Integration 3


Matthew Kavanaugh

3/3/22

Moreau FYE

Integration 3

Eulogy for Matthew Ryan Kavanaugh

We gather here today in remembrance of our fallen brother Matthew Ryan Kavanaugh. I

will do my best to encapsulate the type of man he was in the short period of time that I have.

First things first, you can’t talk about Matthew without bringing up his faith. A man of God, he

evolved as a Catholic as his life went on. Having attended a Catholic grade school, values of

faith and virtue were instilled in him from the time he was young. He went to a public high

school, but was able to continue to grow in his spiritual life through being a part of youth groups

and attending Church weekly. It was not until he got to Notre Dame in which he was able to take

a big leap in becoming closer to God. One of his role models early on was Father Ted

Hesburgh, president of Notre Dame in the mid to late 1900s.  “When thinking about Father Ted,

you cannot talk about him or any of the decisions he made without talking about his faith.” This

quote by Reverend Austin Collins, C.S.C. in “Hesburgh” explains to us why Father Hesburgh’s

faith was so instrumental in dictating his actions. Like Father Hesburgh, because Matthew’s faith

was the basis of everything he did, his actions reflected the work of God and what we are called

to accomplish on Earth. God instructs us to be a good person and to help those around us. In

order to live a life well-lived, in Matthew’s mind, that is what he needed to do ("Hesburgh" by

Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two). Matthew’s faith dictated his

actions, and he allowed it to mold him throughout his life. Notre Dame made Matthew who he

was, and he learned how to become the person he was throughout his time in college. “After

you leave ND, some of the details (like choosing a major) will change, but the core elements

remain the same: learn about yourself, explore careers, reflect, & take action.” Matthew deeply

involved himself in the worlds of science and business, and he developed study habits which

https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9


formed him into the professional he was in the Healthcare Management field. We have to take a

strategic approach to ensuring our future. We must learn about ourselves, explore different

careers, and reflect on what we want to do most in our lives. Building these thinking habits in

college will best prepare us for when we want to start a career. We all need to use Matthew as

an example ("Navigating Your Career Journey - Moreau First Year Experience Course" by Notre

Dame Center for Career Development  - Moreau FYE Week Four).

One of the most important things to Matthew’s life, and the thing I try to replicate the

most, was his ability to self-reflect and meditate. “Why questions trap us in our past; what

questions help us create a better future.” This quote by Tasha Eurich in “The right way to be

introspective (yes there’s a wrong way)” illustrates to us a beneficial way to reflect. Instead of

asking himself why certain things in his life were happening, Matthew never played the victim

card and always had a positive outlook on things. He learned to manage his emotions and

therefore, was a better person because of it. Like Matthew, I will start reflecting on what my

feelings really are. It is then when I will become more self-aware and will be better able to

manage my emotions ("The right way to be introspective (yes there's a wrong way)" by Tasha

Eurich - Moreau FYE Week Six). The benefits of meditation, in which Matthew would want me to

rave on and on about, are incomparable to any form of self-reflection.  “It's been found by

scientists that meditation can lower blood pressure, help boost our immune system, and even

change the architecture of our brains.” This quote by Pico Iyer in “Why We Need to Slow Down

Our Lives” encourages us to instill meditation into our daily lives. Iyer explains the benefits of

meditation and how we as humans far too often omit meditation and reflection in our lives today.

Matthew always made time for meditation, and I really believe he was always in a good place

mentally because of it ("Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week

One).

https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/
https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/
https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/


Another big thing Matthew relied on heavily was his family and friends. Always all over

the place with what he wanted to do in life, he didn’t settle on what he really wanted until he

talked to those close to him. “To help us discern what our talents and gifts are, we need a circle

of friends (parents, teachers, coaches, etc.). The fostering of a community of friends who can be

honest with us and whom we can genuinely hear, before whom and with whom we can be open

and humble.” This quote by Father Michael Himes in his piece “Three Key Questions” explains

to us a key point in discerning what we want to accomplish in our life, and that is that we need to

surround ourselves with people who will encourage us and who will be honest with us in telling

us what we are good at. One of my favorite stories from Matthew’s high school experience was

when he almost didn’t play football because he thought he was too small. It wasn’t until his

friends encouraged him to play that he joined the team and became a team captain senior year.

As he always told me, you will become who you surround yourself with ("Three Key Questions"

by Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three). Sometimes taking too much time for school,

it wasn’t until he met his best friend in college, Braden, that he realized he needed to dedicate

more time to those around him. Braden noticed Matthew was too focused on school that he

neglected the people around him. A friend saying something to him was all he needed to

change what he was doing and to make an effort to get closer to his new college friends

(Discernment Reflection - Moreau FYE Week 5). Matthew always would talk about how

important relationships became to him after this point, and I can’t think of anyone who made

more time for others than Matthew. “Quite a few years of life have strengthened my conviction

that each and everyone's existence is deeply tied to that of others: life is not time merely

passing by, life is about interactions.” This quote by Pope Francis in “Why the only future worth

building includes everyone” explains how relationships and interactions are imperative to a

meaningful life. The relationships we make throughout our lives help shape us as a person and

what we stand for as an individual. Like Matthew, we need role models to look up to and

https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40377/files/467818?module_item_id=143396
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ch0Gs1qNT_r-c9NqWUbVSsUj6DdqAPrfyerCzzjUKh8/edit?usp=sharing


emulate, while we can also be influential figures to others that may look up to us. ("Why the only

future worth building includes everyone" by Pope Francis- Moreau FYE Week Seven)

As we look back on the life of Matthew Ryan Kavanaugh, let us not mourn the loss of

having him in each of our lives. Rather, as he would want us, let us reflect a piece of Matthew in

each of our daily lives as we strive to make a positive impact on those around us. It is then

when we will be able to say that we lived a life well-lived. Thank you and God Bless.

https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript
https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript