1 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: Last time on stag with Scandal, police were searching the 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: grounds of Miami's Holy Cross Academy for the murderer of 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: Sister Michelle Lewis. But before going forward, we want to 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: take you back and paint a picture of the school 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: as it was. The story is about more than just 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: a murder. An understanding Holy Cross from the inside sets 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: the stage for everything that's to come. Let's get started. 8 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: Let's let's that check a little bit. I want to 9 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,800 Speaker 1: know how you you first heard of Holy Cross Academy, 10 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: Like how you came across this school. My husband and 11 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: I of course were school shopping. I was very geared 12 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: to a Catholic school education because I went to Catholic school. 13 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: So then I found a mom that told me there's 14 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: a school on Sunset Drive, and I started, you know where, 15 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: And so we drove by there one day and I said, 16 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: this is like a trailer. There's this big trailer in 17 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 1: the front, which was the entrance in the office, and 18 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:17,320 Speaker 1: then towards the back there were almost i want to say, 19 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 1: like um like linear trailers and each trailer had a classroom. 20 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: So it was the first grade, second grade, third grade, 21 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: and then fourth, fifth and six and then a small 22 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: trailer where they did lunches for the kids. And um, 23 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: there was also an additional trailer, I believe, with a 24 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: very small library. What year was this seven? So then 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: I talked to my husband about it goes It sounds great, 26 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: it sounds like it's starting. It's a small school, a 27 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: classical education. This sounds great. I mean they teach Greek, 28 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: they teach Latin, they teach French. This is amazing. Let's 29 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 1: cool for let's figure out and now introduce yourself and 30 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: tell me your relationship to holy Cross. Um, my name 31 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:11,239 Speaker 1: is Mighty Ata Fernandez, and my relationship to holy Cross 32 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: Academy is that both of my children went to holy Cross. 33 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 1: My son graduated from there and it was the first 34 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: graduating class that went all the way from kindergarten to 35 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: twelfth grade. And then my daughter, she also went to 36 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: holy Cross. You know, like most of the families that 37 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: went all the way through holy Cross was part of 38 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: our family. I'm Paula Barrows and I'm Melanie Bartley. And 39 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: this sacred scandal, it took them forever to build the buildings. 40 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: We were in trailers for god knows how long. It 41 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: was a bit mysterious. Because you know, the school was 42 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: half monastery, half school, so there was always a bit 43 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: of a mystery as to what was going on beyond 44 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: the fence, beyond the wall. I honestly think that all 45 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: they cared about was appearance. Is all they wanted it 46 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: to look like, was that we were all perfect students. 47 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: We had perfectly pressed uniforms, and we behaved, you know, perfectly, 48 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 1: and we had this beautiful, perfect school. It affected me 49 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 1: so much to the poor that something so terrible could 50 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: happen in a place where everyone felt so safe. I 51 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: still don't think anybody in Miami knows that this place 52 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: is here, you know what I mean. It's just so 53 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: out of never seen a castle on Sunset Drive, Like 54 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: does it disappear at night? The campus at Holy Cross 55 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: Academy came a long way from those early days in 56 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: the mid nineteen eighties when it was just a bunch 57 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: of trailers in an open field. By the time I 58 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,679 Speaker 1: started school there, almost ten years after Marietta Fernandez first 59 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: drove by, it expanded into what stands today. A building 60 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: that looked like an old European university was picked up 61 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: and dropped onto a palm tree line strip of suburban 62 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: South Florida. We are around here too. Oh my god, 63 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: Oh my god, it's painted. It's great. This is the monastery. 64 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: This is it. I know I might not totally sound 65 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: like it's here, but I was so nervous driving back 66 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: to look at Holy Cross that day. I had not 67 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 1: been back there in about fifteen years, and the thought 68 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: had just seen my old high school broad on a 69 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: wave of emotion. But part of me just wanted to 70 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: be able to walk through that courtyard once again and 71 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: remember what it felt like to be seventeen years old again. 