The Traditions Magazine

7/20/2026
Fr. Willie, S.J. ’87 | President
(Fr. Guillermo García-Tuñón, S.J., ’87 wrote this message for the Summer 2026 edition of the Traditions Magazine.)  
 

A few years ago, I was blessed to celebrate the wedding of a Belen graduate whose fiancée was the daughter of a committed alumnus of another school. I have known her father for many years and we are close friends. As an expression of gratitude for celebrating his daughter’s wedding, he generously handed me a donation. The following week, I turned the gift over to the school and asked it be credited as a donation to the school’s Fund for Belen. The check was stamped, registered, and deposited.

Sure enough, just a few weeks later, I got a call from the father of the bride, wondering why he started receiving Belen’s alumni magazine. I failed to mention to him that all benefactors, large or small, begin to receive our magazine. This is one way of keeping benefactors informed and engaged. That donation is one of many ways to become part of the Belen Jesuit family.

On that note, welcome to the newly revamped edition of Belen Jesuit’s magazine. Back in the early 60s, when Fr. Juan Manuel Dorta-Duque, S.J. ’40, founder and director of the Alumni Association of Jesuit Schools in Cuba and Miami, launched the first edition of the magazine, he may not have realized the potential impact it could have beyond the alumni association.

Over the years, this periodical has expanded its reach to inform the many individuals who make up our vibrant school community. Parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and benefactors who are not alumni, but are deeply committed to Belen Jesuit and its mission, need to be also at the center of our publication.

We have exceeded our reach and recognize that to continue forming young men in the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola does not take a village, but a metropolis. Such diversity is a reflection of the beauty of Miami. But all of it must remain staunchly rooted in our Catholic-Jesuit identity and immersed in the richness of our traditions. The magazine needs to highlight the beauty of our past while nurturing the excitement of our future.

It is for this reason we have rechristened our magazine Traditions and look to also highlight the vision for the future. While some content will expose the people and events that got us where we are, other will inform about new initiatives such as AI and its impact on our school or the construction of our new student center. Traditions will inform the reader about the exciting ventures ahead.

Thank you to the thousands of individuals, alumni and non-alumni alike, who are so committed to Belen Jesuit and who help not only keep the tradition alive but also help us thrive. We hope this new focus of our publication will help cast a wider net and encourage more individuals to get involved, appreciate our past, and invest in our future.

Auspice Maria,

Fr. Willie, S.J. ‘87