On this Veterans Day morning, which also happens to be the birthday of alumnus Jacques Fontan '86, members of the Brother Martin community led by the NJROTC came together in solidarity to honor our beloved veterans who put their lives on the line to defend us and our freedom. First, Principal Ryan Gallagher '00 spoke of the significance of our gathering this morning on this day in the Robert M. Conlin Gymnasium:
"The purpose of Veterans Day is a celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Today, we gather to honor Veterans and also to remember our own graduates who fought and died for our country.
Every time we gather in this place to celebrate Mass, we honor the ultimate sacrifice: Jesus’ death on the cross to bring us salvation. What the men and women of our armed services do is Christ-like: putting their lives on the line to secure our God-given freedoms and to protect the values that we, as a Christian nation, uphold. We can gather in this gym today because of the men and women who have served, fought, been wounded, and have died to secure a world where life is valued.
What our soldiers do is, in some ways, what we ask you to do: watch out for your brothers, make our school and our community a better place, help to reduce violence and injustice when you see it, and come together collectively to make Brother Martin--and our world at large--a better place, a safer place, a more loving and forgiving place--in other words, a sanctuary.
To do so means putting the needs of the greater school, of the greater society, before our own needs, and this is not easy. It means delaying personal gratification; it means enduring hardships so that others’ hardships can be relieved; it means putting “what do we need the most” over “what do I need right now.” Crusaders, we can and will do this difficult work because God has given us the ability to do so and has given us a loving family and school community to support us as we do so. It is not an option; it is who we are as men and women of God. It is what our service men and women do and do willingly and nobly; it is what Christ did.
So at this time, let us recall our purpose today, on Veterans Day, to remember and honor our Armed Services, past, present, and future. May this ceremony truly reflect the love and support we have for these men and women.
Thank you."
Then, Brother Martin NJROTC cadets led a prayer service for those who have dedicated their lives in military service for the sake of our freedom.
Afterward, Commander Bruce Nolan '90, USN (Ret.) shared moving words of gratitude for the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families.
After the prayer service, our NJRTOC Cadets and the Crusader Band led guests, including veterans in the Brother Martin High School community and family members of Chief Petty Officer Jacques Fontan '86, to special wreath-laying ceremony in the backyard.
WDSU filmed video coverage of the event and published it on their website:
On June 28, 2005, a rocket-propelled grenade hit a CH-47 helicopter in Afghanistan, killing all on board. Those on the mission set out to save a SEAL team that was caught behind enemy lines and fighting for their lives. A second helicopter was able to pick up the only survivor of the attack, Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell. The story is depicted in the book and movie Lone Survivor. Brother Martin graduate Jacques Fontan was killed in the rescue attempt, sacrificing his life for others and becoming a role model of selflessness in his quest for peace for all of us here at Brother Martin.
Commander Bruce Nolan '90, USN (Ret.), Senior Chief Romico J. Barnes, USN (Ret.), NJROTC Cadets, and guests were present at the flagpole in the backyard for the aforementioned wreath-laying ceremony in honor of Chief Petty Officer Jacques Fontan, who will always be remembered and prayed for by our Brother Martin family. Joining them was the Crusader Band who played the National Anthem as the Cadets saluted and the Color Guard raised the Colors. As the last note of the anthem played, a moment of silence fell among the crowd while family brought a wreath to the plaque commemorating Chief Fontan’s service.
Commander Nolan, Senior Chief Barnes, and our NJROTC would like to thank our Brother Martin family for their continued support and gratitude for our cherished veterans.
We would also like to thank members of the class of 1986, Jacques's class, and other alumni and members of the Brother Martin community for joining us in this very special Veterans Day ceremony.
