Bishop Shawn McKnight, bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City, announced today that an anonymous donor has given one million dollars to Fr. Tolton Catholic High School to assist in its debt relief. The donor’s intention is that the gift will inspire other friends of the school to support the school’s long-term financial stability with similar generosity.
The school, which opened its doors in 2011, cost $14 million to build, and required bond financing for completion.
“Our diocese is blessed to have benefactors who acknowledge the far-reaching impact of faith-based education and are willing to invest in such a significant way to further solidify the future of our youngest diocesan high school,” Bishop McKnight said. “The benefits of Catholic education – with its universal focus on self-discipline, rigorous academics, and service for the greater good – are significant not only to the Church, but to our society as a whole.”
School Sister of Notre Dame Julie Brandt, associate superintendent of Schools for the diocese, explained that “this transformational gift would provide the school not only the opportunity to pay down the debt obligation but to inspire others to step forward and make an investment in the school.”
“This benefactor is a true visionary who understands how important it is to offer a Catholic education in the Columbia community,” said Sister Brandt.
Deacon Dan Joyce, president of Fr. Tolton Catholic High School said, “We are extremely grateful and pleased to have benefactors who realize the importance of lowering our debt obligation. This gift not only improves the long-term financial sustainability of the school, but positively impacts current operations by permitting funds allocated for debt service to go directly into educational programs and services for current and future generations of students.”
Fr. Tolton Catholic is in its eighth year of operation, serving students in grades 9-12 with an enrollment of 273 students as of August 2018. The school develops students in spirit, heart, mind, and body, providing a rigorous academic program and expansive extracurricular offering in a Christ-centered environment. The school is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, which includes 38 counties in northeastern and central Missouri and is led by Bishop McKnight.
Announcing the John and Dolly Kadlec Scholarship Endowment
A few months ago, the Tolton advancement staff enlisted the help of former Mizzou Tiger, Gary Link, now a faculty member at Tolton Catholic, to make some calls on the school’s behalf to contacts outside the Columbia area that might be interested in supporting Catholic schools. Link encouraged his friends to support our Blaze of Glory Gala and invited them to attend the November event. One couple had a more specific intention for choosing to get engaged with Tolton – and their engagement will have long-term positive impacts on the school’s student community.
Gerard and Jane Grewe’s hopes were simple – they wanted to honor John and Dolly Kadlec with a scholarship endowment in the Kadlec’s name. Cousins (Jane’s mother was John’s aunt), the Grewe and Kadlec families lived blocks from one another in South St. Louis. John and Dolly were most gracious hosts to the Grewe’s young family over the years and Gerard and Jane have many fond memories of the Kadlec’s kind and welcoming ways. The Grewe’s knew how much Catholic education meant to John and Dolly, and were aware of the role John, especially, had played in early fundraising efforts to establish Fr. Tolton Catholic High School. For these reasons, they chose to honor John and “the Doll”.
Better known as “Mr. Mizzou,” John Kadlec served as the color analyst on the Tiger Radio Network for 16 years. John played football for the Tigers under Don Faurot in the 1940s and worked two stints as an assistant football coach. He later directed the Tiger Scholarship Fund at Mizzou. In 1996, John was inducted into the MU Athletics Hall of Fame. John passed away in 2014 at the age of 86. Dolly passed away in 2011 at the age of 82, not long after the couple’s 60th wedding anniversary.
John and Dolly’s granddaughter, Katherine, benefitted directly from her grandparents’ philanthropic and volunteer efforts to found Tolton, graduating from TCHS in 2017, before continuing “Mr. Mizzou’s” family legacy at MU on the softball team.
The John and Dolly Scholarship Endowment is sufficient to fund four annual scholarship awards at Tolton Catholic, in perpetuity. Two annual awards will be need-based and available to any student with demonstrated financial need (including returning students and rising 8th graders who will be freshman at Tolton). The other two awards will be merit-based, and will be awarded to returning Tolton students only, based on grade point average, disciplinary record, and service hours.
