On this very special day of national remembrance—a day which is becoming known as one when people of goodwill engage in service and in the building of community—I want to thank each of you, not only for the inspiration you provide this world by the good that you do, but for supporting the aspect of our Academy’s mission which fosters our students’ growth in leading lives of love and service.
In living out this aspect of Academy life, we officially launch our “In the Footsteps of Philippine” program tomorrow. This year-long program provides our Middle School students with the opportunity to grow in:
- An awareness of the need for service to others
- Practice in providing service to others
The “launch” occurs in the context of a liturgy with a specific and special “commissioning” or sending forth of our students. As each Middle School Class states in the ceremony, they will voice a conscious attempt to respond to God’s love in the following ways:
5th Class —
By trying to see the Face of God in the elderly in our community and by trying to respond to the Face of God with sensitive and understanding hearts.
6th Class —
By trying to see the Face of God in those that experience hunger in our neighborhood and world and by trying to respond to that Face of God with empathetic and generous service.
7th Class —
By trying to see the Face of God in the physically and mentally challenged in our neighborhood and in our world, and by trying to respond to that Face of God with understanding and respectful hearts.
8th Class —
By trying to see the Face of God in all creation and the most vulnerable in the world around us, both here and far, both now and in the future, and by trying to respond to that Face of God with compassionate and courageous action.
Let us pray for our children and for our world today:
- May our children continue to grow in their experiences of and practice of service!
- May our children’s hearts grow in revealing and reflecting God’s Goodness in our world!
- May our collective educative efforts reap the benefit of increasing the amount of goodness, generosity, compassion and service in our world, through the children we educate!
Amen. Amen. Amen.
This is my daily prayer, my deepest hope and my most earnest desire as Head of this Academy named after God’s Heart,