72 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: That's where the monks lived, that was the chapel, and 73 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: that's where father Alp and Father Damien lived. Shure, I'm 74 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: going to let's try to go into the lot. Absolutely him. 75 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: I used to go here along million years and millions 76 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: of years ago, and I'm just like wow, like this 77 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: isn't still here, the castle? Wow? Oh it might like 78 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 1: can I like maybe get out and like look at 79 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: the school. I don't think so that today's it was 80 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: a different world than when you were here. The security 81 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: across Only Cross Academy and had a different name. It's uh, 82 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: schools are scary place nowadays. Yeah, I graduated like two 83 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: thousand one, so that's a long time ago. I know, 84 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,559 Speaker 1: I graduated in Jersey. When I go home, I always 85 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: have to go around the neighborhood, right, so thank you 86 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: for being friendly. Though we couldn't walk around this cool, 87 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,279 Speaker 1: we were able to take a peek inside the monastery's chapel. 88 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: It's now a different church and no longer part of 89 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:10,600 Speaker 1: the current school there. As students, we went there every 90 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:14,279 Speaker 1: day from morning prayers and daily announcements from Father Rabbit went. 91 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: But it's the walls that I remember the most. They 92 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: were painted in these beautiful and ornately colorful Byzantine icons 93 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: showing all kinds of scenes from the Bible. It was 94 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: really hard to pay attention in the chapel because I 95 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: was so focused on these murals. There's beautiful angels floating, 96 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: but also creepy skulls and blood and gore. I mean, 97 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: we could just go see if we can, like see 98 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: the iconography, I guess of the church. Fun come on, 99 00:06:49,440 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: be brave, I don't want to. Oh. Something's different day 100 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: and they got rid of the iconomic But I still 101 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: can't believe that this is the pictures from the yearbook 102 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: of you guys. This is the place. Yeah, but it 103 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: looks so tiny. Yeah, this was the place. It looks 104 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: so like grandiose in the in the Yeah, let's go. 105 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: No wait wait wait wait wait, Yeah, I'm not I'm 106 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: not feeling the vibe. Let's go. Okay. Something about being 107 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: back at holy Cross just didn't feel right. It made 108 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: me anxious and darkly nostalgic, because it feel like you're 109 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: gonna get in trouble. Yeah, almost like like like they're watching. 110 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: I feel like Father when and Father Damien's are still watching, 111 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: you know, like they're they're somehow still tied to this place, 112 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: and they're like watching from somewhere and that they knew 113 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: that we were there. Why do I get that by it? 114 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: It's completely irrational, It's completely irrationally gath. I don't know 115 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: why I feel that way. I don't think most people 116 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: have this kind of feeling about their high school. But 117 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: having talked so many former students and teachers while making 118 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: this show, I've realized that I'm not alone in thinking 119 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: that Holy Cross Academy and the men who founded it 120 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: left a lasting impression on us. I guess you had 121 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 1: to be there. So on this episode, we're going to 122 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: sift through how a pair of monks went from forming 123 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: a simple monastery to a multimillion dollar operation and get 124 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: a sense of what life was like at Holy Cross 125 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: after a break of you from the inside, stay with us. 126 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Sacred Scandal. I'm Paula Burrows and I'm 127 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: Melanie Bartley. Father Abbot Gregory Went was drawn to the 128 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 1: sound of the Eastern Catholic Liturgy as a teenager. In 129 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: the nineteen fifties, he studied music in the US and 130 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: the Netherlands, and visited universities across Europe. Reverend Went, as 131 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: he was known back then, went on to run music 132 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: programs and teach at colleges in Oklahoma. By their early 133 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: nineteen seventies, he returned to Miami, the city where he 134 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 1: grew up. He helped found a choir at St. Basil 135 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: the Greats, the city's only Byzantine Catholic parish. Father Went 136 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: was a type of person who made things happen when 137 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 1: he wanted to. In two years, he worked to double 138 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: the size of the choir and even recorded an album 139 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: with them. These are the laicses you're hearing right now. 140 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: But by the end of the decade, Father wentz goals 141 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: and vision changed and he felt the call towards a 142 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:26,359 Speaker 1: monastic life. The Holy Cross Monastery wasn't the first attempt 143 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: that Father Went made to establish a monastery. This is 144 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 1: Peter Davidson, who wrote a book about the murder at 145 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: Holy Cross and dug deep into the priest's past. He 146 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: tried one um I think in the late seventies or 147 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: early eighties up in Lantana in Palm Beach