John and Dolly’s son, Johnny, was delighted and humbled to learn of this gift. He will be personally involved in the evaluation of applicants who meet the criteria for the awards. The first scholarships will be awarded in the spring of 2019, to be applied to student accounts for the 2019-2020 academic year. The Grewe’s encourage other friends and fans of the Kadlecs to consider a contribution to help grow the fund and pay tribute to John and Dolly. They look forward to touring Tolton Catholic, and meeting their initial scholarship recipients, next year!
Announcing the Tolton Catholic Advisory Council
Announcing the Tolton Catholic Advisory Board
This week the Fr. Augustine Tolton Regional Catholic High School Board of Directors appointed eleven members to the school’s Advisory Council, which will work in cooperation with the Fr. Tolton high school administration.
The new Advisory Council members are:
From Our Lady Of Lourdes Parish:
Marcie Elfrink, Jay Burchfield, Doug Callahan, Jeff Guinn, Cheryl Kelly, Christine Konrad
From St. Thomas More Newman Center Parish:
Steve Long, Dr. Avila Nilon
From Sacred Heart (Columbia) Parish:
Bryan Mayhan
From Sts. Peter and Paul Parish (Boonville):
Theresa Krebs
From St. Pius X Parish (Moberly):
Jeanne Steffes
The Advisory Council’s responsibilities include: assisting in annual budget preparation; development of long-range plans; assisting in reviewing and formulation of school policy, and policies on facility use and maintenance; community relations; making recommendations regarding faith and Catholic identity, academic and athletic programs; and assisting the Board of Directors, as requested, in candidate searches for, and evaluation of, the school president and principal.
Jay Burchfield has accepted an appointment to serve as the first Council President. Committee chairperson appointments for the standing Council committees, Faith and Catholic Identity, Finance, Facilities, Academic and Athletics will be announced shortly.
Council members will receive a communication soon regarding the first Council meeting which is planned for November.
A highly-qualified pool of 30 candidates applied for 11 positions on the Council. The Board selections considered representation from the various parishes, the talent and experience desired for the various committees, as well as the committee preferences expressed by the candidates in their applications.
The Fr. Tolton Board of Directors is comprised of: Sister Julie Brandt SSND, associate superintendent of Catholic Schools for the diocese; Msgr. Robert A. Kurwicki, vicar general of the diocese; Fr. Chris Cordes, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish; Fr. William Peckman, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul parish; and Deacon Dan Joyce, president of Fr. Tolton High School.
Bishop Shawn McKnight appointed this board for the Fr. Tolton High School corporate organization after he approved a revised Board structure in the high school’s bylaws this August. The new board structure mirrors an earlier change in the corporate Board of Helias Catholic High School, the other non-parish high school in the diocese.
The board’s primary duties and responsibilities relate to: approving the annual school budget; making recommendations to the Bishop on the appointment or removal of a school president; making appointments to, and removals from, the Advisory Council; participating in long range planning, and reviewing capital expenditures for the school as part of the annual budgeting process.
Trailblazer Holiday Store NOW OPEN!
Blazer Fans –
Our Holiday Team Store is open! We hope that you enjoy the apparel items available for sale for the 2018 Christmas holiday. These apparel items will be available for purchase only through the online store and will not be available in the Team Store on campus. All purchases will be paid for through the online store with a credit/debit card or PayPal.
Samples will be available in the office until November 9. You are welcome to stop by and check it all out. Please remember the Holiday Team Store is organized by the Boosters. Questions and concerns should be directed to the Booster contact, Mickie Vahabzedah. Mickie’s contact info is below.
The store will close Friday, November 9 at midnight. The orders will be bundled and delivered to Fr. Tolton Catholic High School the first week in December. You will be contacted when orders are ready for pick up.
You do have the option to have your items shipped to the address of your choice. This option is under “shipping” and you need to choose it before you choose your method of payment. Please note that there is an additional charge for shipping.
If you have questions, please contact Mickie Vahabzedah at mickievahabzadeh@gmail.com.
Online Store Link: https://stores.inksoft.com/
Happy Shopping!
