“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 about themselves.”
–St. John Paul II Preface to Fides et Ratio
Fides et Ratio Reflections
In this Sunday’s Gospel reading (John 14:1-9), Jesus reveals that He reveals the Father.
In Fides et Ratio, St. John Paul II quotes Dei Verbum, Vatican II’s “Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation” in this regard:
“To see Jesus is to see His Father (John 14:9). For this reason, Jesus perfected Revelation by fulfilling it through His whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself: through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially though His death and glorious Resurrection from the dead and finally His sending of the Spirit of truth” (Fides et Ratio, No. 11).
The Holy Father then applies that revelation to salvation history and notes the unique role of the Holy Spirit in history’s unfolding: “For the People of God, therefore, history becomes a path to be followed to the end, so that by the unceasing action of the Holy Spirit (cf. John16:13) the contents of revealed truth may find their full expression” (No. 11).
So, what is history according to vision of St. John Paul II?
“History therefore becomes the arena where we see what God does for humanity. God comes to us in the things we know best and can verify most easily, the things of our everyday life, apart from which we cannot understand ourselves” (No. 12).
It’s About Time
39th Annual Deacon Dinner Auction & Gala – April 29
That’s what we saw at our pre-auction practice last Saturday morning with the emcees and auction director. AV specialists Mobile Pro did amazing work in literally setting the stage for a successful event. I was moved by the video board display above featuring our students (why we exist), crest, and shield. Multiple backgrounds rotated throughout the evening. Bold. Colorful. Inspiring.
My deepest thanks to all who made Saturday night’s auction such a successful celebration and fundraiser for JPII Catholic Schools.
Thanks to the 492 attendees, the generous bidders and donors, the Presentation Award recipients and other staff attendees, Mass presider Fr. Slattery, Bishop Folda, the Presentation Sisters, our priests, the student workers, the staff at the Delta, Mobile Pro sound, lights, and video, the Front Fenders, the auctioneers from Pifer’s, and the entire hard-working auction committee (solicitors, displays, data entry/check-in/check-out, raffle/paddle sales, advancement team led by John Klocke, auction chairs Jill and Tim Graveline, Gina and Chris Ahlers, and Sue and Dan Kadrmas, and our auction director Liz Bassett). Very well-done, all!
Thanks for such a memorable, enjoyable, meaningful evening.
Save the date: next year’s 40th Annual Deacon Dinner Auction and Gala will be Saturday, April 27 at the Delta.
2nd Annual Presentation Awards
As part of the gala aspect of auction night, we also recognized all our Presentation Award recipients as well as our system award recipients. In addition to receiving their awards, they received a standing ovation from the near-500 attendees in gratitude and recognition for their exemplary service in the mission of St. John Paul II Catholic Schools.
The Presentation Awards are named in honor of the Presentation Sisters, who opened the first Catholic school in Fargo in 1882.
De La Salle Teacher Awards
(Named in honor of St. John Baptist De La Salle, Patron Saint of Teachers)
Holy Spirit Elementary School: Jennifer Kolesar (SmartLab/Library)
Nativity Elementary School: Jill Koch (Phys Ed)
Sacred Heart Middle School: Ryan Modahl (Religion)
Shanley High School: Kari Sornsin (Social Studies)
Trinity Elementary School: Mary Freund-Braun (Music)
De La Salle Teacher of the Year Award: Kari Sornsin
Wojtyla School Staff Awards
(Named in honor of Karol Wojtyla [St. John Paul II])
Holy Spirit Elementary School: Andi Jacobson (Para-Professional)
Nativity Elementary School: Angie Amundson (Para-Professional)
Sacred Heart Middle School: Karen Sanden (Administrative Assistant)
Shanley High School: Candy Herzog (Para-Professional)
Trinity Elementary School: Bonnie Villareal (Cook)
Wojtyla School Staff of the Year Award: Karen Sanden
Marian System Staff Award
(Named in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Dawn Storandt (Nurse)
Bosco Coach Award
(Named in honor of St. John Bosco, Patron Saint of Youth)
Troy Mattern (Football)
Nano Nagle Administrator of the Year Award
(Named in honor of the foundress of the Presentation Sisters)
Stacy Roney (Finance/HR Director)
Congratulations to all this year’s award winners! Thank you for exemplifying our core values as “a community inspiring excellence through faith, learning, and service.”
Venerable Nano Nagle, foundress of the Presentation Sisters: “Pray for us.”
And Now for Something Completely Different
I somehow missed the significance of April 27 in last week’s post. On that day in 1975, the film, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” was released in the United States.
For a high school Sophomore, it was perfectly Sophomoric.
My brothers and I had enjoyed “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” every Sunday evening for several years on the local PBS affiliate. Suffice it to say, the movie was exquisite topping for the weekly fare provided by British comedy troupe.
My sense of humor was warped forever. Yes, I am one of those annoying “English types” who can quote the movie’s scenes and the weekly show’s sketches from memory ad nauseum.
Thank you Monty Python for helping me find the “Holy Grail” of humor.
President’s Proverb
“May is Mary’s month, and I/Muse at that and wonder why…”
–Gerard Manley Hopkins
Hagstrom’s Attempt At Humor (HAAH!)
Sunday Psalm Sampler
Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year A)
“Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
–Luke 24:44b
Lectionary Readings: Fifth Sunday of Easter | USCCB
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 33: 1-2, 4-5, 18-19
Responsorial Refrain: “Lord, let Your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You.” (Ps 33:22)
Chris Brunelle’s YouTube recording: R&A Psalm Fifth Sunday of Easter 2023, Psalm 33 – YouTube
Psalm 33 elicits praise from the just, calls for trust in the Lord, and affirms the unrivalled power of the Word of the Lord.
Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon notes that in this Psalm “for the first time, the Book of Psalms uses and important expression—’new song,’ shir chadash—which will later appear four more times in the Psalter and once in Isaiah.”
He explains the significance of this expression: “The song of believers is always a new song, because it springs from an inner divine font. It is the song of those who are born again in Christ and therefore ‘walk in newness of life’” (Rom. 6:4).
The certainty that the Lord “makes all things new” (Rev. 21:5) through His steadfast Word and works is the basis of our trust in Him. This week, let us remember His constant faithfulness and our new birth as we sing “Lord, let Your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You.”
mike.hagstrom@jp2schools.org