From the Principal's Desk 4.12

November 26, 2013

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK   Dear Parents, My youngest child will have her first Thanksgiving on Thursday and while she will not be aware of all of her relatives doting on her, or sense the importance of Turkey and stuffing and cranberries and pumpkin pie, she will take part in a continuation of what is our country's most religious secular holiday and the one most true to its original intent.   As she smiles and  cries, like all babies,  around her many hands will labor the feast.  (And many mouths will eat it!)   Football will be watched, the kids will get grass stains on their pant legs, drinks will be spilled and when all is done,  turkey sandwiches will be devoured.  Cinnamon and pumpkin, marshmallows and nuts; an abundance of wonder will appear on the tables where we will all take our seats, bow our heads in prayer and give thanks. What makes this day so special revolves not around family, friends or food, but around gratitude to the one who makes it all possible.   To God, from whom all blessings flow, be all the glory and honor and thanks.  This year I am thankful for much, for my family, my faith, the country I live in, the gift of life; just to name a few.  I am especially grateful for all of you who make this school possible for yourselves and for others, some of whom are yet unborn. Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School 303-410-1411 p.s.  Bing Crosby sings about this gratitude in 'Holiday Inn' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noiI7s0nXDQ pps.  Any questions, cares, comments, criticisms or concerns-please let us know HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

From the Principal's Desk 4.11

November 19, 2013

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK   Dear Friends, This morning, over on the eastern horizon, the sun rose just like it has every day for billions of years.  Each day the same and yet different, for while the substance of the sunrise changes not, the effect changes constantly and if you and I could compare pictures of all the sunrises since the dawn of time we would find not one, not a single one, identical to another.  Life has but one constant, change.  Some changes are evolutionary, slowly over a long period of time; others are revolutionary, immediate, abrupt, and dramatic.  The one impossibility is to stand still.   As we age, we realize this fact, both the good and the bad of it.  How fondly we remember the days when our children would jump into our arms when we came home from work, now they may great us with a smile and a hug or a text.    We rejoice in the persons our children grow into. The theme this year is 'Quo Vadis', where are you going.  To successfully journey one must know the destination and while the common end for all Christians ought to be heaven, the intermediate goals of life do not possess the same uniformity.  Discerning God's will for us, seeking the source of wisdom and letting Him guide you, remains a defining characteristic of a successful person, school, institution and church.  God's will can be found by prayer and study, for the will of God, while occasionally hard to fathom, never ceases to be rational.   High school years can be filled with concern about the future. For some this brings fear, others excitement, and for most, both.  Encourage your students to talk to our guidance department, to study hard and to go to mass.  God will not refuse our children's cry for help. Finally, Kairos recently was completed and by all accounts the retreat came off well.  Thanks needs to be given to Father Gabriel and Mark Evevard and all who helped make this a success.  Parents, if your child went on Kairos, ask them about it and encourage them.  The good news needs to be shared. Pax et Bonum, Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School

From the Principal's Desk 4.10

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Friends,

In life we find that there are three conditions that must be met for success to occur:  Ability, Desire and Opportunity.   Of these, only one is God given, ability.  Either one has the ability to do something or one doesn't, and nothing can be done to change it.  This should not cause dismay, rather it should free us to concentrate our efforts where we have ability. Sporting ability generally most clearly demonstrates this principle.  There are a great number of people who play high school sports who simply cannot compete at the college level.  Each of us has ability in some area or another, we must simply find it.  It may be we are capable of being a great singer, spouse, parent, engineer, doctor etc.  What we need next is desire.

The old saying comes to mind, "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink".   One can have all the ability in the world but unless it is channeled by the desire to succeed it will prove useless.  Every great story about overcoming odds contains a part where the hero realizes they must succeed, they find in themselves the desire to sacrifice whatever is needed to win.   Simply put, many a youth fails to succeed in their subjects because they don't want to, they lack the desire.