County, but 148 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: he had difficulty attracting people to join him in this venture, 149 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: and eventually the monastery was closed. He did get one follower, 150 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: and that was James cobo alt Far who became known 151 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: as Father Damien. Father Damian was studying for the priesthood 152 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: at the seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida, and he was 153 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: just six months away from graduating. This was in December 154 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:21,359 Speaker 1: of night when he was asked to leave and apparently 155 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:25,079 Speaker 1: he had a serious drinking problem according to the documents 156 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: that I found, and he was asked to leave because 157 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 1: his problem created doubts about his ability to serve as 158 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: a priest. So he was booted out of the seminaries, 159 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: asked to leave the seminary, and he did after being 160 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: kicked out of the Roman Catholic seminary, Damien would switch rights, 161 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,719 Speaker 1: become a Greek Catholic and make his way to win 162 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 1: small monastery in Lantana, and also gave him an opportunity 163 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 1: to become part of the Byzantine Church because he'd been 164 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 1: studying in the Roman Catholic right, so this gave him 165 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: kind of a new life to go into another aspect 166 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: of the church and he would wash the dishes and 167 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: do ards and ends there. And after the monastery was 168 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: closed in Lantana, they moved to Miami Deade County and 169 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:26,479 Speaker 1: started working on setting up a monastery. Here in Miami, 170 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: the pair would contact the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, 171 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: New Jersey. They asked permission for the two of them 172 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: to form a new monastery. The eparchy is like a diocese, 173 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: so around Miami, all the Roman Catholic churches are under 174 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: the Archdiocese of Miami, which is run by an archbishop. 175 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: But in the Byzantine Right, the eparchies cover a lot 176 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: more territory because there are fewer churches, So all of 177 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: Florida's Byzantine Catholic organizations fall under this eparchy that's based 178 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 1: in New Jersey, which has a bishop. In the early eighties, 179 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 1: Bishop Michael Duddick was running things in Passaic, and he 180 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: signed off on the pair establishing what would become the 181 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: Monastery of the Exultation of the Most Holy Cross. At 182 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: the time, the monastery was just a small house they 183 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: were living in. According to reporting in the Sun Sentinel 184 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: from back in two thousand one, Went then became the 185 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: monastery's abbot, and he or Dan Cabald as a Byzantine priest. 186 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: But a monastery is supposed to be a sort of 187 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: self sustaining operation where the organization takes care of the 188 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: monks who lived there in a life of prayer and 189 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 1: service to the order. Without enough money, Went in Damien 190 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: couldn't grow their monastery or sustain more members, so they 191 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: needed to find a way to keep it going long term. 192 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 1: Their idea was Holy Cross Academy. Father Went and Father Damien, 193 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: we're working as teachers and saving to start their own 194 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: small religious academy. According to Peter Davidson, they went back 195 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: to Bishop Dudeck and were given his permission to open 196 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: a school. At the time, he approved them to teach 197 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: kindergarten through the eighth grade, tuition was below the most 198 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 1: elite private and Catholic schools in Miami, and they promised 199 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: a classical education in Greek Latin, the classics and philosophy. 200 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: With that, Holy Cross Academy was able to attract middle 201 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: class families who were searching for a different educational experience. 202 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: And I do have to thank my parents for having 203 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: sent me there because the education I got at Holy 204 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: Cross has helped me so much throughout my life. A 205 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: friend of father went from the Netherlands helped them finance 206 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: the school, and the bank loan of one point four 207 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: million dollars guaranteed by the Eperchy got them even closer 208 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 1: to their vision for the academy, vision that this all 209 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: community of holy Cross, and parents like Marietta Fernandez felt 210 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: very much a part of. When you were talking about um, 211 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: this dream that father that wanted to create, do you 212 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: do you remember how he would describe it or how 213 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: would you describe this this holy Cross dream? The building itself. 214 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: Have you you've seen the building like a minie Oxford University. 215 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: He would talk about how important it was to have 216 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: the open space school. You were part of the earth, 217 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: you were part of the environment. The school was welcoming. 