Chicago Cubs: Mount Carmel keeps producing superstars

Chicago Cubs: Talent all around; but it’s still high school

It’s pretty easy to pick out an Mt. Carmel graduate due to the ‘Brown Scapular’ students, alumni, and teachers wear around their neck. Without a doubt, Mt. Carmel is known for its Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (also known as the Brown Scapular / religious necklace) wearing men as well as all the graduates that still wear the Scapular today.

It is said you can travel across the world and meet another alumnus of Mt. Carmel and quickly identify them by the wearing of the Brown Scapular, which is part of the habit of the Carmelite Order of monks and the Discalced Carmelite Order.

The Orders, students of Mt. Carmel, graduates, and teachers all claim ‘Our Lady of Mount Carmel’ as their patroness and wear the Scapular to honor her. From the States through the deep Pacific or across the Atlantic into Europe or Africa, Mt. Carmel students can be found everywhere around the world, wearing the symbol with pride and making a difference.

While scapular-wearing Caravan students are traveling across northern Indiana and parts of Illinois to get to the downtown school, it is not for nothing. Most students graduating Mt. Carmel will go on to college, while others will take on some sort of leadership role in their futures, others will gain fame through performing arts, and still, others will become the future stars of the sports we love.

For the most part, Mt. Carmel is like any other high school, as boys are just trying to get good grades. However, there is a feeling around the campus and the school that there is greatness there that about to happen at any moment.

"“Hell yes, there is that feeling,” wrote Patrick Haavig, alumni (1987), team mate of Mallee and former baseball player for the Caravan in a messenger note. “Mostly, its football and wrestling where you think something is about to happen with the talent. John Mallee was still playing baseball for the Caravan when I was there and I thought he could make it,” Haavig wrote"

Mt. Carmel’s dedicated staff, who also teach courses, volunteer, and recruit, have been churning out some of the nation’s best scholars, talent and athletes for the last 120 years. Ed Howard IV will join the names of the Caravan students who were invited to greatness. What he does with that opportunity will be exciting to watch.  Could Howard be as much a superstar as current shortstop, Javier Baez someday?

I’d bet on the ‘hard-working, dedicated men of character who fight through adversity’ and say yes.

For now, I’ll keep checking the papers and prep sports in Chicago to see who will be the next athlete to join the ‘Caravan’ of greatness?