Finally one must have the opportunity.   A person must be in the right place at the right time. Einstein would have been just as smart if he was born to a poor family in Siberia but one doubts he would have had the chance to win a Nobel Prize.

Our school strives to help students with the two parts that we can help them with, desire and opportunity.  There is no shame in lacking ability, there is shame in lacking desire and we must provide opportunity.   For this reason we have clubs, we have excellent and challenging classes, we have a Fine and Performing Arts division that is growing and we have sporting opportunity.  

Most important of all, we also have mass offered every day.   In the end the only thing we must succeed at is becoming Saints.  And the best way to grow the desire (we have the ability) is to spend time with Christ.  

Pax et Bonum,

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

From the Principal's Desk 4.9

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Friends,

As we get older we become very much aware that we do travel through time, but only in one direction. There exists no going back, no do overs, no repeats; each day is a special blessing, each moment never to be seen again.  This means we can be ready for what God has planned for us, it means when we fall we can rise again, it also means we must deal with mistakes of the past, of times when we were unprepared, for tests we did not study for, for the unkind word said in a careless moment. 

While I cannot go back and relive a moment, or take back a word spoken unwisely, I can ask for forgiveness and reconciliation.  I can make amends, and I can be free to plot a new course, not free from the consequences of my actions, but free to change the direction of my life.   This lesson should be taught to all of our students.  Sometimes in life we find ourselves in a hole, God always will reach down to pull us out; we must simply grasp his hand.

So when a student comes home with a poor grade, or finds themselves dealing with the result of poor choices, encourage them to deal with the consequences, to make amends, and most of all to move ahead.  God's forgiveness, through the Sacrament of Confession, frees us from our sin, studying frees us from ignorance, seeking pardon from a wronged party heals breaches and each dawn is a new day, a chance to be our best, to improve upon our previous efforts.  To be truly who God made us to be, Saints.

May God bring you peace,

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 4.8

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Friends,

The importance of planning can hardly be over emphasized and yet, many of us, and certainly most of the students, only follow a rudimentary schedule.  Without a schedule, a plan, we certainly maintain spontaneity, usually resulting in a loss of productivity.  Having a plan enables us to be certain we will do all that we want, operating without a plan makes it very unlikely.  Compare food shopping with a list to shopping without a list.  Which works better?

In our lives and the lives of our students we need to plan and schedule to both make certain we get everything done and to give us peace of mind that we are getting everything done.  Scheduling, the most common form of planning, is not only easy, it is extremely effective.   It allows us to make certain that our obligations to study and to work our chores are covered so when we lay down to sleep we don't have to worry about whether or not they are being taken care of.  A person who lives a scheduled life has time to play, to recreate, watch movies and hang out with friends.  They can avoid the Sunday night panic (when they realize the assignment they had been meaning to do has yet to be done!) and more peacefully coexist.

So in closing, I encourage you to work on writing a schedule with your students.  You will thank me if you do!

Pax Christi!

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 4.7

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Friends,

On the street where most of my children were born and spent their early lives there lived an elderly couple named the Caffery's.  The Caffery's had eight children of their own, all grown by the time we knew them.  They were a simply lovely couple.  Each Saturday morning Mr. Caffery would walk to the end of our cul-de-sac and gather the little boys of the neighborhood (and eventually the little girls). Together, he and his 'refuse engineers' would slowly walk up the street gathering every bit of trash.  At the end of the walk, the garbage disposed in the can, he would invite the boys to come in to his house, where Mrs. Caffery had fresh cookies for them, and if it was cold, hot cocoa.  They would eat the goodies while watching cartoons, old ones from the 40's and 50's that Mr. Caffery had from when his kids were young.   All finished, the boys thanked Mr. and Mrs. Caffery and off they went.

Over the years when each of my children are tasked to write a story about someone who made a difference in their life, without any collusion, they always have picked Mr. Caffery. They have never talked about it to each other but have all recognized the love he and his wife showed them, the value of a simple job done well, and the joy that life should have.  We like to think our greatest impact occurs when we do great things, when we right terrible wrongs, when we accomplish mighty tasks.  While that might be true, it is also true that the very greatest things we may ever do occur simply in our homes, our neighborhoods and our schools.  Today when your student goes to school, remind them to be kind to those around them, greeting those we meet with charity; in this way, we can be great Christians, even Saints.

