60th First profession
Father Christian (Cris) A. Janson, SM
Birthplace: St. Louis
First profession: 1960
Ordination: 1973
Education: Bachelor of arts in English, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, 1963
Master of arts in classical Latin and philosophy, Saint Louis University, 1969
Master of divinity in theology, Saint Louis University, 1972
Certificate in clinical pastoral education
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Mary’s High School, 1968-69
Teacher and chaplain, Chaminade College Prep, 1996-98
Assistant vocations director, St. Louis Province, 1998-2000
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Joseph School, Victoria, Texas, 1963-65
Teacher, Don Bosco High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1965-67
Teacher and chaplain, St. Michael High School, Chicago, Illinois, 1973-75
Teacher, chaplain and community director, Nolan High School, Fort Worth, Texas, 1975-80
Pastor, teacher and chaplain, various parishes and schools in the states of Veracruz, Mexico and Guanajuato, Mexico, 1980-96
Teacher and campus minister, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, 2002-06
Pastor, Holy Rosary Parish, San Antonio, Texas, 2006-17
Pastoral associate, St. Joseph’s Parish, Sykesville, Maryland, 2017-present
About Father Christian (Cris) A. Janson, SM: At heart, I am a teacher. As pastor, I fulfilled that passion especially in writing a weekly bulletin message. From the beginning, I accepted the invitation in the novitiate to consider ordination. I was born in St. Louis, into a very large family with 10 brothers and two sisters. I met the Marianists at St. Mary’s High School in St. Louis and went to the postulate at Maryhurst to complete my education. I have served in teaching and chaplaincy ministries, pastoral ministry and on a vocation team. In a university setting, I served again as an educator and provided campus ministry service. I returned to pastoral ministry until serious health issues sidelined me. I came to the Marianist Residence in San Antonio in 2019 and am valiantly battling my handicap. Community life has and continues to call forth from me even unknown gifts.
60th Ordination
Father Quentin Hakenewerth, SM
Birthplace: Old Monroe
First profession: 1948
Ordination: 1960
Education: Bachelor’s in education, University of Dayton, 1951
Bachelor’s in theology, University of Fribourg, 1961
Master’s in clinical psychology, DePaul University, 1965
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Mary’s High School, 1951-52
Teacher and sodality moderator, Eugene Coyle High School, 1953-55
Assistant for religious life and apostolic action, St. Louis Province, 1965-69
Provincial, St. Louis Province, 1971-79
Vocations director, Bordeaux House, 1980-81
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher and chaplain, Don Bosco High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1961-62
Instructor and scholastics chaplain, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, 1964-65
Instructor and scholastics director, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, 1969-71
Assistant for religious life, General Administration, Rome, 1981-91
Superior general, General Administration, Rome, 1991-96
Movice master, Queretaro Novitiate, and assistant pastor, Queretaro, Mexico, 1996-2002
Pre-novice director, Queretaro pre-novitiate, and assistant pastor, Queretaro, Mexico, 2002-11
Chaplain and assistant pastor, House of Studies, Puebla, Mexico, 2011-17
Chaplain, assistant formation director, assistant pastor, Queretaro, Mexico, 2017-present
About Father Quentin Hakenewerth, SM: I entered the Society of Mary at the age of 15. As a Marianist, everything I have ever been asked to do in service of others has brought me greater opportunities to grow. Even though some tasks have been difficult, the graces they have brought to me personally have always been greater. My most rewarding experience as a Marianist has been to discover the tremendous grace that God has given us through Blessed Chaminade in the Marianist Charism, and to have the privilege of living that charism - even so poorly - and to share it with others. I am deeply grateful for my Marianist vocation and humbly thankful for the unmerited grace of perseverance.
70th First profession
Father Joseph Uvietta, SM
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas
First profession: 1950
Final profession: 1954
Ordination: 1961
Education: Bachelor of arts, St. Mary’s University, 1952
Doctorate in ministry, University of Fribourg, 1961
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Mary’s High School, 1952-54
Assistant for religious life, St. Louis Province, 1963-67
Teacher and chaplain, Chaminade College Prep, 1967-68
Chaplain, Marycliff (St. Louis provincialate), 1968-73
Teacher, chaplain, community director, Vianney High School, 1977-84
Provincial, St. Louis Province, 1987-95
Director, Marianist Retreat and Conference Center, 1996-2005
Marianist high school board member, chaplain for Mercy Sisters, retreat director and pastoral assistant while residing at Cure of Ars community, 1999-2015
Marianist high school board member, chaplain for Mercy Sisters, retreat director and pastoral assistant while residing at Chaminade community, 2015-18
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, St. Joseph High School, Victoria, Texas, 1954-56
Teacher and chaplain, Belleville Cathedral High School, Belleville, Illinois, 1962-63
Novice master, Marynook Novitiate, Galesville, Wisconsin, 1973-77
President, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, 1985-87
About Father Joseph Uvietta, SM: I grew up in a close-knit, Italian-speaking family, in a poor parish in San Antonio and attended its small school by much-loved sisters and teachers. When I met the Marianists in high school, the brothers’ relationships with students and interactions with one another continued my prior family and school experience very well. St. Mary’s University provided a similar positive experience, so I recognized the call and entered the novitiate. I have achieved the goal of creating relationships with many good people, both in community and ministry. Although I expected my assignments to involve teaching and chaplaincy, as they did initially, it did not always stay that way. After ordination, I found myself in formation work, serving as provincial assistant for religious life, novice master, then back to teaching and chaplaincy at Vianney High School. I later served as my high school alma mater president and as provincial for the St. Louis Province. I rounded out my ministry with retreat direction and chaplaincy for various women religious orders. Health issues brought me to the Marianist Residence in San Antonio in 2018, where being part of this new community provides help for my diabetic issues and the opportunity to continue rejoicing in my life as a Marianist religious - this year especially - with 70 years of profession. I am glad to continue living the graces I received as a member of the Marianist Family and am grateful for all the graces coming from my fellow brothers and other people I know.
