Montini Catholic High School in Lombard congratulated the recipient of its Mary C. Guertler Memorial Scholarship during the school’s Celebration of Excellence Award Ceremony, which recognized exceptional academic and athletic accomplishments. The ceremony took place on May 15, at the end of the 2025-26 school year.
The scholarship was established to honor the memory of Mary Guertler, who had three children and three grandchildren graduate from Montini Catholic. Her son, Steven Guertler of Villa Park, established the scholarship in her name.
The student selected for this year's scholarship was Patryk Baran, who will soon begin his sophomore year at Montini. Applicants were asked to discuss their participation in parish and community programs. Baran greatly impressed the Guertler family with his extensive service resume as a member of Mary Mother of Divine Grade Parish in Westchester.
Mary Guertler's Catholic faith was the cornerstone of her life. She attended Mass daily and was committed to Catholic education, herself being a product of 12 years of Catholic school.
"My mother was steadfast and selfless in her desire to provide each of her four children a Catholic education," said Steven. "No personal sacrifice was too great for her to achieve this vision. She went to work third shift as a nursing assistant at Elmhurst Hospital to ensure tuition was always covered. She specifically requested the PM shift so she was home for her children both before and after school. My mother loved Montini Catholic and was proud of the Lasallian educational experience that her children and grandchildren received."
“Congratulations to Patryk,” said Montini President Kevin Beirne. "He is an inspiration to us all and a perfect example of a young adult who puts his faith into action and lives out his Lasallian values. We thank Steven and the entire Guertler family for recognizing and celebrating students who embody the mission of Montini Catholic.”
