Page 3 - Priorities #50 2011-June/July

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
WDear Priory Community,
Welcome to the 50th issue of Priorities!
The 2011-2012 school year is now in the books. We recently held the commencement exercises for both
the Middle and Upper Schools and have sent our graduates on their way to high school or college. It is a bit unnerving how quickly the end of the year arrives – even more surprising to the Seniors who in August saw a long academic year ahead of them. They are now preparing themselves for a new campus and classmates they will meet in the Fall – we wish them the best and in the Graduation section you will be able to read about the ceremonies and other numerous award winners from all grades at the Priory.
In early June I and three colleagues, Brian Schlaak, Josie Castaneda and Brother Edward, made a trip back to Saint Anselm in Manchester, New Hampshire for a conference on Benedictine hospitality. Saint Anselm’s has own and operated the Priory since 1975 and are one of the big reasons we are a thriving educational community today.
The conference explored how this Benedictine value is “lived out” on the many collegiate and high school campus’ across the country. Hospitality is unique to our monasteries and tradition - “all are to be welcomed as Christ” is what it says in the Rule of Saint Benedict and here at the Priory it permeates how we interact with each other, our students, our parents and our guests. When we greet people, offer them food and drink and “Listen ... with the ear of our hearts” we are modeling the behavior Saint Benedict had in mind when he wrote his rule for living in community.
Along the same lines, the Priory faculty and staff will be reading “Finding Sanctuary: Monastic Steps for Everyday Life” by Abbot Christopher Jamison this summer. It follows the lives of 5 individuals who live at Worth Abbey in England for 40 days and learn the restorative power of silence in their daily routine. Abbot Christopher and Worth Abbey were the focus of a BBC series entitled The Monastery and the source for this book. The book and the series explored the challenge of finding, among the busyness of our days, some time for silence to listen and become aware of our inner self. All 5 individuals left with a new found appreciation for the role of down time and the impact our internal voices can have on our wellbeing. It seems that the Benedictines really do know how to live a balanced life.
There is an inspiring article in this issue on Father Maurus who is leaving the classroom to spend more time as the Chaplain of the Hungarian Catholic Mission. He has been involved with this group for many years and will also begin to assist the Development office with our alumni. Father Maurus has been a beloved teacher and mentor for 43 years where countless Priory students learned about the world of Biology. He has worked in the dorms and as Maintenance Director – wherever the community needed him Father was willing to serve. He has been honored with a Faculty Chair by the McGraw Family and we recently dedicated Room 18 and the Science Lab in his name. For his tremendous dedicated efforts there is never enough we can do to honor him and his commitment to the teaching ministry. He will leave his office in the Briggs Science Center and move to his new office in the monastery this summer.
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There is an inspiring article in this issue on Father Maurus who is leaving the classroom to spend more time as the Chaplain of the Hungarian Catholic Mission.