Tolton Catholic Booster Club
Statement on Transfer Students and Eligibility
Tolton community,
We’ve been responding to a number of inquiries from Tolton families and fans regarding recent media coverage of two student transfer requests that have been/are being vetted by MSHSAA. We wanted to reach out to clarify the facts of the situation. There is a misperception that Tolton administration is intentionally trying to impact the eligibility of transferring students. This is not the case. MSHSAA rules, by default, require a one-year ineligibility period for ANY student following a voluntary transfer between member schools. This simply means that the transferring student may practice and play at the JV level, but is automatically ineligible to play at the Varsity level for 365 days. All member schools are subject to this protocol – we even have a couple of students currently enrolled here at Tolton who were subject to that guideline when they transferred in to our community from the public school system.
Transferring student families may choose to pursue an appeal, leveraging one of 10 eligibility exceptions, such as financial hardship or a full-family change of residence. (A full list of possible exceptions can be found in Section 3 of the MSHSAA handbook here.) Transferring for athletic reasons does not qualify as an optional exception.
When a student requests a transfer, MSHSAA inquires of the “sending school”. The sending school has an ethical and moral responsibility to respond to that inquiry in a thorough and honest fashion. If the athletic administration has been told, or otherwise has evidence to support, the fact the transfer is occurring for the purpose of pursing athletic opportunities at another institution, it obligated to include that information in its response to MSHSAA. From there, MSHSAA reviews facts from both sides and makes its determination on a case-by-case basis. The sending school has no further influence over the situation and the burden of proof to qualify for a hardship situation or other exception falls on the student’s family.
With regard to the requests currently receiving media attention, we at Tolton wish the students involved and their families much success at their new schools.
Sincerely,
Deacon Dan Joyce, President
Fr. Tolton Catholic High School
Upcoming VIRTUS Trainings
According to the Missouri Department of Social Services, in Fiscal Year 2017 there were 1132 substantiated incidents of child sexual abuse in Missouri involving 1261 children, 214 of whom were in the counties of our diocese. You can help prevent this from happening and ensure that our parishes, schools and homes are safe places for all children. The Diocese of Jefferson City will hold three VIRTUS® Protecting God’s Children classes in Columbia on the following dates:
- Monday, August 27, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes parish. Class will be held in Flanagan Hall.
- Thursday, September 6, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Thomas Moore Newman Center. Class will be held in the Disciples Room.
- Sunday, September 16, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Thomas Moore Newman Center. Class will be held in the Disciples Room.
Participants should register in advance at www.virtus.org. Please arrive early so that the class may begin on time. Due to the nature of the subject, children are discouraged from attending.
This program is one component of the overall effort to protect God’s children and vulnerable adults. All employees and volunteers with ongoing and unsupervised contact with children and youth are required to attend a Protecting God’s Children session. All parents, grandparents and other adults in the parish community are encouraged to attend. To view valuable resources regarding the protection of children and vulnerable adults, please go to https://diojeffcity.org/child-and-youth-protection-2/, www.virtus.org or the USCCB’s website at http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/child-and-youth-protection/index.cfm.
New Faces at Tolton Catholic
Deacon Dan Joyce — President
Deacon Joyce serves as the Interim President at Tolton Catholic. A product of both Catholic elementary and high school in St. Louis, Deacon Joyce received his BA in Journalism from Marquette, and then his Juris Doctor degree from St. Louis University School of Law. He moved to Jefferson City in 1979 and worked for 32 years in various government policy and management positions as an attorney and administrator, with stints at the Missouri Office of Administration, the Missouri Supreme Court, the Missouri Department of Social Services, and the Missouri Public Service Commission. Most recently he served as the director of communications for the Diocese of Jefferson City. Deacon Joyce has been married for 39 years to the Hon. Patricia Joyce, who presently serves as a circuit judge in Cole County. They have five adult children and two grandchildren. He was ordained a deacon by the Most Rev. John R. Gaydos in 1999 and is currently assigned to the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Jefferson City. He is 4th Degree Member of Knights of Columbus in Jefferson City as well as a board member of El Puente Hispanic Ministry in Jefferson City. Deacon Joyce is also a lifelong Cardinals fan.
