Mary Catherine - Class of 2013
February 17, 2010
Dear Mr. President,
Thank you very much for reading this letter. I respect the fact that you take your time to read the letters of concerned persons and give them some thought. The education provided by public school is a subject that has been on my mind, and I think it needs some improvement. I would like to bring up some of the problems I see and suggest solutions. This is America, and she deserves to be among the best in everything, especially education. Continue Reading »
John McCann - Class of 2010
February 11, 2010
Dear Mr. President,
I am a nineteen-year-old citizen who is imploring you to note an issue that is holding back this great nation from reaching our fullest potential. I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear you say that you look at man-made climate change with scientific consideration. With scientific backing, one can reaffirm that his opinion can be proved; and people who base their opinions off of scientific proof are wise indeed. Continue Reading »
Cecilia Bryan - Class of 2012
February 10, 2010
Dear Mr. President,
I am an American girl and a citizen, who, like you, believes our country is wonderful. I also feel that it needs some changes. I really respect the fact that you are a president who believes in being a man of the people, and you want to make America better for future generations. Mr. President, this is a serious something I’ve had on my mind almost everyday, which involves the future of our country, and me personally as a teenager. I would sincerely appreciate it if you would be willing to give it some thought. Continue Reading »
Thoughts on Christmas from Brother Francis
[I realize that the Christmas season just ended; but one of our Sisters gathered these quotes, and I don't wish to wait another year to share them with you. Sr. M. Ph.]
Dominus dixit ad me, Filius meus es tu; ego hodie genui te. The Lord said to my Lord, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten Thee. That was taken from Psalm II. For one thousand years all the holy men and women repeated it. The royal, poetic prophet David, who was inspired to give us the 150 Psalms, was privileged to hear this sentence uttered in eternity. This is overhearing talk among the eternal Persons of the Trinity. Continue Reading »
My high school American History II class just finished the Spanish American War and were sailing into the twentieth century when discussions came up surrounding President Obama’s State of the Union address. Upon their own initiative, the students are working on letters to President Obama expressing their concerns for the future of our country.
Some food for thought regarding one issue (adding to the National Debt a trillion dollars at a time) can be found at the following sites:
US Debt Clock
A Trillion Dollars Taxes the Mind and the Taxpayer
I recently came across John Cornwall’s Hitler’s Pope, published in 1999 by Viking Press. Just reading the Prologue and the first chapter was enough to convince me that this was not the type of solid research I was looking for. Not only was the author’s bias obvious, but his facts were more than dubious. In discussing the subject with a friend, I was referred to an article by William Doino, Jr. I found his article to be so well-written (and extremely well researched) that I thought our readers might find it informative as well. Just click on that hyperlink two sentences back.
Congratulations to Marc Doucette (grade seven) for winning the school level of the 2010 National Geographic Bee! Ten IHM students from grades four through eight competed at this level. Marc then took a written test to see if he qualifies for the state level. He did! and will be competing at the NH State Finals on April 9 (at Keene State College). Good luck, Marc! Continue Reading »
I received the following note in an email from an IHM friend:
Dear Sister, I found a very good breakfast item that your school and the school kid’s parents may be interested in. If you serve it at school or kids eat it at home it is inexpensive, good and nutritious. Continue Reading »
Our Philoso-Fur!
The Sisters are taking evening classes in Philosophy, going through Brother Francis’ Philosophia Perrenis lectures on tape with the assistance of a tutor-at-a-distance (using a speaker phone). We are almost to the end of the course on Cosmology, and there is never a lecture that doesn’t touch on something we can use in the classroom. This last week one of my students asked me about the resurrection of the bodies at the general judgment, when everyone who ever lived gets their bodies back. The question was: If someone is cremated (the morality of which was also discussed) or completely decomposed and the exact matter is no longer “free” — how do we get our bodies back? The very day that I answered that question (does anyone know the answer?), I heard Brother’s answer in our evening class. I was very glad to see that I’d answered it correctly! Rhipsime is a regular guest at our class, a regular little philoso-fur (as you can see from her choice of books!).
Little Book of Instructions for Christian Mothers [continued]
(from Mother Love – A Manual for Christian Mothers – by Rev. Pius Franciscus, O.M.Cap., 1926)
On the Christian Training of Children
Chapter X. – Maxims and Sayings Which a Mother Might Teach Her Child.
Pithy, pregnant maxims and sayings are wise thoughts expressed tersely and strikingly. Watchwords we might call them. The Saints were partial to such little sayings. St. Francis is renowned for his “My God and my All,” St. Ignatius for his “All for the greater honor and glory of God,” and there is hardly a saint who did not have a special predilection for some particular expressive saying. It would be wise if all of us would profit by their example and also choose one or the other for our guidance. Continue Reading »
