FROM THE PRINCIPAL: HGP CLASS OF 2016 May 2012 Dear Member of the Class of 2016 ...

46 Pages·2012·4.62 MB·English

FROM THE PRINCIPAL: HGP CLASS OF 2016
May 2012

Dear Member of the Class of 2016,
Welcome to Holy Ghost Prep! I hope the ending of your school year will be pleasant and that you are
enjoying the first part of your summer. With this letter comes the first—a small sample—of your academic
materials for the next school year. These materials will help ease your academic transition to HGP.
I am sure you are familiar with the idea of reading during the summer to maintain your thinking skills
outside of school. We choose three readings for you to do, but I would encourage you to read continuously
and widely throughout the summer, including favorite books, printed and online newspapers and journals,
and the like. In terms of preparation for high school, for standardized tests, and for the wide range of
challenges you will face, there is no better advice I can give you than to keep reading!
For Holy Ghost Prep, you are required to do three readings/sets of readings. The first two sets are on your
flashdrive. The first is a group of readings about the history and mission of the Spiritans. Second are two
intriguing articles from our Science Department. The third reading is the book by Paulo Coelho, The
Alchemist. The Alchemist is readily available in bookstores and online in both printed and electronic forms.
For The Alchemist, whichever format you choose is acceptable, but make sure you bring it with you for
classes.
The group of Spiritan Summer Readings includes some reflection questions after each reading. Please read
and prepare your responses to the Spiritan Summer Readings prior to Orientation Day on Thursday, August
23. Please bring printed out responses to the questions with you that day.
Please bring your copy of The Alchemist with you for your English classes during the week of August 27.
Lastly, your science teachers will give you advice about the assessments for the science readings.
In July, look for further news about schedules and the opening of school. Keep reading whenever you can
and don’t worry--there is a lot of time to enjoy the good days of summer with your family and friends.
Good Luck!

In One Heart and One Mind,

Michael A. O’Toole
Principal
Holy Ghost Preparatory School
Spiritan Summer Readings
Class of 2016

Spiritans:
Are Open to the Spirit
Live Community
Are Concerned for the Poor
Have a Global Vision
Are Committed to Service
Strive for Academic Excellence
Seek Personal Development

With One Heart, and One Mind

Holy Ghost Preparatory School
“A Spiritan School Making a World of Difference”
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The Spiritan Story
The Audacity of a Young Man

“Among religious institutes, few have had demanding régime; three years of
so extraordinary a history as the Spiritans,” philosophy (prerequisites: mathematics and
wrote a Jesuit historian in 1886. Indeed, the the then still cutting edge Newtonian
Congregation of the Holy Ghost (Spiritans) physics), four to five years of theology with
was founded by a 24-year old student from an optional two years of canon law or
the College Louis-le-Grand; he is considered scripture studies. When completed these
to be the youngest ever to establish a young priests placed themselves at the
religious institution. disposal of the bishops for types of ministry
For three decades, what would become judged less desirable by others. Moreover,
the Spirits remained officially non-existent. for about 150 years the institute remained
Yet, the small group dedicated to the Holy more a movement than an organization. It
Spirit did exist as a as either a religious was held together by a common ideal rather
house or a seminary. For sixty years it was than statutes. It just barely had the
ruled by superiors who had been chosen necessary structure to be recognized as an
in their twenties by equally young institute.
fellow seminarians, living together in To be one of the first Spiritans was
a kind of “student republic.” While demanding while requiring the most
other congregations were satisfied with open of hearts, going where the Spirit
a few months to about one and a lead in perhaps unconventional ways, in
half years of seminary training, the most loosely gathered
the Spiritans had a much more institutional structure.
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Claude François Poullart des Places after his ordination, but the work he had
(Founder 1679-1709) started was carried on by his followers.

