St. Al's alumni. Where are they now? Andy Orgovan '81

Renewal Retreat, Holy Hour, Winter Carnival, and sitting around the fireplace at St. Al’s are all fond memories from Andy Orgovan ’81.

The Michigan Tech electrical engineering graduate said he always believed the mission of St. Al’s was to be a powerful source of Christ’s love on Tech’s campus.

“Our goal was to be a place where every student felt welcomed, loved, but also challenged to grow more in love with Jesus Christ and his Church. It was a goal to be a place of refuge from the stress of our studies and the emotional confusion that sometimes comes from being a young college student.”

From attending my first Renewal Retreat to experiencing the holiness, greatness, and healing of God's love before the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday, to having the opportunity to pray for, and with other students, confused in their faith or struggling in some way, and to participating in Winter Carnival all-nighter's and getting warm around the St Al’s fireplace with my friends, St. Al’s was a refuge.”

Andy was a member of the parish council for several years, including president. And, he served on the retreat planning committee, preparation for sacraments, winter carnival committee, and was parish representative and president of the Michigan Tech Ecumenical Council.   

“My experiences at St. Al’s prepared me to be a leader in my parish, to serve others in love, and to help me in my vocation as husband and father. The very faith I have was molded and strengthened by my experiences at St Al’s and by the friends I will always cherish in my heart.”

Andy and his high school sweetheart, Nora, were married in 1980 at St. Al’s by Fr. Tom Wantland. The couple have six children: Sarah, Peter, Andrew, Elizabeth, John Paul, and Bethany. They have 16 grandchildren. He is the manager of reliability and test engineering for Komatsu Mining Corp. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

When he visited St. Al’s to meet with Fr. Ben Hasse and the students, he was inspired. “The Holy Spirit is alive and well at St. Al’s,” he says. “I'm so impressed by the depth of faith and the enthusiasm for Christ. I was especially pleased to see that the Holy Hour is still being celebrated. I believe this special time of worship keeps St Al’s strong, vibrant, and focused on what is truly important in every ministry, that God loves us just as we are even as He transforms us into that best version of ourselves we are meant to be.”