Some downtime

Things have quieted down a little bit here in Campus Ministry after our recent full court press of events.  Last week was the final week of third quarter so I had a lot of correcting to catch up on and now we settle into the last quarter of the year.  But there is a lot on the horizon for Campus Ministry, namely:

Sunday Night Mass and Dinner: April 6 at 5pm
Holy Thursday Prayer Service: April 17 at 8:30am
Holy Thursday Pilgrimage: April 17 at 7:30pm
Trinity Week Service and Masses: April 21-24
Montana and Guatemala Mission Trips: April vacation
Junior Leadership Ceremony: May 7 at 7pm
Senior Day of Reflection: May 23 at 8am
Senior Farewell Mass: May 29 at 9:15am
Theology Fair: June 6 at 5pm
Baccalaureate Mass: June 9 at 7pm

Stay tuned!

Safe Environment

After the sexual abuse crisis came to light in 2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops instituted strict safeguards to protect children.  All employees and volunteers of the Diocese of Manchester must be screened and trained to recognize child abuse and child endangerment.  Each school employee and coach is fingerprinted, undergoes a criminal background check, is checked against the national sex offender registry, and takes an online child safety course every three years.  Volunteers do the same but are not fingerprinted.   

Each parish and school in the diocese has a safe environment coordinator and I serve in that role for Trinity High School.  We underwent out triennial audit yesterday by the diocese to ensure our compliance with screening and training of our employees and volunteers and I am proud to announce that we were found to be 100% in compliance.  I take this role very seriously and am happy for these results.

You can learn more about the diocese's child safety policies here.

More pictures for you

Cardinal Lacroix with the superintendent, Fr. John Fortin, OSB

With David Gagnon '11, now a seminarian for the diocese

With Bill Sheehan '79 and Pat O'Neil '80

Best prom-posal ever

There is a new trend among high school students called prom-posals.  Boys have become very creative when asking girls to the prom and this Saturday, Cardinal Lacroix lent a hand to one of our students.  Bryce Pepin '14 and his girlfriend Abbey Thompson '14 went to take a picture with Cardinal Lacroix after the reception on Saturday and beforehand, Bryce slipped the cardinal a piece of paper that said "Prom?" on it.  The cardinal held it up behind Abbey's back as someone took the picture and when Bryce showed her the picture she cracked up and immediately said yes.  The cardinal autographed the paper and I joked he may have to come back in 5 years to celebrate the wedding.  He said, "I do weddings, ordinations, whatever you want!"

The Union Leader ran a story on this which you can read here.  What an amazing moment and I just love the cardinal's mischievous smile.

For your viewing pleasure

He is always so happy

Cardinal Lacroix with his parents

A greeting for a rock star

A cross for Trinity made by the cardinal's brother and blessed by Cardinal Lacroix

At such ease with our students

I am wearing a sweatshirt as I got frosting all over my shirt and jacket when taking out the trash!

What. A. Day.

Well then…

I said in a previous post that this Saturday would be a day you can say "you were there" and I think I was right.  To quote a great Christian Brother, Bro. Ernest Miller, FSC, "Mercy!"

This weekend Cardinal Lacroix '75 made his first visit home since being created a cardinal last month by Pope Francis.  We spent weeks planning for this day and really got down to business on Wednesday afternoon.  As soon as Grandparent's Day ended on Wednesday we switched focus to Cardinal Lacroix's Mass at St. Anthony's Parish and the ensuing reception at Trinity High School.  So many students helped with the gym set-up and helped make it look so nice.  Mrs. Haradon P'16 donated all the linens and Saint Anselm College let us use a huge riser so our choir could sing from our stage.  Mr. Sheehan '79 of our math department and I were inseparable as we worked on all the details.  Fr. Richard Dion, our chaplain, was coordinating the Mass and always checking in with new ideas for the reception.  On Friday afternoon, Fr. Richard and I drove around Manchester installing lawn signs welcoming Cardinal Lacroix back to Manchester.

Cardinal Lacroix celebrated the 4pm Mass at St. Anthony's, his boyhood parish, with over 900 people in attendance.  Bishops Libasci and McCormack, Abbot Mark Cooper, OSB, and over a dozen priests con-celebrated the two hour Mass.  During the gospel I noticed a missed call on my work cell phone from the caterer and I knew that couldn't be good.  Mr. Sheehan and I stepped out of the church to call her back and she mentioned that they could not get the ovens working in our kitchen.  Mr. Sheehan graciously drove over to the school and got them started right up.  However, we missed Cardinal Lacroix's homily in the process which I heard was amazing.  Oh well.