Mr. Matt Caffery has passed to his eternal reward, a great big one for sure; but his memory lives on.  When you would ask how his day was, he would often answer, "The better for seeing you." May we say the same.

Pax Christi!

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 4.6

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Parents,

We continually ask our children to prepare, for school, for meals and for bed, among other things.  Life has taught us that the adage, 'fortune favors the prepared mind' remains something we should keep in mind.   Yet, preparation ranks fairly low on the list of desirable activities.  Hardly anyone likes practice as much as the contest one plans for, hardly anyone likes the studying of recipes as much the cooking or eating and most of us, especially teenagers,  like sleeping far more than getting ready for bed.   Time after time, we find practice makes perfect and 'proper preparation prevents poor public performance' (try saying that fast).   

A great lesson we can teach our students is the correlation between preparation and success, that if you study, do your assignments  and take care of yourself, you will stand a much better chance of success, and that if you procrastinate, work poorly, or cheat you will fail.  In life as a whole this also proves true; if we want our children to be successful in business we had better start laying the ground work here, as we do in the school.

Finally, the most important preparation is for heaven.  The greatest desire of a parent is that their child attains the beatific vision, the ultimate success.  We help our  children attain this the same way we help them master English or Social Studies, by encouraging them, by being a good example, and often, by getting down on our knees and praying for them.  It remains a wonderful privilege to educate your children and to work with you to show them how to be successful in this world, and the next.

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 4.5

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Friends,

I hope you are enjoying the sun!

Dealing with the aftermath of the storm, which sometimes seemed never ending, we find a world that stands in need of repair.  Floods come whether you are ready or not, they come if you take notice, or you don't and their effect generally is large and damaging.  In their aftermath we find homes, businesses, and lives, lost, damaged and in great need.    The key thing in such cases is to lend a hand, to provide aid, to help rebuild.  Holy Family will be sending aid to St. John in Longmont and Sacred Heart of Jesus. Both of these schools were damaged in the storm.  If you would like to help in this effort we will be accepting donations for the next two weeks in the form of financial aid or with more concrete needs - see below. If you know of any Holy Family students who are in need of uniforms, school books, or other items, please contact the school.

In our lives we often find ourselves dealing with disasters big and small, some of them of our own making, many of them not.  What is most important is what are we going to do to set things right.  Certainly, responsibility must be taken and justice must be satisfied; alongside that rebuilding, repair and renewing must take place.  With a few weeks into the school year, I encourage you to check your student's grades and if the grades seem weak, work with your student and their teachers and counselors to achieve a good end.   

To all who have suffered loss in this storm, please be assured of our prayers. 

Pax,

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 4.4

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Parents,

You may have noticed in medical circles there seems to be two schools of thought regarding general humanity.  One school of thought, which I will term the 'broken man' holds that everyone is 'broken', everyone has something out of position, functioning improperly etc., and the goal of these practitioners is to make everyone whole, to fix what is broken.  The other school of thought, which I will term, the 'whole man' holds that most people are generally healthy most of their lives, they can always get healthier but they fit within the framework of healthy.  I do not claim that one attitude is superior to the other, perhaps neither are, however we can learn something about mankind from them.

Christians essentially see the world as a bit of both these attitudes. Before baptism, redemption, and forgiveness, mankind is broken. (all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, Romans 3:23)  Whenever we sin mortally, we again become broken.  God, the Divine Physician, stands ready to heal us, to set us right and to place us back on the path to glory.   At this point we tend to follow the 'whole man' theorem.   We are generally in a good place, but there is room for improvement.  We need to grow in our virtues, in our character, and in our faith.  There exists no upper limit to perfection, we can always improve.