Mrs. Gwenn Roche — Principal
Mrs. Roche has been involved in Catholic education for over 20 years, as a teacher or administrator in Missouri and Illinois. She received a BA in Business Communications and Elementary Education Certification from Avila University. She earned an MA in Education Leadership from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Mrs. Roche enjoys spending time with her family in Kansas City, and is excited to join the Tolton Catholic community.
Mr. Allen Moss — Music Teacher
Allen Moss joined the Tolton Catholic faculty in the summer of 2018. Allen earned his degree in Music Education from Southeast Missouri State University. Here at Tolton he teaches band, choir and guitar. Outside of school he enjoys spending time with his wife, playing music and reading.
Ms. Erika Wittenburg – Math Teacher
Erika Wittenburg teaches Algebra I, Geometry, and Statistics. Before joining Fr. Tolton, she taught at West Ouachita (pronounced “wash-ih-taw”) High School in Calhoun, Louisiana. She received her BS in Secondary Math Education from Louisiana Tech University. In her free time, she enjoys watching Netflix, reading, playing and watching soccer, and singing in her church’s choir. She got engaged this past March and will be getting married in April 2019.
Ms. Stacey Wright – Social Studies and English Teacher
Stacey Wright will be teaching AP US History, World Geography and British Literature in her first year at Tolton Catholic. Previously, she taught English in the Ft. Worth Texas Independent School District as well as Marketing and Entrepreneurship classes in the Columbia School District. Teaching is a second career for Ms. Wright. Before that, she was a business and technology consultant and owned her own consulting company. She receiver her BS in Public Relations/Communications from the University of Central Missouri, and also studied Intercultural Studies at the University of Vaxjo in Sweden. Ms. Wright is a Columbia native and moved back this year to be closer to her family including her 22-year-old daughter Madeline. She is excited to teach in a faith-based environment!
Announcing the new President and Principal at Fr. Tolton Catholic High School
A few months ago as you know, Bernie Naumann announced that he was resigning his position in order to be able to better assist with the care of his aging parents in St. Louis. With the vacancy coming at this time in the school year, our Catholic School Superintendent Sister Elizabeth Youngs, Associate Superintendent Sister Julie Brandt and I knew filling Bernie’s shoes was going to be a big task — especially for the dual role of president and principal, which is how the Tolton leadership position has been constructed since the high school’s creation.
The Tolton Board of Directors and I decided that this is an appropriate time to separate the positions of president and principal. Under the leadership of Sister Julie, we conducted a search and are so very fortunate to have found a wonderful candidate for principal, Mrs. Gwendolyn Roche. She’s a native of Kansas City who recently returned to Missouri with her husband’s change of employment. Gwenn and her husband moved in January to Columbia from Bloomington, Illinois, where she had been serving as principal of Corpus Christi Catholic School since 2013. Gwenn has a long history in Catholic education as a teacher and administrator, and we are happy to have her at Fr. Tolton Catholic High School beginning July 1.
In addition to her principal duties at Corpus Christi, Gwenn served as principal for four years at St. Thomas Catholic School in Philo, Illinois and was a teacher for 12 years in Catholic elementary schools in Champaign, Illinois, Liberty, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri. She has a M.A. in Educational Administration from UMKC and a B.A. from Avila University in Kansas City.
The position of president is going to require more time to fill, however, so I have asked Deacon Dan Joyce to serve as Tolton’s interim president for a year, effective July 1, as we conduct a broader search this fall. His duties as communications director will be transferred in coming weeks and we will keep you informed as that process unfolds,
Dan came to the diocese as communications director in 2011 after serving nearly 32 years in Missouri state government working in budget, legislative, upper management and legal jobs with the Office of Administration, the Missouri Supreme Court, the Department of Social Services and the Missouri Public Service Commission. With a degree in communications from Marquette and a law degree from St. Louis University, his life has been formed by Catholic education. He attended parochial school (K-8) in the St. Louis Archdiocese, as well as Catholic high school, college and law school.
