"The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint." - Léon Bloy
On Friday, November 1, 2024, Brother Martin High School celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints, or All Saints' Day. The morning began with Mass in the Robert M. Conlin Gymnasium, which was celebrated by Fr. Tony Rigoli, OMI.
Who are the saints? Mother Angelica said, “Saints are ordinary people who love Jesus, try to be like Him, are faithful to the duties of their state in life, sacrifice themselves for their neighbor, and keep their hearts and minds free of this world.” A canonized saint is someone who, after careful consideration, is formally recognized by the Church as being with God in Heaven (EWTN)."
All throughout the day, our Crusaders encountered many of these saints through biographies placed on classroom doors across campus and through prayers to the Lord pertaining to that particular saint. Per our Catholic faith, we ask the saints to pray for and accompany us on the long road to Heaven. Our celebration today served as a timely reminder that we are not alone in our faith journey, that we can ask these saints to pray for us, and that we, too, are all called to be saints.
"The Saint is a medicine because he is an antidote. Indeed that is why the saint is often a martyr; he is mistaken for a poison because he is an antidote. He will generally be found restoring the world to sanity by exaggerating whatever the world neglects, which is by no means always the same element in every age. Yet each generation seeks its saint by instinct; and he is not what the people want, but rather what the people need." -G.K. Chesterton
"It is the joy of great-souled people to give without measure."
These meaningful words from Brothers of the Sacred Heart Founder, Fr. André Coindre, call each of us to live lives of generosity of spirit. Brother Martin's President, Mr. Gregory Rando '77, shared these and other words of thanks in recognition of the generosity of the Members of the Society of 1869, who "have embraced Brother Martin High School's mission of meeting the needs of a changing world . . . [and] will potentially benefit every student on campus and students for generations to come."
We were also blessed to welcome Mrs. Gayle Benson, who "has focused her philanthropy on supporting our city and many of its Catholic institutions. Because of their vision and gratitude, New Orleans has been and is being transformed for the good."
Concluding his thanks, Mr. Rando challenged our students to take on a generosity of spirit, saying "When we think of giving back, we often feel that it amounts to a financial gift, but giving can come in many other ways- through service, time, and simply sharing your God-given talents. So, what is your small act of kindness that could transform lives for years to come? Students, we hope you see and understand what generosity means and what it looks like. Brother Martin High School School is built on such generosity."