218 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: The building in itself had a life, and that life 219 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: was the children that walked through it on a daily basis, 220 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: the students, the parents. He wanted that, he wanted that vibration. 221 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 1: He had an idea of what he wanted to create, 222 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: and he felt that the way through was going to 223 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: be through this type of classical education, and the idea 224 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: to move forward and create and build the school was 225 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: very important to him. And we knew that there was 226 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 1: a plan and we knew that it was going to happen. 227 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: And we had a big, big meeting and all the 228 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: parents went to the meeting, and I remember standing up 229 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: and saying, why are we talking so much about how 230 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: we're gonna get to how we're gonna do it, how 231 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna get the money. And I just said, if 232 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: you build it, they will come. We will make the money. 233 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: He started laughing. He goes, this is great. He said, 234 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: this is the attitude that we need. And she was right. 235 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: The building got built and the people did come, not 236 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: just from Miami, but all the way from Ukraine. More 237 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: on that After the break Welcome Back. As Holy Cross 238 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: Academy student body and staff grew over its first decade, 239 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: things began to shift. Father Abbott went no longer needed 240 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:27,959 Speaker 1: to teach and moved into a role strictly as headmaster, 241 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: and Father Damien became limited to running the religious services 242 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: for the school, so new employees came in. They took 243 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: over daily operations and managed the priest's vision for their academy. Okay, well, 244 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:46,360 Speaker 1: my name is Nan Gardner and my full title at 245 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 1: Holy Cross was assistant Headmaster and diner students, what do 246 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: you what do you remember about about Paula? I'm just 247 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: curious how what was Paula like in school? I could 248 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:03,199 Speaker 1: just picture her uniform. You know, some people are not 249 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 1: meant for that level of having to obey. Um, you 250 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 1: were always pleasant. You just didn't want to follow along 251 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 1: with the uniform. That's all right, dang it? Yeah, and 252 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: I gave you Helen. I'm so sorry. Your sister's uniform 253 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:25,880 Speaker 1: always looked good. Speaking about the discipline, Um, how would 254 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: you describe her? Or? I guess how do you compare 255 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 1: the discipline not Holy Cross to other schools who worked that? 256 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 1: Was it more strict? Oh it's much more strict? Yeah 257 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 1: in what way? Uh? Well, for one thing, I couldn't 258 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 1: believe the number of detentions on that list every week. 259 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: But you know, it was just part of the program 260 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: to to get those up there. And frankly, the parents 261 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: at the school for the most part, seemed to be 262 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: very supportive of the UM disciplinary measures. I mean, kids 263 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: knew that if they got into any kind of physical altercation, 264 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:06,120 Speaker 1: they were going to be suspended. UM. They knew there 265 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: were cameras in all the rooms that we could see 266 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: if there was mischief done somewhere by checking the cameras, 267 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: and most schools don't have that. What did you think 268 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: about the cameras, um, I they served a good purpose 269 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: for things like finding mischief or seeing UM classroom management 270 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: so far as teachers go, and stuff like that. But 271 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: we didn't really sit on those cameras very much. I 272 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: was the main person that operated the cameras, looking at 273 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: him and stuff, and usually it was more a matter 274 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 1: of looking back at something like if somebody put graffiti 275 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 1: on the bathroom wall, you know, we could look back 276 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: and see who was in the bathroom at that time 277 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: and possibly um see what somebody he had done. So 278 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: I think it it kept kids from doing a lot 279 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: of things that might have done otherwise. You know, Shenanigans. 280 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: I would hate it as a teacher. I think it's 281 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: unfair on them to have a camera on them and 282 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: uh and I would like to clear up. In the bathrooms, 283 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: you could not see any private areas. And there was 284 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:22,159 Speaker 1: one teacher, it was a preschool teacher who used to 285 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 1: tell the kids that father Abbott or Mrs Gardner was 286 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 1: always watching them on the camera, and I thought, what 287 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: a horrible thing to tell a little four year old. 288 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,919 Speaker 1: You know, but not all staff saw the cameras as 289 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: a tool for keeping students in line. It reminded me 290 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: a big brother, right big brother watching you and controlling you. 291 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 1: And but since I didn't