The Spiritans founder was Claude Francis Expansion
Poullart des Places, the son of a very While most of these worked in their
wealthy businessman and lawyer in Brittany. homeland in rural parishes, hospitals,
Endowed with a superior intellect, he colleges or seminaries, others volunteered
graduated summa cum laude in 1697 and for missions abroad as soon as this became
earned a degree in law three years later. concretely possible for them. In 1732, the
After helping his father for year George Washington
a year, the pious young was born, the first of them
man gave up all aspirations came to North America,
for wealth and fame to where he was soon
become a priest. In 1702 followed by many others.
he went to Paris to study They worked especially
theology at Lycée Louis-le- among the Native
Grand. Americans and Acadians in
Noticing the poverty of Canada and also taught at
many fellow students for the seminary of Quebec. At
the priesthood, he began the same time, others went
to support them as best as to the Far East, where they
he could and to give them labored in China,
spiritual guidance. They Cambodia, Vietnam, Siam
revered him so much that and India.
they asked him to In 1765 the Holy See
constitute them into a began to entrust overseas
community and seminary Claude François Poullart des Places missions directly to the
where they could pursue their vocation. Congregation. One of these was Guiana or
This he did on Pentecost Sunday, May 27, Cayenne, in South America, where they took
1703. over the work of the suppressed Jesuits
among Blacks and Indians. In 1779 the first
Driving Force two Spiritans landed in Senegal, Africa; they
The Institute's dedication to the Holy were the forerunners of many others on
Spirit gives us the charism, the driving force, that continent. Thus, the Congregation's
of the new foundation: those who entered it apostolate now extended over the four
should be motivated by evangelical continents. (The fifth, New Holland, now
availability in obedience to the Holy Spirit renamed Australia, was then not yet much
for the service of the poor and more than a name given to an obscure area
disadvantaged, and show their solidarity of the world.)
with these people by a frugal lifestyle. The
founder died in 1709, less than two years
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Three Centuries of Service When the Irish-American Bishop Edward
On Pentecost Sunday 2003 the Spiritans Barron came to see him for personnel to
celebrate the 300th anniversary of their staff his immense vicariate of the Two
founding. From its humble beginnings it Guineas – it stretched about 5,000 miles
developed into a worldwide missionary along the coast of West Africa without limits
family that is now on six continents and has to the interior – Libermann placed seven
played a significant role in the missionary priests at his disposal. Many of these early
work of the church for three centuries. missionaries would die of illness, but one of
The great spiritual Libermann's first
leader who would bring missionaries to arrive would
about the renewal of the go on to become the first
Spiritans in the 1800’s was Bishop of Gabon. As time
a very unlikely candidate went on, that vicariate of
for the task. Born in the Two Guineas became
Alsace in 1802 as the son “the Mother of all the
of Rabbi Lazarus churches in West Africa.”
Libermann and called
Jacob, he was intended to Result of a Merger
follow in his father's When Libermann had
footsteps and become a started his little
rabbi. Like several of his congregation, the Holy See
brothers, however, Jacob had at once suggested he
became a Catholic in 1826 come to some agreement
and opted for the Catholic with the Spiritans, whose
priesthood. He had Venerable Francis Libermann purpose, spirit and works
chosen Francis as his first were very similar to his own.
baptismal name. In 1848 the conditions were ripe to bring
Overcoming the obstacle of serious illness this matter to a successful conclusion. It
and with the approval of his spiritual was reached on Pentecost Sunday of that
director and the encouragement of the Holy year. The two congregations resolved to
See, he founded the Congregation of the merge. Libermann's group disbanded as a
Holy Heart of Mary in 1841, as a missionary separate institute and its members entered
group to work especially with peoples of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost. Then
African descent. A few days before that he Libermann was elected its Superior General.
had been quietly ordained a priest explicitly He reorganized the institute and gave it a
for that purpose. mighty impetus – one so strong that, even
The new venture took root and its first though he died four years later, it could
missionary was the Blessed James Laval, the develop into one of the larger religious
apostle of Mauritius. Two others went to orders of men. The Congregation of the
work in Haïti and Reunion in the following Holy Spirit spread all over Europe, North
year. America, the West Indies and large parts of
South America; allover Africa, islands in the
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Indian Ocean, Pakistan and on to Australia, Spiritan priests could settle in the United
Papua New Guinea and recently the States. They came as refugees from 1794
Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. At home, on, and many went to work in the Baltimore
it engaged heavily in what is now called Diocese, which then covered all the new
social work and in education on every level. States. Corporate involvement began in
In Africa, in particular, the Spiritans’ labor 1872 when Bismarck expelled the
was blessed. While the original mission in Congregation from Germany and its
West Africa expanded mightily, work in East personnel migrated to the U.S.A. They
Africa began in 1862 on the island of worked among immigrants from Europe and
Zanzibar in the 2,000-mile long mission of in 1878 opened a college in Pittsburgh,
the same name. Bagamoyo, located in what which developed into what is now Duquesne
is now Tanzania, became “the Mother of all University.
churches in East Africa.” Work among African-Americans began in
Thousands of Spiritan priests and brothers 1889 in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Then in
devoted their lives to bringing Christ to this 1895 the Spiritans expanded into Virginia,
continent; and other religious orders came Michigan, and New York. In 1911 missions
to share in the task. In 1842 the first three were taken on all over the Deep South. In
African priests would be ordained. One total Spiritans could be found in some
hundred-fifty years later we find on that twenty states.
continent about 450 dioceses mostly staffed Overseas, American Spiritans went to
by African priests under African bishops, work mainly in Africa, especially in Tanzania,
taking care of some hundred million and, closer to home, in Puerto Rico and
Catholics. Mexico. Here in the U.S. Spiritans minister
After World War II the attitude of the in countless parishes, as well as in High
world changed. One result of this was a School and University Catholic education.
scarcity of candidates for the priesthood and
religious life in most countries of the The Future?
northern half of the world. In the other half, As Spiritans celebrate their 300th birthday,
however, vocations became more abundant, we are facing the future with renewed
so that personnel losses in the north were confidence and trust in the Holy Spirit. We
greatly offset by gains in the south. The trust the Spirit will continue to lead us to be
Congregation has flourishing provinces faithful to our heritage of evangelization and
there, notably in Africa. Thus, it is able to development work especially in distressed
continue its mission today in about sixty areas of the world where the needs are the
countries of the world with most new greatest, with refugees and minority
members coming from East and West populations, in parish ministry and the
Africa. education apostolate to young people.
In this ministry we will seek to continue
In the U.S.A. close collaboration especially with the
When religious freedom became laity, as well as with our Spiritan
enshrined with American Associates and the Lay
independence, many more Membership in the Congregation.
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Here is the opening quotation from the article you just read

