Page 30 - 20-21 Annual Report

FEATURE

Upholding Tradition

Family traditions. We all have them. A gift exchange at
Christmas, a family football game on Thanksgiving, an
annual beach vacation—family traditions shape who we
are. For Caroline Lenczowski Detweiler, a 1992 Cor Jesu
graduate, one of her family traditions is Cor Jesu.

Caroline is the youngest of six girls, and “When I showed up at Virginia Tech
all but one attended Cor Jesu. With my freshman year, I knew how to
four older sisters paving the way at CJA, study, write papers, ask the important
Caroline spent a lot of time at the school, questions, and figure out where to find
even before she was a student. When it the answers I needed,” Caroline said.
came time for her Open House visit in “Not all the freshmen could do that,
eighth grade, she already had a feeling and it was thanks to my roots at CJA.”
that this was where she was meant to be. While Caroline’s parents valued academics,
“We made it halfway down the first-floor they saw college preparation as more
hallway on my tour, and I just knew it,” than just test scores. Faith, and having it
Caroline recalled. “It felt like family there.” ingrained in their daughters’ daily lives
She became the fifth sister to attend, and through the Apostles of the Sacred Heart,
even as a teenager, Caroline recognized also set Cor Jesu apart. Caroline found
the sacrifices her parents made to send that the Sisters were a great source of
her and her sisters to Cor Jesu. Caroline’s guidance during those formative teen
mom went back to work full-time when years, and she developed relationships
she was 4 years old to ensure that her with them both spiritually and as friends.
daughters could not only attend college, One day, Caroline and her friends were
but that they were prepared to succeed having eraser fights with Sr. Barbara
in college by attending Cor Jesu. And Thomas, ASCJ, and another day, they
in Caroline’s opinion, it worked. were inspired by the Sisters’ devotion to
Christ through service. The ability to see
the Sisters as religious role models and as
Below: Caroline Lenczowski Detweiler at her
Cor Jesu Academy graduation in 1992. approachable friends made an impact on
Bottom Right: Caroline Lenczowski Detweiler’s Caroline and strengthened her beliefs.
daughters, Rebecca ‘23, Abigail ‘25 and Mikayla ‘22.
“When I moved on to a non-Catholic
university, I could take the faith I learned
at Cor Jesu with me and be confident in

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