Seeking Perfection ...

Seeking Perfection . . .

A few weeks ago we talked out the importance of community service for St. Francis College Prep students. Community service will not be a theoretical discussion, an occasional thought or a seasonal gesture.

Acts of service will be part and parcel of the daily formative education and expectations for St. Francis students; and, there are two very specific reasons for this.

The first reason for acts of service is found in the student’s individual growth and relationship with God. St. Augustine recognized an important spiritual law, “The measure of charity may be taken from the want of desires. As desires diminish in the soul, charity increases in it; and when it no longer feels any desire, then it possesses perfect charity.”

In other words, there is a direct correlation between selfish desires and a heart of service. The more we truly serve God the more we give up our own desires and the less selfish we are; and the less selfish we are, the more like Christ we become. This is the highest calling of all!.

For St. Francis, acts of service are truly about helping our students to become more like Christ.

The second reason for acts of service is found in the statement by the 1997 Congregation for Catholic Education’s The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium, #5:

 First and foremost, we must recognize the contribution it [the Catholic school] makes to the evangelizing mission of the Church throughout the world, including those areas in which no other form of pastoral work is possible. Moreover, in spite of numerous obstacles, the Catholic school has continued to share responsibility for the social and cultural development of the different communities and peoples to which it belongs.

Through acts of service here in our community St. Francis has the privilege of contributing to the evangelizing mission of the church. In addition, St. Francis shares the heavy duty for the social and cultural development of our local community.

Simply put, through acts of service our students are a witness to the community and have a positive impact on the growth of our community. This is the second highest calling that there is in scripture and is the second reason acts of service are integral to our school.

To that end, we are excited to share that St. Francis College Prep is holding its first act of service to the community this Saturday, December 5th, from 8AM-5PM at the Vons on the corner of Murrieta Hot Springs and Winchester Roads.

We are humbled by this opening in the calendar that we have to allow students an opportunity to grow closer to God and to be a witness to those around us. If you have a chance to come by and visit us, please do! We would enjoy seeing you!

Charity unites us to God. There is nothing mean in charity, nothing arrogant. Charity knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect . . . ” St. Clement