1980s
Kendall Kuehn ’82 writes, “I read in the summer Franciscan Magazine’s Class Notes that Jim Valois ’83 had written a book, Our Lady’s Prophecies: God’s Message for Our Times. Jim and I were in Anawim together. I ordered the book, read it, and wanted to contact Jim and tell him how much I liked it. I found out he lived an hour and a half from my home in St. Paul. I mailed him a short note. About three days later, I got a call from Jim, and we got together. He said that when he wrote the Class Note, it was like throwing a bottle with a note into ocean. I welcome anyone who would like to reach me at [email protected].
1990s
Joseph Assaf ’93 MA ’95 was ordained a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Syracuse, N.Y., on May 11, 2024.
Chris Harpring ’98 and his wife, Rebecca, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of their 501c3 nonprofit organization, Covenant Resources Miscarriage Ministry. They provide miscarriage supply totes in medical and funeral facilities so miscarriage supplies and burial vessels are readily available to families the day they need them. They also make Little Souls Memorial Ornaments for families, as well as help cemeteries create Little Souls sections for the burial of miscarried babies. To learn more about their ministry, visit covenantresources.org.
Father Chris Saliga, OP ’92, recently became chaplain of Rosary Hill Home in Justice, Ill. He says, “This assignment beautifully fuses my nursing background with my pastoral background serving both residents and their families, along with the Dominican Sisters and lay staff. I am profoundly grateful to Franciscan University’s Nursing Department for providing me with an excellent base from which to launch into a wonderful future so many years ago. Although my ministry is in Justice, I still reside at St. Vincent Ferrer Priory in River Forest, Ill.”
2000s
Michael Deem ’03 was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of Pittsburgh by Bishop David Zubik on October 5, 2024. He serves the people of St. Aidan Parish in Wexford, Pa. Deacon Michael is a tenured associate professor in the School of Public Health and the Center for Bioethics and Health Law at the University of Pittsburgh, and his wife, Katerina, owns and operates Little Way Design Co. (littlewaydesign.co), a Catholic design company that creates clothing, cards, stickers, Bible tabs, and other Catholic goods. They live outside Pittsburgh with their five children: Andrew, 14, Elizabeth, 11, Macrina, 9, Lucía, 6, and Anastasia, 4.
Emily (Fogarty ’09) Dowdell says, “I had the opportunity to collaborate with experts in other disciplines on a pastoral guide for gender identity concerns and related distress. For more information, visit enroutebooksandmedia.com/genderideology.”
Dr. Christopher Feltes ’09 earned a doctor of business administration-marketing degree from Liberty University in the spring of 2024 and now teaches marketing at Henderson State University.
Brittany Higdon ’08 launched Higdon Learning Solutions in 2021, which provides classical and humanities-based reading and math tutoring to students across the country. She has recently hired her eighth tutor and has been delighted to provide service to several Franciscan families in 22 U.S. states and counting. When she’s not working, she’s splitting her time between high-strung Washington, D.C., and tranquil Port Clinton, Ohio, sailing, doing needlepoint, and spending time with her two dogs and a very handsome Notre Dame alumnus.
Becca (Pine ’04) Dougherty, her husband, Dan, and their children reside in the Philadelphia area. Check out Becca’s podcast, Catholic Light, onYouTube and wherever you listen to your podcasts, and her lectio divina reflections on Facebook (Rebecca Dougherty), Instagram (@ catholiclightpodcast), and LinkedIn (Rebecca Dougherty).
2010s
Chris ’13 and Annie (Sauer ’13) Buehnerkemper welcomed their fifth child, Simon Matthew, in September 2024.
Christina “Cmar” (Lawrence ’16) Chew and her husband, David, welcomed their third son in July 2024. They live in Huntsville, Ala., where David works for Blue Origin, and Christina stays at home raising three “future priests.” Christina says, “I’m taking a break from coaching volleyball for the first time in eight years, but I look forward to following Franciscan volleyball closely this season and praying for all its players and coaches.”
Stephanie Cole ’18 and Kyle Aubert ’19 were married in June 2024 and attended the newlyweds blessing at the Vatican.
Erin Hasso ’14 married Christopher Miller in 2022 and is proud to announce they welcomed a daughter in January 2024.
Dr. Keith Jiron MA ’11 was recently named president and head of school for Spirit and Grace Academy in Elkhorn, Neb.
Jarett Kuhns ’13 was appointed the new principal of Archangel Gabriel School in Robinson Township, Pa., by Bishop David Zubik.
Zacchaeus Lock ’18 is in law school at the Georgetown University Law Center and performed a solo concert on a pipe organ at St. Anne Church in Pittsburgh last fall. Father Charles Luke ’19 was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on May 18.
Lacy (Rogers ’15) Hand recently completed her first triathlon.
Brandon ’13 MA ’16 and Mary (Shoup ’13) Otto are married with four children. Mary earned a master’s degree in chemistry from St. Louis University and currently works as a scientist, and Brandon is a homemaker, author, and translator. He has two books of translations forthcoming with TAN Books and has recently self-published a translation of Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle’s Elevation to Jesus Christ Regarding Saint Mary Magdalene, available on Amazon.
Father Jacob Machado ’13 was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Denver on May 11, 2024.
Sister Teresa Rose, ACJ (Meg Miller ’14), took her perpetual vows on June 8, 2024, in New Ulm, Minn. She is with the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus, currently serving as local superior of their St. Paul convent and vocation directress.
Peter Rosaschi IV ’17 and Marianna Schmiesing ’18 were married August 3, 2024, at St. Peter Catholic Church in Steubenville, Ohio. Peter is a captain in the Marine Reserves, and Marianna is completing her MFA in screenwriting from Regent University. Marianna says, “We plan on living in Steubenville for a good long while, surrounded by family, including parents David ’92 MSE ’99 and Justine (Franzonello ’94) Schmiesing and Franciscan University lacrosse coach Peter III and Beth Rosaschi.”
Kevin ’12 and Christina (Bair ’13) Sweeney are overjoyed to announce the birth of their daughter, Gianna Marie. She arrived August 11, 2024.
William Spinnenweber ’20 graduated with his MM in organ performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music on May 3, 2024. He was appointed director of Liturgical Music and organist at St. Patrick Catholic Church in London, Ohio, on July 20, 2024.
