Before St. Joseph Hill Academy’s high school students began their 2014-2015 school year, our faculty was welcomed home to Hill on September 3. To open the school year, Sister M. Denise Martin, F.D.C. began the meeting as all things are started at Hill, in prayer. Below is the beautiful prayer written and led by Sister Denise.
Loving God,
we come to you filled with gratitude for making us partners
of your ongoing work of creation as Catholic Educators.
You call us to be part of this community and bless us with a unique legacy
that began with Mother Franziska Lechner and has been passed from generation to generation.
The gift of our mission, founded on Christian values and the traditions of the Daughters of Divine Charity seeks to educate and empower young women to be confident independent thinkers with strong character and leadership qualities, who stand ready to meet society’s challenges.
This mission enables us to make decisions which call us to stand in solidarity and kinship with all those who share our earthly journey and moves us to perform active service rooted in justice and love.
These gifts of our Hill heritage invite us to be part of a tradition which strives for the highest good as our motto Summum Bonum suggests and that builds on the wisdom of the past with a vision open to the opportunities of the future.
These gifts also challenge us to move beyond our norm,
To broaden our imagination,
To deepen our trust,
And to establish your kingdom here on earth by teaching as your Son, Jesus did.
Fill us with enthusiasm and wonder as we receive these gifts
with open minds, generous hearts, and a willing spirit.
Following the example of Mother Franziska, may we, too,
ask for no reward except that of knowing that we are making God’s love visible.
May we take full possession of this heritage and joyfully pass it on
to young women who walk behind us into the future.
Amen.