Join me in congratulating Gwenn and Dan in their new positions. They and I ask for your prayers and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they take on these important responsibilities helping to educate and form our Catholic youth at our regional high school in Columbia.
Bishop Shawn McKnight
Tolton Catholic Stations of the Cross
Written by Tolton Catholic High School Students during Lent 2018
Verse and response before the reflection and challenge for each station:
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
R: Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world
Opening Prayer
O Father, who willed to save mankind by the death of your Son on the cross, grant that we who have known on earth the mystery of his love, may be his witnesses, in our words and actions, in our daily lives,before all those whom you place on our path. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death
Written by members of the House of Maximilian
Reflection:
Jesus really did nothing wrong and did not hurt anyone. He did his best to save them. I would want to say something to save Jesus from death but at the same time, I feel too weak to do that. Only because I feel like I could lose my life along with Jesus. I am sorry that I did not say something at the time, but I was so afraid for my life. How can I make that up to you, Jesus?
Challenge:
When there is someone that needs our help today we should stand up for them and do the right thing. Don’t follow the crowd.
Second Station: Jesus Carries His Cross
Written by members of the House of Ethelbert
Reflection (from the perspective of Mary):
I watch helplessly as my son begins His painful, long, and undeserving journey unto death. I can hear the crowd cheering as my son is tortured. Why? Why do they cheer? There is no one deserving of this, least of all my only son. They lay the heavy and rough wood across His shoulders, and its as if I can feel it upon my own. His suffering is my suffering. His legs shake as He takes the first step towards Calvary; my heart breaks with each bloody footprint in the dust. I know God has a plan; He always does, but is this what He meant?
Challenge Question:
Have you ever felt pain for someone else? How can you reach out to those close to you to help them bear their crosses? Can you, like Mary, trust in God’s plan, despite lack of understanding?
Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time
Written by members of the House of Xavier
Reflection:
The man they call Jesus is barely able to walk. I can see why, for not only is he carrying the cross–probably heavier than he is, and made of rough wood–but he has also been whipped to the point where his back no longer even looks like human flesh. He stumbles, but this time he cannot balance himself, and he collapses to the ground with the weight of the cross still on top of him. Many around me are yelling, jeering, and mocking, but I find myself unable to say anything. I just stare, wondering what he will do next. Will he give in and stay there on the ground? Or will he get back up, continuing down the road to his own execution?
Challenge Question:
Jesus not only willingly took our heavy sins on the cross, but continues to mercifully take our sins and troubles today. Do I give my sins and problems to Jesus, or do I hold tight to them? Do I feel like he can’t handle my sins and problems, or recognize that he is strong enough to take them all?
Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Mother
Written by members of the House of Gonzaga
Reflection:
As Jesus trudged to his death, while he was beaten and bloody, he came across his mother. The woman who was without sin watched her beloved son walk on route to give his life for the very people who were about to kill him. Mary trusted in God’s plan so much that she stepped aside to let her son die right in front of her. This 4th station proves the love as well as the pain that Mary endured, but also the faith that she showed on that horrible Good Friday.
Challenge Question:
Mary met Jesus on his way to Calvary. However, Mary’s journey with Jesus did not end there. Mary stood at the foot of the cross and watched her son give his life. Luke 1:45 says, “Blessed is she who believed.” Mary believed in God’s plan for her son. How much do you believe and trust in God? What would you be willing to do if God asked us? How much would you be willing to Sacrifice?
Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
From the members of the House of Xavier
Reflection:
The fifth station explains how carrying the cross was a lot of work for one person alone, and of course the soldiers wanted Jesus to be alive and make it to calvary, where he was sentenced to die. Since the cross was too heavy for Jesus alone, Simon was chosen out of the crowd to help him carry it, even though he knew he was helping Jesus make it to Calvary hill, where he would die upon this very cross that he carried up. Simon knew what had to be done. Simon showed immense bravery in this act because through it, he risked being considered a criminal by associating with a man condemned to death.
Challenge Question:
How would you feel if you were taken from a crowd and forced to help a man carry his cross to his execution? Simon did not know Jesus, yet he picked up the cross and gave him the help he needed.
Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Written by members of the House of Xavier
Reflection:
As Jesus stumbles, Veronica wipes his face with her cloth, then Jesus leaves the imprint of his face on her cloth to remind her that He is always with her. The imprint that He left with her is similar to the imprint that He left on our hearts, which reminds us that through all of our hardships, he is with us.
Challenge:
Part 1: Be like Veronica, and go out of your way to help someone that is struggling
Part 2: Whenever you find yourself in hard times, remind yourself that Jesus is always with you, no matter what.
Seventh Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time
Written by members of the House of Ethelbert
Reflection (from the perspective of a bystander):
Thousands of people were watching with different emotions as this man fell a second time. People were yelling and cursing at him to get back up. I heard people mocking Him and saying things like, “If you are the true Son of God, get back up,” and “Call on God to help you.”
I couldn’t stand and watch any longer as he laid on the ground. It was so hard to watch someone slowly die on the ground right in front of me. I couldn’t express my emotions, or else I would have been persecuted. I had to join in and laugh, even though the internal pain of watching him grew stronger.
Challenge Questions:
- Have you ever had to give into peer pressure or group mentality just to fit in, even when when it is wrong?
- Have you ever felt powerless and felt you couldn’t do anything to help someone in need? How are you going to change that?
- What can you do as a person to instill positive change in someone’s life?
Eighth Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Written by members of the House of Sebastian
Reflection (from the perspective of the women of Jerusalem):
Jesus, you pass by us, the women of Jerusalem, as you bear the pain of the heavy cross. We are sad, for we know you are innocent and misunderstood. Even in your suffering and agony, you stop to speak to us, and give us encouragement to bear this. Jesus, you took a moment to separate yourself from the pain in your life in order to help others in need.
Challenge Questions:
Do we often get too caught up in our own struggles that we forget the needs of those around us? How can we take the time to acknowledge others and out their needs before our own, as Jesus did on the cross and does for us ever so often?
Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time
Written by members of the House of Gonzaga
Reflection (from the perspective of St. John):
Jesus, your time on this earth is almost at an end. Your journey to Calvary is tortuous, and so for a third time, You fall. Soldiers scream at You and hit You with spears when you fall, and exhaustion threatens to keep you down. Your feet are sliced open, Your back is covered with lash marks, Your hands are ridden with splinters, and Your forehead is pierced with thorns… Yet You gather Your strength and rise, ready to continue the march to Your death. Lord, when I fall down and feel like I cannot continue on, help me remember Your example, and they way You gave up Your life for me.
Challenge Question:
Have you ever felt like you couldn’t continue on? Who inspired you to keep going?
Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
Written by members of the House of Blaise
Reflection (from the perspective of a bystander):
I knew this man wasn’t guilty, but I couldn’t bring myself to stop the torturing that was happening right in front of me. I felt like I couldn’t move. Everytime I tried to speak up or give a hand, I found myself frozen. I saw them strip his clothes right off of him, leaving him cold, bare, and ashamed. I know I should’ve done something to stop this innocent man from being treated like this, but I didn’t want to risk my own life for him.
Challenge Question:
Could you handle being unjustly treated like a criminal as Jesus was, even to the point of being stripped and sent to be nailed to a wooden cross?
Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
Written by members of the House of Blaise
Reflection (from the perspective of St. John):
Nails driven into his hands and feet. I could see the pain on his face but I couldn’t do anything to help him. I looked up to see the sky blackening and storm clouds rolling in. The day turned cold and gray much like the emotions of everyone watching this horrific sight. I began to pray. I prayed for my best friend’s suffering and I prayed God would make it stop but it just continued. I prayed no one else had to go through what Jesus did that day on Calvary Hill.
Challenge Question:
Could you imagine your best friend and leader experience great pain in front of you when you can’t do anything to help them?
Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross
Written by members of the House of Maximilian
Reflection:
Dear Jesus, As the sun beats down, scorching the Earth, you hang there on the Cross, drawing your final breaths. All you have done your whole life is heal the sick and comfort the broken. Yet, in your final hours, all you receive is hatred and scorn. But despite this, you continue to forgive the evil doers and love selfless. Finally, the hour of 3:00 arrives and you take your last breath. In the act of saving us from sin and death, you die (please take a moment of silence).
