The dog days of August, and the Philosopher Mom is limping back into the blogosphere. A little more worn, a little more weary, but oh! so happy, too.
The
Big Project brewing has come to fruition.
Opening day for
Regina Caeli Academy, Connecticut, is Monday, August 13!
The demands this new part of our vocation has made have been so heavy--and one of the hardest sacrifices has been the loss of writing. "This, too, Lord?"
It has not been nearly as hard as the hours away from the children (I have a newfound respect for mothers who must work full-time). Those hours apart from them and from Todd have reinforced our commitment to homeschooling and being a one-career family. You simply cannot replace quantities of lost time with intensive "quality time." We have tried. It is true.
But... from now on, I get to bring the Philosophical Progeny to the academy. They came today to help clean and sort (the 2-year-old helped to dirty and destroy). It was wonderful to work alongside them, to see their excitement at "our new school," and to hear them say, "This is wonderful!" It is. And it can only be a gift and signal of the Father's love.
Below are the opening remarks I jotted down for yesterday's parent orientation. I was so flustered I couldn't bear the thought of having no printed words to go by! Perhaps someday I'll wing it. But, so you might rejoice in our gift, read on. And then... pray for us!
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.
'O My God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage, and strength
to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next
stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived
where the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me. And I
shall meet with peace.'
Amen.
That prayer is from the diaries of St. Edith Stein (Teresa
Benedicta of the Cross), whose feast we celebrate in the Roman Rite today. How
beautiful that we gather together for the first time as a community on the
feast of this beautiful convert, brilliant scholar, devoted teacher, who
ultimately gave her life not only for the Catholic Faith but also for her
Jewish people.
“It is good, Lord,
that we are here.”
These words kept coming to me as we prepared to begin this
new adventure in CT. “It is good, Lord,
that we are here.”
I want first of all to acknowledge every parent and student
gathered here in this room: You are pioneers. When you describe Regina Caeli Academy to your
family and friends, they probably say, “Oh… kind of like a co-op?” or “Oh, so
you’re a Catholic school” or, the worst, “Oh, so why did you decide to stop
homeschooling?”
No, we are neither a school nor a co-op nor are we giving up
the most precious gift, time together in the home.
We are parents who have taken full responsibility as the
primary educators of our children. Most of us here have—perhaps for years,
perhaps on and off—“gone it alone” or largely alone in the home.
And now, simply, we are no longer alone. We are here together, committed to support one
another in our vocation and to support our children as they discern their own
vocations.
You have come here—
many of you at great personal cost—for
your family, your marriage, your children.
You have come here for a rigorous, classical education and the
discussion-based courses. You have come here first and foremost for a community
faithful in everything to the teachings of Christ and His Catholic Church. Your
children will form friendships with their peers and with adults who are fully
committed to the life of holiness, prayer, and study. They will work hard both
here and in the home. They will play with greater freedom during those awesome
vacations we have scheduled!
This is a great gift. “It is good, Lord, that we are here.”
But you will also be yourselves a gift to the other
families. You have also come to give of yourselves in a new way. You, as
spouses and mothers and fathers and students, each have some irreplaceable gift
to give. No one here is dispensable or “just another body” or another tuition
check (heaven forbid).
Your family’s presence here today makes this entire community
possible. It is good that you are here.
We are a new campus with an unknown path before us. We have all received piles and piles of
information, some of it confusing. You have all
persevered, and now we get to see the piles sort themselves out, the pieces
fall into place. You will see mistakes—including many of mine—but you will also
see purpose, meaning, and ultimately the rewards.
I was often reminded this summer of the Psalm 126:
“They go out, they go
out full of tears, carrying seed for the sowing,
They come back, they
come back, full of song, carrying their harvest.”
The harvest will be great.
If you have asked God, our Father, for a fruitful year, a year of growth in
holiness, love, and knowledge for your children, He will give it to them and he
will give it to you.
Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your gift of self.
Thank you for your patience with and forgiveness of me and all our leaders.
In the mercy of God, let us begin!