have anything to hide for me, 292 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:46,439 Speaker 1: it was like, whatever you want to watch, sit there 293 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: and watch me go right ahead. I didn't have an 294 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: issue with that, but but I but I did find 295 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: it weird. So my name is Nazi Ramala Sierra and 296 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: I only taught it whole across for one year. Miss 297 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,159 Speaker 1: Sierra was my Spanish teacher for that one year that 298 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: she was at Holy Cross. I liked her so much 299 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: and she had such a big impact on me that 300 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: I honestly thought she was there the entire time that 301 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: I was. But for some reason she didn't make it, 302 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,119 Speaker 1: and I wanted to know why. Part of it, she said, 303 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 1: was because those rules about the dress code weren't just 304 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: for students. We weren't allowed to wear pants the year 305 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 1: I was there, we had to wear panti hoose, which 306 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 1: were horrible and in Miami. Yeah, and the master's coat 307 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 1: that you had to wear, like in Harry Potter what 308 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 1: the teachers where. It's the big long coat. It's like 309 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: a graduation gown kind of thing. But these were thick 310 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: and they were they were heavy, and they were hot. 311 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:49,120 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna lie if you took it off, would 312 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: you be reprimanded? Oh? No, you could not take that off. 313 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 1: You're not allowed to take that off. It was on 314 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: all the time, not even when you were in your 315 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: classroom by yourself, because you know, they had cameras in 316 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:03,959 Speaker 1: the rooms and they would let you know that they 317 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 1: were watching you. Was there anything different about the students 318 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: at Holy Cross from other schools you had taught at before? 319 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: What was different? I think that a lot of them 320 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,960 Speaker 1: demonstrated more like they were more needy, which is interesting 321 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: because you figure they come from affluent families, but they 322 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: were like missing. I don't even know the word to 323 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: say in English, but in Spanish karno. You know. They 324 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: just they just wanted someone to feel close to or warm, 325 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: and it was like like I was like mother figures 326 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: almost what I feel like, or a big sister figure 327 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: to some of them, and they just needed to talk 328 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: and needed to be heard. And that that was very 329 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: impactful for me because um, it goes along very much 330 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: with my personality. That it wasn't my teaching style before 331 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: coming here. Even though she thought the kids needed that 332 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: type of connection, it wasn't something she felt was supported 333 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,440 Speaker 1: by the school's leadership. There was a senior student whose 334 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: father had pasked, and the student was walking with his head, 335 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: you know, kind of down, and I knew what was 336 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,959 Speaker 1: going on with him, and the kind of cross paths 337 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: in the hallway and in the upstairs, and I said 338 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,479 Speaker 1: good morning, and I said the student's name, Mr. Whatever 339 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: his name was, and he looked up, Oh, good morning 340 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: the Sierra. And little did I know, I had one 341 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: of the administrators walking behind me. So as the student 342 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: walked by me, I got called into the administration and 343 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:34,439 Speaker 1: said that I should never ever say hello to a 344 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 1: student without the students saying hello. To me first, it 345 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: was like just respectful and and that that kind of 346 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,400 Speaker 1: like it made me sad because this poor kid all 347 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 1: he wanted, you know, I don't know. It was just 348 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: a really weird From that thing on, I knew I 349 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: was not returning. And what broke my heart was leaving 350 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 1: the students that I was going to leave behind. You know, 351 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: I caredn't there, I could not work there away. Though 352 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: Holy Cross Academy was growing, the monastery that it was 353 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 1: founded upon was at a standstill. More than almost seven 354 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: years after they started, Father Abbott Gregory went and Father 355 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: Damien Gibald hadn't recruited any new monks, and they were 356 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: still the only official members of the monastery. But in 357 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: that all changed. Only the newest member was not a monk. 358 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 1: Marietta Fernandez was one of the first to welcome the 359 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: new recruit. My first vision of Sister Michelle walking down 360 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: the hallway dressed in her monastic habit with her big 361 00:24:54,160 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: giant leather belt, was like, what is this? And hello, 362 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 1: I Mrs Fernandez? Who are you? Michelle Lewis, I'm sister man. 363 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: It is great to me. You are you part of 364 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: the family? Who are you? Where did you come from 365 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: and was like, oh, yes, you know, I'm just recently started, 366 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: you know, joining the monastic family here at Holy Cross Academy. 