High school is where our children workout the development of their character, in the struggle to master information and skills, in the discipline of physical activities and in refining their interpersonal skills.  It can and should be a fun time, an exciting time and a truly memorable time.    

Homecoming is this week, including the games and the Spirit days, and of course the Homecoming Dance.   It should be a wonderful time and to make certain it is please make sure all your students come to the dance dressed appropriately and at the dance act appropriately. 

God bless,

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 4.3

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Parents,

Today I was planning on sending an email about our theme.  Sunday morning I came up to the school to find that someone had spray painted the front of the school.  This thoughtless act will take us a while to completely clean up and in all likelihood the building will show signs of the graffiti for some time to come.  So what can be learned from such an act?  Quite a lot actually.

The persons doing this saw themselves as outside of the school. They considered themselves actually more like our enemy.  In other words,  they were isolated from us. Blessed John Paul the Great taught that there are three degrees of separation which humans go through.  The first is called 'other' where a person is seen as not one of us, welcomed as a guest, tolerated,  but not part of the group.   The friend, who was so close,  but now is hanging with another crowd, is 'the other'.  Very soon however persons move even further apart where the one does not even understand what the other is doing;  they have become strangers.  This person does things not  understood, they clearly are not part of any group recognized as 'other'.  They clearly have strange beliefs and practices, in fact they are 'strangers.'   The final step of alienation is when we see the 'stranger' as an enemy.  They are not only part of another group, have actions and mannerisms that are strange to us but in fact they seek to destroy our life, they are our enemy.

This is precisely how the Jew's were treated in Nazi Germany, the Christians behind the iron curtain or in many Islamic countries today and if we are not careful it can happen to us and to our relationships.  

High school is a wonderful time of making friends and forming lasting ties, but it can also be a time of isolation and alienation.  When we ask ourselves and our children 'Quo Vadis?' will the answer be that we are striving to build Christian community where each is seen as a critical member of our faith, of our family?  Or will we see others as the others, the strangers and ultimately the enemies amongst us? Let us pray and practice so that our friends and companions be many and our enemies be few. 

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 4.2

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Dear Parents,

St. Peter asked Christ, "Quo Vadis, Domine?"  Where are you going Lord?  Two millennia later we ask the same, for as Christians we know it is far better to follow God's will for our lives, than to follow the wisest counsel of man. 

The question inevitably arises, 'How are we to know God's will?'  Not all of us, indeed very few of us, will ever see Christ the way St. Peter did, most of us will find His will for us in another manner.     In the famous movie, 'A Man for All Seasons' St. Thomas More says, "God made the angels to show Him splendor, as He made animals for innocence and plants for their simplicity. But Man He made to serve Him wittily, in the tangle of his mind."    We find God's will precisely by using our intellect, by studying our subjects, by training our bodies so we can think clearly and by asking God for the gift of wisdom.  So it is God's will that a student studies, that a child respect and obey their parents, that we are chaste,  that we are honest and diligent. Yes, and so much more.  Knowing God's will for us is seldom difficult, following it, there's the challenge. We so often know what is needed to be done but are afraid or disinclined  to do such a thing.  Every student  knows they should study, they know it will make them do better, enjoy life more etc., but not every student studies.  Knowing must lead to action for the desired good to be achieved. When you seek God's will for you, get yourself ready.

So this year as we pray "Quo Vadis?" let us prepare ourselves to hear and obey God's will for us. 

Timothy Gallic

Principal, Holy Family High School

From the Principal's Desk 4.1

Dear Friends, 

It is hard to believe another summer has flown by but it has! The students are now all getting settled into their routines, and once the shock of a new schedule wears off they will start to appreciate it. For work we are made, to use our time well to improve the lot of ourselves and others, to pull back the curtain of ignorance and to live a life pleasing to God. As we well know, Christians follow the truth. We embrace beauty and order, and we find no possible contradiction between the Word of God and the book of Nature. We practice love, the selfless desire for the good of another. Pope Francis reminded us, a person who in good conscience strives to practice virtue should be encouraged to be good, not judged. We know that for freedom God made us and virtue makes us free. If our students wish to be diligent, and find themselves falling into sloth, we need to encourage them to be diligent. Should they wish to be patient and kind, loving and joyful and find themselves struggling, we stand ready to lend a helping and loving hand. 

