From the Principal's Desk 3.21

Character Trait:  Honesty   When I was a boy my father told me something about honesty I have never forgotten. "As long as his hands are tied , you can do business with a thief," he said, "but you can't do business with a liar because you can't trust them at all."  Honesty, the glue which binds society, at once both seems desirable and potentially costly yet if we practice the character trait of honesty we will succeed.   There exists an appalling lack of honesty in this world creating a need for locks, passwords, safes, security cameras, police etc.  If we lived in a world of honest men and women we would need none of these things.  We spend an appalling amount of time trying to insure we are being treated honestly, making certain we are not being cheated. Yet cheating, lying seems rampant, one need to look no further than at the latest bills coming from congress. The alternative, a world of honesty, would differ do much.  Imagine a world in which a found wallet would be returned untouched, an estimate from a contractor would be only for what you needed, where laws would have no 'pork' , where students would hand in only their own work and  receive grades they actually deserved.  It would be a world where cheating was looked down on as unworthy of who one was, where vows freely made, would be freely kept.  We would need no locks, no passwords, few police, our country could be run at such a reduced cost we might actually be able to pay our bills! If we want our students to be honest, we must demand from them the truth at all times.  If we accept dishonesty or even worse, encourage it, we are teaching our children to be liars.  Cheating on homework or a test has a short term benefit but has long term negative consequences.  Honestly facing the consequences of my actions encourages me to make better choices in the future.  The one rule we must emphasize with our children is never to tell a lie.  It is the basis for all human interaction.  It is also the basis for human society.  In Christ all things are possible, let us do our part and trust Him to do His part, as He said He would. Duc in Altum, Timothy Gallic Principal, Holy Family High School 303-410-1411 p.s. I honestly mean I would like to hear any comments, questions, cares or concerns you have about the school.

From the Principal's Desk 3.20

Dear Friends,

Welcome back!  Although the break was wonderful and much desired one cannot help feeling the excitement which greets us at the beginning of the semester.  My family and I traveled back to Jersey for a wedding and some time with the family.  It was great to be back home but sad to see the incredible amount of damage Hurricane Sandy did.  Most of the inland damage has been repaired; the coast continues to be a mess.   It will be a long journey getting these areas rebuilt.

I want to restart the character trait theme with that trait almost universally desired and yet extraordinarily elusive to modern man, Peace.

What is peace? While there can be many ways to define it, the most useful  one I have found is the ability to be grateful with where God has you, content with what you have and a readiness  to accept change that may occur.   To be peaceful at all times seems beyond the ability of mortals.   How can one be peaceful when the world around us is failing, when evil strikes, or sickness afflicts?    Peace seems dependent on external events, it seems incompatible with grief, loss and disaster and yet it is not.  The path to peace is found in surrender to the will of God.  Peace comes when we express to God gratitude for what He has given us.   Often times God gives us a task to be accomplished or a situation to be endured.  And if we are peaceful we can approach them most effectively.

Peace frees us from the tyranny of outside forces. For Catholics, when we exercise the sacrament of Confession, we find forgiveness of sins and release from attachment of sin, and we experience peace.    If I am peaceful  than I am in control of myself and from that position I can decide how best to act.  Can one be peaceful and excited? Yes. Can one be peaceful and sorrowing? Yes.  

The world resounds with examples of persons who have the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7)and through their examples we can learn why this character trait is so useful.  It is God’s plan for us and it is a character trait which makes us easier to live with, more successful in our studies and frankly, happier.

I end this, the last Tuesday Alert for the Christmas season, with the following poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  I find the last verse inspirational

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Thank you for your support,

Duc in Altum!

Timothy Gallic
Principal, Holy Family High School