Sending forth

This week is Trinity Week which consists of dress down days, fun assemblies each day at 1pm, and evening events.  Student Council, led by Ms. Comiskey of our language department, always does an extraordinary job putting the events on.

During today's assembly, Ms. Comiskey graciously allowed me to have a brief sending forth prayer for the many students traveling over April vacation next week - the students going with me and Ms. Foley to Montana, the students going to Guatemala with Ms. Girard and Mr. Bielik, and the students going to Europe with Mrs. Magoun and Mrs. Leblond.  We also kept in mind Mr. Pouliot and our Robotics team who are in California this week for a competition.  Before we did the prayer we had a brief moment of silence for all the victims of the Boston bombings.  I then offered a brief prayer and Mr. Mailloux '72 presented each of the students and teachers with medals of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers.

The prayer I said was adapted from one used by the University of Notre Dame to bless students who are about to embark on mission trips:

We bless you, O God, and we praise your name.

You sent your Son into the world to free us from sin by his own sacrifice
and to enrich us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Look kindly on these your servants:
We send them forth as messengers of salvation and peace, marked with the sign of the cross.

Guide their steps with your mighty arm
and with the power of your grace strengthen them in spirit, so that they will not falter 
through weariness.

Make their words echo Christ’s voice,
so that those who hear them
may be drawn to live the joy of the Gospel.

Fill the hearts of these, your students,
with your gifts of the Holy Spirit.


By compassionately sharing the crosses of others,
may they lead many to you, the Creator of all.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.