Never Backwards, Always Forwards

Dear Families,

I hope your family is enjoying the Christmas season. I always savor the opportunity to just sit with my children. Jubilee and I recently took up playing the board game "Life", the merits of which I question on some level: money is not the measure of success. I do see the value in learning how to count, but perhaps the greatest value is just watching my daughter smile next to me. 

We are always present and conversing with the students. Just this week, one student curiously commented on my habit of reading between the lines and analyzing the implications of certain lines of thinking. I wasn't raised a skeptic, and I am averse to conspiracy theories and ideological trajectories fixated on the premise that our world is a terrible place. We need the right mindset that emanates from the truths of our faith. 

I think our faith teaches us a forward-thinking truth: never backwards, always forward. We shouldn't despair or lament previous failures  or experiences because God's restorative act has transformed human nature at its very core. We can get right with God again, but we do need to cooperate to move forward, practicing the habit of virtue in harmony with habitual reception of the sacraments. 

I do think we are living in precarious times. Spending more time with my children during the Christmas season did something to me again: it made me want what's best for them even more. It even made me want what's best for all God's children even more. The problem is there is some serious skepticism and slander out there in society. 

The line I often tell my children when trying to teach them about the life of virtue is, "that is not what you are made for". Or even when some material object is misused, I say, "that is not what that is made for". 

This is the whole purpose of education: to teach children what we are made for, and to never settle for anything less than moral greatness. 

We are all hardwired to prefer what is truly good, but elements are increasing in society that are rewiring our souls. These forces are simply dangerous to all of us. But this is no cause for fear:

God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 

In this is love brought to perfection among us,

that we have confidence on the day of judgment

because as he is, so are we in this world. 

There is no fear in love,

but perfect love drives out fear

because fear has to do with punishment,

and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. (1 Jn 4:16-18)

For this reason, I wanted to invite parents into more conversations. There are two books that recently came across my radar. I already purchased the first, and the second is on my reading list. Both are compelling and accessible to all audiences because our their common sense approach. 

  1. Made This Way: How to Prepare Kids to Face Today's Tough Moral Issues
  2. Get Out Now: Why You Should Pull Your Child from Public School Before It's Too Late

I am thankful everyday for the opportunity to partner with parents in this work of encouraging children towards moral greatness. Stay tuned for another parent seminar.


May Our Lady the Undoer of Knots untie those things inside that prevent the harmony of body and soul so we can more courageously pursue moral greatness. 

Yours Truly in Christ,

Derek Tremblay
Headmaster