January 27 2025 - St. Angela Merici - Faith, Excellence, Service in Catholic Schools

 Happy Catholic Schools Week everyone! Each year, we set aside this time to celebrate the distinct mission of our Catholic schools—a mission that cannot be found just anywhere. Yes, you can learn reading, math, and science in many different places, but Catholic education offers something more: the chance to grow in Faith, strive for Excellence, and foster a spirit of Service.

In reflecting on these three pillars—Faith, Excellence, and Service—we find a perfect model in St. Angela Merici, whose feast we celebrate today. From her own life story, we see how a deep love for God overflowed into compassionate service toward others.

First, Faith. St. Angela Merici was a woman of profound faith. Even at the young age of ten, the age of our fifth graders, she consecrated herself to God, choosing to live a life rooted in prayer and dedicated to serving God. Again, at the age of 10, she was concerned with how the young children of her neighborhood were so poorly educated, they couldn’t read or write, so she took it upon herself to teach. She gave regular instruction to the young neighborhood girls. And she continued this work throughout her life.

In our Catholic schools, our starting place is the same as St. Angela’s. Faith. Our Catholic School exists because people of faith started a parish, and started a school. They wanted a place where the children of this neighborhood could come to learn about God, and learn the skills that would be needed to flourish. 

The second pillar is Excellence. 

St. Angela’s life also shows us the meaning of true excellence. She saw a pressing need—children who lacked religious training—and rather than despair, she devoted her energy, talents, and organizational skills to address it. She founded a group of women—eventually known as “The Company of St. Ursula”—who taught the faith to girls, ensuring they would receive strong moral and intellectual formation. Angela Merici did not settle for mediocrity but sought to give her best for the glory of God.

In our Catholic schools, “excellence” goes beyond academics. Yes, we strive for high standards in reading, writing, science, and math; yet we also aim for excellence in character, discipline, and love for one another. We work on our intellects and our hearts. We train our minds and our wills so that each student can become not only an intelligent person but a kind, selfless, and faith-filled disciple of Jesus.

The third pillar is Service. St.  Angela Merici reminds us of the power of service. At every stage of her life, Angela put her faith into action by serving others. She did not simply complain about the lack of religious education for children—she responded with courage, gathered like-minded friends, and transformed her small efforts into a movement. A movement that has shaped the world, for St. Angela’s “Company of St. Ursula” also known as the “Ursulines” have taught and shaped generations of Catholics around the world, and even here in Cleveland. Many schools and universities have been staffed by Ursulines and those formed by them.

Service is precisely the call of Catholic education: to form servant-leaders who bring the light of Christ to every corner of society. We want our students not only to excel but to channel their gifts into service—whether by caring for a classmate in need, volunteering in the parish, or reaching out to the marginalized. In this way, you, students of St. Ignatius of Antioch school, will have a positive impact in our world. 

As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, let us take her life to heart. May we be: People of Faith, rooted in prayer and trust in God; People of Excellence, striving to give our very best for the glory of God; People of Service, always seeking ways to lift up those in need. St. Angela Merici, pray for us! For the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

July 31 2024 - St. Ignatius of Loyola - For the greater glory of God (AMDG)

 

While convalescing from a military injury, the young soldier Ignatius of Loyola discerned that the pursuits of the flesh, fame, wealth, and power brought him emptiness and disappointment, where the pursuits of the spirit, as lived out in the lives of the saints brought him a sense of peace and joy.

Ignatius uncovered a truth that runs through Scripture and the spiritual tradition. Seeking God, seeking to please God, obeying God, conforming to God’s will brings peace, where serving idols, seeking selfish aim, obeying only bodily appetites, conforming to the world brings exhaustion, unhappiness, guilt, and restlessness.

Vanity and the pursuit of renown animated his youth, but St. Ignatius came to recognize the importance of living for the greater glory of God.

In the reading from first Corinthians, St. Paul writes, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” Those words no doubt inspired St. Ignatius’ formulation of the Jesuit motto, "Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam", which translates to "For the Greater Glory of God," 

And yet, the motto encapsulates a spiritual principle for every Christian—the need to orient our entire lives towards glorifying God in all we do. 

Even mundane tasks, when offered up to God—glorify him. This is why we do well to say a short prayer before meals, before undertaking tasks, before setting off for travel, before a difficult conversation. We pray that all that we do may be directed by God, for God, and towards God. 