Following Communion, Fr. Richard reminded the cardinal that he was in his old neighborhood and many people still remember him fondly.  He then invited up a number of people from the congregation, people from the neighborhood, to come up and greet Cardinal Lacroix and welcome him home.  The most poignant was his old babysitter who was in a wheelchair and the cardinal went down to her to hug her.  Fr. Richard said that one person wanted to be there but couldn't - his senior prom date!  Fr. Richard pointed out that she is now a Baptist minster and wasn't sure whose fault that was.  The church was roaring.  Fr. Richard then presented a red biretta and zucchetto and invited the cardinal to hang it on a shelf that was put up in the church so Cardinal Lacroix would always have a place to hang his hat.  That was incredibly special and moving.

Following Mass, the celebration moved over to Trinity.  I had lined up dozens and dozens of students (with promises of extra credit and chicken tenders!) to stand outside Trinity and go crazy when the cardinal pulled up.  Despite the freezing weather, the kids came through and greeted the cardinal in a frenzy.  We had given him a Trinity hockey jersey with Lacroix on the back and he emerged from his car holding it up saying, "I am a Pioneer!"  We then took a group picture with him.

Once inside the school, he was led into the gym by bagpipers.  The place was packed with over 500 people from all walks of life.  People then ate while the Trinity choir sang and the cardinal worked the room.  There was then a series of speakers including our principal Mr. Mailloux '72.  Mr. Mailloux accepted a cross that was made by Yvan Lacroix '76 and blessed by Cardinal Lacroix.  Yvan also made one for Pope Francis, St. Anthony's, and Cardinal Lacroix.

Following the event a number of us cleaned up while the cardinal took pictures and chatted with people.  A ton of our students took selflies with him and one boy even had the cardinal help with a prom-proposal (more on that in a later post).  

Since I had to lock up, I stayed to the end and when all was said and done, it was just me, some parents, and a group of students.  We had some precious few minutes with the cardinal and he chatted with the kids, showed up his ring, his pectoral cross, etc.  It was wonderful.  He told me that he wants to come back soon and be there with all the of the students. After locking up I treated the last remaining students to ice cream at the Puritan.

This was indeed a magical day and there are too many people to thank for helping to make it possible.  Life is good.  God is good.

The Union Leader had some great coverage here, here, and here.

Our Place Donations

On Wednesday we packed up Mr. Sheehan's '79 pick up truck with the donations our students brought in for baby shower to benefit Our Place.  They filled up the entire back of the truck and most of the cab.  The women at Our Place were overwhelmed when I arrived and could not thank our students enough.  Here are some pictures from New Hampshire Catholic Charities Facebook page of the donations:

From a Pioneer to a Cardinal

Tomorrow, I hope, will be one of those days when you can say you were there.  Cardinal Lacroix '75 is visiting Manchester this weekend and is attending a reception in his honor tomorrow night at Trinity High School.  Over the past few days so many people have come together to make the reception a night to remember.

Cardinal Lacroix will celebrate the 4pm Mass at St. Anthony's Church where a number of our students are assisting in various ways.  The reception will follow immediately at Trinity where we are expecting over 500 people.

Cardinal Lacroix will be greeted at the front steps by dozens of students, parents, and parents and if all goes according to plan, he will emerge from his car with a Trinity hockey jersey on.  He will be led by bagpipers into the gym where our choir will sing a selection of songs while people eat and mingle.  There will be a series of speakers including our principal Mr. Mailloux '72.


I spent the entire day getting ready for the event along with a number of students, faculty, and staff.  Saint Anselm College lent us choir risers and a bunch of guys from their physical plant brought them over and installed in.  We put out red napkins and the students had the idea to fold them in a fancy way and were able to set-up 500 napkins pretty efficiently and quickly.  Our students are always so cooperative and helpful to me with stuff like this, they are pretty amazing.

I spent part of the afternoon driving around Manchester with Fr. Richard Dion putting up "Welcome Home Cardinal Lacroix" lawn signs.  This was Fr. Andrew Nelson's ideas and I hope they don't all blow away!

Stay tuned….more to come!

Grandparent's Day 2014

Today was our third annual Grandparent's Day.  We usually celebrate this on Ascension Thursday (40 days after Easter) but it falls very late this year (May 29) which is also the date of our Senior Farewell Mass.  We like to have Grandparent's Day coincide with Mass so today being the Solemnity of St. Joseph seemed like a perfect day.

