“We’re commissioned!” exclaimed St. Peter and St. Paul middle school teacher Julie Traxler. “It adds a seriousness to it.”
She was one of more than 500 Catholic school teachers, administrators and staff members who gathered Aug. 17 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Upland for the annual Opening Schools Mass, a liturgy that brings the Catholic school community together to pray and reflect on their mission as they are about to begin a new school year.
Prior to the Mass, a keynote talk by Franciscan Brother Antonio Luevano, O.F.M., was offered. He invoked the charisms of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua and St. Claire to urge the educators to take a more holistic approach with their students this year.
“Academic rigor is good, but what is it pointing toward?” Brother Luevano asked. “What you are imparting is the template for life.”
His message was an eye-opener for Linsey Villalobos, a middle school teacher at St. Peter and St. Paul School, located in Alta Loma.
“The whole social – emotional aspect, we didn’t have that before,” she said.
Monsignor Gerard Lopez, diocesan Vicar General, who was the chief celebrant of the Mass, continued the theme in his homily when he encouraged the Catholic school ministers to help their students identify their unique gifts. Msgr. Lopez described the beginning a new school year and the unfolding journey in Catholic education as a “leap of faith.”
“The year that lies ahead of you is in God’s hands,” he said. “You have such a treasure, to have these young souls in your care.”
At the conclusion of Mass, Msgr. Lopez led a commissioning of all the Catholic school ministers, first calling each of the 22 Catholic school principals in attendance one by one to the foot of the sanctuary to receive a blessing and a certificate of commissioning. He then invited all in attendance to respond to four statements punctuated by the question “Whom shall I send?”
The commissioning concluded with Msgr. Lopez petitioning the Lord.
Send your Spirit upon these teachers, support staff and administrators.
Fill them with your wisdom and blessings.
Grant that during this academic year that they may devote themselves to their ministry of education.
Let them strive to share their knowledge with gentle patience and endeavor always to bring the truth to eager minds.