Challenge Question:
On your ride home, turn off the music and reflect on Christ’s great act of selflessness, service, and love.
Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
Written by members of the House of Sebastian
Reflection (from the perspective of Mary, Mother of Jesus):
I’ve never known such pain until you were taken down and I held You in my arms. Every scrape, hole, and blemish were not yours–they were all from others. Every cut was a sin that you healed for someone else. I had to give up you, my son, so you could save the rest of the world. As much pain as it was for me to lose you… you are the Savior of the world.
Challenge Question:
Mary gave Jesus dignity by holding him in her arms; how will you restore someone’s dignity today?
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
Written by members of the House of Sebastian
Reflection (from the perspective of Jesus):
It is quiet now. I lay in my tomb, placed there by the ones I love. Though my physical pain is gone, theirs is greater than ever. If only they knew what will happen… in a few days their sorrow will be put to rest. In three days I will rise and conquer sin and death. I will bring new meaning to suffering and love.
Challenge Question:
Often times, it’s difficult to see past our current sorrows. Today, how can you see the positive and joyful ways Jesus works in your life, even in the midst of the sorrow, pain, and fear?
Closing Prayer
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you were drawn by the Father from the darkness of death to the light of a new life in glory. Grant that the sign of the empty tomb may speak to us and to future generations and become a wellspring of living faith, generous love, and unshakeable hope. To you, O Jesus, whose presence, hidden and victorious, fills the history of the world, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Special Note from President Bernie Naumann
Dear friends and fellow Trailblazers,
When I came to Tolton I never imagined how attached I would become to the school and people in such a short time. Almost at once, I knew I had made the right choice and was proud to be part of the Blazer community. I am proud to be part of the faculty and staff that has worked with such incredible devotion. I am amazed by the charity of time, talent and treasure I have seen from parents, colleagues, and many regional supporters. That pride and ownership is what makes this such a difficult announcement.
Many, many years ago, a hard-working Catholic husband and wife volunteered in their parish and school for decades, worked multiple jobs, and sent six children through twelve years each of Catholic education. Even during challenging economic times, they prioritized giving to the Parish, school, and their children – sacrificing their own personal needs. They lived the belief that in any way possible; time, talent, and treasure were all necessary support of the Catholic community, parish and schools. These parents were mine and they passed that passion for Catholic education on to me.
Christ’s message in our schools is one of love; love I have experienced through my family, and in my roles in Catholic schools. Recent health events for my parents have created the chance for me to repay just a part of their sacrifice of love – a recompense delayed far too long by my own professional pursuits and vocational work in our schools.
After prayerful discernment it is with a very heavy heart I announce I will be retiring. I will be resigning my position at Tolton at the end of the current school year to address those family needs. I feel I would be unable to honor those concerns and perform my duties at Tolton at the standards I hold myself to; and I feel the Tolton community deserves. This is certainly an emotional decision; Tolton itself has truly become family to me.
I will forever be grateful for the acceptance and support I have received from everyone I’ve worked with in our Diocese. I am very proud to be part of a community that is so dedicated to the mission of Catholic education, despite its many trials and tribulations. Catholic education has become more than a vocation for me; it has grown to be a personal mission for which I carry a strong passion. My experience here in Columbia has only grown that passion. In short, my time working at Tolton has been nothing but rewarding and a warmhearted experience.
Tolton has developed a momentum that will continue through the devotion of its hard-working faculty, dedication of its wonderful families and support from the regional Catholic community. I will work very hard with our Diocesan leadership to aid in the leadership transition and keeps those forces in motion.
I will be communicating with our students this afternoon. I am also attaching a copy of the Diocese of Jefferson City press release. My prayers and thoughts for this will always be with Tolton. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the team. I have been truly blessed.
I wish you Christ’s blessings in spirit, heart, mind, and body,
Bernie Naumann
To read the press release from the Diocese of Jefferson City, click HERE.
