Pat Barr, Principal
May is the month of our Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Mary’s Academy’s holy patron. We will celebrate her glory this month during our annual Mary mass.
I cannot think of a better role model for our students than this most holy woman who at the age of our freshmen freely accepted an overwhelming task. As a woman full of grace, she bore Jesus Christ and raised him lovingly to manhood. She then walked with him to his crucifixion and watched as he was tortured. As a mother, I cannot imagine the pain she must have endured, but she did so because of her great faith in God.
Today’s youth are often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Perhaps the more important question is, “Who do you want to be when you grow up?”
We need to only look to Mary and emulate her qualities to answer that question.
To all of our mothers and to those of you who take on the amazing role of mother: Have a blessed and honored Mother’s Day!
Retreat News
Our Senior Metanoia Retreat, held April 26 – 28, was one of the largest in SMA history. One hundred thirty nine seniors registered for the retreat, 40 percent more than last year — which was also a record year. What a class, with class! What a wonderful time of rest, play, celebration and prayer! Thanks for encouraging you daughters to participate. It is wonderful to be a part of a community that allows us to stop and smell the roses now and then.
Spiritual Landmarks
It is an SMA tradition to recognize and celebrate students who have experienced a spiritual landmark during this school year. We invite students to complete and submit a simple form telling us if they have celebrated a special spiritual experience in their faith tradition. For example, students have been confirmed, baptized, received first communion, celebrated a spiritual coming of age ritual, celebrated their Bat Mitzvah or even made a pilgrimage to the Hajj. With our rich religious traditions and broad faith backgrounds, we find it a wonderful experience to recognize these precious events. Those who choose to complete and submit the form will be recognized in a special display in the main hall, and we will offer prayers for them during our last All School Liturgy on May 17. If your daughter has celebrated a spiritual landmark since June, or will be celebrating one by the end of this school year, please encourage her to pick up and complete a form. They are available from her religion teacher or outside the CMS office. Forms are due by May 9.
Upcoming Masses
St. Mary’s Academy will celebrate one more “optional” Mass during study block on May 10 in the Performing Arts Center. During this very special Mass, we help kick off SMArts month as we recognize, give thanks and pray for all those who enrich our lives through the arts. We will celebrate our last all-school liturgy on May 17, when we will honor our graduating seniors, offer a blessing for those celebrating spiritual landmarks, and commemorate the role that Mary plays in the Church as a model of someone who said “yes” to God. Finally, we will be celebrating graduation with our Baccalaureate Mass on Friday evening, June 1.
