St. Paul the Apostle School

From the desk of Sister Stella

Eric, “May the flight of angels lead you on your way to Paradise and Heaven’s eternal day! … May the choirs of angels sing you to your rest.”

PEACE, ERIC

From the Desk of Sister Stella Maria, Principal:

The entire school community offers our sympathy, prayers, friendship and love to Jennifer and her three young children, as they mourn the death of a loving husband and a very devoted Father. Jennifer, when your family is ready, we are all here to help you in any way possible. We will love and watch over you and your children through this time of need.

On Friday, January 25th is the Feast of St. Paul the Apostle. Our school will celebrate with a Liturgy led by the Fourth Grade class at 8:15am. Following the Mass, our room parents will provide treats for every student. This year, the Feast of St. Paul is extra special as it marks the opening of a year of celebration. The Paulist Fathers have provided 150 years of service to the Church.

HOW THE PAULISTS BEGAN

The Paulist Fathers began with a Vatican decree received on March 6, 1858, releasing five Catholic priests from their vows as members of the Redemptorist order. The five--Clarence Walworth, Augustine Hewit, George Deshon, Francis Baker and Isaac Thomas Hecker--were now free to pursue their vision of a distinctively American religious community dedicated to bringing the truths and gifts of the Catholic church to the people of America.

These five priests presented a unique face to a nation on the verge of the Civil War. They were filled with youthful energy and zeal. They were beneficiaries of the best education America could then offer. All had been born into Protestant families and each had traveled a significant spiritual journey that found its home in Catholicism.

For each of these men, becoming a Catholic soon led to ordination as priests and members of the Redemptorists, a missionary order ministering to German immigrants in the United States. While preaching missions in cities and farmlands and small towns they became aware of the deep religious hunger of native born Americans, a yearning that mirrored their own experience. They first sought to respond as Redemptorists. When this proved impossible, the 1858 decree "Nuper Nonnulli" freed them to form the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle.

These five young priests set as their goal the conversion of America. It's a goal they never achieved. Yet one cannot help but be amazed at the work this little band accomplished. When Fr. Baker died after only seven years of Paulist work, one prominent Catholic observed that "the best priest in New York is dead." Fr. Walworth's influence lives on when we sing the much loved hymn he translated into English, "Holy God, we praise thy name." Fr. Hewit worked hard to promote the idea of a national Catholic university which came to fruition in his lifetime with the founding of the Catholic University of America. Fr. Deshon oversaw the building of the formidable church of St. Paul the Apostle on the West side of Manhattan and helped "Deshon's fortress" become a magnet for New Yorkers seeking quality preaching and liturgy.

These priests, and the others who would soon join their number, viewed Fr. Isaac Hecker as their leader and inspiration. Born in 1819, the son of a non-religious father and a Methodist mother, Hecker's own spiritual path drew him from political activism to the Transcendentalist movement associated with New Englanders Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, and then to the Catholic church through the guidance of his spiritual mentor Orestes Brownson.

By the time the Paulists were founded Hecker, ordained in 1849, had authored two books, "Questions of the Soul" and "Aspirations of Nature," which had established him as a nationally prominent spokesperson for the Catholic church. Hecker built on this by giving public lectures on the Catholic faith, not in sanctuaries but in town halls and opera houses. Always seeking an audience beyond church walls, he founded a monthly magazine, "The Catholic World," and a Catholic Publication Society to provide free pamphlets on topics of faith. Hecker's ministry was characterized by his unrelenting optimism and his positive view of human nature. He firmly believed that the teachings of Christ offered a truth that would nourish the spiritual yearnings of Americans, while the young nation's affirmation of the principles of freedom; reason and democracy provided the ideal soil within which the church could flourish.

This year the Paulists celebrate the 150th anniversary of our founding. While proud of our heritage, we pray hopefully for "a future greater than any past." In recent years we've been blessed with the growth of lay Paulist Associates here in Los Angeles and at our many other Paulist foundations. They are working and praying with us to renew our understanding of Fr. Hecker's vision. We invite you, our family in faith, to celebrate with us at the 11 am Mass this Sunday, and throughout 2008 as we honor our past and look forward to the future.

Fr. Joe Scott, CSP

Justine, daily compliments are rolling in from the faculty about your ability to conduct a most energizing and creative Book Fair. There is a very strong desire among the faculty to go back to making this an annual event. Thank you!

On Thursday, January 24th, each student from Kindergarten through Grade Six will take home our Summer School program. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Buchanan, our Summer School Director.

Note: Please arrive by 7:20 am or 2:30 pm to complete your assignment. Should you have questions about your duty do not hesitate to contact your room parents or Liane Schirmer.