2 September 2020
Dear Parents of St. Brendan School and PSR,
Our spiritual theme for this year is: I LIVE FOR JESUS CHRIST!
If our children walk out of our school each day and at the end of their time with us before entering into their high school years saying this, then Catholic education has worked, been relevant, and has been a huge success in their life.
Before COVID our Catholic faith had many false gods to compete with such as busyness, schedules, over emphasis on being involved in too many activities to name a few. This put a strain on what is most important – Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life. The foundation of our Catholic faith is not just to know what it means to be Catholic and how to live Catholic, but the foundation is also having a living relationship with Christ. Out of all the world religions it is only Christianity that proclaims that God so loved the world that God became flesh. Divinity has married humanity. Other religious figures will say, “I will give you a way” or “I will give you a truth” or “I will find you a life.” Jesus is more direct and more real and more helpful – He is it! He is not just one person of many people or one ideology of many ideologies to choose from – He is it! He is THE way, THE truth, THE life. As Catholics, we live for Him first.
Perhaps the blessing of this time, if we can actually name a blessing, is that our time of being told to stay home, has increased our sense of “home life.” I would hope that this has meant more time for each other, more personal contact, more conversations, more playtime and more mealtime with each other, more involvement in what everyone in the household is thinking and doing and believing. This is one way to increase values and virtues in each member of the household. When this happens at home, coming to the house of God then makes all the sense in the world. The first part of Mass, “The Liturgy of the Word,” is about God’s conversation with us. We find out what is going on in God’s world, in God’s life through Scripture, it is applied to our lives in the Homily to increase our sense of virtue and sanctity, and then we respond back to God with a Profession of Faith and praying for each other in the Intercessions. The second part of the Mass, “The Liturgy of the Eucharist,” is God’s real presence, in the nourishment of consecrated bread and wine, being incorporated into every fiber of our being, not only under our roof but also right down to the soul. The Eucharist is everything – strength for Marriage, peace in unexpected disruptions, solace in tragedy, affirmation in times of joy, hope for a future unknown, discernment of God’s purpose for our lives, and much more.
I told the faculty and staff this and I want to tell you this as well, we cannot do this school year without going to Mass. While the bishops have suspended the obligation temporarily, still you are welcomed back. Over the past months of being “reopened,” we have proven that we can maintain an atmosphere that is clean and disinfected for each Mass and therefore, our environment is also peaceful and prayerful. As we take care of family by grocery shopping, in-person education, business meetings, and personal appointments, so too, should our Mass attendance reflect a need to take care of the spiritual life of family as well.
We live for so much. None of it makes sense unless we live for Jesus first. We will reinforce this theme throughout this year. I hope you not only join me in the words of this theme but that you also live this theme by your actions of coming to Mass and living Catholic. We need Him. We always have, but especially now.
You have been in my prayers and will remain in prayers. Thank you for choosing a Catholic education. Thank you for choosing St. Brendan Catholic School and our PSR program.
I LIVE FOR JESUS CHRIST,
Rev. Thomas G. Woost
Pastor