We had over 100 grandparents join us for the day with began with Mass at 9:15am.  The grandparents sat with their grandchildren for Mass which was celebrated by our chaplain, Fr. Richard Dion.  Fr. Richard's homily focused on the role of neighborhoods and the crucial role they play in our lives.  In former days, he said, families would live in the same neighborhood but that's not always the case anymore.  Thus, the idea of a neighborhood - a community - has changed over time and whatever it might be, a school, church, etc, neighborhoods/communities helps build us up and help us live our lives of faith.  He then spoke for a bit about Cardinal Lacroix '75 and his upcoming visit to Manchester this weekend.

Following his custom to see who was the oldest grandparent present, at the end of Mass Fr. Richard had all the grandparents stand up and when he called their age they could sit down.  The numbers were whittled down to two grandmothers, one of whom was 93 (I didn't catch the other age).  He invited the 93 year old, the grandmother of Christine Masci '14 to carry the processional cross and to lead everyone out.  It was quite nice.

After Mass the grandparents were taken around the school for visits while me and an amazing group of moms changed the gym over for lunch.  The folks rejoined us around 11am for a lunch of sandwiches, chips, and cake.  People mingled for about another hour and it was all wrapped up by about 12pm.

This is always a fun day and a great opportunity to showcase our school but most importantly for grandchildren to have the time to spend time with their grandparents.  Mark your calendars for next year's event - May 14, 2015!

Sage advice

Today was a real treat - many of our students were invited to hear a presentation by Rear Admiral Arthur Lawrence '65.  Admiral Lawrence spent 37 years working in various positions for the Commissioned Corps of US Public Health Service, most prominently as an assistant surgeon general under President Clinton.  He also worked in the Office of National AIDS Policy under President Reagan and most recently on matters of bioterrorism and national security.  He has three degrees - from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Services, the University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard.

Admiral Lawrence spoke fondly of the late Mr. Gorski '58 who was his English teacher at Bishop Bradley High School.  He choked up when he began speaking of him, it was actually quite moving.  When Admiral Lawrence was a junior Mr. Gorski, whom he "revered", bet him that he could never learn to appreciate the arts.  So Admiral Lawrence delved into Shakespeare that year and he was able to memorize a large portion of "A Midsummer's Night Dream" (he still remembers it and recited it for us today).  Mr. Gorski made good on his bet - he let Admiral Lawrence use his car (I can't remember what kind) to take his date to the prom that year.  He said that this lesson in kindness was the only lesson he really remembers from high school and he tries to do the same in his life.

He said that the students are learning four things at Trinity - Faith, Family, Personal Responsibility, and Civic Engagement.  He also told them not to follow money when choosing a career but rather service.  Money, he said, will make them hollow and they would have to compromise many things including their principles.  I was so excited to hear this as this is exactly the message I try to impart to seniors each year at their senior day of reflection.

I had to step out for a bit so I missed the Q&A session but when I returned I could tell that the kids really enjoyed Admiral Lawrence's presentation, words of wisdom, humor, frankness, etc.  I stayed behind after the kids left chatting with him for almost an hour talking about his experience on 9/11, his work with various politicians, presidents, etc, it was fascinating.

Admiral Lawrence will be one of the three inaugural inductees into our Hall of Honors this June.  I can see why!

The week ahead

The upcoming week will be one for the ages:

Sunday, March 16: Sunday Night Mass and Dinner at 5pm in the chapel/cafeteria.

Monday, March 17: I am taking my AP US History class to a conference in Concord

Tuesday, March 18: We are hosting Rear Admiral Arthur Lawrence '65, a former assistant Surgeon General who will be speaking with students

Wednesday, March 19: Mass and Grandparent's Day

Thursday, March 20: I am chaperoning a field trip to the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston with the 8th graders from St. Joe's Junior High

Friday, March 21: Setting up for a reception for Cardinal Lacroix '75

Saturday, March 22: Mass and reception with Cardinal Lacroix - Mass at St. Anthony's Parish, reception at Trinity

YIKES…Pray for us!

My other life

Like most people who work in Catholic education, I have more than one job at Trinity High School.  In addition to working in campus ministry, I also teach two social studies classes and advise our school's Youth and Government program.  Youth and Government is run by the YMCA and is essentially a mock government program.  New Hampshire is lucky in that we get to use the State House for our meetings - the House chambers, the Senate chambers, the governor's office, the supreme court, and the legislative office building.  

