The
students at
St. Scholastica Grade School celebrated the inauguration of a new
presidency
for the United
States
on January 20th.Our students
have taken special pride in the election of Barack Obama and the
occasion of
his acceptance of the office of President offered an opportunity for
them to
enrich their understanding of our governmental system and deepen their
pride in
their African American cultural heritage.Many of the students’ parents were active during the political
campaign
leading up to the November 4th day in which our nation chose
its first
black President.The day was a festive
one and all the students (including the kindergarteners) gathered in
the
gymnasium to watch and be part of this historical moment in the history
of our
country. Even though they spent
hours (including
lunchtime) in the gym, their attitude was joyful and their focus was on
the
significance and pride engendered by the inauguration.The gathering culminated after President
Obama’s acceptance speech and the prayer of benediction by Rev. Joseph
E.
Lowery (who helped organize the civil rights march and was present at
the
capital building when Dr. Martin Luther King gave the “I Have a Dream”
speech
in 1963).
We
encourage our
students as well as all believers to pray for the new President of the United States of America.That his leadership will lead our nation to
be a force for peace throughout the world and that it will do all that
is
necessary to ensure the rights of everyone to life, liberty and the
pursuit of
happiness.
1/13/09
Snow Time!
As the Metro
Detroit area experiences one major snowfall after another, the winter
of
2008-2009 is shaping up to be one of the snowiest in recent memory.It is a mixed blessing.Our
resident
deer
population is certainly
feeling the pressure from an early and harsh winter.We now find them foraging just near the
monastery and chapel building, trying to find something edible on every
bush
and shrub.And while the white stuff
adds a beautiful and peaceful ambience to our surroundings it has also
posed
some challenges in terms of travel.More
than once our cars have failed to complete the drive up to the
monastery.However, thanks to kind
passersby offering
rides in more snow-equipped vehicles, our monks have always returned
safely -
and that truly is a blessing!
01/06/09
Looking Forward!
Even though the
decorations come down and our liturgies are becoming more “normal”
again, the
memories of the Christmas season still linger in our minds, especially
for our
community in Oxford as well as Detroit.The Masses, the gift sharing and visits from friends and family
all work
together to keep us looking forward to the challengers and
opportunities we
face in the upcoming year.We thank God
for all who have been part of our lives in one way or another, directly
or indirectly
and we ask you to continue to pray for us.Pray that we will continue to grow in our vocation.Pray that our ministries will continue to
bear fruit.Pray that our lives will
attract others who share a vision of a life dedicated to seeking the
Lord
through the monastic life!
We thank
you!And may God send you His richest
blessings for the year 2009!
