Exploring their Faith at Notre Dame

Spiritual exploration doesn’t take a summer vacation at Central Catholic!

This summer, Ruthsmarie Ogando '24 and Evan Fernandez '25 participated in Vision for High School Students - a faith-filled retreat held on the University of Notre Dame campus as part of Notre Dame's McGrath Institute for Church Life.

The Central Catholic students were accompanied by CCHS Campus Minister Mr. Timothy Hart '85, who participated in Vision for Campus and Youth Ministers.

About Vision for High School Students at Notre Dame

Notre Dame Vision is a 5-day experience on the Notre Dame campus designed to help participants discover and renew God’s call in their lives.

Connect with hundreds of other high school students as you learn from the witness of the saints and develop practices to live your faith. Immerse yourself in the Notre Dame campus and sharpen your spiritual vision to recognize God’s grace at work in your life.

With the rich insights of nationally-known speakers and the mentorship of active college students, in large group sessions and in small faith-sharing peer groups, Notre Dame Vision gives you the space and community to ask big questions about how God is calling you to use your talents in service to the Church and world.

Ruthsmarie and Evan joined hundreds of other high school students as they learned from the witness of the saints, developed practices to live their faith, and immersed themselves in the Notre Dame campus, while sharpening their spiritual vision to recognize God’s grace at work in their lives.

"My favorite part was the small group discussions, because it allowed me to become connected to the people in my group in such a short span of time,” said Evan Fernandez '25.

"Overall, I thought that the program was well put together and allowed for kids my age to connect easily and be open about our faith. I think it will help me take a more active role at CCHS, possibly through Campus Ministry, clubs, service and school events. The lessons I learned impacted my spirituality positively, it helped me understand my connection to God and also deepened my belief in my faith."

Ruthsmarie and Evan stayed in the Notre Dame dorms throughout the retreat."

While the students were participating in Visions, Mr. Timothy Hart '85 participated in a parallel program for campus ministers and parish youth ministers.

Notre Dame’s Vision for Campus and Youth Ministers combines theological exploration, personal renewal, and a committed community of campus and youth ministers from across the nation.

Thank You to the Maraghy Family!

Attending these insightful programs would not be possible without the support and generosity of two loyal Raiders and parents of alumni – Patrick '64 (former CCHS Board Member) and Grace Maraghy – who have been strong advocates of both Central Catholic High School and the University of Notre Dame, where their children, Raiders Meghan E. Maraghy '13 and Sean P. Maraghy '15, attended college.

While serving on the Board of Advisors for the University of Notre Dame, Pat and Grace established a fund for summer programs, including Vision for High School Students, as well as a Science & Religion program for two CCHS faculty members to attend each summer. 

In order to make it possible for Central Catholic students, faculty, and staff to travel to Notre Dame, Pat and Grace also established a fund at CCHS to cover transportation and additional costs for students and faculty to travel to the Notre Dame campus. 

Students who are on the CCHS campus also benefit from Pat and Grace Maraghy’s generosity, as they also established a relationship with the University of Notre Dame Admissions Office for representatives from the university to come to the CCHS campus to speak with students about opportunities at Notre Dame.

A Lasting Raider Legacy

Pat and Grace Maraghy's love of Central Catholic is evident in their strong Raider legacy. In addition to Patrick B. Maraghy '64, Pat’s brother Michael B. Maraghy '62, his daughter Meghan E. Maraghy '13, and his son Sean P. Maraghy '15 are all proud Raiders.