70th First profession
Brother Gerard A. Sullivan, SM
Birthplace: St. Louis
First profession: 1950
Final profession: 1956
Education: Bachelor of arts in social studies, St. Mary’s University, 1954
Master’s in teaching St. Mary’s University, 1970
Certificate in drug and alcohol counseling, San Jose State University, 1992
Certificate in spiritual direction, Aquinas Institute, 2002
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, McBride High School, St. Louis, 1954-56
Teacher, St. Mary’s High School, Dec. ‘61-May ‘62
Youth ministry retreat coordinator, Marianist Apostolic Center, Eureka, 1976-80
Retreat team member, Marianist Retreat and Conference Center, 1993-2002
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, Texas, 1952-53
Teacher, St. Joseph High School, Victoria, Texas, 1953-54
Teacher, Colegio Sta. Maria, Lima, Peru, 1956-60
Teacher, Colegio San Antonio, Callao, Peru, 1960-61
Teacher, Assumption High School, East St. Louis, Illinois, 1963
Colegio Sta. Maria, Lima, Peru, 1964-66
Teacher, Colegio San Jose, Trujillo, Peru,1967
Teacher, Colegio Sta. Maria, Lima, Peru, 1970-71
Teacher, Colegio San Antonio, Callao, Peru, 1972-73
Teacher, Assumption High School, East St. Louis, Illinois, 1974-76
Mssion and pastoral work, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, 1980-83
Teacher, Thomas More High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1983-87
Chaplain, Santa Clara Co. Dept. of Corrections, San Jose, California, 1989-92
Supervisor, St. John’s Home for Boys, Rockaway Beach, Queens, New York, 1992-93
Teacher and mentor, Marianist novitiate, Queretaro, Mexico, 2002-03
Prison ministry, Charlotte, North Carolina, 2005-07
Retired, but volunteering in social justice, AA and Hispanic ministry, Baltimore, Maryland, 2007-present
About Brother Gerard A. Sullivan, SM: I had no clue as an 18-year-old what the choice to be a Marianist would mean. It has been an incredible adventure/journey, and I wouldn’t take any of it back - including the pain of alcoholism. My whole Latin American experience changed my spirituality and personality. I learned Spanish - one of the biggest intellectual experiences and gifts of my life - and discovered a new sense of God and Mary from the Latin way of relating to God as a loving Savior who suffered for them. My next big growth experience and gift from Mary was entering rehab for alcoholism. My recovery in AA gave me a whole new perspective of spirituality and a ministry of doing prison retreats in Missouri with the Residents Encounter Christ program. The AA recovery experience, plus every other experience: teaching, missions, prison ministry, illness, losses, all the remarkable folks in my life and especially how Peru and AA taught me real spirituality have been learning opportunities that have made me who I am. I get on my knees every night and thank Mary and God for the wonderful gift of my vocation.
70th First profession
Brother Paul Metzger, SM
Birthplace: St. Louis
First profession: 1950
Final profession: 1955
Education: Bachelor’s in history, St. Mary’s University, 1953
Master’s in history, Loyola University-Chicago, 1962
Doctorate in education, Loyola University-Chicago, 1965
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher, McBride High School, St. Louis, 1957-61
Teacher, Vianney High School, Kirkwood, 1961-62
Teacher and assistant principal, 1973-77
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher, Don Bosco High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1953-57
Teacher, St. Michael High School, Chicago, Illinois, 1962-65
Professor, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, 1965-72 and, 1977-89
Teacher Nolan High School, Ft. Worth, Texas, 1990
Professor, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, 1990-2005
About Brother Paul Metzger, SM: I was born in St. Louis in 1929, the last of six children. I graduated in 1947 from South Side Catholic High School, now St. Mary’s. Although a couple of the brothers asked me to join the order, I declined - I wasn’t interested. I worked in an automobile insurance company for two years and also had joined the Missouri and U.S. Army National Guard 138th Infantry Regiment in St. Louis. The first year, I was content, but the second year, the Lord began constantly calling me. In 1949, on my 20th birthday, I arrived in Galesville, Wisconsin, for novitiate and made first vows on August 15, 1950. I made final vows in Galesville in 1956.
80th First profession
Brother Francis Heyer, SM
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
First profession: 1940
Education: Bachelor of science in education, University of Dayton, 1943
Master’s in education and psychology, Saint Louis University, 1954
Service in the archdiocese: Teacher and speech coach, McBride High School, 1943-49
Teacher, De Andreis High School, 1949-52
Teacher, McBride High School, 1956-58
Teacher, St. Mary’s High School, 1958-89
Biology lab designer, 1959-65
Groundskeeper/gardener, maintenance assistant and affiliate mentor, St. Mary’s High School, 1999-2004
Affiliate mentor, 1999-2004 and groundkeeper/gardener, Maryland Avenue Community, 1999-2015
Service outside the archdiocese: Teacher and speech coach, Central Catholic High School, San Antonio, 1953-56
About Brother Francis Heyer, SM: The greatest contribution of the Marianists to the life of the Catholic Church is community. Community implies openness and mutual respect. I have experienced this both in challenges, when I needed them, and in opportunities for growth when I was open to them. The Marianist Charism facilitated multiple forms of personal growth and development: intellectual, through basic and continuing education physical, through outdoor work and sports spiritual, through novitiates, retreats, prayer, Eucharist, sacraments, reading and teaching emotional and psychological, through intense joyful community life and counseling. I have enjoyed what I consider the blessings of living at the Maryland Avenue Community since July 1999.