Dear Parishioners,
Catholic Schools Week at St. Margaret of York ends today. With the celebration came a myriad of activities for our children to celebrate the gift they are able to enjoy due to the efforts of so many.
As Pastor, it is important that I take some time to thank the many whmake this gift possible. Firstly, to all of the families and households our parish who contribute significantly in many ways to the success oall of our ministries, one of which is our school. Your care and concern goes a long way. To the parents of our schoolchildren, thank you for entrusting the hearts and minds of your precious youngsters,
allowing us to help you form them as part of the greater family of Goand the future leaders of our nation.
Significantly, I owe much thanks and great kudos to Bernadine Stone and Nancy Shula, our phenomenal co-administrators, the faculty and staff and the many volunteers who have helped to make our future
―Blue Ribbon School an outstanding place of learning.
Most importantly our school sees its purpose not only as the preparation of our youth to succeed in higher education and future careers but, equally in task, assisting parents in passing on our Catholic faith. Our school and all its activities, its focus, is about teaching the faith, bearing witness to the faith, belief in Christ, preaching that belief and living that belief.
This is important because the consequences of the loss of faith are: selfishness, sin, cruelty, oppression, strife, division, suffering, disease, tears, hatred and death. The fundamental purpose of our school is to teach our children to love God and their fellow man. The remedy for anyone who loves thusly, the remedy for the sorrows of this world is evident: faith. The results of faith are equally clear: generosity, self-sacrifice, tenderness, mercy, peace, unity, serenity, health, laughter, love, life.
Our overall ―"plan" can be nothing other than this: to preserve the faitto defend the faith, to teach the faith, to confirm others in the faith…I am convinced we do that well. In today’s world those are tuff tasks….but we are up to it…my congratulations on another fabulous year!
God Bless,
Fr. Jan
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