For many girls, summer is a welcome reprieve from the workload that comes with being a student at Sacred Heart Academy. However, some take this break from the everyday routine and apply it to all aspects of their lives. Many girls believe that neglecting church and God during the summer is not a big deal, or they do not recognize that they are doing so. Nevertheless, it is a new year and a time for new beginnings to challenge ourselves to grow deeper in faith.
We have already had two amazing First Friday masses, our first one in September and our second, the Enthronement Liturgy. Both of these masses have been integral in starting our year of faith at SHA. The freshmen have learned what to expect as to how important the liturgies are, and the seniors have stepped up to fill the position of school leaders, especially during Mass. The most essential part of attending Mass is to participate by saying the prayers and singing. We do a good job in regards to expressing our belief in the spoken parts, but the singing could be even greater. Many students decide not to sing because they do not think they have a good voice. I once heard a priest say, “If you think God blessed you with a bad voice, torture him with it!” So, I encourage all of you to sing, good voices and bad, because singing is one vital aspect of prayer.
In addition, everyone can be expecting their class retreats soon. These retreats offer a time for one to get to know those in their class and those with whom they may not have interacted. The faculty and retreat leaders are the ones who plan the retreat, but the students are the ones who make it memorable. If you go in with the mindset that it will be boring, then it will be. Instead, go into that retreat center with an open mind and open heart. Participate in the discussions, reflect when asked, branch out of your comfort zone, and you might actually discover something about yourself and others.
As all of you know, our core values are at the center of who we are and what we believe, so we try our best to live out those values every day. Sister Lany Jo and the COR Team do an excellent job of making sure there are service opportunities and other faith-enhancing activities throughout the year. For example, last month there was a Mini Mission Day in which students from Notre Dame of West Haven and Sacred Heart joined together to give back to the Hamden community. They painted St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen. Past projects include painting and gardening for various organizations such as St. Martin de Porres. Another upcoming event is the COR Team Catholic High School Afternoon of Reflection in conjunction with Notre Dame and Xavier in November. Throughout the year, there will be unscheduled service opportunities like making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless or helping to sort stockings for the Christmas stocking drive. Take part in one of these chances because a little bit of your time can make a big difference in someone’s day and life.
Recently, we have been visited by Sr. Virginia, who has not only led the Junior class’s retreat but also given a presentation to all theology classes about the Enthronement Liturgy. Now that we have been crowned princesses and heirs of the Kingdom, I invite you to live out her words. We have to make a Heaven here on Earth and that can only be done through good works, prayer and treatment of others as equals. Do something nice for someone, pray the Our Father every day, ask Jesus to make your heart like His. We can start in our school and work outward toward the world.