2024 Ad Astra Prayer

​We cannot know all the movements of God’s grace through life, but certainly can know that one of them is friendship. 
“A faithful friend is an elixir of life.”

Dear God, to whom we turn at all times in life, we come to you this afternoon and assert, without reservation, that You are the one who gives life; that you are the one who hears our prayers, and that you are the one who receives us at our death. This afternoon we come before you today not in sorrow or despair, but as a thankful fraternal cloud of witnesses, as is written book of Hebrews, to remember and honor our Omega Mu brothers who have recently left us and have entered into eternal grace with you. 

We come before you this evening in sadness and thankful gratitude for many brothers who have recently left us. Although there have been many external tears and internal tears, and plenty of them, for the beautiful “Cloud of Witnesses” of these brothers who have entered into eternal light with you, God. So, tonight, we honor, celebrate, and remember the following Omega Mu Fiji brothers who have meant so much to us and our life-long bond of brotherhood:

Anthony J. Flaherty, Peter J. Frost, Raymond W. O’Keefe, Steven J Hayward, James S. Chaplin, Michael J. McInnis, George H. Hutchinson, Richard M. Paganucci, Paul F. McCarron, Floyd L. Milbank, Jr., George H. Horton, Jr., John J. Rhodes, Jr., Richard R. Rhodes, Joseph T. Cucarro, Donald T. Hanson, Robert J. Lewy, Bruce A. Verrill, Mark E. Gebauer, Edwin G. Logan, Albert L. Noyes, Donald L. Mooers, William  E. Haley, Jr., Clarence A. Barrett, Jr., Steven M. Dunwoody, Joseph C. Mawson, Jeffrey Stewart, Lee E. Fitzgerald, Robert S. Cheney, Jr., Dave M. Rand, Bruce A. Roderick, Harry I. Taylor, Jr., and John F. R. Kenealy. ​

Anthony Flaherty

Peter J. Frost

Raymond W. O'Keefe

Steven J. Hayward

James S. Chaplin

Michael J. McInnis

George H. Hutchinson

Richard M. Paganucci

Paul F. McCarron

Floyd L. Milbank, Jr.

George H. Horton, Jr.

John J. Rhodes, Jr.

Richard R. Rhodes

Joseph T. Cuccaro

Donald T. Hanson

Robert J. Lewy

Bruce A. Verrill

Mark E. Gebauer

Edwin G, Logan

Albert L. Noyes

Donald L. Mooers

William E. Haley

Clarence A. Barrett, Jr.

Steven M. Dunwoody

Joseph C. Mawson

Jeffrey Stewart

Lee E. Fitzgerald

Robert S. Cheney

David M. Rand

Bruce A. Roderick

Harry I. Taylor, Jr.

John F. R. Kenealy

The memories of each of these Omega Mu brothers are vivid and significant. They were, and they will always remain, a tide - of - life for each of us; a beautiful fraternal richness within our Omega Mu brotherhood that we will never forget. Each of these brothers were irreducibly and inimitably unique, a gift, a blessing, a grace in life - for all of life, which we are all thankful for, and they will maintain a singularity of place in our hearts that will never, ever, diminish in time. Collectively, they were unsurpassable gifts to us,  They are unforgettable, and they will remain unforgettable in our brotherhood. And we know that their love and determination will continue to take birth in the hearts of all us who loved and cared for each of them. Each of these brothers were a breath -if you will-of the act of creation in how to live life fully, and how to live life well, and there spirits will always permeate the Castle, and their stories and adventures will always be talked about with joy.

And as Thoreau insightfully wrote: “What a difference, whether in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house-one home is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother…..How rare these things are.” With deep fraternal love, we say Amen. ​​

​“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)

Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge