March 6, 2011

Thanks to those parents and friends who helped make the week a success

The Lim Family for hosting a weekender.

General announcements to Parents
Daylight Savings Time begins March 13th.  Clocks should be moved ahead one hour.

Ash Wednesday is a regular day of classes

There will be a parent sponsored lunch for the students and faculty on Thursday, March 10th.  If you are able to help provide a future luncheon for our students, please contact Mrs. Cathy Porretta.

Open House for any family interested in applying to St. Michael’s on Sunday, March 13th at 3:30 PM. Please let friends and family know.

Third quarter oral exams begin on Monday, March 14.

The relics of St. Mary Magdalene will be at the abbey on this Tuesday afternoon and evening.  All are welcome to come pray with us!

The National Latin Exam will be held on Sunday, March 13, at 7:00 PM.  All students enrolled in a Latin class must sit for the exam.

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)–Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA)
Please note that the Visiting Committee will meet with all the parents of St. Michael’s Prep on Sunday Evening, March 20, at 7:00 PM, in the modular classroom. This meeting will take no more than 1 hour. It is very important that all parents come to the meeting who can. Please note that Faith, Academics and Character are what are known as the schools “Expected Schoolwide Learning Results [ESLRs]. Thank you!

This week’s photos: Sacred Heart statue; first school baseball game; Norbertines singing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Parent/Student Handbook: Chapter 3, Section 2
SECTION 2: GRADUATION POLICY
Seniors who earn less than a “C” as a semester grade in any class do not graduate from St. Michael’s until that grade is remediated. If this unfortunate circumstance arises, then two courses of action follow. (1) As the senior did not have all the necessary graduation requirements, he does not participate in the Commencement Exercises. This ceremony is one of the privileges reserved to those who have met their academic and social obligations as established by the school. (2) The senior will redo the course work in an approved summer school program. Once the course work is completed, the senior receives his diploma and resumes his place with his classmates.

Etiquette Point of the Week
It is never inappropriate to introduce yourself to someone. When introducing yourself, stand, look the person in the eye, extend your right hand and say “Hello. My name is John Smith”. When introducing people to one another, always give the first and the last names of the people you are introducing if you know them. When introducing someone to a small informal group, you may say something like “Joe Jones, I would like you to meet the members of our committee. This is Jane Doe, John Smith, and Joe Jones”. If it is a more formal presentation, refer to the people by their last names, such as “Mr. Jones, may I present the members of our committee, Mrs. Doe, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Jones”. Emily Post’s Teen Etiquette, Elizabeth L. Post and Joan M. Coles; Harper Perennial

Athletics
Tuesday: Baseball vs San Jacinto Valley @ Searl Park; 3:15
Thursday: Baseball vs Southlands Christian@ Southlands; 3:00 p.m.

Birthdays This Week:
March 9th Vitalyi Tractenberg

Homily preached by Fr. Benedict Solomon, O. Praem.
Among other things, Fr. Benedict teaches Religion

“At God’s word were his works brought into being.” God’s one Word was sufficient to create all things. And before the Incarnation not an infinite number of words spoken by men could ever do justice to God. “Yet even God’s holy ones must fail in recounting the wonders of the Lord.”

But after the Incarnation, that Word through whom all things were created, was He by whom all creation was recreated and contains all creation in Himself. This Word has a name, and this name refers to the greatest of all God’s wonders-Jesus Christ. Before the Incarnation no amount of words would suffice, afterwards, one word is enough to sum up all the wonders of the Lord. Jesus.

“Bartimaeus sat by the roadside begging” for what this world had to offer. When he heard that it was Jesus, the sound of that name “plumbed the depths and penetrated his heart.” As he sat on the earth, with worldly concerns the name of Jesus grew in His heart and dared him to utter that name with his own lips. “Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.” When people told him to be quiet he called out all the more.

That name which took root in his heart could not be plucked out. And when Jesus called him, Bartimaeus threw aside his cloak, one of his few possessions, and sprang up from the ground. Because he uttered that sacred name, Jesus replied with “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus gives him his sight. And when he receives his sight, he follows Jesus on the way.

By calling on the name of Jesus and asking for His mercy, we will never fail to recount the wonders of the Lord; we will never fail to draw Jesus into our hearts. And when He comes into our hearts He will move us to cast off our attachments to sin and worldly desires and to spring up from our spiritual slumber. Then He will ask us “What do you want me to do for you?” and we will ask only that we may see Him face to face.

To Him be glory and honor for ever and ever. Amen.

In publishing this homily, we hope to share a portion of the spiritual treasure by which the students are enriched every day. However, this homily may not be reproduced by the parents or friends of St. Michael’s without written permission of the author.

Prayer Requests
● Giancarlo Medina who is battling cardiac problems
● Francesco Tanzi Grandfather of Mr. Lieggi who is close to death.
● Those who are in the armed forces.
● St. Michael’s older priests and those who care for them.