May 29, 2011

Thanks to those parents and friends who have helped this week:
● For contributing to last week’s choir concert reception: Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Aaker, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dang, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas DiNapoli, Mrs. Tina Halim, Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Le, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Pickett, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Porretta, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Portka, Mrs. Maria Salazar, Mr. and Mrs. Aniceto Sandoval, and Miss Rosemary Warnisher
● For donating a parent sponsored lunch for our students and faculty: Mrs. Tracey Pickett, Mrs. Tracee Portka, and Mrs. Ann Rincon
● For providing photos of recent events at the school: Mr. Rudy Aquilar, Mr. Morty Howard, and Mr. Brian Tran
● For donating 400 rosaries for the school to distribute: Mrs. Regina Lim

● June 1st is the deadline for paying the Book Fee. It is also the deadline if you plan to take advantage of the discount offered for paying 100% of your 2011-2012 tuition.

Volunteer Opportunities
● Annual Bucket Brigade!! Come help us clean the school on June 11th at 8:30 a.m. We need several work teams to help clean after school is out for the summer. All volunteers are welcome. Snacks and beverages provided by Fr. Gabriel. To sign-up contact Mrs. Christian in the school office.

Parent/Student Handbook: Chapter 3, Sections 1 and 2
SECTION 1. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

St. Michael’s teaches all of its academic courses at the College Prep (CP) level. When higher levels are provided at Honors (H) or Advanced Placement (AP), they are indicated. These receive extra weight in calculating the Grade Point Average (GPA).

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.

This Week’s Photos: First Honor’s outing, Seniors enjoying Dana Point Harbor, Alumni Lowell Schaper and Nick Porretta, Spring Choir Concert

Etiquette Point of the Week
When a gentleman is about to conclude his year at St. Michael’s Prep School, it’s always a polite gesture to let his teachers know how much he appreciates their efforts to educate him, help him, and make him a better person.
Words of wisdom from Mrs. Christian

Athletics
Congratulations to the Pioneers for winning the position of League Champions. The Baseball Awards Banquet is June 6th at 7:00 p.m.

Homily preached by Fr. Benedict Solomon, O.Praem.
Among other things Fr. Benedict teaches freshmen and senior religion

St. Jude asks Jesus if He will reveal Himself to the rest of the world as He did to the disciples. Jesus as usual, doesn’t give a straight answer.

He says-The Advocate, the Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. The answer Jesus gives is that He will show Himself to the rest of the world-but only through his disciples. But in order to be His disciples we need to love Him, not just with our words, but by obeying His commandments. Jesus says “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father , and I will love him and reveal myself to Him.”

In order for us to love Jesus He must have already been revealed to us. So how does He reveal Himself again? Those who love Jesus will see Him face to face in heaven, but also in a special way here on earth. Faith in Jesus is one without sight. But faith is perfected and deepened by the Gift of Understanding.

St. Thomas says that “In this life, when the eye of the spirit is purified by the gift of understanding, one can in a certain way see God.” Jesus, reveals Himself in a deeper way by sending the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit do not depend on our will, but we can prepare ourselves for them. We prepare ourselves for the Gift of Understanding by purity in body and soul.

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” We prepare ourselves by; interior recollection in silence and solitude; By fidelity to grace, which means not denying any sacrifices asked by God, and in every thought and deed cooperating with the movements of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, we are to invoke the Holy Spirit through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary so that we can receive the Gifts. So during these weeks before Pentecost, let us prepare ourselves for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit by purity, recollection, faithfulness and prayer.

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 without written permission of the author.

Prayer Requests
● Alumni Tom Cox ’05 who fell 30 feet while rock climbing and broke both ankles.
● For Mr. and Mrs. Meschuk who suffered a miscarriage.
● Those who are in the armed forces.
● St. Michael’s older priests and those who care for them.

Those who have died in defense of the country.