Welcome to
St. Pius X Connections magazine
Dear Readers,
Congratulations to the next class of Sartan alumni – the Class of 2022! In this issue we also wish a warm welcome to new Head of School Mike Deely and say thank you and farewell to Dr. Barbara Rothweiler, SPX principal for the past 18 years.
Over my past 10 years writing and producing St. Pius X High School Connections magazine, I have had the pleasure of interviewing alumni and students from across the six-and-a-half decades of our school’s history. During those interviews, I always ask, “How did St. Pius X impact your life?”
As we emerge from the challenges of the past two years and look to the future, I think their answers are important and tell a great deal about our school’s past, present and future. Below are my favorites.
Thanks for reading!
Melissa Sais, Connections Editor
(St. Pius X has) something no other high school in Albuquerque has — that is Christ in their midst, especially present in the Blessed Sacrament. —Fr. Timothy Meurer ’09
St. Pius was there to shape you. It was always a safe place to experience the best and hardest parts of high school and to find your way. It was that bubble for me. —Ryan Lacen ’99
At St. Pius I was surrounded by really high achieving students encouraging me to do my best. —Hailey Stock ’14
I felt I had God-given talent and I felt compelled to do something with it. St. Pius was a really supportive community for that. —Gabriel Sanchez ’01
Pius allowed you to grow and to figure out who you are. It gave me an open path on who I could be and what I could do. —Adam Harrington ’96
It really showed me, if you show up and try your best every single day, success will come. I have the tools and the faith, the rest is up to me. —Justin Lucero ’09
I saw faith in action at St. Pius. —Fr. Steven Huber, CSB ’04
When I got to UNM, I had a jump on everybody because I’d learned so much more and had so much diversity of learning. —Peter O’Boyle ’61
The thing about Pius I carried with me the most was the fact it was an intellectually provocative and open environment. It was open to sincere discourse around issues, thoughts, ideologies and worldviews. That is what allowed me to get to where I am in my vocational journey as I was exposed to the breadth and depth of the Church. —(The late) Rev. Graham Golden, O. Praem., ’04
St. Pius gave me a way of looking at the world that focuses on the importance of having an impact and doing what you can to make a difference. —Jorja Armijo-Brasher ’64
I loved my Pius experience. It prepared me to keep going when school was hard — facing the challenges and how to study. —Arial DeHerrera ’14
I credit St. Pius for laying the foundation of my faith. I grew up in a culturally Catholic home, but I really learned the beauty of Catholicism at St. Pius. —Alex (Chavez) Rich ’08
There was an expectation at Pius of “we’re all in this together” and everyone knew it. I was so lucky to be able to learn in that environment. —Bonnie Arning ’01
Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge – that didn’t resonate with me until my daughter started her freshman year there. But that’s literally what they taught us – goodness, discipline and knowledge, in that order, and that makes you successful. —Jason Harrington ’93
It is entirely possible to blend your faith life and your work life, like that first day Fr. Falbo telling me hydrogen is like God. The amazing thing about Pius is, they taught you both. —John Freisinger ’85
The fact that Pius pushed us to be better in and out of the classroom gave me confidence. That pushing to excel is what I appreciate now, along with the Pius family. We learned it’s important to take care of each other. —Edward Larranaga ’84
My sense of community was founded there. Pius allowed me to look beyond my own stuff as a teenager. It encouraged me to look outside of myself and to be compassionate with others. When one develops that in the teen years, it has a very big impact on how we live our lives. —Mary (Goodwin) Jury ’79
St. Pius instilled in me a passion and energy to reach beyond what I thought I was capable of, and the results of that reaching are always astounding. —Bethany Tabor ’10
I could never have done what I’ve been able to do without the interface and interaction I had at Pius. I came out with a totally different attitude about myself than I went in with. I came out feeling I was never going to lose. —John Cordova ’76
Congratulations to the 123 graduates of the St. Pius X High School Class of 2022. They contributed 21,487 hours of community service and earned scholarships totaling more than $11 million.
St. Pius X High School seniors earned accolades for their 2022 academic, service and athletic achievements.
Dr. Barbara Rothweiler will complete 30 years of service to St. Pius X High School on June 30, 2022, after stepping up to see the school, her team, and her students through the recent challenges of pandemic learning. Rothweiler’s 2020 retirement was delayed when Archbishop John C. Wester asked her to keep her expertise and experience in place to navigate the school through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rothweiler was inducted into the SPX Hall of Honor in May 2022 for “leading the school into the 21st Century in terms of technology and curriculum while maintaining the well loved St. Pius traditions.”
St. Pius X High School welcomes in July 2022 new Head of School Mike Deely, a 28-year veteran educator and leader in Catholic schools. He brings an extensive background in Catholic education to St. Pius X, from student to teacher, campus minister and coach to principal and head of school.
“St. Pius has really invested alumni because it was a great experience for them – it’s theirs,” Deely said. “Now there are multigenerational families and a really strong history. I’m here to help support what is already in place – a love for this school and this community.
“I was very involved in high school and college and my advisors meant so much to me. I had great role models of teachers, nuns and priests at St. Pius. I strive to be someone who supports students in the same way. I hope they can find trust in me.
The St. Pius X High School Class of 1960 enjoys the permanently unique status of being St. Pius X’s first graduating class. During the 2021-2022 school year, these alumni celebrated important milestones, 80th birthdays. The Class of 1960 was unique in many ways. By the time they started as freshmen in the basement of St. Charles Borromeo Elementary School in 1956, those fourteen and fifteen year-olds had lived through many of the major events of the 20th Century. Read more about them!
Join the St. Pius X High School community for the Black and Gold Gala on Aug. 20, 2022, at Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town. The featured speaker will be St. Pius X’s own Phil Zuber. This special night of elegance and entertainment is a great opportunity to gather a table of St. Pius alumni or St. Pius parents for a night of friendship and fun. Get your tickets now!
St. Pius X High School baseball is the 2022 Class 4A Champions, beating Albuquerque Academy 15-2 in five innings. The St. Pius X girls water polo team won the 2022 State Championship by a score of 13-12. Read on for more spring sports coverage!
Eight St. Pius X High School athletes committed to pursuing their sports in college at the 2022 SPX Signing Day in April.
The St. Pius X High School Academic Decathlon Team earned second place at the 2022 United States Academic Decathlon National Finals, marking the fourth time in school history that the team has placed in the competition’s top three teams. The team also earned St. Pius X’s 21st New Mexico State Championship to advance to the finals and represent the state.
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The mission of St. Pius X Connections is to provide alumni and friends of St. Pius X High School with news, information and inspiration regarding the school and each other.
St. Pius X Connections is published by the St. Pius X High School Advancement Office.
St. Pius X High School Advancement Director
St. Pius X High School Associate Director of Advancement and Alumni
St. Pius X Connections Editor