When the individual is no longer being tempted because they gave in, the situation changes. Wrongdoing must be addressed and corrected and consequences dealt with. Those who have done the wrong thing must admit to it if they wish to be free of it. For once an individual takes ownership of their actions they are eligible for a great act of love, forgiveness. When we admit our sin to God, especially in the sacrament of confession, and ask for His forgiveness, we are free and strengthened to sin no more. 

I will write more about this year's theme next week. 

Welcome back or Welcome! 

Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School

From the Principal's Desk 3.34

    

Dear Parents and Friends, Today we will be handing out  awards. Inevitably questions arise about this event.  Why do we hand out awards? Why don't we simply give everyone an award? What significance do these awards hold? A hallmark of Christian life revolves around the concept of judgment that for each action mankind will be held accountable.  Some incorrectly believe that by good deeds one can merit salvation; that heresy fails as it denies the saving power of Christ.  However good deeds do make it easier for us to avail ourselves of God's redeeming grace.  Just as bad deeds have the opposite effect. So once a  year we take out time to acknowledge those students whose hard work, diligence and abilities  merit attention from us.  Those who have used their talents, much like the good servant in the parable, worthily gain an award.   Ultimately the one 'award' or recognition that matters is when we stand before the throne of God  and He says 'Well done, good and faithful servant, now enter the rest that has been prepared for you."   Christ promises if we use the gift of faith to follow Him this will be our welcome.  Let us make certain it is. Duc in Altum!    Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School 303-410-1411

From the Principal's Desk 3.33

From the Principal's Desk 3.33

Dear Parents,  "I know something that you don't know.  I am not left handed either." (Princess Bride)  Some of you will remember that quote and it serves to illustrate one of the aims of schools like ours.   We strive to help students realize what their gifts and talents are and then how to use them.  Have you ever tried to brush your teeth with the other hand?  Or attempted to throw a ball with the other arm, your non-dominant one?  Gifted athletes know that while they are great in one sport, they may not be great in another.  I speak English quite well, but I am useless in Italian.   In short, none of us are gifted in all things; all of us are gifted in something.  The key remains to determine what we excel at. God graced the world with a wide variety of persons with a wide variety of skills and interests.  We stand as unique individuals who share a common concern; we want the lives of our students to be wonderful and meaningful.  If we can focus on what we can do, and what opportunities lies ahead of us, then empowered to go on, we find success.  It also allows us to rejoice in another's gift.  When I see another excel at a sport, admire a fine painting, or enjoy a thrilling performance and I rejoice in the gifts that others have, I find peace and contentment.  Only when I envy their gifts, wish I could have them myself or regret that they have them, am I hampered in becoming who I am meant to be.  So let us rejoice in those who are gifted, thank God for our gifts and be grateful for what we have been given. Duc in Altum! Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School 303-410-1411 p.s. Questions, cares, comments and concerns are all welcome. (Yes, a late start probably would have been a better call)

From the Principal's Desk 3.32

From the Principal's Desk 3.32

Dear Parents, I hope you are all enjoying the snow! There is nothing quite like a wintery scene outside when one is expecting green grass, warm winds and spring sports.   Life often reminds us that many things remain outside our control.   It remains for us to decide what to do with what we are given. One of the important lessons of life is that we are free to choose our actions only from the list of those actions available.  As an example we cannot have track practice or baseball practice today because the fields are snow covered.  Even if I really wanted to have that practice it could not happen; I have to make plans based on that reality.   A student may dislike the work load, especially this late in the season, or they may wish something didn't happen that did. Our job is to help them see that while you can always move forward, we can never move back.  There exists a lot of 'folk' wisdom about this. 'You can make a lot of things with broken eggs, or "If life hands you lemons, make lemonade."  And while they may be quaint there exists in them a truth.  All of our children can succeed if they can find the right path. Our job is to prepare them, equip them and then send them on. Duc in Altum! Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School 303-410-1411 p.s. All cares, comments, questions or concerns are welcome!