“Among religious institutes, few have had so extraordinary a history as the Spiritans,” wrote a
Jesuit historian in 1986.”

Briefly write below three reasons the above quotation is true based on what you have just read.

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Venerable Francis Libermann C.S.Sp.
11th Superior General of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit

An Amazing Legacy

February 2nd is an important date for us “practical union with God helped him, and others,
Spiritans, because it is the Feast day of Venerable find the divine in the everyday and to face life
Francis Libermann. He had a most remarkable with confidence and faith.
journey of faith. He was born into an orthodox
His spirituality of responsiveness to the Spirit
Jewish family in the Alsace region of France in
served Libermann well during the difficult period
1802, and given the name Jacob. Jacob
of organizing his Congregation of the Immaculate
Libermann's father was a rabbi, and Jacob was
Heart of Mary and of gaining official permission
preparing to become a rabbi himself when his
from Rome to begin this apostolate to people of
studies led him to the New Testament and to
African descent. Libermann's followers viewed
Christianity. On Christmas, 1826, at the age of 24
his being cured of epilepsy at this time, and
he was baptized, Francis Mary Paul at the
subsequent ordination, as approbation from
seminary of St. Stanislaus. Soon he was studying
heaven on the mission of his “little band,” whose
for the Catholic priesthood, but violent attacks of
charismatic leader and visionary apostle he had
epilepsy put his vocation on hold. It was fifteen
become.
years before he was finally ordained, in 1841.
Soon his growing group was asked by Rome to
Those intervening years were a time of grace
join another much older religious community,
and of maturing, as Libermann became an advisor
legally and canonically established in France, but
and confidant to many seminarians and others
on hard times by the mid-1800’s.
wanting to grow in their own spiritual life. His
own trials and painful experiences, as well as joys The Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans)
and perceived blessings, developed in him a great had been started in 1703, on Pentecost Sunday,
confidence in Providence and a sense of the Holy by another seminarian. Claude Poullart des
Spirit directing human affairs. His approach of Places was only 24 years old when he began a
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