To the Band of Brothers: May 24, 2022

Well, we bid farewell to the senior class on Friday with a beautiful graduation ceremony. It is always a bitter-sweet moment. Bitter because you hate to see a group of kids you saw walk into Belen as boys and walk out as men go. Bitter because you grow to love them and really appreciate them for what each and everyone of them has to offer. But, definitely sweet because you know it is just the beginning of the next very exciting chapter in their lives. It is also sweet because you feel a strong sense of accomplishment. Parents entrusted them to us years ago and we worked hard to get them where they are.

The graduation ceremony was great. Our commencement speaker, Mr. Armando Codina, spoke to them about the keys to becoming a success in life. He should know. He emphasized above all things faith and family. These, he said, are the two key components to being a great man in the world and, more importantly, in the eyes of God. There is one bit of business advice he gave that I particularly liked. He said, “There are no good deals with bad people.” In other words, never let money blind you to compromising your values. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a big deal if the person sitting on the other side of the table is not a good person. Ultimately, it’s not worth it.

Our Brigadier, Gabriel Marrero ’222, hit a home run with his speech. He closed off the night with words that he wanted to address to all the families gathered there, but especially to his Belen brothers. He too spoke about the importance of faith and how we always have to hold on to it no matter what the circumstances. He reminded his classmates they have forged a brotherhood that will last them a lifetime. He reminded them they were sitting next to the men who will one day be the best men at their weddings and the godfathers of their children. He also mentioned that one day they will be cleaning their teeth, operating on them or a loved one, or representing them when they have a slip or fall. He even jokingly mentioned that whatever money they made they can give back to Belen with a recurring annual gift of $20.22. That was pretty funny.

I salute the members of the class of 20222. They are a great class. The leadership of Prio and Bru was outstanding and their classmates responded in kind. It is amazing what having the right guys at the helm can do, not only for the senior class, but the whole school. They were a testament to what good, solid leadership is all about and the impact it truly has. It set a pretty high standard for the class of 2023. It is a challenge I know they will definitely meet. This class also saw three of its graduates head off to military academies. One will be attending West Point and two will be at Annapolis. I was moved by the robust applause they received. How great that to this day we are grateful to those men and women who choose to selflessly serve their country.

By the way, that was a recurring theme during the night, appreciation for this great country we live in. Both Mr. Codina and Mr. Marrero mentioned it in their speeches. At a time when there are so many that are down on the nation because of the difficult challenges we face socially, politically, and morally, it is good that there are those who are still able to see the good in our country and decide it is worth fighting for. As the 60th anniversary of Belen in Miami draws to a close, the reality that the United States opened its arms to a group of exiled Jesuit priests from Cuba and afforded them the opportunity to not simply survive but thrive, can never be lost to us. 

But, the year is not over for the rest. We have several weeks before we conclude the academic year. For the rest of the band, we have to finish strong. Finals are around the corner. Just a little more to go and soon enough we will be enjoying the happy days of summer vacation.

Auspice Maria