parents, who had little togive financially, made the sacrifice to supportthat building fund. As a person in the businessworld today I appreciate more than Iever could have as a young person the financialand personal resources required to buildand operate a major educational institution.A few years ago there was a movie andbook, “Pay It Forward.” The story lineinvolved a young boy who promoted apyramid scheme of kind acts. In the storythe boy would do a kind act for each ofthree people and then encourage each ofthose recipients of kindness to do a kindact for three others and so on. In thesepost-Madoff days when the term “pyramidscheme” is synonymous with greed and corruption,the concept of a pyramid scheme ofkindness is enticing. The concept of payingkindness forward is compelling. The reasonwhy I give is because I am compelled toreturn and, if possible, multiply the kindnessof all those who paid such kindness tous in enabling us to receive an outstandingCatholic high school education.The journey of writing this article took adelightful turn recently. As I thought of thosewhose kindness helped me along the way Irecalled two of the sisters in particular—SisterJoanne and Sister Michelle Marie. Frommy very earliest days at O’Connell the nunshad been more than teachers in a classroom.Today we would call them mentors. Theywere women of great intellect and personalstrength who shared with all of us an aspirationof intellectual and spiritual growth. Ihad the opportunity to visit with them atCamilla Hall, the retirement home for I.H.M.Sisters in Immaculata, Pa., not long beforeSister Joanne’s passing. I feel blessed to haveknown these sisters and to know that theycontinue to pray for all of us.Ultimately the reason I give to O’Connelland other organizations that serve to makethe world a better place is because I can, andbecause there is no way to adequately payit forward for all that I received from thosewho have helped me along the way. As I payit forward I know there will be many moreyears and generations of O’Connell graduateswho themselves will, hopefully, pay itforward for the generations to follow them.15