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Stand Out-Together-Strong (Inspired by my 8th Grade Students)

Catholic School Sunday

Reflections by Ken Willers, Principal
Jesus called out to them, saying: “Come with me!”
There must have been something unique,
something that stood out about these individuals
for Jesus to be compelled to ask them to follow him.
Stand as One in the radiant light….Paul writes,
there must have been divisions in this Church community and Paul was asking them to stand together.
Lord, you have made your people stronger,….Isaiah proclaims,
as he gives testimony to the people about God’s favor upon them.
Jesus called out to them, saying: “Come with me!”
         Stand Out
Stand as One in the radiant light.
Stand Together
Lord, you have made your people stronger
Stand Strong

Wow—Stand Out-Together-Strong…
Without knowing it,
last spring,
our current 8th grade chose a theme
that wonderfully reflects the readings we hear today for Catholic School Sunday.
Thank you class of 2014
for this wonderful gift to the  community.
Jesus called out to them, saying: “Come with me!”
How do we reflect on our call
on this Catholic School Sunday?
What was or will be the net that captures us?
You know boys and girls –
when I was in 8th grade I knew God as calling me
God was calling me to follow St. John Bosco—
to be someone who would work and minister to and with the young.
Look at me now at 52—
soon to be 53 on St. John’s Bosco’s feast day…
I’m still –trying my best—to live that call.
What about you boys and girls.
What is God calling you to BE? Not DO…
What life is God calling you to embrace?
What problem is God calling you—preparing you to solve.
What cause will need your gifts—talents and passion?
How will you Stand Out to answer this call?

How do we reflect on our call on this Catholic School Sunday?
For many of you it was your call to marriage.
Your vocation to see and experience God’s love,
Christ’s love
in and through your spouse.
Your call to be parents—your vocation to create and share that bond of love with your child—your family…
How do we reflect on our call on this Catholic School Sunday?
For some of us
it is our vocations…our call to Catholic education.
Simply put—to be teachers.
Our call to respond to the needs of the young
by inspiring their hearts, their minds and their dreams.
Staff here today—are grace-filled men and women who have answered that call. (lets give them all a hand).
How do we reflect on our call on this Catholic School Sunday?
For all of us…
         It is by demonstrating our commitment as a parish to the Mission of the Church.
And the Church’s Mission of Catholic education.
We do that today…
By supporting and showcasing
the educational bond that exists between
call of the parent and the vocation of the teacher –
It is this partnership
That the US Church is celebrating today—
because it was this partnership
that over 200 years ago
founded the first Catholic Schools in America.
Stand as One in the radiant light.
Boys and girls—parents---teachers---parishioners—
St. Paul makes it very clear that our families,
our school, our parish and our Church
must be united
if want to live our Mission of Catholic education to the fullest.
Jesus is the best teacher—Jesus shows all of us—
How to be Good to One Another…
and Jesus challenges all of us,
To Pass it On! 
What better way to live our Mission.
Lord, you have made your people stronger
A Catholic School like the Madeleine thrives
because we have all answered our call to Stand Out
To Stand out with our gifts and talents.
A Catholic School like the Madeleine thrives
because we choose to Stand Together
To Stand Together and offer our gifts and talents
to the entire community.
A Catholic School like the Madeleine thrives
because we Stand Strong
We Stand Strong
trusting in the Mission of Catholic education
and believing in the presence of the Holy Spirit
alive in our School and in our Ministry.

Jesus called out to them, saying: “Come with me!”
         Stand Out
Stand as One in the radiant light.
Stand Together
Lord, you have made your people stronger
Stand Strong
Stand Out-Together-Strong…
Thank you class of 2014
for this wonderful gift to the  community.

For this wonderful gift on this Catholic School Sunday.

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