ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

August 26, 2002

Good Morning!

The summer vacation has gradually come to an end and you are back for another year of study, growth, play and prayer.

May I suggest that your motto for the new year be, "Learning to love and loving to learn."  I hope you like it.

You come here as a young community of faith, and you will be encouraged, challenged and strengthen by the many gifts that you bring and are willing to share with one another.

Your school is a Christian Community, and offers the best opportunity for each of you, to grow in the love of God, to learn to love yourselves, and to love others.

You are surrounded by a very special group of people who deeply care for you.  Your principal, staff, and teachers have your interest at heart.  They want you to be the very best. But they will not accomplish anything, unless you allow them to, and cooperate with them. 

Work with them, they will help you find the true meaning of life.  They will challenge the wisdom of your age. They will help you discover a message of hope, so necessary in the midst of the human mess, which is ever with us.  They will teach you to live for the right reasons.  Trust them, they are your friends for life.

The excellent education offered here at Antonian will only be yours if you want it to be yours.

At times you may feel the weight of authority, but remember there can be no community, whether it be in the family, or in the parish, or in the Church or State without authority.

Your teachers have high hopes for you.  They will challenge you, engage your hearts and minds with interesting classes.  It will be a year of planting, gathering, embracing, sowing and celebrating.

All of you here, know the popular hymn, LET US BUILD THE CITY OF GOD.  Build this city of God, build it right here on earth, build it together as a young community here in your school.  Build it with your teachers with cooperation, build it with your fellow students with respect and kindness.  Build this city with every person that crosses your path.

As I said to you before and I must say it again. No teacher, no school, nobody here at school, or at home can make this a good year for you.  That is your business.  They can help you, guide you, walk beside you, but the decision is yours.

You begin this year with a good start.  You have come together, to pray for God's blessing on this new year. Pray for those responsible for your education.  Be grateful and thank God for your parents, who make many a sacrifice to make all this possible. And pray for each other, and pray for me, I need all the help I can get too.

Today at this Eucharistic celebration, put all your fears, hopes, your good will, your school administration and staff on the paten at the Consecration. Be sure you put your gifts and talents there, too.  Offer your hard work of this coming year for the glory of God.  And in a simply way renew this offering each morning when you wake up.  You will never have a better year.

God bless you.

Rev. Jerzy F. Sieczynski, Ph.D.
Antonian High School
August 26, 2002

Ecclesiastes 3:1-18
Colossians 3:1-15, 12-17
Luke 22: 24-27
August 25, 2002

Dear Parents, Students and Teachers,

The first week of school was most outstanding.  I was particularly proud of all our students for the way in which they embraced the new teachers and the various expectations placed on them. A special welcome and thanks to the Freshman class for its desire to learn, lead and respond to the call of being people of the Beatitudes. I was also happy to have received various calls from Freshmen parents to say that their children can't stop talking about school, are ready to go early in the morning, are happy as they leave school and can't wait to get back to school the next day.  I am thankful for their excitement and also thankful to parents for giving us the opportunity to minister to their children, our students. Several Freshman teachers have said that they did not think any class could surpass the goodness and focus of last year's Freshman class. However, they further indicated this week that it seems that this year's Freshman class will be the exception. Congratulations Freshmen.

I want to share a few things going on this coming week.

We invite you to join us for Mass on Monday, August 26th at 9:00 a.m.  Archbishop Patrick Flores will celebrate Mass with us.

Fall Spirit Night is to be held on Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. in the Auditorium.  All fall athletes will be introduced and recognized.

Open House will be held on Thursday, August 29th at 6:30 p.m. Parents will have the opportunity to meet their son's/daughter's teachers. Please join us for this very important gathering.

The Apaches will travel to Pearsall on Friday night for their first football game of the season. Please join us in rooting the football team to victory.

I received a letter from Frank (Paco) Vara of the Montevista Study Center. I met Paco last year as he worked with several of our students during Spring Break.  Along with our students and others in the community, he traveled to Mexico during Spring Break to erect a small Church. The experience was invaluable to them. The Montevista Study Center is hosting a Seminar entitled, High School and Beyond - Challenging young men in the 9th grade to make the most of their high school years. If you or your sons are interested in attending, please e-mail Paco Vara at fvera@ix.netcom.com. There will also be a Professional Seminar for young men in their Junior and Senior years with the focus of assisting them to select a profession - Public Service, Medicine or Business.

If you look behind the school, between the swimming pool and tennis courts, you will be able to see the foundation of the new weight room which was poured a couple of weeks ago. We will continue to build the weight room as money and donations are available. The total cost of the weight room is $35,000.00. We have already paid $11,500.00 for the foundation, after having received some $3,000.00 in donations. We are also selling our two 1996 Ford Vans.  Since we can no longer transport students in them, the Finance Committee and School Council have authorized their sale with the proceed to go toward the building of the weight room. We are asking $8,000.00 for each or best offer. They have 60,000 miles on them.

Lastly, we need your help in getting book-covers on the student textbooks. Because the textbooks we use are often larger than standard textbooks, the book-covers we have obtained are too small for our textbooks.  Nonetheless, the textbooks need to be covered in order to prevent damage to them.  Please assist us by reminding your son/daughter to cover their texts.  Last year we spent $80,000.00 on textbooks and this year we spent $50,000.00.  If we are to keep from charging a rental fee on books, as other schools do, we will need to help our students understand the value of what they carry in their backpacks. By placing their backpacks carefully on the ground rather than throwing them down, they are helping maintain the life of their books. Please help us in any way you can. 

Have a very blessed week and join us in praying the Prayer of St. Chrysostom:

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

August 19, 2002

Dear Parents, Students, Teachers and Friends,

I am happy to write to you to say that the first day of school was a terrific one and one in which we were able to celebrate the wonder of our students and the wonder of their individual talents.

As students gathered as early as 6:30 a.m., the campus was buzzing with the anticipation of seeing old friends and making new acquaintances.

We gathered students in the school auditorium and then processed the freshman into the auditorium as student greeted them with clapping and a joyous celebration.  I was particularly proud of the senior class for the warm and receptive welcome they gave to our freshman students.

The day processed well thereafter. On behalf of the faculty, staff and administration of Antonian College Preparatory High School, I wish to welcome all of you to the 2002-2003 school year.  It will be a wonderful year and one in which your children will continue to learn about being people of the Beatitudes. I am greatful to them and to you for giving us the opprotunity to love the, education and assist in the formation of their character.

As a reminder, the new cafeteria service is available.  Lunch will be $3.50. We will post a menu in the next few days.  We also ask that you visit our Website.  We will be posting our daily announcements of the Web each morning. Lastly, the Back to School Dance is on Friday, August 13rd from 7:30 to 10:00.  The dance is only open to Antonian students. 

As a spiritual Meditation:

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Helena who was born about 255.  Helena worked enthusiastically to promote Christianity, and eventually went to the Holy Land, where she spent large sums on the relief of the poor and on building churches on sacred sites. She is particularly associated with the discovery at Jerusalem (31:47 N 35:13 E), near the probable site of Calvary, of a wooden cross that was accepted as the actual cross on which Jesus was crucified. 

The Prayer of St. Helena: Almighty God, who called your servant Helena to an earthly throne so that she might advance your heavenly kingdom, and filled her with zeal for your Church and love for your people; Grant to us your people that we may be fruitful in good works, and steadfast in our faith in you, and finally by your mercy may attain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever.

If we may be of any help, please let us know. We are here to serve you.