Pastor’s Corner – Aug 22

Pastor’s Corner – Aug 22

This is the third weekend of the month of August and by now all local schools have begun, even though there were off days due to serious problems with the recent rains and flooding.  One of the many significant activities of our community and of our families, the education of our children is surely at the top of the list. At the beginning of the new school year: 2016-2017, may the Lord bless all of us who are involved in our schools to do our very best for the good of our children now and for their future.

May parents and family members be devoted to all that they have to do for the school year to be successful. May parents make all the necessary preparations, all the planning, all the daily actions and may they give the guidance, the example and the encouragement that they children need and deserve.  The role of parents is fundamental and essential to the education of their children.  Education is indeed a family experience. All members of the family have an investment in how the students in the family do at school. The role of parents can at times be difficult and demanding. Unless children are prepared to learn by their home environment and by their families before they get to school, the educational process will fall far short of its potential. As children leave home in the morning to go to school, may they all be ready to learn, ready to listen and ready to co-operate with their teachers at school.

The two most important jobs and tasks in our entire community are parents and teachers (coaches).  I have told you often how influential my teachers were to my life as a student, especially my first grade teacher, Sister Theophilus.  I am daily grateful to God and to my many teachers for what they have done for me, for my education and for my personal growth.  May all teachers have the blessing of Jesus, the greatest teacher of all, in their professional responsibilities and in their daily interaction with their students at school and in the classroom.  May teachers come to school well prepared to teach and with an attitude of confidence, understanding and respect for each of their students.  Teachers are more than instructors of information, they have to be skilled at managing and motivating their students at whatever grade level.  One of my prayers for all teachers, coaches and aides is that they will have faith in their students, they will firmly, gently and patiently guide their students each day and do their best to inspire their students by their example and by their commitment to the teaching profession.  I am fully aware that some students are easy to teach and to instruct. Others may be more challenging and less co-operative. These students need quality and inspiring teachers the most!

All of us are also students in the school of life.  Many of us no longer go to a specific school, like Acadian Middle, Teurlings, Northside, Sts Leo-Seton or others. All of us are enrolled in the school of life and I pray that all of us are docile, open, willing and sincere learners in our lives.  Spiritually God guides, teaches and leads us every day. During this academic year: 2016-2017, may we all do our best to use our God-given talents, abilities and interests to learn more about our Catholic faith, about how God works in our daily lives and how reading the Scriptures daily is a great source of knowledge and wisdom for the betterment of our daily journey. May the weekly Bible homework be part of your study and learning during the coming months.

Our second reading this weekend is from the Letter to the Hebrews 12.  We hear how important ‘discipline’ is in the life of a child of God and a disciple of Jesus. Each one of us needs to be able to control ourselves, to be responsible, to keep focused on our duties and to obey the will of God and not to do our own will.  Discipline needs to be learned as early as is appropriate in our childhood so that our habit of decision making becomes a source of blessing for us and not a cause of misbehavior and foolish actions. May each one of us willingly accept the discipline of the Lord and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives and in all the many choices and decisions we make.

My love, prayers, best wishes and gratitude to you and to your loved ones, for who you are, for all you do for the Lord and all you do for the good of St. Elizabeth Seton Church Parish. May we strive to give the Lord the glory, the honor and the praise due his holy name.  SHALOM!

Fr. Gary

Homework for the week of August 21 – August 27

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

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