Today, our school has been blessed to have recieved a letter from the Vatican. Our Holy Father, Benedict XVI appreciates our gift and sends his apostolic blessings on the school community. Double click on the letter to see it up close. Friday, June 10, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
It’s been a month since the Beatification of Bl. John Paul II
It’s hard to believe that it has already been over a month since the Beatification in Rome. After a long flight back I was reminiscing the thoughts and emotions that went through my mind seeing Pope John Paul II beatified after just 6 years after his death. I can still recall the many Wednesday audiences that I was blessed to attend during my time in Rome in 2000 and the World Youth Day that year. I was blessed to have been able to study most of his writings, particularly his many encyclicals. I was even able to bring my wife, then fiancé, to see John Paul II during a New Year’s Eve ‘Te Deum’ prayer service in 2004, just months before he would pass away. I still have vivid memories of the time I was able to meet him after a private mass in his chapel in the apostolic palace. He will always be the model teacher that I will look up to and strive to imitate.
Coming home wasn’t easy. I love Rome! But coming home to my wife and back to the classroom excited me. While I was in Rome, I purchased over 1400 Bl. John Paul II medals, which I got blessed by Pope Benedict XVI at the Beatification Mass, to give out to friends, family, and the entire school community at Kennedy Catholic High School. I even purchased Kinder chocolates for my students, it was the chocolate that I enjoyed growing up, and seeing their reaction made my day. It’s awesome to hear how many people followed my blog entries and posted videos, some shared that they felt like they were there and experienced it first-hand.
My students loved the Kinder chocolate and appreciated the medals brought back for them. This past week I have been slowly distributing them especially since the seniors are drawing close to their graduation. I hope all of them realize that as they received their tickets for graduation that they will find their Bl. John Paul II medals brought back from Rome for them. I am sure they will be able to use Bl. John Paul’s intercessions as they prepare for college and beyond. Now that John Paul II is beatified, we can definitely ask him to intercede on our behalf, especially with all of our prayer requests. He was a man of great holiness who showed us how to be human and be holy!
I want to end with a challenge to all of you:
‘Do not be afraid; do not be satisfied with mediocrity! Cast out into the deep, and let your nets down for a catch’ –Bl. JPII
Cast out into the deep! Every desire of our human heart can be satisfied resting in the presence of Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar, now let’s meet there my dear friends, for it is in the Mass that we truly experience authentic love and are immersed in grace. Let us always remember that we are blessed with the communion of saints as models to the life of holiness, Bl. John Paul II now one of them. I look forward to celebrating his feast of October 16th of this year. All of the intentions and prayer requests that I brought with me to Rome haven’t gone unheard. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers. May God bless you and may you be inspired to be a witness to the Gospel of life in the vineyard of the Lord. As the summer draws near, make a new plan, open your heart to Eucharistic heart of our Lord and may he guide you in all of your adventure! Do not be afraid! - O, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Coming home wasn’t easy. I love Rome! But coming home to my wife and back to the classroom excited me. While I was in Rome, I purchased over 1400 Bl. John Paul II medals, which I got blessed by Pope Benedict XVI at the Beatification Mass, to give out to friends, family, and the entire school community at Kennedy Catholic High School. I even purchased Kinder chocolates for my students, it was the chocolate that I enjoyed growing up, and seeing their reaction made my day. It’s awesome to hear how many people followed my blog entries and posted videos, some shared that they felt like they were there and experienced it first-hand.
My students loved the Kinder chocolate and appreciated the medals brought back for them. This past week I have been slowly distributing them especially since the seniors are drawing close to their graduation. I hope all of them realize that as they received their tickets for graduation that they will find their Bl. John Paul II medals brought back from Rome for them. I am sure they will be able to use Bl. John Paul’s intercessions as they prepare for college and beyond. Now that John Paul II is beatified, we can definitely ask him to intercede on our behalf, especially with all of our prayer requests. He was a man of great holiness who showed us how to be human and be holy!
I want to end with a challenge to all of you:
‘Do not be afraid; do not be satisfied with mediocrity! Cast out into the deep, and let your nets down for a catch’ –Bl. JPIICast out into the deep! Every desire of our human heart can be satisfied resting in the presence of Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar, now let’s meet there my dear friends, for it is in the Mass that we truly experience authentic love and are immersed in grace. Let us always remember that we are blessed with the communion of saints as models to the life of holiness, Bl. John Paul II now one of them. I look forward to celebrating his feast of October 16th of this year. All of the intentions and prayer requests that I brought with me to Rome haven’t gone unheard. I will continue to keep all of you in my prayers. May God bless you and may you be inspired to be a witness to the Gospel of life in the vineyard of the Lord. As the summer draws near, make a new plan, open your heart to Eucharistic heart of our Lord and may he guide you in all of your adventure! Do not be afraid! - O, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Vatican Visit - Relics of Bl. John Paul II
Monday, May 2, 2011
Today, after the Mass of Thanksgiving for the Beatification of John Paul II, I was blessed to have an opportunity to visit Bl. John Paul II's relics! Over 1 million people have come from around the world to celebrate his awesome life and now as blessed, we can defenetly count on his prayers for all of us from the Father's house!
Kennedy Catholic @ The Vatican
The Banner that was made for this occasion has been given to the Prefect of the Papal Household. Since he doesn't like to be in photos, he did allowed me to take some his office and assured me that it will be delivered to the Holy Father's office.
On my way out of the Prefect's office, I ran into one of the Swiss guards who I asked if I could get a picture of... GO LANCERS!!!
The rest are of just random shots of St. Peter's Square, I even got a random person to help me, enjoy!
On my way out of the Prefect's office, I ran into one of the Swiss guards who I asked if I could get a picture of... GO LANCERS!!!
The rest are of just random shots of St. Peter's Square, I even got a random person to help me, enjoy!
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