Like the rest of his classmates, Matt Taylor ’57 expected to receive his Mount Carmel diploma at graduation on June 6, 1957.  But when he opened the diploma cover, it was empty.  Like more than one Carmel guy over the years, he realized he had no one to blame but himself – he had failed a class – in Theology, of all subjects.  So rather than sulk, he did what had to be done – he went to summer school to earn his last credit.  When he finally finished the work and stopped by the school office to ask for his diploma, he was told it would be sent to his house.  For some reason, it never was.

While some might have been resentful, Taylor remembers his years at Carmel, and the friendships he formed, with nothing but appreciation and gratitude.  Although the last few years have been marked by a series of health setbacks, he approaches each day with the deep faith and upbeat attitude that has endeared him to his many classmates and friends.

Looking back, Taylor is quick to point out that his greatest accomplishment in life was marrying his wife, Nancy, whom he met when both had jobs at the Congress Hotel.  Together, they raised a family, pursued careers, and invested in their parish and neighborhood.

But many years ago,  Taylor recognized a growing desire to serve the poor, so he approached the leadership of the St. Vincent De Paul Society in his parish to volunteer.  To his surprise, the group of mostly older men turned him away, stating that the then middle-aged Taylor was “too young.”  Although he felt angry at the rejection, on his way home Taylor noticed a sign for the Beverly-Morgan Park Food Pantry.  He decided to call the pastor of the sponsoring church, and ended up volunteering there for more than 30 years, including many years as director of the program.

For many years, Taylor has been instrumental in supporting Mount Carmel’s annual Thanksgiving food drive, supplying boxes and personally driving the truck transporting the donated food to the pantry.

For Taylor, one of the most rewarding parts of his ministry at the food pantry has been helping senior citizens who frequently run short. “I particularly enjoyed giving the elderly people meats and proteins, because they are on a fixed income and they can’t afford things like that.”

Taylor knows he never would have attended Mount Carmel if it weren’t for reading about the Caravan’s frequent visits to the Prep Bowl at Soldier Field, or the “Mount Carmel High School” sign that Taylor and his grammar school friends saw while riding the train on their way downtown.

But luckily they did, and Taylor and 5 other graduates of St. Peter and Paul Grammar School attended Mount Carmel and became part of what Bill Nolan calls “the greatest class (ever)to come through Mount Carmel.”

The class of ’57 has seven members in the Mount Carmel Hall of Fame, including Taylor.  The elite group includes Fr. Dave Dillon, who served Mount Carmel as President from 1974 to 1980; long time staff member, coach and statistician Frank Kiszka; as well as Ed Kosteck, Jim O’Donnell, Tom Huizenga, and Bernard McGinn.  Along with boasting the most Hall of Fame members from any year, the class takes pride in donating the most money to the Alumni Ad Book. The class also has made it a practice of purchasing a brick in the Prayer Garden for each deceased classmate, which currently number around 40.

Taylor may have walked out of his graduation ceremony without a diploma, but he never lost contact with his classmates. He currently is a part of an email list that includes 97 members of the class who regularly keep in touch, sending each other pictures, videos, or messages.

Along with that email connection, many members of the class get together every October for a reunion. The group gathers for Mass at the Shrine of the Little Flower in Darien, at which their classmate Fr. Dave Dillon, presides. Following Mass the class goes out for lunch at Carriage Green Golf Course. According to Taylor, “We can get together so much because we can afford it. Lunch only costs us $20.”

Long after their group left 6410 S. Dante, Taylor’s classmate and friend Jim O’Donnell still remembered that Taylor had never received his diploma. So fifty years later, in 2007, O’Donnell arranged to get Taylor’s diploma signed by the current president and principal.  It was just one more small sign of the bond between classmates that has lasted for more than 60 years.  But before O’Donnell and the guys presented the long-overdue diploma, they made sure to check one detail:  that it was dated June 6, 1957.