Associate Kurt Paprocki graduated from Saint Viator High School in 2000, and after college he returned as a Spanish teacher. He has worked alongside Viatorians for years, and in 2020 he joined the community as an associate.
Mr. Kurt Paprocki, right, works with his newest freshman, Fr. Charles Bolser.
Turns out, it was Fr. Charles Bolser, CSV, who invited Kurt to consider association. Fr. Bolser had been president of Saint Viator when Kurt was a student and they have remained in close contact.
“Over a two-year discernment period, I met with fellow pre-associates to discuss the Viatorian charism, the life and history of Fr. Louis Querbes and where we fit in to this giant puzzle,” Kurt says. “Our monthly meetings were something I looked forward to. I was among other pre-associates deciding on becoming part of something special.”
Another Viatorian who influenced him was Fr. Daniel Lydon, CSV, who taught Kurt Spanish in his freshman year. Br. John Eustice, CSV, encouraged him to become active in Campus Ministry and his involvement, especially with students on retreats, has deepened his faith.
Associate Kurt Paprocki and his Spanish class talking about the tensions in Catalonia with a native, via Skype.
“My hope is that students deepen their faith during these retreat experiences,” Kurt says. “I know they deepen mine.”
As a Spanish teacher, Kurt has worked to prepare his students for an increasingly global society. He often connects them with classrooms in Madrid and increasingly with their counterparts at Viatorian schools in Colombia.
“It’s important that our students at Saint Viator know that other students are out there experiencing similar yet somewhat different experiences as Viatorian young adults,” Kurt says. “Something as simple as seeing a red lion on the uniform of our fellow Viatorian students across the globe makes an impact.”
Mostly, he enjoys bringing his students to Mass in the Alumni Memorial Chapel at Saint Viator, say on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, where a Viatorian priest celebrates the liturgy in Spanish.
“It’s such a bonus when my students see Viatorian priests and brothers speaking in Spanish,” he says. “They get to see them as multi-talented individuals with numerous gifts. Hopefully, these Viatorians are paving the path for our students to become global learners after they graduate from Saint Viator — and remain Viatorians.”