(Morning Prayer offered on the Public Address system for the La Salle Academy educational community on Tuesday, 13 May 2014)
Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
La Salle Academy strives to fulfil St. John Baptist de La Salle’s ideals of faith, service, and community. Throughout the year during Morning Prayer we hear a lot about faith from many teachers as well as service like we have just recently heard from those who went on mission trips this year. Community is a topic we hear less about, but I find it to be something that made a very large impression on me throughout my four years at La Salle.
I am sure that, upon entering La Salle, you were told, “Become a part of the Lasallian community. Get involved with your school.” This was something that my parents repeated to me many times. I always thought that this meant I had to be involved in multiple athletic teams or clubs. It was not until this year that I felt that I was able to really see what everyone talks about as “the Lasallian Community.”
Some of you may have tried to join multiple activities starting freshman year, and it may have worked out for you very well. I did not do that. I participated in a sport each season my freshman year, and loved the sense of community I experienced on each of my teams. Being a part of a team at La Salle gives you a unique sense of belonging. There is a group of people that you know will always have your back and a group of friends right away.
It was not until my sophomore year that I began participating in a club in addition to being involved in athletics. I joined SADD and had the same sense of belonging that you can find in any club or group here. Being surrounded by people who believe in the same things you do is an amazing thing. I strongly encourage you, if you have not already done so, to join a club. It may require going out of your comfort zone at first, but it is something that you will not regret.
Junior year is when I embraced Campus Ministry, another thing I encourage all of you to do. I became a retreat leader for freshman/sophomore retreats and went on one of the Kairos retreats. Again: another place where I felt community. The campus ministers are a huge part of that. They are welcoming to everyone and encourage people to become involved in different retreats and events throughout the year. They’re also there as someone who you can talk to and always seem to genuinely care about how you are doing or how your day is going.
This year, I feel that I have been able to look back on events and see that even if I hadn’t participated in extracurricular activities, I would still be a part of the Lasallian Community. This year I had the opportunity to shadow Trainer Rob Riebe at many of the football games. Although there was the obvious bond among the players, it was the group in the stands that truly amazed me. Whenever I would turn around on the sidelines, I would see the Beehive. It amazed me how so many people could be so organized at a sporting event. Whether it was cheering on one of our peers after beautifully and bravely singing the national anthem, running in the stands with a flag, doing the roller coaster thing that seemed to happen at every game, or watching Father Najim do pushups on the sidelines, it was clear that this was the physical community that I had felt at La Salle over my four years here.
Finally, I would like to talk about the community that all of us can feel, and that is the community in our own class. While looking forward to graduation, I have realized that many people that I see every day, I may not have the chance of seeing again. We are all going our separate ways after graduation, but I hope that we do not forget the community that we have worked so hard to build in the past four years.
Let us pray:
Come, Holy Spirit. Allow us to appreciate our friends. Give us a moment to see their goodness. Help us to be always faithful to them. Always give us the opportunity to stay close to our friends, whether we are physically near or far apart.
Come, Holy Spirit. Continue to inspire our teachers, counselors, deans, administration, and coaches who have inspired us. In these last days of high school for seniors, give us the courage to truly follow their lessons. Allow us the inspiration to thank them for their gifts with sincere appreciation. Amen.
St. John Baptist de La Salle…pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts…forever.
Katelyn Primmer (Class of 2014)