From the Principal's Desk 3.16

Trait of the Week: RESPONSIBILITY

Dear Friends,

In this day and age, when fault seems to lie with others and solutions always start with someone else, perhaps it is time to think about the character trait of Responsibility.  

When we are born our ability to live rests solely on the shoulders of others. As we grow and develop this shifts to our own shoulders.  As parents we eagerly teach our children how to walk, talk, tie shoes, ride bikes, clean up their rooms, do chores and (my favorite) mow lawns.  We want them to take ownership of their work, so we hang up the artwork they make, and we encourage them when they accomplish a task.  Eventually there comes a day where not all the results are fantastic, the room wasn’t cleaned, the grass is uncut, and perhaps the schoolwork wasn’t that great.   While accepting that the results are their own may not be easy, it is essential because if the results of our actions, or lack of action, are not ours then we are not free persons but puppets.  Whether we like it or not, we are responsible for our own actions, and, in most cases, we cannot claim others made us do things no matter how much we might want to.

In mass we often pray, “I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and Sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

In the end we cannot escape ownership of our actions and the brave and courageous person is the one who quickly accepts responsibility and deals with the consequences.  Accepting our actions allows us to receive God’s forgiveness if needed, and great praise if deserved.  At the end of our lives we will need to give an account of all we have done, and not done, let us make certain, by a lifetime of good action, that we can stand tall on that day.  For with God all things are possible!

Timothy Gallic
Principal, Holy Family High School
303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 3.15

Dear Friends,

First, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who participated in the annual Tree and Wreath Fundraiser.   Because of your participation we once again made our goal of $45,000.00.  As a result, students and staff will all have an additional day off of school on Monday, November 26th.  Enjoy the extra long holiday with family and friends!

Trait of the Week:  GRATITUDE

The trait of Gratitude, or thankfulness in its exercise, ranks high in desirability and yet rare in appreciation. We instinctively know the importance of this trait as we start teaching it to our youngest children.  How grand it would be should we, by happy chance, meet a truly thankful person, one who rightly sees the world they live in, and their contribution and is cognizant of how much was given to them, a happy soul, and a pleasant one.  The person who recognizes that everything they have results from a gift by the Almighty sees the world in all its wonder.  Gratitude changes everything.  In the midst of life’s difficulties, only the one who is grateful is free.  When your work is overwhelming, when you find prospects bleak, consciously be grateful.   Each day we rise, and give thanks for the ability to hear, to see, to breath.  To give thanks for their lack would be difficult!  Our children, even in the most challenging moments, what a gift!  Is there pain?  Is their loss?  Yes, but so much more is the blessing, if we have eyes to see it.  I do not mean we are to be blind to evil and call it good; we are to acknowledge that evil, like darkness, is dispelled by good, that the story does not end in misery, it always rises to a new morn, a glorious sunrise, a new day full of promise, and heaven beyond.  Finally a comment by Chesterton seems to say it well,

 “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. “

In my life I find so much to be grateful for and this week, as we gather around a large roasted turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, family and friends, in warm homes, this most Christian of our Secular Holidays, let us give thanks to Him who created, saved and redeemed us, and gave us such a wonderful life.   

Timothy Gallic
Principal, Holy Family High School

p.s.  Parents, in this section I always ask for you to send to me your thoughts, comments, cares or concerns, the reason I do this is that despite the fact I walk around the building several times each day, stop by classrooms often and talk to teachers and students throughout the day I cannot see all that is happening in the school.  You do.  Your students and you collectively know everything that is going on and if you don’t tell me, I may never know.   So if you have an issue that you would like addressed, please let me know, it is the only way I can help you.

From the Principal's Desk 3.14

Dear Parents,

This week I will discuss the character trait of honor.  Honor, a trait given scant attention in today’s society, seems only of interest to organized crime or very proud individuals.  However, honor is a core function of human life.   As Shakespeare said, “Mine honor is my life; both grow in one; Take honor from me and my life is done.”   Honor forms our identity, governs our actions when we are alone or in a crowd, gives strength to our conscience and sets the path for our life. An honorable person will not steal and will not cheat, even if they can.  An honorable person will work a full day for a full days wage, will treat those around them in a manner fitting, and they will exercise all other virtues.   