Doing everything for the glory of God also means that we are to strive for excellence in our endeavors, our careers, our study, our relationships, our personal growth, our decision making—allowing our faith to guide everything we do. Excellence requires diligence, wisdom and openness to growth. 

Many of us are not in the habit of praying before our tasks. It requires us to slow down, to ensure that we are doing things for the right reasons with the proper preparation and seriousness. Excellence is rarely impulsive or hasty, it’s certainly not thoughtless and absentminded. 

In the lives of the saints we see that intentionality in their actions, they are careful to avoid offending God in their pursuit of obeying him and glorifying Him. They also cultivate a real sense of gratitude to God—for their life, for their blessings, for their salvation. They put away the foolish vain pursuits which leave us empty and sad, in order to pursue the highest good.

With the help of St. Ignatius, may we commit to the holy pursuits which will bring us joy—holy penances, holy work that will bring us the fulfillment God desires for us. 

May whatever we do today, be done with the intention of serving not ourselves, but the heavenly kingdom, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - -  

For the Church, that we may always seek to glorify God in all our actions and decisions, and for world leaders, that they may put aside selfish pursuits and instead work for the good of all people, guided by wisdom and true charity. 

For the Society of Jesus and all religious orders, that they may continue to inspire and lead others to a deeper relationship with God through their dedication and service, and for those discerning their vocation or making important life decisions, that they may be open to God's guidance and choose paths that bring glory to Him.

For those battling addictions or unhealthy attachments, that they may find strength in God's grace to overcome their struggles and reorient their lives towards Him, and for those struggling with emptiness or dissatisfaction in life, that they may find true peace and joy in seeking God's will.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of human trafficking, natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for the unborn, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Priest: Heavenly Father, graciously hear the prayers we bring before you. Through the intercession of St. Ignatius of Loyola, grant us the grace to grow in wisdom and love in order to serve you more faithfully on earth and so win a greater share of glory in heaven. Through Christ our Lord.

4th Week of Ordinary Time 2023 - Monday - Catholic Schools Week - Faith, Excellence, Service

Today in the diocese of Cleveland is the first weekday of Catholic Schools Week. Whether your child attends a Catholic School or is homeschooled, Catholic Schools Week is a good opportunity to reflect on the importance of Catholic Education. And the theme this year for Catholic Schools Week is a pretty good one: “Faith, Excellence, Service”.

Catholic Education, again whether in a formal school or in the home, takes place in an atmosphere of faith—faith which helps young souls stay awake to welcome the bridegroom, to know him, love him and serve Him in this life, so to be happy with Him in the next; faith, which is founded on the pillars of Catholicism, right doctrine, participation in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church, moral formation grounded in the Lord’s teachings, and a vibrant life of personal prayer.

Catholic education, whether in a formal school or in the home, also strives for excellence; excellence of course not merely academically, but to become excellent in all aspects of life—intellectually, morally, spiritually, emotionally, physically. Excellence does not just happen, it requires effort. And Catholic Education is an effort of the Church of Jesus Christ to transform mediocrity, selfishness, laziness, rudeness, and immaturity into excellence, selflessness, virtue, industriousness, resourcefulness, and kindness. 

And that leads to the third part of our theme for Catholic Schools Week: service. Catholic Education helps us to become people of Christian service. Serving others is profoundly more excellent than being self-centered, selfish, or greedy. Catholic Education—in the truest sense of the word education—which from the latin means—to lead us out of something. Catholic Education leads us out of the darkness of selfishness to become people of the light, who strive to serve God—to love God with our whole heart, mind, souls and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves, which is the greatest commandment of Christ.

For in the end, Catholic Education ultimately revolves around Christ—Catholic Schools are aimed at forming genuine disciples of Education — well-educated people who know him, love him and serve him.

So, please pray this week, for all those involved in Catholic Education, at this parish and throughout the diocese. Through the intercession of St. Martina whose feast is today, and all the saints, we pray for all parents, first teachers of their children; we pray for all students, that they may be granted wisdom, knowledge, and diligence in their studies, for all teachers, that they may help impart faith with patience and competency, and for the Church as a whole, that through education we may grow in virtue, and excellence, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.