Trinity students outside the NH State House today

Today was our pre-legislative session and we head back in three weeks for two full days of the model legislature.  We have 8 students from Trinity this year and overall there are over 300 students from across the state.  Our group is smaller this year as many past participants graduated last year.  Hopefully we can build it back up next year.  Three students could not attend today but all will be there in April.

Baby Shower

Each year during Lent we host a baby shower to benefit Our Place of Manchester.  Our Place is run by New Hampshire Catholic Charities and they assist pregnant and parenting teens and young adults from the point of pregnancy through their child's third year.  We have been running this baby shower for many years and I love helping them because they do such great work and the three women that run Our Place are the kindest, most generous people you will ever meet.  





Our Place always provides me with a list of items they especially need and, as always, our students and families overwhelmingly come through for them.  In return, I offer them some amazing cake and soda.  Mrs. Photiades P'14 and '12 always comes in the morning of the shower and beautifully decorates Campus Ministry.  Her daughter Kiersten '12 is on spring break and helped out as well.  







These pictures don't do any justice as we got so much more after I took the picture and many people said they would bring in their items on Monday.  I will drop the items off on Monday or Tuesday, always a wonderful experience!  

Thanks to everyone for their help.

Teaching about Tourette's

Early in the school year I received an email from Mrs. Bergeon P'17 about her daughter Katrina.  She told me that Katrina has Tourette's Syndrome (a very minor form) and is a Youth Ambassador for the Tourette Syndrome Association.  Katrina is trained in making presentations on Tourette's and making people aware of its symptoms and asked if she could present to the students of Trinity High School.  We of course said yes and throughout the course of the year she has methodically made her presentation to all of the theology classes, starting with the seniors back in October.

Her final presentation was this week to one of Ms. Zolkos' freshman classes and I sat in.  I was so impressed with her poise, professionalism, confidence, and ease with the audience.  Her presentation was easy to follow and very well presented.  She had us do an exercise where we had to write the words to the pledge of allegiance in 90 seconds but we had to erase and re-write every third word and each time she clapped, we had to tap our pens.  This, she said, mimics what many people with Tourette's experience when writing or doing work.  Katrina will present to the faculty at our next monthly meeting in April.

I told the class after how proud I was of her and impressed that a 14 year old could be such an amazing public speaker.  You can read an article on Katrina from the Nashua Telegraph here.

Well done, Katrina!

Morning Prayer

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, Father John Fortin, OSB, the superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Manchester, hosted a two day conference of all the Catholic school superintendents in New England.  He had an idea of having students from local Catholic schools lead the superintendents in morning prayer each day.  The students of St. Benedict's Academy led prayer on Monday and we were graciously invited to lead yesterday.  I brought eight students, some of whom were from our choir who sang an opening hymn.  We prayed Psalm 119, listened to a reflection by a Catholic school principal from Troy, NY, and Kasie Bourque '14 offered her own thoughts.  It was rather brief, about 10 minutes, but the kids were well received and did a very nice job.

The students who assisted were:

Kasie Bourque '14
Paul Boyd '17
Matthew DeSchuiteneer '14
Allison Doherty '14
Bryan Dufour '14
Victoria Fatukasi '16
Emily Murphy '14
Julia Steer '14

O Salutaris Hostia...

Throughout the season of Lent, we are making weekly opportunities for prayer available in our chapel at the start of the two lunch periods.  The prayer is brief so students and teachers can have time for lunch and are varied so each week there will be a different type of prayer.  Today we had adoration where we prayed for a few minutes in silence before the Blessed Sacrament and then together prayed the Divine Praises.

Erin go bragh

For the past couple of years, Trinity High School students have helped set-up for the St. Patrick's Day Dinner at St. Raphael Parish in Manchester.  I had to scramble to get students as I forgot to get them earlier and I am so grateful to the 15 seniors who came with me this afternoon to help set-up.  We got the place mopped and set-up in a little over an hour.

I am always happy to help out our good friend Fr. Jerome Day, OSB, the pastor and a monk of Saint Anselm Abbey.  Here he is posing with the man of the hour.

Ash Wednesday Mass

Yesterday we celebrated Ash Wednesday with Mass celebrated by our chaplain, Father Richard Dion.  In his homily he spoke of the constant need to improve ourselves as none of us are perfect and all of us sin.  Thus, Lent is a time to once again focus on improving our lives and to things better.  It is, he said, a sort of reset of our lives.  He also recommend that the students not give something up for Lent as is customary.  Doing that, he said, is like New Year's Resolutions, they always fail.  Rather, he suggested, think of something you already do well and do it better.