367 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: And where do you live? I was like, you know, 368 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,120 Speaker 1: I was like a little kid asking her so many 369 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,760 Speaker 1: questions because to me, it was like what does she do? 370 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: Sister Michelle Lewis and Marietta Fernandez became fast friends, or 371 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 1: as close as a parent and a monastic could. Sister 372 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: Michelle was twenty nine years old when she joined the 373 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 1: monastery at Holy Cross as a nun in training. Before 374 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: taking on the habit, she spent years working as an 375 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: accountant and actuary. She came to Miami with her ex husband, 376 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 1: who she divorced several years before choosing to live at 377 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: a convent. Did she tell you about what her relationship 378 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: with her husband was like and like why she left? No? No, 379 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: I think that he was verbally abusive to her, because 380 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 1: I there were maybe a couple of comments during the 381 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: but and physically I think so, even though it's so 382 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: hard to believe, because she was just you know, I 383 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,479 Speaker 1: think she was a strong person and he made her 384 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: very weak, you know, and maybe not self assured. You know, 385 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: maybe that self esteem was killed a little. How sometimes 386 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: it happens in a relationship, you know, But it seems 387 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: like she opened up to you as a woman, right 388 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:44,919 Speaker 1: like she telling knew about that she did. She was 389 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 1: when when we were talking about that and those things. 390 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:53,399 Speaker 1: She was a woman. Um, even even though she was 391 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 1: a monastic, she was a woman. I mean, I've I've 392 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: grown around other you know, uh sisters I've had you know, 393 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: Like I told you, I went to Catholic school and 394 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: I used to spend a lot of time talking to 395 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: other other sisters. I used to spend a lot of 396 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 1: time in the kitchen with them because my aunt was 397 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 1: a teacher, so I would have to wait till my 398 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 1: aunt got out of school and graded all her papers. 399 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 1: So they would send me off to the combat, go 400 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: to the comment, go have you know, a nice little 401 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: snack until we can go home. And I used to 402 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: and they were so different, you know, they were they 403 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: were not like her. After her marriage ended, Michelle Lewis 404 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,359 Speaker 1: felt called to do something different with her life. Raised 405 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:37,119 Speaker 1: as a Roman Catholic, she initially wanted to become a 406 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: carmelite nun, but because she was a divorced woman, she 407 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 1: had trouble being accepted by other Catholic orders, but then 408 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 1: she found the monastery on Sunset Drive and was wowed 409 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:57,239 Speaker 1: by the singing of the Byzantine Liturgy. She asked if 410 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 1: there was a way for her to become a permanent member. 411 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,919 Speaker 1: Father went believed in second chances, and you could imagine 412 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: it was hard for someone like him, trying to grow 413 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: an academy, to turn down Michelle and her skills and accounting, 414 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: So he accepted her and made her a novice, a 415 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: nun in training. She gave up all of her possessions 416 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,120 Speaker 1: and donated her savings to the monastery. This gave her 417 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: a free home with the promise of being taken care 418 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 1: of for life. In exchange, she prayed and served the monastery, 419 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 1: but also worked tirelessly for the school. She was the accountant, 420 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 1: so she did all the accounting for the school. Um, 421 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 1: she taught calculus, she tutored a lot of the kids 422 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: in calculus as well when they needed it, and um, 423 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: she you know, basically ran the whole office. I think 424 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: that also she had a lot to do with the 425 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: monastic side of the accounting. Remember Holy Cross was separate. 426 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: Sister Michelle's rule expanded A few years later, when the 427 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: membership of the monastery started to grow again. Okay, so 428 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: let's talk about the candidates for a bit. What what 429 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: were you told about them that they just kind of 430 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: show up one day, or were you told that they 431 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: were going to start recruiting kids from Ukraine and all 432 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: of that. Well, they pretty much showed up and um 433 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: but I was told that they were there because they 434 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: were interested in going into the monastic life, and that 435 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: they were given this opportunity to come to the United 436 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 1: States and and leave a more difficult situation in in 437 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: the Ukraine and get a an excellent education in the 438 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: in the United States at the school, and then possibly 439 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: go into the priesthood. How did do you feel about it? 440 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,719 Speaker 1: Did it did it strike you as odd that there 441 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: were teenage kids living at the school or did you 442 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: just kind of accept it? Um? No, I didn't think 443 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: it was too odd. I thought, you know, they were young, 444 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: but they seemed to be happy and eager to do 445 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: well in school. Uh. They stood out from the regular 446 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: students because they had to wear a different type of outfit. 