Jesus is Our Anchor

(Speech delivered at the end of Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas Tobin for the Class of 2014 of La Salle Academy on Monday, 19 May 2914)

Your Excellency, Bishop Tobin, my name is Samuel James, and on behalf of Brother Thomas Gerrow, our President, Mr. Kavanaugh, our Principal, Mrs. Richard, our class dean, Fr. Najim, our chaplain, and the entire La Salle Academy Graduating Class of 2014, I would like to offer a warm and sincere welcome to you.  

We are truly honored that you have come to celebrate Mass for us today as we prepare to graduate from La Salle Academy, and we are grateful for the example that you have set for us to live our lives always with faith in Jesus Christ who is our anchor.
SX7844SH-01
The time for us to leave La Salle Academy is quickly approaching, so it is important for us to look back and reflect upon how our Catholic and Lasallian Education has changed us.   Throughout our years at La Salle, we started and ended each day by saying , “St. John Baptiste de La Salle pray for us.  Live Jesus in our hearts forever”.  As freshmen, we recited the words, but today, as seniors, we live them because they are the essence of our time together.  At the core of our existence is our belief that Jesus has been with us, every hour of every day of every week of every year.  In our classrooms, on the fields and always in our hearts.
Live-Jesus-in-our-Hearts-Forever-Vinyl-Art-7b6d0289-0e00-46f5-9ffb-cd2fc53c1d9c_320
As we, the Graduating Class of 2014, anchored ourselves to the truth that Jesus Christ does live in our hearts, we shared our talents, our gifts, our intellects and our hearts with each other and the world around us.  There is no denying that our time together as faithful Lasallians was time well spent because it has changed us forever.
a59e26c2f501f006dcfeb3b485c72894
Bishop Tobin, thank you for your support and prayers throughout our years at La Salle. We ask that you continue to pray that we will have the courage and willingness to forever change our world for the good, and we pledge our continued prayers for you as you lead the Church in the Diocese of Providence.
As a token of our gratitude for your presence with us today, Alicia DeCastro, our class president, will now present a gift to you from our class.
Samuel James (Class of 2014)

Re-Write the Script–Never!

 (Prayer offered over the Public Address system for the La Salle Academy educational community on Monday, 19 May 2014)

 Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God.

Here at La Salle I’ve experienced many things, but most of all over these four years I’ve learned to keep good relationships with people and to work hard at what ever I do. It might sound a bit cliche, but it is true. I’ve made great friendships and have had teachers that helped shape me into the person I am today.

task_115353_110

I remember Freshman year when I was enrolled into the transition program. I can honestly say that being in that program helped me transition into high school. That’s also where I met the friends that I am still friends with till this day. The way Mrs. Madden, Mrs. N and Mr. Megna worked with us was incredible. Sophomore year and Junior year presented challenges that I had to overcome and seek help for, and with me seeking help I found some great teachers and tutors. That is when I got in touch with Academic Support and was able to fine tune myself. I thank Mr. Kav and Mr. D a great deal for everything they allowed me to do with music, life lessons and allowing me to go on a mission trip with them to New Mexico, where I was also able to fine tune the friendships I had with the people that went.

d6c700b1-85de-e211-a98a-002655e6c126_original

I can also say that another aspect of being here that has made the time unforgettable were the sports I took part in. I loved football and all the guys I played with every year; I enjoyed playing basketball with those guys as well, and I enjoyed running track Sophomore year and those 2 weeks Junior year. I can say though, out of all those sports, football is what helped to shape me most. The lessons that Coach Marcone gave us were bigger than winning and losing. He showed all of us that hard work goes a long way on and off the field and that relationships are important. For everything he gave us, I thank him.

0

It’s a weird feeling seeing our time shortening here at La Salle. It’s sort of bitter sweet, because like every Senior in the Class of 2014, I’m ready to graduate and go on to college, but I know that there were will be a great deal of things I will miss. I will miss the debates we would have in Academic Support, asking Mr. Aldrich if he is working hard or hardly working, and I’ll even miss running around in the hall ways getting yelled at for an ear ring or to tuck in. I’m grateful I was able to go to La Salle and I wouldn’t re-write my script for anything.

write-demo-movie-script1

Let us pray,

Lord, help us to stay focused and do right these next couple of weeks from the end of classes to graduation. Let us finish strong and enjoy ourselves as we look back on our High School careers and look forward to our bright futures.

St. John Baptist de La Salle….pray for us.

Live Jesus in our hearts….forever.

Isaiah Weeden (Class of 2014)