We trust an honorable man or woman; we expect loyalty not treachery.  Honor by itself quickly can be led astray thus it must by nature be tied to other character traits which themselves tie into yet others.  

So how does one develop honor?  By behaving honorably.   Blessed John Paul II taught us that actions both reveal and determine who we are.  What I do becomes who I am.  I become patient by being patient, I become loving by loving, and I become honorable by acting honorably.   It is never too soon to start.  Let us encourage our students to act honorably and therefore to become honorable.

Timothy Gallic
Principal, Holy Family High School

Fromthe Principal's Desk 3.13

Dear Friends,

Last week I mentioned I would start discussing Character traits and the role they play in the formation and life of a young adult.  I will start that discussion by looking at the virtue of Patriotism.  (It is Election Day after all!)  Before I go on I do want to state that none of the traits I am discussing out-rank each other as they are all tied together in the framework of our life, some are more central and some are less so; all are important.

Patriotism, the love of one’s country, may seem an odd choice.  After all, why is it even on the list?  To begin one must realize that we are in this nation as part of God’s plan.  Many of us were born here and some have immigrated; all of us choose to be here.  It is in this nation we will live our lives and work out our salvation.  We could be elsewhere but we are not.  To love the nation that fed you, educated you, protects you, that provided your culture and way of life is too love who you are as a human person.  To desire that country to be great is a noble desire.  We are all familiar with the statement, ‘My country right or wrong’  we may not be familiar with the often forgotten next line ,’ when right to keep her right, when wrong to make her right.’  To be willing to die to protect this country of ours and to be willing to live a life worthy of such sacrifice emboldens the human spirit.  We want our students to have a lively and energetic love of this country, and a desire to help make it a better place.

In a larger sense we want our students and ourselves to be mostly in love with that everlasting kingdom, with the reign of Christ the King, to be ardent patriots of Heaven, our final and permanent home.  Each nation need have its individual patriots, together we all can be God’s faithful Patriots.

Timothy Gallic
Principal, Holy Family High School

From the Principal's Desk 3.12

Dear Friends,

The goal of Holy Family is to produce graduates who have the greatest chance of success in the world we live in.  They need to be academically proficient, have a strong faith and they need strong character.   Character is more than simply the ability to endure; rather it is the traits that allow us to thrive in the world we inhabit.   If ability can be likened to muscles, the more ability the greater the muscle strength, then character can be likened to training.  A person with enormous ability but poor character lacks the capacity to fully harness their skills and will amount to very little.  In comparison one with strong character can take their skills set, large or small, and use it to achieve enormous things. 

Character traits can and often do lack a moral component.  A person with strong aspects to their character can do great evil or great good.  For this reason we want our students to also have a strong moral compass, a well-trained conscience and an understanding of who they are as children of God. 

I will be discussing character traits for the next few weeks to illustrate the points in this message.   

  

Finally, as some of you know I come from New Jersey and have a very large family that still resides in the Garden State.  They are all safe and sound although many are without power and there are a few trees that have landed on their homes.  For all who have lost their lives as well as for those who must rebuild and replace let us remember to pray.

Duc in Altum!  

Timothy Gallic
Principal, Holy Family High School

From the Principal's Desk 3.11

Dear Parents,

In two weeks we will undertake one of the most distinctive and important duties of Americans and elect many of our leaders.  While much of the focus is on the Presidential race and congressional races the vast majority of persons chosen to lead us are local officials whose individual judgments will impact us often on a daily basis.   As good citizens we want to be aware of our choices and to prayerfully make them, and want God’s blessing on our choices.  This of course presents an excellent educational opportunity for us.  We pray for God’s wisdom and guidance to help us choose wisely.  It is precisely putting faith into action that we show that if we fail to ask God’s blessing we are saying it is all up to mankind. If we fail to act according to how God’s shows us than we state He is not wise enough.  If we vote the way we believe we should and the results are not what we hoped for, we can then, with complete confidence, realize that this is God’s permissive will and the result of mankind not following Him.  

Perhaps not the most prosaic way of bringing home the point that God respects our free will so much that he lets us deal with the consequences of our choices, and that our actions have a larger effect than just ourselves but it is a very timely one.   In light of this fact we are going to have the school say a rosary for the elections on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 

Timothy Gallic
Principal, Holy Family High School