For the Post-Communion Meditation hymn, the choir sang a song called "Inside Your Kingdom" which they dedicated to the memory of Mr. Gorski '58.  Mr. Gorski, of course, passed away last August and taught at Bishop Bradley/Trinity High Schools for 51 years.  It was rather fitting as the previous day was the feast of St. Casimir, the patron saint of Poland and the name of Mr. Gorski's parish here in Manchester.  Mr. Gorski was very proud to be Polish!

Lent 2014

Today of course is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the 40 day season of Lent.  Lent is really a period of time to prepare to mark the resurrection of Jesus at Easter and to ultimately prepare for our own resurrection (God willing).  We will have daily opportunities to celebrate Lent and to practice its three pillars: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  All are invited to take part:

March 5: Fast Day, abstain from meat, and Ash Wednesday Mass

March 6: New Horizons 4pm-6pm

March 7: Abstain from meat 

First Week of Lent

March 10: Adoration 11am and 11:45am chapel

March 11: Confessions 11am-12pm chapel 

March 12: Kid’s Cafe 5pm-7pm

March 13: Morning Prayer 7:30am chapel

March 14: Abstain from meat and Baby Shower to benefit Our Place

Second Week of Lent

March 16: Sunday Night Mass and Dinner 5pm 

March 17: Saint Raphael’s Food Pantry 7pm-8pm

March 18: Confessions 11am-12pm chapel 

March 19: Mass for Solemnity of St. Joseph and Grandparent’s Day 

March 20: Morning Prayer 7:30am chapel

March 21: Fast Day and abstain from meat 

Third Week of Lent

March 24: Angelus 11am and 11:45am chapel 

March 25: Confessions 11am-12pm chapel 

March 26: Fast Day 

March 27: Morning Prayer 7:30am chapel

March 28: Abstain from Meat 

Fourth Week of Lent

March 31:Seven Last Words of Jesus 11am and 11:45am chapel 

April 1: Confessions 11am-12pm chapel 

April 2: Fast Day 

April 3: Morning Prayer 7:30am chapel and New Horizons 

April 4: Abstain from meat 

Fifth Week of Lent

April 6: Sunday Night Mass and Dinner 5pm 

April 7: Seven Sorrows of Mary 11am and 11:45am chapel 

April 8: Confessions 11am-12pm chapel 

April 9: Fast Day and Kid’s Cafe 

April 10: Morning Prayer 7:30am chapel 

April 11: Abstain from meat 

Holy Week

April 14: Stations of the Cross 11am and 11:45am chapel

April 15: Confessions 11am chapel 

April 16: Morning Prayer 7:30am chapel 

April 17: Holy Thursday Prayer Service (morning) and Pilgrimage (7:30pm)

The final countdown...

This past Monday was the 99th day until our seniors graduate from Trinity High School.  To mark the occasion, I gave them a special gift - a letter from themselves.  When they were freshmen, my predecessor, Mr. Malinowski, had them write letters to their future selves at their freshman retreat.  I am not sure when the letters were intended to be given to them but I thought this was a good occasion as any.

The kids were shocked when I gave the letters to them.  They were dying laughing as they looked at their handwriting and the things they wrote to themselves.  I must say that this is a great class of seniors and I am going to miss them terribly.  They were the last class I taught full-time and I had most of them as freshmen for World Geography.  I look forward to spending these final days with them.

De La Salle Blackfeet School

Once again, we are sponsoring a mission trip to Browning, MT over April vacation to spend a week working at the De La Salle Blackfeet School.  Last year was our first mission trip there and we are excited to be offering it again.  Twelve students are going along with Ms. Foley of our theology department and Mr. Arnold of our math department.  Mr. Arnold spent 10 years living and working on an Indian reservation in Washington state and is beyond excited to be heading up this trip.

Bro. Paul chatting with sophomores

The founder of the school, Bro. Paul Ackerman, FSC, has been at Trinity the past two days meeting with students and talking about the school.  Bro. Paul worked at the school from 2001-2012 and he now travels to schools and parishes to speak about the school and to raise money for it.  97% of the school's budget comes from donations.  Yesterday Bro. Paul chatted with all the freshmen theology classes and today he is speaking to the sophomore theology classes.  Last night he met with the students going on the trip along with their parents.  He flies back to Chicago today after school.

You can read about last year's trip in the Archives tab on the right hand side of this website.  Click on April 2013.

 

Papal Tweet

Let us thank all those who teach in Catholic schools. Educating is an act of love; it is like giving life.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) March 1, 2014