Aquinas Landmark Spring 2021

17 Rega� Nugen� ‘19 Officiall� Join� Catholi� Churc� In the fall 2019 edition of The Aquinas Landmark, Regan Nugent ‘19 shared a reflection of faith in which she wrote about her experience at Aquinas and how it inspired her to become a member of the Catholic Church. Since then, Regan has completed the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and in September 2020, was officially welcomed to the Roman Catholic Church receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion. For her Saint name, she chose one that was especially meaningful – St. Thomas Aquinas. Congratulations, Regan! Lost at Sea Lawrence Chechak ‘67 writes of losing his Aquinas class ring at sea and how he was able to reclaim the special reminder of his time at 1127 Dewey Ave. I graduated from Aquinas in 1967 and as one of my gifts, my parents paid for my class ring. I cherished my ring and wore it proudly, even while serving in the US Navy (1970- 1976). In 1972 our ship was deployed on a heavy combat tour in Vietnam. My ring and I made it home safe and sound, and then in 1974, our ship was deployed on an extensive tour throughout the Mediterranean. Once relieved by another US Navy ship, we were headed home. On our transit back, I and other shipmates, were assigned on a work detail to go up, scrape down, and repaint exposed surfaces on our upper decks. When the work was complete the officer in charge handed us all rags and a can of paint thinner to clean up our hands. Lined up along the side of the ship, we did as we were told. The next thing I heard was a “boink” and a “bloop,” and looked over the side quick enough to see my ring sinking away in the ocean. I was devastated. To this day, 46 years later, my ring still lays on the bottom of the Atlantic, somewhere between Gibraltar and Charleston, South Carolina. I thought often for years about getting it replaced, but never followed up. The thought crossed my mind again earlier this year and this time I contacted the Aquinas Advancement Office, which put me in touch with our local representative at Jostens. The rep coordinated a custom, special remake of my ring, which he was able to backdate to 1967 for me. I am again wearing my Aquinas class ring proudly and constantly. I think in the future if I ever go out on a ship again, I’m going to take this one off and leave it at home in my dresser drawer.