“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know Himself— so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth and themselves.”
-St. John Paul II Preface to Fides et Ratio
Fides et Ratio Reflections
St. Augustine of Hippo
St. John Paul II’s opening “two wings” quotation above cites Scripture passages which describe the experience of seeking and finding God, namely, Exodus 33:18, Psalm 27:8-9, John 14:8, and 1 John 3:2. This encounter with the Truth, with the living God, is the desire of our heart according to the consistent Biblical witness.
Others through the ages have echoed this desire as well. Bishop and Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine of Hippo (d. August 28, 430), whose Memorial we observe today, has the classic statement of it in his autobiography, Confessions I.1:
“You awaken us to delight in Your praise; for You made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless, until if rests in You.”
His long and restless search for the truth was eventually rewarded when his heart came to rest in God as revealed and confessed by the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
The Collect Prayer for his memorial reiterates that desire to encounter the living God:
Renew in Your Church, we pray, O Lord,
the spirit with which You endowed
Your Bishop Saint Augustine
that, filled with the same spirit,
we may thirst for You,
the sole fount of true wisdom,
and seek You, the author of heavenly love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
It's About Time
First Day of School
Mrs. Altenburg’s Kindergarten Class at Nativity
Our first day of the new school year was Monday, August 24 for grades 1-12. Yesterday, Thursday, August 27, was our first day for our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students.
We began the year with 1,308 students enrolled, an increase of 26 students (2 %), continuing a steady growth trend. We are at capacity in a number of grade levels.
Particular thanks to all the staff members who serve our students and parents in our noble mission of Catholic education. I pledge my daily prayers for all of you this school year.
School Masses
Trinity’s Opening Mass
Opening Masses were held in our schools this week, which, of course, is the best way to begin the year.
Shanley’s was Monday, and Sacred Heart’s was Wednesday. School Chaplain Fr. William Slattery invited our eight sponsoring parish pastors to concelebrate. He introduced those able to attend and had their parishioners stand. Several other priests also concelebrated. At both Masses Fr. Slattery preached on the virtues of integrity and honesty, inviting students to embrace and exercise them this year.
Holy Spirit, Nativity, and Trinity had opening Masses yesterday. How good it is to gather for the holy sacrifice of the Mass and to give thanks and praise to the Lord our God as a school community, for “it is right and just.”
Many thanks to all our priests for presiding at our school Masses this year. Thanks be to God!
Back to School Coffees
Shanley-Sacred Heart Back to School Coffee
“Back to School Coffees” have been held at Shanley-Sacred Heart and Holy Spirit this week. Next week they will be held at Nativity and Trinity.
This annual tradition is a chance to thank our parents at morning drop-off time, wish them a good school year, and share a perk of a fresh-brewed coffee or a bottle of water.
Thanks to Special Events Coordinator Liz Bassett for organizing these parent-engagement events and to the Advancement staff for assisting.
President’s Proverb
“For now, treat the Scriptures of God as the face of God. Melt in its presence.”
– St. Augustine
Hagstrom’s Attempt at Humor (HAAH!)
Sunday Psalm Sampler
“Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
-Luke 24:44b
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
- Lectionary Readings: Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
- Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9
- Responsorial Refrain: “My soul is thirsting for You, O Lord my God.” (Ps 63:2b)
- Chris Brunelle’s YouTube Recording: R&A Psalm 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026, Psalm 63
With relatives and alumni in Arizona and Nevada and occasional trips to visit there, images of “the earth, parched, lifeless, and without water” are vivid for me. I can add images (though not desert-level) of our lawn and garden at times this summer. “Parched” describes the dry earth well.
Psalm 63 is “of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah” (63:1). For “wilderness,” read “desert.” His palpable thirst for God—Who alone satisfies the soul—is a candid confession (witness) of our deepest desire and need.
In seeking to quench that thirst, imagine the desert in bloom after a rare rain or consider the watered garden’s flourishing produce. This week, let us seek the only One Who fulfills our deepest desire as we sing, “My soul is thirsting for You, O Lord my God.”
Our President
Mike Hagstrom
Mike Hagstrom was named President of St. John Paul II Catholic Schools and Director of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Fargo on March 15, 2016, and officially assumed the role on July 1, 2016. In his application for the position, he described his leadership philosophy as one of stewardship, writing:
“My approach would be that of stewardship of the great gift of Catholic Schools. With the help of God’s grace and all our stakeholders, we can be good stewards together, ensuring that our schools not only survive, but thrive. They are designed for human flourishing, forming the whole person, each and every student made in God’s image and likeness, endowed with a transcendent dignity and destiny.”
Before stepping into diocesan leadership, Mike dedicated 31 years to Shanley High School, where he taught Religion and served in a variety of leadership roles. During his time there, he embodied the spirit of St. Bede’s words: “I have always found delight in learning, teaching, and writing.”
Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He and his wife, Shawn, are the proud parents of two Shanley graduates, Therese (’08) and Joseph (’16), and grandparents to James and Oliver.