447 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: They wore, Uh, just a very simple black suit, white shirt. 448 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: I don't remember if they wore a tie or not, 449 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 1: but they weren't allowed to go to any of the 450 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 1: dances and you know, social activities. So what was the 451 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 1: process for the monasty cadidates. Well, okay, so they were 452 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: recruited from the Ukraine. They would come here and they 453 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: didn't speak English, and oh they put them in the 454 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: in the kindergart in classes with like the elementary school kids, 455 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: just to learn English. Yeah, the little kids. And well 456 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: they told us like do not Well, you're not allowed 457 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: to speak to the monastic candidates because you can't influence 458 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: them in worldly ways. That was the thing, like, don't 459 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: influence them into the secular life. So you never talked 460 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: to them. How man, you would do it anyway? Yeah, 461 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: we weren't supposed to. But but they were always around, 462 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: you know, like the monastic candidates. There were a few. 463 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: Sometimes there were four or five, sometimes there were seven. 464 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 1: And so in two thousand one, who who was still 465 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:42,240 Speaker 1: there from the monastic candidates In two thousand and one, 466 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 1: my senior year, there were five of them, Petro Mihilo. 467 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: They had graduated, but you know they were still very 468 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 1: much sleeping in Holy Cross. And then came Bussel, Sasha 469 00:31:56,360 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 1: and Yosip and that's who was there. The year of 470 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:12,520 Speaker 1: the murder. Now this is uh. I want to know 471 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: where you were the day that you heard what had happened. 472 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: I was picking up Valentin as friends and we were 473 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: all going to go to the beach and got a 474 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: call from my sister in law, Um, and she said, 475 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 1: something's happening at the school. There are police, there's fire trucks. 476 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: Something's going on. I think it's really bad. Can you 477 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:40,040 Speaker 1: call and find out? And since I was packing the 478 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 1: girls up, I said, you know, we're gonna go. We 479 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 1: gotta go. Something's going on at school. And one of 480 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 1: the parents called me and she lived across the street 481 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: from the school and one of the big beautiful homes 482 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 1: that were there, and she says, Um, something has happened 483 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 1: at this school and it's it's very bad, she said, 484 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 1: And father Abbott and father Damien are on their way 485 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: here to my house. We need you here. I went 486 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: immediately across the street and I parked. The kids got 487 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: out and the parents were like, they were crying and 488 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 1: they were just so upset. And I said, what's happening 489 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: and father father Abbott said, UM, Mrs Fernandez, Um, sister 490 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 1: sister Michelle has been stabbed, and UM, and she's dead, 491 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:40,959 Speaker 1: She's been murdered. And I was like, I was in shock. 492 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 1: I did not I couldn't breathe. You know, it was horrid. 493 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: I said, no, this is this cannot be happening. This 494 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 1: is a dream. This is I go. Who did it 495 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 1: and who stabbed her? Was? Was it a break in? 496 00:33:56,160 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 1: Were they trying to steal something? Um? No? Um? It 497 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:27,800 Speaker 1: was one of the monastic candidates. Sacred Scandal is a 498 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 1: production of Exile Content Studio in partnership with I Heart 499 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 1: Radio's michaela Podcast Network. Sacred Scandal was created and produced 500 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: by Melanie Bartley and me Paula Burrows. Our senior producer 501 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:47,880 Speaker 1: is Dennis funk of Written in Air. The executive producers 502 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:52,920 Speaker 1: are Rose Red and Nando Villa. Our production assistant is 503 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: Imani Leonard. Story editing by Rachel Ward. The show is 504 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:02,920 Speaker 1: fact checked by Kimberly Winston and original music was composed 505 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:09,520 Speaker 1: by Patrick Hart, Audio editing by Past Ques, with final 506 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:14,239 Speaker 1: audio mixing from Dick Soo and special thanks on this 507 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 1: episode to Korey Tchaikovsky, Travis Royg and reporting from Ellis 508 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:19,360 Speaker 1: Burger