At St. X, brotherhood reflects Christ
Anthony Passafiume
I’ve been a Tiger for far longer than I’ve taken classes in this building, and yet I’ve only truly come to know what makes St. Xavier High School so special in these last four years.
As a third-generation attendee and younger brother of a rising senior, my eighth-grade self had admittedly little choice in where I’d attend high school.
However, I assure you, this “lack of choice” resulted in no shortage of learning, laughter, grind and growth in my time here. As I slipped past branding and preconception into St. X’s hallways as a timid freshman, I was embraced with the true greatness I’d been told about for years. I found that the beauty and reputation of St. X lay not in facilities, prestige or funding — but in action, tradition, and most importantly, unbelievable people.
If you have the pleasure of knowing them, you’ll hear St. X people repeatedly mention a vital piece of our tradition and school culture: brotherhood. It’s important to distinguish between this term’s general definition and the form it takes on at St. Xavier, however. At St. X, brotherhood doesn’t stop at Rage Cage chants or the traditional “rah rah” vibe you might expect. Brotherhood is the quiet, built-in, uplifting spirit that each and every member of the St. X community is wholeheartedly bought into.
Brotherhood at St. X is having a friend to hug when life gets incredibly difficult and the rest of society tells you men must be strong.
Brotherhood at St. X is having a teacher who you’re confident would stay until dark to ensure your comfort with a topic.
Brotherhood is walking through hallways and expecting waves, smiles and greetings — never snickers, avoidance or judgment.
Over time, it became apparent to me that these subtle yet unmistakable examples of brotherhood stem from a united trust in one particular role model to whose example we all aspire — Christ.
Though St. X has certainly fulfilled and fueled the depths of my intellectual curiosity, it has more notably made Christ’s example livable, observable and real.
The teacher I mentioned earlier? Christ is there.
The friend who truly cares? He’s there, too.
The long discussions, the late nights, the tedious assignments — even the most inevitably dreadful things about school — Christ finds His way into all of it at St. X. This place will continuously challenge you to grow into Jesus’s perfect example, and, being surrounded by teachers, alumni and administrators who already do so? It’s hard not to.
Putting all that St. X has given me onto this page is simply impossible, and it extends so far beyond words that I can only accentuate its most tangible effects. St. X is truly more than a school, and it provides far more than an education.
Through faith, St. X becomes an experience. It’s a vital piece to the puzzle of life, and a character-defining four-year period that prepares regular boys to be extraordinary men for others upon exiting its walls a final time.
Long term, St. X forms men who empathize with the situations of those least like them, who still take persistent action when responsibility and discipline loom, and who strive humbly for excellence in the diverse fields in which they’re involved.
If there’s one key truth about St. X that people should know, it’s that there isn’t any “magic” that makes it special. The “magic” of St. X was created by the Xaverian Brothers long ago and is being continued now by the persistence, love and dedication of the extraordinary people who make it what it is. The magic of St. X is, in reality, the commitment of the community that defines it.
So, whether or not you personally attend, have attended or will attend St. X, you’ll find that its mission isn’t bound by its walls. St. X people embrace hardship, love, each other, love others, and most importantly, dare to grow each day.
St. Xavier helps students become their best selves
Will Lintner
When I first walked into St. Xavier High School for freshman orientation, I was filled with emotions I had never felt before, a mix of nerves and excitement that made my heart race. Coming from a small Christian school background, I didn’t really know what to expect. My dad graduated from St. X in the late 80s, a cousin graduated in 2016, and another was a junior when I started. But my own experience with the school was limited to a few football games at L & N Stadium and a couple of basketball camps.
Even so, I decided to take a leap of faith.
That leap tested me right away. On my first full day of high school, I couldn’t find my Health and PE class. Being late on my first day wasn’t how I imagined starting, but Coach Walsh’s welcoming smile and lighthearted jokes eased my embarrassment. What could’ve been an awful first impression instead became a moment that showed me what St. X truly stands for: people who care, lift you up and want to see you grow.
Over time, I began to understand that St. X is so much more than a school — it’s a family, a brotherhood. It’s a place where teachers, coaches and classmates all share one goal: helping you become the best version of yourself.
