Tarmac Online

By: Daniel Graziose ’27

What if there were a way to unite faith with fellowship—not only in the celebration of Mass or a quiet moment of adoration before lunch, but also in the joy that comes at the end of a busy school day? That vision comes to life after school, where fun meets faith. During the 2024-2025 school year, the Marianist LIFE Team sponsored Prayer, Pizza, and Pickleball. This event consisted of a pickleball tournament, pizza dinner, and a Holy Hour at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Lloyd Harbor.

The Marianist LIFE Team continued the tradition with Prayer, Pizza, and Pickleball 3, hosted on Faber Field at Chaminade. During this time, the men who attended were able to play, pray, and eat, but most importantly, create memories and build a brotherhood. It was also during this time on Faber Field that Principal Mr. Paul ’92, Chief Academic Officer Mr. Kay ’98, and Assistant Principal of Academics Dr. Strandberg ’09 made an appearance to support the culture of the school by simply being cheerful spectators!

Landon Mestousis ’27 reflected on how the event fostered real connection and community, noting the joy of in-person fellowship and the amazement of such a large turnout. He emphasized how moments like these help students step away from their screens and build genuine brotherhoods.

Later that night, the gathering moved to Kellenberg Memorial, where over 60 students, teachers, and members of the Marianist Community joined in prayer. The evening began with an exhibit showcasing Eucharistic miracles documented by Carlo himself, available on his miracolieucaristici.org. It continued with a screening of Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality, highlighting his belief that the Eucharist is truly “the highway to heaven.” This event concluded with Eucharistic Adoration and the veneration of a first-class relic of St. Carlo Acutis.

For those in attendance, the documentary was more than a simple biography—it was a call to action. Carlo’s life poses a question to today’s young people: How can you use your gifts, passions, and talents to lead others closer to God? Just as Carlo transformed his everyday interests into extraordinary expressions of faith, Prayer, Pizza, and Pickleball demonstrated that even the simplest activities can become pathways to holiness. This movement—from games and food to prayer and reflection—mirrored the balance of Carlo’s own life: finding God in the ordinary while always being drawn back to the extraordinary reality of the Eucharist.

Once again, the Marianist LIFE Team hosted Prayer, Pizza, and Pickleball—this being the 4th event in two years! The evening featured another anticipated pickleball tournament and pizza dinner before transitioning to Eucharistic Adoration. Unlike last year’s Holy Hour at the Seminary, this year’s Diocesan Holy Hour and Dodgeball/Social took place at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Point Lookout. One of Long Island’s smallest parishes, it now serves as the new home for Adoration, Benediction, and guest speakers.

With a similar turnout, those students and brothers who went began their evening with prayer and reflection down in Point Lookout. During this time, those in attendance witnessed the true words Mrs. Elizabeth Welling, St. Anthony’s High School faculty, spoke. She spoke about her favorite saint, Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan friar and priest who sacrificed his life out of love to save another during WWII and the Holocaust when he was in Auschwitz. During her witness, Mrs. Welling stressed the importance of being bold and spreading love infinitely and wholeheartedly, as well as having deep faith and trust in God.

Nightwatch concluded with more prayer and benediction. This was followed shortly with dodgeball and social! 

Kevin Kern ’27, a Marianist LIFE Member, reflected upon Nightwatch, stating, “Since this was the inaugural year of Nightwatch, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but I knew it was something I wanted to experience, but more importantly share. With the Marianist LIFE team’s planning and the Chaminade Faith community’s support, we made the journey together, and it was truly beautiful. Catholic schools from across Long Island gathered with members of the Diocese of Rockville Centre at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal for Adoration, joining in song and worship as we prayed together in the presence of the Lord. We then heard a powerful witness urging us to “be bold” in our faith and unafraid to stand for what we believe, a message that deeply moved me. Overall, the evening was a powerful experience of prayer that I believe touched many hearts, just as it touched mine.”  

Fresh off their tournament win, William Bailey ’28 and Gavin Macchio ’28 strike a pose with their new Chaminade shirts 

 Prayer, Pizza, Pickleball 4, is underway with a tournament