Dear Families of Holy Name,

We are looking for someone to help co coach a chess club.  If you are interested, please contact the office.

It has been a short week and everyone has been working hard and the results are showing.  At convocation yesterday, I heard Psalm 23 recited and a poem on DeSoto.  It was simply beautiful how the students wanted to share with the school what they have learned.

I am celebrating my 52nd birthday today.  I was thinking what a gift this community has been to our family.  I got emotional at Holy Mass in the multipurpose room as I witnessed our students worshiping our Lord.  From our preschoolers to our high school students, there was singing, listening to God’s Holy Word, and then receiving Him reverently in the Eucharist.

Our academics are strong and we are honing our skills to be stronger.  At the end of the day, however, we can have great CLT, ACT, or SAT scores, but if we do not know Jesus we are missing the most important thing.  Discipleship is the key to joy.  We are going to have really hard things happen to us.  If we stay grounded in our identity as a child of our Heavenly Father, when those hard things happen, we can still find joy in His love for us.

Our school community has wounded members.  Please pray for them.  There are losses, illnesses, anxiety and a whole assortment of needs.  As our students internalize messages like Psalm 23 they will recall when they need it most:  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Have a blessed and restful weekend.

Peace and joy,

Nathan Vande Hey
Principal