From the Principal's Desk 3.31

From the Principal's Desk 3.31

Dear Friends, Happy Easter! The Lord is Risen! Alleluia! Such good news still resounds through all the earth even after 20 centuries for it is astounding, life changing and most importantly, true!  Truth inherently affects us in this manner for while the 'truth may hurt' if spoken in love, it reforms.   When we teach the truth to a student, they experience, the error of their former life put away and freedom to live.  This is exactly what mankind so eagerly seeks.  For this reason Holy Family teaches our students the importance of facts (truth), in science, history, math, art, physical activities and faith; actually in all areas of our life.   Blessed John Paul II was once asked if only  one passage of scripture could be given to mankind what would it be,  he said " You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." (John 8:32) If we want our children to be free let us eagerly seek with them the truth. Lies and deception only restrict our lives, they might promise freedom but they are in fact just the opposite.  An honest man does not fear the truth about his actions being made known, a dishonest man does. And now for some facts. Holy Family's annual Gala is this Saturday and as of now it is essentially sold out!  This remains the best time for you to support the mission of the school beyond what you ordinarily do, so please come and spend! This will help us meet some of our school's growing needs and desires.  There remains much that is good which occurs at our school and each of us plays a part in that and I dare say, no one sees it all.  We will do our best to bring to your attention some of that good at the Gala. Don't miss it! God bless and Duc in Altum! Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School 303-410-1411 p.s. Today is the annual Blessing mass, where we bless rings and medallions and encourage our Juniors to take the mantle of leadership which will be offered to them. Please pray for them.  The scripture on the medallions is a prayer of surrender to God and trust in him.  I pray all can join in this prayer I Chronicles 29:11 "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. p.p.s.  Any questions, cares, comments or concerns? Send them in they are always welcome!

From the Principal's Desk 3.30

From the Principal's Desk 3.30

Dear Friends, Of all the weeks in our calendar, Holy Week stands as the one which demands that we pay attention to the final things: death, judgment, heaven or hell.  All students know the importance of final exams; the point at which there is no turning back, no extra credit, no more bargaining.   They recognize the importance of proper preparation, of using the entire term to prepare for the exam.  In the same way, we should use our whole lives preparing for our individual day of judgment. The only way to be saved, the only way to gain admission to heaven, is through the blood of Christ, the sacrifice of Calvary.  No amount of good deeds will ever get us into heaven and it is a common mistake to think God will measure out our good deeds and compare them to our bad deeds and the heavier side determines our salvation.  We get to heaven not because we are filled with good deeds, but because our sins are forgiven.  This is why confession and baptism are so important, both free us from sin.  So why bother with good deeds?  Why not just live a life of debauchery and repent at the last moment?  No one knows when they are to die.  We would all like to live a long time, die peacefully in bed surrounded by our family, but we don't get to make that choice.  Scripture says, 'Delay not the day of your salvation.'  Additionally, a good life is exactly what it sounds like.  To live a life filled with peace, joy, good character, kindness, love, patience, honesty, generosity etc., is to live a great life.   If our students all lived virtuous lives we would need no locks, there would be no stealing, lying, anger, lust, laziness, and our school would be filled with all good things and the love of God.   If we want to be ready for our day of judgment, let us live like we belong in Heaven, loving God and neighbor, mindful of God's great love for us and the sacrifice of the Cross. Duc in Altum!  Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School 303-410-1411\ p.s. Questions, cares, comments or concerns? Send them in. Today we are celebrating the Women's 3A Basketball State Championship! Once again Ron Rossi and the Lady Tigers have won the state title for the fifth time in six years.  These young ladies demonstrate great ability and character on and off the court and we happy to celebrate them and with them!  Well done!