That mission shows up everywhere, from the classroom to the playing field, and everywhere in between. When I was cut from the basketball team freshman year, I decided to try lacrosse, a sport I’d never played before. That decision turned out to be one of the best I ever made. Over the next four years, my teammates became friends, and friends became brothers.
The lessons I learned on the field mirrored those I learned in the classroom: Pursue excellence in all endeavors, support one another through both success and struggle and be a man built for others.
In every part of St. X life, people push you to grow.
Coach Gold, one of my teachers, seemed intimidating at first because he believes the best teaching comes through discipline and structure, and he compels students to achieve their full potential. He was tough, but his toughness came from belief. He wanted us to become stronger, more disciplined men who lived with purpose.
On the other side of the spectrum was Mr. Kresse, who has constantly invited me to “take off my mask” and be the truest, most spiritual version of myself. His spiritual seminar, along with the Christian Awakening Retreat, has helped me understand what it truly means to be a man built for others — someone who serves, leads and loves authentically.
In demeanor, these two teachers are objectively very different, but they share a love for the community around them, a community where young men and teachers alike have the opportunity to become their truest and best selves.
Looking back, I can see how those early experiences shaped everything that followed.
St. X teaches the core values of compassion, humility, simplicity, trust and zeal. This isn’t just a motto or slogan; it is lived through the different people you talk to every day. I was challenged, but the challenges are just a part of the journey that made me who I am today. St. X students are taught to grow beyond their comfort zones and become the best versions of themselves.
More than anything, St. X has been a family that believed in me until I learned to believe in myself.
St. X radiates fraternity, community
Murphy-Lee Schmidt
“Brotherhood” feels like such a simple term, and, on the surface, seems fairly straightforward. But St. X radiates a sense of fraternity and community that surpasses a one-word description. Throughout my four years as an active member of this community, I have felt an overwhelming sense of pride in the green and gold. It may be an exaggeration to say I bleed green and gold, but it sure does feel that way sometimes.
I have seen the selfless work of the St. X men firsthand, from cleaning headstones at a local cemetery to pairing a senior with a new freshman to help him adjust to his hectic schedule. This school is much more than calculus and grammar; it helps create connections and relationships that will follow men for a lifetime.
At 14 years old, close to graduating from St. Agnes, I was completely underestimating the effect that St. X would have on me. Most of my buddies were dead set on attending St. X and had known they wanted to go here for years. I was excited, yet nervous that the experience wouldn’t be all that people had made it out to be. However, from the first day I set foot on campus, my perspective took a total turn.
When freshmen join the school, there is a pep rally to celebrate the new class. During my first assembly as a freshman, I was in awe at the sheer zeal that the students and faculty showed. Everyone knew the cheers by heart, the fight song felt like it was loud enough to shake the ground, and there was an undeniable sense of mutual respect between the staff and students. This was my place. I knew it. The drive for success radiated throughout the school, and it truly felt as if everyone wanted to see me flourish.
It’s difficult to pinpoint a certain factor of the school that I love more than the rest because there are so many positives that come to mind. Yet, the most visible factor, for me, has been the schoolwide drive for success. Through organizations like the Xaverian Scholars program, the new job-shadowing opportunities that St. X introduced this year and the student-tutoring program in the Viscusi Learning Support Center, I have witnessed a deep desire through the faculty to see each and every student live up to his full potential.
Although their job title may say “teacher,” the faculty of St. Xavier goes above and beyond. From being personal mentors when things aren’t going your way, to cracking down on you when you’re sliding in school, every single faculty member has shown numerous times their support for the students. These individuals blend a complex curriculum with engaging activities, like my economics teacher, Mr. Blaser, who has perfected the mix between academic focus and more relaxed group activities.
Being able to efficiently build your mind, whilst simultaneously building life-long relationships, is a skill that not many schools are able to foster, but St. X goes above and beyond to achieve.
The brotherhood at St. X may seem less significant to some, yet it’s virtually impossible for me to describe the benefits it brought me. The positive influence, countless connections and close relationships that I have built during my time at St. X could never be put into words.
St. X is a special place that prepares men not just to handle the trials and tribulations of working life, but also to stay faithful and service-oriented and to live by the gold standard.
