GREENSBORO — St. Pius X Principal Antonette Aguilera experienced Mother’s Day a little early on Friday, when her mother, Domenica Cowan, came for a visit during Grandparents' Day.
“I think Antonette is doing a wonderful job, and I am so proud of her,” Cowan said. “I have two good daughters. Each one of them has such beautiful qualities. The Lord truly blessed me.”
During her stay, Cowan was also able to spend time with her grandchildren – Aguilera's son, John, an 8th grader, and her other grandson.
Cowan loves the feeling she gets every time she steps on the campus of St. Pius X, explaining how it matches the ideals of their hometown of Reggio Calabria, Italy.
“We came from a traditional Italian family, and this school matches so well with Antonette. When she was little, she learned tradition and her Catholic faith. She went to school with the nuns, and this place brings it all together,” Cowan said.
A mother knows best, and Aguilera agrees the Catholic school she attended as a youth in Los Angeles reminds her a lot of St. Pius X.
Yet, instead of mirroring her childhood memories at St. Pius the X, she takes direction from a different inspiration – the late Monsignor Anthony Marcaccio, former pastor of the parish.
“We make sure Monsignor’s vision for this school is always alive and well,” Aguilera said. “A beautiful campus, a spiritual place—that is what I am trying to create. If I can accomplish that, I feel like I am doing a good thing.”
— Lisa M. Geraci
CHARLOTTE — Twenty Catholic college students from parishes across North Carolina have received a total of $60,000 in scholarships from the George Pitman Endowment Fund.
Created with an estate gift of $1.2 million by the late George Warren Pitman, scholarships from the George Pitman Endowment Fund are available to college-bound applicants who live in Mecklenburg County or the City of Dunn.
Pitman was a renowned designer who operated his firm, George Pitman Inc., from his home for more than 30 years until his death in 2007 at the age of 79. He was a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s College in Maryland and the Bright School of Design in Chicago.
Through the scholarship fund, college-bound Catholic students may apply for renewable scholarships of up to $3,000, with award amounts based on the type of institution they attend, including two-year, four-year and vocational schools.
Of the 20 scholarship recipients this year, six are first-time recipients attending N.C. State University, UNC Wilmington, the University of Alabama, The Catholic University of America, Elon University and Western Carolina University. The remaining 14 students received renewable scholarships and attend UNC Chapel Hill, the University of South Carolina, the University of Notre Dame, Auburn University, the University of Tennessee, Denison University, American University and Clemson University.
“Mr. Pitman’s transformative gift continues to benefit Catholic students to attend a college or university of their choice,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development.
“We are thankful for the generosity of more and more people across the diocese who are remembering the Church in their estate plans. Those gifts – from thousands to millions – have a tremendous impact on the lives of students.”
Since its inception in 2018, the Pitman Scholarship Fund has awarded $273,000 in scholarships.
Donors like Pitman who make a planned gift to the diocese or one of its parishes, schools, ministries or agencies become members of the Catholic Heritage Society, which now includes more than 1,800 members.
— Courtney McLaughlin