2021 St. Pius X Award Winner

David and Elizabeth Wallace ’05

The St. Pius X Award honors alumni who have truly taken on the mission of the College to “restore all things in Christ.”  The Alumni Advisory Council proudly presents this year’s award to our first married couple, David and Elizabeth Wallace.

Since leaving Christendom, David and Elizabeth Wallace, both class of 2005, have been building and renovating our society by using their education to help form others in the Truth and build Christ-centered communities.

David’s true concern for the Christian renovation of the temporal order can be seen in the many organizations in which he is involved. He teaches at the Christendom College Graduate School and Divinum Auxilium Academy; He writes for the Arlington Catholic Herald; He is the Director of Religious Education at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Front Royal, and he gives tirelessly to the Saints Joachim and Anna Ukrainian Catholic Church also located in Front Royal. David earnestly cares for the faith education of all those around him. When he first came to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church he brought in speakers for weekly reflections, which became a very meaningful aspect of parish life.

Elizabeth, also, is just as involved in building a society where Christ can truly reign. Elizabeth shared in the endeavor to renovate society with her strong belief in fellowship and community. Together, David and Elizabeth offered a pot-luck supper before the weekly parish talks and then Elizabeth offered babysitting for parents so that they could attend the talks. Elizabeth is continually finding ways to reach out to the community. During the summer she organizes a group of moms and kids to “Pray and Play.”  She is often found cleaning at Church and offering events.

These past couple of years have allowed David and Elizabeth’s strengths to shine. At the start of the COVID shut-down, David created a DRE Facebook page for the parish, which provided a true light in the darkness and uncertainty of the time. Through this page and his phone, David was able to live-stream the Mass to the parishioners of St. John’s. David also was able to gather parishioners’ email addresses, allowing for regular communication to the parishioners regarding confession times and procedures. He further developed the DRE Facebook page to include videos of Church Tours, Walking through the Catechism, and Mass-Walkthroughs. He has continued the page as a means of sharing information on community news as well as matters of faith.

During the Covid shutdown, Elizabeth was also instrumental in maintaining fellowship and community by reaching out to parishioners who were the most vulnerable. These grateful parishioners received a phone call in order to connect them to the parish, fill a need if they had one, and inform them of parish updates. They were also added to the St. John’s email list, keeping them in touch with the community. In the latest local surge of COVID-19, Elizabeth once again found ways to strengthen community by arranging for those who had recovered from the COVID virus to visit the elderly who were currently suffering from Covid and who might be alone.

The lives of David and Elizabeth have strengthened, edified, and inspired those around them. By using their education to help form others and using their talents to build community and fellowship, David and Elizabeth are continuing to do their small part in “restoring all things in Christ.” The community that they are a part of is grateful for their example of selfless, Christian living.

In admiration of their work, lives, and example, The Christendom Alumni Advisory Council is honored to present the 2021 St. Pius X Award to David and Elizabeth Wallace ’05.

2020 St. Pius X Award Winner

Dr. Brendan J. McGuire

Christendom’s Pius X Award honors alumni who have truly embodied the mission of the College to “restore all things in Christ.”  The Alumni Advisory Council proudly bestows this award on the late Dr. Brendan McGuire, a member of the class of 2003 and a beloved Associate Professor for the College.  

The Alumni Advisory Council, earlier this year, requested nominations from alumni for this award. By September, the decision was clear; Dr. Brendan McGuire was the overwhelming response because of his work in academia, in our broader community, and most especially for his heroic personal example of the life of Christ. Here are some of the things that alumni said about Dr. McGuire.

Brendan was a “Legend of a man,” both academically and personally. He was“Valedictorian of his class” and had always been “A lover of learning, having harmony of faith and life.” He greatly impacted the academics of Christendom. As one alumnus says, His “Dedication to academia has developed the College and made it a better place for future alumni.” He was a “Beloved teacher” who gave personal “Aid to students to move to professional positions and academia.” Brendan’s “Formidable intellect” and “Commitment to excellence” made him “Successful in professional endeavors” and the perfect “Proponent of liberal arts.”

Beyond this academic and professional success stood a man of “Unshakeable faith” and “Outstanding humility” with a deep “Personal devotion to Jesus.” He was a heroic“Defender of personal virtue” who would “MC at sporting events” and be the best“Bagpiper on St. Patrick’s Day.”

This is the Brendan McGuire that inspired us all! As another alumnus says, “His cheerfulness in the midst of extraordinary suffering has lent credibility to the Christian life and to God’s providence.” Brendan exemplified great “Manliness in courage” and “Fortitude through trials” as he continued to live for others while fighting his own battles. Brendan’s “Sympathetic ear” and “sense of humor” were always there to comfort others.

He was an “Example of Christian virtue to [the] broader community” who“Demonstrate[d] [the] virtue of abandonment to Divine Providence during his long battle with cancer.” We have all been touched by his work and his example. Brendan lived his life “Fulfilling Dr. Carroll’s belief that “One man can make a difference.”

For his devotion to Christendom and its mission, for his outstanding Catholic example, the Alumni Advisory Council is honored to bestow the 2020 Pius X Award to late Dr. Brendan John Augustine McGuire.  May he rest in peace.

2019 St. Pius X Award Winner

Fr. Francis Peffley

The St. Pius X Award honors alumni who have truly taken on the mission of the College to “restore all things in Christ.”  The Alumni Advisory Council proudly presents this year’s award to Fr. Francis Peffley, a member of the class of 1986 and a priest of the Arlington diocese.  

The Legion of Mary has played a great role in the formation and mission of Fr. Peffley. His parents met through the Legion, which Father himself joined at age ten. The example and inspiration of his family encouraged Father in pursuing a vocation. After graduating from Christendom with a B.A. in Theology, Fr. Peffley attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, where he earned his Master of Divinity and Master of Arts before being ordained on May 19, 1990. Father will be celebrating his 30^th anniversary this May.  

Throughout his decades of service to the Arlington diocese, Fr. Peffley has been involved in the in the construction of five new parishes in the Arlington diocese.  Furthermore, he has helped spread devotion to Our Blessed Mother Mary through his involvement with the Legion of Mary, and he now serves as Spiritual Director of the Arlington Regia. In addition to his involvement in the Legion, Father Peffley has written two books–Inside the Legion of Mary and The Priest and the Legion of Mary—as well as numerous articles for the Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Queen of All Hearts Magazine, Maria Legionis magazine, Lay Witness, and the Arlington Catholic Herald. On his website, Father offers over two hundred audio recordings and other resources on spirituality, the saints, apologetics, evangelization and the family. His Sunday and weekday homilies and retreat talks appear online and are listened to worldwide.  

Father is now stationed at St Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax, Virginia, where he serves as parochial vicar and stays active with the parish young adult ministry, pilgrimages, Catholic apologetics, evangelization, and retreat work.

Fr. Peffley was sorry that he could not join us today, as he is out-of-state giving a retreat to a group of deacons.  In accepting the award, Fr. Peffley expressed how his education at Christendom has been an incredible blessing in his work of “restoring all things in Christ.” 

For his devotion to the Church and the mission of the College, the Alumni Advisory Council is honored to present the 2019 St. Pius X Award to Fr. Francis Peffley.