Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, whose origins date back to the Eleventh Century. On this day, we remember that there are spiritual beings all around us; the closest is our Guardian Angel. God never abandons us, and he has tasked the Holy Guardian Angels with the ministry of watching over and keeping each one of His children safe. My Guardian Angel has certainly been busy throughout my lifetime. I especially recognize my angel’s presence when I nearly miss getting hit by a car while driving; or just last week, when I was helping my husband move a bookcase and my ankle gave out. I landed on my hip on the tile floor with the bookcase crashing on top of me. What could have been a pretty serious injury was ameliorated, I’m sure, by my angel who buffered the fall. Praying the Guardian Angel Prayer day is certainly a great way to thank your angel for their protection. You might also enjoy the following music video from Alabama, Angels Among Us.
We should not, however, rely on our Guardian Angels to do all the work, as it is up to each one of us to watch over and keep one another safe. Last Friday, on the Feast of the Archangels, we gathered for a Partner Class activity. Each homeroom was paired with another, and each student was assigned a “buddy.” Older students were tasked as mentors and models for their younger partner. Students spent a bit of time getting to know one another, and then they engaged in a few team-building activities before settling in on learning about the feast day, specifically St. Michael, who is our patron. It was so uplifting hearing the younger students’ excitement as they eagerly waited to meet their upper-class partner. The older students were most inspiring as they genuinely took interest in and patiently guided their “buddy” in the planned activities. It was evident that all of our students benefited from this exchange, and everyone is anticipating the next opportunity to meet up.
While qualities of independence and perseverance are admired, and pursing personal goals and dreams are natural, we are also called to help others on our life-long journey. Forming and fostering personal relationships among family members, friends, and acquaintances is an important aspect toward our overall mental health and well-being, and as we look in the rearview mirror at the fallout from the pandemic, we are acutely aware of this fact. So, as a school, we look forward to upcoming opportunities where our students can learn from and support one another, with their peers as well as with students across the campus. So, whether engaging in book sharing, math challenges, field-day races, or service projects, we believe that these “buddy” experiences will go a long way in helping all our students grow in responsibility, confidence, trust, patience, kindness, and love.
In Mission,
Kathy
